[IC] Tears of Ameratsu [Feudal Fantasy Japan] [Seven Samurai/Lord of The Rings inspired]

[Astronaut Jones]

The midday sun exemplified a typical Igan summer. Bright and radiant, she shines over the provinces with a warming gaze, illuminating the hustle and bustle of a mystic country. The Hakumei caravan trekked along the merchant's path leading south into O-kuni territory. The group had met for the first time in the morning. No extravagant celebration or festival was held in their honor. No wooden idols were hung or sculptures made to bring them good fortune. When the warriors gathered for the first time, it was outside of a pig farm in the central lands of Raiden. Kotori Raiden, co-leader of the Hakumei squad, greeted them all with a very direct and informal speech that seemed forced and unnatural. The 8-foot horned oni grunted disapprovingly at her. He then stepped forward and attempted to invigorate everyone with the song of his people. Before he began, he briefly explained its significance, touching on the deep lyrics that expressed what it meant to be a true warrior. It was not a pleasantly sounding song. It could be best described more as a war cry, a loud and tonally awkward roar that ended up frightening the pigs and their farm hands. When the song was done, Gaignun tugged on the reins of his giant-scaled lizard mount and bolted down merchant's path, signaling to everyone, including Kotori Raiden, that the pleasantries were over and their journey had begun.

***

Hisaya quietly trotted along the tail end of the Hakumei caravan. Her snow colored horse had a tendency to lurch whenever she got near Gaignun's lizard mount. Nobody spoke to each other. It was mostly due to their oni leader's hurried pace that didn't allow for a casual conversation, but Hisaya liked to believe it was because everyone was still trying to process what had transpired in the morning. She frowned at the absurdity of it all, noting how informal and unprofessional her experience as a Hakumei warrior had been up to this point. Her master, the Great Kagi Lord of The Tranquil Step, explained the significance behind this task force and offered her to the cause. At the time she felt it was a great honor bestowed upon her. Those feelings are now in question. Hisaya chuckled as she thought about Gaignun's performance that scared the pigs, farmers, and even herself. Oh venerable Tranquil Step, what kind of test have you cornered me into now?

"What's funny?" Hisaya looked up and spotted Kotori Raiden staring back at her. She was dressed in dark purple lacquered armor, commanding a brown-colored mare with one hand on its rein, the other, not too far from her daisho set. The elf knew all about this woman. Who didn't? She commands a lot of respect in Igan for her warrior ways, touted as the next Judon, but Hisaya was not intimidated or starstruck. In fact, Hisaya was more surprised that Kotori was back in the tail end of the caravan and not up front with Gaignun leading the way.

"How could something so monumentally important between the relations of Oni and Human not be given a more grandiose introduction?" Hisaya spoke without emotion. "No glorious ceremony within the High Halls of Emperor Hyugan's golden palace, or summoning within the nether thrones of the Great Kagi Lords? No. Instead, we are treated to a stuffy speech and a screaming oni demon."

Kotori pulled on the reins until their mounts matched the same pace. "You wish to be sent off with high praise? Thousands, cheering for you? Flower petals raining down as the fire mages spell out your names in the skies?" She scoffed.

"Considering what's at stake, at the very least, yes." Hisaya smiled.

"Respect must be earned, Pale Spider." Hisaya took offense to her words. Kotori was a human whose entire life span is only the length of what's to be considered the child years of her people. Who was she to give sagely advice to an elf that's lived more lives than she could count?

"Indeed, human." Hisaya responded, flatly. She restrained her hidden desire to goad Kotori into a meaningless back-and-forth and opted to change the subject. "How much longer until we reach the village?"

"Soon." Kotori kicked the sides of her mare and hurried forward, passing everyone including Gaignun.

"Well, that was pleasant." Hisaya said with a deadpan voice.

[ReaptheMusic]

The meeting that morning had been half disgraceful and half loathing.

Tatsuji recalled, looking up at the oni who screamed in an unpleasant manner some sort of war cry, how he was here today.

Behind the screen, his face obscured as shadow shined prominently onto the thin paper before him which hid all but his dark silhouette from the messenger. Beside him, his accursed mask. The fire of his hair brilliantly lid up the room, and made the shadow on the screen so dark it was as though they spoke much closer than they truly were.

"Is this what the clan heads request of me?" His voice, deep and layered around a constant rumbling deep within his throat, though partially absorbed by the tatami room of his home, still was as ominous as storm in the distance.

"Yes sir." The messenger talked in a hushed tone, hiding his discomfort at the looming presence of the man before him. Tatsuji's shadow show no hair--as fire hardly casts a shadow--and every slight wrinkle of his casual kimono, worn open as most made wouldn't fit him quite right anymore. "They believe there could be benefit to your personal sake."

The room grew quiet as Tatsuji contemplated this.

"You would be paid handsomely, sir." The Messenger finished, his voice trailing off.

Still, he watched the oni screaming on through the narrow, obscuring eyeholes of the golden mask which had become his identity. Standing at 7'6, Gaignun towered over him impressively and made even Tatsuji unsettled. Upon coming here, he had gained a nod, nothing more from the leaders. Then they were off without any sort of introduction. It was as he mounted his clydesdale (the only horse accommodating to his scale and weight these days) and headed along with the others that he realized he still wasn't sure what he was doing here. Regardless, he kept his head forward in the middle of the pack, allowing his clydesdale to follow the others. He trusted this horse well enough; recalling how he had gotten her from a pair of brothers from [Europe.] She had been expensive, which is why he stole her. For all the respect and honor Tatsuji holds as his personal code, he certainly didn't feel the same honor towards foreigners. At times it paid to be a muscular fire demon.

His long ears twitched as he listened to the discussion between Raiden and the elf calling herself Pale Spider. As their discussion ended, a hearty chuckle came with a hollow echo beneath his mask. He gingerly pulled the reigns to get his mare to slow up, his arms refolding themselves as she did, trusting her to follow the group regardless of his control. He was a little ahead of Hisaya still, but close enough to have a conversation without the need to raise either of their voices. His armor, which is too small for him as an oni, left some of his body open including his hard abdomen, his arms having to have their armor straps lengthened still didn't cover a very proportionate amount of his body. Shoes couldn't even truly considered anymore. So it made for an interesting sight to see such a carefully covered face turn the Pale Spider's way, his blazen hair seeming undisturbed by the wind which blew against his thick, dark skin.

"Our party is more oni than human, Pale Spider. I am surprised you expected more than a meeting outside of a pig pen." He turned his head forward, his jaw visibly moving beneath the mask. "Perhaps it is what they believe we deserve. Still... she has a point."

[Leodiensian]

Sweet smoke drifted up from the supply caravan. Hidari's pipe was a long needle of red lacquer capped with a brass bowl, in which boiled and burned a small clump of fine resin. Neither was his, of course, not originally. But he would honestly be hard pressed to recall which raid exactly had netted him the pipe, the supply of resin, or half the trinkets that waited in his cabin back in his ship. One merchant vessel very much started to look like another after a while. As he smoked he took in the countryside, aspects of which he rarely got a good view of from the sea. The hilly road curved gently around the contours of the province, their caravan tracing along it's flank like a lover's idle finger. Hmm. Probably a few days from the nearest cathouse. He sucked a little more fiercely on the pipe.

