Fountain Courtyard

Eriko was sitting on the edge of the fountain in the cold, far north air. She was wearing one of the Academy's uniforms, handed out to those who had no form of salary for personal clothes; but she also liked them, despite their dull grey look:



She smiled, as she took this time to look through the tablet at other looks and attires she thought about buying.

"Hmm... that would look good on me~" She purred, imagining the blue one piece hugging her body tightly as she stood in the hot sands of some island aside from these blasted, frost covered lands:



She sighed, lost in thought. She was glad to be on break for now, and though the air was absolutely freezing, this courtyard was one of the best places to stick around for some peace and quiet. She went back to fantasizing of other outfits, and what trouble she could potentially get in due to their provocative nature.

The whirling cold winds blew around the blasted icescape, and across the poorly equipped Monko Renjou. Her frayed poncho wrapped around her curvy form tightly, her teeth chattering as she walked towards the fortress in the distance. “So….h-h-h-h-h--h-hungry!” She shivered, falling onto her chest, her body entrenched in snow. She felt a vehicle roll over her, but she was not-injured as it passed, being dead center of the wheels as it rolled on. She lay there, shivering as she tried to crawl. “Too…. hungry…” She groaned, crawling barely an inch through the cold snow, her right arm feeling painful due to the cold winds. “Need…. Help…” She reached out, pulling off her right hand… and replaced it with another she had in her pack. The bronze cylinder frame gleaming from the distant tail lights and torches afar in this blizzard.

She raises her arm, and pulls a cord, firing a flare high into the sky; its red glow radiating red across the snow around her and sparking while it slowly descended from nearly 300 feet above...

Monko Renjou wrote:The whirling cold winds blew around the blasted icescape, and across the poorly equipped Monko Renjou. Her frayed poncho wrapped around her curvy form tightly, her teeth chattering as she walked towards the fortress in the distance. “So….h-h-h-h-h--h-hungry!” She shivered, falling onto her chest, her body entrenched in snow. She felt a vehicle roll over her, but she was not-injured as it passed, being dead center of the wheels as it rolled on. She lay there, shivering as she tried to crawl. “Too…. hungry…” She groaned, crawling barely an inch through the cold snow, her right arm feeling painful due to the cold winds. “Need…. Help…” She reached out, pulling off her right hand… and replaced it with another she had in her pack. The bronze cylinder frame gleaming from the distant tail lights and torches afar in this blizzard.

She raises her arm, and pulls a cord, firing a flare high into the sky; its red glow radiating red across the snow around her and sparking while it slowly descended from nearly 300 feet above...

Eriko glanced up at the sound of an approaching vehicle, beyond the high walls which helped keep the blizzard at bay. "Hm... new shipment?" She asked herself, before her big amber eyes glanced up at the gleaming red light flying high into the sky. A flare.

"Huh... that can't be good..." She muttered, as various Gunslingers began to rush past her in their long fur lined coats and wide brim stetsons. She felt a strong urge to follow them, and was already standing, adjusting the handgun holster against her rear, the long slide handgun, the Quicksilver Zero was shifting around inside the leather container. The snow crunched under foot as she followed the instructors out to the gate.

Monko's prosthetic remained above the snow as the blizzard began to cover her up. She could hear only muffled voices and the howling cold winds. She was too hungry to think straight, or even budge from her frozen position. I'm going to die here... goodbye, cruel world! I'm going to die childless and husbandless...how unfortunate... ughhhh.... She mentally groaned, imagining they'd not find her body till spring, when the surrounding area was maybe ten degrees lower... maybe.

The blizzard was rough to fight through, but Silas had to continue his mission. Ever since that unsettling news in Jemial... about some sort of demonic spire belching out monsters into the Amaine, near Danton... near Grey Mountain, he had cautiously made his journey to Danton only to find out the Del Reina had gone to the Izhevesk, the Far North, to conduct an inspection and exercise with the Northern Brethren. He had taken the airship across the murky Blackmoth Ocean, and Minktail Woodlands. When they hit the ice cap, the ship had to land in some remote village and he had to grab a Woolly Mare and ride across the frozen landscape to the Capital. The horse died when he rode into a ravine, had to make use of it and walk the rest of the way. Thankfully the Gunslinger Academy was on the outskirts of the city, and when he saw the dull glow of the city lights on the horizon, he knew he was close.

The heavy fur coat wrapped around him kept him warm, his .45-70 rifle slung over his right shoulder, a bag on his back containing a rolled up bundle of furry horse hair from the fallen mare, and frozen cutlets of meat from its body. He only ever been to Asmirnov once, when his Master brought him up here from the Danton Academy to train him in extreme survival. The snow crunched under foot, his stetson flapping against his face which was covered by the red scarf which flapped like a banner behind him. The blizzard was tough as hell, and he was surprised any fool would want to brave it like him, and he was an expert when it came to extreme circumstances in his field. I don't even want to be out here, but Gods damn it, the Del Reina doesn't like to carry a Gods damned phone! He mentally grumbled, when he paused at the sight of a red flare sparking overhead.

