The Cerulean Brigade, Chapter 2: I Think Faze Just Became the Main Character

[Astral Harmony]

Aishel had already removed her boots and was massaging her feet, after telling Chizuru at least three times that she could do it herself. "Actually, he didn't tell me his name. I was pretty much set on calling him Beastmaster or something."
Chizuru had gone off to devour her fair share of the available food, and had come back with some items for Aishel to try out.
"Hey, this is pretty damn good. What is it?"
A small sweat drop appeared on Chizuru's hair. "Actually, I don't think you'd be able to keep it down if I told you."
"I'm an officer of the Roaring Chimera Division of the Duvashnian Knighthood, Chizuru. I've been to many places and I've eaten many questionable delicacies. You could tell me that it's cooked human flesh and I could stomach it."
Chizuru walked up to Aishel and whispered in her left ear. Aishel looked at the half eaten item on a skewer. "Really? Well, then I think I've actually had this before. Just not prepared in this way. Pretty good stuff."

[Arhra]

"How does this one look?" Sulme asked Dragon, moving in a slow twirl.

Dragon looked at Sulme's attire with a professional eye. She wore a silvery gown, leaving her pale arms bare. The silken fabric clung to her slender form, flowing over her body in a shimmering cascade. It seemed to ripple as she moved - the effect of a number of little strips of the fabric shifting and revealing the deep blue that would otherwise be hidden beneath. A belt of pale gold was clasped around her waist, similar bracelets on her arms. Her hair was adorned by a gossamer web, the silver filgree inset with tiny amethyst stones. A pendant was nestled at the base of her neck, normally hidden by her robes.

Several seconds of careful consideration later, Dragon replied. "Yes, I think you should wear that one tonight. The colour suits you and the others just don't compare."

While Sulme had been initially puzzled about Dragon's suggestion to attend Pinchette's dinner party, he could be very persuasive when he put his mind to it. Sequestered away from prying eyes, Sulme had been finding something appropriate to wear with his assistance. This arduous task done, she looked at Dragon appraisingly.

"I suppose we'd better decide what to do about your appearance now then."

Striking a pose of mock dignity, Dragon repily loftily, "Dragons need no ornamentation. We have the splendor of our scales, the glorious expanse of our wings and a greatness of stature." His expression turned sly. "Although if you want a more impressive escort, I suppose you could always see about improving my stature."

"I would hate to remove your favourite perceived deficency. You'd have to find something else to complain about." Sulme replied in an identically teasing tone. It was quite a different picture from her remote behaviour at the castle.

"Its not my fault you're too much of a miser with your mana to sustain a decent sized dragon." Dragon grumbled half heartedly.

Sulme rapped him lightly on the shoulder in response then leaned in, one arm going around his neck. "I have an idea or two for tonight. You should take a bath too."

And so it was that Sulme arrived that night, riding sidesaddle on Dragon's back to spare her dress for the trip there. She wore a cloak of midnight blue over it, the wind had a biting chill to it in the open this night. Dragon's rainment was not concealed. He wore simple jewelry of gold - a torc and metal bands about his legs and tail, lustrous against his dark scales. He also gleamed, scales carefully polished to a fine finish. With an ease born of long practice, the unusual pair ignored any gawkers on the way there.

The illusionist dismounted on the street outside, walking through the wrought iron gates with Dragon in tow. Out of the wind, she let her cloak open as she looked around. Little lanterns lit up the house's garden like a faerie glade - a definate sign of luxury inside the cramped walls of the city. Their host was there to meet them.

[Astral Harmony]

After some light eating, Aishel and Chizuru decided to spar together. Chizuru was armed with a pair of tonfas, while Aishel used a large sword. One could easily see how they were made for battle by looking at how they fought. Aishel fought offensively, relying heavily on her strength and her equipment to press her assault. Chizuru fought defensively, using her tonfas mostly to block and deflect Aishel's swings. One would think it'd be easy for Chizuru to sneak some blows in, but apparently Aishel's powerful strikes forced her to rely on both tonfas to prevent from getting cut.
"So, Master Faze." Aishel said between breaths. "When do you think we'll reach Relent? Tomorrow? Maybe the day after?"
"Chance!" Chizuru chimed in, and went through some pretty slick motions. Catching the blade, Chizuru aligned it with the ground, then ran up it onto Aishel's head, kicking off to get behind her. Aishel stumbled forward and Chizuru closed in to bash her from behind, but Aishel was a little faster than Chizuru expected and a broad swing made Chizuru leap back.
"Damn, that was a little embarrassing." Aishel commented.
"You guard pretty well, Miss Aishel. It took me quite a while to see an opening like that."
"Still, you win that one. You could have just as easily hit me in the back of the neck with one of those things and knocked me out. Let's try again."

