Spoiler (click to show/hide):
"Hunting, huh?" Repeated Daichi with a questioning look. "You say that like ya come 'round all the time... heh! But if you want, sure! We'll make sure to ward off the big threats while ya do your thing, girl!" A fist beat against his chest as the man grinned at her, his allies all but doing the same with an equal amount of enthusiasm, sans the man's son. Regardless, plans were made, and soon after the group finished their meal, they started prepping for the hunt ahead. The group gathered again toward the edge of the camp as Daichi looked them over, making sure everyone had their supplies and were ready. He would, of course, take extra time on checking his son, who tiredly bore the attention with an air of annoyance. "... Right! Everything's good to go. Set sail, men!"
Despite Daichi's words, the hunters weren't actually heading into the waters, but passing through the nearby rivers northward to get deeper into the forest. Typically, a ways away from these parts, one could find some wildlife such as deer, boars, and bears, all creatures hunters like to hunt, though this time their target would be deer. They'd been camped near a well known part of the forest that deer commonly travel through, so finding a few to pick up shouldn't prove difficult by any means.
... And so the time passed. Kagehoshi and the group had successfully tracked a deer (she hadn't done the tracking herself as the hunters were actually pretty competent at that) and managed to kill one thanks to her tripwires and planning that kept the deer in and close, allowing them to easily slay it with a well-placed bolt in its neck, courtesy of Daichi. As they were cheering and heading over to check their kill, they inadvertently scared off another deer nearby... so Kagehoshi and a few of the men, including Daichi's son, rushed off to go get it.
She lost them about awhile back. Their stamina and speed wasn't on par with the slippery deer's, but Kagehoshi was trained for this and also had her new Oni heritage to boot. Catching up to the deer was easy... or so was her thought until it burst out of a bush to surprise her! The sudden, surprising maneuver caught her off guard and made her slip right on the edge of a hill, and she tumbled down it to a lower level into the forest. Thankfully, the fall wasn't long and she didn't get hurt from it. Dirtied and lightly bruised though she was, this was nothing compared to her typical mission, so Kagehoshi had no trouble walking it off... still, though. She'd been separated from the hunting party. This part of the forest, she knew, was a bit deeper in even if she wasn't too sure where she was exactly... but she was, at the very least, still a ways away from the Deep Woods. Things should be fine—
Kagehoshi is forced to immediately dive into the bushes as she heard the sound of panicked breathing and footsteps. Just a few seconds after she hid, a mouse Yokai came barreling into the area with wild eyes, looking this way and that as he tried to take a small breather. As a former Ashikaga herself, Kagehoshi knew he was probably being hunted for either exorcism or pacification, and in either case, fooling himself into thinking he had a moment's chance to breathe was the worst decision he could've made.
"Hah! Haah..! Uh... h-huh—" Two figures descended on the Yokai from the sky, barreling down on top of him and pinning him in a textbook submission hold. "Aaahh!! AAAAHHH!!!" Even so, the doomed creature struggled and cried out, scratching at the ground as the tamers quickly pulled the Yokai's claws together and slapped a sealing paper on his wrists. The art took hold, binding him in ways Kagehoshi knew he couldn't break in a thousand years, and following that... as the mouse Yokai openly screamed, the two tamers quickly began the painful ritual of pacification. They started with his legs, and unspeakable horrors followed. Sights she was used to, of course... but with her now on the other side of the battlefield, could she feel so unchanged?
As she was distracted with the sight, Kagehoshi hadn't seen nor heard someone else sneaking up on her from the side... until she felt its hand grasp hers gently. Her attention was turned to a similar mouse Yokai, a tall creature at least two heads taller than she was, and she could see it plainly from their positions crouched! "It's not safe here..." The Yokai spoke in a calm, feminine voice—though her sex was plain to see judging from her oddly maternal look and the swell of her clothing around her chest. "Come with me." With surprising strength that brokered no argument, the mouse pulled Kagehoshi away just as the tamers were finishing up, and she dashed out of the bushes, pulling the former human with her. She wouldn't stop moving until they were well away from the tamers, her movement and forcefulness clearly spurred on by the fear of getting caught. Even if Kagehoshi tried to escape from her during their rush away, the mouse Yokai seemed far too panicked to let her go... and she had an iron-clad grip.
