LibraryMailanka/LoveUndyingOne

Played 3.14.05.

• back to LibraryMailanka.
• over to Dissolvegirl/Samira.
• over to Ikselam/KokoTheOctopus.
• over to Shataina/QuicksilverScribe.

Session One

<Mai-ST> The oppressive heat of summer made the streets of Tiraktou waver in the sunlight. Dry winds brushed dust up and carried it deeper into the city. Despite the warmth, the people gathered in the massive square in the center, hawking their wares with loud voices and bright colors. The smells of fresh fruit and heady spices mixed with the scents of the savannah to tease the customers. Carts carrying the latest slave cargo creaked as t

<Mai-ST> they pushed through the crowded press of people. Life in Tiraktou moved at its usual, hectic pace.

<Mai-ST> Our story centers on an alley some distance from the center of the city. Dancing Eyes' long black kilt swept against the stone as his sandals padded against the cobblestones. A handsome young man, his face was cream-colored and broad, his hair pulled back from his wide forehead in a mass of braids. His chest was bare, his wristlets and necklet well-appointed, announcing the wealth of his parents. He stopped near a door in the all

<Mai-ST> alleyway, small and leading to a basement beneath a warehouse. He stopped and turned, suddenly shy. "Just a second Koko. Let me get it open. It sticks a bit. I really appreciate you coming and bringing your, umm... friends." He favored her with a bright grin, but remained mum on the purpose of this gathering. Still, the air was spiced with the scents of excitement and fear boiling up from within.

<Koko> The tall young woman, her dark skin speaking more of the isles of the West than the deserts of the South, tapped her foot impatiently, arms folded.

<Koko> Under her sandsilk burnoose, something wriggled.

* Rag peers again at Dancing Eyes and then back at Koko. Fiddling with a brightly polished and well-sharpened knife, cleaning his teeth with it, the dark-haired ex-legionnaire looks bored and annoyed. "Why are we here, Koko?"

<Mai-ST> Dancing Eyes seemed as eager about Rag as he did about Koko. "You'll see, just a second. You'll really like it, I promise." He said breathlessly

* Samira knits willowy brows in apprehension, glancing once more at Dancing Eyes.

* Rag snorted. "What do you know about what I'll like?"

<Mai-ST> Finally the door popped open, letting out a cascade of murmurs and a wiff of damp, undergroud air. He gulped at Rag's words and ducked his head. "I'm certain you will, great one." His eyes brightened a bit as he looked in. He motioned for them to join him, and stepped through the door.

* Koko rolled her eyes at the youth's servile demeanor.

<Koko> Her patterned sarong swished as she pushed past him and into the dark interior of the building.

* Samira slipped behind Koko, both concerned and unreasonably curious, and attempted to carry herself on the coattail's of the Lunar's confidence.

<Mai-ST> Within, the crowd grew silent. A gathering of fifty or so citizen sat in small chairs or leaned against the wall. The air was pregnant with tension and secrecy. The group was varied, some merchants, others hunters visiting the city, and many students.

<Samira> "Who are these people?" Samira whispered.

<Mai-ST> Standing before the gathering was an impatient figure, tall and muscular skin covered in white scars, his hair close clipped, a goatee decorating his lips. Like Dancing Eyes, his torso was bare, as were his feet. He wore loose pants that flowed around his legs when he moved. The imposing figure tilted his head at the grinning, eager Dancing Eyes. "You're late. Are these them?" His voice

<Mai-ST> was sonorous and powerful.

* Koko 's dark eyes slid over the gathering before insolently taking the measure of the large man, head to toe.

* Rag flicked his gaze across them disdainfully. "We are "them." Who are you?"

<Mai-ST> Dancing Eyes' smile only widened. "I told you I would bring them. These are the champions would help us." The crowd's voice rose in interest, eyes riveted to them. People slowly backed away, skittish and impressed. The man stepped over, taking Rag's hand and gripping it firmly, meeting him in the eye. "I am Four Beasts. If you are half what Dancing Eyes says you are, you'll be vital to the cause."

<Samira> "There's, um, a cause?"

<Rag> "What 'cause' do you think we're going to help you in, much less be vital to? It is customary to brief people before asking them to be vital to something, you know." The thin Lunar's face was showing signs of annoyance and his tone made it plain. Little was Rag's patience for those that didn't make themselves useful to him.

<Makoto> "There is always a cause."

<Mai-ST> Four beasts glanced at Samira with some disdain... but seeing her eyes, reassessed her. His mental calculations were obvious as he moved her from "useless tagger-on" to "interesting." Dancing Eyes stepped in, clapping Koko on the shoulder. "Our fight is their fight, they'll help us." His eyes twinkled as he announced "We're gonna fight the Realm."

<Mai-ST> The crowd took his words poorly, and nervous silence fell in the dark, stone-walled room.

<Samira> "...All of it? That doesn't seem, well, feasible. With just us. I mean."

* Koko studiously failed to react to the young man's display of camraderie. "Are you crazy in the head, Dancing Eyes? This is your 'great wonder' you are so eager to show us?"

<Mai-ST> Four Beasts grunted, turning and stalking from them. "You choose poor friends, Dancing Eyes." The boy swallowed, and shook his head, reaching for the taller man. "No, they'll help us. I'm sure of it." He turned, his eyes pleading. "Right?"

* Rag stood still for a moment before roaring a coughing laugh that trailed off into silent convulsions. Holding both hands over his belly he shook, tears forming in his eyes.

<Mai-ST> Four Beasts shook his head "It doesn't matter. They are not from Harborhead, they do not know our pain. They have not felt the heel of the Dynasty on their neck. They do not have the heated blood of the Harborhead people."

