Closed Ghost In The Darkness (Kise)

[Kyra]

Timestamp: Spring 513, Day 41

It was a quiet night in the bronze woods, and the forest was so still that some would believe it frozen in time. Even the sounds of the locate animals had been muffled, as if catering to the eerie silence. Then suddenly, there was boom, a load boasting of howls and shrieks from deep within the forest. Kyra burst through the thick bushes, racing as fast as she could near any clearing. She could hear then behind her, panting, raging, hungry.

The young kelvic had spent days in the forest, and was still dressed in the men's clothing that she had stolen before she left Ravok. Her destination had been Syliras, and although she hadn't too long left, she seemed to have gotten a bit lost and turned the wrong way. It was to be expected, she was still new to the area and hadn't traveled the paths as others had before her. There was nothing to do about it at the moment, and since she was hungry, Kyra decided that she would do a bit of hunting. What she hadn't expected was that a hoard of baboons would show up and try to take her kill.

Kyra wasn't about to have it and so she placed an arrow right in the middle of one of their foreheads to make her point. This only enraged the baboons however, and they all attacked her at once. It wasn't that she feared them, but fighting such nimble creatures at once while surrounded by trees put her at an disadvantage. And so she raced off with the hungry group right behind her. Once she found a clearing, Kyra rushed towards it where she stood to face them all.

She could hear them easily, howling and shrieking from behind the trees, until one suddenly exploded through the brush and dashed towards her. Kyra slipped her dagger from her belt and quickly spun herself off to the side just in time to dodge the leaping monkey's attack. The animal was quick and nimble, not a tick after his feet touched the ground was the baboon turning and jumping at her a second time. Kyra smoved back, her arm extending as she held the dagger tightly in her hand.

The young kelvic dashed in just as the monkey did, bringing her blade to slash right across his sagging belly. The shrieking monkey was split open, his guts and flesh spilling out as he tumbled and crashed into the ground. There were more shrieks and howls now as more of his brothers and sisters dashed and leaped through the brushes and trees, all coming towards Kyra at once.

The kelvic being nimble in her own right, pushed her boots into the ground and swiftly lifted herself up into the air, her slender frame turning as she flipped over and between the approaching animals to land behind them. Ready for another attack, she side stepped another baboon, slamming her boot into the next and following it up with a slash towards it's throat. The fight was in her favor so far, but she was outnumbered...and getting tired.

[Kisetukai]

This day was definitely above all days so far, it was amazing and totally worth it, because of one reason. One reason that put it on top, one reason that made it special, one reason that made it just the best day ever. It was quiet. It was totally quiet. And when K says silence was golden, he had never lied, it was beautiful. 

He could think, he could think about everything he wanted. The feeling of being alone with oneself, was overall the best feeling. Feeling that you could think and do what you wanted, why would one want anything else? Here K had been for some reason, traveling through the woods, just for his simple one minded crusade. 

He had been dressed in his new clothes, white cargo shorts resting about two inches under his knees, with about three chains that hung to his thigh on his left side. One of his bright fresh white tees, hanging lowly, just a size to big, with a couple wrinkles. His cloak, white and shining, held up by three small chains holding onto his neck. Of course gis elegant white silk scarf was there too. Simple white shoes, his scythe on his back, tamo daggers in his shorts. He wasn't to geared for combat but decided he would handle it if one hungry wolf came along.

He was walking for a bit, with no destination, enjoying the silence. It was all going good until he had felt a sensation... It felt like some low pitch... It was a footstep. Footsteps to be correct. He stretched his white knuckle-less gloves and bent to a crouching position. Shoving his right index and middle finger into the earth, he tried to listen for sounds, for he had seen someone from the bronze woods patrol squad do it. 

But this proved useless, until that is, he heard it for himself. Hearing shrieking, here and there... It was growing closer, and was approaching, this was clearly...

A stampede! Must be some cows!

