((Here we go!))

Smoke swirled around him as Kyo descended to the cantina that was housed beneath the inn, a pack slung over one shoulder.

The cantina was small, and generally a peaceful place. Though there was a good number of people there, the only sound was the dull murmur of voices in conversation and the chinking of mugs against wood and against each other. Several people were smoking, a habit that the man detested, but other than that he saw nothing wrong with the scene.

From what he could see, he was the only one armed at the moment. His longsword strapped over his back and two daggers in his belt, he saw no other threat in the room.

Sitting in the corner, leaning his chair back against the wall, sat the caravan leader. He was of middle age, dressed in simple tan clothing. Nothing of his appearance caused a passerby to believe him to be the leader of a caravan, but if you were to speak to the man you would find he had a rather tangible air of authority about him. Kyo himself knew nothing of him, but he had little worries of things getting out of hand on his caravan.

“Irithoi Radly.” Kyo spoke up as he approached him, “You are the one leading the caravan to Ryuu-Tokai, are you not?”

“I am.” the man sat up putting his hands on the table, “You here to sign up?”

Kyo nodded.

“What sorta reason d’you have for goin’ to Ryuu-Tokai? Nothin’ personal, we just don’t wanna be transporting illegals.”

“Suppose you could say it was business.” Kyo answered, pulling out the piece of papyrus that he had kept securely on his person ever since the death of his grandfather, “I have a few questions for someone about the script here.”

“Ah, yer a scholar, huh?” Irithoi answered, pulling out what looked to be a small journal and making a mark, “Right, you’re in.”

“Thank you.” Kyo nodded, turning around and headed back over to the bar, taking a seat.

“What can I do you for?” the barkeep asked.

“Water, please.” he answered, his eyes never leaving the scrap of paper in his hand. The barkeep said nothing and moved nowhere, as if waiting for a punchline.

“Er…water, sir?”

Kyo looked up at him without moving his head, his eyes hard. “Yes. Water.”

Jonas appeared about a minute or so later, he talked to the same man that Kyo did and sat down two seats away from Kyo and ordered a beer. He slowly sipped the beer as he stared at the wall, his mind seemed to have wondered off as he simply starred at the beer for some time.

((First post/reply, *says in Duffman style* "Ohhh Yeah"))

Even got to the cantine a little late, having been delayed by a fistfight in the streets. But it had been worthwhile. He had made sure a good few theives would think twice before messing with him again. Hmm, his tripeak had been lost in the scuffle. He would have to get a tailor to make another before he left town- better yet, a few spares as well.
When he found the caravan, there were only two people there. Neither of them looked like old old salts- or even old- and they were drinking a a glass of water and not drinking a mug of beer. He was needed alright. He sat down and told the man the other two had talked two that he was with the caravan. "Waiter. Get me a pigot of Ed's special grog! And don't water it down too much!" "Yes, sir." While he waited for his drink, he took a look at the two people that he would be spending the next few months with, likely. "Even Crossblades, at your service! So! Which one of you is in charge of this... merry little party?"

OOS: Steven, don't you mean you stared at the beer, not at the bear?

Jonas looked at the man and then looked away, not answering him, infact hoping that he would infact bugger off.

Even looked at the other one with the water. "Rather shy isn't he?" The waiter came back with his drink.

Hoshiko had joined the caravan a while before, but had left the place and started walking around the town for a breath of fresh air. After about half an hour, she returned and stepped back into the cantina, slightly behind a tough-looking man with four axes. Her lip curled in disgust as she reached the floor, and she waved her hand in front of her face to try to dissipate the stench. Ugh, they were still smoking. Someone was always smoking.

As the man walked over and ordered a drink, then started talking to two other people, Hoshiko sat down two seats away.

"And what'll you have?" the bartender asked. Hoshiko turned to him with an annoyed expression.

"A breeze," she said. "A wind. A full-blown storm. Anything that will sweep away this infernal pollution."

"Umm, sorry, we don't sell breezes here," the bartender said. Hoshiko shook her head. Why do people always choose this type of place to meet?

