BZPRPG: Kentoku Archipelago

IC (Tetsu):

"Sounds like fun. I'll have to try it sometime...although Nihonei might decide to finally have done with me if I do." Tetsu pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"Decisions, decisions..."

IC:

"Oh, just come inside already," the Menti said, grinning, slinging an arm around Tetsu's shoulders. "I can always put a good word in for you. The Toroshu would never dare cross me."

-Void

IC:

"I can hear everything you say, Saritsu, and don't push me. You're my sister. I know the points that make you crumble."

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

Hatchi let the question hang just long enough for it to become uncomfortable, partly on purpose and partly because she needed to consider whether to answer it honestly or evade it.

“You have the most contact with the Angavur, correct?,” Hatchi said, although zi--she didn’t wait for the menti to answer.  “They do not train koshi zrupgar.  Have you ever seen a dashi wearing these?”

Hatchi gestured to her mask rings, putting a warning hand on Myzru’s neck as he looked speculatively back at her.

IC: Ageru Tamachan (Odaiba, Ageru Lands)

Tama tried to recoil at the confrontation, but instead she seemed to struggle to sit especially upright on her steed.

So she could tell? Fine, Tama didn't mean to keep it hidden forever anyway. She couldn't help but snort a little to herself, though. Hatchi had assumed that her position was better than it really was, which was amusing coming from her, considering what Tama knew so far.

"I haven't, and I couldn't tell you if I should have. I've had practically no contact with the Angavur, except for my mother"

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

Hatchi’s hand left Myzru’s neck for a second as the Menti swayed alarmingly in her saddle, but she managed to keep her face neutral as Tama righted herself and snorted; the Menti’s reply held more than a hint of bite.

“The Angavur are the closest clan to your lands, and the most friendly with Imperials.  It was a guess, not an attempt to expose your heritage.  Although I…” her ash-brown eyes softened as she looked at Tama, trying to convey her apology.  “I guessed it earlier, and I am sorry for making you divulge it, however unintentionally.  As for me--” she turned her gaze again to the horizon “--I started training as a koshi zrupgar as soon as I was old enough to pick up a knife without cutting myself.  A lot of it was what would be considered normal for someone my age--learning to mind the herds, how to tell the moods of the sea, and how to stand up in a fishing boat.  But I also learned the usage of the knife, and the katar, how to improvise a slingshot, how to break from the grasp of someone who was twice my height and four times heavier, and I learned more…” she trailed off.

“Koshi zrupgar are trained to fight their zrupgar counterparts.  In all ways.  That alone should tell you why I was considered unsavory then.”

IC: Ageru Tamachan (Odaiba, Ageru Lands)

"yes, I think I can"

As a Menti, Tama's training had been completely normal, she was a fighter and that was that. But for someone like Hatchi to learn martial skill was like, well, like a Taajar and an Imperial starting a family, it just didn't happen.

"I'm fine" she reassured Hatchi, "I think it's all for the better to have fewer secrets between us anyway, we have enough enemies as it is"

IC: As she looked around, the pieces clicked together in her head. Askha swallowed. Now.

She gave a small telekinetic nudge to the maid, prodding her to run at the storm drain. There was the matter of the Hogo standing in the way; Askha had that covered, hopefully. The Mashtet released pressure on Yuuki, and ceased reaching out with Mindarm to wield her falcata, twirling it with a flourish before letting it clatter to the ground. Grabbing a hold of the Vilda Toroshu, she herself rushed toward the storm drain. Glancing aside, she focused on a piece of debris from the wrecked building, and chucked it as hard as she could at the Hogo guarding it

All or nothing.

IC: Higashi

"ORA!"

The debris shattered into pieces upon impact with her Soulsword fist, and Hogo Higashi sped through the cloud of dust and pebbles in pursuit of Ashka. An excited grin was plastered upon her masked face. She was clearly enjoying this. Enjoying this a lot. Her hand reached for the tomahawk she had confiscated from Mashtet Maripi during their previous fight (she would have to find the mercenary later when all was done), allowing the weight to settle in her arms.

And.

She.

Threw.

The tomahawk flew true through the air, arcing towards Ashka's body.

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

“Usually I don’t have the luxury of considering people as enemies,” Hatchi said, taking a piece of hard, dry cheese from her pack and offering it to Tama.

“It will be good to be home.”

IC: Ageru Tamachan (Odaiba, Ageru lands)

She mumbled a word of thanks as she accepted the slice of cheese, and proceeded to wolf it down in a quick sequence of ravenous bites.

