As a freshly recruited Marine, Juice was given the rank of Choreboy... not what he had in mind but everyone has to start somewhere. Regardless of what the procedures were, he refused to wear the degrading Choreboy outfit and would put on his own clothing consisting of his traditional robe and black pants. His robe would leave him half shirtless, showing his muscular composure. This would allow him to blend right in with the Mercenaries as Juice resembled one himself. His first mission was to travel to Ridus Village and investigate mercenaries who would abduct marines and turn them in for profit. Juice despised their selfish ways, but knew he couldn't confront any Mercenary from the village or he would seem suspicious. That and, Juice needed a bit more training before any actual confrontation. As he traveled to the land and walked around it was filled with shops and taverns which all had mercenaries inside. He would then observe most of the town folk walking around the village casually. While walking around the village himself, he felt like he was being watched. He then realized he was being watched by some of the locals as he past because his untypical beauty. His beauty would stun a group of females so he decided to walk towards them and ask them. They all immediately blushed as he was confronting them. They were shy, but decided to converse with Juice. He would ask them, "Excuse me, I'm trying to get some work, do you girls have any idea what Mercenaries have to do to get a job around here? Specifically capturing marines." One of the females would blush and respond, "Umm, yes, a man used to accept captured Marines, but we haven't seen him in a wh-," but before she could finish, Juice walked away and would tell the group, "Thank you, I'll be headed off to somewhere I could get some work, that'll be all." But as he walked off, Juice felt a strong pain on the side of his head and fell to his knees. In his head he saw a vision of a unknown man smiling. He would make a "ugh" sound as he held his head. The females quickly went to his aid. They would ask if he was alright. He would stand up and respond, "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just leaving." Then a shady old man would come out of an ally who overheard Juice talking about how he wanted some work. He would explain to Juice, "Young boy, that man these ladies speak of hasn't came in here since since I don't know when. And I seriously doubt a youngster like you with barely any weapons at all could stand a chance against Marines anyway. Come back when you've gotten stronger." Juice would reply, "I understand. Thanks, sir." He was a little bit disapointed that he found no info on this matter but was glad he got a chance to travel. Juice would then set off to the Marine HQ to give them the intel he received.
Body dropped to the floor covered in burn marks and cuts. Most of the men were unconscious but with some fatalities that couldn't have been avoided. The bird kicked and clawed his way through, trimming down the herd that felt endless. However, with back up from his companions that were proving victorious. Three versus one-hundred and the odds were in their favor."Heh, they should've brought more men, this is a total handicap!"Mocked the arrogant bird as he strike down another foe. He hopped along the balls of his feet back in forth in place as he swiped his nose with his thumb.
While Sun inflated his ego he caught wind of a bellowing, high-pitched cry from behind him. Sun stood at attention and shot his head behind him in alert. His eyes widened, pupils dilated as they fell upon the battered body of his bunny buddy."BENJIIIIIII!!!!" Sun crowd out at the top of his lungs. Flames kicked out from his feet as he made a complete turn around and rocketed himself off towards the fallen rabbit in a woeful mad dash. He let out a warcry as he ran to his friend's add but his path was being impeded by a handful of men remaining. With a quick swipe and a burning foot he'd make quick work of them before continuing his hastened sprint. He practically stumbled and fell to his knees in front of Benjamin, taking out his backpack and starting to rummage through it. He was sure that he had a First Aid Kit in here somewhere.
Just hang in there Benji! Help was on the way!
QUOTES
Amythara
Desshu
WORDS
Words: 275 Experience: 2750 Total Words: 1125 Total Experience: 11250 Posting History:450
x E U R Y D I C E Crew
Hygienic Bloodsucker
Offline
Desshu
Unbeatable Fatcat
Offline
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 10:25 pm
Baram-Yu
Minkman • Assassin • Marine
Screams were nothing new to Baram-Yu. Every swipe of her blade brought more cries from the bodies that surrounded her as she danced between her opponents. The street had become so tightly packed with bodies that the mercenaries were now in greater danger of catching one another in their attacks than they were of the red-dyed sheep that darted and danced between them, ensuring that the blade of her new dagger never went dry. However, a sharp cry soon pierced the air. It was distinct amongst all others, and the realization that Baram-Yu recognized it made even her hot, fight-driven blood run cold.
