The Raid, RP #1

[Heatnix]

Hey, everybody. Starting up a new story RP just to get things moving. If you see too many similarities to the anime Samurai 7, then you've caught me. I've been watching a lot of it lately, so this is where I decided to start things. This will be where everyone introduces their forumwide character into the RP world. Enjoy.

***


Heatnix stares down at the village of Tanza below him. It has been almost a week since he arrived. From the cliff he sits on, he can see the small houses of the village, children playing, and farmers in the endless fields of rice. A couple of warriors stood in a yard, practicing their techniques, but from Heatnix's point of view, they are talentless. No matter how hard they train, it won't help them for the coming storm.

He'd heard about it recently, and it was not at all an unfamiliar tale. Another one of the farming villages nearby to Heatnix's home was scheduled to be raided by bandits set upon stealing rice and women. Heatnix was lucky so far. None of the villagers had spotted him yet, and he wanted to keep it that way. He wasn't looking for gratitude, only justice for the people.

It wasn't going to be easy, though. These bandits are supposed to be numbered in the tens of thousands. "Damn, I'm good, but I may need some help with this," Heatnix had said to his informant.

Heatnix looks back out to the setting sun. As he has already done for too long, Heatnix waits...

[Shiro]

As heatnix looks at the innocent, yet vulnerable village below, a small gust of wind picks up. Suddenly, Heatnix feels he's not alone. He turns and surveys the area behind him, but nothing can be found. He then turns and is suprised to see Shiro standing to the left of him as if he had been there all along, examining the village below.

"Those people have no clue the reality of their situation do they?"

"It certainly doesn't look that way", Heatnix replied. "It's been a long time Shiro. How've you been?"

"We're going to need more men to handle this problem, but I have a few ideas."

Heatnix stared at Shiro, who had yet to remove his gaze from the sleeply little village.

"....what do you have in mind Shiro?"

Another gust of wind, along with an awkward silence passed. Shiro then turned to face Heatnix.

"If there are other villages like this that also face the same fate, then it would be cowardly to turn our backs on the threat itself. Of course it's crucial that this village be protected, but why wait for the threat to attack them, or any other defenseless village?"

"So you're suggesting that we bring the fight to them?"

"Indeed" said Shiro, "We'll need men. Enough to make two companies. But most importantly, you'll need a strategist."

Heatnix glanced back towards the village, and then to Shiro once more.

"I'd be honored if you would join me."

Shiro smiled, and then looked up at the clouds.

".......just like old times."

[Heatnix]

"I'd like to make some suggestions as to who else could help us," Heatnix said, "But I'm afraid that since the last time we spoke, several of our friends have gone the way of the dodo."

"Which ones?" Shiro said, surprised.

"Cyrus was the first one gone," Heatnix slowly explains, "He fell victim to an army of vampire hunters. Shina was with him during that assignment, but she fell prey to them as well. Shina's body was found, but they never did find Cyrus. My guess is that he's been in hiding.

"Since we beat Nobunaga, I haven't seen a trace of Mamoru, or your younger brother, either. I expect Mamoru's off killing again, but as for your brother, there's really no explaination of what happened. I haven't heard from Truth in some time, either.

"Though I'd be very surprised if he's dead, considering he has a True Rune, just like us, I haven't talked to Xenith since you and I last parted ways, so I don't know whether he'll be able to help us. And with the condition of things, I wouldn't think of asking Aiko to help us either..."

"Wait...is Aiko pregnant?! Is there a little Heatnix on the way?!?!" Shiro laughed.

Heatnix began to sweat at the assumption. "Actually...we're not together anymore. Haven't been for some time, actually."

Shiro was dumbfounded. "I'm sorry, bro...how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, really," Heatnix said. "It's just one of those things...wasn't meant to be. But we're still good friends, we're not bitter about it or anything. I'm actually pretty pleased with how things worked out in the end."

"That's good, as long as you're happy," Shiro said, smiling slightly.

After an awkward silence, Heatnix changed the subject: "That reminds me, how's Amaris? Can we expect her to join this little war of ours?"

[Shiro]

There was a long pause. Heatnix watched as Shiro's expression sank.

"......I haven't seen 'Amaris' in some time."

"What do you mean by that?" Heatnix replied.

Shiro turned away for a brief second to collect his thoughts. Heatnix began to grow worried.

"It seems that the vampire uprising has effected all of us it seems.", said Shiro.

"What do you mean?"

"I forget how long it's been since I've seen you Heatnix. A lot has changed. Since we last parted, Amaris and I went off in search of a happy life together. We had our own little cottage hidden in the forests in the north. However, our story is like that of this little village. A few months after we settled down, we were attacked by a group of assassins. And where I thought they were after me, I was sorely mistaken when they called for Maria."

