Heirot

Mizuki:

Mizuki wandered the street looking for an inn to stay at. So far most were either booked or wanted her for....different things. It was begining to rain and her hopes for a warm place were dying low.

"Curse this place." she muttered under her breath. She clutched her black cloak tighter about herself trying to keep warm from the icy rain that fell from the sky.

"I should have never left home, but then....." she trailed off trying to forget the memory that would invade her mind time and time again. She tried the next inn down the road. She walked in to a common room full of men drinking their fill. They all stared at her entry. Mizuki went straight to the barekeep.

"A room. And I can pay." she tossed some money on the table. The barekeep just smirked.

"Unless you want to work girl, you get no room here." he said. Mizuki clenched her fists, but she needed a place to stay.

"What kind of work?"

"Entertainment." the barekeep smirked and Mizuki's temper was short and gone. In one swift movement she grabbed the barekeep and thru him to the other side of the room.

"If there is one think I hate most it is males that think they are so supeiror to the women! Fine,, I will leave then. You get no such thing from me." The minute she walked out she knew that was a mistake. It was the last inn in the town and now there was nowhere she could go.

"I need anger managment." She walked off to take shelter under a tree.

Emora Deen:

The carnival was moving into town around the same time it did every year. Fasicoe Graybar's Traveling Fair was the big hit in most towns, but Hepian was the strangest one. It was more like being in Arken than it was in Ighten, maybe because of the people who lived in the town.

Mia was walking the streets in her dancers outfit with a bright purple cloak around her and a hood over her head. She was walking the streets with some of the other entertainers. When they entered a town they walked in style. The dancers and such walked in the front of the horses and carriages. Tiny people did cart wheels and a walking band played lively music. At some point the dancers would take off there cloaks and give a preview to there entertainment, which most of the men in Hepian came out to watch.

They passed a tree where a woman sat... she only had a moment to glance that way and then the music hit it's climatic point and the dancers through off there cloaks. They danced around in a rather hypnotizing and strange graceful way in a rainbow of out fits, pinks, oranges, and yellows. A few of the dancers hovered and danced in the air while the more normal ones stayed on the ground under them. Then the song ended and they kept there positions before grabbing there cloaks up and putting them back around there shoulders, standing still like they were controlled or something.

Mia was beginning not to like coming to Hepian… for one there was to much trouble and another it made her want to quite being a dancer and join the army to kill off all evil in the world… but it was against her peoples ways in some sort of since.

Mizuki:

Mizuki watched the dancers. She sneered at them trying to figure out how they could entertain the men in this city. But she she watched closesly she came to love their dance. She watched as they gracefully moved thru the sky and ground.

Her happiness was soon clattered when a chilling wind blew thru forcing her to take her eyes away. When she returned her gaze they were already leaving. She sighed in distain.

"Never can have one good moment."

She bundled herself tighter into her cloak and tried to resist the urge to hurt something.

"Just once I wish I NOT travel alone.....but alsa, as is my fate. A curse from my past deeds." She hit the ground in aggravation and tried to fall asleep.

Minuette:

Minuette wandered out of the last tavern that she hadn't already been to for a room in town. She wore a scowl on her face when she saw there was a girl sitting under a tree. She decided to sit next to the girl and keep her company, as she looked awfully lonely, since she hadn't made an attempt to be nice in her three days travelling to Hepian.

"Evenin' little girl", she smiled as she sat under the tree. "I take it all the taverns in the city kicked you out too? What, did you routine they gave you? Or was it that horribly revealing costume? Wasn't it just awful? Pink isn't really my color so I had to turn down everyone, no bother though-I don't mind sleeping under this nice tree."

Minuette was sure to not sit too close to the girl, not sure whether the girl knew that she was a demon or if she would try to harm her. Minuette was brave enough anyway to offer her hand.

"My name is Minuette."

Mizuki:

Mizuki stared at the girl that had so bodly come and greet her. Never had anyone so far in her travels just come up to her at random. 'She got turned down too?' Mizuki thought. She was lost in thought studying this woman. She was even at of loss for words!

"Mizuki." she said silently not taking the offered hand. She could sense the some what wariness the woman was giving off towards her and she smirked.

"Heh, I'm not going to harm you." she laughed slightly then became solmen again. She was trying to figure out how this woman could not be cold!

Minuette:

Minuette drops her hand and idly plays with a leaf. In the wind her crimson hair blows out of her face, her pale face shown more openly. Her gaze wanders down the street and watches the circus move farther into the distance from the tree.

"So, you aren't the talkative type? Yea I used to be like that. Gee, these one sided conversations I have with myself these days are -oh- so fun." She smirks, more to herself, sarcastically. It was her automatic deffense and conversation tool.

She dug her hands deep into the pockets of her trenchcoat and slouched against the tree. She closed her eyes as the rain drowned out her thoughts.

"G'night little girl. Don't let those sex-driven men bite."

Mizuki:

Mizuki just watched the dissapearing circus go. And listened as the rain fell from the sky. Her mood wasn't too great and this woman wasn't really helping, but she was still curious.

"You like to talk to people even if they don't answer back huh?" Mizuki smirked. This woman liked one sided conversations even if it meant the person might be dead. When she turned to glance at the woman she saw that she was trying to sleep.

"Good night to you too, Minuette...." She trailed off pondering the girl's name. 'Maybe I should call her Minute, just to piss her off.' Mizuki thought evily. Mizuki wasn't one to make fun of a person but she wasn't feeling like a nice person today either. She listened to Minuette's soft breathing and Mizuki was also starting to feel the sandman do his work.

Mizuki feel asleep listening to the patter off the rain and the soft breathing of Minuette.

Minuette:

Minuette opens her eyes. 'Good.', she thought. 'She went to sleep... Dare I eat her? Im hungry...' She shook her thoughts from her head. 'No! Bad Min, BAD! We don't eat for fun anymore and you already had your feed today!' A small little shoulder angel that had features very similar to hers appeared on her shoulder in a white gown with a glowing golden halo. 'Don't listen to that crap. You know you want to, just sink your pearly white fangs deep into her neck and drink her warm..flowing...intoxicating...blood.' Another figure that looked like her appeared. Her shoulder devil. It wore a skimpy little red dress with knee-high red boots to match, it also had two horns jutting out on either side of its head. Minuette despised her shoulder devil, especially when she was trying to be good.

"Im not listening to you two. La la la la la! I can't hear you! La la la!" She quickly covered her ears with her hands. She was so not in the mood for these two, they fought everytime they appeared and seemed to help things less and less. 'You know you want to eat her, look! She's young. Freshmeat!' the little shoulder devil hopped off her shoulder and crawled onto Mizuki's arm. 'Oooh juicy! Juicy, yummy, delightful! Just feel her skin, Min! You can -hear- her blood flowing!' Minuette wished she knew a way to make them go away, she hated when people looked at her funny for talking to herself when she saw her pair of shoulder beings.

"Listen guys can you just...shoo? Im not really in the mood for you two-Im trying to be good here! You guys always show up at the completely wrong time and screw things up for me! Then on top of that you make me look like an idiot talking to my self! Thanks for that, back in that city we passed through last! They thought I was insane! Ok? So just..go away." As she spoke her words to the shoulder beings they wore hurt expressions on their face. "What!? It's true! GO!" Minuette shooed her hands at them as they disappered in a poof of red smoke and a poof of white smoke. She sighed and slouched back against the tree again.

Mizuki:

Mizuki, despite her sleep, heard Minuette's voice. Her elf ears were sharp and she knew Minuette was talking to someone. She opened one eye and saw Minuette talking to herself, she looked abgry. 'What the--? I thought she was talking to someone?' Mizuki thought confused. She watched the insanly hilarious sence beside her.

Minuette was holding her ears saying she wasn't listening to whoever she was talking to. 'This woman is crazy!' She could see that the woman was having some kind of inner battle and Mizuki's senses were ablaze with warning. 'Something doesn't seem normal here.' she thought, wary of the woman beside her.

"Hey you, I'm trying to sleep!" she said sharply. But the woman had her ears covered and couldn't hear her. Mizuki was getting fed up of this woman's antics. When the woman took her hands away Mizuki grabbed her by the shoulders and started shaking her senseless.

"Are you nuts or something! I'm trying to sleep in this blasted weather!!"

Minuette:

Minuette was suddenly being shaken by Mizuki after her shoulder beings had gone. 'Oh no! I woke her!' She thought to herself of what to do, she wanted to be nice and make a friend that she could trust. Of course her only way out of this situation was to not play nice and hurt the girl to get her off of her.

Minuette had decided wisely, she thought as she had already jumped to her feed with speed and was holding the girl off the ground against the trunk of the tree. "Listen, Im sorry I woke you! I didn't mean to, I know I look crazy and with me holding you like this now probably isn't helping but I take it if we are both staying in this city then we best make nice with each other now because we aren't getting rooms anytime soon. The way I see it we have to prove ourselves and earn a room here. I work alone and fend for myself. You looked lonely and Im trying to better myself, which I haven't made a nice gesture in three days which is the reason why I sat with you. I don't know how prone you are to pain, but from the looks and from your scent I doubt you're as safe from harm as I am. If I cut you with a knife I think you would bleed, correct? Well I wouldn't." She hushed her voice as she told her identity to Mizuki.

"Im a vampire, Mizuki."

Mizuki:

Mizuki struggled against the inhuman strenght of Minuette. 'Oh yeah, she's not human.' she thought. 'And what was your first clue?' her mind argued back to her. Mizuki pushed all meaningless thoughts out of her head while she tried to fight of this woman.

"Im a vampire, Mizuki." Minuette had said to her. Mizuki froze. 'She's a vampire?' Fear racked thru Mizuki's body.

"Gah! don't kill me!" Mizuki hadn't been paying attention to Minuette's speech before, she was too intent on getting free. She recalled the woman moving lighting fast, Mizuki's eyes barely catching a blur. She had heard too many stories in her travels to Hepian City about vampires to create a second thought about them.

She didn't care if Minuette said she wouldn't hurt her or not. Vampire's kill and only one instinct ran thru Mizuki's mind. Protecting ones self. Mizuki placed her feet on Minuette's abdomen and kicked hard throwing Minuette off her. When Mizuki hit the ground she unsheathed her sword and stood ready for battle.

Minuette:

Minuette stood agily, without a scratch. She shook her head and moved again with her in-human speed behind Mizuki to disarm her. She grabbed her sword and held onto it for the time being.

"Im not bad, I swear. If you weren't paying attention, which I doubt you did.. I've exacped from the rule of the Witch Queen. I barely even feed anymore! My last feed was three weeks ago - on a PIG! A pig that was due to die anyway. I don't want to hurt you Mizuki and I don't want to feed on you. I merely wanted to make a nice gesture and make friends. I don't know if you even know how to kill me.." Minuette's thoughts raced. What if the girl did know? What would she do then, all her good deeds down the drain... Everything for naught.

Mizuki:

Mizuki stood her ground facing Minuette showing no sign of fear. She quietly reached behind her for her arrows incase Minuette tried anything. She was aggiated that Minuette stole her sword. Her fathers sword actually!

"Im not bad, I swear. If you weren't paying attention, which I doubt you did.. I've exacped from the rule of the Witch Queen. I barely even feed anymore! My last feed was three weeks ago - on a PIG! A pig that was due to die anyway. I don't want to hurt you Mizuki and I don't want to feed on you. I merely wanted to make a nice gesture and make friends. I don't know if you even know how to kill me.." Minuette had said.

