[ We find Kenji and Alci riding out with their parents. Yes, same parents for both of them. God, that feels so weird. ] [ Currently, they are riding rather aimlessly; every so often, Kenji or Hanataro pause to describe some noteworthy event that occurred near one spot or another. ] [ It's all very relaxing, really. Especially since Istvan and his horse aren't along; then things might get hectic. ] [ Tia and Will both wandered off alone to enjoy the scenery. Tia ran off after hearing about a nearby waterfall, Will just moseyed off to relax and unwind. ] [ Patrick, Seylin, Istvan, Takara, and Musa are currently back near the castle doing their thing. ] [ Session Start! ] * Alcinoe is looking out at the scenery. She hasn't really been talkative... at all... but she's nodded and made little noises that show she's acknowledging what's being said. Well, probably. * HKenji gestures to a clearing off the side of the road. "And this is where we camped after our castle was taken by the Crane. We took the castle back three days later thanks to an ingenious plan involving a large wooden rabbit." [ Kenji's father and mother trade bemused looks behind Alci's back. ] Hm. A rabbit? Yes, a large wooden one. Twenty feet tall. (Musa likes this story) (No kidding. Are we sure he didn't write it?) (o/`) It also breathed fire out its nostrils, and shot bolts of lightning from its ears. [ Behind Alci's back, Hanatarou is grinning like a Patrick, and Chikako is trying hard not to laugh. ] * Alcinoe looks at Kenji, apparently not getting it. "Why'd ya use a bunny?" ( Use strongest and most feared of all woodland creatures!) Because all Cranes have an irrational fear of rabbits. * Alcinoe thinks about that. "Okay, if there were a rabbit with lightnin' an' fire an' stuff, Ah'd be a little freaked, too." Eight hundred years ago, a rabbit hopped in through an open window and mauled the heir to the Crane Championship. Ever since, all Cranes have had white hair, and been timid as a rabbit, and nearly as smart. (Also, Hanatarou and Chikako can't really understand what they're saying, right?) ( o/~ ) ( o/` ) * Alcinoe blinks. "... Okay." (Okay, yes, this IS a story Musa told.) ...Alcinoe, have you been infected by Will? * HKenji looks kinda worried. * Alcinoe shakes her head. "It's jus' that things are a little weird here. Ah wouldn't put a giant bunny past things." * Alcinoe goes back to looking at the pretty fields. It *is* pretty in Rokugan, at least. I can't have done -that- badly with your history lessons. * Alcinoe grins. (Time to come up with an absurd example. o/`) Yeah, but a bunny with lightnin'! * Alcinoe makes vague crackly gestures. Woosh! I am reasonably certain that there were no lightning-bunnies in the lessons. Nothin' about how they couldn'ta happened, though. Even if there -were- twenty foot tall wooden rabbits that shot fire and lightning... why would the Lion need one to retake a castle from the -Crane-? * Alcinoe holds up a finger, then pauses. "Ya got a point." [ Speaking of Crane; as the four of you round a corner and avoid a puddle on the side of the dirt road, you see a bishie with white hair and wearing a blue robe beating a peasant bloody with the heel of his right foot. Strangely, the samurai seems very dispassionate about it, at first glance. ] * Alcinoe 's mouth drops open slightly upon seeing that, and she's stunned for all of half a second. "STOP!" she yells, and immediately jumping off the horse (without really giving *it* time to stop) and running for the scene. [ Kenji's parents blink, but keep watching in rapt fascination. ] * HKenji takes the reins of Alci's horse without a second look, and calls out, [ The man glances at Alcinoe, then Kenji and his parents. "" he says, directing it past Alcinoe at Kenji. "" ] (Oh, he went and started talking before I could maim him. :() [ "" He bows somewhat. ] ( Oh, the opportunity's not gone yet. XD ) * HKenji looks at Alci, then at the Crane. * Alcinoe ignores the little bastard (he's Rokugani - he's *got* to be little) and stoops by the peasant, trying to check him for injuries and helping him sit up. "" [ The Crane looks at Alcinoe. "" He coughs lightly, and then says, in an ingratiating tone of voice, "" ] [ "" manages the peasant. "" Despite his words, his back has been kicked to the point of bleeding, by now. ] * Alcinoe shakes her head, still ignoring the Crane. She helps the peasant sit up and places a hand against his back, whispering a few words in Common. The wounds begin to close. [ The Crane, for his part, breathes in sharply when Alcinoe actually lowers herself to touching the peasant. With her HANDS. ] * Alcinoe even HEALS the peasant. OH MY GOD. [ The peasant’s wounds are shorly closed, and he seems alright. He also seems confused, but not enough to overcome his relief. "" He bows to the ground repeatedly, facing our flame-haired friend. ] * HKenji watches the Crane carefully. * Alcinoe shakes her head. "" She flicks her head back towards the Crane. [ "" says the peasant, "" ] * Alcinoe stares at the peasant. * Alcinoe turns and stares at the Crane. [ The crane snorts. "<'Accident', indeed. Look at this! My kimono is ruined!