Derren Krenshaw

On Winding Roads (Lillian & Derren )

So I mentioned in the Kings OOC that I'll be away for a few days, staying out-of-state. I wanted to give a heads-up for that RP that I might not be able to do much for a few days just in case, but for threads where I DO need to have posts up (our 1x1 here and another thread I have with Igraine) I've been working on posts and will be working on them while I'm away.

Just thought I'd let you know, it won't be another four days or something like that until I get a post up for poor scared Alexi... most likely I'll have one tomorrow.

The Last Kings of Orion

Just a heads-up- I will be heading out-of-state for a few days. I'll have internet access, but chances are slim I'll be able to get any replies up. Currently I think I'm all caught up, but just wanted to let people know.

Masques and Daggers (Derren Krenshaw & Igraine)

Not Galina's doing?

Souma blinked, gripping his arm tightly to himself in an effort to stem the bleeding as he watched his adversary move. The ways he spoke, her reaction, her actions now- She honestly didn't seem to know.

But then, who was it? There had been no shortage of opponents to his work in America, but only Galina had proven tenacious enough to continue to stand in his way. Another clan? Where there any the Takahiro's hadn't subdued or allied with? Had the ruling nobility themselves decided to betray them? But what would bring that on? He couldn't help but feel this might be connected to his actions, still, but what actions? What people?

Was he just being paranoid, in the wake of Galina's revelations?

Souma moved as much as he could, shifting slowly on his knees to keep Galina in sight, questions rising the more time passed. He had nearly killed her- would have killed her- and she was... begging him to believe her? She was... offering to bind his a- Intruder!

Any word he tried to speak was merely a hoarse whisper, but she had noticed the same time he did. As Souma struggled to stand, Galina moved, the fact that she used his knife didn't matter so much as he saw how well she used it. She might have been the one he wanted to kill only moments ago, but even so he could appreciate such a throw. Hard to be mad about witnessing a kill li-

"-Galina!"

Part of his mind wondered why he had ever shouted her name, watching the second intruder raise his pistol and roar a round into Galina's chest. The same part wondered what caused him to try and move, to struggle to his feet even as she struggled with her new opponent. Elsewhere, details of their attackers were recorded in his mind. Elsewhere, concern of his family, of his clan, roared in it's shrinking cage, demanding to be let out. Somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind, fear of his own well-being paced in muttering circles. But it was all so much background, so much white noise.

Galina dominated the fore of his thoughts right now.

Why was she helping him? These intruders were after the Clan, most likely, Galina could easily escape unharmed. He had been trying to kill her, and her him, so why-...

Why had she thrown her weapons away before, and given up?

A confused, questioning Souma Takahiro managed to stumble to Galina as she collapsed to the ground, recent opponent bleeding out on the ground. Even two paces seemed to much, legs caving in just out of arm's reach. Her chest moved, however, even as it bled. a... smile? On her lips?

"W-what..." Even words were hard to speak, let alone taking any action other than trying to stem the blood from his own wounds. "...why?"

The Last Kings of Orion

"This has been quite fun so far, why not?" Antoine moved cautiously to deposit his little tiger safely on the ground, the kitten growing drowsy already with his belly now full. All things considered, this was turning out to be a rather nice way to start his vacation. It might be better if Ms. Albright happened to know a second or third language- perhaps one he wasn't currently fluent in? A conversation in a new tongue would be just what he was looking for, and if his speaking companion was this curly-haired veterinarian, he certainly wouldn't complain.

Not that her name shouted knowledge of language, but he could hardly judge based on that. He hadn't been one of the techs to put her to sleep before, either, so her file held only vague memory in his mind. Name, brief health description... nervousness? Had there been a sedation note on her file?

He'd have to look it up in detail, sometime later.

"I never did get to see any Lynx's before, so feel free to show off your- hm?" Antoine paused as something seemed to distract Ms. Albright before him, grin faltering at the sight he spied in her hands. "Ohh..."

A dead... He didn't know what kind of bird it was. 'Jay' jumped first to mind from the color, but was that right? He stepped forwards as she held out the poor creature for him to see, concern evident on her features and growing on his. The sight jarred his mind back into the realm of the cryo-tech, words muttering from barely-parted lips as he began to ponder the possible scenarios.

"I wonder as well..."

Outside an enclosure? Impact maybe? There had to be protocols in place to prevent that though, it had been far too common an occurrence on earth to overlook. No predator would leave their prey or plaything alone and un-mauled, would they? Mowzer certainly wouldn't... He wasn't here hunting birds, was he? No, he would have made himself known long before...

