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Hikiko · Adventurer Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 50 Location: Zento

Hikiko left the city proper and walked to the moongate, where she sat beneath a nearby cherry tree. The evening was perfect in every way; the light was beautiful, the weather was fine, and there was no wind.

She set out the little pot of ink and took up her brush, the poem already forming in her mind.

Alaundril Do'Rhett · Seasoned Veteran Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 330

The old drow sat at his desk, drumming his fingers over and over across the hard wood surface. The word was quickly spreading through the Quarter about the latest attack on House Patron Nalimar. The nature of the attack however did not concern him, it was from those responsible that he would seek retribution. The Matron shared no love for those of the Lotus. They had been quite bold recently. Having been spotted on more than one occasion sneaking around the Drow Quarter. Alaundril had seen the tactic before, it was as if they were scouting an enemy. He knew that the attack on Nalimar was only the beginning. That soon, any drow in the Quarter would be attacked regardless of their association to The Drow house. Alaundril sighed and looked to his quiver of arrows and his bow....it was time to find some leverage...
Quickly he grabbed his weapon and quiver and headed out towards the Umbran Moongate. He could easily reach Zento from there. Perhaps there would be some carelessness on their part. A lone citizen perhaps. The thoughts that danced through his head thrilled him. It had been decades since the old assassin had been on the hunt. As he materialized he quickly shifted into the shadows of a nearby bush. His vision was getting better in the constant light of the surface. Now he could actually see perfectly in the night here...and he saw his query sitting calmly in the garden, writing something. He slowly circled behind the young girl...taking proper distance as not to be spotted. He ducked quickly as one of the Iron Lotus sentries quickly rode by, disappearing into the Moongate. Still, the drow's eyes were focused on the girl in front of him, not 50 yards away.
Alaundril quickly knocked an arrow and lifted it...taking several moments to aim his shot. Incapacitation....that was something that he rarely did. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled...losing the arrow. It whistled quietly as it flew through the air, catching the young girl in the back. He quickly followed up with a second shot into her leg, causing her to crumple to the ground. The assassin looked around carefully and quickly bound over to the girl's still form. He gathered her belongings and threw the girl over his shoulder, running to the Moongate...

Hikiko · Adventurer Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 50 Location: Zento

In rapid succession the pain hit her, first in the back then her leg. It was such a shock, and the agony so intense, she was unable to call out. Indeed, the very air seemed to have left her lungs and her throat burned as she fell.

The black lacquered sandal on her foot knocked over the ink. Blood from the wounds spilled on the ground and mixed with the ink, causing a bizarre pattern on the grass. As she fell, the ornate and belled kanzashi fell from her hair and directly into the pool of blood and ink.

Blessedly, the darkness took over and in the darkness there was no pain.

Alaundril Do'Rhett · Seasoned Veteran Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 330

Alaundril made his way through the Moongate to Umbra. Where a drow carrying a bleeding girl over his shoulder would most likely not be questioned. He had gotten away clean it seemed. At least for now. Those of the Lotus would be quite angry with the Drow here in the quarter once they Discovered that one of their own had be harmed and taken. Alaundril grinned to himself with amusement as he the thoughts rolled through his head. He would make sure they would chase their tails for some time before the real culprit could be found.
Perhaps the next time they won't decide to try and assassinate the Patron of House Qu'ellar D' Alean'und. The Matron would be far less merciful.
It took him only a few minutes to arrive back at the granite building named "Spider's Kiss Trading Company." Lately, it seemed that this had become a haven for his Syndicate operatives and now...a half dead human girl.
Delightful....I hope she doesn't bleed on my rugs.
As he moved to the stairs that led up into his safe house, he felt the girl stir. Alaundril quickened his pace and moved inside, setting the girl down. She was able to stand....good enough.
"Come..." The old drow led her to the secured teleporter that would take them down to the vault on the bottom floor. She would be safe there for the time being. Until he could find somewhere to put her that was, less compromising. The Lotus knew that there was ill blood between them and the Drow here in the Quarter. Most of their ire was directed at the Matron and her house...that could be useful but any attention here in the Drow Quarter was generally unwanted. By both the Matron and the Matriarch.
He led the girl into the vault, it seemed fitting for such a pretty girl to be placed with the rest of the treasures here. "Now, I get to figure out just what to do with you..." the girl had been silent the entire time. Not even a name. With a sigh he quickly made his way out of the vault. The assassin had a trail to cover up. The girl had bled quite a bit and he wanted no questions.
On his way out the door he looked to his Shop Keeper, Mr. Narshan. An old human mage that had worked with his son, but now he faithfully served the Syndicate and their cause. He was far too old for combat, but quite adept at handling internal matters. "Take care of the prisoner downstairs. Get her patched up and take her to the Trammel cabin. She'll be quite far away from any of those nosy Tokunese there. We'll keep her there for as long as necessary." Alaundril paused for a moment before he stepped outside. "And make sure she's kept in good health. What use is a dead Tokunese girl anyways?" With that said the drow moved outside to cover up his trail, leaving Therian to attend to the girl in the vault.