She turned her head just in time to witness Benjamin’s body dive from the rooftop, and even from where she stood, she realized he was wounded. She had failed her duty as the rabbit’s bodyguard. Her charge had been hurt. Her friend had been hurt.
”BENJAMIN!”
The sheep’s scream was equal parts horror and rage as she immediately rushed towards where the rabbit had fallen. Some mercenaries tried to impede her progress while some had already turned their sights towards the wounded rabbit, edging closer like carrion beast advancing towards a corpse. Baram-Yu cut through them like a trailblazer hacking through brush. She did not bother with grace and technique. She hacked. She cleaved. She scarred. She maimed. She was a sheep, but the blade in her hand may as well have been a talon that she had been born with as she fought her way towards Benjamin.
Mr. Who Rang got there first.
A wave of relief washed over her, even as she burst through the crowd and planted herself between the advancing wall of bodies and the bunny and chicken. She watched as wicked smiles cracked throughout the crowd. Blades were brandished. Guns were leveled. Even sticks of dynamite were inches from being lit as their enemies formed a barricade of flesh and steel around the cornered group.
“Mr. Who Rang,” the sheep panted as she bent down to pick up a gun at her feet. She didn’t know if the pistol was one she had tossed up to Benjamin or one that had been dropped by a mercenary. Regardless, it was loaded, and it was small enough to hold with one hand while her other still gripped the dagger. “Please take Benjamin somewhere safe. I will cover your retreat.”
Quote:
Word Count: 274 + 308 + 395
Amethera
Sahana Kurumi
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 8:40 am
xxxx justice is a swift hand plucking a rotten carrot!xxxxxxxxxx
The arrival of his friends did little to ease Benjamin. Instead he grew more worried as the villains closed ranks, drew weapons and prepared to attack both of his allies, all because of his weakness. Little bunny eyes would roam around them. The odds were not in their favour anymore. Looking up at Sun and Baram from his place on the ground he shook his head and then struggled, forcing his way to a standing position. His determined face would look towards Baram. "No one stays behind. This isn't some action story where one stays behind so others can escape. We all run or we all fight. I suggest we make quick on the former."[/b] With his words spoken he reached out and grabbed Baram, eyes drilling into her face. She would not die because of him today.
"Let's fall back to that building." His plan laid out the small bunny quickly limped his way in the direction he had indicated, diving through the door and beginning to take up a defensible position. Strangely enough it was the building they had first scoped out, now clear of bandits and other humanoid refuse. Leaning back against the wall Benjamin waited for his friends and closed his eyes. He'd rest... just for a minute...
After having a glorious get together with his friends, Juice left to go on some missions. Juice, still having the rank as Choreboy, still had to complete missions to rank up. It was definitely not what he had in mind but everyone has to start somewhere and Juice's journey had just started. So Juice made his way back to the Ridus Village, with his same traditional clothing which he felt more comfortable in. Furthermore, they simply just looked better than the choreboy outfit in Juice's opinion. The robe he wore was extremely silky and very comfortable to wear. The pants were made of the finest cloth, and the colors were just perfect. Juice's mother sew him the entire outfit and many more for Juice to wear in the future. It would be disrespectful not to wear it. Again, Juice had the same task at hand. The task was to travel to Ridus Village and investigate mercenaries who would abduct marines and turn them in for some coin. Juice really had no interest in mercenaries, but when they try to oppose the marines with their selfish ways, Juice would then stand against them. With these ways, they were no better than the pirates, who Juice strongly disliked. After arriving, the place was filled with them. Juice knew he couldn't confront any Mercenary from the village about the problem up front or he would seem suspicious. That and, Juice still needed additional training before any actual confrontation with the enemy.
As he explored the now familiar Ridus Village and walked around the village, everything stayed the same. It was still crowded with shops of different kinds and taverns which all had mercenaries inside and villagers who would just get drunk and party. Juice got down to business with the routine he performed last time. He would just sit back and observe most of the town folk walking around the village casually. Walking around the village himself, he would always be watched by the villagers. That is to be expected due to his foreign outfit. It was okay because the last thing they'd expect from Juice was for him to be a member of the marines. Instead of just being quiet while the locals were watching him, he started to conversation and talk to them. This was rare for Juice, but his confrontation with his friends made him a bit more talkative. And as usual, the townswomen would blush as Juice spoke to them and the men would glare at him menacingly, looking as if they were jealous. Juice never really cared about girls or anything like that, so the rude responses from the males flew past his head. The women were shy, but still decided to talk with Juice. Although they gave no good info on what his objective was, they would give him compliments and ask if he has a lady. Juice would tell them he doesn't and he was busy. After collecting all the useless information from the island this time around, Juice just ended up returning back to the Marine HQ with nothing, but he still completed the mission and was on the right track it seems.
