Fantasy Zodiac Warriors - The Legends

[DarkiusHeavenstein]

Legend 1: Into the Snowy Mountains​

It started out as any normal day for the Zodiac Warriors.
Each of them going on about their normal business… until Master Liao called them all together.

It was supposed to be a easy supply mission for the villages in the Northern Mountains,
but things quickly became more difficult when the weather changed…

And disaster struck…​

 

[DarkiusHeavenstein]

Master Liao

Zodiac
Master of the Zodiac

Location
On his way to the Teahouse

Interaction
Yeong Tang {the Snake} DarkiusHeavenstein
Fuyuki Usagi {the Rabbit} Brokenbri

Mention
Hiroki Nakano {the Dog} DarkiusHeavenstein
Bohai Tang {the Tiger} Veil Walker

Outfit
His dark purple robes

Winter was slowly gripping around and leaving its mark. Most trees had lost their leaves and the small pond was slowly starting to freeze up at the edges. His breath came forth in little white clouds as he waited near the gates that gave access to the Zodiac Estate. Though the doors never truly closed, as they would always give a warm meal and a bed to sleep to those in need. If necesarry he even offered jobs at the Estate, since there was always work to do. Even with his twelve, or eleven, capable Zodiacs around. The Tiger often prefering to stay at his own place. Yet others were also known to sleep and live at other places from time to time. One of them being the Snake, that was just making his way home after an interesting night so to see. The older man slowly smiled, which gave him instantly a much more youthful look. It was hard to pinpoint his exact age, and Master Liao liked to keep it that way. He was just the Master, the guide of these skillful warriors, his Zodiacs.

"Ah, Yeong... Could you please start a tea ceremony?" He asked with a soft and friendly tone. Yet there was a certain urge in it, that even the stubborn Snake agreed without any protest. Soon the smoke from the chimney would alert all Zodiacs around. As they all knew that a tea ceremony meant they had to gather and that there was news he wished to share with them all. Of course they had their regular meetings, each month at the very least, to keep track of how everyone was doing. There were also personal meetings in order to talk about individual struggles and progress, but those were always open to be refused, ignored and declines. The Master would never force his Warriors to come speak with him against their will. It had been a long time ago that he had learned an iron fist and a steel grip did not bring out the best in people. Fear was not a way to make loyal Warriors. Fear was not an emotion he wished to bring forth in his Warriors. No, it was all about respect...

His feet slowly brought him further into the Estates, towards the place where he knew he could find one of the Zodiacs that had been with him the longest. He watched her for a moment, letting her finish what she was doing. "Usagi, with your agility and speed, could you please go around and make sure everyone is aware of the ceremony that is to start?" he asked her in that same friendly tone. "I'd like to start in twenty minutes, so urge them to hurry." Even if the smoke from the chimney would alarm the others, a direct word always went quicker. Definitely with the Rabbit and her special powers. He gave a soft bow of thanks, before he went further on his way. He had spoken to the Dog before to send a bird out to the Tiger to meet up with them at noon, which would be in a few more minutes. He always messaged the Tiger in time as he did not wish to interfere with any of his plans for the day, whatever those may be.

 

[DarkiusHeavenstein]

Yeong Tang

Zodiac
The Sexy Snake

Location
Somehwere in town --> the Teahouse

Interaction
The Master DarkiusHeavenstein

Mention
Yuan Zhi hao {Monkey} Pride.
Bohai Tang {Tiger} Veil Walker
Xiao Xinya {Rooster} thorspuddingcup

Outfit
Winter Hanbok

Yeong had very much enjoyed his late afternoon and early night together with the Monkey. They had enjoyed their dinner at the Orchid, after he had been done with his work. From there they had moved from one place to another, before they had ended up at the Lounge and started that stupid dare. Oh, he had been so sure the Monkey would not been able to succeed. But nothing was less true as he was now nursing a very painful tongue as he made his way backtowards the Estate. He hoped to be able to just slip in and just pop up somewhere during the afternoon, but alas, he noticed the Master waiting at the gates. The Snake frowned as he immediately felt some worry set up in the deeper parts of his stomach. It didn't often happen that the Master was waiting for him like this. Bohai, yes. That had happened. And usually not with such a calm exposure. He took a deep breath as he braced himself for scolding, even though the Master had never really disapproved of their behaviour or his interaction out of the Estate. "Yesssh, of coursshe," he answered when the Master asked him to start a ceremony and that worry climbed up around his heart.

For two reasons. One, this was not gonna be their monthly get together and after all his years with the Master, he had seen that worry in the others face. So that meant there would be a mission, which was not completely bad news. He always loved to go on little travels and such, but something told him a lot more was going on. A tea ceremony... That meant the Master had a lot to tell them and wanted them all present. He could remember only one or two mission off the past five years that required the whole Zodiac to be present. But then of course, it still could be a smaller task, but he just wanted to inform them all... The second reason was that a tea ceremony ment that Bohai would come. And while the Snake absolutely loved having his brother around. He had hoped to be allowed at least a few more days of healing, just so the swelling of his tongue would go down and the hissing it caused would be gone. Oh, the Tiger was gonna kill him. No... Not him. Zhi hoa would be the victim. Even if they were both guilty for thinking of this bet.

The young male quickly made his way over the bridge pathway towards the tea house and slipped out of his jacket and shoes. He hung away the pouch with shuriken, that were carefully hidden away in the folds of his Hanbok. Another custom made request that he could only thank the Rooster for from the bottom of his heart. Once inside the Teahouse he quickly made his way over towards the fire place and started the boiling of the fresh spring water, and thus the preparation of the tea. He hummed softly to himself as he picked out some lovely dried U-jeon leaves, chosing for something with a softer taste and a lovely fragrance of spring during these cold winter days. He gracefully moved around, almost as if he was gliding through the room, when he started setting out the tea ware while the tea was steeping and his fellow Zodiacs started arriving.

 

[DarkiusHeavenstein]

Hiroki Nakano

Zodiac
The Trustworthy Dog

Location
Stables --> Teahouse

Interaction
Ikari, his horse
Those who have arrived in general

Mention
Pig {The Pig} Veil Walker

Outfit
Simple brown stable clothes

"Yes, I know, Ikari..." The male stroke down the shoulder of the horse as it protested to beind so close around so many other horses and ponies. "Be nice!" He warned when the stallion made a biting move towards one of the mares that dared to come a little bit too close. Normally he would let Ikari just be free, as the horse always came when called, but right now that was not an option. He kissed that velvet nose of the horse. "Be nice, Ikari..." he hummed out loud this time, instead of purely speaking mentally with the animal. He went on a quick check at the other horses. Ten in total. Along with equally as many ponies. He knew not all Zodiacs were as comfortable on horses, but they would have little choice. Master Liao had not given him much details, other than that they would go for a travel into the mountains. Any further questions were supposed to be answered at noon during the tea ceremony. Right about now.

Hiroki left the stables, and indeed there was smoke coming from the chimney. The tea ceremony had started and their presence was requested. He quickly went over towards the basin with water. He had just filled it with fresh water for the horses and now quickly used it to freshen up and was his hands and face. He wondered what the Master had planned out that required all of them. He wondered what was going on. Over the past few days he had seen how the Master had been mostly locked up in the library and looking through texts and scrolls in a rather hasty way. Something was going on. Something big. And even, he had been kept in the shadows. He did not like that. Not at all. It gave this all a rather omnious feeling as he watched those white clouds form high in the sky. One last splash of ice cold water in his face and he was on his way. He was always the first to respond to a call from the Master, and he highly disliked being the last, or even among the last, to arrive. Plus from the stables to the Tea House was quite a bit of a travel.

As quickly as he could he made his way over some partial ice ground, until he came to the better kept and more used roads through the gardens and the land that belonged to the Zodiac Estate. "Has anyone alarmed Pig?" he asked, once he was at the House. There were still some people missing. He was sure that upon the first arrival of their newest member, he had explained. Just like a thousand other things. And to be honest, he had not really kept up much with the male. Also because winter meant there was a lot to do around the Estate to make sure all animals would have a place to hide for the cold. "I will go look for him," he said. He had not really waited for an answer as he put the thick jacket on and turned around, almost bumping into the next person to arrive. "I am sorry!" He quickly reached to grab the other to make sure there would be no falling.

