Zoo Adventurers

”I wanna go to the zoo!!”, that was the shout that had been echoed in Jin’s room for probably the hundredth time. Jin was having a day off, he was spending some time with Fira and Kaya while making some delicious things for both to eat. Suddenly, Kaya remembered something about a zoo and had been making a fuss now for a while. ”But Kaya, I said I’ll take you to the zoo it’s your other request that I can’t do” he said, telling her the same thing again. Going to the zoo wasn’t too bad, actually Kaya wanted Jin to take the entire guild with them too. She had been living among them and she had grown to love every single one of them. Jin was fond of how she thought of everyone but that wasn’t just possible. ”Now now Kaya-chan”, said Fira as she patted Kaya’s head in an attempt to calm her down. ”How about this? We go find Rei-chan and Magna-kun, and we go with them, hmmm?” she proposed to Kaya picking the chibi tiger in her arms. She struggled a little but had to give in to Fira’s charm.

So that was why, Fira and Kaya were now at Rei’s door and Jin was looking around for Magna. Jin had already confirmed that neither were on a job so all that remained was to ask if they wanted to come along. ”Rei-chan!” shouted Kaya outside Rei’s door, Fira couldn’t do much about that, Kaya was too anxious to go. After looking around for a while and asking around, Jin finally found Magna and walked up to him. ”Yo Magna, Kaya is making a fuss about going to the zoo and she wants you and Rei-chan to come along. So, interested?” he said explaining the whole thing in one go. Having known Kaya for a little while, Jin believed that Magna would fill out the remaining gaps in his story by himself.

Visit To the Zoo:

Magna had been working at a small cart. At this cart he was making various treats and snacks. It seemd that whenever Magna was found he was cooking or serving people food. That was pretty natural for a chef and a rumour had even started that Magna didn't sleep, but just served food. The immortal, unsleeping chef. This was of course nonsense or at least it was for the time being. Never having to sleep would be interesting and something he wouldn't mind trying for a week or two though he wondered if his creativity would suffer without dreams.

When he saw Jin walk up he immediately extended his hand to the man and in that hand was what appeared to be something in batter in paper shaped like a cone. "Try a bit of this. Its my new recipe." It smelled extraodinarily good and was enough to whet the appetite of many. It was a karaage of a different kind. The meat, which was chicken, was soaked in special herbs and spices before being deep fried in an oil he had managed to make from rainbow fruit. As such the batter itself had a sweetness whilst the meat was savoury. Surprisingly, it made a rather excellent tasting dish. He'd named it Kvasir Karaage. For the dish, like his team, brought inspiration to many.

"The zoo huh?" he said and paused considering it. He was a 15 year old and a zoo wasn't really the sort of thing the average 15 year old wanted to go to. However, a spark appeared in Magna's eyes and he quickly moved round to the front of his cart and grabbed the handles. As he did so with a snap of his fingers all of the cooking stopping and the remaining ingredients vanished. "Let's see how the kids at the zoo like my snacks. Though I bet Kaya wouldn't say no either."[/color]

Magna smiled as Jin complimented his cooking. It seemed like today was going to be rather interesting in terms of profitability. He didn't really care about that though. It was more for the joy that he would bring to so many people. His smile only broadened when Kaya and Fira ran in. Kaya of course asked for some of his food and that was to be honest exactly as he expected. He plated up some of the special Kvasir Karaage and placed it down in front of her. "It is no intrusion. My door is always open to you, Kaya and your husband." Magna said with a smile. "You are family to me." This was perhaps in more way than one. They were both druids after all so they were bound by that. He also saw Jin as an older brother and thus as his wife Fira was like a sister in law. It was a complex relationship really. However, he didn't care and he proferred her one of the karaage all wrapped up as humans would eat it. Kaya would of got the same, but she didn't have hands to hold it so that just didn't work. That was why she got the plate.

Magna however frowned when he found that Rei was not there. He had hadn't seen the little satan soul user in a while. He hoped she was ok and nothing bad had happened to her. He also hoped she wouldn't be too upset at them going to the zoo without her. "Yeah let's get going. To the Zoo!" Magna said fist bumping the air with a big grin on his face. This was a bit of a facade as he didn't quite feel as happy knowing they were leaving some of Kvasir behind. He paused and then looked at Fira.

"You coming with us?" he asked. He hadn't seen Fira much so it would be nice to get to know his team mate's wife a bit better.