He quickly ran to the side and hid into some bushes, watching and waiting for this 'stampede' to pass. What he saw had shocked him, for no man would've believed what he saw at first site. It was a girl, running from some... Something that was loud and in a pack. As she stopped into the clearing and had turn around to face her menace, he saw a... Baboon? It lunged out making loud noises and was easily side stepped, and it apparently didn't get the message that her level of evasion was great. Coming back once more though... She quickly had ended it. 

K had zoned out a bit, oblivious from the situation, looking at the woman as she danced around with the dagger. "Wow... She's... She's.." He was at a loss of words. For the girl had been beautiful but... Her clothes did not do her justice. Truly... Not only did they look a bit manly, but they really his her figure, which was clearly smaller than those clothes. "Gods..." Kise said interrupting his brother's peeping. "K what are you doing? Go help that poor girl! Those baboons are gonna rip her apart!" "Nah... Last time we talked to a girl in the woods it was a psychotic ghost, we almost got ate by wolves. I'm done with these crazy girls..." K said dismissing the idea. 

Feeling a small hand on his shoulder he let loose a smile as he had a quick flashback. "No girl I gotta go to work..." He said lustfully, remembering that he was touched there by a lot of women, with small hands. "Wait?..." K turned his head to find a baboon with a bright face staring at him, opening it's mouth to show sharp canines, he quickly yanked his tamo daggers from his pocket. While sheathed together, these daggers resembled a fine club, which he shoved into the animals mouth to keep it quiet. Hearing a growl grow from the beast's stomach, he slid one dagger from the set, leaving the other inside. Placing his left hand behind the beast head pulling it closer, he drove the dagger into the baboons skull with his right, hearing the loud crunches and penetrations. 

Having never killed anything with the daggers before, his heart was pounding, as the beast before him twitched and flinched. Looking at it with disappointed eyes, he slowly slid out the dagger, hearing every last crackle and pop. He kicked the animal off of him, hoping to not get his clothes dirty and leave the girl behind, after taking his other dagger of course. She seemed to be able to defend herself, and just to be sure he would alert authorities once he got home, after all it wasn't his job. He would've been able to escape, until he looked up seeing a screeching monkey charging him, jumping onto his chest, digging into his shirt. Scared, he began to kick and scream, pushing himself upwards until he was in the clearing looking at the girl. With a swift motion he plunged both daggers into both sides of the animals belly, cutting down and releasing a couple samples of blood on his shirt.

Taking out his wet daggers, he tossed the animal aside and looked at the girl, slowly rising to his feet with daggers in both hands. "These damned monkeys..." He groaned angrily. "Woman.... Are you ok?" He said harshly. He had no choice now, this was his fight, he looked at her sharply. He was no doubt displeased with the situation. He began to walk over to her, until a bit of a heavier monkey landed on his cloak, trying to scratch the strong fabric. "Ack!" He said with his hand reaching out for the girl. 

Would she be able to help him?  

[Kyra]

Kyra doubled back at the sight of two baboons attacking her at once. She darted back again, quickly slipping her legs side by side, and as the baboons closed in, she turned her slender figure into a twirl, and swung her legs outward to kick at the monkeys as she finished into a cartwheel. Sliding back a few steps upon her landing, the nimble kelvic dashed forward as more baboons approach and headed right for them. She guided her hand, firmly gripping the dagger as she slashed forward with it across the face of a baboon.

Another step back, Kyra raised her dagger and slashed against the baboon again and finishing the move with a fist slamming into the side of it's head. More baboons gathered around, their speed and numbers growing with the chimes. There was a shrieking behind her, and Kyra glanced back to see that the beasts were trying to surround her. She darted back and to the side, where she lifted herself up and turned her body into another cartwheel to exit the semicircle of raging baboons. They were all coming at her at once now and Kyra slipped back once against, swinging her dagger out in front of her to connect with the closest baboons and to the next.

Suddenly a tall man appeared from within the brush, his features startled and it seemed that he too had been attacked by the hungry baboons. He said something to her, but there wasn't time to talk. Another baboon, more bold than the rest charged Kyra and attempted to latch onto her throat. The young kelvic pushed herself backwards, her boots becoming unbalanced as she fell away while swinging her arm forward to slam the dagger deep into the chest of the baboon.

