Post by Rik on Nov 21, 2019 19:42:07 GMT -8
Riku looked again at the airline ticket in his hands. He still couldn't believe he had won a trip to the southern islands; in his day they had been a separate nation and a hostile one. He had always heard of the great beauty of the islands and the poet's part of his soul longed to walk the shores; to see the gulls on wing; to see the sun quench itself in the sea at the end of each day. The colors were supposed to be spectacular. He had won the ticket by being the 1,000,000th customer at the Goku-Mart yesterday morning - he had only went in to buy a bit of oil to keep his sword in shape. It seemed his conscientiousness had paid off for him. He still felt more than a bit skeptical and though he had a hard time admitting it to himself, a bit scared of flying in a metal contraption. All the data he had been able to find suggested that planes were quite safe but the idea still staggered his mind. In his own day the journey would have had to been made by a ship; and that ship would likely have been part of an invading armada. He had never been able to convince his lord that it was a good idea; all the fighting, blood and screaming would have spoiled it then anyhow.
He put the ticket into the inside pocket of his coat and then flipped his hood up as he walked out into the rain and the night. The streets shimmered with a reflected rainbow of neon that danced on the water. Despite the seedy underbelly that clung to the city like some kind of parasite. Rik started down the street and took to the alleyways as he headed for the small apartment he had been able to procure. Out of idle curiosity as he walked, he pulled up a search on his HUD as he walked regarding what people wore in the Southern Isles. According to his findings, it looked like people wore colorful button up printed shirts with mostly birds and trees on them for some reason. Most of the pictures were for "tourists" it seemed, and identified them as visitors to the islands. With his metal.. enhancements it might be difficult to find something to fit his new shape without looking foolish. Maybe he could find a creative tailor somewhere to help him fit in.
He was only about halfway home when he heard running footsteps pounding on the pavement and splashing through the standing water. He whipped around and saw a large group of rough looking men and women coming down the alleyway at speed, malice evident in their demeanor. Rik cast his cloak back and drew his sword, striking out as the ones in the front neared him. He danced back as he struck over, and over, and over. His attackers fell in staggered exclamations of blood, leaving a macabre breadcrumb trail. He managed to turn the corner at the end of the alley into a narrower passage, where he decided to make his stand. Fists, swords, even a guandao slashing out from the middle of the pack that caught him on his shoulder plate.
It seemed like an eternity, lean left and slash the heat of battle pressed in all around him, slightly cooled by the rain pulsing down from the sky. Blood, both his and his enemies fell to the alleyway pavement and flowed away with the rainwater. Finally he struck down the bastard with the guandao and stood panting in the rain. He glanced up and saw another silhouette still standing before him... it looked familiar.
Scanning initiated...
Life form is Saiyan...
Life form previously encountered with pig demon.
Rik nodded to himself, It's that swordsman... back for revenge? The saiyan stepped forward and drew his own sword, the sound of the steel ringing forth into the night. The saiyan pointed towards him, "My employer saw that you won that ticket... he recognized you from our previous meeting. I am Perrsip; it only seems right for you to know who is going to take you down and take that ticket from your hands." Perrsip flourished his katana, sending a fan of water out in an elegant motion as he came up to a guard stance.
Rik settled into a sword form called Heron Wades in the Rushes, blade over his head and curving over it with the tip pointed towards his opponent, "I am called Riku Masumura. You are a well trained swordsman but i am better. I know you are hoping that this rabble tired me and wounded me enough to allow your victory. Let's see if you are right." A tight grin stretched his lips and he waited motionless for his opponent to make his first move.
He did not have too long to wait; the saiyan let out a war cry and swept in with an underhanded blow, his sword rising up towards Rik's midsection. Rik deftly stepped around the path of the sword and jabbed down with his sword, drawing a pained grunt from Perrsip. He changed his form as the other man countered; Cat dances on hot sand to block the flurry of enraged blows the saiyan sent hurtling at him from every direction. He was doing the best he could, but he was tired and wounded and one of the blows finally snuck by and slammed into his side. He gasped and went down to one knee, one hand clutching his side. Perrsip laughed and stood gloating over him.
"Guess you don't have any more big talk now, huh, bitch? Any last words?" The man raised his blade and poised himself to take Rik's head off.
Rik struck up and slipped his sword blade up under the man's rib cage as quick as a lightning strike and punched through his lungs. He leaned over to Perrsip as the man gasped for air and his sword clattered on the concrete, "My words to you would be... don't gloat while your opponent still has a sword in their hands. It is a shame you will never get to put this to use." He kicked the man back off of his blade and quickly washed the blood from it before he dried it and sheathed it carefully. He trotted out of the alley way, wary of any more traps. There were none waiting and he made it home with no further events.