"Sleep in the saddle, drink the rain. Eat nothing but dried meat, dried milk and Soko blood. Such is the life of a warring Taajar"

The line came from an old account of the bygone times when the Taajar had been brought under heel, credited to a prominent chieftian who may or may not have said it. Tama liked the image, though, even though she didn't quite fit it to satisfaction herself. Story of her life.

"Yes, it will, I'm on the way home, too. I haven't seen my parents in a while"

IC: The maid dropped to the ground; Askha couldn't tell it was on purpose of if she had just stumbled. Either way, she slid into the crawlspace of the stormdrain. One down, two to go. Two targets everyone was aiming at...

Askha moved the Toroshu in front of her. "Follow Raiyo's voice! I'll keep-"

The Mashtet's voice cut off. There sound of tearing fabric and shattering crystal could be heard as the tomahawk tangled itself in Askha's robes and impacted her armor. The axe's blade bounced off, but not before cracking the armor plate, driving it into her side. The breath was knocked out of her, and Askha dropped to her knee. As she struggled to gulp down breaths, her furious gaze fell upon the Hogo. She let go of the Vilda, and reached out at her falcata laying on the ground several bios away. Shakily, it skidded along the ground as it moved toward her grasp.

IC:

Relisai nearly trembling, a combination of fear, anger, excitation and trepidation. Everything was happening so fast around her, and that ridiculous Sighteye kept her from perceiving reality properly. The Vilda wondered if this was how crazy people felt.

However, she didn't have the luxury of exploring the thought, not given the situation.

She felt herself handled this way and that by Ashka, her rescuer. Then she felt a small push, a release, and she fell to the floor. She heard Ashka's instruction to follow Raiko. The Toroshu didn't need to be told twice. The maidservant was just beside her, already nearly through scampering into the storm drain. Relisai threw herself after Raiko, falling head first into the sewer. The smell was repulsive.

"Raiko?" she asked, looking for her guide.

IC: "I'm here!"

Raiyo reached out for Relisai, and started quickly leading her away from the drain. She tried not to think about the mercenary.

"We should... head this way. Eventually it will lead out to the city."

IC:

Relisai nodded, even if there wasn't much light in the sewer and she had no idea if Raiyo could see her sign of agreement. It didn't matter. The maidservant grabbed hold of her and together the pair moved onwards.

Ooc: edited. Sorry about that

[sado, Market District (Yukie)]

Askha didn’t have a chance to get her hands on her falcata, however, as Yukie had snatched up the weapon as soon as he was freed by Relisai's lapse in concentration.  He sprinted past the menti as she struggled to regain her breath, and slid into the storm drain, landing considerably more gracefully than the people before him.  It smelled a bit funny, but the jungles of Oki weren’t exactly the best smelling places all the time either.  Reactivating his mask, he started ahead to where he heard voices, using the pink light from his mask to illuminate the tunnel ahead.  They had almost no lead, and were moving a lot slower.  As he jogged toward them, he considered the possibility that he could trap the toroshu here and now.  With the way his luck was going today, however, it didn’t seem likely.

::I’m going after them,:: he willhammered to Hanabe. ::You secure this one as fast as you can.  Relisai’s not particularly subtle, she’ll be heading for the fastest way off the island.  If your illusion breaks, head for the North Docks, and you should be able to cut them off even if I can’t catch them.  Contact any guards you can along the way.  The faster we spread the alarm, the better chance we have of ending this as quickly as possible.::

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

“You spent time in the capital?”  Hatchi asked, eating her own piece of cheese rather more slowly.  “Tell me, where you there when the menti blew up the marketplace demanding war on the islands beyond the horizon?”

IC: The Plangori dashed past Askha before the Mashtet could do anything. Well, she could either dive into the sewer herself, dragging the fight into a claustrophobic mess, likely infecting her wound... or she could try something else. Askha took as deep a breath as she dared as she pushed herself back onto two feet, and turned around. Her foot caught the tomahawk, and flipped it with Mindarm up into her waiting hand. One side still had her blood on it. Speaking of which, the cracked armor that had been driven into her side was starting to feel wet; she held her side. Looking up at the two Menti left, Askha's eyes darted between them.

"Well, looks like you've got me dead to rights, haven't you?"

IC: When Raiyo heard the splashing from behind them, she couldn't help but look. The Dashi stifled a gasp as she saw it wasn't Askha, but the Menti with the soulsword and shield... and Raiyo could see Askha's falcata in the Plangori's grasp. Her hand covered Relisai's mouth as she tried to pull the disabled Toroshu around a corner, leading into a slightly bigger channel.

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

“You spent time in the capital?”  Hatchi asked, eating her own piece of cheese rather more slowly.  “Tell me, where you there when the menti blew up the marketplace demanding war on the islands beyond the horizon?”

