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Post by Yoshimitsu on Jan 8, 2010 17:13:42 GMT -5
"All in all, a pretty grim result," Yoshimitsu commented, hearing Miko's unsaid words. It was fascinating, in a morbid way, to witness the fight. He imagined it was like witnessing himself and his darkness fighting, the brutality and resolve warring and destroying. It was grim, repulsive, depressing to realize that Yoshimitsu understood on more levels than he would have liked a few years ago.
"It's not that bad. Hatred goes away," Yoshimitsu said calmly. "I mean, he might not have heard you before but he might consider it now. That's better than nothing, right?"
Yoshimitsu considered Mia for a moment.
"I'm worried about her," Yoshimitsu admitted, gesturing to the girl. "She kind of explained why being so close to Rick was killing her, but she hasn't shown any kind of recover. I tried healing her before and it worked, but now she's just... "
Yoshimitsu turned his thoughts to Rick instead.
"Just what is he anyway?"
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Post by Hamuu on Jan 9, 2010 3:59:18 GMT -5
You were influencing me before the fight even began…
I pushed you towards what you wanted the minute you got off the boat.
I don’t trust him; I do hate him, but… no… I didn’t want to fight him, you pushed me towards that decision.
I don’t understand you. We’re the same and we want him dead!
No. I have to believe he can change, otherwise what hope is there for me?
Hope? Why hope when you can have? I can give you everything you want.
You’re too weak to do anything, and I’ll be putting more effort in repressing you from now on. You won’t influence me again like you did. You nearly killed her you bastard.
You speak to me as though I am a separate entity but we are one Rick and once you accept that....
Rick opened his eyes slowly. Every inch of his body was in pain, seething burning pain. His body was in the air, was he dead? No, something was holding him accompanied by powerful wing beats. Friend or foe, he was too weak to do anything about it now.
“Rick… are you awake?”
She looked pale, and weak. Her eyes had lost a lot of color and overall she nearly looked like a corpse come to life.
“Mia, I am… so sorry…” Rick reached his hand out to her despite the pain.
“It’s ok.” Mia said as she took his hand, “I’ve had worse… I can heal myself when we land… You were talking to him just then weren’t you?”
“Yeah… how could you tell?”
Mia bit her lip, “I could hear you… both of you…”
“Oh…”
“When we land… we need to talk to Miko…”
“I know,” Rick said, “I know…”
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Jan 10, 2010 9:54:52 GMT -5
OOC- Lee, Isabell/e is all yours to describe how she gets off Bahamut since I'm not nearly familiar enough with that character.
BIC-
Bahamut came to a halt above the boat, beating his wings softly as he lowered Mia and Rick on to the deck. Yoshimitsu carried Miko smoothly, the leap down looking effortless and their landing silent. Hector followed quickly after, his descent much less graceful. As soon as he was sure everyone had made it back safely, he gestured at the dragon. Bahamut faded away immediately.
"C'mon Hec," Yoshimitsu muttered to the blonde, grabbing his elbow and dragging him away from the others. He knew there would be a discussion, though probably an argument, about the events from the island and he had no intention of sitting in on that. Instead, he walked to the other side of the boat as Hector rejoined his family. The blue haired teenager stood by the railings, watching the waves below.
"So did you learn what you wanted to from that fight?" Hector asked, appearing at Yoshimitsu's side.
"More or less. Their power is terrifying. I'd hate to pick a fight with either of them," Yoshimitsu replied. "Still, it's comforting to know just what they're capable of."
"Reckon you could take them?"
"Dunno. Don't really want to find out," Yoshimitsu replied with a sarcastic smile. "Would you wanna fight them?"
"Sure, why not? As long as I had some back up," Hector answered, punching Yoshimitsu's shoulder.
"Nooooo thanks, I'll clean up the bloody smear that used to be your body," Yoshimitsu replied, smirking.
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Post by Hamuu on Jan 29, 2010 16:20:42 GMT -5
Rick, with Mia helping support him, was limping toward the doors that lead below deck. The young mage looked over his shoulder at Miko then whispered something into Mia's ear. She whispered back and kissed him on the cheek, allowing him to go on below deck without her.
Mia approached the others, "Rick's sorry, though he's not sure whether his apology will be accepted." She turned to address Miko, "He's going to rest for now, but he wanted to know if you would speak with him once he wakes up."
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Post by Tout-Perd on Feb 2, 2010 1:06:05 GMT -5
Miko had glanced up, expecting to have to produce a vine for Issabelle to shimmy down. However, after a tentative peak over the dragon's shoulder, the girl jumped down. She hit the edge of the boat's canopy, and shifted her weight. Grinding down the support, she stumbled over the side of the boat and landed on her hands and knees on the deck.
"Owww..." She rolled over, landing on her butt, and folded her legs, "That wasn't as fun as I thought it would be."
Miko offered her a hand, but she waved it away.
"Whatever," Miko turned away from her, towards Mia.
“Nobody died. Nothing was permanently messed up. There's no reason not to accept an apology, provided that it's sincere,” He put a hand on Mia's shoulder.
“I should be sorry too. But I don't know if he has reason to accept my apology. Maybe... Someday.”
He pulled away and stepped around her, stepping into the captain's area.
“We're ready to go now, if we can.”
The captain had been sitting quietly in a corner in a wicker chair, reading some kind of magazine. Miko could tell that it was some kind of Asian writing, but nothing that he could read. So... Not Chinese, nothing Japanese. Of course, from the tone of the man's skin, it was easy enough to guess that he was from somewhere else, probably some spot around the Indian Ocean.
“Certainly. Just a moment,” The man closed the periodical, and stood up. He set it on the seat, and then stepped up to the wheel.
“Have a destination in mind? Other than straight south, of course?”
“There's a little trading post about fifty miles south of here, I think... Not sure on exact details. It's been a long time since I've stopped there. Five years maybe.”
“Ah. Stocking up on food, I'm guessing.”
“Food, and other supplies. As you're aware, I can make some stuff for us. But it's nice to have some variation in one's diet. And...”
The captain met Miko's gaze, questioning.
“Well, I don't think Hector or Joseph would be able to stand a trip without me picking up some better booze for the ride down. Otherwise, they'd probably tear this poor boat apart.”
“Ah,” There was a spark in the man's eyes, a stiffled laugh appearing for just a moment.
“I know how that can be.” The engine of the boat started, a low, strong rumbling.
“I'm going on deck to tend to business.”
“Of course. I shouldn't need your help anyways. That island's a familiar spot for me.” ------- “Sorry about not teaching you anything, Issabelle,” Miko leaned against the railing, throwing his head back, “We'll need to wait until we manage to get to another island. Gee... Probably two, three days from now.”
“It's okay. I got to see quite a bit,” Issabelle let the ladybug scramble up the back of her hand, its tiny feet tickling her.
“Quite a bit more than you need to see, I'd say...” Miko rubbed his shoulder. It didn't hurt anymore, as far as he could tell. Yoshimitsu had done a better job than he expected on the injury.
“Not really. If there hadn't been a fight, I wouldn't have gotten to know any of you as well as I did.”
“You're a funny girl, did you know that?”
“I guess I am. But I wouldn't be here in the first place if I wasn't, right?”
“That is right.”
“Besides, I got to try doing what you did. So if there wasn't a fight, maybe that wouldn't gone so good.”
“What?” Miko pulled himself back to his feet, and looked at the girl. She had both hands up in front of her face, pointer fingers extended. Between her fingertips, a tiny vine was stretched. A ladybug was ambling along it busily.
“You really are a funny girl.”
OOC: Okay, back to “Nautical rhythm”. You know, chatter between characters with lots of time breaks, etc. etc. etc.