Hikiko · Adventurer Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 50 Location: Zento

Two things became abundantly clear to Hikiko as she once again became one with the conscious world. The first thing was the incredible, sickening pain from the wounds she had sustained. The second thing was the darkness. Immediately she realized she was in Umbra; she had been there once, having mistakenly arrived there by moongate when she was younger. In its own way the second realization was worse than the first; pain and injuries could be managed--fear and loathing were indeed much more difficult topics. Hikiko's one and only visit to the dark city frightened and disgusted her in the brief time she had been among its people--using the term loosely. This was an unnatural place, she felt in her heart, a place that the kami would not listen to her pleas nor come to her aid.

As if she were a sack of flour, the ebony skinned devil with red eyes dropped her to the floor, where the pain in her leg exploded and caused a brilliant array of lights to cross her vision. By some grace, or perhaps just luck, Hikiko was able to stay on her feet and never crumpled. With an almost unnatural calm, she tucked her hands into each opposite sleeve of her kimono and stood there in perfect, hateful, silence. Likewise she did not move any part of her body except her eyes, which tracked the movements of her captor.

The drow asked her an array of questions, none of which she answered. His words seemed to drip venom as he said to her, "Your clan of ninjas makes the wrong enemies....girl," yet she would not speak or show emotion of any sort. In fact the only reaction she gave was reflexive, when he cast the poisonous spell at her and caused her to gag as the toxins moved through her body.

On and on it seemed to go, the questions, the insults. Eventually the drow did get a verbal response from the sick and injured girl. "I will not speak to you. Kill me if you must," she said in the strongest voice she could muster. Her heart plummeted when the reply came.

"You're of no value to me dead," he sneered.

More questions and insults were hurled at her, to no avail. Truly, she thought, death was the better of any outcome that she could see. And then suddenly, without fanfare, the drow left her.

Right or wrong, these ebony-skinned monsters felt that the Lotus had done them wrong and it was she who was the object of retaliation. This she accepted with a calm that was frightening even to herself, though the irony was not lost on her that it was the Lotus who promised to keep her safe within Zento. In these few quiet moments, things became much more clear, almost as clear as the pain from her wounds and as evident as the itching caused by the drying blood on her back and leg.

The sound of the teleporter activating caused Hikiko to shut down her thoughts, and she found herself faced with an elderly human man. This man asked many of the same questions, and in his own odd way was very polite about things. He did not insult her, and he seemed sadly resigned when he rained down the injurious spells upon her. He urged Hikiko to speak, if for no other reason than her own good.

But truly, what could she offer? She had no answers to their questions, saw no reason to respond to the cutting and cruel comments of the dark elf. Best to let them kill me, she thought. Then this will be over.

After a time the old man left and she was alone in the deep night, hearing the faint sounds of the forest creatures and night birds.

Without really understanding the motive of her actions, Hikiko went to the water barrel and began washing the dramatic makeup from her face.

Hikiko · Adventurer Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 50 Location: Zento

Not having a mirror to assure herself the makeup marking her as geisha was completely dispersed, Hikiko walked away from the water barrel and knelt in the center of the small room. She supposed it was now time to think about the situation a little further. Just how much time had passed since she had set out to write her haiku and draw the calligraphy she did not know. It could have been any amount of time. Here, alone and frightened, she had no way of knowing how fast or slow the clocked marked time.

Her mind wandered back to the realities at hand. No doubt, the arrows and some of the spells would leave her previously unmarked body scarred. It broke her heart to think that the end of her station in life could well be at hand. As she'd been washing her face and letting down her hair, she had come to realize that one of her treasured kanzashi was missing and it was her hope that perhaps it had fallen during the attack and that by some stroke of luck it would be found. For all she knew, the people of Zento and the Lotus had no idea as to her plight and that thought was too painful and scary to give much more thought to.

So she knelt, pensive, and feeling fear of a variety she had never endured in her entire short life. Every little noise made her jump, causing the drow's words about her being of no value dead to surge into her forethought.

As time wore on, her desire to simply be dispensed increased. She was now damaged, marred and marked. Bouts of nausea from the poison washed over her like unwelcome tides of monsoon. It was not something she was accustomed to, to be forced to wear a ruined and blood encrusted kimono. Her heart grew heavier when the thought arose that this kimono was a treasured gift from one of the ninja who had befriended her and swore to defend her safety and honor. How unfair this seemed, to be faced with such unwelcome experiences.

