Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Nope, That's the name of his fleet... Which is still lurking out there somewhere... That Crimean Monster of a ship was enough. No, you're talking about the Steel Rose. Rumors say they're linked, but there's never been any proof, and as you can see... He's not exactly... Subtle. she said, looking down at the harbor before she pointed at the ship.

Catastrophic Sound. That's her name, and... yup, she's screaming. Agatha said, as the ship started to turn, very carefully, slowly, before all the broadside cannons lit up, not with the roar of gunpowder, but a high pitched scream, before crimson light and black flames exploded from the barrels, and matching explosions tore up another stretch of Harbor.

It's happening again. He's been on like that for the entire week... he gets some kind of hint, or someone sets him off again, and he levels another block. What's scarier is the Melora priestesses are with him, they've done nothing to try and curb his anger, so they're just as upset over something. We'll be heading down tomorrow to try and meet with him, or at least someone who can give us assurances that this conflict wont spill into the rest of the city. she said, sighing.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"I see. Well, so long as they keep it in the harbor, then they won't be be any trouble... right?" Ichiro said, looking over at Agatha.

"Heh, that is a frightening name to say the least," Ichiro said when Agatha told him the name of the ship, chuckling a bit as the huge ship broadsided the harbor. "You can count on me to help with that. I told Loran that I would help your order in exchange for helping me, and I meant it," Ichiro told Agatha as he witnessed the broadside.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Well that's good. You'll see what it's like when you get there. She said, patting his shoulder while Vila turned over and snored in his pocket for a little moment.

being adorable.

It's what she did.

Sitting on the point, Agatha continued to watch the harbor and seemed to be thinking on something.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"So I take it that when we go down there tomorrow, that we'll need to be ready for anything. Because... that looks like a war zone down there. I do hope that this... Demon Fiddler doesn't try and fire at us while we're heading out, because I don't think a shield would help against one of those blasts," Ichiro said as they watched a little more, taking a seat next to Agatha and looking out over the harbor.

"What's the matter?" Ichiro asked Agatha when she seemed lost in thought.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

If the stories are anything to go by I'd be more afraid of his violin. But, I don't think there should be too much to worry about cannon wise. I hope. She said, before losing herself in thought.

When she was asked if anything was wrong, Vila ruined it for everyone. Or maybe made Ichiro's day. Shhhheee. *hiccup* dat lady ishn't gay. Sheee likesh Pppeeeeenish. touch fluffy tail... touuch it. which made her blush right up to her ears before facepalming.

Shush you... sleeping... Thing. she scolded his pocket, looking rediculous while Vina raised a sleepy hand and flailed it before rolling over in his pocket.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"Before I was taken, I was actually considered a rather good flute player myself," Ichiro said before Vila spoke up, where he chuckled at her as Agatha told her to go back to sleep.

"Well, whether you are or aren't what she said, makes no matter to me. Would you hold it against me if I said that you are very beautiful, Agatha? And if I also told you that I felt a stir in my pants when we were at the party. I mean no offense in my words. You are one of the first women I've been this close to in a long while, aside from the slaves in the arena, and the guards that we men weren't allowed to touch of course," Ichiro said, sitting down next to Agatha if she let him.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Ahhh Itchy. That's very sweet. She said, leaning her head on his shoulder with a bit of a clank cos of the full armor while Vila just Haaaaa! before snoring some more.

Itchy, forever a nickname.

Think you can give this place a chance now that you're not in chains? she asked him honestly, flopping back into the grass to stare up at stars.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Ichiro smiled softly as Agatha told him how sweet his words were, his tail wagging a bit. He looked down at his pocket on his shirt and chuckled again at Vila, inwardly thanking her for talking when she had. "Mmm... perhaps. I'd prefer that nobody be in chains anywhere, having their freedom taken unjustly from them. That is not a fate I would wish on even my worst enemy," Ichiro replied, looking deep in thought.

"So Agatha, how long have you been with the order? And what can I expect tomorrow?" Ichiro asked after a few moments.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Agatha snorted, not being derisive, but simply a little jaded. I love ideals, especially goodhearted ones. But we could fight for 100 lifetimes and never rid the world of every evil. I've been with the order for 8 years now. I was born out on the ocean, and then I was a pirate, and then..... Well. No ship lasts forever. I was 19 at the time, and I wound up at the temple with nothing but a cutlass and a prayer. Praetor took me in. I've been fighting for him ever since. She said, chuckling at the memory.

It was quite the sight, me in rags with a chipped and battered sword kneeling at the altar not to pray, but because my legs just wouldn't hold anymore. So I prayed anyway. She muttered, chuckling at the memory.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"Heh, I wouldn't have expected you to have been a pirate. But, you were actually born on a ship?" Ichiro replied, glancing over at Agatha curiously, as she spoke.

