7. Stolen Treasures (Southan)

Looking back to Kintaro still hazing with the blinding dots in his eyes so not able to totally focus on him yet, "Well hell if i know, these things just came waltzing in here with no disregard then once we started beating the crap out of em, they up and teleport out... maybe they were thinking it would be easy to take over here..."

Still glancing over to Misami, with a puzzled look, "Well i guess that there's a first time for everything... you actually went into battle head-first faster than me for once." As he goes up to to her side and leans into a quick kiss with her, "I knew it would only be time."

"Some things cannnot be tolerated. An attack on a House of the Order of Osayin is rare only because its members defend them so readily," the little healer replied in what Shiki recognized as her "teaching" tone. It was the one she used whenever she was repeating a lesson from her Mother. Misami was breathing hard as adrenaline still pumped through her system. Her claws were still out and still glowing orange slightly. Her eyes shifted from where the machine were to look at Kintaro. Their eyes met for the briefest of period, but Kintaro could have sworn he saw recognition in her mismatched eyes. Then she was facing the Masters' table at the front of the room. "Honored Mother and Master Daxus, they said that they achieved their objective."



"Daxus?" the older woman questioned as her only reponse. The middle-aged goblin blinked quickly, wiping the small smile from his face. He looked up at the much taller healer with his unseeing eyes.



"These people were merely a distraction. Their goal was to keep us occupied while something else occurred," the blue-skinned man said simply. His face had become blank--expressionless. He leaned heavily on his staff. "I...was not able to decipher what that something was....I apologize, Honored Mother....I failed you..."

Yama looked around, and thought to himself, 'Darn, I wanted to run ssssome tessstssss on thosssse creaturessss.' Looking down at his claws, 'Oh well, alwayssss next time I ssssupposssse.'

Hearing the conversation between each of them, the Elder Mother Sera and Daxus, with neither of them knowing entirely what had happened except that something had diverted their attention to here.

"Well with this event now over we should try to locate everyone to make sure they are here and accounted for, then we can try to narrow it down from there. With most of us here it shouldn't take too long to get the others here i'd guess."

Checking his pockets where he had placed the amulet, to make sure one of the mecha didn't take it during the fight, he feels it and lets out a small sigh of relief. 'Thats still there... wait... could it have been something that maybe daxus had stored in his area... he did have alot of interesting things in there.'

Moving up near to Daxus, "Do you think if they were targeting something else... it could have been something from your area... you had alot of interesting things there... and with us here ready for dinner and then the commotion here..."

Not sure were to go or what to do since he was new he walks over to Yama and asks "you ever see anything like this before?"

Before either the goblinoid teacher or the Nyokan man could answer their questioners, Terry and Kazuko burst into the room. They had obviously ran a fair distance to get here. Kazuko's room was in the guest quarters. Yama could tell by the look on Kazuko's face that this was not a social visit, however. She had worn the same expression at his and Lizzet's engagement party. It was both tragic and enraged.



"HE TOOK HER!" Kazuko shouted before leaning over clenching her side. "This nekomimi just appeared out of nowhere and grabbed that girl that came in with Misami! He ran off with her!"



"Miki? Where did they go?" Misami snapped in return. Her eyes glowed that deadly orange again as they focused on the pair by the door. She was already in motion towards them.

Terry slightly out of breath, "They ... they ... they ... they went east. We couldn't follow them, they were moving to fast to even send a shadow to track them. I'm ... I'm sorry to just barge in like this, but it's dire that we leave ... NOW!" Terry then walks back out the room.

'Well i guess that settles that... it was a person they took... though why Miki...'

As Terry started to walk out the door, "Well i guess they had their reason to take her... shall we go find that out Misami?"

As Shiki turned to look at where he had left his lover standing by Kintaro, he realized that she was already gone. Terry had barely gotten the words out of her mouth before the little nekomimi was passing her. Kazuko, for once, didn't go to Yama's side. She had turned tail and headed back out the door after Misami and Terry.

It was clear what the female half of the party thought of the situation.

