[It's mid morning. You killed a skeleton. Do you feel lucky? You should, because it's re-dead, and you're not! At least, Jinx would be re- dead... getting sidetracked.] [A tiny skeleton comes up and gives Millie a hotfoot.] [And that happens, too.] (It's not a 'big freaking skeleton', it's a 'not so wee skeleton'. Check the bestiary. ^_^) [Anyway, heap of bones = skeleton. Not heap of bones = you. You have bandits to track and wounds to lick. It's a bit cloudy, but looking to clear up. What's it gonna be, punk?] [Session Start.] * John caps the tiny skeleton. Which probably said 'Chikin's' earlier, but nobody heard it. * Sakura watches quietly. * Fanfan tilts her head at the wounded. "Are you all right?" * Tairan continues to jog over towards the wounded. * Jinx stands over by Millie. [Mary Anne blinks at Fanfan, then wipes at her mouth, looks at the blood from that, and says, "Goodness gracious." She seems a bit pale.] * Millie keeps her eyes tightly closed, her lip quivering as she whispers. "Make it go away, make it go away..." [Mary Anne sits up and tries to put her hair back into some semblance of order.] * John shakes his head and holsters his pistol as he walks over to where Millie (and probably Mary Anne, too) is (are). * Fanfan rips off a small handkerchief-shaped rag from one of her outer robe layers and hands it to Mary Anne. "Here." * Mikoto sits there on Hazel looking dazed and catching his breath. * MaryAnne takes it and dabs at the corner of her mouth. You okay Mikoto? * Jinx holds out his shotgun. "You're covered, aren't any more of them." You two okay? You took one hell of a swipe there... * Millie blinks up, her eyes a little damp as she suddenly bursts on Jinx with her arms flying around his legs. * John smirks as he watches Millie do her thang. * Tairan blinks at Millie, then decides he's probably *not* the one she wants offering comfort. As such, he goes to check on... HER HORSE! [Pepper's back on her feet and seems okay. Aside from some shallow wounds on her side. Poor thing.] * Mikoto slides off Hazel and nods. "Sorry. Just... a little out of it." * Jinx looks more than a little startled, only years of not giving a damn about other people allow him to avoid utter shock. * MaryAnne props herself up by her umbrella. She's looking a bit ill. * Sakura stares at Millie. "It was only a skeleton. Why are you acting this foolish?' * Millie slowly opens her eyes and takes in the scene. Then notices where she's at and takes her arms away, plopping on her knees and putting her hands on them, looking down at the ground. * Millie suddenly turns on Sakura and her face flickers an expression of pure hatred for a second before she loses it and goes back to looking down, falling silent. * Jinx looks at Sakura. "Oh.. do you see things like that all the time? I don't even know what the hell it was when it was alive." * MaryAnne looks at the bones with some amount of academic interest, but before she can inspet them any further, she puts her hand to her mouth. "Oh! Excuse me." * Tairan rubs the poor horse behind the ears, pulling some bandages our of his pack to cover up the worst of the wounds on Pepper. "s'okay girl... just got whacked by a giant skeleton. You're okay. Nothing to worry about." It does not matter. It was a skeleton. It attacked and now it is dead. I don't see the problem. * MaryAnne ducks off into the trees. ( That's one dead skeleton. :P ) (It's super dead!) Well, if it *was* once alive, I'd like to know a *little* more about it. I think a live something that size might be a tad bit harder to defeat. If it was alive, it would have vital points. Is...is Pepper alright? * Jinx keeps his eyes on Sakura. "I don't recall Millie giving you shit back in Izu." Fanfan's right, though. I've never seen anythin' like it. Mm, true. But those would be harder to hit, considering its size. * Sakura looks over at Jinx. "Did Millie know this creature?" * Fanfan gives Sakura a sidelong glance. "Well, for me, anyway." I am simply asking a question. I do not see why it is such a probelm. Different things get to different people. This isn't the time to discuss it. * John nods. "Try to consider what other people may be feeling, besides the bare facts." * Millie looks up at Jinx slowly, with a bit of a perplexed expression. * Fanfan looks around. "I