Session - Need a Hand?

[19:32] <~Deedles> As the trio move through the Capitol towards the southern gate so they can head towards Haizhou and begin their investigation as to what it was that the merchant had found. The journey takes a bit more than a week on foot, even for super humans. At this point it is night time, the young men resting before their trip continues in the morning...
[19:48] <~Deedles> The first to wake was Shen, hearing the galloping of horses approaching in the distance, the next to wake was Jian, and just a moment after Yoshihiro. The Drunken Master would not be too happy about having been awoken though as along becoming aware of his surroundings, came the raging headache of a hangover. As the trio looked in the direction of the approaching sound they can see three figures quickly
[19:48] <~Deedles> moving towards them.
[19:49] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi grumbles as he sits upright, a hand sifting through his mussed hair, his first instinct was to grab his gourd and take a deep drink from it in the hopes of soothing his pounding headache...
[19:49] <Earthflame> Jian frowns, speaking softly. "Why would horsemen be abroad at such an hour?" He quickly checks the fabric covering his blade, before standing ready, closing his eyes, trusting his senses to keep him aware of his surroundings... In the dark, Chi was better than sight.
[19:51] <Shen> Shens eyes slide open to see the stars above him, his ears twitch at the crashing of hooves in the distance. He rolls over to his front, low on the ground, sliding the saber from his lower back. "A welcoming party?"
[19:52] <Zero_Atma> "They better damn well be bringing some good wine, if that's the case..." Yoshihiro hufs, stuffinf the cork back in the top of his gourd in a grumpy manner.
[19:55] <~Deedles> As the three peer out from the small gathering of trees that they'd camped within they couldn't see much at first because of the dark, but soon enough they could make out the small group approaching them. In front is a large, black warhorse, its rider clad in full black armour. Flanking the armoured figure is two figures dressed in black, an outfit they'll recognice from the Black Lotus,
[19:55] <~Deedles> only that the outfit of these two had an added, embroided emblem of a Yin-Yang blade.
[19:56] <Earthflame> ...Jian lets out a low, menacing growl.
[19:56] <Shen> "Easy tiger." Shen humourously mutters low towards Jian.
[19:59] <Zero_Atma> "Great, just what we needed." Yoshi grumbles. "I was havin' a good dream too..."
[19:59] <~Deedles> The horses came to a hault, the trio getting off. They couldn't see the expression of the armoured figure because of the helmet it wore, but judging by the sideways movement of its head it seemed to be looking for something.
[20:02] <Shen> Shen narrows his eyes at them as he grumbles a little. "The armoured one is hiding his movemenets. I can't read him. He'll be tough to deal with." he says to the other two.
[20:06] <~Deedles> As Jian studied the armoured figure he could sense the now familiar sensation of Corruption, but this was not only corruption, it felt like the suffocating feeling of death in the air. This feeling didn't just come from the person within the armour, but the armour itself, which might explain that as he got a closer look at the armour he couldn't tell much about it, as if it had been made in unconventional ways.
[20:07] <Earthflame> "...That armour is vile. There is Chi in it, like my blade, but it is corrupt... It's presence stifles that of it's wearer. I can barely feel their own chi within that miasma... And one like That bears the banner of the Dancing Blade Clan!?" ...He has difficulty keeping quiet at that.
[20:11] <Shen> "There's three of us and three of them. We wait too long and we lose the advantage of suprise." he whispers low towards his companions.
[20:11] <Earthflame> Jian looks towards the other two... And smiles. "Who will strike first?"
[20:12] <Earthflame> "If neither of you object... I would request the honour."
[20:12] <Zero_Atma> Yoshihiro waves his hand dismissively. "Fine, whatever, I just want to go back to bed..."
[20:13] <~Deedles> The armoured figure paused to look up towards the sky before its gaze turned in the direction of the group of young men. Something gave the three heroes the sensation that he was grinning.
[20:14] <Shen> "By all means." Shen replied as he made his way up a tree to his right. "Keep him busy, I'll come in from above."
[20:14] <Earthflame> Jian strides forward into the open, his Chi blade forming in his palm even as his eyes stay locked on the armoured figure.
[20:17] <~Deedles> The man in armour raised one of his hands as he spoke, his voice deep, it almost felt like it made the earth rumble "If you draw your weapon I guess it's only fair I draw mine." Having said that a black mist circled his outstretched hand, after which scythe with a gleaming blade and a black handle appeared in it.
[20:19] <Earthflame> "When one is troubled in the middle of an inauspicious night by figures as suspicious as yourselves, it is only natural to be prepared to defend oneself." Jian holds his head high, proud and fearless as he stares down the dark figure. "Who are you, and why do you trouble us so?"
[20:21] <~Deedles> "That's an ironic thing to ask, as here I was investigating the whispers of a trio who have been stirring up quite some trouble." The chuckled that followed was raspy.
[20:23] <Earthflame> "We are simple travellers, going about our own business. We do not start trouble. We do, however, end it."
[20:24] <~Deedles> "I was hoping you'd say that..." There was that feeling of him grinning again.
[20:24] <Earthflame> "...Why do your men wear that symbol?" The question seems almost like a non-sequitur. Sudden, and out of nowhere.
[20:26] <Shen> Shen watches from above on a branch studying the two men flanking the man in armour.
[20:26] <~Deedles> The armoured figure spared the two men with him a glance "Because they're of the Dancing Sword clan." he replies "But you're wrong, they're not my men, they're merely a nuisance." he actually sounded a bit annoyed as he said that.
[20:27] <Earthflame> "They do not deserve to wear it, if they follow one such as you."
[20:27] <~Deedles> Judging by their movements the two swordsman flanking the armoured man were above average in their skill, but not by much, they are certainly nowhere near the same level as Shen and his two companions.
[20:28] <~Deedles> "Now, that's a hurtful thing to say. You know nothing about me." The figure chuckled, twirling his scythe idly.
[20:29] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi remains silent for most of the conversation, letting Jian do all the talking, drinking from his gourd more out of boredom now than anything. He was just waiting for the part when they stopped talking and started kicking their asses so he could go back to sleep...
[20:29] <Earthflame> "I know you are corrupt. I know your armour fouls the air and poisons the earth. I know that any true follower of the sword would not stand for it."
[20:30] <Shen> Shen popped the cork on his jug and took a deep swig of his tea before fastening it tightly back to his belt. He waited.
[20:30] <~Deedles> "I see that you're a judgemental fellow." The figure replied calmly.
[20:31] <Earthflame> Jian moves, then. His arm lashing out, his feet stepping forward, as a wave of force ripples through the air. The uniforms of the two followers tear, the symbol cut away, falling to the ground... Behind him, his blade leaps up from beneath it's covering, gliding through the air to come to hang beside Jian.
[20:31] <Earthflame> "My Sword is my Soul. That symbol is mine. And I say that the corrupt shall be cleansed with a pure, bright blade."
[20:32] <Earthflame> His words are fierce, shouted like a battlecry.
[20:34] <~Deedles> The duo with the armoured figure gasped as their outfits were cut, looking down at the hole left by the abscence of the symbol before their gaze turned towards the swordsman before them in time to see the Yin-Yang blade hover behind them. "T-that blade...!" the one to the right exclaimed in shock. "Where'd you get that?!" the other demanded.
[20:35] <Earthflame> "I inherited it. I am a priest of the blade, and it is mine by right. If you wish to learn the true path, the secrets of the sword, then abandon this foul creature." Jian's cold, grey eyes flash like bright steel.
[20:40] <~Deedles> The swordsmen look at each other and then at the figure they'd arrived with. As if he could feel their eyes in the back of his head he laughed deeply "If you wish to run I advice you do so now." he told his two companions "As long as you weaklings don't interfere I won't hunt you down afterwards." The clansmen grimaced, their eyes flickering towards Jian before they began moving back towards their horses, slowly at first,
[20:40] <~Deedles> but then quite swiftly. "W-we'll report that you found them." One of the swordsmen said to the armoured figure, who simply shrugged. "Do whatever you wish." he replied
[20:41] <Earthflame> "Cowards." Jian calls after them.
