Ghosts and Flowers

(Note: This is a Closed RP.

Prompt:

Gadiel drags Xun along on a not-so-legal adventure to explore a dangerous and heavily spiritual place mentioned in many stories and folklore. Have these boys bitten off more than they can chew?)

Gadiel rubbed the back of his neck. “Well you see…” He stopped reading for a moment, put down his findings, and leaned on Xun’s desk. “Do you wanna go on an adventure?” He asked with a sly smirk.

Gadiel really hoped Xun would say yes. His heart pounded with nervousness, waiting for Xun's red eyes to show some spark of interest in his proposal.

"An adventure?" He leaned back in his chair taking a moment to comprehend what Gadiel had just asked him.
"Xun, don't even think about it. You need to focus on your essay." Yuhei's voice made its way back into Xun's mind, "You don't even know what kind of adventure." Trying to act as his voice of reason, as usual.

This time decided he to block her out. Xun almost always feels obligated to go against Yuhei's wishes and try to tease her, but this time he felt genuinely open to the idea of an adventure. "Yes, actually," he said while returning a smirk of his own, "this could be exactly what I need to document for my assignment."

Gadiel exhaled. "Great!" he said, a smile beaming. "It'll be a long trip to Gweneth Cove, so we better pack a ton of things!"

The young man began to pace back and forth. "Oh...yeah. That's right. Your weapon is still being upgraded. That's okay, I can find a chain scythe for you if you'd like. It'll get a bit dangerous."

"Ahhh, all the way to Gweneth Cove? Isn't that clear down south?" Maybe he needed to rethink his decision and follow Yuhei's advice. 

"Thanks that would be great, but why do I need to bring a weapon?" Now he was feeling the need to ask questions. "Just what kind of 'adventure' is this going to be, Gadiel?"

Gadiel, despite himself, lit up instantly. "Well you see, Xun," Gadiel blurted out, "you're the strongest and most mentally stable reaper in our class." He blushed and gulped. "No offense to anyone else, I just thought a trip together would be fun." Gadiel felt his face turn hot. Gadiel you moron, why are you always so lame with people you idolize???

"Well anyway, I wanted to check out the city. They say that it is full of ghosts and demons and not many people have done research in that area."

"Sounds interesting..." He was trying to change the subject away from any praises that would make him blush. Yuhei, unable to bare being ignored any longer, burst out from her soul crystal. "You two plan on visiting that strange place?" She gently guided herself closer to the other reaper. "Tell me... Why do you want to visit that place, Gadiel?"

Xun was also curious, but insisted Yuhei back off. "We're going no matter what. The question is, when should we head out?"

I guess I can tell him... "There is rumor of an ancient battleground, and an ancient swordsman who lingers there. I want to see him for myself..." Well I almost told him...

Gadiel began to walk towards the dorms. When he arrived there, he began packing his bag. "Come on Xun, our packs won't pack themselves..."

“A battle ground? There are going to be lots of ghosts around there for sure. That sounds like it could be a lot of work trying to exercise them all.”
Might as well help him out. Xun picked up his bag and supplies before following Gadiel out of the library.

“It’s better if you two try heading out in the morning. No sense in heading out right away.” Yuhei suggested. They need all the time they can get to prepare supplies. I don’t even think they know what they’re getting into.

Gadiel frowned. "Uh oh. I just realized we'll need a mount. Oh well, we can figure that out in the morning I guess..."


Just outside the dorm was a lone figure, listening into their conversation. Maybe those two can help me...

"What do you mean you don't have a mount?" Yuhei groaned. "I can't believe you two, honestly."

"Please calm down. He just said we'd figure it out in the morning."

"I highly advise you two figure that out now!"

A strange sense over-came the positive. Something had entered within their small area, and she noticed right away when someone or something took interest in them while inside her zone. At first she assumed it was another student passing by, no big deal. There are never threats to be made within the secure sanctity of Kodon. It's even more unlikely something had managed to make its way in. Yet the presence she felt had seemed to follow them as they made their way to the dorms.

She looked around, immediately sensing the location of the strange presence and alerting the two reapers.

"I sense someone has been over-hearing our conversation and is following us..." She pointed in the distance, "over there."

The sound of someone dropping out the the trees could be heard. Gadiel stopped packing and crept outside.

"Who's there?" he called out.