Shaking his head, Antoine offered Ms. Albright a somewhat sad, understanding smile. She was the veterinarian here, this little tragedy laying entirely in her expertise.

"I'm afraid they are, that poor little one is a bit more important right now." His vacation was upon him, but her work had only begun. He probably shouldn't monopolize too much of her time all at once. "And I shouldn't keep you from work- what do you say I track down Mowzer and bring him back here sometime later? We can get his checkup then, and maybe see if the Lynx's are still hungry."

Masques and Daggers (Derren Krenshaw & Igraine)

The attackers were spaced out, sweeping carefully across the compound as a staggered wave. They picked off members of the Takahiro clan with quiet efficiency, continuing even after the alarm began to ring through building after building. They would regroup later, when the stragglers had been taken care of, when only the core of the clan remained, holed up wherever they planed to make their stand.

Then, they could attack in a group, burn down the buildings and slaughter any who tried to flee. But for now, they worked better spaced apart, ensuring none slipped past their net.

It was a tried-and-true tactic for clearing an area such as this. But they hadn't figured Daisuke into their plans.

One soldier looked up as footsteps echoed out to him within the building he was sweeping through, rifle swinging into aim as the imposing Fist stepped into view. Before he could fire, however, Daisuke hurled his Wakizashi at the man, forcing him to flinch away from the heavy, awkwardly-spinning blade.

There was no way it could have done more than bruise the man, such a weapon was never meant to be thrown. But a flinch was all Daisuke needed, his other hand calmly swinging his revolver up to roar rounds into the attacker. Bullets tore through the man, jerking him to the ground as Souma's Fist stepped quickly by, retrieving his blade and moving to the next room.

Still no sign of Souma, still no sign of any of the Heads. They had separated after the ceremony, likely, but where would his Boss have gone to? After so long away from Japan, from the compound that had become their home, where would Souma wish to-

Ah.

Quickening his pace, Daisuke leapt through the fragile soji screen before him, wood and paper tearing apart to startle the assailant creeping along the edge of the outer walkway. He stood clear to the Fist's vision, Wakizashi brought down in an overhand stab that drove it's blade to the hilt into the man's neck.

Two down, Daisuke only moved faster. He knew the place Souma would likely be, so far from where the Fist was now. He moved back inside, using the buildings to hide his movements from any gunmen outside.

And to anyone he encountered on the way, anyone who happened not to be of his Boss's clan?

They fell quickly to steel and lead.

~-~-~

Souma was in pain.

Even as he stood there, left hand clutched tightly around Galina's throat, his right fell from where it had gripped her hair. It hurt too much to use it anymore, his vision blurring and body feeling cold. Overwhelming pain pulsed from his arm in time with each heartbeat, the sharp sear from his leg echoing behind in case he might forget.

He needed to end things now, right now. Galina had thrown away her blades, she had given up. It gave him pause- no, he had to end this.

It was either him or her, at this point. Galina might not understand that -she would never have followed him here if she did- but that couldn't save her.

Even as her hands fell gently upon his face, Souma turned slowly so that the heavy stones at the base of a small statue would come in line with the back of Galina's skull. He had enough strength for this, at least. Finally, he could end this.

-And then the compound behind them erupted into gunfire and shouting.-
"Wha-"

Galina slipped from his grip, Souma stumbling to the ground to find himself kneeling above her. His hand loosened around her throat, there but applying no pressure.

Had this just been a ruse?

"What... did... Galina!" He shook her by the throat, demanding she open her eyes and meet his gaze. Chaos continued to build behind him, the sounds bringing a desperate, terrified wrath to the fore of Souma's features. Before he ended things, he needed her response, he had to know.

"Look!" He shook her again, nearly bashing her skull into the statue on accident. "Galina! What... what did you do?"

On Winding Roads (Lillian & Derren )

"An- Uhm... Which storm would we be talking about?"

It was interesting, talking to someone who seemed to genuinely enjoy life on the road. Charles had always been a man of the city, Alexi much the same, were only necessity managed to force either out from the walls and onto the dusty roads. As enjoyable as this trip had been so far -barely started as it was- he couldn't help but look forward to their arrival in Avantshire.

Was it because he'd then have the opportunity to embark on the longer journey had had long been looking forward to? Perhaps? But again, it was the towns, the villages, the little pockets of civilization and the stories they held that attracted him. From this place to that place, these people to the next people, it was never the road, the travel itself, that entered his mind.

