[We find Sakura entering a reasonably sized town during her mostly aimless travels. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and the forest trail has made for a pleasant stroll. But when is Shomura not pleasant? Politics and feuding aside.] [So! She's entering town. It's mid morning. What's she gonna do? Let's find out.] [Intro Session Start.] * Sakura enters the town and looks around, trying to spot a local bar or foodhole. [She finds them. Seems to be a pretty well-off town, all things considered.] * Sakura wanders into a random one. [Sakura walks into a bar, probably to get smashed. Or not. It's not very crowded just yet, but there's a few hushed conversations going around, though one young woman is seated at a table all by her lonesome.] * Sakura looks around, and sits at an open table, perferably in a corner. [The people at the corner - all wearing black, hooded cloaks - eye Sakura.] * Sakura ,being used to stares, ignores them. [They're also sitting at the table Sakura tried to take. The Hooded Cloak Society always seems to have reservations in the corners.] * Fanfan glances idly up at the newcomer. She is in her late teens, dressed like a Shomuran noblewoman. Two swords are at her waist, one on each side, and her hair is elaborately styled. * Sakura is a rather short, and apparently a woman, although that's hard to tell. Every inch of skin is covered, between the kimono on her body, the hat on her head the odd mask (which looks like a lovely older woman) on her face. You can see red hair poking out from under the hat, but just barely. She has a katana in a sheath on her side. * Fanfan stops gawking at the newcomer and raps the table smartly with the tessen strung at her wrist. "Service, please!" [A waiter scurries over and bows. "Yes, ma'am?"] What are your specialties here, waiter? Actually, I don't care. Bring me three of your best, and something to drink them down with. [He nods. "Absolutely." And he scurries off again. Mousy guy.] ( Seconds later he gets eaten by a catgirl ) (*snicker*) (A catgrue?) (You are mousy. You are likely to be eaten by a catgrue.) (Catgrue!) ( *snerk* ) (I really wanted you guys to talk before I had something big and nasty show and kill you all. ;_;) [The waiter returns with a few dishes and sets them in front of Fanfan. There's beef among it. You know this bill's gonna rack up.] ( We're planning to have you guys talk for a bit then send a monster in that will kill the one we like the least. It makes narrowing down the selection process a bit easier. ) [He also sets some tea and water down for her, then bows. "Have a good meal." And scurries off!] (NoOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOOoooOOOOOOOOOO) (You are the weakest link. Goodbye!) * Fanfan picks at the dishes, which are seemingly not to her liking. Below her station, perhaps? (Okay, that does it. No conversation = me starty fighty) * Fanfan then takes a sip of the water, but before swallowing makes a face, turns around and spits it out in a "random direction." Faugh! This is what you call water? (Fanfan, roll soul.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fanfan (2d6) and gets 6. [Fanfan spits at Sakura! You knew it was coming.] (yeah, I was going to take odds on what a "random direction" was) * Sakura glares at Fanfan.. or maybe she does. It's hard to tell. The mask. (Nah, I thought she was going to spit on John. The water makes him look prettier!) Watch it. * Fanfan is still yelling at the waiter. "Waiter! What kind of filth are you serving here?!" * Fanfan glances over at Sakura. "My apologies." [And somewhere, John's teeth go *ting*.] Mmm. [The waiter scurries out. He looks surprised. "Is it not to your liking?"] Not to my liking? Not to my liking?! It'd have to be *mud* to be less to my liking! Now, either you bring me out some *proper* water...the kind that allows me to see *through* it...or you'll give me the name of a *respectable* place to eat! * Sakura stares at the person making the giant commotion. * Fanfan GLARES at pooor Mr. Mousy Waiter. [The waiter stares at her, mouth open, before hastily scooping up the glass. "Absolutely, miss. I'll test the water myself." Scurry scurry.] * Fanfan snarls in his general direction, for good measure. [He flinches. Poor guy.] * Fanfan sits back down, noting Sakura's