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Post by sain on Oct 23, 2012 21:43:46 GMT -5
If Sain takes one more step then he is back in Araluen for the first time in five years. He has been looking forward to this one hand but on the other he feared it. He had been gone for a long time now and in that time he had become a world class assassin. He had become Sain the equalizer because he took down the rich and corrupt helping the poor and lower class by returning the money stolen from them by others in the end making them all equals. Sain’s biggest fear coming back to Araluen was going to of course the Ranger Corps. He may have all the skills of a ranger but he didn’t have their tools, horses or intelligence to communicate from fief to fief like they had. There was fifty of them and right now only one of him; he had no friends or connections here yet. But as soon as he completed a few jobs he had no doubt that would change quickly. The question was who to talk to, he needed work that suited him quickly and if he asked the wrong person he could be in big trouble. Sain had been walking through the woods for about an hour or so when he found a small clean cave and decided to make camp for the night. It was a readymade shelter and he still needed fire wood and food for both him and his dog Dragon, and getting that was going to take long enough. Sain could only bring so much with him on the boat so he only brought what he needed most. He had his bow and arrows of course a couple of good knifes, some cooking supplies, a pack to carry it all, Dragon, and his trophies, the rest he would get in time. After each job he would clean out his victims of anything he needed and sold the rest, but he always kept a little something normally a ring or a necklace as a trophy. After gathering up enough would for the night Sain shot and clean four good size rabbits he tracked down with Dragons help. Once the fire was going he cooked then all ate one and gave one to Dragon. The other two he put aside for tomorrow but now it was time for sleep. With Dragon close by and his bow and arrows by his side Sain feared no wild animal or bandits. So he wrapped himself up in his cloak and with Dragon keeping watch fell asleep.
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on Oct 24, 2012 20:44:04 GMT -5
Nissa sighed heavily. It had been one long boring day. She fiddled with her ring absent mindedly, the lonely track she had set herself up on was possibly the worst ever. Not one soul had come down the track, not even a rabbit! Sometimes life as a bandit was very very very boring. She decided to call it a day and carefully climbed down her tree. She looked up at the sky it was clear with no clouds. There was little to no chance that it would rain tonight.
"I'll go grab my extra quiver and bag from the cave then head on home."
Nissa had a tent hidden away in a small clearing by a river bank it was nice quiet and secret. She wasn't even sure if the ranger knew about it. She headed off in the right direction as the sun slipped past the western rim of the world and twilight ruled the land. As she approached the cave she noticed the smell of smoke coming from it she also saw the dieing embers of a fire. She paused selected an arrow and laid it on the string. She proceeded with more caution. Lying on the floor of the cave was a man. She frowned he seemed slightly familiar to her but she couldn't imagine why. He also had a dog with him who catching her scent and seeing her growled, it was a low rumbling growl that rumbled in it's chest. She stopped and waited. She had no desire to be mauled by a dog although her arrow would pierce his heart before he could touch her. Still she didn't really feel like picking a fight with a stranger. She stared at the man and the dog in equal turns and waited for something to happen.
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Post by sain on Oct 25, 2012 0:19:15 GMT -5
Sain had been asleep for a few hours when he was awoke by Dragon growling at something. It took mere seconds for Sain to shake himself awake fully sit up and grab his bow with an arrow already on the string. The fire was just embers now so it took him a minute to see what Dragon was growling at, but then he saw a girl about twenty five to thirty feet away with a arrow already placed on the string of her bow. Good boy Dragon I see her. With no cloak Sain knew right away the stranger was not a ranger, but he still didn’t want to get into a shooting match with her. Risking his or Dragons life was not worth it just yet, who knows she may be worth making friends with. After a minute or so neither person moved or said anything and Sain was not a fan of standoffs. So he called out, who are you and what is your business here? If you don’t shoot at me I won’t shoot at you on the count of three we both lower our bows, if you do lower yours as I do, I will calm my dog. We can talk peacefully I even have two fully cooked rabbit if you’re hungry. So on the count of three, 1, 2, 3.
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Kallie
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Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Oct 25, 2012 21:32:48 GMT -5
Good boy Dragon I see her.
Nissa stood there feeling a little better now that the dog wasn't growling at her. Normally she liked dogs, but not if they wanted to harm her.
who are you and what is your business here? If you don’t shoot at me I won’t shoot at you on the count of three we both lower our bows, if you do lower yours as I do, I will calm my dog. We can talk peacefully I even have two fully cooked rabbit if you’re hungry. So on the count of three, 1, 2, 3.