Yama looks to the newcomer, and says, "Nope, never sssseen anything like that before." After seeing Misami and Kazuko leave, Yama says, "We better catch up, don't wanna get left behind."

Turning to see that Shiki and Misami were gone he follows Yama out the door.

As he shifted back seeing that she had left out the door already, 'Well... i guess this is the second time... ~giving a small laugh on the inside~ guess shes becoming more like me...'

As he races off in the direction to her catching up to her mid-stride, "You know... we could move a little faster through the shadows..." as looks over to yama and nods him over to his side, " Ya might wanna change to the snake thing again and hold on so we can get there faster." Looking as everyone else besides those two are already way ahead of us, ya don't want to get left behind again do ya?"

Yama nods, and changes into a snake, slithers up onto Shiki's arm, and nods to him.

~Yama uses Shapechange

Catching up to Terry and Kazuko Kintaro slips an arm around each ones waist and says "heeello ladys, I think it would be quicker if we moved in the shadows, which direction do we need to go?"

Terry snaps her head towards Kintaro out of surprise, "We need to head east, like I said in the room earlier. Also are you skilled enough to carry two people through the shadows? I can take myself if need be, but we should wait for Shiki and Yama so we have everyone together just in case we run into any trouble along the way."

Giving Terry a wink he says "why yes I can and Shiki is already in the shadows."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kintaro activates shadowjump
Kintaro attempts to forcefully move Kazuko.
14 Magic + 4 Gypsy Magic + 15 = 33

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The member 'Kintaro' has done the following action : Rolls

'd20' : 15

"Keep your mitts off me or I'll see that they part ways with your body," Kazuko hissed into the trader's ear just before she yanked herself out of his hold. "I belong to Yama and no one else!" The woven star flared slightly at the Nyokan woman's last statement, causing a brief flash of light that caused spots to dance across Kintaro's vision for a few seconds. By the time they had cleared, the she-snake had wrapped her own shadow around her and was gone--chasing after Misami and quickly gaining on the Order member.



Misami could feel her heart pounding from the speed at which she was running, even though her magic was doing most of the work. Every time she allowed her pace to lag, however, she would hear Miki's voice ahead--a pitiful cry for help, but one just the same and from someone she had promised to protect. Any guilt or remorse that she might have felt was buried, along with any other feeling, under the hard steel of her resolve.

One look at the normally gentle healer's face would have scared any that knew her. Usually, she had traces of a smile or even laughter around her lips and eyes. She was kind, understanding, and patient. The woman leading the group that was rushing from shadow to shadow was not that woman. No, she was not the gentle healer that Shiki fell in love with--she was a warrior defending what she loved. And she was willing to die--and more importantly, kill--for that defense.

It wasn't a Misami that Shiki had ever seen clearly. He had seen glimpses of her...mostly when he was being revived from whatever blow that had been just too much for him to handle. He had seen her handiwork, though. Heads had a tendency to roll (literally) when she made an appearence. Unfortantely, up until this point, he had mostly been dead when that happened.

This Misami was the Journeyman Healer of the Order of Ozain, Daughter of Mother Doshi of the Lithia House of the Order of Ozain. And she was out for blood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kazuko activates Enhance Resistance.

Kazuko resists [insert Magical Attack here].
20 +8 Resistance +1 Precognition +4 Enhance Resistance = 13 + 20 = 33 [Success!]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The member 'Weaver' has done the following action : Rolls

'd20' : 20

Thinking that was a bit harsh he shrugs it off and whith an arm around Terry continues on his way through the shadows.

Seeing Misami getting steps further away from him, 'Well guess i have to step it up a little more...' as he begins to change into a more of a larger wolf form he increases his speed catching up to Misami,

Seeing the look on her face he remembers the short instance of what had happened at the bar awhile back, when she got angry and almost let loose on several individuals. 'This is not the one that most would want to be on the warpath against... shes even a bit more brutal when shes like this...'

As he gains ground on Misami, "Do you have any idea why they would want to try to capture her..."