* Makoto eyed the Lunars to see just how they handle this affront to their pride.

<Mai-ST> A voice coughed in the room, and a feminine voice called out "Just how and why are we supposed to fight legions."

<Mai-ST> This didn't set well either with the crowd. Grumbles slowly began to blossom. Four Beasts, ignoring the new comers despite Dancing Eyes' frantic gestures, searched the crowd for the dissenter

<Mai-ST> Dancing Eyes, meanwhile, turned to Koko, whispering "I'm not crazy. Look, you're... well, you know. The enemy of my enemy? C'mon. You could help us alot. The Realm is a terrible place, and you know it." His dark eyes pleaded with her, and he struggled to ignore Rag's mocking laughter

* Rag shook his head, clearing the last tears from his eyes. With one last gasp of laughter, he straightened. "Do you know how foolish that sounds? The Realm has left! Only a handfull of troops remain, I deserted to stay here and keep to my buisness. You think those few lazy bastards are oppressing you? It's you doing the oppressing of yourselves, if there *is* any. Fight the Realm! Fight the Realm indeed."

<Mai-ST> The girl pushed her way through the grumbling crowd. Her long, simple robes flowed around slim, sleek body. Her skin was dark as night, her long curls of black hair falling in a tail from the top of her head. She purshed her lips, her rounded eyes narrowing. "Look, I've heard your talk before, Four Beasts. But the Realm isn't so harsh as you say. Show me a leader that would oppress us less?"

<Koko> An amused smile quirked Koko's lips as she watched the girl and the man square off, with Dancing Eyes fretting on the sidelines.

<Samira> Me leaned in to whisper to Koko. "Is this, perhaps, some sort of personal quarrel? I feel awkward, you know, observing."

<Mai-ST> Four Beasts' eyes narrowed dangerously. "Totikari." He spat the name. "Get out woman. You have no place here. Take your cowardly hide and shiver in the savannah where it belongs." He turned to the rest of the crowd, his rumbling voice rising in pitch. "You have suffered beneath their hands. Laughing Jewel. They took your home. Their Immaculates defiled our shrine. Are we going to lay down

<Mai-ST> and take this? Are we slaves or warriors."

<Mai-ST> His voice and pitch was hypnotic, ensnaring the crowd with his charisma.

<Koko> "Ah, it's more fun than being out in the sun." Koko's eyes flicked to Samira's lute case. "You can sing about it later, maybe."

<Mai-ST> Dancing Eyes watched Samira's exchange with Koko and, frustrated, stepped up by Four Beasts. "It's ok, Jana," he said to the girl. "Look, we can handle this, really. Harborhead was great once, and it can be great again. We simply have to claim our heritage, and the Realm will retreat." He turned pleading eyes to Koko again.

* Samira nodded soberly in agreement. "Thank you, Koko, for the clever idea."

<Koko> "Slaves indeed if you wait around for outsiders to save you instead of doing your own fighting, yah?" Koko called out.

<Mai-ST> The door opened, and a figure slipped in. She stood in the back and watched quietly. Noting Makoto, she smiled at him, and gestured for his attention.

<Rag> "I don't see what's so bad with it now. What're you missing now that you had 400 years ago? Plagues? Marauding Terrestrial armies?"

* Makoto worked his way silently back to her, little more than a blotch of color against the shadowed walls.

<Mai-ST> Dancing Eyes recoiled from Koko's words, visibly hurt. "What...? I thought..." Four Beasts shrugged "Let the foreigners be, Dancing Eyes, they don't want to help. They don't understand us." Dancing Eyes struggled inwardly

Koko: "No love for the Realm in my heart, man." Koko met Four Beasts' eyes strongly. "But show me why I should be a fighter for people who spend all their day hiding in basements talking of how great they will be when the time comes."

Rag: "That's right, I don't understand. You let people bring folks here without even sounding them out? Ha!" The thin-faced Lunar sneered. "You'll be crawling with spies by next week. By the time "our day comes", you'll be burried in the sands."

Koko: "Show us you are making your own time, and I will be more impressed than with all this empty talk of hot blood and revenge."

Mai-ST: Four Beasts looked Koko squarely in the eye. "Do not assume because the boy foolishly believed you would help, not I. Take up your argument with him." Dancing Eyes shrunk from their gaze, and gulped. "I thought you'd want to..."

Koko did not flinch at all from the much larger man's steely gaze. "So what are you going to do, man? Talk some more until these people feel like every one of them is a great warrior, so they can go home feeling important?"

Mai-ST: "Our faith will be our armor." Dancing Eyes murmured. "Our heritage will be our blade." Four Beasts listened to him, smirking at the boy's innocence, but doing nothing to correct it. Instead, he turned to the crowd, who hinged on his words. "Indeed. We were born for war. The god of war favors us. His blood flows through our veins."

Samira: "I.. well, I can't really fight. At all, actually." Samira looked concerned at all the talk of war.

Rag: "Mars is a woman, you know."

Mai-ST: Jana, disgruntled at Four Beasts' savagery, suddenly spoke up. "Yeah! C'mon! What are you gonna do? They have armies. Dragon Blooded. We can't fight them. And why should we? Things are stable NOW!"

Koko: "How long have you been talking this nonsense? The gods of war don't care what blood flows in your veins, only what falls on the ground." Koko rolled her eyes. "You think these lambs are going to do that for you?"

Koko: "You want to sit away your life in a house, doing work for other people so you can get their money, go do that," she told the woman, Jana.

Mai-ST: Jana shook her head and levelled a finger at Four Beasts "You just want violence! Dancing Eyes doesn't know better, but you're just a monster with pretty words!"

Makoto steps out from the back, nodding at the ceiling. "Gentlemen, ladies, decide your options now. You have been found out already."