"A flare...?" His voice muffled by the layers of protection, his sharp eyes cast down upon an arm poking out of the snow. Ah shit...

He rushed his way over to the fallen individual, half buried in the snow, and began to lift them up. They were stiff, and felt very cold to the touch, and at first figured they were already dead when he realizes that the arm he was grabbing wasn't made of flesh, but metallic bronze! "What the hell?" He exclaimed, pulling the arm up along with the buried woman. "Hey! You with me? Corveyus be praised, you're lucky to still be alive squirt!" She was seemingly still conscious, so he put her in a fireman's carry and continued his approach to the high bricked walls of the Academy's exterior... which slowly made it self more visible as he got closer in the white and grey haze. He would have missed it if he didn't see the rushing crowd ahead of him. Slight detour aside, I'm finally here... He thought, and continued to wade through the knee deep snow over to the entrance courtyard.

Eriko is outside the gate, where the blizzard was at its highest, the flare still falling across the horizon when she spotted the figure approaching with a person strewn across his back. They looked like a man, tall and bundled head to toe in thick furs, but his wide stetson and the symbol of a Gunslinger was upon his head, made it clear he was one of them. It was then Eriko notices the person on his back's metal arm, their still body draped across the back of his shoulders. "Hey! We saw the flare!" One of the Gunslingers said upon approach, and Eriko followed, the snow gliding up her thigh highs as the snow beat down around them. Upon getting closer, she realizes the figure on his back was a short woman. "Is she okay?" She asked over the howling wind.

"...hun...gry...." she shivered, her stomach growling. She couldn't open her eyes due to the frost, but yeah... she was alive.

Silas turned to the woman on his back then back to the apprentice in uniform asking him about her. "I think that answers the question," He continued forwards. "never mind that now, you're not dressed for this weather kid, get inside with the others; if not well suit yourself, I'm freezing my balls off out here!" He exclaimed, his voice still muffled by his scarf. As he crossed through the gates into the courtyard, the blizzard seemed to lessen in degree, but only slightly. "Where can I find a stove?" He called back to the Gunslinger's hovering around.

Eriko closed her eyes, a faint chuckle escaping from her lips, before he continued forth. She turned to him, watching the other Gunslinger's tagging along as he sought for a stove. "Head into the main building, and take a left towards the mess hall!" She called out, returning her attention to the approaching winterized truck like tank that was pummeling through the snow. It didn't look like it was carrying any cargo... at least, not the provisional kind anyway. "Huh... wonder what's that all about...?" She murmured.

At that moment, an unfamillar man dressed in black armored Gunslinger attire came towards the courtyard, and approached the fountain. His face obscured by a black wide brimmed stalker hat, and mirrored aviator shades. The man was unnaturally tall, and well built, even for a gunfighter.

He knelt down before the fountain, his armored black duster gathered about his feet. A stoic look came over what was visible of his face. His frown creased his moustache slightly. Nobody could see where he was really looking due to his shades, nor what he was thinking due to his unreadable expression. After a few minutes, he took out a single gold coin, and flicked it into the fountain.

"For a wish that will never be...." he uttered.

Eriko blinked, turning to the sound of another new voice now sitting where she had been moments before. Where the hell these new guys keep coming from? She thought, approaching him. "You part of the new arrivals as well?" She asked him.

The stranger stood to his full height and smiled as he turned to face Eriko. "No, not necessarily. I've been around a very long time" he said. "Merely doing a check in with the Masters before I resume my mission."

Edgar Holden wrote:The stranger stood to his full height and smiled as he turned to face Eriko. "No, not necessarily. I've been around a very long time" he said. "Merely doing a check in with the Masters before I resume my mission."

Eriko nodded slowly. The stranger was a tall man, very tall. It was easy to remember a guy like him walking about. "I never seen you around here before. You couldn't been out in the field for more than eighteen years... that be crazy." She chuckled, considering she'd been at the academy this long and sure, he could have been around when she was too little to remember, but she could see the odd glances here and there in his direction from a few of the older Gunslingers who were on guard on the walls above them. In spite of this, the red haired woman gave him another look, her amber eyes picking up the details of his attire and weapons he had hidden beneath, the shape of a rather large pistol almost visible in the layout of the duster. "What is your name?" She asked, glancing back to his face. "And which masters are you looking for? I can get a hold of them for you if you wish." She added.

Eriko Hinomoto wrote:Eriko nodded slowly. The stranger was a tall man, very tall. It was easy to remember a guy like him walking about. "I never seen you around here before. You couldn't been out in the field for more than eighteen years... that be crazy." She chuckled, considering she'd been at the academy this long and sure, he could have been around when she was too little to remember, but she could see the odd glances here and there in his direction from a few of the older Gunslingers who were on guard on the walls above them. In spite of this, the red haired woman gave him another look, her amber eyes picking up the details of his attire and weapons he had hidden beneath, the shape of a rather large pistol almost visible in the layout of the duster. "What is your name?" She asked, glancing back to his face. "And which masters are you looking for? I can get a hold of them for you if you wish." She added.

