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Post by morrisb on Sept 24, 2011 9:45:53 GMT -5
A chilling wave of gale blew over the mountains, rolling snowflakes and pebbles down on the sides, down to thin and perilous roads. Upon these snow-covered paths, a small army of men marched onwards: swordsmen of great skill, spearmen led by sergeants, archers and musketeers, and prideful cavalrymen.
Roughly 200 troops. Primarily Japanese. But not completely. A gang of about 30-40 men were from rather distant countries of the continent of Europe.
Why this uncommon alliance ?
Among the mountains, there is a series of valleys, linked to each other by dangerous, though not impassable roads. This is the swiftest way to transport trading goods in this region, so the valleys eventually became inhabited. Little villages and towns sprung from the earth.
The town of Sawamachi is one such settlement. Arguably the largest of these valley-towns, it is a center of trading. Or rather, used to be. As civil war is escalating in Japan, trading is becoming more difficult. This alone, of course, does not explain why an army is needed there. But the demon clans in the town's direct vicinity, on the other hand...
Tengus, wolf demons, onis and kitsunes. Indeed. No less than 4 clans of demons. Over the years, a kind of symbiosis developed between the demon-kin and the human settlers. Offering tributes of food, the townsfolk somehow negotiated the wolf demons and kitsunes into not attacking them. In return, the tengus and onis were kept in check. Slowly but steadily, both the human and demon populace grew.
Then suddenly trading was boycotted by some dimwit noblemen, food became scarce, and all hell has broken loose.
The overlord of the valley towns was, needless to say, outraged. So he sent a battallion of troops to set things right. He couldn't spare too many men, though, so when suddenly a group of western people showed up, led by a self-proclaimed expert demon hunter of an organization called the 'Roman Inquisition', and offered help for minimal wage, the lord thought he can use any help he can get, and thus the little warband of Inquisitor-Captain Gavron Alexander is now marching to battle alongside Japanese soldiers, warmed by naugh but the thought of impending glorious battles.
There were 4 people marching ahead of the small army; they were the leaders. Gavron was one among them. The others ?
One was Captain Hiroto, a fearless samurai officer, the first man in command. At least in theory. Over the Europeans, he held no authority - not as if he could speak their stupid languages in the first place. He looked down on those self-absorbed, bearded barbarians with their boom-sticks, and not expected them to be of much use, though he had a slightly better view about Gavron, and the armored figure who rode beside him...
Sir Janos Vas was a knight from the now shattered Kingdom of Hungary. It was a heavy burden on him to leave behind his homeland while it was raided by pagan Turks, but the orders of the Holy Seat enjoyed priority. He travelled across half the world, bringing the judgement of God with him, smiting demons on a daily routine. He and Gavron were more than collaegues. They were friends.
And then there was...
Sango.
Gavron didn't knew much of the armor-clad amazon, who was always carrying an enermous boomerang with her. Captain Hiroto told him she was a mercenary demon hunter. Judging the girl's equipment, Gavron presumed it was true. That huge boomerang was clearly crafted from demon bones, and those... grendades on her belt resembled the ones he himself used sometimes.
"I wonder how the hell she lifts that thing." - he thought to himself - "But since it's demon-bone, it may be lighter than it looks."
Gavron was unfamiliar with the Japanese traditions of demon-killing, but he was eager to change that. Learning new methods to slay evil could always be useful...
He rode next to her on a tawny European steed. The horses of Gavron and his band stood out from the ranks with their size, though they were big only when compared to Japanese horses. Gavron cleared his throat. He hasn't exchanged a word with Sango during the whole journey 'till now, so he attempted to converse in a polite manner. He could not hide his weird accent, but his speech was understandable.
"Young lady. As you know we're nearing Sawamachi, and will arrive within several hours of marching at this pace. If we are going to work together, I'd prefer if we got to know each other to a degree. The name is Gavron Alexander, demon hunter by profession. Who might you be...?"
Meanwhile, somewhere further away from the marching route, another player was about to enter the great game...