She slammed her boots into the ground hard to stop her backwards descent, but with her dagger wedged in the chest of the baboon, Kyra was unarmed..for the moment. Reaching over her shoulder, the kelvic pulled her katana free of it's sheath and readied herself. It didn't take long before more baboons were upon her and she was ready. Kyra quickly lashed out at them, though her swings weren't as guided as they were with her dagger. Still, she moved as fast, and with as much sharpness as she could guide her katana.

The young kelvic spun around, slashing at the furry creatures in front of her and hacking at their injured bodies to finish them out. She lifted her leg, sending a wicked kick into another monkey and making another quick slash at it while pushing herself back again. Looking back towards the man again, she noticed that he appeared to be in trouble. Kyra moved towards him quickly, lifting herself over his shoulder as she slammed both of her boots into the chest of the baboon. The beast stumbled backwards as she landed unsteadily on the ground in front of it.

This one was big, bigger than the others and was possibly the leader. He watched the kelvic intensely, rising to stand on his legs as he puffed out his chest and growled at her. Kyra hissed back at him, turning her katana's blade to her right. She was ready for him and the moment that he attacked, she jumped up with a viscous slash towards his throat. A tick later, a heavy baboon head went rolling towards Kise.

[Kisetukai]

Not only were the horrific screeches of these monkeys annoying, but this bigger and badder monkey on his back, was just going at it. Yelling and howling as it tried to dig into the tough slick fabric of his cloak, the only thing protecting him from bloodshed. He was pinned down by it's ridiculous weight, jumping up and down as it dug into him. Until it was relieved... The weight was lifted. He only saw a flash, a quick sudden movement by the woman being attacked. As she lunged over him and kicked? Whatever she did she knocked the damn monkey off of him quickly, and efficiently. He laid on his stomach for a while, stretching and feeling a bit free finally. He slowly rose to his feet, the woman behind him. As he looked around, finally turning around he began to walk up to her until he saw a headless monkey.  "Damn... She really petched up that..." He felt a small bump hit his shin, forcing him to look down as he saw an angry expression on a baboons head. 

"What the petch!" He screamed out as he kicked the head far away from his, as it tumbled into a bush. The screeches of the wild beast all stopped as the forest once again grew silent, the way it should be, with a few bugs here and there making noise. It was the way it should be, quiet. K looked at the girl, holding a swift blade as she stood in all her glory, the head of that monkey was proof. She was a warrior, or at least someone who could manifest her own destiny. He liked that... He liked her fighting skill. But nonetheless she was another crazy woman he had found in these woods, and everytime he had found a crazy woman in these woods, he always ended up in danger. This time the danger came instantly just from watching her... It was a curse truly. 

This woman, was definitely agile, all of those flips and cartwheels proved that. But why was she in those strange clothes? Why was she out here chasing... Well being chased by a bunch of animals? Why was she so skilled with those weapons? Who was she?! Gods... He wanted to know so much about this girl, yet from pass experiences in the woods he wanted to get the petch out of the situation. "K... Last time we where in these woods we-" Kise spoke as he was interrupted. "Yeah I know..." K mumbled softly. "We always almost die everytime we step foot in the woods." He walked up to the woman, looking at her a bit curiously. A real man fears nothing... His clothes were alright, a bit dirty, but alright. The only thing that was wrong was his shirt, with a series of holes and tears it was deemed useless. He decided to keep it on nonetheless, after all it still was a shirt. It was mainly just a huge v-neck now. He finally made it up to her, looking at the dead animals body with disgust and then finally back at her. 

