Oriental Adventures - Shadow over Rokugan

Ryoko clenched her teeth. It would be faster if she went on ahead but she was no healer ... Her heart and her mind was waging war for supremacy. Her heart wanted her to ride hard and ride fast for Egami Mura. Her mind wanted to take the girl's advice. "Very well. Let us go." It was taking every ounce of her will not to ride off. Egami Mura ... No. Please, let it be safe, she was praying.
 
It was cold and it was wet, but the rain was a blessing, washing clear the blood that seemed to stain at least a small portion of every part of the Warrior's armor, the crimson trickle washing down off the rooftop as he practised his Katas.

the bickering of the Samurai below had taken his attention and though he continued the slow but powerful strikes of his Glaive, he lsitened intently, clambering down from his perch and moving to confront the three.

"Hold a moment" he called, extending an armored gauntlet out to the group as they moved to leave
"I apologise for overhearing your conversation, but your voices were loud and i was practising on the roof above, If you go to combat this menace, then i too shall accompany you" he said, using his Glaive as a walking staff.
 
"Did you really think I was going to let you ride off and have all the fun?" Kiyoshi said smirking as he stood beside Ryoko's mount "Those at Egami Mura might hold more clues."

He then turned to the Warrior in blue armour. "Any help is welcome but we should leave immediately." he was glad he had the presence of mind to not leave his bag unattenuated and that it was already on his back. "I have a feeling we'll need all the help we can get." he spoke as if it was given that he was going along because to him there was no other way.
 
Roppu turned, looking at the warrior in blue. "...H-hey... I've heard of you. Y-y-you're 'The P... Peasant's Fist'." She barely stutters out, speech impediment going full force, though the walked backward with an impressive speed, still keeping up with the rest. "I h-h-heard you took a ban... bandit's canon strike to the chest and... and it bounced off." She grins a bit, "Must b... be some armor you have, or the em... embellishment of witnesses..."

"Th... those of us on the lower ends of th... things have heard of you. S-such interesting tales..." She sighs, nodding and turning, hustling forward a bit... eager to leave Renga Murai behind, just as the hunting party to find her started up...
 
Cao Dian's cheeks reddened, fame being something that had come somewhat as a shock, and he removed his helmet and bowed his head to the young woman as he moved to walk with them
"I am Indeed, though with regard to the cannon shot, it was a glancing blow, barely struck my armor, though it nearly knocked me from my feet" The Warrior admitted somewhat hesitantly as he placed his helmet back on his head
"it is a strange thing to be known so well amongst my fellows" he added with a half smile
 
"S-s-still... an impressive feat." She smiled at him happily over her shoulder, nearly prancing down the brick road, away from Renga Murai... considering her wet performer's clothes, it wasn't really out of character for her. "I th... think the worst f-f-fight I've ever been in before tonight was... erm..." She thinks back... her face suddenly falling - her step faltering. The worst 'fight' she was ever in was when the samurai found her family and slaughtered them.

Her eyes turned towards the backs of Kiyoshi and Ryoko for a moment, before she regained her composure.

"...Wh-when some thugs c-c-came and attacked my br-brothers, sisters and I while we were out, l-l-looking for something." Not a lie, but not the full truth. Their pace had taken them from Renga Murai, beginning northward, up a hillside - and soon, over it. Renga Murai out of sight, Roppu let out a sigh to herself. She was free! ...For now.

...All she had to do now was survive being with these samurai, and she'd live!
 
Ryoko studied Kiyoshi as they traveled. She had been so sure he would protest and want to go deeper into Lion lands, not journey north. "You do not have to come," she said after awhile. "You have ... obligations to care for. Your masters' dying wish." She remembered him mentioning that just a few minutes ago and now she had the time to reflect on it and let curiosity take over. Her body was tense in anticipation. She was returning home but yet, what was she returning to? May the Kami be with us, she thought, before turning her attention back to Kiyoshi.
 
