[RP] The Inn of Peace - IoP (Open to all)

[Valentine Valtieri]

Ultima and Erik both talked at the same time. "A moment ago, an inn." They weren't sure if she meant where just now, but it seemed like a good enough guess. They looked at each other. Ultima feeling a bit strange for staring. He felt like he knew the person. Ultima looked him over, but couldn't see his face. He shrugged it off and began to focus.  

[Miss McNinja]

"Well, that's a little difficult without first knowing where we are now. I'll try and explain as best I can. Back home, we live near places known as Barton and Durem in the land of Gaia. I'm unsure as to whether you would be aware of this or not.. But just recently our homeland was hit by a war, fought by opposing forces known as the Sentinels Infernal Nation and the Benevolent Order of the Overseer. They're shortened to simply S.I.N. and B.O.O. Ah, how to explain.. We came from an Inn on neutral soil. It served as our safe haven during the fighting. A place of peace to get away from the horrors of war, if you will. It's over now, but the fight pretty much still continues in some places. The Inn has pretty much become like a home for many of us. That's the case for me, anyway." She looked to Ultima and Erik, chuckling. "They make it far less complicated than I do, don't they?" With a shrug, the woman continued on. "Um, I'm finding it rather hard for us to waste time chatting though. I understand it's necessary so that we're all on the same page and gain each other's trust... But I am filled with so much anxiety over Kageko. I wouldn't want anything worse to happen to her during this time."  

[HeadlessKoko]

(OOC: I'm back!)

The door to the corridor opened and the reason to the abrupt change in conversation was revealed. Kageko stepped inside with a tray of tea and fruits. "It's chai tea and sliced apples," she said brightly as she stepped in, "There's also some honey if you want some." Shiki thanked Kageko and the girl stepped out, ready to join Moriko. Yin had been pushed behind a Shiki's arm so that Kageko couldn't get a good look at her. "Well, dig in!" Shiki said exuberantly as she calmly got a cup of tea, stirred some honey in, and chomped down on an apple slice. She turned her attention at everyone else, "I'm guessing you all came from the same inn then? And yes, I do believe we have visited that place a number of times. However, I try to keep all of my visits consistent in a loose timeline so I haven't heard about a war yet. And as I said before, Kageko will be perfectly fine."  

[HeadlessKoko]

"However," Shiki continued, "If you wish to help Kageko, wouldn't you, first, need to be in the same time as when she is in danger?"  

[Miss McNinja]

Kyon could only hope that what Shiki had told them was the truth, trying her best to relax a little. "I suppose you have a point in saying that. We appear to be in the completely wrong time. Although I have to say, I have not once seen the man near Ultima there. So, I know nothing of him." With a shrug she took a slice of apple, a little hesitant to eat it. She soon gave it a few bites in an attempt to calm her nerves. "Miss Shiki, would you have any kind of idea why we appear to be on a different time frame than the one we came from? Oh, and perhaps you could explain this nightmare a little more. Whilst I consider Kageko a friend, she's been very secretive about herself to those she's met."  

[HeadlessKoko]

Shiki thought for a while then started, "As for the nightmare, I can't be sure of it until I see what it is first-hand. As I said before, I am not omniscient, and even if I was I won't tell you," she saw that the others were about to argue but waved them off, she was serious now, "Those are her secrets and I have no permission to tell them. If you wish to know, you'll have to hear it from Kageko herself. As for the time-shifting thing, it's not really surprising that you came all the way back here, that is, if Yin here didn't have any control over her abilities. However, it seems that she does, so my guess is that the huge amounts of energy that Kageko has been releasing according to Yin, must have confused her sense of time and space and brought her here. That would make sense, both are properties of energy and Kageko has an extremely rare talent when it comes to controlling energy. Of coure, that also means she is very adept at messing it up too. Now, I'm guessing you would like to get back to the right time?"  

[Valentine Valtieri]

Ultima paid more attention. "I've no idea what's happening anyhow." Erik took an apple slice for himself. He put it on his knuckle. His blade came out and cut it into a second slice. He removed his hood and devoured it all at once. He had a smile of innocence on his face. Ultima couldn't help but cringe, the man seemed like him in several ways. Ultima nodded. "Good idea." He said.  