"Hello... Are you... Ok? I'm squire Kisetukai Yamehaka of Ser Corben. Uh..." He felt a bit out of place, after all he could've saved himself, couldn't he?  She did an excellent job, it was amazing, but he had always been a sexist. Trying not to think about it too much he swallowed his pride, hoping to get started on good terms. "Thank you for saving me I guess.." He gave a quick bow as he looked at her. "Now... On to business. You need to tell me what's going on. Who are you, where are you from... Where do you live? And why were you being chased by those animals? As a knight it is my duty to know these things, and to provide you with safety... So please, explain yourself." He said with a firm tone as he watched her and awaited answers. His arms crossed with enthusiasm. 

[Kyra]

Kyra looked around at all the furry flesh and blood spattered across the ground. The nimble kelvic had managed to defeat her attackers, but she hadn't gotten rid of them all. At some point during the battle some of them must had given up and rushed off. She could still hear them beyond the bushes, shrieking and howling. Kyra realized then, that they must have retreated to steal the animal that she had killed before she could get back to it.

"What a waste.." she thought, and after such hard work as well.

A soft sigh of frustration slipped from her lips, before she reached into her vest and pulled out a simple cloth and used it to clean the blood off her katana blade. Although her hunt had been successful, scavengers had gotten the better of her and stolen her food. She was annoyed by this and for the time, didn't feel up to going for another hunt. Perhaps she would try it again later after she had rested, or maybe she would just eat once she reached the city.

There was also the matter of the man that had run out of the bushes to escape the baboons. Kyra hadn't gotten a good look at him, but she had heard him scream a tick a go. There was something different about him, she noticed, something that was stranger than normal humans. Unless Kyra had been mistaken, the man was talking to himself, or just complaining aloud. The young kelvic turned to face him as she slipped her katana back into it's sheath.

"I am fine, yes. Are..you alright? I heard you scream."

He was tall, much like many men that she had met and appeared to be built to be a fighter. His clothing was different than what she was used to seeing, but that was a good thing considering that she found normal to be boring. He was a squire it seemed, though not a very good one if he was almost killed by a baboon. "You are welcome...I guess." There was something unique about him, and it peaked her interest. Kyra wondered if she might stick around and learn more about the man..That was until he started demanding things of her.

"You are wrong then...I do not have to tell you anything squire Kisetukai Yamehaka of Ser Corben. It was I, who saved your life...I owe you nothing." Kyra glared at him for a moment, before she returned to the slain baboon and retrieved her dagger. There wasn't much else to do besides continue on her way. Unless the squire would try and stop her..

[Kisetukai]

"I am fine, yes. Are..you alright? I heard you scream."

"Oh that?" K let out a hearty chuckle, trying to cover up quickly. "
That was merely a battle cry my dear, a battle cry."

"You are welcome...I guess."

This comment caused him to smile a bit, she seemed nice, a bit... Blunt so far. But nice. He definitely wanted to learn more but... Last time he learned more he was almost... Every time he came to these woods. Death was near. He looked at the pretty face dressed in the clothing's of someone other than her's, unless she just had bad taste. As he spewed out orders and demands of information. She seemed as if she wasn't going to have any of it. Go figure.

"You are wrong then...I do not have to tell you anything squire Kisetukai Yamehaka of Ser Corben. It was I, who saved your life...I owe you nothing."

Kise gave her a very warm smile, yes a bit of lust was there, but not enough to be evident. After all he was trying to hold back his carnal instincts as of lately, but those girl's in town weren't gonna let that happen. But this girl... She was a cheeky one. Apparently opinionated and not just that.. She was if anything- Real. She seemed not to care of clothing, looks, or for that matter... Death. She slayed those baboons with a face of someone who had done it before, unlike K who could admit he let out a girlish scream but wouldn't.

He appreciated a woman who was like this, for they were hard to come by... And if anything she reminded him of his mother. Oh gods... Tukai was not one to be classified as a mother. More like a slavedriver who had a child and mistaked that child for a slave and then... It was awful. He returned to looking at the girl who had grabbed her dagger from that dead animal, boy was the area bloody. He walked up to her, not knowing what to say but he had to say something.