"Then leave me in peace." The bartender shrugged and moved away.

Carwyn noted each of the new arrivals from his place at the end of the bar where he sat, nursing his glass of milk. He idly wondered how many of them would be joining the caravan, himself having signed up with Irithoi only a few minutes prior to the tall man with the sword. It was clear the man with the axes was most likely coming along too. Perhaps even the woman who came in after him.

The barkeep came over with a plate of cookies and placed it before Carwyn.

"Thanks, mate," Carwyn said happily.

The barkeep wiped his brow and sighed. "I've gotten so many weird requests today. Most everyone just orders the mulled mead."

"Heh, sorry for the weird request then," Carwyn replied as he bit into a cookie.

"Oh, it's no problem. At least you're not asking for air," the barkeep chuckled.

Even took this time to go to a corner and make a few deals with some merchants and a few other groups in high power. It was hard work in this bar. One even had to be enforced with a few rounds of strong brandy! Maybe it had just been too long since his last payday, and he had less money to barter with this week. All his deals had gone like that. He went back to the rest of the caravan. "I'm proud to say that our travel should be marvelously unhindered by bandits along the way, and I have a feeling a ship will be waiting for us when we get to the coastline!" "And if we do get attacked, it'll be from my debt collectors." He murmered to himself.

Toa hated this place. While it was a clear sky at the moment, every day the he had been here it had rained. And poured. Hard. The crisp air wasn't helping things either. Thieves were also a bit of a problem, but a good show of force, which he enjoyed, scared them off easily enough. He entered the cantina and smelled smoke. He had no problem with smoke due to living near volcanos, although he didn't promote smoking. His father had allowed Toa to use his pipe once. Let's just say Toa wasn't so fond of the pipe after that.

He saw three men sitting together, each with a differant drink from what he could tell, a man sitting by himself with cookies, and a woman Aeromancer with nothing. He sat next to the Aeromancer, ordered his drink, and smiled at the Aeromancer, saing "Hi, I'm Toa Firespitter. What's your name?"

Jonas continued to ignore the man, he regarded as an idiot and continued to slowly drink his beer, still wishing the man would bugger off or get hit by something.

OOS: HOLY, TWO MORE POSTS WHILE I'M EDITING MY LAST ONE! THAT"S A (INSERT EMOTIONALLY LODED WORD) LOT!

Even went back to that Iritoi or something fellow. "So," he asked, "When exactly are we leaving? The smoke in here is too much, and they just ran out of roasts, so there's no reason for us to stay eny longer, unless we're waiting for more travelers."

A male Pyromancer entered and sat next to Hoshiko after looking around. He ordered his drink and smiled at her.

"Hi, I'm Toa Firespitter," he said. "What's your name?"

Well, that was direct, she thought. "I'm Shadowstorm," she said. "But you can call me Hoshiko." He seemed friendly enough. "So, did you make 'Firespitter' up to match your profession, or were you born with it?" she asked with a smile.

Outside in the street across from the inn, the old chestnut pony shifted under the weight of his pack.

“Stop it, Bob,” Aya said as she tightened the straps that held on the bulky cloth sacks and leather pouches strapped onto the wooden packframe. “And quit trying to hold your breath.” She abruptly raised her knee into the animal’s diaphragm, causing the pony to exhale sharply. With laboured breaths, she tugged hard on the strap, taking up the slack. “I’m… not… going… to… do… this….” She pulled hard, finally getting the strap as tight as she wanted it. “…again.” She exhaled. “There.” She patted the pony’s neck. “Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

The pony turned his head to the side and stared at her.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she scolded him. “Father would have made it just a tight. Or tighter.” She paused and a veil of sadness descended on her face. She rested a gentle hand on the pony’s neck. “Father used to say that the journey to Ryuu-Tokai was the one route that would foretell how profitable the rest of the season would be. I sure do miss him, Bob.” She let out a sigh, then shook off her grief. “But, it’s just you and me now,” she said, managing a weak grin. “So, let’s make this trip a good one. Mother and Rui are counting on us.”