While, as far as he could tell from their conversation, Katherine felt just the opposite.

It was a difference that intrigued Alexi, made him wonder just what her view might be on this or that, how much it differed from his own. Her comment on the shore, how she seemed to enjoy the idea of having been near the ocean, excited the Scribe even more. The things he could say about the waters, memories still dear in his mind, ones of Einfeld he still enjoyed to recall...

But then a tree appeared across their path, Katherine's pithy comment causing Alexi's mood to drown into panic as she fell silent and drew her blade.

Was this an ambush? Longs over the road- it was a typical setup, right? Stop the travelers, wait until they try to struggle past, that's how it always went, didn't it? If that was the cas- Wait- Didn't a courier pass them by before? Had he turned off? If he had gone this way, he would have been attacked, right? No blood was visible as he shivered atop his horse, so was it just a fallen tree?

"Is.. ah... Is something wrong?" He hoped no. He prayed it was fine. Just a small delay, slowing them a little as they carefully moved across, right? They'd have to hurry later, to ensure they made it to Avantshire in time... but that wouldn't be too bad. Not when compared to Bandits.

So... everything was fine, right?

Masques and Daggers (Derren Krenshaw & Igraine)

Daisuke moved slowly down the outer walkways of the compound, listening idly to the conversation brought on by the two old friends at his side, enjoying the company more than the words. Veteran soldiers of the Takahiro clan all, they had fought and bled together far to often for words to be necessary between the three.

And yet his two friends seemed to have grown looser tongues while he was away. They talked more easily than ever before, wondered on questions they never would have considered, and laughed at jokes they had never found funny. A strange sight to Daisuke, Souma's Fist, who had only found more work in America, while his friends at home now seemed to bear less.

Had things really improved so much within the clan at home, that his friends could now talk like this?

Such a question rising to his mind nearly sent the imposing Fist into a fit of mirth himself, discipline restraining the outburst to a mere, shallow smile- one that vanished as soon as it had appeared.

"Stop." His friends obeyed instantly, looking back as Daisuke's hard gaze swept out along the gardens and buildings of the compound. He could feel the question building on their tongues, one they would never had thought to ask before. Sloppy. They had gotten sloppy, everyone at home had.

And-

"Intruders in the compound." Daisuke's hand was moving the instant he caught the brief flash of light striking metal, coming from the shelter of bamboo that swayed with no breeze. His friends hesitated longer, catching on only as they saw the heavy revolver he drew from within the folds of his kimono. Hands went to weapons of their own, eyes darting about to scan the area, that same, sloppy question now escaping the confines of their lips.

"What is it?"

An eye, peeking carefully through shadows and brush not thirty paces away, found itself arrested by Daisuke's glare. They held position for an instant, each recognizing the soldier -the killer- they saw in the other, each daring the other to make the first move.

Then the eye vanished.

"Attackers- Defend the Takahiro heads!" The sudden, choking crack of a muffled gunshot went unheard in the wake of Daisuke's rising bellow. One friend staggered, but moved with the other, both sprinting off to find Raigo, Ai and Souma Takahiro, the heads of the clan that needed to be warned, to be protected at all costs. Only Daisuke stayed behind, drawing the Wakizashi Souma had given him from within his Kimono to hold in his free hand, and side-stepping into the building he had been patrolling.

The scent of blood reached him there, assailants already moving through the houses to quietly exterminate who they could. The thought erased any smile, any easy features, any relaxation from Daisuke's form as he began to move. With the compound under attack, he was but a single Fist, drawn taut and thrown alone to drive away a greater force.

But he was Souma's Fist. And as anyone who had fought the Clan Heir knew, there was more power in that one blow than you would expect.

~-~-~
Yet again, he was unable to decide the fight there.

His blow landed, he felt the impact that sent Galina staggering backwards... and yet she continued to move. Dancing away from him, grabbing his knife, charging back with blades flashing.

Souma had an instant to choose, to try and back away, to dodge those gleaming edges, or lean in and take the strike. Her speed against his strength, her blades against his fists. He needed to keep her here, to find an opening, but what did she need to do? What was all she had to do to win?

Escape.

With a rising growl, Souma turned into Galina's blades, throwing one arm up to meet her dagger, while shifting his leg away from his own knife. The silken fabric of his kimono offered no protection, hot fire leaping across his raised limb, soon joined by a flare across his leg. The pain threatened to blacken his vision to nothing, his right arm falling down coated in scarlet while his leg continued to sear. Pain. He couldn't help but stagger after those blows connected, but the fact that he could still stand lent him strength. It wasn't a lost cause, the knife hadn't severed muscle and he was in close.

