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Post by Shale on Mar 2, 2013 1:18:37 GMT -5
For a while he let her lay there like that. Though he found her choice of simply flopping onto him in that weird manner rather odd, he moved the arm over her back that he had scooped her with and tucked it back under his head as she burred her face into his shoulder like some limp corpse.
He found her to be rather odd and since she wasn't moving much he eventually took his left arm free again and grabbed lightly onto her metal hand. He used a soft touch as it was tucked up her loose sleeve. Slowly as to minimize any cranking sound he drew it out and holding the back of the palm of the hand lightly strewed his fingers over hers. He could feel the blacksmith's work and all the intricate pieces. Somehow he felt like this was abusing the fact he assumed she was asleep now. He ran his fingers over the cold lifeless machinery moving it around and looking at the few highlights he could see in it from the moonlight. He thought she couldn't feel anything, though he imagined she'd feel tension vibrate down the chain if she was awake or he moved it too much. He poked below the fingers to see if pressure in that area would cause them to naturally grip like normal hands do somewhat.
If she let him get away with it he'd tuck the claw back in her sleeve assuming that slowly feeding it would cause it to wind back into her shoulder.
Again he shifted his weight since she was leaning in such an odd fashion she'd cut off circulation to his right arm for a while longer than he was comfortable with. If only she hadn't been picky before. He scooted backwards so that he was leaning at an angle against the rock with is back slightly higher than his legs from the slope of the rock in that particular corner. He didn't like the way her face was plopped nor how said just accepted her knees had to rest on him or the rock there so he pushed her off and turned her around at least ninety degrees and preferably one eighty. He rested both his palms against her flat belly knowing that would be warm.
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Post by Baiken on Mar 2, 2013 1:57:23 GMT -5
Baiken stayed rather quiet for the time he was messing with her claw hand. People were sometimes too curious for their own good. The fingers, while he admired them, moved forward as if bending at the base knuckle joint and then springing back. It was almost human-like, but there wasn't enough...give to the join to allow it to be as fluid as flesh and bone.
What he failed to notice, was that she was indeed wide awake. She frowned as she turned enough to stare at him while he inspected her chain. As he attempted to put it back in place. The chain suddenly drew in and coiled in rapidly, if he wasn't careful enough it would pinch his fingers, or the blades of the fingers could cut the flesh. Not she believed he'd be bothered by small things such as that.
"Next time you are curious of my weapons, ask. Don't touch." She stated quietly as she moved with him to keep from being flung like a ragdoll. Her back against his chest again. This time, she moved her hair from being stuck between them and let it fall over her left shoulder and trail to the floor in front of them. His hands were rather hot against her stomach, not that she would complain. She fished inside of her kimono for what she could and found the bottle of mead she had remaining and popped the cork out with her thumbnail before she tipped it back to take a small drink. Baiken needed to feel numb.
She offered the bottle to him before taking another gulp. There was only half the bottle left, she could easily share it. The alcohol content was high enough that she was already feeling a light amount of buzz, it would last long enough if he drank the rest of the bottle down. The mead had been kept warm enough from her own body heat, but it wasn't disgustingly warmed.
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Post by Shale on Mar 2, 2013 3:07:46 GMT -5
As the claw suddenly moved quickly he gripped it moving his hand out of its cutting swath before letting it go to resume it's path.
As she held up the bottle he shook his head. "I do not drink."
He'd gotten so used to her being there he treated her like she was his and hugged her a bit more tightly reverting back to the way they'd been before she'd gotten off him. "Also I don't know what culture you come from, but in mine the strong don't ask; they simply take what they want. Be glad you are attractive enough for me to tolerate. Normal instincts when seeing an unnatural color haired person with a chained claw for a hand appearing from a hellish vortex are to strangle them with it. Don't tell me you'd be any different." Despite his words, his tone was relaxed enough that it was clear he was being pragmatic and not really threatening her. "You should lighten up." He closed his eyes. "When you are ready to start acting like a woman, and not some little girl, wake me up and we'll get started, until then goodnight." He didn't even waver slightly in saying this, nor did he seem like he much cared about any shocked retraction it might lend. It was already quite a bit passed midnight and he planned to get some sleep before sunrise.
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Post by Baiken on Mar 2, 2013 3:48:56 GMT -5
Baiken had her own reasons to be defensive. She had reason enough to behave the way she had. She could have been anyone else and had a panic attack for being thrown mercilessly through a wormhole, but no. She had kept her dignity and forced herself under her pride to stay calm over the situation. It wasn't the first time she had been cast through one...and more than likely, it wasn't going to be her last.
She drank the remainder of the bottle down as he denied it. Ignoring his commentary on her acting like some little girl. She wasn't bothered by what he'd said, that he had tolerated her for her appearance. If anything, that was a compliment to what she was used to hearing. Any woman who tattooed her face, and had the scar that she obtained wasn't very pretty. She never had even concerned herself with worrying for her appearance. It was something ridiculous to worry over.