Her eyes wandered across the street as she noticed a man enter the inn with a pack and a longsword strapped on his back. A few moments later, another man followed him in, axes strapped to his back. Four of them. Her lips pressed together with trepidation as she looked around at the other people that would be making up the caravan—most of them traders, like her. But there would be others joining up with Irithoi Radly. The Caravan leader, normally travelled with a couple of armed men, (after all, there were bandits out there that preyed on unwary travellers,) but she wondered if these particular strangers were looking for a job with Irithoi, or just a travellers themselves.

She decided to find out. “Right, Bob,” she said as she lashed the pony’s lead to a post. “I’m going to get a drink before we head off. You be good now.” She patted the pony, then headed across the street, getting the usual peculiar looks from the ‘ladies’ in the village for the men’s trousers she wore underneath her dress. It just wasn’t a ‘lady-like’ way for a girl to dress.

“What?” she said to them. “Haven’t you ever seen a trader before?”

She walked into the cantina, standing at the doorway first to get her eyes accustomed to the dimmer light inside. She spotted Irithoi, and headed in his direction, casting a wary but discreet eye over the ‘newcomers’ at the bar. It was obvious to her now that they would all be accompanying her and the other merchants in the caravan.

She told Irithoi that she was ready, as were most of the other merchants, but he told her he wasn’t leaving until he had finished his drink. “Fair enough,” she said to him. She grinned. “That’s what I had in mind as well.”

She headed to the bar, avoiding eye contact with the heavily armed newcomers, mostly because they sort of scared her. She ordered a papaya juice cocktail and turned to face the rest of the room. She’d been here many times before with her father, but now, being on her own she began to feel a bit nervous. There were a lot of new faces in the place.

Having gotten no answer from the expidition leader, except that they were leaving "When I say we're leaving, which is probably tomorrow morning, but YOU won't be arguing if I change it!", he decided to go to another table. He didn't think that man not drinking a beer liked him. As a rule, he didn't trust people who didn't like him. He saw someone in silver Pyromancer robes sitting next to an Areomancer. He'd go over there. As a rule, he liked Pyromancer's. They liked to talk, usually. He went over and introduced himself. "Even Crossblade, at your service! And who might you be?" Then he remembered there was a lady at the table. As a rule, he didn't ignore women. It was rude. He was a pirate, yes, but dealt with those in... high postion... often, and if he had learned one thing about them, it was that they didn't like those who were rude. So he took it upon himself to make sure his habits were always polite and cordial, with the exeption, of course, of him being in a fight. THEN he acted like a pirate. "A, and what's a noble mage like you doing in a foggy barrow bar like this?" he said, trying to tip his hat, as he'd forgotten he had none at the moment.

OOS: I will be away for an hour or so, playing a board game with my brothers. THAT SEEMS TO BE SIGNIFICANT HERE! WOOT!

Jonas saw female trader enter the bar and talk to the caravan guy. He then noticed she seemed to be feeling alone and out of place. He let out a small sigh and called out to her "Caravan to Ryuu-Tokai people sit in this area. It's the only way he can keep ahold of us, or something like that. I forget exactly what he said."

"Nope. Families in the west volcanos tend to choose last names relating to fire or heat." he replied to Hoshiko's question. Then the man with the axes came over and talked to him. "I'm Toa Firespitter. I'm here for the cavern, which I was told was going to be heading north." Then he turned to Hoshiko and asked "Are you going on the cavern also?"

Aya eyed the man calling her over to his table. He didn't look that dangerous, so she decided to sit with him.

"Hi," she said, smiling as she extended a hand in his direction. "Aya S’Ornaku," she introduced herself. "You going to Ryuu-Tokai, too?"

"And what's a noble mage like you doing in a place like this?" asked the man with the axes, trying to tip a nonexistent hat. Hoshiko blinked. I've been called a 'noble mage,' she thought. The day was proving more interesting than usual. Quickly recovering her composure, she shrugged.

"Yes, I'm on the caravan," she answered Toa. "And that's what I'm doing in a foggy barrow bar like this," she finished resignedly. At least they would probably be leaving soon.

