Namari Shioh's Story

Xanth's hair drooped at Takai's reply - it, just like she, was bad at hiding disappointment. She shifted around on her seat and gave a few limp-wristed motions towards Kaor before squishing and rubbing the dog's jowls fondly. Then she squinted at the beastman and shook her head, gesturing back to Kaor with the same demeanor as a teacher scolding their underling. She disarmingly laughed off whatever that conversation was, it must have just been a joke, nothing to worry about, and hopped off the dog. She opened the small pouch on her side. From within it, she retrieved a small scroll, which she splayed out on the table before them.

'For hire.'

One finger jutted up in the air, and the sound of metal unsheathing cut through the air right before two shiny daggers were plonked down on the table beside the message. Xanth's elbows slid across the table, her hands squishing her cheeks together and making her seem all the more harmless. Her eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

The commotion finally took her attention and potential employer away. She slumped, brow twitching as she watched the merriment being disturbed. Ugh, annoying. As she turned her head back, steam hit her nostrils. A bamboo basket of freshly steamed buns were laid before her. She beamed, quite alright with letting things behind her get out of hand, and did the hot potato with the bun she'd picked up.

'Good for business,' she signed casually to Kaor after catching the bun with her teeth, and jutted her thumb back towards the Snow Oni's company, 'Fear and prejudice. There's money to make off of that.'

She dropped a bun down into the dog's jaws, nodding thoughtfully, then gestured towards the noble-looking woman chained to an idiot. She tapped her pouch, then Kaor's chest, then returned to her own chest with wiggling fingers and a wink.

Ren looked up to the waitress that approached him, stifling a grimace at the 'Happy Emperor's Day'. He politely smiled and gave a bow of his head to her. "And a Happy Emperor Day to you. Could I perhaps trouble you for a green tea to start with? And perhaps some water too, I've had a rather long journey." He briefly admired the garb she wore, momentarily wondering if she paid for it, or the Inn did. Seemed expensive, especially with the fine embroidery.

"As for food... How about we start off with two pork buns, two spring rolls, and some huoguo." As the waitress took his order and went to relay it to the kitchen, Ren took a moment to further survey his surroundings. This Inn seemed well established. Ornate carvings crept up the walls of the separated booth he found himself sitting in, with a thin dragon head spouting from the top to connect with the ceiling.

The whole room seemed bright and lively from all of the candles and lanterns, bringing out the full colors of wall dioramas that illustrated various scenes. From calm, agrarian romances, to epic historical battles, to deals made with dragons. Of course, today the whole area seemed to be particularly fraught with effigies of the beloved Emperor as well, many of which were hung on the red support pillars that bore lovely gold colored dioramas and designs of their own.

The inside of the Inn itself (in the main area at least) was quite spacious, filled mainly with low built round tables and chairs. Their dark oak and equally ornate carvings made Ren nearly wonder if perhaps all parts of Yune had this kind of elegance, or if perhaps it was just the result of a healthy population of skilled craftsmen throughout.

Finally, his eyes were drawn back to the Oni and his companions. Ren still felt uneasy about the situation, though he tried to ignore. Tried to, until he noticed the metal chain hung between the woman and the boy with him. Were they....

Slaves?

He tried to wrack his mind, trying to recall the Empire's policies on that. He had thought it was illegal to enslave humans here. Had things changed? Or was this perhaps some less than legal affair? Either way, Ren was starting to feel a few too many familiar feelings associated with Snow Oni.

Kaor blinked at her companion, humming and watching her go about her conversations with a nod before simply smiling and leaning forth to speak with ‘her Gecko’ as privately as possible.
Well… As privately as a crowded inn/bar could be considered.
The final signing that Xanth gave to Kaor wasn’t missed, and the bear woman beamed a bright smile at her companion. “Ahh… Yes. Why not. Shall I be a distraction for you my dear? Let me see if I cannot play the part of a good woman for once, hm?”

She turned her attention to the Snow Oni at hand, smiling vaguely before letting her expression darken into a mask of fury.
Two, maybe three, teenagers were giving Takai grief, and an old woman was harassing the Oni as well. Her gaze turned to Xanth with a wink, before returning to the commotion behind with that same fury bubbling up to the surface.