[20:42] <Zero_Atma> "Come back here and get what's comin' to ya!" Yoshi shouts, shaking a fist at them.
[20:44] <~Deedles> The armoured figure barely moved, but Jian and Yoshi suddenly got the overwhelming feeling that he blocked the path.
[20:45] <Shen> Shen bursts out of the treeline above, in midair he tosses his saber down to the earth between the horses. Soon after the saber hits the ground with a dull thud, electricity sparks and shocks from his arm towards it, linking his arm and saber into a cracking thunderbolt. "You're not going anywhere." he shouts as he hits the ground.
[20:48] <~Deedles> The horses neighed and and reared, throwing their riders off before they galloped away from the are. Only the black warhorse remained, unmoving and unphased by the lightning. "Quite the entry..." the armoured figure commented, raising his scythe slightly. "Is it time to begin?"
[20:58] * Deedles sets topic to: Jian, Yoshi, Shen, Armoured Guy
[21:01] <Earthflame> Jian moves forward in a blur of motion, dancing footsteps carrying him in an unpredictable path towards his opponent.
[21:03] <Earthflame> His eyes are closed, his Chi blazing so brightly it can be seen as a shimmering grey outline extending from his closed hand. His strikes are sudden and precise, two spinning steps taking him around the armoured warrior, Chi passing through the metal to strike at flesh beneath...
[21:05] <~Deedles> Black Helm barely moved, shifting his scythe in two precise motions to block the incoming blows, and while the speed of Jian seemed to take him by some surprise it wasn't more than that it left a scratch on his armour.
[21:13] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi steps in front of the camp fire that was still crackling in the circle of stones they had made up, the drunkard tipping back hig gourd for a big gulp of wine, using that as a base to blow a gout of flames toward the armored figure.
[21:16] <~Deedles> Black Helm spun his scythe to block the incoming fire, which scorched his armour the faintest amount. "Yes, you are stronger than most..." He mused about them, a hint of excitement of his deep voice.
[21:23] <Shen> Shen darts up to the two that fell off of their horses, a link of lightning still pulsing between him and the blade as it chains towards all three foes. As he reaches one of the men he pulls his saber from the ground and sweeps up at the man in one motion.
[21:24] <~Deedles> The lightning licked across Black Helm's armour, leaving a couple of marks behind, but nothing more. In the meantime the lightning zaps through the two swordsmen, making them cry out, but the one that Shen goes for still attempted to block the incoming blow, though not with much success as he's left with a couple cuts.
[21:36] <~Deedles> Black Helm moved forward, his movements were slow, yet the power behind them were frightening. In one swift, arcing slice of his blade he cut Jian's arm clean off from the elbow down.
[21:41] <Earthflame> Jian simply screams... He doesn't open his eyes, or turn away. His stance doesn't even change. The Chi blade hangs in the air as if an arm was still holding it... But he screams in agony.
[21:49] <~Deedles> Black Helm stood perfectly still as Jian screamed from the pain of losing a limb, and yet did not faulter or move "Impressive resolve..." he thought out loud
[21:50] <~Deedles> The two swordsmen went for the one targetting them, the pair coming at Shen as they swung their blades. Their blows weren't exactly clumsy by normal standards, but to one such as Shen they were...
[21:51] <Shen> Shen shifted between them as the both struck, twisting his body to the side as he faced his allies and the Black Helmed man. "Jian!" he shouted out as he watch his friends arm fall to the ground.
[21:53] * Deedles sets topic to: Shen, Jian, Yoshi, Black Helm
[21:56] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi's eyes shot open at the sight of his companion's limb falling to the ground, a sudden wave of sobriety washing over him like a tidal wave, he could hardly believe what he was seeing. "Why you...you.." he grits his teeth, hands clenched into tight fists, staring daggers at the armored figure. He then lifts his gourd to his mouth and empties it in one go, tossing it to the ground before shouting at the top of his lungs. "I'M G
[21:56] <Zero_Atma> "I'M GONNA KICK YER ASS!"
[21:57] <~Deedles> They sensed that grin again "Yes! Burn with passion and come at me with all your might! Be a worthy rival!" he encouraged the furious drunk.
[22:13] <Shen> Shen reacts much like Yoshi, his eyes burning at the mans arrogance. Just as the lightning had dissipated, it reignites all across his arm, so much more than it ever had before. The electricity is wild and indiscriminate, chaining onto the two foes next to him. Shen could no longer see them, his eyes etched onto the back of the dark figure. He explodes towards the Helmed man with a furious pace.
[22:15] <Earthflame> Jian moves backwards, each step controlled and precise as always, even as blood drips down to stain his grey robes. The movements are not flight, however. They are a tactical retreat. He stops alongside the blade as it hangs in the air, his blood flowing onto the metal... He opens his eyes. "You will die by my hand, monster. You, and all corrupt like you. I do not need an arm to wield a
[22:15] <Earthflame> weapon. *My Sword is my Soul*!"
[22:15] <~Deedles> Black Helm spun around to stop the incoming again, and while the physical blow only grazed him the lightning crackled furiously around his armour, causing the black figure to faulter for a moment. Shen could almost see his foe's eyes shining from behind the helmet. "That's it! Just like that!" he praised him.
[22:16] <Earthflame> The great blade moves forwards in a flurry of motion, scything through the area like a scythe through wheat, before focusing it's assault upon the black helmed man.
[22:18] <~Deedles> At this point both of the swordsmen have fallen, lying beaten on the ground as the battle rages on!
[22:30] <~Deedles> Black Helm raised his scythe to block the incoming blows from the crippled swordsman, which leave a couple of chips in his armour "I like your spirit, but you still know nothing about me!" he chuckled "Yet that doesn't matter as long as you fight and become stronger!"
[22:40] <~Deedles> Black Helm came at Shen once more, his approach was slow, but he didn't need speed as he swung his scythe in a broad and deep arc, giving the Storm Dragon nowhere to run!
[22:41] <Zero_Atma> "Shaddap!" Yoshi snarls at the armored figure upon his approach, his face red with alcoholic rage, trading his usual drunken antics for a straight charge. However, the charge carries with it a wave of fire in the form of a burning fist, determined to either knock the helmet right off their opponents head or blow it off with explosive force. His arm extends forward, aiming at the covered face of the man in front of him, fist envelo
[22:42] <Zero_Atma> fist enveloped in a ball of fire that erupts on impact.
[22:44] <~Deedles> Black Helm's weapon came up to change the trajectory of the drunken boxer's blow, causing it to impact the chestplate of his armour, the fire scorching the black surface, leaving it shimmering.
[22:46] <~Deedles> The armoured figured's blade slashed at Shen's torso, cutting the cloth of his shirt and grazing his stomach.
[22:48] <Shen> Shen exhales heavily, his body feeling the the pressure of his expelled energy. He jumps back at the armoured figures scythe, taking the graze to his stomach.
[22:54] <~Deedles> "This has been a good fight." Black Helm stated before he moved towards Shen, gripping the cloth on his arm to fling him back towards his companions so that the armour clad figure could continue onwards towards his horse. He jumped up into the saddle and grabbed the reigns with his free hand. "I hope we will do this again, and that you're even stronger then! Farewell til then." He said to them,
[22:54] <~Deedles> the horse rearing as he pulled hard to make it turn. He looked back at them to call "Oh, and there's a good Doctor in Yumu!" before galloping away across the large field.
[22:56] <Earthflame> Jian Roars in anger, turning in a bloody circle and thrusting his surviving arm forward, the Yin Yang Blade surging after the man... But he's just out of reach. Jian falls to his knees, skin pale and angry tears running down his cheeks, staring at the retreating adversary.
[22:57] <Shen> Shen shifted his own weight as he was flung in the air, twisting his body to land on his feet. He spits on the floor as he stares at the retreating figure. "Coward." he says simply.