"Jonas Armstrong, and yeah. I'm off to Ryuu-Tokai were I plan to spend the rest of my days. How about you? Why you heading to Ryuu-Tokai?" Jonas asked in a friendly mannor.

"Are you from around here? Or are from any of the other directions? I'm from the West as you can probably guess. Sure beats this place in my opinion." Toa said, his smile never leaving his mouth.

"Jonas Armstrong, and yeah. I'm off to Ryuu-Tokai were I plan to spend the rest of my days. How about you? Why you heading to Ryuu-Tokai?" Jonas asked in a friendly mannor.

"Nice to meet you, Jonas. I'm a merchant," Aya answered proudly. "Cloths and household items mostly, though I do have some 'special' items every now and again. My father and I've made this journey several times." She took a sip of her juice, and her eyes reflected her sorrow. "Only he passed away a few months ago. So, now I've got to do it on my own." She grinned, shoving her grief aside. "So, 'spending the rest of your days'.... what does that mean exactly? You orginally from Ryuu-Tokai?"

Even was thinking. That man comes from the west volcanoes!....... I don't know where that is. So, it doesn't bother me! "If you are going on the caravan," he asked the areomancer, "Do you have any knowledge of winds in sailing? And, could I ask your name? As a rule, I don't go through working for weeks with someone I don't know the name of, you see."

"Not really. I from these parts but after an incident I had in the miltary, I just wanna get far away from this place as I can." Admitted Jonas "You wouldn't happen to have any arrows in stock? Kinda ran out recently."

Aya grinned broadly. "Goose, turkey, or eagle fletchings?" she asked Jonas. "And all made with seasoned ash shafts. Can't go wrong with that," she said with a wink. "I can set you up with some when we stop for the night," she continued. "I've got Bob all packed up already and waiting, and he gets rather grumpy when I rearrange stuff at the last minute."

"Are you from around here? Or are from any of the other directions? I'm from the West as you can probably guess. Sure beats this place in my opinion," Toa said, his smile never leaving his mouth.

"I come from all directions," Hoshiko replied, her smile drifting away and becoming more distant as she spoke. Then she grinned at him mischievously. "And anywhere beats this place."

"Do you have any knowledge of winds in sailing?," Even asked. "And, could I ask your name? As a rule, I don't go through working for weeks with someone I don't know the name of, you see." Well, that made sense.

"I'm Shadowstorm," Hoshiko said. Well, if he wanted her name for business purposes, he would get her business name. "And, sorry, no knowledge of sailing. I've never even been on a boat before."

"Bob?" Asked Jonas smiling, taking a sip from his drink "Who's Bob? Husband? Boyfriend? Girlfriend, I've never the odd women to be called Bob, short for Bobbie which is short for something else I think?"

Carwyn swirled the last of his milk around in the glass, then downed it in one gulp. Picking up the last cookie, he left a tip for the barkeep, grabbed his rucksack and bows off the floor and sidled back over to Irithoi, pulling up a seat next to the caravan leader.

"So, as far I've been able to eavesdrop, we've got a couple of mages, a few fighter type people and a merchant," he told Irithoi as he leaned his chair back against the wall.

The older man nodded. "Your observations serve you well, archer."

Carwyn held his hand out to offer Irithoi the cookie. The caravan leader looked at it curiously and shook his head slightly. Carwyn shrugged and popped the cookie into his own mouth. "Sho, are we exthpecting to run intho loths of opposithion?" he asked.

Irithoi looked over at the ranger with an amused expression. "I'm hoping not. But it helps to be prepared for any eventuality. And chew your food before you talk."

Carwyn grinned sheepishly, his smile full of masticated cookie, and swallowed. "Sorry, chief."

"Why don't you get to know some of those people? We're going to be on a long journey together, so it would probably do you good if you got on well with them." Irithoi suggested.

"Yeah, you're right, I probably should." Carwyn dug around in his coat pocket for a toothpick, which he found and placed between his lips. "I'll ask that merchant lady if she's got any neat bowstrings I could possibly use. But they're all having a good time talking with each other now. My mother always said it was rude to interrupt conversations you're not part of unless you've got something really important to say."

