Summary:In search of Babs father, The Samurai and Batgirl meet a Tavern Owner Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Batgirl had been back through the barrier recently and had returned to share tales with the Silver Samurai of Dark Elf males who weren't friends of Amara but not really friends of the humans either. They would offer safe passage through their lands however - given the group had won a contest of arms.
She and the Samurai have headed back through the barrier. This time, just the two of them. Their task is best achieved by a smaller group - to find what had become of the law enforcement personnell who had been caught there. This includes a mutual friends father.
"So that's two 'allies' if we use the word loosely. It's interesting, don't you think, that there's such division?" The redheaded archer says as they ride through fields. There's been fields for miles so far - but in the distance, they can see smoke from they hope is a city.
Law Enforcement like everyone else in this forsaken area has become scattered. Not all of them have become warriors or knights though many of them seem to have. They don't all operate in the same areas either which makes tracking down individuals tricky.
The Samurai himself is curious about and on the lookout for Barbara's father.
"Not especially surprising. There is not much that unites these people to begin with other than a particular outlook on humankind. Not all will be willing to face the concerted might of the mortal world. And despite all their lack of power, it seems that world is quite mighty."
"Well we have to use that to our advantage, then. If we keep the dissent bubbling here, it will our job easier. And honestly, we need a break about now." Batgirl answers quietly. Her voice isn't disguised and the Samurai might recognise it, or thinks it sounds familiar.
Up ahead, the town walls finally loom above them, tall and foreboding. "I'm getting used to Staten Island being …. so different."
The guards at the gate, look at them suspiciously. Kens armour drawing lots of attention. "What do you want here?" The Samurai is challenged by one barrel chested fellow with a pot belly.
"It will assuredly do that but I do not think that these… creatures will have any compunctions about killing the people here if they start threatening their sanctuary. If we bubble them too hard we may wind up with people who aren't coming back." And here, in this dome, those people have a lot fewer defenses. The power that technology affords is entirely absent here.
"Well, don't get too used to it." He mutters as he rides forward and gives the guard his best Samurai look. Silent with a great deal of what might be glaring or boredom and it's hard to say.
"We want to pass inside, have a drink and maybe find a hot meal before it gets too much later. I trust this city has a place that can provide both of those things? Preferably one with a chair?"
Batgirl watches as Ken gives his 'look'. The guard puffs up and draws in a breath. "Oh give it a rest, Gareth. Let them pass." Another guard calls out tiredly. "He's just upset he wasn't sent out with the other guards to patrol the fields and pulled gate duty instead."
"Am not. I'm just making sure we don't have problems later …" Gareth gives Ken a sour look and jerks his chin in approval "Go through."
"If it's a drink you're looking for and not getting your purse cut, try Gordons, over in the merchant sector. Good pub, run by a good man."
"Gordon's. Thank you." Kenuichio urges his mount forward and only after they're through the gate does he glance back at Batgirl. Interesting. Not a police officer or a guard or a knight. An innkeeper? How does this man see himself.
Of course that COULD just be the name. No one said anything about the owner.
It doesn't take long to find. It's up the main road and one street over. There's a big sign outside that has a picture of what looks like a plate of food and a stein. The Samurai ties his horse up and once Batgirl is off, pushes the door open.
Batgirl tips the lads in the yards with some silver coins. Nothing too exotic to draw attention to themselves but sufficient enough to ensure their horses will still be there when they get out. Of course, the horse are *just* motorcycles, so there's that.
"Do you think …" she doesn't say anything more as Ken pushes the door open. This man isn't related to her - it's Barbara's father not hers - she can't show too much emotion or concern.
The inside of the pub is almost straight from a movie - dark and smokey, due to the fire that burns in the hearth. There are bench tables with bench seats set around the edges of the room, and other circular wooden tables in the middle. The bar and the tap is to the right of the door and a tall, distinguished grey haired man stands behind it. "Welcome to Gordons. What will you have?" The man asks, giving the samurai and the redhead a good look over.
Ken will recognise him from a photo that Babs has shown him. That is indeed her father.
They are rather more important here than they are out in the real world though. Or… the normal world. They are the only easy way back and forth. And there is a lot of ground to cover in this dome. And Ken does NOT want to walk it.
"Something stiff and some hot bread and cheese, if you have them. And some news."
People tell inkeepers things, and they hear things or overhear things that others might not. Ken is indeed interested in the news but he ALSO wants to get a chance to observe this man. He's going to have to tell Barbara later what is happening. At least he's in a walled city?
"Bread and cheese coming up. The stew is good too." The man answers. "And I've some ale that should be stiff enough for you. If it's not, I'll break out the good stuff."