This next island is a stop requested by El, so I guess he'll take the lead once we get there. Do we want this to be same night, or the next morning that we'll be arriving? Same night, I'd say give us two/three rounds of posts maybe. Next morning? Eh, four, five rounds. We'll see what feels right once we know what is wanted.
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Post by Hamuu on Feb 7, 2010 14:46:46 GMT -5
OOC – I assume this is after a time skip. (Also if I remember correctly this takes place before Sly had even come back to life right? So this is still before Rick became the Second and all that other jazz)
BIC – Mia was at the bow leaning against the railing as she looked out at the water on the horizon. Since they had resumed their journey, she found she had distanced herself from the others. She was trying to sort out everything that had occurred and figure out where she stood. On the one hand she was on her first diplomatic mission representing her people. It’d been hundreds of years since they’d severed their connections with the outside world and as the Third of Shin-Ra it was her job to rebuild those lost alliances.
That’s where the conflict arose. The council had appointed Rick as her assistant to test him. He didn’t know it but she was supposed to report back to the council everything Rick did. Her report would decide his fate whether it be acceptance, exile, or execution should they decide he posed a threat. Right now his chances didn’t look so good.
Was the council testing her as well? They knew Rick and she had entered into a relationship. Mia groaned, she was conflicted between her love for Rick and her duty to the council. She pulled the small flat rock from her robe, the one she was suppose to use to communicate with the council. Carefully she inspected it then, glancing around, held it out over the water. It slipped between her fingers and plopped into the water below.
“Opps,” she said, watching it sink beneath the surface.
Mia smiled; they’d just have to wait till she got back. She’d have her heart and mind sorted out by then, hopefully.
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Feb 7, 2010 16:45:14 GMT -5
"Dropping a rock never looked so suspicious."
Yoshimitsu stepped calmly towards Mia, his hands in his pockets and his stance lazy and carefree. The fight on the island had been resolved, no one had been seriously hurt and there was a chance of acceptance between two members of the voyage. In his opinion, it had ended well. The boat was a nice reprieve, he thought. The violence involved in a fight or a sparring match was fun, but allowed no chance to just relax.
"I wanted to speak to you before, but I figured you'd be more worried about Rick," he continued, standing a few meters away from the girl. He had no negative feelings towards either mage, despite how Rick had challenged Miko. Forming enemies on this voyage would be stupid anyway.
"Thanks. First, thanks. You're probably the only reason any of us made it out alive, I figure. Especially me, you and Hec," Yoshimitsu said, his voice full of warmth. "You let me know what to expect in case Rick decided to target other people. Sorry if the quick escape from the clone was a bit rough, by the way."
"I have a few questions, though," Yoshimitsu continued, his cheery face vanishing to a more serious one. "About Rick's dark side."
He waited for Mia's reaction, ready to re-evaluate his questions.
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Post by Hamuu on Apr 8, 2010 16:12:20 GMT -5
"Dropping a rock never looked so suspicious."
Startled, Mia twirled around to face Yoshimitsu. Unsure what to say, she nodded and shrugged awkwardly. Yoshi didn’t dwell on it, instead he continued speaking. She relaxed slightly and listened to what he had to say.
“You did what you had to,” Mia told him, “As for Rick… He’s different from Black Mages we’ve record of in our archives. I don’t even know how much he understands about the problem himself…”
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Apr 11, 2010 22:13:13 GMT -5
Yoshimitsu pondered Mia's response for a moment, and evaluated it against what Mia had said during the fight. The idea of a separate entity within a man that was subtly, or not so subtly as the case may be, directing the individual towards a darker action. That could be the very information that Yoshimitsu wanted.
Or not. It depended on how linked the two cases might be.
"Colour me curious, I guess," he replied. "It's about this dissociative soul. You said it was a part of Rick that changed due to the nature of the black magic."
Yoshimitsu paused to collect his thoughts. It was a tricky question, he wanted to ask. During the fight, Rick had lost himself entirely to his darker side for a period but quickly regained control. It was that control he was most interested in. It might just help.
"And it changed into a more violent Rick, I guess?" It made sense to Yoshimitsu. Aspects of Rick's soul would still be there considering how the black magic had used the soul as a starting point. He was only theorizing, however.
"And because Rick's half-andalite, half-black mage, it's stronger. Just how much sway does it have over Rick? And Rick over it?"
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Post by Hamuu on Apr 28, 2010 13:38:04 GMT -5
“It’s not so much a separate entity, as it is the same entity. Neither Rick nor the other soul are complete unless they are together.” Mia folded her arms tightly, “The other soul is what Rick would have become if his body hadn’t subconsciously taken measures to prevent the black magic from corrupting him entirely.”
As Mia spoke, her floating trunk made its way toward the two and deposited itself on the deck near her. She shifted and sat down on the edge of the trunk. “Rick is the dominate of the two souls simply because he is the larger portion. The other soul can only take over when Rick loses too much energy or is knocked unconscious. It won’t happen every time though, only when the other soul is awake.
“In all the cases before Rick, there was a progression, though it was on a smaller scale. In order to use the black mage powers, the dominate soul has to go to the portion of the soul where the magic is anchored – the dissociative soul. If the powers are not used, the other soul will eventually fall into a dormant state. Using the power in small amounts here and there will keep it in this state. However, using small amounts continuously will cause it to slowly wake up over time. This would normally start out as an uneasy feeling that eventually developed into a voice. If a mage were to use a large amount all at once, the soul would immediately wake up.” Mia closed her eyes as she recalled each page she read about black mages in her mind, “In previous events, if the voice took over, which was seldom, it was more mischievous than evil. There were rare ones that would murder, but it wasn’t as bad as Rick’s situation.”
Mia looked down at her feet, “Rick is a hybrid, and that does have a lot to do with his strength. But, that really only goes so far. I met Rick’s father once and during our meeting I asked him about Rick in detail. Being a hybrid, Sly explained, Rick is genetically superior to both andalites and black mages. That’s it though,” she closed her eyes again, “his status as a hybrid has nothing to do with how magically powerful he has become compared to past black mages. I think I know why he’s the strongest and so far I have kept it from the council. I haven’t even I told Rick.”
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Apr 30, 2010 12:32:07 GMT -5
Yoshimitsu listened carefully. He tried to not show his disappointment. This information would not help him as much as he had hoped. Bits of it, just small bits matched up. A dormant darkness that fought for control. But it wasn't enough. Not similar enough for it to relate. No, Vincent was not tied to his darkness. It was an external force that had released the demon he had become.
"I see..." He replied, walking to the railing. He gripped it, needing something to anchor himself and his thoughts. His knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip and tried not to let his emotions spill out. It had seemed too easy, too simple, for Yoshimitsu to have acquired the answers he sought from Mia. Of course it had. He would have to rethink.
"I'm sorry, I was hoping Rick would be similar enough to my friend," Yoshimitsu said, after a few moments. He kept his gaze on the sea, choosing his words.
"I have a friend, called Vincent. It was... I guess it was about a year ago. Someone had stolen something from my past, a small part of who I used to be," he explained, his voice neutral. "It was darkness. Full of hostility and anger and hate, trapped in a pendant and waiting for something to release it. And Vincent..."
Yoshimitsu paused. It was painful for him, painful to bring up these memories. But he had to get it off his chest.
"Vincent's always been living in darkness. He was always... full of fear and anger. And then... he had me. I gave him some light, I tried to help him," Yoshimitsu continued. He turned his head slightly, not enough for Mia to read his expression. "But this thing, this pendant, all it wanted was a heart. Someone already living in darkness, someone doubting himself. It unlocked Vincent's darkness and took over his body."
