[The sun is high in the sky like a pie which won't land on anyone's face but Jinx's. This is because it's almost noon. You all just went through a rather... trying ordeal concerning war and vengeance, but no real blood, only ghostly.] * Millie gives Ard a penguin. No not a plushie, a real life penguin. [Thank you for the penguin, Millie. I'll take good care of it. Anyway, most of you are in the enterance to Izu Castle. Some of you aren't. Fanfan's still not there. Are you ready? Better be, because...] [Session Start.] * John looks around. "That was... different." ... okay, all in favor of finding the bandit tracks and getting out of here? [Sakura collapses.] * Jinx is slowly regaining a cold professional look and he stares up at the castle. "Yeah, I still don't get why they came here." Let's move. And someone take Sakura... I don't think we want to wake her anytime soon. * Millie sticks against the castle wall, her hat pulled over her eyes. Or maybe she's looking at the ground, it's hard to tell. She's fidgetting with her hide gloves. "...we're gettin' outta here, right now." Can we put her on her horse and lead the horse along as we go? That's what I was thinking, actually. * Mikoto strokes Hazel's nose, commenting to jinx offhandedly, "Because they could." * Tairan nods, scoops Sakura up as gently as he can, and carries her over to her horse. * Millie looks up under the brim of her hat to look around for Mary. * John smirks as he walks over to Hazel. "I think she likes ya." * Mikoto chuckles, glancing at John and then back at the horse. "Maybe. I should hope so, since she's carried me all this way. A little petting is the least I can do as thanks." Did...did the tracks actually go IN the castle? * Jinx checks over his shotgun. "Alright, so let's find that ambush." * Tairan manages, with some difficulty, to get Sakura securely onto her horse, and leads the horse back to the group. "I dunno, Millie. That's what I need to figure out." * MaryAnne is sitting on her heals beside Pepper with her umbrella over her head as if using it to keep herself dry from rain. She has her cute hat pulled over her eyes and her palms pressed against her ears. [Perception rolls. +1 for Mary Anne.] * John nods. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 5. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 1. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 3. 2d6-1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for MaryAnne (2d6-1) and gets 4. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 4. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6) and gets 5. ( Everyone sees Kirby eat John. *chomp* ) (Wah! ;_;) ( Wai! Kirby! ) ( Mary is perceptive even when she is trying not to be ; ) ) [Everyone hears footsteps coming from around the outside of the castle.] * MaryAnne ignores them. (The footsteps ignore Mary Anne back. Nyah.) ( =) ) * Mikoto tenses a little. "Anyone else hear that?" he asks quietly. ( I can ignore you more than you can igno--whoops. ) * Tairan draws his pistol, puts a finger to his lips, then draws his sword and starts creeping towards the source. [They're getting louder. Louder!] * John looks in the direction and starts walkin' that way, trying to be all sneaky like... And probably doing a bad job. He draws his pistols. "Yup." ( The footsteps explode. You take 20 damage ) * Jinx finds cover and aims in the direction of the footsteps. * Millie looks up at the footsteps and nods, edging to a corner a bit away from the footsteps and unslinging her rifle. * Fanfan walks up in the face of a lot of people looking very ready for fighting-type action. "Oh, there you are!" * Tairan blinks, then holsters his weapons. "Hey Fanfan. Where'd you disappear to?" * Mikoto breathes out, letting go of his somewhat tight grip on Hazel's reins. "Oh, thank god." * Millie sighs and takes a deep breath, lowering her rifle. "Figures." Now the gang's all here...let's get outta here. * John shakes his head and simultaneously spins both pistols, holstering them. * Fanfan almost blushes. "I apologize. I woke up early to train, and wandered off so as not to disturb anyone else. When I returned, you had all already left, and as I do not own a horse, it took me a while to catch up." * Jinx nods and stands up. "Alright, so where