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| A Dragon, A Stag, A Lion, And A Wolf... | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 28 2013, 08:22 PM (1,957 Views) | |
| DarkSavior77 | Jul 28 2013, 08:22 PM Post #1 |
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I Am The Undying One
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Inside the room had been set up for the performance. The platform that Itachi once sat on was now bare, aside from a shamisen set on its stand and the same candles as before, but now they burned with a normal flame. The performer was a female fox demon, and she was busy readying and waiting for everyone to be seated. She herself was doing so with a light snack and some warm tea to warm up her throat. She wore a cyan and royal blue checkered kimono with a blue green obi which all matched perfectly with her orange tail. Around the front of the dias were six sets of small tables with cushions behind them so they would all be facing the performance. Someone had also placed a short folded wall beside the far left table. Jade could only guess that was her table and the separator would be used to hide her face from everyone else while she ate. Aside from the lion, only two others were already there; Ryuu, and Itachi. Itachi himself wore a nearly all black outfit with a little grey and white underneath with a white four square diamond pattern on his left chest as well as the middle of his back, though it was hard to see since he didn't tie his hair up for the occasion. He hadn't chosen a seat yet and was standing near Ryuu with a rather tiny looking gold fox with a stripe of black half down her tail and black ears. She didn't seem to speak at all, very unlike the vixen that was with Ryuu. In fact, she didn't seem to fit in at all as she stared shyly at the floor in her autumn colored kimono. Ryuu was talking with Itachi, rather demandingly. The nearly platinum blond captain wore a dark olive green and tan motif covored kimono. It didn't stand out much at all, not like the Lion's brightly colored outfit. In fact, you could easily just sweep your eyes past him and to the vixen that stood beside him. She had nearly white hair with some slight light grey that seemed to be blue, and her tail was the same. The vixen seemed to be a blue or sapphire frost fox. Her kimono was rather long, much like Jade's and was white with pictures of bamboo leaves strewn across the fabric with a very loose silver obi since she seemed rather round in the mid section region. It seemed not only was it hard to believe the blond silver fox was a captain, but also going to be a father. She did look a bit bored as she stood beside Ryuu, watching the performer out of lack of anything else interesting while Ryuu seemed to rattle on and on over something to a stone faced Itachi. There was still no sign of the last captain. |
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| EightTailFox | Jul 28 2013, 10:37 PM Post #2 |
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Fluff Ball
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Nyxth makes a circuit of the room. He notes the uniformity and variety in the attire chosen for the dinner. Nearly everyone wore some kind of kimono. Only the guard they spotted on the way in wore something different. Besides the guard captain in the armor, Nyxth and Jade so far were the only ones with any major ... 'bling' ... for lack of a better word coming to mind. Together they had nearly as much eye catching shine as the armored guard. In there own way, they are just as eye catching in their red, black, and gleaming gold. He also notes the layout of the room and the screen obviously noting Jades place. There was not any such clue to where he should sit, as far as he could tell. He guesses it might be his choice. Then again there could just was well be some kind of formal ordering of the seating, by rank, honor, or social status. If it was more western he might add to promote conversation. He would have to take his cues from the other guests on the finer points of etiquette in the village. No one was seated yet, so he finds a suitable place to linger; out of the way but in sight of the tall fox lord should Itachi wish to speak with him. If the fox lord could escape all the other people bidding for the lord's time. It is a social move on his part, a play to raise his standing in front of those that matter in the village. If it worked, he would stand to gain considerably. It would not cost him anything if it did not, other than the was not gained by using the time in other more fruitful endeavors. |
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| DarkSavior77 | Jul 30 2013, 04:17 PM Post #3 |
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I Am The Undying One
