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 Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:56 pm
"Not an enemy!" Jaren screamed continuing to whack the zombie with his blunt sword. "Obviously you've never seeen one of these before Roy! They eat babies! And Kittens! And baby kittens!" Jaren would have gone on but suddenly the corpse spoke. "AHHHH It spoke! What the hell?!" Jaren was so stunned that he froze as the... thing walked by him and climbed into the giant lizards wagon.
"What. The. Hell." Running after the corpse he hopped up into the back of the wagon. And glared at the zombie. "I've got my eye on you... Mr funky hair zombie." Before jumping off the back and running to the front. Now to deal with the giant lizard. Climbing onto the side of the wagon he pulled himself up beside Gannon.
"Hi there!" He said cheerily glancing back down at the horses and gulping.
Since Joshua had been walking beside Alihi he'd heard everything that had been said to her and once Abel was done talking he had his opening. "Your our tactician right? So I suppose you handle the supplies to? If so I have something to give you.... hold on a second." Joshua reached into his robes and pulled out what appeared to be a tome. "I figure you should hold on to this... Its a rare tome... Sacred actually you can give it to whoever can use it... Muudon would have a fit if he knew I was giving this away...." He chuckled at the thought "Only temporarily though I'd like it back after we save your daughter. Which brings me to my next point...." Joshua looked around quickly.... Damned if hed let some other inexplicable event interrupt his gambling this time. Producing a coin he showed it to Alihi before closing his fist and getting ready to throw it into the air. "Call it. Heads or Tails?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:14 pm
Ephraim had been quietly tailing behind the rest of the group. Truthfully, he had been keeping an eye around his surroundings, making sure nobody was left behind or if they were being hunted. So far nothing...though there was something going on with Alihi and Joshua.
He spotted a coin flipped in the air and immediately stepped in. "Neither" Ephraim called out, He knew that coin and if he was right, it was the same coin he scammed Innes with just to get money. Though as funny as that scene was..considering Frelia's prince had a pride of iron..it was a little silly to watch him keep going even after he knew the trick. After that sudden interruption, Ephraim walked up to Jehanna's king and pulled him aside. "I suggest you find another sucker to gamble against.." almost making it sound like a threat, but it really wasn't. But if he planned on scamming any of his friends he knew currently, Ephraim wouldn't have it. He paused for a moment then stepped away from the king, falling a little behind once more.
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:19 pm
 Marina trailed the caravan in silence. She was dressed in her usual guise of all black, but the heat wouldn't bother her. She may have grown up in Grado, but she spent many a summer in Jehenna. She was quite used to blistering heat.
But this expedition was getting ridiculous. Learania's ties with Sentria were not that strong. Ten, twelve people tops would work here. But a lot of people with a lot of mounts was hardly inconspicuous. If they got caught, and they were identified, then things would look really bad on Learania. And that would cause a whole lot more problems than some kid being kidnapped and warped off.
So Marina hastened her pace, and she ran past the wagon and planted herself in front of it, beckoning it to stop. "Listen up, screwheads!" she announced in her gruff, masculine voice. "We're supposed to look incognito. We're failing at that. Imagine what would happen if a scout mission was discovered heading into Sentria with no 'good' reason? Jail, torture, at the least." She shrugged. "Besides, we're sending a fair number of the guild on this errand. This kidnapping happened on our home turf. Who's to say it won't happen again? And if it does, who's going to be there to protect the next victim?"
She pointed at Roy. "General Roy, I applaud your enthusiasm. But you know just as well as I do that dividing our forces is going to hurt us. A tactical genius such as yourself should stay behind, just in case. And your mother, as well. Is the desert really going to help her health?" She shifted her attention to Jaren and Joshua. "The deserts of Sentria are far more harsh than those of Jehenna. Are you really ready for this?" And finally, she glanced at Elhaym. "No offense meant, but you really don't look like you can handle a mission like this."
She turned away from the others and gazed out in the direction they would soon be heading. "By my count, at least six of you need to turn around to ensure that this mission works. I'm not going to force anyone, but it's your head if we get caught."
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:29 pm
 ...Injured with pain and sadness, the you that cannot be healed
Shoulder the burden of the past that cannot be erased; don't throw away your will to live...[ X ][ O ]Blossom[ O ][ X ] →Blossom smiled more warmly at Charice when she finally located her face, a little thought at the back of her head jumping up and down and yelling indignantly at the woman taking so long to locate short little her. Blossom mentally waved it away and nodded once. She looked over at Aphrodite again, instinctively jumping to the side as she suddenly approached the two women.
