previously... Noriko’s Sidebar — Sister to Sister

[Wiz]

Noriko jumps forward, swinging her star dagger at the hog that just gored her sister, "Ameiko! Get away from her you overgrown pig!"  

Edited February 24, 2023 by Wiz (see edit history)

[iantruesilver]

Combat — Round 3

Initiative Order

PCs: Average (A 22, S 20, N 7) = 16.33

Boars: 13

「くそ。。。* くそ: A highly offensive expletive roughly meaning “shit” or “f**k”」 Ameiko muttered a curse under her breath, clutching her side where she’s still in contact with the boar’s tusk. But then when Noriko steps up and tries to interfere, she raises her voice straight to tavern owner kicking out patrons overdrive, scolding her little sister for absolutely no reason other than for fear of her safety,「黙れお嬢さん、も退いでください！*黙れ: Expletive meaning “shut up”

*お嬢さん: “Little girl”

*も: “and”

*退いで: “step back”

*ください: “please”」

Reaching back with her whole uninsured side to aim up her next strike, Ameiko stabs the point of her rapier right through the hog’s left eye. This is the Ameiko that drives grown men to tuck tail and run the other way.

 

Turning from the sobbing little piglet toward the two young Tian beauties ganging up on the one hog, Sandru cocks his head and with a grin on his face, charges into the fray, bringing his scimitar down on it with a clean chop down its left flank.

 

Clobbered and whittled down by the two, the hog slowly grinds down onto his heels, before toppling to one side, motionless.

 

 

[[ Map — Outside the Rusty Dragon ]]

(( Ameiko uses Swift action to activate Archaeologist’s Luck: +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.

Also flanking. ))

 

Edited February 25, 2023 by iantruesilver (see edit history)

[Wiz]

Noriko steps forward and touches her sister, speaking strange and soothing words.  "If I step back sister dear, I cannot fight as the woman I am, nor heal those that I love."  Turning to nod to Sandru, she smiles, "Besides, you are letting the most tender part of dinner escape while you worry about the wrong things."  The young woman turns and runs down the street toward the piglet.

[iantruesilver]

Combat — Round 4

Initiative Order

PCs: Average (A 22, S 20, N 7) = 16.33

Boars: 13

“Bow.” Ameiko said as she turned towards her sister’s backside, holding out her hand at Sandru as though he owes her something simply because Noriko’s trying to prove herself.

 

”Let her, Ameiko.” Sandru’s response was both soft enough to serve as a just a kind reminder, but also firm in that he did not move to offer her his weapon.

 

”I wasn’t asking, Sandru.” Ameiko’s tone of voice showed exactly how much she appreciated his little rebuff.

 

”Look at her, she’s just like you were not so long ago.” He said with a little chuckle, his eyes following Noriko’s backside for a moment before returning to meet the eyes of her older sister with a defiant grin.

 

Folding up her hands, Ameiko heaves a long sigh and rolls her eyes, ”That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Ahead, the little piglet nudges it’s mother’s unresponsive body, then hesitantly moves forward, its behaviour suggesting that it was not quite ready to give up on her just yet.

 

 

[[ Map — Outside the Rusty Dragon ]]

 

[Wiz]

Noriko steps forward, very close to the baby boar nuzzling at its mom.  Poor little thing, not it's fault, but if Ameiko wanted to be raising pigs, she'd have them already.  Best to put it out of its misery, quick and clean.  The young girl struck as cleanly as she could, using her divine training; slicing mercifully through it's throat as the babe snuffled its mother.

Edited February 25, 2023 by Wiz (see edit history)

[iantruesilver]

Combat — Round 5

Initiative Order

PCs: Average (A 22, S 20, N 7) = 16.33

Boars: 13

The two watched on as Noriko went in with essentially what would bee a coup de grâce for the little piglet, and with that, Sandru turns back to Ameiko with that told-you-so grin, pushing his luck as he points out the girl’s accomplishment, ”See?”

 

”Shut up.” Ameiko’s reply was not at all amused, seeing how she was just basically put in her plac by both her sister and her best friend. Grunting a little as she tentatively made to move, she instead wiped off the blade of her rapier and sheathed it before going back to bracing her side, determined to basically move on as though nothing had just happened. “Bethana, could you go get Azerian and mister Bevuk from the meat market please? It looks like we have business to get on with.”

 

 

[[ Map — Outside the Rusty Dragon ]]

(( End of Combat — Noriko gains 105 XP ))

 

[Wiz]

Noriko rushes back, when she sees that Ameiko is struggling.  "You did push me away to fast, you were not yet healed."  The young girl steps forward and speaks those same soothing words again as she touches, Ameiko's side.  "I will not be pushed away from those I love."  Noriko leans forward and plants a soft kiss on Ameiko's cheek, "Not even by those I love."

The young girl is looking a little giddy and excited by the brief combat, "We are a good team, look how we kept the people safe and worked together to make more food for the inn.  Probably our most economical market day yet."  Beaming, she looks at Sandru, "And look at this one, drawing his scimitar to stand betwixt nature and his friends, you cut a most adventuresome figure, Sadru."

[iantruesilver]

As Bethana got busy to rounding up the manpower to deal with the boars, Ameiko stood awkwardly for a moment as her little sister Noriko tended to her wound. “You’re really getting to know how to embarrass me in public, 小職* 小職: female form of an expletive こじょく meaning “brat”, the feminization thereof further meaning “girl-in-training”, as in geisha-in-training, or a girl who performs miscellaneous tasks in a brothel.。”

 

At Noriko’s insistence about not being pushed away, Ameiko leaned in for the hug but it was also obvious that she was rolling her eyes and shaking her head, “Yeah about that, don’t you have like a date to catch or an adventure to go on or something important?”

