Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sat May 7, 2016 3:46 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

Naota's nervousness toward Jack's presence was to be expected from any sane person. Even after he tried to calm himself, the vampire hunter's, rapid, heart beat was still audible to Natsumi. The woman was glad that he hadn't overreacted with his adrenaline, though, and especially content that he had not drawn a weapon. She hoped to maintain such civility going forward, even if she knew the number of people in the world accepting of her life style were dwindling by the minute.
 
"Understood," she responded to her companion's offer of assistance once the dialogue moved into matters of black mail. If Natsumi were being completely open at the moment, she might have also told Naota that his sister would be more useful in the current situation. She didn't really feel comfortable letting a relatively unknown stranger in on her plans to commit murder, however. That was never a smart thing to openly admit, especially to a vampire hunter whom she had only met twice.
 
Regardless, the main reason why she didn't continue on matters of assassination and black mail was because her customer had finally completed his order. She directed her attention to the light-based menu being passed to her, and then summarized the order in her head while holding it out in front of her face.
 
'Steel longsword with a black tourmaline inlay. Basic, but not sure he realizes that this blade would be utterly useless against an armored opponent.' The assessment was identical to what any smith would have thought, seeing as inlays were generally frowned upon in blacksmithing in general. She immediately began to illustrate why that was in her response to Naota's follow-up question.
 

"Inlays, in general, make weapons and armor weaker. Most generals and royalty that carry around such armaments around do so for the sole purpose of displaying their wealth and power. They would never dream of using those arms in battle, so I would advise against an inlay." Pausing, she set the menu down and took another sip of tea. "I also don't actually have any tourmaline in stock, either, so we'll have to go hunting for some if that is what you want. What I can do with the tourmaline after we find it is either leave it out of the blade and just make an ornament on the tassel of the pommel, or try to find enough black tourmaline to craft an entire blade out of it. The latter will take much longer than a day, because black tourmaline is not a common stone. It's not as rare as diamond, of course, but I'd definitely have to charge on par with the cost of a diamond sword."

Author: Naota, Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:31 AM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

His lips pulled in slightly, keeping in a smile that wanted to form as he nodded.  She was hungry.  As if that was more than enough explanation for swallowing food whole.  It was amusing and the dullness of his eyes lightened up a bit.  Though they widened when there was a new voice and he looked up at the source immediately, lips slowly parting again.  Dragon.  Survival instincts didn’t leave his mind to think much further than that at first glance, but from the calm nature of Natsumi coupled with the relaxed state of the dragon himself he didn’t immediately reach for his blade.  Though his energy did spike; that was just a natural defense that he couldn’t always control…luckily it did no harm, though he’d have an abundance of it for a few hours now.  

Jack.  A name.  He looked back to her, slowly nodding as it clicked: he was a companion.  A corner of his lips pulled up in a nervous smile, “Won’t attack unless you tell him to, well…there’s that at least.”  His eyes wandered up to him once more, taking in his size, how perfectly he blended in with the snow, and how even now that he knew he was there it was hard to locate his scent.  A perfect companion for this setting…  While his heart tried to steady back down he did his best to focus on her speaking rather than the very formidable creature not even fifty feet away from them.

Blackmail, and what’s worse, blackmail of someone that had a child to care for and a business to run.  He hardly knew Natsumi, but she didn’t come off as the type of person that deserved such underhanded treatment.  The subject of blackmail usually had themselves in a sticky situation, but it was always worse when someone was taking advantage of it.  It was more the principle of the thing if he really dug down deep. “Well I won’t ask you too much on the subject then since these matters are personal, but do know that if you need my assistance you’re more than welcome to call on me…”

He returned his attention to the menu with her direction though, pulling it back up between his fingers and sifting through it as he shook his head quickly, “Forgive me, I can get distracted sometimes.”  He touched down on the materials he’d taken particular interest in and his finger hovered over one in particular before finally touching it as well.  As he held it back out to her for her to take he made sure to make note of it first, “Would it be possible to have it inlaid with black tourmaline…?” It was a hard stone, but not particularly ideal for combat.  That wasn’t why he wanted it though.  

For his type of work he was constantly tapping into holy magicks and light magicks alike: he wanted a way to use the dark natured arts that were usually directed at him, and reflect them back.  Tourmaline was the perfect stone for it: able to take dark, negative energy and not only absorb it, but release back out positivity and light.  That would come in handy, and while he wouldn’t necessarily want it in every weapon, he would want at least one to have it were that possible.   Using darkness for the sake of light…it was a practice he could get behind.  He was surrounded by it so much anyhow, he might as well learn to use it for something good.  After all, nothing was truly evil unless you gave it that intention, and he had no plans to do that.

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2016 1:08 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

Natsumi may not have recognized how strange her behavior was now that she mutated enough to consume food so rapidly, but she did spot Naota's gaping mouth out of the corner of her eye.
 
