Darion replies to Vona while they stand near the entrance to the Kirk
”It was my pleasure Vona. You are welcome to keep it if you like. What are your plans now that you are safely back?”
Vona replies back
"You can have it back as you'll likely need it for when winter hits.
Both me and Eve are looking for work in town.
Thankfully Mary gave up a heads up on certain folks in town, both good and bad, on the way to town."
As Kojima walks toward the Kirk, he bows to a man and a woman.
"Pardon the interruption," he says (eye-contact lingering on the lady's eyes), "but my daughter ran ahead, intent on praying for her mother--my wife, who passed four years ago. I trust she is in here?"
Darion addresses the new comer
”Yes I believe there is a young woman in there”
Darion turns to Vona
”Vona it was a pleasure speaking to you. I will see you again later perhaps”
Vona replies back to Darion
"Well given the size of this town, I'm certain we will."
Vona replies back to Kojima
"Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope the halls of the Kirk will give her some comfort.
Oh and I am Vona, and you are?"
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He thanks Darion with a bow. "Thank you, sir." But he does not enter the Kirk, as he has been addressed by a young lady who he finds rather easy on the eyes.
"A pleasure to meet you, Vona."
Strange, she is not as delicate as Atsuko, but her demeanor... much gentler than the sassy idiot-hurlers.
He smiles at Vona. It really is a pleasure. Maybe those two idiots had the right idea. Or their stupidity is contagious, and now I...
He stops thinking and trusts his instincts.
"I am Kojima-San... well..." He smiles, slightly embarrassed. "No need for such formality. Sanjuro will do.
"And thank you. Faith has helped my daughter deal with the loss. And I suppose she helps me deal with it. Would you like to meet her? I ask because--"
The truth is because he wants an excuse to talk to this woman, but what he says is:
"--I am also looking for work, and would rather not be the bodyguard for the wrong kind of person. It seems you have already learned who the good people are, which makes this place that much safer for my daughter.
"She is a dancer--among other things, but her dancing and acrobatic performances have helped pay our way west.
"What kind of work do you do?"
Vona thinks
"Though he's short, he is a bit cute and is a caring father..."
Vona replies back to Kojima
"It's nice to meet you Kojima,
Well there are a number of jobs in town,
but a number of them are well ... not the safest and or moral choices.
And the best paying jobs are ones where you work for the lowest of the low here.
Some of these low lifes can stoop lower then you think apparently,
and one is the head of the underworld here and he so far has stooped the lowest."
"For Me I'm hoping to land a job as a performing singer for the local establishments,
though I can also work with Mary on board her boat for half of any given year."
"I will choose moral over safe, given the choice. But for my daughter's sake, my preference is both. And if you prefer to call me by my surname, Kojima it is. I am the only one here who is using it anyway.
"My daughter is Wu Chen, which is the name she took to replace her family name when she became a nun, as is the tradition in Tian monasteries. Or at least that's what her master told me. I am not really an expert on nuns, so I took the master's word for it."
Vona's line of work is conveniently compatible with Wu Chen's talent, so Kojima takes a chance to actually say what he's thinking, because if he actually thinks, he may never say it.
"I am definitely not an expert on singing and dancing, but it seems you and my daughter are both performing artists. Would you object to meeting my daughter? Perhaps you could give her tips, or if you sing in a way that she can dance to, who knows what that might lead to?"
Vona replies back to Kojima
"Your not the only one."
after a moment continues
"I wouldn't object to meeting your daughter."
When Kojima-San approaches, it seems Wu Chen has finished praying. In fact, she has cut it short because her father is not alone.
Vona...
The introduction is so quick, and maybe this is jus another lady Father is guarding, but Wu Chen feels her little heart pounding. She can't even recall the words her father just spoke as he introduced the lady, aside from her name.
Vona...
She smiles sweetly at the woman.
"Hi, Vona. As I am sure Father tell you already, I am his only daughter, I only go by name of Wu Chen. I am devoting my life to serve Shelyn, Eternal Maiden and Goddess of Protection."
Her eyes trace every inch of the amazonian beauty who stands nearly a head taller than her dad.
"You are strong," she adds with a tone of admiration. "I am training to be strong too! Dance help me with this."
Wu Chen stretches a leg vertically over hear head and holds it...
...as if she is expending no effort at all!
She goes on, leg still in the air, "I aspire to combine dance with fighting. I think is good fit to my understanding of Dragon Style. But I am only beginner.
"What you think, Vona? Is this silly dream of child, or you think is true: there is correlation between musical talent and fighting style?"