He put the ticket into the inside pocket of his coat and then flipped his hood up as he walked out into the rain and the night. The streets shimmered with a reflected rainbow of neon that danced on the water. Despite the seedy underbelly that clung to the city like some kind of parasite. Rik started down the street and took to the alleyways as he headed for the small apartment he had been able to procure. Out of idle curiosity as he walked, he pulled up a search on his HUD as he walked regarding what people wore in the Southern Isles. According to his findings, it looked like people wore colorful button up printed shirts with mostly birds and trees on them for some reason. Most of the pictures were for "tourists" it seemed, and identified them as visitors to the islands. With his metal.. enhancements it might be difficult to find something to fit his new shape without looking foolish. Maybe he could find a creative tailor somewhere to help him fit in.
He was only about halfway home when he heard running footsteps pounding on the pavement and splashing through the standing water. He whipped around and saw a large group of rough looking men and women coming down the alleyway at speed, malice evident in their demeanor. Rik cast his cloak back and drew his sword, striking out as the ones in the front neared him. He danced back as he struck over, and over, and over. His attackers fell in staggered exclamations of blood, leaving a macabre breadcrumb trail. He managed to turn the corner at the end of the alley into a narrower passage, where he decided to make his stand. Fists, swords, even a guandao slashing out from the middle of the pack that caught him on his shoulder plate.
It seemed like an eternity, lean left and slash the heat of battle pressed in all around him, slightly cooled by the rain pulsing down from the sky. Blood, both his and his enemies fell to the alleyway pavement and flowed away with the rainwater. Finally he struck down the bastard with the guandao and stood panting in the rain. He glanced up and saw another silhouette still standing before him... it looked familiar.
Scanning initiated...
Life form is Saiyan...
Life form previously encountered with pig demon.
Rik nodded to himself, It's that swordsman... back for revenge? The saiyan stepped forward and drew his own sword, the sound of the steel ringing forth into the night. The saiyan pointed towards him, "My employer saw that you won that ticket... he recognized you from our previous meeting. I am Perrsip; it only seems right for you to know who is going to take you down and take that ticket from your hands." Perrsip flourished his katana, sending a fan of water out in an elegant motion as he came up to a guard stance.
Rik settled into a sword form called Heron Wades in the Rushes, blade over his head and curving over it with the tip pointed towards his opponent, "I am called Riku Masumura. You are a well trained swordsman but i am better. I know you are hoping that this rabble tired me and wounded me enough to allow your victory. Let's see if you are right." A tight grin stretched his lips and he waited motionless for his opponent to make his first move.
He did not have too long to wait; the saiyan let out a war cry and swept in with an underhanded blow, his sword rising up towards Rik's midsection. Rik deftly stepped around the path of the sword and jabbed down with his sword, drawing a pained grunt from Perrsip. He changed his form as the other man countered; Cat dances on hot sand to block the flurry of enraged blows the saiyan sent hurtling at him from every direction. He was doing the best he could, but he was tired and wounded and one of the blows finally snuck by and slammed into his side. He gasped and went down to one knee, one hand clutching his side. Perrsip laughed and stood gloating over him.
"Guess you don't have any more big talk now, huh, bitch? Any last words?" The man raised his blade and poised himself to take Rik's head off.
Rik struck up and slipped his sword blade up under the man's rib cage as quick as a lightning strike and punched through his lungs. He leaned over to Perrsip as the man gasped for air and his sword clattered on the concrete, "My words to you would be... don't gloat while your opponent still has a sword in their hands. It is a shame you will never get to put this to use." He kicked the man back off of his blade and quickly washed the blood from it before he dried it and sheathed it carefully. He trotted out of the alley way, wary of any more traps. There were none waiting and he made it home with no further events.
* * *
In the alleyway, a figure knelt by a man with a sucking chest wound and lay their hand upon his chest. The wound began to close itself slowly and the figure whispered, "You will get back up and kill that bastard next time. Perrsip opened his eyes and saw the face of his pig demon master glaring down at him, "I will not tolerate further failures. Next time you bring me his head. My family saw the footage of me running from him the first time... I need to redeem myself." He gave the saiyin a sharp poke, "Now get up and go clean up. We'll kill him when he gets back to town."
* * *
Rik sipped on his sake and watched the movie it was called. It was called Christmas Vacation and followed the oddest family. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. Despite having to look some information up on what things were, he was still amused by some of the things this fellow went through. He looked out of the window of the aircraft as it cruised over the deep blue sea. Clouds were passing by near to eye level... it was wondrous indeed. It almost made it worth it to have lost everything he had loved to see an age of such wonders. Almost.
He disembarked and walked towards the airports exit eagerly. He stepped out into the late afternoon sun and turned his face to the sun, closing his eyes. The sea breeze carried a fresh scent to him as the warmth of the sun kissed his face and seemed to bless him. He took one more breath and opened his eyes. He hailed a cab and climbed in, telling him which resort he was supposed to report in at for his vacation. He watched the scenery go by, content to be out of Oolong city for a bit.
[1400 words]
He disembarked and walked towards the airports exit eagerly. He stepped out into the late afternoon sun and turned his face to the sun, closing his eyes. The sea breeze carried a fresh scent to him as the warmth of the sun kissed his face and seemed to bless him. He took one more breath and opened his eyes. He hailed a cab and climbed in, telling him which resort he was supposed to report in at for his vacation. He watched the scenery go by, content to be out of Oolong city for a bit.
[1400 words]