"So Agatha, may I ask why you brought me out here? Surely it wasn't to just show me the map and the harbor. Did you wish to talk about something?" Ichiro asked curiously.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Actually it WAS just the map and the harbor. because you were talking about hanging what many people see as a national hero in a way. The stronger the leader of the pirates, the more peaceful the harbor stays... Well... Unless this happens, though this looks like a case of the current leader pissing off an older one. she said, laughing brightly.

But you looked happy, but also uncomfortable, around so many people, though they do all wish you well. Our little family, myself included. We most certainly do Lad! Aye! Borus boomed from about 20 feet away, with loran behind him. Apologies Agatha, I couldn't talk sense into him. He was beside himself thinking the idol of his dreams would show an interest in men only now with Ichiro present.

Borus blushed while Agatha grinned like a cat, propping herself up on her elbow as she regarded them. I merely wished to stretch me legs. That's all Lass. Uhhh huh.

And what would you do, dear sweet Borus, if I were to have been in the middle of a heated and passionate romp here in the grass with the Colloseum Champion Ichiro, Wearer of the Torc, Veteran of 50 battles, Friend to the Sprites, and Newly vetted Paladin of Pelor? she asked, still grinning, Borus only growing more flustered and blushing as red as his beard. I'm... I'm just gonna be on meh way... he stammered after several long moments of being unable to speak.

Just think Borus! Me Crying out in ECSTASY as Ichiro showed me what a REAL beast he is! The sound of our lust spilling into the night above the Harbor! she cried enthusiastically, Borus running away while Loran just sighed, covering his face to hide his laughter.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"Ah, well you mentioned pirate, so I assumed that he was a bad person. Pirates usually are from all I know of them," Ichiro said with a chuckle. "And... I admit I was a little uncomfortable. The last time I was around so many people, it was a battle royale and we were all fighting to the death. So... I thank you for that," he went on to say.

When Boris and Loran came up behind them, Ichiro glanced over his shoulder at them and smirked. He couldn't suppress a laugh as Agatha spoke to Boris and teased him, and a momentary flash of him and Agatha really going at it there flashed through his mind. He couldn't help it really. "I believe that you quite embarrassed him. Though, I believe he was a bit drunk too," Ichiro said after Boris left, chuckling a bit before raising back up and looking out over the harbor.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

He needs a bit of humbling now and again. This serves nicely and I KNOW he does nothing but stare at my ass. Why do you think I told everyone I was gay? she said, laughing.

As Ichiro looked down into the port again, he saw something a bit strange. A line of torches, all steadily heading deeper into the city. It was too far off to see exactly what was going on, but the sound of battle seemed to have, at least temporarily subsided. A Storm Horn blew, even Ichiro recognized the sound, they came from Enormous bugles atop the lighthouses that ringed the ports, and each held, instead of a lantern, a large pulsing blue light.

He still had no idea Exactly what those lighthouses served, but he knew in his gut it wasn't just to alert ships of the port.

At the sound of the bugle, Agatha jumped a bit and rolled up to her feet, looking down...

If I'm reading that right... A Second bugle, Yup! Shit. Ichiro stay right on my ass, let's go! she said, starting to jog down the streets towards the harbor.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"Well, you do have a nice ass to be fair," Ichiro said with a chuckle.

After a few moments, they heard the sounds of battle dying down, and then a horn blowing from the lighthouses perked him up a bit as he stared out over the harbor. "What does that mean Agatha?" Ichiro asked as he followed her at full sprint, looking down in his shirt pocket to make sure Vila was still there.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Vila had at some point, wriggled back into his hair, still drunk as a skunk, and was pointing forward. CHHHHAAAAARRGE! she cried, holding on for dear life as she continued to glow, a little sunny streak on top of his head as they ran.

It's a summons to the harbor border. We're not gonna want to miss it. she yelled as the twin bugles sounded again.

The sound itself was deafening, rattling through the city and the sounds of doors bolting shut as they passed was easy to miss, but still there to Ichiro's sensitive ears. Everyone else was staying inside.

They covered 2 miles pretty quickly with Agatha no longer talking and anything Vila was saying turning into a garbled stutter as she was bounced along rediculously. And when they got there, to stand at a wide silver line in the street, in front of a circle of... They certainly didn't look friendly. Vila had the good sense to fall off of his head, land on his arm, bounce to the ground, and then puke. A rainbow. She puked a literal rainbow.

Wiping her mouth of multicolored sparkles, her eyes squinted, she looked up at a well dressed man in his early 50's. His hair was a graying blonde or rose color, his mustache was neatly kept, and his clothing seemed to be made entirely of silk in a naval captains design, or perhaps, in a mockery of it, given the no less then 8 pistols hanging off of various belts over his body, a long wickedly curved cutlass in his right hand, and a violin and bow in the other.