Koko: "You, man," she turned back to Beasts, "you want to change things, go do it. Don't waste everyone's time with big bellowing speeches and fiery eyes that only show what a coward you are inside."

Mai-ST: "Hold your tongue, Totikari, before I take it out of your skull." Four Beasts' hissed, his hand instinctively reaching for his belt. "Dancing Eye's...." Makoto's words caught him off guard. "What?"

Rag brightened considerably as he looked upward. "Truly? Excellent. I was thinking this would be a wasted afternoon.."

Koko 's eyes slid over to Makoto.

Makoto: "There was a spy watching from the window."

Makoto: "He is bringing reinforcements as we speak."

Mai-ST: Outside the basement, the wind ruffled Quicksilver Scribe's feathery hair as she hurried to the meeting, late because of various errands she needed to run. As she arrived, however, the pounding of steel-shod boots shattered the peace of the marketplace.

Samira: "Oh dear."

Koko looked back to Beasts. "Now's the time, man. You show me what fire is in your belly, instead of your mouth, and maybe I'll decide your games are worth playing."

Mai-ST: Four Beasts' looked pinned. His eyes danced over the crowd, checking his chances. Dancing Eyes brightened. "Yes! We have the advantage. We can do this. Just take courage. We are warriors." Four Beasts' eyes darkened, however, his assessment more realistic.

Rag made a rude noise and cuffed Dancing Eyes across the back of the head, sending the young man sprawling. "Don't be a fool!"

Makoto: "Rag? Enough."

Makoto: "If he survives this fight, he will see."

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes raised himself from the ground, rubbing his head, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "I don't see you trying to help, dammit!" Four Beasts smirked. The crowd was growing louder, almost frantic, and Jana's nervous eyes glanced towards the door. The hammering of metal-shod feet sounded in deadly unison.

Rag: "Well, the lad's obviously had too much talking. Better a beating that he understands then words that send a sword through his chest."

Samira: "Fighting? We're, um, not leaving? Because leaving, that would be nice."

Koko looks across the assembled revolutionaries. Their lack of weapons and obvious doubt about what to do now do not encourage her.

Rag: "I have no desire to get caught in a battle not mine. I'm leaving, that is certain."

Makoto: "The way out leads you to them faster. If you wish single combat, be my guest. But make no mistake, this fight is now yours."

Mai-ST: Legionaires swarmed the allyway, moving in cruel precision, their ax-blades free, their shields leveled, their faces masked. They missed Quicksilver Scribe where she stood in shadows, more intent on the door. A dragon blooded with long grey-white locks and a red coat strode to the door, accompanied by a tall man with a black beard and a red-jade reinforced buff-jacket. "I told you there was

Mai-ST: a conspiracy." He gave her an oily grin. She merely raised her foot.

Mai-ST: The door shattered. A woman in the crowd shried. Splinters flew. Samira let out a small yelp of surprise.

Mai-ST: Panic filled the air as some broke chairs, searching to make weapons. Others retreated to the far side of the basement. Dancing Eyes rose, eyes fiery, his head filled with visions of glory.

Koko causally hooked a chair off the floor with her left foot, flinging it into the face of the legionnaire storming through the door.

Quicksilver Scribe shrank back, making herself as inconspicuous as possible.

Rag had started to turn to berate Four Beasts for his stupidity in holding this meeting in an enclosed space when the door was destroyed. Howling a protest as he jumped back, the lean man landed on all fours, crouching low, his jaws opening to release a hiss of annoyance and threat. Backing up, the black-furred jackal darted for the edges of the crowd. Samira: Samira's eyes went wide as saucers, having never seen anything like this before. She ducked behind a chair, watching intently-- her mouth moving silently as she worked out lines for a song commemorating the battle.

Koko: "Cowardly son-of-a-bitch!" Koko yelled at Rag's retreating tail.

Mai-ST: Soldiers poured in. Those in the crowd, a suprising number, lifted their makeshift weapons to do battle. Four Beasts held forth a sinuous, deadly knife, but he quickly decided his odds weren't good. He slipped back, his fingers searching along the length of the stone wall, ignoring the screams of his gathering. Dancing Eyes grabbed a makeshift cudgel and moved forward. In the midst of the

Mai-ST: chaos, two figures stand out. The first is a tall, intimiditing woman with grey-white hair and a scar across one eye. Her face is handsome, her body armored by a jade breastplate, a long coat of scarlet flowing over it, and a white reaver daiklave in her hands. Her eye is steely, her visage cold and disciplined. Beside her, a tall figure grinned. His broad shoulders were swathed in a

Mai-ST: red-jade reinforced buff-jacket.

Mai-ST: His grinning face sported a spikey, unruly black beard and matching hair. His eyes danced and burned as he unsheathed his heavy-bladed grimcleaver.

Mai-ST: The woman held back, watching her soldiers move to attack the would-be insurgents. Her eyes fell on the crowd of foreigners, wary. The bearded fire-aspect laughed as his axe scythed down two citizens, blood splattering against the walls. Samira swallowed thickly, cowering behind the chairs, hand wrapped tightly around a splintered bit of board from the door.

Rag snarled menacingly at Sesus Simil, letting out a chilling bark before settling into a defensive posture out of Four Beast's sight. Once the coward opened his tunnel, however, the lean jackal leapt for him, carrying both through the passage, the human in the jackal's jaws.

Quicksilver Scribe shifted back further, turning her head away from the carnage and stumbling slightly as she attempted to slide carefully backwards.

