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 Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:08 pm
~::Children of the Sun::~
~:Mori Family Shrine - Southwest of Okina City::~
Exactly 13 kilometers southwest of the Okina City train station, nestled comfortably within the hills so snug that one only notices it when they're practically upon it, is a shrine built by the Children of the Sun and belonging to the Mori Clan a long time ago. Revived now and outfitted using the fortune of the Mori under Motonari, it is a secret lair known only to the inner circle of the Clan...and the location of tonight's ill-favored gathering.
Here, beneath the moon and stars, the Child of the Sun's personal ambitions are beginning to come together. A viper in the midst of the Western Devil King Army, only now are his fangs beginning to come to bear...
...From all over the Land of Aki, the former Chugoku (and Yasoinaba) Province, the chosen audience slowly gathers. Beneath the Golden Moon of the Dark Hour, a dreadful ritual will begin...
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:54 pm
Kotaro Fuma, The Legendary Ninja of the Western Devil King Alliance
Human beings weren't supposed to move that fast; dancing through the treetops and running along the grass, it was obvious that whomever or whatever was transporting the rich girl, Amelia, from the Samegawa Floodplain in Inaba to wherever the destination might have been moved with a quickness that was unnatural. He bounced, lunged, and darted so swiftly that the scenery seemed to pass by in a blur of colors, and yet the trip was also inherently silent. Even the slightest grunts of exertion were muffled and barely audible, footsteps perfectly soundless, and not a word passed his lips...as if they ever had. At some point there may have been gliding...perhaps riding on some sort of a vehicle?...but her state of slipping and total (or somewhere oscillating between) unconsciousness made it impossible for the dark-haired girl to really take in anything that was going on around her until the unmistakable padding of running started again, just as swiftly as ever, and then with a few smooth bounds the movement stopped all at once...and the load carried atop the shoulder of the slight-bodied ninja dropped onto some wooden floor far from where she had been when her last conscious sight of her friend, the would-be hero Dan, being run through and tossed into the river had been seen. Moments passed...her consciousness would slowly begin to return to her soon...but by the time her eyes opened the swift-footed ninja would have already disappeared into the shadows as silently as he had appeared before.
". . ."
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:07 pm
 Amelia M. Heartilly
Wind, gravity, and environmental sounds was all that she was able to pick up. No conversation, no voice from the one who captured her, the ninja who fought Sasuke the night before this. It would be rather unbelievable and unrealistic of her to have the gull of actually having a night's rest or even a nice conversation that was bringing light to her. But now she was in darkness, carried away through the night's wind as it blew through her ears...Where is she? Where is she going? She heard maybe the distant sound of cars and a clack but once again there was silence... How long was she going to stay in darkness? Or was this all a dream? Though, as time passed, she didn't know when, she felt something hard against her body and felt no breeze. Silence, still. Moments had passed and the tips of her fingers began to twitch then curl inside the palm, a soft mumble escaping the girl's lips as eyelids opened slowly only to see everything being a blur. "Mn..." Wood was the first thing her mind noted as her hand went across the floor, her blurry vision trying to clear as she opened and closed them slowly. What was this strange smell? Her head moved some, but a throb hit her the next moment, the girl holding her head with a wince as she lifted herself up from the floor to sit herself up, but that wasn't helping with the headache that passed by her head as she looked around the place. What? Amelia noticed the soft lighting to the place and the structure. Where is this...? Her eyes noticed the soft clicker of the candles inside of the large shrine room which would explain that smell she picked up earlier, seeing the structure looking rather traditional with the waxed wood reflecting some of the light. Her brows furrowed but her head suddenly shot up and she tried to get back on her feet, scooping up the hat on the floor. Dan! Her hand covered her mouth. Was he killed?! The black scribbles and twisting thoughts started to emerge once again. He's hurt! And the sight of the red blood splattering was still fresh in her mind as well. Was this her fault? The mind was going into an uncontrolled, panic whirl once again.s**t... But where was here? Hands suddenly scrambled into her bag, searching for her cell phone to try and see where she was located in the GPS. She opened the phone. There little to none signal. "Tch!" she looked around again, body now tense.
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:20 am
???
