|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:00 pm
 |
|
|
 |
Well, technically, it's a regular fic, but it can easily fit into the World.
Chapter 1: Commence the Hunt!
Suzume fled deeper into the forest, in a desperate attempt to evade her mysterious pursuers. She could sense their malicious auras even at this distance. But why was she their target?
They were gaining on her. This difficult terrain of knotty tree roots and hidden crevices in the ground slowed her movement considerably. She knew the hunters following her were skilled in tracking, and could move freely even in this dark forest. Further hindering her escape was her outfit, a shoddy kimono with a long, thin sword tucked through her obi; and hard, wooden sandals on her weary feet. The pain of hard wood and the tightness of the cloth around her legs made running difficult even in normal circumstances; in this dense and unpredictable terrain, it was impossible to move quickly.
Mercifully, she tripped.
Suzume sighed as she checked her feet for injuries. No broken bones.
Three shadows fell upon her. Their leader addressed her with more than a hint of smugness.
"This could have been avoided, you know. You didn't have to run. Will you now listen to our... request?"
Suzume glared at him. "What do you want from me?"
"Your sword. Thunderbrand."
Her hand instinctively moved to the weapon at her hip. Even sheathed, she could still feel its power, but she dare not draw it against them. She knew any act of hostility against this band of thieves would be her last. Although their spokesman was acting civil at the moment, she sensed his ruthlessness, as well as even more disturbing intentions from his companions.
She chose her words carefully but honestly. "This sword is an heirloom. It is all I have left to remember my former guardian, my Lord..."
The man smirked. "In spite of such nostalgia, such a weapon is not for the likes of you."
"And that makes it yours to claim? I think not."
"I see. You wish to die honorably, protecting your treasured memento." He motioned to his two companions to step forward. To his left stood a tall suit of armor that radiated dark energy and wielded a giant sword; to his right was a bizarre creature, a grinning man who looked half on fire, half like a maniac escaped from an asylum, and half-dead.
"Midnight, Jakkal. Go easy on her. On second though, don't go easy on her. But don't destroy that sword."
The suit of armor didn't respond, but Jakkal replied, "Of course, master Hunter. We'll try not to get too much blood on it."
Suzume listened to them in horror, then watched the pair approach while their leader stayed behind. Even as she pondered the arrogance of a man who wouldn't get his own hands dirty, she felt herself falling into a blissful oblivion.
The last thing she felt before she fainted was a sudden cold breeze, unusual for this time of the year.
She never saw them arrive.
***
They, too, had sensed the darkness.
They had been attacked by this group in the past. Thieves, murderers, treasure hunters, fortune seekers, mercenaries. They called them the Black List. These three were only the front lines of the group, an omen of the storm that was to come. They knew there would be others. That problem could wait.
They knew that they could at least handle the current situation.
Three on three.
The cold breeze marked the coming of the ice knight, Tay. With speed like the onset of the Northeastern wind, he caught up the unconscious girl. As Midnight and Jakkal advanced, he was flanked by his friends. Metal rang on metal as Midnight's huge blade was met by a shining sword. The one wielding it was Aaron, a younger knight on a holy quest. His silver armor and feathered cape contrasted with the plain features of his boyish face. Aaron spared a quick glance over to his partner, Komitsu, sometimes called Comet, who deflected Jakkal's flame blasts with her chaos blades, sabers of light and darkness.
"That's enough." Hunter recalled his two henchmen. "Even odds aren't in our favor. We should retreat for now."
"Cowards!" Aaron pointed his sword at them, but even as he did, the three of them vanished.
"Aaron." That one word stopped him cold. He turned to look at Tay, who was carrying the girl to the nearest tree, where he deposited her softly on the ground beneath. "She seems unharmed, thankfully. She must have fainted."
"Can't say I blame her." Komitsu chuckled. "Only a few years ago, I probably would have done the same thing. But why were they after her?"
Tay pulled the sheathed sword out of the girl's obi, and inspected it.
"I suspected as much. She has something they want. An unusual item." He frowned. "Like us, she possesses a 'Blade.'"