OOC: equipment list for this adventure:
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Post by kitsune on Sept 28, 2011 21:58:01 GMT -5
Sango glanced up from her walking, obviously thinking of a concerning topic on her mind. The usual, which made her overly worried and often distracted. Kahaku. She wondered how he might be doing, and sighed, looking down, eyes glimmering with worry. She looked at Gavron, serious as always, and spoke in a normal, stressed tone. "I am known as Sango, a demon hunter as well. nice to meet you Gavron; It will be useful to learn your tactics indeed, I am sure we can learn a lot from each other..." she murmered, walking onward.
They pressed onward, the light of day fading slightly. Sango shivered, knowing they were approaching demons. She would do away with them soon, but that would not be the only conflict. The people in the village would need to be kept in check as well, it seemed as if they depended too much on bribery to make the demons not attack them. That would definitly be an aspect to change....
Her mind drifted to Miroku, and she hoped the monk was well. She scowled, thinking about how his 'business' might involve more girls. She shook her head in annoyance, thinking of how he always acted around just about any female. It didn;t matter what it was, either; as long as the girl was pretty. She sighed, wondering if their relashionship was ever meant to be.
--------
Meanwhile, in the darkness of the forests, Shadowsoul was watching the village, having travelled far from her olf village. She blinked, wondering what mysteries lied ahad. She sniffed and gasped in surprise... Kitsune, and wolf demons? The Kitsune usually were fearful of the wolves; this did not make much sense. Lashing her tail, she wanted to move in for a closer look.
The fox demon darted from shadow to shadow, eyes glowing from the setting sun. She drifted through the darkest parts, making her dark mist help her to blend in. She sniffed, going in closer.
Were there things of value to steal here? Such thoughts dfited in her mind, and she frowned, trying to get them out. She did not want to set a bad impression here, not at all, especially since she was new.
But the need to steal a meal was so great, her mind drifted toward a marketplace, and finally, she set off to break in...
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Post by morrisb on Sept 29, 2011 12:36:44 GMT -5
Gavron couldn't help but notice Sango's not-so-delightful mood. While he didn't know what could be causing Sango to act sad, he decided to dismount. Not only to be on the same ground level as her, but they were getting to a part of the road where walking was more comfortable than riding.
"I'm looking forward to battling side-by-side as well." - after some silent moments, he added: - "I suppose this place isn't the best spot for our conversation. How about some warm tea once we get down to town ?" - he offered, yet trying not to sound pushy.
If she was really an expert, then she's a strong potential ally. And this whole situation might require the finest demon-slayer masterminds to work together...
Slowly, step-by-step, they descended on the mountainside. The town of Sawamachi was starting to appear before their eyes, though blurred by the snowy blows of wind.
...
Shadowsoul faced little difficulty upon infiltrating the town. A wooden wall was in the process of building, but she could slip in through the unfinished holes during nighttime.
She could smell the stench of kitsunes and wolf demons lingering, but somewhat distinct. They were definetly here, but some days ago perhaps. The smell was faint.
Some buildings were damaged: some houses burned, others having cracks in the walls. Was a battle fought here ?
Bah ! Details, details. Stomach first, philosophy later.
She reached the marketplace. It was on an open square, people walking up and down the streets. Some were gossiping, but their chatter was overshadowed by the yelling of merchants.
The was a particularly odd one among them, in a corner of the square, relatively close to Shadowsoul. The man was dressed in a similar fashion to a monk, and sold various baked goods. A tatto of odd form covered his left cheek.
He glanced towards Shadowsoul's direction... nodding... as if inviting...
Nope, must be coincidence. Or something.
In any case, that one merchant started packing up his things, and walked off to a dark corridor.
What next ? Other merchants have food with them too. But that would risk publicity if she is not careful...
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Post by kitsune on Sept 29, 2011 12:57:13 GMT -5
Sango nodded slightly, snapping back into perspective. "Excellent idea. I look forward as well. Perhaps I do need a cup of tea... I have been down latley." she said in a low voice. She walked onwrd, not seeming to be tired at all. She could walk for long distances without breaking a sweat, due to her agilit and training. She glanced at Gavron, who seemed to be doing fine as well. Even so, it would be nice to sit and relax for a while after this walk.