Still...she couldn't help wonder what the hell he had the meaning he had intended on having behind 'we'll get started'. If anything, it did frighten her. He was physically stronger, but that wouldn't stop her from blwoing him apart with her missiles had he tried anything stupid. She found herself almost pitying him for how he had been raised. She sighed quietly and settled in place with her back against him before she decided to let herself sleep again.
~*~Night Passes~*~
At the first peek of light she was awake. She felt stiff from sitting up in this position all night. Her back and neck ached lightly, but nothing to make verbal complaint over. The temperature had only barely rose. She could still almost see steam rising from Zathire's skin. The heat of his breath apparent as it flew forward from his nostrils in his sleep.
Her stomach suddenly errupting in gurgles. She was...starving. Her fever had come back in full force, she almost felt dizzy. Wanting to sleep more, but she knew full well it wouldn't be a good idea to do so. She lightly tapped her elbow against Zathire's abdomen. "You do not want to waste daylight, I'm assuming?" She spoke groggily.
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Post by Shale on Mar 2, 2013 12:08:06 GMT -5
After exiting the cave without a word he turned left to face north and the remainder of the trail. They were no more than two hundred feed horizontally away from the top of the trail and with the cave being slightly up the mountainside they were above it by at least twenty. He climbed down a few easy rocks then jumped a good distance letting his bones take the shock of the landing as his feet stomped the ground and legs locked landing in a very dangerous manner. From what he gathered before she looked like the type of woman who would jump and didn't want his help, so he never looked back and simply waited for her to catch up, his ears listening to her and any potential animals his loud landing may have stirred.
He never bothered her about what he said last night. Though he did point to the city once she caught up. It was visibly the second they crossed the crest and everything was already sunny on the north side of the mountain due to them not being at a perfect easy west alignment. It might be interesting for Baiken since as they walked the sunlight followed them edging down the rock in a sharp line of night and day as thin as a sheet of paper. They were walking downhill now and there was quite a bit more forest as they were on the ocean side. They didn't have to travel many miles to get to where the mountains fanned out and allowed a westward and eastward view again.
Ocean was all around them, to the north, and to the east. The patch of flat land was nearly ten miles from the mountains at its furthest coast. Towering snow capped peaks could be seen to the west, a bold statement to the home he had come from. To the east a few small bits of the mountain range tapered down until they dipped into the ocean in a form of many scattered islands.
The city itself was a well designed circle with defensive walls and its other features too small to recognize from this distance other than a few of the farms. It was about eight miles to go. Zathire almost considered turning around and heading back south west into the forests he'd never mentioned to Baiken that he currently spent most of his time exploring, however something bothered him. He didn't need to tell Baiken, surely she would see it too. Roy laying on the trail with an arrow in his side. Zathire looked around the area and found the horse hooves stop and an imprint of where its body had hit the dirt as well as some rope fibers. He showed Baiken the rope fibers ans he looked into the greenery listening. "The horse has been tripped."
His ears once again were quick to gather a lot of information quickly. He veered off to the right and found the silently shivering Alene. She was too cold and teeth too occupied with chattering for her to speak, though tears were evident in her eyes. Zathire didn't need to be told what she was hiding from though, his ears could already here it quite some time ago. It wasn't far off the trail but it was completely out of passing site. There he'd found the kind man who's startled horse had abandoned him and took off to the city. He was dead having two arrows in the chest. The bandits were long gone, but Zathire hadn't been the first to find him. As Zathire's foot hit a patch of loud gravel the creature let out a warning groan.
Zathire didn't know why this bear made him so angry. Somehow he didn't care much that they were dead, but the fact unforeseen events made a liar of him when he sent them off with the man like it was the smarter choice angered him greatly. In retrospect he should have figured as much. One horseman traveling the roads alone was almost safer than two since being that kind of bait to a bandit would look almost look too good to be true.
A vein throbbed in his head and his bicep as well. Not only was the bear made out of food, but he needed something to take his rage out upon. He scooted Alene forward, who collapsed immediately. Baiken was visible however with Alene stumbling out of her hiding the bloody knee from her fall became evident. He lifted her up in a manner that allowed her to walk some before he let her collapse near Baiken.
Zathire turned his anger on the bear.
Alene seemed to notice and screamed out a warning: "No a bear is over there!" She immediately went back to shivering into Baiken's kimono.
At this point to the bear it became evident that they both saw the body one that was missing forearms and a bit of the face whilst the bear continued to bite at different angles against his chest-plate trying to figure how to remove the obstacle. A piece of shale split in two as Boneslayer cracked into the earth. Zathire tensed his fingers like claws and ripped off both shirts.
The bear backed away and let out a warning growl, its natural fear of humans conflicting with its territorial need to protect its food.
"Come on!" shouted an insane barbarian. He charged the bear shouting loudly and throwing his hands up.
The bear reacted by snapping aggressively, and once it made that choice it provoked it further to charge and stand up. Zathire allowed it to lend two bloody slashes in an 'X' across his chest. After finishing these and having leaned forward the bear was bound to land at the end of these attacks, but Zathire threw his right forearm under the chin. Making the bear's mouth snap shut followed by a left hand that slammed into the bear's muzzle.