Yama, still wrapped around Shiki's arm in snake form, shakes his head,' Yikessss, I don't think i've sssseen her that pissssed off before.'

"I don't know why they would take her--she's a child. What possible harm could she do?" Misami breathed out the statement, trying hard not to snap at her lover. Anger was spilling out of her in every direction it seemed. That didn't mean that it would be right to bite someone's head off for asking a question. Another cry had her changing directions slightly, darting down a side alley as they ran. "She had been kidnapped a lot before we found her in that tavern, but she never did say why."

She came to a sudden halt as she spotted the figure standing at the other end of the alley. He didn't seem like much, just a nekomimi male in comfortable fitting camoflague pants and a white tanktop. But there was something about him that made her pause despite the fading cries from Miki.



"Now, y'all best be takin' a bit of a breather there," he drawled in an accented voice. He looked Misami up and down a few times before moving onto the rest of the group. After his quick apprisal, he returned to looking at the nekomimi. A slow grin grew on his face as his dark gold eyes danced. "Particularly you, chere. You look plume tuckered out from all that runnin'."

Watching as the newcomer came into perspective, 'Hell no this is not happening again, once is enough... but two in one day... tryin to make forward with misami...'

Baring his teeth from his wolfen form, his hair standing on end from the rage already, his shadows began to splinter off from him, 'I'm not putting up for this... this cat is gonna lose all nine of his lives tonight.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shiki activates animate shadow ( Shade master path )

Seeing Shiki's reaction, Yama drops off his arm and slithers off behind Shiki and promptly transforms back into fighting shape.

~ Yama uses Shapechange

Coming apon the situation he wispers to Terry "I think i'm going to need both hands." Letting her go he draws his sword and continues through the shadows as quietly as possible to get behind the neko barring the way.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kintaro activates stealth, silence, speed demon and gypsy magic

silence
4 + 14 Magic + 4 Gypsy Magic = 22

stealth
13 + 14 Magic + 4 Gypsy Magic = 31

The member 'Kintaro' has done the following action : Rolls

#1 'd20' : 4

--------------------------------

#2 'd20' : 13

Misami let out a hiss at the other nekomimi's words. Where she had responded to Kintaro's flirtation with embarrassed humor--had that really been less than an hour ago? It seemed like a month had passed--this neko had picked the wrong time to make a pass at her. If nothing else, it would distract Shiki from the task at hand. The hiss turned into a growl as she fought the urge to just punch the guy.

"This is official Order of Osayin business," she managed through clenched teeth. She was holding onto her collected calm by the tips of her claws. She would not embarrass her mother now. "Stand aside or face the consequences."



"Now I don't think you understand just what you be saying, chere," the tiger-striped man said with another smooth smile. His attitude wasn't so much smug as it was utterly confident. "Ya should turn back the way ya came and scurry back to yer little hidey-hole. You've a pretty face, belle petite. I'd hate to have to muss it."

"You've got one last chance to stand aside before I show you the meaning of 'mussing' someone's face."

Misami's hands curled into fists, her exposed claws biting into her palm. Her temper, usually sternly under her control, felt closer to a wild wolf in a cage. It wasn't like her. Acting out of anger was Shiki's way, not hers. But ever since those things had crashed through the skylight of the dining hall, her control had been frayed. She was prepared to start the fight if it came to that.



Kazuko watched with hard eyes from the shadows behind the mysterious nekomimi. Already she could hear Lizzet's teasing laughter in the wind that was picking up. The dancing breeze stirred the Nyokan's gauzy skirt and carried the sharp scent of desert spice. The taste of home was not comforting to Kazuko. It only reminded her of the dark poison she had used to kill her cousin for the crime of stealing Kazuko's beloved Yama. Just within the edge of her vision she could see the faint glow of Lizzet's seal on her cheek. This had not been a good week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misami rolls Swiftness.
4 roll + 2 Swiftness = 6

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remy X rolls Swiftness
8 roll +16 Swiftness +8 Speed Demon +4 Adrenaline = 36

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kazuko rolls Swiftness.
11 roll +12 Swiftness +4 Speed Demon +1 Precognition = 28

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The member 'Weaver' has done the following action : Rolls

'd20' : 4, 8, 11

Yama walks up from behind Shiki, popping his knuckles, and says, "SSSSorry, but we don't have time to play around with the likessss of you."


