Starring:
Aryanna (Jayde’s cover), Odo
Date: October 16, 2010
Summary:
Aryanna continues to gain Odo’s confidence to allow her to continue her observation into the activities of the Takokujin. This scene started on the 15th, but no log was kept, we continued on the 16th and kept the log from then on.
"The Smelly Dinner Guest"
Fuuma Alley – A Tavern and then a Restaurant
Odo had finished drying off, putting on his other pair of pants before
stepping out of the bathroom to pull out the bedroll he had, rolling it out on
the bear rug in front of the fireplace. All the rustling of things he moved his
stuff around, and accidentally left his weapon over near the small table, and
walked over to pick it up.
After Odo came from the bathroom, Ary entered with her small bag that
held a few of her belongings. Which were mostly, a couple changes of clothes
including one more formal looking kimono, but mostly pretty common fare.
She took a fairly quick shower but it was definitely long enough to
scrub the dirt of the last few days off her skin and from her hair. She toweled
off quickly and quietly in the bathroom and changed. The entire process probably
took about 15 minutes start to finish. She emerged from the room wearing a
somewhat aged nightgown that hung to about her mid thigh. The fabric was a pale
lavender and it didn't really do too much to hide her womanly form. Over it, she
wore a simple robe of a darker lavender color that hung just past her knees. Her
hair was wet, but brushed strait and left to hang down to about a third of the
way down her back. "Ah, that was refreshing" she said as she made her way to a
stack of zabuton that was sitting near the fire place. She grabbed one of the
floor pillows and sat near the fireplace. "Would you mind if I built a fire?"
A sigh as she asked that. He hadn't made eye contact with hers (or body,
or nightgown, or really anything) since she went to go take a shower. Either he
was purposefully keeping from contact with her visually, or he wasn't used to
sharing a room with anyone at all.
He was sitting on the floor when she exited the bathroom. Her sitting on
the floor (which was rather close to where he was since the rug he was using as
a bedroll was just a couple feet from the fireplace. She asks her question. "Why
would I deny you being useful for once? After that amazing display of ability
down in the foyer?" Was he just that mean to say something like that?
Ary looked at him, her eyes narrowed a little tightly, shooting daggers
at him briefly. "My way wouldn't have been pretty. I figured if we could get it
the easy way, then by all means, we should. The alternative would be to offer
the owner half of my night's profits as I pretend to be a prostitute. Course,
pretty quickly I'd be hitting on you and bringing you up here. Believe me, this
way is quite possibly a lot cheaper." She said firmly. "And doesn't make me put
my morals on the line any more than they already have been." With that, she
turned and in her slight anger, perhaps built up the base of the fire a little
higher than usual. Then she'd proceed to break about a dozen matches as she used
a little more force than needed to try to light the match to start the fire.
Finally though, she would succeed and make a comment about picking up a lighter
tomorrow.
Odo shook his head when she got all mad at him for making it sound like
she was doing nothing on purpose. "You were acting following me up here?" He
asks blankly. Sarcasm or real question?
Upon the topic of her morals, "Morals are overrated and can be used
against you. Like not caring leaving a girl in a village to fend for herself,
-especially- after you already told her you would leave her there." He looked
down the blade of his tanto, then put it down after wiping it with a rag, then
picked up his katana, starting the slow, arduous process of sharpening it with
such precision.
"Well, I know in a town like this, morals don't mean too much. I can
tell that just from the people I've seen down there in the bar." She stated.
"Not to mention people carrying weaponry sometimes brings challenges of all the
wrong sort. I'd rather people see us as some sort of couple, reputable or not,
than to see you as someone who may be worth more than they are by the weaponry
they carry." She stated. "Draw attention away from your weapons, then when you
strike, people are less likely to be prepared for it." Of course, as soon as she
said something, she rather regretted it. It may perhaps show there was more to
this singer than she had let on. "As far leaving me here. That is your choice.
Though, I would request you help me get to someplace a little more hospitable.
The odds of finding reputable work in this town is virtually nil."
Odo eyed her when she rambled on about tactics of keeping a low profile.
When she stopped talking, he went silently back to sharpening his blade. "Did I
not already concede to get you to the first safe town we come across? Do you
assume I hadn't already thought of that?" He asks a lot of rhetorical questions.
In any case, he slides the whetstone along the edge of the blade several
times on the other time before he looks up to her again. "Are you hungry?" He
waited patiently for her response, looking at her blankly.
