June Vignette #2

[Jasmine]

Sorry this is a little late in getting put up. This will close July 8th.


Oh no! You've been run out of town by an angry mob over something seemingly small and inconsequential. It should have been meaningless. Really! What happened and what are you gonna do now?

[hoytti]

"I can't believe I was run out of town for drinking from the well in the center. I mean seriously isn't that what a well is for?." Sorish thought to Roxi.
"I know Sorish but apparently it was sacred to them." Roxi thought back.
"Well can you get the map out of the bag for me? We can't return so we might as well continue on." Sorish thought.
"Sure Sorish," Roxi thought back as she reached into his sack while in there she noticed that his Coralian Water Magic Book was missing. "Um, Sorish," Roxi thought searching the entire bag for the book.
"Yes Roxi," Sorish thought.
"Your Coralian Water Magic Book is missing." Roxi thought still searching the bag.
Sorish stopped. "What do you mean it's missing." he thought to her then he remembered he was reading it when he was chased out of town. "Shoot," he thought, "I have to go back to town to get it but I'm not allowed back in."
"Why don't I just get it?" Roxi thought, "They don't know anything about me and I might be able to stretch that far to get it."
"Roxi, you and I both know that you can't go that far to get items. you can just reach about to my feet and that's about it." Sorish thought.
"Your right, I'm not skilled enough to go that far yet. I know how about you go there tonight?" Roxi thought.
"That might work but I think someone probably has found it by now. I do remember a spell that might work though. It's called the Water Bubble. I might be able to send it to the book and have it bring it back." Sorish thought.
"Worth a shot," Roxi thought.
Sorish held his hands forward and started the spell. "Won O, cho no min Cor Won Min Bo in berm nis no mi."
Suddenly the a bubble of water came out of Sorish's hands and flew away. In ten seconds it found the book by the bedside of an adult who found it. The bubble surrounded the book and took it out the window. At the same time the man walked into the room. he saw the bubble leave with the book. He quickly ran out the door after the bubble. The bubble left the city so did the man he followed it until it got to Sorish who was waiting with his arms stretched out. It had been 20 seconds since he called upon the bubble leaving ten seconds to go. As soon as the 10 seconds past the bubble popped and the book fell into his hands. The man who had been following the water trail left behind by the strange floating bubble saw Sorish with the book in his hands.
"You," the man called. Sorish looked up. "what do you think your doing stealing the book I found next to the sacred well?"
Sorish looked down on the man then at the book. "This book belongs to me." Sorish replied as he looked at the book. "I had accidentally left it at the well when I was run out of town for drinking from this so called sacred well. I had no idea the well was sacred and I am sorry for what I did."
"Can you prove this book is yours?" The man asked.
"Yes I can." Sorish said and opened the book to the back cover. On the back cover was his name etched into it with a painting of him next to it. The man looked at the picture then up at Sorish then at the picture again. He nodded and turned around and headed back to the village. "Now what town should we go to next?" Sorish asked giving Roxi the book as she handed him the map. "Maybe someware that doesn't have a sacred spot."

[SirArtemis]

May offend. Hopefully doesn't. Apologies if it does.

“Did I ever tell you about that time I was run out of town?” Artemis asked Jay as the pair lay together in bed. He was on his back and she lay resting her head upon his chest, scratching gently at his stomach.

“No,” she said with a smirk, though Artemis couldn’t tell. “What could someone like you possibly do to get run out of a town, Artie?”

“That’s the thing!” he said with a laugh. “I still don’t know! It didn’t seem like a big deal but they just got upset anyway.” The pair shared a laugh while Artemis fingers ran through her silky silver-violet streaks of hair. He loved her hair. It fell so perfectly along her face and just brought out her lavender skin and blue eyes – eyes that could match even Artemis’ own icy blue ones.

“So tell me the story. Maybe I’ll figure it out.” As Jay offered, she stood up and walked over to the window in the small room and cracked it a bit. Artemis stared in admiration as the curves of her body swayed in such a seductive way, even during a simple task such as that. He smirked at her as she came back, nuzzling against him.

“Well…” he began, remembering the events.