Sango was looking forward to battling demons with Gavron. She could learn valuable tactic that she could use, and in time improve. She wandered on, knowing he would learn from her as well. They both seemed enthusiastic, despite how Sango herself was alittle low and depressed. She knew her mood would change soon, though; she would be too busy to despair.
----
Shadowsoul looked slightly confused, and slipped further into the shadows, glancing around. SHe was indeed hungry, and had not eaten in a while. With a sigh, she slipped onward, trying not to be discovered. If she stayed quiet, perhaps she would steal and move on without trouble. Though, that recognition made her worried; what had that been about?
She sniffed, the scent of wolf demons closer now. She must be near some of them who might be out hunting...She veered a different direction, heart pounding. She shivered, fear engulfing her, causing her to bolt in the opposite direction and trip over a vine, catching herself before she faceplanted. Tail bristling, she stood up, arms crossed. Freaking out like that at the smell of wolf demon would not do her well. Regaining composture, she slipped into a bush to regain her senses and try to calm down.
Ever since that battle, she had been more and more paranoid. She held her head, worried, breathing hard. She felt as if she was being watched, and glared around, eyes red. She lashed her tail, ears flat.
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Post by morrisb on Sept 29, 2011 16:24:33 GMT -5
"No wonder." - Gavron nodded. - "This climate is getting on my nerves as well." - he sighted as a blow of steam exited his mouth. It was damn cold indeed.
Tila, who secretely hid in one of the bags striped on the saddle horses, peeked out, then immediately fell back to the warm safety of the leather bag.
"Brrr !" - she shivered. - "Sooo-cooold !"
One of the troops roused an eyebrow as the bag shook, but then he decided it was just the weather playing tricks on him.
The image of the town was getting clearer.
"Soldiers, form up into marching line !" - Captain Hiroto yelled at the company. - "I want you to look like MEN when we march in, not some rag-tag gathering of grandpas !"
"Troops ! Marching formation !" - Gavron yelled. Not as if it was needed; his subordinates were veterans, trying to move in formation by standard in any environment.
As they descended on the mountainside, a well-trodden rocky road was becoming visible, cleared from snow and mud. Even further below, peasants were working on fields of rice.
Finally here... just a couple of kilometers left...
...
As for Shadowsoul, she apparently overreacted. There was no-one in her vicinity watching her.
Or was there ?
Footsteps !
Chatter !
Wolf smell !
"...if they charge US with burying these f*ing wolf-beasts again I swear I'm gonna' quit the militia !"
...ah.
A couple of humans. Reeking of the smell of dead wolf demons.
It finally makes sense.
They bypassed harmlessly.
She was getting paranoid indeed...
She couldn't help but notice the tattoed man came back to the market again, glancing around confused; seemingly disappointed (or at least bothered by something), he sighted and soon unpacked his wares again...
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Post by kitsune on Sept 29, 2011 18:03:13 GMT -5
Sango walked onwards with them, glancing at the bag of Gavron's. She thought she heard something from it, but it indeed must have been the wind. Still, she made a mental mote to keep an eye on it.
She sarply paid attention, not loosing focus and looking ahead. They would arrive to the village soon enough, and finally she would be able to solve the conflict. She had heard it was ongoing, but had started a while ago, and needed to be stopped.
She wondered how hard it would be to take down these demons; some sounded gruesome, and needed to be stopped. She thought of wolf demons, and wondered if Koga would be involved...
-------
Shadowsoul watched the people go by, sighing in relief. HEr parania was justifyable, but she knew there were probably none now, or they would have attacked the humans. She saw them go by, and when they were out of earshot, moved in to get away from the frest. She darted now toward the village, heading into it. There were buildings to hide behind, but that was it; luckily it was almost night, so she would have full ccover soon enough.
She sniffed, smelling wolf demons fainter now. She was in the village, even if sort f toward the edge, she figured there would be none here. She thought she would not be disturbed at all, and relaxed slighly. She flicked her ears, smirking and looking for someplace to steal from.