wonder..." Pepper's fine. Just a bit rattled, a few cuts'n bruises. I thought we were out of the territory of the dead. Was this a fluke appearance, or could there be more? If there's more, I think we should avoid them. * Jinx shrugs and inspects his shotgun. "Any idea what that was Mary Anne?" (Thank you, Mr. Obvious.) Good. [Mary Anne doesn't seem to be there. Imagine that!] * John looks over to where Mary Anne was. "She's... Vacated. Somethin' tells me she ain't feelin' too good." * Millie looks down again for a second and then gets up on her feet, looking slowly to each of them in turn. She....took a nasty hit. ... Fanfan has a point. We're past Izu. I mean, what're the odds of just randomly wandering up to a giant warrior skeleton thingee in the middle of the countryside? She went into the woods. Most likely to vomit. * Millie wraps her arms around her torso and looks down a bit again. "An' it's my fault...I was s'posed ta keep her outta the way..." * Mikoto returns from... wherever the closest source of water is! Yeah. With a pot, and carrying that black suitcase-like bag again. "Someone put this on a fire to boil, please." * Jinx comments in a flat tone. "It was fast, and didn't focus on people that were attacking it. Hard to protect someone from that." * Tairan spits. "I'd bet my right lung that someone put that thing there either ta stop us or delay us." Yeah...I guess... I'm not takin' you up on that. * Millie peeks up at Mikoto, slowly regaining her composure. "I've got some matches if there's wood 'round." * Jinx then looks over at Fanfan. "Which way did she go? Given Mary Anne's luck I prefer she not get too far away from us." In which case, I doubt we should remain here more than necessary. If they find out we defeated it, they would surely send others. * Fanfan points in the direction that Mary Anne went off to. Which means that either Crazyfeathers opened up a skeleton shop... or there's a Death mage out there that doesn't like us for some reason. * Mikoto sets the pot down, clearly in Someone Else's Problem mode. "No, you just sit. Someone should fetch Mary Anne, too." He sits down next to Millie and unzips the bag. * Jinx goes to fetch Mary Anne, being somewhat careful in his approach to give her some privacy. * Fanfan goes off, fetches an armload of dry wood, and piles it in front of Mikoto. * Millie sits down and opens her bag, taking out a few matches. * Sakura watches, unable to figure out anything to do. * John sits on Hazel, supervising. :P ( I'm just sort of assuming Millie was hurt worse than others, save Mary Anne. Correct me if this is erroneous. :P ) ( I don't think anyone else was hurt. ) (She was the only one hit.) ( Pepper! ) (And Pepper.) ( In that fight, she was. ) ( Why does everyone use :P anymore? What does it even mean? ) * Fanfan looks over at Tairan. "And that reason would most likely be our mission, would it not?" ( Wait. Mary Anne was the only one hit? ) (Millie, MaryAnne and Pepper were the only ones hit yes.) * Mikoto smiles at Fanfan from his spot on the ground. "You need to resterilize things before you really use them again. Thus, the need for boiling water." He turns to Millie. "Let's see it." (The others were chased the first round, but the skeleton suddenly switched targets.) * Tairan leads Pepper over to the group, and kneels down, looking thoughtful. "Definately. Which, going on that theory... either our mastermind is a Death mage, and thus a very not nice guy, or employs a death mage... and also is a very not nice guy." * Millie holds a match out for Mikoto, silently watching him. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 8. (dr1) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 7. * Mikoto blinks at Millie a few times, uncomprehending. "...your injury, Miss Reinhart, not the match." Oh... * Fanfan snorts. "Considering the amount of times we've been attacked even in the short time I have been here, I think the nice guy theory never really had a place to start." Eh, it's nothin'. Millie Reinhart'll be fine...jus' you watch. * Mikoto raises an eyebrow. "I'd rather not take chances, thank you." * Millie thumps her vest proudly and then winces a little, doubling just slightly. ( Just you watch! I'll show you all! ALL! *mad laughter*...ouch. ) * Millie lets out a week grin and waves her hand faintly. "I'm fine, I'm fine...." (Perception checks, hearing.) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6) and gets 7. 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fanfan (2d6-4) and gets 4. * Mikoto frowns. "Even a strong woman isn't indestructible." He looks down at his bag. "Consider that the weapons of the undead are usually in their festering, rotted hands... rusty... all sorts of complications." 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. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Jinx (2d6) and gets 10. ( Everyone realizes they're not deaf except Millie. ) ( And Jinx, but that's not unusual. ) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Sakura (2d6) and gets 10. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for John (2d6) and gets 6. [Everyone but Millie faintly hears Jinx calling Mary Anne's name. Over and over.] * Tairan raises an eyebrow, and glances over in the direction of the calling. * Fanfan lifts her head and frowns slightly. "Huh. I shouldn't think she would have gone so far." Perhaps she was captured, and will be held for ransom. * Mikoto frowns. "If she had a head wound, and felt sleepy... that's bad. If she laid down to rest, it'll only complicate the injury." * Millie looks off to the side and coughs. "Sure ya wanna see the injuries?" * Jinx walks back a bit towards the group, rubbing his head for a moment, and then waving and calling out from a bit of a distance. "Can't find her. Don't know if it's a problem yet." * Mikoto looks back at Millie. "I think it'd be best if they were treated so nothing happens to you, yes." ( This is why I didn't take Medicine right off, Jesse. :P ) She was injured. It's a problem. * Millie looks slowly at Mikoto and doesn't quite meet his eyes. "Even if it means liftin' my blouse?" * Mikoto coughs, but doesn't look perturbed. "That seems more like a matter of your comfort than mine." That's...the only way you'll get ta most of 'em... * Tairan snorts. "MaryAnne's been out of our sight for more than twenty seconds. Must mean she's been kidnapped." Of course. * Mikoto looks at Millie totally impassively. "It's up to you. But if I had to choose between modesty and survival, I'd choose survival." * Jinx wanders back to keep looking, not waiting for anyone to follow. * Tairan glances over at Mikoto and Tairan, and wordlessly turns his back to them. * John sighs and turns Hazel around. "Ya find her yet, Jinx?!" * Millie looks around to make sure no one else is looking and then undoes the ties of her vest. "If this gets out, ya know I'll kill ya, Mikky." She doesn't seem too serious as she says it though. * Jinx shakes his head and calls out. "Couldn't even find any vomit. She may have gone into shock and wandered off. Or kidnapped, again." * Mikoto tries to smile. "At least you'll be alive to pull the trigger." Odd. * Millie smirks slightly and slips off her rifle before removing her vest and untucking her blouse, turning her back to him and lifting it part way. Most of the skin around her mid-back is already turning a little black and blue. * John shouts back. "I swear. If we find that woman again, I'm nailing her dress to the floor." * Fanfan walks over to Jinx. "No traces at all?" * Jinx rubs his head again. "Could have been something I missed. I'm not at my most observent today." * Mikoto hmmms and takes a look. "Mostly just bruising, looks like. Could be internal, though..." He prods Millie's side lightly with a finger. "Tender there?" * Tairan jogs down towards where Jinx was looking. "I'll take a quick look." * Millie winces a little, her eyes closing a bit. "No?" * Mikoto mmmhmms and keeps looking around, poking every now and then. "Tell me if the pain gets very sharp." * Fanfan looks back at the impromptu medical corner, then over to the forest, shrugs and follows Jinx and Tairan. * John keeps a look-out for things that go bump in the, um... day. * Millie grits her teeth a little, but shakes her head. "It's pretty steady...don't think anything's broken...fortunately." * Mikoto nods. "Well, that's good... the downside is, there's not much can be done about bruising and the tenderness, except try to take it easy and pray it heals quick." He sits back. "Done." 