Two razor-sharp metal fans [Only one on him at the moment]
Throwing Knives [At home]
Rope Darts [At home]
Climbing Claws [At home]
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons) [At home]
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops [At home]
Smoke Bombs [At home]
Large Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Medium Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
Regardless of what had happened the night prior, Kuroi decided to lead Baraian, Torvi, and Ayita through the slums. Although they had multiple close encounters, he did his best to lead them through the safest routes that wouldn't involve conflict. Unfortunately, Kuroi was forced to engage guards who were on the lookout for him and whoever else they deemed as guilty. At one moment throughout the night, he found himself trapping a dark elf's weapon arm against their body before slamming them against the wall to knock them out. Another was blocking their impending path, forcing Kuroi to stomp down onto the crock of his knee and put him in a rear-naked choke until he went unconscious. Many other violent, yet non-lethal incidents took place throughout the night as one would expect.
With only a couple of hours to rest, in the most uncomfortable of places, Kuroi eventually managed to lead them to the very edge of the town. The sun had risen, and Kuroi fared much worse than he did the night prior. He was visibly exhausted and covered in sweat, grime, and a bit of blood from the unholiness that had been spawned in the ballroom. Leaning up against the city walls, he sighed, trying to recuperate his breath and focus his attention on his allies before speaking.
"There are two routes we can take now. We can either go through Roshmi's sewer system, something we could have done earlier in hindsight...or we can go straight through the gate and take our chances. Votes?" He asks, kneeling down as he looked at the three who he had led to this point so far.
Time: Night Location: Roshmi City Interactions: Ayita @13org & Torvi @Tae BGM:
Wallet: 65 Amas Bank: 3,500
Gear
Formal Wear
Wakizashi
Two razor-sharp metal fans [Only one on him at the moment]
Throwing Knives [At home]
Rope Darts [At home]
Climbing Claws [At home]
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons) [At home]
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops [At home]
Smoke Bombs [At home]
Large Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Medium Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
Kuroi looked over at Torvi and gently facepalmed himself, still processing what he had gotten himself into. "I'm throwing away any chance of innocence I have here but...the slums is where I found some sort of safety after my name was declared a criminal's..."
The vulpine dubiously looked over at Torvi and shook his head before turning his attention back to Torvi, "If you wish to trust a stranger who has as much resent for the Lich King as anyone else then I shall take you through the slums and out of this city. Where is your destination, if I may ask?" he asked, offering his hand to her to show at least some sign of trustworthiness.
The stage had already been set for Kuroi, his actions and beliefs would now truly define him as a member of the rebellion if caught. The only thing that he couldn't shake from his head was how orchestrated the entire ball had been. He should have seen such a thing coming, he shouldn't have attended at all and merely wait until his mother pulled the right strings in order to clear his name (or at least try to). His hand remained extended to Torvi, waiting for her to turn him away or reciprocate his actions.
Two razor-sharp metal fans [Only one on him at the moment]
Throwing Knives [At home]
Rope Darts [At home]
Climbing Claws [At home]
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons) [At home]
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops [At home]
Smoke Bombs [At home]
Large Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Medium Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
Kuroi stayed silent, letting the foolish human finish her monologue before looking at the other, much more level-headed woman. Giving her a nod of approval, he looked back over at Ayita and raised an eyebrow, "Precisely what she said. There is no one left to save, except maybe one's ego perhaps...such a stupid thing to hold onto at a time like this though..." he says, eyeing the grand demon, taking a few steps back from it. Looking back at Ayita, he motioned her to follow him, "We best get going if we wish to see another day...and human? Don't act as if your bravery is enough to triumph anything. There is bravery, and there is stupidity - staying here to fight either me or that behemoth is absolute stupidity." He said before watching the demon's tail create a large hole in the wall. "...There's our escape..." He says, gritting his teeth.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Baraian and waved at him, letting him know where he was before he ran for the nearest exit - be it the giant hole in the wall or the entrance the elf was right next to. Escape was inevitable - it seems that the gods had smiled down upon them for once...upon him.
