Re: .~'{Starlight's Escape}'~. (Closed for Repairs)

by EbonyFrost Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:42 am

~She is slightly more at ease with the anthro form, the smoke shapechange being a neat trick though his rudeness did little to quell her distaste. However she had had less compliant customers, so she smiled again despite his remarks, and a bit more genuinely at the idea of an emperor in her inn. She rarely had those of royal bloodline, and after she always had better business, due simply to the renown. She also recognized the Ohm, and while still taken aback by his earlier words she decided that he couldn't be all bad.~

"Ah, your highness we have many rooms. Twelve, aside from my own with large beds. About half are made with two beds, and for the rest of your men we can either draw a canopy over the roof for tenting, or move the tables back and pull out a few cots on the floor. I am expecting no other customers this night, so you have my full inn to your disposal!"

~She looked back to Phade, wondering now what to do with him. The room he had until now been occupying would have to be used by these people, and yet she couldn't have him sleeping on a floor if he was to heal quickly, and be rested enough to help her with these people in the morning.~

"Phade, you may sleep in my bed tonight. I doubt I will be having any sleep soon anyways. Come, I will finish dressing your wounds and set up the room for you."

~She smiled at her companion almost wearily, expecting a full night ahead of her. Helping him up she turned back to the fox.~

"Have your men come in out of the rain and dry off. There are towels in the closet by the door, so please try not to track too much mud in. I will return shortly to serve dinner and sort out the lodgings amongst you and your men."

~With that she turned back to Phade to help him up the stairs, and while she was fairly certain he wouldn't need it, she didn't want this large force knowing how powerful her current ally was. She would prefer them thinking that her only aid was a crippled human, and as she looked down at him with her profferred hand, that idea was obvious to read on her face.~

by **Phade** Mon Nov 02, 2009 4:10 pm

Phade stared blankly at the creature, his eyes paling like that of a snake's when it's about to shed it's skin. There was no emotion on his face, nor in his body language. His eyes returned to normal with a blink and he nodded in acknowledgment to Ebony, accepting her hand and following her to the stairs. He knew the political ramifications of staying here would present themselves soon enough. All too often these events wove a strange tapestry of chaos and cause...

When they had reached the top of the stairs he stopped and stretched, cracking his neck and giving his head a small shake. Phade turned to Ebony and bowed.

"I am in sore need of supplies and a few personal items. I realize that the nearest town is too far away for a speedy return, but I understand that being so far away from civilization, you would have items for sale? Mainly I would need use of your forge. Would you mind if I utilized it?"

by EbonyFrost Mon Nov 02, 2009 4:37 pm

"The stables are out back, if your army requires, Highness."

~She walked with him up the stairs, nodding once more to the kitsune as she ascended the stairs. She led him to her room, opening the door as he spoke. She nodded at his questioning. She indeed had many items needed, as her inn was generally used as a stop in for travelers, in need of such supplies.~

"I have most anything you will require, and my forge is small, but it should do well enough for your use. I ask that you stay in the room and rest while these soldiers settle in. I would rather they believed you were as wounded as you seem, rather then a threat. Once they are bedded down for the night, or perhaps tomorrow, you may make use of the forge."

~She led him into the room, stopping to shut the door behind them and bolting it. She laid the bandages on the counter, walking over to stoke the fires up into a hearty blaze that quickly diminished the chill from the room.~

"Use the bed as your own for now, I doubt I will be using it in the near future with such a large group to entertain."

~She moved to the closet, pulling the clothing aside and pressing a particular knot in the wood. At her touch the hidden door popped out, showing a small inset corridor leading to either side, and a ladder going to the roof.~

"You may use this to slip out unnoticed, as well as if I should need you..."

~She turned back to him, locking eyes meaningfully before making her way to the door. She swept by him, her tail coiling gently behind her and she stopped a few feet away, just before the door.~

"I trust you will recognize if and when such a time occurs...?"

~She turned to look at him again before leaving and closing the door gently behind her. She stood there for a moment, pausing to relax and let her tail shorten slightly, just enough to be out of the way. She then smoothed out the fur on her neck and arms, making her way down the stairs to greet the army.~

by **Phade** Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:49 pm

Phade nodded and said nothing as she left though a frown crossed his face when she was gone. He needed the forge tonight, but as her wishes of him to seem cripple did not seem to go along with his own needs. He growled to himself on the whims of women. When she had been gone long enough, he slipped out to the roof and sat for a time pondering on the situation when he remembered a gift that a long dead friend had given him. One of his four braids had several beads still woven into the hair and one in particular he sought out with one of his hands. It was wooden, old, and wouldn't have otherwise aroused much suspicion upon even the most intense examination. He rubbed it and spoke his friend's name silently, adding a few extra syllables and closing with a word of power. The room around him shivered and he found himself standing in a graveyard, not far from the High City he had come from.