~ Yama rolls Swiftness check ; result = 1
~ 1 + 17 Improved God Speed + 4 Swiftness + 1 Precognition = 23 Total

The member 'Yama' has done the following action : Rolls

'd20' : 1

As he sets his eyes on person blocking his way, his eyes glaring at him with true wrath, 'Hes still continuing to sweet talk her infront of me... and hes not even moving for her ~nicer requests~ this guy is really starting to get on my final nerve...'

As he still stood there once she asked him to move and said for us to go back, the last nerve in his body snapped, as shiki stood there in the wolf form his eyes glared with a deep red... something that he had held onto he had lost control...


As the shadow forms gather around shiki all baring their teeth and snapping at the new comer, "Best you get out of my way fool... i dont have time to deal with you, we're after someone else right now..."


~~~~~~~
Shiki Activates: Rage

Shiki rolls swiftness
6 Swiftness + 18 Improved God speed + 1 Precognition + 14 Roll = 39

The member 'Shiki' has done the following action : Rolls

'd20' : 14

Continuing to be as stealthy as possible Kintaro posisitions himself behind the neko.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
swiftness roll

swiftness 12 + speed demon 4 + 1 = 17

The member 'Kintaro' has done the following action : Rolls

'd20' : 1

Terry stood very still in the shadows where Kintaro had left her. Her sniper trained eye caught the edges of movement at the end of the alley opposite the stranger. She readied her gun and took aim at it, only to realize that it was a kid. He was maybe ten at the most and vaguely familiar. She hadn't had much to do with the children that the Order took in--maybe it was one of theirs that followed them. The boy grinned at her before disappearing giving her a wave.

Suddenly she felt her gun being yanked out of her hands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Castio/Paol uses Pick Pocket against Terry (Longarm).
11 roll +10 Attack +0 Pick Pocket +8 Dervish Dance +4 Enhance Weapon +6 Swift Attack -2 Small Size = 37

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry rolls Swiftness.
3 roll +5 Swiftness +4 Robotic Reflexes = 12

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Current Combat Order:

Shiki [Swft 6] (39)
Remy [Swft 16] (36)
Kazuko [Swft 12] (28)
Yama [Swft 4] (23)
Kintaro [Swft 12] (17)
Terry [Swft 5] (12)
Misami [Swft 2] (6)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The member 'Weaver' has done the following action : Rolls

'd20' : 11, 3

As his mind blanked out seeing only the form of the neko in his eyes, rage fueling his movements, he vanishes from sight for only an instant to appear next to the neko. With all his wolves in pack they begin to claw at him with an unrelenting barrage of attacks.

As he attacked the neko in surprise he didn't show any mercy for him, he gave him no lea-way for a dodge... only thing running in his mind was '...Kill...'


~~~~~~~~~
Attack
Shiki Attack #1
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 6 Roll = 56
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 9 Roll = 57


Shiki Attack #2
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 1 Roll = 51
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 13 Roll = 61

Shiki Attack #3
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 17 Roll = 67
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 11 Roll = 59

Shiki Attack #4
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 5 Roll = 55
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 5 Roll = 53

Shiki Attack #5
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 4 Roll = 54
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 3 Roll = 51

Shadow Shiki 1
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 12 Roll = 62
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 5 Roll = 55
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 14 Roll = 62

Shadow Shiki 2
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 16 Roll = 66
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 13 Roll = 63
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 5 Roll = 53

Shadow Shiki 3
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 11 Roll = 61
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 13 Roll = 63
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 8 Roll = 56

