8. Gems (Southan)

The streets and back alleys of Pathos were surprisingly empty. The closest crowd to the group rushing headlong through the shadows was the still packed plaza where traders from all over sold their wares. The noise spilled out of the confines onto the surrounding side streets like water from a broken jug, harkers cheerfully selling their products while buyers haggled prices. Miki was too far away now to be heard over the dull hum. Directionless now, Misami was forced to stop.



"I..." Misami trailed off as she looked at the wolves now pacing around her and then to Yama and Kintaro. Her eyes, usually mismatched with one blue and the other red, were currently identically red, a sign of her anger. That anger was becoming muted as distress began to filter into her mind. "They went into the crowd...I can't find her. I can't find her!"

A breeze swept over the small group from the market place. The spices were not out of place here. The smells of cooked and cooking food were practically mouth-watering to the group that had not eaten since lunch that day.

Looking around the market and sniffing, stomach rumbling, Kintaro walks up to Shiki and asks "so I take it you can't sniff her out?"

Looking at the large crowd and the amount of people there, with all the scents in the air wafting through his nose. "Well it will be hard, this is a heavily traveled market, and with all the scents here it will be a little harder than normal to pick it up."

As he nods to his shadow forms that are near him, they begin to bolt off into the different corners of the market, "Though what is hard for a single nose to pick up, four of them make better odds and more eyes in different directions increases it further."

Looking around, tounge darting, trying to find any trace of her. Yama says, "Thissssss will be a hard one to find."

There was a few gasps as the wolves rushed into the crowded plaza. Some people jumped aside, seeking to get away from the dangerous-looking beasts that were running loose. A few children laughed and tried to pull away from their mothers to give chase to the sniffing creatures. City guard perked up from their places as Shiki's shades searched for any sign of the stolen girl.

There was many scents throughout the wide plaza. Food vendors did brisk business at their stalls while women tittered over the beautiful batiks of a clothier or the sparkling wares of the several jewelers and smiths of precious metals. The ripe scent of apples assulted the nose of one of the wolves near the other end of the wide market place.

Two trails were very distinct among all this odous "noise". One was a trail that was fiercely cat-like...almost like a tiger crossed with gunpowder. It was vaguely familiar to Shiki. It brought to mind a memory of a shivering form crouched low on the floor as Misami talked. The other, the distinct scent of brimstone laced with soothing mint, was etched into his mind. It was Rajani the Oathbreaker.

And it was all over the plaza.

Catching the smell of the brimstone that he had ran across, took him less than a second to recognize as Rajani, when he caught it he had a short moment of fear as to why she would be here at a time like this. 'This is not a good place to be catching this smell, why is she here.'

When he paced himself for a moment, regaining composure after the moment, making his way back to where he left misami and the others, "I think we have a problem here.... Rajani's scent is all over this place... this is not good. If shes here no telling what will happen is she finds us here."

In a little more calmer tone after mentioning Rajani's appearance, "Though there was another scent that i came across... i think it was from Titania from back when... though cant exactly pinpoint her location with everything else here."

Winking at Misami behind Shiki's back Kintaro says "so now wouldn't be a good time to sugest splitting up and looking for her." He motions at Shiki and Yama and then at Misami and himself.

"If what SSSShiki ssssays issss true, ssssplitting up would be a very bad idea." Says Yama looking around.

"Yea if her scent is here, and everywhere around here... then splitting up will be a very very bad idea."

Glancing back to Kintaro, "Also... it seems she doesn't like anyone making friendly with Misami... so may not want to try anything she almost killed me a couple times already..."

As he looks around in the sky looking for anything out of the normal, hoping to note a sign of where she might be.

"Dosen't sound so bad if she allmost killed the mutt here." Kintaro walks over to Misami and throws an arm around her shoulder.

The little alley seemed to pulse with tension as Kintaro wrapped his arm around Misami's shoulders. The little nekomimi was so close to her anger that the man's callous comment about Shiki's death, always a sore point with the healer, was very close to a rage similar to one of Shiki's battles. She was, quite literally, seeing red. Before she could act upon said rage, however, someone else chose that moment to speak.



"My master said to not kill the mutt, furball," came a low feminine voice. There was a dangerous steel in the words, like the sharp kunai now against Kintaro's neck. The dark, rich scent of brimstone and mint grew strong in Kintaro's nose as Rajani pressed herself against his back. The others could see her dark eyes flashing with anger as she drew a drop of ruby blood from Misami's newest companion. "Do not presume that his generosity extends to you. Unhand her. Now. Misami is mine."

Yama, not in the most pleasant mood, turns and says, "Sssssince when!?"

