[You two are currently in the middle of a mission, guarding a small caravan of about four wagons, each containing three or four people. Said caravan is carrying supplies from the plains town of Arondale to the small city of Everbright. Normally, you'd be sticking to the Oasis Road routes, but when you heard about this job, and how much they planned to pay you, you headed off to take it.] (Money is good. Lots of money is better.) [Of course, the amount offered makes you suspect that there's more than just supplies being transported here, especially since the third wagon seems to have an unusual amount of coverings on it, and the caravan master, a middle-aged man named Rutherford, has seemed reluctant to let anyone near it.] [Besides the two of you, there are four other guards, all four or five years older than you.] [You're about halfway through the trip, and so far, it's been uneventful. The weather's been pleasant, and the most exciting thing to happen is one of the horses getting a stone in its shoe.] [But that might just change today...] [Session Start!] * Leran is riding on Wayfinder, looking around carefully like a good guard. He might be anxious, he might be nervous, he might just be bored, but he's not looking at peace, that's for sure. * Nikki is riding along on Ioanna. She doesn't seem to have a care in the world, probably because she's cheerfully singing about not having a care in the world. The lyrics leave a lot to be desired, as it sounds like she's just picking words that might almost rhyme. But the melody's good. * Leran also has his hand resting on his spear, which is strapped to the saddle, like all good combat saddles. [The other guards seem to be fairly at ease, although that's likely deceptive; if something were to happen, they'd be ready at a moment's notice.] * Leran looks over at Nikki. "Nikki." * Nikki brushes the hood off of her duster and looks over with bright blue eyes. She manages the words, "Yes, Leran, what do you want?" into the song. Must you sing so loudly? I doubt I could hear a bear tromping through dead leaves. I wasn't aware bears were very stealthy. Must be because they're not that wealthy. All the money not dragging them down o/~ And dried twigs. While playing an accordian. * Nikki somehow gets louder. "Oh, accordian!" o/~ * Leran rolls his eyes and looks profoundly annoyed. "That's alright, I'll tell him to eat you first. You're more tender, anyhow." [A few people peek out at Nikki from the wagons. Most seem to have gotten used to it, or at least are getting fairly good at ignoring her.] What makes you think they'll listen to you? I bet you make a mighty fine stew o/~ Because I have a spear, and you have ... whatever it is you play. A lute, but I could use an accordian. I'm not even going to try to rhyme that one. o/~ Plus, bears always eat musicians first. It's a proven fact, my grandda said so. He's lyyyyying! o/~ You take that back! Nuh uh! They always try to eat you first! That's because you run behind me! A perfectly legitimate tactic, Mr. Meat Shield. [One of the guards chuckles softly.] Maybe if you learned to play a bow instead of a ... a *lute*, you could kill the bear yourself! * Nikki sticks her tongue out at Leran. "You're just jealous of my musical talent, when all you can do is stab and hack at things. Which one got us this job? (Not you?) (;_;) * Nikki hums. To the tune, just to get on Leran's nerves. "As I recall, you almost blew it for us, but I saved us at the last minute by proclaiming how great we are. Or, more accurately, how the silly mix-up two caravans back was just a silly mix-up and not our fault in the *least*. It's not my fault, anyway." What do you MEAN not your fault! If you hadn't started singing they wouldn't have noticed we were in the bushes! If you weren't so big, they wouldn't have noticed us at all, and I wouldn't have had to start singing to save your ass! There you go again, twisting the truth. Sometimes I don't know why we bother! * Nikki grins. "Me? I don't twist anything! You're the one who wants to blame everything on me." Really, Leran. Accept some responsibility. Oh, sure, everything bad that's happened in the past few years is all my fault, directly, right? Nope. Sometimes it's indirect. Like