Mizuki stood motionless. 'Her too?' she thought. Mizuki dropped her guard towards Minuette.

"You escaped the Witch Queen too?" she asked Minuette. Finally she had met another like her....somewhat. She bowed to her showing respect to her. "Forgive me then please, I did not know of where you came. And if you would also please, can I have that back? It's very special to me."

Minuette:

Minuette froze where she stood. "You escaped the Witch Queen too?" Mizuki's words echoed in her mind. 'What? Mizuki was under the rule of the evil Queen? When? HOW?! She's so...young.' Minuette's thoughts were racing again. She gently handed the sword back to Mizuki and watched her carefully, incase she made any other attempts to kill her tonight.

"So you were under her rule too..." Minuette's voice trailed off, her wits failing her and her sarcasm out of place in the akward moment. "I escaped a few years ago.." Her gaze was averted to the tree. Memories of all the screams of those she killed flashed into her mind - a tiny movie playing for each different victim. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"I've been trying to better myself ever since.. It's hard since Im a vampire.."

Mizuki:

Mizuki listened to Minuette intently like a child listening to its elder's on long stories of the past. 'We both escaped the Witch Queen and are trying to correct our past faults.' she thought smiling. 'She seems ok.' She resheathed her sword in it's scabbard then extended her hand.

"How about better introductions, eh? I'm Mizuki, I came to this land after fleeing from a certain city that I don't remember its name. I was used as a pirate, how about you?" Mizuki had immediantly became interested in this woman and wished to learn more of her.

'It just feels so good,' she thought, 'to have someone to talk to after being hated.'

Minuette:

Minuette finally relaxes around the girl, forgiving her completely for daring to draw her blade. She extended her hand once again, a grin in plain view on her face.

"Im Minuette, Im over 200 years old, and for a great many years of my life I was an archer for the Witch Queen. I escaped a few years ago and have been trying to better myself ever since."

-------------------------------------------------------

It felt good to have a friend, Minuette thought as she strolled down the street in Hepian at high noon - broad daylight, but she's a vampire?! Those silly rumors bothered her. She wouldn't die from the sunlight, it merely hurt her eyes a bit like every other normal human. She looked for the closest inn and walked over to it. As she walked in she saw a bartender in the center of the dark room, various tables scattered the room with a few drunkards passed out from the night before. She approached the bartender.

"I need a room, please." She was polite, atleast. He grunted as he turned to face her, his hands idly cleaning a glass.

"And what makes ye think I'll give ye a room, lass?" He growled as he eyed her form. Minuette sighed, growing impatient. She took another step forward and leaned an elbow on the bar.

"Look, buddy. What's it gonna take for me and my friend here to get a room? What do we have to do to earn it - BESIDES entertainment." She sneered as he opened his mouth to give the answer 'entertainment'. She strummed her fingers 'pon the bar immpatiently.

Mizuki:

Mizuki walked acroos the opposite side of the road her and Minuette took. They were going to try to inn's at once just in case. Before Mizuki entered the inn her elf ears picked up Minuette's angry voice. Mizuki snorted.

"Probably talking to the bartender." she laughed silently. She looked around the room at the many faces of drunk males or males just about to get drunk. Very few were actually sober. 'Ashame,' Mizuki thought, 'some of these men had some potential.' She shook her head sadly and continued walking to the bartender.

OOC: An opening point for a guy to come in? Anyone?

"Excuse me," she asked politly. She was going to try and be nice this time since her mood had lifted somewhat since last night. "Me and my friend need a room. I am willing to pay your price."

"You're the girl that threw me across the room last night." the bartender snarled. "What makes you think I'm just going to give you a room now?" Mizuki just stood there staring back at the man. 'Oops,' she thought also noticing his broken arm, 'forgot about this in.' Her thoughts raced quickly for a plan. When she had one she smiled.

"Well I guess you don't want my money then, eh? Your place could use the money I have. It's falling apart." she said mindlessly pointing at a rotting poll out on the porch. Also noting the chipping paint on the walls and ceiling. When she got no answer she turned to leave.

"uh, well, uh...." the bartender called her back stuttering. He couldn't deny that his place WAS falling apart. "Maybe I can spare you and your friend something." Mizuki smiled. 'Can't deny the facts old man.' she thought. AFter she paid for the room she quickly ran back out across the road to the inn Minuette went to.

Minuette:

As Mizuki entered the inn Minuette had dragged the bartender from behind the bar and was holding him off the ground by his neck with her right hand. She was glaring up at the man and then noticed her friend walk in. She immidiately dropped the man and held him behind her, childishly hiding him like she had done nothing wrong.

"Oh..hi, heh heh...Did you find a better room than this place? I uh...don't think they will take us here." She grinned and walked away from the bar and the staring eyes of the drunkards she'd woken with the commotion she caused.

OOC: yes a guy..or even anyone else want to join in?

Mizuki:

"Yes I have something. Just drop the bartender and we can go." Mizuki smirked at Minuette who gave a slightly innocent smile. She lead her friend across the road and into the other inn where they were gratefully given a good room. Mizuki smiled again.

The room wasa nicely furnished in rich woods and lush fabrics of red and gold. Two beds were opposite of each other on each wall. The bathroom was white and gold.

"Think it will do?" she joked to Minuette who just stood there taking it all in. "I have taken the liberty to have food taken up to the room if you don't mind. I'm rather hungry and I think you," She pointed at her lightly poking her friends shoulder, "Should bathe."

Mizuki walked off to the bed on the right and sat down taking off her cloak. They had a nice room that over looked a surprisingly nice garden. 'Can't be for this place. Someone else's maybe?' she thought getting comfortable on her bed.

Minuette:

Minuette's jaw was dropped as she stared at the room. It was beautiful. She walked over to her bed and run her fingers along the wood and on the fabric. She peeked her head in the bathroom and smiled at the rather large tub. She hadn't had a bath in a while. Ooh what fun, she would be sure to enjoy the fine luxury.

"This is a great place! I may just sleep in the tub." She grinned as she joked. "Mmhm you go ahead and gorge yourself, kid. Im going to spend about three hours in here." She nods as she closes the bathroom door, tossing her clothes to the chair. She found bubble bath gel and poured half the bottle into the tub. She grinned from ear to ear as she watched the bubbles engulf the water and make a layer that was a foot thick on the surface of the water. She slowly got in, enjoying the warm water and relaxed for the first hour. She then scrubbed and washed her hair and then relaxed some more.

Mizuki:

Mizuki laughed at her friends antics. She took off her slightly damped and dirtied cloths from the night before in exchange for a deep blue bath robe. She slipped into the robe and she smiled as the soft fabric caressed her skin. She haden't felt good fabric like this in awhile and was loving every minute of it.

A knock on the door sounded and she answered it. Her mouth watered at the sight of the food that was being brought in. When the maids left after setting down her food she dug in like a hungry animal feeding on the flesh of its first kill.

"Hey Min.!" she said between mouthfulls. "Doh Vamphires eat fhood?" she swallowed. "I'll save you some if you do!"

Minuette:

Minuette quirked a brow, not even opening her eyes. She shouted from the tub she still sat in "No. I only drink blood. Could you order a pig dead or alive to be brought up here though? Im kinda hungry.."

Minuette finally hopped out of the tub, smelling clean and fresh and looking ten times more radient. She wrapped a bath robe around herself and sat at the vanity, gazing at her face in the mirror. Her hair was still damp. Her emerald eyes seemed to glow. Her fingers lightly brushed over the scar on her face. A memory flashed before her of when she got the scar. Men were shouting, she was leading them. Their camp was on fire. She shook her thoughts from her head and smiled to herself in the mirror, her pearly white fangs poking out from her upper lip. She wend back to the bedroom to sit with Mizuki.

"Hey do the maids here wash clothes too? If not, I can wash our clothes."

Mizuki:

Mizuki was still stuffing her face with food when Minuette came out. She had already gotten Minuette a dead pig; explaining that if the maids asked they're dead. The pig was on it's way up. She watched as Minuette came out; if a guy were in the room they'd drop dead.

"I'm not sure but, eh, go ahead. I'd rather not have them touch my stuff." Mizuki said not really caring. Mizuki hadn't eaten for so long that she was afraid that this might be a dream. 'Don't wake up! FOOD!' she thought gleefully as she chomped down on the variety of foods.

She didn't know what to eat first so she just piled food on her plate and ate at random. When she finally ate until her stomach felt like it was going to burst she plopped down on the bed and burped. She blushed embarrassed.

"Excuse me." she spoke quietly. "Well, I'm gonna go wash up before you wash the cloths." and she rushed into the bathroom.

Mizuki:

Mizuki got buckets of water sent to the bathroom. She heard the sounds of Minuette feasting on the pig that had just been brought up. After heating and pouring the water into the tub Mizuki found rose scented bath soaps and poured them in.

"Just like home." she smiled as she put her foot in. Memories of her home came sweaping over her and she missed it greatly, but she couldn't go back. She relaxed her aching muscles in the warm water and bathed herself with the soaps. The scents filled her nostrils sending her back in time.

She scrubbed out all the dirt from her hair and skin leaving every bit of her fresh and clean. She was having so much fun that she lost track of time while in the bathroom. But she didn't mind the time that she had with herself. She smirked at the sound of Minuette trying to quietly get rid of what was left of the pig she had feasted on.

'Maybe being here wont be so bad,' she thought, 'maybe I can start putting the past behind me and start over again. Mother would be wanting to start having grnad kids by now.' She laughed but it died quickly. She had escaped prison; she wont be able to live normaly without actually having to leave this kingdom. She sighed heavily has she tried to forget those thoughts of the future and tried to concentrate on now.

Minuette:

OOC:this post sucks because I've been up since 7:30 in the morning and Im packing for my trip and Im dead tired so deal

Minuette tilted her head to the side as she considered her many options of disposing the left over carcass of the dead pig. "Hrrrmmm..." She rubbed at her chin gently. Taking a peek out of the window she saw the lovely garden. 'Well..it would decompose...eventually. And it would make a great furtilizer!' She thought optimistically. She didn't really care who's garden it was as she chucked the carcass out the window and right into a large bush. She nodded as she brushed her hands off and plopped down onto her bed.

Mizuki:

Mizuki empited the tub, got in her bathrobe and started drying her hair with a towel. When she came out she was brushing her damp hair.

"Ok, you can do what you want now." she told Minuette. She thoughts being in the tub would relax her mind and body, but it didn't. It only troubled her more by giving her that free time to think. She was so troubled by getting caught up in her past and being able to do nothing but mercenary work that she couldn't really relax thru the rest of the bath. She went to the vanity mirror to check herself out. She looked branned new then before when she was dirty from her travels. Now you could really tell how smooth and beauitful her skin was and now her long brown hair was shiny; full of luster and beauty. Life to her body once again.

"I'm hoping to go around town today and look for work. So I'll need my cloths as soon as possible.

Minuette:

Minuette still lay on the bed, eyes gazing at the ceiling. She murmured an "ok" and still lay still. She was feeling rather lazy right now and didn't feel like moving.

"I'll get to it in a bit.." Her voice trailed off as she yawned wide, fangs showing. She hoped Mizuki didn't have a temper when it came to lazyness. Minuette was a leader...at most times. Right now she was lazy and didn't feel like moving.