She stood from her table with her Gecko, giving the beloved mutt a quick pet upon the head before she quickly made her way towards the accosted group. She took note of a woman of some nobility and a peasant man chained together, of Takai and the poor Oni covered in stew, and of the trio of hecklers making their exit. Her maw opened, and as she was bringing forth a mighty bellowing roar, with which she planned to chastise the three stooges…
Their main-man found his face impacting with a door. Ouch. Hah. Hahaha!

“Bahahaha! HAH! That is what you get you little cretins! Begone with you three! Before I set a mind forth for your haunches to meet my paws!” Her voice was nearly deafening to be beside, and she caught sight of more than one patron ducking away and covering their ears.
She brought her bulk over to the Oni, shifting first the massive bamboo and leather strap basket upon her back to reach inside, and then retrieve a somewhat smaller, stitch and leather pack. From within THAT pack, she removed a relatively fair sized swathe of cloth. “Good sir, good sir, please. Take this and clean yourself up some, if you would like! I take it that your night has not been going well, no? And you, Takai! Please! Don’t leave me from the fun next time! I dare say we might be a terrifying duo for those who have no respect!”
She snarled out, smiling throughout her words.

She flipped a single coin to Takai, letting her expression soften before it became fierce and lively once again. A massive paw clapped the Snow Oni on the shoulder as the other offered him the ‘towel’. Her gaze slid towards the chained individuals, and as she spoke, she only hoped that her presence was enough to keep all eyes on her from this motley crew. “Now that’s something I’ve yet to see! Why are the two of you all chained up my dears? Would you like me to ah, break those links for you? Or is that what the good sir here was already offering to do? I was trying my hardest not to eavesdrop.”

"I can stand waiting a little longer for my food," Namari said addressing Suiken, casually brushing her bangs as the bear viciously mauled the hooligans in the background. Shuin just laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Wow... real rowdy bunch in here, huh?" he said, rethinking his plans as suddenly they had begun to draw a small crowd of bodies around them. Well, perhaps not so small, considering that same bear was now casting a massive shadow upon them. His thumb hooked instinctually but naturally under his sash, near his sword, as he maintained a polite smile.

Though Namari could not see Shuin, she could sense his unease. No, maybe not unease. More like...

"You want to have a go at these chains?" he laughed, lifting his arm up (and Namari's with it). "We'll welcome more than one challenger! Fifty gold pieces to the lucky winner! She'll be paying, of course."

"Suiken stood up and brushed himself off. He bowed apologetically towards the innkeeper. "Please forgive me. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble. If you don't mind, I would like another bowl of chanko nabe...to go this time. You won't be troubled again."

The old innkeeper studied the Oni suspiciously for a bit, before taking a he took a huff from his pipe and sighed. "Don't worry about it. Just make sure you..." he glanced over and eyed the two handcuffed humans as Shuin had begun to raise an offer to the group. "...or your friends don't cause me any more trouble."

"Thank you!" Suiken stated gratefully, before he walked back towards back at Shuin and Namari. There seemed to be another human that had entered the inn just recently. He too was giving Suiken the stink eye, but the oni payed no mind. He would have a couple of kind Beast-men to contend with if he started any more trouble. "Aha..." the oni, approached his two bound companions, chuckling tiredly at the sight of Shuin's gallivanting. "I think...it'd be best to NOT put these good people up to any er...insurmountable tasks, eh?"

"I'm just jokin'," Shuin said with a grin, playfully hitting the oni on the shoulder.

"Your 'jokes' have a nasty habit of coming true," Namari chimed in with a long sleeve over her mouth, her murky eyes boring into him with a knowing stare. "Better to hold your tongue now. Your breath is going to draw the worms, worm."

Prefect Ro searched Ginchiyo's face for a moment, his brown eyes meeting hers. "I'm- married to the job," He explained, displaying perhaps the most humanity he was capable of. Despite the officer's awkwardness his demeanour towards Lo-Muna and Ginchiyo seemed to shift. It was in small details: the way he lowered his parchment pad, or how he'd uncrossed his arms. Prefect Ro suddenly seemed less threatening. It was a warm summer night after all, and the smells and sounds of the festival beckoned for him to return.

