The Sunny Day

Another night passed, as the morning sets upon the land once again. The villagers far up ahead wake and tend to their daily lives of work and society. In the top roof of a small shop, lays a man with his arms crossed behind his head, as his right leg overlaps his left leg sideways. With the heel pointing towards the west, while his eyes remain shut closed. He was relaxed and calm by being covered in a soft light blanket. Not even the winter breeze bothered this young man on the roof. He kept still, and enjoyed the warmth of the sun hitting his skin. Nothing could take this precious moment of sleep from this man. His name is Duo Lon, and he finds himself relaxing on the roof of his new boss's shop. It hasn't been long since he began working here, and as far as it goes, Duo Lon loved to sleep on the roof for odd reasons. A few hours later, the sun fully rises and stays in the sky, withering away the cold and its slightest present from the sun's shining light. Duo then flickered his eyes from the sun's brightness. He had awoken and sat up rubbing his eyes one by one with his left wrist. A small yawn escapes his tender lips after stretching his back and arms. His dark eyes looked at the commoners as he stood in the roof, thinking with a small smile. "Hmph, no nightmare this time, and a beautiful day it is." Duo comments on his whereabouts as a small warm breeze passes by him.

A dark, black steed, no, a Mustang, came roaring down a path from the south. It's speed unmatched through the land and the horse was staring straight ahead with his cold red eyes. It's sights set upon a home, his home. It was a nice little ride, yes, but for a time, there was always a sense of longing for him, The Black Zypher, to reach home and sleep or rest at all. His might and speed was agift from the heavens and he needed to keep well to keep that gift. As he reached the barn, he trotted inside it and rested in his stall. A man, wearing his his gii was all set and hopped off the horse. Taking the saddle off he placed it on a post near the stall. Walking away he smiled slightly and tapped the horse's muzzle.

His feet took him to the shop and a feint smell of a man, Imidiatly he thought that Duo was on the roof as he had done a few times already. With a small leap, he jumped from the ground to the roof. A light touch of his feet was feintly heard as he walked towards the man. A smile came across his lips that faded before he could see. He stopped just behind him and spoke.

"The people are a sight to behold, no? Perhaps one day we will be in need to protect them, That day is not one I await I'm afraid. I sense a feel of thought in your mind, Perhaps we should talk about what most men talk about. Life."

Another small yawn came to Duo as Mr. Ling came by to check on him above his own roof. A small smile arose from the corner of his lips while his eyes squinted from the direction of the sun hitting his face. "My, my Mr. Ling, I thought you weren't to be coming back until the afternoon, haha. Ah, yes they sure are. They seem to be more active today than usual..." Duo was a bit stunned about the words this shop owner and boss, told him. The words of protect were heavier than any other for Duo. "Yes, yes. Protecting them will be unavoidable. Do you have someone to protect Mr. Ling? As far as I'm concerned with life, it will always move on like any water river or wind in the meadow." Arching his back forwards, he gained his balanced and rose from the roof with two hands and the push of his knees upwards. Lightly brushing himself off while turning his gaze back onto Mr. Ling with a faint smile, away from the sun's rays. Duo crossed his arms as both his feet kept their ground firmly on the roof while the winds began to pick up again and slowly die off by passing by.

The small winds that cascaded through his hair gently were but a small feeling of gracefullness that he felt as he stood there. The small conversation but a peek into his cortex and thought process as it was but a silent thought. His lips started by pressing themselves softly against each other in a firm grip that faded as he spoke. His voice enough to speak just to Duo and no one else.

"Indeed. I have but two people to protect other than the small village of today's shop. I have my wife to be, and you. It's not much but something that someone of my- A short pause came as he thought for the right words.- Stature, To be with in his final days. I have lived my life as to be expected and are, in fact, searching for what my master searched for in his end of days. A replacement for the shop, and the stature that goes with it. Do you remember the tales of the old myth, The Black Knight?"

