-Arren stood outside in the gardens only to be greeted by his long old friend who had been go for so long. She dragged the body bag as she spoke to him.- “Emushere back Arren, took a year but Emushere back… Emushere lost pendant, had to search for Arren’s presence to find home. Good news got him, bad new all others are gone… They all gone…”-He had turned to smiling as he said.- “Well hello Emushere it has been a long time. I am glad you have returned.” -he was a bit upset that she had too so long as her continued.- “I knew this was going to take sometime Emushere, You know I wouldn’t have trusted this task to anyone else but you. I am glad to see you are alright.” -he brought his paw to her head patting her, she was in fact beat she had been through hell in back for such a cause. It seemed she was inneed of some rest. As he was about t speak she had tripped over her own clothing. The a loud “SMASH!” the crystal orb broke from the staff as a large demonic began to form as Arren growled as it tainted that garden with its scentch. Arren lifted his bo staff only to slam it on the grass sending a shock wave of light through the ground and into the air as it would engulf the demon entirely. The blinding light was in fact as a purifying light that would destory the demon and banish it from the gardens entirely. After all this was his own creation to be in for the time being.-
-Arren looked over Emushere as he was not upset at her as he said.- “Now you need to be more careful next time. You need to rest I shall I have the Chichagwa’s come and grab the body for now. I know this was a task that I could trust you with. However you need to pay more attention to things that will make it quickier.” -he snapped his fingers as ten Chichagwa’s came running out trying to take the body away from Emushere as they rustled with the body trying very hard not to damage it. As they left as quickly as they came halling off the body into another area to seemed they were talking amoungest themselves. All you could here were whispers.- “Now You do need a bath Emushere, I believe there is hot water already running.”
-Rika who was in the small house was now being squeezed to death by Luna’s death hug as she could hear them talk about her.- Soooo fluffy. Can we keep her?” -she was trying to get away before she was grabbed as she could only hear luna’s last phrase.- “Ni….PON! Gosh you are fluffy….do they make your kind in pink?” -only to have Rika yelp out saying loudly.- “NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!” -she was getting her lungs crush by the girl.-
-Anya finally started to get herself together hearing Seven’s comment about Rika.- “Are they house trained? Don’t want something that big inside making that big a mess. Mum would freak.” -Anya’s eye twitched as she was balled her fist tightly thinking about how wrong that sounded. She stood up bringing her arm back cocking it over her shoulder. The fire was burning in her eyes as she said.- “THEY ARE LIVING BEINGS! WHY ELSE WOULD THEY WEAR CLOTHES!” -she swung forward aiming for the back of Seven’s head hopping to come in contact with him trying to make him think properly.-
Sound Temple
-Conan had in fact been angry as Danzo knew it. Conan quickly lunged at Danzo with full force moving at an accelerated speed. Danzo quickly attempted to draw his sword only to have Conan grab him by the throat with one sweep. Conan had him by the neck as he lifted him up into the air as Conan lashed out in a blind rage.- “YOU THINK YOU GOT BALLS DO YEA? GO AHEAD DRAW YOUR SWORD!” -Shikia covered her mouth feeling the rage of an Alpha as she could feel the urge to submit and shy away she dropped her spear only to fall to her knees watching Danzo hanging in the air. Danzo was shocked at Conan’s speed however he too could feel the urge to submit as he said choking on his own words.- “You maybe an Alpha, However you are nothing but a coward, You couldn’t even see your own daughter was undead. You shame your clan with your actions. Taken down by a five year old.” -he coughed gasping for air as Conan clintched his jaw only to tighten his grip on Danzo’s wind pipe as he growled. He was now seeing red for the first time since he was a boy as he said.- “i will show you shame” -In the moment those words came out Conan quickly shifted his arms grabing Danzo by the belt as he brought him up over his head. Sound around him began to vibrate rapibly. The sound was being channled through Conan as he planted Danzo flat on his back the sound was not hard to miss from the impact as Danzo’s back came into contact with the stone stairs the speed he was thrown at cause a clash of sound creating a shock wave of sound all the way to the bathhouse.- “BOOM!” -the wind would soon follow as it blew past the bathhouse. Danzo gave a loud choking cough as he was slammed to the ground spitting out blood from the blast. Conan looked into his eyes as the stairs were completely destory Shikia had been blown back with the impact now laying out cold at the temple shrine. Conan said one thing to Danzo.- “You know nothing of me or even know me. Dont ever talk about my family ever again or so help me your back will be the least of your worries.”