do the tracks lead?" * Fanfan gives a little bow. "I hope you are not offended." * Millie walks over to Mary and taps her on the shoulder. "Hey." * Mikoto smiles, a little nervously. "Not offended. Just... a little stressed." ... for the fifteenth time, that's what I need to figure out. * MaryAnne jerks at Millie's touch. * Fanfan blinks at the sight of Sakura slung over Horse. "Is she all right? What happened?" We ran into visions of the past. Fanfan, can you ride Sakura's horse? She's... gonna be out for a while. * Millie cringes a little at that and draws back. "Um...I think..." She looks back over her shoulder. "It's over...ain't it? We can get on our way?" * Fanfan mini-twitches. "Ah, yes. The past...can be painful." * Jinx finds a position that gives a good view of approaches to the castle. * Fanfan nods to Tairan. "of course. * MaryAnne looks up towards Millie, using one hand to lift her hat back up off her eyes. She was obviously teary-eyed. * Millie crosses her arms across her chest and rubs her upperarms slightly, looking at the ground. * MaryAnne asks Millie "Is...is it over?" Okay. The tracks lead into the castle, but I'm guessing they left here sometime, prolly through a back entrance. I need someone to come with me while I go around the castle, see if I can find the trail. If I can't... well, then only guess is that they're still in the castle. I'll come. It...hell, it better be. Or Millie'll be pissed. * Jinx walks over to Tairan. * Millie doesn't put much heart into it though. Okay. Rest of you stay here, get ready to move out. Hopefully, we should be leaving here soon. If they're here, we just haveta flush them out. * Millie looks at Tairan. "...They can't still be in the castle." * Mikoto continues strapping/tying gear to Hazel. "I suspect it is. I think Sakura's dedication got through to the souls of her forebears." * MaryAnne stands up and takes out from her handbag a kerchief and dabs the areas around her eyes. * Millie looks down at the ground, rubbing her upperarms some more and mumbling offhand to Mikoto. "Ah hate your country..." * John shrugs. "If not... We need to be ready to move, like Tairan said. No time to waste. Get goin'." He starts prepping Hazel to leave as well. * Fanfan glances over at Millie's comment, but says nothing. * Mikoto ties the last rope and shrugs. "Then you shouldn't have come here." * MaryAnne adjusts her hat and clothing, tidying herself up somewhat. * Tairan nods at Jinx, and starts walking along the perimeter of the castle, looking for tracks, back doors, or anything of the like. * John says off-handedly. "Maybe they feel the same way 'bout ours." * Jinx scans the castle and the remains of Izu for any traces of bandits. [Jinx and Tairan head off for quality alone-time. And we say John and Mikoto are the slashbait.] * Millie sighs and wanders off a little ways. "Nevermind. Ya jus' don't get it." (John and Mikoto are the attractive ones.) It's change. People don't like change in general... but ya gotta live with it. I bet I do get it, perhaps you're the one who's not. * Mikoto turns around to glare at Millie. "You seem to say that a lot. Is it because you don't think I udnerstand, or you don't think I *can* understand?" 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 7. * Millie doesn't notice the glare. She has her back turned to Mikoto. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 9. * Mikoto hmphs and turns back to the horse. "For someone who feels like I insult everyone a lot, you seem to do enough of it yourself." ( It's struck me that the phrase "a lot" does not sound like something Mikoto would even *say*. c.c; ) * MaryAnne struggles up onto Millie's horse. * Millie looks over her shoulder, almost sadly at Mikoto and chuckles. "Is that all ya think of ol' Millie? Is that the thing?" ( We'll forgive you. THIS TIME. ) * John jumps up and mounts Hazel. (Yes, white men CAN jump!) * Mikoto hops up behind John and shrugs at Millie. "Do you want the blunt answer, or the sugar-coated one?" * Millie smiles faintly at Mikoto. "Ya don't like me much...do ya?" * Fanfan pets Horse a little, in hopes of enticing it not to eat her or something, and climbs up onto it, mindful of Sakura. I'm surprised you two haven't literally tried to kill eachother yet. [Jinx and