The simple fact was that travel was boring, long stretches of very little happening. This appeared to be something of a universal truth, as applicable to caravans inland as it was to sea voyages. But what made it worse were how stuck-up and morbid the other members of Hakumeii were. Of course the mission was important, but they seemed to be using that as an excuse to not talk to each other more than they had to. Hidari ran through the long list of time-killers he'd picked up from his crew-mates; bawdy songs, knife-games, counting challenges. The elf seemed to have a stick up her fundament, so perhaps a few verses of The Maiden's Grove would poke her into doing something entertaining. Elves were so old, maybe it was even about her. He scooted a little closer to the driver of the supply caravan to make sure his voice would carry. "Oi, ji-san, let me sing you a song." He said to the older driver with a smile.

"In old Cobweb Forest / So dark and so cold / There's a maiden, I tell you / Her grove is of gold" His voice carried well as he casually recounted the old shanty which was about exactly what every shanty was about. The story of the song was about a charitable elven maiden who, naturally, was happy to offer a night's rest to the many, many travelling human men that passed through Cobweb Forest, taking them to her golden grove. And quite coincidentally, her hair was also golden. The sort of song that sailors loved to cackle about on long, woman-less nights, and come up with new, rougher verses about. He was just getting to the bit about the spearman, with his 'foe-piercing shaft' when he was able to catch sight of the elf woman's horse. Ears like that, of course she was could hear the song.

[LovelyAnastasia]

Chiyoe no Kurushime, "Tormented Thousand Generations", held her red parasol above her head, the sun filtering through it fiercely, as if a leering old man who wished to caress her pale skin. How she dislike the sun. It was too fierce, too bright and far too persistent for her tastes. It made love to the earth with such unyielding passion that it could burn and scorch it's lover. How unseemly, to say the very least.

The Hakumei caravan traveled along slowly and it was very interesting to watch the scenery go by, but quite uncomfortable for her small and delicate frame. In the master's manor (her mother's master that is, for no one would ever be her master) everything had been kept shaded, pleasant, sweet-smelling, and comfortable. A wonderful tactic on their part to try and soften her past the point of ever wanting to leave such a gilded cage.

A tactic that hadn't ever a chance of working, however. She was far too strong willed for a woman, as men always said. But perhaps that was in her nature. She very well didn't like being dictated too. Or perhaps this was all just the restless energies of youth. She was only forty-seven after all, a mere youngling to other oni and yokai kind. But traveling with a warrior party full of strangers she had only glanced to dangers unknown was hardly the folly of youth. At least for a woman, anyway.

The pig farm in the central lands of Raiden had been the most interesting thing she had seen yet, to be sure. It had smelt awful and looked even worse. Chiyoe had quite enjoyed it. The complete opposite of manor life. A sign that she was heading down the right path for sure. Kotori Raiden, co-leader of the Hakumei squad, had been everything Chiyoe had been taught not to be: tomboyish, direct, awkward, and informal. Simply wonderful. There was yet another great sign of fortune in her choice.

The 8-foot horned oni however had been curious. She hadn't much opportunity to view other oni who displayed their birthrights so physically. Her grandmother had often told her of their Iso Onna cousins, who had only the faces of women with bodies of serpents. Hari Onago, cousins as well, were not dissimilar to her fellow Nure Onago kin. With the appearance of beautiful young women, their hair was often left down and rather disheveled. Upon closer look, however, the tip of each of their hairs fitted with a needle-like barbed hook, that moved about at her will.

However, with only tales and paintings to go on, Chiyoe never could imagine the colorful appearances of her traveling companions. Or their intriguing customs, as so shown to example with war song of Gaignun that left a ringing in her ears even after they set out on their long hard journey. But she did so admire his reptilian steed. A warrior such as that might just gain her undying loyalty. It was good that both leaders of their little band had enough admirable qualities to gain respect in such a short time.

But after all the wondrous fun of the morning, the ride had grown rather tiresome upon her hind-end. But at least she was on the supplies chart. Riding sideways on a horse would have been far more uncomfortable.

The doll of an oni sat up high, where she could see all on top of the supplies chart roof, looking about with an entertained smile. Though her rouged red lips were often in a small smile. And her large eyes were always looking about, their dark depths devouring everything could. With her silk black hair pinned and styled just so, adorned with floral pins and combs, she really was the image of a doll. Even her layered kimono, though mostly black, and red obi were made of fine quality cloth. And her little feet were primly pressed together, her back straight no matter how tired and sore she became.

But it was all borrowed wealth. Well, perhaps not 'borrowed' but close to it. Her mother's master wouldn't miss what she took after all. For the most part it should have been her family's anyway, after all the awful treatment they had been subjected to. So Chiyoe simply took her small share. And it was enough for an extra, less elegant dress, parcel for her pins and sentimental trinkets, her tea set, a biwa, and just a bit more money for any emergencies. To be prepared when going out into the unknown was important after all.

Beside the two leaders, there were others of interest, of course. The Pale One,@Astronaut Jones a woman who smelt like elder oni, perhaps around her mother's age, though who could really tell among oni kind? And there was also a fire-haired swordsman oni,@ReaptheMusic who was all but covered head to toe in ill-fitting armor. And a human male.@Leodiensian Chiyoe wrinkled her nose. She was not overly fond of human males. Sweet smoke drifted up from the supply caravan. And then he started to sing a most crude and vulgar song. No, she was not overly fond of human men. Especially this one.

"If you would, please," her voice was youthful and sweeter than spring sake drunk under a sakura tree, "I would be most appreciative if you did not smoke by our supplies." She pulled her legs beneath her, wooden geta clacking on roof of the supply cart. Chiyoe lifted up a delicate and nimble hand, her slender fingers pressed together in elegance, much like a fine dancer about to begin their show. "A fire inside with our valuables would be upsetting," she overturned her hand, the boiling pipe's water leaving out through the resin in the form of mist. Hopefully it took the awful resin with it. "Do you not agree?" She flickered her fingers, the lock of mist coiling through the air like a snake to dance at her leisure. It was hardly what she wished to say, but it seemed the best course of action at the moment.

"And you are most ill-skilled in singing," Chiyoe added drily, her red lips in a pressed flower smile of wry amusement.

[Stitches]

The little girl’s head bobbed dozily with every sway of Gaignun’s giant lizard. She was sat right behind the oni, but the size difference made it difficult to tell whether or not Gaignun even knew she was there – and from time to time, it looked like she might fall off without him noticing. She had said nothing, done nothing but glower and sulk in the midday sunshine. She practically leant on Gaignun’s shins during the initial meeting, and even during the terse, silent journey she seemed to be pressing her tiny body as close to the oni as possible.