Small footsteps clacked. The trio of prefects turned to see a goblin in sea-fairing wear approach. "If it helps I saw everything," The goblin spoke up.

"And?" The prefect asked.

They smiled at Ginchiyo and Lo-Muna before turning back to Ro, staring up with cat-like goblin green eyes. "The truth. Every word," They replied. "A game of mahjong with two shady characters. She won. The pair of sore losers caused a scene and threw her straight into this man's cart."

"And your name, miss?"

"Not a miss," The goblin corrected. "And it's Jensu. Captain Jensu."

"Well," Prefect Ro began, turning from the goblin captain to the vendor, the beast-man, and the wild-woman. "Seems cleared up to me."

Ginchiyo had begun to negotiate a small reparation fee to the man when screams cut through. The prefects turned to see an pale blue figure a head above the rest of the crowd, running toward the town square. Just then, a sound began to echo out from the gate. The village bell.

The street stopped dead at the sound, the festivities and merriment of the festival drawing to a close. And then came the panic. Ro frowned as suddenly the citizens of Poyo rushed down the street, pushing past the mini crime scene. "It's the village bell," One of the two teenage guards informed nervously as they began to run off with the crowd. "There’s some sort of trouble out there!"

“I knew this holiday was cursed!” The other guard screamed as he ran after his partner.

"Quickly!" A voice called through the crowd. Ro turned to see the town crier yelling out over the citizens. "A state of emergency has been issued! Everyone to the town centre!" He announced. “To the safety of the village square!”

"Altan! Huo!" Ro commanded his two lieutenants. The prefects snapped to attention. "Forward by my lead."
Ro turned to face Lo-Muna, Jensu, Ginchiyo and the racist. “Stay with us,” He said before hurrying forward down the street. The brass whistle that hung from his neck bounced at his step. His long green armour rattled. His hand held down a short-sword, and on his back a tower-shield swung with each step. Upon it's bronze ribs were the yunish characters for the raging rivers province and the word prefect. Poyo was a small village, and the handful of prefects in town were perhaps the only skilled lawman in miles.

Ro pushed passed a screaming crying citizen, making way for the four to follow toward the town-square. All the while the bell rang on…

***

Inside the Golden Peach Inn the bell was heard loud and clear. And it was though the mood of the tavern shifted all in one moment. Takai, Suiken, and Namari were suddenly struck by an onslaught of patrons rushing towards the exits en masse. They pushed and shoved as they did, nearly knocking Ren’s booth in.

A guard on the street outside stuck their head into one of the inn’s shoji curtains. He was breathing heavily. "Quickly! Poyo is in a state of emergency: everyone to the town square!" He called out to the inhabitants. “Trust me. You want to be as far from the walls as possible." With a heavy swallow he too ran off with the crowd of citizens toward the centre of town.

The waitress too hurried, avoiding the cook who leapt out from the kitchen and collided face first into Kaor’s side. The cook fell to the ground before Xanth and Kaor as the waitress making a swift exit.

***

As Yamato drunkenly approached the east gate to the village the bell began to ring from the walls above. The loose assemblage of guards atop the wall’s ramparts were running frantically. Even in his drunken state, the tengu knew something was wrong.

"Hey!" A guard called out to the ronin as he slid down a ladder and staggered to into a run. He was a young man, late teens, perhaps early twenties, covered in spots. And looking like he’d never before wielded the spear that was now gripped between his sweaty palms. "Something's happening... I, I think we're under attack." He blinked at Yamato, noticing his trio of blades. "You've got to get to the village centre. We could use your help... and the Mayor will pay anyone who helps!" The guard nodded at him and began to run with the rest of the populace, hoping he’d follow.

***

The bells were faintest on the village outskirts: farmlands outside the wall but inside the Poyo's radius. And through the fields were sparse families too ran. A single boy pelted down the dirt road toward the walls, ramming violently into Sunaraashi as he did, who’d wandered outside the festival grounds. The boy stood and backed up slowly, looking at the strange Sunen in fear. "…Are you going to eat me?" He whispered, his voice trembling.

***

Samyan and her two dolls had run from the scene of their crimes directly into the cobblestone laden village square. To Samyan’s surprise, she was not the only one running, as beside her crowds began to pour into the square in panic. Bells were ringing from the village walls.