Several large buttons made of polished bone studded the center of his crimson outfit with starbursts of white carved into the shape of screaming men, and he glared out at the assembled guard, Agatha and Ichiro front and center, and the rainbow vomiting fairy on the ground between them both.

After the second bout of superhappyfun barfing, she glared right back up at him, and then bowed. Well metsh mig... miggity cashpan of da angry loud boat. she managed to fumble out, before turning on her heel grumpily, little tail lashing about, and marched her happy little sparkling ass back to Ichiro and raised her arms, opening and closing her hands. Up Itchy. Can't fly. She mumbled.

Once she was safely dealt with, they could turn their attention back to the obvious captain, and the full on armed crew behind him. He stood fearlessly between both groups his face hard, his eyes boring into them all.

Now This is Quite the sight Lads. An Okami wearing the Torc! And with a Paladin an a wee fairy to boot! he shouted, finally breaking the silence. To the Guard, and the Order of Sun and Storm. The Harbor is under new control. It belongs once more to Cosimo Many Faced, the Demon Fiddler, Captain of the Catastrophic Sound. And it will REMAIN as such until my business here is done. he said, not the guards, nor anyone else raising a question, save for Agatha.

Well Met Fiddler! So I see legends aren't always exxageration. What brought you Back to Home Port in such a rage. she asked levelly, shield in her hand, but not her blade as Cosimo raised his cutlass only to lick the blade.

He had only one word to that in answer. Just one, and for a reason Ichiro couldn't explain, as he turned his gaze to Ichiro, after regarding Agatha, the okami felt his blood run truly cold in his veins.

Revenge.

With that one word it was like another broadside of cannon fire had struck them all, and silenced even Agatha. No one and Nothing could stand before the anger in this man right now. That was certain. If Ichiro had ever seen a killer, and the cold current of hate that ran in one, he saw it again now in those green eyes.

Despite the sinking of all those ships, of all the obvious death that had followed in that wake, and the bombardment of this part of the harbor that had continued for a solid week... The Demon Fiddler wasn't done. Not by a long shot...

Ichiro could see into the harbor proper now, see the mist starting to rise over the waves, and so could everyone else with a collective gasp, as no less then 30 ships of various designs, armament, and crew slid silently across the water to drop anchor and line. Every single one was flying Cosimo's flag. The Steel Roses had come home, a scene from a nightmare pulled up from the whispers in a thousand taverns and ships, across the entirety of the ocean, the notoriety of that fleet. 31 ships, with a madman playing the music of the sea to call Melora to his side, to make passionate love to her upon the deck while he played his fiddle, and the pirates of the fiddler claimed everything they could touch...

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

Noticing that Vila had woken up and was on his head again, and feeling the wind whipping across his face, Ichiro felt alive, and very awake now. "So he's coming ashore then?" Ichiro asked curiously.

The sound was nearly deafening to him, and Ichiro had to cover his ears with his hands some as they went. Once they finally got to where they were going and came to a halt, Ichiro watched Vila roll off of his head and puke on the ground, before lifting her back up after the rainbow was let loose from her mouth. Looking back up to the man coming over, Ichiro stayed quiet for now and listened until Vila spoke up to the pirate guy. He knelt down and scooped Vila back up after she said what she did to the pirate man, and put her back on his head for now.

Ichiro kept his hand near his axe, but didn't grab it yet, as Agatha spoke to who was apparently the Demon Fiddler pirate man. Ichiro waited to see what Agatha would do after the Demon Fiddler told her his reasons for returning, which apparently were revenge for some reason. "Agatha, perhaps we should leave," Ichiro whispered to Agatha.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

No ichiro... turning our backs right now would be a very... very... poor idea. she muttered back, drawing his gaze upwards at the surrounding rooftops. 3 figures wearing long black cloaks that clung to their bodies were looking down at them all, wearing solid faceless bone white masks and with hands that shimmered silver in the moonlight.

Something has made everyone in the Garellian underworld very... very angry... We'll leave, when they do. she continued. This little meeting wasn't over, even though the pirates had started to turn away, all save about 12 who were standing guard now at the this entrance to the harbor, drawing out folding wood chairs and sitting facing towards them, swords, pistols, clubs and other assorted weapons resting on their laps, or at their sides.

Agatha suddenly became more animated as a figure stalked through the large group towards them, Cosimo bowing to her ever so slightly as everyone else parted like the red sea around her.