Hikiko was unsure she would even be welcome back to her beloved Zento if somehow she were spared.

Ni'Xuin · Adventurer Joined: 22 May 2009 Posts: 42

“She is never late,” thought Ni’Xuin, tired of waiting in the teahouse of the Dojo. She started towards the city gate. Again the words ran through her head, “If you do not have an escort don’t go into the city Ni.” No matter her complaints the words of her Brother always rang in her head. Passing beneath the gate was defiant enough. Ni decided to look at Hikiko’s rooms at the Zento Inn. Perhaps she has forgotten the time. Looking bout her room nothing was out of sorts, only her ink pots were missing, but it was the day she was to help her perfect her calligraphy.

“Hmm, we do enjoy sitting under the cherry trees.”

Fixing her kasa, Ni’Xuin walked further to the East city gate to their meeting place. Surprised not to see Hikiko sitting there, Ni walked over and noticed the inkpot setting on its side, spilling ink over the fallen blossoms and high grass. Ni’s eyes grew wide with fear. Falling to her knees, feeling the cool liquid sink into her kimono… Blood! Half sticking from the mess of blossoms, blood and ink was Hikiko’s kanzashi. Picking up gently as not to further damage it, Ni tucked it tightly in her obi, she took off in a dead run towards the dojo, tripping over her kimono several times scraping her hands and tearing the fine silk.

Ni crumbled to her knees before her brother in the road outside the dojo, her forehead touching the dirt, “Forgive me brother for disobeying you, but something horrid as happened!” looking up for just a moment to produce the kanzashi from her side, holding her hands over her head towards Bishimi.
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Bishimi · Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 11:34 am Post subject:

-Notes from the Soke’s desk-

The night has not gone well. I am deeply troubled by the events that have taken place this eve.

It started out as any might, my clan gathered in the tea house as normal, talking and generally enjoying themselves. I believe it was Edda that mentioned it was a night of gathering in the realm of Ilshenar, a tavern in the city called Mistas. We all decided that perhaps it would be good if we went. I personally am not one for such gatherings but I am also one to concede to the wants of the clan and they needed the down time as things have been rather hectic as of late. After a few words we began to move out, the first to arrive being Shihan Garrett and Nidan Edda. I arrived shortly there after to a room full of people from every corner of the lands. I watched men of Moonglow speak with men of the land of Sanctus, I over heard some of a conversation between Ceinwyn of Umbra and Cal Hurst of Infinite. That is something I should look into further; I can’t help but wonder why the ice queen of Umbra seeks his services.

It was at this point that the night took a turn for the worse. After a meeting between Tatiana and our empress, Shihan Garrett and I stepped outside of the Tea house to find my sister Ni’Xuin running towards us with her hands covering her face which was dripping with her tears. Of course I asked her what was wrong; I never could stand to see her unhappy and this was far beyond unhappy. She proceeded to tell us how she was to meet Hikiko under a tree near the moongate in Makoto and how, upon her arrival only found a mess of ink and scattered papers. With these words we quickly ran to the area Ni directed us to. I turned the corner of the wall of the city and even then could see the mess that was left behind, the closer I moved the worse it began to look. As I approached the tree the details began to stand out in my eyes…a pot of ink overturned with a puddle running from it much like a fatal wound, the parchments she used for her writing scattered every accompanied by her favorite pen. I was already quite taken by surprise by what I was seeing, but I was not prepared for what I would see as I grew closer.

Blood, and much of it. If it was not clear to us what happened yet it most certainly was now. There was no denying that Hikiko had been attacked and taken against her will. Immediately I sent my men to search the area in hopes of finding her, that perhaps through some miracle she escaped her attacker. As they were off I continued to look about the tree for anything that might tell of who the attacker may have been. Ni approached me slowly, saying nothing and handed me a kanzashi that apparently belonged to Hikiko. My first thought was how dear these pieces were to her and how she would never leave one behind if given a choice. I quickly tucked it into my pack for safe keeping. Just then a few of my men return with no good news and a look of desperation about them. I did my best to keep a strong voice in hopes of keeping their spirits as positive as possible. Oshiego Rei had just joined us also and as she has proven that stealthing is one of her strong points I sent her and Shihan Micarlin through the gate in hopes of finding some clues, again, a fruitless endeavor.

With little to say I began to walk back to the tea house, my mind racing, trying to figure out who could have done this fading out the assumptions and guesses of my men who followed me almost instinctively. Now, sitting at my desk penning these notes I only have a few thoughts on my mind. The most important being: who could have done this? It is no secrete we have made several enemies in our time here, but any so dishonorable as to put a civilians life in peril…to use them as a hostage, bait? Would any be so foolish as to invoke the wrath of Tokuno in such a fashion? These questions I cannot answer yet. What I do know is I have failed in my duties, I promise the people of these lands safety but while I was off in another drinking as if I had no worries or responsibilities one has been taken, possibly killed. My sister will never forgive me if anything should happen to Hikiko I must see to it that nothing will. Now I must inform the Empress of my shame, I do not look forward to the conversation but it must be done.