He asked with a hint of enthusiasm. It was true he was always interested in the myths as it portrayed both himself, and the one who was before him, his master. not often would it be that he really hated them, only when it was time to use that persona and become the demon of the battle. The Black Knight, a demon of any fight and sworn enemy to all. It was as if he was the one to bring all to one side in order to defeat him. A true Icon of the new age to be.

It was rare that he would be seen as of late. His age aflicting not his ability to fight but rather his will to inflict harm on others. It was true that he rarely even spared anymore for that reason. However, with a promise to uphold in his mind and the past, he trudges on to do what has to be done, no matter what. Even if that thing is, of course, the effort of his own demise in the end. Taking on whole armies and countries single handedly, like the legonds. It wasn't that he was incapeable of this, no, it was that he was tired of fighting so many and time would show his true age eventually.

With a spring in his step he spoke as he moved towards Duo. His staff started a ruthless twirl that almost cascaded to his wrist. The wind on the oposite side of the staff was but a fierce beast ravaging almost everything in its path, except the roof of the shop. It spun and aimed to slap the man, Duo, in the left rib. The normal random fights were what kept both on guard, like the Xiaolin monks with their random training with spars. Even during working hours he would firecly attack Duo, to keep him on his toes.

"It's hard, however, To keep a life of three you know. To be a stratagest, a Hero, and a feared beast of the night. Perhaps one day, you will relaize what it's like to be more than yourself. You have not truly tasted what it is like to be someone else unless you have walked a mile in their shoes. The day is upon you, however, Duo-san. It's coming to the day. Also, there is to be a ceramony in Cheng Du, you are of course invited. I am to be maried to Zhauge Yang as of tomorrow. Just after noon at that. Maybe you should be the one to be, "best man" Duo-san. It would be an honor for one of my standing to have an up and coming master of arts to be there. Perhaps you would do well as, an apprentice of a certain art as well. I shall teach you all of one weapon, pick carefully as it will be your soul. Any weapon you chose as well. I know everything from Hammers to wire."

The people within the streets began to be filled with worry and fear. Staring as a strange woman had rode into town, She stood out with bright blonde hair which glistened in the sun's rays, her emerald eyes were narrowed slightly as she looked at the people around her. A cloak draped down her body, hiding it from view as it also covered the bottom half of her face. The woman had rode up on a sorrel stallion. A pure bred Morgan Stallion to be exact. However dispite this stranger within the streets the people feared what walked beside the stallion, two White Siberian Tigers, collared and leashed to the saddle horn, people yelled and questioned why she had tigers. The woman shifted her eyes to the people and simply spoke in a calm tone.
"Relax... They are tamed, stop fretting." She spoke with a hint of a German accent to her lovely voice.

Her stallion walked ahead, taking heavy steps, wanting to move up into a trot, however the woman kept her grip upon the reins and calmed the stunning stallion. The woman then spoke to the two tigers, simply ordering them to keep their heads low and their eye's away from the crowd. Usually the woman kept these tigers out of the city when she went in to avoid situations like this. However this time she felt as if the tigers would be in danger from citizens so she felt the need to keep them by her side, The tigers were trained after all, they weren't going to hurt anyone...Unless she ordered them to.

The woman stopped outside of the shop doors, her new job to be. Unless the owner decided to turn her down now due to the tigers, or her being a foreigner. Dismounting her stallion the woman placed her arms on her hips, the cape that covered half of her face and body moved gently in the soft breeze. The woman looked up, hearing the chitter chatter of two men above on top of the roof of the building. One was more elder while the other appeared younger. Gazing up at them she brought up a gentle finger to tug down on the cape, revealing her face, it was quite pretty and had soft features to it along with cherry colored lips which held a smirk upon it as her eyes gazed over to the younger man up on the roof before going back to the elder one.
"Excuse me... Do you know where the Shop keep is? My name is Mina Rica and I'm suppose to work at this shop." She said calmly with her lovely voice, her hand moving down to pat one of the tigers heads, petting it gently.