The bear tanked these hits with its thick body but the power of the blows was enough to tip it towards its back where it stumbled and lost balance. Falling, the bear turned its attention to the left hand that had struck it sideways attempting to bite it and prevent the fall all together. Zathire moved his hand above that reach and drove his thumb into the eye.
Having hit his back and temporarily lost vision in its eye, a panic attack changed the bear's impulse back to retreating. Zathire pounced the second it was upright and the dangerous mouth and claws were out of the way. He drove his arms around its fat wide neck. Zathire struggled with all his might flexing his chest like a clamp to bring his arms in. The bear stumbled around trying to bite and claw him but lacking the flexibility to get much leverage with its claws or turn his head much. However Zathire was dragged over rocks and on occasion had to let go and drive a fist into the bear's muzzle when he stumbled into range of the mouth. Each time he had to let go the bear's breathing was facilitated. He went back to choking it, and with the meaty neck being so think even Zathire couldn't completely choke it as he pulled his forearm up under it's neck. This was wearing the bear down. It's constant struggle and reduced air supply were making the bear huff, it looked almost ready to pass out.
When it looked dazed enough Zathire drove his fist down into the bear's mouth which resulted in the still alive creature biting his wrist forearm and bicep as the arm went down his throat. The bear instinctively stopped biting to try and gag the arm out. Zathire's other arm wrapped around the bear's neck and this gave him the leverage to perform the executing move. He yanked the arm inside its throat sideways like a crank and broke the bear's neck.
Having completed the task he let his arm fall out of the mouth and the carcass drop down. His temper was satiated. He put his black shirt back over his bloody wounds then his brown tank top over that. He pulled up his right sweatpants leg revealing a hidden strap and took out a shaving knife. He began the process of skinning. Somehow the warm trickle of his own blood flow and sitting down skinning calmed his feelings of betraying a child.
He reasoned with himself that the kid was probably just as likely to die with him from the environment. It was an unlucky kid though. "Go check the body, see if the bandits left anything," he said while skinning.
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Post by Baiken on Mar 3, 2013 2:56:43 GMT -5
The sight of the boy was disturbing. Approaching seemed like a bad idea. She turned to watch only for a short while with how Zathire was fighting the bear. It was a rather interesting little battle. She showed now worry or concern for his well being. If it were anything to comment over, she trusted he would take care of it with a bit of ease.
A small sigh escaped her when he began to take a little longer than expected.
Her attention soon fell to the small girl. Alene was clinging fearfully to her kimono. She disliked being near children so much. Still...this small girl had been through enough. She was capable of sympathizing with her. She wasn't as young, but she was the only one left of her own people.
She knelt down to face the small girl. “Look, you have to be strong now, okay? No more crying.” She wiped the tears away from the girls face lightly before standing in time to hear Zathire commenting about the small boy.
Baiken handed a kunai to the small girl and instructed her to begin digging a shallow grave. Judging by the fact that Roy had been in the rode and hadn't fled with his first chance, he had probably tried protecting the little girl like a big brother should.
Alene did as she was instructed, determination apparent on her young features.
Baiken stood over the boy's body. Frowning intently at the arrow that was in his side. It must have hit a vital organ directly judging the amount of blood that covered the ground around him. She slowly turned him over as she squatted down. Checking him over for anything that could bring sign that the bandits had left anything behind.
Baiken quickly grabbed a thin wire she found on the boys arm. If he were moved improperly, there was a trap just a few feet away that would trigger a rather nasty explosion no doubt. She allowed the chained arm to fall from her shoulder and craw it's way to the trap to cut the explosives actual trigger from going off.
Alene seemed a bit freaked out as if seeing a giant bug.
“Zathire, the bandits are somewhere near by, they left a trap for us to fall into.” She stated with a rather annoyed tone. It was disgraceful using a small boys body as a trap. Disgusting in fact.
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Post by Shale on Mar 3, 2013 3:23:45 GMT -5
Zathire listened, with his level of hearing if they were near by he'd know even a breath twice as loud as a heartbeat was loud enough for him to notice.
"I'm no elf, but if they were here I'd hear them. They are likely miles away waiting for the sound of the explosion to cue them off. I'm gonna get you two girls to the city. It's a waste of time to chase them down right now, and impractical. I'll follow you two to the city and when I return for my bear I'll see if I can hunt them down for you."
He began walking to the city, luckily there weren't any flies that would assault his kill. It wasn't more than four hours walk and if Baiken wasn't carrying Alene then he was.
After walking a ways in the city so that some of the stuff could be seen he took his last step. "Here's your city. See ya." He turned around and walked back out the gate. He did not belong with people. He was a wild man and would return to his rugged lack of a home. There was no sunset, no romantic exchange of words. He simply finished what he'd said he do.