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Fanfan (2d6-2) and gets 7. If the pain gets too bad, we can wrap your torso tight with gauze, but that's about it. * Sakura keeps a look-out quietly. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-2) and gets 9. (Bet you're wishing I could concoct some Ye Olde Icy Hot, though. ;) ( We're in Shomura. Tiger balm! -_^ ) ( We'll use the ancient secret medical technique: Beat the injuries out of her. ) ( Come to think of it, that technique never had a high success rate... ) ( I am willing to help. ) * Mikoto looks thoughtful, picking up the proffered match and setting the pot of water to boil. "Perhaps an ointment of some form? I'm not that good with herbs, though." ( Not for healing, anyway. If you wanted to curdle her blood, I'm your man, though. ) ("Take this. S'good for you." "It's on fire." "Keeps the goodness in.") ( *snerk* ) * Millie looks at Mikoto in a look of horror. "Ya mean ya don't even know what you're doin'?" * Mikoto looks over the pot of water. "I know how to treat injuries in the field. I'm not a surgeon or an herbalist, though. Those are specialists devoted to their work." 2d6-5 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Tairan (2d6-5) and gets 4. * Millie teases a cut on her right side and winces, looking down at it. He's better at it than you, I bet. Let'em take care of it. * Mikoto stands up and dusts off his legs. "I'd better go help them look for Mary Anne, in case something's happened to her." He points at the black bag of medical stuff. "Anything with blood on it in there, anything metal... when the water boils, throw it in there, okay?" Did I ASK you, pretty boy? No. Then take it off the fire. * Mikoto looks between John and Millie with a sort of sheepish look. "ANd try not to kill each other until we get back." * Jinx runs out from the forest while yelling. "We've got a Mary Anne kidnapping. I assume everyone knows the drill by now." Got a trail? * Jinx runs up to Lightning. "Yeah. We found a pink ribbon at the start of one." He then mounts up. * John nods. "Ya almost done there Mikoto? * Mikoto sighs, and walks over, zipping up his bag and pouring the water on the fire. "I am now." * Sakura hops onto Horse. * Jinx rides back to the forest. (Forest becoming main channel now?) (Yes.) * John waits patiently for Mikoto to finish up. * Mikoto slings himself onto Hazel behind John, his arms full of stuff. "We'll pack later, I suppose." * Millie puts the said equipment in the pot to sterilize then leans back and sighs, setting back her blouse. ( Poor Millie. ^_^ ) [When you get to the forest... you see the others! But no Mary Anne. They probably weren't lying, then.] * Jinx rides up next to Tairan and brings Lightning to a halt so that he can get on. * Fanfan stands to the side, waiting for Horse. Well, and Sakura. * Tairan waves to the others, and points out the tracks. "Can't tell who's what, or exactly how many, but there's our trail. Running along pretty much the same route as the tracks we were following... basically, a buncha horse tracks leading right back into Hoshimoto territory." *hops onto Lightning* * Jinx gets moving at the standard tracking pace. Some foot tracks, but the meld into the horse tracks... prolly ran to their horses and mounted up. * John rides up, assuming Mikoto got on. "What're we waitin' for, then?" * Millie looks over Pepper and inspects her carefully, whispering near her ear as she brushes her fingers through her mane. "Ya okay ta ride, sweetie?" [Pepper flicks her tail and walks a bit.] * Tairan nods. "With any luck, anyone that would give us problems in Hoshimoto territory will give our kidnappers problems first. Given *our* luck... keep your eyes open." * Millie pats her lightly. "Atta girl.." She mounts up. * Sakura follows. * Fanfan hops up onto Horse, behind Sakura. * Mikoto wipes his brow, looking really tired. * Millie flicks the reins a little, backing Pepper a few steps before nodding to everyone else. "Everyone ready then?" * John nods, looking over to Tairan. "Lead the way." * Jinx glances over sympathetically at Mikoto as Lightning leads the way. "Remind me to ask Crazy Feathers about energy potions." * Tairan nods, and motions for Jinx to start leadin', keeping his eyes glued on the tracks. * Jinx leads. * John follows. [And so, they ride off! To save their paycheck! I mean, Mary Anne.] [Session End.]