Of course, barely anyone would’ve understood why the little oni did what she did; only those from the bustling port towns of the east would recognise a Zashiki Warashi when they see one. It was the midday sun that was causing all of the hassle...Zashiki felt it beating down on her skin, it hurt in the back of her eyesockets and the headache was intolerable. It was noon when Zashiki was the most tranquil she could be. Her internal body clock told her it was long past her bedtime, and with the abominable sunlight shining it was practically impossible to remain focused. With a sigh, she pressed her forehead against Gaignun’s battle armour, feeling particularly exposed in her thin, ragged shorts and sleeveless tunic. Whether or not her travelling companion was sympathetic to Zashiki’s plight was unknown, but she had noticed that he walked a lot slower when the shadows shortened compared to the rest of the days she had spent with him.

A brief murmur of conversation from the back barely registered with Zashiki; she was particularly against striking conversation in her current state, and seemed to be keeping quite the distance from Tatsuji. Were it not for the loud and bawdy song which erupted from the general vicinity of the supply caravan, it was likely Zashiki would have continued sulking until the very end of the mission. Instead her head swivelled around, revealing her inky and inquisitive eyes. It didn’t take long for her to smile, and that smile revealed two neat rows of jet-black, shark-like teeth. The girl gave Gaignun two feeble punches to the back (given her size, it was likely the only way to have caught the towering oni’s attention), muttered something to him and promptly fell off and under the giant lizard, undoubtedly crushed as the beast put its foot down where she should have landed.

Only there was no sign of her presence; she appeared to have vanished under the lizard and out of existence entirely. It was only when Chiyoe made an idle remark about Hidari’s singing prowess did a loud, childish and ever-so-slightly grating voice explode from the gloomy depths of the supply caravan; Zashiki had somehow managed to appear on the edge of a crate, camouflaged seamlessly in the shadows. “OHHHhhh, I don’t think his singing is THAT bad!” she cried, almost certainly too loud for any decent conversation. It had to be intentional, some sort of signal or code, since her volume dropped to a more tolerable (but still irritating) volume immediately afterwards. “But I guess a song about whores might upset a Kitsune,” continued the little creature innocently. She flashed her smile at the human once more, but in the darkness it looked more like a menacing grin.

“Human, human, why’d you join the Hakumei? This is no samurai taskforce.” Zashiki barely gave Chiyoe a moment to respond to her wry remark; her raspy, grating voice took on a singsong quality as if she openly teased Hidari, leaning as far forward as she could whilst avoiding that sharp, clear line of sunlight in the end of the caravan. “This is no brothel, human, I can’t see any golden groves, not a lot of gold here at all...” Zashiki trailed off and looked upwards, at the flicker of a red parasol. “...Unless you knew where to look. Is that why you joined, human? You sing like the port-town man but dress like a merchant, where you from, human?”

The barrage of questions seemed to go on for an age, but stopped just as suddenly as they started when the caravan went over a ditch. The light shifted back and the oni stopped talking as her face was put into sharp relief, revealing the chubby cheeks, rounded eyes and pouty lips of a toddler. It was as if she expended a short burst of energy and the sudden distraction threw her momentum as her head tilted and came to rest on the adjacent storage container; Zashiki still stared down at Hidari eagerly, but her body language clearly displayed the exhaustion that she was poorly hiding.

[Astronaut Jones]

Hisaya stared at the oddity before her, more perplexed by his appearance than the words uttered beneath his mask. "What are you?" She became transfixed by this being, her eyes squinting as if trying to pinpoint a fleeting memory. "Your spirit casts a demon's scent, yet it wreaks of human." She raised her hand and began drumming her index and middle fingers against the side of her mouth, a 700 year old force of habit whenever she found herself lost in thought. "I've come across such peculiar spirits in my time. Mangy, unruly. Often found dueling from within between their past life and the shell that confines them." Her gaze fell onto his mask as she clicked her tongue. "Perhaps you're right. Our traveling circus has no business within the great halls of human or oni. Let us shine in the soot of pig sty shantytowns and rile in the filth of our coming legacy."

Her elf ears picked up on an all too familiar medley. "In old Cobweb Forest / So dark and so cold / There's a maiden, I tell you / Her grove is of gold" She galloped ahead to match the pace of the caravan until she was at its side. With a smile she continued, "She gives and she gathers/ And leaves men in tatters/ Their insides - they scatter/ As they're hung from the rafters/" Hisaya let out a chuckle. "Oh, I haven't heard that song in decades." Her version was quite different, and very popular among Elven women. It was derived from an actual tale about a witch assassin who lured weary travelers to their deaths. It was also one of her many favorite songs to sing back when she tortured humans to fuel her chaos magic. She gazed longingly into the distance as nostalgia resurfaced, but as her thoughts fell on those dark times, the talisman around her neck sent a small jolt through her, forcing her to shake away those memories and focus on her pilgrimage.

The singing man was suddenly bombarded with comments and questions from a Zashiki and a young oni woman with a peculiar scent. She listened to their banter for awhile before loosening the grip of her reins, falling back to the fiery haired oni she conversed with from earlier. "You might not want to get any closer to that caravan, unless you want to get your hair put out." Hisaya nodded over to the oni girl swirling mist with her hands. She felt the mana force of her power flowing in the air. Hisaya envied her, wishing that she could feel that rush of ethereal energy coursing through her veins once more. The talisman hummed in objection.

[ReaptheMusic]

Hideaki Tatsuji

---

Tatsuji watched the elf oni contemplate his existence in silence, his expression utterly unreadable through his golden mask. Then she went on ahead, picking up the shanty that the human had begun. Though invisible past his barrier, a smile was palpably coming from the fire oni as he rode along, catching up to them slowly from behind before the imp of an oni bombarded them. At that moment, the aqua oni with her beautiful red parasol began to chastise the human for smoking. Before he could contemplate what to say, Hisaya fell back in line with Tatsuji, who rode not far behind the supply wagon at this point.

"You might not want to get any closer to that caravan, unless you want to get your hair put out." She said, apparently keeping her eye on the woman who rode with the supplies. Up until this moment, Tatsuji had made a valiant effort not to stare at the absolute beauty of the water oni. In those long hours holed up in his home, waiting for orders to be given, he had dedicated his time to studying other oni. When in Rome, as the saying goes. The fact that her kind was here and not locked away as a prize or living free spirited by the rivers told him all he really needed to know. Thus, despite her enchanting appearance and the subsequent tightening of the armor that was already so small on him at the sight of her, he had done his best to steer clear. At this moment, he allowed himself to gaze up at her from behind, a sigh stifled by his own sense of logic. He turned to look at Hisaya through his mask which betrayed only the emotion that was carefully carved into it upon its conception.

"The woman could stab my heart at this moment and I'd still sing her praises. Any woman giving myself attention would receive the same so long as I can look at the flustered face she makes before I perish. Hahaha..." There was an edge of humor to the deep rumbling of his voice which echoed beneath the mask as he admitted his perverse needs. "My fire will not harm our resources; still, the lady is against my existence. I will falter."

He gently pulled at the reigns, taking into assumption that she was also concerned about him if just a bit of contained embers bothered her so. Falling behind the caravan by a step, he turned his attention to the sky. It hadn't been long since they began. Perhaps they would reach their destination by sundown.

