Mr. Grumpy-pants

Kimal right at the beginning of the Religious War RP

Happily ever after~

Orion and Milton

Religious War Soundtrack

My themesongs for this rp:

General theme:

Faunts- M4 (Part II)

Kimal's theme:

30 Seconds to Mars - 100 Suns

A chance meeting

Kimal still remembered when they had first met. It had been a chance meeting, in the city where Solque now was High Priest. But back then he had been a Novice.. and Kimal had been the stranger that kept to the shadows. The boy had done his very best to try to convert him to the Light. Preaching about the love and safety that came with worshipping the Light One.

The halfdemon chuckled faintly at the memory. Solque had been such an ignorant little fool back then...

It was barely dawn when Kimal finally arrived at the city gates. He had been on the road for weeks, constantly moving further and further south until he reached civilization. It was not by choice that he treaded these lands, but by necessity. He needed to resupply. Normally he would do everything himself, get his own food and fix whatever might have broken, but there were some things he just could not make on his own. So he was forced to travel to the city. Not just a small village either, because they never had the supplied he needed, but a real big city. With winding streets and people everywhere. People who seemed to have a fondness for yelling “Begone Demon!” Hn... He just wanted to get his supplies and be on his way as soon as possible.

With a slight movement, Kimal reigned in his horse and looked up at the City walls. There was the barest hint of pink on the horizon indicating that the sun was soon to rise, but according to the inhabitants of the city it was still Night. Everything was dead quiet except for the occassional barking of a dog. Not even the roosters had woken yet. That suited Kimal just fine. The less people in his path the better. He just wanted to get in, rent a room at some small Inn, take a quick trip to the market to resupply and then be on his way again by nightfall. The sight of those looming, dark stone walls was enough to make his skin itch. No, he was definitely not welcome here.

Dismounting from his dark brown horse, he led it by the reins in through the large wooden gates. The hooves of his mount clattered on the cobblestones, but his own were unshood and made next to no sound at all. He was barely visible in his dark woolen cloak on the dimly lit street. He just hoped he’d be able to pass unnoticed.

He moved through the dark streets at a brisk pace. He wanted to get to the Inn as soon as possible, but he never went so far as to reach the speed where he would make unnecessary noise. The point was to move around unseen, and preferably unheard... Althoug that was a bit hard with steel horse shoes and hard cobblestones.

Looking up ahead of him, he winced when his eyes fell on the glowing white temple and was temporarily blinded by the few rays of early sunlight that were reflected on the polished marble walls. He muttered a string of curses and lifted his gloves hand to shield his eyes from the unforgiving light. There was someone standing there on the steps leading up to the Holy building but he couldn’t quite make out who it was. Hn... it did not matter. It was probably just one of those righteous fools that called themselves priests. The halfdemon muttered to himself and made a quick decision to try to get past that cursed place as quickly as possible. He did not need another run in with the Church this month.

“Excuse me...” Oh, just wonderful. “Why aren’t you still asleep? You are not one of the novices, I can clearly tell. God wouldn’t like to know that you are spending your time lost in the dark, you do know that?”

Kimal had heard the voice calling out to him alright, but he did not stop. Instead he continued at the same pace, acting as if he hadn’t noticed the other man at all. His hood was still up, hiding his horns, and his cloak was long enough to cover his cloven hooved. There would be no reason for the Priest to be suspicious of him. Then again... having met many priests in his lifetime, Kimal was sure the silly little being would suspect him of something anyway.

He really had no wish to discuss theology, but something the boy said made the halfdemon sneer. ‘God wouldn’t like...’ He snorted to himself. Like that silly boy knew what his God wanted. The Light One had not been seen in decades and even back then she did not bother to give any orders to her followers. ‘I don’t like it when you sneak around,’ would be more accurate. But Kimal really couldn’t be bothered to tell the silly priest that. He could continue to be ignorant if he wished, as long as he left the tiefling alone.

“You shouldn’t be afraid that He will judge you, it could be worse. Everyone is doing mistakes, but if you are willing to redeem your faults, He is sure to bring you back into the Light again.”

Apparently the priest wasn’t going to give up. Kimal sighed heavily and finally came to a halt. His hand tightened around the reins of his horse but other than that he showed absolutely no signs of emotion. Not even on his face which was hidden behind the heavy wool of his hood.

“Why are you shunning the Light? If you just stay for a while longer, one of the priests might be able to help you find your way back on the righteous path.”