Shadow Shiki 4
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 17 Roll = 67
18 attack + 6 Claw + 4 Rage + 4 Savage + 4 Fighter + 4 Juggernaut + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Weapons + 2 Razors Edge + 13 Roll = 63
~~~~~Eldritch Attack:
~~~~~ 36 Magic + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Enhance Magic + 4 Eldritch Attack + 4 Roll = 52

The member 'Shiki' has done the following action : Rolls

'd20' : 6, 9, 1, 13, 17, 11, 5, 5, 4, 3, 12, 5, 14, 16, 13, 5, 11, 13, 8, 17, 13, 4

Just as the first blow was about to land, the nekomimi blows a kiss at Misami and disappears in an awfully familiar burst of white light. It was the after image that was uselessly torn apart by Shiki's pack.

     

"My gun!" the former guard shouted as it left her hands. She watched shocked as the small child, a duplicate to the one at the end of the alley, took off with the rifle. It was almost as big as he was! "That brat just stole my gun!"

Almost where they couldn't hear, Miki cried out for Misami again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remy is teleported to safety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terry autofails her defense roll due to lack of player involvement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Casio--or is it Paol?--taunts Terry before running off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Getting over the flash Kintaro stays still and looks around for any sign of anyone else close by while trying to listes to the others.

Watching at the afterimage got clawed and as he leapt through for the throat, and missing the target...

'What the hell...'

As he skidded to a halt behind the image turning around and seeing the image fade out and his shadow forms standing there where it was, 'Caniving little prick ran off... figures for a scardy-cat like him...' as he snickered from the neko running off from his attack.

As he made his way back to the group, shiki shifted back to his normal form, though on the tip of one of his ears there was a patch of fur that continued to stay a part red.

Hearing the yelp of Terry, he made his way back a little faster, getting there he heard he say that someone stole her gun.

"Well... any idea on what to do now... we still need to go after Miki, but now we have the added of going to look for Terry's gun..." giving a small sigh 'well this is turning out to be one fun event after another...'

Misami took off towards the girl's fading voice as a strong wind rushed down the alley. It carried the increasingly familiar scent of spice. The nekomimi woman was focused. Scents didn't matter so much as that cry. She had promised that no harm would come to the girl. And now this?

Kazuko's dark green eyes widened as she saw the figure that Terry had just ran through as the human chased after the identical kids that stole her gun. No one made any move to follow Terry as she took off running even though Misami had at least a pack of wolves following her. Lizzet smiled at her, pale gray eyes twinkling. She lifted one hand and gave her cousin a little wave.

---

Adventure Results:

Kazuko:
~ Sage (The Theft): +200
~ Haunted: +100
~ Remy: +200
~ ~Total Earned: +500
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 8600/9600
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Seventh Level!

Kintaro:
~ Smooth Talker: +100
~ Clever Lies: +100
~ Maunese Soliders: +900
~ Rebuffed: +100
~ Remy: +200
~ ~Total Earned: +1400
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 6200/7200
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Fifth Level

Misami:
~ In Stride: +100
~ Sage (Lithia and Mitaji): +100
~ Sancity of the House: +100
~ Maunese Soliders: +900
~ Honorbound (Call of the Innocent): +100
~ Remy: +200
~ ~Total Earned: +1500
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 8000/8400
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Sixth Level!

Ryszard:
~ Knowing When to Leave: +100
~ Supervision: +100
~ Maunese Soliders: +900
~ ~Total Earned: +1100
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 4400/4800
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Third Level!


Shiki:
~ Territorial Dispute: +100
~ Teasing Misami: +100
~ Maunese Soliders: +900
~ Twice in One Hour?!: +100
~ Remy: +200
~ ~Total Earned: +1400
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 8600/9600
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Seventh Level

Terry:
~ Sage (Directions): +200
~ Stolen Treasure: +200
~ Remy: +200
~ ~Total Earned: +600
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 5700/6000

Yama:
~ Scent of a Feline: +100
~ Notice the Unseen: +200
~ Conversing with the Master: +200
~ Maunese Soliders: +900
~ Remy: +200
~ ~Total Earned: +1600
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 8800/9600
~ ~ ~ ~Gained Seventh Level!

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