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The vixen besides Ryuu noticed the two new people first. She looked from Nyxth and then back to Jade before slipping free her arm from around Ryuu's to head over directly to Jade who stood apart from Nyxth, examining the small folded room devider. She didn't want to talk to Nyxth, probably because he was a man, and since she was about to try for conversation with Jade showed she obviously had tried it with the other vixen beside Itachi, but had no luck. Perhaps she was that bored? It was probably better, because now Ryuu's voice was a bit stronger as the vixen finally engaged Jade for at least an introduction. "Something is wrong. You know it. I know it. But you're too soft when it comes to women. I'm sorry Boss, but... You let her do whatever she wants!" Ryuu stated to Itachi. The black fox remained still, frozen, listening with a plain face. "She didn't even play to her strengths. It's holding her back, whatever it is. And she's getting worse. She barely eats, even if she seemed reluctant to do so in the first place, she's incapable of keeping up with the morning drills when we have them. The hind is faltering and it could be fatal one way or another. Get her to go to medical, or I will, sir," Ryuu told Itachi. "I will speak to her-" "Then let her have her way," Ryuu muttered as he looked away. Itachi raised a hand. "Hey! I will handle it. There will be no reason for you to drag her to medical yourself. I get it. You're worried that this'll cause trouble for the rest of the guard," Itachi said. "Well.. that as well. It's been too soon since we lost the last Stag," Ryuu said, "Please. She doesn't listen to me, Genn or Shio. But she listens to you," Ryuu said. Itachi nodded slightly as Ryuu backed away a step before turning to go talk to the other guard. Itachi mulled over the conversation for a second before picking his gaze up off the floor to notice Nyxth. He walked over to the other black fox and breaking from the norm spun on a heel to lean back against the wall near him to cross his arms. "That's quite the raiment," Itachi said, "Sorry, but we're still waiting on captain Genn." |
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| EightTailFox | Jul 30 2013, 05:47 PM Post #4 |
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Fluff Ball
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Nyxth nods in greeting at Itachi as Lord settles against the wall. It suited him just fine if the Lord of Hell wanted to be causal with him. He could ditch with some of the courtly flourish as well. "Thanks. Jade set the theme and I dressed to match her in my own style." Nyxth replies with a smile. "Glad to see Jade and I are not the only one dressed to catch the eye. I'm guessing that since we are waiting on Genn, the Guard Captain in the armor is Shio?" Nyxth says. |
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| DarkSavior77 | Jul 30 2013, 10:29 PM Post #5 |
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I Am The Undying One
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"That would be correct," Itachi says as he confirms Nyxth's question, "Quite the eye catcher, don't you think? We call him the lion because he acts as if he is royalty, and because of that most treat him that way. Not as royal as they may treat me though, but I know how he feels. It's the same way I treated myself when I was only second in hell. Gotta say it works well. His name also comes from how he fights on the battlefield. With his gold tail and tawny gold hair you'd envision him as a lion in battle. He lives up to the name," Itachi said. Itachi looked over Nyxth's outfit slowly, then past him to Jade who was trying to end the conversation that Ryuu's mate had dragged her into. "How has she been?" he asked. |
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| EightTailFox | Aug 1 2013, 12:45 PM Post #6 |
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Fluff Ball
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"That would be correct," Itachi says as he confirms Nyxth's question. Nyxth nods. He now knew the names of the current guard captains. Not that it is much more than useful trivia beyond the walls. Well, he still planned to be here for a while. "Quite the eye catcher, don't you think?" "Yes, very eye catching. Makes me glad I took the time to compose this outfit, instead of falling back on my own dress armor." Nyxth replies. "We call him the lion because he acts as if he is royalty, ... He lives up to the name," Itachi said. Nyxth nods in agreement. "I lived that role a few times in the past. Silver or black suits me better." Nyxth says. He curls around his tail where Itachi could see the red tip. "Red too, but a red paint that wasn't toxic was hard to come by in those times," He adds. The easiest to produce reds pigments of the time were lead or mercury based. Armor was easier to paint then dye. His capes and sashes though where dyed vivid colors when he needed a splash of color. So Ryuu is the Dragon, Jade the Stag, and Shio the Lion. That only left him to learn or derive what is Genn's animal. He could guess which animals it would not be. Based on the other three, and the fact there was only four, he knew the four was not likely to be titled Fox, Horse, or any other cat. The fox was likely reserved for the village lord. Nyxth's own coat of arms, the last one he assigned himself, had a Sable Fox Statant at its center. The color black symbolized his unchanging, constant, nature. The fox represented his wisdom, wit, strategic talents, and near limitless resources. The statant posture, standing with four legs on the ground and tail erect, his readiness for battle. Wasn't likely to be any bird either, or any of the more exotic animals, like an