Nissa didn't answer his questions. He was a stranger and therefore she didn't trust him. And very few people had actually earned her trust enough for them to know her real name. Most people who knew her face just called her mouse. And that was something she was very ok with. She was pretty sure by now that her father wasn't coming after her, it had been four years after all. She raised an eyebrow thought about the situation for a few seconds and slowly lowered her bow resting it gently on the ground. Then ever so slowly straightened herself again. She considered his offer of a meal and decided against it. She didn't like taking food from strangers and she wasn't all that hungry anyway. She didn't move from her spot, she had a feeling that he had other weapons besides his bow and if he needed he might be able to pick up his bow and fire at her in a matter of seconds. She had noticed that like her he had left the arrow on the string. This was no amateur bowman, a slight look of suspicion came across her face the only as to what she was thinking. This man might be a ranger, he might have disguised himself in order to catch her. It had been done before and was somewhat successful.
"I'm not hungry."
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Post by sain on Oct 26, 2012 13:40:55 GMT -5
Thankfully she lowered her bow although she didn’t remove the arrow from the string, but he understood that. As she did Sain started to calm Dragon. “Its ok boy she seems to be willing to talk at least”. After she lowered her bow she turned down the offer of the rabbit, Sain wasn’t sure if she wasn’t hungry or she didn’t eat stuff she didn’t cook, they did just meet after all. “Well meal or no meal let’s just talk I will sit down and get the fire going again, it’s starting to get a bit chilly out tonight. Oh I may carry a bow but I am not a ranger” Sain showed her the clasp on his cape was just a simple string. “I just got back in town I have been away for a while first night back maybe you can help me out a bit, and if you ever need I will repay you, I promise. While Sain waited for the stranger to make up her mind, Sain did just as he said he would. He sat down placing he bow at his side still leaving the arrow on the sting, and started getting the fire going again. Once it was going Sain ripped a leg off one of the rabbits leaned up against the cave wall and started eating.
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Oct 26, 2012 19:20:07 GMT -5
Well meal or no meal let’s just talk I will sit down and get the fire going again, it’s starting to get a bit chilly out tonight. Oh I may carry a bow but I am not a ranger” Sain showed her the clasp on his cape was just a simple string
Nissa shrugged. "I'm not sitting down." She might not sit down but she did however inch closer to the fire. For as he had said it was a bit chilly and there was no harm in getting warm was there? Besides she was going home to a cold dead camp why not get warm while she had the chance? She kept her bow within easy reach and rolled her shoulders a little bit easing the constricted movement of her cloak in order to let in the warmth of the fire.
“I just got back in town I have been away for a while first night back maybe you can help me out a bit, and if you ever need I will repay you, I promise.
Nissa raised an eyebrow again maybe she had tried robbing him before and that is why he was familiar. "I don't make deals with strangers." she said flatly. She watched him silently as he rebuilt the fire she was glad for the light as well as the warmth. She cracked her neck loudly, being up in the tree all day had made her all stiff. She wondered if the dog would actually let her pet him, she rather liked dogs and despite the fact that he had posed as a threat to her earlier he was kind of cute. his fur looked soft and she cold tell that the man looked after the dog as well. Then as she thought about what the man had said she got to thinking and curiosity got the better of her.
"What did you want to talk about?" she asked.
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Post by sain on Oct 27, 2012 21:01:15 GMT -5
"What did you want to talk about?" she asked.“Nothing in particular really, just nice to have a friendly chat don’t you think?” Sain asked as he finished rebuilding the fire. As the fire grew and the light became better Sain got a better look at the strangers face. He knew this stranger but how? He had been away for five years she must be from his childhood. Was it school or his father’s work or just from around the fief growing up? Then it hit him like a flash this was Nissa the girl from school and one of the little people his father refused to help. Wow she had grown into a very good looking woman and by the way she handled that bow a tough too. No most likely due to the fact that her father was a drunk that would hit her. Because Sains father was a ranger he knew things other people in town didn’t. “Nissa good to see you again it been a long time bet you don’t remember me. But we have always had one thing in common we both hate my father. For different reasons yes but I was been able to relate to you and people like you. You are part of the reason I do what I do today, so in a way I owe you already. Yes you may pet Dragon I see you looking at him. You can relax your with friends if you want to be.”
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Kallie
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Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Oct 28, 2012 19:23:50 GMT -5
Nothing in particular really, just nice to have a friendly chat don’t you think?”
Nissa shrugged, it was really bothering her that she couldn't remember who he was! He seemed so familiar she knew without a doubt that she had seen him before.
Nissa good to see you again it been a long time bet you don’t remember me. But we have always had one thing in common we both hate my father. For different reasons yes but I was been able to relate to you and people like you. You are part of the reason I do what I do today, so in a way I owe you already. Yes you may pet Dragon I see you looking at him. You can relax your with friends if you want to be.”