Working quickly he made his way to a certain tomb and pried open the stone with a crowbar he'd hidden there before. He was sad to have to use this stash so soon, but the need was rather pressing. Inside several bodies lay, rotting, their stench like a hammer to his nose. He ignored it, moving to the back where he pried open another tomb that connected through the wall. Laying on a stone slab was an entire care package from a previous job. He quickly dressed in the tight black armor, made from the skin of a black dragon. Phade had won it in a game of cards from the very dragon whose skin it had belonged to. Sad for the dragon that he had never suspected Phade had poisoned the cards themselves.

He grabbed a heavy black bag, a mask, and a small wooden box and spoke the rest of the spell, fading from the tomb once more. He would have to travel back to the graveyard one day to perform the bindings once again if he ever wanted to use the bead again. Necromancy was generally frowned upon, but he had never performed it in the literal sense, he merely asked for the passage to the graveyard and put enough of his life force into the query that most anything dead that might be right beyond the shroud was more than happy to oblige. Granted this was not the safest way of travel, but it more than paid for the risk in the past and hadn't let him down yet.

Back in the room he put the wooden box on the bed and laid the bag on the table, setting the mask beside it. Phade unwound the cord holding the bag closed and unrolled it, revealing an evil assortment of weaponry, most of it highly illegal in most places he'd traveled to. He selected a few choice items and put them on, tightening straps here and there, setting springs and gears there. It took a short time before he was finished and he smiled as he eyed his work. Phade put the rest away in the bag and slid it under the bed before grabbing the wooden box and opening it. Two amulets shined in the box, strange arcane sygils crawling over their surface. He put them on and spoke a word. The room went black, totally and completely. Phade spoke another and he suddenly could see again, the rooms items glowing in the darkness a strange eerie blue. Speaking the words once more the room and his vision returned to normal and he nodded to himself, ready to begin.

by **Phade** Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:44 pm

Slipping out to the roof again, Phade took his time and care to not allow his silhouette to be seen by the soldiers below. As quiet as a whisper he faded into the encampment that the soldiers had began building, listening to their conversations and moving purposefully around in a random pattern, allowing the fates to guide his way around the camps. Phade soon returned to the room and made himself comfortable in a corner, waiting on Ebony to return. He could hear the officers outside the room and felt a level of annoyance at their presence. Pushing the thoughts away, Phade pulled his consciousness away and fell into the black of his mind to wait.

by EbonyFrost Tue Nov 03, 2009 8:16 pm

~Moved quickly down the stairs and into the kitchen as soldiers began entering the inn. She quickly put up another pot of stew, knowing the current pot to only be enough for a few people. This new, larger pot she added extra meat to, as well as a hearty helping of vegetables, knowing that the tired men would require more sustenance then her normal customers. She tossed in various herbs and spices and set up the pot to stew while she was tending to the army. She spooned out a bit of the soup from earlier, thinking that after a week long coma her newest companion would be a tad hungry. She went into the back, through the trap door that led to the one in her closet so the emperor would not think that she was serving another before him. She came out slowly, seeing the bed empty. She walked into the room and looked about, finally noticing him in the corner with a start.~

"Ah, Phade you startled me. You look rather intimidating curled up in the corner like that... I brought you food, after all I couldn't feed you very well while you were asleep."

~She moved over to him to hand him the bowl, the smell enticing as the door slid shut behind her.~

by Josephüs Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:50 pm

The creatures making their way inside the inn were but a sliver of the army camped outside, a force of almost ten thousand. All of them demons and monsters from the ancient island nation of japan. From the strange to the viscous and twisted they were all there, the angry spirits known as the Akki, massive ogres known as Oni, and a rabble of mischievous, rowdy japanese imps to name a few. By far the oddest of the demons outside were the Wanyūdō, fiery demonic oxcart wheels with the head of a human in the center of their spokes.. very odd soul stealers.

Beside them, the officers coming inside in the personal company of the emperor were a quite odd bunch of creatures, especially the emperor's six personal guards, odd warriors made entirely out old broken pieces of pottery, known as Setotaishō. The other demons and monsters in his company were as follows. The first to walk in was his advisory, a Karasu-tengu, an odd pitched black bird-man dressed in the red kimono of a shinto monk, his feet not talons but those of a normal human, carrying a staff he stuck close to the emperor, the two of them already beginning a discussion on battle plans as they walked to the tables near the bar, stopping at one of the tables.