[Leodiensian]

Susano Hidari

If the prophet cannot come to the mountain, Hidari thinks to himself as a long-legged thing plonks her way down the supply caravan toward him. Perhaps his mind went to courtesans because, frankly, that's where it always was but her dress had a lot of that about her. So impractical for the journey, long and elegant. Dressing to impress, and with how long it takes to get all dolled up like that she knew exactly what she was doing. Certainly a far cry from him with his ratty topknot, his thin facial hair, his sea-tanned skin and sturdy, practical clothes. As if he didn't hear any of her comments, he reached over and broadly slapped the wood of the cabin directly next to him. "Sit, sit! We'll share the pipe."

It was at this point Hidari apparently became the most popular person in the world, the centre of attention and relished in it. Holding an arm out to the geisha in a "come here so I can put my arm around you" sort of manner, the other arm tapping out the soaked resin and putting in a new daub and lighting, as if choosing to politely ignore that the geisha had molested his person with magic, he was suddenly onset by a barrage of questions by an oni that looked like some sort of infant, with a fat face and impetuous manner and, to his credit, the pirate was firing back in kind. "Whores? Who said anything about whores? It's about elves, our gracious friends! Are you calling elves whores? Hoi, madam, you hear the mouth on this young one. She says elves are whores." If the idea of a point-toohed smile smile was supposed to be scary, it was clearly aimed at the wrong human; Hidari knew exactly how to kill oni. The same way he killed everything else. "Who thought it was a good idea to bring their baby along? Is she yours?" He turns to the geisha. "She's not yours, is she? No, you look like you'd do a much better job at raising children than whoever had her. You'd have beautiful, respectful children. Sit, sit. Maybe play along with the biwa?"

He sucks on the pipe, which was like putting it out but a bit slower, and let a low steady stream of smoke flow out from his rips like a river flow, or the coiling of a dragon. He seemed to enjoying the elf's take on the song but then suddenly, sharply yelled "Hoi there, what's the point of wasting a century learning to sing if you just forget the words? What a waste of immortality. Go back to whoever taught you music and tell them that they taught you wrong, it was a funny joke, but you'd actually like to learn for real this time, hah?" He cackled sharply at that. The pipe's back in his mouth now, still humming to the melody as he fills his lungs with scented smoke. As he lets the next lungful out, he ponders at how it seemed the female oni were flocking to him but the males were staying away, or had their eyes on the road. Maybe the song really is about how oni are "man-eaters", part of him cackles internally, though obviously some would be better at getting their 'prey' than the baby. Well, I guess she could catch a certain type of man..

He cups a calloused hand to his mouth and calls up ahead to the caravan. "HOOOOOOI! HOW MUCH FURTHER?"

[Arthanus]

"Meeting with a group of Oni at a pig farm in the middle of nowhere?" Lyn said out loud to herself to hear if it sounded as crazy as she had thought. And she was right it sounded crazy, insane in fact it sounded like a trap. She would spend the next few hours of her journey trying to convince her master to turn back and not fall into this ploy. But determined to see out his duty they pressed on. Her arrival at the pig farm didn't put her at ease in any way.

From a quick glance it was easy to tell this Hakumei squad was made up of a majority of Oni, almost as if the humans had been an afterthought. The two leaders of the squad gave their speeches, Kotori's seeming uneasy but as a warrior she was known for her strength, not her moving speeches, and Gaignun's "Speech" if you could call it that was exactly what she expected from an Oni, bellows of a beast of war meant to terrify one's opponent. After the leaders had had their talks the group was on its way.

Lyn sat upon her Chestnut colored horse staying a few steps behind Yoshitsune watching the group, studying. She had fought many Oni in her time, but Lyn never really took the time to stop and talk to them before ending their existence. Starting from the obvious choice there was Gaignun a massive monster of a beast for lack of a better word, it was clear this one would be quite a fight if she was forced to try and put this thing down. Next was the Elf Hisaya whom of the group seemed the most human of the Oni, but she was still an Oni and Lyn didn't really have an idea of what she would be capable of if push came to shove. Then there was the flaming swordsman, Tatsuji, he too seemed human and his aura was close to that of one. perhaps this one had been a human at one point, maybe even with a chance of redemption. The next Oni almost passed for a human Geisha, but her aura and her flaunting of her control over water clearly gave it away. This one would be physically weak and if needed Lyn was sure she could put that one down if she was able to get in close enough. The final one was some shadow creature and for all Lyn tried she couldn't think of a good way to counter this beast aside from its natural enemy of light. This creature worried Lyn, if things were to go wrong it was very likely this creature would be able to finish off the small human group before they even knew what hit them.

Lyn sat there thinking to herself, she wasn't exactly leaking killing intent, but it was clear she was cautious and a bit uneasy around the Oni. She listened to the conversations noticing that even the Oni were trying to be nice to the humans in a way, more like playing with ones food, but she was still cautious her Naginata beside her watching for any attack that might be made on her master.

[Astronaut Jones]

Hisaya could barely make out the human's long-winded and clumsy rant aimed in her direction. It fell flat and awkward, but he seemed to enjoy it as he was the only one laughing. "Yes, I'll go and do that." She shrugged, responding with about as much indifference and enthusiasm as a stone wall. "Meanwhile, you can go to whoever taught you jokes and tell them to commit seppuku, young one. Your banter is more stale than the resin in your pipe."

"QUIET! ALL OF YOU!" Gaignun's guttural roar was like a pack of angry tigers. It was so fierce that the trees around the caravan swayed from its powerful volume. He stood before them, halting their progress down merchant's path. His lizard mount was large, almost the size of two horses - if they were also pulling a supply cart. Its long purple tongue flickered into the air, bulbous eyes darting about. For a moment it appeared as though the oni demon was about to yell at them for their obnoxious behavior. The driver of the supply cart was getting ready to rise and bow with sincerest apologies, but Gaignun raised his palm to further drive the much needed silence he so demanded. There was nothing. Only wind and birds chirping and-

"Help!" It came from a distance, away from the path and into the forest from the left side of the caravan. Little frantic steps could be heard, followed by a distant rumble that gradually shook the forest all around them. Kotori joined Gaignun at his side with sword unsheathed. The oni demon dismounted from his lizard, bringing out the long axe slung behind him. Gaignun's eyes stared deep into the shadowy tree lines until he felt the frenzied beats of a little human heart.

A small figure tumbled onto the road. A boy, no younger than 10, stood shirtless wearing a helmet with the Ameratsu crest on it.

"Boy, what's happened? Who's chasing you?" Kotori dismounted, noticing the blood dripping down his right eye. The thunderous sound of something fast approaching grew louder. The kid turned back to face the forest he came from and pointed.

From 100 feet away the tree line toppled over as three colossal amalgamations of oak and demon came stampeding toward the caravan. They were at least 10 feet tall, growling wickedly as their claws ravaged everything in sight. Kotori stood in front of the boy, who was then picked up by Gaignun and placed on top of his mount. Long axe in hand, he charged forward and slashed down at the first monster that came out from the brush. The edge of his blade slammed into its horned skull, but it wasn't sharp enough to penetrate through. The impact, however, made the monster roar in pain. It slashed maniacally at Gaignun, who then proceeded to slam his right fist into its eye. The crackling blow caused the monster to stumble and lose balance.