Bishimi sighed as he rolled that paper up and tucked it into his desk. He pulled the kanzashi from his pouch, looking at it for one moment before returning it as he went to the empress’ quarter to report the news.

Hikiko · Adventurer Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 50 Location: Zento

The sun and moon had both come and gone several times since Hikiko's last contact with another person--human or drow.

Her hands gave evidence of just how secure her prison was to someone such as herself, without the skills of the warrior nor the mage. There was a tiny patio-like structure on the eastern side of the building where the water barrel was, but the design worked well. Though it allowed the sole occupant to see the outside world, it certainly did not allow Hikiko to leave. The fragile hands that were hers were covered with cuts and bruises and evidence of her having tried to climb, scratch, and hit her way out of the enclosure.

The kimono was a disaster of grime; Hikiko was forced to sleep on a bare stone floor. Her hair hung in dirty strands that seemed determined to become tangled despite the fact that she'd done her best to use her sore fingers to comb through the worst of it. Mind and body were numb with hunger. There were times she wondered if her captor overlooked the fact that there was an abundant supply of water, and likewise wondered if one day that would be taken away.

A daughter of Zento would have never suspected such a horrible way to exist. Even enemy prisoners weren't treated this poorly. In the back of her mind, the words echoed: Were they? But she truly did not believe that was so. Her people were not beasts. Even in war, they were . . . cultured.

The pain that was brought forth by thoughts of Zento was difficult to bear. The last months had been so happy for her, making friends and pursuing her art in the comfort of safety offered by the Lotus. Hikiko wondered, If I should die here, will they know how very much I adored them? How thankful I was for the happiness I have had? She did not know. It was the way of her people to be guarded in the display of emotion, good or bad. She made up her mind to tell people of her feelings, if the kami graced her with the opportunity to do so.

This was not her floating world of beauty and art.

Hikiko · Adventurer Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 50 Location: Zento

It seemed impossible, really, that things could get much worse.

Being hurt, taken from home, imprisoned by this filthy drow . . . all bad enough.

Hikiko found that it could indeed get worse. The dreaded captor arrived, she assumed, to check on her. It came bearing food which she refused to eat for reasons that ranged from resentment to distrust. The scent of the cooked foods tormented both her mind and her body.

This torture did not hold a candle to that which was brought forth when the black hand reached out and touched her chest. Showing no reaction or emotion was one of the most difficult things the geisha had ever endured in her entire existence.

However, she was unable to control the fact that it made her skin crawl, or the surge of nausea that bubbled up when the creature smiled at her as if he knew her very thoughts. When he left, Hikiko adeptly avoided any thought of what may come next.

She simply didn't want to know.

Alaundril Do'Rhett · Seasoned Veteran Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 330

Each and every meeting with the Tokunese woman brought about more questions. And it was for the first time that the assassin thought that she might not be worth the trouble. These thoughts were rolling through his mind as he entered the double doors of his place of business. Alaundril looked to the desk there in the store and was greeted by his old Shopkeeper Mr. Narshan. The old man was sitting in the comfortable chair, reading a book. He a had a long pipe hanging out of his mouth and seemed quite enthralled with his reading.
Gods only knows what he's smoking in that thing.
"You know, I pay you for a good reason. Isn't there a girl that needs disposing of? Get rid of her. Send her body parts back to the Lotus. I've tired of fighting to get nothing I don't know already. She's a liability we can't afford to have any longer."
The old man looked up at the drow and smirked from beneath his beard, "And you think rending her limbs from her body will fix that?"
"It's not supposed to fix anything."
"So, now I understand why you keep me around." Therian closed the book and looked at him for a moment before speaking his next thought. "Well, did you claim to be of that Moonglow Town Council...or whatever it is?"
"Of course. You don't think that I'm dim enough to implicate us do you?"
"Well, maybe you should send her to them...don't even escort her. Just release her near the outskirts of the city proper."
"You're the magically talented one here. It's your job to do."
Therian made a defeated gesture and nodded, "If thats what it takes to keep you from killing every girl you kidnap then I'll make her more useful alive than dead." He rose from his chair and walked towards the door. Alaundril watched him as he moved closer, "You'd better hope she is. And be clean about it, no trace."
The old man already had his telltale wizards hat on and was half way through the door, "Aye. Aye. As you wish Boss."
Alundril shut the door behind him and grinned. Perhaps the old man was right. His kindness could prove to be a weakness later. But this time it may have actually paid off."