"I wouldn't move so much if I were you," a cold, even voice came from the edge of the shrine room where Amelia was being kept near the candles at which those who remained within the confines of the facility came to say their daily prayers, "if you so much as glance at the door in a manner which suggests escape, I've permission to kill you." His voice carried across the room despite the fact that it was fairly quiet; perhaps it was simply the tone, a little deep but not too much, just the right pitch to resonate in the dimly-lit nook of the secret lair. Following the sound of the voice and the faint light of the candles towards the largest light in the room, from the opened door to the outer areas of the Shrine, there was a shadow back-lit by the candles in the hallway cast inside of the room with her. It was tall and thin, but lean, and at its side hung a strange-looking weapon that could only be described as some sort of unusual sword. Perhaps it was Indian...it was hard to tell in the poor illumination. His hair was a little unruly, however, and his clothes appeared to be white...a hakama that reached the tops of his ankles and a jacket slung carelessly over his shoulders, arms not even pushed through the sleeves. His icy blue eyes reflected the dim orange light of the candles as they watched her...analyzing, penetrating, watching her every move and reaction. Lips set into a generally unfeeling line, it was about the time that they quirked a little at the left corner that a strange sensation would brush along the girl's foot...and then her ankle...moving, slithering...circling about it until it had gone on behind her and into the dark of the shadows. It was barely a moment of divided attention that would surprise her, the brief check of what had touched her there all the time her attention might have been away...but when she looked back towards the door the man who had been there now stood just before her, inches away. Like lightning his hand struck out and the phone that had been open in her hand just a moment ago became crushed within his own...pieces of the cellular device falling to the floor in a mess that was altogether ruined. His cold, blue eyes meter her violet ones...he did not blink as he studied the windows as if seeing into her soul.
"He won't come for you," the man spoke suddenly, as if reading her mind...as if seeing into the secret hope that no doubt lingered inside of her that a man with blue armor, that one golden eye...or a silver-haired man with the world on his shoulders...might rush in any minute now to pull her from this predicament. And the look on the man's face, that cool and almost superior ease about him said that not only was he completely telling the truth about this...but that he was, perhaps silently, quite enjoying her suffering. "Even if he knew where to find you...he has no idea what Lord Motonari would have waiting for him," his voice remained even, but there was an underlying feeling...and perhaps that all it was, just a feeling...that he was almost rubbing it in to the dark-haired girl, just how prepared his master truly had been for this. But for how long could he have been planning this? How could he have even known them long enough to come up with this? Hadn't they just met only a night ago? Or...? A sudden weight pressed against the stomach of the girl as the slithering curled around her other ankle again...and before her hands could even fill with the burden that he had given her (surprisingly squishy it was...one look would reveal it was a single loaf of bread, something to nibble on while she waited...perhaps an indication she might be waiting a while), his back was turned to her and he was already walking in measured steps towards the door of the shrine. Pausing near the entrance one more time, he did not look back at her when he spoke again.
"Give up on hope and be grateful to our Lord that you are not dead for a second time," he told her as the slithering continued to circle her foot in a manner that was...surprisingly gentle, as if the scales from what usually slithered were much more person-friendly...yet as the door began to close behind the man his final words restored the chill that was nearly lost, "if you're lonely, don't be...your friend will be joining you soon enough." The door closed, and a light sound against it a moment later said that whoever that man had been was likely leaning against it on the far side now. If she wished, she could likely speak to him more...but whether or not he would answer seemed to be entirely up to his own whims. He had left her with quite a lot to think about, however...and questions she would no doubt begin to piece together answers for the longer she thought them over. What was certain, however, was that her kidnapping was only the beginning of something much bigger...much more nefarious...
And that behind it all was once again the man who had terrified her into submission only one night earlier...and then taken her life as easily as if he were sipping a tea.
Motonari Mori.
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 8:20 pm
Amelia M. Heartilly
Her legs froze, even the mere thought of escaped vanished the very moment the cold voice echoed strangely across the shrine that stopped the girl from going anywhere now. A fear erupted and her eyes suddenly shifted to look towards the light of the candles, a slim frame shown with that stare penetrating the very air looking directly at her. Permission to kill... and he meant it, that blade held an eerie gleam within' the man's grasp that he'd do it without second thought. The violet eyes narrowed back, but they'd dare not give off any heavy or bladed glare his way as if she knew better than to challenge someone that gave off the ominous feeling such at the form that stood before her. So she wasn't alone, that question was answered. There's a bigger reason for this but before the girl was able to bring out any voice for question, her skin suddenly paled and the body stiffened in place as the cold slither brushed across her feet and curled against the ankle. The heart began to beat rapidly, the girl trying so hard to not jump and yelp for fear that whatever was at her ankles would snap. The feel on the cold skin lessened until it was gone completely, eyes instantly looking down to see nothing then behind her only to see the tip of the end hiding in the shadows. Her heart was still beating on high and she looked back when she remembered the form that was no so far from her-- now being only a few inches from her. Her hand was suddenly empty and a painful crack and smash filled her ears as she felt perhaps the little bit of hope for help was crushed before her eyes and falling onto the floor. Their eyes were still staring, but his were all the more penetrating, though the fire was starting to fade down when the words pierced through her mind. Not come... Light began to leave, cracks and nicks going through her with the cold truth that was given to her. But, he would. ... No. Right? Doubt and hope was already into battle, but it wasn't at all helping the current situation, even with her heart now sinking down into a pit with spikes at the end, suffering. She refused to believe it, she wanted to hold some sort of hope but... Her body straightened and tried to keep her eyes sharp as if fighting the falter, struggling inside to hold onto the false hope even though the wound was already being rubbed with salt. The weight was heavier, Amelia's hands holding onto the piece of food that was given to her as she tried to keep her ground with the once that spoke to her, the fear going through her shoulders. All she could do was stand there and tremble with clenched teeth, watching him go and close the door to leave her alone with the slither... In silence. She took in a breath, an overwhelming feeling of disbelief and anger welling up into her chest and choking her throat, the knees weakening her to the ground as she crumbled. She suddenly picked up a piece of her phone into her hand then through it angrily at the door before lowered her head and body as the weight went down. It pushed down mercilessly, forcing out the tears that now dripped to the wood as the spirit began to crack little by little.