"What? I'm hungry," she said while wiping the last of the crumbs from her lips. She poured another cup of tea for herself once she placed her dirty tableware to the side, and then brought her attention back to the vampire hunter in the hours of middle afternoon. The man spoke from personal experience without revealing much factual evidence for the moment, reflecting on some painful memory that reminded him of Natsumi and Saya's situation. His agreement Jack was the most important part for a nearby ice dragon, but the response to said concurrence did not come before he finished speaking.
 
"Two points for me," the slumbering reptile said in Adeluna common once he caught wind of Naota's comment. He had been sleeping above the cave mouth for the entire duration of the man's stay, blending in perfectly with the snow of Glaciem. There was no wonder Naota hadn't noticed, because you could hardly find something that looked and smelled like snow when the entire landscape was covered in the stuff. He was Natsumi's guard for the day, just in case some unruly visitors came by.
 

"Don't worry about Jack. He won't eat you unless I tell him to," the snow fox assured Mr.Uharu. Most people who saw Jack tended to react negatively, since Boreas Dragons weren't considered symbols of sanctuary at all. Natsumi wanted to halt any potentially rash actions before they occurred, especially since she still had another question to answer and Jack pile drives typically made listening impossible. The dead could hardly hear the words of the living, after all. "I will not comment extensively on the obstacles I face, by the way. Suffice to say that I've been blackmailed and slandered throughout the city of Wyllmochvar by a particular individual, and I won't be able to move there until he and his ilk are… removed." Pausing, the woman took a sip of her tea and then finished a thought she had been having since Naota's arrival. "By the way, I don't mean to rush you, but your order will be delayed if you take much longer with that menu. I would prefer to finish it today so that I don't have a backlog in the coming week."

Author: Naota, Posted: Sat Apr 2, 2016 9:47 AM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

Children were often too kind for their own good.  He knew that in his own youth there were plenty of things that he tried his best to be interested in all for the sake of his parents, and he wondered now if they’d ever caught on.  When you loved someone you didn’t want to disappoint them, you wanted to do all that you could to make them happy, keep them happy.  Over the years he’d fallen victim to that one too many times, often with it leaving him taken advantage of…Well, people trying to at least.  One good thing about being gentle and polite was that when you give a firm ‘no’ –seemingly uncharacteristically- people tended to pay attention.

His eyes moved down to his tea, watching as small enough flakes of herbs sifted through the mesh of the infuser.  It was calming, and he needed something to concentrate on as Natsumi tended to her child.  Though his attention was brought back once she was sitting with him again, her demeanor now shifted.  His lips parted as he listened to her story and the edges of his irises shifted to crimson only briefly from the idea of throwing a child into a volcano.  Culture or not, it was still something he’d never agree with: if it had to hurt someone then it wasn’t worth doing, even if it could potentially ‘benefit’ others.  Especially if it was an innocent…

When she drank down the piping tea without so much as a blink or pause for breath his eyes widened, pulling his own cup closer to himself.  His lips parted as she ate with the haste of a person gone starving and winced slightly at the thought of so many things going without being chewed.  How did her poor throat and stomach handle it?  She didn’t seem any worse for the wear and his eyes stayed wide and focused on her.  With her next anecdote though, his eyes slowly returned to normal, though their glow dimmed and the emerald gradually dulled to a washed out gray with only hints of his natural hue.

This struck a chord…a deep one.  His eyes fell from her back into his cup, his face more still, calm but somehow making him appear older at the same time.  It was still recent enough to sting, learning about where he’d biologically come from.  He often wondered that had it not been for his sister would his parents had ever told him he was adopted.  They’d had an explanation for every single thing that was different about him, but always made sure he knew he was theirs.  For the same reasons people were now telling Natsumi she couldn’t keep her child.  His own sister had been ‘too young’, living outside ‘wasn’t safe’, being raised by a respectable noble family was ‘better for the child’.  

He’d only been three, she had been eight…there were things they were right about.  No five year old should have to care for a newborn up to age three, but while he’d been brought to the Uharus she’d been taken to a tayuu house.  It hardly seemed appropriate and there was still an untapped anger that he couldn’t properly work through towards his parents for not taking her in as well. 

He drank down more of his tea, almost finishing it off before bring it back down and looking back to her, “I agree with your friend.”  He finished off the rest of the now cooler liquid and rested the cup in his lap, “Your child is healthy, warm, well fed and just as importantly she seems to be happy and is obviously well loved.”

His fingers moved slowly around the edge of the cup, picking lightly at the lip of it as he spoke, “Blood doesn’t make your family, not always.  I can see that you already know that well though.”  His eyebrows furrowed, “What obstacles are there that you’re facing?”

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 4:28 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

Saya's slumber marked the end of the happy go lucky atmosphere, it seemed. Once her eyes were closed and her senses shut out from the conversation, Natsumi's overtly cheery facade gave way to a more tempered reaction. She set her tea down on the nearest, flat surface; picked up her daughter's dishes and put them aside while sensing specks of negativity from her guest. Saya, herself, would soon be lifted from her seat as well, but not before Naota asked some questions that revoked Natsumi's former smile.
 