OOC:Still crappy. Still packing for my trip. Still hell on earth at my house. Soooo therefore, still sucky posts

Mizuki:

"Gah!" Mizuki yelped. She needed the cloths today! "You got to be--! Oh, never mind." she said regaining her composture. "I'll just do it myself." Mizuki grabbed the cloths and went downstairs and asked a maid where they do the washing/ The maid had pointed outside to a wash bin and tried to take the cloths from her.

"No, no. I'm perfectly capable on doing my own wash."

"But missteress, it is not good for guests to be doing their own work. We are suppossed to be---." the maid started saying before Mizuki cut her off with a firm "no."

She started off in the direction of the wash bin ignoring the looks she was getting from the males for still being in her bathrobe. She put the cloths on the ground and filled and heated the wash bin full of water an soaps to wash the cloths in. And so she began scrubbing them down.

"Hope I find work. I praticaly used all my money just to get that room and bribe the bartender to leave us alone. Just one good job then I'll be set to travel again." she mummbled to herself.

Soran Nightblade:

The tavern below the small inn was relatively peaceful, the noisy crowd from the previous night having dispersed except for a few stragglers, who slouched drunkenly in their chairs near the corner of the room. Early morning light filtered in through the musky windows along the wall, catching the dust as it floated on the calm air. The barkeep stood behind his bar, drying a beer mug casually with a towel. He looked up drowsily as the door of the tavern opened and a slim figure wearing an open trenchcoat stepped into the room.

“Yo, Soran,” greeted the barkeep, giving the rogue a respectful nod.

Soran Nightblade nodded back and took a seat at the bar.

“Quite a crowd here last night. A few hours earlier and you’d ‘a caught the end of it,” the barkeep said congenially. He thunked a heavy tumbler full of amber liquid down beside Soran, predicting his order. Soran always drank whiskey after working a long night.

“Good thing I came late then,” Soran said, his voice neither friendly nor bitter and his eyes unreadable as always. He leaned back in his chair comfortably, enjoying the stillness of the dim, musky room, and sipped at his drink.

“Actually, something interesting did happen. Rumor is they put up two young ladies in the inn last night.” The man gestured toward the stairs to the left of the bar, which led up to the guests’ quarters. “Supposed to be real beauties, too. Bit feisty though - I hear they caused a ruckus across the street.”<br>
The handful of drunks who remained in the corner chuckled bemusedly at this.

Soran did not respond, looking indifferently out the window into the small garden that shared a border with the building. The morning light shone through the clouds in strange hues, looking as though it had not yet made up its mind whether the day should be stormy or clear. He closed his green eyes tiredly as he downed the remaining half of his whiskey, letting the cool liquid burn down his throat. As he reopened them, he caught sight of a strange organic object falling past the window. He blinked as it landed with a soft thump in the bushes below. ~'That looked like a pig...'~ he thought skeptically.

“Something interesting out there?” queried the barkeep, following Soran’s icy stare out the window.

“No,” the rogue said, turning back toward the counter and gesturing for the barkeep to refill his glass. ~'I should start sleeping more.'~


Mizuki:

Mizuki finished the last of the wet cloths and stashed them into a basket to carry up to her and Minuette's room where she would hang them....somehow. She didn't trust the people around here with her cloths. She struggled with the overly sized basket as she came into the the tavern under the inn.

"Stupid basket. What are they making these things out of?" she grumbled. As she walked her blue bathrobe glided behind her and her brown hair slowly dryed more. As she walked in a man caught her eye. It was a man wearing a trench coat. 'Reminds me of Min.' she thought carelessly. But what caught her brown eyes more was his ears. 'An elf! When the last time I saw someone of my kind? Well, half my kind.'

As she stared at the man and walked at the same time she collided into a sitting man. CRASH! The man had spilled his drink all over him and now he was pissed.

"You little! Look what you did!" he yelled causing comotion. Mizuki scrambled around trying to keep her cool and re-collect her cloths.

"I assure you sir," she said getting up. "That it was an accident and I aplogize." she stared at him hard given him the look that she would not be frightened of him.

"Accident? I'll give you an accident!" and he went to attack her catching her off guard. 'I had to not wear my sword downstairs!' she cursed herself. She was also in a bad position. She was wearing nothing but a robe! She couldn't risk a move without revealing herself to the now crowding males. 'Crap!'

Soran Nightblade:

Soran raised his eyes up from his glass as he heard the tavern door swing open. He looked over his shoulder for a moment to survey the newcomer. She was barely dressed and carrying a large, awkward basket of laundry in front of her body. The rogue pinned her instantly as one of the two women the barkeep had mentioned. The strange woman caught his eyes in a brief glance for a moment before Soran turned away again. He raised his glass to his lips and was about to drink when a loud clatter sounded from the back of the room.

"You little! Look what you did!" shouted a man’s voice from the direction of the noise.

”I assure you, sir, that it was an accident and I apologize,” came a woman’s even voice in reply.

"Accident? I'll give you an accident!" the man growled.

Soran’s gaze hardened as he heard the screech of a chair grinding backward on the hardwood floor. The other patrons spoke amongst themselves excitedly, sensing a battle in the making. The barkeep’s face fell as he looked toward the corner of the room, and then snapped an uncomfortable glance at Soran. The rogue turned to the source of the racket and saw that one of the drunks had jumped to his feet, and was preparing to strike the woman. The barkeep stared at the rogue pleadingly from behind the counter, hoping Soran was in the mood to control riffraff at eight in the morning.

Soran frowned and lifted two fingers up into the air, clearing his throat authoritatively. The room fell to a reverent hush as all eyes watched to see what Soran would do about the situation. “Keep it down,” ordered Soran icily, resting one elbow deliberately on the counter so that the edge of his armblade flashed from beneath his sleeve.

The man whose drink had been spilled down his front froze and eyed the rogue, his hand poised above him to strike the woman. Staring into Soran’s frozen glare seemed to cool the drunk’s temper, and he warily lowered his fist. In the taverns, Nightblade’s judgment was law, and the man knew Soran was out of his league. He staggered drunkenly toward the young woman, looking her up and down snidely.

“There there,” he cooed condescendingly to the apparently defenseless girl, “I changed mah min’. After all, I wouldn’ wanna damage such a pretty face.” He lifted a coarse hand to stroke her delicate cheek.

Mizuki:

Mizuki stood in total shock about what had just taken place. 'Everthing calmed down after the man spoke up.' She was completely taken aback by his authority. The drunk had backed down apparently afraid of the man. Her gaze shifted from the man who had practically saved and back to the drunk.

“There there,” he cooed to her, “I changed mah min’. After all, I wouldn’ wanna damage such a pretty face.” and he lifted his hand to her cheek. Mizuki looked at him disgusted and with one quick movement she grabbed his arm and flung him across the room.

"You do not touch me." she said cooly. She hated when a man touched her with something besides friendly matters on their mind. She quickly regained herself and marched up the stairs, but not before she gave the man that had calmed the drunk down with a quick and silent 'thank you.'

OOC: My friend Minuette can't RP for a week being in Mexico so I guess I'll do some slight parts for her.

When she finally reached her room Minuette was all up n her toes.

"What happened down there?" Minuette asked.

"Nothing. Just a little clash with a drunken but someone helped me." Mizuki went to hang their cloths in various places to dry around the room and ignored the red head's raised eyebrow and questioning glances. 'That man had high power down there. Like, they all obeyed him.' her thoughts ran thru her mind as she hung the cloths and waited for them to dry. She needed to shop for more cloths, get a job offer and well......travel more?

Soran Nightblade:

The rogue returned to his drink calmly, not flinching as he heard the drunk’s body crack against a table and slouch to the floor. He’d had a feeling the woman knew more about self defense than her shy posture had let on, and the groan that rose from the man on the floor confirmed his suspicion. He watched the girl in his peripheral vision as she walked past him to the staircase, looking at him strangely for a moment before ascending.

Silently acknowledging what had just transpired, the tavern fell back to its usual atmosphere. Nobody payed any mind to the drunk as he picked himself up, grumbling, and stumbled out of the building. Soran finished his drink and rose to leave, dropping a few coins on the bar to cover his tab and giving a parting nod to the bartender. He squinted slightly as he stepped from the dark room into the bright daylight outside.

As soon as his eyes adjusted, he turned left past several inns and a butcher shop, then ducked into a quiet alley. He took note of a small group of men dressed in black lounging rebelliously near the entrance to the alley. They were silent as he passed, then resumed their secretive and heated conversation. The rogue walked down the alley until he reached the entrance to an abandoned apartment along the side of the stone wall. In front of the doorway was a pair of large, flat stone ledges about two feet tall extending outward from the side of the alley.

Soran stepped lightly onto one of the ledges and sat down, resting his upper back against the wall. He knew this location well. It was ideal because it was quiet enough to relax, but strategically located so that he could hear trouble from almost anywhere within the red-light district of Hepian.

He looked up and down the barren alley, long brown hair straying into his face. Not a soul to be found, and no one to disturb him: alone. This was the way he wanted it…of course…<br>
Of course. He put his bladed arms behind his head and closed his eyes for a much-needed rest.

Mizuki:

"Finally." Mizuki stated as she found her cloths dry enough to wear. She quickly put them on and told Minuette she was heading out. She walked down the stairs and smirk at the bartender taking note that the drunk that assulted her was gone. As she walked into the sunshine she took deep breaths.

"Finally, I don't smell alcohol anymore. The stench was too much to bare." she said to herself as she walked off. As she walked saw saw a glimspe of the garden and saw the body of the pig her friend had feasted on. She chuckled to herself and kept walking. "Cloths, cloths, cloths, cloths." she chanted to herself as she walked down the road to find a shop. This time, she did not forget to bring her sword and arrows with her incase anything happened.

After finally coming to a shop that looked decent enough to hold good clothing she walked in. She looked thru the many fabrics and already made shirts, skirts, pants...etc. In the end she bought some night cloths, boots and a new replacement black cloak because she found a tear in her's while washing them.

When she walked out she found she almost had no money left. "Crap. I need a job and fast." she said to herself.

"You did it again, eh Mizuki?" said an all too familar voice behind her. She spun to find an old friend from back on her ship. He was a tall man with amber eyes and sandy brown hair. He wore a black silk shirt with ripped off sleeves and black pants that fit like a second skin to him that tucked under knee high boots.

"Luc!" she yelled. "Where'd you come from?"

"Well it seems you remember me." Luc chuckled.

"How can I forget you?" she said gripping for her arrows. "You betrayed me!" And with one fast movement she shot an arrow at him which he just barely ducked in time. He came up behind her and put his dagger to her throat.

"I always outbested you Mizuki. Now be a good girl and come with me please." he said. Mizuki sneered and jabbed him in his stomach making him double over and she quickly got out of his grasp. She held up an arrow to his head.

"Why? So you can trap me?" she snarled. 'Not him again!' she thought angrily, 'I thought I lost him in the forests!'

Soran Nightblade:

Soran stirred slightly from his sleep. He thought he’d heard the sound of argument from just outside the alley. One of the voices sounded strangely familiar. He kept his eyes closed, silently monitoring the situation.

Mizuki:

Mizuki couldn't understand why Luc was here. 'That bastard is still alive.' she thought angrily. Luc smirked at her from under the arrows point and without warning used mage magic to throw her down.