Finally he was free of babysitting. He headed off to claim his bear meat, after this he'd head back home to the elves he knew and the alchemist that had raised him he decided. Hopefully the pink haired girl wasn't some shape-shifter that had been what wiped out the last town.
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Post by Baiken on Mar 5, 2013 18:36:01 GMT -5
The sudden departure between them she couldn't say was unexpected. However, she hadn't any thought that she was going to be stuck with the small girl. Baiken felt irritation boiling under the surface as Alene clung desperately to the base of her kimono as to not fall behind. Children...were annoying.
For now she would tolerate the small girl until someone would accept her for their own. She would find a place to stay seeing as she collected a bit of gold from that fallen town. She stepped into a small inn, already irritated by the strangely strong sent of testosterone and people who didn't really bathe properly. Perhaps she did actually miss the perfumed soaps from the previous world.
She took her time approaching the inn keeper's desk. She wanted to avoid bringing too much attention to herself, but considering her pink hair, that wasn't all that easy.
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Post by Shale on Mar 5, 2013 20:12:58 GMT -5
Ronald Hammelton was busy overlooking some book keeping for payments when something from his childhood suddenly emerged like fiction from a book. He had long curly brown hair that fell to his shoulders and his hairline was just at the point where it was vaguely starting to recede, making him to be a man of his late twenties or early thirties. As a child he had written stories of a woman with pink hair to actually see one was something that stuck him at a bit of a spiritual level. To a small degree it was love at first sight, though he hid this immaturity for not only his sake, but that of his guest's as well.
He accepted her money, but not without making a slight offer. "Hello and welcome to the Northside Inn, feel free to make your way down the hall and help yourself at home in room 11. If you have any questions, I'll be here at the front desk." It was likely that Baiken being who she was would simply leave, but Ronald would not allow this. He had one more thing to say. She almost slammed his hand down in the process of leaning forward. "Ma'am, I haven't seen you nor has anybody that I'm aware of in this town. I don't mean to exploit or offend you by saying this: but I could use an assistant to help escort guests to their rooms, your pink hair could make the place quickly famous. I could pay you with free rent and a small bit of change." He politely waved her off keeping his voice only elevated enough that she would hear him as their distance increased. "Don't rush your decision, but let me know if you make your decision about the matter." He gave a nod, letting her to make her way down the hall and close her door. Another guest was here, this one need only make eye contact and Markus stepped outside.
The man speaking with the Inn Keeper was dressed in shining armor. "We have a convoy, on approach from Rockdale." He looked around to make sure no one was looking then choose his words carefully as to further avoid suspicion. "Should we 'meet' them?"
"No," insisted Ronald, "Let them pass. They are already registered to come. People are expecting them; we will find a safer time. Guide them safely into the city."
The man gave a nod. He would defend the caravan from bandits if him or any of his men came across them.
It was nearing the evening and the armored knight met up with his fellow men: "The Bandit Hunters". In truth they were bandits when dealing with strangers but right now they were letting the caravan scheduled to arrive in three days or so pass unharmed. Sometimes you needed to act out the part of a hero as well for the public eye. If they killed every last person trafficking through the area then their scam would be brought to light.
"Hey boss," greeted a manly voice. Another figure dressed in the same emblem and polished armor scratched his rough beard perhaps one that had been shaved a little less than a month ago. He was busy chewing some smoked deer and gave a short wave of acknowledgment before swallowing enough meat to speak, "We chasing them?"
He shook his head. "Hammelton has other plans." He looked over as some other members walked in hearing the conversation they'd help pass on so their was good communication when they finally took action.
"Hey boss you're not going to believe this." A new short blond haired man came handing over a telescope. He led them a ways to the vantage point he'd spotted a certain target. Then pointed to the still present figure at hand.
It was some bizarre man who was hanging up a bear skin to dry and eating a considerable portion of the animal. More notably was the worn out clothes and giant sword. "This guy will bring good press."
"He's a big one alright," agreed the leader. "He'll make a good bandit leader for the public." he looked back and moved away. They were a long ways out of earshot and had to rely on the scope to watch his actions at the bottom of the mountain slope. "Capture him and put him on public trail. Poison the arrows."
Unaware of what was going on the orange skinned man with the large sword continued to tend to the bear skin, doing what he could to get the moister out, then run it with fresh water at a stream.
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Post by Baiken on Mar 8, 2013 22:15:35 GMT -5
Parting with one another was supposed to be expected, though she suddenly found herself missing the silence that the road provided. She frowned deeply as she felt Alene suddenly clinging to her left. While the day was quite young, she took the time in attempting to get someone to take care of the girl. But so far her attempts were all denied. There had to be some form of orphanage in the city. This place...was huge, noisy and...really annoying.
Her senses were almost overloaded with the sounds, smells, and sight of so many strange people after spending a few days in solitude with a single person who barely spoke. She scrubbed a hand down her face with a sigh as they approached an inn. She would make a further effort for finding Alene a home, though Alene seemed too content with staying near her.
"If you are going to stick with me, you will not cling like you are afraid. Stand up straight and only stand close, do not cling." She ordered the small girl before they entered into the inn. The keeper seemed...weird. Her frown intently depeened at his question. Make her an escort? Right.