"I wish I could say I knew the truth," the caring mother responded with brutal honesty, her arms scooping Saya up into a hug. "Sometimes I think she's just saying she doesn't mind or that she's interested so that she can spare my feelings." Natsumi had more to say beyond this point, but she wanted to tuck her daughter in for a nap first. To that end, she carefully brought the child over to the tent off to the side of the fire pit. There were some wool blankets inside along with some linen sheets, and Natsumi was able to use them to wrap Saya up in a comfortable roll. The small child didn't even stir throughout the whole ordeal, leading Natsumi to believe her daughter would be asleep for a while: plenty of time during which the adults could discuss more serious matters.
 
Of course, those topics were not delved into immediately. The druid still had her own lunch to eat, so she returned to the fire where Naota was seated before grabbing that along with her tea. Nikolai exchanged places with her, going over to where Saya was to both guard her and leave the two adults alone. Then, and only then, did the young woman finally speak up again.
 
"Saya is a sweet girl," Natsumi proclaimed, "and I treat her as my daughter, but we are not of the same blood, even though we have the same fox ears and tail. I rescued her from Apoy when they were about to sacrifice her to a volcano, and her biological mother asked me to take care of her after that incident. As you can probably tell, I agreed and adopted her. But following that, she, unfortunately, fell victim to the same curse that I have suffered since I was chronologically 15."
Pausing, the woman drank her entire tea in one gulp, despite the fact that it was still fairly hot. The heat within nourished her just as much as the herbs did, due in no small part to the magic that made her worthy of the title 'Ice Queen.' Her actions, along with the fact that she could still talk plainly without a burned tongue after the event, would appear miraculous to parties without prior knowledge; but Natsumi dismissed those notions before moving on to more important matters.
 
"There are those that have tried to say I shouldn't keep a child in the wild," she stated with visible irritation at the unnamed parties. "That she belongs in the city with a traditional family rather than a single mother who is still mostly a teenager. But to quote a friend, 'Fuck 'em.' For all I care, they can shove a stick up their bum so that I can feed them to Jack like sushi popsicles before I'll let them endanger Saya for their own, selfish ideals."
 
Once again, there was a pause: this time to scarf down lunch. To say the least, the druid's appetite was voracious and also seemingly impossible for a human to consume. She ate like a chimera, downing food without much chewing or any sign of indigestion. Not to mention, she was still able to talk after swallowing the skeleton of the fish skewer she ate as if it hadn't gotten stuck in her throat at all.
 
"This forge," the fox girl continued without the slightest hint of pain, "whatever Saya may really think of it, is temporary until we can move into a better home, anyway. I've been eying properties in Wyllmochvar lately; but there have been… obstacles."
 

By obstacles, she meant people: specifically those with the name "Roderick." That envious little prick of man had been a thorn in Natsumi's side for some time, and, although he would eventually receive the fate he deserved, it was not yet time to strike. Patience is key in any blackmail scheme, as Natsumi knew, and she would not let indiscretion cost her something so important.

Author: Naota, Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 10:32 AM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

His head dipped down respectfully in thanks as he took the offered cup, careful to only barely rest it on his palm whilst his fingers held the rim.  The smells of home wafted up and he slowly inhaled, feeling his shoulders comfortably lower in relaxation.  He watched as the water slowly changed in color from the leeching out of juices from the herbs, and the swirling designs it made only reminded him of his time back at home all the more.  There were times where he missed it terribly, but he knew he wouldn’t keep residence there.  Not for a long time at least, and quite possibly in a different part of Ataiyo or even the continent all together.

His eyebrows rose when she spoke of her home.  Having that many places of residence seemed like a bit much to him, but then most of his family usually didn’t live long enough to branch out from the estates that they did have.  Not that would have anyways, even if the funds were there, currency wasn’t exactly their goal with nobility, more so it was the connections that it brought them in being able to fulfill their duties.  For all he knew there were others of their family that were more spread out and nomadic, after all that’s exactly what his own life was like now, it wouldn’t have been surprising.  Even though they had their two estates in Ataiyo, they were hardly ever there.

The Yamauchi Clan however, that was a name that you could not go without knowing.  And while he didn’t know much about them personally, he’d grown up knowing that the very name was almost synonymous with wealth, which made it much easier to understand why her family had so many homes.  

Neutrality.  It was a notion he had thought on often.  For himself he wasn’t sure what it meant: he tried to maintain balance in all aspects of his life, but at the end of the day he knew he’d always tip towards one side if the occasion called for it.  At least when it came to personal matters.  But then, if he was making judgments based on his own outlook, was that really considered one sided or a different form of neutrality?  See this is why he thought on it as much as he did.  No matter what he rarely made an extreme decision one way or the other.

As she went over to her child he brought the cup up to his lips, lightly blowing before drinking some down, always careful of the infuser.  It was still quite hot and it was as if he felt it go all the way to his bones.  A very good feeling.  His eyes closed briefly have the full effect but opened slightly as she spoke, eyes moving over to see her standing near the young girl.  It stirred a strange feeling, negative at that, one that he pushed down as he brought the cup back from his lips.