"Oh. All right. I just wanted to make sure--" she paused as Charice spoke once more. Oh? Blossom craned her head to the side and leaned down a little, trying to see. Oh. Well, there's no big... thing... so yeah, girl. Blossom looked back over to Charice as she prattled on; it was interesting, really, and Blossom found herself listening in earnest.
"Oh, no, don't apologize. I've actually learned about pegasi before, this is interesting. My mother was a member of the Ilian Pegasus Knights, so she taught me some things about pegasi and riding them, all that stuff. Not a lot, but a good chunk of the basics." Blossom reached over with one hand and rubbed at Aphrodite's muzzle, being careful to not pet her against the direction that the fine hairs were growing.
"Hometown? Does your family not live in Eyris?" Blossom looked at Charice curiously. "No boyfriend or anything, either?"
Blossom looked at Aphrodite again. Her eyes grew a little distant as she thought of Aidan. He wasn't at home when she'd gone to get her things, and had been gone for... a week now, at least. Blossom found herself wondering sometimes if he would leave and never actually come back, and the arrival of such a thought forced her to suppress a nervous shiver, even as the weather around them seemed to steadily grow hotter and hotter.
"Mmm..." Blossom made a small thoughtful noise, still looking at something in the middle distance: there, but not quite present, either. Blossom's right hand moved to the left, twisting the simple silver band around her ring finger once, twice, thrice, before her fingers finally fell still over the metal. Blossom looked at her toes, then shook her head slightly and looked back at Charice, smiling brightly again. She laced her fingers together, letting the cold metal press to her skin as a reminder of its presence. "Ah, sorry. I zoned out there. Silly me!" Blossom giggled faintly, though the sound was a little forced. "I was asking you if you had family in your hometown, wasn't I? I think so..."
Blossom trailed off. Where had that man--he was a man, right? The eyes were rather feminine, yes, though the jawline was too obscured by the mask and the form of the body cloaked in all that black to tell the general shape, and feminine eyes alone didn't make a woman--come from? Blossom shifted her hands to her bag, gripping the strap as the gruff voice sounded. She didn't doubt that anyone couldn't hear him--whether or not he was used to speaking to crowds, he seemed to know exactly how to command attention.
Blossom's spine tensed as he mentioned turning back. Blossom looked at the others. Alihi would never turn back around, not since her own daughter was the one who had been taken, and Akihi, her own sibling, wouldn't leave her alone. Charice would probably stay, knowing that she and her pegasus would have a clear advantage in desert sands. Ganon knew Amara, too, as did Ephraim... who else would have to leave?
Blossom looked down at her hands. If this new guy thought he was going to boot her out of the group just because she looked young, or because she wasn't strong enough, then he would have to think again. A pair of bloodied bodies sprang up to the Hero's thoughts, and as her imagination replaced the adults with a tiny red-headed girl, her hands quivered a little. No. Not again. No one else is dying.
Blossom looked up at the man, her eyes firm. "I'm staying. I'm helping Alihi. And like you said, you aren't forcing anyone." Blossom paused. He had never said anything about doubting her abilities, but he could be thinking it, right? As if to dispel any idea, Blossom added, her voice quiet, "I can handle this. I can help. I'm not letting this victim leave a broken family behind."←  You'd better forget everything. Remember. . . your different Life?XXX
You'd better forget everything. Remember. . . though, we cannot returnXXXLike in times of warped memories, we can understand somedayXXX
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:32 pm
Alright this was getting ridiculous once again Joshua's plan to gamble had been foiled.... and by Ephriam of all people. "Ahhh you know me to well... Ephraim I didn't even get to announce the stakes yet.... Alright then he tossed the coin again. "I suppose ill be heads then. Your tails.... my bet is your daughter will be safe and sound. and the expedition will be a success! Tails and it will heads and we've got a problem" As he caught it he palmed the coin in a practiced motion with his fingers turning it over to tails. Reveling the coin he smiled at the women. "Ahh see... It'll be fine." He opened Excaliber and put the coin inside it before handing it to Alihi. "Here keep that coin to give to your daughter... it's lucky you know?" Joshua turned away his attempt to make the women feel better had almost been ruined by Ephraim.
He opened his mouth to speak to the fellow King when a "man" spoke from behind.