Kiyoshi was silent for a while, keeping pace with Ryko's horse but otherwise reflecting inwards. "While it is important to spread the news of the attack and what we know there are others who can do that just as well." adjusting his backpack he took a deep breath. "My master's dieing wish was for me to prepare the empire to face a threat and he was killed for what he knew. And I believe the same men that slaughtered him and his samurai were behind the attack tonight that killed one of the few men who survived other than me. I need to find out an much as I can about them and it there are more in your lands then thats where I must go."
 
Roppu's ears twitched in a very inhuman way, hearing what Kiyoshi had to say. Some sort of threat to the nation...? Some sort of... continent-spanning evil organization? THAT was... actually something she wanted to know about. She began to smile... it was intriguing. It even managed to override her sense of self-preservation. "Wait... you s-s-s-said that one of the people who died here today sur... survived the first attack...?"

She inquires, as whiskers popped out around her nose, twitching slightly. She rose a hand to her chin, resting it upon it and thinking, "...C-c-could they be targeting the survivors...? Maybe on... one of them went up to... Uni... Unicorn lands..." It was at that point where she rose her hand, "In any c-..." She is cut off, realizing the brown fur now covering her hand, claws extending. Alarmed, she looked to each of the individuals present, and turned, tail whipping about as she fled off of the road, away from them all!
 
So that's what he was about. Ryoko had heard tales of the Lion samurai, how dedicated they were, but also how stiff. She wondered if he knew she'd only been teasing him so far, trying to get him to lighten up. Or maybe it was difficult for him to realize that's what she'd been doing unless she explained it to him. But, she didn't like having to explain herself to people.

"Maybe--" She was caught off when the peasant girl from earlier joined in the conversation--only to start running when she sprouted fur and whiskers and a tail! Ryoko narrowed her eyes and started riding after her! She had a head start but thanks to those bandits, the Unicorn warrior had a mount!
 
Cao Dian had had the opportunity to witness Roppu's change, being that he was last in the procession, and as he saw the Samurai galloping after her his heart skipped several beats

the noble plans to kill the Ratling!

with a curse the Peasants fist jogged after the two, hoping they stopped before something horrific happened
"Help me stay this madness! i beg of you!" he cried to Kiyoshi as he leapt off the path.
 
Kiyoshi had been caught off guard all his attention having been focused on Ryoko and the road ahead along with keeping an eye out for more bandits so when Toppu suddenly seemed to sprout fur and run off with Rokyo and the warrior in pursuit. The warrior's call was ambiguous, and it took his a second to realize he was trying to save Roppu from Ryoko rather than hunt her himself. Either way Roppu had Lu Feng's letter and so needed to be found.

"ROPPU!" He called running after peasant warrior "ROKYO DON'T HURT HER!"
 
Roppu couldn't possibly outrun a horse! She knew this... however, she wasn't... going... to die! Spinning around and pulling out the only means of protection she had - her dagger - she rose it to the heavens, "S-s-spirits! Lend me yo... your guardianship! Pr... Protect me!" She called out... as spiritual, ghostly armor - seemingly a replica of samurai armor from a time distant past wrapped itself around her body, her original outfit still seen underneath. She wasn't ready to die, but she was ready to fight to get away.

"S-Stay back, Samurai! I... I don't want to die!" She grits her teeth, waiting for any attack, even despite the call of Kiyoshi in the background... she knew for a fact the two samurai did not get along, and it was likely enough in Roppu's mind that the mounted samurai would just ignore him. Raising her dagger in defense, she let out a breath - ready to defend herself!

In her fear, Roppu has cast the spell 'Shield of Faith', followed by taking a Full Defensive Action against any attack, increasing her Armor Class by +6.
 
Heanius whistled as he made his way down the path, having already crossed the river and was now journeying through Lion lands. His purse, once filled with gold, was now considerably lighter as he had spent it on upgrades on his items. The bounty had taken him a while to complete, and had taken him far from home, but the reward had been worth it, and now he could take his time returning home for another bounty.