The halfdemon grunted . “Tell me, priest,” He said in a low, rumbling voice, “do you make a habit of ambushing people in the streets and accusing them of sin?” He did not bother to look at the other and remained, instead, with his back turned to both the priest and his precious temple. A quick glance down assured him that his hoobes were still hidden from view. He really had no wish to be chased by another foolish set of priests trying to smite him. And he certainly did not fancy another trip into the temple dungeons for simply walking the streets in the early morning. “Your God had nothing to offer me, so I will just be on my way.”

“Excuse me, but it is my duty to steer strays back onto the Path of Light! I am not yet a priest, but this is sure to prove my worth to them and my trust in my God.”

Kimal turned his head slightly to look at the boy – for to a creature like him the priest was only that – and the increasing sunlight reflected in his dark eyes. It did not matter to him if the other was not yet a full fledges Priest. Novice or High Priest, they were all the same ignorant fools. The only difference was that one was richer than the other.

“So in other words... you wish to convert me so that you might be exalted? How wonderfully selfless of you.” He replied, his voice remaining calm although it held a slightly acidic tone.

Gently stroking the side of his horse’s neck, he began walking, but was once again stopped by the boy’s words. “Are you a Dark one? One that has left the Light to serve whatever evil power the darkest shadows may contain?”

Slowly, the halfdemon started to chuckle at the ludicris notion of kowtowing to that murdering maniac. Dark and smooth was his laughter but it lacked any real mirth. And then it ended abruptly and his words were icy and deadly serious. “I serve no one but myself. Remember that priest.”

“... it’s Novice. And... Serving yourself? Isn’t that the more selfish choice? In the Light, not only are you serving yourself, but others as well! You should not be so hasty to dismiss the true powers of God.”

By the Nine Hells, the boy just would not give up!

“Everything a person does is for his own benefit. I am no different from you in that. But at least I have the courage to admit it.” Kimal said firmly. “I have no wish to serve any others, just as they, I’m sure, have no wish to serve me. It works out just fine. Now, I am going to turn around and be on my way. And you will stay right where you are, or go back to your precious temple without bothering me any further. Then, later on in the day, I am sure you will find some poor beggar that you can convert to your faith and your superiors will be oh so pleased.” With that said, he turned slightly and took a firm hold of his horse’s saddle and hauled himself onto the steed’s back. He had already spent too much time here and the city was waking up so there was no way he’d be able to get by without getting noticed. Wonderful. “Good day, Novice.”

“May the Light light up your way and keep the Dark of Hearts at bay... and remember, stranger, God and His Light are always welcoming you with open arms, whenever you feel ready to cleanse yourself and start anew.” It seemed the boy was finally giving up.

Kimal’s eyes narrowed slightly at how easy he was getting away. Normally, the priests would hound him until he left the city and sometimes even beyond that. But this Novice was just going to let him leave? It was odd... and Kimal was not about to trust it. He would have to keep his eyes and ears open for the rest of his stay in this city. One bad move and he might be headed for the gallows again.

Getting comfortable in his saddle, he arranged his cloak so that it would not get in his way, letting his hooves show in the process. Resting in the stirrups, they looked a dull black in the faint light. Darker cracks were visible here and there, and it only went to show that the halfdemon ought to take better care of himself. Unfortunately, personal grooming was a luxury that Kial could not afford.