"....who-"

"Amaris. They wanted Amaris. Did you really think that that was her real name? I learned a lot about her that day. Not only is she over 300 years old, but she was also the Mistress of the Bruja Vampire Clan that resides to the far west. It turns out that her story is the same as mine. She didn't want to live a life in the darkness, full of senseless killing. So that day, we parted ways after making a promise to each other to reunite as soon as our pasts were repaired. I get word from her every now and then via messenger hawk, but I don't have any recent news concerning her whereabouts."

Heatnix stood there in shock. He had no clue that so much had changed.

"I...I'm sorry."

"....."

"If there's anything I can do..."

Shiro turned a too look away.

"She's not the only one who's been affected by the vampires Heatnix."

Heatnix looked confused for a moment.

"Do you mean to tell me that you...."

"...are one of them?" Shiro retorted. "Yes. It's a harsh fact, but true nonetheless."

"What does this mean Shiro?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'm still the Shiro you once knew. Just consider me handicapped to a certain degree. Sure there is the increase in strength and higher senses, but I'm still not used to the change yet. I'm sure it will take some time before I adapt and reach my full potential...."

Heatnix walked towards Shiro and then rest his hand upon his shoulder.

"Then when we're done here, we'll find Maria, and fix your past. You can always count on me bro."

Shiro smiled to himself and looked to the ground.

"heh......I know"

[Heatnix]

"Well, bro," Heatnix says, stretching, "I think that's enough catching up on old times for now. Time to talk about matters at hand."

"I agree."

"The way I see it, we have two options here:"

Heatnix grabs a stick and begins to draw crude plans in the dirt. "First, we could send out messages to other warriors suited to the cause, be it via hawk, psychic, owl, fox, or even pony express. This course of action has two major problems with it, however: One, we'd have to wait for replies from everyone who wanted to help us, just to ensure their participation. The second, and more important reason, is that the bandits would be able to intercept these messages very easily, whether or not they made it to their respective targets. If our element of surprise is compromised, we're boned." Heatnix draws a large X over his plans.

"I see your point. What's the other plan?" Shiro asks.

"Well, although it might not be reliable in terms of numbers of recruits, this is certainly the safer way of going about things. We could travel to the bandits' home, where our target battle is. Along the way, we collect other warriors to aid us, giving us the advantage of knowing these people personally before recruiting them, i.e., letting us know how trustworthy they are. Also, in an ideal situation, the bandits will not yet have returned from a raid, and we'll be able to surprise them as their guard is down when they return home." Heatnix draws a bic circle around the newer set of plans.

"Sounds a lot better," Shiro comments, "How come you weren't this good a planner back in the old days, like our journey to fight Nobunaga?"

"I was young and impulsive," Heatnix says with a shrug. "That, and since then, I've actually had time to complete all my training. I've learned a lot.

"I didn't get to finish, though," Heatnix continues. "There's one vital flaw with this plan, too, that I'm hoping you can help me with. It's actually kind of why I'm here in the first place."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Shiro asks.

"I have no idea where the bandits' hideout is."

[Shiro]

"You leave that to me.", said Shiro confidently. "I like your ideas, for you present very good points, but what we need more than men is intel. With the right strategy, we can beat an army of 1,000 with a mere 100 men."

Heatnix looked up from his drawn plans in the dirt.

"What do you have in mind?"

Shiro grabbed the stick from Heatnix's hand, and then began to pace as he spoke.

"There are two methods of combat. To defend, or attack. In order to defend, we need men. In order to attack, we need intel. If we defend, then we gain nothing but a goodnight's sleep, assuming victory is ours at the end of the day. Because even if we win, the threat is still out there. Also, it would be very crude of us to underestimate these bandits. We need to assess what we know."

Shiro turned and began marking plans into the dirt.

"First and foremost, our enemy is great in numbers. We need to be under the impression that they are organized. There is at least one person who has kept this army of 10,000 men in order, which is by no means easy. Also, there is no place near here that can hide 10,000 men at a time. We would have known their whereabouts by now. So as a result, we need to assume that they have a series of bases scattered throughout these lands. So that rules out your hiding, and waiting for them to come home theory. We'll need to find, and narrow down the top three bases. Because if we can crush their leader, we crush the brains of this organization. It's not at all likely that a band of theives and mercenaries are going to risk their own lives for a cause with little chance of success. So if we can destroy their main base, they'll fold under the pressure."

Heatnix watched Shiro pace back and forth, reviewing his plans. He had never seen Shiro so focused.

"I must admit Shiro.....I'm impressed."

Shiro continued without pausing.

"-And as far as men go, I don't care if they're trained or not. If we can get 500 men, that will be more than enough."