"... This is far enough. This is..." A sigh of relief came from the creature. Immediately, she seemed to deflate, crumbling to the ground on folded legs. "Goodness... that was so very close. What would a creature like you think, to come so deep into Ashikaga territory? They'd value an Oni slave, young one." She shook her head. "... You could've been as that poor Kyuso ended up. You would not want that fate."
Wait. How could she tell she was an Oni and not human?
"Hunting, huh?" Repeated Daichi with a questioning look. "You say that like ya come 'round all the time... heh! But if you want, sure! We'll make sure to ward off the big threats while ya do your thing, girl!" A fist beat against his chest as the man grinned at her, his allies all but doing the same with an equal amount of enthusiasm, sans the man's son. Regardless, plans were made, and soon after the group finished their meal, they started prepping for the hunt ahead. The group gathered again toward the edge of the camp as Daichi looked them over, making sure everyone had their supplies and were ready. He would, of course, take extra time on checking his son, who tiredly bore the attention with an air of annoyance. "... Right! Everything's good to go. Set sail, men!"
Despite Daichi's words, the hunters weren't actually heading into the waters, but passing through the nearby rivers northward to get deeper into the forest. Typically, a ways away from these parts, one could find some wildlife such as deer, boars, and bears, all creatures hunters like to hunt, though this time their target would be deer. They'd been camped near a well known part of the forest that deer commonly travel through, so finding a few to pick up shouldn't prove difficult by any means.
... And so the time passed. Kagehoshi and the group had successfully tracked a deer (she hadn't done the tracking herself as the hunters were actually pretty competent at that) and managed to kill one thanks to her tripwires and planning that kept the deer in and close, allowing them to easily slay it with a well-placed bolt in its neck, courtesy of Daichi. As they were cheering and heading over to check their kill, they inadvertently scared off another deer nearby... so Kagehoshi and a few of the men, including Daichi's son, rushed off to go get it.
She lost them about awhile back. Their stamina and speed wasn't on par with the slippery deer's, but Kagehoshi was trained for this and also had her new Oni heritage to boot. Catching up to the deer was easy... or so was her thought until it burst out of a bush to surprise her! The sudden, surprising maneuver caught her off guard and made her slip right on the edge of a hill, and she tumbled down it to a lower level into the forest. Thankfully, the fall wasn't long and she didn't get hurt from it. Dirtied and lightly bruised though she was, this was nothing compared to her typical mission, so Kagehoshi had no trouble walking it off... still, though. She'd been separated from the hunting party. This part of the forest, she knew, was a bit deeper in even if she wasn't too sure where she was exactly... but she was, at the very least, still a ways away from the Deep Woods. Things should be fine—
Kagehoshi is forced to immediately dive into the bushes as she heard the sound of panicked breathing and footsteps. Just a few seconds after she hid, a mouse Yokai came barreling into the area with wild eyes, looking this way and that as he tried to take a small breather. As a former Ashikaga herself, Kagehoshi knew he was probably being hunted for either exorcism or pacification, and in either case, fooling himself into thinking he had a moment's chance to breathe was the worst decision he could've made.
"Hah! Haah..! Uh... h-huh—" Two figures descended on the Yokai from the sky, barreling down on top of him and pinning him in a textbook submission hold. "Aaahh!! AAAAHHH!!!" Even so, the doomed creature struggled and cried out, scratching at the ground as the tamers quickly pulled the Yokai's claws together and slapped a sealing paper on his wrists. The art took hold, binding him in ways Kagehoshi knew he couldn't break in a thousand years, and following that... as the mouse Yokai openly screamed, the two tamers quickly began the painful ritual of pacification. They started with his legs, and unspeakable horrors followed. Sights she was used to, of course... but with her now on the other side of the battlefield, could she feel so unchanged?
