Caught in the Rain [open to 2 others]

[Rebellion]

"Please! Please don't! I didn't mean it, I-"

"Oh, shut up."

Rose glared down at the pathetic man before her, her glaive's tip scratching a thin line into his neck. She was pissed. This man had been a Class C bounty, barely worth her time, and yet she had to chase him all the way from Scara Brae, across Corone, until she'd finally caught up with him here in Underwood, only to find him sniveling like the piece of shit he was.

And it was raining.

She could almost kill him just for that. Her hair felt like wet tentacles against her face and she was just sure that her armor would rust. But the bounty was larger if she brought him in alive, so she held off. But it was tempting. "I'm really jumpy right now, and I'd hate it if this blade of mine went right through your neck. I mean, oh gosh, wouldn't my face be red. I think I'd just die of embarrassment." Rose snarled, sarcasm dripping from her words. "So shut up."

He did, eyes wide as her looked at her. She wondered momentarily what he was looking at before realizing he was staring at her eyes. Of course. A bright, glowing green surrounded by a void of black, why wouldn't he be staring at them. It just pissed her off more. But at least he'd shut up, like she'd told him. "Good." She continued, but left the glaive there. "Now, I'll give you two options. The first is you can come with me to the station peacefully and quietly, where I'll hand you to some nice men who'll put you away for your crimes. You'll be locked up, yes, but you'll be alive."

She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "Or, you can try and resist. I really don't care what crimes you committed, or what you plan on doing after jail time. I'll cut you down all the same." She bared her teeth, showing off her fangs. "So what do you say. You going to resist?"

Eyes wide, the man shook his head.

"Good." She leaned back and turned around, removing the glaive from his throat. "Now, come with m-" That was all she got out before she heard him leap at her.

With a small sigh, Rose lifted her glaive without looking, and there was a slight tremor as the criminal impaled himself on it. "Gah...gah..." Was all he managed to get out before he dropped to the ground with a thud. She studied his prone body for a couple of moments before cutting his head off with unnecessary violence and grabbing it, heading off into the street while grinding her teeth.

And it was still raining, dammit.

[Lathienas Miraq]

Lathienas strolled along, almost oblivious to the rain. He paused to peel a strand of his hair out of his eye and almost winced as he pricked himself with the tip of the hair. He resumed his jaunty step, humming absently in time with the patter of his worn boots and the jangle of the gold and stones in his pocket. As he rounded a corner, Thien brought his attention back to the area just in front of him and proceeded to dodge as he wheeled to avoid an armoured figure. The huge black-clad man must have been a guard from the manner in which he was advancing. Thien rounded on the woman (woman?) who was actually shorter than him but more than made up for it in bearing. A scathing remark was halfway off of his tounge as his noticed the head in the woman's one hand and the evil-looking glaive in the other. Fresh blood dripped from the tall weapon's blade and all thoughts of a witty remark died. Then he noticed the eyes and was practically transfixed. He was unable to decide if he was terrified or more enlightened by the feelings the glowing eyes provoked. Suddenly the rain felt much colder...

Sorry for just jumping right in...hope this is ok

[Rebellion]

Completely fine. I've been waiting for someone to respond to this for a little while. Open to one more.

"Say, what ya doin' there with that 'ead, lady?" The guard spoke almost nonchalantly to Rose as she approached him, but one hand was already on the hilt of his own blade. He was a big guy, wearing thick black armor not unlike Rose's own, and he moved with the air of someone who was used to getting what he wanted. Whether by size or authority, the draconian did not know, but she was used to both and refused to be intimidated by this man. She'd come too far and walked too long to be stopped here.

Holding up the head of the slain bounty, she addressed the guard as his eyes went to it. "I'm a bounty hunter, here to collect my bounty. Now, could you direct me to the office where I am to do so? I'm afraid I'm new here." Not once did her eyes flick to the object she held in her hand, even though blood dripped like the rain onto her armored greaves; they remained steadfast upon the guard's own.

He grunted in acknowledgement. "I'll have to see your liscence first. Sorry, but we have to make sure. There's been a string of murders 'round these parts lately."

She nodded, though inside she just wanted to punch the man in his triumphant face. She could probably guess what he was thinking at the moment; he would catch her without her bounty hunter's liscence, and in order to get out trouble she'd have to do a "favor" for him. The draconian almost snorted at the notion and it's ridiculousness. Men. They were all the same. "Here, hold this." She commanded the guard and without pausing thrust the head into his hands, where they stained his armor with red and gore. Taking a grim pleasure at the horror on his face, she reached into the pouch at her side and pulled out a small badge that declared her a bounty hunter. "Will this do?" She snapped at the man in order to get his attention, as his eyes had remained transfixed on the head in his hands.

He merely glanced at the item in her hands before saying quickly, "Yeah, it will. I'll bring you to the office." and handing the head back to her as she put the badge back. He looked immensly relieved to have the dreadful body part out of his hands. "Follow me."

