A Warriors Return *

Moving through the forest the half-breed slowly shifts his gaze. glancing at the forest around him. He had not been in this forest in a some time, though now that things had changed he has come to make his return, his return to the mansion his companion Jyn has come to lay claim to. Though the half-breed had decided to return to the mansion he was not completely the same as before when he last encountered his companion, the attire he now wore had changed from the kimono and traditional garb he once wore to something that fit more in the day before the dawn. A long black trench coat covered his shoulders and fell down from his back almost touching the ground, a pare of black paths replaced the garb he once wore to cover his lower half as did a pare of boots to cover his feet, though he wore nothing to cover his chest and the scars it now carries. Another testament to the change that had taken place within the half-breed was the massive blade that rest upon his back bound and covered by cloths. Breaking through the forest the half-breed steps out and shifts his gaze towards the familiar sight of the mansion. Looking upon the mansion he recalls the time when he was sent to the mansion to find a princess that had been captured and taken to it, though no such luck found him that day. Shaking his head faintly to push the thoughts from his head, the half-breed lets out a faint growl as he moves forwards again, moving across the open terrain to close the gap between him and the mansion as he shifts his gaze searching for his companion that lives here, though the half-breed isn't sure if his companion is here at the moment.

EXP: 329 | 329
Timeline: Current

Some time had passed, and as travelers seemed to come and go, Jyn would notice that he would not have seen Yuki in quite some time. It wasn’t necessarily an issue, though having the mercenary around did manage for making his life just a tad bit easier at times. Little Hunter was often either meditating or going off on his own, so for Jyn, having Yuki around to do things with was kind of a norm he had been getting used to. Still, with his disappearance, Jyn wouldn’t find it too disturbing, but more or less unpleasant. In the time of Yuki’s absence, Jyn would have had to go to seek the assistance of Senna’s clan by himself. Welcome back by the young lady, they had offered a few carpenters to assist in at least patching up the large hole that was in the kitchen, but in order for anything else of merit to be done, Jyn was on his own, though he remained thankful for the services rendered au gratis.

In his mind, what Yuki had done was normal. Jyn had settled too much; now that he was able to get things situated with the mansion, it was time for him to start back on his life’s quest. The mansion was more like a project or a distraction, but he knew that he couldn’t be happy simply living his days out there forever. It was a shame to let a mansion go like this, but as something that couldn’t be carried with him, something like a mansion wasn’t worth much to a traveler.

On the day of Yuki’s return, Battousai would be returning from a scouting expedition. Since the world had been given from Alicia, the number of scouting missions he had gone on was increasing daily. He found himself encountering bandit units and for those who responded unfavorably with him, he found himself in many battles for his life in a short amount of time. All was in good practice to keep their current center safe while in it as the last thing they needed was a raid or something on their possession before he had time to fully race and barter off the items inside the mansion.

In his returning to the mansion, Battousai would come within a close enough radius of Yuki that he would be able to sense the other white haired presence. Just simply aware that there was another presence in the area, he would investigate the person by remaining behind approaching from the side and staying behind large shrubbery and bushes, keeping his body low to the ground. He could recognize that the person approaching his mansion had features that matched Yuki’s, despite small changes and a different attire. Reading into Yuki’s expression on looking at the mansion, he seemed like it was a place he recognized. Standing up, I move into plan site as I approach Yuki from the rear side and speak out, “you there…”

543 / Battousai

As he looks at the mansion, the half-breed slowly shifts his gaze across the structure as he takes in a few light breaths through his nose, sniffing the air as he takes it in through his nostrils. After taking a few sniffs of the air a light smile takes form on the half-breeds visage, his gaze still set upon the mansion as if keeping his full attention fixed on the structure and being unaware of his companions approach. Once his companion came close enough the half-breed could sense his presence and his suspicions where confirmed that it was indeed his companion. When he hears the sound of motion the half-breed briefly glances towards the source of the motion, watching as his companion begins to come out into plain sight though as his companion comes out from hiding the half-breed shifts his attention back to the mansion. When he hears his companion speak, the half-breed holds his tongue, remaining silent for a few brief moments before he finally speaks up. " .. Yes? " The half-breed says, not looking back at his companion, to match the new appearance the half-breeds voice also held a different tone to it.