[PyrosNine]

"Well, this place is a bit less than a halfway point, and if we went on and traveled through the night without stopping again we should reach relent the day after tommorow at late noon. If we were to stay the night, we would arrive in the morning of three days past." Faze replied, watching them spar with his back against the wall. "The pros and cons of going through the night are naturally the speed with which we get there, the cons being a bit tired before fighting the bandits, that and they'd be out more in force on the roads at night. If were were to rest here and travel through the day we'd get there well rested and without threats on the road, yet we'd miss a day in which we could act."

"Whichever one you want will suit me fine, I don't think the Bandits are just going to up and leave if we don't hurry, and I have no qualms about fighting a bandit army after long day of walking." Faze rubbed his spear's grip as he said this, admiring still the sharpened blade on the tip.

[Astral Harmony]

Aishel and Chizuru ended their battle to focus on the strategy. "I would like to get there as soon as possible, but I don't think it'd do us any good to hurry. We should have a talk with the village elder once we get there. If anyone has a clue what we might be up against, it's him. Chizuru and anyone else good at scouting can help us map out a plan of attack."
"So should I go ahead of us?"
Aishel considered it for a moment. "Nah. What the elder may have to say plus what you find out by spying on the enemy won't take long. If we're quick enough, we can probably wipe out the bandit chiefs the same night we get there. If the bandits do start work at night, we can slip through their lines pretty easily if they're spread out."
Chizuru stretched. "Well, if we're not leaving until tomorrow, I vote that we should go have a bath!"
Aishel sniffed her right arm. "I don't smell...too bad."
"Eating, sleeping, and bathing! These're important practices for women and you shouldn't skip out on a chance to bathe, Miss Aishel." Chizuru grabbed Aishel by the arm and started dragging her away. "C'mon, I'll wash your back for you."
"I can wash my own damn back. Lemme go!" Aishel struggled, but Chizuru had a firm grip. The Duvashnian officer sighed as the Guardian pulled her out of sight.

[Tarrin]

Tyrrine had reached the grove, The soft wind whispered thru the branches.
Night was apon the country and the animals that thrived at that time were out.

The moon full and bright sent shadows from every tree, Nights like these were always what he lived for, Nature in it's glory majestic and mysterious, Just how his mother had shown him it could be over one hundred years ago.
A smile touched Tyrrines lips, Thoughts of his mother were always happy memories, One day soon he would have to visit her again.

Walking towards the largest oak he ran a hand over it's rough trunk "My friend will you allow me to sleep" a Whisper drifted down from the leaves and the trunk seamed to grow a opening "Thankyou Please tell me when a group of people come" After discribing the group he walked into the opening and it sealed behind him.

[PyrosNine]

Faze watched the two head to the baths. "Yep...it really is looking just like I thought...""

Faze sniffed himself. Come to think of it, he could probably use a bath as well. He stilled smelled like a alcohol and horse manure. He wasn't sure where the horsemanure smell came from, but it did seem strong enough for him to be....sitting in it.

With a sigh, Faze got up and headed towards the Men's baths.

[Astral Harmony]