Tairan return right about now.] * John looks back. "What'cha got?" * Fanfan lifts an eyebrow at the two. "Did you find anything?" Nothin. * Mikoto closes his eyes. "You don't trust me. You don't want to understand the east or any of the ways we think here, either." He opens his eyes again. "It's not that I dislike you. I just think it's a waste, when I've seen you do capable, intelligent things, that you insist on acting with such self-serving drama half the time. It doesn't become you." No tracks coming from back exits that I saw... I'm tempted to make one more pass, but my gut's telling me that they're still in the castle. * Millie smirks slightly at that. "A waste, is it?" * Mikoto sighs and looks away from Millie. "So I've given up. You claim I don't understand you, but you change the rules every time it could come up. You concern yourself with living out your life story. Just leave me out of it." * John nods. "Let's make one more pass to be sure, then start looking into the castle." Okay. Jinx? Fair enough. Maybe ya get it more than I give ya credit for. Are we going to split up, to be sure they do not leave while we are inside? * Millie turns away and pats her hips slightly, looking at John. "We're goin' back inside?" * Jinx nods. "I'll keep covering you. Suppose others could come too to look for tracks, but Fanfan's right, we should leave some guards." We'll deal with that once we're sure we have to go inside. And unless any of you have been holding out on me in terms of tracking skills, it's prolly okay for the rest of you to stay here. ( Funny story about that holding out on skills... ) (Quiet.) * Millie winces slightly. "Millie's fine with that...." * Tairan waves to Jinx, and starts checking around the perimeter of the castle again, this time a bit more deliberately and carefully. Yup. Go and take a closer look this time ta be sure. [Go boys, go!] ( Here. Have a magnifying glass. Have two! ) * Jinx goes with Tairan, continuing to concentrate more on the surrounds then actually trying to find tracks. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6-2) and gets 6. I...wanna get outta this place. * Mikoto hmms, then holds out his arm. "Please, Mira. I have a favor to ask." 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-4) and gets 5. ( They come when caaaaaaalled. *zombiedrool* ) * MaryAnne says "I quite agree with Miss Millie." You wanted to find the bandits, right? Well, we're lookin'. [The falcon-shaped creature appears on Mikoto's arm with a faint cry.] * Millie bites her lip slightly. * Mikoto smiles and strokes the bird's beak. "Take a look from the sky, please. If you see anything suspicious, just give acry and circle." If not, come back. Ya took the job. Take the good with the bad. * Jinx trips as he walks along with Tairan, he quickly stumbles into a recovery and then concentrates a bit more on where he's going and less on the potential ambush. [It spreads its wings and flaps, gaining altitude and taking off around the castle in the same direction Jinx and Tairan went.] * Mikoto mms faintly. "I wish I knew what she was saying. I sometimes feel like she'd have a lot to teach me, if I could understand her." So if we meet up with Will, ya'll have no problem with that? * Millie walks over to Mikoto slowly, looking up at the sky. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 3. If we meet up with Will, I'll have no problem killing that punk. ( Stop calling me damn it! ... Alright, wish I hadn't spent the point to learn to understand falcon. ) * Millie ignores John, still looking at the sky. "So where'd ya get her?" [Mira returns about now, alighting Mikoto's shoulder.] [And so do Jinx and Tairan, the dynamic duo!] ( Nonono...it's more like And then the other day, this crow came up to me and he was all like "Hey baby, nice breast," and I was like "Eww, get away from me!" I tell you, some birds these days... *snore* Huh? Uh, sure, whatever. ) * Mikoto reaches up and strokes the bird's feathers. "Thank you, Mira." * Millie follows Mira to look at her perched on the shoulder. ( *snicker* ) * Mikoto blinks at the question. "I don't really 'own' her. She's more partner than pet. But... my uncle introduced us when I was very young. We grew up together." * Jinx walks back, paying more attention to