Yoshimitsu paused again. There was something missing from his story.
"It was Yisimentsu. But I don't understand why, what he's trying to do," Yoshimitsu concluded. He turned his body to face Mia, one hand still firmly gripping the railing.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to unload all of that on you," he said with an apologetic smile. "I just figured you might understand."
OOC - Oh yeahhh, cohesion between RPs. Now Mia understands what's going on with Vincent and she can inform Rick somewhere off or on screen (H)
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Post by Tout-Perd on Jun 8, 2010 23:19:46 GMT -5
Joseph took a drag on his cigar, the end glowing faintly orange for a moment. He held the vapor in his mouth for a while, savouring the taste, and then exhaled heavily. The smoke lingered in the canopy, wrapping about him before dispersing in the darkness. A quiet, high pitched coughing caught his ear. Joseph glanced to the side, noting another shadowed figure that had come into the nighttime air. He looked back towards the stars in the nighttime skies, and had another pull. Another cough. Dammit. Joseph heaved the smoke up with a deep sigh, spitting smog like a tired dragon, and then flicked the overgrown cigarette overboard. “Not good for your kids, leaving them around a smoker.” “I know, I know…” Vathale wiped some spit from Pleiades’ lip with her sleeve. “Then why? You’re a mother. Responsibility’s kinda supposed to be your thing.” “And you’re a hoodlum. Parenting, especially other people’s children, isn’t supposed to be yours.” The biker licked his lips, and then looked skywards again. A faint set of lights were moving along just above the horizon. Probably a plane out of Olivine, or maybe even Cianwood. It was hard to say, with how far they were out. “Parenting is a job for whoever can help with it. Even if they’re just some asshole on a boat.” “Who says it’s ‘help’ then?” “Not my thing, those retarded old wive’s sayings… Topologies or whatever the fuck it is. But when they said it takes a village to raise a child, they were right,” Joseph gave a wolfish grin, “Can you look at me, really look at me, and say that I’m not a perfect example of exactly what your kid shouldn’t do?” Vathale went quiet again, and put her face down to meet the gaze of her daughter. “Hell, you can tell them ‘just don’t do what Uncle Joseph does’, and I’m pretty sure they’ll come out just fine,” He leaned on the railing, and hung his head slightly. The light of the stars bounced off the waves, a distorted frenzy of pinpoints. Like a swarm of drowning fireflies. “Why should I bother with that? I can just tell her ‘Don’t do what your father does.’, and it’ll be about the same.” “Mm,” Joseph pushed his sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose, and then spat over the side of the ship. A few ashes from the cigar swirled around his boots. OOC: Not that great, but it sets up a few larger plot points later on. Sorry about the delay, gents.
El, feel free to introduce us to this island of yours now.
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Jun 9, 2010 18:33:18 GMT -5
"Trading post, a mile away!" The captain's voice came from the canopy.
Yoshimitsu raised his head. He had taken the opportunity to power nap at the front of the boat, resting against the metal barrier. As much as he hated to admit it, the various shows of power from the last island had taken their toll on him. If all he had done was create an ice bridge, then he would have been fine. But no, he had used Bahamut, he had healed Miko, he'd sparred with Hector and he'd intervened mildly with Miko and Rick's fight. He wasn't completely exhausted, but he was definitely feeling a little drained.
Stretching as he stood, Yoshimitsu turned to look at the upcoming island. He couldn't see much from a distance. Just some lights flickering, a small amount of smoke. Probably used fire as a source of light. No big deal. A trading post. And if Yoshimitsu knew trading posts, he knew there'd be a few bars there. Any sailor needed a drink after a long voyage. A drink and a meal. Sounded good to Yoshimitsu.
There was something else, though. He just couldn't decide on what. An ominous feeling, as though someone was watching him.
"So, how're you getting across this time?" Hector asked, appearing from nowhere. "Another ice bridge?"
"Haven't decided," Yoshimitsu replied. He didn't want to be running on empty, just in case. He didn't want to rely on someone else either.
"You could wait for Miko to make another bridge," Hector suggested.
"No thanks. You know me, Hector. I like to do things on my terms," Yoshimitsu replied. Hector frowned. Now that wasn't true at all. Not the Yoshimitsu he knew.
"Okay, I guess. I'm gonna Tiamat it over, I think," Hector said, shrugging. He walked to the side of the bridge. Yoshimitsu snapped his fingers.
"Hey wait a sec!" Yoshimitsu shouted. "Tiamat, right. How are you at summoning things?"
"So-so. I can summon, after all," Hector replied, not sure where the conversation was going.
"Okay try this," Yoshimitsu started. He paused and took his t-shirt off, stowing it loosely in a pocket. "Focus on the summoning and direct it into an object. Summon Tiamat inside the object instead of just freely."
Hector raised his eyebrow.
"Is that what you did earlier?" He asked curiously.
"Yeah, it's pretty handy," Yoshimitsu answered, smiling. "Watch me."
He jumped on to the railing with good grace and clapped his hands together. Both his hands and the Bahamut Blade started glowing a vivid blue colour as Yoshimitsu focused on bringing forth the dragon. He thrust his palm out, then swung it overhead and had his other hand meet it at his hip. Instantly, the glow shifted from the sword to his upper back. Along his spine, the skin began to change into dark blue scales, two appendages growing outwards. They expanded and widened until they grew into fully formed wings. Bahamut's wings. He turned to face Hector.
"See? Piece of cake," Yoshimitsu said, hopping off the railing and beating his new wings a few times to remain in the air.
"Yeah, I guess," Hector replied skeptically.
"See you on the island!" Yoshimitsu twisted in the air and made his way across the water. The wind and salt spray on his face were pleasant, enjoyable as he cut through the air like a dagger. Yoshimitsu was a lot more graceful than his personality would suggest, his body seeming to flow through the air rather than fly. As soon as his feet touched down on the sand, the wings shrunk until they faded completely, the skin on his back completely normal. He tugged his t-shirt on and looked up towards the buildings.
"What an interesting island."
On face value, Yoshimitsu thought it looked more like an island of dance clubs. From where he was standing, he could see a number of Hawaiian style bars made up of wood with straw ceilings, mostly open top. The flames lighting the place cast a glow over the area, each flame burning a different colour and flaring unexpectedly over the top of the others. Magic, he mused. Or complex chemicals he couldn't be bothered trying to understand. Many people stood by the bars, drinking strangely coloured drinks, while many others were on the dance floors.
He didn't even bother waiting for anyone else. Yoshimitsu went straight into the bars.
~*~*~
Hector paused before he followed Yoshimitsu. It wasn't because he found the summoning trick complicated. He was slightly confused by it, but that wasn't the reason. No, the reason was Yoshimitsu. As much as he was loathed to admit it, this new Yoshimitsu surprised him. Hector thought he had known the blue haired boy but this latest interaction had forced him to conclude that he did not.
He sought out Miko.
"Hey Meeks," he greeted casually. "Yoshi's gone to the island already. Makes you think he doesn't actually want to be on the boat."
Miko nodded.
"Well, he's not the type to sit still. The boat probably isn't his favourite place to be," Miko replied.
"Guess not. D'you know what's wrong with him?" Hector asked, not even bothering to be subtle. Miko raised his eyebrow. "I mean he's not acting like himself. He's not all cool and laid-back and sassy like he should be."
Miko smoothed down his clothes before replying.
"Have you asked him?" He asked. Hector rubbed the back of his head.
"No... kinda awkward, y'know?" The blonde boy answered. "I dunno. Guess you're right."