Death his only option if he stepped back, if he hesitated a moment longer, Souma snapped his head forwards in a sudden effort to crack his forehead against Galina's face. His right arm pulled itself tightly against his body as he moved, blood staining more and more of his once-treasured clothing while his good leg snapped out in a low sweep to try and knock his opponent to the earth... one last time.

The Last Kings of Orion

Antoine replied to Ms. Albright's smile with a warm one of his own, accepting the bottle of formula and settling down as she moved passed. The youngling in his arms seemed to understand just what the bottle foretold, it's sudden twisting and struggling suddenly occupying the Tech's attention as he worked to both keep said animal contained, and ready the bottle to feed it.

So wasting no time, Antoine set the bottle down so he could move the eager kitten about. Now kneeling, the sight of Ms. Albright coaxing the other two with food just visible around a large furry paw being planted in his face, he managed to shift this young one onto it's back long enough to retrieve the bottle.

"Come on now..." Mumbling the words through fur, he was granted a reprieve as his kitten realized how close the bottle was to it's mouth, snapping onto the nipple and beginning to suckle. Paws curled back to hug Antoine's arm, claws retracted yet still felt, their points pressing lightly through the fabric of his shirt.

Well, nothing Mowzer hadn't done better... or worse, depending how you looked at it.

"There you go..." His grin was for both the tiger in his arms and Ms. Albright nearby, gaze shifting towards her as she spoke up again. "...Me? No, not at all. I'm kind of on vacation."

"I've been up for weeks, perk of being a cryo-tech I guess." The tiger on his lap wasn't letting him use his arms for the dramatic gestures his following words normally demanded... frustrating, but the tiger didn't know any better. He shouldn't blame the silly thing.

"Wake up early! Go to sleep late! Become a tech an enjoy a longer shift than anyone else! Fun right?" He hoped an exaggerated wink along with his grin would help carry the joke where gesture could not. The wink did help a bit, the tiger innocently suckling away seeming more adorable once more. He blinked both eyes, holding them tightly shut for a moment before opening again. There, much, much better.

"I have to say, it's much nicer now that there are people in the halls." Blinking tightly again, Antoine looked down as the little tiger mewed quietly, chewing at the bottle's nipple as it tried to coax just another drop from the empty container. "Wow- just how hungry were you, little... guy?"

The Last Kings of Orion

Hey!! It's Antoine and Mowzer!

That is awesome, Idle XD

Masques and Daggers (Derren Krenshaw & Igraine)

His decision had been the right one. Even moving without delay, even managing to catch Galina off-guard, forcing her down to the ground as he fell upon her to finish the job, she survived. His hand closed around her neck, and her own pushed up against his, the Russian spy struggling to fend him off, to keep him from gaining the freedom he would need to bring her skull down upon the nearby stone. She wanted to live, to throw him off, to get away.

Souma couldn't afford that.

Her escape, her victory, might as well spell a death sentence for himself. Her body was the only thing he could bring to grant words any meaning, when it came time to tell Raigo what had happened. Maybe, maybe, he could salvage things otherwise, but it would not go well. Mercy was too much of a risk... and in the end, she had brought this down upon herself-

A sudden flash caught Souma's eye as they struggled, the gleam of a slender blade seen just long enough to react. He relented his own grip slightly, strength surging through his left hand as it struck out in a vicious blow, aimed to catch her knife-hand on the inside of her wrist and slam it down to the ground. This was his fight, a brutal brawl to the end, but even still Galina fought on. As he drove her right hand down, sudden pressure struck his chest, her legs pressing him up and pushing him away with tremendous force.

A double-attack, he hadn't prepared for it, and Souma found himself forced to relinquish his grasp, sent stumbling back along the ground as Galina scrambled across herself.

Fine then.

The knife fell into his waiting right hand as he stumbled, and the Japanese spy turned to hurl it with a keen eye towards his adversary's center of mass. Blade or hilt, it didn't really matter which struck home, only that it did indeed strike. He moved quickly in the wake of it's path, left hand dragging along the ground as he moved, gathering loose earth to then send arcing up towards Galina's eyes as he charged forwards once more...

Then shifted to the side, coming in at an angle behind blade and earth, feet landing in a solid stance as he aimed to drive another heavy blow into the soft target of Galina's belly.