As the emperor looked over the room all the tables suddenly morphed into one simple round wooden table in the center of the room with a wave of his paw, the chairs morphing into only seven unique chairs around the table, the largest for the emperor, pitched black and ornately carved with a high back. Among the other chairs were three that stood out more than the others, one was a bowl shaped stool mounted on a simple pillar, the second was a tiny chair situated amongst the branches of a tall bonsai tree, as for the other, not a chair, just a tall simple stone slab. On this stone slab the second of the six demon officers appeared, Mokumokuren, simply a swarm of hundreds of eyes. "Ah, Moku' I'm glad you're the first here... i trust you searched the premisses and surrounding area?" The emperor said as he and his advisor took their seats at the table, the eyes all looking toward him. "Yes, brother... there is nothing out of the ordinary, at least nothing you haven't seen.." The demons ethereal voice said quietly. "What of the boy upstairs..? i sense a strange reiatsu..." The advisor now chimed in, concern in his voice. "Ah yes, him..." The eyes said as they looked around shiftily. "He is no threat to the Shogun, especially with us around." The emperor nodded in agreement "Indeed..." He cleared his throat loudly. "Blegh... bloody damp weather" He grunted quietly, becoming impatient with the others.

About another half hour passes before finally the other four generals made their way inside, the first a Jorōgumo, a spider woman in the bright red silken garb of a geisha. Slowly hovering in behind her was a tiny sprite with an emerald green glow, Kijimunaa the tree sprite of Okinawa. Accompanying the sprite was a little river otter whom came scampering in covered in mud, an unassuming little follow but he was in fact just as supernatural as the others, and probably the best strategist of the group. As the sprite took his seat in his bonsai tree chair, the little otter climbed up into the bowl stool, and when the spider woman took her place the last of them made her way inside. The emperor's mate, standing at nearly eight feet tall she was a purple haired demon horned scottish half demoness, half giantess whom wore a pair of regular old boots, round rimmed glasses and a long black split leg dress with a low-cut top, showing off her long legs and needless to say... well endowed chest. The only other thing she wore was a pistol holster strapped to her left thigh and several throwing knives strapped to the other, a giant eight and a half foot bastard sword on her back. "If I'm not mistaken i believe a certain fox summoned his mistress.." She said loudly to get his attention as she grinned toothily, her long devil tail swaying behind her.

The fox quickly looked up, eyes suddenly going wide. "good lord woman!" He exclaimed loudly, voice resonating throughout the inn.

by **Phade** Wed Nov 04, 2009 5:46 pm

Phade allowed a feeble smile to touch his face as he took the food and began to eat. The motions were forced and unpracticed. Long ago, he had been present at the binding of an especially powerful Tome of Power and the lasting effect had slowed his metabolism to such a degree that he only ate roughly once a moon. He was positive he would be sick from how much he was eating now, but he ate none the less and emptied the bowl, handing it back with a polite nod.

"I trust there are no problems downstairs that I should be aware of?" He asked, standing and bowing. He heard the exclamation from downstairs and his face went blank once more, a part of him fading away to be replaced by a still void which gazed passively at the world. He idly wondered if he would have to use some of the items he had brought back but pushed the thoughts away.

"Also M'lady, I would ask you for a bag of beans. I have used them for years as targets when I was throwing my daggers."

by EbonyFrost Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:01 pm

~Took a moment to gaze at the human again, taking in his features that were so different from what she was accustomed to. Her mind drifted again slightly, a slight blush finding her cheeks, though not enough to show under her fur. She took the bowl back, smiling at him as he spoke, her tail swished slowly behind her.~

"Well my inn is overrun by demons, but at this point I am hoping it to be more profitable then detrimental. I should likely get back to serving them. If you feel well enough I could do with some help in the kitchen, as I apparently have literally an entire army to feed..."

~She looked at the closet, wondering if perhaps she should get back now. Her quick stew would be ready in less than an hour, and she had to make up some side dishes and slice up many loaves of bread before it would be done. She turned her gaze back to him, wondering what his response would be.~

"You can collect your beans from the kitchen while you help if you wish?"

by **Phade** Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:07 pm

Phade nodded and before moving toward the door, touched his armor with two fingers. The armor shivered and rippled before becoming loose fitting black clothing, trimmed in gray and fastened with gray draw cords. It was useful on occasion to not look as dangerous as he truly was. The shift complete he returned his gaze to Ebony, brushing one of his four braids off of his shoulder and waiting patiently.