Despite it he smiled, smaller than they had been for his time here though, “Being able to teach your child, it must be a good feeling.”  His eyes moved to the fire and then down to the screen resting in his lap, “And what about all of this?  Your forge.  What does she think of that?”

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 5:26 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

Having not picked up her own plate just yet, Natsumi was easily able to stand back up and fetch the tea that Naota gleefully accepted. She took the kettle from the fire pit's grill after walking over toward it, and set said container down on the nearest, okenite log. With nimble hands, she then retrieved a pinch of herbs from one pocket and a simple infuser from another. She combined these two items into one before placing them both inside an empty pewter cup sitting on a stone edifice next to the fire. Finally, she finished off the concoction by pouring some hot water from the still steaming kettle.
 
"Beware the temperature," Natsumi said as she handed this scalding beverage to her guest. She didn't feel the need to elaborate beyond that simple warning, as she was most interested in getting her own tea to go with dinner. This intention was made obvious when the Ice Queen quickly repeated the same sequence of steps she had used for Naota's drink, though she did add a little something extra into her infuser. The smell was obvious even to a human, for few would mistake the potent aroma of ginger.
 
Her special brew would seem odd to some – and maybe even vulgar to classical tea enthusiasts from Nisshoki – but it was something that the Ataiyan had been making since her childhood. She loved the taste of ginger, even in cases where others said the flavor would ruin the overall appeal of a dish. Her excuse to said people had always been that she had no intention of being a great cook, and she stuck by that excuse even now that she no longer had family chefs to fall back upon.
 
Regardless of her strange tastes, though, Natsumi remained a respectful conversationalist. With her ginger-ginseng tea in hand, she resumed her seat, took a sip, and ended Naota's brief anticipation for information.
 
"I rarely ever saw the outside of my family's primary estate," she said, "but we certainly had several dozen homes at least; most of which belonged to secondary branches of the main family." There were many noble families in Nisshoki, but few could claim extravagant wealth like Natsumi was describing. Two houses, as Naota's family possessed, was a common number among "intermediate" nobles, and typically respectable. Several dozen, on the other hand, was quite rare, so there was reason to assume that the vampire hunter would recognize the name that his host was about to reference."If you lived in the central district," she continued, "you undoubtedly heard of the Yamauchi Clan. Our family is one of the older names in Ataiyo, though oddly one that has historically rejected the notion of governmental power. Had our ancestors possessed the ambition to be on the council, we might have already had a representative on there or a descendant next in line; but it has been the Yamauchi policy for centuries to remain neutral when possible. Makes sense, considering the meaning of the name. The winds of time can change the face of a mountain, but the underlying structure remains resolute, no?"
 
This final comment by Natsumi was in reference to the fact that "Yamauchi" meant "in the mountains," something that Natsumi had only appreciated the symbolism of as she got older. Mountains meant strength, which her family most certainly possessed, but they also meant stubbornness to a fault. Inflexibility had been what drove the 7th child away from her home, so the name was very appropriate given her experiences with family.
 
Perhaps, however, this analogy was lost on Saya. Despite the fact that the young child had adopted Natsumi's name, it never really fit her. Saya was strong in her own way, but not like a mountain. She was no stone colossus, no sentinel; especially not since she had trouble just staying awake throughout the entire day. The fact that she fell asleep after finishing her lunch was evidence enough of that.
 

"Saya" Natsumi had asked when she realized that her daughter's breathing had slowing following her midday meal? The Ice Queen walked over to the girl to investigate, only to grunt in amusement when she saw her still sitting up but with her eyes closed. "She's asleep right after lunch. She wanted to come to work with me today because she wanted to learn more about magic, and then she falls asleep. Silly girl."

Author: Naota, Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 10:25 AM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

Well he couldn’t argue with her there.  He’d grown up in such an urban area for most of his life, and it wasn’t until he was able to go off on his own that places like this became more normal.  Still, even while the woods, mountains, even islands could be peaceful in their own right, the silence was able to bother him.  Or, he should say: the amplification of everything caused by the silence.  

In the city the sounds of wheels over stone, chatter, coins being passed from hand to hand, doors opening and closing: all of it made it so that he could drown everything else out…Minasé, the thoughts of others –though that was faded now as he’d gained control over that, but as a child he had no way to stop the voices that seeped out of peoples’ heads.  That had been the first indication that he was…different.  Looking back on it, he felt foolish for having not realized he was adopted sooner…

His eyes saddened as she continued.  She seemed so young, he wasn’t one to instantly think that she was since he himself suffered from a halt in physical aging, but still, thinking of someone that was as young as she looked having to go through something so stressful…He shook his head a little, looking back down at the screen.  Who could do that to their own child?  People should be so lucky to even have them and then threaten to kill that very offspring…?  Not everyone deserved a child.  That was a fight he always had to subdue within himself since he could never have any, it always made his eye colder towards those that squandered such a blessing.

“Tea?”   His attention was brought back promptly and he lifted his eyes back to her, then over to the whistling pot.  He straightened, finding himself able to smile again as she spoke about the tea.  Nostalgia for home had never been stronger and his lips parted, “You’re from Nisshoki…?  He dipped his head lightly, followed by a gentle nod to her offering of tea.   “Which district?”  It wasn’t often that he crossed paths with another Ataiyan, especially on this continent.   “My family was in the central district, we also had another home at the edges of the main city.”