She held her stomach, the knawing of hunger made her lick her lips at the smell of roasting meat, somewhere to the right of her. She turned her head to see an alit house, and within a fireplace, meat roasting in the flames on a spit. She widened her eyes. She had to get it!
Darting to the side, she looked for a way in and lsitened for those who could be inside, hoping victory would be within her grasp, and she would get dinner...
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Post by morrisb on Sept 30, 2011 15:06:23 GMT -5
Meanwhile, Sir Janos Vas rode up next to Gavron. The brave knight refused to dismount even on the most perilous parts of the road, which his mount did not take too kindly. However, since average horses can't speak, the loyal steed kept treading ever onwards.
"What were you talking with the warrior-lady here ?" - he inquired in his native tongue, hungarian.
Gavron replied in the same language: - "Social activity. But jokes aside, we're considering to have a tea or two together and talk some things over. Remember, her knowledge can be beneficial."
Janos showed off a childish smile. - "Why, getting to know a lady better is always a pleasure."
Gavron sighted. He knew Janos had a soft spot for the ladies, and did not know Japanese customs well, nor Japanese as a language. Hopefully he won't mess things up.
The walked on the road now, finally setting foot upon the grassy soil of the valley. As they marched onwards, peasants and farm-hands glared towards them, yelling in relief, welcoming the troops.
...
Unfortunately for Shadowsoul, there were people in there. She could hear an ongoing conversation...
"Patience child, it still needs several minutes there..." - a mature feminine voice said.
"But I'm hungry right now !" - a boyish voice complained.
"Hush son, go practice writing. The meat will be finished soon." - a male voice concluded.
A few moments of silence passed.
"Heard any news, dear ?" - the woman asked.
"I heard that the relief battallion the rumors spoke of is finally getting here. Perhaps things will finally get a turn for the better..."
"Thank the heavenly Buddha..." - she sighted. - "I hope they will be bringing supplies along as well. All this fighting decimated the cattle in the valleys..."
"No kidding. If those bloody wolves are not smoked out soon, we'll soon lose whatever few oxen we have left..."
"Let's be optimist." - the woman said. - "I heard a strange gossip though. Someone said that there will be some... foreigners among the troops. Men with crosses and thick armor..."
Intriguing... but the stomach issues are more pressing...
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Post by kitsune on Oct 2, 2011 19:41:18 GMT -5
Sango glanced at them from the corner of her eye, wondering what they were talking about. Shrugging, she walked onward, all senses turned outward to the path.
She could not help wonder what would lie ahead; how bad would the conflict turn out to be? There was always a chance it was a misunderstanding, but that was the rarest case. What she heard was very much an important conflict.
She ajusted her boomerang and thought of how if there was trouble, she could use this valuable weapon to do away with trouble. With a sigh, her eyes glinted, noticing the darkness beginning to fall upon the land.
She thought of Kitsunes and frowned. Shippo was a fox demon himself, and she wondered if relatives of his father was there. Hopefully not; this tribe did not sound peaceful at all. And even if they were, she would not hesitate to end them if they deemed to be too evil to be left alone.
-------
Flicking her ears, Shadowsoul widened her eyes in intrest. A child was there... she remembered how in her old village, she had never stolen from places with children. Their growing bodies needed it more than the fox demon did, and she did not want to disrupt a family. Biting her lip, she turned away, ready to leave, when she heard more.... probably worse than she had thought...
Wolves. Forieners. Both words made her shudder. In her village, forien people had ramsacked it a couple of times and had harmed her in the process. She sighed and knew that she would be in trouble if they came to the village; would she have to defend this one too?! She remembered how there were wolf demons here and such... she shuddered, biting her lip and promising herself that they would not be here in the middle of the village.
She was thinking of how in her village, demons stayed away from the center because of her. She might have appeared to be a weakling, especially to Gavron, but she could be very powerful and scared off demons. Anyways, she facepalmed and darted around the dark houses and away, now needing to get some news. She grabbed at her small pack on her back and pulled out a midnight black cloak.
She put it on, hood up and hiding her tail, ears, and eyes. Now would be the time to get information. She still thought that demons would not be in the center of town, but could be wrong; this was not her village, so anything could happen...