Hector returned to the railing near the front of the boat, looking at the place where Yoshimitsu had flown to. The blue haired boy was gone. Already on the island. Hector frowned again. He thought the fighter would wait for him. He expected him to. What had made Yoshimitsu change this much?
~*~*~
"What'll it be?" The bartender asked.
"Anything to make me forget, and make it a double," Yoshimitsu replied. The bartender nodded as though he understood Yoshimitsu's problems, then busied himself pouring a variety of spirits into a glass. He returned quickly with a neon-blue concoction of some sort. Yoshimitsu reached for the pouch at his waist, but the bartender stopped him.
"On the house, kid. Next time you've gotta pay, though," the bartender said with a chuckle. Yoshimitsu guessed he should be either flattered or grateful, but honestly he just felt a little pathetic. If the bartender was taking pity on him, he must look dejected.
Yoshimitsu looked out at the dancers. He couldn't even decide why he felt so down. His energy levels had risen from his power nap, he was on good terms with the other people on the boat and he was in his favourite setting. What was making him feel so bad?
No, wait. He knew what it was.
Hector.
Hector.
Hector was reminding him of everything he needed to do and everything he couldn't be. Hector, his old best friend. Hector, who had no issues with darkness and battered souls. Hector, who had started a family and was taking everything in his stride. Yoshimitsu sipped his drink, finding it was surprisingly tasty. The warrior still had too much to do. In his future, all he could see right now was darkness. Darkness, and the fight looming on the horizon.
"Stop it. Stop thinking about it. Just chill out and relax. You can deal with it when you get to it. For now, just help your friends."
Shame he couldn't convince himself that easily.
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Post by Testbug on Jun 15, 2010 17:59:11 GMT -5
The low blue flame lit up the stones, sending cascades of sparkling luminescence through the air to land on the fair-skinned summoner. He examined each individual gem and transparent rock, holding the back of his left hand over each as he examined them. He passed the hand carefully over each one, hoping for a reaction of some kind. The empty metal recess in the back of his hand would do something if he came across a stone of appropriate design and make, if he was lucky enough. No such luck that day, though. As he passed his hand over the final, red ruby, he turned his greyish-blue eyes up to the man behind the display. The cheerful, heavy man smiled and looked down at his wares.
"You find something you like?" He asked with a thick accent that promised nothing but a slaughtering of Taylor's native tongue if he continued. His eyes were focused on Taylor's left hand, his face and eyes pulled into a sharp, judgmental scowl.
"Sorry, but no," Taylor answered. He sighed dejectedly, and stood to full height. He slipped a leather glove back over his left hand, hiding the metal recess. No one really liked looking at it, not even him. Taylor turned from the stand, and dusted down his green shirt. he didn't bother with his normal brown jacket that day, to save his body from the overbearing heat. Of course, another preparation to be made on that island was his black side bag that hung to his right side, over the top of his brown camouflage pants. He patted it down twice, making sure both familiar crystals were in their place. He looked around, and checked one last time for another gem shop. Nothing. Another trip was wasted.
Speaking of wasted, he needed a good drink. To his left, an open bar. He sauntered into the bar calmly, and placed himself next to a blue-haired man drinking some neon-blue drink. Fitting.
"Bartender," Taylor called, grabbing the attention of the man. He turned to look Taylor in the eyes. "Gimme something hard. I wasted a trip." He thought for a second. "Bourbon, actually. No ice."
"No problem," The bartender called back. He poured something amber-colored into a glass, and looked back at Taylor. "Bourbon for the kid in green." The bartender shot it down the brown counter top, and Taylor casually held out his hand. He caught the liquor easily enough, and took a healthy gulp.
"Thanks," Taylor called, and looked over at the blue-drink next to him. "Good choice." He complimented. "I like that one a lot, actually."
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Jun 17, 2010 6:13:52 GMT -5
Yoshimitsu made a non-commital noise to the person who commented on his drink, not even sparing a glance. Truth be told, he did not feel altogether that social right now. Maybe a club setting was not the best choice, but it had a steady supply of alcohol and enough atmosphere that he could escape reality, even if it was just for a little while. He knew his peace was limited. Hector would be on his way soon, and probably so would everyone else. And all his responsibilities with them. Yoshimitsu tried to ignore that.
He drank a healthy-sized swig of his drink. It wasn't bad. The subtle blends of alcohols mixed with soft drinks almost concealed how potent the drink was. It was such a strange drink. It looked like toxic waste, but it tasted like happiness. Or that was what Yoshimitsu could best describe it as. Yoshimitsu turned his head.
Now what was that?
He heard a note. A violin. Someone was playing a violin? A chill surrounded him. Judging by the people around him, no one else had noticed. Which meant that the chill was meant for him. He ignored it, for now, and tapped his hand on the bar for another drink. The last thing he wanted right now was for some singing ice monster to come attack him. This was his time to escape, to ignore any threats or promises or obligations, to just be himself and relax. The alcohol was loosening him up.
The note again. The chill, like his blood was freezing up. Yoshimitsu sighed. Looks like he'd have to check this out. He downed his drink and put the glass on the counter. Without a word, he stepped away from the bar and walked through the crowd. A faint trail of mist was his path to follow. His eyes scanned, looking for the source.
~*~*~
Hector soared over the sea with his Tiamat wings. He was not as fast as Yoshimitsu, nor as graceful, but he had a certain elegance to the way he flew. It was like fire. He moved like fire. Strong, but flickering. Elegant. Dangerous. Hector left a trail in the water, the water getting caught up in his slipstream as he moved.
He was worried, worried about Yoshimitsu. The boy had changed, almost beyond recognition. The casually carefree attitude had been replaced by a more serious one. The confident swagger, the joking personality. All of it had been changed. Warped. Hector didn't like it. What could cause a person to change like that? Such a dramatic one-eighty.
The fire warrior didn't lose his wings as he reached the beach. He ripped through the air leading to the bars, finally returning to a human form just before anyone could see. Pulling his t-shirt on as he went, he began his hunt for Yoshimitsu. The place was massive. He didn't even know where to start.
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Post by Loogs on Aug 5, 2010 17:48:11 GMT -5
"Holy Mauna Loa, look at all these bars!" The mere sight of all the liquor--and all the ladies--excited Hector. Whatever was eating Yoshimitsu could wait until after a Jack and Coke. But where to start? He took a moment to check his hair, styled into a tall fauxhawk and dyed auburn, and proceeded to prowl the area for a suitable bar. Wait, wait wait, something's missing. He pulled out a pair of stylish aviators and put them on. NOW you're ready to party hard, Hector. Now you're ready.
He settled on an open bar with one of those kitschy-looking thatched roofs and tiki torches lit with flames of an excessively flamboyant color. One of the bartenders, an attractive redhead with her hair tied back with a bandana and a low-cut neon green tank top, approached him and asked, "What can I get ya?"
"How about a B-52? Though, getting an eyeful of you is good enough too, you blazing bombshell."
The redhead rolled her eyes and procured some bottles, pouring the coffee liqueur first and then adding the other liquors on top so that they settled neatly into distinct layers. "Do you want it flam--"
"Nah, I can do it myself." Hector snatched the shotglass, set the top layer ablaze with a snap of his fingers, and downed the drink, still burning. The bartender arched an eyebrow and gave him a half-smile, clearly impressed.
"Well, aren't you quite the hotshot."
"Wait 'till you see what I can do with a blue blazer." He winked at the redhead as she turned to serve another person. Hector turned his head and spotted Yoshimitsu on the other side of the bar. His first thought was to wander over and talk to him about what happened, but instead he decided to lay low and let Yoshimitsu come to him, probably after a few drinks and everyone's forgotten what happened on the boat.
OOC: There's gonna be a nifty little plot thang coming really soon. It's something big yo.