>" ] [ The Crane shows a splotch of mud up the side of his kimono, covering perhaps a half a square foot. ] [ "" ] * Alcinoe *stares*. [ Well, for the record, it IS a nice kimono. ] [ He sniffs. "< Of course. The worth of this wretch - a cleaner of battlefields - is mathematically indistinguishable from zero. >" ] [ "" ] [ The Crane says this last bit with a 'poor me' sort of attitude. ] * Alcinoe takes two steps forward and socks the Crane right in the poor him jaw. [ There is a sharp *crack* as the Crane's head rocks back; he is briefly lifted off his feet, and lands roughly before the edge of the road before stumbling backwards the rest of the way. ] [ "" the Crane declares, drawing his katana and charging Alcinoe. ] [ The Crane dashes in on Alcinoe and swings his katana in a lightning- swift arc, cutting deep into her gut and drawing large quantities of blood. ] [ Alci, go! ] * Alcinoe must notice the slice / her eyes on the katana / She draws her own sword. / She draws her own sword / it meets naked katana / it becomes shrapnel. / It becomes shrapnel, / and the wakizashi next / now two, hilt useless. [ Sakura blossoms come out of nowhere and flutter around before drifting away on some unknown breeze. ] * HKenji mutters back to his mother, [ The Crane shakes a bit, then swiftly draws his wakizashi... or part of it, at least. He stares at his two destroyed weapons in utter disbelief. ] [ Hanatarou nods sagely. Chikako nods more quickly, and accompanies the nod with "Sou, sou." ] [ For now, the Crane simply stands there. It seems he's suffered a General Protection Fault. ] * Alcinoe turns and eyes the samurai, then points at his kimono. "" * Alcinoe completely ignores the fact that her insides are spilling out. [ The samurai blinks, then starts and looks at Alcinoe. "<...yes. My clothes are just fine,>" he lies, even as blood slowly oozes from the spots where bits of his own sword are half-embedded in his skin. ] [ The samurai manages to gather his composure and attempts to clear his throat; it sounds like a tiny electric motor trying to start without quite making it. "" He makes a wide, wide circle around the four assembled Lions and hurries along the road. ] * Alcinoe smiles and waves. No war, right? He ain't dead. there will be repercussions, undoubtedly. once he's recovered his wits. but not war. [ "" says Chikako, "" ] * Alcinoe nods. She turns to check on the peasant again, who's probably still there. And she's still bleeding, but hey, she's still standing all right. [ The peasant stares at Alcinoe in wonderment. He must think she's a benevolent asura, or something. ] [ The peasant blinks. "" He prostrates himself before Alcinoe again, thanking her profusely. ] * Alcinoe nods. "" She turns and looks to her new family, then looks down. "Oh." And now she has the good sense to heal herself. [ Hanatarou looks very interested in what just happaned. Chikako is very nearly beaming at Alcinoe. ] * Alcinoe smiles back, hesitantly. Chikako isn't supposed to *like* her. Thanks, Kenji. * HKenji is obviously fighting to hold in a Patrick-style grin. * Alcinoe must notice that, because she grins and says, "Reprecussions ain't *that* bad, are they?" * Alcinoe nods. "That kinda thing happen a lot?" * Alcinoe raises her eyebrow and looks at Kenji's parents, then back at Kenji. "<*Why*?>" * Alcinoe works her mouth a bit, then says, "That shouldn't *be* okay! Even technically! It was just some clothes!" * Alcinoe shakes her head. "No. They *could*, but anyone can beat somebody up. Don't mean it's okay by law." * Alcinoe sheathes her sword as a total afterthought. There isn't even blood on it. * Alcinoe nods slowly. "" * HKenji frowns. * Alcinoe sighs heavily and nods. But that ain't anythin' hard. It's just cruel and... and stupid. That's all it is. Then you ain't bein' strong. Yer jus' tryin' ta prove yer somethin' yer not. * Alcinoe nods. And looks to Kenji's parents, then back to Kenji. "Uh... should we still be goin'?" * HKenji shrugs. * Alcinoe laughs. "Ah don't really care. Ya know Ah end up coated in the stuff enough." * Alcinoe blanches. "" * Alcinoe rubs at her face. "Ah'm so doomed," she mutters. [ And so they returned to Shiro Hosokawa and unbloodied themselves. Session End! ]