(LORE) HEALING

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:28 pm

Soran heard a gasp and a few stifled whispers as the first few people were already looking at he and Mizuki, and recognizing him. Others just stared at them blankly, waiting for them to introduce themselves. Man, he really didn't want to do this. He loosened his throat enough to speak, trying to sound like the other parents had said.

"I'm Rai's father...Soran," he said firmly, meeting their eyes. Just because he hated public speaking didn't mean he wasn't quite experienced at it, and the confidence in his voice seemed to ease the nerves of those who recognized him while simultaneously riling those of the people who didn't know him by sight. It made sense that the majority of the parents in the town didn't know what he looked like. They apparently knew who he was, though. And a moment later, as if they all followed the same thought process, all of their eyes shifted nearly in unison to the woman standing beside him. If that was his daughter, then this person had to be... they stared at her curiously, eager for her introduction.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:58 pm

"Uhh.." Mizuki hesitated then finally took the diving step. "I'm Mizuki... Rai's...Mother." Severally gasps were heard as many made the connection and came to the realization that Soran, plus Mizuki, equaled Rai.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Nightblade got married?!" Some people gave nervous laughs.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:44 pm

"Rai is my daughter, and Mizuki is her mother. It's not so hard to understand," Soran said, as if that clarified everything. He rolled his eyes slightly at the flurry of comments that began passing around the circle. He crouched down to level with the young boy standing with the family next to them. "Your turn, squirt. Introduce yourself," he instructed casually, gesturing toward the rest of the group.

"A....adam," the boy smiled nervously, earning a few jealous glares from other boys who hadn't received such personal attention from the rogue.

"I'm Adam's mother, Charlotte. And this is Ben," the woman behind Adam said, her hand resting on her son's shoulder. Soran breathed again as the chain of introductions proceeded again without incident until everyone had been introduced. A few of the boys now looked at Rai with keen interest, while the girl in the family next to them stared at Mizuki with fascination.

"Well, now that everyone's introduced, we have a little competition planned," the headmaster announced. "It would be easy to group the families into teams, but that might result in clicking with individual families insteaed of the intended goal of all getting to know each other. So, this competition will be a bit different. All fathers and boys, on this side, please. Mothers and girls, on the other."

Soran glanced at Rai and Mizuki briefly, giving Rai a rub on the head before cooperating and walking over to the men's side. The others gave him room, but didn't keep nearly as wide a berth from him as he expected. They did, however, oddly seem to gather around him and push him to the front. He glanced around at them without a word while everyone got settled.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:53 pm

Rai didn't understand why all the little boys wehre staring at her. She looked up at Soran as he messed her hair up and walked away to join the men and boys.

"I wonder what we're doing!!"

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:54 pm

Mizuki shrugged and took Rai by the hand to the side with all the women and girls. She smiled at Soran and waved to him from the opposite side. It caused some of the younger fathers to whistle in good spirits and look at Soran with knowing smiles. It caused Mizuki to blush and bring her hand back down, wondering if Soran was happy.

A mother next to her tapped Mizuki's shoulder and said, "Lucky girl."

Another said, "Brave one if she got Nightblade!"

Mizuki blushed but knew they were regarding her with high respects. If she could get Nightblade to settle down, then that must mean she was a good woman... that or an enchantress, but no one dared to accuse her of that in case they were wrong or...eh...

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:10 pm

"Now then!" the headmaster called. "The contest will be in the form of a scavenger hunt!" He took two pieces of parchment out of his pocket and held them out in each hand. "Each team will need to find the ten items on their list as quickly as possible. You can split up as you choose, but without communication, you'll have no way of knowing what remains to be found. It's up to you to strike that balance. The search area will be between the area just outside the city gates, the river, and Erdin Street. No one is to cross over into the red light district. Take a minute to pick your team leaders."

It was enough to make Soran crack a smile and a fight to stifle a laugh. In the same time that the men's team took a step back from Soran and faced him expectantly, the woman's team unanymously bunched around Mizuki.

The headmaster cleared his throat oddly, as if that had been too simple. "Uh, very well then... Mr. Nightblade, your team's list," he said, handing the paper to Soran. "Miss Mizuki," he bowed his head courteously and handed Mizuki hers.

"The first team to return here with all their items and all their team members, wins. Are you ready?"

Post by **Emora Deen** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:13 pm

"Yay!!!" Rai cheered when Mizuki and Soran became team leaders. She jumped up and down laughing and clapping her hands. Children screamed. "READY!"

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:33 pm

Mizuki blanched and held the list lightly. "Uhhhh..." She should've seen that coming. The Headmaster called out GO and everyone scramble around Mizuki to see what was on their list. Mizuki suddenly felt clastrophobic at how close they were. She looked at the list and read off some of the clues.