 

[thorspuddingcup]

Chih-Ming Shen

997...998...999...1000! Ming sprung up from his place on the floor with a triumphant laugh. One-thousand push-ups in 25 minutes, it was a new personal record. With sweat glistening from his muscles, Ming walked over to the wooden water bucket and brought the ladle to his mouth and drank. Now that his physical training for the morning was done, it was on to the more tricky stuff. Earth manipulation. If somebody had told Ming two years ago that he could move rocks with his mind, he would ask them what kind of herb they were smoking. But here he was, doing the impossible. Oh, if Mei could see him now.

His chest ached with the thought of his sister. The last time he had seen her she had a smile on her face, with her blowing gently in the wind. "Hurry back! I'll make those pork buns you love when you get home!". If he had known that those ruffians were going to attack his home while he was out on a delivery, he never would have gone. Payment be damned. Ming had made a promise to his mother, and he had failed to keep it. Looking down at his reflection in the water, Ming scowled at the failure staring up at him from its surface. He forcefully threw the ladle back down, forcing the image to distort as he stomped out of the dojo.

Somewhere away from the buildings was the best place to practice his abilities. That way, if anything went wrong he didn't put a hole through Monkey's wall or something. That would piss the guy off for sure. Ming would fix it though, if it came down to that. He didn't mind the work. The stone path was cold beneath his bare feet as he left the building. His body was still worked up from his workout, and the cold wouldn't disturb him for a while yet. Out of the corner of his eye smoke rose into the winter sky. Ming stopped in his tracks to see from where the trail emanated. The tea house. Didn't that mean something? Ming thought for a moment, and as he did so, watched Dog enter the building. If Ming remembered correctly, smoke coming from the tea house meant something important. Did someone die? Was there a new Zodiac member (Ming also couldn't remember how many animals resided in the zodiac)?

Deciding that it was best to investigate what was going down in the tea house, Ming walked towards the cozy little building. He stepped over the threshold and was greeted by the warmth emanating from the fire and the subtle smell of tea brewing. Snake was already there, along with Dog, and seemed to be the one coaxing the leaves into drink. Snake was unnaturally pretty, and that made Ming weary of him. Although the man had done nothing to prove he was untrustworthy, boys that pretty couldn't mean well. Perhaps that was just his bias from all the boys that had gone after his sister in the past though.

"Snake! Dog! Good Morning!" Ming took an empty seat at the large tea-table. "So...remind me again what smoke coming from this building means? It's supposed to be important right?" As he said those words, Ming began looking around to see if Snake had laid out any snacks to go with tea. What was tea without a bite or five to eat?

Location: Dojo->Tea House
Mentions: N/A
Interactions: DarkiusHeavenstein Dog & Snake​

 

[Pride.]

zodiac :

The Rat

location :

Her room to the Tea House

outfit :

Her usual (you can refer to the picture in her sheet)

mentions :

Yuan Zhi hao

interactions :

Yeong Tang and Hiroki Nakano DarkiusHeavenstein
Chih-Ming Shen thorspuddingcup

Choi

Su-Jin

The Rat zodiac warrior spent the first morning hours of the day staring out in the darkness. Su-Jin didn’t know what time it was when she was awakened by a random sound in the night. She had been with the warriors for three years and knew full well that this place was one of the most protected places that she could have ended up in. But despite that she still had nights where she was startled awake there was nothing she could do to go back to sleep. More often than not she would spend her time staring annoyedly at the wall, trying to will herself into sleep. It never worked. This was probably one of the worst nights she has had since the first time she arrived with the Master. The memories of the nightmare danced across her mind as her dark colored eyes continued to watch as the dark started to gradually lighten with the sun. Su-Jin huffed before rolling onto the side opposite of the window. She didn’t want to look out the window anymore. It made the fact that she has not made any progress all too real for her. It didn’t matter that she had become so much more than was before becoming a Zodiac. She still had so much more to go before she considered herself “normal” again.

Not wanting to wallow in her self-pity any longer, Su-Jin tossed the warm blankets aside, letting cold morning air wake up the rest of her system. A chill crawled up her spine as she was reminded that this was the beginning of winter and not just some brisk autumn morning. With more haste than before she climbed out of the bed, abandoning the warmth that called to her in favor of putting on her winter clothes. She didn’t want to be sitting in the cold without the proper dress any longer than she already had. Su-Jin quickly located the clothing items she was looking for and quickly pulled them over her cool skin, wanting to get the warmth back. For a moment she was distracted by the scars on her body, calling back more of the events of the dream that she did not want to think about. ‘Let it go, it’s in the past.’ She reminded herself and hurried to cover up the marks on her body. Su-Jin was running a brush through her hair when she decided to peak outside of her room. There was no reason for doing this, she just felt like it was something she should do. As she did this she could see the tower of smoke that was rising from the tea house. “Hmm, wonder what that is about.” She whispered into the air, even though no one was around to hear it.

Su-Jin may have only been there a short time compared to some of the other warriors but she had become accustomed to the way things worked on the estate. This didn’t give her a good feeling, and she was never one to distrust her gut. The Rat quickly ducked back into her room and styled her up into its usual tight bun. ‘I wonder how serious it is.’ She doubted that it was anything like a simple like a ‘hi, hello’ type meeting. This was one of the times that Su-Jin was glad that she chose one of the rooms along the bottom floor so she could quickly get to where she needed to be on the estate. She weaved through the estate with slight haste as she tried not to let her mind overthink what this calling may be about. Unlike Zhi hao, their resident Monkey warrior, she did not have the easiest time looking on the bright side of things. When she turned around the corner that led to the bridge that connected to the tea house she could see a few of the other warriors were already there. Slowly her hasted pace she approached the meeting place. Right out front, she could see that Hiroki was standing at the tea house’s entrance. Su-Jin instinctively bee-lined over to him seeing as though she considered them to be close. “Morning, everything alright?” She asked, directing the question to the Dog warrior.

Hiroki seemed to be on the search for something, possibly another member of the Zodiac, so she wanted to check in with him and make sure everything was good. For a moment she scanned over who else already. She could see that it appeared Yeong, the Snake, had started the ceremony while Ming and Hiroki were the first to arrive at this meeting. “Morning.” She greeted the two of them with a polite nod of her head before turning her attention to the one she had spoken to first.

Speech: "Text"
Thought: 'Text'

coded by reveriee.

 

[Ch3rryBlossom28]

Ume Yoshikawa
Ume had woken up at the break of dawn. Today was the beginning of her monthly visits to the surrounded villages. She absolutely dreaded these days for it reminded her too much of her time as a child when she still lived with her parents. It made her feel disgusting and it made her feel lower than she was. Alas, she had to do this. It made her look good in the eyes of the citizens and you never know when you will need the public support. Ume opened the window and quickly closed it as soon as the cold, crisp air came in. She dreaded winters. The cold was most definitely not for her. The only good thing that came out of it was that she was always needed during this time of the year. The harsh cold cause many illness and the snow would bring injuries. She would take this season to gain more experience healing illnesses and fixing limbs.

She decided to leave her hair down to protect her ears and neck from the cold. Putting on her favorite winter outfit she grabbed some supplies and headed out. Horse back ridding was not easy for her so she opted to take a one horse carriage instead.

Ume spent most of her morning in the village closest to the Zodiac House. She didn't get to spend as much time as she had hoped there before she could see the smoke coming from the direction of the her home. It has to be the Master. I wonder what happened. It isn't time for our monthly meeting. Ume grabbed a nearby villager to tell them she was heading out and that she would come back another day to deal with everyone else. The villager bowed slightly to the Dragon thanking her for even being able to fix the small amount she did. These instances always made her smile. She straightened her self up and went back to the carriage. "Finished already M'Lady?" The carriage driver asked. "Yes. Take me back the the house. I am being summoned.