"What the--?!" Mizuki yelled as she was being thrown. When she landed on her back Luc stood over her laughing.

"Did I forget to tell I'm a studying mage now?" he snickered and Mizuki swung at his legs with her father's sword. Luc had brought out his own raipier as she stood up and they began to sword fight. Mizuki would jab mulitple times at him and he would somehow block with ease. 'Curse him.' They moved across and down the road making a clatter with their sword's that they had drawn a small crowd.

Luc swung at her feet and Mizuki jumped up on little ledges on the buildings to get higher ground and be away. Luc smirked and began to play dirty firing at her with his new found mage skills making it now hard for her to reach a ledge without slipping. Mizuki reached the top of the building she was leaping on and yelled down to him:

"What? You can't use your new skills to get you up here?" Luc sneered and came up for her where they battled hard. Soon Luc got her cornered at the edge of the building.

"You can't move Mizuki." he snickered. "Either move you make you'll die." Mizuki stared at him and got ready to jump until he struck her feet. Mizuki cried out as the blood creeped down from her feet and on the ground. Luc laughed and struck her in the arm with his sword and fired at her with his magic again. With a scream she fell from the rooftop and landed on the ground unable to move and in pain. 'I can't get a break can I?' she thought, 'just came to get a job and he comes trying to kill me!'

Luc was at her side now. "If you just surrender now Mizuki you will live." he said to her. Mizukii weighed her options and she came to the conclusion that she didn't want to die this early in life. 'Curse him.'

Soran Nightblade:

Nightblade’s eyes snapped open warily as the sounds of metal clashing against metal confirmed his suspicion of a fight. The clanging stopped for a moment, and all Soran heard was jumbled shouting. One of the voices still sounded familiar, and now it was coming from the rooftop at the end of his alley. A loud crunch indicated to him that the second fighter was now on the rooftop as well. ~’To jump that distance…someone up there is using magic.’~

Looking to his right, he saw a small crowd gathered by the mouth of the alley, looking upward and trying to catch bits of the fight. Now that the battle was above him, Soran began to hear things more clearly.

“You can’t move, Mizuki,” snickered a male voice, “Either move you make, you’ll die.”<br>
The rogue heard the telltale sound of steel meeting flesh, then a woman’s agonized scream. Looking sharply up to the rooftops, he realized why the voice had seemed so familiar. The woman from the bar was teetering dangerously along the edge of the roof, grasping an injured arm with one hand and painfully wielding a large sword with the other. Soran’s eyes narrowed as an invisible force seemed to propel her backward and off the roof. She must have done something a bit worse than spill beer down someone’s shirt to get into this one. The rogue rose to his feet solemnly as the woman crashed to the ground several yards away. The crowd at the mouth of the alley began to squeeze inward, but a firm signal from Soran halted their approach.

He looked critically at the woman who lay on the alley floor, and then up to the roof she had fallen from. Sure enough, her opponent, a human man slightly taller than Soran, leapt down from where he had struck the girl and landed agilely beside her immobilized body.

“If you just surrender now Mizuki you will live,” the man said.

The onlookers watched Soran expectantly for a decision on whether the fight was to be interrupted or ignored. The rogue frowned inwardly, ignoring their stares. He contemplated the woman who lay bleeding on the ground in front of him, his eyes cold and unreadable. There was no avoiding the situation now.

“Can I help you,” he demanded acidly to the human, his voice low and dangerous. “You seem to have made a mess in my alley.”


Mizuki:

Mizuki laid wounded on the ground and Luc looked down on her smiling wickedly.

“Can I help you,” said a familiar male voice. “You seem to have made a mess in my alley.” Mizuki tried to look in the direction of the voice and saw the same man who had helped her. She opened her mouth to speak but Luc cut her off.

"This doesn't concern you elf. This would be unfinished buisness between me and Mizuki so crawl back into your spot." Luc sneered. Mizuki knew how much Luc wasn't found of elves, but he had made an exception for her being half of his kind.

"Don't......mess with him." Mizuki choked out. Luc heard her and kicked her. Mizuki yelped in pain. 'Please, if you're going to pull something be careful!' she screamed in her head. 'Don't die.' She felt liked she owed the guy who helped her back at the tavern, and she didn't want him killing himself in her battle.

Soran Nightblade:

“This doesn’t concern you elf. This would be unfinished business between me and Mizuki so crawl back into your spot,” sneered Luc to Soran.

“Don't......mess with him!”<br>
Soran began pacing darkly toward the unfamiliar human, ignoring the woman’s plea. “Oh, but you see, it *is* my business. Your little tiff is disturbing my rest,” the rogue explained dryly.

Luc smirked as he sized up the approaching elf. He raised his sword readily and gestured with two fingers for Soran to bring it on.

Soran pulled his sleeves back as he approached the human, revealing two curved steel blades that arced menacingly up along his forearms, tapering to daggerlike points several inches above his elbows. Raising them up aggressively into an X formation in front of his chest, he broke into a run and charged toward Luc.

Luc sneered and flicked one of his hands slightly toward the rogue. Soran recognized too late that a spell was being cast, and braced himself. A burst of invisible force slammed into his shoulder, twisting his momentum slightly to the side as he reached Luc’s position. Regaining control of his movement, Soran let the sideways momentum throw him into a spinning kick, his leg flying in a wide crescent and slamming into the side of Luc’s head.

Soran landed in a ready crouch and immediately lunged up at Luc’s neck, raising both blades to strike. In mid-pounce, he suddenly noticed the heavy blade of Luc’s sword flying toward him from the side. He barely had time to swing his left arm into position, parrying the strike. The weapon had a lot of force behind it, and sent Soran flying sideways. His head cracked roughly against stone as his body bounced off the alley wall and ricocheted to the ground.

The rogue pushed himself back up dizzily and pondered what had just happened. An average person would be badly dazed, if not knocked out entirely, by the kick he had delivered to Luc. So how had the man managed to throw such a clear-headed blow with his sword? It was time to stop playing. His green eyes scanned his opponent for an opening, and found one on his left side. Kicking off the wall for an extra burst of speed, he rushed at Luc and slashed a wide gash across the man’s midsection, then spun around just in time to block a strike from the furious man’s weapon.

The two opponents pushed away from each other, scanning each other for weaknesses. Soran decided he would wait for Luc to make the next move, and stood ready for whatever the man would throw at him next. Luc looked at Soran for a moment, as if to attack, and then suddenly spun in the opposite direction, facing Mizuki’s crumpled form on the ground. He grinned wickedly at Soran as he lifted his sword and swung it violently down toward the girl’s chest.

Soran’s eyes narrowed as he realized what was happening. He hadn’t expected the man to sink to this. The rogue dove roughly into Luc and bowled him over just as the sword would have met its target. It flew from the man’s hand as the rogue flew into him much faster than he’d expected was possible. Soran and Luc fell to the ground together, wrestling viciously for a moment. Soran finally pinned Luc beneath him, clutching the man’s neck firmly with both hands. Luc tried pulling Soran’s hands away, but the blades on his wrists just cut gashes into his sweating palms, mangling them so badly that they weren’t useful for much. Except…

Soran flinched as an invisible hammer seemed to pound into his chest. He glared at Luc as another pulse of magical force pounded into him, and another, and another, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Luc grimaced knowingly at the elf above him, sending blast after blast at point-blank up into Soran’s body.

“You can’t hold on forever,” he choked, his face beginning to turn blue.

“You can’t cast forever either,” rasped Soran, wondering just how much magical power the human had left.

Mizuki:

Mizuki watched in horror as the man attacked Luc feircly. What she hadn't expect was for Luc to sink so low as to strike her and try to kill her. 'Oh god!' she thought it was her end until the man slammed himself into Luc. She heard the two men clash with each other off in a distance not far from her and tried to move. It hurt, the wound she had received hurt so much. She winced getting up but she tried her best to ignore it.

She watched as the man pinned Luc to the ground and they both struggled with each other. The man looked as though he was getting hit with an invisible force.

"I've....got to help him." Mizuki struggled with the pain of her wound and picking up her sword. She limped over to them rage burning within her eyes for Luc daring to come back for her. Luc had seen her first though and with the last of his magical energy he got the man off of him and scrambled to his feet.

"Mizuki you wrench!" Luc hissed. "After a few years alone you finally can't take you solitude alone anymore so you find yourself a 'friend'?" Mizuki's eyes hardened on him.

"You know that this is not what you think. I barely know him." Mizuki said angry. She held up her sword to his chest. She heard the man behind her scramble to his feet. He was just as surprised as she was of the magic Luc had obtained over time. Mizuki just barely glanched at the man who had came beside her, sort of.

"Please don't get in this. This is my fight." she pleaded from the man. She heard Luc snicker and start backing away. "Ah! You coward! Are you just going to run?!"

"I'll leave you two alone." Luc snickered. "I'll be back for you though Mizuki, so you'd better be ready." And with that he dissapeared beyond an alley.

"Coward. Once he almost see's defeat he runs.." Mizuki turned to the man wearily. "Please, I thank you for helping even if I know you didn't do it for me. I apologize for getting you into this." Mizuki smiled wearily and checked her arm. She lost a lot of blood and she was getting dizzy. Her world was spinning and getting hazy until she finally collasped blacking from the loss of blood.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran rose shakily to his feet, making sure not to give any indication of the damage he’d been dealt. That final blow had sent him reeling, and something felt wrong inside his chest.

”Please don’t get in this. This is my fight,” Mizuki was pleading. Soran noticed that her eyes were not quite focused as she glanced at him, and her face was very pale. ~’Still fighting in that condition? You’ll feel it in the morning’~ he thought. The rogue stood calmly as he watched Mizuki and Luc argue for a moment. Luc clearly had no energy to continue the fight, and darted off into the shadows.

Mizuki shouted after him bitterly, then turned to Soran and began to mumble an awkward apology, seeming preoccupied with her arm. Her speech began to run together as she dizzily finished her sentence, and then she collapsed heavily to the ground.

Soran knelt beside her, feeling her neck for a pulse and eyeing the deep wounds on the flesh of her arm and feet. Several men broke from the crowd of onlookers and ran up to Soran as he rose back to his feet sternly. They moved to lift the half-elf’s body, but Soran interrupted them.

“No. Don’t move her. Bring a doctor.”<br>
The men ran off to seek the local physician, who was just down the road. The remaining onlookers dispersed as Soran cast them a look that said “there’s nothing more to see here.”

Twenty minutes later, Soran stood watchfully against the stone wall with his armblades crossed casually in front of him as the doctor finally finished dressing the girl’s wounds. “I don’t normally make house calls,” the doctor said wryly, “This will cost you quite a bit.”<br>
“Take that,” Soran said indifferently, gesturing toward the sword Luc had dropped during the fight.

The physician lifted the sword and inspected it critically, but the stern flash in Soran’s eyes told him not to fuss. He collected his tools and the heavy sword. “Someone should stay with her until she wakes up,” he said over his shoulder as he left the alley.

Soran bent down and moved the girl so that she lay beside the stone perch he had been lying on earlier. He eyed her warily, then scanned the surrounding area. When he was sure he was alone, he curled against the wall and went into a long-restrained fit of coughing, spattering blood onto the ground as his chest wrenched painfully. As soon as his breathing became more controlled, he stepped up to his ledge and leaned against the wall. Taking one more look at the sleeping half elf, he unwillingly drifted into sleep.