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Aug 5, 2010 22:35:08 GMT -5
The mist was almost invisible, especially to Yoshimitsu's slightly hazy mental state. As much as he knew he had to follow the trail, he had no intention of doing it sober so he stopped for one more drink. Another neon blue cocktail that he had promptly downed. Thank God he didn't throw up from drinking too much, or he'd be well on his way. The mist trail lead out of the bars, away from the night life and into the surrounding fauna.
Despite his intoxicated state, Yoshimitsu couldn't help but notice that the mist had thickened and the air had chilled. It was interesting, just about intriguing enough for him to put his problems aside for the moment. The violin sound, the cold air... Something crunched underfoot, and he realised that the ground was covered in a thin layer of frost. It was thickening as he walked, each step making a louder crunch. Who was summoning him, and why did they think ice was the way to go about it?
The trees thickened slightly, but the light from the moon above still lit the area well enough for him to see. Up ahead, he could see a solitary figure. Back turned, covered in shadow but definitely stood there.
"So who're you, and why are you dragging me away from alcohol and dance music?" Yoshimitsu asked. It wasn't even false confidence, he just sounded bored. One hand rested on the hilt of the Bahamut Blade. A fleck of snow drifted from the branches above them, landing on Yoshimitsu's hand.
"You were the first to arrive on the island," the figure replied, a male voice, taking a step forward. Yoshimitsu's grip tightened on his sword.
The other boy was in light now. Yoshimitsu squinted a little to take in his appearence. Blue, purple and red hair, blue at the roots and fading through purple to red at the ends. A simple black mask that looped around his eyes. Fairly pale skin, though that may have been the cold. A purple jacket over a white t-shirt, faux-faded jeans and black shoes. The rapier hanging on one hip and gun hanging on the other did not go unnoticed.
"So you were watching us?" Yoshimitsu asked, subtly shifting his grip on the Bahamut Blade. This was no time for his intoxication to get the better of him. Someone had been watching them.
"Not explicitly," the stranger replied. "I happened to notice your ship anchor off shore. You're no trading ship, that much was obvious. I was curious as to your intentions. It was a simple matter of purchasing a spell to bring you to this point."
"Oh yeah?" Yoshimitsu asked, his voice full of skepticism. "Well, why not just wander over to the bar and strike up a conversation? I think you're full of shit."
With a quick swipe, Yoshimitsu drew his sword and sent a wave of blue and golden flames surging outwards. They burned up the grass and melted the snow around. Maybe Yoshimitsu was too drunk, or too slow, but the attack didn't land. The stranger had jumped out of the way, his rapier now drawn and held in defense. It looked like it was glowing slowly, a faint red. Yoshimitsu didn't much fancy finding out why it was glowing. He struck the air again, sending another wave of flames. This time, the strange sliced straight through them. The blue haired boy was faster than that, though. He followed the flames and brought his sword swinging upwards at his opponent's chest. With incredible speed, the rapier came from nowhere and opened a cut in Yoshimitsu's cheek. He jumped back.
"I didn't want to fight you," the stranger commented, lowering the rapier. His free hand went to his gun. "There's no reason to fight here. I'll buy you a drink."
"Sorry," Yoshimitsu replied, shrugging casually. "Already had a few. And I don't accept drinks from armed strangers."
"Very well," the blue and red haired boy sighed. "If this is what it takes to knock some sense into you."
The boy launched his attack first, a powerful forward thrust that would have speared the drunken fighter had he not stepped back just in time. Yoshimitsu countered by pointing his palm at the other boy's gut and summoned a flame. However, he withdrew the hand when the tip of the rapier sliced open a small cut. Boy knew how to fight. Time to get serious. Yoshimitsu hopped back, spinning a little to build up some momentum before twirling forwards and launching an overhead strike. The rapier shot up to meet it, but Yoshimitsu followed through with his free arm, an elbow to the ribcage. Using his momentary advantage, he brought his sword crashing down again.
A hand shot out and grabbed Yoshimitsu's forearm.
"That's enough, Yosh," Hector's voice came. Yoshimitsu tugged his arm free from the older boy's grip and took a few steps away from both of them.
"Thank you," the stranger said, nodding to Hector.
"Don't thank me, I was just making sure Yoshi didn't kill you," Hector replied. "Yoshi's not a killer. Not even when he's had a drink."
"I assumed not. I'm Samm, by the way," the stranger said, extending his hand to Hector. Hector shook it briefly, then turned back to Yoshimitsu.
"What's eating you?" He asked.
"That guy's been watching us," Yoshimitsu said, not turning back. "He told me that he saw us arrive and dragged me up here to find out why we're here. I don't buy it."
"Is that right?" Hector asked, looking at Samm.
"It is. I have a residence not far from here," Samm answered. "I saw your ship anchor itself and was curious. I'm not overly fond of the bars, so I used a purchased spell to bring the first person off the boat up here."
Hector nodded.
"Sounds reasonable," he commented. "Yosh, don't fly off the handle. What's up?"
Yoshimitsu didn't say anything for a minute.
"We're helping someone out, and we're headed to the South Pole," Yoshimitsu said in a monotone voice. "We stopped here because it was a convenient place to refuel and let everyone unwind. Once the ship's refueled, we're headed out again."
Yoshimitsu took a few steps, but Hector's hand closed around his bicep.
"Yoshi, whatever's bothering you, you can talk to me," Hector said. Yoshimitsu turned his head to look at Hector's worried expression. "You know that, right?"
Yoshimitsu was silent again. He shrugged his arm out of Hector's grip again, but didn't immediately move to leave. Could he admit what was wrong to Hector? That the reason he was on this massive downer was because of the older boy? He didn't want to, not yet anyway. But would it help? There was no easy answer.
"If I may interject," Samm said politely. "I'm interested in this trip you're on. Could I talk to your group leader?"
"Yeah yeah, whatever," Hector agreed dismissively. Yoshimitsu seized his chance to take a few more steps.
"I'll tell you later, Hector," he said. "But I'm feeling alcohol might be a way out of this mood, so I'm hitting the bars again."
With that, Yoshimitsu walked back down the frozen trail.