“Keep your blessings to yourself, boy. I think you might need them more than I do.” He cast one last glance at the boy and noticed the strange look on his face. So he had seen his hooves, had he? Hn. For some reason, Kimal found his confusion highly amusing but he said nothing and just urged his horse to start moving down the street.

~~~~

The rest of the day went a lot more smoothly for Kimal. He went to the market as soon as it opened and, keeping all of his attributes hidded behind his cloak, he got everything he needed. Then he returned to the Inn where he stayed until the sun set. There was really nothing keeping him in the city so as soon as the streets were dark and empty, he went down into the stables and saddled his horse. The encounter he had had with the Noice Priest that morning still lingered in his mind. He was not nervous, just somewhat annoyed. Whenever he had an encounter with the clergy it always left him with the same foul taste in his mouth.

Taking the horse by the reins, he lef him out of the building and onto the street where he mounted. People were sure to hear him depart, but by the time they managed to react, he would be long gone.

It did not take him long to reach the city gates and there he stopped for a moment to make sure the guards wouldn’t cause him any trouble. A few words were spoken in hushed voices and then a couple of coins changed hands. Then, he was free to move along without interference. Corruption was a wonderful thing.

Kimal and his horse continued out through the gates at a trot and were just about to increase their speed to a gallop when the tiefling heard a familiar voice. His eyes narrowed immediately and a sneer tugged at his lips. He should have known something like this would happen.

“You are a creature of the Dark and Shadows, aren’t you? Is that why you will not accept the Light?”

“The reason I will not ‘accept the Light’ is the same as the one I gave you this morning, boy. The Light One has nothing to offer me and I do much better on my own. If that makes me a creature of darkness, then so be it.” Nudging his horse’s flanks with his hooves, he continued past the annoying little Novice.

“Have you ever taken the time to actually see what the Light offers? Isn’t it better to have people around you who will support you in the hard times?”

Kimal’s eyes narrowed, his body tensing up. “Yes, and I found it lacking. No, it is not.” He replied shortly but then turned to glare down at the Novice when he felt a tug on his cloak. How typical, the boy was staring at the cloven hooves he had revealed when he pulled on the wool. “Unhand me, fool, before you get hurt. Naturally it was a threat, but the halfdemon did not take kindly to people manhandling him in any way. Not even young boys.

“I wasn’t done, and as I said before, I am not a Priest. What is it that the Light doesn’t have, but you can find in solitude? Do you think you are stronger by yourself, instead of flanked by the Light? By everything that comes with it?” The boy was closer now, standing right besides Kimal and his horse. “Aren’t you missing the fellowship, the camaraderie, that comes with one united belief?”

“What is it that I find in solitude? Trust. Safety. There are no such things in your faith.” The tiefling said through gritted teeth. “But you, with your ignorance and your sheltered life, could not possibly know what I am talking about. With fellowship comes betrayal, with camaraderie comes pain and with united belief? There can be only death.” With that said he tore his cloak out of the boy’s hand and nudged his horse to start moving again.

They were approaching a crossroads and Kimal made a quick decision of which way he would go. Alone. One way or another the priest would be unwilling, or unable, to follow him any further when they came that far. All signs of the sun had disappeared below the horizon and the only light came from the cresent moonhigh in the sky. But that was enough for Kimal. His eyes adapted easily to the low light and was able to make things out as easily as if it was day.

“You’re lying!” The boy said defiantly and ran after him. “If all those things were true, how come none of that has happened to me? And even if we were to experience pain, betrayal and all that... Doesn’t that just make us stronger? To know that after the Dark, there will be Light?” The boy was walking backwards beside the halfdemon now, most likely trying to catch a glimpse of his face. “Do you not miss having someone with you? Aren’t you alone? Because united or not, death will come upon everyone. Isn’t it better to die together, with people you love than die alone, unloved?”

Kimal tried his best to ignore the foolish boy that ran alongside his horse. He did not have time for this. He wanted to get away from the city and civilization as soon as possible and back into the Wilds where he belonged... Not be stuck outside the city gates answering the questions from some sniveling teenage novice. But it did not work. The questions just kept on coming and eventually the halfdemon found himself replying. Despite himself.

“Why would I lie? What could I possibly gain from lying to you?” He asked slowly, his eyes still fixed on the road ahead. “You are just some lonely little boy who doesn’t know what he wants in life so he clings to desperately to his faith like a baby to his mother’s bosom. You do not have a single idea of your own in that head of yours and probably never will, so why on earth would I care what you think? Your ‘opinions’ are not even your own.”