Digging. Rummaging. Searching. With a little more shifting her managed to retrieve his First Aid Kit. It was safe to assume that none of them had any real medical knowledge outside of the basics and this kit was just a rudimentary set of tools but they'd need what was in here so they could patch up their fallen ally.
The bird huffed and puffed in a panic, trying to maintain his composure. He'd throw his head back to see Baram-Yu bulldozing a small wave of enemies before reaching them. Even after having trimmed their numbers by a significant amount there were still a couple waves of enemies remaining; they'd been outnumbered with a man down. Sun was knelt over the laying Benjamin, kit in hand, supplies ready as he was set to be the on-field medic they needed. However, his attention was averted with the calling of his surname, he peered over the the sheep who'd obtained a pistol while the other held a dagger.
When she spoke her plan it was something that Sun immediately disagreed with,"No way! We can't le--"His declination was cut short as the bright-eyed bunny sat up from his position from the ground and begun to stand, cutting him off with his own denial towards Baram-Yu's plan. Sun gasped and held fast to Benjamin so his friend could use the bird as a crutch."He's right, we aren't leaving anyone. We're all we have right now."Even as Benjamin reached out to the sheep Sun was sure to stay close by. When the bunny begun limping towards his aforementioned retreat destination Sun was made sure he wasn't alone."Let's go before his wounds get any worse."He set the kit back into his backpack so he could sling one arm around Benjamin's waist, his hand pressing onto the main wound, applying a bit of pressure to stop blood from rushing out.
Surely with the trio together they could make it to the building, but they needed to get a move on it."Rammy, help me carry him, we need to hurry."Sun noted. That old building would be where they make their last stand.
QUOTES
Amythara
Desshu
WORDS
Words: 360 Experience: 3600 Total Words: 1785 Total Experience: 17850 Posting History:275
x E U R Y D I C E Crew
Hygienic Bloodsucker
Offline
Desshu
Unbeatable Fatcat
Offline
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 9:40 pm
Baram-Yu
Minkman • Assassin • Marine
Baram-Yu scowled at Benjamin’s stubbornness. The brief moment where she took her attention off of the encroaching mob gave one brazen mercenary the opportunity to lift his rifle. As he leveled it, Baram-Yu’s head jerked back to face him. Her body reacted before her thoughts could form a string of words, throwing the dagger that she had become ever so fond of, burying the blade into the chest of the gunman, who seemed to take a moment to realize that there was now a ten-inch blade embedded in his chest cavity. He staggered backwards to clutch the weapon, and Baram-Yu hurried forward to snatch up the rifle that had fallen at her feet. She was more skilled with blades than she was with guns, but mandatory firearms training was one of the drills that she had suffered through when joining the World Navy alongside Benjamin.
She fired off the shot that the gunman never got to pull the trigger to, falling back into the building behind Benjamin and Mr. Who Rang. She slammed the door shut behind them, quickly barring it with anything she could get her hands on, including the rifle that she had held in her grasp, jamming it into the door handle to bar off the unwanted guests that were already pounding against the door. She staggered backwards, unarmed, and with the only two critters from the Navy that she had come to care for.
A sound from elsewhere in the building caused her ears to perk.
Or perhaps they weren’t nearly as alone as she thought they were.
Quote:
Word Count: 274 + 308 + 395 + 262
Amethera
Sahana Kurumi
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2017 10:26 pm
xxxx justice is a swift hand plucking a rotten carrot!xxxxxxxxxx
The wall was comfortable. It felt like the softest bed the world could provide. The world shifted around Benjamin, tottering one way and then the other, turning one way and then around. The ground felt uneven even as he was seated. A sign of blood loss. The bunny's eyes glanced about the room, his ears picked up the sounds of the enemies inside the building but paid them little mind. His limbs felt heavy and weak, taking more than just a little concentration to shift. With a look to Baram-Yu, Benjamin made a simple request of both of his friends. "Close the wounds. It doesn't matter how... I'm not ready to die yet..." the tone of voice was wispy, as if some breeze decided to speak instead of a person. Another glance around the room showed that while it was a defensible position, it could also be a death trap. Perhaps for they could sue that to their advantage. "Find explosives." Shaking hands would rise, pointing to various locations. "Place them there, there and there. Lure the enemies inside. Blow the explosives and escape. First gather what evidence we can from the location..." The small bunny's ears would droop and his head would move as if he was trying to track a moving target but couldn't focus with just his eyes, and then without even a moment's notice he slumped to the ground, becoming simple dead weight.