"Risks are associated with everything. And honestly I'm happy to have such a large group now we can pass as mercenaries if we are caught The wagon adds to that. Also i should say the same to you... wearing all black will only increase the suns heat on you." He walked towards the back of the wagon past the women and climbed in. Glancing at the entombed that sat there. "Hmm? I suppose your an ally if your in here? Oh well.... how about a game of cards?" He leaned out the back and shouted. "Anyone up for a few games of cards to pass the time?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:37 pm
When some unknown person dropped in. It caught Elhaym's attention. A sentence was directed at her and quite frankly, Elly couldn't disagree.
"No offense meant, but you really don't look like you can handle a mission like this."
"Perhaps" no, there was no denial in that tone whatsoever. The person also didn't know what she was capable of but then again, as she was now, this entire situation was completly new to her. Her mind didn't think at all when she followed the tactician but now that she thought about it, perhaps maybe the person is right. "I'll go back" she was the first to speak up and the first to go. Elly hopped off the back of the wagon and straightened herself.
She turned to the group, giving a bow. The look on her face changed slightly as well to that of a serious look. "Sorry to have all of you trouble..but the person is right..I for one will go back. I do not know my way but I will find my way somehow...Best of luck to you all.." that said, Elhaym turned her heel the other way and began to retrace her steps back from where they came.
((Well, gives me an excuse to take her out now xP))
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:48 pm
"Oh ho ho, that's rich, because I have no eyes, myself. Were you planning to make that robust pun, sir?" Charles leaned against the support to the wagon.
He had a sash that he kept everything tucked under, and he undid it to grab his gloves. "I'd love a game of cards if I could ask for instructions." He slid on his gloves and redid the sash. A few items remained in there.
Sturdy with writing up and down both, the gloves fit snug against his malformed hands and prevented damage to fragile objects. He didn't want to destroy Joshua's cards.
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:00 pm
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •  A moment or so after they had crossed the river, Deborah heard a horse coming up beside her and Alihi. She noticed it was Sue, and eyes her cautiously. She wasn't yet comfortable with welcoming somebody who might just be there to watch her. And what the nomadic girl said... was this a test on how much Deborah knew? No reason to snubb her off, just yet, in any case. "Tis a raven, dat much has been confiremed. But I could care less who deh raven is. It makes no diffarence. Asides, dere be oter raven laguz in Learania. ...Just bery few."
Noticing a figure up ahead, blocking their path, she stopped. It was some person dressed in black. Clearly a suspicious person, but the thief-clad one showed no signs of hostility, and instead started to speak to them about their mission. Clearly this person was well informed.
As the person spoke, Deborah could find no fault in the words. She had actually been thinking the same thing, but it wasn't her place to do anything about it. She was just the desert guide. Although, if any more had shown up, there would have been some unconscious bodies on the side of the road behind them. Deborah turned to the group, after the stranger finished. "Deh negro-clad is correct. Ya lucky I don' gotta say in dis. Dis aint no field trip, and if ya can' keep up, ya gunna die. I aint goin' outta my way, when ya shoulda been list'nen tah me all along." She eyed all of them over once. "If ya wanna head back now, den go. Oterwise, we're headin' tah Pentheus. Ya can stay dere if ya wish. Decide now, or get left behind.. because I be going on." She flung her body back around and continued down the road.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:15 pm
"Then you should have stated the stakes anyways...But anyhow No-" before he even finished, Joshua had flipped the coin again. Describing the stakes all at the same time. For once in Ephraim's life, he slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. Surely he didn't remember Joshua being THIS ridiculous or unreasonable. "the coin is not lucky.." Ephraim thought, slowly sliding his hand down from his forehead to his chin. "The coin is rigged', who woudda thought though, really.
During the middle of his face palm, they were suddenly stopped by an unknown figure. Though he couldn't tell who the person was..or rather..what gender he or she was. They were advice some of them turn back if they didn't have a reason to continue. Ephraim knew his place, he for one had a reason and it was too late for him to turn back now...well..not really..but he wasn't going to anyways. "I have my reasons" the lancer muttered to himself, tilting his hat forward just a little and continued to walk. One person had already volunteered to leave..now who else?