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Post by Loogs on Aug 5, 2010 23:46:14 GMT -5
Hector shrugged. "Whatever works for you bro. I'll just keep drinking and hitting on that redhead broad there, so you know where to find me." He returned to the bars and signaled for another drink. "Get me a couple of sonic screwdrivers and I'll do the rest." The bartender prepared four and passed the glasses to him with a wink. "You a Raiixian?" She whipped up her own screwdriver and leaned over the counter in front of him. "Yeah, do you see many of those around here?" Hector polished off two of the drinks quickly and waited a while for them to kick in. "They come in occassionally, but I used to live on the main island for a couple years. Studied pyrokinetics there. My name is Elisna. Used to be a bounty hunter, but now I'm just a humble bartender." "A pretty good looking one too, if you ask me." They both laughed, and had more drinks. As time passed and conversations carried on, Hector was swaying and smiling foolishly, and Elisna leaned over to the other bartender and muttered something to him, to which he nodded. She stepped out of the bar and leaned in closer to Hector so that her nose was practically rubbing up against his. "You are such a sweetie, you know that? And all that traveling and fighting stuff and sailing around the world... you're quite something." With caution to avoid falling over, Hector stood up, brought Elisna to her feet, and placed his arms firmly around her waist. "You might just be the most gorgeous thing on this island, you know that?" They locked lips, and after a moment, he purred in his most seductive voice, "I've been on that boat awful long, you wanna maybe..." He finished the sentence in whispers, and Elisna laughed coquettishly. "Sure, hot stuff. Why don't we finish this at my place." They walked off together in the direction of Elisna's apartment, which wasn't a very long walk after all. After accomplishing what they had gone there to do, they stepped outside onto her balcony and watched as all the people danced and reveled in the nightlife. "I have to admit you were much better than I expected, Hector. Too bad you have to sail off again real soon." "Yeah, I get that a lot. You were pretty fantastic yourself, I'd love to come see you again when I'm in the area. Cigarette?" He plucked one out of a metal box in his pocket, offered the box to Elisna for her to pick one out, and lit both with a flame emitted from his fingertip. He placed an arm around her thin, bare shoulders and stared off into the distance, when suddenly a bright orange spot in the sky caught his attention. It seemed to be moving closer, and flying towards them. "What's that?" "It looks like a bird." Hector immediately recognized it as a phoenix, beating its magnificent crimson and golden wings as it gracefully advanced closer to the balcony. In its talons was a golden envelope adorned with elaborate scarlet patterns that danced around like fire. The seal was shimmery and red and patterned with a crest. Phoenixes in mid-flight positioned at either side of a shield, with swords crossed below it and a majestic crown above it. "Oh shit." The phoenix dropped the envelope into Hector's hands, which tremored when he noticed the detail on the envelope. His eyes widened in shock. Elisna recognized it too. "That's--" "The seal of the Raiixian royal family. They don't just hand these out like invitations to a pool party, and especially if they've sent it this far by phoenix." "Wait a minute, so are you--" "Yes, I'm descended from Aviyan Ryora himself. I'm blue-blooded and I'm the queen's son. But whatever's in this letter has to wait until morning anyway, because I don't think the crew would be thrilled with me spoiling their fun and we aren't gonna sail off again until tomorrow. So, why don't we do a little more snuggling and maybe catch some sleep together." After putting out his cigarette, Hector gently put his arm around Elisna and led her inside. OOC: MYSTERIOUS RAIIXIAN LETTER OOOOOOOOOO. Edited cause this is more believable, and also I really did forget that this has to wait for a couple things anyway. And Elisna looks ten times less awkward than Eliesna.
Also apparently you guys use this nifty tag now. Sweet.
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Aug 6, 2010 0:20:10 GMT -5
It was a quick descent for Yoshimitsu. Once back at the bar, the first thing he did was order another drink which he promptly downed. The second, he drank slower. Not much slower, though. With the disguised potency of the drinks, masked by the subtle blend of flavours, his trip to intoxication was a short one.
And it didn't help him much, either.
Being drunk seemed to enhance his problems, rather than reduce them. His mind couldn't hold them back, as he stood at the bar swaying slightly. It was painful to think about. Visions kept on looping around in his mind. Vincent, his eyes blacked and face twisted into a maniacal laugh. Vincent, overflowing with the power of darkness. Vincent, stood on a mountain of bloodied corpses. Worse and worse images, getting more and more graphic with nothing he could do to stop them. Vincent, holding a body on a sword. Vincent, carving someone open. It was disgustic, repulsive. Why couldn't he stop dwelling?
With no warning, he doubled over and vomited the contents of his stomach right on the dance floor. He numbly registered people's disgust, a hand pulling him up and forcing his arm over their shoulder. Being half carried, half dragged out of the open-air bar. Some distant part of his attention realised that the sea had gotten louder. Was someone dragging him to the shore? He pulled himself off whoever was moving him and vomited again, his throat burning as his body rejected the vast quantities of alcohol in his system. A hand rubbed his back, helping him finish throwing up.
"Here," Samm's voice came, an open bottle of water hovering in front of his face. Yoshimitsu grabbed it clumsily, spilling some on to the sand, and filled his mouth. He spat the water out again, trying to get rid of the foul taste in his mouth, then drank the water greedily. The need to rehydrate himself overruled anything else right now. Samm dragged him another few meters, and placed him on the sand gently.
"How're you feeling?" Samm asked gently.
"Terrible," Yoshimitsu mumbled. He finally opened his eyes, his head still groggy and unclear.
"Here, try this," Samm offered, pulling a small tablet from his pocket. Yoshimitsu didn't even question it, he took the tablet and swallowed it whole. Samm produced another bottle of water from nowhere, and Yoshimitsu accepted it. He drank it slowly this time, giving his body time to adjust to the sudden flow of water.
It took about five minutes, but Yoshimitsu's head started to clear up.
"Miracle cure," Samm explained. "A synthesis of magical and chemical properties that restores the body to a functioning, healthy state."
"Where'd you pick up something like that?" Yoshimitsu asked.
"You're on an island where the trade of magical items is common," Samm answered, shrugging. "You pick up a few things, and keep whatever comes in handy."
"Yeah I guess," Yoshimitsu said, standing up. He took a few steps forward, watching the boat on the waves. "Sorry. About earlier, I mean. I'm not usually that stabby."
"I guessed as much. From your interaction with your friend, I assume you have plenty on your mind," Samm replied in a nonchalant voice. "I wont pry. I just hope you don't think I have any malicious intent."
"No, sorry, I was being stupid," Yoshimitsu admitted. He certainly did sound sorry. "I just have some issues going on and thought getting drunk would help it."
"Did it?"
"I feel like I lost some weight, if that counts," Yoshimitsu admitted, cracking a small smile. He extended his hand to the other boy. "Let's start over. I'm Yoshimitsu."
"Samm. A pleasure," Samm replied, shaking Yoshimitsu's hand.
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Post by Tout-Perd on Aug 11, 2010 0:48:22 GMT -5
I Ketut Topan stepped onto the docks, and turned back to face his ship. Despite his volatile load of Powers, it was in pretty much flawless condition. One of the railings was slightly scraped, most likely due to all the comings and goings not bothering with the proper route.
Powers... He sighed, and shook his head slightly. With all he'd been through in life, taxiing a bunch of superhuman hoodlums was nowhere near where he'd have guessed to have ended up.
“Going ashore, eh?” A gruff voice caught his attention. The hairy one was hanging down from the canopy, much like a macaque. Though a macaque was less hirsute, and most likely better mannered as well. He whirled about, an awkward motion, and slid down the side of the ship. He landed on the lower deck roughly, and sauntered to his feet.
“Yes, I am going ashore,” I Ketut said, not bothering to look the man in the eye. He was repugnant anyways, and not worth the effort it would take to meet his pompous gaze.
“Same here,” The bearded man planted a boot on the railing, and kicked off. In a single movement, he cleared the distance between the boat and the dock. Despite his unseemly ways, the man was quite capable when it came to maneuvering around. Topan knew the type very well.
“Good news for you, Cap'n, Meeks says he's stayin' on board, so you don't need to worry about anybody makin' off with your ship, ” The man didn't say anything more, and lurched past him into town. Despite having been in his care for almost a day, not a single one of the passengers had yet bothered asking I Ketut if he actually had a name. He hadn't bothered any of them over it yet, for it seemed like such would make him appear ungracious, but it was beginning to wear away at his last nerves. He really should have been in expectation of such behavior though, as after all, they were from the archipelago.
He glanced back one last time, and shook his head slightly. A faint sigh of disgust escaped his lips.
And with no more ceremony, I Ketut Topan turned away. He began walking along the familiar dock, to the smells and sights of a place that was almost like a second home.
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Post by Testbug on Aug 11, 2010 2:40:13 GMT -5
The blue-haired man said something incredibly non-committal and fled the bar, leaving his empty glass at the counter. Another delicious strike out. Taylor looked back down at his bourbon, and sucked down another drink. Delightful luck with men lately. Maybe all those straight men weren't entirely wrong for leaving the homosexual dating crap for some nice women-love. Whatever reasons they had, they weren't Taylor's business. Gah. Men. Taylor downed the rest of his bourbon, and hoarsely shouted to the bartender.