that time in the tavern you swore up and down to that barbarian I could arm-wrestle him for half that day's wages? But you did! I had to kick him in the crotch three times first! But you did! See? [There's a sympathetic wince from a couple of the guards.] * Nikki seems remarkably (or perhaps not so) unashamed. (I'd go with the perhaps not so.) * Leran humphs. "That's hardly the point! I shouldn't have had to in the first place. Should, shouldn't. So subjective. You did! Besides, if you shouldn't have to, maybe you should work out more or something. * Leran falls into a grumpy silence. He looks grumpy, too. Which only serves to make him look ridiculous with his 18-year old half-stubble. * Nikki laughs and goes back to singing, though it's wordless this time. She, fortunately, has no stubble. [You're approaching a small stream, and it looks like the caravan's getting ready to take a break. Let the horses get water, people get out and stretch, and so on.] * Nikki pats her chestnut horse on the neck. "Hey, Iolanna, want some water?" o/~ Said horse bobs its head a little, but maybe that's to the beat. * Leran pulls the horse up to the stream, then swings off with a practiced air! He grabs the spear and takes it with him as he stalks a little ways off from Nikki. * Nikki trots Iolanna up to the stream and gets off, letting her horse have some water. She, amazingly, stops singing as she does so. * Leran looks briefly relieved. * Nikki starts idly strumming her lute as she stretches her legs, strolling down the steam. You can bet Leran hears it. * Leran kicks a rock into the stream. * Nikki grins and singsongs, "Rocks have feelings too." Then that one feels all wet. * Nikki looks into the stream and seems to be seriously considering that. "But the kick was entirely unnecessary." She lets her lute hang by the strap as she picks up a smoother rock and tosses it, skipping it once before it plunks. * Leran sighs, bends down for a drink, then heads back upstream towards Nikki. "You haven't seen anything, have you?" He, too, skips a rock! It skips _twice_. * Nikki eyes Leran and picks up another rock. She tosses it once in her hand, then skips it... twice. I just wanted to make sure you could keep up. Weren't you practicing with that stick of yours? * Leran finds an exceptionally smooth one and skips it three times before it hits a rock on the shore and goes flying into the woods. "I'll take that as a no. And it's a spear." I just feel ill at ease, is all. * Nikki hums. "Which is a stick with a pointy end." She grabs another rock and tries to skip it, only managing twice again. "What, the squirrels are bothering you? Ooh, scary scary squirrels." No, not the squirrels, curse you. Something else. Just a hunch, is all, but the spear makes me feel better. * AFKgryphon is now known as RDMgryphon Are you sure? I mean, you did have that traumatic incident with squirrels when your grandpa decided it'd be a good idea to see how you handled rodent warfare, or something. * Leran shudders. "Ugh. Don't remind me... I mean I'm fine! I'm over that, really." Even the time they tried to nest in your hair? * Leran sputters. "Look, I said I'm over it!" * Nikki nods. "Yup. Completely over it." Anyways, it just helps. Yeah. * Leran looks around more. He's back to uneasy. * Nikki starts to walk away, but before she completely leaves, she turns back and jumps up to ruffle Leran's hair. "Squirrels!" AIGH! * Nikki laughs and walks off downstream. [Nikki bumps into someone!] * Nikki oofs and blinks, taking a step back. * Leran looks up. [It's a girl, short and wiry, with short, messy orange hair. She's dressed in fairly mismatched traveling clothes and has, of all things, a short orange striped tail, although it looks less a part of her and more a decoration of some sort.] * Nikki smiles all friendly-like. "Hey, haven't seen you around." She glances. "Nice tail." * Leran hops to his feet, spear in hand, but it's shaking a little. [Right behind her is a man, who's also short, but very beefy, with dark hair and what seems to be an odd smile on his face.] Who are you? [The girl waves, and then uses the other hand to wave her tail. "Thanks!"] * Nikki waves back before adjusting her lute. [The girl casts a glance over her