Mai-ST: Simil froze as an ethereal snarl shivered through his soul. His eyes widened, suddenly aware of a past he'd rather forget, and he stumbled away from the bloody corpses of his kill, his eyes searching, terrified. Meanwhile, the secret door slid open with a click. Four Beasts did nothing to alert the others, and stepped in, intent on closing it again... just as he saw the massive man-beast

Mai-ST: pounce. He stumbled and fell beneath the jackal man's claws, screaming in fear and anger

Rag drags the cowardly ringleader with him, down the passage.

Mai-ST: Outside, citizens raced towards the scene, hearing the cries and the sounds of battle, to see what was going on. Tension ran high, but none saw her.

Koko: Seeing Rags' cowardly hindquarters disappear into the passage, Koko wasted no time pushing off from the wall. Two quick steps took her to Samira; she grabbed the other woman's arm and propelled her toward the newly-revealed exit. "Get going, songbird. I will see you outside."

Samira nodded numbly, and began a lightning-quick dash through the secret passage.

Koko took up position in front of the secret door. Moonsilver dripped up from her bracelets, sheathing her forearms.

Mai-ST: The stones of the hidden passageway were dry and dusty. The room was cool as they stumbled in. Stairs led up the warehouse above. The rest was merely a secret room for illicit goods, a few crates present that might prove interesting if they had more time to explore.

Quicksilver Scribe slipped quietly into nightingale form.

Koko: "Hey, boy!" Koko yelled at Dancing Eyes. "No shame in running from a daiklave when your weapon is a stick!"

Makoto , on the other hand, stepped forward to block the shattered door, swinging his thickly wrapped shield down to rest in the cobblestones as he snaps a hand outwards to grab the Blooded's beard. A step backwards, and the Dynast's face slams into the edge of the shield, sending a plume of blood out into the darkness as he hurls the opponent in a heap at the wreckage of the door.

Makoto: "Run. Now."

Rag: "Now..to the warehouse? Will they be waiting?..mm." paused for a moment as his teeth slowly dug deeper into Four Beasts. After a good sniff and a moment trying to listen above the muted noises of pain made by his mouthful, silenced by closing his jaws just far enough to give deadly warning, Rag made his choice of direction.

Mai-ST: Sesus Silim stumbled away from the growl of the Lunar only to meet, to his surprise, the hand of Makoto. Squawking, he flailed as the warrior smashed him against his head against the shield and pitched him through the door. He collapsed on the ground with a groan.

Mai-ST: The woman's eyes swiveled at the sound of the crashing minion. Her eye narrowed, her hair whipping around her as she took a new stance, and then struck suddenly with her reaver, a long, beautiful arc of a trained soldier.

Mai-ST: Her blade slashed across Makoto's face, leaving a long, vicious line as she fell back, her blade rising to a defensive stance as she hovered over Silim protectively

Koko: Stretching out a limber leg, Koko flipped an overturned chair into her hand and hurled it toward the Terrestrial woman's back.

Quicksilver Scribe fluttered softly through the wreckage of the door and through the room upwards, dodging the chair with a flip of her wings to land on the crux of two ceiling beams.

Mai-ST: Her hair whipped as she heard the creak of the chair. White jade flashed, and where her blade passed, the chair exploded into flinders. Koko met the woman's angry eyes with an insouciant grin and a self-deprecating shrug.

Mai-ST: Around her, her soldiers moved with brutal effeciency. Axes rose and fell as mortals were butchered. Screams rose into the air. Dancing Eyes roared, and smashed his club into the helmet of an unsuspecting legionaire. The soldier stumbled, stunned, and turned. Dancing Eyes finished him off with another strike, and reached for his axe.

Koko: "Boy!" snapped Koko. "This is a fight for grown-ups!"

Mai-ST: Meanwhile, Jana struggled to extract herself from the crowd, trying to help others get to the exit. Suddenly, a soldier burst through the crowd and caught her long hair in his gauntlet. She shrieked as he yanked her head back, his ax blade going to her throat. Her eyes fell on Rag, where he lingered on the other side of the door, her terrified arms outstretched out.

Mai-ST: Silim rose to his feet, stumbling away from the doorway, his eyes wide and terrified, blood pouring down his face. "Fetch the Immaculate!" His commanding officer shouted. Then she whirled on Makoto. Her feet hit the groud, rumbling, her eyes narrowed, and mortar sifted down from the roof. Her stance tightened, her hips swiveled, and the blade slammed full force into him, rippling with

Mai-ST: Earth energy.

Makoto hefted the shield and slammed it into the blade, sending it deflecting into the ground where the plume of dust almost blinds them both, almost totally obscuring the brilliant sparks that fly at the contact.

Mai-ST: Blade smashed into shield, and earth essence met celestial essence in a powerful display. The dust cleared, and her good eye glared at him over his shield. "Give it up, fool. Better that you surrender and live than test the mettle of a Dynast." She didn't notice the blood red energy that pooled at his feet.

Makoto grinned fiercely back. "I might say the same to you. You've ruined a month of work infiltrating them! Who cleared this operation?"

Koko rolled her eyes and dashed forward, around a legionnaire's axe-swing, over a tangle of battling soldiers and citizens, and sprang at the Earth Aspect from behind.

Koko: Distracted and overextended from her strike, the woman went down under Koko, her daiklave gouging a deep furrow in the floor.

Mai-ST: Her eyes tightened. "Don't try to be clever, it doesn't suit..." Suddenly, she felt sleek arms twist around hers, and in just a split second, her arm was behind her, her blade arm pinned. The legionaires in the immedite vicinity turned, glaring through eye slits

Rag growled, though the fearsome sound was much stiffled by his mouthful of rebellion-inciting coward. With an off-hand flick of his Second Smile and an unfelt wave of malevolence that shoved several combatants out of the way just by its emotional force slammed into the soldier holding the Jana woman

Rag: As blood dripped from his eyes and nose, Rag turned his attention back to the coward in his jaws and deciding which way to escape..