“I am not a little boy, I’m an adult and is fully capable of making my own choices. And these are my beliefs, and God has done a lot to me, opened my eyes to see the World for what it is. You shouldn’t dismiss my beliefs so easily.” He’d seen the world for what it was? Kimal doubted it. This little idiot knew nothing about what went on beyond the city walls. And the boy didn’t stop there. “Why won’t you just listen? When has that ever hurt anyone? Let the High Priests give a try, they are far more educated and knowing in this than I am. Surely you would listen to them?”

Still, Kimal ignored all of the boy’s protests. In the end, no matter how old he was, or how highly he thought of himself, he still remained the same ignorant fool that the tiefling had run into that morning.

“I stopped listening to people like you when it became synonomous with ignoring all that is bad in the world.” He said finally. There was the slightest hin of regret in his voice. He pulled his horse into a full stop and, leaning forward in his saddle, he grabbed a hold of the Novice by the collar of his clothes and pulled the boy towards him with surprising strength. His hood was starting to slide back and his dark eyes glinted in the moonlight. The three red markings below his right eye glowed. Enough was enough. “Listen to me, and listen carefully. I am not interested in your silly religion and I never will be so you can refrain from your attempts to convert me. Instead, perhaps, you ought to worry about getting back into the city. The roads can be very dangerous after sunset. Who knows what kind of Dark creatures lurk in the shadows...” An evil looking frin stretched across his face and was multiplied in power by the big goat horns that protruded from the sides of his head.

The boy’s hands came up to clutch at the the ones holding him off the ground, his eyes wide and frightened. “L-let me go!”

Kimal’s eyes narrowed slightly and he kept his hold on the boy as he studied the scared expression on his face. “I almost feel sorry for you...” He began slowly and used his free hand to brush some of the Novice’s longer hair out of his face. “You fear me, even though I am no more dangerous than the people back at your precious Temple. To be so very ignorant... Not knowing anything of what is happening out in the world...” His voice had been low and almost gentle when he spoke and it still held that regretful note. “I suppose it is easier to fear a creature with horns on his head than an old man wearing a white robe... But appearances can be decieving. So very decieving.” His gaze traveled over the boy’s young face and for the first time he noticed the pointed ears. So he was an elf? Hn... They usually were not so judgemental. He shook himself mentally and his eyes finally fell on his own gloved hand that still had a tight hold on the Novice’s clothing. A look of disgust passed over his face and he let go, pushing the boy away from his horse in the process. Then he straightened in his saddle, the brass rings that pierced his horns glimmering in the low light. “Run along now, novice. I am done with you.”

“Wha-what do y-you mean, decieving?” He boy stuttered. “Y-you can’t say all those things and then just run off! Explain yourself!”

Kimal urged his horse to start moving again only to stop briefly to look over his shoulder. “What do I mean?” He asked with a rather amused chuckle. “Why, I’m sure you will be able to figure that out on your own. And if you’re having trouble with it, I am certain the high priests of your temple will be happy to help.” With that said, he turned back around and continued to ride down the left road at a brisk trot. Hopefully, this would be the last time he saw the Novice.

A small part of him itched with the urge to show the boy everything that was wrong with the world, but he knew better than to try. Modern folks were happy with leaving things just the way they were and the less they knew about the world outside of the city walls the better. This applied especially to the clergy. Those ignorant, moronic, selfish, selfrighteous....

His train of thought was interrupted when the boy called out to him again. “But I asked you! Fine! Just run away and hide, you probably don’t have any answers anyway! I would have hoped to help you, but suit yourself!”

Kimal only chuckled in response and shook his head. “Good luck finding your way back tot the city in the dark, Novice! If you’re lucky there won’t be anything lurking by the side of the road tonight. But then again... nobody is ever that lucky.” He called back over his shoulder and then laughed again. There were regular patrols on these roads and no wild animals in the area, Kimal knew... But he did not have to tell the boy that. Spending a couple of hours alone and scared in the dark might do the Novice’s ego some good.

Taking a firmer grip on his reins, he touched his hooves to the horse’s flanks, causing the creature to pick up his pace. He had a long way to travel and he would really prefer to do as much of it as possible at night. He was much more noticeable during the day and he did not want to run into any more silly priests.

Speaking of priests... he could hear the boy stumbling around in the dark behind him. “I hope the Darkness finds you and gives you fleas!” The novice shouted and then seemed to stumble again. “..crap!”

Kimal just laughed and rode on.

A Child!

The job was a riddiculously easy one. A lot easier than most of the assignments he had been getting lately...