Mizuki:

She was in blackness, just swiming in it. She had no idea where she was and she was afraid. The only reminder she had was the pain in her arm.


"Gah!" she woke up sweating and her arm throbbing. When she went to hold it she found it bandaged. 'What the--?' she thought. Then she remembered the fight that happened and became alert. 'Did Luc take me? Where am I?!' she took in her surroundings. 'I'm practically still where I was before during the fight....except in a different spot.' She found she was near a stone perch and everyone before had cleared.

"Curse Luc, curse this wound...." Mizuki sat bitterly staring into nothing. She heard the soft sounds of breathing off to her side and saw the man before. She looked to her bandaged arm then back to him. "Did he...?" She wasn't sure. When they met breifly he didn't seem like a friendly person so she doubted that he had bandaged her wound. But then there was the question of why he was near her sleeping. She wanted to get up but she was still weary from that battle.

She saw splattered blood on the ground and became curious. 'I know he got wounded and Luc had been gicing him some invisible blows.' She felt the annoying grip of guilt cling at her and she felt like she should do something for the man who had, she guessed, saved her....again. She felt like she owed him greatly. 'Min. I wish you were here. I don't even know his name.' Mizuki glanced his way again and sighed.

She saw that the things she had bought were n the ground a good distance away and her legs felt like led.

"Mizuki just concentrate your energy into healing first, then we'll worry about other things." she told herself and closed her eyes concentrating.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran opened his eyes slowly as he finally began to wake up. He looked to the left and found the girl from before, who was apparently still sleeping. From the long shadows that stretched down the alley, he guessed it was almost evening. It occurred to him that he hadn’t eaten yet that day. He unfastened a canteen from his belt and drank some water, ignoring the stinging sensation in his chest as he swallowed.

Mizuki:

Mizuki slowly felt the heavy feeling on her legs drifting as she had concentrated healing. Her mother had taught her that trick when she was younger. Mizuki sighed at the memory of her mother, she was the elven half of her. Slowly her eyes fluttered open to notice a darkening sky.

"Damn, not what I planned." she cursed and slowly got up and on her feet. She barely noticed that the man was awake and began going in the direction of the cloths that were dropped. It wasn't too dark where you couldn't see, but it was too dark to get back to the inn. Mizuki muttered to herself as she gathered her fallen belongings and went back to where she had layed. When she sat back downshe checked out her sword and arrows. Her arrows were still plentiful and her sword was still there. Luc had a thing about stealing a fallen opponets sword and ponning it off. Mizuki sighed and stared up at the evening sky.

Then Mizuki's stomach growled and she frowned. "I haven't eaten since breakfast," she checked her change bag. "Just barely any money left." She cringed. Dare she go and hunt at this time?

Soran Nightblade:

Soran watched silently as the woman rose and began sorting through the parcels she’d dropped earlier. She was steady on her feet and seemed to be moving fairly easily, although that shouldn’t have been possible considering the wounds he’d witnessed earlier. The half elf had looked directly at him, but did not seem to notice that he was awake. He attributed this to the fact that her vision was half-human, because no full elf would have difficulty seeing in this light.

The woman had gathered her things, and he thought she was about to leave, but instead she returned to the place he’d left her and sat back down. He watched her guardedly as she seemed to take stock of her remaining weapons. He heard her stomach rumble softly, then the sound of almost-worthless copper coins being counted. This situation felt surprisingly tense for some reason. ~’Well, she’s awake. There’s no reason I can’t leave,’~ he told himself, rising to his feet.

Mizuki:

Mizuki barely took notice of anything that was happening around her. She was too peroccupied with her troubles at the moment to hear the man get up. She took check of her arm again.

"I'm going to kill him the next time I see him." she muttered to herself. She eventually left a moving presence and her first thought was Luc. She quickly grabbed her sword and stood up ready for anything. A bit too ready. "Luc I'm going to kill you!" She almost then made contact with the man who had fought Luc. Her eyes widened and she gasped stopping her blade short. 'That's a beautiful way to say goodbye to a leaving man Mizuki!' she cursed herself and brought her blade down feeling even more stupid and guilty.

Soran Nightblade:

The rogue froze as he sensed movement behind him and spun around, eyeing Mizuki crossly as he found a sword frozen inches from his head. He had no reason to trust this woman, but at the same time he couldn’t think of a reason why she would want to attack him. Whatever her reasoning had been, she had halted her attack. As he noticed the look of almost comical horror on her face, he understood what had just happened.

“The man you were fighting ran off,” he said dispassionately, pushing the tip of her sword to the side with his fingertips. “Or were you aiming this at me?”


Mizuki:

Mizuki felt instantly ashamed.

“The man you were fighting ran off,” he said calmly. “Or were you aiming this at me?” Mizuki slumped her shoulders and brought her sword down.

"No, I am sorry, I just jumped." she said. She shifted on her feet and looked at the ground. She didn't no what else to say and feared he hated her. She didn't like making enemies with any new person she just had met. She put her sword back in its scabbard and gulped. 'What now?' she thought.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran looked at the half elf unreadably. Her apology sounded candid and her eyes looked honest. He looked awkwardly at a crack in the wall to his left, unable to think of something to say. Why was he even trying to think of something to say? God, he was so hungry.

”Your arm?” he questioned coolly, gesturing toward her bandaged limb.

Mizuki:

When he asked about her arm after a long pause she gave a half smile.

"It's ok." she responded. She looked at his chest. There was a drying gash there. "What about your wound?" she asked carefully. She began to lossen up a bit around him but she still detected some hostility.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran looked down at the small gash he had acquired on his chest, touching it absently. He hadn’t noticed it until the girl pointed it out. ~’So not all of those attacks were magical ones.’~

”It’s fine,” he said, seeing no point in explaining that the majority of his chest wounds were probably internal. He stiffened as his stomach let out a long, embarrassing growl.

Mizuki:

Mizuki laughed when his stomach growled.

"You're hungry too huh?" She smiled then looked down at the ground absentmindedly kicking away a rock. "Oh god! I'm so sorry! I never really got your name." Mizuki wasn't sure if it was her hunger or something else, she just felt unlike herself. A gentle breeze blew in and tossed her hair. She turned her head slightly and looked at the sky. The stars were beautiful, and then she thought of Minuette. 'Ack, I wonder how worried she'll be when I finally....if I get back?' she thought. She glanced back at the man and smiled.

Soran Nightblade:

Mizuki’s soft laugh caught Soran off guard. He hadn’t heard a laugh like that since literally before he could remember. He blinked at her, an uncharacteristically bewildered expression crossing his face. He quickly brought his features back under control, regarding the girl curiously from beneath his stern mask.

”You’re hungry too huh?” she asked, kicking a rock. “Oh god! I’m so sorry! I never really got your name.” The girl cast him a disarming smile.

The rogue regarded her with a suddenly-icy frown. He wasn’t sure he liked where this was going, but he heard himself answer, “Soran.”

He glanced sharply upward as he heard feet scuttling along the rooftops. The Black Crows, as the small gang of black-clad local hooligans liked to call themselves, were out looking for trouble, as usual. They would not bother Soran, but they would probably jump at the chance to mess with a young lady with poor night vision wandering the city alone. The rogue lowered his gaze to the bandages on Mizuki’s arm and feet. “You might want to follow me,” he said indifferently, and began walking toward the mouth of the alley.

Sakura:

Tora took a deep breath. "The stench of human civilization," she clarified. "I am finally here."

At that moment Tora's stomach howled with hunger, and she cringed at the pain. Its been well over 3 months since she last feed. Tigers are hard to come by, and even harder to catch. But God is their blood delicious... She sniffed the air- no tigers

"The circus... the circus was suppose to be here... I must have just...missed them...damn!" Tora bellowed over to the growls of her stomach. She did not know how much longer she can go like this.

A shout caused Tora to jump, forgetting her pain for a split second.

"Damn the bitch to hell! And her little man-slut too! I'll get you back Mizuki! I swear-"

Two bodies colide and fall to the earth. Tora quickly regains her senses, and looks upon the crackpot who smashed into her. She agreed the pitiful person in her was a sad excuse for a man. Studying his body she could tell that he had just been in a battle and he had no energy left to fight. She can finish him off quickly.

Tora pulled out her deadly weapons she kept hidden in her hair. Her kamas.

The man's eyes widened. "Please," he begged. "Please don't kill me, I will do anything, ANYTHING."

Tora smirked. "Only a weakling begs for his life. Tell me, sir, what do you have to live for?"

The man looked up. "Love."

"I think not," Tora said coldly. "I heard you shouting vengence, vengence on a...hmm, Mizuki is a womans name... no matter. Whoever this 'Mizuki' is, I will probably do her a favor by finishing you off." Tora grabbed his hair with her left hand and raised her kama with her right. The man closed his eyes and quivered with fright...

*growl*

Tora buckled over, and the man took off in a full-fleged sprint, despite his injuries.

"I've...I've become to weak... I couldn't even defeat... a weakling... like him..." Tora collected herself, and used every bit of her strength to stand. She twirled her kamas into her hair, perfectly placed, ready at any moment. "I must find something to eat... I have never ate... human food. Maybe it will help... I must find... a place to eat."

Tora began to limp down the streats. She cursed herself for the weak display, but with her strength at an all time low, there was nothing else she could to. As she stumbled down the streats, Tora's left boot got caught on a rock, and she finally fell to the ground.

Her stomach roared, but Tora's anger refused the pain. "I can't believe I let myself get this weak! If human food does not heal me, then I must resort to human blood!"

Tora picked herself up, determined regain the strength she has lost. She looks for a place to eat...

Mizuki:

Mizuki was a bit put off at his frown to her when she asked his name, but she shurged it off. 'It wouldn't have mattered anyway.' she thought. She saw Soran look up for a moment and became a bit more aware of her surroundings. It was night now, and they had to be careful of the dangers that like to prowl the streets.

“You might want to follow me,” he said. It was more of a demand but she could tell he meant something by it. She mentaly shruged and followed him until she heard the disturbing sound from behind her. It sounded like someone fell and she turned around suddenly to search thru the darkness. 'Damn my eyes! I can't see that well since I'm not a full elf!' she thought cursing.

"Wait," she called out to Soran who was already heading in his direction of choice. "I heard something." She heard a rather loud hungry growl. Sounded like someone was hungry and they were pretty close. Mizuki began to go in the direction of the sound with her arrows drawn in case of anything that attacked her. 'I hope I don't get attacked, I'll feel so weak and helpless in front of Soran and I know for a fact I can defend myself. Except for this damned night!'

Ceron:

Somewhere in the woods a strange Werewolf notices someone who is in a weakened state. "They might be in trouble." He runs over to where he sniffed the person out. He notices a half-elf walking toward a person doubled over. He watches in the shadows. Waiting...

Soran Nightblade:

Soran paused as Mizuki asked him to wait, looking back over his shoulder. On the street beyond the half elf, another woman had fallen roughly to the pavement. He narrowed his eyes skeptically as Mizuki turned to approach the strange figure. He disapproved of such whimsical idealism, but as he opened his mouth to criticize he realized he was no better, having helped a stranger himself that day. What had gotten in to him? He followed a short distance behind Mizuki, frowning at the strange person lying on the ground.

Mizuki:

Mizuki held her arrows up. She could now finally see the person. It was a woman, a pale woman and she didn't look good.