As he ran outside, Kuroi felt the ground rumble beneath his feet, causing him to lose balance. He dove forward and out into the streets of Roshmi, rolling with the momentum along his shoulder and coming up standing. The vulpine looked back, hoping the others would follow his leave. Throughout this series of events, he had not let go of his fan in the slightest and was ready to slice someone at moment's notice.
Two razor-sharp metal fans [Only one on him at the moment]
Throwing Knives [At home]
Rope Darts [At home]
Climbing Claws [At home]
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons) [At home]
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops [At home]
Smoke Bombs [At home]
Large Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Medium Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
The ballroom was an absolute hellscape - it would only get worse from here. Kuroi witnessed the slaughter of innocents (and not-so-innocents) by the huge behemoth that towered in the center of the ballroom. Although he suspected that some suspicious characters had already escaped, he was more worried by Elsea and Belladonna whom he kept hovering around. It wasn't until he heard the cry of a soldier that caused him to move from his self-designated patrol route. His attention was now fully on the darker-skinned woman whom he began to stalk amongst the terrified crowds. Although a feeling of vengeance did rise within him, he thought it best to keep his attention on this woman and her two allies she called upon. A human? Trying to fight back a monstrous being? That was preposterous! It was suicidal!
Kuroi bared his teeth as he looked down at the dead guard before glancing over at the woman again. She stood on a table, attempting to further feelings of rebellion amongst the crowds who were at least slightly more calm-minded then the average demihuman running for their life. He kept his face covered with his metallic hand and kept his wakizashi ready if need be. His attention switched between the two humans he had been inconspicuously guarding, but by now he had completely put most of his attention upon Ayita. Amidst all the chaos, Kuroi realized that all he could do was help those trying to escape, protect the two humans whom he had danced with, and search for any allies that might benefit him. The dance hall reeked of betrayal, it was almost certain that there was some further foul play among the people who stood up and stupidly, but openly, denounced Aklenroth.
"Human! Why do you choose to fight!? Why not run with the rest!?" Kuroi called out to the woman who stood on the table alongside both her companions. He was meters away from her, and was already on edge. The vulpine was prepared to make an enemy, or ally, out of anyone.
Two razor-sharp metal fans [Only one on him at the moment]
Throwing Knives [At home]
Rope Darts [At home]
Climbing Claws [At home]
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons) [At home]
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops [At home]
Smoke Bombs [At home]
Large Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Medium Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
As Kuroi sat there and pondered his recent choices and happenings in life, he couldn't help but keep pondering about the current state of the realm. He was a privileged individual as compared to many others in Avalia. He knew of the Lich King's tyranny and was glad to have not been affected by his wrath. Yet if he were to rebel and go with either Belle or Elsea, he had his parents to worry about - could he rightfully do so without bringing harm to those dear to him? And was it worth being rightfully branded a criminal? All Kuroi knew was that he despised the Lich King almost as much as Terneus - he would happily bring death to the two of them if he could.
The vulpine had been brought up to always keep sensitive and controversial beliefs to himself, only showing the part of him that wouldn't land him in a Dark Elf-run prison. He could only wonder if the gods were pushing him to make the ultimate choice of his life thus far. It was at this very moment though, that the vulpine looked upon the fairy princess who began her speech. Although Kuroi found himself astounded, and maybe even surprised, some part of him deep down knew it was only time until the tyranny was publically denounced. To him, it seemed that Roshmi truly might be the start of a civil war. Kuroi had placed down his empty glass and continued to listen to the princess' speech. Everything seemed rather brave and just to him until the image of the hung fairy was shown to the entire building.
His eyes widened and his ears suddenly stood up. The fox's tail went stiff and his fists clenched in anger - a feral growling began to emanate from the back of his throat, his teeth bared as fury overtook him. It was at this moment, seconds before anyone began to chant their opposition to Alkenroth that Kuroi stood up and began to make his way through the crowds. In his eyes, Kuroi finally realized the path the gods were pushing him to go on, and who was he to say that he shouldn't after all these signs and events in his life? His shoulder brushed past one of the dark elf guards and it took all his inner strength not to push the bastard away. Stopping in his tracks, he eventually looked up at both of the human beauties who had danced with him earlier this evening.