The was a mess, this was all a mess. How long has the man named Mori known all of them? fingers clutched onto the bread, crumbles falling through the gaps between her fingers as the suffering continued. What more does this man know? And who else has he taken into his grasp who is going to soon join her into this whirl of swirling fear? A hand held her head tightly as she tried to focus, even though her eyes were stinging painfully by the liquid salt that dripped to the wooden floor. The candidates... Her eyes searched the floor. Minori... Rednal? Or was it someone else whom he captured? No, be rid the ones who already know about him. Those two were the most likely to be here, right now. Or...Her head lifted, looking at the door then over at the light of that candles that illuminated the wet line down her cheeks and glazed eyes. Perhaps they are not here yet? Amelia bit her lip then lowered her head down, clenching her teeth tightly and closed her eyes just as well to try and settle her mind and try to order this situation. Being found was unlikely... Escape was unlikely. And for someone who has prepared for actual upcomings of the hero, then no doubt Mori would be prepared for anything else. There was no winning road for her now... The weight could only crush with no solution! Opening her eyes, she saw the bread that was in her hand, staring at it only for a moment before lightly tossing it to the side and moved her body in a position with her knees arched for the sake of it being a perch for her head. Another painful sensation, hands clenching again along with the sting of the eyes. Dan, please be okay. Please be okay. Please be fine. Please be alive. It would be a rather horrid thing to have blood and death made because of you, and the loss of a friend all because of you. Same witht he very safety of your best friend being at stake now because...."What's going to happen?" She suddenly said out loud, perhaps even loud enough for the cold man on the other side of the door to hear. Or she could be talkign to the thing that was slithering about, the thing which Amelia was already searching for with a slight bit of panic in the blood.
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Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:06 pm
???
In the dark, the slithering creature was nigh-impossible to see for the violet-eyed girl; she had made her way to the door and slid down against it, the defeat settling in at the dagger-like words the unknown servant of the Mori had used to pierce her heart. Would Date really not come for her? Given the perfection of the man who had imprisoned her's plans and the brilliance of that mind of his, it was quite possible that he would bring her here, whichever friend of hers they intended, and be done with whatever they planned to do before even the Investigation Team would know that she had been kidnapped. Dan could be dead now for all they knew, and all that he would know for certain even if he was alive was that somebody had stabbed him...he was long unconscious and in the river by the time that Fuma had actually taken the dark-haired girl. And there were any number of enemies that could have taken her, attacked her, including the Black Messiahs, Raiden, the Devil Kings, Strega, and on and on. Dan knew nothing about the enemy that truly had her except for what little she had related to him before the Legendary Ninja's intervention (not that Dan even knew it was a ninja that had stabbed him...he hadn't even the time to turn his head and see his attacker before the blade had run him through). And what made it worse was that the normal place to look for the one responsible was nowhere near where they were now...the Western Devil Kings were based in the Port Island area, and the traditional home of the Mori Clan was to the Southwest of Inaba...while this base lay to the Northeast, hidden away neatly in the hills far enough from Okina to make it as unlikely and random a location as there was. It was just another perfectly thought-out idea from the master...Amelia would know it, too, which would make the despair sink into her mind like a black miasma smothering what little light she tried to hold onto. It seemed that Mori wasn't finished with her, even after taking her life once before. And she wasn't the only one this time, either...as the thin man had said, there was at least one more friend coming to join her.
There was the slither again...around her back now where she sat against the door, curling back around to the front of her leg and sliding around her knee. It felt long, smoother than a normal snake...and petrified as she likely was, it would only grow worse as it swiftly swirled around her back and over her shoulder again, coming about until finally its head was tilting up in front of her and they were face-to-face. Lit by the candles faintly now, the creature was surprisingly a stark and clear white color...its scales seemed to almost be non-existent, though from the shape of its body it was clearly a snake. Tiny, bead-like black eyes stared right back into her own violet ones as it hovered there in front of her for a few moments, supported by the body that had wrapped around the girl and held it in place. It was like a few-second staring contest then...the snake watching her, clinging to her, just sort of lingering there...until all of a sudden, a tiny pink tongue poked out and broke the statuesque moment by licking at her nose in what could only be deduced as a surprisingly friendly gesture. And then again...flicking out its tiny, snakey tongue to touch her nose once more before curling around her shoulders gently and resting there, its head shifting about to lick at her cheek now where the salty tears had cut their path. In a way it was almost...comforting...if she saw it that way. ...Was this snake smarter than it looked?