EXP: 225 | 554

The response gained back was vague to say the least. Jyn wouldn’t have much to go on to confirm if this was Yuki because even the voice had changed. Thus with that, he wouldn’t make any unnecessary assumptions to jump to the gun to automatically know who it was even if Jyn was well versed in the ability to shift shapes. Still, the person held a standoffish aura, as interpreted by Jyn, though there did not seem to be any ill intent. A glance to his hands didn’t see them move towards any weapons, though the large weapon on his back seemed a bit awkward to attempt to wield when someone had the jump on you. Aside from that, its large size was curious in and of itself. His demeanor didn’t seem threatened; something curious for someone having someone else approaches them from a hidden position. Since Battousai would be the form outward at the moment, he would handle it speaking a few more syllables than the man who stood near him. Speaking forth, Battousai questions, “what brings you here?” It was simple and vague enough to apply to anyone approaching the mansion.

217 / 760 | Battousai

As I emerge from the Void for a moment, my eyes fall upon the base of operations that I have been working out of. The strange thing is that I never officially agreed to work for him, but I find myself carrying out orders and missions for him. Perhaps there truly are some histories that cannot be undone by a single bad chapter. I had been sent out to observe the rumors about a dragon that was terrorizing the area and I had done just that. I also observed several strong warriors who could be useful or hindrances to Jyn, so I would report all that I had learned.

Returning to the mansion, I look around and realize that I need to spend some time collecting supplies to make traps. We aren't here all the time, so we need to make sure that the HQ is protected from would be intruders. I'll add that to my list of things to improve around this place. I pause for a moment and sniff the air. Jyn... and the next scent is strange because it's familiar but not quite. It's hard to explain. Still, I move towards Jyn's scent still lugging along my "spoils" of the mission. Truth be told the dragon's blood was the most important thing to me. I sincerely wanted to experiment with it to uncover if there is any truth to the supposed mystical properties that are carried in the blood of the mystical creatures.

Even from my approach, the horn of Battousai would be visibly so I would approach close enough before kneeling a few paces away and dropping the 31 scales in front of me. The water skins filled with dragon's blood remained tied to my person while the pouch containing the dragon's talons is being retrieved from my belt. My words are soft-spoken and concise, "I have returned, Battousai."

342 exp

Without rising, I give my report. "The dragon did indeed exist and there was some damage down to a village that was close to the mountain that was rumored to be its lair. Still, I have identified multiple fighters that were able to deal substantial damage to the beast and bring forth its demise. Some of those who were fighting the dragon were also here when we first discovered this place. They possess powers like we do." I stop in my report and sniff the air, taking note of his guest. My eyes narrow on him before the scent starts to become very recognizable. "Yuki." I address the warrior with a nod before turning my attention back to reporting. "I have brought forth proof in the form of 31 of its scales, eight of its talons, and I would request to keep its blood for research, but I also have 10 water skins filled to the brim. As of right now, there are no potential threats that I can foresee, Battousai." Since I cannot really fathom referring to him as "my lord", Battousai seems to serve as more of a title for him than a name most of the times. I can't even fully comprehend why I feel this sense of fealty to him to begin with. It kind of sucks!

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Nodding, I put the items back into a efficient for travel setup again before I nod in acknowledgment of his informing me that we would be moving soon. The Void begins to wrap around me as I mutter, "Shimmer." My image would fade from sight as I move to put away my loot while they talk. I had merely come to report and now that that was done, I wanted to get settled. Now I already know that I don't have time to do such a thing as he plans on leaving soon and wants me to accompany him. I have nothing else to do at the moment, so I would agree. Moving into the upstairs bedroom that I had claimed as my dwelling, I drop off my loot and hide the dragon's blood and the talons with it. I keep some of the scales in a pack with me to use for trades for food if necessary. Spending no real time inside, I would move into the Void once again to make my way back to where I had left the two of them. Remaining while they talk or stare at one another, I ponder about what Battousai had said moments earlier. "We will be moving soon..." I had originally taken it as we would be going out on a trip somewhere or perhaps even a mission that he desired my assistance with, but now I am beginning to wonder if there was deeper meaning behind his vague words. If he did have intentions to relocate to a more secure base, then I would have to do my part to aid in securing such a location. I would need to seek out a suitable locale that provided security as well as room to operate and stay connected to the rest of the world in order to take on missions and exert his influence should his ambitions start to flourish. Nodding my head, I know what must be done.