"You!" Mizuki called out. "Are you ok?!" Mizuki knew she should be aware but she wanted to help the person. So she rushed forward ignoring her common sense.

Sakura:

Tora glanced to each side. She saw no one there, and her sense of smell was clouded by the pain of hunger. She knew she was the perfect prey for attack.

In the death silence of the night, Tora heard the setting of an arrow on a bow... *twang*

Tora leaped up, and the bow nearly missed her foot by a half centimeter. She landed and pulled out her sycthes immediatley. Tora suspiciously eyed the direction of the arrow in a guard stance.

Usually Tora's senses would be good enough to sense people, thus its very hard to ambush her. But Tora not being at her top strength could not even smell the dirty blood of the gangsters hidden in the shadows.

Eleven gangsters surrounded Tora from all sides, one holding a bow, the others swords.

"You have no where to go," the hoodlum with the bow said. "Surrender yourself, and I'll treat you... 'nice'." A deep laughter filled the gang, and Tora knew what this man had in mind.

Tora grasped the end of her kama. "I won't lose. Not even in this condition I can't lose to them."

Tora sprinted toward the hooligan dressed in black in a blinding rage. Her impulse costed her an arrow to the rib and she once again became accquainted with the earth.

"You're finished, bitch." A sword came to her neck.

"No," Tora gasped. "I can't die. Not like this..."

Ceron:

Noticeing the peril the pale Vamipire is in, Ceron leaps into the fray and starts clawing at the gang. "Leave her ALONE!" He is soon fully focused on the battle...

Sakura:

Tora looks up at the strange werewolf. Some helping her. Her? Wow, she thought to herself, thats a first.

The werewolfs claws made deep gnashes the bodies of the gangsters, as blood oozed out. Tora would not let this kind werewolf fight alone. She will gather her strength through human blood.

She picked up one gangster and sunk her teeth into his neck. Tora almost gaged at the taste of the blood, but it was better than nothing.

She threw the human corpse aside and drank another... and another... and another.

Tora stood as half her strength returned to her. It was far from what she was capable of, but this strength should be enough to handel these thieves.

As she stood, she was struck dumbfounded. 11 corpses lied on the ground, and she stared at the werewolf who defeated them. She

Her stomach twerked, and Tora felt a sick feeling in her throat. She knew Tiger Blood was the only blood her body accepted.

Before she could do anything, Tora repayed the werewolf's kindness by throwing up blood on him and collapsed unconcious to the earth.

OOC: I'm going to be away all day today so I won't get back to this until later.

Mizuki:

Mizuki saw ho the girl was getting jumped.

"NO!" Mizuki yelled. But she stopped short as everything just went dead. Mizuki ran up calling for Soran to come with her even if she knew he probablly wouldn't. She saw the girl collasped and unconsious. She also saw a werewolf over her. "You! Stop right there!" she took that he had attacked her.

Ceron:

Looks over to a strange half-elf, but does stop. "She was in peril. She needs help. If you want I will accompany you to a doctor..." Motions to pick up the girl.

OOC: looks like i have to go to the beach... will probably not be back till like 12 tonight... friggin work. well peace till then.

Mizuki:

Mizuki let down her arrows and nodded. She went to the girls side and checked her pulse. "At least she's still alive." Mizuki said. She noticed her fangs. "Vampire..." she whispered. Mizuki looked up to examine the new male. He had blue eyes and was tall. She sat by the girls side silent and staring at him. He was a werewolf alright. 'But don't they stay in packs?' she thought to herself.

She looked at the girl and saw that on her face were stripes. "Strange.." she said to herself.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran watched the battle impassively from a short distance away, observing the behavior of all involved. He’d seen the new woman drink the blood of her enemies, and recognized the man who seemed to be helping her as a werewolf. The clashing of claws and weapons rang noisily in his ears, reminding him of how little he wanted to be there. After a moment, the fighting ceased and the street became quiet again. Soran turned slowly from the battle and began to walk away, but was stopped by Mizuki’s voice. She had called out to him. He stood still for a moment, deliberating, then turned back toward the half elf, his face cold and expressionless as he approached her.

”You! Stop right there!" Mizuki shouted to the tall figure that had just landed next to the woman.

"She was in peril. She needs help. If you want I will accompany you to a doctor..." the werewolf said, lifting up the vampire in his arms.

"At least she's still alive,” Mizuki said, nodding.

Soran narrowed his eyes, wondering how anyone could be so careless as to trust a pair of strangers just because one of them seemed injured, especially when Mizuki was the staple of one of their diets. He studied the vampire’s unconscious face and the blood on the ground that her body had rejected. Her features showed all the telltale signs of malnutrition. Even if the doctor were available at this time of night, he would not know how to treat this.

The rogue knew of only one person in the district who knew something about Vampire metabolism. That old geezer just happened to frequent the tavern where Soran had planned to eat. If this odd group would follow him there, he could get something to eat and stop worrying about Mizuki wandering the streets alone…~’not that I’m worried, it’s just a pain…’~. If they wouldn’t follow, his night would be that much quieter.

“The doctor isn’t here,” he said icily to the werewolf. “If you want someone who will help her, follow me.” He eyed the other man questioningly, knowing that if he were in his shoes he would not trust such an offer from a stranger.

Ceron:

Follows Soran with the injured Vampire in his arms, wary of any more bandits.

Mizuki:

Mizuki looked at Soran and she could tell he did not want to be here. She nodded at his propsal and looked back at the wherewolf and smiled.

"Thank you." she said to Soran. She helped the werewolf pick up the vampire girl. "Do you know where he might be?" she asked Soran. She then turned back to the werewolf. Eh, better get to know someone she'll be with for sometime. "My name is Mizuki." She hoped he would be friendly and another fight wouldn't break out. She was tired of fighting as it was.

Ceron:

Looks emotionless at the Half elf who called herself Mizuki. "Mizuki huh? Well my name is Ceron... And as you probably have guessed... I am not the atypical Werewolf. Who else I am, you can shape your own judgements. Now, lets get this girl well again."

Soran Nightblade:

Soran turned without a word and began walking down the street to their left, listening watchfully to the conversation of those behind him. Almost there.

Mizuki:

Mizuki smiled at Ceron. "I'll shape my judgments that you mean well for helping this girl." Mizuki glanced over her shoulder to Soran. He was so quiet and she was concerned. 'He's not much of a people person.' she thought, 'but then again, I guess he has good reason.' She looked back to Ceron and the girl concentrating on getting her well.

"Do you by any chance know her?" she asked Ceron. She looked into his eyes hoping he did. It would help a lot to know she would be in familiar company. 'I need to get back to Minuette before she gets worried too.' Mizuki normaly didn't enjoy too much company but she liked Min. a lot as a friend and she'd be a nice traveling companion. She wasn't sure about Soran because he seemed like someone who really didn't like company. Her thoughts then remembered his own wound.

"Ah, Soran," she asked him, "What about your wound? Will you be alright?" She owed him for helping her, so she might as well be concerned about him. Even if he seemed like he wouldn't return any kind of friendly gestures towards her.

Ceron:

"I am sorry, but I do not know her... I was just passing through when i noticed her weakened state. I noticed her only a few moments before the gang arrived." Thinks to himself, maybe I should hang around this group for a little bit, it might be interesting. And I might be able to kill a few Werewolves in there company... Accidently says aloud "This might be fun..." Follows Soran to their destination.

After a little ways, he notices someone following them... "We are being followed..."

Soran Nightblade:

“I said it’s fine," Soran replied, his voice missing its usual sting.

Mizuki:

"What?" Mizuki became tense. "How do you know? Stupid question." She began looking around nervously trying to keep her cool. "Do you think you could hold her on your own? She should get out my arrows to defend us if anything happens." she spoke quietly and gave the girl to him. She reached for her arrows and began to get one ready. She ran up a little ways to Soran.

"Soran, did you notice that we're being followed?" she asked him.

Soran Nightblade:

OOC: Sorry I modified this several times ^_^'' Off to get an oil change, back in about an hour.

Soran didn’t respond to Mizuki, listening warily for signs of activity on the rooftop next to them. He did have a bad feeling, but didn't want to announce that to whoever was watching them. That last fight had been too easy. *crack* He stopped short and spun around, looking warily upward toward the noise he’d just heard. His suspicions were confirmed as he saw a dark form launch from the rooftop, flying toward the unsuspecting half elf who was approaching him from behind. ~’So there was one more. Of course, they always keep a lookout,’~ he thought.

Soran glanced at the werewolf. Caron's arms were full, carefully protecting the unconscious vampire. The rogue lunged forward to intercept the Black Crow, sleeves flying back from his blades. He jumped into the air and slashed at the gangster with both arms. Their steel edges ripped rapidly along the attacker’s body, drawing two long gashes instantly across his neck and sending the black-clad man’s body lifeless to the ground. Soran twisted around as he descended, landing on his feet like a cat. He suddenly curled over wide-eyed; something inside his chest seemed to wrench painfully as he landed. This time he was unable to hold back the coughing, choking up blood from his unforgiving lungs.

Mizuki:

Mizuki gasped as everything happened in a confusing blurr. Someone in black had come after them until Soran knocked them down. The attacker seemed dead. Suddenly she heard Soran cough and she turned abruptly to him. He was coughing up blood.

"Oh god! Soran!" She rushed to his side trying to help him. Ceron came rushing forward at complete loss of what to do. "It must have been from the battle with Luc." she whispered to herself. She frowned at the memory and vowed to get him back. She prayed that Soran would be ok.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran forced himself back under control, wiping his mouth roughly with the back of his hand. ~’Shit.’~ He looked up grimly to find Mizuki watching him worriedly, one hand half-extended as though she wanted to offer help but wasn’t sure if it would be accepted. Even Ceron seemed concerned, which made Soran nervous. Had it looked that bad? He averted his eyes uncomfortably, steadying himself and rising to his feet. He felt he should say something to them, but couldn’t think of anything useful. His thoughts raced as he tried to regain his dignity.

Mizuki:

Mizuki took another step forward to Soran and tried to help him up and steady him. "Soran?" she whispered to him. She looked to Ceron for any kind of help but he hand his hands full. She thought quickly. 'Friendly or not, I've got to help him!' she thought determind.

"Soran, please let me help you. At least bandage yourself up before it bleeds you to death! Your ribs might be damaged too." She meant every word to help him, and she would help him if he wanted it or not. 'I'm repaying my debt to you.' she thought.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran’s concentration snapped back into focus as he felt a gentle hand grasp his arm and steady him. He started slightly, but did not try to shake it off.

"Soran, please let me help you. At least bandage yourself up before it bleeds you to death! Your ribs might be damaged too,” Mizuki said, making eye contact with him.

The rogue stared at her blankly for a moment. “I…” Why was he being like this? If she’d wanted to harm him, she’d have done so already. He spoke to her in a low, serious voice, “Something is damaged inside my chest. It’s probably just some internal bleeding from those magic blasts. It’s like they hit me…from the inside or something. Whatever it is, it will heal on its own. If it were something serious, I’d be dead by now.”


Mizuki:

Mizuki's face screwed up in concern and fear for him. "Please be ok Soran." she pleaded, "I couldn't bare it if the man who had saved me me died before I could repay him." she tried to laugh but it failed to lighten the mood. She hoped that he was right, that it would heal on its own. But she really, REALLY wanted to take no chances.