Mai-ST: Blood fountained from the soldiers features, exploding from his mask as he tumbled away. Jana stared wide-eyed at the Jackal man, uncertain if she should be grateful or terrified. Suddenly, Dancing Eyes materialized and siezed her. "Go! WHat are you, simple?" He pushed her through the passage and pushed another few, wielding his ax to fend off the legionaires as best he could. Blood dripped

Mai-ST: from a cut in his face, and another on his torso

Mai-ST: As Rag paid attention to his surroundings, he noted the sound of comotion in the street, but silence from the warehouse above.

Rag started up the ladder to the warehouse, dragging Four Beasts with him.

Samira glanced at Rag starting up the ladder, and then back at the scene of carnage. Unwilling to leave her other companions, she hid behind the door, watching in hopeful obscurity.

Mai-ST: Citizens poured through the door, racing up the stairs past Samira. A legionaire rose, his form half-real in the filmy sunlight that poured through the small windows. Blood dripped from his axe and cruelty stared from his eyeslits. He watched the citizens go, standing over his three kills, almost as though gloating.

Mai-ST: The legionaire's surrounding Koko and Makoto lifted their axes menacingly, but a quick glance from their leader slowed them. She seemed... curious. Unafriad. Indeed, her form was massively heavy and hard as stone. "What is it you intend to do?"

Koko: "Maybe I'll tell you later, one-eye." Koko stepped back, hooking the woman's ankle with her foot; the Dragon-blood stumbled back, unwillingly following the Lunar toward the secret exit.

Mai-ST: She tightened her teeth, and her hand came up, grabbing ahold of Koko's. With a sudden heave, she lifted her and tossed her to the ground with far more strength than her form might otherwise allow. Koko quickly rolled to her feet, undamaged, but the Dragon Blooded lifted her blade, between Koko and Makoto and the secret passage

Makoto shrugged at Koko, suddenly lurching towards the woman and slamming the shield out at her, battering the blade away and ducking under her arm. He wraps an arm around her throat, clamping down and dragging her into the tunnel with the force of his momentum.

Mai-ST: His shield hammered into her blade, but to no avail, she clung to it firmly in hand. His hand hit the rock hard flesh of her neck, and she gagged as he pushed her. She felt as though she weighed a ton, her feet grinding against the ground as she strained to resist him. Despite this, he managed to make progress towards the passage

Samira: Unsure of what else to do, Samira sits in the secret hallway, and unslings her lute, nimble fingers instinctively finding a tune of urgency and melancholy, with thin strains of hope. The lyrics she sings are near silent, though occasional words shimmer like stars. "Won't die" is audible, as is "okay." When she gets to the chorus of "everything is fine," one of her lute strings snaps. She

Samira: sighs heavily and reslings her lute.

Mai-ST: The warehouse floor was flat and empty when the crowd emerged into it behind Rag. Outside the chaos of soldiers battling citizens could be heard as more soldiers made their move to reinforce the situation. Out of the distant door, Rag caught sight of a tall Immaculate, red-robed, wearing a straw hat that covered his eyes.

Rag: As one of the would-be rebels attempted to flee up to the warehouse, the gloating soldier lashed out with his axe. Just before the blade split the young man's head, the lean jackal had fallen from the ladder. Letting the limp body of Four Beasts slam the soldier to the ground, Rag took his time removing Four Beasts. With a howl and a crunch, the soldier went down and the Jackal licked his jaws

Mai-ST: The Legionaire screamed for one second before the teeth came down. There was a moment of struggle, and then the Lunar ate the soldier all up. When he turned around to seize Four Beasts, however, the rebel had fled. The room within the warehouse was a mess, filled with the stench of death and the mangled bodies of citizens. Most had already fallen, and the legionaires were turning their

Mai-ST: attention to the remaining exalts

Rag snarled, spraying blood across the stones of the basement floor. Still licking his jaws, the not-so-lean jackal pounced once again and began trotting back to the ladder, once again hauling Four Beasts along.

Samira stood quickly once she noticed the coast was clear, and finally made good her escape.

Mai-ST: The ladder was cool beneath her hands, and upstairs, she found the scattering crowd in the warehouse, some running the wrong way. Dancing Eyes reached down to help her up, Jana kneeling beside him, panting and frightened. "We should go." She whispered. "I need to make sure everyone is safe first" Dancing Eyes argued

Mai-ST: Rag quickly reached the relative sanctuary of the warehouse, though it was only a matter of time until the legionaires followed or found them.

Koko looked around at the ring of legionnaires closing in on her, warily turtled behind their shields.

Rag was unable to catch the miraculously unharmed, unmauled and undisoriented rebel-leader before the soldiers got in his way. Ducking back, Rag high-tailed it up the ladder.

Koko eyed the spearpoints closing in on her like a particularly spiky noose.

Koko: "Maybe later, boys."

Samira looked up at the pair, pale and visibly shaken. "Yes, well, going seems nice. I concur with, uh, Jana is it? Yes."

Rag let out a howl that shivered even the soldiers in their armor and set Sesus Simil nearly to wetting himself, hearing it twice. "Four Beasts! I will come for you and you will regret this entanglement you dragged me into!"

Mai-ST: Jana smiled tiredly, and Dancing Eyes actually stopped to consider it. "Hmm. I don't want to seem a coward." Then Rag's rage startled him, making him drop his axe clumsily

Koko scans the ring of soldiers, picks the one with the notch in his shield, and runs toward him. She deftly sidesteps his spearpoint, takes one step on the crook of his arm and the next on his head, and springs off.