"....How? How do you plan on pulling that off?"

Shiro turned to face Heatnix, and an evil grin crawled across his face.

"....You'll be leading them."

Heatnix returned the smirk and stood up from his spot on the ground.

"Now, even though I'm flattered, I'm still just a tiny bit concerned about our chances."

"Don't forget Heatnix, we won't be facing all 10,000 at a time. And besides, with your strength, and my brains, this will be cake."

The two stared at each other, and slowly began to chuckle to themselves. Then, without warning, their chuckles turned into a roaring laughter. After a few seconds of good laughter, Heatnix tried to calm himself enough to speak.

"D....Do you not plan on fighting? Surely you aren't relying on my strength alone."

"Of course not." Shiro replied. "Someone has to defend this village. Besides, as much as I'd rather fight along side you, it seems that with my new circumstances I'll be the one that gets stuck training our farmers with pitchforks. If I was at my full potential, things would be different."

"It's not at all like you to miss a battle you know."

Shiro sighed and looked at the ground.

"...I know, but give me a month, and I swear on my honor that these lands will be free from this threat forever. Because when I devise a strategy for warfare, I will not rest until every existing threat is eliminated."

Heatnix thought for a moment. The question of recruitment had yet to be answered.

"So how do you plan to get these 500 men?

"That," replied Shiro,"will have to be done the old fashioned way. We go town to town and recruit them ourselves. I don't trust anyone else in this matter besides you. So messenger hawks and other things of the sort are out of the question. We don't know where our enemy resides, so we must be on our guard. If the enemy is smart enough to hide 10,000 men, then they're definately capable of having contacts in even the most defenseless of villages. This, is what I will leave to you. If you can focus on recruiting men, then I'll have our tactics planned down to the use of every last man. We definately have our work cut out for us, but we knew that coming into this. Let's get started."

[Heatnix]

"Very well," Heatnix says. "I'll take the west half of the village, you take the right. We'll meet back at this spot at midnight."

"See you then," Shiro replies. The two warriors leap from the cliffside and down to the village. Heatnix falls and lands on his feet in an alley.

"Don't want to scare the villagers with my battle get-up," Heatnix says. "Better change into my casual clothes." Heatnix forms the tiger seal, and in a burst of flame, is in his black hoodie and pants. He pulls his black facemask down to his neck. "Still a bit conspicuous. A simple genjutsu should do the trick." Heatnix forms the ram seal, and casts a genjutsu that makes his black shinobi pants appear as blue jeans, and removes the "NINJ4" emblem from the front of his hoodie. Heatnix walks from the shadows and into the street.

Heatnix looks around. There seems to be very little sign of possible warriors in this town. But then again, he had landed in the poor district. He walks into the busier part of the village. He sees a local tavern. Given that this was the middle of winter, and after sundown, it was likely that most of the men were there. The question of why the bandits would attack after harvest season finds its way into his mind, but quickly is dismissed when he realizes the graineries would be completely full.

Heatnix notices a presence behind him. He quickly turns around to see who it is, but then realizes it's only a small child. He smiles and hands the child 15 mon. "I know it's not much, but it's all I can spare." The child smiles and runs home.

Heatnix walks into the tavern. A few ronin are scattered about the place. None seem very impressive, but he'll have to talk to every one of them. Heatnix orders a bottle of sake and sits down next to a particularly gruff-looking man. "Mind if I sit here?" he asks.

"You got business, kid?" the man asks.

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"What's it pay?"

"Well, keep in mind this isn't a threat, but you and everyone else in this town don't die."

"Explain yourself," the man orders.

"Allright," Heatnix begins. "Long story short, there's a bunch of bandits that are going to attack this village. Soon. I've gotten wind of it, and I'm trying to organize some men to take the fight to the bandits before they come here." Heatnix takes another sip of sake.

The man smiles. "Sounds like a good plan. Sorry if I seemed rude before. I've just been out of work for a long time. Tell you what. I've got three brothers, ronin like me. You follow me back to my place, we'll get them and you can tell all four of us where to meet you for the battle."

Heatnix smiles and takes another drink. "Wow, and here I was afraid the people here weren't going to be this friendly! Your help is greatly appreciated."

The two get up and leave the tavern. After walking a good way, the two turn into an alley. The same alley Heatnix had landed in. Heatnix stops. "Sorry about the act. Didn't want to make a scene," Heatnix says. "I know you're lying. Truth is, I'm not worth robbing or killing, so why are you leading me here? I know that nobody lives back here."

"Well, I wasn't interested in what you had to say until you mentioned the invasion we're planning," the man says with a twisted smirk.