Lorewall
-Faust turned his head as he heard the words of the man behind him.- “Well now an army for a dragon, a demon, and a phoenix, either you plan for overkill or scared that you will be devoured.” -Faust was unimpressed with his taunts of power only to luahg as an insane man would. The undead army surrround him creating a distance between them. As Imayaruk seemed to be summoning forth something that he thought would in fact challenge Faust to his death as he smirked as he spoke an chant.-“Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, and demonic Spirit, protect me from harm” -the words seemed to bring forth a power that seemed to create a large sheild behind Faust as imayaruk spoke to him again.- “May heaven show mercy, Hell be swift, and life be reborn.” -Faust grinned as he said.- “Thats if you can hit me.” -the fire tore straight through the lines of the undead and straight towards Faust as the natural forces of his sheild of Spirit protected him. As soon as the fire came into contact to the sheild it was quickly negated from the magical source as Faust felt the heat only to turn around seeing the flames disappearing as he grinned saying to his sweet dear Eliza.- “My dear you can handle the girl for me. I think im going to have fun with this man.” -he started laughing as Eliza giggled along with his luahg. Eliza picked up scythe cleaver as she walked forward towards the Gabriel as she started to run quikcly moving at an unnatural speed, She leaped into the air pulling back the scythe and using it full length to come down on the sheild as the talsmen broke as the sheild shattered Eliza still coming down in the attempt to cut the woman in half her eyes completely emotionless hopping to kill her so she could claim the pize. Faust was still looking at Imayaruk as he pulled a small dagger from his belt brandishing it as he laughed . Grabbing one of the undead monsters he summoned he plunged the dagger directly into the creatures back as he said a chant.- “O darkness, prevail, unto this blade, soul of the damned, go forth, and when this blade should find flesh, you shall find retribution, go on unto the cold iron, and there stay until it pierces skin.” -the body of the creature started to rot quickly turning into ash as the dagger started to extend becoming large in length and width only to be surround in black fire as faust weilded the blade in his right hand. He looked at Imayaruk directly seeing through his very being. He laughed as he said.- “Rise Darkness Enternal. I weild you out burning blade of death. Now let me have my fun and bring forth the will of my Teacher. All Hail Yen!” -he waited for Imayaruk to make the first move if he even dared to come at him.-
One cannot describe the feeling that you get, when you are able to bathe in the revitalizing waters of this quaint little bathhouse. Charlotte virtually disappeared beneath the surface of the heated waters, only to reemerge with her fine black hair plastered to her head. Eyes closed she tilted her head back to the side of the tub, and then brought her toes up out of the water on the other side, wiggling them slowly. Last time she could recall using a bathhouse, was of course Madame Ming Ru’s back in Lorewall. Charlotte opened her eyes slowly, though she had a glazed expression. Why you may wonder? The bathhouse of Lorewall was where she first met Fung Le, the sun dragon master, who gave his own life for all at the end of their Trek. It felt like a lifetime ago, and the lapping of the waters along with the musical chimes that could be heard in the background, only made her remember…everything.
~Taken from the COL – CD April 16, 2012~
The Bathhouse of Ming Ru was one that had several floors, and far below was where the furnaces would super heat the waters that would be funnelled up to the separate rooms, on the second and third floors. Shoes off, and now being escorted through the foyer, they would find a team assembled, all in traditional Chinese robes, and carrying with them woven baskets. Madame Wong spoke very quickly in Chinese to her staff, to gather the correct oils and towels, for each guest, along with golden tokens, that are used to be sent down through tubes, to the furnace room, so the keeper of flames, knew how much water was needed and how hot. As each girl was assigned a customer, they took the correct number of tokens that would fill baths for each of them. Laguna would have his own little wash girl, who bowed over and over and then kept grabbing more and more tokens, followed with another two towels. She gestured towards the bathing rooms,and shuffled ahead of him, as the doors were pulled open to allow them through. Thorn too, would have her own bath house maid, and she was keen to wash Thorn’s tail and ears, grabbing special tubes of lotions and brushes. (Thorn’s bath girl)”Come..please.”