A single person approached him. It was a girl with long black hair, fierce eyes, pink clothing, and a mask hiding her face. Sakura blossoms were fastened in her hair.

"Oh...it's you, Gadiel said. "You don;t talk, right?"

The girl nodded.

"I forgot your name, sorry." Gadiel blushed.

The girl pointed to the blossoms in her hair.

"Flower? Your name is flower?"

The girl looked annoyed, and wrote on a piece of paper. Sakura. Baka.

"Oh, Sakura! That's right!" Gadiel was even more nervous. Way to go, moron. Xun's watching... "Well what can I do for you? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Sakura grabbed his hand and marched towards the stables.

Xun walked behind them, briskly following them as they made their way towards the stables.

"We're going towards the mounts. Why?" He waited for a response but didn't receive one.

His attention was set on the stalls they had come across. "A horse?" The sign next to it read the name of the horse and the mount owner. Sakura.

"Hm. I get it now."

He turned to face Sakura, "we do need a mount... Does this mean we can borrow your horse?"

Sakura nodded, but pointed to herself.

Gadiel crossed his arms, confused. "You...want us to pay you?"

Sakura shook her head.

Gadiel sighed. "It would e helpful if you spoke up."

Sakura rolled her eyes and produced her paper again. Take me with you.

"Yes but what does this have to do with your mounts?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed.

"I believe she's suggesting that we can indeed use her mounts." Yuhei whispered, "but that we also allow her to accompany us."

Xun's expression showed a little concern. This seemed like the kind of journey fit for a reaper. It also felt wrong to drag another person along and risk putting them in unnecessary danger. After all, they themselves had no real clue what they would come across.

"What is your job class Sakura?"

Sakura drew a sword and held the blade out in front of her.

Gadiel blinked. "Uh...are you...an assassin? With the mask and all?"

Sakura shook her head.

“She has a mask and a weapon.”

Xun thought for a moment.

“Are you a Reaper?” He felt more at ease, “if you are then you could hold your own against the negatives.”

“No, Xun.” Yuhei snapped. “Sakura isn’t a reaper. She doesn’t have the particular essence of one.”

Sakura held out her sword for Xun to observe it. She pointed at the sword, then back at herself. She then drew the sword and took a stance, mimicking the Grandmaster Izo.

"Oh, I got it! A knight!" Gadiel exclaimed!

Sakura looked like she was about to slice him in two with the sharp, straight katana she held in her hand.

“I can’t handle this anymore. I hope you’re both just teasing her because I hate to imagine you’re both really that clueless.”

Xun shrugged. “Just trying to cover all the bases.”

He knew better than to toy with someone he just met, let alone tease a girl who seems to be their only option. Very risky.

“If she’s not either of those sword-wielding classes then that only leaves...”

Xun sighed, not wanting to finish his statement because of how obvious the answer had been all along.


“Sakura, are you a Swordsman?”

Sakura's eyes narrowed even further than they already were and she glared at Xun. She wrote furiously on her notepad and held it up for Xun to see. "Yes, stupid," the notepad read.

Gadiel nodded his head. "Well it wouldn't hurt to bring a swordsman along."

Sakura nodded.

Gadiel placed a hand on one of Sakura's horses noses and stroked it. "All right. We leave first thing in the morning."

******

The next morning, Sakura was up, packed, and ready with her two horses and small cart. Gadiel was surprised that the girl was more enthusiastic than he was about this journey, but he pushed any suspicions of her out of his mind. Gotta give everyone the benefit of the doubt, he thought.

“That’s everything.” Xun finished placing the last of his traveling supplies in the cart. It wasn’t much to begin with, but at least Yuhei made sure he brought the essentials such as food, water, and a sleeping bag.
He carefully placed the make-shift chain scythe on his back, allowing the chain to wrap around his torso.

Xun stepped back. “There’s only two horses.”

“It doesn’t matter anyways. You don’t know how to ride horseback.” Yuhei reminded him. “You can sit in the cart.”

He shook his head, “I’ll just observe how Sakura does it.”

Gadiel swung his leg over Sakura's brown mare. "I'll ride her. She seems nice!"

Sakura gave him what appeared to me a smile, from the way her eyes brightened up. She nodded, and mounted the black horse. She looked at Xun for a moment, then pat the seat behind her.

Gadiel chuckled. "I think she wants you to ride behind her, Xun."