Home is where the heart is

[Iku]

Iku was strolling through the forest on top of the mountain. The calm quietness has been just that. Calm and quiet. She kinda liked her quietness. But at the same time she had wondered what had been going on in the world. Iku came upon a cliff with an opening of the view of the Forest not too far away. Forest of Ianne. She stood there letting the breeze hit her face, Her hair was flying with the wind. Iku had a smile on her face. Her hard exterior has really softened up in the last few years. She was still insecure as ever. But for the most part had faded away. She sighed. The tree's were always green here. The weather was always calm. She was happy to call this 'home'.

Iku smiled at Kimi. The supposed house cat that finally went outside. Kimi was sitting on Iku's shoulder where she 'kept guard' Iku let out a soft laugh as Kimi let out a yawn. "Tired already?" She asked. That was when she sensed something coming up behind her. She stood still keeping tabs on the thing that was coming up. Gripping the hilt of her sword. She stood still, not moving an inch....

[Myrra]

Myrra pushed her legs to run a bit further, just a bit further up the cliff. She's scrawny and small, and with all that running, her cheek's flushing pink like her outfit. He long messy red hair only but weights her down, but she kept on running until her visions blurring by the sudden transfer of oxygen in her brain.

By the time she almost reached the peak, something sharp was thrown towards her, and if it wasn't for her thick red scarf, she would have been decapitated right on the spot. A crescent-shaped blade only cut her skin at the nape of her neck, her scarf totally sliced to half as it slides down from her. The blade was then pulled back by the chain attached to it, and the assassin caught the blade like it weights nothing.

Myrra knows things she wasn't supposed to, things that made people want to kill her for knowing. That's why she's running for her life currently with most of her limbs bruised. She saw a blur of black in front of her as she forced herself to run forward, but she didn't even managed to reach it when her limbs couldn't take it anymore and she collapsed, just a few feet away from Iku.

[NPC: Male]

pics.livejournal.com/mercurialbreeze/pic/00008k58

"Damn, SO CLOSE!" He clicked his tongue when he noticed his blade only managed to cut her scarf to half, but then quickly pulled back his blade before it lost its momentum. He's currently running on a slightly steep path up the cliff, to which his weapon does not work well in. The gravity pull is way different than in flat ground, so Jyo's pretty pissed.

'She did this on purpose...' he thought to himself. The girl's clever on choosing a geographically-disadvantageous route for him to chase her, but where's the end of a high cliff other than down? Jyo smirked, securing his blade onto it's staff after all the chains been pulled in.

"Come on, you know as well as I do you have no chance!" Jyo hollered with a heave, now beginning to get tired with the chase. For a tiny lass, the girl sure can run. It enlightens the man to see from afar that the kid FINALLY collapsed, but then revealing another girl in black standing there.

"Oh. ..Gah...Evening, miss," he said between his huffs to Iku, now resting a hand on his knee to prop himself and take a breath, his other hand holding that chained-scythe blade weapon of his. After he's done, the man casually took hold of one of Myrra's foot, ready to drag her back down.

"Don't mind me, just doing my job. Bounty hunting, is all."

[Iku]

Iku suddenly heard a thud behind her. She turned around hand still on the hilt of her sword. She found nothing but a helpless girl. Exhausted, she was running from something... or someone. Iku took a step towards her. When a man appeared grabbing her foot. He looked shady. Iku had a glare on her face. She had a bad feeling about him. As soon as he went to grab her foot. Iku had flashed over to the two new figures. Smashing her foot onto the man's hand. Her sword inches away from his neck. She growled.

"Bounty hunting you say?.... And what did she do to earn a bounty on her head." Iku didn't believe him at all. Of course it was just another man trying to hurt someone. The young girl almost reminded Iku of her younger self. All she wanted was to get away. Flashes started reliving moments in her head. Which only frustraited Iku even more.

It had only been a few minutes but she already didn't like this guy at all.....

[NPC: Male]

"D'OW!!" Jyo screamed, getting his hand stomped by this other chick. He was about to pull his arm off when he felt a familiar cold sharp blade at his throat. Jyo cornered his eyes at this girl in black...she's not just a girl, it seems, since she's wielding a sword and threatening to decapitate his head clear off.