Luckily it did not take her long to get back. There were some members already at the tea house. Ume scanned the room to see if anyone she actually liked was there yet. Her eyes stopped at the master before lowering her head. "Good Morning Master." Her eyes landed on Chih-Ming next and her nose scrunched up in disgust. She saw that Su-Jin was here and she gave her a polite nod before taking a seat away from everyone else. Ume wasn't stupid. She knew how most of the zodiac felt about her and it didn't bother her one bit. She learned early in life that one could only trust themselves to survive. Plus she was the wonderous dragon. She only needed the other zodiac members for so much.

"Did something happen?"



(text =thought
text= talking)
​

 

[Pride.]

zodiac :

The Monkey

location :

Somewhere in town to The Tea House

outfit :

Refer to sheet picture (because I did not think this through yet)

mentions :

Bohai Tang Veil Walker

interactions :

Yeong Tang and Hiroki Nakano DarkiusHeavenstein
Chih-Ming Shen thorspuddingcup
Ume Yoshikawa Ch3rryBlossom28
Choi Su-Jin

Yuan

Zhi hao

Unlike the warriors who spent the night in the comfort of the estate Zhi hao and his lovely friend Yeong had spent the night off at the Orchid when the Snake warrior had finished off his work for the day. A lot had happened during the night, including a bet that in retrospect could have gone very badly for him. By a wonderful stroke of luck, he won the bet and he could now watch the chaos unravel. Zhi hao knew one of the Zodiac warrior twins might be out for his head by the end of the day, but it would be worth it. As the new day came, Zhi hao decided it was best to sneak back into the estate to lessen his chances of encountering the fiery Tiger before he was prepared to face the powerful warrior. While he was fully capable of holding his own against the fire-wielding man with his ability to manipulate the properties of gravity. He hoped that maybe if he found out about the news first and then had that moment to take it in. Maybe Bohai wouldn’t immediately rip his throat out upon seeing him. Zhi hao could only hope that maybe Bohai was in an unusually forgiving mood today.

As Zhi hao came around the back of the estate to the large tree that hung over the wall of the estate, the Monkey could feel a smile forming on his face. He was trying not to giggle at what Yeong must be going through right now. Zhi hao did feel kind of bad for picking a rather painful punishment that was going to take a moment to heal properly. But a bet was a bet. The warrior did a quick scan of his surroundings, making sure that he wasn’t being watched or followed by anyone before he did what he was planning on using any of his fantastical abilities. Once he was sure that he was in the clear Zhi hao turned his attention to the tree in front of him. He let out a slow breath before focusing on his body and the forces around him. It took him but a moment to tune into the forces around him that kept everything on the ground. It was always a bit of a rush whenever he connected with the powerful and ever-present force. There was a moment where he could feel the gravity around him pushing on his very being before it faded and he felt relaxed once more. He hadn’t realized that he had closed his eyes until he had opened them to look forward.

Zhi hao took a step forward, focusing on his center as the whole world shifted. If he wasn’t prepared for this feeling already he most likely would have lost whatever food was in him. After the shift had happened, Zhi hao was comfortably standing on the side of the tree and was walking up the surface like it was the most natural thing in the world. And to the Monkey it was normal. Coming up to the top of the tree when he felt more comfortable he released his hold on the pull of gravity to rest naturally in the tree. It was a bit odd to go from being sideways to suddenly upright, but he brushed off the momentary dizziness before stepping off from the tree onto the walls of the estate. As he stood upon the stone walls he could see the smoke coming from the tea house. “Well, that’s certainly unusual.” He gracefully hopped down from the wall he was perched on, once again channel the gravity around him to prevent any injuries from happening. Zhi hao didn’t waste any time and just headed straight towards the tea house. He wasn’t sure how long the smoke had been going for but he didn’t want to miss anything important.

When Zhi hao arrived at the meeting he was happy to find that he was not the last to arrive, which was good because that meant he hadn’t missed anything. Instinctively his gaze landed on the Snake warrior, who seemed to be the one helming the tea ceremony. Judging on the general atmosphere Yeong was giving off he could tell that the Snake was struggling, he wasn’t sure if that was from the lost bet or something else. "Morning everyone, it seems we have a surprise in store.” He greeted cheerfully, a bright smile on his face. He skillfully slipped past Su-Jin and Hiroki who were somewhat near the door at the moment. Zhi hao chose to sit across from Ming and Ume. “I’m not sure what is happen, Miss Yoshikawa.” He casually rested his arms on the table.

Speech: "Text"
Thought: 'Text'

coded by reveriee.

 

[Veil Walker]

Yōulíng the Pig

Zodiac
The Feasting Piggy

Location
Hot Springs --> Teahouse

Interaction
Rice Ball
Those who have arrived in general

Mention
Packmule {The Ox} thorspuddingcup
Hiroki {The Dog} DarkiusHeavenstein
Ume {The Dragon} Ch3rryBlossom28
Scales {The Snake} DarkiusHeavenstein
Zhi Hao {The Monkey} Pride.

Outfit
Rough, light blue hanfu

Pig was flopped next to one of the hot springs, dangling his feet lazily over the railing as he competed against himself to see how many rice balls he could fit into his mouth at one time. It was a surprisingly regular past time for the Pig, and one he found himself enjoying despite the jaw pain.
"C'mon, Piggy..." He muttered, spraying small pieces of rice out. "You did free more yesserday..." With a groan, Pig forced another rice ball into his mouth. Glancing up, he noticed people hurrying to the Tea House, which seemed to be using smoke signals of some kind. Frowning to himself, he tried to remember what that meant. Hiroki had told him a lot of information day one, but all he could remember about the Tea House was the Master's disapproving look as he had entered that one time with his bo staff. It was not a mistake he made twice. When the Thief Lady had looked at him like that, he knew he had to change what he was doing or be in for some serious punishment. So since then he made sure he only kept his staff in his room or at the Dojo. He had no desire to see what the Master might come up with as a serious punishment. Wrapping up the three large cloth bundles next to him, he hopped up and made his way to the Tea House with one in each hand and the largest tucked into his belt.

Sauntering up to the Tea House, he lightly ran into Hiroki. Trying not to choke on the rice balls still jammed in his mouth, he made a colossal effort and swallowed them all, wincing slightly. He made a bow to the older man, though he kept his eyes fixed upon Hiroki's.
"My apologies, Master Hiroki. I was distracted." Smiling, the boy handed the largest sack to Ming, who was looking around with a hungry expression.
"Extra large order of Chisao's dumplings, just the way you like it Big Guy. Also some rice balls and those noodles you seemed to enjoy." At this, Pig caught sight of Ume, and gave her his biggest smile.
"Greetings to the noble Ume, the Dragon Zodiac, most powerful and gracious of us all. May I say your hair is looking particular lustrous today?" With this, he did a short somersault, landing before her in a deep bow, though again his eyes never left hers. Deftly, he made a flicking motion with his hand, and a cherry blossom appeared as he stretched out his hand towards her.
"A token of my deep admiration for you, Ume. Now if you excuse me, I have matters of state to attend to." Turning away, he winked at Zhi hao and Yeong, before setting the last two parcels of food in the center of the room.
"Yes, I brought snacks. Now nobody can complain. So why are we holding a bazaar in the Tea House?" Without waiting for an answer, he gave a short cry of "Piggy Pig Pig," leaping gracefully onto the back of the mighty Ox and wrapping his legs around him.
"Thanks for always being there to catch me, Pack Mule!"

 

[BOKEH.]

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  how she's feeling...

  
  
  
  

  a mixture of curiosity and concern
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
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  what she's wearing...

  
  
  
  

  traditional hanfu silks of red and black with intricate gold patterns

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
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  where she's at...

  
  
  
  

  the dojo ---> the teahouse
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
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  interacting with...

  
  
  
  

  no one in particular, open!
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

zhou lei

the goat

The dark-haired beauty had risen during the early hours of the day as she usually did. Frequently haunted by dreams of a past reality and eerie visions that were not her own—the goat zodiac found the conscious mind to be much more pleasant than the gateway to the unconscious one. Even after all these years, she had never been able to completely find peace with the cards she had been dealt with in the past. So, this morning and like many mornings previously, she found herself within the walls of the Dojo in order to escape her troubled thoughts.