"No." She dismissively waved a hand toward him to leave her be before taking the key and walking away ignoring his further commentary on the subject. She wouldn't even consider it. She sighed quietly once they were settled in the small room. pinching the bridge of her nose lightly. At least Alene was paying attention somewhere else than her.
Alene clung to the window as if she wasn't tall enough to see over the ledge. She tiptoed up under she was able to climb onto it and just peek outside through the meshcurtains. She heard something weird out back and wanted to know what it was. Curious little girl was going to get herself into trouble if she got caught watching people. The sight of a sudden man that she had seen hurt her and her brother startled her and she instantly went back to Baiken, tugging her sleeve trying to get the woman to wake up.
"Baiken, there's a bandit outside. He killed that travelor guy and my brother. I know it's him. I saw him." She tried explaining, but Baiken was in slight disbelief. The girl could have been just still scared. Still, to make the girl shut her trap she got up and peeked out the window. There was no one outside that looked familiar to her own knowledge.
"Just get to bed." She ordered as she pointed to the spare bed. More than likely Alene wasn't going to listen since it was still daylight outside. Alene pouted and sat on her appointed bed, waiting for Baiken to fall back to sleep so she could peek out the window again and keep watching people.
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Post by Shale on Mar 8, 2013 23:02:17 GMT -5
Zathire's ears heard the sounds behind him, before the archer got in range to shoot. As the arrow came whistling towards his shoulder the young man leaned towards the arrow allowing his shoulder to dip below, then in the same motion lifted his sword upside down with his right arm and held it up like a shield.
He was wider than it but at least this way his neck and privates were guarded. Another arrow came at shoulder height and this time to his left side connecting. Zathire growled in a mixture of pain and anger. He quickly ripped the arrow out, only quick enough to see some of the green slimy residue that hadn't wiped off into his bloodstream.
Poisoned...
He charged, however he was getting tired quickly. He blocked two arrows with his 'shield' before another got him in the most outward exposed part of his left ribs. Taking his sword to the air he swung violently but the archers and there were two that had both been firing backed up and retreated. He pursued but with the poison they were faster. Eventually something stopped working. Poor vision and his arms felt tingly and went to sleep dropping his sword on his feet. But now his right knee collapsed. At times muscle control came back then faded out. Eventually he lost it. His heart and lungs were still working though.
Everything else seemed to be loosing voluntary control. Everything went black.
LATER IN TOWN
Zathire's vision came back only in time to have his eyes covered in spit. Lot's of noise and commotion was about and he felt strong pressure on his right wrist. He tried moving his numb hands only to find that all four of his limbs were still numb. With all his concentration he focused on his nerves trying to feel them to get his fingers to curl.
Zathire tried to blink the spit from his eyes but he couldn't much see well and his limbs were tied down. "hhhf" his lips failed expecting to produce the words of "Hey, what the hell." He shook his head and his neck responded some.
"Let him have it!" said some coordinator. "Filthy bandit swine!" shouted some portly old lady that had been no doubt spoon fed words she believed to be true.
Zathire's arms were lifted and he could hear the sound of ropes creaking and see blood trailing down his wrists where the skin quickly wore off. He focused all his might into making a grip with his relaxed fingers. Horses kicked the ground and women looked away as the expected sight of his body ripping to shreds was too much.
Mother's hid their children's eyes yet were still there nonetheless.
Above Baiken's door frame hammering could be heard. Ronald was standing on a small stool mounting the epic sword above the door frame as a decoration. He was expecting Baiken to come out to the noise and had already planned his words. He'd tell her of the bandit that had been caught and was put on grounds for execution at his noble "Bandit Hunter's" Brigade and offer to take her to dinner as a place to help her kill time and get to know her. He could share some stories that way. First of course he'd have to start with a quick lie and tell her he thought she was already outside witnessing the event.
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Post by Baiken on Mar 8, 2013 23:26:43 GMT -5
Alene had been watching the event s through the window for what she could see. She panicked when she saw the really big man had been dragged in by horses. She was too afraid to wake Baiken again.
Baiken irritatedly was woken from her sleep by the sound of the crowd outside. The hammering above her door was worse off than that though. She stood slipping into her shoes and grabbing her katana, already having it unsheathed. She slammed the door open to see the scrawny annoyance hammering away. The sword caught her attention. She knew that was Zathire's. Immediately grabbing the man by his collar and tossing him aside. It took no effort of her own to take the sword down and drag it with her.
Something bad was going on outside. If Zathire's sword was here... A knotted pit in her stomach started screaming at her to hurry. She made quick haste to move as quickly as possible while carrying the massive sword over her own shoulder. The people were quick to move when she approached through the crowd.
As she dropped the sword on the first rope, causing the horse to halt itself as if she had instructed, she moved with swift precision to slice the remaining ropes that bound Zathire. "Get up, get up now." She ordered with a sneer as she kicked him in his side. The IDIOT had gotten himself mixed up in something, though she was able to trust that he wasn't a bandit.