For the last couple of months he had been given one difficult job after another. A few of them almost cost him his life. Of course, it never happened, but there were a few really close calls. Fortunately, he was better at this than anyone else so he always got out alive. Yet, despite the obvious danger, the Council had just kept on handing him these strange assignments. They were not even all that important. Just very, very difficult to complete. It was almost as if the Council had been testing him until now, making sure he was capable of dealing with any situation. And he was, of course, though the Councilors seemed to have a hard time grasping that fact. They just kept sending him out on one impossible assignment after another. It was almost as if they were preparing him for something big. Something really big.

Then, finally, the day came and the door had been unlocked and he had been called into the Council Chambers. He had been ready for it, more than ready, in fact, and he had held his head high as he walked through the dark halls. Soon enough he had been standing before the raised seats of the people who had enslaved him. He had waited impatiently as the old men went through all of their formal nonsense, anticipation building inside of him.

...and now this? All of that ceremony just to send him up to the surface to abduct a child? A child! Of the child was a Prince, but that hardly mattered. These surfacers probably wouldn’t even notice that the boy was missing until they were long gone. It was so easy it was insulting.

The cloaked man looked up at the big castle and sighed, his red eyes narrowing slightly. No matter how much he thought this was beneath him, he had to do it. It was the King’s orders, after all... and Orion could do nothing but obey.

Pretending

Kimal had been on the road for months now. He did not know how many exactly, he hadn’t kept track of all the days that had passed, but he had noticed the change in the season. It had been late winter when he had left the Temple, the snow almost completely gone but there had still been a chill in the air. Then, as he traveled, he had watched the trees grow new leaves and little flowers bud along the edge of the road. If he was to take a guess he’d say it was at the beginning of summer, or thereabouts. It was a bit hard to tell this far up in the mountains. Everything was always delayed up here. Despite of that, there were green leaves and blue skies as far as the eye could see. So yes, early summer seemed about right.

Hn… It was so pretty it was sickening. It was probably all of Caliende’s doing too. She was always obsessed with pretty things.

The halfdemon grunted and reigned in his horse. His body ached from being in the saddle for too long, but that kind of pain he was used to. It was the dull ache from the left side of his ribcage that bothered him. He had run into some bandits a few days before and he had been in a particularly nasty mood on that afternoon. The confrontation itself had ended within minutes but one of the stupid little humans had managed to land a blow to Kimal’s side, effectively cracking one of his ribs. Lucky bastard. And now, the halfdemon had to be extra careful while he healed. Which meant traveling at a snail’s pace while surrounded by colorful flowers and chirping birds. By the Gods, he was not in the mood for this.

The halfdemon’s chest heaved with a heavy sigh and he dismounted. At least his new armor did not agitate his injured ribs. It had been several months since it had been given to him but it still felt as comfortable as ever. Caliende had done a good job, Kimal was forced to admit to himself… Not that he’d ever tell the Goddess that, of course. In fact, he probably should have never accepted the suit of leather armor in the first place but that day he had wanted everything to run smoothly… for Solque’s sake. Not that the boy mattered much now. Another sigh. At any rate, had gotten used to the feeling of the leather, despite himself, and he had found himself reluctant to give it up. At least he had managed to pry off the Goddess’ seal from the cuirass and now could pretend that he had no more ties to Caliende and her High Priest.

Hn… pretending had never worked for him.

The Call of the Siren

The soldiers quickly spotted the captain and turned to him, immediately alerting Kiyo that they were, indeed, there for him. Quickly his mind set to work trying to figure out anything that he could've missed that would alert the soldiers. The merchant that had bought his goods when he first came to the town knew who he was, of course.... but he would never tell a soul unless he wanted to lose his business... And Kiyoshi had been there himself when his former first mate dangled in a hangman's noose in the town square...

Putting on a gracious smile, the japanese captain approached the solders. "Gentlemen! To what do I owe the honor?" He said out loud, his face completely void of his conflicting emotions. Acting was something that he excelled at, thankfully.

"Ah, there you are, my friend." He heard the strong voice and immediately he spotted the telltale bright red coat that belonged to none other than the commodore. His smile widening now that he knew that he had nothing to worry about, he walked up to the tall european man and shook his hand as a way of keeping up appearances. "I had heard that your ship was getting ready to sail, so I came here to see it with my own eyes. Is it true? Are you leaving our beautiful town?"

The darkhaired man could sense the unspoken question that lingered in the air, but he paid it no mind. They were in public after all, and they had to keep up appearances. However, he could not avoid it forever and knew very well that this situation would be more complicated than he would like... That was why he had avoided going to see the commodore in the first place... "My dear commodore, as much as I have enjoyed my time here, I am afraid that it is time for me to move on. My shipment will not sell itself." He explained and the other man nodded his understanding, but the tension between the two of them remained.

