A New Adventure (Open RP for anyone)

[Sanare]

Sanare say at the Tempo Cafe drinking her cup of coffee. She was reviewing the latest movements in the market, just trying to catch up on how things have been doing since she had been away. Her life as an investor had been put on hold while she traveled to a whole other city to rescue a girl.
She was in a weird position now. Her martial arts instructor had shown her that she was actually really powerful and could use her life force as energy to attack and defend, something of a rare gift he said. To complicate things even more, she was exceptionally gifted in this art, and she didn't know why. She suspected Master Avis did, but wasn't in a hurry to press him for answers. She knew it had something to do with her past.
This newfound power had sent her on missions to help people who couldn't help themselves, and while it feels good to help people, she had bills to pay. Her job as an investor was to keep taps on the market and she hasn't seen a chart in over a month!

So here she sat, trying to figure out her next investment. She found it hard to concentrate though. She kept thinking about Chloe, the girl she saved and the ordeal that came afterwards. She had to admit she was able to make a difference, and maybe that was better than just trying to live day to day.

What was she suppose to do with her life!? She finally closed the computer, no use sitting her not doing anything. She finished her cup of coffee, packed her computer in her bag and then headed out the door. Maybe walking around the city would give her some clarity on her life. At the very least it best sitting inside all day doing meaningless work.

Wc: 311

[Roderick]

Where was he? If he was honest, he didn't know. He had to be in a city of some sort. He knew he was in Central Lands for sure. The air clued him in. Not to mention just how much warmer it was than Northern lands. It was so warm in comparison, he felt goosebumps rise throughout his body even still. How long ago was it that he left those snowy hills? He could not remember, his memory betraying him even now. Well, he guesses it didn't matter in the end. He was here now, and he liked not having to put on layers upon layers of clothing just to still be freezing in the end. Much easier to move around with just one layer. 

Now onto more important matters, he'd look around his surroundings to get his bearings. In the end, his attention was caught by a cafe in the distance. Finally, somewhere to rest. The journey from the tops of Northern Lands was such a tiring expedition. So, much, walking! He had to get some type of transportation because if he had to trudge through snow, tall grass, and mud one more time, he was going to lose it. A nice glass of water and, reasonably, cool air would be great for his weary self. 

He took one step after another, becoming more motivated with each step closer to the cafe. He could not wait until he could just sit down, relax, and enjoy the nice- uh oh.

He had made it right at the door, reaching a hand out to grab it when the door suddenly opened with someone exiting. Already in motion, and not having expected a sudden leaver, he couldn't stop the momentum he had built nearly kicking off the ground to reach the door. Without much thought, he'd force his hand back to his side to not accidentally hit them before attempting to spin out of the way. Unfortunately, he was too close and was sent on to a course collision with the stranger. Only having changed it from a possible head on collision to a shoulder one.

WC: 354

[Sanare]

Sanare was walking out the door of the cage when she looked back to wave at the barista. Just as she was turning her head back she nearly ran into a guy who happened to just barely turn a head on collision into a shoulder bump.

Sanare noticed how fast he had managed to turn his stride away from her. He clearly had some sort of training.

“Oh excuse sir, I wasn't paying attention. Nice reflexes though,” she said as she checked to make sure he was alright. He seemed fine, it was only a light bump after all.

She started to head down the street for her walk. She had a lot going on in this city. For starters she had her apartment, which was really nice, although truth be told they make nice apartments in every city. Her job didn't necessarily tire her to the city. Travis did though. They had been dating for 2 years now and he was really supportive when he found out about her ability to use ki.

She wondered how when would feel about her wanting to commit to helping people more and more. How would he feel about her being in danger? Was it fair to put him through that? It isn't like she choose to do this as a job, not like cops and firefighters, who knows what they were signing up for. Truth be told she didn't know what she would be signing up for. This was all so new to her.

She knew she needed to talk to him but she wanted to at least figure herself out first.

She hadn't gotten too far from the cafe when she realized she left her guardian staff outside the cafe! She must have forgotten to grab it with the commotion with the man. She had it wrapped in a blue cloth, just so that people wouldn't feel threatened.

When she got back to the cafe, it was gone!

