The False Shaman

[Jess]

It was a quiet spring day in Feudal Japan, the sun was set high above the land during noontime, sometimes obscurred by the passing cloud on this otherwise fine day. A comforting breeze made the air turbulent, causing ripples to travel along the grass, and causing the leaves in the trees to rustle and fall.

Kashi, the travelling monk, made his way along a heavily trodden dirt path, a tiny little wisp floating around his shoulders. His travelling pack was heavy with a gold statue he had stolen from a noble, and he used his staff as a walking stick for extra balance. The spirit whizzed around his shoulders and head, talking quickly, of course Kashi couldn't hear his sisters ramblings and just focused on the path ahead. He was hoping it wouldn't be long before he reached the next village- and the next corrupt noble he could con out of money.

[bladeofhate]

Jumping from tree to tree in the direction of his hometown, he paused, and noticed a figure with a stick and a decent sized lump in his sack- a severed head? Gold? Either could be of value.
Rat dropped to the ground and approached the man.

[zyphan]

Zyphan was in a hurry, and she was rushing on her palomino, Rifik, in the direction of her house. She could fly, but it was such a thrill to be with her best friend. She didn't particularly like galloping, as Rifik was always one to wear out too quickly, but this time she truly needed to hurry. Her brother Emeryl had apparently taken a bad fall out of a tree, and his parents couldn't find him.

As the palomino streaked around a corner, she was forced to stop immediatly, because there was a traveler in her way. Not expecting the sudden halt of her steed, Zyphan was sent flying head-over-heels, and she was unable to snap out her wings, being as she was too low to the ground. She ended up in a dazed pile on the side of the road, rubbing her head as she tried to get her bearings.

Up on the road, Rifik had regained her bearings and trotted over to where the pheonix sat in the grass, her short hair sticking up in all directions.

[Eris]

"Ayui, remember that you're supposed to be going to the medical store to buy some herbs for our sick father," Reika told her, "Don't go talking to strangers and DON'T EVER EVER TRUST A TRAVELLING MONK!"

Ayui blinked a little at this and nodded slowly, "Y-yes, big sister..."

There was a problem with eighteen years old Ayui Tomosaka. She was gullible and her sister, Reika, knew of this little problem of hers. But because she was the only able to remember the long road back home, Reika had to let her go this time, with hopes that she would not bring back another fraud back home like last time. If given a choice, Reika would go in Ayui's stead, but she was never good navigator and she always finds herself lost in a certain town, far off route from the road she was suppose to travel on.

"But the shop is so far..." sighed Ayui, pulling her kimono tighter around her as the wind blew a little harder, "I hope Father's all right by now,"

She traveled on a little further and noticed a particular figure walking ahead of her. Judging from the clothes this man wore, she could tell that he was a travelling monk. Travelling monk...now that rings a bell, she thought.

Pausing to her steps, she calculated these steps she formed in her head:
Condition number 1.
Sick Father + Medicinal herbs from shops = Cured, but with lots of money lost.

Condition number 2.
Sick Father + Travelling Monk = Cured, with less money lost and a blessing from the gods.

She liked the second idea and quickly ran towards the monk ahead of her; "Sir! Excuse me, sir! Please stop and help my father!" she called out to him.

[Jess]

((Sorry bout that absense and lack of postage here.))

Kashi looekd up quickly at the sound of being caleld and his wisp of a sister disappeared. He quickly tightened up the bundle so that no bits of gold were showing and smiled. "Hmmm? How may I be of assistance young miss?" He asked politely, bowing his head at her approach.

[zyphan]

Zyphan was dazed, but okay. She watched the girl and what appeared to be a monk converse on the road, but a flicker of motion caught her eye. As soon Zyphan looked, the movement was gone, but when she reached out with her senses, she could feel a something- or someone heading their way. She noticed the tight hold the monk had on his bag, but thought nothing of it...

Zyphan sat there, just watching the people on the road. As she had felt earlier, the presence was creeping closer. It made her uneasy, and so Zyphan pulled out a short sword and placed it across her lap, Rifik munching grass contentedly besides her.