Finally, Charlotte had her bath girl come to her and the girl was somewhat fearful of Charlotte, hesitant of what oils to gather, and snatched up a handful without looking, so keen to get this over with. Charlotte became embarrassed, her cheeks flaming, but followed the petite girl along, and wouldn’t you know it, her bathing room was right beside Laguna’s. (Char’s bath girl)”Please, take off travel clothes and I gets towels.”- Charlotte turned away from the girl, a little self conscious, The screen between the rooms, allowed for Laguna to see Charlotte’s silhouette, and the closeness would also make it possible to hear what the bath house girl was saying. But it was when Charlotte took off her shirt, the young girl screamed and dropped the basket of oils and towels. (Char’s bath girl)”THE MARK OF ZHU!…..MADAME WONG!!…THE MARK OF THE SPIDER WARRIOR!!!”- Charlotte froze and tried to look over her shoulder, wondering what the girl was screaming about. (Charlotte)”Huh?” Charlotte did have a mark, the symbol of the Spider clan of the ‘Dongyi’ of the Shandong, only thing was, Charlotte had no idea what this meant. <e>
~End of reflection~
Charlotte glanced over her shoulder, as water trickled down her back, and her slender digits reached to caress the mark, that had caused all the commotion that day in the bathhouse. Sighing, she wanted to put the memory out of her head, when the little Chichagwa that had been attending her, came in with the small tray of crab cakes. Setting them down, the young pup like Chichagwa asked. “Is everything alright?” Perhaps it was the look on her face that gave her away, but Charlotte was not about to reveal her real reasons. “I was just hungry, thank you for bringing me such delicious smelling delicacies.”Charlotte said with a light smile, then reached for one and taking a bit. “Oh…this is good.”
Rika’s quarters
Luna loved how noisy Rika was being, so every time she screamed Ni, Luna squeezed her tighter. “She is better than Tickle me Elmo!” Luna enthused before finally setting the Chichagwa down. “Still think she should be pink though. Would match my hair better.” Luna said with a chuckle, patting her own hair. Course, by this stage, she noticed that Anya seemed enraged about…well Seven’t comment about house training the creatures. Anya had her fist raised in anger, the power of all hell behind it, and Seven could not see it coming, but Luna could. “Anya…don’t be a meanie. Put your arm down.” This remark gave Seven the chance to react as he spun on his heel, then ducked backwards, going into a fancy breakdance move, like in those old 80’s movies. Needless to say, if Anya went through with her punch, she may well be sent spinning, as Seven was spinning on the ground.
<3>
Gabriel first read the words that were some sort of spell to cast a portal then once she got used to pronouncing the words in such a short time, Gabriel started to recite the words that were carved on the back of the pendant, to only have a portal open next to her as she turned to Imay, “Dragon warrior, you must come with me! You must come with me in order to survive!” she yelled out to Imay, in hopes that he would hear her eager plea for him to follow her then she stepped into the portal and she starts to get flung to where ever her god might be as her arms held Sarah close to her for dear life.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” She took off hearing the rustle Chichagwas coming for her once again, she remembered the last time this happened when she was just a kit and had mud thrown in her long fur. She knew she was nasty and her fur matted but a bath was not what she wanted. Emushere dropped the staff, orb, and broken off finger stuck out her front paws, screamed at the top of her lungs and ran in the opposite direction of the bath house. She got cut off at the door by two Chichagwas, she turned around to see two more running at her with bath towels. “NO NO NO NO!” She shot out her claws and growled, “Not this time you buggars. Emushere is not getting in water!” She ran to the side but once again tripped on the torn kimono, the two Chichagwas with towels tackled her and wrapped her up the other two tied her with string. With four long strings coming out the Chichagwas began dragging her off towards the bath house only her head could be seen. As a bundled up Kilargwa looking like a uncut roll of sushi she kept protesting shaking her head. “NO BATH, NO BATH, NO BATH!” As the Chichagwas drug her towards the bath house the complaints faded but could still be heard. “NO BATH, NO Bath, No Bath, No bath, no bath, no…”