Nissa's eyebrows rose up in surprise. He knew her name! She was so surprised that she literally took a step back. Not many people if any knew her nick name let alone her real name. She stared at him stumped for words, then slowly she came to realize who this was. The face, the voice. This was her childhood friend Sain! He had disappeared five years ago and now he was back. A mix of emotions ran through her, she was happy at seeing an old friend but very mad that he had run off without telling her.
"How dare you! How dare you come back here all this time! After all this time you just waltz right back here without any warming? You just come back and act like nothing has changed?! Well let me tell you a lot has changed! Why on earth did you leave in the first place?! You know what no? I don't care I don't wanna know!"
Then with a huffy sigh she stalked over to the back of the cave grabbed her bag and walked back. She threw it on the ground a little more forcefully that needed.
"All right fine! Tell me the whole story." Then in a very un lady like way sat down next to the fire. Then in a softer tone she called. "Hey there Dragon come here boy." She patted her leg encouragingly.
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Post by sain on Oct 29, 2012 15:24:38 GMT -5
"All right fine! Tell me the whole story." Then in a very un lady like way sat down next to the fire. Then in a softer tone she called. "Hey there Dragon come here boy." She patted her leg encouragingly.
Sain smiled “So you do remember me it’s nice to know someone cared about me.” Dragon looked up at him when Nissa called him. Again Sain smiled and nodded to the dog who got up and walked over to Nissa who started to pet him as he began his story. “Now where to begin? Well as you and everyone else in the fief already knows my dad is a ranger and in my eyes not a very good one. Plus ever sense I could walk I have been his unofficial apprentice. He refused to believe anyone wouldn’t want to become a ranger. He would tell me, that many kids would trade places with me in a heartbeat. That may have been true but I hated it all we ever did together was train. Never anything else it was silent movement one day, tracks the next and everyday hours with a bow. By age ten I was as good as most rangers and better then some official apprentices. The day was soon coming though the day I would be old enough to become a full apprentice not my fathers of course but an apprentice none the less.” “So the week before the ranger gathering I planned to run away. With the skill my father had given me over all those years it wouldn’t be to hard I just had to make it to the harbor. From there I could go anywhere I wanted and no one would ever find me. So I packed all the money I had ever earned I had saved most of it, my cloak and of course my bow and arrows. I didn’t tell anyone what I was planning because rangers are everywhere and a simple slip of the tongue or a word to the wrong person and my dad would find out and stop me. So late one night right after my parents went to sleep I slipped out of bed pulled all my stuff out from under my bed and took off. It would be a couple days journey on foot but I would have a great head start so I wasn’t over worried.”
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on Oct 30, 2012 13:14:22 GMT -5
Nissa sat there petting Dragon, she got all the spots dogs love. The neck, ears, and under the chin. His fur was soft and he really was an adorable animal. When he was done she nodded a couple times.
"Not bad, I guess I can't be mad at you for running off without telling me after that explanation. Besides," She gave a little shake of her head flipping some of her blond locks behind her. "If you had stayed and become a ranger I would of had to hate you. So in a way I guess you could say it was a good thing."
She had to admit that she was still a little miffed that he had left her, but she couldn't really fault him for leaving. Although she was a little surprised at how much he had changed in those five years. However she had to grin to herself his hair hadn't changed much but he had grown a mustache and it was quite becoming on him she had to admit. She looked into the fire remembering some of the times they had, had as children. She remembered the day they had become not quite friends but not enemies. She had been picked on by some of the bigger kids he had taken a hand and stood up for her. Even punched one of the kids, of course she had glared at him and told him to leave her alone. She had said that she could take care of herself and didn't need help form any body. Then had promptly kicked him in the shin and run off. It wasn't until months later with him constantly trying to talk to her that she finally gave in and they became friends. The more she thought about it the more she realized that he had been her only friend when he had left she hadn't bothered to make any new ones. On the whole she was a solitary person and stubborn doing everything on her own and not really accepting help. Besides most people took one look at her solemn face and usually walked by her a little faster. She stopped petting dragon and sighed again, she took the arrow off the string of her bow and put it in the quiver on her back.
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Post by sain on Oct 31, 2012 14:05:43 GMT -5
After he finished with his story Sain just stared at Nissa trying to get a read on her, she hadn’t said a thing and her face never really changed as he talked. A few seconds later she smiled at Dragon and took the arrow off her bow and put it away. Well at least she seems to feel safe around me, maybe word about what I do hasn’t reached the people here yet that would be a major plus for him. Sain was normally a quite person but he wanted to ask her so many questions but where to start. Let’s start simple I guess. “So Nissa what brings you out here? Did you run away and when? What have you been up to while I have been gone? Oh and one more thing do you know anything about my parents?” He had more questions then he first thought. So he cut himself off and waited and hoped she would answer. Nissa had always been a loner so he didn’t know how much or what she could tell him.