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Post by morrisb on Oct 3, 2011 12:55:00 GMT -5
One, two, one, two, the soldiers marched on the road, approaching the town. The last minutes of the journey always seem the longest...
Finally, the town was just before them. Even the houset at the edge of town seemed modest and well-to-do, and they only grew bigger and richer as one proceeds towards the town center.
On a different note, signs of decay marred this ideal picture of a town. Some buildings were abandoned, other barely looked after. There were obviously no recent renovations. Worse yet, wounds of fierce battles scarred the body of the settlement; ruined towers, blasted walls, torn shrubbery and trees, burnt homes.
The soldiers looked upon the damaged town with worry in their hearts and awe written upon their faces. As if the traveling wasn't hard enough, it was now that most of them realized the scale of the threat they deal with.
A detachment of the town militia, led by an armored horseman formed up to greet the newcomers; the horseman, clad in full samurai armor and wielding a banner of his family's heraldry, stepped forth:
"I'm Town Militia Officer Gorou, and in the name of Sawamachi I greet you noble troops !"
Captain Hiroto, leading the march, ordered a halt and rode up to Gorou to converse.
Gavron had no patience for long greeting speeches, however, so guided by a sudden thought he gave a new order to his troops, voiced in latin:
"Soldiers, we all go to the nearest pub !"
To their Japanese comrades, it seemed rather akward how the Europeans broke out 'randomly' in a loud "Horray !" and lined up behind Gavron and Janos, somehow very eager to perform their 'duties'.
Gorou and Hiroto glared with wide open eyes. Finally, Hiroto voiced his concerns:
"What are you up to, outlander ?!" - he did not emphasise that Gavron broke some rather serious codes of politeness.
"Gentlemen, my warband is off to find a pub, warm ourselves up and then report at headquarters within one hour. Formalities delayed until then. Farewell for now." - he replied in an indifferent tone, causing his Japanese colleagues' faces to turn red.
Gavron then turned towards Sango. - "We're going to search for a pub to get ourselves together. Care to join us ?" - he asked in an inviting tone.
...
As Shadowsoul moved around town, she found it increasingly difficult to stay hidden. Patrols of militianmen strolled on the streets, men were busy hoarding materials to repair the damaged buildings. In other places, there were small gatherings of people, chanting sermons fo deceased relatives and friends. All in all, the town seemed lively, but decaying in spirit, souls hurt and broken.
On a more positive note, she caught some pieces of conversation here and there...
"...came during the night, blasted furballs..." - a carpenter said to a wood merchant who arrived just recently. - "And even brought huge wolves ! Buddha only knows how we won, but we did. Officer Gorou ordered the use of torches and burning oil, suppose that's the reason why they fled, but a whole district of town burned down... could have been worse, though... but let's talk business."
Later on, he saw a group of 4 children (three boys and one girl), lectured by some adults:
"You ain't goin' nowhere young men !" - a man yelled at them.
"But daaad..." - a boy said - "We wanna' go out and play war-games ! Like we do every week !"
"NO !" - the man stated strictly - "Buddha knows what monsters lurk out there now ! Heck, even I don't dare to go hunting with my mates cos' the last two parties Gorou dispatched never came back, save for that one guy who was rambling about his companions getting eaten by an Oni ! I'm not going to let you out of town 'till I know it's perfectly safe, period !"
And then there was a couple of militiamen by a table, being served tea by an elderly lady...
"...and have you 'eard the latest rumors ? They say some o' them monks are collaboratin' with 'em kitsunes an' stuff." - one of the soldiers said.
"I heard them, yeah." - the other replied while taking a sip. - "The monks with those tattoos. One of the food merchants told me they're bying notably more baked goods, rice and meat recently than they used to, while in fact they narely have new members at their temple. Still, drawing a parallel between this and the highly reduced number of food thieveries committed by the kitsunes... I'm not sure."
"A bold accusation, sirs." - the woman cut in. - "I pray at their shrine most often cos' it's closest to my home. And trust me, they have plenty of reasons to despise kitsunes. Their order was robbed of artifacts by those damnable foxes more than once. Why would they feed them ?"
Hmm... interesting...