gaze. "There is a problem?" * Sakura stares at Fanfan. "No." Mmm. * Fanfan looks Sakura up and down. "A performer, I take it?" No. Simply a wanderer. I see. From where do you hail? Around. * Fanfan laughs softly to herself. "How could I forget? A wanderer hails only from the road, eh?" Indeed. (Yes indeed!) (Fanfan: ...) (Sakura: ....) (Ard: Session over! You die now.) [Right about now, the waiter returns with a fresh cup of water. He bows low. "I boiled the water myself." Luckily for you, he is not one of the GM's avatars, or you'd both be dead.] (heh.) (* turns the waiter into Spanky.) (Wak!) * Fanfan picks up the cup and looks it over critically. "Adequate. I suppose." ( Oh, come on. She's a spoiled brat. Why the hell would Sakura want a long conversation with her? ) (Heh heh.) (FWEH HEH HEH) ( If it makes you feel better, the regular group has a way of forcing people into conversations like a crowbar. This will not be an issue.) * Fanfan resumes chowing down. (It's about as subtle as a jackhammer too...) (Yes.) ( ^_^_v) [He yelps and scurries off. Poor guy. Don't you feel sorry for him?] ( No. ) (Spanky shall destroy you all.) (I fear to ask) [After a while, the waiter returns. But not to talk to Fanfan. In fact, he's trying to avoid looking at her at all while he scurries to Sakura's table. "Ah, is there anything I can get for you... ma'am?"] A drink. Alcholic. Light. * Fanfan snickers quietly to herself as she notes the waiter's cowering. [He nods. "As you wish." And he's off again.] (5 bucks says she'll want it heavy by the end of this talk.) (which one? :P) ( Yes. ) [He returns and sets the drink down, then scurries off.] * Fanfan continues eating, glancing out the window at the street corner outside to see if it's crowded or no. * Sakura nurses the drink. [It's slowly gaining more people. Merchants are setting up their stalls.] * Fanfan notes that, and finishes eating quickly. * Fanfan summons Mr. Mousy again. "Waiter!" [Right about now, a rather plain Shomuran woman bursts into the tavern/bar/whatever. Her long, black hair is tied back, and she's wearing some sort of blue armor and carrying a naginata. She looks around and grins widely. (more)] ( Mr. Mousy got off shift 2 minutes ago. Mr. Beefy will take your order instead. ) (heh) * Sakura looks up at the new arrival. (/me clicks the "more" button) ( Oh god. It's Eoi-Chan. Sorta. ) [Behind her, a strange, dark-skinned foreigner almost gets hit in the face by the door. He pushes his way in, too; he's pretty good-looking, with black hair and eyes. He wears leather and has a stone hand-axe of some sort at his belt.] Hmm. [Addition: He's also carrying a bow. Bad GM. Forgetful.] (Bad GM. No cookie for you!) (;_;) (You're getting as bad as me. ;_;) * Fanfan raises an eyebrow at the pair, and returns to waiting for her check, though she doesn't let her guard down. (Okay, have a cookie anyways. ^_^) * Woman keeps grinning and takes a deep breath. "Smell that? It's been forever since we had a decent meal." * Foreigner sniffs and makes a disgusted face. "Yeah, and it's going to be forever a little while longer." * Sakura idly wonders if anyone comes into this place to do anything but complain. (Never ever) ( Some people brood. ) (Damn brooders.) (Kaede's not there though. I mean the male Kaede ^_^;) * Fanfan still waitwaits for her check. ): * Woman twirls her naginata, miraculously not hitting anything. "Yeah, well. Let's get something." She clomps over to a table near Sakura and Fanfan's and slams her hand against it. "Waiter! Some food and drink for the great Eri Tabushi!" She pauses. "And her companion!" ( .. I was joking about it being Eoi-chan. ) (^_^) (Whoo!) (God is punishing you. And us, sadly.) (*is happily out of context*) ( Ard is God? ) ("Hello, my name is Eri Tabushi and this is my companion Needless Hextra.") (In Ard We Trust.) (What about Brett?) * Foreigner follows, muttering. "Wonder if we could get some liquor. And I don't mean that "rice-wine" you people drink, either. Who ever heard of rice from wine? ( He's Satan. ) Yeah, I always thought that was weird. Want to try sake? Ain't that the same thing? Damn, couldn't pull a fast one on you. Must've been practicing with a Naginata behind my back. It strengthens the mind, y'know. * Foreigner rolls his eyes. * Fanfan listens idly to the