Before her towered the town-hall tower, and standing before it was a figure of red-stone decked in ancient armour, holding out a banner high in the air. His face was expressionless, his body unmoving and built out of glistening red stone. It was a statue of a noble yunish man from ages passed, propped up in the centre of the square. The stature stared Samyan down as if to tell her she did not belong here, in the heart of Yunishness. And perhaps the gods were about to make her pay for her deceit.

***

Several streets over Yuwen strolled calmly as the people ran forward toward the distant town square. It was filling to the brim with the citizenry and visiting guests to the port village. A small smirk grew on his face: both because he knew how badass he looked walking calmly in the chaos, and two... because he caused this.

Suiken sighed, sitting up. "Just what's going on in Poyo? I truly wanted to see the fireworks this year," the snow oni questioned. "Such curious happenings..." Suiken shook his head, standing up from his seat. He took a step outside, just to observe whatever prompted this sudden state of emergency and a horde of people were rushing past in a panic. "Excuse me! Excuse me!" the oni called to one of the panicking citizens.

"What's the cause of all this mayhem?" he inquired.

"It seems the people here are panicked on short notice," Namari noted, with lightly narrowed eyes. "You'd think they were going to war." The words were spoken softly, but there was a bite to them. Like her mother who raised her, her tone was often thick with layers of condescension, a dash of contempt, and maybe some mild amusement. Perfectly suited for the vermin breed in this little town; should it burn to the ground, it will not be remembered as anything more than another one of Yune's ugly wounds on the land. Truly, it was a wonder their warmongering ilk thought themselves any higher than Gwanish savages.

She excused herself from her seat and, without looking, maneuvered with relative ease around the rushing patrons that shoved their way between the tables. "Forget it, I've lost my appetite. I'm going upstairs to lay down."

"You don't want to see what's going on?" Shuin asked through a mouthful after sneakily pinching a snack out of an unsuspecting man's hand and immediately eating it. "Sounds dangerous... right up your alley!" He took another bite.

Namari stared for a moment, annoyed.

"No."

"Aw, come on. It'll be fun! I'm down for a fight! Right, random monkey guy?" Shuin put his arm around the beastman's shoulder, his new best friend. "We can be the heroes who saved, uh -- what was this town's name again? Boyoh? That's a win in my book!"

The sound of bells interrupted Ren's careful consideration of the Snow Oni and his 'companions', something was going on outside, and it had the whole town in a stir. A guard had come in, telling people to get out of the building, and the waitress and chef had bolted out of the inn.

Before he got his food or tea.

Ren sighed slightly and gave a faint, half frown. He really wanted that tea, at the very least. But now it seemed like he might not even be getting any rest tonight, depending on what exactly it was that was considered a state of emergency. But... That guard had said something about the walls? Did he mean an earthquake?

He grabbed his bag, placing it back over his shoulders as he placed a hand on the hilt of one of his swords. The two that were chained up (or rather, the one girl) were making their way upstairs, which was admittedly not very 'slave like'. Perhaps the story with the Oni was more complicated.

"That guard said to avoid the walls, miss. I don't wish to presume too much, but I would think the whole building may not be entirely safe based on his assessment."

Ren made his way towards the doors of the inn, giving a polite nod in the direction of the beastmen (the bear and the monkey), and then to the Sunean. "Here's an opportunity to perhaps earn a free meal. Or die. Either way, I'm sure this should at least be interesting." He smiled softly, the only indication he was trying to employ dark humor.

Once outside, he stood next to the Snow Oni, taking in the sight of the chaos, following the crowd of fleeing civilians with his eyes. He took notice of the town's tower, a tall, narrow tower, with red brick walls on the first floor (similar to the pavilion around it), white on the upper floors, red painted wood pillars, and sloping, green roofs, likely made of copper.

The sellsword looked to the Oni, then back to the crowd. "Did anyone manage to say anything intelligible?" He asked of the large blue skin, indicating to the frenzied, panicked civilians.

Takai squinted at Shuin, "Yeeeaahh....uh, I'm gonna go!"