"My friend, may I have a word with you in private?" The blond commodore requested then in a lower voice and quickly recieved a nod from the Captain.

"Come join me in my cabin... There we can talk without being disturbed." With that said, Kiyoshi led the way onto his ship and into his Captain’s cabin, watching in silence as the commodore closed the door. A small smile played on his lips. He had been hoping to avoid this conversation, yes, but now that it was thrust upon him he planned to make the most out of it.

“So, what can I do for you, Commodore? I am but a humble merchant, however I will do everything in my power to aid you." He said extravagantly, speaking in the same way as he had done the first time he ever met the blond man.

"Settle down, Keiji, you know me well enough by now to use my name." The man in the uniform said, and took a few steps across the room, his eyes locked on something outside the window.

"Very well, Jonathan, it shall be as you say." Putting extra emphasis on the name, Kiyoshi moved to join the other man by the window. They were very close now, their arms almost touching but not quite, and tension filled the air of the ship cabin. “So... why is it that you have asked to see me in private?"

Both men stood there staring out the window as the minutes ticked by. The question that Kiyoshi had asked was still unanswered and they both knew it. Then finally, the captain turned his head slightly towards the commodore. “Once the saltwater gets in your veins it never goes away." He said as if it explained everything.

“Indeed. No less can be expected, I suppose..." The commodore’s voice was thoughtful and a slight frown marred his otherwise smooth brow. “A man can do nothing but heed the call of the siren."

Only about a split second after the last word had left the commodore’s mouth there was a loud thump when the blond man was slammed against the wooden wall. A grunt left his lips but any other sound was silenced as the two men locked together in a rough, and almost desperate kiss.

Kiyoshi had known this was going to happen. It had been inevitable... ever since their first night together. A connection had been made, one that would be extremely difficult to break, but neither man had cared at the time. Actually, Kiyo had even grown quite fond of Jonathan Kagran, despite their differences. A slim, pale hand tangled in blond hair while it’s slightly more tanned counterparts wrapped around a strong back in a firm hold as the two kissed. The passion between them was undeniable, but it would never be allowed to go beyond that.

A low moan echoed between the walls of the small cabin and the the kiss deepened. Hands were grabbing whatever they could reach in desperation and one of the Captain’s knees prying his partner's legs apart. The last time the two men had seen eachother had been at one of the governor's balls two weeks earlier so Kiyoshi quite ready to rip the clothes off of the blond man right that second... but he didn't. Giving Kagran's lip one last nip, he pulled back slightly, beathing heavily.

The Commodore's face was flushed and his eyes closed as he slumped against the wall. After a while of silence, he opened his eyes and looked at the Japanese captain. "When are you casting off?" He asked breathlessly.

"In two hours."

"And where are you headed?"

"Up towards India, I reckon. My goods should sell well there." The lie flowed out of his mouth smoothly, completely effortless.

"Ah, I have been ordered to go on a patrol along the peninsula... Perhaps I will see you there?" There was a slightly hopeful note in the blond man's voice.

"Perhaps."

"Keiji..."

"Shh..." Kiyo hushed the other man and gave him a faint smile. "Let us not make this harder on ourselves, ne?" Leaning in, he kissed those swollen lips gently.

"Ah... of course." Straightening, the commodore smoothed out his clothes and held his head high, as if nothing had happened. Kiyo smiled at the sight but said nothing of it. Instead, he too stood up straight and then tied his hair back so that it looked presentable again.

"It was nice to see you again, Commodore Kagran. I hope our paths will cross again." With that said, Kiyo followed the blond man to the door.

"Good day, my friend. May the winds be at your back." Opening the door, the Commodore swiftly moved up the stairs to the deck, on his way to join his men.

Kiyoshi watched him go and, briefly, he was struck by a sudden urge to tell the blonde man the truth. Fortunately, it was gone before he had a chance to act on it. He could not risk putting himself or his crew in danger just because he did not have his emotions under control. No... it was better this way. Kagran would sail up to India and Kiyoshi and his crew would go in the opposite direction. They would never see eachother again.

About Kaoru~

There's always something so incredibly nervwracking about the last few hours before a fashion show. It did not even matter how big the show was, or how many people who were attending, it was always the same. Or at least that is what Kaoru guessed. She had never been in a fashionshow before, big or small, but she was certain that the tingling feeling in her tummy was absolutely normal! It wasn’t like she could be the only one who was feeling it. After all, this was a BIG event! The whole school would be watching, as well as people from the local newspaper and all of the parents. Except her own, of course. They were still in Sapporo where she had left them six months ago. Oh well, they probably would not have liked to go to something like this anyway. They didn’t really care for her obsession with fashion and clothing, they were more focused on their daughter getting a good education in the big city. Still, once she got all famous and had her own shop and everything they would just HAVE to be proud of her! Just like Yuki-san was.