The samurai says to his daughter, "If you want to talk about your exercise regimen, I don't mean to get in the way of that. However, I should mention that Vona is a singer. It's not every day you get to meet another performer. Perhaps you two can practice together, one singing, one dancing..."
Wu Chen's eyes light up.
"If you want to sing, maybe I can show you how I dance? Is easier to dance when there is music to dance to!"
The samurai ruffles his daughter's hair, prompting her to relax her stance (and keep both feet on the floor).
He says to Vona, "What my daughter is too polite to say is that she rarely gets the opportunity to dance to beautiful music. All I can offer her is the butt of my naginata, which I use to tap a beat.
"My musical timing is not too shabby for an amateur. I am almost as good at holding a rhythm as Kikuchiyo."
Well aware the young lady has no idea who Kikuchiyo is, Kojima doesn't leave her in the dark for long.
"Kikuchiyo is my horse."
The samurai has every intention to take Vona for rides, watch her and Wu Chen practice together, and maybe tomorrow at breakfast would be the time to arrange such things.
But for now, Kojima-San says to Vona, "You are well aware of the reason my daughter came here to pray. How about yourself, Vona? You were standing by the temple's door, and now that I think of it, I'm not sure if you were entering, exiting, or just passing by.
"If you don't mind my asking, did you come here to pray?"
And what if she says yes? Then what? I sit beside her and pray for Atsuko? A woman finally gets me to set foot in a temple, and...
Kojima's thought leads to seemingly infinite possibilities, though it's not hard to discern which possibility he prefers.
I'm more an idiot than the railing-breaker with the hoofprint on his buttock! She must be half my age. Would she really want to be stepmother to a girl old enough to be her slightly younger sister?
And yet he hopes...
Vona replies back to Kojima
"I was returning a cloak Darion lent me after his party rescued us.
Though I also came to seek some advice from Lady Cirthana on a few topics."
"Rescued?" Kojima says. "I won't ask, but if, at some point, you want to talk about it, I will listen. For now, let me just say I am glad that Darion rescued you... that you are safe."
He looks over, noting there is a dark-skinned woman and a blonde woman in the room. He's not sure which is Lady Cirthana.
"I spent the past four years not talking about the time I was rescued, and pretending not to think about it every day. I suppose if I'm going to break a bad habit, I'm in the right place. How about I pray by my daughter's side while you speak to this Lady Cirthana?" He chances adding, "When you're finished, let me know."
Kojima-San isn't sure if Vona will want to talk about what she was rescued from, or if she'll want to hear about the night Wu Chen saved him... and what had to happen for that to be possible. But there are pleasant things to talk about, too, such as arranging a time to meet tomorrow and--
Am I REALLY trying to anticipate what topic will keep a beautiful woman engaged? Ridiculous!
As much as the samurai silently chides himself for having silly thoughts of romance, he cannot deny that he wants this in his life again.
Kinshara greets Wu Chen as she introduces herself. "Welcome to the house of Iomedae. My name is Kinshara, and you are welcome to pray here if you wish. We seem to be getting many visitors in Falcon's Hollow today. What brings you and your...father to Falcon's Hollow?" she asks, guessing at Wu Chen's relationship with the man she arrived with.
In the morning, the newly deputized Corindus visits the docks to check on Mary and her boat, thank her for her help, and ensure that the local troublemakers are not hassling her.
Wu Chen replies, "Honestly, Father and I know little about this area. Only that West is out of reach from yakuza in East. My both parent were not part of criminal element, but Father..."
The girl pauses, realizing that a simple expanding-our-horizons non-explanation would have sufficed. Maybe it was the timing... asking this while praying for her dear departed Mother.
Or maybe Wu Chen wanted to talk about this for the past four years. And now that she's hundreds of miles away from those murderous thugs, what's stopping her?
"...he is good man, good bodyguard, but have misfortune of protecting target of yakuza. Is not enough criminal gang kill target. They go after anyone who work for that man. Father is off duty that night, spend time with family.
"Attack is sudden, many man loudly approach our home. Father tell me, must hide. I obey." She shudders slightly at the sounds that have echoed in her mind for the past four years. She spares her listener. "Attack is quick, many man stab and go away. I come out of hiding, but all I can do is hold dying Mother until she pass.
"At that moment, is powerful feeling in hand. Mother leave me her healing touch. I touch Father, and he stop bleeding."
The child is putting on a brave front, not wanting to cry and blubber in front of the stranger.
"Anyway... I train at monastery for few year while Father save up so we can start new life in West. Every stop along way, if there is temple, I enter, pray for Mother.