"I would be honored." He responded, bowing slightly and awaiting her response.

by EbonyFrost Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:17 pm

~She nodded, moving to the closet with the empty bowl in hand. Her back turned to him, she grinned broadly at his politeness, finding him charming though she was certain he wasn't trying to be. This, however, merely added to the charm, and she had to quell her smile before turning around to him.~

"Take the front door if you will, I'd rather these demons didn't know of my little secret entrance here, and it will give you a chance to scope out the scene for yourself. I will meet you down in the kitchen."

~She tapped the knot in the closet, disappearing into the dark passage behind her as the door slid shut. She moved through the small corridor, and down the ladder into the corner of the kitchen. She moved out from behind the wall, cleverly painted to appear as though it were a part of the wall behind it until you were just next to it. She moved over to the stew, stirring it as she wondered at what would go well with stew and bread.~

by **Phade** Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:29 pm

Taking a deep breath, Phade opened the door and let himself out of the room, adjusting his movement to match that of his broken personae. He sighed inwardly as he put up his mental walls and effectively hid his true self behind a wall of emotions and thoughts in a personality he simply called The Charlatan. Anyone that tried to read him would only find a confused youth, beset with boring problems and nothing but sex, fighting, and the pain of his wounds on his mind. It was more than effective. Sometimes he nearly fell for it himself. He giggled, allowing his alter to take further control and move down the stairs, through the inn and to the kitchen. It was almost too much for him to keep the alter from laughing maniacally as he crossed the main room and passively looked around, studying the patrons.

Once in the kitchen he dropped the alter and moved to Ebony's side silently, waiting for his orders. He had picked up a bag of potatoes on his way in and now set it down next to her, allowing his arm to brush against the fur on her tail slightly. His own way of saying he was present. Phade knew it would have been polite to actually speak, but he couldn't bring himself to do so from old habits and personal aversion to speaking.

by EbonyFrost Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:45 pm

~Jumped slightly at the touch, even the keen hearing from her overlarge ears didn't pick up on his silent movements. She turned, her tail twitching slightly from his touch, the sensitive fluff still tingling slightly. She noticed the potatoes, an idea coming to her mind for cheesy mashed potatoes to go with the stew.~

"Ah, thank you Phade those potatoes will do nicely with the stew. We will have to make a good deal of them, and I fear another large pot of stew or two. Apparently there is a VERY large force outside, and I hope that I can at the very least feed most of them. However once they leave we will have to make a trip to the city, to restock on supplies. It is rare that I should have to feed so many all at once."

~She grabbed another massive pot, even bigger then the last and set it on the huge stove, pouring in broth and setting aside ingredients while it warmed. She also pulled out the bread, and cheeses to go in the potatoes. She wondered for a moment if she should make them au gratin or mashed, then decided on the latter for speeds sake.~

"If you could get started on the second pot of stew and begin peeling the potatoes, I will go out to announce the dinner, and ensure that our... guests, are not in need of anything."

~She flashed him a smile before moving out to the common room, to see the tables and chairs replaced by a single round table and ornate chairs. She sincerely hoped that her inn would be returned to normal upon their leave. She walked out to the table cautiously, coughing slightly to announce her presence, and curling her tail around behind her to give a good first presentation to her new guests.~

"Welcome to my inn gentlemen and lady, Your Highness. Dinner is being prepared, though your troops will have to be served after you, as I had not expected such a large turnout on this eve. If there is anything I can get for you while the food is being prepared, please let me know."

~She smiled to them, noting the several odd creatures and species of demon, some she knew and others she did not recognize. She stood, awaiting any orders they had for her.~

by **Phade** Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:20 pm

Phade set about preparing the potatoes, first washing them and then slicing them. He rarely peeled them, knowing that most of their nutrition value came from the skins themselves. The prepared cubes were pushed into the pot from time to time as he continued, the water starting to bubble after a time. He wondered why an army of demons would be roaming through the forest and to where they were destined. He was aware of the Gates between the worlds and wondered if there was a war going on or about to start on the other side, or one of the many sides. The potatoes quickly wore away and he began on the onions, quickly cutting them into fourths and tossing them into the pot. Phade stopped after a couple onions and let the potatoes cook, waiting for Ebony to return.