"Let's see what you deadbeats are made of!!!" Kotori yelled at the Hakumei, diving in along with the oni leader and struck at the beast's legs, forcing it backward. The other two pounced onto the road. One slammed into the supply cart, while the other flanked the tail end of the caravan, claws as long as short blades digging at anything it could feast on.

"Your weapons can't pierce their skin!" The boy cried out. "Go for their eyes!"

[LovelyAnastasia]

Chiyoe let the water from his pipe from mist to its liquid form, enjoying how it would snake about her fingers in a long thread. The little child-like looking oni made her painted lips turn down slightly, but other than that she didn’t react very much. Perhaps an untrained ear thought his human voice wasn’t so bad, but for some reason Chiyoe found everything about him…grating. And the oni that could pass for a child: even more annoying. Insinuating that she were nothing better than a courtesan or brothel worker! She would never end up like that! She’d rather break the treaty than end up like her shell of a mother, a mockery of everything it was to be Nure-Onna!

Her grandmother always said that she had more of a temper than was fashionable, but that it would dull with time. And she was young, as far as oni aging went. But that was a reasonable root of her power. When she was aged, her power would stem from knowledge and experience. But for now, she was all raw energy and sparking tempered-inexperience. With a raised head, an almost haughty smirk, she contemplated giving the tiny irritating oni a good whip with the water that coiled about her fingers. Now that would be amusing.

The very definite impression of being watched crossed over her skin. Someone was watching her. The corner of her mouth tilted slightly. Why did it seem that everyone had such a low opinion of her? That she was just some weakling dressed in finery, with no comprehension of battle, and merely there for their amusement? Her? An entertainer? Quite wrong, indeed.

Looking over at the elven-oni female and the flaming warrior who rode by her, she stared intently at both of them, wondering why they were discussing her when she was in plain sight. But it was just shallow advice given on assumptions to the fire-warrior. And if they would not ask her of her own opinion about her opinion on his being near the supplies, then she would not reply. But her deep gaze did stay on him with some curiosity for a moment longer than proper, before turning her attentions back to the crude and vulgar human male.

Her entertainment for them? Hardly. This was her entertainment. The amount of rage she had inside her was destructive. And this caravan voyage was to be her outlet for decades of anger. Well, they’d see her true self soon enough. And who cared what they thought of her anyway? Odds being what they were, many of them would hardly cross paths in the future. She looked at the human female examining each oni with alerted caution from her horse. And some of their party would be dead in a few decades anyway.

Standing on the roof of the supply cart, she fixed narrow eyes on the human male. Thinly veiled disgust formed on her doll-like features. He thought her a geisha for his amusement! Arrogant mortal. And what’s more he thought that the oni who appeared in a child-like way was her offspring! Revolting, insulting, insufferable low-life! Why she should send his pipe’s water up his nose, down into his body and squeeze his stuttering heart till it burst! Her eyes glowed red, but her face didn’t betray her anger at the moment, except for narrowing eyes. “Revolting,” she murmured softly, the water spearing into the wood by his leg, like an arrow, before turning back into lifeless liquid. She turned her head and began to ignore him.

A booming voice shot through the air like thunder, making Chiyoe turn her head in the giant of an Oni, dropping down on bent knees, her free hand pressed to the roof. The supply cart shuddered with the force of that voice. The Nure Onago was perfectly still, red parasol on her shoulder, eyes scanning for any sign of danger. Everything was still for those few moments, the giant aka oni glaring at the caravan party. But Chiyoe heard it.

A young voice or perhaps a woman's voice crying out for help. She looked up in alert, like a cat who's attention had been drawn. Footsteps were racing towards them. And then the rumble of the ground. Narrowing her eyes, they glowed a deep violent red. They waited. A boy stumbled out onto the road, shirtless and young, wearing a rather wonderful helmet. A helmet far too above his social standing. And there the crest of Ameratsu lay. Just what was going on?

The Nure Onago didn't wait for the mortal child's response, her head snapping over to the rumbling crash through the forest line where the boy had emerged. From 100 feet away, the tree line toppled over and very large demon came stampeding toward the caravan. Ten feet tall and enraged. Her eyes darted down to the helmet the boy wore, the mortal now seated on Gaignun's reptilian steed. It was Gaignun charged first. It was a fearsome display on the aka oni's part. Very impressive. Chiyoe's respect for him grew.

The beast was felled and one of it's legs slammed into the supply chart. Chiyoe's grimaced and jumped into the air. Everyone else could deal with the beast. But humans needed to eat and stay warm at night, and all of them needed the weapons, so she took it upon herself to protect the supplies. Thrusting a hand out, she took water from the felled trees and put them to use in securing the chart before any real damage could be done to it's innards. Pushing it safely off to the side, her feet settling gracefully onto the earth, her glowing red eyes went to the boy. Leave it to her to take the side of the oni beast and lay suspicion on a human child but...

How did he know the beastly oni's weaknesses?

[CGinger]

The grey-skinned Oni rode at the back of the group and said absolutely nothing to the group so far, and quite frankly, he did not feel the need to make conversation. Merely listening was enough for the warrior. However, opinions were forming already. It did seem that there were way more "Oni", as they were called in Igan, than humans, and even though it has been four years of being in the land, he still felt that there were negative connotations when other folk called him that. However, that was the will of the people of this land and that this will be the way it was going to stay for a very long time. The party of Hakumei was hurried off quickly in the morning after the "enthralling" motivational speech from Gaignun and Kotori Raiden, the leaders of the caravan convoy.

The other members were rather an interesting lot. First of all, there was Tatsuji, the Fire Swordsman. He seemed very stoic, however it seemed that being the Oni Swordsman was not always the case. A raging fire was bestowed onto this fellow Warrior, and perhaps not entirely by choice. Secondly, there was Hidari, the White Bolt. Word travelled of a Pirate who terrorized the seas with an eagle eye to accompany him. He seemed more... rowdy than the rest, and despite the accompanying tale of his recent formal acknowledgement of being a real Susano, it seemed that the prestige carried by this name had not exactly caught up to the bowman. The next character that struck Tamotsu was Chiyoe, a female Oni. Her form was quite beautiful, and you'd be hardpressed to even tell she was an Oni. However, it seemed she seemed to demand respect more than earn it, and pride comes before the fall. Next was an elven woman, Hisayo "The Pale Spider", and it certainly seemed that there was more than meets the eye to this lady, and Tamotsu believed that her past was not as white as her skin. The next member was Lyn, the Spirit Hunter. It troubled Tamotsu deeply that she bared this kind of untrustful aura, even though the party was specifically picked and not some ragtag group of mercenaries. The final member was a shadow creature, which appeared female, and he believed this creature was named Zashiki.