Irithoi chuckled. "Well, at least your mother taught you some manners."

Even frowned. "Then I'm the only one who knows how to sail. I hope that merchant knows ships with large crews, or we'll never stay afloat at sea." Happy with himself for striking up a succesful conversation, and wanting to learn more about the people in the caravan, he turned back to Toa. "Where did you get those Pyromancer robes? They don't have a traditional colors or patterns I've seen before."

"Well, my Bob is definitely a male." She paused. "And as much as I love him, I think if I called him my 'boyfriend' I'd get more strange looks than I do already." She grinned. "Bob's my pack pony."

Feeling more secure now, she took a look around the cantina, before taking another sip of juice. "So," she said, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "Sure are a lot of new people joining the caravan." And then the two mages and the pirate looking guy at the bar. Then at the first man she had seen enter, sitting alone brooding with his glass of water. And finally, she cast a glance at the ranger eating cookies with Irithoi. "You know anything about any of them?" she asked Jonas quietly. "Besides, Irithoi, I mean," she added. "I've known him for years."

"None of them look familar. However I have spent that past five or so years in the miltary so that might of had something to do with it. I surpose you would know more people than I do."

"Well, I know most of the other traders," she replied to Jonas. "And, Irithoi, like I said. But the others...." She turned to look at the ranger again. She swallowed hard, gathering up courage to finally speak up. "Hey, Irithoi," she called out to him across the room to him. "I don't recall you having a Ranger for security last season. Did Oshi finally quit on you?"

Carwyn's ears perked up as he thought he heard someone mention "ranger". He looked in the direction of the voice. It was the merchant woman. It was then he noticed the trousered legs coming from under dress. Unusual, he thought to himself.

She was speaking to Irithoi, who laughed. "Hah, I suppose you could say Oshi did that," he replied. Gesturing to Carwyn, he said, "No, this particular ranger is not in my employ. He's along for the ride just like you." Irithoi's eyes turned to glance back at Carwyn. "Though I hope that should we encounter trouble, he'd not mind loosing a few of his arrows in our defense."

Carwyn smiled easily. "Of course not, chief," he replied genially. "'Twould be good if I could find some good bowstring to loose said arrows with, though." He hefted the larger of his two bows, a longbow made of yew, almost as tall as he was and missing a string. He looked at the merchant woman.

"Wow... potential customers everywhere and I haven't even left town yet," Aya said quietly. She smiled at the Ranger. "I've got some strings," she said to him. "But only a few that would fit a bow that large. I've got them packed up on my pony, though I could show them to you when we stop for the night."

She motioned to him to come to the table. "In the meanwhile, why don't you pull up a chair and join us? We don't bite." She looked askance at Jonas. "Well, I don't bite. I don't think Jonas here does either, but we've only just met so I can't really speak for him in that way. Oh, I'm Aya, by the way," she added with a friendly grin.

Akira entered the bar as his the hood of his cape concealed his cape. He walked around. It seemed many people where going to Ryuu-Tokai. he decided to sit down and have a drink. He sat next to what seemed like a female merchant, a male archer and some sort of soldier. He didn't bother though.

"Bartender," He said in a small tone, "Give me a beer."

The bartender quickly took out a glass and filled it with beer. He took a sip of it and then turned to the trio.

"So, you're all going on the caravan as well?"

Carwyn tossed a wink at Irithoi as he made his way to the table.

"I'm Carwyn," he said, extending his hand to Aya as he moved to sit down. She shook it firmly. Carwyn offered his hand to the other man, Jonas, next, who shook it as well. Before they could strike up a conversation, a man in a cape strode into the cantina and sat at their table. After ordering a beer, the man turned to the three of them and asked, "So, you're all going on the caravan as well?"

Carwyn was first to respond. "Who wants to know?" he responded, somewhat icily. "If you intend to, you'd better go talk to the caravan leader, because you can't just join like that."