"Someone, start explaining what is going on before I start cutting people to pieces for using these horses in such a disgusting manner." Alene was fast to scramble to Baiken's feet and cling to her robe again. Baiken ignored it for the time being. "Alene, are these the men who killed your brother and the man who was bringing you here?" She didn't take her eye off any of the people that were controlling the horses.
"These guys were the ones! I saw them, I did! This big man didn't do anything, he helped me get here!" The little girl screamed over the angered crowds ranting.
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Post by Shale on Mar 8, 2013 23:55:37 GMT -5
People gasped in horror. Never before had a single mans body held in tact while all four horses tugged. A few kinks in his spine started popping and he could feel some of the muscles wanting to separate from their bones.
Pain...
He closed his eyes and focused on that pain.
It got stronger.
Enorphans, adrenaline, he could feel the poison weakening. He flexed his stomach and drew his four limbs inward. His left knee came in whilst the others were too weak.
More pain, more revitalizing pain. He felt awake and let out a cry of agony. His torn body was holding together strong, the real agony came from summoning the effort against the numbness of the poison.
The hind legs of a horse gave way and the creature stumbled down. As the balances shifted two more horses were jerked off their feet and fell, the lone one standing giving a painful twisting jerk to his ankle that made standing up impossible.
He had to catch his breath. This caused a bunch of commotion and he could sense someone coming to finish what the horses hadn't. He closed his eyes, too tired to keep them awake with the energy sapping poison. He felt a beefy kick in his side that forced a grunt out of him. The tension in the ropes was gone. He recognized the voice as he stood up sweating.
Finally he could wipe that disgusting spit out of his eyes. He didn't well much hear what Baiken had said. It was hard to think right now. He could barely focus on fighting that erg to pass out and sleep. It kept nagging him and nagging him.
Zathire's eyes scanned the crowd, his blurred vision quickly recognized the yellow emblem of a sailboat on the silver breastplates. They had been the ones who shot him. Still he didn't mention them first. The first words from his mouth were: "Damn, Princess, I know I'm sexy, but you don't have to go that far out of your way to save me."
He held a hand over his neck working out the kink that he'd got from being dragged unconscious as his bloody wrist dripped continuously. He didn't seem too concerned about the number of ranting humans that were quickly forming into an angry mob. He was guilty of something, though with the poison he couldn't pick out one single accusation from any of the rest of the noise.
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Post by Baiken on Mar 13, 2013 22:26:00 GMT -5
Baiken frowned at Zathire's words. He was unable to act seriously over the situation that was taking place. How irritating, and on top of that he called her princess. She bashed one of the arrow wounds with the blunt end of her sword handle before backstepping and launching herself squarely to one of the bandits who had begun gearing up to attack.
Alene had fallen and sat down to watch this as it happened.
Baiken's sword stabbed into the man's gut and slashed out from one of his sides before she began approaching another of the bandits in disguise. "My intention was to save these horses from gaining broken legs." She spoke rather coldly as she continued to fight the bandits that had banned together in defending one another. Those who were citizens were merely kicked from her way or bashed with the blunt edge of her sword with a swift twist in her wrist to keep from cutting them with the blade. This was a single brawl to the thousands she had found herself in bars. A man attempted to overwhelm her hooking his arms underneath her own and holding them above her head but only became dumbfounded when his right arm slipped past her shoulder.
She quickly twisted and gave a quick kick to the front of his shin before cutting him down for trying such an idiotic move. Soon enough, the citizens were getting the idea that she wasn't going to be stopped that easily. "This ridiculous noise in celebration at the execution to a man's life had woken me from my nap." In other words, she was rather pissed that people would stoop to such levels of ill content.
She slowly relaxed herself with a calm sigh as another of the bandits ran to attack her, a swift sidestep and extension of her blade stopped him as he fell to the ground. She was growing very bored with this situation. "I believed you to be rather stupid, Zathire, however I hadn't expected you to be weak enough to get yourself caught long enough that I did have to save you before something important took the misfortune of getting hurt." She said in that same boring, unamused, and completely lazy tone while she approached one of the horses that seemed to be panicking. A swift sling of her blade and she rid it of blood before sheething it so her hand was free to catch the horses reins and snatch them backwards to settle it from panicking any further as it obeyed and stayed still now.
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Post by Shale on Mar 14, 2013 0:22:27 GMT -5
Zathire was busy bending over to grab his sword when he got kicked in the arrow wound. He smirked that she would go so low as to kick him in his weak spot. She'd make a fine barbarian he thought to himself as he stood up and walked slowly following her path of destruction. He was going in a generally straighter line while she was sprinting all over the place.
There was one jackass he beat her too. The man that shot him with a poison arrow. The same man fired at Baiken two shots. Then seeing Zathire charging fired another poisoning him some more. There was enough adrenaline in him to keep him going for a while. He broadsided the man in the crouch lifting his whole body onto the sword like it were a hamburger patty on a spatula.
