Zeure
Crane Clan
Crane Clan ? Samurai ? Duelist ? Artisan ? Guardian of Metal ? Unique
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Post by Zeure on Jan 31, 2012 1:01:36 GMT -5
[OOC] Ohp! I almost forgot to mention this. I have every intention of this thread getting rather mature in nature. Not intimate, but mature. Some of the things that are presented her might be too much for those with a weak constitution. So, you might want to avoid reading this. [/OOC]
It was a hard and cold place that she found herself in. A place that smelled of old fetid plant matter. And was chilled, almost as if there were ice all around her. As her senses began to clear she realized that she was laying face down on a floor made of stone; hewn stone. It was flat, cut this way, it was a man made floor; it was so cold. The only sense that was not clearing at all was her sight. She came to realize that she had a blindfold on, and it was very tight.
There was a sound, she realized....something repetitive....water dripping. And another thing, the sound of heavy breathing. There was someone else in the room with her. She became tense suddenly, all her being cried out for some method of judging what it was that was about to accost her. But, as several seconds passed she came to realize that the breathing was rhythmic... the sound of someone sleeping. She had recently awoke, and there was someone else in the cell with her.
YUN!! Suddenly, Bayushi Haruka remembered everything. Scenes of Ryoko Owari passed through her mind, all the time leading up to that fateful night when she and Yun had been captured by....beings seemingly made of shadow and nothingness. That had literally appeared out of thin air. They had come to take Yun and had, possibly out of convenience, taken her as well.
The last thing she remembered was one of the white faced beings putting a hand in her face and saying "Sleep!" The simple line had echoed through her head several times and had apparently been some sort of spell. And they had apparently used it on Yun as well, if her guess was right that he was the person sleeping in the room with her. If her guess was right, the heavy breathing was caused by a gag. He was a shugenja, after all, they would need to bind him from entreating the kami.
She felt something pass over her, as if she was being watched. The hairs on the top of her neck were on end and the feeling persisted for several minutes.
Suddenly a hoarse voice croaked out: "Bayushi Haruka. Hmmm. This is unexpected, but not wholly without merit."
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Jan 31, 2012 4:48:11 GMT -5
As she came to Haruka flinched again. Bringing her arms slowly forward to try and move herself she winced as the feeling of stone was on her skin.
"Who.. who are you? Where am I.." She paused, trying to recollect herself. Her thoughts were just barely coming back into form, much like her strength. "How do you know me..?" Her voice was unintentionally timid.
Is this another prisoner, or my captor?
The cold of everything sank through whatever she was still wearing, the weight of the cloth suggested that for now she hadn't lost what she had on before the creatures took her. The cold made her body feel heavier and weaker for it, she could barely move.
Feeling numb all over from the cold as her strength gradually returned, she forced herself to at least sit up, her hands continually searching and reaching around her to try and understand what was around her, be it a wall or otherwise. It was only then that she had enough sense to reach up and try and remove her blindfold..
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Zeure
Crane Clan
Crane Clan ? Samurai ? Duelist ? Artisan ? Guardian of Metal ? Unique
Posts: 826
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Post by Zeure on Jan 31, 2012 6:37:19 GMT -5
There was a swift sound and movement, and then sharp pain crossed Haruka's face. Something had backhanded her across the face. She could tell that it was open palmed, not really meant to down her, but rather grab her attention. Still, the thought may have crossed her mind that this was rather more strong than it needed to be for such things. The hoarse voice cooed at something.
"Now, now. Come back from there. Don't hit her so hard, I don't want her passing out."
There was a sound of something patting something else, definitely skin on skin. And there was a small growl that seemed directed at Haruka, but the growl was not any animal that she was aware of.
"Bayushi Haruka. Of course I know of you, one would be a fool to not be aware of all the major players of the empire. And you are certainly a major player. Don't try and remove your blindfold again or I will have your hands bound. I left them open as I thought it might make things a bit more comfortable for you. Not like that wretch, Yun. I can't trust him to have his hands unbound. He is too dangerous."
It was not said, but there was an implication there that Haruka was not too dangerous. That she was well under the voice's control; not a threat.
"I am Rashiru, for now your captor and torturer, later your commander. As for where you are, I will say that you are in the city of the lost, in the shadowlands." The voice laughed at the note of her being outside the wall. "My my.... so much ahead of us..."