"Either way, if you agree with me or not, I still want you to be looked at. Do you need any help walking?" All of Mizuki's thoughts were now pointed on this situation, and she'd be damned if she ever let him die. 'Just live.' she prayed.

Soran Nightblade:

Mizuki’s sorrowful laugh brought a tiny pang of a different type to Soran’s chest. He looked away to hide the flash of emotion in his eyes. If only he hadn’t told her, she wouldn’t be looking at him like that.

"Either way, if you agree with me or not, I still want you to be looked at. Do you need any help walking?" she said.

Soran did not want to see a doctor, but he let it drop for the moment. “I can walk. You have a vampire to carry.” He looked back at Ceron, who was clearly having no problems carrying the woman by himself. That’s right…they had somewhere to be. Nightblade wiped his face one more time and resumed his previous pace. The tavern was two buildings away on their right.

Mizuki:

“I can walk. You have a vampire to carry.” Soran told them. He stood up and began to walk his normal pace again. Mizuki stood back for a moment worried, staring at his back. 'He said he'll be fine.' she told herself and she went back to Ceron with the collasped vampire.

"He said he'll be ok," she whispered. She looked at the ground when she felt herself about to cry. She tried to keep her face hidden behind her long brown hair that had fallen in her face, and tried to blink away the tears. She hated crying in front of people. When she recovered herself she looked back up and took a deep breathe.

She checked her arm. 'If Luc could do something like that to Soran, then maybe he did something to me when he had hit me with his sword.' she thought slightly afraid.

Ceron:

Ceron seems lost in all this. After all, he has just come across all of this. But he has made up his mind. He will help this group of people.

"Even if that will heal, it will be painful and take a long time," he says to Soran, "You should see a doctor." "I will keep all of these people alive as long as I draw breath," he thinks to himself.

Ceron notices that Mizuki is about to cry and shifting the vampire to one arm, he tries to comfort her. "This will all be ok, I won't let any of you die as long as I draw breath. I have made this decision," he says in an attempt to calm her.

Mizuki:

Mizuki felt Ceron's gentle touch on her shoulder and she jumped. 'Did he see me about to cry!?' she thought franticly.

"No," she tried to deny her tears. She hasn't cried since her fathers death so why cry now? "I'm fine and I'll be ok. I'm....just concerned for Soran....He did save me." She looked back down at the ground and her thoughts went back to the surprise attack. 'Who was that clad in black? Why is it that everyone seems after us?' she tried to concentrate but it only disturbed her.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran slowed as he came to the door of a tavern. Rowdiness seemed to pour out of the noisy bar as he pulled open its heavy wooden door. The inside of the room was dimly lit and the smells of smoke and liquor swam in the air. Everywhere men sat at drink, laughing or gambling or arguing. The room quieted just a little as the patrons noticed Soran and the strange group that was following him enter the room, but the nosie quickly rose back to its normal level.

The rogue made his way across the room to the barkeep, who nodded to him. Soran leaned toward the man and said something too quiet for the others to hear. The barkeep pointed upwards, indicating the stairwell in the corner of the room with his head. Soran gave him an obliging nod, then turned to the others and gestured that they should follow him to the second floor.

Mizuki:

Soran had motioned for them to follow him upstairs and they aceppted it. The smoke lingered in her nose and Mizuki felt sick. 'This place is disgusting.' she thought. They followed Soran up the stairs and Mizuki kept a sharp eye on the men in the room. Some looked at her in amusement and Mizuki couldn't stand it. She was grateful when they finally came to the top of the stairs onto the second floor.

The smoke barely lingered in the air up here and Mizuki was able to catch some clear deep breaths. She hated some, it destroyed the clean air around them.

"Soran, what kind of doctor are we seeing that could help her?" she asked him. She just wanted to make sure that it wasn't some fraud.

Soran Nightblade:

“Not a doctor. A vampire,” said Soran as he stopped in front of a small wooden door, knocked several times in a strange pattern, and entered. It took a moment for the rogue’s eyes to adjust; the room was pitch dark except for a small candle inside a screened lantern. The lantern rested on what appeared to be a desk in the center of the room, but all else was pitch black by human standards. Soran opened his mouth to announce his presence to the shriveled old man who sat busily reading at the desk, but the man spoke first.

“Soran, is it?” The man’s voice was warm and pleasant, and he spoke with an antiquated accent. Something about him seemed to emanate wisdom.

“It is,” Soran replied. “I have a question for you,” he said as Mizuki and Ceron entered the room with the unconscious vampire.

The old man lifted his eyebrows at Soran. “My my, boy. It’s not like you to pick strangers up off the street. Going soft?”<br>
Soran ignored the man’s comment. “Yes or no, old man,” he said icily, “Can you tell us what’s wrong with this woman or not?”<br>
The man looked over at the unconscious woman with spectacled eyes. “A vampire, huh? And a werewolf. You certainly can pick ‘em.” When he saw that Soran was in no mood for jokes, he continued, “I suspect I might be able to help her. Oh, but how rude of me! Let me get some lights on in here.” The man pulled out a match and struck it, then lit several more candles until the room had brightened to a comfortable level.

“Sorry about the darkness, it’s just that my eyes get a bit sensitive,” he said pleasantly, grinning in the light so that Mizuki and Ceron could see the sharp fangs in his mouth for the first time. “Well, it seems Soran brought you to the correct place. My name is Dralan Thornock. Let’s just say vampires are my little hobby.”<br>
Soran found a seat on a low bookshelf in the shadows while Caron and Mizuki carefully set the vampire down onto the floor. The old man rose from his desk and, with the help of a wooden cane, crossed the room and knelt down by Tora’s side, inspecting her thoughtfully. “All right, just explain what happened to her,” he said as he examined her, looking to Mizuki and Ceron for an explanation although he could already see that the root of the problem was some sort of malnutrition.


Ceron:

Ceron watches the man untrustingly (is that even a word?) "A group of bandits attacked her in the woods. I happened by and helped take care of them. During the fight, she consumed some of the bandits blood. After the fight, she regurgitated it. Then we took her here."

He leans on the wall, not giving anymore away. He watches the vampire intently as he examines the fainted woman.

He then turns to mizuki, and states "I shall follow you, I will do what you need me to do. That is, unless it is to hurt someone that isn't hostile to us. I will not hurt one of our troupe, unless provoked, and I will defend myself from you if necessary."

OOC: After today I will not have time to get onto a computer, Mizuki will say what my char does, following the restrictions I stated in his quote. Sorry... I should be able to get back on around September 6th.

Soran Nightblade:

Dralan Thornock nodded thoughtfully, analyzing Tora as he listened to Ceron’s explanation of what had happened. There was no doubt, the scent of this girl’s blood was not human. ~’She’s living on tiger blood,’~ he thought, fascinated. All vampires instinctively knew which blood would empower them, and that all other types would be no better than poison. This girl must have been utterly famished to override that instinct – much like the sudden urge marooned sailors had to quench their thirst with salt water.

“Let me explain what I do for a living,” the man said, rising back to his feet and addressing Mizuki and Ceron, “Ever since I was turned into a vampire myself, I began researching all the lore and manuscripts that could be found on the subject of vampires and their metabolisms. Because I was appalled by the thought of consuming other humans, I searched for an alternative to the traditional feeding method. I have yet to find one.”<br>
Mizuki and Ceron eyed him warily as he said this. If he hadn’t found it, then that meant he’d been feeding on human beings all these years…<br>
“I did a lot of experimenting with the blood of other species, drinking them in very small doses, but each time I became so ill that I was disabled for weeks, and when I recovered, the thirst was even stronger than before. I did, however, discover a way to cure that violent reaction to foreign blood. It’s never been tested on someone who’s consumed such a large amount, but this would make an interesting experiment.”<br>
“This is not a science project,” Mizuki said disapprovingly.

“Well, her chances of waking up without any treatment are nonexistent. She’s in the equivalent of a diabetic coma,” the man said, watching their faces for reactions. “If you want me to try my treatment on her, you can go into the Ashgrown Forest and bring me the heart of a Tigron, which is a type of demon related to the tiger, and I will use it to make a reviving potion. If not, you can sit here and watch her waste away. Which will it be?”

Mizuki:

Mizuki nodded and sighed heavily. She stood up straighter and clenched her fists.

"Ever since I came here the chain of events seems to always be near or by me. I feel responsible because I feel at first those bandits were after me, and Luc with you Soran." she said turning to him. "Some of you may not want to do this, but I will. I'll save her and I'll bring along a friend of mine." Mizuki looked at the girl laid on the floor.

"Now tell me Dralan, will this really work?" she said with warning in her voice.

Soran Nightblade:

Dralan nodded to Mizuki approvingly. “I can’t guarantee that it will work, but it is the only chance she’s got. Use this,” he said, handing her a cord with a strange green stone hanging from it. The stone seemed to glow in the dark room, and its color seemed to be constantly changing, appearing cloudy one moment and transparent the next.

“That is?” Soran said, taking an immediate dislike to the pendant.

“It is a special stone that reacts to magical energy in the air. Not only will it let you know when you’re near the demon, but the demon will be attracted to it as well. With this, you should be able to confront one relatively quickly. Think of it as a homing beacon.”<br>
“Won’t that attract all the demons at once?” Soran challenged.

Soran did not trust the way Dralan grinned at his question. “You only have one demon to kill. I recommend you do it quickly, and get out of the forest before that can happen.”<br>
Soran ran his fingers absently along one of his armblades, considering his position. Now was a good time to walk away from this mess. He had made no commitment to restoring the vampire’s health. He’d made no commitment to any of this. He’d just meant to escort the injured half elf to safety, but now he could see she was just going to go back into danger again. He looked at her disapprovingly from the corner of his eye, wondering if her injuries had really improved as much as it seemed. He insisted to himself he wasn’t worrying; he was just in a strange mood because he hadn’t eaten. He’d turned a blind eye to countless situations like this before, and this was no different. Besides, even if Mizuki’s injuries prevented her from fighting, Ceron had sworn to protect her and seemed perfectly capable of doing so. ~’Stand up, walk away, and close the door behind you,’~ he told himself, rising to his feet.

“Of course,” Dralan said slyly, “The Tigrons only live in a specific part of the forest. Anywhere else, and you’ll just attract the wrong monsters until you run out of strength and die. To do this properly, you need someone who knows Ashgrown Forest to come with you.” The old man eyed Soran knowingly.

Soran glared at him. The rogue had spent years in that forest, and knew almost all its secrets. He could not deny that what the old vampire said was true. His thoughts raced as he tried to convince himself it would be fine if he just walked away now.


Mizuki:

Mizuki gave Dralan's propsal about bringing someone with them a thought and she had noticed how Soran then glared at the old vampire. But...

"Soran, You don't need to come with me." Mizuki told him sighing deeply. She knew Ceron sworn himself to protect her but, how long would that last? "Besides, I have my own vampire friend to come with me. You or Ceron don't need to follow me everywhere."

Ceron stepped forward to protest. "No, I told you I'll help you." But Mizuki shook her head.

"You don't need to, no body needs to follow me. Besides, I'll just owe Soran more for saving my life more than once." she gave a half smile. "I should do it and not drag anyone down with me if I fail. Minuette would want to come with me. She'll be helping one of her own."