[Eris]

She panted the moment she reached him, taking in deep breaths to replace the ones she used when she ran. But Ayui recovered quickly, and proceeded to bow at the monk, as was her custom whenever she meets a respected person.

"Please, good sir, my father is sick and he is in need of medical attention!" she got up and looked at him, her eyes big and innocent; "Please, sir, you're the only one who can do it..."

She looked at him and noticed the heavy bag he was carrying, "Oh! Let me carry that for you, sir!" without any warning, she took the bag from him and heaved it across her shoulders, "It's a long way back to my home, sir, and I'm sure you need the most comfort you can have by me carrying this..." feels the weight on her shoulder, "...heavy load...ehehehe.." she grinned.

[Jess]

"Um...mind running that all back at me again?" Kashi says, looking a bit bewildered and then a little angry at his bag being taken. "Hey! Give that back!" He says, reaching out to grab it.

[zyphan]

Zyphan, seeing that there might be trouble between the two on the road, walks up to them, short sword still in hand, and asks curiously, "Why all the commotion? If she offers to carry a heavy bag for you, kind sir, then let her. It's very rare to find one as willing as she." With that, she bows low to both, Rifik mimicking her movement with a dipped head and bent foreleg.

[Eris]

She looked at Zyphan and then turned back to the travelling monk, bowing a few times while she hands him back the heavy bag. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just my...uh...reaction," she grinned a little; "But I really need your help, Mr.Monk..."

For a moment there, she heard Reika's voice echoing in her head, reminding her of something. But it was so brief, she could hardly catch any words that sounded there. Ayui smiled a little, "I could pay you anything! Really!"

[zyphan]

Zyphan shrugged her shoulders at the girl's odd reaction.

"Do what you will, but I think we should get going. The light is waning."

She turned away, seeming to ignore them, but truly paying attention as she fixed Rifik's saddle and then mounted.

[Eris]

She looked to Zyphan once more, "But...my father...he needs-" she suddenly found herself pausing to look at the surroundings around her. Then she turned to the sky and saw that it was getting darker.

"Oh dear...and I did promised Reika-nesan I'd be back before nightfall..." she muttered miserably to herself and pulled her kimono tighter around her, "Is it...is it that dangerous to travel by night? I mean...as long as you know the way, it shouldn't be that bad..." her eyebrows furrowed, somewhat doubting the words she herself had said.

[Jess]

Taking his things back the monk shoudlered his pack. Hearing pay he snapped to the converstion. "Take me to your father...I'll accept payment once I take care of his ailment..." His wispy-ghosty sister, hearing the plan without him explaning it, took off immediately to the house in question.

His sister was smart, being able to tell just by how a person looks, where the afflicted lay. She was sorta Kashi's forward scout as well, to make sure a real demon didn't afflict the person. A simple and easy con-job.

[zyphan]

Zyphan looked down at the young girl. "No, if you're careful, it is safe to travel at night." She paused, thinking about something. "By the way, what are your names? You can call me Zyphan."

When the monk agreed to come to the girl's house, Zyphan urged them to to begin traveling in that direction. She didn't particularly enjoy traveling with only the moon and stars to light the way.

((This will be my last post until monday. sorry.))

[Eris]

She turned to both Zyphan and the monk, bowing with a smile on her face, just as her sister had taught her to; "My name is Ayui Tomosaka," she got up, "Ayui, for short. Pleased to meet you, Zyphan-donno,"

Her eyes shifted to the monk's, hearing his reply; "That's wonderful, sir! But...I...I'm not so sure if you can actually cure him..." she frowned a little, "This disease of his is...a bit strange. M-might I list down a few...symptoms?"

The sky was getting darker every minute, and that was one thing Ayui was afraid of; the darkness. Despite the stars and moon that lit up the night sky, there were still legends of oni's and youkai's that terrorize the night. After all, she did grow up listening to those scary tales from her mother.

And it was said that the disappearance her mother was because of a certain youkai that took her away in the dead of the night.

She shuddered a little, remembering those stories.