"Hey, trust me. She may not look like it, but she knows things. Dangerous things..." The bounty hunter tried to inch his head away from the sword, but when that didn't work, he just lets go of Myrra's leg and uses his other hand to use his scythe-staff to push Iku's blade away from his throat.

"If she isn't killed now, she might get killed later. I'm doing this for the good of all hunters alike so they won't have to be bothered by her. That's all I have to say," he explained. He had set in his head if this woman would not release his hand after this, then he'll just have to kill her too.

The concept is pretty simple for bounty hunters. If people is on their way, then just kill and kill and kill. Not a problem at all.

[Myrra]

Myrra lifted her face from the ground weakly, fluttering her eyes to try and let off the dirt and tears there. It was all still blurry from her view, but she heard all that was said. Heaving out from her mouth tiredly, she tries to shake off her foot from the man's grasp and thanks to Iku's stomp, it's a easy task.

Using her elbows to drag herself away from the bounty hunter, Myrra managed to wiggle her way to safety. Safety as in, behind Iku, that is. "T-th-that was uncalled for.." she tried to voice out as soon as she sat up, but it's clearly apparent from her voice that she's shaking in fear.

[Iku]

Iku couldn't believe what he just said 'better for us bounty hunters to kill her now, so that the bounty hunters wont be bothered later. So maybe she wasn't in the same situation herself. She was still angry. Iku gripped her sword. The girl desperately made a dash behind Iku. She seemed so frightened. Even if she knew too much Iku made it her mission for the day. To not let this girl killed.

"Just so other bounty hunters wont be bothered? Will you listen to yourself?! Trying to make yourself sound when really you know you just want to kill her and turn her in for the reward." Iku exploded. He's said too much. Iku swung at the man. She didn't even know his name. Nor did she care, This man deserve to die. She could only imagine how much killing he's done in the past and it only frustrated her.

[NPC: Male]

Jyo twitched an eye. So this woman is one of those types who believes justice can solve everything. That's a shame, considering she's kind of cute. "I don't--" The bounty hunter didn't even managed to finish his sentence when he got a hunch the chick was about to make a move.

Immediately, Jyo uses his scythe-staff to block her blade before she managed to decapitate him. Though, there is a thin cut at his neck with his blood dripping out of it. The man grunted while shaking his head, "Bad move, girlie."

Taking advantage of his height, Jyo spun his weapon strongly in such a way, Iku's sword would get pulled out of her grip and tossed away...if she didn't grasped it tight enough. Whatever the case, the bounty hunter then quickly made a grab of Iku's neck with his one free hand before she managed to swing her blade at him again.

"Don't you dare think just because I have a weapon with me, it means I'm a bad guy. Just because that pink-head was being chased, she's the innocent one. You have no right to interfere because you don't know the whole story, damn it," Jyo whispered darkly, glaring daggers towards this woman.

[Myrra]

"STOP IT!!" Myrra suddenly shrieked in such a high tone, a glass could break. Her face is still flushing pink after all that running, and she struggled very hard to stand on her two feet without falling over by all that quivering.

"Shago Jyo!" She began. Though Myrra's pathetic in every way physically, her only strong point lies on the usage of her memory and picking up secrets of the people around her. From behind Iku, the pink-haired pointed a shaking finger to the bounty hunter as she started her verbal attack.

Verbal attack as in, yelling out all the secrets this man has been wanting to hide from public.

"Known as the Clam Kappa from the streets of Veyyard! Clam because Shago was frequently mistaken as Shako, meaning clam! Kappa because he has a large bald spot on his head! Wears a long red wig to cover his bald spot and also the cat scratches on his cheeks due to his inability to form friendly trust with animals of all types! In short, got attacked by every kind of animals, domestic or not, in every encounter!"

Myrra paused to take a breath, and then she continued her assault to embarrass him again without mercy, "Became a bounty hunter because he mistook the job as a kindergarten teacher! Still lives inside his mother's house! His name is sewn neatly at the back of his underwear by his mother, accompanied by a heart shape, because he can't read his name, so he depends on the heart shape to know that's HIS undergarment!"

How does Myrra knows these things are beyond anyone's comprehension, but that definitely gained much shock from the listeners of her 'verbal attack'. She only paused because Jyo started to react.

[NPC: Male]

At first, Jyo was surprised this little girl suddenly stood up and began yelling his name while pointing to him. Then, as she started stating EACH and EVERY secret he had ever known and experienced, Jyo turned beet red resembling a very ripe tomato.