newcomers' conversation, still waiting for her check. [The waiter scurries out. "I'm sorry I didn't mean-" He pauses, suddenly realizing it wasn't Fanfan that called for him, and runs over to the two newcomers. "Can I help you?"] ( _ Lemme guess. The Foreigner is Shigeri Udea. ) (No. :P) ( Close ) (I *did* call for him. :P) (Yes, but they got his attention! ^^) (Bah!) * Eri grins at the waiter. "Yes, you can. We just came off of the trail, and we're starving. Bring... oh, whatever you've got. And a little more. And some not-rice wine for my friend here." None of that raw fish stuff, either. Blech. [The waiter mouths words silently, as he seems to be having a hard time parsing them. "Uh, okay. No raw fish, no rice wine." And he scurries off. Fanfan's being ignored!] (This won't end well.) * Fanfan throws her teacup at the waiter. "Oi!" * Sakura sips her drink and eyes the new people. Wonder if I could get them and Fanfan to kill each other. (Probably.) (Roll thrown weapons (improvisational)!) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fanfan (2d6) and gets 11. [The teacup, fortunately or not, misses the waiter by a mile and shatters against the wall. It does get his attention, though, and he turns to regard Fanfan. "You do know you're paying for that."] As well as this "meal." If you would be so *kind* as to tally up the price. And no short-changing, either. * Sakura eyes Fanfan and mutters something. [He smiles ever so sweetly. Seems the mouse has teeth. "Of course, miss. It would be my pleasure." He scurries into the back.] (Little does he know that I am...the MOUSE DENTIST!) (Bill: 57,654 kanmon.) (*flips through your background* Hmm, nope.) (Expensive cup) (Damn!) (No, that's the food. The cup was 158,494 kanmon.) (*snickers*) * Eri stretches and leans back, eyeing Fanfan. "And you guys call me rude." (Rude? But I am a beeeeautiful butterfly! 9-9) (* John shoots Fanfan now, to avoid the certain bloodshed that would occur between Millie, her, and himself over who's the prettiest.) (Fanfan can't touch you guys. It's the Teckian charm.) (Fanfan bleeds! But is...still the prettiest!) (bah.) (^_^) * Fanfan checks the crowdedness of that street corner again, anxious not to lose that prime spot. [The waiter returns, setting down heaps of food and drink for Eri and the foreigner. He smiles at Fanfan. "We're calculating your bill now, miss." And he scurries off.] * Foreigner looks Sakura over and comments to Eri. "And you say *I* dress funny." Well, you do! But yeah, she does dress awfully funny. * Eri nods. "The Naginata would never approve." * Sakura grunts. "I did not insult you. Kindly mind your own buisness." ( o/` Macho, macho man... I wanna be a macho man... ) * Eri has a few bites of food before turning back to Sakura. "Aww, can't take a joke?" I did not hear a joke. (Good answer!) Wasn't a joke. Was a fashion statement. (I heard...the call of the wild.) * Fanfan twiddles her thumbs. Mm. [The waiter hasn't returned. o/~] * Fanfan wonders if Sakura and newcomers will kill each other. (Nyah!) * Eri goes back to eating her food thoughtfully. * Foreigner eyes Eri. "You're not going to do it, are you?" * Eri grins. "Me? Do something?" Dangit! Don't even think about it, Eri. The boss'll have your head if you start something now. Oh, come on! Like I'd even get a scratch. (Duh. The Naginata is with you.) (Yes. ^_^) Y' mean like that last fight? Well... that was different. I mean, the Naginata protects me, but he had a Naginata, too! Uh huh (Where you got pounded into the ground up to your neck? :P) (WHY are all our NPCs such certified nutjobs? ^_^) ( Look at the GM.. I mean, I have no idea. ) (Because we let Ard AND Brett co-GM the game?) (Todd: You should see KS :P) And besides, the time before there were just a bunch of swords. I wonder if I could work out an equation for that. How many swords can even consider approaching the power of the Naginata. ( Crazy Feathers isn't nuts. He's a businessman. ) ( And to be fair, this is based off one of my characters. ) Too many. (Wak wak wak wak wak.) See, there's no chance! And it's just not lunch without a little danger. (Waka Laka make you fly!) * Eri does all this chatting while scarfing down food. It's quite impressive. I would advise you do not try it. You will not walk away with your life. Fine. But when we're