Speaking of Yuki… He was supposed to be here! The young woman looked around frantically from her place in the lineup backstage. There were people everywhere; models, designers, teachers, other students… but the one person she really wanted to talk to was no where to be seen! Her Art teacher had promised to come and be her moral support before the big show but he simply wasn’t here! “Oh phooey!" The girl exclaimed, her shoulders sagging and her lower lip protruding in a pout. She knew the man had other responsibilities, of course, so she shouldn’t feel so disappointed that he didn’t come. There was an exhibition in a different part of the school for all of the Art Students and Higurashi-sensei would have to spend most of his time there… but he had PROMISED! And Yuki-san always kept his promises!

The next couple of minutes ticked by and Kaoru started to fidget nervously. This was her first ever fashionshow… AND the first time she ever showed her work to anyone other than her immediate friends and family. She had managed to complete five whole outfits, although she had been forced to work late into the night to finish off all of the details. It had been hard work, and she had been sooooo tired, but it was worth it. She was really happy with the small collection she had created and she was sure the audience would like it too. It was cute, so who wouldn’t? But the strange tingling sensation in her tummy persisted. Oh, if only Yuki-san was here! He always knew the right things to say to make Kaoru forget all about her nerves.

“Kaoru-chan!" Kaoru’s eyes snapped up in surprise when she heard her name being called out and she looked around, quickly spotting her beloved teacher behind a horde of other students. He smiled at her and slowly made his way through the crowd to greet her. “I told you I would be here, didn’t I?"

“Mm!" The young woman nodded ecstatically, a bright smile spreading across her face. Then she did a little twirl, her wide skirt flaring and her red curls bouncing in the air. “How do I look?"

Her teacher smiled gently and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “You’ll knock them dead."

Her nerves were completely forgotten.

A tree?

“A tree, Caliende? Don’t you think that was a bit excessive?" Kimal said and glanced at the Goddess from his place by the window. They were in the room that the priests had provided them with right after Caliende’s enormous display of power. They had been very nice about it too, cowering and offering constant apologies to the entire party. The halfdemon snorted, it was about time someone knocked those self-important asses of their pedestals.

“Hmm?" The Goddess stopped braiding her long, lustrous hair for a moment and looked thoughtful. Then she smiled brightly. “No, I don’t think it was excessive at all. Those gentlemen could do with a bit of a surprise and besides... my Temple looks so much better now! And, of course, it smells just divine!" Having proven her point, at least in her own mind, she returned to the great task of taking care of her hair.

Kimal, on the other hand, just grunted in response and turned back to look out the window. There was no point in trying to talk sense into the Goddess. Not to mention the strong smell of lavender was making his head ache.

“You’re not cross with me still, are you, dear one?" The Goddess’ voice once again broke the silence in the room. She recieved no reply. “Oh, come now, Kimal. It wasn’t so bad, was it? You were only dead for a few minutes, after all."

Kimal’s eyes narrowed dangerously, his entire body tensing up. “A few minutes of having my soul ripped apart in the Nine Hells. No, it wasn’t so bad at all." He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Then he sighed and leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window.He closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging. “You do what you want, Caliende, you always have. There’s nothing anyone can do to stop you."

“Dear one..." Caliende let go of her hair and stood up, moving across the room to join Kimal by the window. “I would never have brought you back if I did not think it was for the best. You deserve a chance to be happy."

“It was not your choice to make."

I'm supposed to be Dead!

The sky was dark outside when Kimal awoke. His entire body ached even though all of his physical wounds had been healed the night before. Healed by Caliende. Curse that woman! She always had to meddle in everything... and because she was a Goddess she could do whatever she wanted. She couldn’t even let him die in peace.

Groaning, the haldemon pushed himself up in a sitting position. Looking down, his eyes fell on the salty traces of dried tears on his chest. “Solque..." Kimal sighed. No matter what he did, the boy continued to haunt his every thought. Even his scent lingered in the room. The scent of apple blossoms. He must have been here while Kimal slept.. The boy was too emotional for his own good.

“But that is what you like about him, isn’t it, dear one?" The words echoed through the room and Kimal knew right away who that melodic voice belonged to.

“Go away, Caliende." There was a faint rustling sound as the Goddess moved, but she did not leave. Instead she came to stand right by the window. Kimal could see her from the corner of his eye, but he refused to look directly at her. He would not be manipulated again.