"Another!" It wasn't like him to be rude, but he needed another. A bourbon slid down the table, slapping against the warm flesh of Taylor's hand. He placed the glass to his lips, and slammed it quickly. He coughed and sputtered a little, wiping his lips on his sleeve. After letting the second drink settle, the teen stood up, and looked at the bartender.
"Start up a tab for me," Taylor instructed with a slight slur, shuffling his way towards the dance floor. "I'll be buying some more." The bartender nodded and flashed a thumbs-up before returning to work. Taylor scuttled out onto the floor and took to supporting the wall. He guessed he could look and not touch. For now.
Before long, the same blue-haired man that had given him the cold shoulder shambled into the bar. Taylor's foggy brain strung together a few coherent emotion strands, and forced Taylor over to the teen.
"Hey," Taylor began, but the teen suddenly doubled over, vomiting directly onto where Taylor was standing. The mostly blue substance struck directly on his boots, and Taylor's mind almost instantly cleared for a moment.
Taylor sighed irritatedly, and reached down into his pockets. He retrieved an oblong stone, no larger than a golf ball, and stuck it into the metal recess of his left hand. The blue stone suddenly surged with life, the center flashing a bright red. Taylor kneeled down as his fingers reached down looking to touch his soiled shoes, but stopped just inches above the surface. A bright blue, shimmering aura encompassed the area above his shoes, and then lifted and expanded, forming a large, shoe-shaped barrier of blue magic in the air. Taylor removed his feet from where they'd been, and the magic faded out of existence. The puke dropped to the floor, and Taylor turned to face the man that had been nothing but rude to him that night. He couldn't see the man in the dance club, so he looked around the room.
Taylor headed past the bar, dropping a twenty on his way out. He spied the man he was looking for down a ways, towards the shore. Damn. That teen moved fast! Taylor staggered along, clutching beams of wood and the odd tiki torch as he stumbled his way down the sands. His feet stole him away to a place behind the bar, and then spun around on their heels like the feet of toy soldiers. Taylor couldn't help but feel he wasn't leading his own feet, and stopped in his tracks.
"Carby," He thought pointedly.
"Yes?" A silky voice filtered in through his mind, the voice of the summon beast inhabiting the stone in his left hand.
"Why are you doing this?" Taylor asked in thought.
"Because you shouldn't do this."
"And why the fuck not?"
"You're drunk. And a bit angry."
"I am not angry you... you glorified Japanese... myth-fox!"
"You can't even properly insult me."
"Shut up! I can do this!" Taylor shambled forth a few steps, but began to fall as his knees bucked.
"Proof that you can't."
"You're the one doing this to me!" Taylor reached down to his left hand furiously, inching his fingernails into the metal resting place of the stone.
"Taylor, don't-" Her voice was cut short by Taylor ripping the stone out of his hand, the sound violently smothered by the summoner's action.
"That'll teach her," Taylor muttered as he shoved the object back in his pocket. He forced his way down the sands, quickly falling into earshot of the man and his new friend.
"...Yoshimitsu," The blue-haired teen said as he shook the red-haired man's hand.
"Samm (or was it Sam?)," He said. "A pleasure."
"Taylor," The brown-haired newcomer said angrily, focusing on the sword-wielding, ill-mannered, oh-so-mysterious teen. "The man you refused to talk to and then barfed on. A pleasure, no doubt." Taylor smirked and cocked his head.
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Post by Tout-Perd on Aug 24, 2010 23:33:00 GMT -5
I Ketut brought the beedi to his lips, and inhaled deeply. He had run short on his supply of them before reaching the Archipelago, so replenishing them here was a most fortunate occasion. The usual man, a bony Indian that went by the sole name of Gandharaj, had cut him a deal, and he now slung a burlap bag full of packets over his shoulder. That was one of the two major stops. He wouldn’t be able to tolerate the intolerable Powers if he didn’t have something serviceable to smoke. Now, he might be able to bear the burden of their childish antics for the necessary period of time. If not… Well, he had one more stop to make. He ducked a dangling lightbulb, the heat from it prickling his brow. With a practiced step, he parted from the crowd and turned down an alleyway between two of the more decrepit shacks. He stepped over a broken bag of garbage, fruit rinds and halfway broken beerbottles strewing the ground of the alleyway. Fortunately, none of the passed out sailors had chosen this location for shelter, and his pathway was otherwise unobstructed. He turned a corner, and came upon a T in the path. Both ends were the walls of buildings, corrugated steel panels that were light enough to transport but sturdy enough to survive the rigors of business. I Ketut turned left, the thin wisp of smoke trailing over his shoulder. He took three large paces, and found himself staring at the unremarkable panel. He ran his finger along the metal, a loud zipping noise accompanying the motion. He pulled his hand away, and then knocked three times on the wall. Turning on his heel, he looked away from the waved siding with a studious attention to his indifference. CHK-SHTUK The noise was his signal. He looked over his shoulder, meeting the gaze of young man with glimmering silver stripes decorating his otherwise ordinarily black hair. It was swept back in a ponytail, dangling over an embroidered white dress shirt. The man simply gestured, and I Ketut complied. He stepped quickly through the concealed doorway, the man almost slamming the panel back into place behind him. “Welcome back to The Midden. Glad t’ have you t’day.” “Good to see you again, Lepida.” “Same here, man.” The room they had entered was the color of rust. Such things happened when you had an empty shack made out of whatever scrap metal you could scavenge up. However, I Ketut had been here on several occasions. He knew what the true nature of the building was, and its apparently impoverished appearance was certainly not enough to put him off. A single wisp of smoke danced in the sickly yellow light of another bare bulb. “So, picking up some supplies, hey?” The youth pulled the sleeve of his shirt up, and revealed a tattoo on his bronzed skin. It was an incomplete circle, lapsing into a heavy dark “X” in the middle. The ink seemed almost to push up under his skin, giving it an odd sheen. He traced the design with his fingertip, only breaking away once before crossing the X. Without lifting his finger, he spoke. “Ulmer.” Instantly, dozens of lights flickered from the walls, drowning out the sickly illumination that the yellowed bulb above them offered. The lights took the shapes of a variety of items in sillouettes, bullets, swords, shirts, indeterminate spheres, talismans, and many others in less overt quantities. “Do you have anything that is…” I Ketut strained to remember the codewords for the item he was looking for. They only allowed people to purchase items here if the were capable of using the appropriate terminology, told to them once they were trusted enough. As far as he understood, it was a measure to avoid shapeshifters running up other people’s tabs or otherwise getting into mischief. “Good for breaking windows?” I Ketut could not help but smirk. What a way to sell short the devastation a device could bring! “Sure thing. Gimme a moment,” Lepida put his hand on one of the circles, pressing his palm flat. Slowly, he drew back, bringing a drawer out of a wall far too thin to conceal it. Dozens of clear spheres, looking almost like marbles, were nestled in it. “Extra special, these ‘n’s are. Take a look,” The youth drew one from the compartment, and tossed it to the captain from between his fingers. It was caught effortlessly, I Ketut’s reflexes every bit as sharp as they were in his youth. He brought it up to his eye, and looked closely at it. There were flecks of black glass in the center of the ball, none bigger than a flea. Lepida gently took it from him, the motion businesslike enough to let him know wasn’t supposed to be pawing anything he wouldn’t purchase. “Some of my pals hit a find down south, ‘bout four-six days away. ‘S ‘n island, but it just showed up. Just outta nowhere, popped up from the ocean,” The salesman smiled a lopsided grin, “And man, you should see what the sand from that place can do. It’s crazy.” “I suppose that I would like to hear more about this, provided that it’s…” Topan stopped once more, and took another pull on his beedi. He’d never had to use the phrase here before. “A decent enough level.” “Oh, levels? You’re kidding me. This isn’t the stuff you get into, Tut,” One of the stripes in Lepida’s hair caught the gleam from the lights in the room. “I know!” I Ketut didn’t know if he should be proud of himself or concerned. Lepida was right. The situation with the Powers was most certainly not his typical business plan, but there was the potential for profits to be had. He wiped his hand against his pants. Oddly enough, the fingers that had been holding the marble were feeling somewhat numb. “But that’s where fate ended up putting me. On a boat full of the kind.” “Ah, so you stepped in it and ya need something to wipe ya off. Gotcha,” Lepida turned to wall, and began pulling drawer after drawer open. With thirty compartments full of assorted weaponry pulled open behind him, he extended his hands to either side, fingers splayed. “I think we’ve got something for you.” -------- I Ketut Topan stepped back onto his boat, not bothering to look about for the passengers. People that were on the lookout for enemies were suspicious. People that couldn’t be bothered with others merely had important business to attend to. He shouldered past the woman with wings, and pushed his way into the cabin. His burlap bag didn’t really weigh all that much more than it did before he stopped at The Midden. His pockets did. His trip ashore had probably cost him what he normally made in five months, and some of the items he’d had to promise to pay for at a later date. However, he was still feeling much better than he had that afternoon. He had his cigarettes, and he had his safety. OOC: Ugh, lost the voice I hit better last post. I’m done on this island. Let’s get the hell out of dodge.