"So, you're with the bandits. I'd expected as much, just not this soon in my efforts. Now, just for the sake of time," Heatnix smiles, "We'll skip me asking you all the questions we know I'm going to ask, such as who sent you, when the attack is supposed to be, where your hideouts are, etc. Instead, I'll go ahead and beat the sense from your head until you tell me everything, because we both know that's where this conversation is heading anyway."

"I thought you'd never ask. I'll show you mine if you show me yours," the bandit says. He pulls twin sais from his belt.

"Ooh, sais. Exotic. I'm used to guns and swords. This should be interesting. Release," Heatnix says. The genjutsu altering Heatnix's appearance falls. Heatnix pulls his mask back over his face. "Shouldn't need my full battle getup for this."

"What, you not gonna use a weapon?" the bandit laughs.

"Oh, you're right," Heatnix says. He holds out his hand, and in a flash of fire, summons the Red Lotus katana. Heatnix's red eyes begin to glow.

"What...what the hell are you?" the bandit says.

"I'm one of the shadows that seeks out justice," Heatnix says. A blue flame appears at his right hand. "I grew up all my life seeing corruption and death around me, being powerless. Then, something happened that changed my life. I became an orphan. I made a vow then and there that, if it was in my power, no child would be an orphan. I'm not going to allow you to take away the parents of the children in this village." The blue flame grows brighter. "When you see your boss in the afterlife, let him know that you were the first to find out, that your wicked ways brought this upon all of you. Nova Flame!" The blue flame forms into a ball, and launches at the bandit, ending his vile life. "May your soul find peace."

Heatnix recasts his genjutsu and walks back to the tavern. "Bartender!" he says, "Get a round for everyone! Ronin of Tansa! Konya-wa Nomo!"

[Shiro]

Shiro landed on the outskirts of the wealthy district of town. He looked on in awe as the true, defenseless nature of this town and it's people was revealed even further. Shiro shook his head as a wave of pity washed over him. But now was not the time for emotions. He needed information before taking the next step. Shiro reached within the fold of his robe and pulled out a small tanto. After unsheathing it, he made a cut along the palm of his hand. He then sheathed the small blade, and then performed the necessary katas.

"........Kuchiyose No Jutsu.."

Six large bursts of smoke appeared around shiro, revealing six powerful looking wolves. Shiro then spoke to them.

"It seems that this village is in danger. The threat is many, and much needs to be learned. Meet me back here on the night of the next full moon."

The wolves shared a long howl in compliance, and then as if rehersed, disappeared with great speed. He then looked at the cut along his hand, and watched the wound close, healing as if the cut never happened. He had still not gotten used to that. Shiro then turned to face the village.

".......right. I forget how long it's been since I've actually been around other people...."

Shiro then made his way into the village. Bright lights shined, and colorful lanterns adorned the streets as finely dressed nobles traipsed up and down, making their way home to their beds as the night grew ever closer. Shiro had spent all this time taking in the sights, he had hardly noticed most of the people staring at him as he made his way deeper into the village. Perhaps it was the fact that he was a travelor that attracted their attention? A little girl of 7 ran up and tugged on the back of Shiro's robe.

"Wow mister. Where'd you get your clothes from? You're funny!"

"........"

Shiro sighed, and made his way to the nearest inn. It was just his luck that it happened to be the nicest one in town. After walking in, he made his way to the front desk.

"....I'd like a room please."

The man behind the desk smirked, sizing him up with his eyes.

"Tch. Silly kid. I don't think you realize where you are. This is the Blossom Creek Inn. Surely you don't think we have room for a peddler such as yourself. Now go on. Scamper off back to the street you came from. "

Shiro closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He then reached within the folds of his robe.

"Hey now! Stop! Please don't hurt me!!", cried the inn keeper.

".....Silence", said Shiro as he dropped a handful of gold onto the counter.

The inn keeper was stunned to find a full months worth of payment laying on the desk.

"I want the nicest room you have, and I'll need silence, so do try to refrain from screaming uncontrollably again. And there better be a bottle of your finest sake waiting for me when i get there."

"Y...y..yessir!", said the inn keep in desperation. "I hope you don't mind strawberry flavored. It's the nicest sake we serve."

Shiro smiled to himself as he made his way up the stairs to his room.

"That will be just fine."

[Heatnix]

Heatnix laughs and takes yet another drink. These ronin seem to think his ability to drink is amazing, but it's the only way to finish his current task. Just about every warrior Heatnix has found has allied himself with Heatnix's cause; that is, all except for five. Heatnix would have let it go, but these five seemed to be the strongest in town, and thus a valuable asset. Their leader had said that the all five would join, as well as pay Heatnix's tab, should Heatnix beat their leader in a drinking contest. Thirty-nine glasses later, the competition was winding down.