shoulder at the man.] [The man begins to talk, but is cut off. He waves his hand, then nudges the girl. "Thanks for what?"] [The girl smiles. "She complimented my tail! You never say nice things about my tail, boss."] I mean it! Who are you? [The other guards are a short distance back. So far, they seem to just be watching your interactions.] Oh, he's your boss? Do you get paid well? * Nikki looks back at Leran. "You can stop threatening them now! They're not squirrels." ["Um. Well... hey!" She glares at the man. "You haven't paid me, boss!"] But they could be brigands! Or anything! Yes, but they're not squirrels. [The man looks back. "Yeah I did! You just don't remember! You never remember!"] Lots of things are dangerous that aren't squirrels, Nikki! Yeah, but they won't nest in your hair, which is a plus in my book. * Nikki looks back at the girl. "You won't nest in his hair, right?" ["You did? Are you sure?" The girl wrinkles her nose in a cute, but confused, manner.] [The man thinks. "Yup, I'm sure I'm sure."] ["Oh." She still looks a bit doubtful, then turns to Nikki. "Nope, I don't make nests! I'm a cat, not a bird!" She seems completely satisfied by this explanation.] * Leran eyes them warily. "Are you lunatics or brigands, or both?" [The girl points a finger dramatically at the sky. "We are..."] Yeah, see? She's a cat. And- for crying out loud, Leran, they don't have to be lunatics *or* brigands. If you're trying to make a multiple choice question, you have to add an other option. Well, who else is wandering around in forests? With tails? ["Hey, are you listening? I said, we are..."] [The man points his finger dramatically in the opposite direction in the sky, waiting for her to continue. Go dramatic posing. :P] ["El Gato! And..." She points at the man.] [ "El Toro!" He points back at the girl.] * Leran screws up his face. "Those are kind of funny names." I kinda like 'em. Are you saying your own names or the other person's name? ["Our own! Don't you like them? We picked them out ourselves."] Where did you get them? ["Yeah! We're very good at picking out names." He nods.] ["Out of this neat old book we st- found. Right, boss?"] * Leran narrows his eyes. "You found it, huh?" ["Didn't we s- Yeah, found it! Found it."] Uh-huh. Well, what do you want? ["Just to say hi! We're friendly folks, and we saw you passing by, so..."] ... oh. Uh, okay. You're gonna rob us blind, right? Hi. ["Blind? No, no. Of course not!"] [El Toro stutters. "Rob you blind! We'd never do that!"] Somewhere between blind and not at all, then? ["Who said anything about robbing? I didn't say anything about robbing, did I, boss?"] ["Of course we didn't say anything about robbing. They're just hearing things. We're not at all interested in that very special, rare, one of a kind statue you have with you. Not interested in the least."] [El Gato looks at the man. "Boss... I don't think you were supposed to say *that*.] I _knew_ it! No you didn't. I did so! GUARDS! [El Gato looks nervous. "Hey, can't we *talk* about this?"] [Meanwhile, the guards draw weapons and begin advancing your way.] [El Toro looks around. "Um, oops?"] Sure. You walk away and we don't spit you like goats! Like big, hairy, goats! ["I wasn't supposed to say that, was I?"] * Leran looks to Nikki. "I'm not overdoing it, am I?" ["No, you weren't!" She reaches into a pocket and pulls out a handful of something. "Look, I'm really sorry about this." She blows it at Leran, Nikki, and the approaching guards. Luckily for her, the wind isn't going to blow it back in her face.] (Roll ranged def in #besm.) (Because I am too lazy to bring the dice in here. ;p) (Likewise. :P) (Hellll no.) (Whoo!) * Nikki looks back. "Just a little. They're not that hairy." (We're gonna die.) (... Oh my, it worked.) [It gets in your eyes! In fact, Nikki gets an entire face full and really can't see. Luckily, the creek is nearby. Unluckily, going for it might just mean you fall in.] [The guards, too, seem to be blinded. You here shouts from the caravan.] Ah! What the hell? * Leran makes for the creek! ["Quick, while they're distracted!"] [Nikki is also sneezing.] * Leran tries to wash his face! * Nikki yells something at that. "I knew it! Robbing us bli- bli- choo!" She sniffs