It was strange to think that they might have even crossed paths with one another years ago.  He remembered vaguely what she had looked like the night at the inn, and tried to age her down further in his head to see if there was any recognition.  Something was there…but it didn’t feel like a memory.  It felt…off, and for some reason he didn’t want to seek it out further.

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Wed Mar 9, 2016 6:34 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

Compared to previous customers, Naota appeared to have a good grasp of the menu mechanism Natsumi had provided. While its present form had been refined countless times, the selection box was far from bug free. The novelty of the device meant it was not consistent with common design guidelines, so several clients had been unable to use earlier versions. The demon-hunter was lucky in this respect that he was using close to the final draft.
 
Even so, he certainly took his time. The Ice Queen was able to return to making lunch while she waited for her guest to finish, and even start boiling some water for use in tea whilst conversing.
 
"Many who live in the cities have a hard time recognizing the appeal of rustic life," she said before handing Saya a bowl of soup and a fish skewer. "Where they may hear only sounds in nature, I hear voices and intelligible words. Unless I go where there is no life at all, I am never alone. And even in places like that, there are phantoms that stay with me. As it is, I consider silence a luxury rather than a common resource."
 
Natsumi was sitting down to eat her own lunch after giving that answer. She didn't start eating, though, until she was sure Naota had all his questions answered.
 
"Not always," she said. "A year or two before I met you, I was a nobleman's daughter living in a fancy house to the east. Long story short, my family wanted to force me into a marriage and I said no by running away despite that being a death sentence for a member of a traditional family like myself. My experiences with humanity since then have been eye opening as well as disconcerting. Once I got my inhuman appendages, those experiences just got worse. Not surprisingly, I tend to avoid cities at least partially because of the racism factor nowadays."
 
A loud whistle started to erupt after bigotry was mentioned. Tea was ready, or at least the water. The herbs were in Natsumi's pocket, and the pewter cups were nearby. All that was needed were a precise number of imbibers.
 

"Tea" the woman asked Naota? "It's Ginseng from Nisshoki. Not much, but genuine tea from my homeland is difficult to get in this area without ingredients spoiling; especially this time of year."

Author: Naota, Posted: Sat Mar 5, 2016 9:38 AM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

As she spoke about Kino he returned his eyes to the screen of information in his hands, but the more she described the suit the more distracted he became.  He looked back up at her, watching her hand as the suit covered her skin, retracted again.  They must have been powerful mages indeed to have constructed something like it, it was a shame that it would take a parasitic toll on its host though.  Still, impressive work.  Maybe one day she would be able to find a way for it to be removed, though with how well she said it adapted to her –enough even so to bathe properly- perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing to constantly have.

At any rate he knew well enough about sharing his body with something that couldn’t be removed, but he said nothing on it and returned his eyes to the screen as she gave her instructions.  It was almost dizzying to think of all of the possibilities and combinations, but more so by the very fact that she had so much at her disposal.  The rumors about her had not been exaggerated and he was glad for it.  One hand lifted up to the vial around his neck, twirling it between his fingers absentmindedly as he scrolled through.

“Do you ever get lonely here?  So out of the way of people I mean.”  Just his eyes lifted up to her as he spoke before moving them back down, a small smile forming as he thought about Nikolai, “Though it seems that you have enough company.  I don’t know what it would be like to be so out of the way.”

He’d grown up in such an active city that it was hard to imagine only having the sounds of nature surrounding him.  Though he was never truly alone, he wasn’t sure how to feel about knowing that Minasé would be the only other voice for him to hear.   “You’d go mad…”  Rare as it was, he agreed with him.   “Have you always stayed like this?”  He touched down on the section for the material meant for the blade itself as that was what would be the determining factor for which direction he’d want to go for this particular weapon, “Not running a forge I mean: away from people.”

His eyes lifted up to her again, though his thumb hovered over the screen, ever ready to continue scrolling through.  Not that he was here to make friends with anyone, but he couldn’t help but wonder about someone in her situation.  She seemed fine enough for the most part, as did her child, but part of him was also merely curious about such a very different lifestyle.

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 1:44 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

The incredulous remarks Naota had expressed mid-act were naught to be ignored. Both Natsumi and Nikolai had heard them loud and clear, and were swift to answer in their own way.
 
"A specimen of masculinity," was Nikolai's assertion.
 
"A nuisance platypus," on the other hand, was how Natsumi described her companion. Quite understandably, the two met with glares that could make stones cower as a result of their disagreement. Only Naota's next question broke their ocular contest, at which point Natsumi released Nikolai to the ground with a loud thud.
 