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Post by kitsune on Oct 8, 2011 10:58:59 GMT -5
Sango blinked, bewildered. There was sudden rudeness about Gavron and his colleagues, but she didn't want to point it out. With a slight frown, she said, "No thanks... that is a nice offer, but I must kindly refuse." She glanced at the other Japanese and wondered what they thought of this. She would remind them that these were foreigners, and sometimes they could be alittle... strange when it came to customs.
"Ah, I am sure you can find one down the street, but remember to not frighten the villagers here." she mentioned, knowing that the sight of a small army could make many fearful.
Meanwhile, Sango herself planned on going out to explore the problem and ask around. She would be kind as to take into consideration how stressed the villagers might be, and would not press for information too hard. She wondered when the rest of the army would get to work on that, she took her work seriously.
She looked at Gavron and the men, nodding. "I will see you at the headquarters after you finish your...merryment then." She smiled and turned, glancing at the Japanese troops. She wondered if they wanted to come along to help gather information.
------
Shadowsoul's eyes twinkled in interest. Hmmm... it seemed like the wolves were a huge problem. She lashed her tail, reminding herself that they would not be in town. They had been chased off by the townspeople, so they said. By all of the fire... She scowled, thinking of fire. One of her worst enemies... She shook her head, slightly sad at the fact that everyone was grieving so hard.
Then, the woman had talked about Oni. Shadowsoul wondered what those were, as she had not gotten out much. She frowned; nothing good, she presumed. She remembered how those men had disappeared... Her frown deepened. This town was a wreck! Should she leave, or stay and figure out more?
With a sigh, curiosity got the better of her. She decided to stay and figure out the problem, and maybe even try to help. She imagined all of the people who would need help here, and would not refuse help for those within her village. With a flick of her ear, she listened intently to more discussion.
She gasped upon hearing the talk of kitsunes... Must be like herself. The fox demon leaned in... monks collaborating with the fox people? That was rare! But then she heard the doubt; yes, kitsune often stole from those monks. Still, she might have a chance of finding out more from them...
She now needed to ask where the monks were. That was a problem, she was a demon and it was obvious. Even under her cloak, many could make simple assumptions, especially if they had been in close contact with kitsune.
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Post by morrisb on Oct 8, 2011 12:53:03 GMT -5
Noticing Sango's puzzled and discouraged look, Gavron took a minute to explain. - "It's more than drinking, Sango. This is about meeting the townsfolk, greeting them, introducing ourselves to the populace and ildulging in local issues. We don't want to be faceless, intimidating ruffians who happened to be hired because a stingy lord was too low on money to afford proper soldiers. We're here to save town. And the first step is the pub, where the salt-of-the-earth folks gather to share rumors and pints of ale."
This chain of logic was indeed very foreign to Sango, but Gavron presented it in a rather understandable way. Nevertheless, there was a notable cultural gap between the locals and Gavron's soldiers. Even if he was a reasonable and culturally flexible person, what if some accident happens...?
Gavron shrugged his shoulders. - "It's your call, though. But I think sticking here in the cold while those 'gentlemen' speak formalities and niceties for the next half hour won't do good for you health. If you happen to change your mind, we'd be honored if you join our humble company."
With a friendly, though somewhat smug smile, he lifted his helmet as a manner of saying 'bye', then re-joined his group and led them to the main street.
They sang some spanish folk song as they marched, the jovial sounds contrasting the mood of the town, and attracted some noteworthy attention.
"It's a shame she doesn't accompany us." - Janos sighted in hungarian. - "I was hoping for-"
"Hey, they's japanese." - Gavron cut in, reminding Janos. - "Here they have rituals for drinking a f*ing cup of tea. Not in pubs though, thank God..."
And so they marched onwards. Sango was left with the Japanese warriors, most of whom looked somewhat enviously after the europeans. Seems Gavron was right, the two officers at the front seemed to be discussing things still and didn't look like finishing soon.
...
Shadowsoul so far encountered only one monk with a tattoo in town, and that was the man at the marketplace, who was selling baked goods himself and acted rather strangely. Should she perhaps check wether he is still there ?