“I was traveling up north after the bout with my father. It was my first time really leaving the small town I had grown up in so I had no idea what I was doing. I had just taken a map from a merchant and used that to get to where I needed to go. Someone had told me it snowed a lot in Salvar, and I always loved snow. So north I went.

“After getting off Corone, I started to hitch rides with whatever carriage I could, offering myself as a guard so that I could move more quickly. Granted, none of them knew I had never seen real combat yet, but that’s beside the point.

“Anyway, on the way I ended up having to go by foot for a while and I stumbled across a town called Sidicah. And let me tell you, that place was odd from the beginning.”

“Odd how?” Jay interjected.

“Shh, I’ll tell you. I’ll get to it,” he said as he kissed her on the head. “Anyway, as I got into town, I noticed that everyone pretty much wore the same thing. It almost looked like a uniform. All the men wore black pants, black shoes, white shirts and black hats – had a brim a few inches wide. And they all had the same haircut too. Dark hair, beards, and the hair around their ears curled and was uncut.

“The women had a bit more variety, but for the most part, it was still the same. They wore skirts, stockings, and a variety of blouses – but nothing of vibrant color. Their hairstyles were a bit varied but still, most looked the same, all had dark hair, and many wore spectacles too. It was so bizarre.

“So I’m a little confused, but it’s fine. I just assume there’s a good reason and that it shouldn’t matter all that much anyways. But I’m telling you, the second I got into that town, everyone started looking at me funny. And all of them – and I mean all – kept staring at my weapons like I was a mass murderer. It’s like they thought just because I had weapons that I used them as often as I went to the outhouse.

“Anyway, I ignored it. So I went into what looked like a tavern, and it turned out to be more like a cafeteria. They didn’t serve any liquor, but again, I didn’t care; it’s not like I drink anyway. So I just put money on the table and say ‘whatever is for dinner is fine.’

“One of the women, who all look the same of course, brings me a plate and utensils, and the plate was on a tray. There was a sink in the corner for people to wash their hands, or so I thought, so I went over and gave them a scrub. They had some dumping thing beside it, but I didn’t bother to touch it. It had markings on it and such that I didn’t want to mess with.

“Needless to say, I felt pretty uncomfortable the whole time so I ate as quickly as I could and asked them where I could find a place to sleep for the night. A man pointed me to a small inn across the way and I went in, paid for a room and went to sleep. To be honest, I didn’t much care about all the odd stuff around me. As long as I had food, water, and a bed to sleep in, I could keep going along my way.

“I slept beautifully by the way. The bed was so comfortable. I felt like I was the first person to sleep there; who knows, maybe I even was. But then come morning, I head back to the cafeteria. I wanted to eat before heading back out. Now this is where it gets bad.

“I asked them if they could make me bacon and eggs. No particular reason – I was just craving them that morning. But I swear to you, the moment I said bacon and eggs, the whole cafeteria went quiet. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at me. It was by far the most awkward moment of my life.

“So the guy I asked asks me who I am, in some thick accent, and I say, ‘what do you mean?’ He says to me, ‘What are you doing coming in here asking for such a thing? Are you mocking us?’ Now I’m worried. I feel like I somehow insulted this guy and I have no idea how. By ordering breakfast? Am I not supposed to order?

“I mean, I try to apologize. You know, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any disrespect. I don’t know what I did to offend you but I’m sorry.’ But it wasn’t enough. ‘Get out of here!’ he yells. ‘Go on, go!’ I wanted to talk it out, but I also didn’t want trouble, so as I’m getting my things to leave, everyone starts yelling at me! Now I have the whole cafeteria hooting and hollering at me to go on and get out of there. I was so confused and scared! How had I so upset these people? I had no idea!

“So I leave the cafeteria and everyone inside comes out and keeps yelling at me. At this point, I don’t even care about breakfast. I still have some food with me. I can find something to hunt and cook it. Whatever. So I pick up my pace and I try to get out of town and this entire group is still following me. It’s like a huge mob of uniformed angry people telling me to go on and get out of there even though that’s what I was doing! By the time I made it to the town edge, I think every single person who lived there was keeping up with me and shouting!