"No," she began to explain in regard to her suit. "A group of secretive mages constructed Kino thousands of years ago in the area of Ataiyo. She was the first magical artifact I found after our initial meeting when I went exploring in some rather dangerous, Boharian ruins far to north of here." In order to facilitate the subject at hand, Natsumi held up a gloved palm for the half-demon to see. At first glance, this was a mundane action, because it only appeared to be the druid telling Naota to stop. Indeed, only when the glove started changing shape and melding with Natsumi's skin did the demonstration's intent become clear. "Unfortunately, it came at a cost. She and I are intertwined now, so much so that this suit is actually connected directly into my skin and cannot be removed. Thankfully, it can be shapeshifted to where I can still bathe; otherwise it would be far more of a curse than a blessing."
 
Kino bid the glove to return to its former shape once her master's display was complete, and so Natsumi was able to finally bring her arm back to its resting place. She stepped closer to Naota at that point, ignoring the miffed Nikolai who had gone to sit next to Saya.
 
"At any rate," she said just after passing beyond the menu her acquaintance was using. "Lest you haven't figured it out yet, this menu reacts to touch and has many different categories. In order to select an item, simply touch the icon that has the option you desire and it will take you to the next selection. If you select weapons, for example, it will take you to a sub-menu for the types of weapons available. The next menus after that will include materials and style specifications. Each material and weapon type has a price estimate next to it, and the final price will be totaled at the end. I will have you sign a purchase agreement once everything is done. Also, if you change your mind and wish to go back to another menu, simply touch the picture of a left-pointing arrow in the upper left corner of the display."

Author: Naota, Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 2:30 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

His eyes flickered from side to side, up and down, trying to locate the source of the music he was hearing, and when he realized that it was actually coming from a suit they widened. Now…that wasn't exactly something you saw every day, or heard for that matter. The music was unlike anything he had ever heard before, and something about it was almost familiar, but so vague and fleeting that it was gone from his head as quickly as it had come. A menu appeared in front of him and he gently moved his fingers towards it, watching it, taking in how it responded to even the slightest touch.


Well then… She certainly had a vast array of choices for him, and while that would usually suck him in immediately, he was finding it rather difficult not to get distracted by that music. No matter how much he focused he couldn’t pinpoint the instruments used. He looked behind him quickly when the seat appeared and moved his fingers under the lighter than air screen, surprised and yet not that it moved with him as he sat down; guiding it carefully as if this obviously unbreakable thing could be destroyed by a mere touch.


"Is that a…" His words were to himself, quiet due to the fact, but there it was right in front of him: a talking platypus. Just what kind of person was she…? He hadn’t known what to expect if they were ever to cross paths again like they were doing now, but it most certainly had not been this. His lips pulled in, trying his best not to laugh as he watched the exchange between the two, and the little girl’s giggles didn’t make the attempt any easier. Everything had been so tense lately in his personal life that it was nice to see something so absurd and light.


"W-Well whoever the artisan is your list of metals and designs is very…..very impressive." His eyes lifted back up from the menu, "That suit that was playing the music, did you build that as well…?"


Just what kinds of talents did she have? Be it by magick or machinery all of this would have been impressive. It was enough to make him wonder why she was living so far out when such skills had the potential to be fawned over in more urban areas. Then again, maybe she was the type that enjoyed her solitude. It was something he could easily relate to her with should that be the case. "Don’t think that I’m ignoring you, I’m just trying to take in everything you have to offer that I can choose from for my commission…"


He pulled his legs up into the seat and crossed them, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked through all of the different combinations he could potentially have made.








　

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 1:12 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

As expected by Natsumi, Naota's reaction was typical. Even if he had seen her when she first got her ears and tail, the half-demon would be hard pressed to recognize her given her current state. A rapid whitening and loss of melanin was highly unusual and improbable, especially since it was a sign of failing health in one so young. It was not a trait the average person would think to look for in a teenage human; and, as such, the young man's surprise – as well as his veiled concern – did not come as a shock. Rather, they provided a useful segue into business negotiations.
 
"And probably not the last," the Ice Queen responded to her acquaintance's initial remark while proceeding to eyeball the half-demon's measurements. She hid it well during her work, but she was feeling the same sensations lately that she had the first time she met Naota. At night, her bones felt like they were melting; while her body ached constantly. Few but Saya knew about this, but then they didn't need to know. She didn't like people seeing how weak she really was, especially since weakness got people killed in the wilderness.
 
Still, Naota was relatively harmless on the matter. Minase could throw a wrench into normalcy, but Naota, himself, was much more like a cuddly bear – admittedly with less hair. He was also asking for a commission, which made him a welcome distraction for the day.
 
"Alright then," Natsumi said with a mischievous smile when the topic came up. She tossed the coin purse in her head behind her head without a second thought, somehow landing it precisely on one of the unoccupied, okenite logs. That was when the music began. "Let me entreat you to some of my store's hospitality."
 
In perfect pitch, the druid's clothing began to emit the sounds of a brass band, courtesy of Kino; and Natsumi herself was starting to speak in lyrical fashion. "Mr. Naota, sir, what will your pleasure be? Let me take your order. Jot it down." Bright lights erupted in front of the half demon, taking the form of a touch-sensitive, ethereal menu displaying all options available to him in the store. It was invoked with a flourish of the woman's arm, and joined by a magically generated, stone seat behind her guest. "You ain't never had an artisan like me."
 