There was difficulty in telling if his companion was turning pale given the thick layer of fur over his body. Still, the trio hurried into the building, Baram-yu quickly dispatching of any foe impeding their path to their retreat. Somehow they managed to get inside. The place appeared to have been abandoned. Vacant with spiderwebs and void of any light that wasn't shedding the cracks and crevices of boarded up windows. A barrage of bullets tore hotly through a few of this old wooden planks to grace them with more light while also warning them that their time was limited.
While the sheep was occupied with sheltering them with and reinforcing the entrance and openings with scattered debris and furniture, Sun discovered a clean strip of carpeted ground for him to operate. Even as he removed his first aid kit and begun working, Benjamin gave orders to seal up both this area and his wounds."Hey, just hold on. Don't talk anymore, you need to conserve your energy."As if on queue he saw the bunny body go limp. Scoffing under his breath in worry he placed a pair of talons gently to his neck. He could still feel Benjamin's heart beating, it was feint, he'd only passed out. However, these wounds needed to be closed immediately. The bird was hesitant but what other choice did he have.
After doing his best to clean and disinfect the wound Sun secreted a controlled, oily substance around a single talon, a surge of static birthed a mild flame. For a half second he stared at his own burning digit before peering down to the wide, leaking slice stretching across his friend's gut."Forgive me, friend..."He muttered shakily. The bird was no doctor so he could only hope that this was the correct procedure. He pressed the searing hot talon onto one end of the wound, fighting off tears as he slowly dragged it across the bunny's wound in one long sweep. The intense heat cauterized the nearly lethal wound, however, as Sun did this, he too would hear something off in the distance within the supposed abandoned building.
He shot a gaze towards Baram-Yu, proceeding to clean and bandage up their fallen comrade with caution. "We need to hurry."Sun whispered,"Benji's stable now. Quick recon to check out that noise and find anything we can to blow this place and get the hell outta dodge."He wasn't sure what the noise was but the bird was spooked. Having set his backpack aside, he'd replace it with Benjamin. It wasn't safe for them here and if they weren't alone then they would either need to book it now or check out what that noise was. He'd motion for Baram-Yu to snag his backpack. He kept a single talon aflame to at least give them a little bit of extra light, but dim enough to make it difficult to notice from a range.
"You take the lead, I've got your six. We check these rooms one by one."
QUOTES
Amythara
Desshu
WORDS
Words: 505 Experience: 5050 Total Words: 2290 Total Experience: 22900 Posting History:360
Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 1:15 pm
Baram-Yu
Minkman • Assassin • Marine
Baram-Yu heard the sound as we, but for the moment, it was less pressing than the staccato of bullets that threatened to tear right through the front of the building. Fortunately, after the initial hail of gunfire, the wood stood strong. Of course, Baram-Yu wasn’t so optimistic as to believe that it would hold for much longer. They were still far from safe, and a hiding place that wasn’t swarming with furious, armed mercs was still beyond reach. It wouldn’t take long for them to breach the door, especially now that the gunfire stopped. They would find an alternative, and if they didn’t resort to explosives, they still had enough blades among them to hack right through the door.
They needed to move. Now.
Grabbing Mr. Who Rang’s pack, she hurried past him, passing a glance at her unconscious companion. Part of her began to panic, and that very part of her wanted to stop and fret and worry about the rabbit, but Baram-Yu had no choice but to smother that part of her out. Benjamin was in trouble and losing her head would only get them into deeper s**t. She crept down the cobwebbed hall, glancing first towards a set of stairs that led upwards, and then another that seemed to lead to a basement. The stairwell was still adorned with cobwebs that stretched across the passage. The bottom floor looked abandoned, and the stairwell to the top floor seemed more so.
Odd.
This was the first building that they had hit and yet, despite the men guarding it, it looked as if no one had lived in it for decades. The men in the front room had not ventured upstairs at all. She turned her head, glancing at the door that led to the basement. The door knob was shiny. Years of dust did not seem to coat the metallic finish, despite the fact that the bannisters that lined the stairs just a few feet away were practically blanketed in it. It was also adorned with a series of chains and locks.