late getting back, you get to give the boss an excuse. * Eri almost chokes on her drink before looking back at Sakura with a huuuuuge smile. "Oh. Oh. I think I heard a challenge." A warning. Same thing! Only if you're a fool. * Foreigner coughs. * Fanfan starts paying attention again. This could get interesting. No way. Fool's axe-boy over there. He doesn't carry a Naginata. Doesn't even know how to use one! Can you believe that? Quite. Like I need a heavy hunk of overgrown metal to get my point across... Hey, don't you go insultin' the Naginata! (I am having a great sense of foreboding about tomorrow. I don't know why.) (Maybe you'll get lucky. Maybe we'll kill them.) (Maybe we'll get lucky. Maybe we'll kill you.) * Foreigner gives Eri an apologetic look. "Wouldn't dream of it." Of course, he doesn't sound very convinced... (Either way, it's a party.) (Yep yep!) * Eri eyes the foreigner for a moment, then nods. "Sure thing, Duckster." She looks back at Sakura. "So! Challenge? No challenge? Don't keep me in suspense here." Will you allow me to walk away if I don't accept your challenge? Do you wanna walk away on your own power? Obviously. Then I'll think about it. Waiter! More food! * Eri goes back to eating. * Sakura stands up and gets ready to leave. [The waiter pokes his head out, stares at the amount the foreigners (or maybe just Eri) are eating, and resupplies. And then he hurries off. Not a word to Fanfan.] (Or Sakura, who is just going to skip the bill) (Which, come to think of it, may be a good idea) * Sakura looks for the waiter and waits. [The waiter returns and sets a bill down at Fanfan and Sakura's table, each.] * Eri eats. Mmm, food. (Well, *really*) (Oh god. An Injun with 'Duck' in his name. He and Jinx can do Daffy/Bugs routines. PLEASE SHOOT ME.) ( ^^ ) * Sakura pays the correct amount and gets ready to leave. () (Why would we shoot you? It's rabbit season...) * Foreigner counts off on his fingers. () * Fanfan tosses down the appropriate amount and stalks off to claim that corner at the intersection. [Fanfan's bill, by the way, comes out to fifty kanmon. HA.] [Sakura's is three.] * Sakura wanders out, hoping to avoid having to separate Eri's head from her shoulders. Although she probably doesn't use it anyway. (Tetchy, tetchy) (Sure she does. She uses it for eating) (Sakura, give me a perception check.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Sakura (2d6) and gets 11. (is there an empty space on the street?) (Give me a melee defense roll, +2.) (Yeah, there is.) * Foreigner reaches zero as this happens, though nobody's watching him anymore. (00t-w3h) 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Sakura (2d6-3) and gets 1. ( Made it. ) (You have a -5 to defense? @_@) (O.o) [Sakura doesn't see, but rather feels, the naginata coming down to block her path, and she jumps out of the way just in time.] ( Don't fuck with Sakura. ) (Is she ahead of me?) * Eri looks up from her food. "Mmm, that's good." Her hand holds the naginata steadily in Sakura's path, and she smiles at her. "Where are you going?" (i.e., am I outside watching this or inside watching this?) (You can walk around.) * Sakura turns and faces Eri. "You will not make this easy then? Fine. Your life is forfeit." She draws her Katana, holding it in a two-hand stance. * Eri rolls her eyes. (oh.) (Quick to kick ass, I see. :P) Come on. I'm not a barbarian. Outside, outside. Don't wanna mess up this fine establishment. Fine. And here it goes... * Sakura walks outside. * Eri gets to her feet and tosses some money on the table. She grins. "What goes? She challenged me." She walks on out. * Fanfan looks slightly put out. No-one's going to pass the hat if there's a *real* fight going on. [And no one is. Eri and Sakura exit, and they're already gathering something of a crowd given the way they're regarding each other. Not that Sakura doesn't normally gather a crowd anyhow.] * Fanfan turns to the foreigner in a neutral manner. "Does she do this often?" * Sakura gets into a ready stance. * Eri walks easily into a position opposite Sakura and twirls her naginata as though it were nothing as she asks, "Rules?" I see no need for rules. A one on one match. * Foreigner follows them out and leans against the wall, sighing. "Boss's gonna kill us." You just don't know how to lighten