Meanwhile...
"Your friend is lucky," the cold, almost empty voice of the man on the far side of the door answered her question perhaps as much out of boredom as anything else, "You...are not. You don't need to know any more than that..."
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:21 am
Amelia M. Heartilly
Amelia had stiffened when the slithering continued on now, feeling the long body now moving against her back and over her shoulders, eyes following the shining white skin moved and gracefully bent to whatever shape it wished. At first the girl thought that she would be horrified with an animal such as this casually coiling around her, but then she was face-to-face with the being with its tiny head and beady black eyes. Instead of horrified, it was..something else. Perhaps a weak curiosity, not at all feeling that disgusted fear. She didn't move when she stared at it, but when she felt the flick of the forked tongue on her nose, she blinked to lose the stare down with her head leaning back. "..." Her clenched hands relaxed now, soft sniffles coming out of her as the violet eyes continued to watch the cold-blooded snake, only to feel another snakey kiss against her cheek. It was odd, truly strange... well, not the little kiss itself, but the feeling she was getting with this white thing. Strangely cute, no feel of danger, nor fear. Like a complete contrast to the one who twisted her down with mere words not so long ago. Amelia rubbed the tears away from her face with the back of her palm as quickly as possible, still having that inner loathing of them existing on her cheeks. She looked at the snake again, watching it as it rested itself on her shoulder in a rather leisurely fashion. Should she? What's with it? She didn't think that a snake would be this comfortable at all... or her around a snake for that matter. It wasn't long until the white snake would see a trembling hand reaching for it, the fingers curling back in hesitation before moving forward again to place itself on its head then stroke down and pet it. Smooth and cold, nothing like she's ever felt, honestly. And in a very odd sense, even in her current situation, petting the friendly reptile was a comforting thing. The words caught her attention from the other side of the door, Amelia freely glaring at the direction of the speaker as if no door even existed in the way of the angered stare. She looked looked down, leaning her head against the wood as she ran her hand across the snake again.
"Of course. Fate wouldn't have it any other way." she answered back with a grudging tone. Luck has been horrid. So has Fate. How did all this begin anyway? A question she'll think about later, what did this guy mean by her friend being lucky? Well, she wasn't going to get anything with how the guy answered her. A sigh escaped her and she looked back over towards the snake.. the asked another question, perhaps with the same reason why the nameless man answered her first. "What's the... snake's name?" Not like she was interested to know the cold as a glacier one's name in the first place.
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 3:55 pm
???
He nearly scoffed at the response. How typical that a person would lament one minute the very force which they had celebrated when it was on their side. "Short-sighted...have you already forgotten? Fate allowed you to live, though our master has already taken your life once," the cold man countered her smoothly, a solemn reminder that what she cursed now was the same thing that allowed her to continue to exist. It was true that she had died once...she was supposed to be dead right now, felled by the ambush that his master had planned the night before at the campsite...whatever force had revived her (most likely the Anomaly that appeared and disappeared the night before) could be called nothing less than an act of fate which restored her life. If she wished for sympathy now for falling on the wrong side of the coin of fate (though when his master was involved, fate had a way of giving way to the brilliance of a man's foresight), she would not receive it from him. So beyond that there was nothing said, a silence that filled the air and the door between the two of them. He seemed relatively disinterested in whatever was going on inside of the room, though it was his duty to remain on guard and ensure that it was nothing that would work against them. He supposed that he could take some time away from it, but that would mean that he had something else to do that was more important than serving his lord's will. And he did not...performing to the expectations of the man who had given him this life, that had gathered this incredible group around him and who would soon control upon which the honored sun shone...that was all that mattered to him. It might be dark for the girl inside of that room, but on the outside the shrine was alight with the sun's rays gently reflecting off the moon. He could deal with that...
Inside the room, however, the darkness persisted...yet as Amelia's hand ran along the cold back of the snake it seemed to settle a little more...as if growing slightly lazy upon her neck and enjoying the small showing of affection while returning a little bit of that comfort to her. It couldn't warm her the way that a normal pet would, but at the very least the weight around her shoulders was enough to let her know that it was there. Its tongue poked out again, brushing her cheek as she pet it. It was certainly an...unusual snake, to be certain. Personable, friendly, and surprisingly intelligent...in fact, if she had the urge, it was quite possible that if she tossed something across the room to play with the thing that it might just slither across the room and fetch it. And if she had any food, it might eat it...assuming it wasn't particular about what it ate, of course. Whatever the case, its white skin continued to reflect the dim candlelight even as it poked its head around and took another look at her eyes...tongue flicking out and snakey-kissing the nose once more.