Doubly odd.
She sucked in a breath, and then launched an open palm forward. A few moments later, a series of gentle clinks! and clangs! sounded as the locks and chains fell, and the area where they had been was now slightly cratered. She pulled the door open, gesturing for Mr. Who Rang to follow her into the darkness. Baram-Yu stepped forward, and her feet settled atop of the first step of the stairs that descended down into the shadows. She took another when a foul, moist heat struck her face, causing her to wince.
The still air stank of urine and feces, as if the basement contained a beast that was as old as the house, but had never had its pen cleaned out since it had been abandoned. However, the smell was fresh, and that fact would have made Baram-Yu freeze in disgust if not for the pounding against the front door of a few dozen angry mercenaries prepared to force their way in. “Keep up, Mr. Who Rang,” she whispered urgently. “I need the light.”
Even with only a dim glow behind her, she continued on, stepping down the stairs until finally, her feet settled upon a stone floor. She waited for Mr. Who Rang to catch up so that he could illuminate the room. When he finally did catch up, however, she immediately wished that she hadn’t.
The stench did not originate from a single creature living in the darkness of a basement. It originated from several creatures. A thick, solid post took up the center of the basement, and to it, six creatures were leashed to it like dogs. She recognized them immediately to be Minkmen, each one dressed in filthy rags and a collar around their neck. Three were sheep, much like Baram-Yu herself. Two more were pigs. One, which was much larger than the others, seemed to be a gigantic, shaggy yak. Five heads turned to weakly peer at the source of the light, but the sixth, one of the two pigs, remained slumped in the sludgy mess that she lay in. For a moment, Baram-Yu thought her head was adorned with black hair, but when she peered closer, she realized she was witnessing dozens of flies, writhing and skittering and buzzing over the pig’s bald head.
Baram-Yu did not think she was sleeping.
Quote:
Word Count: 274 + 308 + 395 + 262 + 735
Amethera
Sahana Kurumi
Desshu
Unbeatable Fatcat
Offline
x E U R Y D I C E Crew
Hygienic Bloodsucker
Offline
Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 11:24 am
"If what you say is true, the Winged Chun and Wool Shu could be dangerous."
Steps followed close behind the sheep, careful not to lag behind despite the added difficulty in lugging around dead weight. He'd kept Benjamin hunched over his back, keeping his upper half slightly hunched over to provide a little extra leverage to make sure his friend didn't fall. They retreated to the upper floors of the complex but the further they went the more unused things appeared.
Dust a cobweb littered the splintered wood and layered the drywall. One would think that someone using an abandoned building as a base of operations would actually use the entire base. Off in the background Sun heard the splintering of wood and the cracking of cement. The high-pitched wail of bullets rang off in the distance as they buffeted the plethora of old furniture that blockaded the only entryway. They'd either need to find some way to deal with the mercenaries or a backdoor that led away from this place. So as Baram-Yu catered to the oddities of this forgotten yet suspicious complex, Sun was wondering why he couldn't even find so much as a window on the upper floor.
Then a foul, bewildering stench hit his beak. Blood, piss, and something more rotten than three month old eggs had nearly struck him dizzy and stupid. Potent in odor and thick enough to feel its dank heat radiating out and striking his face.
What was that horrid stench?!
With his talon ablaze he swayed it over towards Baram-Yu upon request, illuminating the room with enough dim light for the pair to set their gaze upon a most horrendous sight. It was a barnyard of bereavement. Had Sun not been so sure though he could've tasted the sour stink that lingered about his jaw would've dropped in horror and shock. Bug-eyes popped, pupils dilated. Fellow Minkmen, leashed like untamed animals. Malnourished and clothed in filthy rags wallowing in their own piss and s**t. The bird was so mortified he'd been rendered still as though stricken with Rigor Mortis."W-What is this?"He managed to squeak out as tears swelled in his eyes; unsure if the stings were caused by sadness or the odor.
Who were these people? Why were they chained up like this?
In the midst of counting their numbers, Sun made a horrifying discovery at the same time the sheep had. That smell of something rotten had come from the fly-infested corpse of a pig. He felt a solution of anger, sorrow, and fear stir inside of him."I think we should free them."He whispered to the sheep. However, he wasn't thinking logically about this, in their weakened state if they were to flee together all of them would probably just wind up dead.
