Yūshi
Genin
w a n d e r
Posts: 4
|
Post by Yūshi on Jul 6, 2008 18:39:41 GMT -5
"Foolish boy," a dark and sinister voice called out in the darkness. "Did you honestly think that I'd allow you to stop me?" the cloaked figure said as he descended from the ancient pedestal. His skin was pale and what could be seen of his body was thin. Tattoos covered nearly seventy percent of the bald and elderly man's body, and strapped to his back was large cylinder case. "I've come too far to let some little punk ruin my plans," he roared out to the youth standing in the middle of the dimly lit room.
"Well, if getting my treasure means ruining your plans," the brown haired man said as a mischievous smirk formed. "You're shit out luck," he said as he withdrew a sword from his scabbard, its length rivalling that of a nodaichi. The old man growled seeing the youth's defiance. His bony hands clapped together and began crafting wierd formations with them as he started to chant. The words the man spoke were unknown to anything that the youth had ever heard, causing him to be put on edge. "What are you up to old man?" he called out as he noticed the tattoos on man's body begin to glow. The man then clapped his hands together and the tattoos that were once on his body poured into the cylinder he carried.
"If that is the way you feel...," the old man spoke, his voice low and labored. "Then you shall perish!" he said as he clapped his hands together once more, the sound echoing in the large and ancient room. A bubbling sound soon was heard from the cylinder, and before the youth could so much as open his mouth to question it a torrent of black ooze shot out from the large canister. Landing just infront of the brown haired man would stare in disgust at the ooze. In the dark concoction were bones of various different creatures, articles of clothing, and a large scissor-like blade. "Arise my servant...arise my warrior!" he commanded as the ooze began to bubble once again. It soon began to compact and rise into the air, scultping itself into a monsterous looking creature. The youth could only watch in awe and amazement at the sight as an anthropomorphic reptilian beast came to life before him. Taking a few steps back he tightened his grip on his sword. Glowing blue eyes locked onto him as he did so, resulting in the beast letting out a menacing roar.
"Fuck..."
____________________
"And then what happened!?" a boy called out from the crowd. A look of pure excitement was written onto his face. His eyes locked onto the man sitting on a wooden barrel with a thick book in hand.
"Ah~" the man said with a smile on his face. "But that is a story for another day," he said as he closed the book much to the disappointment of the crowd. Hopping off of the barrel he placed the book back into his traveling bag, and looked at all those in the crowd that had gathered. "If you wish to hear how this story ends then meet me back here tomorrow at the same time," and with that the man turned on his heels and started to make his way down the sand laden path of the Kaze no Kuni village.
Who was this man? Nobody knew for certain. After every couple of months he would turn up in Shonin Gai with a huge load of treasures and trinkets. After selling all that he wished to sell he would quickly gather around all that would listen and tell them stories. Stories of all the adventures he had been on and of all the exotic things that he had seen. A sense of joy always seemed to overtake the village when the man simply known as "Yūshi" or "Traveler" came to town.
|
|
|
Post by Konasu Kon on Jul 6, 2008 19:23:35 GMT -5
"You're fucking mad! Out of your mind! The sun's fried your brain. First, you suggest taking no initiative action toward our brethren within the clan who seem intent on striking us dead, but now you suggest actually seeking out the tailed beasts in order to protect those same bastards? Are you people really going to listen to this nutjob? Have we forgotten exactly what it is we're even about?"
Kon let the man continue with his ramblings, elbows propped up on the table and cheeks resting upon his fists. Lids were down over golden eyes, pinkish hair falling over his eyes in an almost sleepy manner. "And NOW this nga's sleeping on the job! Change in leadership, please. Let this kid go down for his nap or something." He was a newcomer. Kon couldn't blame him too much. Still, the voice echoing maliciously through the hall was getting to him. Particularly right behind his eyes. None of the rest were taking him seriously, eyes fixated on the ambitious newcomer who was excitedly out of his seat, waving his arms animatedly as he explained all the things he had hoped to accomplish once he had exiled himself from the rest of his clan.
"I'm gonna go out for a bit." Kon said, his low voice carrying over the din the man was spewing and for a moment, all was silent as the boy pushed away from the table, rose from his seat and strode away. When he returned, the upstart would in all likelihood be gone, disillusioned with the lack of offensive ambition Kon's group possessed. It wouldn't be the first time. Clans filled their childrens' heads full of precautionary garbage about them, hoping to scare young delinquents into behaving. But all their lies of danger, swooping in to assassinate daimyou and looting clan compounds did was to start fires in young ones' heads and hearts that Kon and the others weren't fit to deliver on. They weren't dark and dashing mercenaries: weavers of an elegant and dangerous craft. They were merely doing their jobs.