"Looks like you're coming with us." Magna said with a grin as he began to pull his cart out of the door and towards the job location. It was likely he wouldn't focus too heavily on his cooking at first, but he'd like to see what others thought of his cooking and make a little bit of profit if possible. He could then use that profit to buy some more ingredients or perhaps those fancy new cooking utensils he had seen recently. He could do with upgrading his cooking equipment, but then again trying to outclass his frying pan would be difficult. There was also the potential to purchase Aegis some new armor. That would make him an even more valuable ally. Oh well, that was a thought for another day.

As he got outside he tapped the knife at his side which glowed brightly before forming into the large living armor known as Aegis. This was mostly for Kaya's benefit as she had a special bond with Aegis, but it was also for Aegis' own benefit. Magna felt bad about keeping him in the knife form so much, but it was useful and otherwise Aegis would be forever training as he didn't need sleep. Trapping him in the knife was the only way he could make the knight rest. "Hey Aegis. We are going to the zoo today. Kaya's choice." he said and the knight nodded and looked down at the small sabertooth who had been waiting outside the guildhall for them.

"Nice to see you again small one." the knight said leaning down to stroke the fur of the feline. In particular he focused on scratching behind the ears as that seemed to be a place she liked a lot. "The zoo sounds exciting. I wonder what animals we will see." This was perhaps said more for pleasantry than anything else, but he was indeed curious. He had not been to a zoo before and neither had Magna.

"I don't reside in the knife so i'm not cooped up." he said and tried to think how best to explain this. "When you see the knife...that is me. Its like you and your big form. Both are you, but one is a transformation." That was the best way he could explain it and then he considered the breathing question. "I am not alive, but I am alive. Its...hard to explain. I am a spirit bound to the armored form you see like your soul is bound to your body." He wondered if she would be able to understand that. It wasn't exactly that straight forward if you thought about it. It was pretty odd to be honest. He was a spirit bound to this armor and also bound to Magna and the Victus family of which Magna was the sole heir. If Magna died without siring an heir then Aegis would be free to move onto the next world or offer his allegiance to a new family. In truth he didn't want to move on. He enjoyed fighting and he enjoyed improving himself. Perhaps if he reached his peak and could not grow any further. Until then he would continue to be bound to Magna or those he chose which for now seemed to be his family at Black Rose. Perhaps he would be bound to another of the dryads? Or perhaps to Jin and Fira's offspring should they have any. They appeared to be one of the few couples within the guild so seemed the most likely. It didn't seem like a bad choice as they seemed to be a powerfully magical family in their own right though he would miss the Victus drive when it came to cooking. "So no I don't need to breathe. It can be useful sometimes. Its also why I don't eat"

"Thanks Jin." Magna said with a grin as Jin suddenly began to push at the cart. "No, i've seen lots of animals though when i've been travelling. Be interesting to see what there is."

"A ghost would be one way of thinking about me." Aegis said and then tried to think of a way to explain it. He decided to tell them all a bit of his story. Stuff even Magna himself might not be aware of. "A long time ago Magna's ancestor saved my life with his cooking and his bravery. He was a low class rookie knight wanting to defend his town, but like Magna his real love was cooking. He had no money for weapons or armor so he had strapped a pot to his head and used other bits of miscellaneous metal implements for cooking as armor. His weapon was not a sword, an axe or a spear. No...all he had was his tenderizing hammer and a kitchen knife. Most people laughed at him and told him not to get in the way, myself included if I'm honest."

Aegis looked away wistfully into the distance remembering his past. "But despite all that the smile never left his face. He trained harder and more often than most even if he really didn't have the natural talent to be a great warrior. Eventually though we were desperate for men and he was put onto the battlefield. Everyone though he would die and a few of the knights wanted him to. They didn't want to be seen around him. Saw him as an embarassment. I did too, but I never wanted him to die. I thought perhaps the battle might show him the error of his ways and he would go back to cooking with a small amount of pay, but enough to last a year at least. Plus with a battle under his belt he was sure to get interest from people. Who wouldn't want to buy food from the Pot Knight." He chuckled as he remembered the nickname and the pot atop Magna's ancestor's head which had caused it. It was honestly a funny memory.