Then there was the question as to how feral they'd become.
Taking initiative, Sun took several forward steps, heading for the leashes so he could undo them. Before he could fully approach, however, they group weakly turned their heads towards him and let out fearsome territorial growls and grunts. Although they had no strength, they chomped their rotting teeth and glare threateningly towards the bird; one of the pigs had even given him a starved look as if both he and Benjamin were a prime feast. Sun stopped and then took three steps back but they continued their low rumbles that were just loud enough to escape the molded walls of the room.
However, this signaled feint cries coming from one of the other closed off rooms two doors down the hall. There were more of them.
QUOTES
Amythara
Desshu
WORDS
Words: 590 Experience: 5900 Total Words: 2880 Total Experience: 28800 Posting History:505
Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 11:21 am
Baram-Yu
Minkman • Assassin • Marine
Nearly two dozen souls cried out in hunger and despair, and Baram-Yu recognized them to be the screams of other Minkmen. The muddled silence of the dark basement had been broken, and now every chained and caged beast that was still burdened with a beating heart now let loose whatever manner of awful sounds their parched, aching throats and compressed lungs could produce. The awful wailing would have left Baram-Yu paralyzed with shock and fear if not for the sudden crashing upstairs and the pounding of a dozen feet upon the floor overhead. The door had been breached.
They were coming.
Baram-Yu’s heart was pounding as her head jerked from side to side, taking in her surroundings. The walls were lined with cages. Some were empty. Some, unfortunately, were not. Glowing eyes reflected the light cast by Mr. Who Rang’s glow, but there was not enough light to illuminate the bodies of those within. The only thing that Baram-Yu saw was a filthy sleeve sticking out from the edge of the shadows, marked with a symbol that the sheep recognized, but could not recall. It was not a symbol that would help them survive this.
She needed to find somewhere for them to hide, or in the very least, somewhere for Benjamin.
The raspy snarl of the hulking, chained yak before her caused her to lift her head. The ram stepped forward and the yak snarled again. Baram-Yu looked on with pity. The yak was a hulking creature, so massive that her body seemed constantly hunched to be able to accommodate the low ceiling of the basement. Her coat was thick and shaggy and matted and stank more than the dead pig near her.
Still, Baram-Yu gripped Mr. Who Rang’s hand, wrenching him along. The yak turned her head, clicking her teeth weakly, but seemed to be too malnourished to accomplish anything more. ”Take a deep breath,” she whispered before she cupped a hand over the chicken’s flame, extinguishing it before she shoved her avian companion, and her lapine friend into the filthy depths of the yak’s unkempt mane before she pushed herself in behind them. The wool enveloped them like overgrown kudzu, just as the sound of boots came thundering down the stairwell.
Snapping maws towards his person caused Sun to reel back.
He wasn't frightened. He wasn't angry. He was sad. Gazing upon his downtrodden kin had put him at odds during this hasty situation. They didn't have the time to calm them all down and free them. He doubted the majority of them could even move fast enough to escape as it was. Then came the barring of doors as their final blockade had been torn down. The aching bellows and cries of dozens of Minkmen behind closed doors scattered across this floor rang out. The bird's anguish helped him bite back his tears. Rage bottled up as he felt his flame being snuffed out by the hand against his.
They needed to hide, for Benjamin's sake. The echoes of stomping feet grew closer and closer, thunderous in sound, numerous in number. They'd taken out a vast majority of the hidden militia but they still had at least of dozen or so men left to take them on. Steps were taken towards a hulking creature, a yak that towered over them. When they approached it Sun had quickly caught on to Baram's plan just from seeing the thicket of the yak's fur. He lightly sucked his teeth before taking a deep breath. The pair dove in, using the moldy, dirt clumped fur as camouflage like bushes to the wild. Even as he held his breath the stomach-churning odor reached his nose but he held on.
The trio hid within the yak just as the shadows strolled on by which was followed closely by the owners themselves. Men of varying sizes baring various scars carrying various weapons; mostly rifles barreled through. They mumbled to themselves as they passed by the room one by one by one. Sun kept an eye peaking out, scanning the room which grew more lit when a pair of men stepped in with torches in one hand and a pistol on the other. Now with the room more lit the animals turned their attention towards the lightsource and gave weak wails towards their captors.