Anxiety and foul anticipation overtook him, causing second-hand fear to whelm up within him. Now was not the time to publically reveal his awakened opposition against the Lich King or the governor. Instead, he merely stood between the two tables where Elsea and Belle protested and encouraged everyone else to rise up with them. Something in the back of his mind still nagged at him though, causing the hairs on his neck to stand up alongside his ears and tail. His left hand wrapped itself around the hilt of his wakizashi whilst his right had already opened up his razor-sharp fan, hiding his lower face with it as he paced around both of the human women protectively.
He had chosen a figure-eight route around the two tables they were on and kept his eyes out for any suspicious or violent figures who dared dethrone them at this moment. Something bad was about to happen - his intuition knew that the time to reveal himself was soon.
Two razor-sharp metal fans [Only one on him at the moment]
Throwing Knives [At home]
Rope Darts [At home]
Climbing Claws [At home]
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons) [At home]
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops [At home]
Smoke Bombs [At home]
Large Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Medium Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
"Kuroi Usagi, at your service." responded the young vulpine. As he rose from his bow, he gingerly placed a hand on Elsea's waist and grabbed her hand with the other. "Do not worry, I'm not that skilled of a dancer either. I'm sure we'll both have to learn by doing!" He exclaimed, letting out a small laugh.
Although the situation was dire for Kuroi, he finally found himself enjoying himself. Perhaps it was the cheery (if not possibly political) atmosphere as well as the good food and drink being served. Getting to dance with a beauty like the one before him also contributed to his good mood. He began to move slowly with Elsea, staying mostly quiet as to concentrate on his steps and made sure he didn't step on her feet. Kuroi may have been quite dexterous but that applied to combat, not dance. Sure, he may have performed a more flowery, dance-like steps at a few points in his life to show the beauty of his martial prowess but that was different. Eventually, once he knew he wasn't going to make any mistake, he spoke up, "May I have the honor of knowing more about you, Elsea?" he asks, keeping a small smile on his face.
Two razor-sharp metal fans [Only one on him at the moment]
Throwing Knives [At home]
Rope Darts [At home]
Climbing Claws [At home]
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons) [At home]
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops [At home]
Smoke Bombs [At home]
Large Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Medium Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
As he socialized with the patrons and drank the fine wine that he received moments prior, he eventually came face-to-face with a servant who began to give out bits of enchanted paper to each of the people in his temporary social circle. He took two random bits of paper before going back to socializing with the people at the party. Kuroi departed after a while and began to hop from circle to circle, wanting to make as many connections as possible despite his tarnished name. Some people did in fact recognize him, and some even asked him to sign any blades they may have snuck in for personal protection. It brought the young fox great pleasure to know that no one was out to get him (besides that damned governor).
The late afternoon shifted into the early evening and Kuroi soon heard the dances being called. He felt a little wiggle in one of his pockets and took out a piece of paper that had become sentient before his very eyes. Upon seeing the paper morph into a tiny butterfly, he began to follow it to his designated dance partner, curious who would bless him with his first dance of the evening. The vulpine followed his paper, weaving through the crowds of people who were also moving around to find their first dance of the night. Moments later, his eyes lied upon a beautiful fair-skinned, red-haired woman whom he quickly met with a small bow. "It seems I am to be your partner. May I have your name?" He asks, tilting his head as he asked his question, a small smile on his face.
Kuroi offered his hand out to her, his smile still intact as he stood there with perfect posture. He had his feet crossed and his chest puffed out as if to exemplify his agility and the handsome face he knew he bore.
Two razor-sharp metal fans [Only one on him at the moment]
Throwing Knives [At home]
Rope Darts [At home]
Climbing Claws [At home]
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons) [At home]
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops [At home]
Smoke Bombs [At home]
Large Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Medium Red Potions (x3) [At home]
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
As the day of the ball neared, Kuroi had decided it best for Baraian to go on ahead of him. The vulpine stayed on the rooftop and meditated until dawn, not wanting to risk being caught in the light of day. The first half of his day was spent lurking in the shadows, only showing himself when he was certain he wouldn't be met with any sort of opposition. Sure, choking a guard or two out may have been necessary from time to time, but other than that, Kuroi was able to arrive at the upper-class district of the city.