As she was distracted with the sight, Kagehoshi hadn't seen nor heard someone else sneaking up on her from the side... until she felt its hand grasp hers gently. Her attention was turned to a similar mouse Yokai, a tall creature at least two heads taller than she was, and she could see it plainly from their positions crouched! "It's not safe here..." The Yokai spoke in a calm, feminine voice—though her sex was plain to see judging from her oddly maternal look and the swell of her clothing around her chest. "Come with me." With surprising strength that brokered no argument, the mouse pulled Kagehoshi away just as the tamers were finishing up, and she dashed out of the bushes, pulling the former human with her. She wouldn't stop moving until they were well away from the tamers, her movement and forcefulness clearly spurred on by the fear of getting caught. Even if Kagehoshi tried to escape from her during their rush away, the mouse Yokai seemed far too panicked to let her go... and she had an iron-clad grip.
"... This is far enough. This is..." A sigh of relief came from the creature. Immediately, she seemed to deflate, crumbling to the ground on folded legs. "Goodness... that was so very close. What would a creature like you think, to come so deep into Ashikaga territory? They'd value an Oni slave, young one." She shook her head. "... You could've been as that poor Kyuso ended up. You would not want that fate."
Wait. How could she tell she was an Oni and not human?
Blue56/Izumi
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Izumi steps into the inn, a bit of a quiet place in the early morning that it was. The crackle of a lit fireplace was probably the loudest thing in the inn, second only to the bard playing a flute in the corner, a bored man who watched everyone with an equally bored look... but, that had nothing to do with her, now did it? She was looking for work. Four possible targets cropped up in sight, easily viewable thanks to the sparse area; she could see a blonde older woman with a troubled expression, her gaze shifting to the clock ticking on the wall; a rough-looking bald man shouting cruelties and harsh words at a small three-man group of younger folk who all carried sullen looks, a drunk screaming at the bartender with slurred words (had she noted that the fireplace was the loudest thing in the inn? Make it second loudest); and finally, a tall, sophisticated merchant with an intent gaze on anyone and everyone. His sharp eyes turned to her as she was looking to him, and she could see the corners of his lips raise as he looked her over... and beckoned her over. Seeing as he was obviously the wealthiest in the room, Izumi approached.
He wasted no time. "Here's the deal. On my way to the Inazumi Savannahs, I'd encountered a large group of bandits who attacked my caravan in full force in an attempt to rob me. My men were capable enough to beat them off, but not before they got into my stash and stole away my best merchandise! You have no idea how much they'll cost me if they keep their dirty, thieving hands on my goods... but I can't spare any of my men after the battle— the bloody good-for-nothings are all too hurt to get into another fight so soon! That's where you come in, miss."
"While I'm resting in this inn with my worthless bodyguards, I would be ever so grateful if you were to track the men down and take back my goods! Just so I know you won't double cross me... I can assure you a hefty pay if you can get it back. At least 290zł is on the table here, should you prove... capable." The merchant brought his arms into his sleeves and leaned back against his chair. "I'll bump it up by 90zł if you get me the head of the bastard who stole it! What say you?"
Izumi steps into the inn, a bit of a quiet place in the early morning that it was. The crackle of a lit fireplace was probably the loudest thing in the inn, second only to the bard playing a flute in the corner, a bored man who watched everyone with an equally bored look... but, that had nothing to do with her, now did it? She was looking for work. Four possible targets cropped up in sight, easily viewable thanks to the sparse area; she could see a blonde older woman with a troubled expression, her gaze shifting to the clock ticking on the wall; a rough-looking bald man shouting cruelties and harsh words at a small three-man group of younger folk who all carried sullen looks, a drunk screaming at the bartender with slurred words (had she noted that the fireplace was the loudest thing in the inn? Make it second loudest); and finally, a tall, sophisticated merchant with an intent gaze on anyone and everyone. His sharp eyes turned to her as she was looking to him, and she could see the corners of his lips raise as he looked her over... and beckoned her over. Seeing as he was obviously the wealthiest in the room, Izumi approached.