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Kallie
Apprentice Messenger
Posts: 422
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Post by Kallie on Nov 1, 2012 20:26:14 GMT -5
So Nissa what brings you out here? Did you run away and when? What have you been up to while I have been gone? Oh and one more thing do you know anything about my parents?”
Nissa looked up at him a ghost of a smile touching her lips. "Well there's a lot of questions to answer." she paused to better collect her thoughts. "Well I'll start with the more important one. I'm not sure about your parents. Last I had heard they were both alive and well. But to be honest I usually avoid that fief at all costs." She shrugged "Oh I haven't been up to much just this and that. Nothing special, life as a bandit is kinda boring at times. As to what brings me out here thats easy, this is a nice big cave lots of hiding places to if you know how to look for them. And really Sain it's quite obvious that I ran away. Why else would I be out in the middle of woods at night?" she looked up at him. "So I see you have found your profession what is it do you actually do? You mentioned helping "the little guys" as it were. What does that even mean?" Having said more than she thought was necessary she was more than content to have him fill in the silence. She uncrossed her legs and stretched them out in front of her. The knife in her boot had started to dig into her leg in a very uncomfortable way.
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Post by sain on Nov 2, 2012 17:30:40 GMT -5
Sain leaned back against the wall of the cave, wow Nissa had become a bandit he thought to himself. He was glad to know that his parents where ok, he may not like his dad much but his was still his dad. But the next question is would he tell her exactly what it is he does for a living. She hated rangers and being a bandit his fear of her turning him in dropped drastically, so he figured why not. “Well Nissa I have become a professional assassin.” Sain said matter as a fact. “And when I say when I say I help the little guy that because that’s who I work for. I go into cities and towns and help those who are being mistreated and roughed up by those with money and power. Sometimes it a local gang, but other times it’s a group soldiers who are no better than a gang. I come in and for a small upfront fee I remove the problem. I give back the money and goods that have been stolen from the little people and what’s ever left of my targets possessions are mine to do with as I please. Most of their stuff I sell off to cover my costs like food and travel, but I always keep a trophy of some kind normally a piece of jewelry its small and easy to carry. Because of what I do and who I work for I have become known as Sain the Equalizer”. While Sain was talking his hand had slipped under his cloak to one of his throwing knives just in case, but he hoped he wouldn’t need to us it. So as he finished talking he sat there waiting to see what she might say or do ready to react however he needed to, to keep himself alive.
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Kallie
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Post by Kallie on Nov 2, 2012 21:54:16 GMT -5
Because of what I do and who I work for I have become known as Sain the Equalizer”.
Nissa nodded her face not really giving anything away. She was surprised a little but his choice seemed to suit him. In her eyes it was the same as her line of work. Only he helped people while she just robbed them. She noticed the movement of his hand and wondered why he had done it. It was obvious that he was holding a knife or some other weapon but why? Did he really think that after that speech she would attack him? She had no cause to, not did she want to. As a general rule Nissa stayed out of the way of assassins, she didn't bother them they didn't bother her. It was the bounty hunters she had to lookout for as a fugitive of the law there was naturally a price on her head. Course she was on the lower end of the wanted list but she was still there all the same. Still she was a little sad that he would even think that she might hurt him, she was sure no one else was near because dragon was still relaxed loving her hands in his fur. Well? He had been gone for five years maybe he's changed I wonder if I've changed at all? she thought she didn't think she did but then again you never really see changes in yourself. It's the people around you who notice the changes, that is if they pay any attention to you. Which in her case most people didn't.
"You can relax ya know." She said a little irritably. "I'm not gunna attack you there would be no point in it."
She was still unsure if she should be offended at his lack of trust or if she should just get over it. After all it had been five years a lot could happen in those five years. She looked outside she should probably get going. It was after dark and she still had to walk home. But in a couple of minutes the fire was warm.
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Post by sain on Nov 5, 2012 0:42:40 GMT -5
Sain was taken back a little, Nissa had seen his movement she was good not many people would have picked that up. Who knows with a little training she could be a good assassin, but she was already a bandit, he didn’t think the job change would suit her anyways. Plus if she did then he would be competing against her for jobs and such, and he would rather have her as a friend then a foe. After a moment Sain smiled a bit he was truly having fun with his old friend just talking. All of the friends he had made in the last five years had been more contacts and the like, never really any true friends that he would just relax and talk with. He was hopeing he could do this more now that he was home. “Sorry Nissa I guess was more of a subconscious thing brought from my line of work. I didn’t mean to scare or offend you I guess I have to learn to relax a bit. So do you know of anyone or anywhere I might be able to find some work that might suit me around here? It would be a big help if you could. Oh and it’s getting late if you want you can stay here its warm and you have the extra protection of Dragon, to help you get a good night sleep. But if you don’t want to I completely understand.”
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