327/638

[Roderick]

In the nick of time, he managed to only bump shoulders with the stranger. Making sure to turn with the bump so soften the blow as much as possible. He felt his back hitting the wall of the cafe, only the quietest of grunts leaving his lips from the impact. Still facing the stranger in the end, he would be too tense to speak properly. Only listening to them from his lack of speech. Eventually, his vocal cords worked, and he replied to their compliment "Oh, thank you." He'd reply breathlessly, relaxing his body when he realized how tense he was. Also, with how they were checking on if he was okay.

He felt he should say more yet the chance to apologize for nearly running into them never came as he watched them walk away. That was close. He peeled himself from the wall, standing up straight and wiping his back down in case there was any dirt or grime that stuck to it when bumping into the wall. Speaking of wall, he rubbed his shoulder, the feeling of lightly bumping into them still there. It was odd. They somehow felt more solid than he was expecting. Looking to his shoulder, he wondered as to why that was for a moment before brushing the thought off. Maybe he was just imagining it. 

He looked to the entrance of the cafe. Well, might as well get what he came here for. He reached for the door when he noticed someone grab a staff shaped blue cloth before leaving. He didn't think much of it, only a moment of consideration of what it was as he watched them leave. Shaking his head, he'd remind himself of what he came here for. 

The door had only opened a creak when he noticed the person he had nearly crashed into from before reappear. They looked to be searching for something. The urge to just ignore it was there but, for some reason, he decided to help. Given how he had nearly ran into them, it was the least he could do. "Hey, uh, you looking for something?" He'd ask, looking around as well like he was trying to find what they had lost too.

371/725

[Sanare]

Sanare wasn't one to freak out over material possessions, but this was another matter entirely! That was a sacred staff she had found on her first real adventure. Now it was gone, picked up by some unknown stranger. She didn't have a clue about the value of her staff, but she was betting it was worth over 100,000 zeni! How could she be so careless as to leave it unattended for so long!? She started to think about the best course of action at the moment. Would calling the police be faster than trying to find it herself? Did she go and check pawn shops? Or rare antique shops?

Before she had a chance to figure it out, the guy who bumped into her earlier was asking her if she had lost something.
“It's my staff. It's wrapped in a blue fabric. Did you happen to see it? It's extremely valuable to me. I would be grateful for any information you have.” she was hopeful that this guy would have the information she was looking for, but also worried about having to chase someone down. She really didn't want to have to fight for her own stuff back.

199/837

[Roderick]

The memory of someone taking that oddly staff shaped blue cloth played back in his mind. Oh, so that what that was. He blinked at the realization that someone just took something from this person and he just watched it happen. Still, he didn’t know it was theirs. In any case, he’d focus back onto the lady in front of him. “Uh, yeah, actually. I saw someone grab it and go but I didn’t know that was yours.” He’d recall, trying to remember if he saw the direction they went in even though he had just seen them walk off.

He stood there holding the door, realizing he was probably blocking the way for anyone trying to exit or get inside. He let go of the door, taking a few steps away from the entrance but still keeping his attention on the victim of this theft. “Uh, I can help you look for it.” He’d say, scratching his head as he was unsure of what to do exactly in this situation. He felt like this was partially his fault now so he needed to at least help. He would’ve helped regardless but even though he couldn’t have done anything, it still felt like the right thing to do.

215/940

[Sanare]

The sun had just reached its zenith, blanketing the city in a warm day. Fortunately the city was perfectly placed to get some breeze coming down from the mountains to the west. Sanare was comfortable in her light jacket, though she wondered for how long considering she was likely to be doing some running soon.

“Oh, that's very kind of you,” Sanare said to the guy. “I won't turn down help. My name is Sanare, and I went through quite an ordeal to acquire that staff. Do you know which way the person went? Or what they look like?”

She would be grateful for the help, but she was also concerned about bringing someone else into this mess. What if the person who took her staff turned violent. She would have to defend herself and this guy. She wouldn't want him to get hurt because of her stuff.

148/985

[Roderick]

With the sun at the peak of its height, he felt another wave of goosebumps go through him. Enjoying the warm day so much, he shivered from the sensation. He quickly tried to gain control of himself, staying as still as possible when he realized he did that in front of someone. Hoping they didn’t notice it or bring it up.

Still staying still, he just listened to the introduction, unsure if he should introduce himself. Not seeing an opportunity, he would decide against forcefully doing so. “Thank you. Uh, yeah. I know where they went. They…” He forgot what they looked like. “… I forgot what they looked like.” He explained truthfully. “But I can still help you look for it.” His gaze turned parallel to the cafe.