Lei patted the salty droplets of sweat off her forehead with the sleeves of her garments. After a long run and some practice with swordsmanship, the brunette decided to call it a day for now. Little did she realize at that moment that it would make for a convenient decision until she stepped out of the entrance to the Dojo and into the brisk cold of winter.

The faint and familiar smell of smoke that wafted from the chimney of the Teahouse snagged the chocolate-eyed warrior's attention. A meeting? Hadn't they just had their monthly gathering not too long ago? A mixture of worry and confusion clouded her features. Maybe something had happened or, perhaps, there was to be a new development in their lives. Or maybe it was something entirely different. Whether it was good or bad though? She couldn't determine that either. Whatever it was, was important enough for Master to call a meeting. Driven by curiosity and a little bit of anxiety, Lei made her way to the Teahouse.

Upon her arrival, she found that many of her zodiac peers had already beat her there. By the atmosphere of the group, it became apparent Lei that no one else seemed to know why they had been summoned either. Well, if any of them did know what was going on, they were doing a fine job of not giving away the game.

"I wonder what this could be about..."

she murmured to no one in particular as she moved to claim an open seat somewhere amongst the chaotic bunch.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Impius]

Tsuda Miyoko
The Noble Horse
​

Snow blanketed the ground, sparkling like a million precious gems in the early morning sunlight. Trees were barren and the air was filled with birdsong. Tiny footprints traced their way from the tea house to the garden near the hot spring. The path taken went by several large bushes of winter peonies, colorful daffodils, vibrant plum blossoms, lavish red roses, and beautiful twisting trees, barren of their leaves. Tsuda was at the end of the footprints in the snow, slowly taking a stroll in a light blue kimono with a black belt, a silver horse embroidered on her back. Her hands were hidden in front of her, the thicker white clothing piece underneath retaining the little bit of body heat she produced. The woman was silent as the snow crunched under her geta shoe with toe covers to keep her feet dry. She reached out and gently pressed the tip of her finger to the end of a naked branch and flicked it, watching the snow pop off the top and fall to the ground in silence. A faint smile appeared on her red lips.

She was lost in thought, her face expressionless save for the few faint smiles she gave to the flowers that bloomed in such a cold season. Tsuda had spent her entire morning wondering through the garden and hot spring, enjoying the peace and calm this season brought. Well, peace and calm as long as there was food and warmth, right? She flicked another branch as she walked by. No matter how many years pass, the garden was always one of her favorite spots to go. She had her fill for the day, however and began wondering out toward the trees surrounding Master Liao's estate. She walked for a short time before she came across a flat topped tree stump. She swatted the snowy layer off of it and took a seat, the stump just large enough to fit her small frame cross-legged. Her hands rested upon her knees and she closed her eyes, taking in a controlled deep breath before letting out twice as slow, relaxing the muscles in her face, neck, shoulders, arms, all the way to her toes. She let the sound of chirping birds fade into the background. All that was, was the darkness behind her eyes and the rhythmic deep breathing.

She spent an hour sitting, the icy layer on top of the stump having melted and soaked into the kimono, leaving her rear and thighs feeling frozen once she actually began to move again. She grimaced slightly as she tried to kick her legs awake. As she did this, she felt a little mental thread tug at her. She stopped moving for a moment, waiting for another tug, much like that of a fishing line. When it came she bent down, placing her chin on her knees as she used four fingers to draw out two nearly perfect circles in the snow, conjoined on the side. A faint whisper fell from her lips like lead, a small huff of condensation dissipating above her head. "Setsuzoku."

Her eyes closed and the thread that tugged at her brain yanked, pulling tight as she mentally flew down its path. A small white fluffy rabbit was sitting on top of the snow, its nose and whiskers twitching nervously. Danger lurked nearby, a hungry fox peaking its head out from behind a tree. It licked its maw and began moving in closer. Despite this being the way of life, Tsuda took pity on the young rabbit and urged it to move. If you move now, you'll live another day. Be strong like the unforgiving winter, the rabbit twitched, as if propelled by her thoughts. However it was too hesitant and the fox was the one to live another day. The thread snapped like the rabbits spine, and Tsuda found herself yet again stiff in the legs from crouching for all of three minutes. She shook her legs out again to return the blood flow. Perhaps she would take a ride out to one of the villages today, try to sell some of her recent kakemono scrolls displaying the vibrant reds and oranges of autumn.

Her plans were immediately canceled when she saw the smoke trail coming from the tea house chimney. Her brow scrunched forward, raking her memory. Was it that time of month again? It couldn't possibly be. Regardless, the smoke signal was a summon not to be ignored. She dusted the rest of the flakes off her and made her way to the tea house, her rump a slightly darker blue from still being damp. Deciding she could stretch out a few minutes, Tsuda rushed over to the Zodiac House and slipped into her room to change into fully dry clothing, leaving the wet to hang dry. Her new look consisted of a soft pink hanfu with a white upper breast and sleeves. A red belt was fashioned slightly above her chest. Pastel palette-d flowers decorated the inner sleeves and feathers along the skirt of the dress. Having changed clothes in little to no time, she hastily made her way to the tea house, toe-protecting geta's left at the door. Most of the other Zodiac Warriors had already arrived, everyone seeming to have the same curiosity to the out of the blue meeting. She offered a friendly smile and nod, quietly taking a place across from Zhou, the Goat Zodiac.

 

[Brokenbri]

Fuyuki sat up right in her bed with her hands over her chest where her heart is. Taking slow deep breaths to try and calm her racing heart down. She had just had a vivid nightmare of the day her family was killed. Shaking her head she tried to free her head of the bad dream. Throwing off her blanket, Fuyuki felt the crisp cold air and shivered. Looking around the room she noticed that it had gotten a but dirty, so she got out of bed and changed into a light blue winter hanbok. She walked over to her window and opened it feeling a bit colder. She hated the cold winter weather, but for now it was needed to air out her room, since it had started to get stuffy in there. Looking out to the sky she noticed that it was late in the morning. Normally she would have woken up earlier but thanks to her bad dream it looked like she woke up late. Sighing Fuyuki walked over to the door of her room and opened it to help the stuffy air go somewhere else.

By time Fuyuki finished cleaning her room she saw the master at her doorway just watching her as if he was waiting for her to finish. With a smile on her face she walked over to him. "Is there something you need master?" She listened to what he said and nodded agreeing with what he had told her to do. When he walked off she looked worried. 'What could this meeting be about? I know we just had our monthly meeting not to long ago...Guess I better go and see if anyone hasn't noticed that there is a meeting at the tea house.' Fuyuki walked over to the window and noticed the smoke already coming from the tea house. Closing the window she walked over to the door and closed it as she walked out of her room.

Walking down the hallway where all the Zodiac member's rooms were and noticed that one of the doors were cracked open. Walking over to the door she lightly pushed it open and saw fabric everywhere put up neatly. 'Oh its Xiao's room. I should have known that.' Pushing the door the rest of the way open Fuyuki saw Xiao sitting there just sewing. A smile lit up on her face as soon as she saw him. Fuyuki knocked on the door to get his attention, she wanted to let him finish but the meeting was important. "Master wants everyone to meet at the tea house, he said it was urgent." Once she finished what she was saying she stayed there for a moment just to make sure he had heard her. Once she was sure she concentrated on the wind around her feet, pulling up her dress a bit just enough to where she wouldn't trip and fall as she ran, and looked around the Zodiac estate to see if there was anyone else who had not seen the smoke. When she didn't see anyone she ran to the tea house and saw that everyone was already there. Sighing to herself she let down her dress and walked over to an empty seat. Normally she would have been one of the first people to have made it to the meeting, but this time she was one of the last. 'It must have been that dream...I really hope it won't affect me for the rest of the day.'