Watching the events unfold pretty much right before his eyes as he saw Rajani appear right behind Kintaro, 'Heh i told ya so Kintaro...' and as she mentioned calling him a furball... 'Wait... so hes not a normal human... hes a nekomimi' as he gets a scent of him a little better from the blood drawn by Rajani he recognizes the smell of his blood.

'So hes been hitting on Misami and hes also a nekomimi too... ' this is not going to be his day... Rajani hates me already but now seeing him with her and his arm wrapped around her and being a neko too, his future is pretty bleak looking. If Rajani doesn't kill him, or Misami doesn't kill him... I more than likely will since hes done this twice in a day.'

"Hello again Rajani... seems we have been running into each other more and more lately."

Slowly taking his arm off Misami's shoulder and brining it down and across his body so his hand rests on the hilt of his sword, Kintaro lifts his left arm and says "you would fit nicely under here while we talk about this little problem."

Rajani growled low in her throat at the nekomimi's presumptous comment. Her little blade bit deeper into Kintaro's throat. The single drop that pearled beneath the bit of steel became a thin line dribbling down his neck. Shiki recognized the flash of her dark eyes as impending doom.

"You try my patience, furball," she said through grittedf teeth. Her tail flicked angrily beneath her forest-colored kimono. The setting sun bathed her with a red-orange light. Misami, also with a red cast to her, placed a hand on Kintaro's arm as she turned to face her comrade, either to warn him of her movement or to restrain him from drawing his weapon. There was really no way of knowing. "As for you, snake--Misami has always been mine." Rajani's black eyes cut to Shiki briefly before resting once more on Yama. Otherwise, she ignored the wolf demon. "No one else's."



"Rajani, my dearest sister," Misami rebuked gently, any sign of her previous anger out of sight. Once more, her right eye was its normal pale blue color. Like flipping a switch, Misami the warrior was gone, leaving only Misami the gentle healer. For her next careful words, her tone was soothing with an oft-repeated feel to them. "I belong to Osayin, as all His servants do."

"Still that tripe, 'Sami?" Rajani scoffed. As the former priestess focused on her sister-in-faith, her kunai pulled away from Kintaro's skin ever so slightly. Misami's hand tightened on his arm briefly before releasing it completely. "The Order lies. Oh, it is a persuasive tale they tell, little sister, but it holds no more truth than a traveling merchant's words."

"This is your illness speaking, 'Jani. I know it must be scary, but I can heal you. Let me, dearest one; let me help you. Let me heal you," Misami plead. Her words were soft, cajoling. The neko inched closer to the estranged healer, barely a shifting of weight. Her hands, bathed in a pale blue glow, raised, hovering near, but not touching Rajani's skin. Misami's very calmness began to sooth away agitations in all who could hear her voice. "You know this is true. You know the truth, 'Jani. You heard His Call sam as I did. Listen, sister; He Calls you still."

Bidden by Misami's gentle words, everyone in the small grouping listened, not to the noise of the crowded marketplace beyond, but to the secret spaces within themselves. Surprisingly, each could hear a near-silent whispering, slightly different for each of them. While Kintaro could have sworn that his whisper was similar to the almost senient voice of the Serenity, Shiki would have claimed it was Misami...or maybe Rakai, the lover he had before he met the nekomimi healer. Kazuko, silently observing from the wall behind Yama, was already familiar with her voice having heard it since her cousin's death. Yama could not make out enough of his whisperer's voice to recognize it.

Yama, keeping his mouth shut, just stands there.

~Yama begins to Charge PSN (+1)

Winking at Rajani flirtatiously Kintaro says "come on, furball is a little harsh don't you think foxy."

Getting ticked off from Kintaro about how he seems to continue to try hitting on misami, and with the appearance of Rajani, and how he doesn't even know her and began to hit on her even after her threats to him, he is in somewhat disbelief at how crazy he is acting to her.

'Gotta admit that he is gonna test his nine lives doing that with her... hell she damn near did it to me.'

As his shadows begin to gather from their scouting the marketplace, they all converge back to his sides. "Rajani we came this way on search for a girl that we were caring for had been taken from us and lead us through this marketplace, we must try to locate her soon."

"The girl is unimportant, mutt. If the stinkin' Order wants you to kidnap a kid, that's no business of mine!" Rajani then screamed as she shoved the kunai she was holding into Kintaro's shoulder. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TRY MY PATIENCE!"



"I suggest stoppin' what you are doing," came a soft voice from besides Yama. Her words were punctuated by the cold barrel of a gun pressing against his ear. "I'm not so shy anymore, ya'll find."



"Will everyone please just calm down before someone gets hurt?"

Misami's voice still had a calming effect on those around her, but it was quickly fading now. Instead of being even, her tone now held a bit of exasperation. The glow that had surrounded her hands was fading as quickly as her calmness. That odd whispering was becoming fainter as well.

