Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[LyfeldLesk]

"..." The silence he held for a moment was a mixed one - as if there was a hint of regret for multiple matters of his personal life - and for being unable to repay the kindness shown to him.

"He died of old age."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Ah. Well, uh...sorry for your loss. That's rough, man."
Todoroki rubs the back of his head awkwardly. This....wasn't his forte.
"....still not sure why, uh....you feel like you need to join the caravan because of that, though. Like....you headin' the same way as us, or..."

[Smoke Mirrors]

"Very well, I will make considerations for how to move things about during the trip."

[LyfeldLesk]

"The apothecary that stood alongside you had offered me to join her on the journey, if not for a little while to sate her curiosity. Both on behalf of my ill foresight and the misfortune that befell my benefactor, it is what little I can do."

[Eclogia]

I'm back! Sorry for the wait. Are we ready to move out?
Kazuko blinked.
I was away for mere minutes and over half the people now have a long face...
Ahem... Mister Bodyguard, I never know which road I'll tread the next week. I wouldn't want to miss any opportunity I can get to hone my skills. I really hope you'll allow this man to accompany us for a little while.
What do you think about it, Misses Top-of-the-class?

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Well, Mizuno. Lan. It's up to you."

Lan and Rin share a look.
"...I don't like this."
"Come on, Lan! It'll be fun! The more the merrier, right?"
"We don't even know this guy."
"Mister Todoroki will have our backs, won't he? Besides, he can't be all that bad if the elders know him."
"...you're in charge of the expedition, but I'm really asking you, don't let that guy in."

Rin turns to the fortune teller.
"Lan will take some convincing, but we'd be happy to have you."

[LyfeldLesk]

"My most earnest thanks. May the Ten Divines banish me were I not to repay such benevolence."

Roland gave a short bow in appreciation to the mercenary and the two apothecaries.

"If there may be any matter I may aid, no matter how little, know that I am willing to aid if needed so."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Lan looks over at Rin, then back at Roland, and then places a hand on her temple.

"...."
"Let's just go already. Any more guests? We'll be underway in ten minutes."

[Lightbringer28]

"We'll be off soon? Great, I've been itchin' to get a move on."

Shinji's words were accompanied by a stretch.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Come on! Let's get moving!"

With that clear and loud yell, the porters finish loading the last of the luggage onto the caravan. Within the hour, three wagons set out from the gates of the Mizuno Pharmacy upon Mount Kaikuma, trundling towards the town below, the clear mountain air giving way to the scents and smells of the town, and then to the countryside of northern Hokuto.
...
The week passes mostly uneventfully.

A few bandits assail the caravan, but the Thousand Swords are able to deal with them in short order, Todoroki's sheer strength, Madoka's speed and the skills of the others dispatching them before they are even able to come close to threatening the caravan. Throughout the week, the other members of the caravan notice that Rin seems to be spending time talking to the mysterious box. However, when they draw near, she doesn't seem to notice, and keeps chattering away. What she talks about is nothing special; the weather, what they ate that day, or the cute rabbits she almost stopped the caravan to go pet.
...
The caravan settles at the side of the road, as the sunset approaches. Lan had made the call to stop the wagons here for now; they could set out with first light, and get to the town of Kasumigaoka tomorrow noon. There, Rin had suggested, they stop for the night to enjoy the town's festival, and also resupply their caravan for the week long trek to the Hokuto border, where they would not be running into any towns on their planned route until the border town of Akagawa, from which they could take the properly paved Northern Road straight to the imperial capital of Amatsu.

As the caravan settles for the night, Todoroki yawns, stretching his broad arms and legs as he walks and leans by a tree; with his vast size, even the tree looks small before him.
"Damn. Cooped up in there all day...really does a number on you, doesn't it?"
"You're about twice everyone else's size, Todoroki. Of course it does."
"What can I say? I'm built correctly."
Lan snorts.

Rin also disembarks, bobbing her head along to an unheard rhythm.
"We made it just in time! I haven't seen a sunset this beautiful in a while. Isn't it beautiful, Lan?"
"We're behind a treeline, Rin. We can't see anything."

[Eclogia]

Kazuko follows Rin out. Although she is used to wagon trips, she far prefers using her two feet. Hearing the conversation, she claps her hands together and chimes in.
Imagining a beautiful world is a quality I find commendable. And hey, if you find you can ward off boredom with just a box as conversation partner, it's all the better for you!
You two girls are a good pair, huh? Surely you will end up learning from each other's dispositions.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"I'm honestly convinced this girl would get taken advantage of by some scammer if I wasn't around."
"Oh, don't be mean! Besides..."
She gazes over at the box tied with sacred rope.
"I don't want Mr. Box to be lonely with nobody to talk to all that time."

[Chevaleresse]

Madoka, having climbed out behind Todoroki, looks askance at Rin, but says nothing.

[ctsun]

Kaori follows Rin off the caravan and pauses for a moment to stretch her limbs.

"Mmmm.... Feel that sweet countryside air. It's really quite lovely, isn't it?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Todoroki lifts an eyebrow. Well, the one eyebrow he can lift; the other one was, somewhat unfortunately for his good looks, paralysed by the same injury that took his eye.
"Well, go on, make friends, Madoka. Don't be shy. I don't think the nice apothecaries will bite."