The first one was obviously an acorn. The second a rock, and the third a leaf. There were ten clues that had to be found and the kids had already grabbed three of them after she said what they were. But the next ones began to get tricky.

Following Mizuki as they wondered around trying to find their items, the group wondered the boundaries and took Mizuki's orders as they were figured out.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:56 pm

Soran scanned the list quickly, then read it off to his team. Several of the items were extremely odd. He spoke as if he were briefing them on some sort of formal mission, then assigned them to squads and instructed them to meet again in twenty minutes. The young boys seemed thrilled by the military-style briefing, while the adults seemed astonished that Soran had memorized all of their names during the circle activity. Approving his plan, they split into three groups and began hunting.

Meanwhile, outside the city, a lone form limped toward the city gates, muttering. "Damned forest. What kind of idiot puts a path right through zephyr territory. I thought the rival lands were meant to be full of bees and flowers and chirping birds, not vicious, snarling, freaking teleporting freakdemons," he grumbled as he stalked across the remaining area between the edge of the trees and the city gate. The guards looked at the man's dark-stained pant leg warily, deciding to let him pass. "Hey there, fellas. Keep up the good work, there," Sid announced jovially, patting one of the guards on the shoulder with a hearty smile as he passed through the gate.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:01 pm

Rai ran around giggling with the other girls as they found the clues. She thought it was fun to look for them, she even found one... or two.... She let one little girl have it so she could claim she found it.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:19 pm

Watching her groups members with a satisfied grin, Mizuki turned back to the list and look at the last clue. That was the tricky one. She was having a bit of a trifle figuring it out. She wandered around in a bit of a circle as she tried to think of it and a couple of the mothers looked at her curiously until one braved to come near her.

"you don't have to figure it out yourself, sweetie." she said sweetly and slipped the list from Mizuki's fingertips. The woman was young and was wearing the latest in whatever the fall fashion was. Fall color gown, but it was simple and she had blue eyes. Mizuki suddenly felt a little grimy under this woman's fresh looking appearance. She daintily looked at the list until finally, "Ah! A Blue Jay's feather!" She handed back the list to Mizuki with a victorious grin. Watching her closely, Mizuki realized that the girl didn't approach her just to figure out the clue.

"Thank you," she said finally, smiling. The woman smiled back cheerfully then said,

"So how'd you meet him?"

"Who?"

"Soran Nightblade! Come now, did he rescue you? or did you run into each other and he fell madly in love with you like a puppy?"

"Ah.." Mizuki felt nervous, how could she answer that. In a way, Soran had saved her but then it became one thing after another and they ended up traveling together. "We, uh, just ran into each other and ended up traveling partners, uh.... Oh, I think you're little girl got something!" Mizuki pointed over to where a cute little blonde girl with curls was running up towards them with wet hands. The woman turned to her daughter and Mizuki managed to slip away and go towards Rai.

"Find anything?" she asked her daughter.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:29 pm

Sid walked through the main street of town, buying a bag of apples from a vendor as he went. It seemed like an interesting place. He spotted the river past a line of houses and turned toward it, thinking it would be a good place to visit and take care of his leg. He made a B-line for the riverbank, where fisherman were casting out their nets for the morning. The whole bank was bustling with activity. Sid waved to them as he approached. "How's the catch?" he asked casually.

"Not so good. It tends to drop off a bit at mating season," an elderly fisherman returned brusquely.

"Hang in there. The world won't go vegetarian just cause the fish are low," Sid encouraged, earning a gruff chuckle from the man and his partner.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:34 pm

Rai giggled, her hands wet because she had just ran from the river. She was running back to Mizuki when she turned her head around to look back at the children following her. She ran into a hard form and bounced off hitting the ground with her rear. "Ow..." she said and sat up, and smiled. "Sorry!"

The little kids looked at her and then at the man. "Oooo.... He knocked down Soran's daughter!!!"

"No he didn't! I ran into him!" Rai said, still sitting on the ground.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:42 pm

Concern showing on her face, Mizuki jogged over to where Rai fell and picked her up in her arms.

"You alright sweetie?" she asked her then turned to the man she had run into and apologized to him. "We're doing a school event," she said smiling. "Kids get excited." She hoped the man wasn't angry.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:45 pm

Sid staggered sideways as a form suddenly smacked into his good leg. Unfortunately, that knocked his balance onto his bad leg, and he tumbled sideways, missing the other children's scoldings in his confusion. He sat up and blinked at the innocent looking girl that had run into him. "You pack quite a punch, miss," he said, squatting in front of her. "I'll bet you're strong." His warm smile revealed that he hardly cared about being knocked over. His figure was big enough, it looked like he could be run over by a herd of oxen and still walk around fine.

He looked up at the lovely women who had just appeared beside her. "Not to worry, miss. I'm not easy to break," he said, a bit of bravado in his speech. She was very attractive. He blushed a bit.