For he had two choices, go back to town and ... Well get swarmed. Or chill with this woman and probably learn a thing or two, she seemed to know a decent amount of stuff. Well battle wise, especially as she jumped and evaded those animals. It was so... Graceful. He instantly spoke out, making up his mind.

"Please... Pardon me. I didn't mean to be so arrogant and how do you say, demanding? Please if you would... Tell me what was going on? Why were you being chased? Why did those monkeys want you? And where did you learn such beautiful moves? And that sword.... Please. I wish to know." He looked at her intently and gave a quick wink. "I'm not demanding I'm asking. Please?..." He walked up to her closely now, barely a foot away. "Could you please not leave? Please, I really am sorry. So...?" He awaited for her to spew out answers as his earlier demands. Hopefully she would comply and not leave. "Would you like to sit somewhere and talk?" If she did, he would follow her and sit opposite of her. If not then he would stay standing where he was.

[Kyra]

Kyra was a bit surprised by the squire's sudden change in attitude. At first he had seemed rude, demanding, and maybe even a bit angry. However that had all changed and now he was being rather nice and polite. He was an odd fellow to be sure, but Kyra never judged a human for being different or silly. She turned to stare upward towards him to meet his gaze and decided to tell him her story. "I was hunting you see, nothing more...nothing too dangerous. I was about to take my kill when the baboons showed up and tried to take it from me. So I killed one, but that only angered them even more, and so they chased me."

The young kelvic stared at him through unblinking eyes, she always searched the features of others whenever she spoke to them.It was her way of learning them, their mannerisms and how they reacted to events, that and the odd things that she would tell them. The man asked a lot of questions, he was a curious man, but in that the squire and kelvic were the same.

"My moves were beautiful? I've never thought of fighting as beautiful..messy, yes." she commented simply.

Asking about her sword, Kyra quickly tilted her head to glance at the weapon strapped across her back and shoulder. "I don't know much about it, but it is a very nice sword, isn't it? I've only seen one other like it..it's very beautiful."

She was close to giggling as the squire continued to ask questions and politely ask to keep her company for a bit. Was he really that interested in her, she wondered as she thought over his invite. A moment later she smiled and sat down right on the ground in front of him. "Now it is your turn...why are you here?"

[Kisetukai]

Why was he here? That question she had just asked was probably the best one, a question that made him think. Of course, he was here to escape the women who had been onto him, trying to end his streak of avoiding sex. It was too much, to much to take for one person. But why was he here? These woods had proved deadly multiple times, needless to say vital, and he definitely didn't want to think of such things again. So why was he here? Would he lie to her? Would he lie to himself? No. She gave the honest truth... So she deserved the honest truth. 

He gave a silent sigh, as he squatted and looked past her right side. Not wanting to see her face. "Believe it or not... I was also being chased. By savages just like you, that wanted to take something from me I had been working hard for. Women." He decided to be blunt and stop speaking in code, after all she was most likely going to ask. "I have been trying to calm it down sex wise lately ya know? Since your a stranger and we won't meet again... I guess I can tell ya." Standing back up and looking at her, he looked into those things she called eyes. Gods were they bright and vivid, like something was behind them. 

"I have been trying to look around and find more about... Myself. I don't know, I'm a bit confused you see, and yeah I have... In general. You could say I'm trying to find myself, and these woods are peaceful. And lately... I've been trying to figure out what..." He felt a bit embarrassed to say the last part. "I've been trying to figure out what love is..." He mumbled inaudibly. Looking back at her, he wanted to change the subject quickly. "So what do you wanna do? My vote is to go find some shade and just relax... I also don't want to run into any animals today..." He grunted out a bit. "Do you know how many animals I have had to kill in here? Wolves, leopards, baboons, you name it! Nothing small, always the big ones... I'm surprised I haven't fought a bear. So?..." He held out right hand, as if asking to hold her's. "You wanna go? I don't know these woods well, but hey, let's explore."