-Emushere was in fact being dragged away by the chichagwa’s as you could hear the frantic “NO BATH” chant as they dragged her down the halls. They grew closer and closer as they had her tucked in those towels tightly. They finally appeared at the bathhouse only to open the door since there were two baths in the woman’s side of the bathhouse Charlotte would see Emushere being brought in as the Chichagwa’s opened the door saying to Charlotte.- “Our apologies for any problems we may cause. This one needs a bath.” -they continued to drag the Kilargawa called Emushere as she kept crying out as they pulled her to the fall bath only to drop her into the bath. Two chichagwa’s had long scrub brushes as they started to scrub her head. The other three had polls to keep her in the bath so she wouldn’t start trying to climb out.-
Gardens of Den Lira
-Anya had heard Luna yell at her as she looked over at her. “Anya…don’t be a meanie. Put your arm down.” Anya was about to move forward with swing instead she did not even move she placed her arm down only to say.- “Seven you look like a fool right now.” -she heard a high pitched frequency coming from outside and the loud explosion of Arren destroying a demon. She thought to herself at the sight of Arren how long it had been she didn’t want to think about what he was going to make her do as she stood there silent knowing he would soon make her show her demons.-
-the portal to which Gabriel and Sarah had traveled through had in fact landed them in the same place as Anya and the twins as the portal opened behind the little ones. It show both the Volfen and the little girl walking coming through only to have the high frequency sounds be heard.-
-Arren watched this unravel only as he stood there staring at them only to walk forward hearing the cry’s of Rika. His bo staff was heard pounding against the ground as he spoke.- “Let Rika go young one. I can see you like soft stuff animals however. Rika is a living being, She must be handled with care.” -Arren stepped on the wooden flooring opening the door as he looked down upon Luna for a moment his figure might scare the children or it might interest them. He looked to Seven dancing as he cock his brow upwards towards the boy. As he saw Anya staying quiet as he said again to both of the twins.- “You must be Charlotte’s children. I must say I visioned you would be small than what I thought.” -he smiled at both of them as he continued.- “I am sure the portal ride didn’t keep you from wanting something to drink.” -his ear flicked a little as his eyes gaze upon them with interest as he made a statement to them as a welcome.- “Welcome to Den Lira, one of the many homes that I created. A original training ground to someone you may know. I believe I recall you call him Mister Conan” -Arren pushed the door open further as he stepped out on to the oning hoping them would come out to see the Garden.-
Sound Temple
-Danzo was out cold as well as Shikia Conan stood up releasing Danzo from his grip he wasn’t in the mood anymore to stay here. He quickly started walking towards the Den again. He brought out another Cigarette as he said. While lighting it- “Don t ever do that again.” -he walked towards the Den and into the Gardens he went it would take him sometime before he would appear in the Gardens. Conan was needing to see the den for what it once was. In the past it was place of knowledge to him and more of beauty. He left the sound temple.-
Lorewall
-Eliza had missed her target and smashed straight into the blood doll that was speaking as it crumbled only to smirk as she said.- “You were no match for my Master’s recreation” -Faust was in fact grinning heard the woman call to Imayaruk. “Dragon warrior, you must come with me! You must come with me in order to survive!” Faust gave no chance for retreat as he yelled out.- “Oh no you don’t your going top stay blood stained boy!” -he charged Imayaruk as he brought the blade back and swung across in an upward diagonal formation to targets left as gave insane howl of laughter. If the touched or clashed with his blade the effect of rotting or rusting would activate his blade was able to rot bodies and age blades with the force of its magic. Faust knew this as well knew it would make it hard to dodge. He was taking advantage of this. Eliza pulled her weapon out of the blood doll turning around waiting for a time she could jump in. The undead solider s behind Imayaruk quickly started to move into position as they were attempting to attack him behind as they all pinpointed behind him. As the others came from both sides as they all were screaming.- “DIEEEEEEEEEEEEE! WE LIVE FOR FAUST!” -they had surrounded him trying to over take him they hopped to do damage to the man.-
Having enjoyed the tempting delights of the crab cakes and assorted condiments, Charlotte placed a cucumber slice over each eyelid and then rested her head back against the tub, letting the revitalizing waters wash away her cares, and her troubles. Memories that had been reawakened so far as she soaked, gave her insight to her past, and to her true identity. This was something she had not truly thought about in a long time, and so it gave her comfort, which she so badly needed after her meeting with Shadow in the afterlife.