"Thank you for welcoming me to pray to my Goddess in house of you Goddess. Not everybody okay with that, so sometime I just shut up about who I pray to. Is more joyful if prayer is not secret."
The Day goes one until the afternoon when everyone gathers due to a surprise announcement from Mr Kreed.
With Payday holding folks attention until Mr Kreed arrives.
Payden "Pay Day" Teedum:
"All right folks, Mista Kreed will be making an announcement shortly."
Mr Kreed gets onto the town's announcement platform.
"I know that most of you know I am a man of my word,
and the recent outbreak did take some lives, caused the closing of the local well,
and was starting to become a major problem for the People whom call this place home."
"Since the Fall festival is coming up in 6 days, and I do wish to help folks recover some from recent events, I'll be covering some of the expenses for running it, but I'll be expecting folks get right back to work.
5 Days from now I will give employees the option to work for the day, or work and get paid a bit extra.
The 6th day from now every employee gets off to have; fun, rest, or recover, or what they will.
Folks can have the morning of the 7th day to recover from what drinks they had the night before."
"But I'll be expecting everyone to get right back to work after it, as I'm hoping this time given to you will allow you all to keep reasonably productive and not degrade the amount of product this town makes."
you all hear someone nearby mentioning that this is uncharacteristically generous of Mr Kreed, but at the same time that he is still profit focused.
Even Payden "Pay Day" Teedum has a bit of a surprised face...
Wu Chen tells her father (as well as Vona, if she happens to be nearby), "Seem like I have opportunity to dance at festival." She then asks, "Who I must see to arrange this?
"Maybe is this guy?" She points out Payday Teedum, but is hesitant to approach him.
Kinshara's reaction to the announcement is caught somewhere between approval and suspicion. It is uncharacteristically generous, but there doesn't seem to be a catch...
She approaches Lady Cirthana after the announcement. "Does the Church of Iomedae have any plans yet for the festival? It might be a good opportunity to reach out to some of the laborers while they are not caught between work shifts."
With his new found fortune Darion wonders if he might find others that will sell arcane scrolls. He approaches Kinshara and offers to give her the fine crossbow that he didn’t sell earlier
”Kinshara I’ve been looking for you would you like to have that crossbow we found at the runes I couldn’t get any offers for it that I felt was reasonable. If you don’t want it then perhaps I will keep it. This looks to be quite the festive event coming up eh?”
He says it to Kinshara but turns to look at Lady Cirthana ”What do you think my lady?
With his new found fortune Darion wonders if he might find others that will sell arcane scrolls. He approaches Kinshara and offers to give her the fine crossbow that he didn’t sell earlier
”Kinshara I’ve been looking for you would you like to have that crossbow we found at the runes I couldn’t get any offers for it that I felt was reasonable. If you don’t want it then perhaps I will keep it. This looks to be quite the festive event coming up eh?”
He said that last part to Kinshara but turns to look at Lady Cirthana ”What do you think my lady?
Hu Wang:
Hu puts his hand on Wu Chen's shoulder before she thinks of going to Payden to ask the question.
while he looked like the goof with Duke before, you can tell Hu was not goofing around.
"I don't think you should talk to him, he's not the kid friendly type of guy.
Best to ask another local, one that normally runs the festival.
And they might appear on stage soon, after the shock wears off."
Wu Chen nods. "I will not approach him then. He give off creepy vibe."
She looks around for Vona. Maybe she know who I can approach.
The samurai gives Hu Wang a nod, showing both approval and respect.
Lady Cirthana replies to Kinshara
"The Church doesn't have much planned, though I did think of having a puppet show for the little ones.
Though I won't be telling Brickasnurd Hildrinsock's tale to them as I don't want them to have nightmares."
Lady Cirthana replies to Darion
"The Fall festival will definitely be different than last year for sure.
Normally it's the Farmer's Alliance and townsfolk who fund and run it.
As it never got funds from the Consortium or Mr Kreed ever before."
Corindus watches the announcement, mutely wondering what scheme Kreed has cooked up to fleece his workers this time.
Going up onto the Stage with Kreed and Payden comes Joanne and Brickasnurd Hildrinsocks.
Folks can see even their slightly confused faces at Kreed's announcement.
Joanne talks a moment to clear her mind some before talking.
"Well, I don't know what to say Mr Kreed.
This is quite unexpected....Normally it's just the Farmer's Alliance and a few business that donate money to get the Festival going."
"Well you heard it all folks, Mr Kreed is giving you all some time to recover and paying some of the costs of running the Fall Festival.