where he's going. A pretty ol' bird then.. [Mirabel blinks at Millie.] Still in good shape though.. * Millie rubs her chin slightly. * Fanfan tilts her head at Mira. "What an intriguing creature..." * Mikoto shakes his head. "She's not a bird, not really. She just has a bird's form. She's been the same size for 15 years." * John shrugs. "I didn't think she was technically a bird." * Tairan shakes his head. "Still nothing. Either they've suddenly become real good at covering their tracks, or they're still in the castle." So what is she then? * Mikoto looks troubled a moment. "Truthfully, I don't know what Mira really is..." He reaches up with a smile to stroke her feathers. "But she's been invaluable to me, and a good friend, so I don't give it much thought." * Millie looks at Mikoto strangely. "What is she then ex--?" She glares slightly at Jinx. ... which means we're going into the castle. * Jinx shrugs and grins at Millie and then looks at Mikoto. "So could she scout the castle for us?" * John hops off at the mention of 'No tracks.' "Then we head into the castle." * Millie grits her teeth slightly at Tairan's statement and takes off her rifle. "I'll....one of you step in there first..." * Mikoto chuckles at Jinx. "She could, but what good would it do? She can't tell us what she sees." He reaches up and nips her beak again. "Thank you, Mira. Wherever you want go, your time is yours." * Fanfan shrugs, dismounts, and leads Horse over to what looks like a sheltered spot. * Jinx walks in, stopping just a bit behind the threshold. [The day... does not turn to night. Nothing happens.] ... what do we do about Sakura, though? Leaving her unconcious and alone out here would be pretty stupid. [Mira spreads her wings and vanishes.] ( Except five guys in masks and with spears attack!... Oh, wait, that's not for a while yet. ) * Millie lets out a deep breath, then turns to everyone. "Alright..how's 'bout this? Some of us stay out here and guard the entrance. The short-rangers try an' drive 'em out so we'll be waitin'." * Jinx looks somewhat relieved but quickly covers it. He then snorts. "She's probably in more danger if she comes with us. We're going into an ambush after all." (And did we mention that they wear yellow headbands?) * Mikoto looks up. "I think the castle reacted to Sakura because she's a Himoto. It should be fine for us." (Oh, I thought those were turbins) ( Short-rangers? ) Yeah. ( They're not quite headbands, not quite turbans, but something in between. ) (Headbands. They're hip to the new thang.) * Millie smirks slightly. "We can try turnin' the ambushers into the ambushees. ... Millie, I assume you'd prefer not to go into the castle? I really think we could all jus' head in. (Dwarven treehuggers.) * MaryAnne is sitting on Pepper listening to the others discuss their strategy. * Mikoto sighs and looks up. "Maybe Crazy Feathers needs to sell bodyguards." (Yes. You can get a level twenty set with the vorpal element for the low low price of 500 kanmon.) ( He would, but they'd die all the time, and the only time they'd ever attack is when you were about to beat an officer. ) * Jinx begins to scan the interior, he walks about a more bit inside, but stays well within sight of the group. ( That wouldn't stop 'em from following you inta the can, though. :P ) * Fanfan follows Jinx. * Millie snarls slightly at Tairan. "No. I'm TRYIN' not ta jus' rush right into an ambush. It's a smart idea ta try an' drive 'em out if we can. Set up smoke or somethin' from inside." [Jinx sees a hall to the right! A hall to the left! And the way down the center.] * Mikoto frowns. "Wait a moment." [The castle is in horrible condition, but that's to be expected.] ... I wasn't being insulting, Millie. I was just saying. You've been saying you'd rather not go inside. So it would make sense for you and... hmm, maybe MaryAnne to stay out here, make sure nobody sneaks out, and keep an eye on Sakura while the rest of us take a look inside. Unless there's a Himoto in *their* group, which I doubt... why weren't they running in terror, or at least making noise, while we had that nice consensual hallucination? * Jinx walks back a bit. "Alright. So how about this, we take along some dynamite and bluff with it. That'll drive 'em out." ( That way, Millie can