Speaking: text
Thoughts: text
Mentioned thorspuddingcup Xiao​

 

[thorspuddingcup]

Xiao Xinya

Xiao had woken up much earlier than usual that morning. He hadn't had an unpleasant dream, he had simply found he had woken up before the sun and was unable to go back to sleep. Xiao had pulled himself out of bed and settled down at the kotatsu that sat in the middle of his bedroom floor. The warmth of the smoldering coals beneath the blanket was comforting as Xiao picked up his latest work from where it rested on the table top. It was a simple, yet elegant, yukata with herons embroidered in flight along the bottom hem. Although he no longer lived with his family, occasionally commissions were sent to him from his parents from people willing to wait longer for their clothing. This piece had been commissioned by a well of merchant for his daughters coming of age celebration next summer.

As Xiao worked he began to hear the sounds of his fellow Zodiac's getting ready for the day. Taking a small break from his work, Xiao got up and opened his door just a crack. If anybody were to need him, then the door was open. But, he liked having enough privacy to continue on his project. Xiao sat back down, and didn't even notice as the suns rays began to peek in through his windows. His work only stopped when he heard knocking upon his door, and looked up to see Fuyuki standing there with a soft smile upon her face. Upon seeing her there, Xiao smiled back. Not just out of politeness, but he was genuinely happy to see her. He was going to ask how she was, but before he could even open his mouth to form the words Fuyuki informed him that they were to meet at the tea house regarding an urgent matter. That certainly ruined the mood.

"Understood." Xiao said, carefully finishing the stitch he had been working on. He snipped the remaining thread and placed the pin on its respective cushion. "Perhaps we could walk there together?" Xiao said as he stood, only to look up and see Fuyuki was gone. The sound of her feet on the houses floor could be heard as she hurried away. Xiao frowned, realizing he had been too slow to speak and lost the opportunity to spend time with her.

The walk to the tea house was brisk, as Xiao did not want to linger in the cold any longer than needed. Sure enough, there was a line of smoke ascending from the tea house chimney. While engrossed in his work, Xiao had neglected to see it. Stepping through the tea house door, Xiao saw that he had been the last to arrive. As people watched him enter, he bowed respectfully towards the group.

"I apologize for my tardiness. I did not see the smoke signal from my room."

Location: Room->Tea House
Interactions: Fuyuki Brokenbri
Mentions: N/A ​

 

[Veil Walker]

Bohai The Tiger

Zodiac
The Reserved Tiger

Location
Bohai Tang's House --> Teahouse

Interaction
Mei Su (The little Girl)
thorspuddingcup (Ming)

Mention
DarkiusHeavenstein (Hiroki)
BOKEH. (Lei)
Ch3rryBlossom28 (Ume)
thorspuddingcup (Xiao)

Outfit
Slightly muddy brown hanfu

It was not unusual for Bohai to wake up before the sun came up, and today was no exception. While most knew the Tiger Zodiac had a fiery temper and could snap at you on a bad day, he was also willing to trek out to the outlying farms in the area at all hours to help treat sick and injured animals. While his skill at healing would never rival that of the Dragon, he had often asked her questions, as well as teaming up with Hiroki, his best friend to ascertain the problem. As such, he had a reputation not only for taking in strays, but also for being a cheap and reliable alternative to any of the other options. It was well known that while the local healers looked down on treating livestock and often would refuse or charge extra for the journey, Bohai Tang would go out in the rain to help deliver a calf, and ask for nothing but a fair rate. So it was only natural that he'd had an early morning treating an oxen who had gotten a stone lodged in its hoof. Easy enough to treat, but when a beast starts limping on a working farm, it is always a sign of concern. Bohai removed the stone and set a special herbal compress into the hoof well before managing to make it home in time for morning tea. He sat, sipping and quietly sighing in between giving a little baby cat drops of milk from a special reed tube he and Hiroki had invented especially for this a few years ago. Pausing, he gave the kitten a few gentle pets, before a winged messenger flew in through the window he always kept open for just such an occasion. With a groan, he listened as it tapped out a simple message in the code Hiroki had designed: 'T.C.' With a sigh, he set the kitten down in a special basket, which he handed to the little girl who was waiting right next to where he sat, watching him closely.
"Keep her warm, and make sure you feed her like I've shown you. Oh, and test the milk on your wrist first. If it's too hot for you there, it's too hot for her mouth." With a nod, he ushered her out, closing the door before setting off at a quick jog.

The streets were beginning to wake up as he ran through them, the smell of cooked food and hot tea causing his empty stomach to gnaw at him. He realized in all his rush to get things done, he had forgotten to eat. He shrugged as he ran harder through the winding streets and narrow alleys of the city. He was in fairly good shape, and so was barely winded as he arrived at the estate of the Master. Slowing to a walk, he entered and quietly took in the scene for a moment. His eye's flicked over Yeong's as he tried not to let the Snake see the guilt he still carried in his eyes. Looking up slightly, he noticed the Pig, as the boy insisted on being called, carried on the back of Ming. Lightly patting the Ox Zodiac's arm, he gave him a soft smile.
"You know, you should really make him pay for that privilege at the very least." Noticing his brother's... situation, and how the Monkey Zhi hao was barely suppressing his laughter, Bohai aimed a flick at the boy's ear before sitting in his usual spot, giving a small smile and a nod to Hiroki, Lei, Ume and Xiao as he sat and waited to hear what this was about. It had taken him years, but the fiery Zodiac had finally begun to grasp that sometimes patience was more effective than charging in and demanding answers. So he leaned back slightly and tried to ignore the antics of the others around him, though the smell of Chisao's was causing his stomach to roar ironically like a tiger in hunger.

 

[DarkiusHeavenstein]

Master Liao

Zodiac
Master of the Zodiac

Location
The Teahouse

Interaction
All Zodiacs

Mention
All Zodiacs

Outfit
His dark purple robes

Master Liao sat in the middle of the meditation room with his eyes closed, simply listening to the voices behind him. Most zodiacs were rather silent, but of course their youngest member brought some life in the group. His lips twitched up in a soft amused smile, wondering what kind of antics the young boy had gotten himself into. He rose in one fluent motions when the group was complete and made his way downstairs. "Thank you for the generous sharing," the Master spoke gentle, but with true gratitude. "If you will take a seat, I shall explain why I have brought you all here." With those words he took his seat at the table as well and picked up the waiting cup of tea. He took a small sip as to pass the time and wait for everyone to settle around the table.

Master Liao lowered the cup again, still holding the beautiful decorated porcelain between his fingers as he spoke. "Many years ago, centuries even, when I was still a young man, the Seven combined their powers and knowledge to do something that was deemed impossible. They discovered, or perhaps created, a seal strong enough to keep the deity Raju away from our world. Each of them giving their life to protect this world from the evil, the corruption, the destruction that Raju could bring to this world so easily. Each of them making the promise that in twelfths they would watch their part of the world. Their Apprentices took these words to their heart and have ever since made sure to try and keep these twelve parts together. Their Apprentices eventually becoming the Masters of the Zodiac Warriors." He fell silent as he looked around the table at his own Warriors. The Legends of the Zodiacs were known worldwide. Some of them true, but most of them holding just an ounce of truth. Yet the story of their creation, or the reason for their existence was little known off. Somehow it was a story that was not shared further than within the Zodiacs themselves.

"Now, the past few months, I have received several disturbing messages from some of the other Masters. For reasons still unknown it seems that Raju is growing in power and trying to break the seal. We have come to the conclusion that someone is trying to find the Spellbook and the Amulet that was crafted by the Seven, so Raju can be set free. I hope it goes without saying that we have to do whatever we can to prevent that from happening." The Master sat a bit more back. He took a long sip from the tea and for a moment it seemed like he was drifting of in thoughts. Worrisome thoughts. A deep sigh followed as the now empty cup was put down on the round table. "The Pages of the Spellbook are scattered across the World and we need to find them as quickly as possible, before they fall into the wrong hands. One of the pages might be hidden in the Scroll of Practice that the Seosinko Monastery holds so dearly, which would explain the strange things that have started happening there. It seem all three scrolls have become corrupted over the past few months and weeks, so the people and the monks will need our help. Even more so with the winter setting in now. I will send you out in three groups to gather information on the Scrolls and restore them, under the disguise of bringing food and supplies to help them through the cold."