Ceron eyed Mizuki and still wouldn't have it. He protested on Mizuki to let him go with her until she broke down and told him "fine." She really didn't want anyone to have to follow her. It was her desicision [sp?]. She took the amulet and put it about her neck for safe keeping.

"Dralan, I will do this and you'd better not make my efforts in vain." she announced with confidence in her voice.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran listened to Mizuki and Ceron’s exchange silently. If he stayed out of this, his life would go on as usual. He would eat, drink, sleep, and live in peace, alone, with no obligations. So why did his soul feel like it was begging him to go with these troublesome strangers instead?

“I’m going to go eat,” he said coolly, leaving the room and closing the door behind him before anyone could speak to him.

Dralan chuckled softly and gave a wise smile to a confused Mizuki and Ceron. “That boy’s got a good heart, and doesn’t even know it,” he observed. “He’ll be going with you, no doubt,” he said warmly. “He’ll show you where to find your Tigron, because he knows that area like the back of his hand.”<br>
“But…he didn’t seem interested,” Ceron said. “He’s already left-“<br>
“Psh. He probably didn’t even make it to the stairs,” the old man said, flicking a hand dismissively toward the door.

Mizuki opened the door and found Soran leaning against the opposite wall roguishly. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Soran looked at Ceron and Mizuki unreadably. “We’ll need to pick up some rations first. And your friend, whoever she is, before we go,” he said evenly.

From inside the room, Dralan barely contained his chuckle at Soran’s awkward pledge to join the mission.

Mizuki:

Mizuki listened intently Dralan. He had wisdom and good in him. But when Soran walked out the door she got confused but sort of understood. 'Why travel with people he doesn't know?' she thought to herself.

“But…he didn’t seem interested,” Ceron said. “He’s already left-“<br>
“Psh. He probably didn’t even make it to the stairs,” Dralan said gesturing towards the door. Mizuki hadn't been listening to what was said before but sure enough when they opened the door, he was there.

“We’ll need to pick up some rations first. And your friend, whoever she is, before we go,” he told them flatly. Mizuki and Ceron nodded and Mizuki blushed when her stomach gave out a loud, embarassing growl of disspleasure. Her face flushed and Ceron chuckled.

"Yes, I believe we do need some food." Ceron said smiling. Mizuki stared at the ground still blushing, but smiling. She looked back up to Soran.

"Thank you, Soran. If we didn't have you, we'd probablly be dead and lost." she thanked him smiling but expecting nothing in return. Dralan was right, he does have a good heart even if he doesn't want to show it, and Mizuki wasn't going to push him to like her. 'Just, maybe, stay with me until this is over then we can all part ways.' she thought almost sad.

It was the first time in years since she had a group of people around her. Ever since her crew scattered and her almost capture she prefered to be alone. Then Minuette came and Mizuki's mind swayed somewhat. Then all at once these others came and she didn't even ask. She didn't expect them to stay together long but this was still a nice feeling to have. Having people willing to follow.

When Mizuki thought about her past and how long she had been alone her eyes clouded with sadness and she quickly turned away. 'Curse tears,' she thought covering her face and regaining herself quickly.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran was relieved when Mizuki’s stomach broke the awkward mood and the attention finally turned away from him. Then, the half elf thanked him for deciding to join them. He opened his lips to make some indifferent remark, but froze as he noticed an intense emotion glowing in Mizuki’s eyes. A thousand words couldn’t describe what lay behind that look, but it somehow seemed very familiar to the rogue.

He watched the girl closely as she turned away from him, but he couldn’t place what exactly he’d seen in her eyes. Whatever it was, it filled him with a sudden urge to protect her. When she turned her eyes back to him, the emotion had completely vanished, and her firmly set features seemed full of determination and strength. Suddenly the idea of her needing protection seemed silly to Soran, and he recalled how the drunk had been flung effortlessly across the tavern that morning. “The food here is good,” he said almost friendlily as he pushed off the wall and headed down the stairs.

Mizuki:

Mizuki was determinde to do anything to save this girl. She didn't even know why herself but she wanted to. 'Maybe to just right my wrongs.' she thought to herself as they walked back down the stairs and into the smoke filled room below. Mizuki gagged on the smoke but tried to pretend it didn't bother her. Ceron walked beside her with a firm face looking forward. 'What would plauge him to swear himself to protect me while we make this journey?' she thought curious. 'He doesn't even know me. But thenagain, I'm helping a woman clinging to life that I don't even know either.'

"Ceron," she asked looking at him as they descended. "Are we doing the right thing, helping this girl we don't even know?" Ceron smiled down at her.

"Why not help someone in need?" was his only reply was he walked forward. Mizuki smiled and nodded to herself and followed behind them as they sat down at a table. 'If I eat like I did this morning pigging out I'm going to shoot myself.' she thought warning yet joking to herself.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran downed his meal quickly when it was served, thinking over the next day’s plans. It was far too late to go now, and besides his chest felt like it’d been trampled by a horse. He looked up at Mizuki and Ceron. It felt strange sitting at a table with other people instead of alone at the bar, as he was accustomed to.

“Let’s meet back here at dawn,” he said, standing up. “We’ll need to go early if we’re to return by dark.”<br>
From the corner of the room, a pair of black-clad men watched the unlikely group with bitter eyes.

“That’s the group that took out the others?” asked the first.

“They’re going down,” growled the second.

“But, isn’t that Nightblade with them?” said the first nervously.

“Don’t worry. It would seem he’s injured,” sneered the second.

“And the other two?” said the first, a smirk coming across his face.

“The werewolf is mine. You can do what you want with the woman. Let’s get some rest. We have a date at dawn.”<br>

Mizuki:

Mizuki and Ceron had finished their meal and Mizuki had done her best to not gorg [sp?] herself. She nodded to Soran about meeting here at dawn and streched in her seat. She hadn't gotten a lot of sleep and she was tired.

"I'll go get myself a room then." she said standing up and walking off to the bartender about a room. Ceron stood up as well and followed her to do the same.

OOC: Minuette is suppossed to come back sometime today. She'll have fun reading thru her mail. haha.

IC: "After I get my room Ceron I'll go grab my friend Minuette. I shouldn't be gone long." she told Ceron and once she bought her room she went to walk out the door until Ceron stopped her.

"Wait, you're only half elf so your eye sight wont be too great. Let me come with you." he asked her. Mizuki nodded agreeing and walked out with him to travel back to the last inn she stayed at.

Soran Nightblade:

The following Morning, Soran walked into the tavern well before dawn. He'd slept soundly but briefly, since his normal sleeping habits were more or less nocturnal. Sitting down at the bar, he ordered a whiskey and tried not to think too hard about what he'd agreed to do. Now that he'd had time to clear his head, the whole decision to help this group seemed ill-considered to him, but he'd given his word. He sipped his drink in silence and waited for the others to arrive.

Mizuki:

"Oh man! We're late!" Mizuki yelled behind her. They were running to the inn where they were supossed to meet Soran but......

"It's not my fault! I was hungry!" Minuette yelled up to Mizuki. Ceron was also running with them but just rolled his eyes at the two bickering women. 'Why would it matter? I could protect them in the forest.' Ceron thought.

"There it is. Run faster!" Mizuki yelled again.

"I'm losing my breath! I'm not gonna run faster for some guy I don't even know!" Minuette argueed [sp?]. They finally made it to the tavern and they all rushed in and stopped catching their breath.

"That *gasp* the last time *gasp* I think about getting you to save on of your own people! *gasp*" Mizuki was out of breath but it was worth it. They made it and she started to walk forward to Soran.

Minuette:

OOC: Holy Hell I feel so out of whack after a week in Mexico lol. I feel very behind and it took me all day to sift through this!

IC: Walked into the new in, her chest heaving. She tried to catch her breath so that the stragglers wouldn't stare. She took note of the man Mizuki had walked up to and took the liberty to order herself a drink. She was dazed and confused. She had no idea why they had moved to another inn, one with a far less luxurious room she might add, and why they were getting tangled with strangers. She didn't know what the hell they were doing.

"Now, please. Run this by me again. I'm lost and confused and it's pissing me off Mizuki! I don't like being uninformed and I sure as hell don't like working in groups - let alone strangers I don't know." Her emerald glare flashed to the man at the bar and the werewolf that had accompanied her friend. As her drink arrived she quickly downed it and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand.

Minuette took the time to glance quickly around the tavern. Her gaze fell on a man in a corner bedecked in black. She looked around more carefully and caught a glimpse of another man clad in black. Her senses were alert and she became tense. Minuette grew suspicious.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran looked from the corner of his eye as he heard the tavern door open. When he recognized the newcomers as the group he'd met the night before, he turned toward them and nodded a greeting. He looked critically to the unfamiliar woman standing beside Mizuki, taking her to be the friend the half elf had mentioned. The woman seemed agitated, but not threatening. Outside, the sun was just lifting itself above the horizon. He stood as they approached.

Mizuki:

Mizuki was somewhat cheerful. They were going to save the girl! She waved to Soran as they approached him.

"Soran this is Minuette." she said motioning to her...put out friend. Mizuki was carrying a light pack, just in case she ends up in need of cloths. She already learned the hard way once. 'Maybe this girl will pay me after I save her.' she thought somewhat greedily. Hey, she needed money! "Well I'm ready to head out for the forest if you are!" she said a bit too cheerfully. She then caught herself and fixed her sentence. "I mean, I'm ready to help the girl."

Minuette rolled her eyes and Ceron laughed. Mizuki growled inside of her head. 'Why am I so cheerful now? I feel like an idiot to Soran now. I don't want to look like a blundering idiot to him!' she thought angrily.

"Let's get going now," Ceron said. "I don't want to get caught there at night before we could set up a camp there." Mizuki nodded and looked to Soran for his say on what they should do now. 'Maybe, while we are there, I'll be the one to save your life if we hit trouble.' she thought hopeful that she could be the one instead to do the saving.

Soran Nightblade:

Soran gave a brief nod to Minuette when Mizuki introduced her to him, saying nothing. He wasn’t fond of formalities.

“Well I’m ready to head out for the forest if you are! I mean, I’m ready to help the girl,” Mizuki said cheerfully. The enthusiasm in her voice made Soran wonder if he should have explained more clearly the dangerousness of what they were planning to do. It was true that the rather elusive beasts they were hunting would be difficult to confront without the magical pendant, but to attract them all at once… This was certainly not an outing to be enthused over.

“Let’s get going now. I don’t want to get caught there at night before we could set up a camp there,” Ceron said.

“Setting up camp will not be an option,” Soran said, agreeing with Ceron. Without further discussion, he headed for the door and out into the morning light. When they were all outside, the rogue set a brisk pace for the northern gate of the town, which opened onto the vast wilderness of Ashgrown Forest.

Unnoticed by the group, the two black-clad men waited a moment after Soran and the others had left, then began trailing them from the shadows some distance behind.

“Once they’re out in the woods, we can make our move,” the first said.

“They’ll have to stop and rest some time. Outside the city, they won’t be expecting an ambush,” agreed the other as they crept silently and invisibly behind the group.


Minuette:

OOC: New thread in Ashgrown Forest called The search for the Tigron Heart

Ceron:

OOC: sorry people, but i haven't really been on lately.

Ceron sniffs the air. "I don't think we are alone..." He starts to look around, trying to be suttle but not really succeding at it.

Ceron starts to fall back toward the rear of the group trying to find the ones following them.

OOC: and yeah, I still do short posts... sorry bout this people...