But that zen feeling, the ambiance and quiet of the bathhouse was to be sorely disrupted, when the screeching cry of what can only be described as a feline creature, was screaming on the top of her lungs.
“NO BATH, NO Bath, No Bath, No bath, no bath, no…”
Lifting off one of the cucumber slices, she peered with one eye, as her head tilted, to see the doors opened and a number of Chichagwa dragging a very upset creature into the bathhouse.
“Our apologies for any problems we may cause. This one needs a bath.”
“But I thought this was a private…..oh.” Charlotte could see what the Chichagwa meant, and of course before Charlotte could utter another word, the feline creature, who was still causing a ruckus, was unceremoniously dumped into the falls bath. Taking her cucumber slice, she popped it in her mouth and chewed as she watched the unlucky cat creature get scrubbed down. It really wasn’t that cat’s day. Clearly, the idea of a soak in restful surrounds was over for Charlotte, and she decided now was as good a time to get out and find a robe. She rose to standing, then stepped out of the bath onto a wooden stand, and reached for a towel, to pat herself dry.
Gardens of Den Lira
“Seven you look like a fool right now.”
“Better to look a fool, then be king hit by you, Anya.” Seven said, as he came to the end of his break dancing, and leapt up to standing, popping his neck and rolling his shoulders. Seven grinned at Luna and said. “Thanks for the heads up.” Luna was of course still cradling Rika awkwardly, and this was when Arren made his appearance. Course, he wasn’t too pleased to catch Luna being overfriendly with Rika.
“Let Rika go young one. I can see you like soft stuff animals however. Rika is a living being, She must be handled with care.”
“Awwwe. I was being careful, honest.” Luna said with a firm nod, before setting down Rika and then patting her head. She then stood back and shrugged her shoulders. “I’m a plushie-a-holic. Collect em and hug them to death. I think I get it from my mum, only she collects men.” At this, Seven burst out laughing. “Ahahahaa, yeah sounds about right.”
Arren spoke of how he was surprised that they were Charlotte’s children, since he expected them to be smaller, though they were nearly 13 years old now. The ripe time for growth spurts. The children shrugged as if to agree, but when he mentioned Mister Conan, both perked up.
“He’s here?” Seven asked, as Luna started bouncing. “Where where?” That was a good question. Neither seemed to want a drink, more like they wanted to know what had happened to Mister Conan. Both children followed Arren out to the garden, hoping he would led them to Conan, or their mother. Either would do.
<3>
Within the next few moments, Gabriel and Sarah came crashing through the portal as the entrance portal closed with a sound of a jet flying by. With a loud crash into the boards of the floor, the exit side of the portal closed in a rush and Gabriel had landed on her back and that caused her to gasp out in pain though she did not break any bones while using herself as a cushion for Sarah since she was still asleep. Gabriel looked around at the new environment and was a bit shocked to see a zen themed room within her line of view.
“Wh….where am I?” She asked herself out loud, not knowing that there was anyone there, living in the room she had apparently landed in.
She kept running her calico long fur stuck to her body making her look like a hair ball and not a Kilargwa.
She hit the Zen Garden and screamed out “ARREN!” She streaked across the sand leaving paw prints threw the perfectly landscaped sand art. She stopped mid way and climbed up a rock and panted looking around and began crying. “Where’s Arren, Arren where are you? Emushere wet, cold, and scared….” She’d looked down and half noticed but not really that she was naked and just keep making a ruckus about finding Arren. Water dripped off her going down the rock. She shook like any cat or dog would do spraying the area with water and continued panting and began whispering to herself. “Emushere alone again where should she go? Many many doors which to pick?” She sniffed the air trying to trace any sign of anything familiar but all she smelt was soap. She looked down and saw her staff, orb and broken off finger still laying on the ground she jumped off the rock making more of a mess of the sand and grabbed them and ran for the closest door. “ARREN!”