[23:01] <Zero_Atma> "Come back here 'an fight me like a man!" Yoshi calls after him, nearly falling over from the force of his own shout. However, with their enemy gone his attention swiftly returns to their wounded comrade. "Hold on..." he tells Jian, trying to help him to his feet and back toward the fire.
[23:02] <Earthflame> Jian simply stares into the distance, in shock, blood pouring more slowly now from his wound... He's very pale indeed. The Yin Yang Blade returns in a lazy arm, settling down amidst the remains of the battle...
[23:03] <Shen> Shen takes a bated swig from his jug, a mixed thirst of two different kinds before helping Yoshi tend to Jian. "We need to stop the bleeding."
[23:03] <Zero_Atma> !xia 7
[23:05] <Zero_Atma> "I can do it." Yoshi assures them. "It won't be bretty, and it'll hurt like hell, but we don't have much choice as it stands..."
[23:06] <Shen> "He's already losing a lot of colour, best you do it quickly." Shen replies to Yoshi.
[23:07] <~Deedles> It doesn't take much focus for something strange to catch Shen and Yoshi's attention. As Jian's blade hangings shortly above the ground midst the death and blood it seems to slowly consume the destruction around it, the blood of Jian's arm, and of the fallen swordsmen, slowly creeping towards the black half of the dancing blade.
[23:09] <Shen> "Umm..." Shen looks confused as he barely notices the blade. He looks towards Yoshi and then Jian. "Is it supposed to do that?"
[23:10] <Zero_Atma> "What in the..." Yoshi stares at the mysterious blade, his usual drunken look returning briefly, then shakes his head to snap out of it. "You might wanna find something to bite down on..." he advises the swordsman, rolling up his sleeve to expose th wound. "I'm gonna cauterize it."
[23:11] <Earthflame> Jian doesn't respond, his open eyes not seeing into the real world
[23:12] <Shen> "Just do it." Shen says to Yoshi after studying Jians distant eyes. "Maybe the pain won't be such a bad thing."
[23:13] <Zero_Atma> Yoshihiro shrugs. "No idea." he replies. "Shen, I think you should hold him down." he suggested. "Jian is too out of it, and the last thing I want is to set him on fire by accident if he moves..."
[23:20] <Shen> Shen nods and kneels behind Jian, putting an arm around his torso and holding the upper part of his injured arm. "Alright, let's do it."
[23:23] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi looks at Jian sympathetically. "Just...try to hold still..." he advises before focusing his chi, holding onto his companion's injured arm to keep it steady as a steady stram of fire glazes over the bloody stub.
[23:25] <Earthflame> ...Jian is absolutely silent. His eyes close, and his fingers tighten into a white knuckle grip... But he doesn't let a single sound leave his lips.
[23:30] <~Deedles> The wound cauterizes, stopping the bleeding, though the flesh is left raw and sore from the burn.
[23:31] <Shen> Shen remains silent as he watches Yoshi finish cauterizing the wound, his eyes fall once again on the blade and its odd behaviour.
[23:31] <Earthflame> Jian opens his eyes, still staring into the distance... But seeing the real world once again. "I am going to kill him." The words are spoken in a monotone. His voice croaks a bit, cracking with the scream he emitted earlier and what his body has suffered, but there's no rage or hatred in his words. All feeling is replaced by an iron clad sense of certainty.
[23:33] <Zero_Atma> Yoshihiro is utterly amazed at Jian's restraint, or perhaps it's something different altogether, using a bit of cloth to wrap up the end of his arm when it was all over. "He'll get what's coming to him, don't you worry about that. For now, try to take it easy."
[23:34] <Shen> "I have a feeling he will cross our path again." Shen says in a reply to both, his expression of disgust as he thinks about it.
[23:36] <Earthflame> Jian turns, slowly, to look at his arm. "...This is meaningless." He tries to stand up, staggers and begins to collapse, consciousness draining away. In the moments before blackness overtakes him, a few more words escape his lips. "My Sword is my Soul..."
[23:38] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi pulls a blanket over him, eyes glazed over with sadness and the effects of the wine he had guzzled before the fight. "What're we gonna do now?" he asks Shen, who is now the only one left awake.
[23:42] <Shen> Shen watches Jian as he loses consciousness and sighs as his focus turns to Yoshis question. "We need to mvoe camp for one." Shen says as he thinks out loud. "That guy probably won't be back, but we don't know what he'll tell others... " His expression is grim as he rubs his chin. "They looked like they were searching for us, so our mission may already be compromised."
[23:44] <Zero_Atma> "Well, those guys were definitely Black Lotus." Yoshi points out. "Though, weather they were after us for burning the warehouse or something else is still quetionable..."
[23:46] <Shen> "The two who were with him were apparently Dancing Sword members, as for the big guy, he acted as if he didn't want to be associated with them." Shen shrugs back at Yoshi. "Either way they are not our allies and right now we need to focus on staying out of sight as long as Jian is like this."
[23:48] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi looks back toward their wounded companion for a moment. "I don't think losing an arm is going to stop him." Only now does his smile return. "Guy's got guts, I'll give him that." he then looks a bit conflicted. "There's one thing that bothers me, though, why would that guy tell us where we could find a doctor?"
[23:51] <Shen> "It won't stop him, but for now he needs to recover." Shen agrees as he leans back from his kneeling position and rests on his behind, rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hand. "He definitely is an enigma of sorts. Who was he? Why was he looking for us? How did he know about us? What was he doing with those goons?"
[23:51] <Shen> he rips at a tuft of grass next to him and growls in frustration. "Every time we come close to answering one question, several new ones appear." he throws the grass to his side in frustration.
[23:55] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi slumps back as well, falling onto his back, gazing up at the sky. "So, what do we do now?" he wonders aloud. "Keep going the way we were or go to Yumu?"
[00:04] <Shen> Shen goes silent for a moment in thought, but replies after a short while. "We've already travelled so far towards Haizhou, we'd have to go across country if we headed to Yumu now." he said as he looked at Jian then Yoshi. "We're probably better off sticking to out current route."


[00:08] <~Deedles> It took close to three days, but in the later afternoon on the third day the small group could see a town rising by the coast ahead of them. Even from a distance away they could see the masts and sails of large ships docked in the harbour.
[00:09] <Earthflame> Jian is walking again, still somewhat pale, the sleeve of his missing arm rolled up to the elbow, tied there, making the missing limb obvious. He has not been particularly talkative since he woke, being quick to anger and terse even at the best of times. The battle has taken quite a toll on him, mind as well as body.
[00:13] <Shen> Shen chewed on a dried, salted meat slice as they walked, his eyes were alert as usual, but he did not say much either until he spotted the town in the distance. "About time." he said quietly, as he tugged off a piece of meat.
[00:17] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi hadn't been the same either since the night they were attacked, aside from the usual drinking, his usual cheery mood had soured over the course of their jorney. It wasn't just his injured friend that concerned him, for that very same night a familiar face had appeared in his dreams to tell him something that he was unable to hear. Needless to say, he had looked better...
[00:21] <~Deedles> The town seemed peaceful enough at they approached it, the people on the outskirts at least didn't scream and run this time, in fact they didn't seem too interested in the weary travellers, focused on their own tasks. The buildings that made up the town were simple, but sturdy, the majority were made of wood and brown bricks, and most of them were two stories high.
[00:24] <Earthflame> Jian pauses, rotating his shoulder and wincing at the still painful stump. He speaks quietly to the two others. "...This was one potential location for the heir. Now we're here, how do we search for them?"
[00:26] <Zero_Atma> "Good question..." Yoshi admits, having a look around as they make their way into the town itself. "Guess we can't exactly go asking people if they've seen an imperial heir walking around anywhere."
[00:27] <Shen> Shen slips the rest of the meat in his pack as he looks around the town before them. "I have heard from brothers in my clan that a good source of information is usually where the most people gather. A tavern or inn could be a good start." Shen chimed.