Hands were in pockets as Kon ambled to one of his favorite spots. Shonin Gai. The folk were colorful there, and paid little mind to his golden eyes and demonic aura put upon him by those remaining proper in the Konasu clan. He would often find a trinket or two there to cheer himself up: a piece of jewelry, a new article of clothing or a book. Today, he would find so much more. Browsing the scarves of a local merchant, he couldn't help but overhear Yūshi's story. Head stayed angled as he browsed absently, not even looking at the wares but trying to catch every piece of the tale while not seeming at all like he was eavesdropping. Crowds weren't so much his thing, but the boy was intrigued and finally gave up the facade, turning to face the back of the man, the crowd around him rapt with attention.
Kon stood, head tilted, practically leaning forward with every twist of the tale. Eyes grew wider and wider until.... The end? Kon fell back, seemingly disappointed with the cockblocking cliffhanger to the tale and with a grimace of letdown, went back to fumbling through the scarves. But he couldn't stop his mind from making up its own endings. Filling in the blanks, for waiting an entire day simply wasn't going to do. Already, the disparaging newcomer was forgotten in the face of the traveler's tale and the ending Kon would weave for himself until the morrow. Provided he remembered to return. Kon was not known for having the best memory.
Turning, he faced the man. "E-excuse me sir..." he said, approaching tentatively. "I...uh...yeah. I wanted to know what happens next...I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it tomorrow, and life would be that much more bothersome if I was left not knowing how it all went down. I'd be glad to buy something to make it worth your trouble." Kon was most certainly embarrassed. He felt like he was four years old, begging his mother to finish the bedtime story she had started, clinging to his covers and wriggling excitedly. Kon tried to remain as composed as ever, biting his lip ever so slightly.
[/blockquote][/blockquote]
|
|
Yūshi
Genin
w a n d e r
Posts: 4
|
Post by Yūshi on Jul 7, 2008 16:28:12 GMT -5
As he made his way down the busy street his eyes would wander from vender to vender. At all times Yūshi seemed to be in search of some sort of treasure. His ears always alert for even the tiniest of leads. Though treasure and riches were not the only thing that he had trained himself to look out for. Danger was also something a man in his line of work had to be cautious about. It lurked in the most unseemly of places, and could strike at every turn. Which is why as the pink haired boy approached from the rear the man's hand soon found its way to the hilt of his sword.
Turning his head slightly as the boy called out to him he quickly sized him up. It was an odd sight to say the least. A kid with pink hair and golden eyes was something that he had never come across before. Though, he figured that some sort of dye was involved. Listening to the boy's request brought a bright smile to his face as he turned around to face Kon. Lowering himself so that he was on eye level with him Yūshi placed a hand on Kon's head.
"Well, normally I don't do this kinda thing," he began to explain. "It's a storyteller's job to keep their readers on their toes and wanting more. Which is why I stopped," Yūshi explained further. "However, since you're willing to pay...," pausing for a moment he rubbed his chin as he thought of a suitable payment. "Ah, I got it. One story for one meal. That sound fair?"
|
|
|
Post by Konasu Kon on Jul 7, 2008 22:11:51 GMT -5
This is so fucking dumb...just walk away, yo... Kon thought to himself, momentarily scrunching his face up in disgust. Begging for a story and offering to pay money that he really should have been saving...he was a sucker of the legendary sort. But what Kon wanted, Kon often broke his back to get, and that was why his group respected him. Not because that same ambition would catapult them into stardom and status.
But because it was that ambition that would keep them one step ahead of their opposition and alive.
The traveler turned and Kon's eyes widened. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. All the same, this area could be a little rough, and a petite, golden-eyed kid with pink hair could easily be interpreted as a soft, easy mark. Kon, while he would tell a boldfaced lie in saying that he didn't like to fight, that didn't necessarily meant he walked every step simply wishing a nigga would.
But surprisingly, Yushi laid a hand atop his head, somewhat rumpling his hair and Kon was reminded of something warm and gentle in that moment. An affectionate motion. His father used to do it often, and the memory brought a smile to the Chuunin's normally stoic face for a hot second. A meal for the conclusion to the tale. That was an even trade off.
"You got yourself a deal." Kon said quietly, maintaining his smile. That much was manageable, since he had not eaten, himself. "You can even pick the place."
[/blockquote][/blockquote]
|
|
Yūshi
Genin
w a n d e r
Posts: 4
|
Post by Yūshi on Jul 8, 2008 12:50:50 GMT -5
A light chuckle came from Yūshi as he watched the boy's face light up. "Excellent," he said offering a smile of his own as he stood erect once more. Looking around at the various shops and restaurants available he tried to find one that'd the kid could afford. "Ah, I know. Follow me," Yūshi said as he began to walk down the street once more. Gently pushing people out of his way he made his way to a building set at the end of the block. It was a short journey, lasting but a few minutes at most, but it was a journey nonetheless. "The Traveller Journeys for Food...," he said idly to himself, testing how smooth the title ran off the tongue. As they moved through his mind would spin and weave the details. Soon enough, he would have transformed this simple walk into an epic tale of a man's struggle to find food.
Though, before he could begin to finish the tale this chance encounter needed to come to a close. Stopping infront of a tea house he glanced back at the pink haired boy. "Think this place is within your price range?" he asked raising a curious eyebrow.
|
|