up, do ya? I'm not out to kill you. Then I would advise you quit now. * Foreigner looks at Fanfan. "...Yes. Yes she does." I will not play a game with you. If you challenge me to a duel, you will either kill me or not walk away. Ah. I don't understand. Why will your employer be upset? Does she not uphold your lord's honor by her victories? * Foreigner laughs out loud at that. * Fanfan has dropped the snotty noble kid act and just looks at the foreigner curiously. * Foreigner doesn't provide any insight. * Eri raises an eyebrow. "That so? I was gonna say first blood, but if you wanna play that way..." She snaps her naginata into a ready position. "Eri Tabushi never walks away from a challenge." [Murmurs start going around about a duel to the death and you suddenly have a LOT of people surrounding you.] Then let us begin. * Eri nods, for once not saying a word. (Init, Sakura. Add Intimidation (duels).) d6+10 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Sakura (d6+10) and gets 13. (Eri gets first shot.) * Eri runs forward, covering ground quickly, and spins when just in reach with her weapon, slashing at Sakura's midsection. 2d6-5 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Sakura (2d6-5) and gets 2. * Sakura moves out of the way with blinding speed, she holds her blade up, and it flashes blindingly, before seeming to catch on fire. She slashes, quicker then the eye can see, at the Eoi-clone. "It shall be the last light you see. Sunshine Flash." 2d6-8 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Sakura (2d6-8) and gets -3. ( Accuracy is fun. ) (....*fear*) (...I need to learn to be better at abusing the system...) * Eri jumps to one side and away from the flaming katana. "Heeey, watch where you're aiming that thing!" She brings her naginata down, evil-cutting-end towards Sakura's body. ( Hey, Accurate is -2. It's nasty. ) (Melee defense. ^^) 2d6-5 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Sakura (2d6-5) and gets 5. ( That's so insane. I love how insane that is. You got, like, the ONLY possible miss roll for you that wasn't a critfail. ) ( Of course I did. Dicesuke is our Dicebot after all. ) * Sakura moves again, but is not quite as fast this time. She takes a cut across the kimono, staining it red. That doesn't stop her however, and she brings her blade around, slashing at the Nagiperson. 2d6-6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Sakura (2d6-6) and gets -1. * Eri brings the naginata around to block, but Sakura makes it in her defenses and she takes the slash across the arm. She jumps back. "Yup. You're good. Too bad you picked the wrong weapon." Mm. * Eri circles Sakura for a bit before darting in. But just before the naginata connects, a hissing sound fills the air, along with some nice, black smoke. (Prepare for trouble!) * Eri misses. "Damnit, Makoto!" What is this? Figures. This is your employer? Not hardly. Still, looks like it's time to go. You enter a death duel and then run? Shameful. * Eri sighs. "But it was just getting good! Damn it all!" She pouts. If you leave now, do not come after me. Is this understood? * Foreigner walks towards the smoke, waving. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever." * Fanfan watches them curiously, oh so curiously. * Eri laughs. "This was never about you." She coughs. "Okay, Makoto! We're coming already! Stupid ninja and their stupid smoke." She clomps off towards the smoke. * Sakura wipes her sword on the ground, then returns it to it's sheath. * Fanfan walks up to Sakura. "You fight well. Shame it ended so soon." Mm. * Sakura looks at Fanfan. "May I help you?" (What a friendly child.) Probably not. Just making a comment. * Sakura keeps her hand on her sword. "Then I shall take my leave. Farewell." [The smoke clears away before long. Eri and the foreigner are gone, and the people are looking around, obviously confused.] [And disappointed, might I add.] * Fanfan gives Sakura a nod, then starts marking off a corner of her own for her demonstration. * Sakura walks away from Fanfan, the crowd, and the leftover smoke. probably to buy some supplies or something. Good people! I see your disappointment...I expect that you wanted to see a display of martial arts, yes? [The crowd murmurs their agreement, and Fanfan begins to work it. You go, girl.] [End Intro.]