Phade pulled a whet stone from the wall and began expertly sharpening the knives, passing away the time until she returned, and keeping an eye on the food, stirring from time to time. He stopped when the cutlery was sharpened and found the beans, pouring some into a small pouch secreted away in the folds of his clothes. These might be useful later he thought to himself, allowing himself a yawn as boredom stretched it's bony fingers towards him.

by Josephüs Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:52 pm

Everyone around the table shifts their attention to ebony, the emperor just smirking. "Madam, do not worry about feeding the rowdy bunch outside... Their rations are enough and more than they damn well deserve, beside... half of 'em only eat souls or corpses. Although as many cucumbers as you can spare would be most appreciated, our kappas haven't stopped stopped pestering me about it.." He said quietly as he interlaced his fingers, resting his elbows on the table, seeming to slip into thought.

After a moment the emperor's advisor chimed in, almost cautiously. "The only thing i'd like to request, and I'm sure i speak for all of us when i say this..." He paused, looking over at the emperor, the fox just nodding his approval to continue. "...for his own sake, could you kindly tell the human to drop the act? Because A. The emperor does not care about the boys strength nor is he threatened... And B. no one has ever gotten past the six earthenware warriors in over three and a half thousand years" The six guards, slam their fists against their chests in a salute to the emperor. "And we shall not fail in our duty to the guardian of the great mother gaia! HAIL TO GRAND EMPEROR JOSEPHÜS!"

The fox grunts, twitching slightly. "Oh for the love of buddha..."

by EbonyFrost Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:18 pm

~She bows slightly to Jo as he tells her that she need not prepare as much food. The pot of stew and sides she was preparing would be more then enough for those at the table and the few officers that would be sleeping indoors. On mention of cucumbers she quarked an eyebrow, but understanding the many varied diets of the demons she simply nodded, hoping that her last harvest was still fresh. At the mention of Phade, she looked at the advisor with earnest, voicing her own thoughts.~

"I do not know what you mean by this 'act' you speak of. I found the boy near death a week ago, and he only awoke from a coma today. I know almost as little about him as you sirs do, and I assure you that so long as you pose no threat to us there will be no threat to yourselves."

~She gave a thin smile to the Emperor, understanding his own displeasure at his troops rowdyness and kiss-assery. She walked further into the room, moving just behind the bar to pull out a few glasses.~

"Dinner, for those of you that will be eating, is venison stew with cheesy mashed potatoes and bread. It should, as I said, be ready shortly. Until then, if you with I can serve you whatever drinks you prefer. I have many beverages, including the finest of ales and liquers."

~She smiled, pulling out a fine wine and setting it on the table as if to accentuate her point.~

by Josephüs Fri Nov 06, 2009 3:27 pm

The emperor grabbed his advisor's beak, holding it shut as he was about to push the issue further. "Niiche... if you question her further it will be your last squawk... i'll talk to the human myself later..." The emperor said annoy idly, letting the crow go as he looked to ebony, smiling more politely than earlier in the evening. "Just some saki if you please, and if you happen to have it." He said politely. "And the food sounds lovely, madam" He smiled

"Also, i apologize for the uh... bluntness of my featherbrained friend here." Grinning slightly, he then looked to his advisor, growling silently before turning to the others "Now then... to the matter of our business with the capital"

by EbonyFrost Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:54 pm

~She nods, almost laughing at the antics of the bird, his feathers getting ruffed as he sulked. Moving over to the far side of the bar she opened the cabinet where she kept the warm liquors. She pulled out her nicest bottle of the rice wine, it being not too uncommon a drink even here. She also pulled out a tray, and several small saucer-like glasses. The glasses themselves were beautiful, stunningly mixed black volcanic glass and frosted clear glass. They had small branches painted on them with tiny pink petals she didn't know the origin of. All her saki drinking customers knew the flowers, however and thought them a nice touch. She brought the tray out to the table, pouring several glasses for those assembled and leaving the extra ones, and the bottle, on the table before making her way back to the kitchen. She picked up the sopping towel and the bucket and mop from earlier, stowing them in the closet before turning to Phade to see that he had done much more then what she had expected.~

"Oh, thank you Phade, I can smell it from here!"

~She moved over to the stew, peering over at it and giving it a stir, tasting the now thickening broth and seeing that it was delicious as it smelled. She looked to the potatoes, seeing the onions and thinking them a fine touch. She grabbed the cheese she had set out earlier, chopping it quickly and dropping the assorted cheeses into the pot. She leaned against the counter and sighed softly.~

"Now all that's left is the bread, and you can go and do whatever it is you need. Despite a few rude ones, I believe this kitsune will keep his army in check."

~She moved over with a large knife, cutting the big loaves of bread slowly, taking her time as she had a few minutes before the cheese melted thoroughly, and the stew thickened.~

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