antelope, elephant, or giraffe. That just left the boar, the bull, the bear, and the wolf. "How has she been?" he asked. Nyxth follows Itachi's gaze to Jade. "Improving, I think. She is eating a bit more each meal I had with her. I'd been keeping my normal four meals plus two tea schedule and she eaten during eat of those. She cleaned up twice since she's been assigned as my shadow. She hasn't had the opportunity to over stressed herself except for a very short spar with Ryuu. But I think she undid some of the healing of her injury at least twice since I met her. Once when pulled her down off the top of my truck when she tried to pulled me up to take prisoner. She a few thousand years to young to capture me by force. The second time when Ryuu ended Jade's sparring with her. She's not using her spear as a walking stick as much either, she recovered at least that much of her strength." Nyxth says giving a report based on the concerns voiced by Ryuu in his conversation with Itachi. He only made small allowances for the his assigned guard in that he tried to keep from doing anything to strenuous. It was not hard to achieve, the village lacked anything strenuous and what little there was where in places Jade declined to enter as his shadow and got to rest outside. |
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| DarkSavior77 | Aug 1 2013, 01:12 PM Post #7 |
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I Am The Undying One
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"Yes, very eye catching. Makes me glad I took the time to compose this outfit, instead of falling back on my own dress armor." "Oh, he always wears that," Itachi said dismissively. "Improving, I think. She is eating a bit more each meal I had with her. I'd been keeping my normal four meals plus two tea schedule and she eaten during eat of those. She cleaned up twice since she's been assigned as my shadow. She hasn't had the opportunity to over stressed herself except for a very short spar with Ryuu. But I think she undid some of the healing of her injury at least twice since I met her. Once when pulled her down off the top of my truck when she tried to pulled me up to take prisoner. She a few thousand years to young to capture me by force. The second time when Ryuu ended Jade's sparring with her. She's not using her spear as a walking stick as much either, she recovered at least that much of her strength." Itachi frowned at the information. It didn't really give him a clue that would point out anything damning as to what was ailing her. He did have a slight reason now to send her to medical aside from to check the wound for healing, but now in case of renewed injury. At least Nyxth didn't complain that her attitude or behavior was bad. He glanced over at Jade who seemed to finally be pulling herself away from Ryuu's woman companion. It was easy for Itachi to disengage from the vixen he toted along. Sure she was pretty but has the personality of... well he didn't think she had one by now. She wasn't talking to anyone else, or him. Disappointing really. But once Jade got free she took a step in their direction before noticing Itachi was with Nyxth. Itachi met her gaze and gave her a 'come here' gesture... to which she ignored and chose to wander herself over nearer the door. Itachi clicked his tongue in annoyance. "You gotta be kidding me... She really going to pull this?" he asked. |
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| EightTailFox | Aug 2 2013, 05:12 PM Post #8 |
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Fluff Ball
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Nyxth just shrugs. There was no good response. He could agree but it would not advance the conversation or add anything Itachi did not know. So the shrug is the fox's only response to the Itachi's largely rhetorical statement. Nyxth takes a causal survey of the crowd to give Itachi an excuse to break off the chat, before turning his attention back to watch to see what means of escape Jade could conceive, conjure, or contrive. |
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| DarkSavior77 | Aug 2 2013, 08:06 PM Post #9 |
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I Am The Undying One
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Itachi let out a groan and pushed himself off the wall to head for Jade. She waited for a moment beside the door, then crossed to the other side of the room, just beyond it. Itachi was nearly to the door when someone stepped in his path, an elderly looking dark grey frost fox. One of his ears were nearly ripped to ribbons and a large scar crossed over his left eye. He wasn't particularly large, just an inch taller than Itachi, But the dark black fur cloak he wore made his shoulders look more massive than they were. The fox let out a small snort of surprise and half unsheathed a sword before he realized who it was that had nearly collided with him. "Captain," Itachi said stiffly in greeting, eyeing the blade. "Chief," the older fox said in reply before putting the sword fully back into its sheath. The two foxes stepped aside from eachother, watching one another carefully for a moment. The older fox finally turned and headed for a small table for himself, since he brought no one. Itachi turned as well to spot open air, as Jade had slipped away. She wove her way back through the others to where Nyxth was, using Genn's sudden appearance to slow Itachi down. By the time Itachi noticed she had moved, Jade was back beside Nyxth. "I'd say thank you to Genn, but I don't think he'd care. Everyone's here, so should be sitting down soon for some tea first as they get the meals ready," Jade tells. She wondered what was on the menu. |