"Oskar," the man answered her second question with that same, empty voice...feeling no need or desire to say anything more than that.
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:33 am
Amelia M. Heartilly
Amelia stared at the door to the answers she's gotten, sighing out some and looking down in some distress when the words passed through. Well, yeah... she is pretty lucky to still be alive. Mori easily took her life away like a gum wrapper that needed to be tossed away, and there was no doubt that he would do it again, through himself or through the loyal follower that was just outside the door. Alright, she'll take that big important piece of luck to consideration. Amelia sigh softly before she brought her attention back to the now named snake who gave her company now, Oskar relaxing about as he lounged on her back and shoulder. The girl had no idea how else to respond to the long snake that continued to give her little snake kisses on the cheek, looking rather surprised and perplexed with how intelligent the creature is with her. It was calm and actually responded to the strokes against its body like any normal pet would. The snake would relax and almost have a lazy look to it as it rested against her shoulder, Amelia tilting her head some to get a better look at it. With a lifted hand going over the head and body of the snake, a smile started to creep along her lips, feeling a slight calmness of her own mind with its company now with her as she watched its subtle actions. "He's a... sweetheart..." she commented, having a little less depressed voice that went through her lips, not that the one behind the door was going to care less about her compliment towards his pet, Oskar. The girl was actually comfortable enough to lift a slender finger and rub lightly under the snakes chin, all the while wondering how he'll react with this sort of attention giving. Amelia would continue to watch it, but still the mind would keep on wandering, still feeling that haunting prodding of helplessness in just sitting here and waiting while things are being active on the outside. Deeds that are going to end badly, things unattended, and her friends being at risk right now. Perhaps Oskar was some sort of little mental stress ball for her, actually able to settle with a being around while her mind was on a whirl.
A hand picked up a thick piece of the crushed cell phone, looking at it with a rather depressed face as she turned it around. If perhaps she were able to keep the cell hidden, maybe she would've sent a text of warning or something over towards Minori, or even get a hold of Soji, get help for Dan if he was still out there in the riv-- Amelia shook her head suddenly, wanting to keep the thought out of mind. She looked down at the piece again before sighing out and tossing it ahead of her, resting her head against the door once again. Well while she was here, might as well try and think over what was going on. The purpose for this right now... the nameless man's words went through her mind again. Your friend is lucky... Amelia bit her bottom lip then looked down at her silver bangle, starting to rub her fingers across it now as she thought. A benefit, obviously, and her getting the worst part of it. But what it could possibly be? Was it an offer? That part is still up in the air, she hasn't gotten enough hints at what's happening. All she knows was the past motivation of killing her, her being the supposed weakness of Masamune, in order to wound the One-Eyed Dragon. Frame her murder on someone else and start a war... So, was this a second attempt in getting closer? This Mori guy didn't seem the type that would repeat the same plan... Amelia's thumb started to rub the beautiful blue jewel on the bangle anxiously, putting a little more pressure onto it as her mind still tried to make sense of things. Masamune... Her thumb suddenly stopped when the name came to mind. Just what was he doing right now, this moment? For all she knew, he was oblivious to what was going on right here, right now. And whatever here was, anyway...
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:13 pm
???
If her captor had any reaction to her cutesy appraisal of his snake companion, he did not give it voice or allow any outward sign of it to reach the girl on the far side of the door. His silence spoke volumes enough; there was nothing more that truly needed to be said between them, the girl's presence being required for some scheme of his master's all that had been really divulged...and more than she probably needed to know at all. Still, he hadn't been able to resist that cold twist of the knife into the spoiled-looking brat's stomach and heart, sinking her further into despair and away from the most human of emotions which might have lingered inside of her. It was an emotion that he had done away with long ago...or rather, it might have been more accurate to say that he had never actually known ti at all in his lifetime. It was Hope. Simple hope, the belief that the future may yet be worth seeing, that all things that have gone bad in this world may one day be able to turn out good, and that when cornered into the most hopeless of situations...there is still a lingering light which might lead you out of the darkness and back into the light. But for Amelia, in this situation, there was no light...there was no tunnel of refuse for her to crawl through so that she could come out on the far side cleansed...she was trapped by the ambitions of a man who simply did not know failure. He would not suffer it, nor those who would be associated with it. And she was nothing more than a means to an end for the green-armored strategist, even if to what end that might have been remained to be seen.