He made an awkward pointing geasture toward the exit and shrugged the chained guy off his shoulders. Takai slipped through the door of the inn and peered outside to the commotion with the others. He didn't manage to spot Ruo through the chaos but figured she had escaped with everyone else.

"Should probably go with 'em," the monkey man suggested, "Those bells are usually a warning of natural disaster or....yknow, just plain disaster."

"Intelligible?" Suiken scratched his chin. "No such luck yet, I'm afraid," the oni eventually sighed. He looked back into the inn where Shuin and Namari stood along with the monkey-man. "I don't think staying here would be very wise," he warned them. "Especially not when you're linked together as you are and of...differing temperaments, perhaps it's best if we follow the crowds..."

"Though, I do want to know the cause of this ruckus," Suiken noted, stepping more out of the inn and into the busy street. He wouldn't get anywhere with these crowds, so perhaps if he stuck to the alleyways. "Follow me if you will, I'll likely just be a moment!"

Ren turned to see the monkey beastman who had joined him and the Oni at the front of the inn, giving a slight smirk as he looked back out at the crowds. "Have courage friend. No wounded or dead by the looks of it so far, meaning our doom has yet to reach us. It may even be that this threat could be quite manageable. That is to say, IF we are all skilled enough to manage." He turned to the Oni once more, reluctantly looking the giant up and down for a brief moment, before giving a nod of affirmation.

"Agreed, and we should move quickly. All the guards seem to be following the crowds, so if they're going to need any help, it looks like they'll need it in town square." As much as Ren still had an innate distrust for the Oni, his current actions seemed the most proactive, and based on the events in the Inn, he was less sure about his relationship to those that were connected by chain.

Any reluctance the sellsword felt was pushed to the 'cautious observation' part of his mind, as he followed the Snow Oni without hesitation.

The clanging sound of bells was never welcome, in Kaor's mind. Her smile dropped as swiftly as it had come, and as the group of individuals around her began to scatter and make up their minds about what next to do... She made up hers as well.

On a heel she turned, searching through the scattering crowd of people within the Golden Peach Inn, located Xanth in the midst of reaching for the pocket of the strange, chained to the peasant, woman. Kaor whistled sharply, two quick knives of sound scouring into the air as Mutt (Xanth's beloved hound's nickname, courtesy of Kaor herself,) darted into movement.

Xanth found herself being swept up into the air, a massive paw grabbing her up by the scruff of her neck and seamlessly depositing her in the large wicker basket Kaor carried on her back. Mutt scrambled on the wood floor of the inn for a moment before rushing onward, leaping up and onto the back of a stumbling man before finding his way into the basket along with Xanth.

Kaor grunted her pleasure at seeing the two she wandered with secure, turned her gaze to Takai as the poor man chose to follow both the Snow Oni from earlier, and a new, interesting individual. This man carried himself in a manner that set Kaor's fur on edge, and reflexively made her ears press flat to her head. She made no comment on it though, and as the trio of men began to make their way out into the throng of scrambling people... Kaor turned and took her two companions away from the chaos at the front.
She made her way towards the back of the dining hall of the inn. Spotting the doorway that led into the back of the building, to the kitchens, she strode through.
As she entered the area where meals were prepared, the smell of half-cooked dishes hit her nose. A quick sniff- a quicker glance about- and Kaor kept moving. Food could wait for later. Making sure she, her Gecko, and her Mutt stayed safe was the highest priority.

And the chaos of the situation was DEFINITELY not safe. So the bearwoman made her escape.

Navigating to the space behind the Golden Peach was easy enough, but the rush of people that were trying to escape even this way was frustrating.
Kaor huffed; bared her teeth in a snarl at a woman who was attempting to pull a child along. The little boy, human, no more than five perhaps, was stumbling and crying hysterically. His mother, maybe? Was ignorant to his pleas for her to wait. Kaor stepped out and yanked the woman to a stop, grabbing the boy and placing him solidly in the mother's arms before pushing the woman and HER charge onward.
Good.

She then began following the crowd, away from the square. Whatever was happening was NOT worth it. These scrambling people were more worth the help anyhow.

"Well, I'm off then," Suiken nodded, taking the less direct route through the small town and navigating between the alleyways, going in the exact opposite direction of the fleeing townsfolk. If he could pinpoint the source of the problem, then perhaps there was a chance that he could aid in finding a solution.