stop Mary Anne from trying to slit Sakura's throat. -_^ ) Dynamite? TNT. ... let's not mess with explosives in the castle that's just barely standing. (That wouldn't be proper ; ) ) * Jinx nods to John. "Sakura would object if we blew this place up, but they don't know that." * Millie nods. "I'll find a place ta set up a good shot then. Anyone else a good shot from far off?" I'd be iffy about takin' it in there, though. It's not the most stable stuff, really. ( Heh. ) * Mikoto looks up at the castle, trying to find an open window. ( Wait, we carry around dynamite with us? ) (Some of us do. o/~) ( O_O ) ( Jinx apparently has some. Because he's an international man of mystery. ) * Jinx shrugs again. "It's a castle, if they have any sense the location they choose for the fight will not lend to favorable odds." [Mikoto finds one! More than one. In fact, plenty of improvisational windows.] (Hell no Jinx doesn't carry dynamite. That's be insane.) * Mikoto hmmms. "John... or Millie..." He points up. "WHy not fire into one of the windows?" (With Jinx's luck? Yeah.) ( That'd be funny! But it would only work once. :P ) (Ah, yes. THAT'S how Jinx's horse spontanously combusted.) * Millie looks at Mikoto and smirks slightly. "I was thinkin' that...but the question is, which one?" They'd hear a shot comin' through... * Mikoto frowns, then produces his pistol. "I never use this, so my suggestion is... the first six that appeal to you." * Millie sighs and pats her hip-patches, looking up. * Jinx walks down the hall a bit more, finding a position from which to watch all three halls. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6-2) and gets 3. * Millie sighs slightly and takes the rifle pointing up at the window. "The thing is if they've got a rifler, they could shoot down at us." True. But why wouldn't they have already? * Mikoto shakes his head. "I have a hunch that this castle is empty." * Millie lowers the rifle. "Because they haven't heard us already. They'll hear a shot." We can always hope they saw the illusion too, and all died of fright. * Millie frowns slightly. "Alright...but everyone should take cover jus' in case it ain't." 'cuz they think if they stay quiet, they think we'd miss'em. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 3. But...they'll know someone's out here... ... horses are gonna be exposed, though. I say we just go in, sweep the place, find 'em, shoot 'em, get the tablet, and go. * Mikoto rubs his forehead. "I think we're chasing ourselves in circles. Tairan, Fanfan and I should head inside, and John and Jinx can back us up. Millie can provide support from the rear, with Miss Pippin and Sakura." * John nods. "Let's just go in there and kick their butts." * Millie frowns. "Not goin' ta try an' flush 'em out?" Mmm... makes sense. John'n Jinx can attack even if they're hanging back a bit, and they can call Millie in if we find 'em. Solid plan. We try ta flush them out, we'd end up with bullets in our back. * Jinx shakes his head a bit. "I'll take lead, give me a little distance, it's for the best. Uh.. hmmm... " * Mikoto smiles a little. "Well, whatever works. But if we keep arguing forever..." ( ...we'll be GCI. ) (Yes. Yes, you will.) * Millie grumbles. "Fine. Try an' get 'em near a window. When you're in, I'll shoot from outside into one of 'em." (And then I will KILL YOU ALL.) ( Oh, dear. ) (It would be our just reward, too.) That'll at least make 'em think we're still outside. Will give ya guys an edge. ( If you keep arguing forever, the bandits will just get away and you'll complain that it's taking too long to find them :P ) (That too.) Jus' yell out...or send Mira out one of the windows. Okay, everyone clear on the plan? Yeah. Head in, kick their asses. * Mikoto unslings the naginata from Hazel's back and nods. "We'll do our best." * Jinx walks back to the group and comments quietly. "Noticed something odd in their, pile of rubble that look like it might have been intentionally pilled, I'm gonna check it out. Cover me." I'll come runnin'. She gathers the horses and leads them to a safe hiding spot away from the castle. * Fanfan nods. "I am ready." * Mikoto glances at Horse. "Well, Miss Sakura... if your ancestors are willing to grant us good fortune, now's the time." Gotcha Millie. Let's go