Inside the room, the darkness was growing as the candles flickered just a little...the girl's pets and affection seemed to be received quite warmly by the cold-blooded creature curled around her shoulders....but no matter how much the snake seemed to comfort her it was going to be hard to distract her from the foul nature of her predicament. Proof of that was in the frustrated toss of a piece of cell phone across the room, a moment of weakness revealing the frailty inside of her and the frustration that once again, she had become a slave to the will of that smug b*****d somewhere out there right now who was plotting against the One-Eyed Dragon (amongst others). The shard of destroyed cell phone clattered to the floor on the wood in the distance...and as if called to action by the sound, Oskar the snake slithered down from her shoulders instantly and wound his way over the floor, passing from candlelight to candlelight until he had reached that very shard. Was it...fetching it?! With its head in a small bit of orange glow, she could see the creature's mouth open widely and chomp down adorably on the shard of phone (not enough to break it, just enough to grip it) and turn back in her direction. Sliding across the floor swiftly, almost excitedly, it dropped the shard of phone in her lap before winding itself around her back and up onto her shoulder again, offering a single snakey-kiss to her cheek before settling down again.
...Yep, the snake could fetch...
And it was about that time the door behind her slid open and a small package dropped unceremoniously onto her lap. It was hard to read in the dimly lit darkness, but by the outlandish coloring (blue bag and orangeish-black letters) it stood out just enough for her eyes to adjust and read the title. SNAKEBURGERS Looking down at her coldly, he only said a single thing before the door slammed shut again behind her.
"He's hungry. Feed him."
...Certainly to the point, wasn't he?...
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 4:39 pm
Amelia M. Heartilly
The girl lifted her head slightly when she felt the sudden movement of the snake moving down her shoulder and off of her being to go after the piece that she threw. "Huh?" Amelia sat up straight as the watched the Oskar take a hold of the piece, hearing a soft snap onto the plastic before she saw him coming back to her in a rather excited looking speed. Seeing this unfold took the girl off guard! She never thought an actual snake would be able to learn fetch, never in her life did the idea ever come across! Baffled eyes looked down at her lap to see the piece that was thrown, looking back to the snake who took back his spot on her shoulders and giving her another snake kiss, then went back to the piece before she stiffened at the sound of the door opening suddenly. Her head turned to look up at the guard but then her attention was taken by the bag that was plopped on her lap rather rudely, her hand picking it up with squinting eyes in trying to read what was on it. Snake ..burgers? What? Amelia looked behind her again but the door was already slammed shut, a a sound of a huff escaping her before she sighed and looked back at the bag. This was all too odd, honestly she's finding it rather strange if not a bit amusing that such an emotionless guy would have such a sweet thing around to care for. Was the snake trained like this? Able to learn fetch and the like? What else did it know? "Fine..." she answered back to him, opening up the bag then reach in to take out the odd item and look at it. "...uhm..Here?" she placed it over towards the mouth of the snake. It wasn't going to snap at her fingers, was it? As she waited for the snake to take a bite of the food, she looked back over at the door, being rather curious now and started to wonder just who was it standing on guard.
"Excuse me, but," she began, if not a bit boldly "what's your name?" That was all she wanted to know. Not the rank, placement, relationship with the one he served... nope, all she could settle with now was just hearing a name from the blue eyed ice. No doubt she's going to get an equally icy response. The rich girl couldn't help it. When trapped, all the mind could really do is search desperately for something to distract itself, and right now her mind was doing just that. Distracting her! Trying hard to claw away at the twisting worry but even that was too much to ask. Already questions went across her mind. When will they come? Who are they bringing? What will they do? Sighing out, Amelia picked up the piece of plastic again then threw it across the room, taking the food bag in hand as she got herself in another sitting position just for the sake of moving. It won't be long now when she finds herself pacing in perhaps the next few minutes or so.
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:18 pm
Karo Mifune, Fourth of the Seven Spears of the Mori
How did one tell that a snake was hungry in the first place? Legitimate question, since they didn't exactly have proper stomachs which rumbled and gurgled, and by the time you noticed your long, thin snake was any longer or thinner it would probably be on the verge of keeling over. By nature they weren't the most affectionate creatures in the world, generally being designed as a total predator to all but the most badass of creatures (which instead hunted snakes). Nonetheless, this snake was strange...and different, compared with many of his other cold-blooded brethren. He was affectionate, calm, but the most telling thing about him was that unlike many other serpents of his variety, there wasn't a single hint of any fear or apprehension in the presence of people...even new ones such as Amelia. In fact, he had been the one to approach her in the first place, which made his strangeness stand out even more. ...Still, it was perhaps even more odd that the man had been able to tell the snake was hungry without even looking in the same room; it was almost as odd as feeding a snake a little finger-food called 'Snakeburgers' like it was some sort of intelligent snake person. And yet there was Amelia in the room right now, holding out a little Snakeburger to his little snake mouth...and then, as the beady-black eyes looked up at her and down at the food it was as though there was a moment of silent appreciation...before his mouth suddenly opened up again and chomped down on the burger hungrily, pulling it slowly from her fingers into its widening mouth. It looked almost like it was struggling to chew for a moment, its tiny snake cheeks puffed out like some sort of reptilian chipmunk, until finally it had managed to stuff the whole little snakeburger in there and condense it with a crushing of its jaws. Working the thing down slowly, it made it down into its neck after a while and slowly, the bump the food made in its white body was gone, worked down and digesting in the Oskar's little snake belly.