On the other hand, odd sounds crawled into her ears; sounded like distant singing, but she could not recognize the language...
Could it be those foreigners one of the townsmen mentioned ?
What to do... what to do...
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Post by kitsune on Oct 12, 2011 13:18:29 GMT -5
Sango watched them go and shrugged, turning back to the Japanese men. "It is true it helps them get to know us, sure; I will do whatever is more efficient, but we need to stay on task and such. I guess we can follow them..." she sighed. With a pleased look from the men, she turned to follow Gavron and his crew.
While they walked, she glanced around the town, observing. Damaged houses, people staring at them with wary looks, like they were just old new by now.. Even a few pitiful looks, as if they came to their death... it made Sango shiver and look away, walking onward.
She sighed and wanted to approach a few of the people and ask for details, but knew that it wouldn't help. By the looks of it, they would bolt if she even walked up to them. Walking onward, she wondered if this is what Gavron and his crew usually did. She hoped they would not steer off course once they were ready to go off and fix the problem.
----
Shadowsoul twitched her ear. The singing... she knew that there would be foreiners... however, there was a reluctance to go to them. She shook her head and turned, darting back in the direction where she had last seen the monk. She had made her decision. and was now ready to see what would happen. With a lash of her tail, the fox demon let out a worried sigh.
What if the monk tried to attack her, what if they had been wrong? In her current hungry, weaker state, she would stand no chance. It was better than going back out to the forest and chancing the wolves. She shivered at the thought and moved onward, intent on her mission.
She crept closer, sighting him and taking a deep breath. "Hello there..." she called out, revealing herself, and ready to bolt at any minutes notice.
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Post by morrisb on Oct 13, 2011 12:45:41 GMT -5
Soon tireing of his superiors' chatter, one of the sergeants, glaring after Sango, decided to walk up to captain Hiroto:
"Sir, I hate to interrupt but I do believe the barbarians were correct in one thing: it is chilling out here and the troops could use some rest."
For a superstitious man, it would have seemed as if the captain got possessed by otherworldly powers since his face turned uncommonly deep red, only the steam rising from his nostrils was missing. But finally, he nodded.
Relieved, though not as enthusiastic as their foreign comrades at arms, the japanese soldiers marched in.
...
Within the city, Gavron and Janos exchanged smug, childish grins after seeing Sango coming after them. Gavron, unlike Sango, had the courage to walk up to bystanders. He experienced no particular issues, as most townsfolk were awestruck upon seeing the Europeans, who were nothing like they ever saw in their lives. So he managed to get info about taverns pretty fast.
Street urching ran about, wowing at the shining armors, huge horses and bearded, tall men in unfamiliar, fancy-colored uniforms. Timid yet shy, they tried snucking up to touch the steel plates and wool clothes. The soldiers smiled and patted them, some throwing a copper coin or two around. They were more reluctant when the children wanted to inspect the musket cartridges, though.
Soon, Gavron led the gang and their curious following to a great, one-floored building. As he learned, several pub owners had their enterprises wrecked in the fighting and decided to rent a building together, sharing the profit. Gavron immediately felt fond of both the idea and its realization: the group merrily entered and soon occupied over half the tables; there weren't many guests at the moment so this act did not cause any disturbance.
"Remember: we are here to warm up, shake the town from depression and kick demon ass ! No drunkness on penalty of public trial and humiliating punishment !" - the inquisitor commandeered.
The reply came immediately: "Sir, yes, sir !"
Gavron nodded and confidently walked up to one of the several bartenders.
"Roll out your finest drinks, good man !" - he said as he put a small bag of coins on the table. - "Today, the whole town is my guest for a round !" - he yelled in Japanese.
The reaction was better than anticipated. Soon both floors were filled with people...
Gavron sat down with Janos to a remote corner, as it was good spot to view the entire inn with a glance. With a wave of his hand, he tried to invite Sango to sit by them.
...
The monk, as she anticipated, was still there, selling things. However, upon seeing her, he hastened to conclude his deals and focused on Shadowsoul, trying to peek below her dark hood.
"One of my 'special customers', I see." - he whispered. - "Honestly, couldn't you wear something less suspicious in wide public ?"