"H...How'd you KNOW THAT?!" The bounty hunter outburst, totally distracted from killing Iku. His face was so red of embarrassment, even his ears are tinted cherry. "You did not hear anything!!!" He commanded Iku, still very red.

[Iku]

"Really? thats what this is about? .... Pathetic" She growled. Before Jyo could say another word Iku had brought her hands up to his. Gripping it tightly because of the lack of air going through her neck. Iku chanted something softly. Something that Jyo nor the girl could hear even if they had the best hearing in the world. She then opened her eyes glaring at him as an electric charge then came out from her hands. The shock wasn't powerful enough to make the man go flying. But it was enough to make his hand go numb. When Iku finally gained the upper hand. Iku punched him in the face. Then using the tree as a leveraged to push herself off of the tree to punch hime once more.

Iku didn't need her sword. She had pure will power and alot more strength than any normal girl would have. Of course this low life wouldn't know about that would he. This guy had his name similar to another criminal and just went with it. "You have got to be the lowest scum to walk the planet" She growled once again.

[NPC: Male]

"Hey! It's not just THAT I'm protecting, she knows a LOT more than MY secrets. She knows about the--" But before he even gets the chance to explain, Iku had clasped her hands onto his arm. Moments after that, Jyo felt a surge of sharp pain striking his whole arm. His eyelids rolled upwards and his jaw was tightened, too painful and quick for him to even cried out a yell.

The bounty hunter was then hurled backwards by the double-punch Iku had hit him with. He wasn't just hurling, he's rolling down the cliff by her powerful blows and soon was out of sight within seconds.

[Myrra]

Myrra caught her breath, still frightened by what just happened plus more panic of the turn of events. She breathed through her mouth, her rate of ventilation almost reaching the point where she would most likely pass out. But she's not. She's...hyperventilating. And seemed like she's so used to it, she gained complete control of it to not loose consciousness.

The redhead wouldn't dare to look at Iku now, but due to her curiosity, she just stole a peak, then darted her eyes somewhere else. Though, she didn't get a good look and looked at Iku again, and then averted her eyes away again. She did this continuously too, until Iku would be crazy if she didn't noticed it.

"Um..... I...I..uh... ....EEP..!" Myrra was in fact so scared, she turned away from Iku, crouched down and placed her hands on top of her head in a feeble attempt defend herself. ...Yes, she's even too frightened to thank Iku.

[Iku]

Iku then squated next to the girl who seemed surprisingly frighted. Iku placed her hand on the girl's shoulder."Hey.... its alright, I wont hurt you" Said Iku in a gentle voice. The girl seemed severly frightened. And Iku had no idea how to get her calm. When she kept looking at Iku, She only chuckled. The girl seemed so young, Iku was actually impressed she could remember all about that guy. Iku wouldn't give him the time of day to remember all that.

"Thats one impressive memory you got there" Iku said to try and get her to relax a bit. Kimi then flew down from the tree. being the lazy house cat, firelizard she is, instead of getting mixed in the mess, Kimi hid. "Kyuu" The fire lizard spoke as she landed on Iku's head. Kimi then became interested in the girl. Jumping onto the ground and crawling up next to the girl.

"Kyuu?" The firelizard said tilting its head

[Myrra]

Myrra sort of recoiled when she felt her shoulder being touched, albeit gently. Though, when Iku complimented her, Myrra paused, then slowly peaked her head out from under her arms to turn towards this black-haired lady. It's very rare of her to receive such remarks, so it surprises the redhead.

But then, a small creature appeared within her range of sight.
A GREEN creature.

Myrra blanked out at the sight of that color, then slowly her eyes widened when a certain fear dawned into her. Her heart began to yet again beat furiously, and her limbs started trembling. It's so small, and so cute...yet it's GREEN.

That set off an alarm in Myrra's head.
She has this pathological fear of that color ever since she got cornered and almost killed by a man clothed in green once, which is why the redhead gets awfully wary when anything by that color shows up in her range of view.

"Ak....GIYAAAAAAAAAA~!!!!"

Automatically, she jumped and dragged herself further and further away when the fire-lizard crawls near her...and that got Myrra closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. She kept screaming and yelling in mad fear while backing away, and that's when she realized there's nothing for her to touch anymore behind her, tilts backwards, and fell down.

"WAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!"