They had traveled a good distance when Rose almost bumped into a thin man wearing a leather cloak that had just turned the corner, narrowly avoiding the guard she'd been following. His mouth opened, as if to say something to her, and then his eyes locked with hers. As if by magic his movement stopped and his jaw dropped, and inwardly the draconian could feel her fury building once more. What was it with people around here and staring? Sure, she had strange eyes, but Eadhochas, it was just a birth defect! Without stopping she growled at him from between her fangs. "Move, boy."

[Lathienas Miraq]

A split-second decision decided Thien. He was not keen on being flattened by this bull of a woman. However, those eyes had risen someting inside him that made him ignore all the sensibility in his head and follow the bounty hunter.
'Boy!?' Much as he tried to keep the indignation out of his voice, the barb had stung. 'By the Gods I must be older than you are!'

A voice nagged at the back of his mind that this would lead nowhere but trouble. He ignored it. He had to get another glimpse of those eyes... Nevertheless he did keep one hand on a healing stone as those fangs were not human. The rain was spattering off of his oily hair and as it dripped down his cloak he had a flash of inspiration; She may know of a place to rest, if I can get on her good side. The thought comforted him and using the techniques he had learned on his travels, he calmed his nerves. A thought of the eyes rapidly unsettled him.

Apologies for the fixation with the eyes but they are cool and they give my character a reason to hang around, helping him focus for his 'perfect state' etc.

[Rebellion]

Rose almost grinned as the man's voice cracked like a whip at her; he had no idea how much older than he she truly was. However, she didn't feel like getting into an argument with the foolish man, and instead of coming back with the snappy retort behind her lips she contained her anger and pressed on, following the seemingly deaf guard who had not stopped nor turned around at the voice. Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating a mountain top and the tips of the forest around them, and for not the first time during her journey Rose found herself thinking of Dheathain, of home. How nice it would be to go back. How nice indeed. But at the moment, all she wanted to do was drop the head off, get her gold and head back to the inn she'd found on the outskirts of town, some dank and humble place who's name she couldn't remember. Ah well, she would soon enough. Maybe a drink or--

Footsteps behind her brought the draconian out of her thoughts, and Rose glanced quickly to see in shock that the man who'd been so rude to her was now following her! What in the Gods' name...he must have a death wish. Spinning around she twirled her glaive around her until she stared down it's dripping length at his widened gray eyes. He stopped just inches away from the deadly tip, and Rose growled; "Why are you following me?" Her own eyes narrowed as they met his own and her fist tightened around the grip they had upon the head's hair. She was in no mood to play games this night.

[Lathienas Miraq]

He trudged along, behind the pair of armoured figures and noted the almost wooden composure of the male guard. The iron woman however, was anything but inanimate as she stopped and whirled on him suddenly. He almost followed the fate of the bounty but stopped himself in time to prevent a kebab incidence. Her snarled question was accentuated by the roar of thunder. Thien gulped. However, he regained his countenance and firmly placed a grin much jauntier than his mood on his face.

'Has anyone told you how beautiful you are when you're angry?'

He sincerely hoped the draconic didn't lack humour in the way she seemed to. He sidestepped the glaive, winking as he did so. Hopefully the change in attitude would put her off balance. He placed his hand on his club and rubbed the engraved rune on the handle of his club, feeling it grow harder beneath his hand as the spell took effect. However it also glowed faintly green in the twilight. He glanced up. That's what the feeling is! Her draconic part must be fuelling the ancient magic somehow... He now just had to communicate this to her without being skewered. He released the club and slowly raced his hand, though he kept hold of a healing pebble. Just in case.

[Rebellion]

Rose snorted at his rhetorical question and lowered her weapon as she glared at him. She didn't have the time nor the patience for this. "Go away, fool, before I decide the world would be better without you." She turned away, her wet cape a dark crimson as it spun with her, and started off after the male guard who was still going on without her, damned be he. As she did, she missed Lathienas rubbing the club at his side and the slight green glow that came from it, and the look of understanding he gave her retreating back.

Coming up to the guard's side, she snarled at him in an attempt to vent some of her frustration. "Are we almost there?"

"Almost." He replied shortly, and she noted a strange, dull look in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

"Good." She replied, still walking. "Because I'm tired of lugging this--"

But before she could speak further, the guard had pulled out his sword and swung it at her head in one smooth movement. Had she not been on edge already, she may not have survived the sudden attack. As it was, her polearm came up on instinct and blocked his blade with her own, the steel grinding upon steel in a symphony of earsplitting madness that was audible even above the sounds of the storm. He was strong, but thanks to her draconian birthright she was slightly stronger and pushed the guard back, albeit she had to let the head of her bounty go to use both hands to do so. As he retreated slightly, she growled as she spun the weapon in her fingers, the rain making it look like a dark blur. "Oh, that is it." She snarled at the larger man. "What is it now--"

She stopped, however, upon seeing the glassy-eyed look she noted earlier, and his jerky, wooden movements. He reminded her of some sort of living puppet, and a cold chill went down the draconian's spine as she totally forgot about the grey-eyed stranger standing a few feet away. As the guard stumbled forward, long sword raised, she took her weapon in both hands and rushed him, hoping to gain an advantage of surprise. "Gods, guide my blade." She muttered just as their weapons clashed once more, lightning punctuating the attack and thunder providing a soundtrack to the battle.