A female voice. It was one that could brake even the hefty of silence. A calm note from the voice of an angel indeed. With a swift movement, before he could strike Duo his body disappeared. A swift movement indeed. In that instant, a soft clack of feet softly landing on the ground echoed a small bit. One of the men, the older one, had appeared before the woman. With a soft smile he spoke as his hands moved.

"I am the owner. And your friends are invited as well, as long as they don't terrorize my shop or the people of the town that is."

He spoke as his hands moved. His hands spun the Bo-Staff around so that it was now straight out behind him. With a quick motion he hopped on the staff and released his hands. Resting them in his lap as he sat cross legged on the staff, it still floating so that he was eye level with the woman. The staff and the man, slightly moving up and down as a result of the "magic" of the staff. The towns people began to marvel more at all the occurrences. Finally he spoke softly again.

"Do you have weapons at all? You may store them in the back, along with your tigers as well. it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rica."

With that, he offered his hand to shake. A gesture from the out of town-ers are used to perhaps. He also hopped off his staff for a moment to bow to her. A sign of good will as he exposed the back of his neck to her, an ancient display. After he hopped back on and sat there, examining her every move and breath.

The lack of excitement rushed through Duo's body when Mr. Ling. A more of a shocking face with his eyes widen larger than usual with a glare at him. Only to have small servile mannerism, as his head tilted low by arching his neck forwards lightly, and back straight up as he seemed to give another faint small towards his wise friend. Assuring the story he had heard of and of the dignity brought onto Duo by the mannerisms done by Mr. Ling. It wasn't long before he sighed and taken a light breather to lightly sprout out his couple words and ending it with a sigh said Duo, "Thank you... I'd be honored." Duo spoken lowly intoned while suddenly out of the blue Mr. Ling flinged out with his staff onto the scenery below of the commotions Duo had been ignoring through their conversation. He had not moved and only looked ahead of his empty eyesight of the mountains reaching for the sky and the birds gliding through the skies. This focus view was broken by the roar of a creature which caught his eye! This made him turn back his head, brushing his brunette locks away from his face as his hazel eyes ventured to meet with the woman's for a splinter of a second. Making his strong firm hands grip the tablets of the roof, before he kicked himself off backwards beside Mr. Ling's location. He perfectly landed on both feet with a slight stumble on his right ankle as he landed on a piece of rock. His response would be "ow", but he ignored the small pain and turned to face the two.

Though his composure was slim, and rather well dressed in a more elegant way than most manly men of these eras, he chuckled lightly as he walked forwards with his flowing knotted hair following him behind as always, Duo crouched down and began to gently pet the tiger of black and white stripes through her thin fur, entering into the thickness around her neck and jawline. A light tug was given to the female tiger upon her sensitive perked right ear. Duo smiled and leaned back, and taking a step back for showing respect. "Hehe, last time I remembered, you bowed first before a shake Mr. Ling." He teased lightly as Duo bowed down to the mistress entering through the streets on such a stallion and tamed beasts. In his reddish brown eyes that lit under the sun's light gave a interesting look upon the beauty upon him. As much as he'd like to begin something new, he cannot outdo himself. "Please to meet you Mina Rika, my name is Duo Lon. I see your from Germany based on your accent yet you speak our language so fluently. I praise you on that and if there any supplies or any matierals needed to be placed in the back storage or a given, I'd be more likely to assist you there. Please enjoy yourself and welcome to this fine establishment Mr. Ling has made. Farewell for now my lady.", said Duo as he gave another bow gently, as his eyes had not been rid of their target like a hawk.

He turned around and went his own way as everything seemed to be changing. His mind was set on the marriage and his job to do if she so came around the back end of the shop. Where he simply just walked around towards to, away from the commoners. Duo left the scene as his spirit is lit more up today than usual with a bright smile than one last soul being given to an Angel's soul. Duo was glad to have found some peace and little to say, interested in someone secretly.