Time: Afternoon
What one would consider the wealthy's territory is where Kuroi soon found himself in. Around him were well-kempt streets and buildings, children running around in colorful, high-quality gambesons, and luxurious neighborhoods where the more fortunate lived. Kuroi was now wide in the open, standing in the middle of the cobblestone-paved streets. Were it not for his rather good standing among his neighbors, he surely would have been ratted out ages ago. Nonetheless, there was no need to put too much trust into those he considered friends (or acquaintances, at the least).
Stalking throughout the alleyways, it took Kuroi another couple of hours in order to reach home. Comparably, his abode was far smaller than many of the neighbors' - the patrician-esque mansions overshadowed the smaller cottage in which the Usagi's lived in. Nonetheless, it still upheld the luxurious standards one would imagine of the upper class.
After making his way into his house through the backdoor, he was suddenly called by his mother's voice, "Kuroi? We have much to talk about..."
---
The rest of the afternoon flew by as Kuroi explained how he had unintentionally been dragged into rebels' plans, gotten into a near-lethal scrap with the city's beloved governor, and his encounter with a human a few days prior. Akane was not one to jump to conclusions nor put disbelief into her own flesh and blood. Everything that her son said to her was received with the utmost of empathy and understanding, and she soon came to realize that she would soon have to pull her own political strings once opportunities showed themselves.
"I met with the governor's self-interest with my own ears and eyes. If you were to leave now, any underhanded tactics of theirs would be-"
Akane put her hand up, stopping her son from speaking. "If I am to do my job as a mother and to Roshmi, regardless of corruption within its political workings, I will continue to teach the city to defend itself if the need ever arises. Do not worry about your mother, Kuroi, I shall take caution in my work and do my best to clear your name rightfully. Remember who taught you the skills that brought you to local fame."
The young fox's mother softened her expression and soon began to rub her son's cheek endearingly. "I shall inform your father when he returns from his journey to the elven villages. For now, you best play your part as one of Roshmi's champions," she reassured him. Akane pulled back and reached for a sealed letter on the table behind her. Placing it in Kuroi's hands, she began to speak once again, "The city and its less corrupt officials will be somewhat more understanding if you attend the ball as unexpected. No one would expect a wanted criminal to walk straight into the political maw of the nation, and that is where you will be the safest."
The young fox stayed silent for some time, staring down at the letter that had been meant for him and him alone. He had already assumed that his mother would have wanted him to go to represent their family under normal circumstances. Said circumstances had instead resulted in Kuroi being coaxed by his mother to show his innocence by sheer fearlessness. Although he wasn't fond of how dangerous such a public stunt might be, he believed it to be one of the safest options at this point in time. With a nod of his head, Akane began to speak to her son once again, gently scratching behind one of his ears, "I have already prepared your formal clothes, my son. I shall keep myself safe and do my best to make use of my own political connections. Stay safe."
His mother leaned towards Kuroi and placed a kiss on his forehead before walking away.
---
An hour passed as Kuroi prepared himself for what possibly might be the riskiest night of his life. After his bath, his hair had been styled for the event accordingly, and his original makeup had been washed off in order to properly adorn his face for the occasion. His skin was a tad lighter than what it naturally was, resulting in pale, albeit flawless skin. Only minimal contouring was requiring for the vulpine as genetics had graced him with rather dashing cheekbones and a strong jawline. The eyeliner he had applied was complimented by the gray and black eyeshadow he used, resulting in a mildly androgynous look. Once he had considered his face to be the perfect blend of masculinity and femininity, he began to dress in the clothes his mother had laid out for him.
Against his bare skin, he wore a black kimono, and over it, he wore a thin trenchcoat which had a jacket-like shawl attached to it. He had a leather girdle tied around his waist, one equally as dark as the rest of his attire. Around his neck, he wore a scarf, one half of it white, and the other half black. As one could imagine, his dress shoes, although well-made, stayed true to Kuroi's aesthetic. All that remained now were his accessories which leaned against his wall. He put on his gloves and picked up his crystal handled cane, jerking it upwards in order to catch his hat on his head.