"Who wants to know?" he responded, somewhat icily. "If you intend to, you'd better go talk to the caravan leader, because you can't just join like that."

"I would like to. And well then, i'll go see him, i'll be right back," Akira said, getting up from his seat and taking his beer with him.

"Hello, are you Irithoi?" Akira said, pulling his hood down, revealing his neck-long black hair and his hazel eyes.

"Yes i am. And who might you be?"

"I'm Akira Ryo. I'm interested in signing up for the caravan crew."

"Alright then," Irithoi said, taking out a little jornal and marking something, "Just let me ask you something. Do you have any profession and also, what is your reason to go to Ryuu-Tokai?"

"I was an Apprentice Swordsman, but am now more experienced. My Master was Nactor Canrot. He has passed away..."

"Oh god, old Nactor has passed? Well, i'm sorry i brought something like that..."

"No problem. And my reason to go to Ryuu-Tokai is well, i'm a wanderer, that's all," He said, taking another sip of his drink.

“Carwyn,” Aya repeated, as the swordsman who had approached them went to see Irithoi. "Never heard that name before. Nice sound to it though. Are you originally from the North?” she asked him. “I travelled with my father up North once. Didn’t stay long, as it’s not really that populated. But,” she added with a reminiscent grin, “I did get to see snow.”

"Alright then, i'll see you soon," Irithoi said as Akira grabbed his drink and took another sip, almost finishing and sat with them once again.

"Now, hello there. I don't think i told you my name. I'm Akira Ryu, Swordsman, pleased to meet you," Akira said, his long black hair falling as he bowed.

"No, I'm actually from the West, from up in the mountains," Carwyn replied. "My father was from the North, however, which could explain my name." He shrugged. "I never really bothered to ask. He did take me up there a few times in my youth and I saw snow there too." Carwyn continued, smiling at the memory.

The caped man from before finished his conversation with Irithoi and sat back down at their table, introducing himself as Akira Ryu. Carwyn nodded cordially at him, still a bit wary.

“I'm called Aya," she introduced herself to Akira. "Perveyor of household goods, novelties, and other useful items. And that's Jonas. And Carwyn.”

She eyed Akira critically. “A swordsman, eh?” She then looked at Carwyn and Jonas in turn. "A ranger. A soldier." She glanced over to the table where the first swordsman she had seen was sitting with his glass of water. “Well, we merchants and travellers are certainly going to be well-protected on our journey.” Then a nervous looking wrinkle formed on her brow. "Erm... are any of you expecting to find trouble along the way to Ryuu-Tokai? I mean, I haven't heard any rumours of any bandit troubles. Well, not yet anyway. But then again, this is my first trip this season."

First trip alone, too, she thought to herself. And all the times she had travelled with her father, she couldn't remember a time when there were this many armed men going with the caravan. Well, except that one year when there was that warlord on the rampage.... But he was dead now. Wasn't he? She shook off the unpleasant thought, by downing the rest of her juice.

"Nice to meet you Aya, Jonas and Carwyn," He told them then turning his attention to Aya, "Yes, a swordsman, but i am also skilled in archery since i hunted in my apprentice years."

"Erm... are any of you expecting to find trouble along the way to Ryuu-Tokai? I mean, I haven't heard any rumours of any bandit troubles. Well, not yet anyway. But then again, this is my first trip this season."

"Like my old man always said: "It's better to be safe than sorry."

Weel, Toa was either ignoring him asleep. Even went outside for a few minutes. When he came back in, he announced to noone in particuler, "Well, the sundial says it's eight, the sky says it's eight, the ruffian I grabbed says it's eight. So's I figure it's eight. I'm gonna turn in. And I sure hope. The caravan leader's paying for the rooms, cause this place looks more expensive than anywhere I ever stayed." He yawned and went upstairs

Irithoi stood up and grabbed Even by the scruff of his neck, tossing him back into the caravan.

"I dunno where yer comming off from," he said, "But it's only noon out there. I don't care who ye talk to and who ye think you are -- till we get to the boat, yer listenin' to me and no one else. Understand?"

He didn't wait for an answer. Rather, he released a sharp whistle.