If you have any plans for booths or activities, please contact either Mr Hildrinsocks or Myself."
Brickasnurd Hildrinsocks:
Mr Hildrinsocks adds in his cheerful gnomish self
"Well I guess this may end up being a better Fall Festival then the last one.
As a thanks to Mr Kreed, I'll see that we get something up to so our gratitude, like a ice statue of Him that looks like a large diamond and that young Jurin Kreed gets two a free rounds at all the games."
Mr Kreed smiles a bit and being serious, not realising what he says could also be seen as a joke.
"Looks like I'm already getting a return on investment."
Wu Chen slowly approaches Joanne. If her father, Vona or Hu Wang tries to stop her, Wu Chen will comply.
If the adults around her allow, Wu Chen introduces herself as "Sister Wu Chen, nun in service of Eternal Maiden Shelyn." She bows then goes on, "At my age and with my skill, only service beside train and pray and keep vow is DANCE!
"Festival of Shelyn is at winter solstice, but I like dancing at Fall Festival. Crowd-pleaser must dance every opportunity she get, not wait all year, dance one time. Color of Shelyn is entire rainbow, so I wear colorful dress and many ribbon, and color hair too if many color dye is available."
Wu Chen hopes that, if given the opportunity to perform, Vona will provide the music for her act, if only because she liked seeing her father with the gentle giantess.
Joanne replies to the newcomer
"I've not seen you around before, Well I'm Joanne.
If you want to dance I'll see if I can arrange things with Mr Hildrinsocks and get something going for you to perform.
Though Make sure your father approves first and you have someone to watch over you before, during and after your dance.
As the underworld here can be terrible."
Wu Chen nods. "I think I know who can best watch over me. I check with her, then get back to you."
Wu Chen runs back to her father, excited about the prospect of dancing. If Vona is with him, the girl is especially giddy--though she just looks up at the tall woman smiling brightly, but taking a moment to find the words...
Wu Chen says to Vona, "I think Joanne like idea of me dancing at festival. But she ask, who can watch over me? Father cannot enter Lady dressing room.
"But you can! And... you can sing. I think we can try arrange act, I dance to your song. If you like, I know range of dance. Some have ribbon. Some have acrobatic. Some have martial art. Which best fit your singing depend not only on sound of music, but also on story tell by your lyric."
The words pour out of the girl quickly. She's very excited, but Wu Chen reminds herself that Vona hasn't agreed to anything yet... and she's kind of putting her father's new friend on the spot. That just occurred to her.
"Well... we can maybe practice together, then you can judge how well my dance match your song. Are you interest in this idea? And if you need time to think, how about in either case, can you be with me in dressing room? I think unsavory man keep distance if you enter with me."
Corindus searches for Darion and Kinshara among the crowd.
"I'd hoped we had left the dark magic behind us in the forest," he says to his allies, "But little else could explain behavior so unlike the stories I've heard of Kreed."
"This is unlike him," Kinshara agrees with Corindus. "Let's not assume that dark magic is involved, however. The Inheritor's light can reach even the darkest of hearts and he did tell everyone to get back to work afterwards, after all. He might just be glad that he didn't lose all of his workers."
”I agree that this is uncharacteristic of Kreed, perhaps we should look into it? Any suggestions as to how? I would like to think that Mr Kreed is just grateful to still have employees but I’m fairly confident that there is some other motivation behind it. Even if dark magic isn’t to blame”
Kreed and Payden get off the stage and look like they are heading back to the current Lumber Consortium Office.
While Joanne and Mr Hildrinsocks start working and organising the things for the Festival.
Vona replies back to Wu Chen
"That's good to hear, And I don't mind if your father doesn't mind.
Though I think a few looks at each other's art would help find the best style.
But that can also be found with some practice."
Wu Chen giggles nervously, and as soon as her father gives a nod of approval, more Broken Common words pour out of the child's mouth:
"I REALLY want to hear you sing! If you have song that tell exciting story, dance bring emphasis to meaning of lyric! My FAVORITE dance is about Goddess Shelyn fight Her brother, who fall into darkness. Traditionally, is spear-dance, but I train to use own body as weapon, so I use kick in dance instead of spear. Dance is still beautiful and exciting without prop.
"I do not expect you sing about my goddess, but song with heroic topic can have similar dance." She then asks Vona, "But what is YOUR favorite song?" and offers, "I am flexible, can dance to song about weather, or friendship, or lost cat find new home... you tell me what your song is, I mix and match many dance move to fit song."