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:02 pm
|
|
|
|
Chapter 2: Lost Sparrow
Blades. Unique magical weapons of assorted shapes, sizes, and powers, created during a time long forgotten. No one knew the exact amount of them created, but it seemed that new ones were being discovered all the time. These discoveries were sometimes by accident, and sometimes by relentless searching, such as by groups like the Black Listers, although their desires for these weapons wasn't for monetary gain or historical value. No, their purpose for acquiring such items seemed more like they were amassing an arsenal, preparing for war. Perhaps they were. Only time would tell.
In contrast, there were small bands of individuals with Blades, who opposed the "forced confiscation" of the artifacts by such devious groups. History has recorded on occasion epic battles between heroic Blade wielders and their enemies. Jema. Cecil. Zieg. These are just a few of the names told in legends.
More names will be added to that list; more legends will be created.
***
"Why does he get to guard her while we are out on patrol?"
"Because unlike us, Aaron, he doesn't have a partner yet."
Aaron laughed. "Comet, you have some weird ideas. Tay isn't the kind to want a partner. He prefers to work alone."
"Do you know that for sure? I think that all people get lonely at times. Perhaps he's just better at hiding it."
"He's already rejected teammates twice. That's how I was paired up with you. And how Jareth and Mio..." He blanched at the thought.
Komitsu giggled. "I know! That pair seemed like putting a lit match to fresh kindling at first. But can you imagine any other team pairings now? I'm staring to think that Tay knew all along who would work best together, and that is why he rejected being part of those teams."
"Perhaps you are right about that, but that doesn't mean he's trying to recruit the Blade we saved. Besides, if she is so weak that she'll faint in battle, she shouldn't be a fighter at all, even if she has a Blade."
Komitsu sighed. I suppose that's true. He wouldn't want to be held back protecting his partner in a fight." She thought in silence for a minute. "Maybe... he has another reason for guarding her?"
"If I had to guess, it's probably because he likes to protect the weak, or because out of the three of us, he has the strongest healing powers, and she might be hurt."
"I see..."
Their conversation continued along this line for some time, with no resolution.
***
Tay sat with his back against a tree, holding Suzume's head across his lap. She seemed so small and frail like this. He had never had a younger sibling, so he took this time to imagine what it would be like to have one. Someone to protect. It was his nature to protect those weaker than him, but he had never had a personal connection to those he saved.
This girl would be different, because she had a Blade. Even if she was weak, even if she bemoaned her life, it was her destiny to have it. He was a strong believer in destiny.
He brushed long strands of her dark hair away from her eyes. Her hair had become disarrayed in her flight, and now it partially framed her face, with the excess spilling across his lap in a dark halo.
He had returned her blade to its place in her obi before he began his vigil. It was hers by fate; he could not keep it. But perhaps he should have waited until she had awakened before he had returned it.
Suzume awoke slowly, with a stranger's face looking down at her. Unaware of her position, she immediately thought: enemy! Her hand went quickly to her sword, and drew it.
"Stay back!" The sharp blade cut a wide arc even as she pushed away from him.
Tay couldn't draw his sword with his usual hand, which was still caught under her as she moved, so he gripped the hilt of his sword backwards with his off hand, unsheathing it with a reversed motion. The only thing that allowed him to block her blade was that his sword was fairly short, so that it moved faster than hers.
They both were surprised seeing the swords clash. Tay's sword was some sort of permanent ice crystal sculpted into a weapon. In contrast, Suzume's sword was like a sharpened bokken, but what surprised Tay was that her sword was emitting small bursts of electricity. How could lightning and wood work in harmony?
Suzume moved further back as Tay stood up. "Who are you?"
she asked suspiciously.
"A friend. My name is Tay, and as you can see, I have a unique weapon, just as you do. My friends and I protected you from those goons."
"Ha, a likely story. You probably just want my sword for yourself."
"No. A Blade chooses its master. That one is yours, and only yours."
"Then why are people trying to take it?"
"Why do people steal anything? Evil just exists. But where there is evil, there is good. There are some good people left. Not all hope is lost."
She stared at him. Was this guy insane? "You sure do talk big. Do you actually believe what you are saying?"
Tay laughed. "I've been told I preach at times. But I don't lie." He sheathed his sword to her surprise. "Let's go. Now that you are awake, I want you to meet my friends. They also have 'Blades of Destiny,' as I like to call these weapons." He thought of something. "But what do I call you?"
She sighed as she put away her own sword. "My name is Suzume Rin, or just Suzume."