However, these peaceful thoughts were suddenly cut off by the new and sudden trial that appeared on the roadside. The cries of the boy soldier was quickly drowned out by the roars of three giant Oni creatures. As Tamotsu was at the very rear, he was forced to deal with the foe who charged into the rear. Tamotsu quickly pulled on the reigns, rearing the horse back. Tamotsu quickly dismounted his oak coloured horse, and immediately drew his Chokuto. Gaignun's commands and the boy's warning about the thick hide of the barbaric creatures were heard. Tamotsu's ghostly yet calming voice could finally be heard by EVERYONE.

"We outnumber the creatures, attacking in groups would be the best chance for success..."

Tamotsu held the hilt with both hands, and stood ready for the creature to come back around. Soon enough, the creature had turned on it's heels and saw Tamotsu. Tamotsu's stance was wide, and his sword was kept low, the tip facing the creature. The green monster stomped forward and made a swipe for the Wandering Swordsman. Tamotsu sidestepped, having to grind his sword against the razor sharp claws itself, which were very close to having the Oni being gorged on them if it wasn't for the quick block. Tamotsu stared down the creature with his one eye. Even with the telepathy, it seemed like making contact with these creatures were pointless. Tamotsu liked to think himself skilled, but he'd certainly require the support of his comrades against the giant.

[Leodiensian]

Susano Hidari

The impact of the massive thing landing so close to the supply caravan rocked the rickety wooden thing like a fierce, white-crested wave slamming against the hull of a small, helpless boat, sending those poor souls aboard staggering for balance. It could be difficult, even nauseating, to no longer be able to rely on the solidity, the stability, of good earth under your feet. To be a seaman was to learn to adjust, but to be a great seaman was to make instability a part of your self, to make it the environment in which you were most comfortable. Which is all very fancy and philosophical, but is basically why Hidari was able to keep smoking his pipe when he hit the oni in the eye with a knife. It was nothing fancy, just a kozuka utility knife kept in the small groove of his sword's tsuba hand-guard, but it did the job admirably. Hidari had been rising as his left hand gripped the sheath of his blade and his right went down as if to draw and then blurred up as if in an iajutsu quick-draw strike - but when it was slow enough again to be seen, it was empty. The sword was still where it was. The knife, the one he used for peeling apples, was now splitting an oni eyeball neatly down the middle.

"Hoi, y'er a big beastie, in'cha?" Hidari's voice was never the smoothest, the most sophisticated, but apparently whatever he was saying before was his idea of 'talking posh' because the new accent was pure back-alley gutter trash. Sharp, nasal, piercing. He was rolling back inside the supply caravan not as a retreat, but to come back brandishing a bow and arrow. As the geisha's magic yanked the caravan away to safety Hidari rolled with the motion, dropping off the mobile cart and hitting the dirt just ahead of the half-blind ogre's retaliatory strike. "Gorra do betta than that, ya stinkin' wazzock. Come at me, brah! Haha!"

He slapping the yumi's haft against the ogre's rump like a flirtatious courtesan as he wheeled around into its blind spot, poking and prodding and yelling obscenities to draw it away. It was huge, inhumanly powerful - and down an eye. That was all the edge Hidari needed. "Don' worry luv, I got this one, eh!" he called to Chiyoe - and to the ogre, to let it know where he was. As he rolled away from the blind, lashing strike and kept in the thing's blind spot he carried on. "Thissun's not so fierce, are ya, boy? Mebbe al' pop a leash round yer neck and teach ya to piss 'gainst the trees! C'mon, boy!" Hidari danced back, firing an infuriating shot into the softer meat at the beast's armpit when it raised an arm to strike. He rolled away again, leading the ogre towards him with clear killing intent. That's right, boy, all eyes on me. All one eyes. Show me the beauty, eh?

[Arthanus]

Lyn was almost happy when Gaignun stopped the caravan, the constant bickering and merrymaking was starting to get on her nerves. But what happened next wasn't exactly what Lyn would of expected, the beast Gaignun moved to help the boy who appeared from the woods before the beasts burst out. Lyn's focus instantly snapped to the beasts and it was clear from Gaingnun's first strike that this would not be a simple fight. She watched as one of the beasts attempted to circle around the group. She pulled on her reigns to charge the beast.

The creature Tamotsu had the beast's attention as Lyn approached, giving Lyn a perfect opportunity to attack. She charged forward weapon in hand, but instead of attacking with her Naginata Lyn raised up her left hand. "Stone Tortoise First Skill: Stone Shell!" she yelled as a stone shell starts to form in front of her and her horse. The shell slammed into the creature and the impact nearly knocked Lyn from her horse but the impact would throw the beast off balance.

"Hit it now! before it can recover!" She yelled out hoping one of the team would take advantage of the slight opening she created.

[ReaptheMusic]

Hideaki Tatsuji

@Arthanus@CGinger@LovelyAnastasia@Leodiensian

---

The mask on the 7'6" demon betrayed nothing at the incoming slew of monsters that suddenly barraged towards them as the sequel to the appearance of a young boy and his noble samurai helmet. As chaos quickly ensued, Tatsuji quickly slung off the back of his clydesdale and hit her on the rump towards the direction of the caravan to get her hopefully out of the way. As his steed hurried away, terrified by the gruesome creatures lurching around them, his swords were drawn. A certain commanding voice rang in his head, which is why when he turned his head to the one eyed oni that had been silently following them--Tatsuji had mildly wondered at one point if he was truly among their team or if he was just following them for the sake of doing so--met his blade to the claws of one of the creatures. With a grunt, Tatsuji sprang forward with two blades drawn, his Wakizashi bouncing on his hip as he ran, the beast having been knocked back by the power of Lyn's blow. The dark chocolate skin on the rippling muscles of his arms shimmered in the light of Tatsuji's fire as the came around on either side of the much thinner oni, his body briefly spooning Tamotsu's from behind as his two blades impaled the eyes of the opposing creature attempting to take a strike at the one eye'd oni. Blood gushed from his two heated blades as the much larger, more muscular oni vaulted over Tamotsu and onto the shoulders the creature who shrieked, falling backwards with Tasuji crouched on his muscular form while he removed his offensive blades from the garish beast's face. Kicking off of the falling creature before it hit the ground, Tatsuji rolled in the direction of the Caravan, his palm hitting flat on the ground.

Despite being so large and muscular, so technically impractical in attire with human-sized samurai armor bound to his body as best as he could have possibly equip them, there was no doubt that this otherwise brutish appearing oni moved with all the grace and precision of a highly trained samurai. The dust still hadn't settled when he turned his attention to the caravan that had been carefully put back into place by the oni who had enchanted him entirely. When he noticed a beast lunging out for her, it wasn't from doubt of her abilities that he once again leapt forward, his blades drawn out to his sides as the fire oni slammed his body weight into the 10 foot tall monster. The momentum carried their bodies to the edge of the wide road where they both fell over to the steep cliff's edge. Tatsuji instinctively leapt out a clawed hand, still managing to take hold of his blades, and managed to catch the edge of the cliff. The creature, on the other hand, scrambled and thrust its hand out, its claws raking down Tatsuji's thick Oni skin and then finding a grip on his thick, muscular leg as it snarled. The cut had elicited a groan from the fire oni as he jutted his chin upwards, sensing he would not be able to deal with the situation without needing to let go of the ledge to the steep drop below. The option to climb the few dozen feet back up would be simple, were it not for the At this moment, he recalled the pirate singing the shanty above and his talents. Thus, he called out to him in the only name he knew for the human.