and stumbles for the stream, or where she remembers the stream is. ["Right, boss!"] * Nikki more or less falls into the stream, sneezing and trying to wash her face. [There's much assorted yelling and screaming. Rutherford seems to be calling you all incompetents, although you're not in much of a position to get him to stop at the moment.] [El Gato yells, "I got it, boss, I got it!"] [Meanwhile, Nikki's wet, but both of you have pretty much gotten all of the powder out of your eyes.] [El Toro yells back. "Good! Now before they wash off their eyes let's get out of here!"] * Leran looks up, snatches up his spear, and unsteadily leaps into action! LEAPS INTO ACTION! (oh dear) ["Right!" *scamperscamperscamperscamperWHUMPright into Leran* "Ow!"] [El Gato falls on her butt.] * Leran levels his spear. "Drop it! Drop it right now!" [El Gato spreads her arms. They're empty. "Drop what?"] * Leran looks at El Gato closely. "You said you had it! Where is it?" ["I don't know. Do I have an it?"] * Nikki runs over, lute in hands. She looks annoyed and wet. ["I mean, I have lotsa stuff!" She pulls out a silver whistle. "Like this!"] The statue! Where is the statue? [The other guards seem to have gotten at least as bad a dose as Nikki, because they're still stumbling about in the stream.] ["Ohhh, that it!"] [El Toro looks over at El Gato. "I think he means the other silver thing."] ["It's wooden, not silver! But I think I hear someone calling my name. Gottagobye!" With an oddly fast movement, she jumps up amd starts running towards El Toro.] * Leran dashes after her! * Nikki blinks. "Hey!" And she runs after the whole lot of them. Get back here! Thieves! [El Toro stands his ground and looks as intimidating as a five foot really beefy guy can look. "Grrrrrr!" It's... not that impressive, really.] [El Gato quickly glances over her shoulder. "This isn't working, boss!" She hides behind him.] [El Toro looks around, then back at Gato. "Run away?"] [She nodnodnods.] Not if I can help it! Hairy goat treatment for you! * Leran runs as fast as he can! [El Toro nods and points in two directions. "You run this way, I run that way!"] ["But I don't wanna be a hairy goat!" And then she nods and runs in the indicated direction!] [Which is the opposite direction as his, yes, but is a path that takes them *into* each other, not away!] * Nikki pulls her lute before her and strums the strings once, then stops. "I dunno if I should even bother." (You probably shouldn't.) (But go right ahead if you want to. ^_~) * Leran aims for where their paths converge! * Nikki walks after. They're not worth running for. [Leran catches up to them pretty darned quick, because they managed to run into each other, get tangled up, and haven't recovered yet. Nikki's right.] ["Owwwww, boss."] * Nikki singsongs as she draws her beaten short sword and approaches, "Statue." o/~ * Leran ties them up with leather straps! "Yeah. Statue." ["Fine. It's in my back pocket."] Nikki, you get it. I'll watch in case they Try Something. [El Toro is still standing (really sturdy), but El Gato's still tangled with him.] Yeah, you just don't wanna touch her butt. * Nikki walks around anyway. Is there a back pocket? [El Gato does not Try Anything. And, yes. There are two, in fact, but one has a rather telltale bulge. It's a miracle that she didn't manage to fall right on that earlier.] * Nikki reaches over with her free hand and pulls whatever it is from El Gato's back pocket. ["Please don't split us like big, hairy goats? Pretty please?"] We'll see. * Leran looks around for the head guard. You could get lucky. We might split you like sheered goats! ["Can we not get split at all?"] * Nikki turns whatever it is in her hand, then nods to herself. "Think this is it." ["Getting split sounds painful."] Maybe if you ask nicely. Can you cook? [The head guard has finally gotten the powder out of his eyes and comes walking over.] We caught them. [El Gato nods. "Yeah, I can cook! I cook for us all the time, right boss?"] * Nikki sheathes her sword again and turns the statue over in her hand. ["No y- Yeah! You're a really good cook!"] [El Toro nods, picks up El Gato like she's nothing, and sets her upright.] And you guys are really horrible liars. No kidding. Nikki's