Being somewhat dumbfounded by the poison, Zathire's combat instincts never really kicked in and he found himself holding out his sword with the man groaning on top of it. Normally he would have kept going and smashed the man into the earth, but being stupid right now he tipped the man off. "Coward!" he shouted at the useless man. The biggest insult a barbarian knew and one the lowlanders didn't share as much of a religious hate for. To Zathire no word was more disgraceful.
To add to the insult Zathire let him live; another trait of barbarian society that would be lost on the man. He made sure however to give one good kick in the ribs and to snap that stupid bow.
Zathire barely managed to do this in the time Baiken had rampantly taken everyone out. Zathire grabbed Baiken's face which completely fit within his hand. "Dork..." He gave a shove that would knock her off balance like a big brother absentmindedly tossing a pesky upstart sibling. He didn't even turn his head sideways expecting her to lung up and shank him with her sword, but he didn't care. She was dumb for pissing off everyone.
More poison was setting in. He threw up. Alene was quick to jump in and point the man out that Zathire beat down. "He's not a bandit hunter! He's a bandit! They attacked me!" She then brought some water to Zathire who barely recognized her fill it at a well or where she got the container. To him it appeared like magic. He had to blink before accepting it. "These people helped save me from real bandits back in my old town!"
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Post by Baiken on Mar 18, 2013 3:16:27 GMT -5
Baiken stumbled backwards a few feet before abruptly and ungracefully fell to her ass. She glared up towards Zathire. His actions were completely annoying. She stood and approached him, only to stop herself from kicking him brutishly again when Alene ran to him protectively speaking of him and herself while giving him a glass of water.
This little girl probably saved the two of them from having to beat down everyone in this village.
"They are good people!" Alene shouted as she glared rather frustrated at the disgruntled crowd around them. "Mister, are you okay?" Alene asked as he drank the water she'd given him.
Baiken gave a soft sigh as she rubbed the back of her neck. This child was at least helping, but the situation was still rather annoying.
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Post by Shale on Mar 18, 2013 20:54:00 GMT -5
Zathire blinked and his mind was blank as slate. Nothing seemed to be sticking in his thoughts and remembering was nearly impossible. Even why he was presently here. His short term memory was completely useless at the moment.
He looked at Baiken and refocused. "Hey, you're pretty hot." He lifted her up into his arms. "I like you. What's your name?" He stumbled about in a rather dizzy manner then nearly dropped her as he let go with his left arm and barely managed to hold on with his right as her swinging weight nearly tipped his wobbly stance.
His eyes were focused at an arrow that had stuck him. "Hey I didn't invite you." He plucked it out. He couldn't even feel pain right now. Not that it bothered to make much a difference. His short attention span kicked in again noticing Baiken swinging loose from his grip. Even if she was trying to escape he wasn't in a state of mind to decipher that. So he hoisted her over his shoulder. "Stop squirming so much."
To the people in the crowd his stupidity was unknown, it was too noisy to hear the things he was saying and it looked like he meant to carry her to safety. If fact Zathire didn't even remember why he picked her up. Maybe he should listen to words she was saying? No, surely he would have heard them by now if that was the choice.
More magical colors came before his eyes. This one black and pink with red violent electricity coming out of it. "Hey I remember now. That's how you got here. Let's go back home."
Zathire ran towards the portal and before he could decide otherwise a low pressure front drew him inside. There was a blinding flash and he was looking at a chain attached to a wall that kept getting father away. Several people were gasping but no one was around. All the sudden glass could be heard shattering and he saw bright lights and shards coming from behind him moving towards that chain anchor and to his sides. A sudden thump was heard and two slabs of wood shot to his side and Baiken was angrily getting off his chest.
Now it made sense. He wasn't looking at a wall. That was ceiling. He turned to see that his back had caught a chandelier and dragged it onto a wooden dinning table and broken it in two. He was covered in food and broken glass. Several elderly people ware gasping, perhaps fourteen or so. They were dressed in fancy tuxedos. Zathire wiped some brown gravy off his shirt and tried to stand up but was dizzy and the two 45 degree slabs of the broken table were a bit hard to steady himself up on. He slipped and his hand caught several of the broken glass pieces into it as well as disturbing the table cloth more and tipping a few empty candle holsters over.
He gasped. "I just remembered something." He looked to his side. "We don't have the same home."
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Post by Baiken on Mar 24, 2013 15:41:02 GMT -5
Baiken frustratingly attempted to punch the obviously drugged man for his comments and suddenly grabbing her the way he had. Still, she found herself having to instead grab ahold of him to keep from being sloppily dropped onto the ground.
“Knock it off!” She shouted making another attempt to free herself before she was suddenly flung over his shoulder. The hit to her gut was enough to wind her. The sound of the screeching portal grabbed her attention as she tried to lift herself to see what could be happening now.
The idiot was running toward it!?