[EXIT]

The woman's eyes sight quickly caught a hold of the elder looking man who swiftly jumped down to greet her. She remained as still as a statue as the man who claimed to be the owner spoke to her. with a simple smirk she petted both of her dear tigers with her hands, having one on each side of her. The cloak still wrapped around her body, by the way her stallion was packed and how she was dressed was quite clear that this woman was traveling for quite some time.

"My companions Ying and Yang do not terroize anything or anyone. It is simply up to the people that see them to be afraid of them or not, in other words they may terrorize themselves. Ying and Yang are simply like kittens." Her gentle voice simply informed the shop keeper, her face seemed to be rather emotionless, however she had a devilous smirk on her face as she watched the shop keeper perform some sort of 'magic'. She wasn't here to be in awe, she was here to work, it was what kept her and her companions well fed and happy.

Bowing to the shopkeeper respectively the woman straitened up her posture to perfection. Her emerald green eyes seemed to sparkle in the light of the giving sun. With the smirk still plastered on her face the woman simply spoke in her angelic voice. "My weapons are my words. Which command my beasts to do my will. These two tigers Ying and Yang are deadly when commanded to be. For now they remain as kittens. As for my other weapon. My bow, which I keep with my stallion, Archery is my forte, along with trick riding which you may be unfarmiliar with." The woman paused for a minute as she gathered what words to use and say.
"not to be rude but... I train my animals with freedom. Ying and Yang are only leashed here to let others know they are mine. I never cage them nor do I ever tie up my stallion. They serve me well and deserve that much. If you ever need to I could train your steed to be riden without the use of a bridal to steer, you simply need the right touch with the legs to drive the animal, I'll tell you this, when my stallion perform and when we hunt, using a bow without the need of reins to steer allows me to never miss my target... Oh! I guess I should introduce myself, how rude of me even though you know my name. Heh! I'm Mina Rica, beastwhisperer." She said with a hint of pride in her words. Unsnapping the leashes from her tigers and granting them freedom she becan to untie her saddle bags, and unpacking her bow and arrows from the steed. Her attention went to the younger man she saw upon the rooftop, who had jumped down and proceeded to pet her tiger Ying gently. Ying seemed to be excited, her tail waving proudly from side to side as she was stroked.

"Thank you for allowing me to stay." Mina thanked, it had been a while since she stayed in a house, usually they camped out in the wilderness setting up camp when ever they found a lake. Mina prodeeded to pet her companions, Ying and Yang, both wore a collar, Ying wore white while yang wore black. The tigers were twins and were almost impossible to tell apart except for the fact that ying had less markings on her face while yang had more. Ying was the female and Yang was the male, Ying was more carefree while Yang was more agressive, two opposites that worked beautifully together, like day and night. Curiously they sniffed around until Mina gave them the order to 'come and sit' simply by saying "Ying, Yang kommen und sitzen." Immediently the tigers moved behind of Mina and layed on the ground, their heads down inbetween their paws and their ears perked up. Mina patted her stallion as she told him to remain still. Slinging the bags and other equiment over her shoulder and holding her bow in her hand Mina turned her attention to the younger man again. She thanked him for his complement on her speaking of their language. It was natural to speak it fluently due to her living in the country many years. Feeling the weight of the bag on her shoulders she proceeded to walk to the backroom from the front door, her tigers and stallion would remain still or stay in the area until she returned


>EXIT<

He jumped down the building and a soft smile came from his lips as he entered the shop for a brief moment. Leaving a note that said for Duo or Mina to take over for the time being. After, he got on his horse and gently kicked his sides. A soft grunt showed they were to escape to Cheng Du. A place that even he was waiting to see once again. With a soft sigh he raced to Cheng Du.

Exit>>