[00:28] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi perks up a bit at the mention of a tavern, a good drink would do him some good, he was running a bit low on wine...
[00:29] <Earthflame> "...I could use a night in a real bed, that is for certain."
[00:31] <Shen> "Our own rooms too, maybe a guy will get a decent nights sleep without you guys constantly muttering in your sleep." he groaned as he twisted his neck.
[00:31] <Earthflame> Jian gives Shen a glare, but it's rather weak. Not for lack of feeling, he's just too damn tired to do a proper job.
[00:32] <~Deedles> Walking the last distance to the town and heading towards its center takes a little bit, the sun starting to set as late afternoon turned to evening. Finding a tavern though wasn't hard, as a harbour town there were plenty, especially around the docks themselves, and they found one such tavern which looked promising right around the middle of the harbour, a place called The Salty Applecross which seemed
[00:32] <~Deedles> to have plenty of people.
[00:36] <Shen> Shen rubbed his stomach at the thought of Salty, that meat was awfully tasty. "Guess we start here." he shrugged to the others, he had no idea what to expect.
[00:37] <Earthflame> "As long as it has a room, I'm happy." He groans again. "...Damn it all."
[00:43] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi pats Jian on his good shoulder with a reassuring smile. "Tonight we should just worry about resting, the rest will come later."
[00:49] <Earthflame> He nods, giving Yoshi a rather strained smile. "...Indeed."
[00:50] <Zero_Atma> "C'mon, lets get you something to wet your whistle." Yoshi insisted, pulling Jian along toward the tavern, a broad smile curling over his lips.
[00:51] <Earthflame> Jian grumbles, but follows
[00:52] <~Deedles> As the three enter the smell of cooked seafood hit them like a sledge hammer to the face, making mouths water and stomachs rumble. Their ears were also hit by a barrage of sound, sailors lounging infront of the bar to their far left as the grown men were relaxing after long journeys across the ocean. To their right was a desk behind which a young woman was sat. She had long brown hair and slightly tanned skin,
[00:52] <~Deedles> and she was currently nose-deep in a book.
[00:59] <Shen> Shen approaches the desk that the woman is sitting at. "Excuse me." he says with a polite nod. "I was wondering if you knew where three travellers could acquire some rooms to stay at."
[01:03] <Zero_Atma> "Also, do you have a house special for drinks?" Yoshi pipes up, wondering if the tavern was particularly well known for anything.
[01:06] <~Deedles> The brown-haired girl looked up at the pair that approached her, shifting her gaze between them. "We have a room for 4 open, that's about it." she told Shen with a sweet smile before she moved her attention to Yoshi. "Nothing at the moment, but happy hour starts in an hour." she explained.
[01:06] <Earthflame> Jian groans
[01:08] <Shen> Shen sighs at the shared room composition. "I guess the 4 room will have to do." he returns with a half smile. "How much for the room?"
[01:10] <~Deedles> "Is everything alright, sir?" the girl inquired softly, looking at the swordsman before her attention was taken by Shen's next question. "That'll be 35 Silver per night."
[01:11] <Earthflame> "Fine, just fine..." He grumbles
[01:12] <Zero_Atma> "He's had a rough week." Yoshi adds. "So, what do you recommend for drink?"
[01:12] <Shen> Shen fingered through some coins as he places the payment on the desk. "40 silver for your patronage." he grins with a wink.
[01:13] <~Deedles> The girl blushed a faint pink as she accepted the money "Thank you, sir." she replied sweetly, putting 35 silver in the tavern's cashbox and the other 5 in a box to the side of it.
[01:25] <Earthflame> Jian slumps against the nearest solid object, sighing as he looks around the room. What a sourpuss.
[01:27] <Shen> "No problem." he replied with a smile as he took the keys for the room and turned to the other two, his expression quickly returning to normal. "Alright, room secured."
[01:28] <Earthflame> "...I might just go to bed."
[01:29] <Zero_Atma> "But we just got here." Yoshi points out. "I need to get myself a drink, we've been walking all day and I'm parched!"
[01:29] <Earthflame> "I'm not in the mood." Grumble grumble
[01:30] <~Deedles> The girl gave Jian a concerned look "Do you need some medicine, sir?" she wondered
[01:30] <Shen> "Every time we come within a mile of anything close to alcoholic you get like this." he chuckles at Yoshi.
[01:32] <Earthflame> He gives the girl a tired smile. "No, no... I doubt much would help." He raises the stump of his arm, the edge of the cloth stained darker than the rest of the fabric.
[01:32] <Zero_Atma> "That's why they call me Ebbing Spirits." Yoshi reminds him with a grin, nudging Jian a bit. "Come on, one drink won't kill you, it might even make you feel a bit better!"
[01:33] <~Deedles> The girl's eyes widened a bit, but not by much, the reason why probably being that most men inside the tavern seemed to have similar injuries. "I'll get some food sent up to your room. That'll be the best thing you can get right now." she stated with a gentle smile.
[01:33] <Earthflame> Jian returns the smile. "...Thank you. You're most kind."
[01:34] <~Deedles> Her smile widened "Your friend gave me the biggest tip I've gotten in a month. It's the least I can do."
[01:35] <Earthflame> Jian chuckles. "He's a generous sort. A good friend to have."
[01:35] <Shen> "Yeah, he's a pretty great guy." Shen agreed.
[01:36] <Earthflame> ...Jian turns to glower at him.
[01:36] <~Deedles> The girl lifted a hand to her mouth as she laughed "Funny too." she added
[01:36] <Shen> Shen frowned back at Jian innocently.
[01:37] <Earthflame> ...He sighs. "I'll come back down. I need a short rest." He holds his hand out for the keys... After a moments hesitation, where he tried to use the wrong one.
[01:38] <~Deedles> The girl gestured to Shen "He already got the key, and there's only one to each door, apart from the master key that the Innkeeper has." she told him as her smile softened slightly. "And don't worry about your arm, you get used to it after a while." she said.
[01:39] <Shen> Shen drops the key into Jians open hand. "I'll come up anyway, I need to stow my bag anyway."
[01:40] <Earthflame> "Thank you again." He gives her a slight bow, before heading up the stairs.
[01:42] <Shen> Shen gives the girl another smile as he follows behind Jian. He diverts his gaze to the patrons as they make their way to the stairs.
[01:42] <~Deedles> She flashed a sweet smile in return before she re-opened her book and went back to reading.
[01:42] <Zero_Atma> "Well, while you guys are busy..." Yoshi's eyes shift from side to side before leaning over the counter to address the young woman. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd like to have a talk with your cook."
[01:44] <~Deedles> As Shen followed Jian through the bottomfloor of the tavern to get to the stairs he doesn't see anything that's of much interest, mostly just sailors playing card games, drinking and eating. Nothing out of the ordinary. He did catch the name Katashi Ryumoto being mentioned a few times. As he walked past one pair of sailors he snapped up a bit of the conversation. 'Katashi Ryumoto is back in town, better lay low for a while.'
[01:45] <~Deedles> The girl looked up at Yoshi as he spoke to her. "Oh, sure, I think that should be fine." she answered with a smile, pointing at the door behind her. "Kitchen is through there."
[01:47] <Zero_Atma> "Many thanks." Yoshi replies with a smile, weaving around the counter to poke his head through the door to the kitchen, his nose twitching as he picks up the smell of seafood being prepared within.
[01:47] <Shen> Shen made a mental note of the name, but didn't pay much more attention to the sailors. "Seems like a nice place." he mused to himself as he headed up the stairs.
[01:49] <Earthflame> "Better than dirt and tree roots."
[01:50] <Shen> "Why do you think I always accept Yoshis drinks before sleeping?" he chuckled.
[01:51] <Earthflame> "Because you enjoy waking up at 1AM?"
[01:51] <~Deedles> As he entered the kitchen he could see a middle-aged female with long blue hair bossing a pair of younger men around, giving them instructions across the room as she herself was busy stirring one delicious smelling fish soup. She was dressed in a white shirt, dark blue pants, brown boots and a white apron, her hair currently pulled back into a ponytail.