in. (remember, if you take too long, you get attacked by a black dragon :P) * John moves in to cover Jinx. * Tairan draws his weapons and follows Jinx in. * Jinx walks back in, waiting til he reaches the three hallway division until he glances behind to see John and Tairan are with him. * Fanfan follows. * Jinx nods towards what looks like what once was a dining room off to the right. The perceptive might notice the pile. He then cautiosly walks down the hallway with his shotgun out. * Fanfan reaches down and draws a throwing knife from her boot, then follows, drawing one of her swords. * Mikoto tightens the laces on his shoes, then also follows Jinx in, looking around. [Nothing jumps out to kill Jinx. It definitely looks like it was once a dining room, yes. There are a couple other halls other than the one you just entered through.] ( What about the Pile of Suspiciousness? ) * Jinx first glances down the other halls, then gestures for someone to follow him. * Tairan does so! Yosh. * John doesn't. 'cuz Tairan does. [Oh, that's in the corner. Right next to the depression in the ground. And the really heavy looking stone slab.] * Mikoto walks over and puts his hand against the slab, looking for markings of some form. [As Tairan walks and Mikoto walk in, Jinx looks over at the pile and the depression and blinks. He puts away his shotgun taking out his tomahawk and goes to get a closer look.] [The depression is actually a stairway! Imagine that. There's no markings on the slab - the top looks exactly like the rest of the floor nearby.] * Mikoto glances back at Jinx. "And... was this here before?" * Fanfan wanders over as well, keeping an eye on the surroundings. * John heads down after Tairan, Jinx, and Mikoto, intending to see what's taking so long. ... secret stairs. Figures. * John smirks. "It does." * Jinx walks over to the pile. "I hadn't seen that til I got in here." He then gestures at Mikoto to stand back a bit and starts taking apart the pile in case it's covering something. * Mikoto obliges, because he's an obligin gent. Might just have been covering the slab on the floor, but I'd rather be certain. ( Jinx, gimme a body roll! ) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 8. [Jinx begins to pull apart the pile] [He finishes and finds a lot of nothing beneath.] * Jinx grunts as he works and then comments without looking away from the pile. "This might be a tunnel, they could have come through here hoping we'd lose the trail." [Except floor. Plenty of floor beneath the pile.] (The pile was hiding floor!) (I knew it!) (The floor vanishes. It's ninja floor.) ( Damn! I didn't buy Close-Combat Defense against Floor! ) * Jinx frowns and seems somewhat disappointed. He then takes out his lantern and lights it. "Someone want to hold this?" * Fanfan sheathes the sword and takes the lantern. "All right." * Mikoto frowns. "They *had* to be on horseback." He reaches out and takes the lantern. "They couldn't have just escaped this way." ( Or Fanfan beats me to it! ) ( XD ) * John looks at the passage. Too thin for a horse, right? * Jinx nods and smiles a bit. "True." He then heads down as Mikoto and Fanfan fight over the lantern. ( I lose. She's armed. ) Maybe they let the horses loose... if this passage leaves them close to where they wanna be, it would make sense. Could be. We have to head down to be sure though. * Tairan waits for Mikoto and Fanfan to resolve that, then follows the group down. Wouldn't we have seen them, or traces of them, though? * John starts goin' down! [Jinx goes down the stairs and finds himself in a dark corridor, about five feet wide, but with a low ceiling. Hope you're not claustrophobic.] * Fanfan says that as she heads down, lantern held high. Perhaps someone should tell the rest where we're going, incase the passage is closed behind us. * Mikoto let Fanfan have the lantern because we've mentioned he's an obliging gent. "The horses? I suspect so." * Tairan looks back at John. "You wanna go tell them, then catch up?" * John nods. "Be right back." * Jinx ducks a bit as he walks. "Damn, hope this tunnel is in better shape than the rest of the castle." * John heads up and outside! * Mikoto looks down in the hole. "I think the stonework probably survived the fires alright." (John bite it with Friendly