Koko: She hits the ground at a full sprint.

Koko: The soldiers quickly turn to give chase, but by the time they round the corner, there is no one there.

Mai-ST: The Lunar ghosted over the soldiers and raced up the stairs in time to see Dancing Eyes try to regather his pride and watch Jana with frightened giggles.

Koko: Just a mouse, squeaking at their approach and scurrying into a nearby pile of rubbish.

Samira: "But, I mean, isn't not dying a good thing? Better than being brave, that is. And there aren't many people who would see if you left."

Makoto hurtled his way up the ladder, catching a small amunt of air as he spins, shifting his grip and suddenly hurling his captured dynast at those who follow, bowling them down as the ladder tears from its anchors with the weight and force, collapsing atop them. He blew a final kiss at her before running off.

Mai-ST: Her heavy form smashed them to the ground. Artfully, she kept to her feet, whipping her hair from her eye, scowling at his gesture, memorizing his face for later vengeance as he raced away. Turning to the fallen men, she arched her brow. "Well? GO!" They scrambled to their feet and raced after.

Mai-ST: In the warehouse, Dancing Eyes pondered her words. "I... suppose." "Oh for the love of Ahlat, Dancing Eyes, drop your damn pride for one minute! LETS GO!" Shouted Jana, rising to her feet.

Samira: "Pride makes for bitter ghosts."

Mai-ST: As the last of them emerged, soldiers raced after them from below, and the doors to the warehouse burst open, allowing in more legionaires. Many doors remained, and chaos continued to provide them some cover from outside. Indeed, the first of the soldiers didn't even notice them in the dim light of the warehouse.

Rag growled at Dancing Eyes, snapping his jaws at the young man to encourage his rapid movement.

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes backed away, then grabbed Jana's hand and began to run for the door, 'protecting' her.

Samira: "Ah, well, nice meeting you two."

Rag shook his head with an annoyed bark, trotting full-pace out of the warehouse. "Fool!"

Samira continued moving swiftly along, eyeing Rag uncomfortably.

Rag looked at Samira. "What?"

Rag: "Do I have blood on my muzzle?"

Quicksilver Scribe remained in the shadows of the roof for a few moments, then slipped out and flew high into the sky. She sought the others with nightingale-eyes slightly dazed by daylight, then fluttered down after them.

Samira: "You're, um, well." she shifted her eyes for a moment before glancing back. "No, actually. I think you got it all. I just never saw you do.. that.. before."

Rag: "Does it bother you?" the dark-furred jackal shrugged, not really concerned with the response.

Samira: "Um, I don't think so. Rather, it is disconcerting," she added hastily with a glance at her lute, "but we all have our gifts. I suppose."

Mai-ST: Already out of the warehouse, Quicksilver Scribe was the first to notice a handsome man with mahogany skin and a fine jaw open the door to his fine, but somewhat secluded house near the warehouse, peering out. Seeing Dancing Eyes and Jana emerge from the warehouse, he motioned for them to come into his house to hide.

Koko: Across the street, beady mouse eyes observe the same scene. The rodent's purple tail twitches.

Makoto turned the corner to look at Rag. "Think you can stop that? We don't need anyone else after us."

Rag ducked in after them, dropping into the body of a dark-haired, lean-featured man as the man's gaze fell upon him.

Mai-ST: The scholar jumped a bit at them omentary sight of the jackal man, but so brief was it, that he blinked and dismissed it as fancy. He held the door open for

Samira as well. "Quick, before they see you!"

Samira: "Oh, um, thanks." Samira darted inside.

Makoto kept the train moving, raising a hand to finally blot at the cut under his eye. "Many thanks."

Rag landed a hand heavily on Dancing Eyes' shoulder. "Just you wait a moment, kid. You owe me an explination and a few answers."

Quicksilver Scribe flew down and made it in right after Samira, landing lightly on her shoulder once inside. She ruffled her wings.

Koko: The purple-tailed mouse scampers in, just missing having its tail caught in the closing door.

Samira scratches the nightengale's head lightly, smiling briefly. "Good to see you made it."

Quicksilver Scribe 's voice was incongruous, the cool, human tones sounding strange from a bird. "I hope there's a good explanation for all this."

Mai-ST: The scholar closed the door behind them, listening at it while the sounds of soldiers thundered past. He nodded and sighed. "The Realm is arrogant if it thinks our People will take slaughter lying down. Dark times. Dark times." He turned back and smiled. He wore his tight curls close to his head, grey wings at the temples. Thick robes of green and gold fall around his body. His face is

Mai-ST: handsome if worn with age, and three dots mark beneath his eye, small lines radiating down upon his cheeks.

Mai-ST: "Go into my library," he suggested. "I'll make tea."

Mai-ST: The house was fine and well-appointed. A fire danced and crackled in his fireplace, and books lined the walls. Overstuffed chairs and lounging couches offered plenty of places for each to rest. Feeling Rag's hand on his shoulder, Dancing Eyes turned

Rag shoved Dancing Eyes before him into the library and plopped the young man down into a seat roughly. "Answers."

Mai-ST: His large, dark eyes looked up at Rag, sorrowful and embarrassed. "Look, I just thought you'd help us, I didn't think it would turn out this way."

Mai-ST: "Bloody defying the Realm?" Jana growled. "C'mon, Dancing Eyes!"

Makoto: "Who was the ringleader? He seemed more con-man than true guerilla."

Koko: The mouse scurried up onto one of the chairs, where it promptly expanded into the lanky form of Koko, sprawled out comfortably.

Mai-ST: "Four Beasts?" Dancing Eyes asked. "He's a great man with vision. I found him, actually, not the other way around." He smiled proudly. "He's a bigot and a warmonger." Jana growled. "He doesn't even go to the university. He just hunts and kills."