[01:53] <Shen> "Not as much as your snoring." he quipped back to Jian.
[01:54] <Earthflame> "I don't snore..."
[01:54] <Zero_Atma> Yoshihiro's smile widens as he stealthily slips into the kitchen without a word, his hands held behind his back while quietly observing the others cook. The drunkard learned best through observation, example, and watching the two men working from over their shoulder seemed like the best way to do it...
[01:54] <Shen> "Like a disgruntled ogre."
[01:56] <~Deedles> It didn't take long before the woman noticed Yoshihiro, a frown on her face as she placed her hands on her hips, her green eyes pinned on him. "And just what are you doing here?" she inquired sternly
[01:56] <Earthflame> Jian grumbles again, moving to open the door and take a look inside the room.
[01:57] <~Deedles> There'd four beds, two to one wall to the right and two to the wall on the left. They weren't big, but they looked comfy, especially after sleeping outside for a week, and half of that time with a stump for one arm.
[01:58] <Earthflame> Jian shucks his pack, and promptly collapses into a bed.
[02:00] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi looks up from behind the man who was busy frying up som ingredients in a pan, his smile ever present as he moves around to adress the woman he assumed to be in charge, patting the cook on the shoulder along the way. "Well, the food smelled so good that I had to pop in and see where the magic happens."
[02:01] <Shen> Shen stands there for a while in silence, before a slight creaking could be heard on the opposite side of the room as he pushes two of the beds together to form a king-sized combination of comfort. "Might as well live like a king after all." he sighed as he fell onto the bed, dropping his pack down beside it.
[02:01] <Earthflame> Jian snorts from his own bed.
[02:01] <~Deedles> "I see..." The female cook studied him suspiciously for a moment before she turned back to the soup, carefully stirring it again. "Was that all?" she wondered.
[02:02] <Shen> "Yeah, I bet you wish you'd thought of that." Shens disembodied voice says after a moment of silence.
[02:03] <Earthflame> A pillow flies across the room, smacking Shen in his head.
[02:04] <Shen> "A cunning counter." a muffled voice returns after another moments silence.
[02:04] <Earthflame> There's another moments pause. "...Can I have my pillow back?"
[02:05] <Shen> Shen flings it back. "I am the generous sort after all."
[02:05] <Earthflame> Jian takes it, sighing as he slumps against it. "...You are. You're a good friend, Shen."
[02:05] <Zero_Atma> "Not exactly." Yoshi admits. "I'm a bit of a chef myself, and I'm always looking to expand my pallet." he explains with a grin. "Only the best will do for my friends."
[02:07] <~Deedles> The female cook looked at him again, a bit more curiously before she glanced some of the cooking supplies "Well then... Why don't you show me what you got?" she offered with a faint smile.
[02:07] <Shen> The silence creeps over the room once again. "We have to look out for each other."
[02:08] <Earthflame> Another pause. "...I'm not going to be a burden on you and Yoshi... I don't need my arm to wield my sword. I'm still watching out for both of you, too." His tone is odd, as if he's trying to convince himself as much as Shen.
[02:09] <Zero_Atma> "Don't mind if I do!" Yoshi replies, picking up a spare knife before moving to the nearest cutting board...
[02:12] <Shen> "If it were anybody else saying that, I'd disagree." he chimed into the silence "That's why we pressed on. You're more than what was taken from you, after all. You're our brother."
[02:12] <~Deedles> The room of the group is rather quiet, it was situated in the back so it was above some of the rooms that people could stay in downstairs, and they thus didn't have the hustling and bustling of the sailors right below them. And as it was in the back their window was facing a small alley between buildings, away from the busy street.
[02:14] <Earthflame> Jian closes his eyes. A long silence follows, before he says two words. "...Thank you."
[02:14] <Shen> Shen doesn't reply, but he does begin to snore. Loudly.
[02:16] <Earthflame> ...Jian has to laugh.
[02:16] <Earthflame> And he does.
[02:16] <Earthflame> Vigorously.
[02:16] <~Deedles> Once Yoshihiro has quenched his thirst for wine and turned in for the night the three are peacefully asleep in their soft beds...
[02:21] <~Deedles> Shen and Jian awoke in the middle of the night to the faint sound of creaking which might not of brought them out of their slumber fully at first. That would change the next moment though as Yoshihiro was rudely awoken by someone stumbling on the edge of his bed and landing ontop of him. The figure yelped, and it sounded distinctly female.
[02:22] <Earthflame> Jian jumps out of his bed with a cry. "Whose there!?" ...From his wild expression and tense stance, he was probably having a nightmare.
[02:25] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi was a bit of a heavy sleeper. though he did let out a short 'oof!' as the stranger lands on him. "Mmh, five more minutes, master..." he mumbles in his sleep, his arms encircling whoever it was that had fallen on him before promptly rolling over in an attempt to go back to sleep.
[02:28] <Shen> Shen shot up awake at the commotion, his hair covering his eyes as he scrambled to look around the room.
[02:31] <~Deedles> There was another soft yelp as Yoshi turned over, putting the stranger beneath him. "L-let go of me you oaf...!" came a woman's voice, speaking in a hushed but sharp tone. Outside the trio could hear the shouting of a few male, and some female, voices.
[02:33] <~Deedles> Jian and Yoshi didn't hear anything coherent just catching odd words, Shen on the other hand clearly heard one of the male voices shout 'I think she went this way!'
[02:35] <Earthflame> Jian looks around, still dazed and not sure what was real and what was the horrifying dream, the memory of pain...
[02:35] <Shen> Shens ears peaked as he made the connection, sliding out of his bed he grated in a hushed but harsh voice. "Be quiet if you want to live." he addressed at the female voice. "Yoshi, it's cold out. Pull the cover up." Shen then slid his back to the door, pinning his ear to it to listen to the outside.
[02:37] <~Deedles> The hooded figure, who they couldn't out the face of in the dark, nodded as she did as she was told. She made a faintly disgruntled noise at Yoshi's sake-breath as she pulled the cover up to hide her fully from sight.
[02:38] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi mumbles something incoherent while one of his hands blindly grabs for the blanket to pull it over his head, then sprawls out on his back. "Uh-huh..."
[02:39] <~Deedles> Shen could hear footsteps and the sound of doors being opened rather roughly, it was still down the end of the corridor, but it seemed to be several individuals or groups moving through the rooms as several doors were opened at the same time. The sound was moving towards their quickly, the trio hearing the room beside theirs being invaded by people who spoke in angry voices.
[02:41] <Earthflame> "...That might not work. Out the window? Or onto the roof?" Jian whispers.
[02:41] <Shen> "One nights sleep. That's all I ask for." he complains quietly to himself in frustration. He nods back to Jian, "It'll need to be quick. I'll stall them."
[02:42] <Earthflame> Jian taps the covers. "Move." He heads over to the window, glancing into the alley before opening it.
[02:43] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi grumbles at all the commotion going on outside, only now peeking his head above the covers. "What's going on?" he asks grogily, squinting at the unfamiliar figure next to him. "...who's this?"
[02:45] <Shen> Shen ruffles his hair back into its sleeping stance. "Get her out of the window and onto the roof." Shen whsipers quickly as he opens the door and steps out into the hall. "Hey what's all the fuss. Can't a guy get some sleep round here." he calls out as he blinks against the candlelight.
[02:46] <~Deedles> "You haven't seen me." The girl told Yoshi in a quiet but harsh tone as she shifted out of the bed quietly and she moved back towards the window along with Jian. She peered outside to make sure the coast was clear before she got onto the windowsil.
[02:46] <~Deedles> She girl glanced back, her face still shrouded by her hood before she quickly slipped up onto the roof with surprising agility.
[02:46] <Earthflame> Jian calls quietly after her. "Stay there, okay? I think we can help you."