 

Between the two sisters, it’s absolutely no secret that Ameiko had read the town council’s job ad herself and heard Sebastian’s schpeal about it. What is perhaps unexpected is that she’s actually underhandedly pushing Noriko to go. Even Sandru went from his usual confident, beaming self to crooking up an eyebrow and staring blankly in confusion at Ameiko.

 

“Would you get outta here already? I got an inn to run.” Ameiko continued, finally pushing her little sister off in an effort to shoo her away, “Oh and go talk to Daviren next door, tell him I said to send you with a couple horses.”

 

“Wow. Not like you to take my advice so literally.” Sandru commented in his genuine state of pleasant surprise.

 

”I’m not.” Ameiko’s reply hit like a sack of bricks. Turning to go retrieve the produce they had placed down earlier, she said, as though taunting him, “You just volunteered to deliver my little sister to her friends. Congrats, have fun!”

 

[Wiz]

Noriko looks as shocked as any at the conversation, but then she blinks and turns to Sandru.  "So, I guess you are going to escort me to where I am going."  Sliding her arm under his, he finds himself quickly walking away from the inn with a girl who is practically vibrating on his arm.  One alley turn away and out of sight, and Noriko stops... "I don't know exactly what's going on, or what advice you gave her... or anything... I don't know anything."

Noriko pauses, "No... I'm lying.  I know this!"  Suddenly, there is a young girl, kissing you fiercely, and inexpertly.

[iantruesilver]

All of a sudden, Sandru finds himself being escorted rather being the one escorting Noriko. Despite the pretences he let out a little chuckle, casually pointing out, “You seem happy today.”

 

Finding himself yanked around the corner onto Whisker Street, Sandru looked over to Noriko as she professed something about her presumed lack of knowing anything, which is just straight up bull if he ever heard any.

 

When he found he could put a word in edgewise, he pointed toward the way they came and said matter-of-factly, “Yeah Goblin Squash is over th…”

And then she reached up and kissed him…

 

Caught off guard, Sandru could only put his hands on either side of the girl’s waist, more so as to brace himself from doing anything stupid than anything else. For a moment he froze there, his brown eyes watching her as she pushed her lips up against his.

[Wiz]

Noriko enjoys the kiss for a while, growing a little bolder, using her tongue a little more expertly... but you still get a feeling that it is theoretical knowledge being expressed for the first time.  After a while she pulls back, her eyes closed.  "I'm not stupid... I know this may not work.  I've loved a man for two years.  A man who treated me with kindness and respect.  A man who taught me that adults often lie, and how to lie back to them to get them to leave me alone.  A man who I fell in love with... and I could only tolerate not having him because... he and my sister had an understanding.  I love my sister, and I would never steal the man I loved from her."

The young girl looks up into your eyes, and you can see the storm of passion that is in them, "Ameiko told me today that she and you are not lovers, just friends.  All I've dreamed of for two years is here suddenly, and I'm leaving on a mission and I don't know when I will see you again..."

[iantruesilver]

To say that Sandru didn’t enjoy that little bit of personal contact with one of the Kaino girls would be to lie boldfaced, but there were things that… countless things that were wrong about this situation, and too many to explain to an exploring tongue.

 

… To hell with it…

 

Casting caution to the wind, Sandru reached up and grabbed a handful of her jet black hair and, digging his fingertips into the roots he gently pulled to tilt her head back a tiny bit, before his tongue responded in kind.

 

When she finally pulled back, he let her have her little tiny bit of space, listening to all she had to say.

 

”You, what?… oh.” He seemed genuinely surprised that she might’ve actually developed feelings like that for him. His mind clouded with thoughts, his brows furrowed slightly but he made no effort to voice them, at least not now while they’re still conflicting and lest he interrupt her.

 

”I figure she might’ve told you something. It’s about time I suppose, she’s been keeping that in for what seems like forever.” He didn’t look half as surprised when he heard that Ameiko had told her little sister about their adventures once upon a time. It’s as though he expected it even.

 

”She’s still gonna have my neck for this.” He says., deadpan serious as Noriko has ever seen.

[Wiz]

Noriko looks puzzled, "Ameiko doesn't need to know anything, if it keeps you safe.  But if I'm going on a mission I need to buy some equipment.  Maybe your caravan has some supplies I can purchase.  Maybe we can talk more at your wagon, for a while.  Until you take me to where I need to go."  The young girl kisses you again, more slowly this time, more tenderly, "Maybe for a good while...?"

[iantruesilver]

“Well I did pick up a few things you might like along the way back from Riddleport.” Finding his arm around her waist all of a sudden, Sandru takes the girl around back toward Market Square, where the caravan is parked to trade their wares.

 

After escorting Noriko around and making sure she has everything she feels she needs, and not without sufficiently  appreciating the view as they go along, Sandru takes one of the horses tied off to the caravan carts, leading it by the reins as he walks with her where she needs to go. “So this thing you’re doing, is this the same job Darhana was talking about with your sister this morning?”

[Wiz]

Noriko giggles, "This is the job examining that site for the council, where the workers were chased away.  I think they went out without me on their initial check.  I was helping Ameiko at the inn, and now I guess she wants me to participate.  Perhaps that is on your recommendation."

Edited February 26, 2023 by Wiz (see edit history)