Koko yawned.

Rag: "Yeah..about him. If you can tell me how to find Four Beasts, I'll be happy. Right now, you've gotten me into a fight that wasn't mine in which my friend got hurt and I lost my prisoner. The only thing you've got going for you is that that soldier was really big. And hairy. And I don't feel so good anymore."

Rag frowned, putting a hand to his stomach as if queasy.

Samira: "Maybe the tea will help?"

Quicksilver Scribe took her own chair and shifted form, going from tiny dark bird to silver-haired girl in less than a second. She pulled up her legs beside her in the chair, arranging her long, worn cotton skirt over them quickly, then rested her delicate chin in her hand and narrowed her eyes.

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes rounded on Koko. "I thought you would help. Aren't we friends?" He looked betrayed. "And why did you call me those names? What did I do to deserve that?" Then he glared at Rag. "If you're not going to help me, why should I help you?"

Rag: "Because you're skinny and I'd probably feel better with something to wash him down! Answer the questions!"

Quicksilver Scribe suggested softly, "Maybe we can start with what happened?"

Rag snaped his teeth, still stained with blood even after all the time he's been licking at them, at the annoying young rebel-wannabe.

Mai-ST: The warm scents of mellow tea rolled into the library as the scholar wandered in, struggling to carry the whole tray. "Up. There we go. Such troubles. What's going on, precisely?" Dancing Eyes sulked. "What questions? I told you. Where to find him? I don't know. He comes and goes. I'm not going to take you to him just so you can eat him. If you don't want to help, just go."

Koko eyed Dancing Eyes lazily. "In what foolish little world do you live, where I was not helping you?"

Samira shot a grateful look at Scribe.

Rag took the tray from the older man, placing it on a table and fixed himself a cup of tea. "Thank you."

Quicksilver Scribe raised her eyebrows in return at Samira, her expression plainly impatient with the others. "Samira, possibly you could tell me what you all were doing there in the first place. Are we joining rebellions now?"

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes leaned forward in his chair. "Couldn't you have spoken up for me instead of humiliating me? You're a great warrior! You could have killed all those men. Why didn't you?" Jana rolled her eyes. "You're delusional, Dancing Eyes!" He turned to her and growled "I'm tired of living in slavery! Is that so wrong?!"

Mai-ST: The gentleman nodded to Rag, then paid attetion to the conversation. "Rebellion? That certainly explains the legion's fit of pique."

Rag points a dirty finger at Dancing Eyes "That little brat got Koko to bring us to some meeting where a coward was trying to rally them against the Realm. Then the soldiers arrived and you saw the rest. I lost the leader when I snapped up that solider. Bad trade, now.."

Samira looked slightly chastened. "Well, ah, Koko has this friend--" she gestured helplessly at Dancing Eyes-- "and her friend wanted to show us something fascinating. Which, I guess, was a rebellion. It WAS fascinating, though. Just, you know, scary."

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes, still defensive, rounded back on Rag "He's no coward! HE fought! What did you do?"

Quicksilver Scribe glanced briefly at Dancing Eyes.

Koko: "Showed his tail as soon as he caught sight of steel, was what I saw," drawled Koko.

Rag: "Stupid brat. He opened that tunnel you escaped by and would have closed it right behind him if I hadn't cought him. I was saving you all."

Rag glowered at Koko. "It wasn't *my* fight."

Makoto: "Isn't it? Doesn't the Realm hunt you to this day?"

Samira: "Ah, in Rag's defense, he DID eat someone, you know. I didn't really see the leader person do that. I could perhaps have been distracted, though."

Mai-ST: He rolled his eyes "Obviously he was leading us to safety." But he looked shaken. He hadn't seen everything, so couldn't be sure. Then he looked at Makoto and nodded. "Exactly. They hate what you are, they hate what we are. Why wouldn't you help us?"

Rag: "Only Simil. Mostly."

Makoto: "Because you are not warriors."

Makoto: "How many civilians died then, hrm?"

Makoto: "Is it any less of a massacre if everyone on both sides dies?"

Mai-ST: The gentlemen offered a cup to Samira and then to Quicksilver Scribe. He smiled at the latter, noting the way she hid her feet. "Anything wrong?"

Rag: "I don't help children and fools into their graves unless they deserve it. Or get in my way. Since you had not, at that time, done either...but now I just might."

Mai-ST: "If you're not warriors... help us some other way! Rally us, or... or tell us how to fight. I don't know. Something." Dancing Eyes pleaded.

Rag: "What for?" spat Rag

Quicksilver Scribe smiled back at the man and accepted the tea with a small nod. "No. Thank you for the concern. This tea smells lovely."

Samira glanced at Scribe. "Rally, you say?"

Mai-ST: He smiled back at her and after giving a cup to Makoto, he took his own seat, sipping on his cup, watching with quiet-eyed fascination.

Quicksilver Scribe: "I could write them an anthem and you could perform it."

Makoto: "I don't know, Rag. I'd think you could find something worthwhile in controlling harborhead." He sipped the tea.

Mai-ST: "Look, you... you're not helping. Four Beasts is right, if you don't want to help, don't... but Koko... c'mon..." Dancing Eyes' eyes widened, trying to find some pity in the girl's heart.

Rag: "What use have I for a country?"

Mai-ST: Jana shook her head and sighed. "This isn't the way, Dancing Eyes. Your zeal is admirable but see reason. We're stuck with the Realm, and that's that."

Koko sighed and found a more comfortable position on her chair, which involved sprawling even more extravagantly.

Quicksilver Scribe: "If you want, I could find some historical examples of what happens when you fight the Realm directly."