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:31 pm
Roy stopped walking when he heard someone call his name. Broken from thought, he glanced up slowly so that he wouldn't disturb Darko's slumber. The voice that called him out was none other than Marina, the mercenary that Ghis had hired back for the Tura incident. Her words certainly held some truth. But he had his reasons for going, and it wasn't just for Amara's sake. He was curious about how the merc knew about his Mother (to the outsider, they could have easily passed as a couple. After all, Ninian did look younger than she was supposed to be) and his skill as a tactician, but he supposed word of mouth might have reached her ears about him. The young lord folded his arms across his chest.
"It's true that we indeed have too many people going into Sentria, and I for one don't want to be captured. But everyone here has decided to go rogue and sever their ties with Eyris and the guild, not to mention we've got a caravan." he jabbed a thumb at the wagon. "And while we may be shorthanded back in town, think about who's decided to remain. The crew, the Guard, and a good majority of the Watch stayed behind. I think they're more than capable of defending the city."
He then lowered his arms and began to walk over to the lancer mercenary.
"It's also true that we have one too many tacticians going. Judging by your words concerning my tactical ability, I take it you're a tactician as well...or at least, a former one. If there's no need for me to go, I don't see why you should go either. Your dark clothes aren't exactly the best apparel for going out into the desert."
The young lord had soon reached Marina. Now that he was close enough, he dropped his voice, so that only she could hear him.
"I've got my own personal reasons for going. I'm not doing this just to bring Amara back. I'm not going just to make sure nothing bad happens to my Mother. I don't want her to go either, but she's a mother, so she understands Alihi's plight the best. No...my main reason for going is that this will allow me to expand my search for my father. I know now he's not anywhere near Eyris, so I'll have to look in one of the other countries. Sentria would be a good start. I understand if you think my reasons for going are stupid, but this is one of the few chances I've got to freely go rogue without having to talk to the crew about it." he said quietly.
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:30 pm
Charice gave Blossom an inquisitive look. Ilia? Pegasus Knights? What's she going on about? Yes, she'd heard that some in their group were not born on this world, but... she'd never heard specifically of places like Elibe or Magvel or Tellius. But the way the short woman reached up to pet Aph's muzzle suggested she was telling the truth... at least, to the extent that she'd been taught a few things about pegasi.
Boyfriend? She hadn't quite expected that one. "Haaah... no," she said, turning her face away for a second, making a kind of twisted face behind the mask. "I-ahhh, how do I put this-I haven't met anyone I really took after. Back in Sentria, women generally wear these clothes to keep the sand from bothering them. But then you have to convey everything with your eyes, those being the only body part visible, and--hey, are you okay?" She stopped mid-ramble, noting Blossom's hand gestures around... a ring? She was nervous about it? Trouble in marriage, perhaps?
But there was no time to question that, as some rude person ran in front of them and started running some lecture. Now, really! Talk about rude and, well, presumptuous! Sentria was in a state of (more or less) anarchy, and he was worried about torture? Psssh, yeah right. And Charice just happened to be Sentria's former queen. Ha! Bandits would be more of a fear than Sentria militia would be.
She paused at that last thought. Hmm... Sentria militia would leave us alone if we left them alone, I'm fairly certain of that. Bandits, however... The group WAS too big to avoid going unnoticed, and no self-respecting bandit clan would pass up an opportunity to hit a big target. The wagon, for one thing, would be first to go. She hoped Ganon didn't intend on actually bringing his wagon past the border...
But honestly, this whole "blah blah blah you're all idiots for coming blah blah" schpeal was getting a bit annoying. Not to mention the fact that Alihi was technically in charge here, not this black-clad newcomer and their guide. If Ghis had been in charge, he'd probably have said something to the effect of "all complaints ca' be brought tae th' flat side o' me axe". But no, Ghis wasn't here, and by goodness, Charice wasn't going back empty-handed! The honor of the Watch and Guard had been injured that night, and she was going to help restore it. And if someone didn't like it, they could see just how "fragile" a Falcoknight in action could be... FIRST-HAND.
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:06 pm
The air suddenly got cold..or was that him. Either way, a sudden chill ran up his spine and quite frankly, Ephraim didn't know what it was, but he didn't like the feeling...at all..not one BIT. The breeze flew by again and this time, he turned around. Nothing..was it just him? No..no that felt too real to be an illusion. He waited a bit, then turned back toward the group but for a mere second before his attention wandered.