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Sept 3, 2010 11:04:23 GMT -5
OOC: Loogs, Elliot, Wartime, BB, can we get this back in gear? The next island is the second biggest event from a plot perspective, so it'd be nice to get a mosey on. On a semi-unrelated note, for some reason, I want to call Wartime "Watson". I have no idea why, except the Wa at the start. OOC- Wartime is waiting on me so I'll get a reply up at some point soon. "Oh man, you get too drunk just once and it comes back to bite you in the ass... As soon as possible," Yoshimitsu muttered to Samm, pasting on the nicest smile he could. His smiles usually charmed his way through the stickiest of situations, so why not try it now. "Sorry man, I didn't mean to drink so much and I definitely didn't aim for you," he apologised, subtly moving his palm to rest on the hilt of the Bahamut Blade. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Samm's hand disappear to an inside pocket of his jacket. "I didn't mean to ignore you either. Any way I can make it up to you?" bluhhhhh i dont even know what else to put in this post
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Post by Testbug on Sept 11, 2010 23:49:20 GMT -5
That was... Easy.
To say the very least in this situation, that was easy. And Taylor was drunk. So he wasn't exactly complaining.
"Oh," Taylor said while his brows furrowed. "Well uh... I dunno. A drink later or something. Um. Sorry for snapping at you?"
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Post by Loogs on Sept 12, 2010 17:49:24 GMT -5
Thin, brilliant beams of light sneaked in through the blinders in Elisna's bedroom, dancing around Hector's closed eyes announcing that morning had come. The ornate envelope he had received the previous night rested on her nightstand ominously, bursting at the seams with vital information. Hector groggily opened his eyes and yawned, one arm draped gently over Elisna's torso which raised and lowered with every deep breath she took. He pulled her in closer to kiss her good morning, but suddenly his vision went reeling and something in his stomach fought violently to escape. Elisna instead woke up to the sound of Hector retching in her bathroom. "I keep a box of Alka-Seltzer tablets and some paper cups in the medicine cabinet," she said, with a snicker and a smile. He called out a thanks before vomiting again. Elisna gritted her teeth and sucked in. "Eeeesh, that's one of the worst hangovers I've ever had the misfortune to hear." She yawned, hoisted herself out of bed, and walked to the kitchen where she began preparing breakfast. Elisna, wearing only a violet camisole and matching panties, was neatly arranging pancakes, eggs, and breakfast sausages on plates when Hector crept up behind her and embraced her. He breathed in her intoxicating scent, buried his face in her long red hair, and pressed himself close to her body. Before he could lock lips with her though, Elisna shoved him away. "Ewww gross, you just puked." She thrust a plate into his hands, and carried her own to her small dining table. Pouring syrup on her pancakes, she asked, "Where are you off to now, anyway?" "Papua New Guinea, and from there we go to Antarctica." "That's quite a journey, hotshot, mind if I ask why?" "I'm tagging along with a friend of mine who's on a mission, but it looks like I might have to cut this trip short and attend to whatever business is in that letter." Hector, knowing he was due back on the boat very soon, wolfed down his food as quickly as possible, chasing it down with a glass of orange juice. "Oh hey, speaking of which, don't forget this." Elisna handed him the aforementioned letter which he had left in her room. She chewed and swallowed a mouthful of food before speaking again. "Listen, if you're ever in a tough spot and need a drink or something, or a place to stay or lie low or something, you're always welcome to stay here. I enjoyed the time I spent with you, I really did." "Me too, girl, me too. I'll come see you again sometime, promise." He kissed her one more time before he picked up the letter, tucked it away in one of his coat pockets, and exited her apartment. OOC: Just assume he's back on the boat now, everyone.
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Post by Yoshimitsu on Oct 13, 2010 11:30:41 GMT -5
OOC- I haven't seen Testbug in forever so if he wants to jump in, he can post saying he was somehow transported to the ship via Yoshi Yoshimitsu nodded, but put on a more serious expression at Taylor's words. "I'd love to, but I think I filled my alcohol quota for the night," he declined politely, sliding his hand from the sword. No need to prepare for a fight any more, if the stranger was being reasonable. A fight was probably the last thing he needed right now, having already had one within the last hour. "And I think I've run out of time here." "Yoshimitsu, might I enquire as to your ultimate destination?" Samm asked, his voice quite curious. Yoshimitsu turned his head to the other boy, trying to gauge what his reaction might be. "A friend of mine needs a new weapon, so we're off to the south pole," Yoshimitsu replied, choosing his words carefully. It might not be a good idea to immediately reveal that he was helping the summoners. There was a lot of hate out there. "The weapon needs to be acquired there?" Samm asked. Yoshimitsu fidgeted uncomfortably. The boy was quite good at picking up on details, it seemed. Especially details by omission. "Well, yeah, the summoners have all sorts of nifty gear," Yoshimitsu answered. If he could evade the question regarding who he was helping, then maybe he could avoid another brawl. "I see... Would it be acceptable for me to accompany you?" Samm asked politely. "The study of other cultures fascinates me." "Oh," Yoshimitsu said, surprised. "I... I guess so? The more the merrier, sure. But we've really gotta jet, I get the feeling the boat wants to leave soon." "Of course." Yoshimitsu turned to the water, his right hand glowing with a pulsating blue colour. With a flick of his wrist, the glow ceased but a semi-corporeal figure began to fade into view. A huge figure, two giant wings, a long tail and covered in deep blue scales. Bahamut's form finally took a physical presense, wings beating lightly to keep him airbourne. No words needed to be said. Yoshimitsu jumped in to the dragon's hand and up to his shoulder. "You coming?" Yoshimitsu asked, as Bahamut placed his tail on the beach. Samm nodded, taking the appearence of the dragon in his stride, and carefully walked up the tail up to the other shoulder. The boys both braced themselves for take off, as Bahamut beat his wings powerfully. The trip back to the boat was unsurprisingly short. Bahamut's size and speed made the flight barely a minute long. Both boys jumped down on to the boat, and the great dragon vanished with a nod to Yoshimitsu. Bleh. Not the best thing ever but meh.
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