[Miss McNinja]

"Well. Yes. That appears to be the case. We can't exactly help her if we're nowhere near her, can we? Besides, some of us have friends and family to return to.. I can imagine they wouldn't be pleased if we disappeared from our time frame for all eternity." Kyon paused, noting the more serious tone that Shiki had taken. "I didn't mean to pry in any harmful or negative way.. I just care for her, that's all. I didn't realize it would be any kind of invasion of her privacy, and so I respect that you won't tell us."  

[HeadlessKoko]

Shiki nodded her head, "I will take you there, but I cannot without a price. Would you be willing to accept the price?" She bore her eyes into them. The others could see, now, that her eyes were like her hair. Though they were white, they reflected black whenever it caught the light. She seemed to staring at each and every one of them individually but all at the same time. This was serious for her, and she needed to know that they were ready to take on the price.  

[Valentine Valtieri]

"Price?" Erik felt a farmilar sense but ignored it. "I can't accept without knowing the price." He nearly spat out the word, but his tone remained neutral. Ultima nodded, he really didn't care what it was, money was no object. Erik thought it might be more than money she wanted.  

[The White Lily]

Zefi listened the entire time watching everything at once. it was a habit of hers when she wasn't at ease. She felt Kyon's hand on her though she did not remove it. Zefi looked at the man's face quickly when he removed his hood for the short time. It was almost exactly like Shade's and Zefi kept that to remember later. It was an all to true possibility that he was his father or a relative of him. She watched how Kyon tried to figure out what was happening and Zefi knew she was definitely making it more difficult... She watched Miss.Shiki as she explained everything and Zefi withdrew even further. Zefi didn't know how to help at all. It seriously sucked that she knew exactly what was happening but couldn't help a bit. She watched Kageko bring in apples and tea and started to breathe shallow breaths. She knew she was allergic to some tea leaves but she kept it too herself. Hopefully not breathing too much would stop it. She pushed it down further in her mind and wondered why she felt so sick to her stomach. She looked at the Miss.Shiki when she asked them all a question. "Yes I would pay whatever price is needed to help her. She helped me through... something so I will do anything to help her back Miss.Shiki... Anything" She tried to keep her tone even but it didn't quite work out. Zefi continued to work on stopping her allergic reaction.  

[HeadlessKoko]

Shiki shifted her gaze towards Erik, "I see that you remember me from your past. Don't worry, actually, I only need the price from the other four. In fact, I would say that it is better if you don't pay the price," she shifted her gaze to the others again, "If you do not wish to pay it, then I must ask you to leave Erik. You can stand right outside, the rooms are soundproof. Don't worry, you'll still be able to leave."  

[Miss McNinja]

"Like I said earlier, I'll give anything that I can that's within my own power. My friends are all that I have. To lose any one of them would be hard to bear." Kyon nodded to Shiki, seeming more concerned for the others than herself.  

[Valentine Valtieri]

Erik smiled, but he was sure nobdy noticed. "No, I will stay." He threw several glances around the room. "I won't be left out so easily." He started to remove the hood, but decided agasint it, being so close to Ultima. "I still remember your name..." He said to himself.  

[HeadlessKoko]

Shiki smiled, here was a group of friends that she knew the secret will be in good hands. She took a deep breath, noticing that Zefi was shying away from the tea. To help the girl, she pulled the tea set away from her. She took a couple deep breaths from her own tea to get started and asked, "Are you sure?" One glance at everyone remaining in the room told her "yes." She began, "This price, after recieving it, you may share it with anybody, but you will never be able to remove it. Furthermore, if you share it with the wrong person, then you will put someone you care for in great pain. This price, must be used carefully, one wrong move could be disastrous." She paused, scanning their faces to see how they would react. Although she was intently going through their conscious, she still wanted to see their reaction.
While doing so, she looked intently at Erik, she had tried to be nice at first but this was no time to lag, she had something to do. "Which is why I would prefer that you step out," she said pointedly to the hooded figure, "Before I let something slip."