It was a little introductory act, something that had worked well for Natsumi's business thus far. This time, however, it didn't go off without a hitch. There were a few more lyrics to the jingle: all of which would have been said had a certain, attention starved platypus not interrupted. Like most times he showed up, he arrived via an unexpected gate, landing right on top of Natsumi's head before posturing for Naota.
 
"And that artisan's name is Nikolai!" the magical platypus boasted in common tongue, giving no heed for the woman underneath him that had frozen mid-pose.
 
"Nope," retorted Natsumi in stride while prying the creature from her hair in one fell swoop. "And you threw off my groove." She dangled the creature in front of her, looking intently at him as he displayed his ineptitude in the department of silence.
 
"Nikolai knows you only pretend to have a groove. Style is not in the stingy fox girl's vocabulary." Intense glares flowed between Natsumi and Nikolai following this interaction, but the former eventually forced herself to let it go. Kino's music had already died down during the altercation, and Saya was uncontrollably laughing in the background. It was certainly an interesting reintroduction, and one Naota would not soon forget.

Author: Naota, Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 4:24 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

His eyebrows rose as she listed her many areas of expertise. It was impressive to say the least, and he wondered briefly if she lived alone with the young girl. Not that he didn't think a woman was capable of such things on their own, but when there was a child involved he couldn't help but grow protective. It could be a huge responsibility for a person to take on on their own, much less with all of these other tasks at hand. But neither one of them seemed undernourished or in danger. He chuckled lightly, taking in the cold surrounding them and the likeness she had to a passing snow storm: her title was fitting.


But his lips parted and his eyebrows furrowed when she mentioned him by name. He was sure that he would have remembered someone like this before. The moment she mentioned the inn it all came flashing back. She looked so different now, how many more changes had she undergone since last he had seen her? His eyes softened, even if it wasn't for personal reasons or comradery it was still something to take notice of that she had carried around that silver for so long.


"Indeed you weren't, in fact this is the third likeness of you I've seen since we've met." His eyebrows rose, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips,


"There is no need to return my silver to me though, as I've actually come to you about a possible commission. We'll put that silver towards it. If you're available for a new project that is."


After all he had come unannounced, he wouldn't have been surprised or offended should she not be able to take up his request. But now that he was here he felt compelled to learn more about what had happened between then and now. There was the normal level of curiosity that urged him on, but underlying that was a different feeling. Almost as if he had to learn more about her and this situation.


Presently he wasn't sure whether or not to be worried by that feeling or not. After all, it may have been a while ago, but he still remembered a few things she had said to him. Namely knowing about his daemon and her similar circumstance. His thoughts drifted to her child. Maybe this wasn't the best time to bring up such subjects.

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Thu Jan 7, 2016 5:57 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

Scents of various foods mingled in the frozen air of that Ultima afternoon, awaiting the arrival of the day's customer. Lunch would soon be ready, and even Saya's stomach was grumbling softly with its approach. Natsumi was making the final touches on the meal; trying to hurry it along when, ironically, she began thinking of the time in her past when she first met the half-demon, Naota. She remembered the Boharian Inn with the bombastic family, and the catalyst moment that propelled her into her current place in the world. That had been around 2 years ago, a time lapse long enough for most to assume she had forgotten about her inadvertent cleric.
 
She hadn't cast off the memory yet, though. Natsumi still kept that old coin pouch filled with the same crescents that Naota had parted with to save her hide so long ago. Her search to return it to him had continued ever since then, but with limited success. He had, effectively, disappeared, and Natsumi had, in recent days, begun to think he was dead. This was most likely why she didn't react when she caught his scent prior to his announcement.
 
"Smith, apothecary, healer, artifact hunter, mercenary, tailor: I have many professions, but I suppose what you really want to ask is, 'Are you the Ice Queen I've heard about on the road?' Yes would be the answer in that case." The druid responded to the newest customer with this disbelief in her mind, thinking that it couldn't possibly be the same person from her past that she was thinking of. It had to be a hallucination, or so she told herself. She was, obviously, surprised when she looked up to find out she had been wrong, and chuckled at her stupid amount of luck. "Guess you didn't die after all, Naota," she said while placing the wooden spoon she was holding down on a nearby, stone slate. "It's been quite a while since our meeting in that Boharian inn, and I nearly gave up on finding you to return your silver." With a flash of magic, an old coin purse appeared in her hand before she continued. "200 crescents: the exact amount you left at the inn. Also the same crescents, since the owner didn't take a single one after she discovered her daughter tried to con you and since I didn't spend any myself."
 
Saya was understandably confused at this development, and spoke up just as her mother walked over to return the coin pouch to its rightful owner.
 
"Okaasan, who is he?" she said while peering over at the dark haired man. The woman looked back at her nervous daughter as she heard her voice, and briefly addressed her concerns.
 
"This is Naota: a cleric of some talent that I met a couple years ago. Some people did some very mean things to him after he helped me, and I've been trying to repay him ever since." Turning back to man she was describing, Natsumi spoke up one last time while pointing back at Saya and handing the coins over to the half-demon. "That would be Saya, my daughter. My name is Natsumi, lest you forget. I won't blame you, if you have. After all, I wasn't pale as the snow last time."