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| EightTailFox | Aug 3 2013, 10:55 PM Post #10 |
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Fluff Ball
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Nyxth watches Jade circle the room to evade Itachi. He notes the arrival of the veteran fox, and suppresses a laugh at Itachi's near collision with the new arrival. The fox's physical age and scars suggested strongly that the final guard captain has arrived. Nyxth listens and nods as Jade confirms to him that the old soldier is in fact Genn. He heeds Jade's warning and peels himself from the wall and makes to the corner with their table. He stays standing a bit longer. He did not want to sit down only to have to stand again for some announcement. He also did not want to be the last one standing. He sits down when it senses collective shift in the activity of the room from socializing and waiting to sitting and waiting. |
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| DarkSavior77 | Aug 5 2013, 03:30 PM Post #11 |
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I Am The Undying One
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The old dark clothed guard took his seat near the stage up front, to the left side and slightly in of Ryuu's table as he helped his mate take a seat before doing so. The lion was already seated, chatting loudly with the vixen he had brought. Itachi took a back row table seating, leading the vixen over so she could sit before going to the dias to address everyone. Jade took that as a good sign as any to take her seat, and she did putting herself as the closest to the wall on the left side of the room. "Well, I figure we're just about ready. Sorry for the delay, but we had a late arrival-," Itachi said, excusing for Genn to everyone. Jade leaned in slightly towards Nyxth. "My advice is leave Genn be. From what I gather he was next in line when the son of the old leader died and then the leader himself... until Itachi took the throne. You saw how they didn't even want to talk to one another? Itachi is playing nice and trying to favor Genn to placate him. If he wasn't so honorable and didn't take his vows so seriously, I'd assume the Wolf would have already lunged for Itachi's throat," Jade said before sitting straight. "Though I think Itachi is expecting a chance for an accident and a 'slip up' from Genn that may cause Itachi his head. He deals with that enough at his other kingdom I presume to disallow that from ever happening," Jade added as Itachi finished addressing everyone. The black fox stepped aside off the dias and ventured to his own seat with the golden vixen, leaving the singer to wander nervously up onto the dias and grasp her shamisen. Across from Nyxth to his right by a few feet sat Itachi with his left leg up to balance his arm on it and to worry at the knuckle of his thumb with his teeth as he waited for everyone's attention to be only on the singer and for the tea to be served before the meal itself. |
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| EightTailFox | Aug 5 2013, 06:45 PM Post #12 |
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Fluff Ball
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"Well, I figure we're just about ready. Sorry for the delay, but we had a late arrival-," Itachi said. As Itachi takes the dais, Nyxth settles in for what could be a long speech. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Jade lean in, he cocks his head slightly to present an ear. He could not imagine the vixen planning more than just to give him some new tidbit of information on a social landmine, or advise him on some item of etiquette he could mess up on. "My advice is leave Genn be. From what I gather he was next in line ... If he wasn't so honorable and didn't take his vows so seriously, I'd assume the Wolf would have already lunged for Itachi's throat," Jade said before sitting straight. Nyxth nods slightly that he heard. So, Genn was a potentially big landmine that was apparently best left in place, watched, and avoided as necessary. Jade's information added a bit of new light on why the old fox drew his sword when Itachi almost bumped into him. Enough to illuminate more reasons, not enough though to shine strongly on any one reason. "Though I think Itachi is expecting a chance for an accident and a 'slip up' from Genn that may cause Itachi his head. He deals with that enough at his other kingdom I presume to disallow that from ever happening," Jade added as Itachi finished addressing everyone. Nyxth shrugs and rolls his shoulders. He also cocks his head to one side then the other like his trying relieve some tension from his back and neck. He was sure that Itachi is skilled enough that any slip up on Genn's part would only produce a minor wound, if any at all. But it would be enough that Itachi could finally remove the old guard. If the Lord Fox did not still have use for the old fox. Whatever happens, it would not be any skin off his back. Nyxth returns his attention to the dais as Itachi stepped down and the singer made her way up. He hoped the singer's skill did not equal the singer's apparent lack of confidence. He had faith that the singers skills warranted her selection as tonight's entertainer. Modest or confident, he had no way of judging the girl's skills til the first notes are played and the first words are sung. |