He turns back to the bar and starts to fill a jug with the beer, gesturing to one of the girls to get the bread and cheese.
As he puts the pitcher on the table along with two mugs, he looks at Batgirl and cants his head. "Not showing your face, lass?"
Batgirl shakes her head "It is a vow I have taken …" hopefully that will be enough.
"Going to be hard to drink and eat then. You wanted news though… Harriet Borman had a baby two days ago. The Graham boys got caught stealing pies from the baker." His eyes twinkle as he looks at the Samurai, waiting for the inevitable reply.
"Not the sort of news I was hoping for." The Samurai says as he finds a seat. He takes off the menpo that guards and conceals his face and puts his very ornate helmet down on the table. He does have to shift his swords out of the way. They are at his side and not over the back like usual.
"She is kidding you about the vow, though." The silver armored man says. "The truth is she is cripplingly shy. If she does not have that mask on, she stammers and stumbles through her words and cannot look anyone in the eye."
"Is that so …" The bartender says giving Batgirl a good long look. "You're in good company here, you know." He stares at those brilliant green eyes for a moment and shakes his head like he's trying to clear it.
The serving girl comes over and sets the bread and cheese on the table, looking at the pair who have just taken a seat. "Ah, Master Gordon … the boys are back from that hunting triip. They're out the back." She looks like she's being very careful how she says that.
The barman shoo's her away as he considers Ken. "Not that sort of news. I hear all sorts of things, doing what I do. Strangers coming into town looking for that type of news? It usually causes us problems. What would you do with such infomration?"
"Cause someone else problems." Kennuichio says, patting the swords at his side. "Or did you think I wear the silver armor because I like people to be able to see their own reflections?" He actually wishes he were NOT wearing at as it's so damn inconvenient in the stealth department but needs apparently must. At least it IS real, working, protective armor.
"Boys? Is there something you need to tend to, Mister Gordon?"
"Nothing that can't wait, lad." Gordon answers, glancing out the back. "The problem with causing other people problems is they often come back on us. We've learned to be careful here, you understand."
He shakes his head. "It's not easy for people here. We're humans in a land where we're not welcome. This city holds out because we send tribute and tithes to our Liege Lord and if they're in a good mood, they'll leave us alone."
The girl is hovering though and looks a little anxious. She's not gone as Gordon tried to do.
"That seems chancy, sir." The Samurai says as he picks up the drink and takes a pull at it. It's good. Thick. Nice body. He glances at Batgirl. She has gone a little bit quiet and the serving girl is hovering.
"I do understand yes. However being careful, while it may leave you unnoticed for a time will not change your situation. I am not looking to play it safe. I am looking to alter the calculus of power in this land…"
And he has just the sword to do it.
"Is something wrong, Miss?"
"Chancy, lad?" Gordon questions as takes in the Samurai and his companion. "And no it doesn't change our situation, you are right." There's something in the tone that says he's not just taking this laying down.
"It's amazing isn't it, what a well organised group can achieve." Batgirl says lightly. "And how word passes through a city without others knowing. All it takes is the right people in the right places." That gets a steely eyed look from Gordon but Ken speaks before he can say more.
"What is it Mary?"
"Beggin' your pardon, Sir. But Master Gordon, Vincent was hurt on the hunting expedition. You need to see him."
"Hurt?" Batgirl looks sharply. "I have some talent with healing. Might I see him?"
Gordon sighs and glances out the back nodding sharply. "Come then."
He leads them out the back to where three young men are gathered. One is on a bed with a wound in his side.
Samurai rises and goes with the small group, taking his helm with him. Not leaving that around to get taken, no. He stands off to the side when they get outside, observing. Hunting accidents are pretty obvious. Bites. Gashes. Gores. They're very different kinds of wounds from the sort caused by weaponry and they tend to be far less… intentional. An animal might kill you, but it doesn't usually know enough to do more than go for the throat.
So what kind of injury is this?
"Who's that?" One of the men asks, moving protectively in front of Vincent. All of these men are short haired and, whilst not clean cut - they have the hallmarks of being so not long ago. Police, perhaps?
"They are … travellers. The woman said she's some healing, let her by. What's your names?"
Batgirl moves to the bed and drops to her knees, inspecting the wound and hissing. "I'll need clean water and clothes. Samurai, in my bag …" Which he has "… there's antiseptic ointment." It's all she dared bring through - it should have survived, shouldn't it. "And a needle and thread." It's surgical thread too.