She was entirely nude, her body painted or tattood in swirling green tribals from her ankles to her eyes. Piercings adorned every usable location with a large assortment of rings in her ears, on in her nose, studs in her nipples and there was even one cresting the light patch of fur between her thighs, all flashing emerald and silver. Her nearly knee length hair, bleached by the sun was bound up in metal clasps into a long tail that swung behind her with each step and her wrists and ankles were adorned with heavy golden bracelets and anklets covered in charms and bells that tinkled softly as she stepped lightly.

The charms, as she came closer were one and all sea creatures. Sharks, dolphins, jellyfish, several that Ichiro didn't recognize with snarling teeth filled mouths or humanoid shapes and monstrous features. She stopped before the assembled guard and Agatha stepped right up to her, putting her shield away and holding out her hand, which the woman took and yanked her into a tight hug.

It's all gone to hell hasn't it. Agatha said softly, the woman nodding and closing her eyes, painted heavily with black shadow that only made those bright blue eyes stand out more. They were swollen, as if she'd been weeping for a long while and she seemed tired despite the regal way she carried herself. The Entire Harbor and Coast. It's all off limits. No trade, no ships, friend or foe no one comes or leaves save through the mountains. Praetor needs to be told, it's where you all hold sway after all Agatha. she said softly, stepping back. She spotted the axe on Ichiro's hip and the Vila in his hair and smiled softly at him. New friends for new troubles. Agatha will take care of you, I'm certain. she said warmly before Agatha got her attention again.

Terra... what in the depths is going on? she asked, Terra wincing. Wars in the shadows, Wars on the water... there may be one in the streets if something doesn't give. We're backing Cosimo's play for now, holding the port mouth for him. The skynet will be active before high noon tomorrow as well... If he doesn't get his way... well... There really will be a war. she said seriously, waving a hand in parting and smiling at Ichiro. You have fine friends wolf kin. Fine Friends indeed. she said, something in her words making his chest flare in pain again. But she missed the soft glow in his flesh as she turned, leaving them in peace. And only now did the shadowy figures above fade away, Agatha letting out a held sigh. Now we should leave... Hell and High Water... even the storm temples are with him. We need to tell Praetor. she muttered, turning and leading him slowly back through the streets.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"Very well Agatha," Ichiro muttered back to her, staying near her and making sure Vila was still with him.

Ichiro stayed still as the nude woman walked through and Agatha spoke to and hugged her, the woman apparently being a priestess and a close friend or something, Ichiro thought to himself. As the exchange of words went back and forth between the two, Ichiro gave a few cautious glances around them, his ear flicking a bit as he did. He was unarmored, and practically unarmed save for the axe of Loran's.

Ichiro nodded to Terra when she spoke to him and smiled and waved, tipping his head a bit, obviously being cautious around here. "Indeed, I could feel that they were good people when I first met them," Ichiro said to Terra about Agatha and the paladins.

Ichiro turned to follow Agatha away, keeping a close eye on their surroundings as they went, and a hand on his axe just in case. He wasn't going to be back stabbed here... not now. "Agatha... what does this mean?" Ichiro asked as they left the harbor.

 

[Courage Wolf]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

That we're going to be very busy Ichiro... Very very busy she said, and that was all she would say for now on the matter. Ichiro was better at knowing if he was being tracked then Agatha was, and his ears were telling him they most certainly were.

Spoiler

Perception 17
Stealth: Fail
No Sneak Attack
15 vs 12+3 Tie, Hit but no damage.
7 vs 8 Miss
Combat has started, surprise round over.

Which was incredibly fortunate because the small crossbow bolt that came hissing out of the air at them on the abandoned streets gave him just enough warning to shove Agatha to the left, the bolt skipping off her shoulder pauldron instead of hitting her square in the back of the head, leaving a hissing, spitting green mark on her armor as she cried out.

Ichiro himself had to shove himself back away from Agatha just as quickly as the backstab he was worried about forced him away, a long wavy knife whistling through the air where he'd been as a black cloaked figure wearing a crimson mask, painted in the guise of a demon tried to obviously kill him, because he was unarmored.

This also meant he was a little lighter and quicker, but that wasn't going to help him if he got stabbed... Agatha had recovered and had gotten her shield and sword out quickly, engaging her own opponent, a likewise garbed figure hacking at her.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Praise the Sun. (Mind Flayer)

"That is unfortunate Agatha. I was honestly hoping to be able to take it easy for a couple of days before we did anything else. But it seems that is not to be," Ichiro said as he followed Agatha onward.

Ichiro's ears perked up a bit as he listened around them, and just in the nick of time he heard the crack of a crossbow and shoved Agatha forward and out of the way of the bolt enough to keep it from hitting her. As soon as he'd shoved Agatha, Ichiro dove back as another foe came at him with a blade, missing him thankfully, as he brought his axe up. "Cowards, trying to sneak attack paladins," Ichiro said, raising his axe and maneuvering around and swinging his axe to bury it in the bastard's head.