His question was justified, as Shadowsoul was getting glimpses from bystanders due to her black cloak.
"But in any case..." - the monk continued - "You must be one of the youngbloods. First time in town." - he spoke silently - "But let's talk somewhere more private. Eyes and ears. Follow."
While talking, he hastily packed up his wares and started walking off to a dark alley.
What the heck ?
He must be mixing her up with someone... or something...
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Post by kitsune on Oct 22, 2011 11:32:17 GMT -5
Sango reluctantly walked to the pub with them, glancing around. She normally would avoid this place all together, because it was easy to get sidetracked. With a sigh, she walked in to hear Gavron's exclamation.
She raised an eyebrow as the place began to become flooded. Well, that was one way to get more information. She adjusted her bone boomerang and walked over at Gavron's offer, frowning slightly. "Good strategy, remember to keep to the mission and not get too.. sidetracked." she reminded.
She sat down, looking at the milling people and wondering what to ask first. She supposed it would be best to start off slow, and not ask many questions. Relaxing slightly, she turned to one of the men who was sitting near her.
"Hello there good sir. have been rough lately,I see." IT was a statement, not a question, but worded in a way to get some explanations out of him. Maybe about why things were going wrong, or what was causing them.
------
Shadowsoul flattened her ears, worried. What if he discovered she was someone else, and became angry? He could attack her out of anger. Or, this could be a trick. Nonetheless, she needed to find out answers here, and soon. She twitched her ear, hearing the sound of a crowd heading off to a certain direction. They sounded happy.... was there some sort of an occasion? Whatever it was, it was not important at the moment...
"Excuse me, good sir, but may I ask where we are going? I am... ah... new to this town..." It was a casual hint, maybe he would not disregard her as a regular person. Perhaps he thought she was a kitsune, and that would be better because she in fact was one. The fox demon swished her tail, trying to imply that she was new to this but sort of knew what was happening, even if she didn't...
She was very hesitant, and wondered what this secret business was. Thinking of his comment, she responded, "And, this disguise is the one I usually use... I had no idea it drew atttention..." She sighed and walked on, looking around to take in the setting in case of danger.
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Post by morrisb on Oct 22, 2011 15:45:36 GMT -5
Gavron sipped from his mug as Sango commented on his attitude. He put it down as he replied: - "Fair Sango, I do realize our approaches to problems are... unorthodox by your standards. But trust me when I say that they proved to be efficient in most cultures I encountered."
Offering a round of free drinks to townsfolk to amass the locals for the occasion and have plenty of information sources avaible on site ?
Well... yeah. Unorthodox, but efficient.
Gavron leaned back, waiting to the response from the bar-hand Sango spoke to.
"You be tellin' an understatement, really." - the guy answered to Sango. - "Wolves, effin' kitsunes, and even kotengus have been wreckin' town apart ! But why am I even sayin' ? Are you people not the rumored... 'foreigners' the town's lord was blabberin' of ?"
"We happen to be." - Gavron nodded. - "But our briefing was lacking in detail, so to speak." - he implied the need for additional information, and played with a gold coin between his fingers to add weight to his words.
"Ah." - a sigh accompanied by a nod. - "So... hm... I can spare a minute o' two actually." - he dragged an unoccupied chair beneath himself. Gavron loaded some wine into a mug, passing it over. - "So, what interests' ye people...?"
Gavron glanced expectingly at Sango, hinting that she should continue.
...
The monk led Shadowsoul across the dark, filth-covered alley; he didn't bother to look at her while responding:
"To our lil' hidden stash of food for your kin, of course. And that 'disguise' of yours is great - for nighttime. Geesh. Silkwhisker should really spend more time around with her offsprings..."
He then stopped, as if struck by lightning, or at least a sudden idea.
"...or you may not be one of the local kitsunes...?"
Ominous silence.
The monk ultimately turned around, with a puzzled look on his face.
"Please reassure me. Are you who I think you to be, or someone else who intruded upon me by accident ?"
His tone was not so friendly now; then again, his choice of words implied more embarrassment than worry or temper.
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