It was a shame. Summer, while glorious to behold, was not a favored season of the Snow Oni. Suiken simply wanted to relax and enjoy the sights of the festival with the townsfolk, but that dream seemed to have come to an abrupt halt.

Shuin dragged Namari unwillingly toward the commotion.

Ro rose, looking back at the massive figure who stepped on him, but the chaos of the crowd distracted again.

***

Yuwen turned back to Kaor and Xanth in the street. The lantern-light shined in his eyes. "Follow me... and everything will be alright," He said with a smile. "I promise." The man wore a chest-plate, and had a blade on his hip, but nothing else about him seemed particularly assuring. And yet, when he spoke to the two, for whatever reason, they believed him- or at least, they believed he believed himself.

The super mercenary combo began to follow Yuwen as he marched toward the square.

***

One finally step brought Ren atop the town-wall. Suiken climbed the ladder up after him, and when the snow-oni reached the top he was treated to quite a sight. Over the rooftops they could see the town-square, and almost all of Poyo stretching out around it. And beyond the bright streets was the country: the rivers, the hills, the forests. Calm. Peaceful. There was no sign of a threat.

In the dark path stretching out from town person ran, not towards the safety walls but away- into the darkness of the night. A single figure, with a body belonging to a goblin. "Attention all!" They could hear the distant, echoing voice of the mayor from the town-square as he got ready to address the crowd...

***

"Attention all!" He repeated. On a wooden stage built in front of the tall town-hall tower and beside the statue of shimmering stone Mayor Loy-Qui, a rat-faced man with no beast-man blood in him, watched over the square which was packed to it's fullest with over a thousand citizens and travellers summoned by the bells, the last ones now arriving at the edges of the crowd. The town had gone into a deadly silence, the bright lanterns that swung in the winds no longer as festive as they had seemed an hour earlier. Overwhelming all was the sound of bells from each of the village's five gates, ringing together in near perfect unison. The elderly yunish man glanced down at the scroll he held in his hands. After a moment he stepped forward, his silken purple robes the only thing clear from the farthest back of the crowd.

"Poyo is under attack!" He announced loudly. "At the twentieth hour... I received a report from the farthest northern outpost, saying an army of bandits was approaching... at least three-"

"That's not bad!" A feminine voice said from the crowd.

"-Hundred!" Gasps of shock and cries could be heard.

"Poyo has thirty-seven guards, as well as the twenty prefects in Commander Ro's unit... that is fifty odd men against... three-hundred," Loy-Qui explained awkwardly, trying to raise his fingers before realizing he did not have the required digits. "And so I am forced to declare a state of emergency! And forced to ask upon you, citizens of ability, citizens of our great Yune Empire, to step forward and defend our village against this threat! For what we have not in numbers... we have in gold: three-hundred gold coins to each man or woman of any race who steps forward to fight with us! Three-hundred for each bandit who threatens our home on this holiest of holidays!"

A silence went over the crowd as the numbers sank in, despair on the tongues of the people, most whispering where to hide or how to escape the town. "Would all willing step forward... and all unwilling or unable step back and find shelter and hiding," Loy-Qui stammered. "Find somewhere safe."

"Wait!" A voice called out as the crowd started shifting. All eyes turned to one figure as he pushed past the guards and leapt onto the stage. He stood tall with olive skin, striking green eyes, a determined face and glimmering armour beneath blue robes: a heroic image next to the cowering Loy-Qui, now almost in tears.

"I have information!" The man declared as he stepped forward dramatically on the stage. "I know! I KNOW! Where the banditos will attack!" The human, Yuwen Fortune, announced loudly over the crowd. "I just escaped their foul grasps... they've set up camp in the swamp, twenty minutes outside the north-gate, and are currently preparing their attack!" Yuwen nodded eagerly at the assembled citizens. "I will ambush them... and destroy them! I have done so before, and I will do it again!"

Yuwen looked over the crowd and he raised his finger to the sky. "I will save this town! But I cannot do it alone: listen carefully, for my next words are intended only for the most heroic of warriors." He reached back and pulled out a duo of ebony jians. He rose them above his head in a cross.