Heatnix didn't like to cheat. It wasn't normally his style, but lives are on the line, and Heatnix surely won't let his pride get in the way of saving people. Every drink he takes, he burns the alcohol out of his beverage, and reabsorbs the heat back through his throat. This ensures two things: 1) he won't become drunk, nor will he lose this competition and 2), every drink will be just as cold as it is supposed to be, as well as flavorful. The only side-effect Heatnix has been having is the extreme desire to urinate. He realizes that he should have gone before the competition began.

The man across from him, while certainly able to hold his liquor, is looking under the weather. In a real competition, Heatnix would have been drunk under the table by this man a long time ago, probably around drink 22. The man lifts his glass yet again. Heatnix feels it. He has won.

The man drops his glass and falls backwards onto the floor. He begins to snore loudly. Heatnix holds his glass up in triumph. He turns to the rest of the five. "When he wakes up, give him this." Heatnix hands one of the other warriors a paper listing the meeting time and place. "I appreciate your help," Heatnix announces to the entire tavern, "but for now, I must be going."

Heatnix steps outside. "Now, just to use the bathroom, then it should be time to meet Shiro." Heatnix looks up at the moon. By its position, he can tell that it is after midnight, probably around 1:30. "Damn. I'll have to pee after I meet him." Heatnix jumps to the nearest rooftop and releases his genjutsu. No point in wasting his chakra any longer. Heatnix leaps the rooftops, toward the cliff at which he and Shiro had met earlier. Reaching the last house, Heatnix lightens the air around his body with heat, making it easier for him to jump. He leaps high into the air. After three leaps, he reaches the summit.

Then, Heatnix is confused. Shiro was not here, either. "Could he still be searching for recruits?" Heatnix sees a kunai with a note attached to it stuck in the rock wall. He pulls it out and reads it:

"Heatnix,
Rather than meeting here, I thought it might be better to find a place more private and hidden. I decided hiding in plain sight would be best. At midnight, when you find this note, meet me at the Blossom Creek Inn, in the rich district. I'll be in the penthouse, making plans.
Oh, and on a related note, this note is going to explode about a minute after you read it. Can't have anyone finding us out, right?"

Heatnix throws the kunai moments before it explodes. "Shiro and his bombs. That brings back memories..." Before Heatnix gets lost in thought, he remembers the situation. "Okay, surely there'll be a bathroom at the Inn. I've kept Shiro waiting long enough." Heatnix leaps back into town.

Heatnix lands once again on a roof in the rich district of town. Jumping the roofs, he looks for signs of the Inn. All at once, the roofs seem to disappear. Two rows of sakura trees line the courtyard of a large building. Behind the building is a small river. "And bingo was his name-o," Heatnix smiles.

Heatnix walks inside and sees the overdecorated main hall of the Inn. "I must remember to ask Shiro where he gets his money from." He looks at the small innkeeper behind the front desk and points at the man, who promptly screams. Heatnix then remembers that he has forgotten to recast his disguise.

"What do you want?!" the man shreiks.

"Do you have a bathroom?" Heatnix asks.

"Not for poor men or criminals," the shrewd innkeeper says, insulted at the request. "Unless, like one of our clients, they have a good deal of money."

"I'm staying here," Heatnix says, "My partner's already here. About my height, black hair, scar across his nose?"

"Ah. The Rich Mongrel. This way, please," the innkeeper says.

The man leads Heatnix upstairs to the room. As Heatnix is about to walk in, he turns to the innkeeper and says, "I'll forgive you this time. I think forgiveness is something many humans lack. But bear this in mind: insult my brother again, and the results will be dire." Heatnix makes his eyes glow with chakra.

The innkeeper wets himself a little. "Y-yessir!" the man says, and hurries off.

Heatnix walks in the room, huge and lavishly decorated. Shiro sees him and turns from his desk. "Hey, bro. Have trouble finding the place?"

"No. The innkeeper was just a douche," Heatnix says.

"Did you find some recruits?" Shiro asks.

"We'll get to that in a minute," Heatnix smiles. "For now...I have to piss so bad, that I wish I didn't have to piss so bad."

[Tenshi]

Alessa Contiello didn't like the view her travelling partner's horse. Or rather, she'd prefer to not be staring at the rear end of the animal. And as if the view wasn't the worst part of their most recent journey, she was hungry- and tired- and pretty sure that the odor surrounding them wasn't of roses or daisies.

"Trace..." She sighed, "I'm about to fall asleep."

Shifting and looking over his shoulder, Trace smirked. "And I'm sure we'll hear your stomach start complaining soon too, right?" As she opened her mouth to reply, he glanced forward again and continued, "We're about ten minutes to a village. How does crashing for the night in an inn sound to you?"

"Uhm." Alessa shifted to reach into the messenger bag on her side. "I don't thi-"

"S'on me."