Ary kept a blank face for a moment, no, you said you were going to dump
me here in Fuuma Alley, which is about as far from a safe town as Kirigakure is
from being a bright and sunshiny village. "Thanks, Odo-san."she said with a weak
smile. "Yes, I could use something a little better than hardtack and jerky.
Though, if you soak it in tea it's not so bad." She did look a little curious
about what may be on the menu.
Odo set the whetstone down a few seconds before he put his sword back
into it's sheath, then strapped it onto his person, and the same with his tanto.
He stood up. "Let's go," he said before heading towards the door, and turning
around to wait for her. "don't worry about the fire. If the place burns down we
can head to the next town.
Odd though, he had grabbed up his bag which included all of his things
on his way towards the door.
"Ack! I can't go out like this!" Ary exclaimed jumping up and looking
at the nightgown and robe. "Give me a minute to get into something more
appropriate." She stated as she rushed back into the bathroom. About two minutes
later she'd emerge, wearing a hakama and kimono. "Okay, this is a little more
presentable." She shook her head slightly, would he really ask me to go out like
that? Sheesh, you'd almost think he was trying to pimp me out himself.
The restaurant was dank. It smelled of wet wood (which might be
enjoyable for some) like the docks or the bottom of an old ship. Odo just
stepped in through the open front door pushing the flap aside for himself,
holding it for Ary just a moment before he steps over to a table, pulling his
sword in it's sheath off of his hip to set calmly on the table. Some tables
around get quiet, lowering the noise level around the room before Odo sits down
and the sounds slowly creep back in to the background.
Ary followed Odo a little behind him and to the right. You know, that
typical second class citizen type spot. She did allow him to hold the flap for
her, ducking into the dank restaurant and waiting for him to continue to lead
her to the table. She noticed his sword, how he always kept it in an almost
prominent view. It was completely different than the way she usually conducted
herself. Yes, she had a kusarigama back in Kirigakure, but on her physical body,
one wouldn't find anything that really resembled a weapon. No, she did carry a
small sturdy fan though tucked inside the sleeves of her clothing. When she wore
her hair up, she did have several hair pins that held it in place. These of
course, were all a part of her own weaponry should she need to use it. "So, let
me guess. This place specializes in seafood?"
Odo shook his head as the waitress walked up. "No, it's a bit more
primitive than that." He looks up at the waitress, "May I have one of the beef,
please?" He and the waitress looked over at Aryanna.
"What you want, luv?" the waitress asked in the quaint accent that few
people had around here anymore.
Odo reached forward and pulled his sword a bit closer to him as the
faint sound of a chair creaking behind Aryanna would be heard, and bootsteps of
a likely very heavy man walked towards them from behind Ary. But not immediately
near them, but getting closer step by step. Odo continued looking at Ary, with
no reaction to the sounds, should Ary hear them. His hand left the sheath of the
sword to prop his elbows on the table and lean forward ever so slightly for
comfort.
Ary nodded slightly, "Was hoping for some shrimp, but perhaps I'll just
stick with the beef as well." She said with a smile to the waitress. She then
looked over to Odo and just smiled at him briefly as she relaxed in the seat.
She did hear the footsteps, would be kinda hard not to, but for the moment, she
didn't think much of them. They were in a public place and it wouldn't make any
sense for there NOT to be other patrons at the restaurant. "So, come here
often?" she asked casually, making some small talk as they waited for their food
to be served.
Odo didn't say anything to the shrimp comment, but the waitress left
with a nod and dissapeared to the back. The footsteps were of just a big guy who
was heading outside. Nothing really to worry about. Or was he? When Ary's
question came up, Odo shook his head. "No, but that doesn't matter, does it
now?" And before Odo knew it, there was a guy standing next to the table who
kinda sneaked, his footsteps weren't too much to worry about after the big heavy
ones were heading out the door. Maybe used those footsteps as cover for the
other to move in relative silence.
"Ahh, a face I haven't seen in a while." Comes the voice of one who had
but one arm. Odo continued looking at Ary without making any facial expression
to respond to the man who continued talking, but now looking at Aryanna, "Ohhh,
we went off and got married? Or just picked her up on the street?" A low chuckle
before the guy sat down on the bench seat next to Ary, nustling up next to her
before Odo actually said anything.
"What do you want, Gaiss?" Odo asked flatly, moving his eyesight from
Gaiss to Ary and back again, hand slowly moving for his sword.
When Gaiss appeared, Ary looked out of the corner of her eye up at him
as her hands seemed to become hidden under the sleeves of her kimono. The motion
to do so really didn't seem noticeable, as it occurred as she scooted over
slightly as to not be sat upon by the visitor. Underneath her sleeve, she was
loosening the bonds on a tessen holder where her fan was held. Suddenly, the
girl seemed to turn a little green, "Please, don't sit so close to me. Your
stench makes me want to vomit." She warned Gaiss as her eyes shifted back and
forth between the two men.