He wasted no time. "Here's the deal. On my way to the Inazumi Savannahs, I'd encountered a large group of bandits who attacked my caravan in full force in an attempt to rob me. My men were capable enough to beat them off, but not before they got into my stash and stole away my best merchandise! You have no idea how much they'll cost me if they keep their dirty, thieving hands on my goods... but I can't spare any of my men after the battle— the bloody good-for-nothings are all too hurt to get into another fight so soon! That's where you come in, miss."
"While I'm resting in this inn with my worthless bodyguards, I would be ever so grateful if you were to track the men down and take back my goods! Just so I know you won't double cross me... I can assure you a hefty pay if you can get it back. At least 290zł is on the table here, should you prove... capable." The merchant brought his arms into his sleeves and leaned back against his chair. "I'll bump it up by 90zł if you get me the head of the bastard who stole it! What say you?"
Quest Name: Wealthy Merchant's Treasure [S]
Objective: Find the thieving bandits' camp and take back the merchant's treasure.
Side Objective: Bring back the bandit leader's head.
Danger Rating: Medium
Rewards: 290zł
Extra Rewards: 90zł, ???
exalted/Miho Ran
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Nothing seemed to come of it. Perhaps, she figured, it was the wind. With her hunger leading her in the direction of town, Miho got moving... and after a short walk, she arrived. The hustle and bustle of the village—Nohwasan, she remembered—was still light thanks to the early morning. Villagers were coming out to start their day, with young children rushing about in play, strong men carrying their supplies to and fro, and the occasional sound of a dog barking out in the distance. A peaceful sight, to be sure. Much like how her old home used to be...
There need not be any reminiscence. The inn was nearby, just a few steps down the road and a turn to the right. Miho crossed the road and headed right in, hoping to find that familiar environment of an old innkeeper tending to the counter, the smell of cooking fish over a fire, the rowdy laugh of the town drunks playing some game of theirs, and the calming crackle of a fireplace, always lit no matter the day. She did indeed find those things. The atmosphere should've been welcoming and friendly, but there was something more in it that she could apparently see, plain as day to ruin her plans. A red sight, like blood, staining the bar the innkeeper was cleaning... the familiar armor of a Taira Samurai.
She knew the odds of seeing one. Knew there was danger in staying near a village for so long, and knew what could happen now, in the same building of a clansmen she supposedly betrayed. Suffice to say... the odds proved to be against her at this moment. Her only saving grace was that the woman's attention was turned to her drink and not to Miho herself. This should allow her the chance to sneak away without need for a chance meeting...
"Wah!" Miho bumped into someone on her way out. A short, chubby boy sat on his bottom, looking up at her with watering eyes. "Sniff... sniff... wwaaaahhh!!" Oh for the Gods' sake—
The Taira Samurai turned to her with a sharp gaze, her mug lifted to her lips. Everything seemed to freeze as they locked eyes.
Nothing seemed to come of it. Perhaps, she figured, it was the wind. With her hunger leading her in the direction of town, Miho got moving... and after a short walk, she arrived. The hustle and bustle of the village—Nohwasan, she remembered—was still light thanks to the early morning. Villagers were coming out to start their day, with young children rushing about in play, strong men carrying their supplies to and fro, and the occasional sound of a dog barking out in the distance. A peaceful sight, to be sure. Much like how her old home used to be...
There need not be any reminiscence. The inn was nearby, just a few steps down the road and a turn to the right. Miho crossed the road and headed right in, hoping to find that familiar environment of an old innkeeper tending to the counter, the smell of cooking fish over a fire, the rowdy laugh of the town drunks playing some game of theirs, and the calming crackle of a fireplace, always lit no matter the day. She did indeed find those things. The atmosphere should've been welcoming and friendly, but there was something more in it that she could apparently see, plain as day to ruin her plans. A red sight, like blood, staining the bar the innkeeper was cleaning... the familiar armor of a Taira Samurai.
She knew the odds of seeing one. Knew there was danger in staying near a village for so long, and knew what could happen now, in the same building of a clansmen she supposedly betrayed. Suffice to say... the odds proved to be against her at this moment. Her only saving grace was that the woman's attention was turned to her drink and not to Miho herself. This should allow her the chance to sneak away without need for a chance meeting...