Curling around her shoulder once, it licked at her nose affectionately once before seeing the tossed piece of plastic venture to the far side of the room again. Obviously pleased by her offering, it jetted off across the wooden floor and snapped the plastic up in a dark corner of the room, bringing it back to her lap the same way it just had.
"Does it matter?" the man shot back, deadpan, knowing that the girl really didn't give a damn who he was...she was just trying to placate her troubled mind, to forget that she was a captive in this place by his Lord's will and that whatever plans he had for her, there were no friends in this place that could stop them. His identity mattered as much to her as her peace of mind mattered to him...which was to say, not at all...and if not for his snake having something of a mind of its own, he wouldn't have cared if she sat in there by herself until she was dead and rotten. But only after they were through with her. Still, that didn't mean that he wasn't willing to give her his name...or the title that came attached to it. It was a gift that his master had given him in lieu of his service, in reverence to his skill, and that was a badge that he would wear without any hesitation...perhaps even just a tad...proudly? Nah, couldn't be...there was nothing in the frigid tone he spoke back to her that gave hint to anything other than his empty cruelty. "I am no more than my Lord's arm, Fourth of the Seven Spears of the Mori Clan," the man told her calmly, nothing in his tone to suggest any other feeling than what he had already shown her...and it was only after a beat that he added, "Karo Mifune."
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:28 pm
 
First of the Seven Spears of the Mori Clan, Dracule Mihawk
If silence filled the air inside of the Shrine, the traditional setting with candlelight illumination and Shinto shrines, then first glance at the outside of the Shrine would provide quite a different feel to anyone. On the outside it could be seen, particularly from the air, that the shrine was very large and tucked tightly back into a nook in the Hills outside Okina City so well that you couldn't even see the entrance until you were practically upon it. It wasn't along a set road, which made it even harder to find, but as the contingent from the city of Okina Mission returned, Dracule Mihawk lead the procession in through the front gates and into the vast courtyard at the front. Raised walls had been constructed on every side, almost as though it were some sort of a fortress, and along them walked men in casual robes, monks perhaps, who conversed with one another and watched as the Christian soldier of their Lord Mori lead both the master and his new bride, green-clad warrior and a blond woman trailing not far behind him. They had come to the location swiftly, and both were dressed now differently than they were when the group left the karaoke parlor. In a formal, green robe was the Lord of Aki, empty eyes silent as he walked forward with his hand in that of the blond beside him, who had been dressed in a gorgeous, formal kimono for what would be the most important occasion of her life...her marriage into the family of the Western Devil Kings' most cunning and disloyal strategist. Her eyes were equally empty, perhaps from the sadness and the resignation of the day...or maybe she just hadn't reacted yet to what was about to befall her. Nonetheless she was tugged along by her beau down the path towards the head of the Shrine, with all the monks watching them from on-high and the side. And the man heading the group for the moment, Dracule Mihawk, was a prominent figure in the secret forces of the Mori Clan that had been building in various locations for some time now; he had simply walked in one day and proclaimed his loyalty to their lord in exchange for bringing peace to the Land of the Rising Sun. Now, he was an impossibly dangerous and loyal servant, who at this very moment lead the procession which would ensure the future of the Mori Clan.
Outside the building, the commotion at their return was enough to provoke the interest of even those inside the Shrine. Monks began to file out to line the ornately-decorated path. One in particular now stood at the head as if he were planning to marry them on the spot...and when the cherry blossom petals began to fall around them, it became quite clear that this was precisely what they had intended.
From within the Shrine emerged a man in all-white with a serpent wrapped about his shoulders; gripped within his hand was the wrist of a dark-haired girl whom he deposited on the ground at the bride's side of the makeshift aisle. His sword positioned itself at her back subtly in order to ensure she didn't make so much as a move in the wrong manner...and even if she objected, she was likely to taste of the steel of Murcielago. His empty eyes watched for the procession and when he caught sight of his master he only nodded his approval for the plan which had once again come together perfectly. There would be no stopping them now...music began to play as they made their way to the front of the Shrine, the Lord on one side and his bride on the other. No one came close to them...and Mihawk himself stepped off to the side just behind him as they finally reached the Shinto priest at the head of the column. Both the Koroko sister and the Lord of Aki knelt down before him solemnly, doing as was custom, and all the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony continued on around them. Flower petals falling beneath the dim moonlight, a procession of ornately-dressed monks and the soft music which wafted through the air lightly, calmly, setting the mood just right for what should have been a lovely occasion.
And then the music stopped...the petals fell a little more sparingly...and beneath the light of the moon the words which both girls no doubt had been dreading began to pierce the air.
It was like something out of a girl's nightmare when...
"...Dearly beloved..."