Odo had to try very hard not to smile, but the perks at the corners of
his lips appear as she makes the comment about Gaiss' smell. Gaiss, on the other
hand, started out laughing at the commentary, and starting to pull his one hand
(right, as he is sitting on her right) reaching across his body to brush some
hair from her face.
But even when his grimey fingertips touched her temple, or at least got
very close, Odo couldn't tell. It didn't stop an immediate touch of his sword
within it's sheath on Gaiss' forearm, pulling it down and away. "You will not.
She is not anyone you will ever know anything about. Or else I take your other
arm." Odo was quite serious. Not like it would truly offend Aryanna, but not
knowing her truths, he looked at her and then to Gaiss. "I recommend you leave,
along with any of your goons to leave us be."
Gaiss narrowed his eyes at Odo as he stood, "Why's this one different
lover-boy? And be sure, if she's ever anywhere without you Mister White
Knight… we'll have some fun, and I'll make her body do all kinds of stuff..
Don't grow soft on me, you've never brought a girl around here that's so
important to you," Gaiss hisses as he passes behind her. Ary would be able to
feel Gaiss' hand brushing along her hair before he heads towards the door, and
she would be able to easily see Odo follow the slimey man on his way to the
door. Then returning to Ary as Gaiss makes his exit.
Ary could feel the bones on the back of her neck ready to spring
forward as Gaiss touched her. Despite her looseness on a mission, there were
some things that even bothered her. She breathed deeply, wincing as if the touch
pained her while in truth she was suppressing her own reaction. Oh yes, her body
would do all kinds of stuff, but not because he would make her. If he touched
her, she'd kill him for free.
As the man departed, Ary relaxed slightly, reaching her hand forward
towards her drink, but stopping and tentatively touching the hand that held his
sword lightly, nervously before moving towards her cup. "Thank you, for that. I
hope I never run into him again." She said softly, her voice a little shaken as
if in fear before taking a sip of the water.
Odo breathed and came out of his near trance when she touched his hand.
He pulled away a bit quickly, setting his sword on the table, but keeping that
hand on it ready to grab it again if need be, and his other hand grabbing his
own drink which the waitress had brought out without them seeing, apparently.
"Don't worry, you aren't the first he has had his eye on that has asked me to
watch over them." Odo took a sip before he set the cup down. "I'd kill him if he
wasn't so useful most of the time."
Odo looked up at her making that face, and her voice a little shaken.
It was a feeling like if Odo was looking at his sister, and a voice that
he hadn't used since she was sick and he brought the antidote to her within
hours of when she would have died, "I'll take you as far as I'm going, if it's
in a direction you need to go. You cannot come with me forever, and I fear that
if you know everything of what I do, you may not want anything to do with me.
Once I get where I'm going, we must part ways." He wasn't innocent by any
stretch of the word's meaning, but there might be some hope for him to deep down
be a good man. The food arrives carried by the waitress on plates, the beef in
large chunks, steaming hot and juicy as if they just pulled it from a vat of
broth.
Nodding her head slightly, Ary set the cup down and dabbed her lips
with a napkin. "I appreciate that. I will try, to not be a burden to you.
However, I don't want to stay weak and helpless forever. My brothers always
protected me. Now they are gone. I really don't have anyone to turn to, and for
your willingness, I am thankful. I would like to, perhaps, ask, if you can teach
me how to fight and defend myself in our coming travels. If something should
happen, I don't want you to have to worry so much about protecting me. And when
we do eventually part ways, if I run into someone like Gaiss, I want to be able
to protect myself." She said, placing her hand out on the table for him to take
in a sign of agreement.
Odo was already digging into his food when she offered her hand. He
pointed at her food with his knife, "Eat, or else you'll not have the strength
for tomorrow's travelling." Definately a creature of limited social interaction
is Odo. He cut off pieces and ate, looking down at her hand before he looked up
at her. "We'll see." He motions towards her food again, "C'mon, it's late, we
need sleep."
Hearing Odo's words, Ary nodded slightly, pulling her hand back and
reaching for her knife and fork. "You're right." she said softly as she began to
cut into the flesh of her meat. Taking a portion on her fork she lifts it to her
lips and begins to chew. It doesn't take long for her to finish her meal and
except for general nods of agreement or understanding says little else as they
depart the restaurant to return to the tavern.