“NO DON'T IT COULD SEND US SOMEWHERE WORSE THAN HERE!” She protested only to have the wind sucked from her lungs as they fell through the vortex. The sound of glass shattering, and the unceremonious gasps and screams of what sounded like older men caught her attention as she woke laying over the idiotic barbarian. She gave a solid punch to his jaw for him doing something so stupid.
She looked around the room as she scrambled over the sudden mess and took a quick look to nice...she was in her own time. Her eye connecting with the the aquamarine eyes of a blond named Ky Kiske.
His scrutinizing glare over the sudden destruction of the dinner of nobles that had been taking place, now interrupted, was more than enough to piss her off. He stood and wiped the steak sauce from his Holy Order uniform and stepped toward the two of them. His steal toed boots crunching the remaining pieces of glass and dinner wear easily.
“It seems another incident of 'world fallen' has taken place.” The king stated as he stepped forward. A pristine white cape flew around his shoulders with a royal blue trim. A golden circlet embedded with emeralds set around his forehead. A stern layer of ice in his eyes as he looked the two over.
“Kiske...”
“Baiken Seishido, I suppose this means you have fallen, and then returned, what a rather rare and lucky occasion for you. I'm assuming you know this man?” A white gloved hand extended as he gestured towards Zathire. Guards wearing a similar blue uniform to Ky's had appeared in the room. Each ready to overtake what they would have to to defend their king.
Baiken was instantly further tensed by just being in the same room as the noble king. The last remnants of her people were on different sides with this King. Being treated like rare species, and sent into camps to protect them. It was the equivalent of caging a person, in Baiken's mind.
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Post by Shale on Mar 24, 2013 16:00:26 GMT -5
Zathire took one dizzy step then tripped again this time some chicken fell onto his stomach and looked at him in the eye so to speak. His primitive reaction was to simply grab it and shove it in his mouth. He didn't have room to think of more with his cloudy mind.
The poison did not agree with these actions however, and as Zathire stood up he began to loose his balance once more. Luckily there was someone there. Zathire attempted to grab onto Ky's shoulder but missed as the pretty man moved away and nearly tore his cape off in the process of standing up. Fortunately for Ky, he deduced the threat and in a rather refined manner had simply unfastened in allowing the blaggard to fall to his face in an ungraceful manner then stepped to the side as if avoiding a puddle that might get his shoes dirty. Of course he could have a new cape made and tailored at any time but for now he settled his eyes on Baiken. "I assume," Ky began as he had to close his eyes and stifle the pain the grotesque sound of the barbarian vomiting in the background brought to his ears. "As I was saying... I assume you will be on your way? We can always pretend this never happened. I would be most honored if we never spoke of this shameful moment again."
Zathire was in no condition to notice how the guards were reacting to this, but several of the nobles gasped in sheer horror. "Are you..." Zathire's eyes bugged a bit, the poison was still was too much. He threw up all over Ky's cape. "... a friend?" he finished his sentence. The bits of chicken and some green specs of bile were dangling from his mouth with a glob of mucous. Zathire stood up slightly less dizzy for a moment. "Do you want your napkin back?" He held out the cape his eyes almost rolling up into his head as he tried to focus.
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Post by Baiken on Mar 25, 2013 4:18:24 GMT -5
Kiske gave a tired sigh as he scratched his temple a moment before dropping his hands to his sides and turning to face the one who had unceremoniously vomited over his cape. Blond brows knit together as he stared down at the man. He was curious how this man behaved when he wasn't under some substance that had clearly rendered his actions to this...distasteful level.
“That is for Baiken to decide, though I would prefer it.” He stated in a matter of fact tone before returning his attention to Baiken. While he was indeed King, he never felt himself over anyone. Merely a guide when needed.
“Since this man has returned to this world with you, Baiken, I am afraid I will have to leave him under your responsibility. Please keep him out of trouble, wont you?” He said though it was rhetorical and there wouldn't be a chance in negotiating his decisions. He still had to make orders, though he gave them in a much politer manner than straight forward demands and laws.
Baiken grumbled irritably before stepping over to Zathire and grabbing him by his hair and beginning to hoist him up. “Get up, we are getting out of here before these guards throw one hell of a fit.” She griped. She didn't really appreciate being given a responsibility, though she suppsoed it was the least she could do for Zathire, considering he'd taken the responsibility of helping her while she was in his world. So,...the favor was repayable. She was more so irritated being in the same room as the noble king.
“As I have told you before, Kiske, your highness, send anyone after me to put me back in that camp and I wont hesitate in defending myself.” She said in something that sounded like a threatening tone.
“I wouldn't consider it.” He answered in a rather dismissive tone.
Once Zathire was to his feet, she had let go and grabbed the meat of his arm and wrapped it over her shoulder. “We need to get this poison out of your system...” She said under her breath. His unpredictable behavior was definitely getting annoying. She led him through the massive doors and down the hall of the castle towards the exit.
Carrying his weight as it shifted from being supported on it's own, to almost falling onto her completely, she had to stagger her steps to keep from falling over. “Why are you so heavy?” She questioned rather surprised. She hadn't remembered him being this damn heavy before.
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