A look of confusion passed onto the brown-haired girl's face. "You're paying?"

He didn't move. "Yea, remember that drunk I told ya 'bout a few villages back? Well, this rascal underling tried stealing from a guy at the tavern, so I politely asked him to give the gold back."

"Oh and he did this with an overwhelming sense of guilt for his action and gratitude toward you for correcting him on the path to a better life, I assume?" Alessa brought one hand from the saddle handle to push her silver glasses back onto the bridge of her nose.

Chuckling, Trace replied, "He did it with an overwhelming sense of dizziness, considering by the third punch he couldn't tell the ceiling from the the floor. You shoulda seen 'em. He was reaching for a handhold when he hit the wife of the dude he stole from - she finally let her husband go and he gave that bastard one helluva right hook. Eh, even considering he was all bloodied up and beaten himself."

Alessa couldn't fathom that she had missed something as fun as this incident - albeit they had always ran into trouble on their journeys - this one actually seemed amusing. "And when exactly did this happen?"

"Remember when you and Elias were bargaining with that shopkeep - was his name Tadaaki? - over that book that y'all just had to have?"

Alessa looked away, blushing a bit at his emphasis on the book. "Oh." She then silently examined her surroundings. To the left and right, rice fields - water on the ground still glistening from the storms that passed through days ago. The vision would be interesting - well, at least tolerable - had it not been for the simple fact that they had been horseback for the week and she was getting desperately tired of counting how many pebbles would fall down the path incline with each step of her horse. She'd also spent the days trying to teach Trace the standard Japanese but that hadn't worked well either. He just refused to actually try. Which also meant that when she was severely annoyed Japanese was yet another language that she could mutter and curse in that he didn't understand. "Baka."

Trace shook his head. "Don't think that I haven't picked up on some things. I'm not an idiot." He shot her an amused look. "So he gave me a remarkable reward. That inn still sound okay by you, Doc? You are in charge after all."

"Oh yes, because the refugee from Ravenden would never drag me half-way around the world." She sighed. "Yea, it sounds good." Moments later, she added, "Hey, isn't that-?"

Trace's horse slowed as they descended a hill overlooking the village. "Yea, we're here."

The conversation drew to a close as they travelled the last stretch of tonight's trip. Entering on the West side, Trace and Alessa nudged their horses through the last of the retiring nobility - receiving many confused looks and a few threatening ones. As they arrived at the inn and started dismounting, Alessa found herself glaring at the passing citizens out of pure exhaustion.

Trace remained mounted for another moment, staring off in the distance. Something wasn't right to him. There was a sense of urgency in the air and if he could place it right... the smell of fire and high energy levels.

As he refocused on the present, he found Alessa had just arranged for the stable hands to take the horses and groom them. This was, of course, judging by the young Japanese kid's anxious looks and dismounting guestures.

He grabbed his pack and slung it over his shoulder, adjusting both his staff and his sword sheath in the process of doing so. A tiny smirk crossed his face as the kid noticed the weapons and stared at him with wide eyes. Well, at nearly six feet he was a bit menacing, and the foreign clothing couldn't really help that image. Shaking his head as he walked away in the general direction Alessa had went, he brushed the dust from his black, baggy pants and rolled the sleeves of his white shirt back down.

He found her in the inn already, glaring in the general direction of a hallway. "Chup to?"

"Well, the man behind the desk escorted some guy he likes screaming at up to his quarters." Alessa turned, leaning back against the counter - being especially careful not to break her quiver and/ or knock something valuable off the counter- and sighed. Was it really too much to ask for a nice hot bath and a comfortable nights sleep? Dawning back to reality, she found Trace examining her.

"Hm? Did I miss something?"

He laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Nah. Just amused at how out of place you look here."

She looked down at her attire, the pants almost a mirror image of Trace's own, white undershirt, and khaki jacket. "Too NYC for Japan?"

"Eh. Too American for Japan."

"Look who's talking."

"Excuse me sir," Trace called, getting the attendant's attention. The man looked up at him confused as he told him they would like a room.

Alessa smirked and told the man they wanted a room in Japanese. In reply, he smiled and held up a finger.

"One room?"

Alessa started to say no but Trace nodded, "Hai." Upon the former's confused look, he told her, "Now I don't have that much money..."

As the man motioned for them to follow him, she shook her head smiling. "Fine, but I get the bed."

"Don't you always?"

[Heatnix]

For the first time in several days, Heatnix has felt relief.

He had finally gotten to use the bathroom, and for almost an hour now, Heatnix and Shiro had been going over their plans for the raid on the bandits. While the progress of having over thirty men recruited was indeed impressive for the short amount of time spent, it wouldn't be anywhere near enough to actually make the raid. It was concluded that before they left town, they would have to search the rich district for some soldiers. Surely some retired/nobility samurai would be hiding out here somewhere. Why, there could even be someone who could help in this very hotel.