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Jan 31, 2012 6:43:56 GMT -5
The strike was enough to jar her from trying to remove it again. Very few times had she ever been struck so briskly, and the meaning more than made it across her mind. Now understanding she was under the gaze of multiple people, or at least so she hoped, she tried to straighten herself instinctively. Her hands wandered only a little, mostly searching behind and around her rather than in the direction of where the voices were coming from.Quietly her heart was already growing anxious from being unable to see.
They want to try and break me.. She pondered the possibilities for a moment, trying to figure out what kind of mindset might be best. Fear is not an option. That's part of what they want.. I can be certain of that. But for now, let's just play along. He seems... all too confident.[/color]
She remained still, her form started to shiver from the cold. She was used to cooler temperatures from the north having been raised a Unicorn, but wet cold was something she knew unpleasantly well. It would help to make them believe she was afraid for now perhaps.
"..I'll tell you anything you want..." again, quivering, but more intentionally. "Just don't hurt Yun-san."
He was the focus for her worry for the moment. Haruka could be certain of her own strength, but not that of Yun. His form was already compromised from the taint.
"Let me bear whatever punishment he has coming to him."
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Post by Zeure on Jan 31, 2012 7:38:36 GMT -5
"Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. There... Haha, there is nothing you can do to save Yun from what he has coming to him. I never get tired of seeing a samurai trying to sell themselves for some one else. It makes it all the more refreshing to see the look on their face when they realize that there is nothing they can do about what will happen."
There is more laughter, which seems to move closer. Haruka could feel something inside her telling her that she should be moving backwards away from the voice, some kind of fear. But she could not move with determination fast enough to stop this. Rashiru placed a hand on the side of Haruka's face. Haruka could feel dry cracking skin, stretched taught over bony hands. It was cool to the touch with the texture of sand paper.
"And such a beautiful face for me to stare into as I tear your mind and body apart."
The voice went past her towards whoever was behind her and Haruka could hear a sound that was remarkably like someone who was limply sleeping being kicked, hard, in the midsection. A sharp intake of breath and a choking cry of pain followed and the sound of the cry was unmistakable to her. It was Yun.
"And you know what the best part of what I have planned for you both is? I don't have any specific goals what so ever. Haha. So really, I just keep going till I get bored with you. Or the shadowlands takes you into itself. At which point you will serve me willingly. Unless you are insane. Really it's whichever."
Haruka would guess, since she could not be sure, but she guessed that Rashiru was shrugging and smiling down at her.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Jan 31, 2012 7:50:02 GMT -5
The feel of the hand disturbed her, and hearing Yun being kicked like a dog only made her wince all the harder. Already Haruka had to hold herself back from lashing out in rage, instead trying to reach past her own fear and anger and reaching out to her fellow captive.
"Yun, it's me Haruka. I'm right here with you. I'm... I'm sorry."
She was unwilling to adhere to Rashiru's voice and give her appropriate responses. Immediately she started to pull back though, away from her wretched touch. Her lips curled a little as she started to bare her teeth like a war dog being cornered, a slight growl coming from her throat as a reflex now.
Her next words pointed right where she last thought Rashiru was. "If in this life or the next, I will make you pay for that!" Somehow..
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Posts: 826
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Post by Zeure on Jan 31, 2012 8:03:56 GMT -5
Rashiru only laughed again. The voice was coming from exactly where Haruka had thought it to be.
"Oh, oh... I Hahahaha, I am going to enjoy every inch of you. But, for now, I have to leave to....get things ready. Listen, I'm going to leave my... pets here. Remember what I said about the blindfold or they will know what to do. Won't you babies?" There was a sound that followed this, that from healthy lungs and lips may have been a smooching sound.
The only sound that either of the two 'pets' issued was a slight grunt signifying that they understood. There was a sound that could be a heavy wooden door creaking as it was opened, which was followed by the sound of it slamming shut behind Rashiru.
Haruka was left in the room, with Yun and at least two definable sources of sound that she had picked up. There was a shuffling of feet as they moved across the stone floor towards the door. They stopped as they got there, probably standing guard on either side of the door. The silence was broken by Yun coughing.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Jan 31, 2012 8:12:52 GMT -5
Haruka could hazard a guess that the so called pets were likely bakemono, if not, then she hadn't a clue. She figured that since it wasn't her first time experiencing the odd relationship between the tainted people and the goblin creatures.
With them standing away from her though Haruka felt slightly emboldened as she started to feel her way towards Yun. "Yun, I'm right here.. let me just get to you and see what I can do.."
Her hands kept searching the ground, feeling every crack and pebble, any obstacles as well. Her intent was to free him from the gag at the very least if she could, since it was an obvious discomfort for him. If she could get to him she could at least try to protect him somewhat, or so she hoped.