IC: Ageru Tamachan (Odaiba, Ageru Lands)

"No... I don't think so," Tama replied, a little unsure, "last thing I remember when I was in Sado was Dastana Arsix declaring her clan's seccession from the empire. That's why I'm going home, too, I need the second opinion on that"

IC: Higashi

"Well ..."

Higashi smiled, taking the Mashtet blade she had confiscated from Maripi earlier into her left hand.

"Yeah, yeah we do."

And she moved, closing the distance and jabbing at Ashka's weapon arm.

IC: Askha parried the thrust, knocking the blow aside. Biting back a stream of curses, she locked blades with Higashi.

"You have rocks in your head or something?" she shouted. "I'm trying to surrender here, and you try to cut off my arm!"

IC: Higashi

"Have you tried saying 'I surrender'?"

IC: "Cut me a break," Askha growled, "it's not exactly something I make a habit of doing!"

The Mashtet broke the blade lock, pushing away Higashi's blade. She slowly sheathed her saber, both as a measure to appear non-threatening and to mitigate the pain in her side. She then tossed aside the tomahawk. Breathing heavily, Askha winced, and grunted.

"Ugh... combat high's coming down... Owowowowowow..."

IC: Higashi

"I can tell."

Higashi grinned, clearly enjoying the suffering her "opponent" was in the midst of undergoing.

"Well then, you're gonna be lucky enough to spend time with me. No funny moves, or I'll kick you into that hole and letcha get sewage all up into your veins."

IC: "Yeah, yeah, I..." Askha staggered back, putting pressure on her wound with both hands. She hit the wall of the building behind her. Several more stammered curses erupted from her mouth before she devolved into a racking cough. Looking into her hand, she saw blood.

"Oh no..."

IC:

 

"I can hear everything you say, Saritsu, and don't push me. You're my sister. I know the points that make you crumble."

IC:

"...you wouldn't."

[sado, Market District (Yukie)]

::I’m going after them,:: he willhammered to Hanabe. ::You secure this one as fast as you can.  Relisai’s not particularly subtle, she’ll be heading for the fastest way off the island.  If your illusion breaks, head for the North Docks, and you should be able to cut them off even if I can’t catch them.  Contact any guards you can along the way.  The faster we spread the alarm, the better chance we have of ending this as quickly as possible.::

IC:

Zyla, still trying to lead the Datsue away from the fight, took a moment to glance back and suddenly see absolutely nothing. 

Well, technically she saw the Dasaka, the Eiyu who had stood in front of her, from earlier who had been trying to take down the Vilda Toroshu, but there wasn't anything left going on. Which was slightly concerning, seeing as altercations like that almost never (and this is coming from Zy's completely absent experience in such things) ended so quickly.

"...did I miss something?" she asked aloud, idly hoping that someone could explain what had happened.

-Void

IC:

"Don't force my hand, Eiyu Saritsu."

IC:

"You'd be lost without me."

-Void

IC:

"I never said anything about losing you. Just that I know how to make you crumble. Never forget that I control the flow of the kitchen's desserts."

IC:

"Well played, Toroshu."

-Void

IC:

"Thanks, sis."

IC:

"No problemo. Always happy to be cowed by my sister."

-Void

IC:

Saritsu received a wide smile, and an arm wrapped around her shoulders to pull her into a tight hug.

.:Love you, you insubordinate little sister.:. 

IC:

:I know.:

-Void

IC:

.:Good:.

IC:

:I know it's good.:

-Void

IC:

.:Are you sassing me, Saritsu?:.

IC:

:I'd like to take a lifeline on that one.:

-Void

IC:

Nihonei laughed, the sound making its way both through the air and the mental plane. She gave her sister's shoulders another squeeze, then let go so she could walk a little quicker. They had been inside the Eiyu's territory for a while, but the chateau was only just coming into view. The sight seemed to fill the Toroshu with a little more urgency, as though even a few more seconds away would be too long. She always had preferred to be home. 

.:No lifeline needed. Come on, it's been months since you were home.:.

IC: Ageru Tamachan (Odaiba, Ageru Lands)

 

"No... I don't think so," Tama replied, a little unsure, "last thing I remember when I was in Sado was Dastana Arsix declaring her clan's seccession from the empire. That's why I'm going home, too, I need the second opinion on that"

 

[Odaiba, Inside Ageru Lands (Hatchi)]

“This was at an earlier time,” Hatchi said.  “Before the Rora’s assasination.  Perhaps you were not yet in Sado.”

IC:

:Yeah,: Saritsu said, her usual wit suddenly faltering as the chateau loomed on the horizon. :Sorry about that, by the way.:

-Void

IC:

.:Don't need to apologize to me. You're not my prisoner or my servant, sis, you're my sister. You're always free to go.:.