Sun scanned the room, hoping that there was something they could use to get out of here. However, upon doing so his visage passed by a vacant spot of chains with several splotches of blood spattered across the rotting wood boards. An all too familiar walking cane lay just beside the chains that instantly caused Sun to seize up in shock. He quickly hid his head back into the fur before either man could see him.
Why was his master's cane here?! More importantly, where was he now?
QUOTES
Amythara
Desshu
WORDS
Words: 435 Experience: 4350 Total Words: 3315 Total Experience: 33150 Posting History:590
Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 3:39 pm
Baram-Yu
Minkman • Assassin • Marine
It had been days, weeks even, since the yak had last been washed, and that became increasingly known to the sheep that was now buried so deeply within the beast’s wool. It was so thick and so unkempt that three bodies were completely indistinguishable from the lumps of matted coat of the gigantic yak. It was a completely disgusting and putrid example of hygiene, or lack thereof, and the stench was enough to make Baram-Yu want to vomit. Still, she knew it wasn’t the yak’s fault. No, the blame fell upon the men that were now spreading out through the basement with their torches up and weapons at the ready. They staggered along with a mix of urgency and sluggishness, like animated corpses that were tardy for their own funerals.
Eventually, one figure, taller and gruffer in appearance than the others, lumbered into sight. His nearly-bald head scraped the ceiling and he glanced around the basement with a look of evident disgust. It occurred to Baram-Yu that she hadn’t seen the man out in the streets when they had been fighting. Had he been hiding in one of the buildings this entire time, waiting for his lackeys to deal with the trio? Baram-Yu grit her teeth. It seemed that no matter how big they got, a coward was still a coward at the end of the day.
“Did you worthless sacks of pus find them yet?” The giant barked, his eyes so wide that they threatened to pop out of their tiny sockets. In spite of his size, he seemed to tremble with each step. Was it anger or fear that moved him so? The giant’s lips curled into a snarl of disgust as he looked over the chained beasts before him, then over at the long collection of cages. “Those goddamn Gonezo Brothers were supposed to take these beasts off my hands ages ago. I promised I’d hold them for a week, but a month? Now they’re just shitting all over my generosity.” He muttered to himself as he paced back and forth, just beyond the reach of the yak. Every now and then he would demand another status update, and with each fresh answer, he seemed to grow more irate. “Well none of you are leaving this piss hole until I have three corpses lined up at my feet!” He bellowed. “If those really were Navy agents, then the last thing I want is the World Government on my a** in my town.”
“But boss, wasn’t yer client workin’ with the Gov?” One torch-bearing man asked from somewhere beyond Baram-Yu’s line of sight.
The giant shrugged his burly shoulders. “Even if they are, I don’t want to give those white-coated bastards any reason to set foot in my town. They’re bad for business. Besides, if word gets out that we’re holding these beasts from the Ungula Islands, then the Gonezo brothers won’t trust me with another big shipment like this ever again. Even if their pieces of s**t, they sure know how to pitch forward a pretty penny.” The giant chuckled
Baram-Yu’s heart nearly stopped. The Ungula Islands? That was only a hop skip and a jump away from her and Benjamin’s own home island! She grit her teeth, realizing now where she had seen the bloodied symbol in the cage. It had been the sigil of the islands’ guardian family.
Before she could process any further thoughts, someone spoke again. “What’re they gonna do with all these animals anyway? At this point, all they do is s**t and piss themselves. Who the frick’s gonna buy ‘em?”
The giant lifted and shoulders and let them fall, shrugging once more. “Don’t know. Don’t care, either. As long as I get paid for penning these sacks of meat, they can end up on the butcher’s block for all I care. Now hurry up and find those Navy bastards befo- HOLD IT!” The ground shook as the giant thundered forward, rushing across the room before he snatched the torch out of a mercenary’s hands, smacking the smaller man back with the flat of his blade, sending him stumbling. <********’ hell…” The giant muttered as he approached the side of the room, standing before a half-dozen barrels. “I told Nettles to clear out all of these barrels weeks ago when we were preparing for all these beasts. Another step closer with that torch and you would have sent us all to Hell! Where is Nettles anyway? I oughta smash his face in for his stupidity.”
“He’s dead sure. Took a bullet to the head in the fight this morning.”
The giant paused. “Huh. No s**t? Guess that idiot’s finally got something between his ears now at least.”