Crawling like a beast, she assumed it'd be better than trying to stand and possibly running into something and catching herself clumsily unaware, as she made her way towards him.
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Posts: 826
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Post by Zeure on Jan 31, 2012 9:41:16 GMT -5
A low growl emanated from Haruka's right side. Where the guards were standing. "Testing the water" she would find that they growled as she moved towards Yun and ceased as she moved away from him. Yun tryed to speak, but the gag made it impossible. Something like stop or don't was what he said. Haruka couldn't be sure if he was talking to her or the guards. But none the less, that is what was happening.
Haruka hadn't sensed it before, with the sound of Rashiru's voice talking over her, but now that her captor was gone, she noticed that there seemed to be a distinct pulse to the entire place. Like a low thrum or something. Like the sound a taught string makes on a biwa after the note is plucked and left to sit there. It was maddening in a way. She did not like that sound and wanted it to stop. But just as soon as she had realized that it was there, it was gone. But she felt really alone.
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Bayushi Haruka
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Jan 31, 2012 10:01:17 GMT -5
Haruka assumed that when he indicated for a 'stop' it meant for her. The guards could easily figure that with her hands unbound she'd be able to undo his binds and release his ability to beckon the kami, though she'd have no idea that the only kami that would be easily summoned here would be kansen.
The pulse, the sound, it was all unlike anything she'd ever heard. Coupled with the cold and now a sense that Yun was trying to keep her back it all was starting to sink in. Still using her hands like a blind being, Haruka felt around until she could at least find a wall to sit up against, anything to support her weight even for a time. Haruka suspected they might be waiting possibly for a very long time.
What research she did do made her aware that those who were tainted did not require food or water as much as she would. Already she could feel the minor tug of those simple needs. But thankfully she had the discipline to ignore it, times having been lean before during scout work or training in the field it was not a new sensation to put herself through.
The quiet irritating sound of the water dripping down didn't help reassure her either. If the guards were going to keep grumbling at her for approaching she figured for her sanity as well as Yun's that she could try and talk them through it.
"All right, no need to get so flustered. I'm not going to touch him." She turned towards where she assumed Yun to be. "I'm right here with you. I will do my best, but you have to be strong too. I don't know who your master was, whoever wanted you back so badly, but I've seen you before Yun. You're a good soul, and I know that you and I can make it out of this alive. We just have to believe."
Resting her eyes under the blindfold she stopped straining against the idea of captivity as she started to settle against the wall. Stress would likely only cause illness and even invite the taint.
As the quiet settled back in and the hum filled her ears, Haruka wouldn't allow it to consume her. So out of need she remembered some old tune in her head, humming the song out a bit to fill the air with some other sound besides the one she couldn't quite place. It was nothing really special, but simply something that her mother had sung to her when she was much younger. The words in her mind went along with the tune.
While boys and their swords go to war one day, And beast growl and bite while the children run away, It'll be the hooves of the great steeds they hear today, It's our sworn duty to serve all as the Shiotome..
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Posts: 826
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Post by Zeure on Jan 31, 2012 14:23:29 GMT -5
The door swung open again, and there was a shuffling sound as Rashiru entered the room again. Rashiru had apparently put on some manner of robe or gown that draped the floor.
"Pick her up. We will take her to the other chamber now. Leave Yun, he is of no use yet. He has not had time for the taint to spread into him and begin controlling him again. Haha, in fact, we've already taken everything we need from him."
There was a sound of struggling from where Yun was. As if he were trying to stop them. He cryed out in anger. One of the pets moved towards him, this time it was the heavy tromping of a boot. A swift blow and Yun exhaled sharply. They must have hit him in the stomach. There was a sound of a form hitting the ground; he must have doubled over and fallen down. Haruka remembered that these beings struck with an inhuman force.
Suddenly there were two sets of arms reaching for hers, attempting to grab her up and drag her away as Rashiru had commanded them to.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Jan 31, 2012 15:25:59 GMT -5
Resisting and fighting would be pointless, if anything she almost seemed to come.. willingly. It wasn't anything of submission at all, but simply a decision. While they kept her nearly off her feet she didn't try to offer herself as a dead weight and struggle like a fear-filled peasant.
"Yun... don't worry about me." She tried to be tender and reassuring, not knowing if this would be the last time she'd see him this way or not. Haruka wanted to make her last memory a calm and confident one if she could.