[02:46] <Earthflame> Then he moves back to his bed, closing the window and collapsing into it.
[02:48] <~Deedles> "Okay..." the girl whispered back, remaining crouched on the roof so she was hidden by the darkness of the night.
[02:48] <~Deedles> A female with short black hair and topaz eyes pushed Shen to the side "We're looking for a girl." she stated plainly, heading for the door he just exited through.
[02:48] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi glances between the unidentified woman and Jian, scratching his head with an utterly confused look. "What's going on?"
[02:49] <Earthflame> Jian simply rolls over. "Bugger off..."
[02:49] <Shen> "You're a girl." he quipped back at her as he stumbled sleepily into the wall, wearing nothing but his lower half. "If you hadn't noticed."
[02:50] <~Deedles> "This girl is special, our Captain wants her back, so if you know what's best for you you tell us what you know and you stay out of our way." the woman stated as she glared at him cooly before opening the door to enter their room.
[02:52] <Shen> "What's best for me and my friends is a good nights sleep, thank you very much." he overly complained.
[02:54] <~Deedles> "Shut up." the woman snapped at him as she moved over to the beds, throwing the covers aside one at the time before crouching down to look beneath the beds. While the intrusion was rude to say the least she was at least quick about it, having exited the room soon enough again. "She's not in here!" she called to the men and women who were searching with her, their searching continuing, though it soon took them out of the tavern.
[02:54] <~Deedles>  out of the tavern.
[02:55] <Earthflame> Jian grumbles at her as he's disturbed
[02:56] <Shen> Shen scratched his back as he entered the room again and closed the door behind him. "Well, she was lovely."
[02:57] <Zero_Atma> "I don't need fresh sheets, I'm still using these ones!" Yoshi insisted as hs blankets were tossed away from him, still confused, groggy, and a bit grumpy after the rude awakwning.
[02:58] <~Deedles> There came a quiet knock on their window once the room was empty again and the pirate crew headed out of the tavern.
[02:58] <Earthflame> Jian lies still, listening for the sounds of commotion to die down... And then gets up, opening the window.
[02:59] <Shen> Shen sits down onto the bed as he pulls part of his tunic over his body, at the sam time taking a healthy swig of his tea. "Quickly Yoshi, the goblins are stealing your wine."
[03:00] <~Deedles> The figure swiftly slipped inside, pushing the window closed behind her quickly, but quietly, and it became apparent why soon enough as they saw figures moving through the alley below and heard the sound of people starting to move around on the roof.
[03:01] <Earthflame> Jian breathes a low sigh. "...That was close." He looks towards the girl, apparently focused by the spur of activity. "You picked the right room to stumble into, miss...?"
[03:02] <~Deedles> She hesitated to reply as she moved over to one of the dark corners, leaning her back against the wall as she sat down. "Reisuki... Reisuki Tatsuro." she paused, glancing up at Jian. "... And thank you."
[03:03] <Earthflame> "Shen? I think we're going to need that extra bed." Jian gives her a half bow. "I am Jian."
[03:05] <Shen> Shen groans reluctantly. "Typical." he says as he eyes Reisuki suspiciously. "Why were those 'fine' people looking for you?" he says, getting straight to the point.
[03:05] <~Deedles> As Jian studied the female stranger he was met by a cool and soothing sensation, calm and precise. Her spirit encompassed the ocean, a being with much experience of this life which left her soul as deep as the depths of the sea.
[03:06] <Earthflame> Jian smiles. "...Your Water Chi is very strong."
[03:11] <~Deedles> "Those 'fine' people were the Dragonmaw Pirate gang." Reisuki answered Shen as she shifted her gaze towards him. "Their Captain, Katashi Ryumoto, is my husband... not by my choice though, but pirates seem to like to take the saying 'trophy wife' to a whole new level." she rolled her eyes, despite her face being in shadow they could sense the subtle movement.
[03:11] <~Deedles> Her movements were soft and refined, but Shen's trained eyes could spot the lethality below that gentle surface, like the soft waves of an ocean hiding the dangers that lurk below. She looked towards Jian again, her lips quirking into a faint smile. "I know, that is common within my family." she answered
[03:12] <Earthflame> Jian scowls. "...Brigands, pirates and the corrupt are everywhere in this country. I am glad you were able to escape them."
[03:13] <Shen> "Katashi Ryumoto..." he tapped his lips as his mind whirled. "Oh yeah, I heard some sailors mention that name a few times downstairs. Sounds like a scary guy." he looked to his comrades then back to her.
[03:13] <Zero_Atma> "A pirate, huh? sounds exciting." Yoshi admits before adding. "So, why are you hiding from them?"
[03:14] <~Deedles> "There's a reason I decided to escape instead just killing him." Reisuki replied in an almost non-chalant manner. She stared at Yoshi for a moment as if he was stupid. "... Did you not hear a word of what I was saying?"
[03:14] <Earthflame> "He's not drunk yet. Give him a little time to get used to sobriety."
[03:16] <~Deedles> Reisuki nodded slow "... Alright."
[03:16] <Earthflame> Jian pauses, assimilating the information. "...Your family?"
[03:19] <Zero_Atma> "She said who she was and who her husband is, not why she's hiding." Yoshi points out. "So, what changed?"
[03:19] <Earthflame> "She used a different surname."
[03:22] <~Deedles> "Nothing ever changed." Reisuki informed Yoshihiro "The douchebag attacked my nation and took me as price when I was 16, as proof of his conquering."
[03:22] <Shen> "Your nation?" Shen questioned.
[03:25] <~Deedles> "A small land to the west called Opheria. We were a tiny kingdom compared to the large nations around us, and a peaceful one that also made a lot of money in trading. So we were an easy and profitable target." she explained
[03:25] <Earthflame> Jian nods. "...It may be difficult for you to get home, especially in these dark times."
[03:26] <~Deedles> Reisuki lowered her gaze towards the floor, the hood hiding her expression as she spoke quietly "What makes it more difficult is that he left nothing to go home to. Pirates aren't exactly known for leaving things in a nice and neat state."
[03:27] <Earthflame> Jian bows his head. "...I am sorry."
[03:28] <Zero_Atma> "You want me to kick his ass?" Yoshi chimes in suddenly.
[03:29] <Shen> "The list keeps getting longer and longer." Shen chimes out loud as he runs his hands through his hair.
[03:31] <~Deedles> Reisuki was quiet for a moment "He's really powerful, he and his First-Mate, so that could be difficult." she answered after a while. "Right now I just want to get away, but I know he's got contacts in the Capitol, who have contacts in the other towns, so where ever I go he could find me..." she sighed, which half-way through turned into a growl of frustration and anger.
[03:32] <Earthflame> "Not everywhere."
[03:33] <~Deedles> She blinked and looked at him "Well? Don't leave me hanging like that!"
[03:34] <Earthflame> Jian shakes his head. "Not right now. If you travel with us, we can guard you... We have contacts too. If we come to trust you, we can help you find a place where they cannot reach. We are trying to weaken the hold of corruption and evil over this land. If you help us, you will earn our trust, and earn your place in safety. I am sorry if this seems cruel, but anything less would compromise
[03:34] <Earthflame> the safety of people we all care about."
[03:36] <~Deedles> Reisuki slowly nodded as she took in his reply, her expression turning thoughtful "This... corruption. Does it give you this overwhelming and vile feeling of something just being... wrong?" she wondered quietly.
[03:36] <Earthflame> "Yes."
[03:36] <Zero_Atma> "Sounds about right." Yoshi agrees.
[03:38] <Shen> Shen leans back on the bed, putting a part of unworn tunic over his eyes.
[03:38] <~Deedles> "Katashi feels like that. It's one of the many reasons I can't stand being near him." She told them honestly.
[03:39] <Zero_Atma> "Now we're definitely gonna have to kick his ass." Yoshi concluded simply.