"Mikaboshi!"

[Stitches]

Zashiki listened to Hidari return the favour and barrage her with questions. It amused her, and the little grin returned to her features. It was like a game – the grating, high-pitched giggle punctuated his questions. “Baby? I’m no baby. Far from it, in fact – I’m probably older than you. Whose good idea was it? It was Gaignun’s, not mine. I didn’t sign up for this. No, I’m not hers; I don’t want to be associated with people like her. You talk a lot, human. Why is th-“

Gaignun’s bellowing roar immediately silenced the irritating brat; she flinched instinctively and seemed to lift into the air slightly as the caravan rocked from the blow. Gingerly lowering her arms, Zashiki held onto the supply caravan as she peered out towards Gaignun, looking a bit perplexed. With a weary sigh, Zashiki disappeared back into the confines of the supply caravan...and crawled out from under the giant lizard. She did not climb back onto the animal’s back but instead stood in the sunlight, one hand over her forehead, squinting up at Gaignun expectantly. She didn’t even shift her gaze to the boy when he broke through the treeline and sprinted towards the taskforce. She ignored Kotori as she dismounted and tended to the boy, and she smiled when she heard the trees crash and tumble in the woods. “Orders?” Zashiki asked seethingly, a malicious smirk playing on her face.
Gaignun ran right past her to grab the boy and place him onto the lizard. Zashiki mock-bowed; “As you wish master,” she continued mockingly before crawling under the lizard and disappearing once more. Tamotsu called out a strategy, but the little oni had already vanished. She was sitting in the tree branches, watching the chaos from far above. “I can’t do anything!” she called out apologetically to the hulking form of Gaignun battling the beasts below. “Too sunny, I’m afraid!”

Another childish giggle escaped her lips as she fell backwards from the branches and re-appeared deeper in the woods, further away from the battle. She kept incredibly still and listened; there was no way those massive Oni could slip through the trees without breaking a few.

[Leos Klien]

Kujitsawa no Yoshitsune

Yoshtisune had been travelling for a few score days now - heading to the village named O-kuni, he was about to finally work with Oni, something that for a great deal of time he never thought he’d do.
Taking a quick glance at his companion - Lyn; the thought crossed his mind that she was an exception, truly a blessing in disguise was the Spirit warrior that appeared all those years ago as a wandering Ronin, now his most trusted advisor and most respected retainer…
No.
Samurai - she had earned that title, if not officially.

O-kuni village offered many things that Yoshitsune thought impossible, that was mainly a working relationship between human and Oni, when one spends their life seeing what the worst the Oni race (as broad as it was) had to offer then your outlook on what they can do when working with humans is not bright, he knew, that the second he would appear there with these Oni, he would sleep with his blade above his pillow, something he hasn’t done since he recruited Lyn.
Trying times awaited him, maybe he’d finally learn something redeeming from this race, or then again, maybe he’d be fighting them as he has done with so many others if this was the case, he’d not be the first to strike, he must honour the Emperor's will, they are his allies, up until the moment they turn.
It was not a matter of “if”, simply when.

It took a few more days of travel before Yoshitsune arrived at O-kuni village, It… was not was he was expecting, especially when it came to depart with the entirety of the band.
The village itself was humble, small and had probably remained the same in structure and presence for well over a century, as if stuck in time; the country was littered with villages such as these but for such a great and momentous occasion to occur in one of them, this is what struck him as odd.
However the thought was soon removed from mind after the introduction from a large Oni - standing at least 8 foot, if not taller; the horns that adorned his head only magnified this height further.
Yoshitsune spat upon the muddy ground with a look of distaste plastered on his face; the filthy creature gave out orders that came from the descendant of the Gods themselves - not word for word, the beast simplified the words and spoke in a frank and base manner.
No loyal Human would ever so much as dare do anything of the like, least of all in the presence of a Kujitsawa.

After the Oni performed his song, that Yoshitsune recognised as a war ballad, or at least an Oni representation of one it appeared that the creature knew that death was on the horizon, battles to be fought and won - or may death claim each and every one of them.
A sentiment that Yoshitsune could respect, the Oni was a warrior, through and through - in time it may earn a Warrior's respect.

----

Yoshitsune spent much of the next few hours in silence, he didn’t even talk to his companion, Lyn.
He was busy analysing his “allies”, the term was loose and weak however, these Oni which is what mainly comprised the group could hardly be called allies at the minute.

Firstly, there was the Oni named Hideaki Tatsuji - a demon that radiated an intense heat and flames billowing from his head and his shoulders.
Something that was naturally weak to the element of water; or was it - if the heat exerted a high enough temperature, water would merel become steam, effectively becoming harmless.
But if deprived of air, like any other breathing living creature this thing would suffer immensely - something worthy of note for the future, to aid against, or to use against him, depending on his affiliation down the line.
Personality wise, Yoshitsune did not mind this one, he was not arrogant or hostile, he appeared to be quite calm and almost human like in nature and emotion.

Next was the Elf, breed of Oni that were elusive and flighty - creatures that heavily resembled humans in not just looks but actions, culture and emotion.
This specific Elf was one that Yoshitsune was not unfamiliar with, old, bordering ancient the “Pale Spider” was as beautiful as she was deadly- like the horned one, a Oni worthy of respect in regards as a warrior - Yoshitsune would love to clash blades against this one, a sparring match would be fun.
But to fight to the death, there would be few who would match in comparison for the greatest fight in all of the realm; part of Yoshitsune wanted the “Pale Spider” to turn on the Emperor's wishes merely so Yoshitsune could have his desires fulfilled.

Three more Oni graced the ranks of this group - Zasiki Warashi, a small almost child like Oni that was pitch black, it made the fabled Hattori Ninjas of the southern mountain ranges look like amateurs in blending in with the night.
She looked like a child, yes, and she acted like one too- the battles ahead would hopefully hammer some responsibility and maturity into this one.
The motives of a child are hard to pinpoint, which makes them unpredictable - something Yoshitsune didn’t like.
The other female oni was was easily the most “suspicious” of the group - Chiyoe no Kurushime…
A sad name filled with harrowing presumptions of ones past, or, future.
One could easily mistake her for a human lady; not a Geisha; she held an air above her that even the boldest of Geishas didn’t.
It wasn’t an air of superiority as such, but rather an air nonchalance and mixed with a grave distaste for many things; sorrow was not something that was alien to, that was what Yoshitsune felt.

She lacked the ability to turn on this group in his opinion, she would abandon it; but not betray it, whether or not this was for better or for worse - time would tell.

The final Oni was horned; but easily its most distinctive feature was its single, large eye - almost as if it were a bullseye for an archer plastered to a stick figures head.
That was the best way to describe this Oni - it lacked the commanding strength that the Oni leader of the group held.
He looked unintimidating and weak; but Yoshitsune knew more than most, looks can be deceiving., and most Oni employ this tactic to their advantage.
Yoshitsune would have to keep his eyes firmly fixed on this one.