After Heatnix refuses a cup of strawberry sake for the third time, both he and Shiro sense a presence behind the door and look in that direction. A key slowly turns in the door, and even more slowly, the door opens. As it opens, Heatnix stands up, Red Lotus burning into existence in Heatnix's right hand, and points at the person behind the door. Heatnix almost smiles to see an arrow pointing right back at his blade when the door is fully opened. A young woman holds the bow, with a tall man behind her, and the innkeeper still quivering in the door frame.

Heatnix quickly lowers his guard. He could tell by the uncertainty and surprise in the woman's eyes that she had not been the first to draw. The woman lowers her bow. Heatnix reaches around her to grab the innkeeper by the collar. He shouts at the man in Japanese. <Complete! Silence! You don't seem to understand it when I ask politely, so let this be a warning! Do. Not. Let this happen again.>

<I am sorry,> the innkeeper says. <I saw their weapons and I thought they were with you...don't kill me!>

Heatnix sighs. <We're here to save you, not kill you. All we're asking for is a little cooperation. Trust us. We're not bad people.> Although, it can't be told through his mask, Heatnix smiles at the man, who bows, then leaves, promising that there would be no more trouble.

The woman bows as if to leave. "Gomennasai," she says.

"We speak English," Heatnix says. "And it's allright, don't worry about it."

"How did you know we spoke English?" the man asks.

"You're kidding, right? Let's face it," Heatnix says, motioning to the clothes the two are wearing, "you two stick out like a couple of sore thumbs here. But that's beside the point. I've got some questions I'd like to ask you two. First of all, I'd like to know your names."

"No offense," the woman says, "but isn't it customary to introduce oneself first?"

"Sorry. I'm Heatnix, and this is my friend Shiro."

"I'm Trace," the man says.

"I'm Tenshi," the woman says.

Shiro speaks up. "I don't think that's your real name, is it? You look too...American...to have a name like that."

"Mom always said for me not to trust a man who covers his face," the so-called "Tenshi" says. "And 'Heatnix' doesn't sound like a real name from any language."

Heatnix reaches up to his face. "You sure about this, Heatnix?" Shiro asks.

"She met my blade with a bow. Trust me, we want these people on our side," Heatnix says. He pulls his mask down from his face. "Magojiro Katsuya. Pleased to meet you."

"Alessa Contiello," Tenshi replies.

"Charmed," Heatnix says. "Now that that's out of the way, I have another question. Have you ever heard of the Diira no Gashi bandits?"

[Shiro]

"Save the explinations for later." Shiro said abruptly. "These two look far too tired for a sob story. Let them rest for now."

Shiro reached into his robe and pulled out a small leather bag filled with gold, and tossed it to the weary travelers. They stared at him in confusion.

"If you're planning on resting, allow me to insist that you do it with the utmost comfort and hospitality. For I doubt that we will be welcomed with open arms throughout the village based on the innkeeper's response to us tonight."

Alessa turned to discuss this with Trace, only to find that he too was lacking for words. She punched him.

"Ow, that hurt!" said Trace, rubbing his arm before quickly snapping back to reality. "Oh....right....please understand sir, as much as we do appreciate this gesture, we can't accept it."

Shiro turned to face Alessa and her partner. "....Do not get me wrong, for I do not expect you to accept anything. I'm merely buying a favor from you. If you promise to listen to our predicament, I will pay for your room in full, no matter how long you decide to stay. I'm not even asking for your for further participation. I just ask that you hear our story...."

The two turned to discuss what to do, and finally agreed.

"Then if you'll excuse us," Shiro replied, "Heatnix and I both have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, and will need our strength. We will meet you on the outskirts of town at noon tomorrow. We'll talk then as agreed. Go back downstairs and tell the innkeeper that you would like the suite next to ours. I trust he'll find some way to arrange it."

[Heatnix]

Heatnix stares up at the moon. Tonight, it shines so brightly that it seems to block out the light of the stars. It is a lonely moon, which never truly sets. It reminds Heatnix of himself.

Heatnix is sitting upon the roof of the inn. He came here after Shiro fell asleep. Since the activation of his true rune, Heatnix has found that he can go for days on end without sleep. And now that he actually had plans for what to do with his days, this was the only time he could find to write. He decided to begin writing in order to ensure that he could get as many of his comrades in on the mission as possible.

He writes:
"Dear Aiko,

I know you've probably heard about my new mission. Things haven't been going that smooth for me lately, but that's not the point. I have news. Notice I don't specify good or bad, because it's both.