“I’m telling you, it was one of the most bizarre moments in my life. After I had gotten far enough away, they all stopped following me. But they stood there in a big pack like that at the border of their town until I literally couldn’t see them any more. To this day I don’t know what the heck I did that pissed them off that much.”

As he finished his story, there was a moment of silence where Artemis thought Jay may have fallen asleep. “Jay?” he asked, and as he did, she burst out in hysterical laughter.

“What is it?” he asked as she continued to roll around in bed laughing. “Come on Jay, what’s so funny?”

“Those were Swej people, Artie! They don’t eat pork! The second you asked them for bacon, you pretty much insulted their entire culture!” Again she burst out laughing, and Artemis could have sworn he saw a tear forming in her eye from the amusement.

“Well, that’s all fine and good, but you gotta admit, running someone out of town for asking for bacon is a bit extreme.”

“Artie, you saw yourself that they look like a uniformed mass of people. They’re a pretty extreme life choice as it is.”

“Fair enough,” Artemis conceded with a shrug. “Needless to say, I’ve never gone back, nor do I plan to. And I’m also afraid to order bacon and eggs.”

Jay’s laughter died out eventually and she looked over at Artemis. He wiped a tear from her eye as the last few chuckles disappeared. “Oh Artie, it’s stories like this that remind me why I love you.”

“Heh,” he smiled. “Well at least you love me.” He gave her another kiss and the two snuggled up to sleep, Jay occasionally letting a laugh slip as she thought back on the hilarity of the young man’s story.

[Amber Eyes]

“Run Kyla! Now!” The voice of the young mystic’s newest bodyguard seemed to explode from the quiet that had surrounded her moments ago. She looked up from her book to see Toby running towards her full speed with Akiv’s hand in his. Honestly it looked as though he was dragging the poor boy, whose hair was matted to his face and whose pants were sopping wet.

“What happened?” Kyla stood, closing her book and placing it quickly in the saddlebag that hung from her right shoulder.

“No time to explain Miss Orlouge, the guard will be after us soon enough!” Toby turned his head as he blazed past, giving the girl little choice but to follow. When he noted the mystic following he reached down and with one quick motion pulled Akiv onto his back.

They ran in silence, only their labored breathing and their feet stomping against the dusty road filling in the uncomfortable silence. When at last Kyla’s lungs ached so that she could no longer stand it she stopped abruptly and placed her hands on her knees. Toby noticed quickly and turned, setting Akiv onto the grass where he collapsed in a fit of giggles. For a moment the woman forgot her anger, just enjoying the view of her son rolling hysterically in a field. It wasn’t until she noticed Toby beginning to laugh as well that she remembered why her side ached with each new breath.

“I demand to know what that was about!” she stood, placing her hands on her hips just as much to sooth the pain as to show how upset she was. For a moment no one spoke.

“We didn’t mean no harm miss…”Toby began, cutting off when he realized he and Akiv had spoken at the same time.

‘I just had to pee Mama!” Akiv insisted.

Kyla was already beginning to connect some of the dots. “Akiv, hold on. Toby, where exactly did you tell Akiv to go?”

“Well Miss Orlouge, we were in the square and I didn’t see much option, I stood behind him so no one would see…” He trailed off, bringing his thick hand up to his forehead and wiping away a stream of sweat. “I suppose I should have noticed the statue…”

Akiv was at her side now, pulling anxiously at the bottom of her shirt to get her attention. Kyla glanced in his direction and his words tumbled out, his grin lighting up his bright blue eyes. “I had to pee and Toby said” Akiv lowered his voice in a pretty impressive Toby impression, “Just pee in the fountain there. So I did, and then someone yelled and I fell in, they were screaming about a scared monimen and yelling for the guard. Toby grabbed my hand and then we found you and I’m not sure what happened.”

Kyla gave her own small chuckle before lowering herself to the ground and meeting her son’s eyes. “You urinated on a sacred monument, Akiv. Basically you just peed on their God.”

“You won’t tell Grampa Sei will you?” The boy raised his eyebrows no doubt remembering Sei’s stories of his meetings with the Gods.

“I sure won’t darlin’” Kyla stood, patting Akiv lightly on the head and waiting for the collective sigh of the two men. She made sure to catch the guard’s eyes before continuing. “I think that’s Toby’s story to tell.”