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While his attention is focused elsewhere, I would allow my mind to wander once more. If this location was not a sufficient one, I wonder what area would work. We would probably want to move east towards water if anything unless I hear rumors about an underground water source that could be accessed & utilized. Now that I think about it, if we eradicated the Order of Chaos then we could very well move towards the lake that is said to be there. Wait... bad idea, that's the lake that is said to be surrounded by demons and dark creatures. Perhaps that isn't where we wanna go after all. Where else could we go? This is something that I need more time to contemplate. Looking to Battousai, I exit my own thoughts to inquire, "How went your expedition, Battousai? Fruitful, I hope." After the question, I fall silent once more. Looking at "Yuki" I wonder why he looks so different. His scent is the same but he has changed a bit.

186/1096

They were discussing the possibility of Yuki making his own mark on the world. Since it had come up, I start to ponder upon said possibility. I didn't know if it was completely possible, but I figured that since he had assisted me, albeit without my request or consent, then perhaps I could help him. I would need to sit down with Yuki and discuss what he desires out this location he is envisioning and what purpose it will serve. I did not wish to be disrespectful to Battousai though, so I would make sure that he possessed no qualms with the idea. He puts forth the question about whether or not we require rest. I knew the answer on my end. Shaking my head, I inform him, "No, Battousai, we can leave whenever you are ready. Battousai... with your approval, I will offer to aid Yuki in order to help him start his dream. It will not conflict, but I figure he could use a little assistance in getting started. Your thoughts?" In some respects, I was legitimately asking permission, but truth be told, if I felt like helping him, then I figure Battousai knows that I will do as I please. It was somewhat strange how we still seemed to understand one another. I guess that is a big part of why it is so easy for me to follow him and his orders.

252/1348

My request had served both its overt and covert purposes. I was quite curious a to the relationship between the brute and the samurai and his approva of me helping him confirmed that there was some form of a relationship between the two. I am still unsure if they are actually friends or if they are merely allies, but it still provides the most valuable commodity in my line of work... information. With the depature of Battousai, Iam left here with Yuki for the time period of two hours. I do wonder what Jyn needed 2 hours for but I just assume that he has some planning to do or needs to pick up some items from the mansion. Looking over at Yuki, I inquire, "So for this base of operations that you will need to make your mark, what all do you need it to do? What sort of terrain do you want ur base to be in? These are the sort of things I am going to need to know any order to help you. Also, what sort of forces do you have under your command? Are they mostly ranged, close quarters like you or what? This intel will better allow me to help you with terrain. Ranged and evasive fighters prefer difficult terrain b/c it keeps their enemies having a difficult time reaching and forces the enemy to expose themselves to the attacks of the ranged fighters." It seems that I would probably end up helping this one with more than just simply starting a bse for Yuki and his forces.

277/1625

Ooc: my post - https://shintheory.rpg-board.net/t329-post-poop-preparing-for-departure . Kaz, you're up.

Hmm... this is going to be quite a bit more challenging than I had thought. It would seem that he is not quite sure of the type of location that would be most ideal and he currently did not have an army for me to make adjustments off of, instead he still needed to recruit loyal warriors to serve him. Well, this is certainly putting the cart before the proverbial horse. Still, if he had a base, it would be easier for him to attract fellow mercenaries. Addressing him, I exhale deeply, "Ok, let's start with the essentials I suppose. What sort of climate is most agreeable to you? Do you prefer the cold or mountains area, forests, to be positioned near water like by rivers or lakes? When you have drawn this force to you, what style of combat will you engage in should an enemy approach your base? Will you meet them head on in the field, attack them from behind your walls, or utilize sneak attacks to try and stop them before they can reach your base? I need to know these things as these will affect where you would best be positioned." I start to look at him wishing that I could actually just tap into his mind and see what he envisions. With that, I would be able to set everything in motion for him and he would simply need to reap the benefits. I await his answer hoping that this one was not nearly as vague as the last.