That last part not being unusual for the Warriors around this time of year. There was often plenty to spare from down here in the valley to help the small villages and places higher up in the mountains. "Xiao, you will take the path in the nothern direction to the Bacomonok Orphanage. I think the powers of the Rooster will be needed there to undo the corruption of the Scroll. Ume, Bohai and Fuyuki will help you out where neccesary." He looked at the four he had just mentioned, aware that Ume might not be too happy with not being the leader of the group. He was sure she could find some purpose to help the children. Or so he hoped. "Lei, your group will consist of Su-Jin, Hiroki and Ming. You will follow the path southward into village Nam’Jib. I am sure the powers of the Goat will be needed to check on the Scroll of Protection." He hoped Ming might be able to perhaps do some quick repairs, if necessary. Hiroki knew as no other the vulnerability of if Lei was caught into a vision. "Last but not least, Pig, your group will go to the west and visit the Seosinko Monastery. Together with Yeong, Tsuda and Zhi hao, you will be responsible for getting the Scroll of Practice and bring it here. I will give you a new Scroll of Practice to replace it with, so the Monastery will not lose something it values so much." He looked over the last group, hoping that Tsuda would be able to keep the three friends a bit on track. "You will leave as soon as possible. I have made arrangements with Sibjalo Inn so all twelf of you can stay there tonight. In the morning you will split up to each your destination and I hope to see you all back witin a week. If there are any questions or concerns, feel free to speak up now." He knew he was asking a lot of them, and this was a lot of information. Normally he would ask for their input and their opinions, but this was a matter of urgency. For if the rumors were true, the Curse of the Scrolls have already been activated...

 

[thorspuddingcup]

Chih-Ming Shen

Although the two hadn't answered his question, Ming came the conclusion that smoke coming from the chimney was in fact an important sign when the other members began arriving. Some of the women, who chose to give polite hello's before sitting down. Ming had seen Goat at the domo earlier, but had left her to her own devices. Pig followed soon after, carrying a delicious smell with him. The boy handed him a sackstill slightly warm from its delicious contents, and Ming smiled. "You shouldn't have!" Ming replied with false modesty as he took a dumpling out of the bag. Pig was quickly becoming his favorite of the people had was surrounded with. The meaty treat was comically small in his large hands. He popped the dumpling into his mouth and groaned loudly with pleasure, then followed it with another. Mrs. Chisao down the road could probably make these dumplings with human meat and they would still be delicious. The woman worked some real magic.

Pig hopped up onto Mings shoulders and he almost dropped his bag of treats in surprise. But he grabbed them quickly and then grasped the boys ankles around his torso to ensure he didn't fall down. "And where would you like to sit, oh mighty Pig?" Ming asked him, intending to carry him there and then sit down in his own spot. Bohai came in, patting Mings bare and muscular arm. "He did pay me! In dumplings! A far better toll than money I would say."

Ming lowered himself so that Pig could clamber down safely, and then took his own seat next to Tsuda at the table. The small tea cup before him was again, comically small in his hands as he took a long drag of the liquid. It was okay. Tea didn't really get the appeal of tea the way other people seemed to, but it did warm the stomach. Downing the last of the drink, the Master spoke. Ming listened to the best of his ability, but got lost in some of the finer points. There was a lot to take in, but he understood the basic jist. He was to accompany Goats team to check on the Protection scroll. None of the people he was assigned to work with were any he had made close bonds with, like Pig or Bohai, but he took the news well.

Punching a fist into his palm Ming let out a small encouraging shout. "Well, Lei. Just show me what to punch and I'll punch it!"

Location: Tea House
Mentions: Dragon, Master, Horse
Interactions: - Veil Walker(Pig & Tiger) - BOKEH. (Goat)​

 

[DarkiusHeavenstein]

Yeong Tang

Zodiac
The Sexy Snake

Location
Teahouse

Interaction
Bohai {Tiger} Veil Walker
Babysitter Tsuda {Horse} Impius

Mention
Ume {Dragon} Ch3rryBlossom28
Winking to Fuyuki {Rabbit} Brokenbri
Yuan Zhi hao {Monkey} Pride.
Pig {Pig} Veil Walker

Outfit
Winter Hanbok

Yeong wasn't alone for long, as the smoke had alerted the others. He smiled when the 'little' teahouse started to fill up. Most people quiet, and because of his sore tongue, for once he followed their example. It didn't last long though as Pig came bouncing in, quite literally after the run in with Hiroki. He chuckled as the young male launched himself onto Mings back. "Careful, coming through with hot tea!" he warned, but not a drop was spilled. Perhaps it was luck, perhaps it was his usual connection through his power that kept the hot water in the pot. Who knew... And who cared? He was about to stuck his tongue out towards the Monkey, to show he had indeed kept up his part of the bet, when no one less than his brother came over, already attempting to flick the Monkeys ear. He didn't want to cause more trouble, and most of all he did not want to get his own ear pinched, thus his newly decorated tongue stayed in his mouth for once as he took his seat next to his brother. He had missed him. He always missed his twin, but he knew Bohai was busy with... his work, the little animals. He should visit there more often...

The Snake warrior took very small sips of the hot tea. Something that was unusual for him, but with his still healing tongue the hot beverage wasn't a pleasant drink. With quite an amount of seriousness, he listened to what Master Liao had to say. Every now and then frowning a bit, since all of that didn't sound like a good thing. Raju... He had heard some stories, he had told some stories himself. But he had always believed that it was nothing more than that. But then again, 10 years ago, he would have believed the Warriors of the Zodiacs to be nothing more than legends either, and now he was one of them himself. Funny, how life could change.. How he had thought that night his life to be over. How it would have been over, had it not been for his brother. He looked over towards the male beside him. "Lucky you," he hummed softly towards his brother. To be put in the same group as Ume, with Ume not being the leader? That was gonna be tough. However there was a sparkle in his eye as he looked over towards the Rabbit warrior, indicating that perhaps those words had not been that sarcastic. He gave the shy woman a quick wink, just to stir the pot some more.

"You ready to be the babysssssiter of the misssschief group?" Yeong said towards Tsuda, forgetting all about hiding that slight slissing sound his tongue was causing. "Are you sure, you are not making a missstake, Master?" Pig, Monkey and Snake together? To rob a monastery or something? Well, perhaps they were the best group for that. It was gonna be mayhem. It was gonna be chaos. It was gonna be beautiful! The world was not ready for this. Though he was aware they were send of with a task, an important task, and he would not forget about that. He was pretty sure that the Horse was not gonna let them forget about it either. "Come on, let's mug some monks!" he declared as he got up. Ready to start on this adventure with his friends, they could figure out a plan on the way there.

 

[DarkiusHeavenstein]

Hiroki Nakano

Zodiac
The Trustworthy Dog

Location
Teahouse

Interaction
Pig {Pig} Veil Walker
Su-Jin {Rat} Pride.
Tsuda {Horse} Impius
Everyone in general

Mention
Ume {Dragon} Ch3rryBlossom28

Outfit
Simple brown stable clothes

Master Hiroki. There was only one person to call him that... "Just Hiroki is fine," he said with a smile towards the young male. Guess he didn't have to go search for him anymore. He watched as the boy brought life to the party, somehow spreading cherry blossom after that quick somersault. He shook his head, while the Pig seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. For a moment it even made him forget about the worries he had just moments ago, about what kind of task they would be send of. He knew they were usually send of for supplies, but it felt so much heavier than that. Now that the Pig had found his way here on his own, he went to sit down and took one of the dumplings that had been offered to them. "Thank you," he said as he looked towards the Pig. Though the other was so busy he wasn't sure if he had heard him or not. He would repay the favour at some point.