"Wah!" Miho bumped into someone on her way out. A short, chubby boy sat on his bottom, looking up at her with watering eyes. "Sniff... sniff... wwaaaahhh!!" Oh for the Gods' sake—
The Taira Samurai turned to her with a sharp gaze, her mug lifted to her lips. Everything seemed to freeze as they locked eyes.
MiscChaos/Akako
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The drunk mercenary hiccuped with a frown, his arms falling down glumly. "Ahkago... y'can't really be mad at me, are ye? I wasn't doin' nothin'..!" Jiraiya lifted his foot from the other young man and sulked off with crossed arms and a light glare. She could hear him mumbling about never being understood like a child as he went his way. Meanwhile, the innkeeper was tending to the two with a glare at Jiraiya's back as she helped the other man up. Akako saw her chance to apologize in order to save face and took it... with the innkeeper merely looking nonplussed. "You wanna apologize? Keep that drunk bastard on a tight leash and don't cause any more trouble. No people around here need the commotion..." So the innkeeper said. At the very least, she made no moves to kick Akako out, so her apology must've been sufficient in cooling the innkeeper's temper... at least to her.
Still. If that situation did anything, it further highlighted a serious flaw with keeping Jiraiya around, even if he's supposedly strong. It might've proved a better play to try to find another mercenary to take his spot... and with those thoughts in mind, Akako would indeed search. She looked around the room to spot anyone particularly eye-catching... and there were four she noted as definite mercenaries, if only one of them looked particularly strong.
There were two men in the back talking to each other. They both carried a hook each and wore a metal mask over their faces, and their dark clothing and general look of roughness indicated that they were a pair of serious... assassins, probably? A very tall man sat at a table with a few mugs too many stationed around and an equally large hammer on his back. Then, probably a very decent choice, a younger man with a katana was eating his breakfast ever so simply at the bar. He looked apathetic and uncaring, like the world didn't really interest him much. Looked pretty rugged though, with his torn hakama and his scarred eyes.
Still. Those three paled in comparison to the certified most interesting person in the inn. A man who kept all the way in the back, his arms crossed and his head bowed as if he were sleeping or waiting for someone... yet, whether it was because of her new nature as an Oni or just of his own merit; the man exuded power in a way Akako just couldn't place. He didn't look particularly impressive. He wore dark robes and carried a simple black katana. His hair was well kept, but graying on the sides, indicating his age. Someone like him shouldn't have seemed so intimidating, yet...
Those were her options, regardless. If she had any intention of replacing Jiraiya here and now, she only had these four to consider. Meanwhile, Jiraiya was still sulking in a table nearby, his obvious glare focused on her as he waited for their departure, supposedly.
The drunk mercenary hiccuped with a frown, his arms falling down glumly. "Ahkago... y'can't really be mad at me, are ye? I wasn't doin' nothin'..!" Jiraiya lifted his foot from the other young man and sulked off with crossed arms and a light glare. She could hear him mumbling about never being understood like a child as he went his way. Meanwhile, the innkeeper was tending to the two with a glare at Jiraiya's back as she helped the other man up. Akako saw her chance to apologize in order to save face and took it... with the innkeeper merely looking nonplussed. "You wanna apologize? Keep that drunk bastard on a tight leash and don't cause any more trouble. No people around here need the commotion..." So the innkeeper said. At the very least, she made no moves to kick Akako out, so her apology must've been sufficient in cooling the innkeeper's temper... at least to her.
Still. If that situation did anything, it further highlighted a serious flaw with keeping Jiraiya around, even if he's supposedly strong. It might've proved a better play to try to find another mercenary to take his spot... and with those thoughts in mind, Akako would indeed search. She looked around the room to spot anyone particularly eye-catching... and there were four she noted as definite mercenaries, if only one of them looked particularly strong.
There were two men in the back talking to each other. They both carried a hook each and wore a metal mask over their faces, and their dark clothing and general look of roughness indicated that they were a pair of serious... assassins, probably? A very tall man sat at a table with a few mugs too many stationed around and an equally large hammer on his back. Then, probably a very decent choice, a younger man with a katana was eating his breakfast ever so simply at the bar. He looked apathetic and uncaring, like the world didn't really interest him much. Looked pretty rugged though, with his torn hakama and his scarred eyes.