The two girls undressed and proceeded into the bathing area, leaving only Aishel's longbow and quiver behind. The few other women in the bath were a little surprised when two naked strangers entered, one with a large sword and the other with dual tonfas.
And this is how Aishel and Chizuru got a good bit of private space in the bath. "Whew...this feels like heaven."
"Uh huh," Chizuru smiled. "Nothing feels better at this time of day than a good hot bath."
"Well, I'd feel a lot better in this bath if my body was like yours, Chizuru. It's hard to make friends when you're covered with scars and muscle."
Chizuru didn't have a response to that. So she started to wash Aishel's back. "Personally, I think the scars and muscles make you look natural. You don't want to be a girlish lady like Miss Pinchette, do you?"
"Well, I don't wanna be a bitch like Pinchette." Aishel said, then something came up. "Hey, Chizuru?"
"Yes, Miss Aishel?"
"All of the scars on my body. I can tell anyone a story about each and every one. I remember all of these events as though they only happened a week ago. All of them...except one."
Chizuru knew exactly which one Aishel was talking about. "Which one would that be?" Chizuru asked.
Aishel lifted a wet hand to her forehead. "The scar here," she said, running a finger along the diagonal scar. "I can tell a story about each and every scar on my body...except for this one. I don't know where the hell I got it and it continues to bug me sometimes."
"You got that one from a fall."
In a swift motion, Aishel rose from the water and had Chizuru by the shoulders. "You know about this scar?"
"Aishel, you're hurting me."
Aishel looked at her hands and released her friend. Chizuru backed up. "I'm sorry, Chizuru. If you know what this scar means, can you please tell me?"
"I...wasn't there at the time." Chizuru said, deciding to tell Aishel only a little for now. "During an advanced horse riding lesson, you were thrown off and you hit a partially embedded stone face first. That's what caused the scar."
Aishel's jaw hung slightly. "Damn. That was very klutzy of me. But how come I don't remember anything like that?"
Chizuru shrugged. "You were unconscious for a long while. Maybe you just blacked it out or something."
"Thank you for telling me about it, Chizuru. It's been on my mind a lot lately."
"So now you know about it now. That's it." Chizuru lied. That scar meant more than what event had caused it. Much, much more.
Aishel turned around and started walking back to her spot in the bath. "Phew. Well, that's a load off my mind. Now where's that cloth so I can wash your back?"
Chizuru felt relieved and was about to follow Aishel...until she saw a small twinkle in the trees beyond. "A pervert?" she said quietly. When a fast shape suddenly shot up from that position, Chizuru knew where it was going and reached out to Aishel. "Miss Aishel, up there!"
"Huh?" Aishel looked up quickly. Seeing what was coming at her, she quickly leapt back, barely avoiding the incoming blade by inches. The attacker barely made a splash where he landed. The only noise that could be heard were the screams of the other girls who fled the bath in a frenzy.
Neither could tell who the attacker was. He was all cloaked in black from head to toe. "Ninja?" Chizuru breathed, seeing the stance and katana.
The girls quickly picked up their weapons. "So, this is someone from the lands you come from, huh Chizuru?"
"Yes. That or he was trained in the arts that originate there. Regardless, please be very careful, Miss Aishel."
Chizuru wondered if this had anything to do with Tsubasa's warnings. Could this be an assassin sent out to kill Aishel? If it was, then that bastard was moving a lot faster than even Tsubasa or Mika would've predicted. It did confirm what he intended to do regarding Aishel, though. Chizuru wasn't about to let this guy kill them.
"What's the worry? It's us two versus him. Now let's show this guy how we treat men who come into the women's bath."

[Skyshot]

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlame

Okay Wise-Guy. Remarkable deduction. They pay you for that?

"Oh, ye meant was what day of the month it is. Not sure about that one, lass. Ask someone else.

"In any case, see you tonight." Hunpher increased his walking speed a bit, careful to keep his fake limp, and made his way back home.

Home, of course, being the Clinicke. When he had purchased it, it was simply called the clinic, but he had immediately added the -ke on the end. He had felt the prior removal of the -ke was too new-fangled, like something younger folks did to stand out. Hunpher, naturally, was a traditionalist if anything.

He had closed up shop when he left, hoping no severely injured people would desperately need his services. He unlocked the door, casually walked in, hunted down his stock signs, and selected the one he needed. He scanned the front door.

Hunpher Gorwick, physician
Open most daylight hours
(Some night hours if it's urgent)
Come in, sit down, and shut up. I'll attend to you when I'm good and ready.
No exorcisms (see your local priest), no fat people wanting to magically be thin (see Gedd of Tunlan), and no wannabe apprentices.
Yes, I charge money.
If you are ugly or smell, I may charge extra.

Hunpher slapped the "Closed indefinitely" sign over it all, locked the door, and went out. First order of business was to see one of his old war comrades. Leandro of all people should know where that lady's house was. Hunpher wished she had simply said something, like her name or where her house was, but he'd have to find it the hard way.

[PyrosNine]

Faze was shocked to suddenly hear multiple screams coming from the Women's bath. Naturally, the hot springs hadn't been put in, so a simple bathing house was present, but what was truly shocking was the sheer amount of female voices heard. From the sounds of it, there seemed to be quite alot of them, which was shocking considering how small the Men's bath was. It only meant one thing. The women got a bigger bath....

Faze sighed. Whatever caused the commotion was probably just some perverted smuck who peeked into the bath, or just was wanting some more space and luxury in his bath. Faze could only guess that the women had actual soap and scented oils in there.

If Faze wasn't so calm and knowledgeable, he'd have jumped over there to protect the woman from the degenerate, but if he did they'd only lump him with the degenerate and hurt him as well.* Aishiel and Chizuru were on that side anyway, and they didn't seem to be slouches at combat. He'd just leave it to them, and enjoy his bath. However cramped it may be...

*Having attempted this heroic feat before, Faze knew from experience.

(OOC: Any chance we could get some details on Pinchette's party? Or must this RP get the cleaver as well?)