Hiroki watched as the Master came over, that earlier worry seemed to double down now as he saw those serious eyes. There was still a friendly smile on the Masters face, it was obvious that this would not be some normal mission. This was big. Very big. End of the world big. He straightened up as he listened carefully to each word, not wanting to miss anything. They were send of in little groups. Each with their own destination and their own task. And with rather surprising leaders. As leading was usually a task of him or Ume, but he had no problem with not being picked as captain this time. Unlike Ume probably. However being put in the same group as the Goat, as her protector... Well, the Master probably knew best and had not made these groups as they were for no reason. Still, it did cause a painful throb in his chest that he would not show. Never.

"Yes, I got horses and ponies ready for all of us and to pull the supply charts," Hiroki announced, as he could help but to ask that very same question as the Snake. Was it really such a good idea to send those three off on their own? Well, he did trust Tsuda, but still... The Master probably had thought this all through. Or as always knew more than they knew or would ever know. After almost twenty years in service, he knew to trust the Masters judgement, no matter how random, weird or unlogic it seemed at times. "I think the ponies would be best to take up in the mountains to the Monastery," he added as he looked towards the Pig. Despite only being with them for a month, he did not treat him any different than any of the others. He was a Warrior, the past didn't matter and neither did the inexpierence. "Su-Jin, I think the grey mare is most suited for you. Tsuda, I kinda assumed you would take Arashi," he spoke towards the two ladies, "if anyone else needs help with picking the right horse, just let me know."

 

[BOKEH.]

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  how she's feeling...

  
  
  
  

  all over the place
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
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  what she's wearing...

  
  
  
  

  traditional hanfu silks of red and black with intricate gold patterns

  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
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  where she's at...

  
  
  
  

  the teahouse
  

  
  
  

  
  
  
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  interacting with...

  
  
  
  

  ming thorspuddingcup
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

zhou lei

the goat

The young survivalist was drawn away from her thoughts when the Horse Zodiac took the seat in front of her. She greeted the better-dressed woman with a nod and a friendly smile. She might have struck up a conversation with her had the familiar figure of the Tiger not distracted her. The dark-haired Goat spirit returned his greeting as he took his seat as well. Out of the zodiacs, the Tiger seemed to be one of the least cautious towards her.

Lei's attention was again snatched away by the sound of Master's voice. She sat up a little straighter in her seat and listened carefully as he began to deliver the zodiacs' next tasks. As anticipated, it was definitely some big news. However, she was quite surprised by be given a leadership role as she was not normally selected for such responsibility. Even so, Lei was always up for a change of direction.

The group she had been put in was... interesting, to say the least. While she was lucky to be grouped with such capable individuals, but she did not have strong bonds with any of them. Perhaps, that was one of the reasons as to why they were placed together—to help build those strained relationships—or maybe it was based on what gifts best fit the given task. Regardless of her initial hesitation towards the decision, Master had his reasons, and Lei was willing to trust his train of thought.

The dark-eyed woman grinned at Ming's enthusiasm.

"That's the spirit!"

she responded cheerfully, relaxing a bit in her station. She offered a soft smile in acknowledgment to both Su-Jin and Hiroki before turning back to the Ox.

"I think we've got a pretty solid team, don't you agree?"

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Ch3rryBlossom28]

Ume Yoshikawa
Ume kept to herself for the most part, while everyone gathered, only nodding to those who acknowledged her. When the pig came in, Ume did her absolute best to ignore the man. He was one of the Zodiac that she didn't care to associate with and didn't want to deal with his antics. She let out a long sigh when he locked eyes with her. It was a mistake on her part for even looking in his direction to give him the chance. She was already socially drained from dealing with the public most of the day, so as much as she wanted to be sociably nice in front of the Master she just couldn't muster it. A part of her did enjoy the flattery, it definitely inflated her ego, though she would never admit it. She watched as he summersaulted towards her and then held out a cherry blossom. She took from him and, with the most neutral face she could muster, thanked him.

Ume was relieved when the Master started speaking. Her expression turned to concern when he said that Raju was growing in power. She had heard many stories. Many didn't believe they were true but she believed in a lot of it. After all, it was these stories that brought her here.

Being sent out in groups. Ume did not like this one bit. She tended to do things more on her own for she knew what the others thought of her. On the other hand, she did like bossing people around and usually when they were in groups she was a leader. A smile formed on her face at the idea. A smile which immediately vanished when the Master announced the groups. Luckily she was with people she kind of liked. What she didn't like was that he made Xiao the leader instead of her.

Her eyes moved to find the Rooster and then narrowed. Why was he picked over her. The people near her would sense her mood shift even if they couldn't see the visible change in her demeanor. When the Master finished speaking, it took everything in Ume to not stand up and complain. Instead, the scowl on her face deepened as she stood up to to leave. She wanted to go blow off some steam before packing for the trip. Ume figured they would discuss their plan of action later.​

 

[thorspuddingcup]

Xiao Xinya

Xiao took an empty seat and was relieved to see that he actually hadn't been the last to arrive, that had been Bohai. Snake had placed a teacup at each spot, and Xiao wrapped his fingers around the delicate peice and savored the warmth of the drink that seeped through the ceramic. While he waited for the Master to speak, Xiao silently watched his peers. Ban Mao (Xiao couldn't bring himself to call the boy "pig". He just felt that he was insulting the kid) was riding atop of Mings back. The boy was so high spirited, and his demeanor did brighten up whatever room he was in. Despite his harsh background, the boy was able to make the best of things it seemed. Xiao admired that about him.

The Master began speaking, and Xiao turned all his attention to him. For the past seven years he had looked up to the man as a teacher. He was strong, understanding and patient. As the Mater began handing out the assignments, Xiao took a sip of his tea. Upon hearing that he was to lead the first group to the an orphanage in the north, Xiao found himself choking on his tea. The drink spilled from his lips, and sprayed onto the table before him. Xiao felt all the color drain from his already pale face as he looked at the Master with wide eyes. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve (unlike him, but he was too shocked to quite register what he was doing), Xiao stood up and faced the Master.

"Master," Xiao bowed respectfully towards the man. "I do not usually question your judgement, but I feel that perhaps this time you have made a mistake? I am not nearly as qualified to lead as other members of my group." Xiao felt eye's on him and looked over to see Ume narrowing his eyes at him. Xiao actually agreed with her. She was far more experienced in such matters, and knew how to direct and manage a group of people. "May I suggest Miss Ume? Perhaps this once I could study how she commands and use that to lead a group in the future?" the far, far future Xiao hoped.

Xiao knew his social skills left much to be desired. There were some social intracacies that didnt quite make sense to him, and left him to be ridiculed by others. Surely the Master was aware of this after seven years of his company? If the Master did not relent, Xiao wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to go about leading his peers on a mission to an orphanage. He could barely help his mother manage his younger siblings when he had lived at home. Not wanting to draw more attention to himself, Xiao sat back down and awaited the Masters response.

Location: Tea House
Interactions: Master DarkiusHeavenstein
Mentions: Pig Veil Walker - Ume Ch3rryBlossom28 ​

 

[Veil Walker]

Yōulíng the Pig

Zodiac
The Skeptical Piggy

Location
Teahouse

Interaction
The Master DarkiusHeavenstein
Big C thorspuddingcup

Mention
Tsuda Impius
Ming thorspuddingcup
Yeog DarkiusHeavenstein
Zhi hao Pride.