He saw them going down that way, right? “We might have to hurry along.” Becoming reanimated, he would take a few steps in the direction of where he was pretty sure the thief ran off in. “They might be gone by the time we finish talking.” He turned to them while walking, hoping they were following his lead.

187/1127

[Sanare]

Sanare started hurrying alongside her companion, looking for any clue to where her staff was. With no description of the guy in question, she would just have to keep an eye out for the staff itself. In truth it hadn't been too long so maybe whoever picked it up still had it.

A year ago she would never have chased someone down like this. However, since her training under master Arvis, her confidence in handling herself had gone up. Not to mention she had already dismantled an entire range of people on her own. Surely a petty thief was easy enough to handle.

Though she had to be honest and admit she wasn't sure the person was a thief. They could have simple picked up the wrong item. She decided it would be better to give people the benefit of the doubt until she learned otherwise.

It only took a few minutes of them running for her to see the blue wrappings of her staff.

165/1,150

[Roderick]

With a goal now in mind and someone to help, he felt excitement fill his body. A determination to look for the missing staff wrapped in blue. It sounded much more dramatic in his head than it actually was. However, it was still exciting to imagine he was on some great quest.

Bounding ahead, he’d turn his head side to side. His eyes vigilant in combing the area for any blue that would catch his attention. Thinking this would be easy as blue was his favorite. As he kept looking, a growing unease began to build up with each passing minute.

Where was this taker? He was pretty sure they couldn’t have gone far. Yet, with the more time passing and no sign of a staff shaped blue, he felt like they had lost them. Had he pointed them in the wrong direction?

He felt it reach a peak, about to visibly panic at not being able to help and find the staff when he also saw the blue clad staff. “There!” He almost shouted, pointing at it before quickly closing his hand to not be so obvious. “Is that it?” He adjusted, now almost whispering it to her.

201/1328

[Sanare]

Sanare spotted the blue cloth that concealed her staff, just as her companion was pointing it out. She inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, seeing as her search was over. She sped up to overtake the carrier.

With her training it was virtually effortless to catch up.
“Excuse me, but I believe that wrapped up staff belongs to me,” she said to the courier. As valuable as the item was, she didn't want to assume the person was a thief.

The person stopped immediately and looked at her. The carrier stopped in his tracks and turned to face Sanare, a fleeting look of surprise flickering across his face before he quickly schooled his expression into one of practiced nonchalance. He was a young man, perhaps in his early twenties, with the lean, agile build of someone accustomed to staying on the move. His face was sharp, framed by a few errant strands of dark hair that fell across his forehead, despite his apparent effort to keep them slicked back. His skin bore the tan of long days spent outdoors, and though he was relatively clean, there was an unmistakable ruggedness to his appearance.

He wore a plain, patched-up tunic, carefully tucked into worn trousers, as if trying to look more presentable. A dark blue scarf was loosely wrapped around his neck, partly to hide a glimpse of a necklace or mark, though he seemed unaware it had slipped slightly out of place. His boots, while sturdy and travel-worn, gleamed with fresh polish—an attempt to look more like a professional courier than the scrappy rogue he truly was.

In his arms, he cradled the cloth-wrapped staff with an almost casual grip, as though it was nothing more than a routine delivery. His eyes met hers with a mixture of caution and defiance, scanning her up and down to gauge the situation. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, and he tilted his head. "Oh? This?" he said, his voice carrying the hint of someone used to bluffing his way out of trouble. "I'm just a humble courier, miss. But if it's yours, maybe you could... describe it for me?" He spoke with a carefully measured politeness, but there was an unmistakable hint of unease in his stance, like a fox caught in the light, trying to determine the best way to slip away unseen.

Sanare was caught off guard by his appearance and his response, even though it was a perfectly legit question. She wondered how he would know what the staff looked like without having unwrapped it.

She glanced at her male companion for help.

438/1,588

[Roderick]

The quickened pace from her assured him that this was indeed the staff they were searching for. Rushing to catch up with her, the sight of the blue clad staff easing his worry. Now all that was left was to retrieve it.

However, once they got to the thief, the way they talked to the stranger led him to consider maybe they weren’t a thief at all. Maybe this was a misunderstanding. This was quickly dispelled once the stranger turned to face them.