Cold sparrow? Tay thought. What an elegant and yet appropriate name. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Suzume."
And I'm wishing I was far away from here, she thought. But where would I go? Oh, if only my Lord was still alive!
But she couldn't just turn down the courtesy of her rescuers. "Enough with the formalities. Let's just go meet your friends."
He smiled broadly. "Okay."
***
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:52 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:24 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:08 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 2:17 pm
|
|
|
|
Chapter 3: Odd Couple
"She can't possibly be a Blade! She's just a child!"
Suzume stared down at the little girl, whose long, red hair was in a single braid that curled around her head to fall across her right shoulder. She wore no armor, merely a simple shirt and a moderate length dress, and her feet were appareled with something that looked more like booties than shoes.
"Her name is Mio," Tay told her. "And haven't you ever heard that looks can be deceiving? Don't underestimate her because of her size. She's physically stronger than most of the people I know."
Mio rolled her eyes at them. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here." She sighed. "I suppose this peasant girl wants a demonstration."
"You don't have to be mean, Mio," Tay scolded. "Show her your Blade, and she'll understand."
"Fine." Mio put her hands out in front of her as if gripping a hilt. Suzume watched in shock as a gigantic sword appeared in Mio's hands.
She stuttered, trying to find the right words to express her amazement. "Wha? How? Impossible!"
A new voice interrupted her pointless words of astonishment. "That's called 'Weapon Summon.'" Suzume looked at the man approaching, accompanied by Aaron and Comet. He had short, golden hair, green eyes, and a caped armor. He looked both regal and charismatic.
"Jareth!" Mio's face lit up, as she swung the huge weapon around. "Welcome back!" The bratty kid was replaced by an adoring girl.
"Calm down, Mio. Go practice somewhere a little farther away from the group."
"Yes, sir!" Mio went skipping off, hacking a few tree branches that dared get in her way.
Jareth turned to Suzume. "As I was saying, some Blades are unwieldy to carry everywhere their owners go. Mio calls her Blade "cute," but I call it dangerous."
"I'll say. How can she even lift it? It's taller than she is!"
He chuckled. "I have no clue. I know none of us except her can even pick it up, so I guess it's just another mystery of these Blades."
Suzume looked down at her own Blade. "How do I know it belongs to me, that I should have it? It was given as a dying wish, not as some birthright."
Tay informed Jareth of the circumstances of Suzume's current situation, as much as she had revealed to him. Apparently Jareth understood it well, as he nodded sagely. "Passing on a Blade takes many forms, not merely within a family. What matters is the respect, honor, friendship, with which the weapon is entrusted to another person, and especially that it is given freely. My own Blade was given from father to son first, but then I acquired it from that son as a reward for saving his life. He was unable to continue using it as a result of injuries, and he thought that perhaps it might be of some use to me."
He drew his sword, and immediately it lit up with a pale flame. "Flamebreak. If I weren't worthy of its majesty, it would merely be a dull sword like many others. Even a Blade is just another stick of metal in the hands of the unfit."
"Then why do people try to steal them?"
"Oh, the Hunters themselves would have no use of them. Obviously, their leader thinks he can wield these weapons and harnass their powers. Perhaps they have some way of doing so." He sheathed his sword, and looked over at Tay, who had been conversing with Aaron. "Where to next, boss?"
Tay grinned. "I'm no boss. The whole reason of these team pairings was to avoid such issues. But if you want my opinion, I'd suggest regrouping at the Haven."
"An excellent idea. I haven't had a good meal in days." Jareth went off to get Mio.
"What's the Haven?" Suzume asked.
Aaron chose to be the one to explain. "It's a nickname we have for our favorite out-of-the-way inn we like. They have good food and rooms, and they are sympathetic to our cause. But the main reason we call it Haven is because it rhymes."
"Rhymes?"
"You'll see."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 2:19 pm
|
|
|
|
Chapter 4: Black and White
At the edge of the forest was a two-story house, with the usual hanging sign denoting a lodging establishment. The sign read, "Ravens Inn." Above the label was a painting of two ravens looking in the same direction, standing side-by-side. One was black; one was white.
When they entered the inn, Suzume noticed a continuation of the color theme. The main room was almost dreary with its lack of colors. But once her eyes adjusted to the pureness of black and white, she was amazed. The floor was checkerboard patterned, and the black ceilings and walls on closer inspection revealed a multitude of small white constellations. The room was lit by a central light designed to look like a muted sun.