Outfit
Rough, light blue hanfu

"Onward, Pack Mule!" Pig giggled, directing the bigger man to a seat in the corner facing both entrances. Pig happily rode the large man's shoulders to his seat, sliding neatly off as he landed noiselessly. He shot a knowing and mischievous smile at Ming and Tsuda as the big man took a seat beside her. He was planning some mischief in his head when he heard the Master's words. He felt a flash of an old memory at the name Raju, his mind recalling a woman with flowing hair who smelled of cherry blossoms, before his brain caught the rest of what the Master was saying. He was shocked. Having only been there a month, for the old man to give him a leadership role felt... strange. Even stranger was his request to rob a Monastery. Pig opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when Xiao of all people spoke up to voice his doubt. Pig's expression turned to surprise at the quiet man's outburst, and then amusement as the uptight Ume stormed out. 'Poor Xiao,' Pig thought. 'He's going to have to deal with that in his group.' With a smile, he hopped up to pat Xiao on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, Big C. I'm sure you can handle whatever comes up." Shooting the Master a more serious look, he cocked a brow.
"You on the other hand must not have had your tea this morning. I'm not a leader, and I don't have nearly enough time to teach those three enough about nicking things to rob a monastery. Just send me. I can handle whatever problems come up, and you can save poor Xiao from having to lead." With a smirk, he gave Xiao a small wink. He honestly hoped the Master would take him up on his offer. It wasn't that he disliked or distrusted any of his chosen party members. Quite the opposite in fact, as the Master seemed to have chosen them based on the fact they were all good friends of his. But he also knew how Yeong and Zhi hao got when given the slightest distraction, and the thief in him filled him with dread at the thought of keeping them focused on the task at hand. Sure, he had Tsuda to back him up, but if he was reading things with her and Ming right, she wasn't exactly good at being direct. Giving Yeong, Zhi hao and Tsuda his most charming smile, he spread his hands out.
"It's not that I'm doubting you, particularly. I think you are all great. It's just a lot of distractions to take on, given I have to replace this Scroll of Practice thing without getting caught." It took a great deal of effort on his part, learned from years of practice of schooling his expression to hide his true feelings, not to sigh heavily as he saw the Master's calm but determined look. He hoped Xiao had finished his project for him, or it was going to be a very miserable start to winter indeed for the Pig.

 

[Impius]

Tsuda Miyoko
The Noble Horse
​

Tsuda picked up the hot cup of tea on the table in front of her, the small cup proportionate in her equally small hands, giving Zhou a courteous nod back with a gentle smile. As she swallowed her small sip, Ming took a seat next to her, causing her shoulders to tense up and to almost choke on the little bit of flavored hot water in her mouth. Her glances at hin from the corners of her eyes, tea cup tilted up to her lips still for an extended sip of tea that was perhaps a little longer than nessicary. She couldn't help but admire the muscular man, perhaps twice her size. Her attention was pulled away from Ming as the Master drew the attention of his Warriors. She gently set her cup done in front of her and turned so her attention was fully on their elder. The news he had delivered was devastating. The fate of the world rested in their hands. Raju was a name she had heard often in stories and from reading in the estates library. A cold shudder ran down her spine as she pictured the destruction of the world. How could someone want to destroy something so beautiful?

As the Master began to assign them roles, she pulled herself out of the daydream. The groups seemed, a little more off than usual. Not that any of the teams wouldn't get along. Tsuda wanted to say something, especially with Pig leading their expedition, but she held her tongue as she assumed the Master had a plan. After all, he knew more than everyone in the room.

Pig you be her leader, though that was highly questionable in her eyes. Not that she questioned the young boys abilities and skill, but more so questioned his attention span and center of stage personality. Her soft brown eyes dated at Yeong, the Snake. She gave his shoulder a gentle push. "Like any of you would listen anyway!" She smiled at him playfully.

Pig was the one to voice concern about leading the group, tension in Tsudas shoulders laxing some since the concern was brought up by someone other than herself. Her hands were wraped around the tea cup again, nodding to Hiroki. "Yes, Arashi will do just fine. Thank you, Hiroki-chan." The pale buckskin was her favorite horse in the pasture, after all.

A small bit of jealousy tugged at her sleeve with the flirtatious duo, hiding her gaze in the ta before her. Why couldn't she have gotten paired with the Ox? Again, the Master knows best. Either that or he is finally staying to go senile, which she highly doubt. Tsuda turned once again to look at the Master once more for his response to several of the Zodiac's concerns about the grouping assignment.
​

 

[Brokenbri]

Fuyuki grabbed the cup in front of her and took a sip. She could feel the warmth spread through her body with each sip she took. When Master started talking she paused. She had heard story's about Raju when she was younger. She couldn't remember where she heard the stories just that she heard them when she was young.

When she heard the teams fuyuki shook her head lightly, and saw Yeong wink to her. She gave him a look that said to not say a word. Fuyuku looked over the members of her group to see their reaction. She didn't really like Ume all that much so she was a bit glad that Xiao was the one leading her group. She listed to Xiao voice his his disagreement and sighed a little bit.

Putting the cup back on the table, Fuyuki looked over at Xiao "I agree with master that you should lead our group Xiao. You have more experience with children than the rest of us." She looked over to the master and stood up "If you will excuse me master I would like to start getting ready for the trip." She lightly bowed her head towards the master and left for her room.

Interaction: Master, DarkiusHeavenstein
Xiao, thorspuddingcup

Mentions: Ume, Ch3rryBlossom28
Yeong DarkiusHeavenstein​

 

[DarkiusHeavenstein]

Master Liao

Zodiac
Master of the Zodiac

Location
The Teahouse

Interaction
Fuyuki {Rabbit} Brokenbri
Xiao {Rooster} thorspuddingcup
Pig {Pig} Veil Walker

Mention
Specific: Ume {Dragon} Ch3rryBlossom28
In general: Ming {Ox} thorspuddingcup // Lei {Goat} BOKEH. // Hiroki {Dog} and Yeong {Snake} DarkiusHeavenstein // Bohai {Tiger} Veil Walker

Outfit
His dark purple robes

The Master watched how the Warriors reacted, none of them seeming to underestimate this coming danger. Ming being the first to react in a rather excited way, but he knew there was not a bad bone within the male. Lei just cheerful, and Hiroki was getting to business as usual. No surprises in the reaction in that group. Pig and Xiao both protested against their roles and questioned his decisions, Yeong did so in a less serious way. And though they were the only ones voicing their opinions, he could see that there were more people unsure of his judgements. "I may be old, but I have not gone senile yet. Though thank you all, for your worries of my mental state," he spoke with a slight amused ring to his voice, "it warms my heart that you are so concerned of my wellbeing."

Despite not adressing it, Umes dissatifaction and her silent disappearance had not gone unnoticed. Her disapproval of the choice had been expected, but he had not thought she would just walk out. Perhaps he would pay her a visit for a talk later, if there was time. Her reaction did worry him, and he could only hope it would not reflect back on her behaviour towards Xiao. "Fuyuki says some very true words, Xiao. Don't underestimate yourself," he said. He gave a little nod towards the young woman. "Anyone who has no further questions or concerns is dismissed to pack up and prepare, unless they wish to stay and enjoy another round of tea." He took the teapot of the fire himself as he poured some of the hot liquid for those who had stayed and wished for more. Of course filling up his own cup last, before sitting back down and addressing the remaining Warriors.

"Xiao, there will always be people more qualified that doesn't mean you should not try. Besides, rather than learning from studying Ume, you will have her as your back-up as well as Fuyuki and Bohai. Perhaps you can evaluate afterwards, and ask what she or they would have done differently," the Master spoke gentle and encouraging. He understood the concerns of the Rooster, and how this may be a rather surprising decision he had made. "And like Fuyuki said, you are good with children, better than our Dragon warrior if I may say so." He gave a soft smile as he knew Ume was not particular fond of children. "And, as I said, your skills might be necessary. I don't know how much the curse has spread yet, but the banners of the Orphanage might be corrupted. And who other than a fine tailor combinded with those illusion powers would be able to repair them?" He took a long sip of his tea again. "You will do great, Xiao. Trust in yourself and trust your group," he spoke, before he turned towards the Pig.

"I think those last words would go well for you as well. Trust your group," the Master said. Though the underlying problem that the youngster had brought up was a more difficult one that the doubts Xiao had. "I know you prefer to work on your own, but you will need at least help to get those supplies up to the Monastery," he said with a soft smile. "Besides, distractions might be what you need to succeed. For I have no idea how strong the corruption is at this moment. The monks will try to protect what is theirs, and even more so if they are affected by the curse. The room where the Scroll is displayed is treacherous. Traps have been installed over the years, so while I do not doubt your skills to work on your own, Pig. You may need some of the skills of the others. But in the end that decision on how to replace the Scroll is yours to make..." Whether that was with the help of others, or by preoccupying them with handing out the supplies, was up to the warrior himself. Yet the Master hoped he would use the extra skills he had to his availibility.