[Kyra]

Sitting on the ground, Kyra stretched out, and leaned back on her arms and crossed her legs at her ankles. Her long blondish hair was tied off into two pigtails that were draped over her slender shoulders. The deep blue men's vest that she wore hung loose on her frame, the V shaped part in the center from the buttons left unfastened, giving partial view to the supple flesh hidden beneath. The men's pants that she wore, stretched wide on both sides of her legs and the helm almost covered her boots.

The young kelvic had felt a bit strange wearing such clothing, but in the moment of desperation, she had to put something on and flee. It was taking time getting used to wearing such loose clothing, but she would change after reaching the city soon enough. Kyra watched the squire take a seat and was curious to hear what or who had been chasing him. She was taken aback by the answer and almost offended as well. "Savages? Like me?" she asked in a confused tone.

Whatever he said next was lost to her, as she was stuck on the fact that he called her a savage and she wanted to know why. "I am no savage squire, of that you can be assured." She leaned back a bit further, lightly rocking her feet as her tongue slipped up and around her feline fangs. "If I was a savage, then you'd be meatloaf.." Kyra wasn't sure if he even heard what she said as he continued to babble on about sex and finding himself. She had almost completely lost interest in what he was saying until he spoke of love.

It was odd to hear such a word, and she hadn't for some time now. Only her mother and their butler had ever spoken to her about love, and it was a feeling that she would always have for them even though they were no longer alive. However, he probably couldn't have picked a worse person to converse with on the matter. Kyra knew little of the text of the word, she only knew what it meant to her and how she felt inside.

Luckily the subject changed, and now he wanted to explore. "What a strange man you are squire Kisetukai Yamehaka.." the kelvic commented while glaring at him. First he wanted to sit and talk, and now, only after a few ticks, he wanted to wander off an explore? "Alright then.." she replied and took his hand to stand up, and headed off in whatever direction he wanted. The kelvic wound visit the city soon enough, but she wasn't so sure that she wanted to arrive just yet and with this squire either.

[Kisetukai]

(Original black and grey one)

The girl hadn't really seem into what he was saying, how... Understandable. Normally he wouldn't have shot off at the mouth but, lately the women seemed to like it. Not get enough of his sweet words rolling off like butter. But nope, not this one. She seemed to let action do the talking, which strangely reminded him of his younger self. It was nice for a change to see a girl like that, not all swept up in verbal serenades, heck it could have actually been the best type of girl. She seemed, strong, and like always K loved a strong person. Especially when they seemed stronger or at his level, and judging by that katana.... She was plenty of strong. Now, the main focus was... What to do with her.

As she rose up and grabbed his left hand, he stood on her right, his gloves keeping the cool soft texture they should. "Perfect..." He said softly, looking at her bright face, it seemed to glow. "Well... Let's go." He said sharply, walking at a brisk pace to nowhere, weaving through the woods just as if he did know the area. "... You call me the odd one. Yet, to me your the one that makes me wonder." He let out a small chuckle, swinging her hand a bit, creating a small pendulum. "I mean, I have always... Been a man of actions... You know?" He said, stopping a bit, looking into her eyes. "Words aren't my category... And you..." 

What the heck... I'm supposed to be holding back right. Like no sex... Petch it.

He began walking again, contemplating what he should do and say next. And then, it happened. He reverted back to his younger self, letting go and doing not thinking. "Hey you wanna go to my house or something?... Or since your like some huntress girl, would you like to keep roaming the woods?" He let out a chuckle at the joke, semi serious and playful. "Let's just see where we end up..." Finally coming to, of course, another clearing. The one where Kise met Kouri to be exact, two logs across from each other with burnt sticks in between signifying a camp site. "Please." He said softly, gesturing her to sit on the log to the left. Sitting on the other, smiling a bit. "So tell me... What brings you to Syliras? Why are you in the woods? Do you..." He gulped at the thought, dirt and filth. "Live here?" Shifting himself... He took pauses in between his questions for answers, trying to give her a chance then gave one more.

"You know... You seem to have a way with animals." He said cheekily. "Seeing how you handed those things... I'm guessing you have killed before."

A girl with no fashion sense... Glorious.