Then.
There was the human.... Out of all the possible candidates, it was quite literally one of the worst - a common, base raider type - he was on the surface as generic as the hordes of bandits that Yoshitsune had already killed when they preyed upon the weak and defenceless, this man was no doubt a similar type in that element.
He shied away from those who offered a real challenge and killed those whom could not do anything to defend themselves with - if the orders of the Emporer didn’t hold him back, the next time this “man”; if you could call him one, would fall by Yoshitsunes blade.
His head a trophy.

Then finally there was the graceful Raiden Kotori, a woman demanding of respect, a blessing that she is amongst the ranks of this group, which can only really be described as ragtag.

(tbc when I’m not tired)

[LovelyAnastasia]

((sorry, got antsy and couldn't wait any longer))

Chiyoe no Kurushime pushed her hand through the air, like a kabuki dancer mimicking the slicing blade of a sword. Her delicate pale fingers were so gracefully place, so careful in their design, that the water under her control moved with fluid ease through the air. Ah good, the caravan was safe. Nothing worse than losing all you own, or so she believed was true, since this is often when complaining farmers said to great warlords when asking them for defense or revenge.

But other than save their supplies, the dollish oni did nothing more against the beastly creature. Why should she? Her red eyes fixed on the suspicious boy. Every story had two sides, did it not? And she didn't believe that just any beast would wish to chase after such small, meaningless prey. It didn't make much sense, after all. Why waste so much time and energy trying to capture a mouse, when you could spend your time hunting a deer? Unless, of course, said mouse happen to lead you to a herd of deer...

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at the boy in the strange helmet. A loud voice echoed in the most irritatingly condescending manner possible. She glared at the one-eyed oni who had been silent for most of the ride. @CGinger And she ignored his words. The human female @Arthanus seemed to be doing just fine, attacking blindly and whatnot. All of them seemed intent on just killing the oni beast, instead of really thinking on just why the creature had attacked a small and rather defenseless boy to begin with, what with the treaty in place.

It did not sit well with her, this entire situation. Perhaps she was no courtesan trained in war tactics, but she knew enough from listening to the adults growing up to know that it was not always wise to rush into battle without fully knowing your enemy. She glared fiercely at the boy. Or whatever tricks your enemy might pull to catch you off guard.

As the rather vulgar human @Leodiensian fought with the beast, he yelled back at her is the most shamelessly casual way. Calling her 'luv'! Well, of all the insufferable-! No, she'd not think on him. Why, she did care if the beast crush his weak little human bones! Chiyoe gave a haughty huff and upturned her nose at the human pirate.

It was Firebrand @ReaptheMusic that ended up making the most decisive blows. He blinded the creature, but rolled away in the direction of the Caravan. Her red eyes widened and before she could shout 'you fool!' the beast lunged at her! With gritted teeth, Chiyoe dropped her parasol and thrust her hands towards the supply cart, sending a thick flexible shield of water around it. It left her vulnerable, but Firebrand slammed into the creature before it could hit her.

And over the steep side they went. Assuming both were probably gravely injured, Chiyoe dropped her water shield from around the supply cart and ticked her head to the side when she heard a groan. A groan from over the edge. Firebrand was still alive then? Impressive... And she owed him now.

With a growl, she tugged her fine pins out from her hair, letting the long inky locks fall wildly over her shoulders. Her eyes glowed red. Pushing down one side of her kimono, she wore it much like human yakuza women did, though modestly and with far more grace. Taking off her shoes, she set her feet in the grass.

Then it started.

Water from the grass her feet touched was sucked away from the plants, her contact like a magnet that pulsed out about three feet from her body in a perfect circle. A circle of dry death about her as water hovered in orbs above her head. It grew as she moved to stand at the edge of the cliff, staring down at the beast clinging to Firebrand.

And her beautiful dollish qualities suddenly became far less enchanting. Instead they become violently enrapturing, like the haunting sight of a horror you couldn't look away from. Her beauty sharpened and intensified. The paleness of her skin was cold and hard, like that of a stone casket. The red of her eyes began glowing like that of apocalyptic magma, swallowing all human whites and becoming as glowing red as a monster from a child's nightmare. The color of her lips become vibrant too, like freshly shed blood, curving in a sharpened slash of horrific amusement. And the tendril of silken black hair, flowed much like shadows behind her, almost as if they could move of their own free will.

Raising her hands, those lovely round nails sharpened into translucent claws. The water about her head trembled and in a sudden jarring motion combined itself into one large globe of shivering liquid. Just the size of beast. "May you meet you end well," her musical voice sounded too animated, too light, too beautiful. It sounded like the voice of Death.

And all at once the wounded creature was swallowed by her massive orb of water.

It was an end more found horrifying. Water forced all air in the lungs away. The frantic struggle to swim, then the jerking motion of the body as it twitched with the last energy for its fight to survive. The way the lungs slowly filled with water, flowing in forcefully through the nose and mouth. Lungs contracted, begging for air. Eyes rolled back in pain from the starvation of relief. Immense pain, contracting around a body that was resisting its own demise. And then...

Nothing.

No life. Just a mass of still warm flesh and bone and blood sinking lifelessly to the bottom.

Chiyoe released the pathetic creature, drawing the bloody water back to swarm around her in red orbs. The female oni lowered her hands and looked down at the corpse of the creature at the bottom of the cliff. A single mournful tear escaped down her cheek, before she hastily brushed it aside.

The her gaze went to Firebrand. With a soft sigh, she raised a shaking hand to have the bloodied water lift him back to safety. And in a final sweeping circular motion, Chiyoe returned the water to its home within the plants around her. Blood turned the flora a sickly and unnatural red. Her memorial to the great beast who lost its life in the fight.

The horrific, unholy and unnatural state of her beauty softened once more. Her long black hair fluttered down to fall over her back and shoulders in a far more natural way. Her pale claws receded into crescent moon nails as she fit her kimono back on the proper way. Her skin flushed with the soft human-like rose tint of life and her lips too returned to a more gentle and sensual color.

Her eyes, which stayed on Firebrand, were the last to return to their normal, almost human-like state. They faded back into that deep dark shade of unyielding intelligence and cynicism. Her dark lashes brushed over her cheeks as she looked down and away from the man who was stuck in between two worlds, one of human life and one of oni immortality.

"Someone should bandage your wound," she offered, if a bit quietly. A long pause noted her hesitation. Then a slow bloom of pink colored her cheeks and she looked up and away from the halfling, obviously irritated with her own embarrassment. "And thank you for protecting me! Thoughyoureallydidnothavetodosuchathing!" It was forcefully said, as though she couldn't bare the humiliation of a 'thank you'. And in such embarrassment, she turned on her heels and marched right back over to her shoes and hairpin, hoping the mortification would ebb if she replaced her frivolous adornments. Chiyoe felt far safer protected behind the glare of finery, where it seemed people only saw silks and crystals, but never her.