The main desk was unattended at the moment, so Tay went on ahead to look for the manager. A few minutes later he returned with an odd looking man. His face was partially covered by dark black bangs, and he wore a large cloak that covered his entire body, so that he seemed to float down the stairs.
Tay introduced him to Suzume. "This is Tajik. He runs this gui... establishment, and is an old friend of mine. Tajik, this is Suzume, a new Blade we've just met."
The old man smiled, but didn't offer his hand. "A genuine pleasure to meet you. You can call me Tajik, or if you prefer to consider me just another piece of the Ravens Inn, Poe. After all, I named my inn after ravens because my own name fairly translates in my native language to 'poet,' so how appropriate for there to be one with such a similar name to the word! Poet, poem poetry; they all contain his name... Not that his poetry was that great..."
He droned on in some sort of lecture, until he realized that no one was listening. The group was sitting at a table, talking quietly. He walked over to them.
"Where are my manners? You must be famished. I shall call my servants to assist you with your lodgings." He clapped his hands three times, and within a few moments, two beautiful young ladies came out of a back room. Each had long, flowing hair, and nearly identical facial features, but even they fit the inn's theme. The first had blond hair that was almost white; the second had dark black hair. Both wore a long dress of a color that matched their hair.
Tajik motioned to the first. "Karino is in charge of cooking, and can also tend wounds. Kurona," he waved his hand to the other, "takes care of... er, room services."
Tay laughed. "A polite way of saying she's a maid."
"Interpret it however you want." That reply got a mixture of laughs and groans from the table. Tajik continued. "Finally, as usual, my job is owner and, at times, storyteller. If I don't know the story, it hasn't been written yet. Of course, I might know some of the unwritten ones too."
Suzume spoke up. "Do you have any heroic stories?"
"Lots. Even some that aren't about your companions." A few chuckles. "Perhaps later I'll tell you about the Five Blades."
"You mean the six Blades?" Tay asked.
"Don't be technical. They were called five, even though there were really six." He looked the group over. "Six of them, six of you. Interesting."
Suzume protested. "I'm not one of them yet!"
"Your Blade says otherwise."
"Oh, yeah? And where's yours, if you know so much?"
"Alas, they are needed elsewhere."
"They?"
Comet finally spoke up. "Another irregularity of Blades. Some are actually more than one piece, or a person might have more than one. Remember, I have two."
"I have two others. Tajik has seven," Tay added.
Tajik smirked. "That you know of."
Tay groaned. "Don't tell me you have more."
"Honestly, I don't know. My point was, I don't use them often. Instead, they have been set up as defense around the city I protect."
"What city?" Suzume was confused.
"You'll see it soon enough. I have another guest coming here who will need an escort to that city. While she has a Blade, she is not a fighter..."
"Well, neither am I!"
"... and she also has a young daughter. Both are in need of protection during their journey. I assured her that I could find her some willing bodyguards so that they are not harmed by those seeking her Blade."
"Of course we'll help her," Aaron said. He looked at Suzume. "And if you decide you aren't a fighter, you can stay in the city when we arrive. It's sorta like a sanctuary for dull Blades anyways."
"There's nothing wrong with pacifism, Aaron," Tajik said humbly.
"I say if you are given a gift, use it."
"And what if it's really a curse?"
"Use that too?"
Tajik sighed. Some people couldn't be taught.
***
After a nice meal, the group were sitting around playing cards and listening to some of Tajik's folk tales, when the front door opened. A woman wearing a buttoned dress walked in with a little girl at her side. Both had simple brown hair, though the child's was in pigtails.
Tajik went over to greet them. "Hello again, Risa. I see you made it here safely. And this must be your lovely little daughter."
Risa smiled faintly. "Yes, this is Rina. Rina, say hello to the nice man."
Rina walked up to him, smiled sweetly, and promptly kicked his shin. Tajik yelped, tried to hop on his other foot, tripped on his cloak ends, and tumbled off to one side. Rina started giggling.
Risa was shocked. "Rina! That was naughty!" She helped Tajik up. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine. I think."
"Rina, apologize to Tajik!"