"Who among you is a brave enough hero to join me, Yuwen Fortune?!" He called, his voice echoing for a moment as it travelled across the square. Yuwen paused and watched, waiting for the willing to step forward and the rest, which he predicated to be around ninety-nine percent of the current crowd, to step back.

Prefect Ro glared at the man from the back of crowd. A frown grew on his face, the truth of the scenario sinking in...

Perhaps it was karma, but now it was Namari who found herself to be dragged by the chain. Her feet stumbled awkwardly over the cobble in a half-resisting, half-following motion as Shuin heartily ran on ahead, seemingly undeterred by the weight of his unwilling companion. Not that she was heavy, of course.

They joined the gathering crowds at the back, surrounded by the faces of Poyo and the mounting, indiscernible chatter that filled the square like so much useless noise. Namari didn't hate crowds, per se, but being around people -- especially this many -- reinstated her disdain for the common man. Like a speck of dirt, unpleasing but unassuming on its own, multiplied by thousands. Their combined stench was awful.

She covered her nose with a floppy sleeve, filtering out the odor of the unwashed masses and probably also some diseases. If it were up to her, they would be long gone from Poyo by now, but this man...

The noblewoman glared at Shuin, grinning and oblivious as usual. Though she couldn't quite place it, his stupid, smug face reminded her of someone...

"I have information!"

Her brow visibly furrowed as she leaned her head to the side, getting a better look at the stage.

"I know! I KNOW! Where the banditos will attack!"

After a brief moment of processing, Namari's stare turned into a squint. That's Yuyu.

She'd recognize that mug anywhere, even if it has been years since they last met face to face. A wave of unwanted nostalgia struck her, and she was suddenly back in the gardens near the steps of the old temple, trying to keep up with another one of his 'adventures' into the surrounding woods. Pins of golden sunlight pierced through the dark green canopies above them. The air was warm and gentle, and the calls of cicadas echoed from the treetops as their feet tread across soft dirt and their arms brushed aside hanging boughs.

He never liked being cooped up inside, to deal with the banalities of politics and formality and noble posturing. During those days she was much the same, but time wears its mark on some more than others. But that was all in the past, now there--

"I'M A GREAT WARRIOR!" Before she realized what was happening, Shuin had made his way to the front of the mob and proudly flexed his admittedly remarkable biceps. "Any cowardly bandits try to lay a hand on this beautiful little town, I'll send them all home without teeth!" He paused, and then pointed to Namari. "She's also a great warrior, you don't want to mess with her!"

Namari's eye twitched.

"Three hundred men and three hundred gold" Lo-muna muttered under her breath with some amusement. Standing near the front of the gathered townspeople, she had listened intently to the mayor and then to the human who loudly proclaimed he would stop the bandits before they attacked. Hand on her hip, her ears twitched to the whispered and muttered responses around her. Some reluctant or doubtful.

Lo-Muna herself considered it for a few moments. The night had been eventful already and this was only adding on. I was rescued so I suppose I should repay the favor... Plus that gold... Lo-Muna sighed but looked herself over, making sure she looked presentable. While the rabbit beast-women wasn't entirely convinced of the plan, she was certainly not going to hide herself away. Just as she was about to walk forward, another human male burst forward, dragging along a rather unhappy noble. Lo-Muna raised an eyebrow as the man flexed some rather attractive biceps. Though the rabbit had to admit it was not as impressive as the raven haired woman or the bear beast-woman.

"Strength certainly is commendable," Lo-Muna said as she stepped forward, chest out, and ears straight. Walking over besides the flexing human, she placed a hand on his biceps and winked at him. "Very commendable."

She let go and smiled up at Yuwen, "You will also need speed. For the safety of the people, I too, shall volunteer in your endeavor, Yuwen Fortune. There are very few who can outrun me after all."

"Heroic, you say?" A loud voice boomed from the crowd. Takai had leapt down from the wall and parted the sea of people around him as he sauntered graciously toward Yuwen Fortune and the stage that had piqued his interest, "Well, there are none more heroic than I, The Noble Shaming Arrow of Flaming Lae Ming Wae!"

Audible murmurs sounded from the crowd. A notorious criminal was here in Poyo. He grinned at the assembled group, "I shall join you."