Samira: Samira's eyes lit with the idea, and she turned all of her attention to Scribe. "Yes! We could somehow relay what we saw into the opening stanza for a great ballad. I think I may already have an appropriate tune.. I began it while Rag was eating that young man, I think."

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes grumped at Koko's obvious dismissal. Then glared at Jana. "I refuse to surrender..." But he listened to the two girls talk, and he started to brighten. Jana frowned "I don't think a song will help anything...?" But the scholar brightened "I have such books!"

Quicksilver Scribe admitted, "It would be an interesting exercise to write in this language. Still, I'm not sure we should encourage or get directly involved in conflict."

Quicksilver Scribe looked at the scholar with new interest and asked after some titles.

Rag: "Tell me, Dancing Eyes. When you die, do you want it to be fast or slow? I'm curious. I can send a note to some friends still at the garrison."

Makoto: "And why not? Conflict is coming, whether we assist or not. If we act now, we can keep it from getting out of hand."

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes lifted his chin "At least I'll die for my country."

Samira nearly pouts. "But he said he has books! Surely an exersize in insurrection through cultural manipulation would be excellent experience.."

Quicksilver Scribe observed drily, "I hardly think that involving multiple Anathema in the struggle will prevent it from getting out of hand."

Quicksilver Scribe: "If the Realm thinks Harborhead is allied with Anathema, it will go that much harder for this place."

Makoto: "Dancing Eyes, the key to victory is not dying for your country. It's making the other poor bastard die for his."

Mai-ST: The Scholar smiled "I have the first title, but not the second. It's not as useful as you think. I have an alternate you'll find far more useful. I can show them to you if you like." He seemed shy at first, unused to having company in his home, but he delighted at her obvious intellect, a small smile playing across his lips

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes stared at Makoto, uncomprehending. Jana burst out in laughter though.

Rag snorted rudely. "Die for something that cares. Die for a lover, a child. Your country doesn't want you to help it. Ask around. Rally the populace and see how many come."

Mai-ST: "They'll fight." He whispered. "I know they will." "And if they do?" Jana asked "And if they win? What stops them from killing each other? Four Beasts would have gutted me if he could. We'll just break down into civil war..."

Quicksilver Scribe returned her attention to the scholar, raising her eyebrows. "I'd love to borrow them. I can return them both within a week. If you need any translations done in return ... that's my specialty."

Makoto: "That's the trouble, Scribe. We need a figurehead."

Makoto cast an eye over Dancing Eyes.

Mai-ST: He hesitated at her words. "Well... actually... I do have some texts, from the first age. I can't identify the dialect. In fact, I'm certain one is in code. Would you be willing to take a look?"

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes glanced back, innocently unaware of what Makoto was suggesting.

Quicksilver Scribe 's head started up, eyes widening. "A code? Really? I haven't studied any codes in almost six months!"

Rag shook his head at Dancing Eyes. "When I catch that spawn of worm spit, I'll let you see how great a warrior and leader he is. Then see how much you want to fight for people like him."

Quicksilver Scribe lost track of the political conversation as she immersed the scholar in avid questions.

Mai-ST: He grinned back, child-like with infectious enthusiasm. "It's... well, you'd have to see it. I can't make heads or tails of it. I'm certain, though, that it's from one of the smaller magic schools of the first age."

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes shrugged, disgruntled. "So you say. I'll believe it when I see it."

Mai-ST: Jana nodded. "We should forget this nonsense or, barring that, come up with SOME sort of plan. Look, I don't know what Dancing Eyes did to get you involved, but I don't think you should feel compelled to join him." She smiled sympathetically at him, hoping to take some of the sting out of his words.

Mai-ST: Somewhat broken-hearted, Dancing Eyes shrugged.

Makoto: "It is either hang together, or hang alone. We have been seen with the resistance, as far as they are concerned, you are resistance."

Quicksilver Scribe grasped the arms of her chair and pulled herself to a standing pose, removing a cane from her belt and balancing on it carefully. "Lead me to it." Her smile was small, but bright.

Mai-ST: The scholar rose to show Quicksilver Scribe his books and in the long silence, he said "Look, if you want to stay out of sight for a day or two, you can rest here. I... well, nobody comes to visit me. I have plenty of rooms. Once the furor has died down a bit, you can return to your homes."

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes and Jana nodded with appreciation.

Quicksilver Scribe: "I'll stay. My practice can stand to be closed for a few days. I don't get too many customers anyway."

Koko closed her eyes and leaned back. "I like this chair."

Samira: "Well, um, that's rather kind of you. I don't have any scheduled engagements, so here is nice."

Rag excuses himself to the scholar, heading back out into the streets to get a nasty taste out of his mouth and releave some stress.

Koko: "It can wait until tomorrow to decide what part I take in this crazy talk."

Koko managed to shrug without actually moving.

Mai-ST: Dancing Eyes regarded Koko with the faintest glimmer of hope, but voiced nothing.

Koko: "Many shiny treasures in the houses of the Dynasts, that is for sure."

Mai-ST: The scholar nodded and smiled, delighted to have someone in his home. "Excellent. I'll prepare the rooms right away." He directed Quicksilver Scribe to the deeper part of the libary and departed to tend to the rooms.

Mai-ST: ---

Mai-ST: Night fell on the bustling city, and the final violence of the riot died down, soldiers patrolling aggressively, a one eyed dynast hunting for elusive prey. Atop a tower, a lone figure watched, eyes riveted to a lonely scholar's home. It wore a mask hiding it's features, and black armor encased its slim form. A long cloak rippled in the night wind. It glanced at the moon high above and,

Mai-ST: dropping from the tower, vanished.