"What did this?" As Ken comes near, he can see the wound - it's a slice - like a knife or a sharp sword might do. This wound was not done by a animal or the like.
"It is an interesting hunt." He says, hand resting on the hilt of his blade. The non magical one, that is. Here of all places he really, really doesn't want to unsheath that thing. It will get all kinds of exactly the sort of attention he wants to avoid.
"A blade. What manner of beast were you hunting that wielded a blade that well? Or was that one of your companions."
He rather doubts it. None of the youths here look quite that good.
He gets the things that Batgirl asks for. It's going to hurt that stitching.
The two other young men, step away as Ken rests his hand on that sword. "It wasn't one of us." They say quietly, casting Gordon a look.
Batgirl works efficiently, stripping the gloves from her hands so she can work more easily. "Alcohol. Give him some before I start stitching." It is going to hurt but it can't be helped. "I'm Batgirl and that's the Silver Samurai. To answer your question. Now, what were they hunting? This is a blade wielded by a right hander. A long knife or short sword would do it."
Gordon sighs and looks at the Samurai. "Are you serious about changing the status quo dramatically around here?"
Ken hands down his meade to the injured man and watches Batgirl work. She has it diagnosed about right. A brigand perhaps? Or he was injured in a mighty duel with a man who was not - as it turns out - left handed.
"Hai. I am going to do it with or without help. I already know where to start. I am simply getting the lay of the land now."
This is not a gentle way to put this but then Kennuichio is very very Japanese.
"Will he live, Batgirl?"
Ken can see as Batgirls hands move. Careful and deliberate, like another redhead he knows.
Gordon looks at the other men and nods. "I don't know why I'm doing this … but we have a resistance going. The lads were out raiding BloodTakers holdings. He's the one that we pay tithe too."
"If you're serious and I … have a sense about people … then we'll talk. When your woman her is finished with my man."
Batgirls shoulders tense at that comment but she makes no comment, focussed on the small and neat stitches she's doing.
"Should. Yes. We'll leave the antiseptic cream and as long as the dressing is changed often and the area cleaned, he should be fine. It was deep, but not deep enough to do any internal damage. At least, none that is obvious."
"Yeeeeeeees…" Kennuichio says in a rather inscrutable way. He's Japanese. They're good at that. Poker face. Well. Mahjong face. Something like that. A face that is hard to read.
"BloodTakers. I take it that they are vampires? Your man would have been fortunate to get back in that case."
And it is possible that a bleeding man might have been tracked. But perhaps the BloodTakers are more… fancifully named. A man can hope.
"It looks like… my woman… is about done." There's hesitance as he says that. Possibly because he's trying not to laugh or possible because he doesn't want to jar the owner here into being suspicious or something similar.
"No one knows what BloodTaker is." Gordon answers as he studies Kennuichio after that answer. "There are others who work for them. Some willingly, others … we don't think they do."
"We got caught by their men." One of the young men says sheepishly. "There were none left alive in that band by the time we left."
"I'm done." Batgirl sighs as she fixes a dressing over Vincents wound. "Those stitches will need to be removed in about a week, maybe more. I'm leaving you some … ointment to put on the wound when you change the dressing. If it starts to smell or weep … you'll need to get a doctor or healer to see to it. I'll try to be back though, to check on it."
Ken gets a hard green eyed stare from Batgirl. His Woman indeed.
"We can't stay long today, Samurai, Master Gordon. We can be back tomorrow though, if that is convenient."
"Tomorrow eve would be better. We will have more people here and it will be easier to talk." Gordon nods and hands Batgirl a clean cloth to wash her hands with before guiding them back to the tap room.
"We shall try to be back tomorrow eve, then." There are things that could make that difficult and many of them lay outside this 'reality'. But he can't explain any of those and even if he could this is neither the time nor the place.
Samurai shoots a look at Batgirl as she rises and they're shepherded back in. "That is if Batgirl agrees."
He's going to need to make some time to tell Barbara about this or she is going to kill him.
"We will be back." Batgirl answers. Come hell or high water they'll be back. "Tomorrow night and I'll bring some more supplies for Vincent." She's going to have to be careful what she brings in, but that young man isn't going to die because of infection.
"Finish your food, lad and have another drink. We'll talk and see what agreements we can come to."
"That sounds good to me." It's not rice and tea but it is certainly hearty and he was getting quite hungry. He'll want to have the horse fed and watered so that it makes it back to the dome's exit and also because doing that here is cheaper than doing that in the real world. Hay, as it turns out, costs less than gas, even in a pre-fiscal policy world.
"Shall we enjoy the food Batgirl? Are you sure you can work that past your crippling shyness?"