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| DarkSavior77 | Aug 28 2013, 01:53 PM Post #13 |
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I Am The Undying One
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There was a reason the singer was a bit nervous as the room was dimmed, candles being snuffed about the back of the room so only the two on the dais near her were lit. At her feet nearly, sitting front of the stage was the large captain Genn, with his black furred mantle hanging over his shoulders. He looked like a large wolf indeed with hunched black shoulders, as if he was weathering the tension and waiting for a reason to lunge. She decided to begin with an instrumental as she worked up the courage to use her voice in front of the dreary looking captain. She seemed to fear him more than Itachi or the others, since all were in more pleasant clothes. As the singer played her shamisen a small group of waitresses came in, each wearing the same guise of dark grey to blend into the dim lighting. One of the waitress vixens set a cup of tea in front of Nyxth and Jade before bringing over the small divider. She made to put it between Jade and Nyxth. The singer, thanks to shadows, wouldn't be able to see her now, but Jade would have to deal with talking through a screen. Suppressing a sigh, the assassin lifted off her mask to drink some of her tea. The tea was in a rather large cup, at least a bit larger than the norm and was a heavy oolong tea with a heady scent, nearly wood scented. "Maybe that will manage to relax the Wolf a bit for the poor girl," Jade thought out loud to herself as she sipped on her tea, watching the girl look less and less pale the more she strummed her instrument. |
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| EightTailFox | Sep 4 2013, 07:19 PM Post #14 |
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Fluff Ball
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Nyxth makes himself comfortable in his sitting position as the show begins. He is causally watching the audience as much as the singer. The vixen is pleasant enough once she calmed down enough. Hopefully she'll relax enough to enter the trance like state that best performers enter when they get into their performance. If she is really good she would be able to draw the audience into a enthralled trance as well. He nods at the server as the tea is place before him. They where doing quite well if not completely noticed in their work. Maybe that was the idea or maybe he was just to observant of the activities taking place around him. He shrugs a little and picks up his cup. He takes sip and frowns a little. The tea is very strong and dark blend of Oolong, though no worst than some dark roasts of coffees. He takes another sip and returns his attention to the stage. |
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| DarkSavior77 | Sep 4 2013, 07:51 PM Post #15 |
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I Am The Undying One
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As the singer finished the instrumental bit, she had noticed the captain hadn't changed his demeanor. She decided to try a more lighter route, one she knew many found funny so long there were no children about, and as far as she could tell, there were none. So she began to play the song Miyazu Bushi. As the song got off and the lyrics started to hint along, she could tell it had the desired effect. Ryuu was trying his hardest to keep a straight face beside his wife, while the lion, Shio was smirking at him almost as if he knew the person the song was written for, despite the woman beside the lion. Itachi frequently had to close his eyes and try to unfocus from the song for a bit, hiding behind his cup of tea a grin that kept coming back every now and then as he tried to keep a respectable composure. Gen however remained stone faced, and even managed to keep a frown. He would be a tough nut to crack. But now that she had seen he wouldn't befuddle her while she was performing, she didn't fear him as much. Once she finished the song, she took a slight second to let that song pass before going into a different tone. She struck the first notes of a different song, a more somber one at that, least not all depressing. She began to sing Kuzunoha No Kowakare. In the fox village this was a very popular and loved song for many reasons. Everyone she noticed mellowed down quite well from the other song, and even Gen's face seemed to have softened. However, Jade seemed unchanged, remaining as still as stone. She did smile slightly at the first song and its play on words, but managed to hide it away as she continued sipping her tea. |
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