Author: Naota, Posted: Tue Jan 5, 2016 3:20 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

It had been such a long time since he’d needed new weaponry – usually he used a forge that was in connection with his family and their organization.  This time, however, he wanted to have a try at something new.  It wasn’t often that he trusted his coin in the hands of someone whose work had never made it into the fingers of one of his associates or brothers, but having seen their produced steel he had grown more than a little curious.  Whoever they were, they were fairly new, at least with the name they were using now – it wasn’t incredibly unheard of for forgers to adopt pseudonyms after all. 



Whatever their reason for going unnoticed until recently, he was eager to see what they had to offer.  It was nice to have something to take his mind off of things, even if it was only going to be temporary.  Ever since finding out about Holly every decision he made was second guessed, right down to the strength of his steel.  Knowing that he had allowed himself to get so close, both emotionally and physically, to someone like her, someone from such unholy ancestry, made it so that no blade he handled ever seemed sharp enough. 



He wasn’t going to let himself be fooled like that again.  Yet he still hadn’t smashed the vial around his neck, and while it was tempting on more days than he’d like to admit, it still remained perfectly intact against his chest, though hidden.  The chill in the air did him some good and he was eased by the fog escaping his lips with each exhale.  It reminded him that he was still alive and had yet to be compromised.  Unfortunately ever since those events his usually light demeanor had shifted to become more stoic, distant…almost cold.  Almost.



The smell of cooking fish caught his attention immediately, having always been drawn to that scent.  Well, his directions had led him this way, so that was a bit of his load lightened from knowing that he wasn’t too far now.  When he made it to the small encampment, to say he was surprised was an understatement.  He didn’t know what to expect but it hadn’t been a woman and a child around a cooking fire.  He admired the rustic nature of the front and felt some of the tension that had been forming in his jaw slowly ease back down.



His lips pulled in, that instilled politeness taking over without even trying now that he was approaching someone new.  It wasn’t their fault that his thoughts had drifted towards unpleasantness.  He made sure not to come too close to their circle though and slid his hands into his pockets, keeping them even warmer against the cold as he spoke out to them, “Excuse me…I’m searching for a weaponry forge.  Are you the smith…?”   His eyebrows rose just a little in question.

 

Author: CodeNat, Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2015 9:47 PM, Post Subject: An Old Debt[P][R]

[OOC: Okenite is a real stone that has a fuzzy surface. You can look it up for more details.]
 
Her transformation following Chae's curse, while inconvenient at times, proved a boon to Natsumi in more ways than the deity might have anticipated. Up until that point, a vague description had existed to besmirch the druid's reputation. It made stationary homes difficult to maintain, and was hard on the Yamauchi clan that just wished to be left in peace. However, given Natsumi's extreme change in demeanor, that description was beginning to fade from usefulness along with its incessant hindrance. It is difficult, after all, to confuse a pale woman of white hair with a tanned woman of brown hair.
 
Natsumi, never being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, had taken advantage of this change in reality to the best of her ability. She had become much more cautious about her murderous tendencies against poachers and lumberjacks, instead choosing to make them simply vanish rather than display their bodies as she had before. She even utilized her newly clean record to set up a general store location in the southern, Ancense Mountains near the Ader River mouth. Rumors among travelers spread once this storefront was established, leaking word of a prodigy in the foothills that made armor, weapons, healing draughts, clothing and more. Her skill was enough to make some of the smiths in nearby Adeluna jealous, even, and so the Ice Queen received her fair share of business despite her off the beaten path location.
 
It was on a snowy day in the month of Ultima that Natsumi was running this shop of hers as usual. Situated directly due east from the river's mouth and set up inside a mountain cave entrance, the campsite sat defiant against the cold. A campfire burned at its center, surrounded by specially designed rock formations constructed by magic to mimic cushiony log seats composed of okenite. A tent laid nearby, along with various other implements that seemed to mirror a common, blacksmith's set-up. At the moment, no work was being done, and so the forge was cold. Instead, the day's meals were being cooked in a large pot over open flame. Various subterranean vegetables were being roasted together in boiling water, seasoned with some rich local spices such as rosemary. Freshly caught fish were also being grilled atop the metal grate that the cauldron sat upon, liberally sprinkled in pepper and salt. It was a simple meal, but one with a potent enough scent to travel all the way out to the main road.
 
Both Natsumi and Saya were located around the cooking food this time, dressed in overcoats and proper winter attire to keep the chill at bay. Saya's fox tail swished as she warmed her hands by the fire, while Natsumi was tending to the food and assuring it wouldn't burn. Both of them were paying close attention to the environment, but the elder more so. It was rare for her daughter to join her at work, and she was only here this time because she had been so insistent. Natsumi had humored her against her better judgment, and only time would tell if she would do so again in the future. Fortunately for Saya, though, a proper and polite customer was all she needed to convince her mother that it was safe enough to bring her along.