"C'mon everyone! Caravan's leavin'! Those of ye who have wagons and such, meet outside the city gates!"

Kyo looked up with uninterested eyes as Irithoi announced their departure. He wordlessly tucked the parchment away, heaved the bag over his shoulder, and followed the crowd outside.

Amane noticed the caravan was leaving, and decided to follow, despite his lack of any form of transportation. He knew that those people would need a hero to protect them as they crossed The Continent, and that they would be willing to pay anything they had for one, so he snunk onto one of the wagons, planning to reveal himself later.

(Note: My character is not a godlike superhero or something, he just thinks he is)

"Better safe than sorry.... Hmm, I'd go along with that," Aya agreed with Akira.

She turned as the scuffle between Irithoi and Even caught her attention.

"Well, looks like it's time for me to go," Aya said to her new friends as she rose from the table. "Nice meeting all of you, but I expect we'll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few days. I've got to check on Bob anyway. He gets cranky when he's left on his own. Oh," she said to Carwyn and Jonas, "don't forget to come and find me after we settle in at camp tonight. Bow strings," she pointed to Carwyn. "And arrows," she pointed to Jonas. "I'll have them ready for you."

She said farewell to them and left the cantina, following the handful of caravan people, which included the pensive and reserved water-drinking swordsman that had been sitting at the table in the corner.

She kept a watchful eye on the stranger as she approached Bob then untied him from his post. The stranger hadn't been socialising with anyone, merely observing, and that made Aya slightly suspicious that he might be up to something.

"So, Bob, what do you reckon?" she said to the pony as she led him along. "Think he's a scout for a group of bandits waiting to ambush us?"

Bob snorted and shook his head, more to relieve himself of a pesky fly than in answer to her question.

"Hmmm. Maybe you're right." The stranger looked too 'clean' to be a bandit to her.

Bob whickered at the wagon just ahead of them as someone snuck aboard unnoticed by the driver.

"Yeah, I suppose we could go talk to him," Aya said in response, though her eyes were still focused on the stranger.

She led Bob around the slow moving wagon, trying to catch up to the mysterious man. She walked abreast of him for a while, wondering if he would talk to her first. When he didn't, she decided that she would.

"So, you don't drink?" she asked. "Alcohol, I mean."

Even dusted himself off disgruntledly. "Who else d'ye think I'm gonnat take orders from?" He said, "And- ooh, I've got a headache." He spun around a couple times, then went to sleep off Ed's special grog.

OOS: Er, that was character controlling really, ForceFight. Luckily he gets one hallucination for drinking "Ed's special" anywho.

"I find alcohol a waste of time, money, and brain cells." Kyo answered the woman without glancing at her. "It poisons peoples' minds and is a completely pointless substance."

((Technically, it was not. I didn't say how Even reacted to what he said, did I? And as the threadmaster, I get far more say into what happens than anyone else should. And besides, trying to move the thread along before the threadmaster has okayed it also constitutes as a problem, doesn't it?))

Even put on the first of his six black tripeaks. Then he polished his axes, none of which needed polishing. Then, for sport, he set one of his hats and threw rocks at it. This land traveling buisness was proving very boring indeed. He was starting to hope they got attacked, and starting to regret bribing the merchant to bribe the barbarian captians. Not like anything could get taken, this party was armed to the teeth in comparison to most caravans going along this route. Far too many southern homesteaders. Well, there was always hope. That two-step bribing thing didnt' always work.

OOS: Since you are ThreadMaster, fair enough. I'm not that mad. Going to bed now...*snore*

"It's a good antiseptic though," Aya said in response to Kyo's comment. "So it's not completely pointless. Nothing is completely pointless in my opinion." She paused for a moment. "Except for maybe those little lint balls that form inside your pockets. They're pretty pointless."

Bob snorted and tossed his head.

"Oh, and horseflies. They're pointless and annoying."

She paused again, eyeing his stoic expression. "Am I annoying you?"

A grin flashed across his face for a moment - only a moment. He shook his head. "I suppose you're not annoying, no."