Stepping away from Rajani and Misami everyone was able to see a change of demeanor in Kintaro, a coldness came over him he was no longer a fool to be laughed at, he reaches up pulls out the kunai drops it to the ground and shifts into his hybrid form. "Now it's time to get serious, eather help or get lost bitch."

Yama just smiles, with almost no emotion on his face.

~Yama Continues to Charge PSN (+2)

Getting irritated at the fact that each second lingering by, Miki gets further away. The marking on his ears travels further down, tainting the back of his neck a dull red, as with it growing his anger becomes rather visible each passing moment.

'This is going nowhere, and now the true form of Kintaro shows himself, and as his blood suggested by scent, he was a nekomimi. First trying to hit on Misami, and now Rajani... and seeing Titania here working along with her, when we were all friends awhile back shes now holding a gun to our group.'

With this, one of his wolfen forms shifts to his normal form while it maneuvers behind Titania, glowing the eerie red that misami noticed before just before he went berserk, without moving from his spot keeping his eyes on Rajani, he voices to Titania, "Best to drop the weapon from yama's head, we're not here to fight, we were friends before, there is no need for this..."

"Hey, Rajani," Titania said nervously, though her gun never wavered from Yama's head. She didn't know exactly what he was doing, but with the magic sense that the kitsunemimi was teaching her, she could feel something. As long as she could feel that slight swirl of power around the Nyoka, she was unwilling to relax her stance. "Maybe we should stand down--we were only supposed to watch 'em, you said. Won't Aztanth be angry?"


"Aztanth doesn't matter," Rajani declared with no hesitation. She shook her riotous curls over her shoulders with an arrogant toss of her head. Her right hand was on the hilt of her katana while a few shurikens appeared in her left hand. Her eyes bored into Kintaro's even as a smile grew on her beautiful face. "Awww," she cooed, "the ickle kitty thinks he wants to fight Rajani. Should I be fwightened?"


"Rajani," Misami sighed exasperatedly. She moved to where she cut off the former healer's view of the nekomimi swordsman...well, mostly. He was still plainly visible over her head. It did achieve the desired effect of refocusing Rajani's attention. The mocking madness shifted to something gentler, but more intimate. For that moment, Rajani seemed completely sane as if she had it all together. The only betraying factor was the touch of possession to her gaze. Shiki's ruddy coloring grew a bit more at the implication. "Miki could be hurt--please help us--me--find her?"

Watching the snide comments go back and forth, as the complications seem to keep drawing out, the markings showing a deep red along his neck began to spread to about the mid back. As they reached the center of his back, the first latent talon on the same marking he gave to Kazuko began to light up on his back.

As it showed up, his features shifted slightly. The claws on his hands extended looking a good bit more menacing. As well with his sight it started to begin to focus only on Rajani, the normal blue eyes began to shift to a golden color.

"Answer quick or leave us be, we will continue to look with or without your help."

Again, Yama remains silent, knowing full well what he's waiting for.

~Yama Continues to Charge PSN (+3)

With a smile that doesn't reach his cold eyes he crosses his arms and taps his claws on his arm. "Like I said before, help or get out of the way."

"Rajani, Rajani, Rajani," chanted a voice from the crowd. A tall man seperated himself from the crowd. He was dressed all in black leather except for his wooly traveling cloak. His light gray hair shone in the fading sun, appearing almost silver. Deep golden eyes saw everything though they didn't focus at all. His voice was lilting, giving the impression of song even to the simplest of his words. Power clung to his aura like limpets to a ship. From the tilt of his chin, you could tell he knew it too.

He could not be called handsome. His features were too elegant to be so. Beautiful was the only word to describe him, only not as a woman would be...more as a sunset is or an ocean.

"Rajani, what am I to do with you? Delaying these kind people with your theatrics..." He cut himself off with a sigh of disappointment. His words were kind, almost benevolent. Arrogance dripped from his tone, however, a thick syrup. "Didn't you realize that they had business at the Inner Port? A young charge--the Journeyman's first, I do believe--was taken most forcefully from the House. We mustn't detain them further, my dearest. Your reunion with sweet Misami will just have to wait."

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Master's Enchanting Prescence
15 roll + 48 (36 Magic +0 Enchanting Prescence, +4 Puppet Master, +4 Willbender, +4 Enhance Magic) = 63

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

'd20' : 15

As the newcomer appeared, taking his focus off Rajani for the mere moments, 'Seems that this person knows who she is...'