"..I...I haven't..?" Ephraim muttered, staring at what others would call the air. But to Ephraim..it was...somehow different. The smile upon his face spooked him a little..What...What was this? A shadow? "I..I suppose..you can call it a group" Wait, What was he saying? Was his body moving on its own? This..this couldn't be him..could..it?
He paused for a moment, opening his mouth to say something then stopped. "..No" this was wrong, something wasn't..quite right..something didn't 'FEEL right. Ephraim felt a knot lurch up in his stomach and he dropped to his knees. "NO!" It..It can't be real...He REFUSED to believe it. Ephraim brushed the thought aside, turning to the shadow before he turned "I'm..I'm sorry but...I..I can't say" saying no more, the prince ran to catch up to the group in which he was slowly falling behind.
((Blah .-.))
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:10 pm
Now I'm stuck here
But I don't belong here
~Ninian~"Really? I did not know Alihi had a brother, let alone a twin," Ninian said, watching Akihi with curiosity in her eyes. "To be honest, I have never met twins before. Dragons . . . do not have two children at the same time." She stopped, realizing what she had said. "I-I mean, I have a younger brother, too—Nils. I am not sure how—how far apart we are i-in age."
She hoped he wouldn’t panic. She had technically just admitted to being a Dragon, and that tended to scare people. This was only the second time she had ever blurted out what she was to someone.
"Ninian, you—you’re a—a—"
"Please, you must not tell anyone. Please."
She shuddered, hoping Akihi wouldn’t notice and mentally kicking herself for being so flippant around someone who was obviously very skittish to begin with.
"A-anyway," she began, "I—"
"Listen up, screwheads!" a new voice called. Ninian moved to see who it was—someone dressed entirely in black, yelling about how they had too many people traveling with them.
Ninian frowned when they--was it a man? or a woman? she couldn't tell this far away--mentioned her son and then the dancer herself.
A few people spoke up immediately, electing to stay. One of the girls Ninian didn’t know turned back. Roy was one of the ones who clearly stated he was not going back, going so far as to march right up to the person and tell him to his face, though Ninian couldn’t hear him once he reached the person.
Ninian took a deep breath.
"I am not going back!" she shouted at the black clad person, wincing slightly. As someone who almost never shouted, suddenly raising her voice hurt. "I am going to help Alihi save her daughter, even if I cannot do anything for her but dance!"
Determined—and with a slightly sore throat—Ninian returned to her seat next to Akihi.
"Forgive me, but your niece. . . . I-I know—what it is like to lose a child, and—and I do not wish that pain on anyone." She glanced at Roy, her beloved son, before returning her gaze to her hands. If Roy had not appeared in Learania. . . . That was a thought she did not want to finish. "I-If I can help Amara or Alihi in any way . . . I wish to do so."
 I wanna be where you are
Maybe I'm not so far from home
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Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:29 pm
When we get home, I know we won't be home at all... ... This place we live; it is not where we belong. • ◄AKIHI► •
————————————————
Alihi stared at Sue for a few moments before shaking her head slowly. "I... don't know. And, to be honest, I don't know how much I care..." She sighed softly. "It... sounds cruel, but it doesn't matter who did it. What matters to me is that it happened in the first place!"
She turned to Joshua, eying the coin and the tome in his hand. The tactician opened her mouth to say "tails" but an unfamiliar voice grabbed her attention. After a few moments, though, she chose to ignore it; there was no way she was going to turn back. It was simply not an option for her...
She nodded slightly when Joshua tossed the coin into the air, praying that it would be tails. It was strange for her to put her faith in a coin like that, but... for some reason, she felt it was appropriate. A small smile came to her face as he showed her the coin, tails facing towards her. "Thanks." She held the tome he handed her close, deciding to give it to her brother when she had the opportunity.
Without another word, she continued forward, following Deborah.
Akihi fidgeted where he sat. He didn't want to go back. He wanted to help save his niece, his family... So he stayed put, smiling at Ninian slightly. He was at first shocked to hear that she was a dragon, but he got over it quickly; to him, it didn't matter. It was strange since he never personally knew a dragon before, but Ninian was still a good person. It didn't seem fair for him to discriminate against her because of her blood!
The mage held the ends of his sleeves in his fists, focusing to the sky. "I-I understand..." He closed his eyes for a moment before looking at the dancer, a smile on his face. "... Thank you. It means a lot to me... and Alihi as well..."
————————————————
♦ ◄ALIHI► ♦ And I miss who we were, and the town we could call our own... ... Going back to get away after everything has changed.
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