[Lathienas Miraq]

Although Thien was not surprised by being brushed off by the draconic, the sequence of events that followed almost lost him completely. The huge guard, completely without warning, span and drove his sword towards the powerful woman. With blinding speed, the glaive blocked his sweep and they engaged. A roll of thunder echoed around the street and the lightning briefly illuminated everything, causing a bright halo to encircle the battling figures.

Over the roar of the rain, Thien thought he could hear something in an alleyway. Another blanket of light showed him to be right. There was another figure making its way speedily but stealthily towards the fight. Thien hesitated momentarily as he wondered whether to help the black-armoured woman. After all she brushed me off... However he was intigued by the power that he had felt from her eyes and if she was incapacitated, he would never be able to find out anything. Unfreezing, he scrabbled in his pouch of Runestones. He withdrew a couple of stones and found the one he was looking for. Replacing the others in his pouch he took aim with the stone and threw it at the approaching figure.

The stone shattered at the sneak's feet and several vines snaked out of the floor where it had impacted. They twisted and attempted to tangle the running feet. They did, however provide Thien enough time to run towards the man and draw his club. As the man turned, Thien noted that he was younger than the guard fighting the Draconic. His guard's helmet was slightly oversized and the same glazed and vacant look that had been in the other's eyes was here too. He swung the club hard before the man had a chance to draw his sword. A sudden loss of balance reminded him of the presence of the vines, and he only connected with the mans jaw, stumbling past as the man dropped to one knee.

[Erif]

Guessing it's alright for me to join?

What could be a more beautiful gift of nature? The lovely cadence of pattering rain, accompanied by magnificent, roaring thunder and graceful lightning, dancing in the sky. Nothing's better than this, Ren thought.
 
Ren lay on the roof of an inn right outside of town, clothes drenched by the endless pouring rain from above. These were ideal, but rare, days for Ren, since the rain doesn't pour down that often. His view of the luminous lightning was excellent, the sound of the raindrops against the roof was mesmerizing; so far his day has been extremely well. He could just zone out, ignore all the seemingly soft noises around him, and just relax. Other days, with different weather, were different, though. The summer sun annoyed him- it brought EVERYBODY out of their house. Kids came out to play, mothers to shop, guys to be... guys. But frankly, Ren hated everyone. Well, almost everyone. The noise was impossible to block out, unbearable, he believed. He wants his alone to be exactly what it was meant to be, alone time. And don't forget the heat! The insufferable heat that was handed out like free candy. Sure, Ren can sit back and rate the figures of the fine beauties in their summer clothes, but how long can that last? Then there's always the winter snow, which is just a babies game if you think about it. There's nothing beautiful about snow, it just get's in the way. Ren can stand the cold- he actually likes it- but the ice makes things even wor-

Suddenly breaking his train of thought, Ren stretched like a cat, letting out a big, yet relieving, yawn. Maybe I'll go on a walk, down a wet avenue or something, he said in his thoughts.

"But first I need to change," he bluntly stated.

[Lathienas Miraq]

Thien span, turning to face the empty-eyed man. His momentum however carried him onwards and he lost his footing on the wet cobbles, landing on his ass. He was glad that he had activated his club's rune, as without it, his opponent woud undoubtedly have rallied quicker. As it was, the man's chin was heavily bruised but the vacant look remaind and he tenaciously swung at Thien with a war-flail that had appeared from the soldiers belt. The first blow caught Thien with one of the head spikes, dragging a gash across his hip. He felt a line of searing pain blossom on his hip. A wild blow whistled through the air towards him. Although powerful, the man's attacks lacked planning and tactics. Thien ducked under the blow, feeling the chain raise his hair. As he did so, he struck out with the club, at the guard's knee. The plate armour on the knee absorbed much of the blow but a gasp from above his head let Thien know that his club had not gone unnoticed.

The armoured man staggered back, before regaining his balance and relaunching his assault. The flail whirled towards Thien. Grabbing the edge of his cloak with his left hand, he drew the edge up to create a wall of leather. The spiked ball thudded into the cloak and Thien wrapped the head in the leather. Leaning backwards and allowing his bleeding leg to collapse, Thien dragged the metal covered fighter forward. He lost his balance, the weight of his armour pulling him down. A sickening crack accompaned the man's nose colliding with the cobbled street and he was still, a pool of blood forming around his head. Thien sighed with relief, and dug around for a healing stone. He applied it to his hip and, sitting on the blood-stained ground he examined his wound. It was only superficial and his stone had stymied the bleeding completely. The wind whipped his hair into his eyes. Picking it out, another flash of lightning brought the green sheen to an almost emerald shine. It also illumnated the other figures, still fighting. An inhuman shape prowled across the roofops, having stretched, ignoring the fight below.