Haruka swallowed a bit as she was lead along, while she didn't appreciate the reality of the situation she had to simply brace herself and start finding her inner strength now while her mind was still clear.
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Zeure
Crane Clan
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Post by Zeure on Jan 31, 2012 16:34:48 GMT -5
"I still don't think you understand the gravity of the situation, Bayushi Haruka. But...whatever little things will bring you joy for the moment."
Haruka was half carried half lead down a corridor that stretched for several paces. There were a couple of turns, Haruka made a mental check of it so that if she had to run back this direction she would know where Yun was being kept. Eventually there was another heavy door opened and then after she was pulled through it, the door slammed shut and she could hear several things slam or click into place. Some form of lock, no doubt. This room felt the same sickly cold as the other one did. Except that, Haruka could hear a fire burning, though it sounded more like a forge than a wood burning area. And there was warmth coming from that one direction, which she latched on to.
The pets deposited her down into a chair. And she could feel her wrists and ankles being strapped in to place. She bore this with the same sort of mild contempt, but compliance as she had everything else that had happened so far. They took up positions on either side of her chair and then suddenly the blindfold was removed. As often does when one first awakens and then is forced to see light suddenly her vision was blurry and it took several seconds to come into focus. When she did, she found herself face to face with Rashiru.
Rashiru was a short woman that probably would have been rather beautiful in her day. However, the ravages of the shadowlands had not been kind to her, she looked incredibly old and her skin was yellowing bordering on old scrolls. Her eyes looked that milky blue that often accompanies blindness. Her white hair was drawn back in a greasy stringy bun with two hair sticks placed in it. Her robes were black or red, the light in here was varied enough to cause Haruka problem in trying to identify such things.
"We meet at last." she said with a light chuckle. "So, let us get the formalities out of the way. I will say this though I have never had a samurai accept... kami I long for the day one does. Our empire will be so close then..." She cleared her throat by way of cough. "So, Bayushi Haruka... I will grant you one chance to surrender yourself willingly to me. In exchange for your servitude, I will grant you all the gifts of our patron kami and grant you near limitless power in the form of instruction as a Maho-Tsukai. Do you accept my offer?"
She was smiling, her face seemed to always be on the verge of laughter. Rashiru was fairly confident that Haruka would refuse, she was already moving towards something that was behind the chair. Something Haruka could not see.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Jan 31, 2012 18:50:43 GMT -5
Haruka shook her head a bit, trying to gain her senses since she was unable to rub her eyes to allow them to readjust. She wanted to give Rashiru a look in the eye.
"That's why you brought me here.. of all things." She scoffed a bit. "To become a bloodspeaker?" She even started to growl as she looked down at her legs, averting her gaze. But a pause fell in between words.
It's always the lure to try and bring someone into the taint. Power, promises... not the first time I've been offered something beyond my depth. But why, why do they continue to pursue me. I'll never understand the worth of an individual in their eyes..[/i]
Normally a truly zealous and devoted soul would simply refuse, begging for their blade to fall upon it rather than put up with the obscene gifts of the ninth kami. Haruka pulled her gaze back up as her thoughts concluded.
"I'm afraid I cannot accept, you see I'm strong enough as I am. I've no use for more power, and especially not that which Maho brings."
There was another tremble in her form, but for once it wasn't from the cold.
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Zeure
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Post by Zeure on Jan 31, 2012 20:09:46 GMT -5
She clapped her hands together a couple of times in excitement. "Oh, I do love it when they maintain that courtesy that all samurai should have. Hee. You have so much more to lose."
Rashiru was behind Haruka at this juncture and there was a sound of cloth being unfurled with some gusto, and then a clink of metal things being laid out one by one in a row on the table she had moved to earlier. She chuckled a few more times while she was arranging them. There was apparently something incredibly funny about this to her. On Haruka's left side Rashiru's head came into view, level with hers.
"We'll start off simple. Haha. With the physical torture. As you body grows weaker, the soul will wane with it and there will be more room for our patron to plant the seeds. By the end of this event, my dear, you will be on your knees to accept the offers of the ninth kami. And maybe he will still look kindly upon you."
Rashiru came around to face Haruka and she looked down at her strapped into the chair as she was, helpless, unable to do anything to defend herself.
"Well, first things first. We'll have to get rid of those bothersome clothes. They will only get in the way, and while the robes are quite plain, I see no reason to destroy them."
She reached down for the sash that Haruka had wrapped around her waist to function as an obi and she undid the tie. And then she slowly pulled the cloth off from her waist.
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