[03:39] <Earthflame> Jian moves, tugging one bed aside from the other... And letting Shen fall to the floor. "The Corrupt naturally assume positions of power... Their vile strength is hard to resist." He glances at his stump. "...I lost my arm because I underestimated one."
[03:41] <~Deedles> "Plenty of men and women have lost much more than that for underestimating Katashi." Reisuki replied, finally pushing back her hood to reveal her face. She had long white hair and lush green eyes, which were currently studying Jian's severed arm with a mild sympathetic look.
[03:42] <Shen> "Ugh." Shen grunts as he falls to the floor and makes a bare effort to get to his feet, but he does, and he stretches. "It's a running trend, the core of problems always returns back to the corrupted. Wherever we go it is the same."
[03:42] <Earthflame> "Don't pity me." Jian's words aren't harsh. They simply speak with a cold, steel clarity. "I am Jian, priest of the sword. My sword is my soul, and requires no arm to wield it. But I am glad to meet you, Reisuki." He extends his still existant hand to her.
[03:44] <~Deedles> "I don't pity you." Reisuki answered plainly as she accepted his hand. "I just know that losing a part of yourself can take getting use to." she glanced to the side "Though mostly I was thinking of some of the things I saw Katashi do." she confessed with a sad expression.
[03:45] <Earthflame> "All the corrupt monsters Will die. In time. But I have paid the price to learn that rushing into battle is... Unwise. Can you tell us of his strength? How he fights, what his skills are?"
[03:47] <Zero_Atma> "Seems like everywhere we go there's just someone else who needs to be taught a painful lesson." Yoshi points out. "Wish they'd just line up so we could get it overwith."
[03:48] <~Deedles> "He's fast and his shots are precise, not that they need to be since he wields a cannon. He never fights alone because he prefers fighting at range, even though he has frightening power in close combat too." Reisuki said as she slowly rose to her feet so she could move over to the vacant bed.
[03:48] <Earthflame> Jian nods, glancing out the window. "...We can discuss this more tomorrow. We should all get some rest." He winces, touching his arm again. "Blasted thing..."
[03:49] <~Deedles> "If you're going to fight him then I want to come with you." Reisuki insisted
[03:50] <Shen> "We have business here first, before we do any fighting." Shen interrupts.
[03:50] <Earthflame> "If you're strong enough to help, we may well need you. But we are not rushing into this without a plan... And we do have other objectives in these parts."
[03:50] <Earthflame> Jian nods to Shen.
[03:51] <Earthflame> "We will protect you, Reisuki. Whether we kill him now, or leave and return later, you will be safe with us. The only way you will be taken from us is if we are all dead."
[03:51] <Shen> "And I've got too much to life for."
[03:51] <~Deedles> "Business? Maybe I could help somehow? Katashi often docks here." Reisuki offered, and despite her keeping her tone calm they can easily catch her eagerness to help them.
[03:53] <Shen> "Easy tiger." he chuckles. "Unless you know the specific location of a 200 year lost family heir to the Imperial throne, I don't think there's much you can do."
[03:57] <~Deedles> She looked thoughtful at that, rubbing her chin lightly "I know that when Katashi docked a messenger came from Jinlong. He was ordered to head to Yumu for something, something which annoyed him, but it was apparently a very pressing matter. He was planning to begin the journey there tomorrow morning, though I assume he'll hold on that until he finds me again."
[03:58] <Earthflame> ...Jian jumps out of bed. "We need to leave *now*."
[03:59] <Zero_Atma> "...like right now?" Yoshi asks, frowning at the bed he was sitting on, just as they were starting to get comfortable...
[03:59] <~Deedles> "... Did I say something bad?" Reisuki wondered with a slightly confused look.
[04:00] <Earthflame> "We had two leads to where the Heir might be... Here, and Yumu. If he's heading there, it's highly likely that they are going for the same reason. We *must* arrive first."
[04:02] <Zero_Atma> Yoshihiro sighs. "I guess it makes sense..." he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "If this Katashi is busy looking for you here we'll be long gone by the time he realizes he's looking in the wrong place."
[04:03] <Shen> "The only way we'll arrive before them is if we set sail tonight. Especially if they catch wind of your movement. They'll probably assume you've headed up river to Yumu if they can't find you, anyway."
[04:03] <Earthflame> "Where can we get a boat?"
[04:03] <~Deedles> Reisuki looked thoughtful for a moment "I know where to get one, no questions asked." she said before she glanced towards Shen's clothes. She pointed at them. "Do you have a spare set and do they come with a mask?"
[04:04] <Earthflame> "From Yumu, we can get you to Jinlong, Reisuki... It's not perfect, but we do have places to hide there, too."
[04:07] <Shen> Shen looked at her for a few moments in thought. "For this occasion, I will lend you what I have. You must promise to return them though." he says this quite seriously, as if it means more to him than it really should.
[04:08] <~Deedles> Reisuki smiled earnestly "Thank you, I promise I'll give them back. I'll even wash and iron them before I do." she replied with a faint laugh.
[04:09] <Shen> "The tunic is ripped a little in the torso for a previous battle, but you are smaller than me so it should be fine." he notes as he pulls his attire from his satchel. "There is a neck shroud that acts as a mask too. It's wind resistent." he says quite proudly.
[04:12] <~Deedles> "Thank you, please place them on the bed." Reisuki told him as she stood up, unclasping the belt from around her waist that held the hilt of a rapier. She placed it on the bed, then her cloak which she proceeded to wrap the rapier in.
[04:13] <Earthflame> "...I think we should give her some privacy." Jian moves towards the door.
[04:13] <~Deedles> "I don't mind." she answered simply with a shrug.
[04:13] <Zero_Atma> "Guess we should get packing again then?" Yoshi asks, looking around the room to confirm that was the case before making any real effort to move.
[04:13] <Earthflame> "...I Am a priest." He mutters.
[04:14] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi just grins. "Then you can wait outside, we'll stay here."
[04:14] <Zero_Atma> "...you know, to make sure it's safe."
[04:15] <Shen> Shen put the attire on the bed and retightened the satchel, it felt lighter and he felt somewhat nervous about it, but he slung it over his shoulder, grabbed the tea jug from his bed and walked to the door. "I'll be outside waiting."
[04:15] <~Deedles> "And?" Reisuki looked at him with a raised brow "Pirates have priests too, ya know." she said before she pulled off her top, obviously not the least bit shy about her body. Her chest was still covered though, held in place by a band of broad, white cloth. "Righty." she waved idly to Shen as he exited the room.
[04:16] <Earthflame> Jian also departs, blushing just a little.
[04:18] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi can't help but just sit there and gawk for a moment in that half drunk, half tired stare. But, as his friends depart, he sighs and pulls himself to his feet to follow them out, grumbling something about being a 'good guy' under his breath.
[04:37] <~Deedles> Reisuki pulled on the top that Shen borrowed her before she got her pants off, though they were also quickly replaced by Shen's pair. The Storm Dragon clothes were a bit baggy, so she ripped off pieces of her old clothes to tie the outfit into place. She pulled the neck-cloth up over the lower half of her face before she joined the guys out in the corridor. She was in the middle of tying a piece of cloth
[04:37] <~Deedles> around her long white hair to keep it back in a ponytail.
[04:38] <Earthflame> Jian gives her a nod, heading back in to get his bag, and the large cloak covered disc of his Blade
[04:42] <Shen> Shen is leaning against the wall outside as he looks her up and down and nods. "It'll do." he says simply. "If anybody asks about your clothes, tell them that you found them somewhere." he says to her as he pushes himself off the wall.
[04:43] <Earthflame> Jian speaks to Reisuki as they depart. "...What was that sword? I have spent my entire life trying to master the blade, but I have never seen one like that before. It looks even thinner than a Jian, my namesake blde."
[04:44] <~Deedles> "It's a rapier. It's a delicate and fluid blade, perfect for one of such a petite build as me." Reisuki said to Jian. She nodded to Shen before she glanced at Yoshihiro before she spoke in a low voice "Until we're on the boat and out of here you're my brother." she told him before she pointed at Shen "And if anyone asks you're my boyfriend." she added before she adjusted her clothes slightly.
