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Post by KD on Jul 9, 2012 22:55:51 GMT -5
"Between me and Cezir, we should be able to find him." She kissed him lightly and slid to the floor, moving to the window. She shifted into a raven, fluttering through the window and soaring up into the sky, she and Cezir scanning around for signs of the ronin.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 9, 2012 23:15:13 GMT -5
This time, Hiroshi traveled by foot, thankfully unbothered by another foul smelling giant at his heels. He was following the quickest route to Shimabara and pointedly avoided anyone who might forcefully request his services. A lone man he could cut down in seconds, but a dozen burly cutthroats would not be so quickly, and he had no time to waste on fighting his way across Kyushu. He needed to find the priest as quickly as possible and tell him what he learned, not only from Shinji himself but from the locals. Could Shinji back up his threats on his life in regards to Shen being left alive? Of which he intended to do, by all means. Hiroshi gave a glance behind, for a moment paranoid that the younger told a witness to follow him. He paused and scanned the horizon, lingering around possible hiding spots. Sure enough, there was a rustling as small stones were shifted among the roots of a large tree and rolled downhill along the worn path.
So he had been found out, had he? Hiroshi started to dart towards the tree atop the hill as he unleashed his blades. The follower abandoned his hiding spot and knocked an arrow on his bow and started to volley arrows towards Hiroshi as he ran. Hiroshi dodged and wove as the arrows were loosed, trying to make a more difficult target, even deflecting one that was about to pierce his shoulder with a well placed block of his sword, the shaft splintering in two as the arrowhead just grazed the skin of an arm, nothing close to fatal.
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Post by KD on Jul 9, 2012 23:17:58 GMT -5
The archer suddenly let out a yell as a falcon blazed out of nowhere and attacked him with a screech, talons ripping into his vulnerable scalp.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 9, 2012 23:26:16 GMT -5
That was the advantage he needed and the moment Thrade's falcon friend looped up in the air to ready a second blow, Hiroshi's blade lopped the man's head clean off his shoulders. Hiroshi breathed heavily and pushed the head with his foot, it rolled down the hill, almost comically, if it weren’t such a gruesome sight.
He looked up at the falcon above flying in small circles. “You’re Thrade’s little friend, aren’t you? Thank you. I was afraid my luck was running out.” Hiroshi lowered his eyes to the carcass below and chose to relieve him of his bow and quiver of arrows.
When Cezir perched himself on the branch of a tree near him, preening himself in pleasure for the compliment, Hiroshi addressed the falcon a second time. “Is Thrade near? I need to speak with the priest.”
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Post by KD on Jul 9, 2012 23:27:43 GMT -5
A raven fluttered down to join Cezir, then hopped to the ground, changing into the form of the young druid slowly. She squinted up at him and frowned when she saw the graze on his shoulder.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 9, 2012 23:31:00 GMT -5
Hiroshi looked relieved to see the druid. “Thrade, at last I have reached you. I must speak to Lei quickly. There will be attempts on his life, I was sent here by Shinji for that very reason. I have hoped to stall them, but when I do not return, they may think I was unsuccessful and dead. Or they may suspect foul play and send another. He will need a great deal of protection if he does not keep a low profile. Is he in Shimabara? Does anyone know who he is?”
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Post by KD on Jul 10, 2012 0:17:24 GMT -5
Her eyes flashed at the mention of attempts on her husband's life. "Shade is keeping the other brother occupied but he knew who he was even when we came in. He is in the city, yes, and hasn't really been keeping a low profile, he couldn't":
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Post by Jenny on Jul 10, 2012 0:22:27 GMT -5
Hiroshi put his head in a hand, clearly frustrated but due to the danger of the situation that Lei had gotten himself in. He raised his eyes to the sky a bit and shook his head, then looked at Thrade. "Shade tells me of a man named Huo Ting Zao, friend to your husband and captain of the emperor's army. I hear that they are awaiting further orders in the mountains. Why can't we just ride into Shimabara and take the city? Lei can get out of there... it isn't too late."
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Post by KD on Jul 10, 2012 0:58:18 GMT -5
Thrade shook her head. "He won't leave all of thise as it is, even if he could and he wouldn't leave Shade behind either."
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Post by Jenny on Jul 10, 2012 1:08:00 GMT -5
“Shade can take care of herself,” he grumbled lowly. Hiroshi looked like he was almost pouting. Clearly, he was hoping for a fight. He recovered soon enough, narrowing his eyes a little as he regarded Thrade. “I hope all this talk, this diplomacy, is getting us somewhere. I don’t trust them, not for a second. Especially Shiguen.”
He seemed to shake himself off and started to walk towards Shimabara, his pace quicker than before. Truth be told, he did wish to see if Shade was all right. That Shiguen, he most likely had his hands all over her. It made his skin crawl at the thought. He gritted his teeth and emitted a low growl.
“I’ll kill the bastard myself if I have to. He’s not getting his slimy hands on anyone.”
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Post by KD on Jul 10, 2012 19:36:41 GMT -5
"According to Shade, he's stockpiling magical objects and spells, which makes us all nervous." Thrade trotted after him, eying him and raising an eyebrow at his tone before she shifted into another form. Well, wasn't that interesting? He's having a celebration tonight, we want to get a closer look at what he has in there. Shade has him wrapped around her little finger. Though how she puts up with him, I don't know. I supposed manipulating someone like him amuses her.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 10, 2012 19:46:25 GMT -5
Hiroshi did not pause as she spoke, keeping up his irritable pace. He glanced down when she had shifted and traveled by his side and kept on going. It was clear that he wanted to return to Shimabara as soon as possible. “Oh, that’s right. You can speak in my mind. How do you do that, anyway?”
He turned his head and looked in front of him. The news of Shade’s foothold did not seem to placate his mood. His jaw worked stubbornly. “Then I guess I’m going to have to dress up for the occasion.” Having no invitation didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest. “These magical object, these spells. I’d rather destroy them than to leave them in his hands. Never really trusted magic anyway.”
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Post by KD on Jul 10, 2012 19:51:30 GMT -5
Magic, she replied innocently. She was in the form of a dog, trotting beside him like a faithful pet as Cezir swept overhead. I would agree, except destroying them might set off an explosion, which might be a bit of a problem seeing as how we're on top of a volcano. I'm going to sneak in with Lei, you might want to either sneak in yourself, or we could possibly pass you off as a bodyguard. He'd buy that, he has so many himself.
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Post by Jenny on Jul 10, 2012 20:01:37 GMT -5
Hiroshi glanced down at that. “The volcano Unzen. That does pose a problem…”
“I would feel much better if I could keep an eye on Lei. Perhaps posing as one of his bodyguards would be a wise move. I was accepted into Shinji’s little circle easy enough, I suppose. I’d love to have a blade ready to cut him down if need be. We’d have quite a fight on our hands.” That seemed to perk him up. “Then we just take what we want.”
Hiroshi tried to be well meaning, but he was no strategist. He preferred to go on instinct and his own fists rather than talk. It wasn’t that he wasn’t bright, he was just a man of action. “I still think we should send a message to Lei’s man Huo Ting Zao, I’d feel much better knowing they were close.”
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Post by KD on Jul 10, 2012 20:06:04 GMT -5
Wait until you talk to Lei. Thrade advised. I'd feel better with someone guarding his back as well, but if we start a fight, he might unleash whatever he's got on us and I don't trust him not to use something he can't control, which would be disastrous.
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