[Silence Sei]

Feet splashed against the melting white snow below. Chilled, heavy breathing caused small puff of air to extend out in front of his face. Behind him, his brother Steppenwolf stomped behind, a large lynch mob on the giant’s heels. He could hear the angry yelling of the people behind him, though most of the words spoken were not fit for even a sailor. He slowed his pace, extending his hand towards his heavy-set brother. Steppenwolf reached out for Sei, and once the two had a hold of one another, the pace of both warriors grew more hastily.

“Remind me again why they’re so angry at me?” Sei legitimately asked his kin, his mental ‘voice’ sounding as ragged and tired as his body felt. They had been running for what had to be two hours (in reality, it had only been about fifteen minutes), narrowly avoiding death at every turn.

“Sei, Salvar rarely sees grass,” the pink haired Mystic spoke, his own breath matching that of his sibling, “so I guess you thought it was a wonderful idea, when I said ‘rest for a minute’, to sit down on the single largest patch of it the continent has ever seen? You should have just peed on a sacred monument! At least then you’d have realized what you did!”

The tone to the larger man’s voice seemed to indicate that Steppenwolf was also angry at the man once known as the ‘Salvar Savior’. While Sei had rescued the snowy country many times in the past, he was unfamiliar with the customs of the area, and so the way people revered grass was a custom lost on the young strategist. The fact that Steppenwolf was now being shunned as well just for being related to the Mystic probably didn’t help the tactician get a sympathy vote from his family member either.

“It was an innocent mistake!” Sei pleaded, looking behind him to check on the towns folk, “Left turn, now!” Steppenwolf begrudgingly obeyed, and the two moved like a well oiled machine, instantly turning at a ninety degree angle. Though the zigzagging of the Orlouge brothers was garnering distance between them and their pursuers, Sei knew that there would be hell to pay in Salvar as a direct result of his actions.

“You’re going to have to explain it to them better than that! Right!” The two once again turned on their heels, the slush that was once snow soaking their ankles. A harmless thing for Steppenwolf, who wore boots all the time, but much more annoying for his kung-fu shoed little brother. “Us Salvarians don’t give up easily in our pursuits.”

Sei turned his head back to the crowd once more, relieved that the group was seemingly slowing in their chase. When he focused ahead once more, he smiled at the sight of Steppenwolf Orlouge’s cozy little shack out in the middle of nowhere. The mute had never been so happy to see that seemingly small house sticking out like a sore thumb among the vast whiteness of Salvar.

As they approached, Steppenwolf withdrew something from his pocket, a small black device with a button. He held down on the button as he brought the thing to his mouth. He barked the word ‘Open’ quickly, and the door swung open just in time for Sei to tumble through the frame. His chin fell hard onto the wooden floor of Steppenwolf’s home, slowly rising while rubbing the body part. As he regained his composure, the mute noticed something odd; Steppenwolf’s house was typically filthy and rife with trash, but not today. Further, the Mystic found himself surrounded by friends and family within the house, as well as streamers and balloons. Almost rehearsed, the large group of people shouted in unison.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY SEI!”

The mute was quickly greeted by a hard pat on the back that sent his whole body stumbling forward. Steppenwolf chuckled at the gesture, playfully hitting his brother in the arm. “You didn’t think we’d really be run out of town for something inconsequential, did you? That whole concept is so stupid I can’t believe you fell for it!” The mirth of his brother, accompanied with the music (probably selected by Kyla Orlouge) began to put the Mystic in a better mood.

“I’ll get you back for this, Steppenwolf,” Sei spoke as he was handed a slice of birthday cake from somebody he did not recognize right away, “just you wait…”

“What’re you gonna do? Trap me in Corone for my birthday?”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Sei smiled as he watched the pink drain from Steppenwolf’s face. Turning around, the mute laughed and enjoyed his cake, the whole time his sibling constantly questioning the Mystic as to whether or not he was serious…

[Jasmine]

Thank you for your participation!

Sir Artemis receives 700EXP and 200GP
Silence Sei receives 1360EXP and 175GP
hoytti receives 100EXP
Amber Eyes receives 400EXP