“My brother and I have made a lot of difficult decisions in our lifetime, dear one, but bringing you back was not one of them.You, of all people, deserve a chance at happiness." She was looking at him, he could tell. His own eyes, however, remained fixed at the wall in front of him.

“I never asked to be brought back." He spoke finally, his voice hoarse. “It was my time and I was ready for it."

“Dear one..."

“No, Caliende, don’t." His hands clenched in the sheets and he finally raised his gaze to meet that of the Goddess. She looked sad, but Kimal did not falter. “You always meddle in things that are not your concern. You never think of who might get hurt in the process as long as things end the way you want them to..." He took a deep breath. His hands were trembling again and he cursed at his own weakness. It was all her fault, though... If it wasn’t for her none of this would have happened! “You never change, do you? I don’t suppose I ever expected you to but... this time you went too far. At last I could rest at ease and you took that away from me! I am supposed to be dead!"

Captain Niikura

The Pirate

Basics

Name (& pronunciation): Kiyoshi Niikura
Date of Birth (& age): April 3^rd, age 34
Place of Birth: Kyoto, Japan
Gender: Male
Species/Racial Origin: Japanese Human
Social Class/Community Status: “Merchant”
Language: Japanese, English, French
Family/Friends/Pets/Etc: His mother was a whore in the pleasure districts of Kyoto but she died in childbirth. His father is a british Admiral who is determined to see his son, the Pirate, hang by the neck.

Physical Description

Height: 6’2”
Weight:
Hair: Long and pearly white
Eyes: Golden
Limb Dexterity:

Detailed Physical Description: Kiyoshi is a very tall man for being Japanese, getting his height from his british father rather than his mother. His hair is long, reaching well past his waist, and it is completely white due to an illness that he has lived with all his life. His eyes, also inherited from his dear old man, are a deep golden honey color but they have the same almond shape as those his mother had. Really, the only thing that reveals his Japanese heritage is the bonestructure of his face and if you were to see him from behind it is more likely that you would mistake him for a westerner.

Besides being tall, Kiyoshi is very slim, not at all as bulky as some of his crewmembers, and he has slender although slightly calloused hands.

Typical Clothing/Equipment: Whenever he is in port, Kiyo prefers to dress the part of the wealthy merchant. Fine clothing in beautiful colors and rich jewels adorning his hands. The half japanese man absolutely loves anything luxurious.

At sea it is a bit more difficult to wear such finery, but Kiyo is adamant to always look as stylish as possible so even his clothing onboard his ship is well tailored and gorgeous. However, most of his rings and other jewelry are abandoned in a chest in his cabin at times of seabattles. Only a single gold ring remains on his right index finger at all times.

As for weapons Kiyoshi is skilled at using firearms but he prefers to wield his traditional Japanese sword Ryuu. But the most powerfl weaponin his arsenal is his ship. His Mokushi, the Apocalypse.

Personality/Attributes

Personality/Attitude:

Skills/Talents:

Favourites/Likes:

Most Hated/Dislikes:

Goals/Ambitions:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Fears:

Hobbies/Interests:

Regular Routine:

Philosophy of Life:

Attitude Toward Death:

Religion/Beliefs:

Fetishes/Strange Behaviors:

Most Instructive/Painful/Memorable Experience:

Sexual Preference/Experience/Values:

Education/Special Training:

Place/Type of Residence:

Occupation:
Place of Work:
Work-related Skills:
Past Occupations:
Memberships:


Additional Notes

Giselle Chevalier

The Chocolatier

Basics

Name (& pronunciation): Giselle Chevalier
Date of Birth (& age): 24
Place of Birth: Lyon, France
Gender: Female
Species/Racial Origin:
Social Class/Community Status:
Language: French, English
Family/Friends/Pets/Etc:

Physical Description

Height:
Weight:
Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: Blue
Limb Dexterity:

Detailed Physical Description:

Typical Clothing/Equipment:

Personality/Attributes

Personality/Attitude:

Skills/Talents:

Favourites/Likes:

Most Hated/Dislikes:

Goals/Ambitions:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Fears:

Hobbies/Interests:

Regular Routine:

Philosophy of Life:

Attitude Toward Death:

Religion/Beliefs:

Fetishes/Strange Behaviors:

Most Instructive/Painful/Memorable Experience:

Sexual Preference/Experience/Values:

Education/Special Training:

Place/Type of Residence:

Occupation:
Place of Work: Giselle’s Chocolate Emporium
Work-related Skills:
Past Occupations:
Memberships:


Additional Notes

Julian Ainsworth

The Lady

Basics

Name (& pronunciation): Julian Ainsworth
Date of Birth (& age):
Place of Birth:
Gender: Male
Species/Racial Origin:
Social Class/Community Status: Lady
Language:
Family/Friends/Pets/Etc:

Physical Description

Height:
Weight:
Hair:
Eyes:
Limb Dexterity:

Detailed Physical Description:

Typical Clothing/Equipment:

Personality/Attributes

Personality/Attitude:

Skills/Talents:

Favourites/Likes:

Most Hated/Dislikes:

Goals/Ambitions:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Fears:

Hobbies/Interests:

Regular Routine:

Philosophy of Life:

Attitude Toward Death:

Religion/Beliefs:

Fetishes/Strange Behaviors:

Most Instructive/Painful/Memorable Experience:

Sexual Preference/Experience/Values:

Education/Special Training:

Place/Type of Residence:

Occupation:
Place of Work:
Work-related Skills:
Past Occupations:
Memberships:


Additional Notes