As he made his way down the path, a commotion to the side of it caught his attention. A Nezumi, one whose disguise was quickly fading, was being chased down by a samurai, who was then followed by 2 others. Deciding to find out what all the commotion was, Heanius pulled out his bow, nocking an arrow before running towards them, shouting, "What's going on here?" He panted as he tried to make it to them in time, the arrow pointed at the ground before him, wanting to be ready should things turn violent, but not wanting to appear threatening to the people before him.
 
"STAY YOUR ARROW!" Cao Dian bellowed worriedly as he hastened his pace, noting that Roppu had stopped running and turned, but Rokyo seemed intent on running the Nezumi down
"ROKYO! STAY YOUR HAND! THAT IS AN ALLY!" he cried, readying his glaive, for the Honor of the Crab Clan, nay, the honor of all peasants would demand that Cao Dian fight the samurai should she shed the blood of an ally, even a Nezumi, for the ratlings had fought side by side with the Crab Clan warriors on more than one occasion, whats more, the Peasants fist had heard grumblings that a ratling was the reason Renga Murai had been attacked, though other, less hysterical rumors spoke of a Nezumi Healer tending to the wounded, and the adopted Crab warrior peasant would not see any harm come to such a creature.
 
Ryoko gained the ground and managed to head Roppu off. She stared at the ratling, then looked past her and back to the men running. She was smirking. She was loving having a mount more and more. With this beauty she could outrun them all. "Oh, relax." She leaned forward and patted the horse's neck. "Bunch of armor-wearing old women ..." She waited for them to join her and Roppu, watching them much like a cat watches a bunch of mice.
 
They had caught up, and now there was a strange archer pointing an arrow at them. Kiyoshi decided to deal with the latter first and waved to the bowman to lower his weapon.

"We'll take care of the Nezumi." he called before turning back to Roppu.

"Roppu, if that is really your name."

He faced her hands far away from his weapons.

"Roppu put away your weapon I'm not going to hurt you."

She seemed to have the protection of the spirits and Kiyoshi recognized the style of armour as ancient in design. And he felt a feeling of caution enough to keep him from approaching too far.
 
Heanius realized soon that none of them posed a threat, and that they seemed to be after not the Nezumi like he thought, but after the woman on the horse Ryoko. She laughed as they all ran over to where she was, her having reached her location in a much faster and less exhausting method than the rest of them. Heanius slowed his progess, approaching the rest of them in a calmer manner, putting his bow away as well as sheathing his arrow back into the quiver across his back.

He looked at the Nezumi, a ghostly armor surrounding her, obviously some sort of defensive spell to protect her from Ryoko as she towered over her. A crab fighter wielding a Glaive in between the two, as if trying to prevent a fight from breaking out, though the Nezumi didn't look like she would be able to put up much a fight. Heanius knew not to judge my appearances, having had some bounties nearly kill him because they didn't look threatening.
 
Roppu looked up at the horse-riding samurai for a moment, "...If it w-w-were not to run me down, w-why chase me? I have stolen n-nothing." Her armor glimmers a moment, and she shifts, bare feet solidly planted in the muddy ground. Not good for dodging, but no real choice. She saw her options... and did not like the thought of being bowed down, so she stood her ground.

She looked to Kiyoshi, shaking her head. "...I h-h-have heard those... those words before, fro... from a samurai." She gritted her teeth. "They were worthless to t-that samurai's victim... I... I didn't want to... t-to die. I had to get aw... away from Renga Murai. They would blame me and kill me... ev... even after I aided their wounded. This is your 'Honor'." She gestured wildly with her hands, "B-bushido doesn't apply to you, N-nezumi! Ratling! V-v-vermin!"
 
"But you speak of the bushido like someone who has studied then all their lives." Kiyoshi swallowed, "When you showed my the body I asked you to be my guest for the rest of the night. What kind of Samurai would harm their own guest." he looked at Roppu raising his hand in solemn promise. "I swear never to hurt you so long as you do not oppose my quest and and you humbly to lend me your healing talents. The threat we face it bigger than any on us and if what you said is true and they are hunting survivors then they are after me as well and I'd rather have you as a friend than an enemy."

Having said all he could he took a step back and turned to walk back to the road.