But all Rina did was stick her tongue out, and hide behind her mom. Risa sighed. This was gonna be one of those nights. She decided just to get her room set, and put Rina to bed early. After all, a long trip would begin tomorrow.
When she came down after tucking her daughter in, the others were reminding Tajik of his promise to tell the legend of the "Five Blades."
"Six of them."
"But they were called five."
"You still have to include the sixth when you tell it."
"If you keep interrupting, I won't be able to tell the story."
"Sorry."
"Anyways, it all started with a man named Zieg..."
***
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 2:25 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:17 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 1:59 pm
|
|
|
|
Ok, this'll be a long post.
I've made so many characters for offline games and npcs and such, I'm not completely sure of the process, but I'll try to explain as best I can.
First, it starts with whatever rpg or story I'm trying to fit them in. Making a DBZ original character is different than making one for Doctor Who (I made a Sherlock Holmes Time Lord for that).
I guess second would be basic personality traits, and sometimes elements (I like ice the most), weapons, unique attacks, etc, if the game or story allows for them.
Sometimes I just make a blatant ripoff of another character I like (and change their name), or just tweak their theme to fit my own purpose. Other times, sure, a character may just pop up and say, Use Me!
Then I fill in things I want to be different for each character, like weapons, clothing styles, hair styles/colors, and other aspects of each character that can be described in writing. If I can actually draw it out, so much the better, but I'm not that great of an artist.
When I can see them, then I throw in quirks for each that can be explored in chapters. This also applies for rpg chars, in terms of having background stories. After that, it's a matter of giving them proper experience and history, so that they develop over time naturally, and in some cases, seemingly on their own.
(spoilers) Here's how the current six characters in my story were made:
Tay- Tay has been around since 2000, when I joined a Sailor Moon RPG on yahoo. Sometimes I use him for that still, but he is also usable as a generic ice knight, though his experiences in rpgs flavor his background.
Suzume Rin- key being Rin; my concept was a grown-up Rin from Inuyasha with a lightning type sword as such you might have seen Sesshomaru use in one of the movies. A further reference is when she refers to "My Lord." She apparently thinks he is dead. (I haven't seen Final Act though, so I don't know what happens to the two of them yet). Suzume (sparrow) comes from trying to find a Japanese word that might describe her.
-I have a tendency lately to bring out my japanese conversion dictionary whenever I want to make up a name for a character, as long as it's fitting or funny if you try to translate it.
Mio- Not absolutely sure, but I think she's sorta like Gaia-tan. A small girl with a huge sword. Haven't completely developed her past yet.
Jareth- built as the next in a line of fire knights; the original owner of Flamebreak, Zieg, is a direct reference to Legend of Dragoon, though you won't see any flaming wings here.
Aaron- holy knight, this is another homage character; as you'll see in the next chapter, his format is based on another of the original 5 Blades, Azuriel, who is obviously a Balmung clone.
Comet- this one is tricky. Her blades are lightsabers, one black, one white. Her appearance was fairly unique when I drew her. Her weapons are based on ones that I wrote about in a different rpg setting, but that is where any similarities to other characters end.
The plot I was writing was originally gonna feature the 5 blades of legend, not these characters. But since the legend is gonna show up in the next chapter, I'll tell you about them too.
Legendary characters and who they were based on:
Azuriel: Balmung
Zieg: Zieg (Legend of Dragoon)
Tylor: a stronger version of Tay
Blitz: Cloud, has a buster sword. Mio has a similar weapon.
Megumi and Gem*: the 5th and 6th are based on twins who are friends of mine online. Megumi has a lightning blade like Suzume; Gem has blades like Comet.
So basically the new team has weapons identical or similar to the original 6.
Another connection will show up between Blitz and Risa/Rina.
Risa: An incomplete anagram of Aeris. I never could accept her death, so I'm always trying to find ways around it. But note in this case, it appears Blitz has died first. Maybe because Risa is immortal? Risa also appears in another story I was trying to write, as part of a council of Gods and Goddesses who enlist the 5 blades to save the multiverse.
Rina: This isn't a ripoff so much as a complete use of another character. While I made her daughter to Risa (another florist), this is intentionally meant to be the npc Rina from Gaia. Although Gaia never establishes her parents, I thought it appropriate to relate her to Aeris/Risa.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 10:25 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 11:29 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 10:52 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:28 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 12:28 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