As he heard the words from him, 'He seemed to be more friendly than what Rajani was, he knew that we were on our way to get Miki... '

'He seems to be friendly, but how does he know her... whats the connection.' As everything went to his mind, they didn't matter much, he seemed to be helping them so he still is holding a good side to him.

~~~~~~~~
Shiki Rolls Resistance::

5 Resistance + 4 Enhance Resistance + 1 Precognition + 8 Roll = 18 total

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

'd20' : 8

Seeing and hearing the newcomer Kintaro calms quite abit so he reverts to his human form. 'what the hell is with this guy'. "So you just want to help, that would be appericated." 'why the hell did I say that, I was pissed a moment ago.'

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

18 roll + 12 (8 Resistance + 4 Gypsy Protection) = 30

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

'd20' : 18

'Hmm, seems friendly enough, but how does she know Rajini?' Yama thinks to himself as he lowers his focus.

~Yama stops Charging

~ 17 + Resistance 10 +1 Precognition + 4 Mental Barrier + 4 Enhance Resistance = 36 Total

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

'd20' : 17

Misami didn't turn to look at the stranger. But as his voice washed over her, she found herself relaxing as she only did when she was trainning with Daxus. It was that very same trainning that gave her a word for the elf. It slipped past her lips at the same that it did Rajani's.

"Master," said both the women in unison.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misami activates Enhance Resistance.

Misami resists Master.
10 roll + 16 Resistance + 4 Enhanced Resistance = 30
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Titania resists Master
7 roll +0 Resistance= 7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rajani forfits her roll.

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

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

'd20' : 10, 7

Looking at the others who were so worked up about finding this kitten he says "if he says Miki is at the inner port why don't we go get her?"

Yama looks to Kintaro and says, "Good point."

Letting out a small gruff, "Finally someone else finally sees that we've been standing here long enough, ive lost the scent to her... but thanks to this guy here, he gave us her whereabouts."

"Just cut directly across the bazaar and keep going," he said. His smile was a bit of smirk, as if he had won something. "You're almost there. Oh, and do remember: You are in my debt. Especially you, Shiki of the Kauri. I will expect payment someday."

     

Obeying a wave of her master's hand, Titania took three quick steps backwards away from Yama, never lowering her gun until the last moment. She grabbed Rajani's arm and pulled the shadows around herself and the kitsunemimi. Right before they disappeared, Rajani started to say something. The words were lost amid the shades of transport. When they were gone, Misami turned to look at the puppeteer finally. But he, too, was gone.



"Come on," the little nekomimi healer said, fighting back a shiver of discord. Her mismatched eyes had a suspicious sparkle to them. "We have to get to her. We've been side-tracked long enough."

She rushed forward into the crowd and was just as quickly gone.

"Right behind you." Yama says, feeling the back of his head, like the gun had bored a hole in his skull.

As he started to make his way to her side, the marking on his back slowly faded out but the initial red marks down his neck still remained. 'What did he know about me... he knew of my clan... not many outsiders knew of my past clans name, and we rarely let anyone besides our own kin even near the clan site.'

"Finally we are back on our way..." As he moved up towards Misami, he placed a hand around her, "We need to move faster..."

As he started to meld into the shadows he formed a few shadow wolfs near everyone, "Grab hold and we will get moving faster to where we were told she would be at."

And with that moment he was off with Misami towards the Inner Docks jumping through the shadows as fast as he could.

Seeing the dog slip into the shadows Kintaro does the same and follows.

As they followed Misami through the crowd, frightening the marketeers and annoying the city guard assigned to the area, the small group was unaware to the similar sized group watching their exit from a nearby rooftop.

"You took me from her," growled Rajani, her ire only making itself known in her voice as she was held in the arms of her master. "I almost had her convinced--"

"All in good time," her master said softly to her. His blind eyes focused as much as they were able on the retreating forms now running away from the bazaar. "All in good time."

---

Adventure Results:

Kazuko:
~ Lizzet's Call: +100
~ Puppet String: +100
~ ~Total Earned: +200
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 8800/9600

Kintaro:
~ Idea Man: +100
~ Hopes Die Hard: +100
~ Bad Joke (Not a Bad Idea): +100
~ New Prospects: +100
~ Serenity's Call: +100
~ Ultamadim: +100
~ Puppet String: +100
~ Out of the Mess: +100
~ ~Total Earned: +800
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 7000/7200

Misami:
~ Calming Balm: +100
~ Call of the Sacred: +100
~ Puppet String: +100
~ Healer's Heart: +100
~ ~Total Earned: +400
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 8400/9600
~ ~ ~ ~New Level! ()

Shiki:
~ Scent of a Woman: +100
~ Warning the Furball: +100
~ Focused: +100
~ Puppet String: +100
~ ~Total Earned: +400
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 9000/9600

Yama:
~ Bad Idea (Ssspliting Up): +100
~ Challenging Convictions: +100
~ Preparing for the Worse: +100
~ Puppet String: +100
~ ~Total Earned: +400
~ ~ ~New Exp. Total: 9200/9600

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