271/1896

Listening to him respond, my hand tries to raise to stop him, but I cannot seem to move. So he has no troops at the moment, but he feels that he will have enough archers to "blot out the sun" he says. I think I will need to ground this one in the reality of the situation first before we proceed. Also, his selection for what he wants is basically everything... he sounds like a woman. He wants to be near water with a walled location that is near a forest, has good visibility for this fantasy archer battle and enough open space for a mounted unit, but enough concealment for ambush troops. He is a brute, so I should capitalize on that, but he seems to have a relationship of use to Battousai and as such, I may be called upon to aid him, so these "shadow squads" as he called them might fall under my responsibility. There aren't many wetlands located in the forest and since the forests are furthest from major commerce areas. The villages there are very self-sufficient and being an outsider can be rather difficult as I learned from experience, living in the Village of the Sun consistently for about a year and visiting much longer than that.

My response is much briefer this time, "Hmm... I see. You should travel more. I need to review some maps and such. I will find a suitable location for you, Yuki." Since we had two hours, I would spend it in the Map Room of the Mansion. In case, Battousai was planning on moving us as well, I needed to be prepared with a viable option to present to him.

304/2200

As I prepare to leave, Yuki speaks up again. This time he would seek my counsel on the matters that we were discussing. My feet remain in place as I glance back at him. "Come along." The fact of me needing to review the maps in the Map Room had not changed, so I would simply knock out two tasks at once. My steps proceed towards the massive house's side entrance. While we are walking I would answer his questions. The first is about the time frame that we are working with. I respond, "That will depend on a few variables. If Battousai plans to keep this estate as our headquarters then it should be easy to find you a base of operations to start in. If we move locations, it will take a bit longer as I will need to secure potential locations for Battousai's HQ as well as your base."

His second question was a bit more difficult because it was not based upon my abilities and foresight, but based solely upon him. Still, I believe I know what to say in order to set him on the proper course. "Short answer, inspire them. If they are slaves, you will resent you for what you have and they do not. If they are afraid of you, they will be limited in their ability to properly aide you. Whereas if you inspire the people, be them mercenaries or civilians, they will follow you to no end and support all of your endeavors. Inspiration can come in the form of excitement and charisma, love, or even fear, but it is very difficult for it to last if it is based on solely one of those. First, you attract them with one of those methods but you should not delay on showing them that you can be both kind and ruthless when the situation calls for it. That is the best way that I have seen." I look around scanning the area before I raise a question of my own, "Might as well address this now... why do you look different? Who are you hiding from?"

373/2573

When the question about hiding is restated, I nod to him. That was indeed what I had said. "The last time I saw you looked one way with longer hair and not as rugged. Tho I still consider u a brute, you at least looked like a refined brute. Now you truly look the part of a mercenary. There's nothing wrong with that, it is simply different. So those factors would lead me to believe that you were hiding from someone. I have no preference to which appearance u choose. I simply wish to know how it came to be. Have you learned shapeshifting or somthing? Also, u should know by now that I don't much like when my questions go unanswered."

128/2701

"Most fascinating. Inherited abilities being passed from parent to progeny. The wolf blood & considering an animal ur kin would definitely explain some things. So you wish to be an alpha of your own pack? I can help with that. Your mother was taken against her will and your relationship with your father seems strained if not non-existent, so I would advise against creating bastards or taking women against their will. It is a sign of sigificant weakness to take a woman in such a manner. I doubt you will have much of a problem finding female companionship once you take the first true step on the road to becoming an Alpha." I did not have many things that I was opposed to but that was one of them. While I know that "to the victor, go the spoils" is frequently used as licene to claim women in such a manner, it is disgraceful and dishonorable. I slow my pace to walk alongside him. It was not his verbal answer that concerned me as it is his nonverbal communication. That is harder to fake as it is instinctual not calculated.

207/2908

I would not speak on the matter of his mother again as my only real thought is that she probably abandoned the boy due to the trauma caused by looking upon him only to see the boy's father and the horrible things he did to her. It was unfortunate that the child had to suffer for the sins of his father, but such is the way of things. So he did indeed wish to be an alpha. I see no reason that I cannot aid in such an endeavor. "Then remain loyal to Battousai and that is what you shall become. You should make sure that you have everything ready. I need some time to focus on the maps and best possible scenarios. So you will have to excuse me for a while. We can talk more later if you like." I would take a few more steps forward as the command, "Shimmer" is whispered from my lips. My body would fade from view appearing in the foyer and heading for the map room. Two hours undisturbed should be more than enough time for me to come up with a solid preliminary plan.


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