[04:44] <~Deedles> "Lets be off." she stated before beginning to move towards the stairs.
[04:45] <Earthflame> ...Jian sighs, feeling a little left out.
[04:45] <~Deedles> Reisuki seemed to catch on ".. And you're my cousin." she added with a faint smile playing behind the mask.
[04:46] <Zero_Atma> Yoshihiro looks to Shen with a befuddled look. "Well, we got roped into that pretty quickly..."
[04:46] <Earthflame> Jian chuckles. "Works for me. Now where is this boat?"
[04:46] <Shen> "Apparently I have a thing for midgets."
[04:48] <~Deedles> "I got a blade and I'm not afraid to use it." Reisuki said as she shot Shen a glare before looking to Jian. "On the east side of the docks. Some smaller fishingboats are kept there, it should be enough to bring us to Yumu." she explained "I would say that we steal a ship from the Dragonmaw gang, but then it would be too obvious that it's me. Boats disappear from here all the time."
[04:49] <Earthflame> Jian nods. "Let's move fast. Lead the way."
[04:49] <Shen> Shen raised his hands in mock surrender, following along.
[04:50] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi gathers up his things and proceeds to follow the others, bringing up the rear.
[04:51] <~Deedles> And so she did, silently leading the three down the stairs and out of the tavern, but once they were out on the street she began walking very casually, making no attempt to really hide herself while hiding in plain sight. She folded her arms as she lead them down the docks.
[04:52] <Earthflame> Jian tries to do the same... While being a one armed man with a gigantic blade hidden rather badly on his back.
[04:54] <Shen> Shens movements remained inconspicuous but his eyes were alert as usual, following faces and movement patterns of all they passed.
[05:02] <~Deedles> They could see a few figures moving around rather rapidly, their eyes scanning the areas around them; Seems the search for the escaped girl continued still. One of them catches sight of the group and heads towards them. "Hey you." he called to them, his eyes settled on the petite girl. "Where you going?" he demanded. Reisuki glanced towards the pirate as she surreptitiously slipped a bit closer to Shen, placing herself slightly behind him.
[05:02] <~Deedles> placing herself slightly behind him.
[05:04] <Shen> "What business do you have with my girlfriend?" Shen narrows his eyes at the man. "She's spoken for."
[05:07] <Earthflame> Jian groans. "It's too late for you to go around starting fights... We need to find somewhere to sleep."
[05:07] <~Deedles> The pirate stopped in his tracks, blinking as he stared at Shen "Oh..." he glanced towards Reisuki who was holding onto one of the Storm Dragon's arms. "Nothing... I thought she was someone else. Move along." he stated with a slight frown before turning away, grumbling something about 'Once we find that girl...' under his breath in annoyance.
[05:09] <Shen> Shen feigns a grumble as they continue onwards, after a while saying quietly. "Wow, these goons are really dumb. I guess competence wasn't part of the their hiring requirements."
[05:13] <~Deedles> Reisuki initially didn't let go of Shen's arm even after the pirate left, her hold being a bit tight, but it loosened as she breathed out, her shoulders untensing. She finally released her hold fully as she replied in a hushed voice. "Pirates often become pirates because they're too dumb to do honest work..." pausing before she added "They also think they've scared everyone in this town enough
[05:13] <~Deedles> that no one would help me, and they wouldn't be able to comprehend that some strangers would ever help another stranger... Honestly I'm having a hard time comprehending that myself." she confessed.
[05:14] <Shen> "We're not your average breed of strangers." he sniffed.
[05:15] <Earthflame> "I meant it when you said you picked the right room. I doubt any other room in that tavern, or in the city for that matter, would have given you as good a chance of escape."
[05:15] <Earthflame> "But, fate has a way of leading people to the right place."
[05:15] <~Deedles> "Lady Luck certainly smiled on me tonight." Reisuki agreed with a smile
[05:17] <Shen> "We could do with a bit of that luck ourselves." he sighed as the continued on. "Whereabouts is that ship?"
[05:17] <Zero_Atma>  "Wish I could say the same for us, we were just here for a good nights sleep." Yoshi admits. "Though, given the sircomstances, I guess we lucked out as well."
[05:17] <Shen> Shen laughed a little. "A good nigths sleep is becoming a myth."
[05:19] <~Deedles> "Just up ahead." Reisuki answered, deciding to not point and instead continued leading them for a bit until she stopped in front of a fishing boat. It wasn't very large, but should be able to house 4 people just fine for a few days, and considering the circumstances it being no bigger than that was probably a good thing.
[05:21] <Shen> At this point it was probably obvious that Shen wasn't exactly the most sound of mind. "I mean, we're only going to be completely surrounded by water for a while, right? Nothing wrong with that. Perfectly fine and safe. In fact, I would think it would be safer than walking on firm, glorious, stable earth. Right? I think so."
[05:22] <~Deedles> "Just get on the damn boat ya landlubber." Reisuki sniped at him with an amused smile.
[05:24] <Zero_Atma> "Guess we don't have much choice now." Yoshi mutters. "Hope it has a place to cook, at least."
[05:24] <Shen> "Suuuure." he said waveringly, holding the word for a bit too long as he made his calculated entry of approach.
[05:25] <Earthflame> Jian steps into the boat... And promptly sets his pack down, and then lies down with his head on it. "...I'm injured. I need to sleep."
[05:26] <~Deedles> "Should do." Reisuki told Yoshi before she moved onto the fishing boat, holding her arms out towards Shen "Come on now, I'll catch ya." she told him in jest.
[05:27] <Shen> "Evil midget." he says as he navigates his way onto the boat, making a point of not taking her aid as his stubborness overrides his sense of fear. "I can do it."
[05:29] <Zero_Atma> Yoshi grins as Shen clambors onto the boat, the drunkard hopping up onto the side before falling flat on his chest over the deck. He then pops right back up and and gives his companion a slap on the back. "Don't worry, it's just a little water."
[05:30] <~Deedles> "I've still got that blade that I'm not afraid to use..." She reminded Shen as her eyebrow twitched.
[05:30] <Earthflame> "Can we go already?" Jian yawns.
[05:31] <Shen> "Yeah, keep on talking. I'll just plant myself in a nice sturdy corner over here." Shen addresses the global mockery. "Just don't flood the damn boat."
[05:33] <~Deedles> "Only way that'll happen is if you cry me a river." Reisuki retorted poutily before she busied herself with untying the boat and setting the sails, quietly steering the boat out of the harbour and along the coast towards the Jade River that ran up along side Yumu.
[05:33] <Zero_Atma> "Or if we happen to find a lake made entirely of wine." Yoshi adds with a broad smile.
[05:34] <Shen> "Trust me." he says a little more seriously towards Reisuki. "You really don't want to be around if that happens." he finishes as he pats himself down to engage in the wonderful art of sleep.
[05:34] <Earthflame> Jian yawns again. "...In the morning, would you teach me a little about sailing, Reisuki... Can I call you Rei?"
[05:35] <~Deedles> "I'll keep the boat dry..." Rei promised Shen, her tone a bit softer before she glanced at Jian, nodding once as she smiled. "Yeah, that's fine, and yeah, I can."
[05:36] <Earthflame> "Cool. If you can show me the basics, you could get some shuteye while we keep things going... See you tomorrow."
[05:39] <Zero_Atma> "Well, I guess I should see if I can catch something for dinner tomorrow." Yoshi decided, taking some time to explore the boat to see if a fishing pole could be found anywhere. If not he'd just have to make his own.
[05:40] <~Deedles> "Sweet dreams." She said to Shen and Jian as they curled up to sleep, the young woman sat by the rudder as she calmly steered the way. She looked to Yoshihiro "Just get some sleep, I can catch us some fish tomorrow." she told him softly.
[05:41] <Zero_Atma> "Fishing, sleeping, same thing." Yoshi replies.