Perhaps it was rude to judge someone based on their appearance, he of all people should know that. But the practiced look of coolness, their build meant for quickness, and their attire with the fact they were holding a staff that wasn’t theirs told him something was off. While this could’ve been seen as mistrusting, the fact they wore a scarf even though it was warm outside was strange. He was pretty sure he could see something under it too.

His suspicions were strengthened by how they spoke their words. It sounded to him their question in reference to object was to buy more time to think of an excuse. It could just be a genuine question but everything from before just told him something was off about this stranger. Their question just sounding off alarms in his head. Who would introduce themselves as a humble courier? Their question to prove it was hers onlly irritating him as this guy probably stole it and now was trying to weasel their way out of this. He was accustomed to deceivers like this.

Unfortunately, he would soon realize his preconception over this guy was based on hunches and gut feelings once he noticed she looked at him. His eyes scrutinizing him before glancing at her for a moment and then fully looking at her once he saw she was looking at him for help. His eyes widening by a small margin upon realizing this.

Now on the spot, his mind blanked on what to say. He didn’t actually know for sure that this guy was a thief. There was no proof to it. It could be that he is just a humble courier and maybe she was trying to steal it from him. This doubt over the situation was soon mitigated once he thought of something. The thought feeling like it came out of nowhere but it made sense to him.

After a few seconds of his pupils vibrating in thought, he turned to look at the stranger. “If you’re a humble courier, how would you know what it looks like if it’s wrapped?” He asked, sounding almost rehearsed by how it was spoken. Even as he said it, he doubted the effectiveness of the question. He could just say he looked under it. He wasn’t sure if it was tightly wrapped or the cloth just loosely hung over the staff. Luckily, he thought of a rebuttal. If he was a humble courier, why would he look to see what it was? Wouldn’t a humble courier just deliver it?

518/1846

[Sanare]

When Sanare’s companion asked his question, a flash of anger flashed across his face, for only a second. Sanare knew then that this was not going to end well and so she started thinking of how to end it in the most peaceful way possible.

“Look guys, this staff ain't yours,” the man said. “It belongs to guy I'm delivering it to. If you got a problem with that, I suggest you take it up with him,” he said with a tone of finality to it.

He began to step away from them. Sanare had hope they could at least have a heated argument over it and be done. She knew now that was impossible. Still, she had to try. Violence was a last resort after all.

“Sir, that is my staff, give it back,” she said. She almost said it else, but at the last second changed her mind. No reason to escalate to a fight.

The man quickened his pace, and Sanare rushed after him. This man was just a petty thief and there was no reason to use any of her advanced ki techniques to subdude him. Her one concern was if he used the staff against her. It was a powerful object, and would actually force her to use some of her higher levels moves. However, she was determined to not give him the chance to use it.

She slid on the ground and swept his legs from underneath him. The man rolled and was back on his feet at the same time she was. He turned towards her and swung the staff towards her face. She barely managed to roll out of the way in time.

281/1,869

[Roderick]

He could tell the guy didn’t like that. That flash of rage proved it. Liars usually got upset when they got caught in one. Or maybe that was just a generalization. Sometimes, they just got embarrassed. It really depended on the person- and they’re doubling down. Couldn’t they just admit when they were lying?

He had thought of so many arguments too. If you were delivering it, to who? Shouldn’t there be a sticker to show who it was going to and that it was actually a package? What company they were from anyway? He was sure he’d see some large emblem on their clothes somewhere but there were none. Just when he got momentum going, he had to change trajectory

The sight of them trying to walk away infuriated him more than he expected. He was just going to try and leave after doubling down when in caught in a lie? Her words for it to be returned fueling his anger. He considered if it would be okay to punch this guy across the head? No, that wasn’t right. Even if he really wanted to right now.

Seeing they were trying to get away, he followed her example and followed behind her. To his surprise, this girl wasn’t playing. The sweep of his legs surprising him. Even more surprised when he saw the guy managed to roll back to his feet and swing the staff at her. He didn’t even have the time nor mindset to scream when he saw it moving for her head. Yet, she rolled out of the way. Well, guess it was a fight now. At least he had an excuse now.

Taking the place she had rolled from, he appeared in front of the thief. The urge to send a fist to his face tingling his hand but he held it off for now. Might as well try one last time to give this guy a way out. He reached out to the staff once the momentum of the swing had stopped, grabbing it by the top handle, planting his feet into the ground, and trying to yank it away from his hands. “Just give it back!” He shouted in the midst of doing this. He would have said more if he had the time.

389/2235

[Roderick]

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