Fire - which really isn't so friendly, but anywho ; ) ) We shall have to hope that it did. * Mikoto glances up. "For once, I'm a little glad I'm shorter than average." * Tairan mutters. ( Hee hee. ) * Jinx walks along, trying to keep as far ahead of Fanfan and other followers as the lantern safely allows. [You walk and walk and walk. The sparse artwork that decorates this corridor is old, but looks untouched.] * Mikoto hmmms, glancing here and there at the art pieces. "I wonder what the clan lord used this place for..." Most clan lords use the tunnels purely for escape routes...but this seems to have been meant for another purpose. * Jinx keeps an eye out for anything that belongs in a museum, but seems disappointed. * Mikoto nods. "The art suggests... a vault, possibly a tomb?" ... I don't think I need to remind everyone that, in this instance, plundering the dead would likely be a very, VERY bad idea. ( It's a wine cellar! There we go. ) One would think the entrance to a tomb would be more conspicuous. * Mikoto nods, looking back and forth between walls. "Which is why I think a vault of some kind is more probable." * Jinx mutters something to himself after Tairan's comment. * Fanfan nods. Good, if it's a vault, we're not plundering the dead. Not that I'm against it on principle... just in this instance. And yeah. Vault good. * Mikoto grins. "Well, at least there's some light at the end of the proverbial tunnel." * Mikoto looks ahead. "If not the literal one." ( And now I hear songs from "The Wiz" in my head. Please kill me. ( [A ceiling slab falls and crushes Mikoto on the noggin. Wish granted!] ) ( Excellent. *is free of Michael Jackson playing the scarecrow for all eternity* ) * Jinx keeps moving, he switched back to his shotgun from his tomahawk a while ago, and keeps it aimed forward. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 4. [Jinx trips over a loose piece of rock, but manages to keep himself from landing on his face.] * Tairan eyes the ground, looking for any sign that some people have passed through this tunnel recently. * Fanfan moves forward a bit to try and widen the circle of light for Jinx as much as she can. * Mikoto frowns, concentrating on the artwork as he walks and trying to determine if it *means* something. [Perception rolls.] * Jinx tightens his hold on his shotgun but then keeps moving. He lets Fanfan follow a bit closer. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 4. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 5. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 4. (Whoever bribed dicey before the session, well done.) 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fanfan (2d6-4) and gets 5. (Jinx, reroll it.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 6. (dr1) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 7. [Mikoto, Tairan, and Fanfan all hear talking around the corner, though they're not sure what they're saying. Jinx hears nothing. NOTHING! And he almost walks into the wall. Since when did corridors bend?] * Mikoto blinks, snapping to attention. "I bet you all heard it too..." he whispers. * Fanfan reaches out to touch Jinx on the shoulder, trying to push him back a little. * Jinx shakes his head to get his bearings, he then quickly backs up a bit in response to Fanfan's touch. * Jinx then tries to hear what Mikoto heard and peaks around the corner. * Tairan nods, and waits while Jinx peers around the corner. ( John ain't coming back, is he? ) [It's... more corridor! At the end are open, ornate wooden double doors, with light pouring out from inside.] (^_^) ( That tears it. There's been a horrible ambush and everyone besides us is dead. ) * Jinx tries to step forward quietly, making room for the others to look ahead. ( Go us! ) * Fanfan edges forward. * Mikoto creeps around and looks down the hall, speaking very quietly. "Big disadvantage for us." [Another set of perception rolls.] 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fanfan (2d6-4) and gets 0. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 10. *whisper* Should we get the others before advancing? 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 7. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 7. [You all keep hearing the talking. Fanfan and Mikoto hear (just barely, for Mikoto) a woman saying, "Be careful with that!" There's a grunt, and another, younger female voice says, "I don't know what the problem is with Easterners, anyway. They're all so hung up on- on everything! And kneeling when you eat. Really." "Yeah, jus' don' let Kojiro hear that," comments the first.] ... * Fanfan 's eyes widen, and she nods emphatically to the others, pointing with her lantern-free hand around the corner. * Mikoto whispers, as quietly as possible, "They're here. ANd I think the tablet, also." * Jinx whispers. "How many?" * Mikoto holds up two fingers. * Fanfan nods at Mikoto, mouthing "All we heard." ( Yes, I *know* it's three. I'm accounting for my marginal success. ) ( Oh, wait, no. It was two. ) * Jinx nods and grins, he whispers real quietly. "Let's rush'em on three." ( Mikoto's IQ > My IQ. ) * Jinx holds up three fingers, after about a second he puts the first one down. ( Oh gods. There's really twenty and we're going to die. ) *whsiper* Sure you don't want to get the others? * Mikoto suddenly looks around. "Where's John?" Assume he's whispering. * Fanfan sets down the lantern carefully, puts away the dagger, and draws her swords as quietly as she can. ( We get the tablet, but John and the others are prisoners. "We'll trade the girl for the tablet." "Uh... can we think about this?" ) * Fanfan gestures up and back to Mikoto. ( Heh. ) * Jinx shrugs and puts down another finger. * Mikoto eyes Jinx and rubs hthe back of his neck with a sort of nervous "too late now" expression. * Tairan blinks, then shrugs and readies his weapons. ( We are going to die. We're one short of a full sentai team. ) ( Damn! ) ( No Voltron for us! ) * Jinx puts down the last one waits a fraction of a second and then charges in, swinging his shotgun at any people in the room once he enters and shouting, "Hands up!" * Fanfan winces for a split second, and then follows him out. * Tairan follows right behind Jinx, sweeping the room with his pistol. * Mikoto brings up the rear, in the hopes of entering and making a threatening stance with the naginata without beheading someone. ( This is very John Woo. I can hear the techno. ) ( Sorry, that's me. ;P ) (Naw, we need John and his two guns for it to be truly John Woo) ( No, no. It'd need to be a church filled with combustable drums and doves. Lotsa doves. ) (That and doves, lots of doves. :P) ( ... outta my head. =P ) ( Har. ) ( Kyeh heh. ) [You run and yell! Straight into the barrel of a gun. Said gun is held by a pretty, but rough-looking Teckian woman with brownish-blonde hair that's tied in a loose ponytail. She has brown eyes, wears a black cowboy hat, and an open leather vest over a functional cotton shirt. She also wears jeans with leather patches, cowboy boots, and has holsters for a pair of six shooters - one of which, incidentally, is pointed at Jinx.] [Standing nearby is a big - REALLY big - hulking brute of a Teckian man. He had to have hunched over to get in here. The rifle he's carrying looks almost comically small on him, and he seems to have just torn out a chunk of the wall not too long ago. Whoops. He's wearing overalls, and has blonde hair and blue eyes.] ( Uh-oh. ) ( Bah. We can take 'em. ) [And over in the corner, dusting her hands off and looking at you, is a beautiful and delicate young woman with cultured features and short, dark gold hair done in slight curls. Her eyes are green, and she's wearing jeans and boots, much like the woman, along with a blue shirt. Her clothes are markedly nicer and less worn.] (Give me perception rolls, two each. One normal, one with a -4 bonus, Jinx and Mikoto only.) 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-2) and gets 3. 2d6-6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Mikoto (2d6-6) and gets 6, a CRITICAL FAILURE!!! "Your logic is faulty, your intelligence is doubtful, and your sumo is insufficient." 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6-4) and gets 1. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 7. [Mikoto recognizes the girl with the curls as being on a few posters - wanted alive, not dead, but for a reasonable sum. Jinx recognizes the woman pointing the gun at him as none other than Calamity Jan.] [Jan grins. "Well, look what the cat dragged in."] [Session End.]