a good judge of liars, too. ["Thanks, boss." She looks sad. "I thought I was getting pretty good."] * Nikki grins. "Not that I am one. Wonder what the number at the bottom of this is for. First edition?" Could be one of a set, but I bet we're really not supposed to be looking at it. ["Dunno. I heard it was pretty special, though. I mean, that's why you're all here, right?"] ["You are quite good at it, if I say so myself."] [El Toro blinks, the wheels in his head turning.] [She grins. "Thanks, boss!"] (You can hear them creaking.) * Nikki eyes El Toro, then nudges him. "Hey, you. Don't try anything. Leran's aching for a splitting." Yeah! I, uh, split three guys the other day. ["Could you please not split us? Maybe you could let us go?"] Depends on what the caravan master thinks. * Nikki raises her voice, "And he's taking his sweet time!" * Leran frantically waves his arms. "Ssh! You'll lose us this gig!" ["Eh, what?" Rutherford hurries over, shoving several of the guards out of his way. "My statue! Did you save my statue?"] Yes, sir. We got it. * Nikki blinks. "Ain't gonna lose anything. Especially not a statue." She hands it over to the caravan master. "Here ya go." * Leran looks decidedly proud. * Nikki doesn't, really. She looks almost bored. [He takes it and looks immensely relieved. "Ohh, good." He looks at Leran and Nikki. "Well, on the one hand, you nearly let it get stolen away! On the other, you did save it. I suppose you've earned your pay, provided we make it to town *without* a repeat of this incident."] But if you have the statue, then... [El Toro's gears stop turning. He picks up El Gato, while the others are distracted, and starts running!] * Nikki snaps her fingers. "I get it! You don't want us to save it next time. That must be the incident you're talking about." * Nikki doesn't seem to particularly care. Hey, wait! [One of the guards starts after them, but the head guard puts out a hand. "Not worth it. Believe me."] (Hehehe.) * Leran pulls up. "Aw, man. They got AWAY." [Rutherford blinks. "No, no, of course not! I didn't want it stolen in the first place!" He seems a bit flustered.] But it wasn't really stolen, because we got it back. If it stayed gone, then I suppose you could technically say it's stolen. If you really don't want it stolen, what are you doing traveling around with it, anyway? And why isn't it on your person? It's not like it's very big. * Leran comes back, and NUDGES Nikki in the gut with his elbow. "It won't happen again, sir. Really." * Nikki oofs. "But it's true!" ["Well, you *should* have stopped the thieves. But it's back now. And it must be taken very good care of. Very good care. I shall put it back in its trunk, yes. And see to it that it does *not* happen again." He huffs.] * Nikki grumbles, "But we did." * Leran nudges Nikki again more gently. "It won't." * Nikki rubs at her side and glares at Leran. She stays quiet. ["Good." He harumphs and heads back to the wagons.] * Leran exhales. "Whew." [The other guards chuckle. "Man, that was... weird," one of them says. "But nice work, you two."] * Leran smiles. "Thanks!" And so, we discover that Leran's afraid of touching a girl's behind! * Leran gapes. "What?" * Nikki hums cheerily. "I could so write an epic ballad about that." Look, I told you to get it so if they threw powder again I could spit them! A likely story, Brave and Foolish Leran. Defeater of hairy goats, archenemy of squirrels! They usually win, though. * Leran faintly blushes. "I'm not afraid of girl's behinds! I mean it!" * Nikki sticks her tongue out at him. "Sure you aren't. It's why you're blushing, right? You're flushed with courage!" Y...yes! * Leran stalks off to his horse! He's discomfited for sure. * Nikki giggles. She looks at the guards. "'Scuse me. My muse is calling. The horse, too." And she breezes past them, humming to herself. [And so, your journey continued on without incident. Once you reached the city, you were paid, and paid well, by Rutherford, and parted ways. One of the guards, who took a liking to you after the incident, said he'd keep his ear out for interesting jobs in the future, and he'd let you know.] (Woo!) [Who knows where your travels will lead you? Well, maybe we do. You'll see.] [Session End!]