View of the City

[Ziare]

Ziare sat on the thick rail of the balcony her back against the supportive building of the school her right leg stretched out in front on her and her left bent slightly. Resting on her left leg was a novel the one she was currently consuming. Her left hand absentmindedly twirling a lock of her hip length blonde hair.

She looked up for a second enjoying the fantasic overview of the city this balcony offered. She could see almost the entire city from this position and at dawn which wasn't for another hour or so it was breath taking. She looked back down at her book her crystaline blue eyes scanning the page as she read.

[Fukushuu no Mumei]

~A metal clinking sound resounded through the balcony floor. Tenshu was exploring this part of the building, along with his old friend, Goju Kyoden. Kyoden was no living human, he was one of Daigotsu's soldiers. He had died, and Tenshu resurrected him, having to use many souls. He died in this armor, and had to be ressurected as such, for he did not have enough souls to bring him to life in just flesh form. Your could say that the resummoning of the Goju family Obsidian Champion was permanent. Tenshu came around a corner, and his and Kyoden's view became clearer. Tenshu's hands were crossed, but inside the sleeves of his kimono. His mysterious mask with the Onisu horns and the red tattoo-like design could be seen quite clear. Tenshu often carried his jade katana with him, but, where was it?

(Here's a picture of Kyoden, if anyone would like a visual.)


As they turned the corner, some girl was also in view. Kyoden stopped as Tenshu walked by a bit, and grabbed his Tenshu's shoulder, stopping him. Kyoden pointed and spoke in his deep voice, "Human..."

Tenshu made no acknowledgement, said nothing, and only kept walking. His ability to read heartbeats and to feel the pulse of others was quite in tune, as were his eyes, being able to read and divine souls of soul-bearing beings. As he walked by the girl, he could tell whatever book she was reading must've been something quite good, for her pulse was increased slightly. to do this, sometimes he presence could be felt more than usual... sometimes. It was a secret of the Shadowlands as to why it happened. He only kept walking past, he did not look at her at all, other than the glimpse he had when turning the corner. Kyoden's armor body still clanked as he walked behind Tenshu. He only kept walking...

Eventually, he and Kyoden stopped some twenty yards down and went to the edge of the balcony, looking over. Kyoden pointed down at the people of the school below the balcony, spoke again, "Human soul... Summon Nariaki."

Tenshu did not look at him, and only spoke in a calm, normal tone, "No. A school... is no place for a dragon. Atleast, no place for an Obsidian being. You're probably too dangerous..." Tenshu pulled out a small blade, and handed it to Kyoden. "But, if we do find the right one, you shall be the one to bind it." Tenshu was referring to Kyoden's transformation. Kyoden is Nariaki, in sub-human form. If he was to find a pure soul to mix with all of the tainted souls, binding to to Kyoden with the blade, he would be able to become Nariaki, the Obsidian Dragon. Again, as Tenshu said, it would not be safe, but whose soul?

-=}N{=-

[Ziare]

Ziare was engrossed in her book and had not heard the chink of metal coming from the hallway beyond the balcony. But when the shadow crossed over her blocking the sun briefly she looked up. She couldn't help but stare for a moment. She had heard of a new student joining the school but she had yet to meet him, this might be him. He stood on the balcony in a blue kimono his white hair falling down his back. He wore a white mask on his face...strange thought Ziare she was curious about why he wore the mask. Next to him stood a suit of armor and he seemed to be conversing with it. She wasn't sure if it was a summon or if it was a friend or another student. She shrugged and decided to introduce herself.
She closed her book and hopped down off the balcony walking over to the young man hidden behind the mask. She stuck out her hand and with a smile on her face said...

"Hello, I'm Ziare. You must be new here it is nice to meet you." Ziare said warmly. She loved meeting new people and wanted to extend a warm welcome to the new student considering she was still new.

[Fukushuu no Mumei]

~Tenshu heard the girl walking over, and he reached out his hand. Kyoden handed him the blade. Kyoden began to walk towards the girl, as if to refuse her company. Tenshu retorted, "No... Stand down, Kyoden." Kyoden stopped, and backed up some. The girl came to a stop, and spoke, "Hello, I'm Ziare. You must be new here it is nice to meet you." Tenshu turned around, and she was smiling, with her hand held out.

Tenshu's hand met her's like a gentleman would do. He made a slight nodding bow, with a smile on one side of his face. His eyes through the mask were white. "A pleasure... my name is Tenshu. Doing a bit of reading?" Tenshu nodded to the book with the side of his head at that was closest to the book. He wasn't particularly interested in the book, nor the girl, but this was the first person he had met here, outside of the school system. If he was going to be recognized, he might as well make a lasting impression, fake or not. Kyoden's facial expression could not be seen under the armor. By reading his soul, Tenshu could tell that Kyoden was not happy with Tenshu smiling and interacting with such a perky, oblivious human.

-=}N{=-

[Ziare]

Ziare smiled and nodded sweetly. She was happy he had returned her guesture though she was a bit fearful of the armored man. She wondered why he wore a mask and if he ever took it off but thought better of asking. Perphaps he would tell her one day.

"Well it's a pleasure Tenshu. Yes, I like to read a lot. I came out here to get some quiet and sunlight. I'm quite partial to this balcony." she said with a smile. "Who is this?" she asked pointing with her hand to the armored man standing close to Tenshu.