Cyrus smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, young one, maintaining deep cover operations means have to be out of contact with the Association proper for extended lengths of time. Sometimes many years. There's a reason I retain no apprentices myself, despite being a Master for as long as I have. I am one of the few masters of deep cover operations that remain, but the training for such qualification cannot be undertaken by anyone below Enforcer or master ranks. The work is exceedingly dangerous, and requires an exception to the usual reporting in rule, a privelage only the Head Gunslingers can grant. And one I have retained for two generations of Head Gunslingers."

When Eriko asked whom he was looking for. his smile deepened. "It's alright, little one. I already know where they are. I just came to pay my respects to the fountain in the memory of fallen bretheren from a time long past."

"Wow... thats one thing I never knew the Association had... I'm not gonna end up dead now, knowing it exists now, am I?" Eriko playfully replied with a wink. Smiling, she turned to the fountain where he tossed the coin. "I find this spot is soothing, its a nice place to drink tea. My father and I drink tea here sometimes," She says, taking a seat beside him, brushing away fresh fallen snow. "well, I say he's my father... like most Gunslingers, I'm an orphan. But he took care of me and raised me here. He always says, 'You can't pass an opportunity to drink tea', I think its weird, but he's not wrong hehe." She giggled.

Eriko Hinomoto wrote:"Wow... thats one thing I never knew the Association had... I'm not gonna end up dead now, knowing it exists now, am I?" Eriko playfully replied with a wink. Smiling, she turned to the fountain where he tossed the coin. "I find this spot is soothing, its a nice place to drink tea. My father and I drink tea here sometimes," She says, taking a seat beside him, brushing away fresh fallen snow. "well, I say he's my father... like most Gunslingers, I'm an orphan. But he took care of me and raised me here. He always says, 'You can't pass an opportunity to drink tea', I think its weird, but he's not wrong hehe." She giggled.

"I don't think you have to fear that outcome." 'Cyrus spoke, even as his real self revealed the truth to the two masters. Ed knew it was not yet his place to reveal the truth to Eriko, but when she spoke of her adoptive father and tea, and it made him frown a little. On one hand Evan had adopted his best friend's daughter and raised her in his place in accordance to the associations archaic law - but on the other, Evan seemed to be envious of Leland, and sought to supplant him, and this was a convenient excuse. The conflicting thoughts were troubling indeed.

"I came to the fountain to pay my respects to fallen comrades from a long time ago. I don't get to come to the academies very often anymore, so it was past time I paid my dues to them."

Edgar Holden wrote:

Eriko Hinomoto wrote:"Wow... thats one thing I never knew the Association had... I'm not gonna end up dead now, knowing it exists now, am I?" Eriko playfully replied with a wink. Smiling, she turned to the fountain where he tossed the coin. "I find this spot is soothing, its a nice place to drink tea. My father and I drink tea here sometimes," She says, taking a seat beside him, brushing away fresh fallen snow. "well, I say he's my father... like most Gunslingers, I'm an orphan. But he took care of me and raised me here. He always says, 'You can't pass an opportunity to drink tea', I think its weird, but he's not wrong hehe." She giggled.

"I don't think you have to fear that outcome." 'Cyrus spoke, even as his real self revealed the truth to the two masters. Ed knew it was not yet his place to reveal the truth to Eriko, but when she spoke of her adoptive father and tea, and it made him frown a little. On one hand Evan had adopted his best friend's daughter and raised her in his place in accordance to the associations archaic law - but on the other, Evan seemed to be envious of Leland, and sought to supplant him, and this was a convenient excuse. The conflicting thoughts were troubling indeed.

"I came to the fountain to pay my respects to fallen comrades from a long time ago. I don't get to come to the academies very often anymore, so it was past time I paid my dues to them."

She smiled. "Ah, good, not ready to die over secrets I shouldn't know about." She said, oddly, unsure why she said it in that way. She shrugged, and pulled out a coin herself. "To my real parents, be they living or dead~" she hummed, flicking the coin into the fountain. "Well, I'm needed elsewhere Mr. Cloak and Dagger Gunslinger~" She teased patting her butt of powdery snow. She then started towards the interior of the Castle, half turning with a friendly wave goodbye before heading inside.

Eriko Hinomoto wrote:She smiled. "Ah, good, not ready to die over secrets I shouldn't know about." She said, oddly, unsure why she said it in that way. She shrugged, and pulled out a coin herself. "To my real parents, be they living or dead~" she hummed, flicking the coin into the fountain. "Well, I'm needed elsewhere Mr. Cloak and Dagger Gunslinger~" She teased patting her butt of powdery snow. She then started towards the interior of the Castle, half turning with a friendly wave goodbye before heading inside.

'cyrus' smiled, and waved until the giurl was out of sight, then he faded and disappeared, with the guards not remembering what they saw of the man. He faded from their memories like a mirage on the wind.