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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:16 pm
Amelia M. Heartilly
From a long wait with legs pacing back and forth like a trapped animal, to suddenly being dragged by the wrist with a blade at the back, Amelia had found out that what she was waiting for is now underway. The pieces were placed, everything has met, so who was it that was captured? Her eyes looked ahead as she was taken, hearing music, seeing lights and monks and petals all around to make quite a nice scenery if only the situation itself was just ... not so wonderful. What was all this about? What was this celebration for? The rich girl kept on looking at the pieces that were laid there as the music went on through her ears with brows furrowed in worry. Suddenly being pushed by the side of a woman worn in a beautiful and formal kimono, Amelia felt the blade against her again, her violet eyes looking over her shoulder to look at Mifune with a hard gaze, only to notice that he nodded over towards the one in command, eyes following the cold man's nod to the one she recognized instantly. The one that had taken her life. Mori... But.. Her eyes looked back to the maiden next to her, and instantly recognized the girl. "M...Minori...?!" The music continued on as people started to settle down, Amelia perplexed for a moment before looking back at green robed leader then back to her own best friend, then to a certain monk who was dressed in a formal fashion as well. No.. this wasn't a celebration, it was a ceremony! With a dread now sinking down, the rich girl was about to reach out for the blond girl but only to have that blade right against her reminding her that her life was still dangling by a thread. She shouldn't be doing this! Minori shouldn't be going through this, for what reason?! Why?! There's just no good coming out of it, to be connected with a heartless b*****d like him! First off, was this even real? Was this actually happening?! "Minori...!" she called out in an urgent whisper, knowing that her hand was only going to get hacked off by Mifune not far from her if she were to decide to get any closer. But she wasn't sure if she were to get an answer, not after noticing those very eyes that Minori held. Amelia searched them from where she stood, looking rather distressed in seeing that there was no light in them... what happened? Hands clenched tightly. Just what did Mori do to you?! Please, snap out of it, Min! You don't have to do this! Her mind was screaming out desperately as if wanting to reach out to her through their bond alone but... perhaps that wasn't enough. The way she looked now.. like an empty doll.
That was when the music stopped. The rich girl looked over at the priest then back over at her best friend, still struggling in wanting to reach to that spirit but .. all she could do was watch. If she were to take action now, it would only risk the both of them and there was no way she was going to allow that to happen. Again... stuck. Not able to do anything but watch. The whole while it was like a twisting nightmare, or even a go through torture of being helpless in not being able to stop this. This was what Mifune meant by being lucky? This is absurd! Just ..those eyes.. those very eyes were slowly tearing her apart and all she could do was stand there. She looked so unhappy...There... There had to be hope left. There has to be someone coming. Someone will be there for them! The rich girl closed her eyes then lowered her head, jaw slacked when the wretched words began... The clock was ticking now. But did Minori have a choice? There had to be. Min... Hang in there.
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Fashionable Businesswoman
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Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 7:57 pm
Minori Koroko Dark, cloudless skies...Foggy and voided mind. Pink snow softly kissed the skin that wasn't covered by the elegant robes as feet slowly took her towards her destination...towards the head of the shrine where her life would change forever. No longer did the cold fingers closing on her hand made her insides recoil; no longer did she struggle against the arm that tugged her forward. Just a limp arm that slowly reacted to the grasp, fingers answering the touch almost as if mechanically. Dull green always stared forward, unable to pay attention to the delicately decorated path she walked on; crimson lips always kept a neat straight line, preventing the excitement that such ceremony should bring...or the hopelessness that she had felt before...from leaking; chest raised and fell rhythmically as air entered and left her lungs in steady, slow breathing...and thoughts were completely absent. She could have said that she felt as if she were underwater...slow...heavy...Even if her movements were elegant and light. She could have said anything, if it wasn't for the ideas that kept slipping through her fingers like vapor.
A hushed voice finally made her head to turn, a variable highlighted away from the stillness that was everything else. Lifeless eyes fell on distressed violet ones for a brief moment, a fine reddened line underneath giving away that perhaps she had shed tears sometime before arriving to the shrine. But there weren't any sign of such at the moment...no sad eyes that mirrored the broken soul, no little crystal beads running down her cheek revealing how miserable she might feel, as empty orbs absently gazed at her friend. Not even a sign of surprise crossed them at the sight of her....nor worried thoughts of why and how Amelia had ended in here...no relief in knowing that she wasn't alone in this. Just a cold emptiness that had stolen away all the brightness that those eyes once held. A living doll...a pretty puppet... that was all she was.
“…” Her eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly as eyes fell to the ground and head returned to the path in front of her once again without a single word directed the dark haired girl's way, as if she hadn’t been recognized at all. The distraction hadn’t been enough to make the blond linger too much before returning her fragmented attention back to the ceremony. Her body moved on its own, following orders her mind wasn’t aware of, following with the protocol and the image that should be held at every moment. The future wife of Motonari Mori… This was… …
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