Still. Those three paled in comparison to the certified most interesting person in the inn. A man who kept all the way in the back, his arms crossed and his head bowed as if he were sleeping or waiting for someone... yet, whether it was because of her new nature as an Oni or just of his own merit; the man exuded power in a way Akako just couldn't place. He didn't look particularly impressive. He wore dark robes and carried a simple black katana. His hair was well kept, but graying on the sides, indicating his age. Someone like him shouldn't have seemed so intimidating, yet...
Those were her options, regardless. If she had any intention of replacing Jiraiya here and now, she only had these four to consider. Meanwhile, Jiraiya was still sulking in a table nearby, his obvious glare focused on her as he waited for their departure, supposedly.
Mark3000/Mizuki
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
"H-huh? Ah..!" The woman looked up with shock at Mizuki's sudden approach, shrinking in at the intimidating sight of the warrior with her gaze very pointedly looking to the Oni's eye patch. "Um... I-I'm terribly sorry, ma'am, I... it's just— an issue of mine. I didn't mean to bother you! Really!" She bowed her head several times in her rampant apology, the words spilling forth from her to excuse her actions and quell Mizuki's 'anger.' "Y-you see? My lover— my ex-lover, he... I-I broke things off with him after realizing how much of a terrible person he really was and I've been trying to live my life happily and forget about him since but— I mean, recently I think I've been seeing him following me and someone left a message at my doorstep telling me to be here at this time a-and I just I think he's going to do something and I-I'm worried!" That's easily apparent. Though, part of that likely stems from Mizuki's presence.
"I-I told the guards but they didn't think anything greatly of it s-so... I don't have anyone to turn to, and I'm afraid he would've done something if I didn't come..." The woman started to calm down some as she vented her problem to Mizuki, though... that wasn't by much. Instead of looking afraid, she just looked nervous again, like a distant fate troubled her... which was the case. Her gaze shifted to the ground as she paused in her words, then it turned back up to Mizuki.
"Ma'am, would it— would it trouble you greatly if you stayed nearby when I met with him? J-just... in case he tries something. You look strong! So if he does and you step in, I... h-he was a wimp, I mean. He'll definitely give in... a-and I'll pay you, too! One... 90zł!"
"H-huh? Ah..!" The woman looked up with shock at Mizuki's sudden approach, shrinking in at the intimidating sight of the warrior with her gaze very pointedly looking to the Oni's eye patch. "Um... I-I'm terribly sorry, ma'am, I... it's just— an issue of mine. I didn't mean to bother you! Really!" She bowed her head several times in her rampant apology, the words spilling forth from her to excuse her actions and quell Mizuki's 'anger.' "Y-you see? My lover— my ex-lover, he... I-I broke things off with him after realizing how much of a terrible person he really was and I've been trying to live my life happily and forget about him since but— I mean, recently I think I've been seeing him following me and someone left a message at my doorstep telling me to be here at this time a-and I just I think he's going to do something and I-I'm worried!" That's easily apparent. Though, part of that likely stems from Mizuki's presence.
"I-I told the guards but they didn't think anything greatly of it s-so... I don't have anyone to turn to, and I'm afraid he would've done something if I didn't come..." The woman started to calm down some as she vented her problem to Mizuki, though... that wasn't by much. Instead of looking afraid, she just looked nervous again, like a distant fate troubled her... which was the case. Her gaze shifted to the ground as she paused in her words, then it turned back up to Mizuki.
"Ma'am, would it— would it trouble you greatly if you stayed nearby when I met with him? J-just... in case he tries something. You look strong! So if he does and you step in, I... h-he was a wimp, I mean. He'll definitely give in... a-and I'll pay you, too! One... 90zł!"
Quest Name: Ex-Trouble [S]
Objective: Keep the client safe from her ex-lover.
Danger Rating: Very Low
Rewards: 90zł
Lazy Kitsune/Katsu
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Collaboration needed for the following scene.
Collaboration needed for the following scene.