As the merc continued to speak, Baram-Yu nudged Mr. Who Rang, pointing to the now-unguarded stairs. ‘Go,’ she mouthed. ‘Take Benjamin to safety.’
A herculean figure came into the fray, one whom hadn't seen battle today. Sun wouldn't have forgotten a man that size. Had he been within the building this entire time or away on business? Either way, now that their leader was here things were a lot trickier. As the horde of men sought out toe capture and kill three young Marines, their leader barked orders and demanded status updates that bore no fruit. His plot, however, came into fruition and answered some unasked questions that both he and Baram-Yu had. Stories of the Ungula Islands were told to him by his master, for it wasn't his birth place but where he once sought shelter as a wandering fist for hire. No, his home was further away.
Still, Sun couldn't get over the sight of his master's cane, knowing it to be his from the way it was shaped and the numerous marks of splintered wood engraved into its belly from the times Sun had attacked the man only to have his claws dig into the flesh of his walking stick. Fragile looking but sturdy.
The bird found difficulty breathing with the rancid, unclean musk of the yak violating every sense he had. He grew light-headed and dizzy, amazed at how the rabbit was able to stay unconscious this entire time even with his injuries. There came a sudden shot from the big man in charge, alerting his crew to the lazily left barrels that could set the place sky high. This inspired a very daring and dangerous idea from the fowl but it would've been at the cost of the enslaved Minkmen that were too weak to vacate the area. He wanted to defeat the bad guys but he couldn't knowingly do so without harming innocent bystanders. His beak was shut but his scowl was ever-present, contemplating a way out of this, it wasn't until he was nudged by the sheep that he saw an opening. He turned his gaze to her, seeing her mouth the words of retreating but it also signaled her staying.
He violently shook his head in protest but then took another glance at the opening. The cogs within his mind begun turning. Surely there were men down the hall looking for them, checking the other rooms, but if there were barrels in each of those rooms and these men valued their lives then maybe—just maybe could this work. He didn't like the idea of leaving behind Baram-Yu but their chances of making it out of here in one piece were already slim; especially together. Splitting up and hoping for the best may have been the best bet but their first priority was getting Benjamin to safety. After a moment of rethinking the bird puffed out his chest and turned to the sheep,'I'm coming back for you. Just don't die.' He mouthed.
If only he could just clear the way for Baram-Yu.
The bird crept from the yak's unkempt fur, taking those first few satisfying breaths of fresh air. His steps were mute, the tips of his talons grazing the wood as they carried him across the room, strafing along the rear of the guards and their boss. Benjamin at his back he made silent haste as he poke his head through the open door and glanced down the hallways. A few of the doors were open, men roamed the halls but had left the stairwell unprotected. There had been another stairwell that led further up with a few roaming men and a small pane of glass at the floor's end. There were two options, run for the window and jump out, or take his chance with the stairwell and pray that no men lay posted at its feet.
Then there was option three.
He didn't see any debris laying around but he still had his fire. Secreting a unique fluid at his right limb there then came a surge of electricity that sparked along it and igniting his arm. It was a timid flame, one that didn't crackle too loudly. As he headed to the stairwell he stopped, turned, and swept his flaming arm at the end of the hallway—releasing a thin wave of fire that shot down the hallway and shattered the window. The disturbance was loud enough to ring throughout the floors. Sun ducked into the adjacent room where all was dark minus the hints of light shedding through the purposefully cracked door. There was nothing here aside from barrels to his knowledge. He heard men come barreling up the stairs that were securing the first floor, the noise would even attract the attention of the big boss and his men to go check out the noise. Eyes peaked through the cracked door as men ran passed him. He hid himself back inside and waited until the thumping of footsteps ceased before looking back out.
His distraction was a success.
Sun slipped through the doorway with Benjamin at his back, quickly leaping down the cleared stairwell. Having been back on the first floor he peered over and saw that the entrance no longer had a door and the furniture Baramm-Yu had set in place as a barricade had been toppled over. He couldn't tell if there were any men outside but to his knowledge all of there forces had now been lobbying the upper floors, most of them near the sounds of shattered glass that left a massive smoldering hole from where the window use to be. Sun ran towards the entrance, their only exit but stopped and turned his head to the upper floor, wondering if Baram-Yu would follow.
He managed to make his escape to the outside world—but just how safe was he?
QUOTES
Amythara
Desshu
WORDS
Words: 960 Experience: 9600 Total Words: 4275 Total Experience: 42750 Posting History:435