"We were outnumbered, but not outclassed. We fought hard and managed to drive them back, but I was critically wounded by a poisoned arrow and fell into a trap. Thinking I was dead I was stripped of my armor and left there. A knight's true resting place was on the battlefield, not in some tomb. Or it was in those days. The Pot Knight however wasn't so sure and did one final check on me. Seeing I was alive he dropped his own armor, putting himself at great risk as there could still be archers around, and lifted me up as best he could. I was almost twice his size, but he dragged me back to camp and begged for help. However, we didn't have any medics. That was why our numbers were so few. WE were a small squad and the medical teams were off with the King and his men keeping them alive." He would of spat at that point. IT seemed stupid to him that one group should get medical care and others wouldn't. Were they not elite knights like the others? Were they not defending the borders and sacrificing their lives as much as any others? "They told him I should of been left on the battlefield and that there was no hope. He called them cowards and not worthy of the knight's title before dragging me to his own quarters. There for a month he used every penny he had earned in the battle to feed me, bathe and treat my wounds and keep me alive. I barely stirred in all that time. However, he never gave up on me. It was his skill in cooking that kept me alive. When I eventually recovered I swore my life to him. I cut myself with his knife and swore my blood and the beat of my heart that I would protect him. Perhaps it was that act, but when I eventually died in battle defending him my body died, but my soul lived on. My armour was taken back once more and he placed his knife, the very knife I swore my oath on, the very knife that was his most precious possession, with my armor and turned to walk away. Somehow..by some divine miracle my armor began to glow brightly and then all the light forced its way into the knife. A few moments later the knife faded and there I stood as you see me now. Armor without a body. A soul bound knight. Bound to the Victus line until it is extinct"

He smiled at Kaya's question. "No in knife form I have no legs, nor way of moving. Though I have been experimenting with magic recently. Maybe I will find a way to gain a true body again."

"Sometimes there are things one must do alone. This is one of them Jin. I am sorry" Aegis said with a slightly distant tone to his voice. He looked down at Kaya and then bent down and ruffled her fur. "No I cannot little one, but few can feel through armor no matter how alive they are." He paused and considered why she might be so saddened. "The form beneath this armor...I can feel somewhat though not quite like I could when I had a body." He lifted her up into his arms and looked at her in the eyes. "Do not be saddened little one. I made this choice and it is my honour to serve the family of Victus. One day perhaps I will serve the Jin family or your own. Do not worry for me. I am with you for as long as you wish."

Magna looked over at Aegis. His link with the knight felt strange. It was almost as if he could feel what Aegis was feeling. A deep sadness, but a deep joy all at once. Numbness yet full of feeling. It made no sense, but somehow it did. Magna couldn't understand it. He also did not know of this experiment that Aegis spoke of. All he knew was that Aegis had asked not to be sealed in his knife and had gone off somewhere on several occasions. He was doing something, but what was it? However, it was as Magna listened to the tale that he heard some commotion in the distance. Screams and people running away in panic. As if by instinct his frying pan appeared in his hand. What was going on?

As one ran past Magna blocked him with his frying pan. "Sorry for stopping you. Mind explaining what's going on? I'm from Black Rose." The man looked at him with panic clear in his eyes.

"The animals man. They gone crazy freaky bro. Gotta get outta here before they get us." he said and pushed past Magna. "Run whilst you still got legs bro."

The member 'Shard' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

As soon as the cart had been flung Aegis had leaped into action running straight past Jin as he slammed the cart down and straight towards the large elephants. The crystal on his head began to glow brightly and from it he pulled his axe. Another cart came flying towards him, but this was sliced in two by the axe wielder. Said axe wielder then continued to charge aiming to hit these elephants. As he got close he noted the the face and spine appeared to be much more heavily armored then a normal elephant so he threw himself into a dive scraping along the ground and sliced at its belly causing it to trumpet out in agony and try to trample him, but his slide was enough to get him out in time and he used his axe to flip himself back up. They would not be easy to bring down, but Aegis would try his best. He wasn't exactly suited to taking on the tigers in the air.

Neither was Magna though. He had no easy way to hit the tigers in the air and bring them down. He didn't know if Jin did either and Kaya's large form whilst huge would still make things tricky. He clinked his hands together and swung them at one of the tigers aiming just slightly ahead of where it would be and managed to hit with one of the two flying energy utensils. It wasn't perfect. Far from it. However, it was not enough to bring the creature down, but it did enrage it enough that it flew down at Magna. That was as he expected. As it flew in close his frying pan expanded in size and he swung it knocking it sideways and preventing it from hitting the group. It didn't do much damage, but it was better than nothing. Plus it took it out of the air, if only briefly. "This doesn't look normal Jin."