Stepping out of his room and moving towards the door, he called out to Akane, "Mother, I'll be back sometime early in the morning. Pray that I not run into any trouble, please."
As Kuroi could imagine, the guards who inspected his letter of invitation were, well, rather shocked. As predicted (or perhaps arranged) by his mother, the dark elves made no effort in stopping him from entering the formal ball. Entering Roshmi Hall, Kuroi had put on his fox mask as requested by the party host. As to not ruin his aesthetic, Kuroi positioned his mask off to the side of his head, allowing his face to be fully admired with little obstruction.
The unified cacophony of instruments filled his ears as he neared the festivities, and soon that cacophony turned into a beautiful composition that graced his being. Kuroi strode into the ballroom, using his cane for mild support due to the unfortunate injury he had sustained a day ago. He stopped in front of the doorway, taking a deep breath before he pushed open the doors and walked inside. The vulpine was already well aware that the governor of the city was in here somewhere. He prayed for Baraian's sake that he would not lose his temper upon seeing him and cane him to death.
'No...I must enjoy myself. I must prove myself by enjoying myself...' Kuroi thought to himself before walking into the nearest gathering of people. Now it was time to relax until called upon - it was time to enjoy socialization and a glass of the finest wine given to him by one of the many servants on the premises.
Time: Night Location: Roshmi Slums Interactions: Baraian @Dezuel BGM: N/A
Wallet: 10 Amas Bank: 3,000
Gear
See 'Clothing'
Wakizashi
Two razor-sharp metal fans
Throwing Knives
Rope Darts
Climbing Claws
Items
Drystone (For sharpening weapons)
Gourd of water
Steel wire
Caltrops
Smoke Bombs
Large Red Potions (x3)
Medium Red Potions (x3)
Magic Resistance Potions (x2) [Black]
Antidote/Medicine (x1) [Green]
Kuroi had looked up at the rooftop that Baraian had set his eyes on before glancing down at his own leg for a few second. With a heavy sigh, he began to run towards the house to try and build up momentum. Although pain began to shoot through his leg, Kuroi made it a point to keep going, blankets in hand. The vulpine ran up the side of the building, trying to use his good leg to kick up as much as possible while making sure his injured leg had to do little to no work. Upon kicking up with his good leg, Kuroi immediately shot his good hand up to try and grab onto a windowsill that was right above him instead of risking hurting himself even more. Barely having caught himself, the vulpine began to growl and grit his teeth, using his free hand and good leg to try and help him up. No use - maybe if he wasn't already exhausted and both of his legs were in top condition, he would have been able to scale to the top with a single arm.
He slowly glanced down at Baraian who probably watched from below, staring at him blankly for a few seconds. "How can I get up here...?" he muttered to himself before looking back up at the windowsill. He blinked a few times before looking down at his good leg, shaking his head in disappointment. Carefully, he pulled himself up as much as possible while slowly sliding the blankets into the crock of his knees. Kuroi winced a little bit, feeling pain shoot up his leg once more. Although the pain would be nowhere near as bad if he had chosen to use both his legs to scale the building, it seemed that he would have to endure discomfort a while longer. With both hands now grabbing onto the ledge, he began to pull himself up onto the windowsill. Honestly, he should have just let Baraian throw the blankets up to him, but the kinder part of him to him not to make the elf work anymore than he needed to. After all, the elf's injuries were arguably worse than Kuroi, and he would certainly need help scaling the house as well.
After what was a grueling fifteen minutes of scaling a building with only his arms, Kuroi collapsed on the flat roof of the house, panting as he released the blankets from the crocks of his knees. He took a few minutes to catch his breath before he slowly knelt up and began to carefully descend the building partway, stopping at the windowsill where he carefully stood, waiting for Baraian to come up. Signaling him, Kuroi awaited for the elf to do his best in scaling the building. The vulpine waited, staring down at the elf as he waited to assist him up the outer walls of the house.
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