First, the good news. I ran into Shiro today. He's agreed to help me with this mission, and we're recruiting samurai to help us take down the bandits once and for all. We've already come across some interesting characters to help us along the way.

Now, the bad news. Shiro and I are taking on the bandits on their home turf. We're going to find their hideouts, and through that, try to take out all of them, rather than just what would be attacking the village. This is obviously going to be a lot more dangerous, but in the end, it'll help a lot, too, because things will be going on our terms and schedule, rather than theirs.

But enough shop talk. How are you doing lately? I know it's been a while since we last talked, and I hope you're doing okay.

Have you heard from anyone recently? More specifically, Xenith or my brother? They'd be a tremendous help in this. If any messages come your way from our old friends, be sure to send them this way. It would mean a lot to me.

Well, it looks as though the sun is about to come up. That means I'd better get back downstairs, because Shiro and I have a long day ahead. I hope to see you soon, although I honestly wouldn't feel right asking you to join in this battle with us. In other words, I'll come visit when I can.

yours truly,
Heatnix"

Heatnix whistles and holds out his arm to one of the messenger hawks that has been flying above the area. He seals the letter just before the hawk lands on his arm. He puts the letter in the hawk's item pouch, and puts the money into a small container on its leg. "There's thirty extra in there for you to fly higher than normal. This is to reach the recipient no matter what." The hawk nods and flies off.

Heatnix looks up at the rising sun. It is a new day, and time to get to work.

[Geoff]

Geoff is sneaking along the empty streets of the village, praying he finds his target before dawn breaks in full. He had been hired by some guys calling themselves "<bandits>" and he was supposed to kill a great warrior named Heatnix. They had given a good description of his target and told him that if he surprised this "Heatnix" then he could kill the warrior without a struggle. He was to hunt down this "Heatnix," a man with spikey brown hair and red eyes, and eliminate him for the <bandits>.

One of the members of <bandits> had told him that one of their informants had been scared witless by a red-eyed devil who was staying in a penthouse at the <Blossom Creek Inn>. Geoff couldn't read the language of these people, he didn't speak it, and he didn't really care.

He just searched the rich part of town until he found an inn near a creek with some flowering trees near it.

"This must be it," Geoff said, glaring at the inn as he strapped his spear to his back. "The penthouse is at the top.. I think."

He reached up and grabbed the first stone, testing its ability to hold his weight. It could, and there were a lot of foot and handholds all along this wall, from top to bottom. Pulling himself up, stone by stone, Geoff started thinking about how the <bandits> had smirked when they said his target would be easy to kill. Maybe they were playing him for a fool, but the reward was very promising. He'd just have to find out and hope he didn't die because the <bandits> had lied to him.

Reaching the roof of the inn, and having a lot of trouble gaining it because of the overhang, Geoff found himself face to face with a red-eyed man who had spikey brown hair. The man promptly went into a fighting stance as if he was holding a sword, but his hands were empty. A gout of flame revealed a very real looking sword, whose style Geoff had never seen before.

"Oh.. this can't be good," Geoff whispered.

[Tallenvor]

Across from the Blossom Creek Inn a shadow seems to be comming alive. No sound is made, no indication that a man has just appeared beneath the Inn's sign, Tallenvor slowly makes his way inside the inn, and finds the innkeeper counting what appears to be a large sum of coins. As Tallenvor crosses the room, he notcies that no one else is around the area. The innkeeper lets out a small scream when he realizes Tallenvor is a mere three feet from him. He quickly pockets the many coins, and tries to regain his composure.

"Wh- What do you want?" says the still startled man.

"A room." replies Tallenvor in a voice which can only be described as dominant.

The innkeeper tries to form a reply, but quickly ceases when he notices the pouch now setting infront of him.

"Pl- Please follow me." the man says as he stands up and begins to move to a vacant room.

The innkeeper unlocks the room's door, and slowly begins to open it. As he steps into the room, he feels a cold thin object wrap around his scrawny neck. Gasping, the man attempts to free himself using his hands, but lacks the ability to do so. He attempts to call out in pain, but even that he cannot do. In a matter of seconds his entire body falls limp and lifeless.

Tallenvor rummages through the innkeeper's pockets, and pilfers several items. He also decides to take the clothes from the body, and he quickly change into them. Afterwhich, he relocks the room's door, and makes his way back to the table the innkeeper was using. He begins to count his newly aquired riches.

Tallenvor thinks back to earlier events that morning, where he witnessed a small exchange between the now deceased innkeeper, and a Bandit messanger. He also thinks about the two young men he saw enter the inn several hours ago, both seemed quite powerful.

With this, Tallenvor let a smile flash across his face, he decided to play the part of innkeeper, if only for a few hours.