[Fukushuu no Mumei]

~Was she looking at them like idiots, staring at Tenshu's mask and Kyoden? "Hm... we seem to be out here for the same reasons. I'm sorry to have broken your solitude." She then asked about Kyoden. To a knowing citizen, that was an unwise move. Alas, Kyoden owed all of his lives to Tenshu, and he would not show much of his anger. "This... is Goju Kyoden. In a sense, he's my bodyguard, as I am his bodyguard. I somewhat summoned him, but he is an attending student at this school. His intelligence is not as strong as how he would rend the soul, but he serves a great purpose." Tenshu was being somewhat vague, but to all who were oblivious, it did not show.

Kyoden turned back around, and Tenshu gave one of his half smiles. "The mask, right?" He said to Ziare with question.~

-=}N{=-

[Ziare]

Ziare smiled...

"I only came out here to get out of the bustle of the school I never said you interupted me I only said that's why I come out here."

"I was just wondering if you ever took it off or why you wore it is all." she said smiling. "I don't mean to be offensive you are unique is all, both of you. And it's a pleasure to meet you Kyoden." she said bowing slightly to the large suit of armor.

[Eldran]

A voice played out behind them as a camera clicked. "Perfect!" Eldran grinned as he replaced the camera in his bag and walked over the railing overlooking the city. He was smiling and grinning at the same time, if it was possible.

"I was hoping for a good photograph, and I got it." He bowed them both in apology for interuppting them as he spoke his first sentence. "I'm Eldran, a general studies student at the Academy." He grinned ruefully at them both. He stared into the distance before he sat down at a nearby table and opened his book bag's main compartment, which was crammed nearly full of books and pulled a sketchpad and a set of colored pencils and began skillfully rendering colored sketch of Ziare, Tenshu, and Kyoden. Almost as well as if they had been taken by a camera, except you could tell it was done by hand. Each was done on a seperate sheet of paper.

[Ziare]

Ziare smiled at the intrusion. Eldran seemed sincere. Ziare bowed back nicely. She saw all the books in his bag and her eyes grew wide. She turned from Tenshu for a brief moment and walked over to Eldran.

"Wow, you read too? What is your favorite book?" she said sitting across from..."Hope you don't mind if I sit."

[Eldran]

Eldran grinned and closed the sketch book and put the pencils away as he talked to her. "Please, by all means." He haphazardly tried to move a chair for her with his foot while remaining seated and ended up almost falling out of his chair.

He sighed and grinned.
"I read just about anything. In the bag, I have a few books on Western and Eastern seal type magic, herbology, photography, painting, sketching, and the basic 9 arts."

He smiled ruefully and gave an almost wistful look.
"I'm studying because I'm one of those few who have no special strength or talent in any one area of the arcane arts, so I figured I'd learn as much as I could and maybe be a teacher of the basics some day."

He then grinned and pulled out the picture in his bag, and handed it to her; it wasn't even creased. It was amazingly well done, professional level coloration and everything.

He then realized he was going off on a completely different tangent. He apoligized very profusely.
"I'm very very sorry, yes. What book is my favorite?"

He went deeply into thought.
"If I had to name a book at the current moment that isn't a textbook... The Decameron as I recall is still my favorite. It was an old favorite. I can't recall the exactly when it was made, but I believe it was made in the Medieval period. Very good book, still my favorite."

He grinned.
"I like the a mix of the old classics and some of the new."

[Ziare]

Ziare smiled listening intently she was thuroughly intersted in his books and reading. She loved to read anything she could get her hands on but she did not miss the picture he took out of his back pak.

"I love to read, it's so wonderful." she told him. "What is that?" she asked pointed to the picture it's beautiful.

[Eldran]

He handed her the colored pencil sketch he had done of her. It was amazingly life like and done at a professional level for the amount of time he had done it in. It had also been done in color with the current background. He grinned.

"It's a talent I've had since I was a child and I spend a bit of spare time doing it and photography. It took me a very, very long time to be able to do it that well at that speed. The photography took me a bit less time, so did the reading."

He grinned lopsidedly as he leaned on the rail.
"You could say between my hobbies, day to day living, and classes, I'm a pretty 'ordinary' person, aside from the fact I'm almost a walking library, and can find my way around places, on a good day."

He laughed and grinned.
"In a way, I guess, I'm lucky, I get to specialize in knowledge itself."

[Ziare]

Ziare was speechless as she looked down at the picture he had drawn of her. It looked exactly like her from her blonde hair to her crystal blue eyes. She looked up her eyes wide with astonishment as he shrugged his obvious talent off.

"No, you are amazing when did you do this?" she asked knowing this was the first time they had met or so she had thought so. "And why me? If I might be so bold."

She listened to the last of his words about knowledge and books and smiled when he laughed.

"Well, at least knowledge is a good thing to specialize in. It means you will always be ready for situations, questions, and concerns. Besides knowledge is a wonderful thing to have makes for interesting conversations." She said smiling warmly.

[Eldran]

Eldran smiled and nodded.
"I've got a portrait of everyone here already. You've been the friendliest so far, and in the lifestyle I have, I don't meet very many people as friendly as you. So consider it a token."

He pointed to the kit inside his bag as he lounged his his chair.
"I can make more if you ever see me around or you have friends who want them."

His eyebrows twitched.
"By the way, do you by any chance, go to the Academy as well? You seem to be around the right age."

[Ziare]

Eldran's picture was so beautiful

"You mean I get to keep it?" she asked astonished. "I mean it's so beautiful all that work I couldn't possibly."

Ziare tried to hand the paper back to him.

"Yes, I do attend the academy. I haven't been here long, it's so nice to meet a new person like myself." she smiled warmly. "And what did you mean by the lifestyle you have you don't have many friends? You have one sitting right here with you." she said giggling lightly.

"Say do you think you could do a picture of the city from this view for me, a picture for me? I'd be willing to pay of course such fine work and plus it takes your time, just tell me how much."