The Story Of Hajima The Nin Ronin, this is kinda long and addictive maybe.. Options

[jchamber]

I got inspiration from you guys, so thanks. Well here it is. Lemme know whatcha think.

(edited for fluidity, immersion, detail, and character touch up)

Chapter one- the begining
Part One
The Uncertainty

"Owww, my head..... dear Mephala!! What hit me?" I found myself with my face buried in a pillow on a hammock and my head was splitting in two. I can't remember what happened that was making my head hurt so bad or why I am lying down but I did know I wanted the pain to stop.

"Quiet, or the guard will hear you, he can be a mean sort." Said a gruff, deep voice. I turned my head to get a veiw of the guy and as I did so realized that I was on a boat, and that I didn't have a sea stomach as nausea overtook me and spilled my previous meal, which seemed to contain little more than a thin soup that I can't remember eating.

"Hey! Watch it!!" said the gruff voice that was now connected to a muscular dark elf with an ear ring, and scar on the right side of his face that took one eye out. He was wearing nothing but a pair of worn out, undyed, perhaps too used... pair of trousers on.

"Sorry 'bout that, I didn't see you were standing so close, good thing you were a little behind me."

"Yea good for yout health too, how are you besides being seasick?"

"My head is feels like it's going to explode, Several parts of my body feel like they have been wounded, I am still tired, and I haven't the strength to turn over to look at my body to see how bad the damage is."

"Well don't worry you'll be fine, gave that guard a mighty good fight though."

"What? Why is there a guard and just how hard did he hit me on the head, I don't even remember getting on this boat, or why I would be on one.. And why did I fight..."

"Slow down there," the man interrupted. "You are on a boat because that is where the guard put ya, the guard is here because I am a murderer and you have undoubtedly been found guilty of something...not that I am saying you did it, ... whatever it was. When the guard brought you to this boat I am guessing you knew you would get seasick or just wanted to escape and you just about did seeing as it took five guards to help the one you gave a thrashing to bring you down. I didn't see it but I heard it, and about it in good detail. I hear one had a hammer and got the back of your head when the other four were trying to get close enough to you, without getting hurt, to grapple you. I heard alot of scolding afterwards, seemed you were not supposed to be hurt getting on, that guard probably got his status revoked. As for this trip I am guessing we are about halfway there and I would suggest you go to sleep if you can't even turn over. By the way I am Jiub, we can will talk later, when you wake up, for now just rest."

And so I allowed myself to stop fighting the weary weakness that poisoned my mind and muscles and just let go...and soon I was standing in a windy foreign terrain. I had never seen anything like it before, the dirt was red and being picked up in the air, there was also another kind of dirt that seemed to be falling from the sky like a very light sprinkle in the storm of red. Before I could gather any more information about the place I heard a voice in my head of a soft but somewhat resounding tone, "They have taken you from the Imperial city's prison, first by carridge and now by boat. To the east... to Morrowind, fear not for I am watching. You have been chosen"

My shoulder was shaking, I began to wake up...to that gruff voice of Jiub's "Wake up, we're here. Why are you shaking? are you ok? Wake up. Stand up,... there you go. You were dreaming. What's your name? Forgot to ask before you passed out again.

"Owwwwww, I am still really sore, so take it easy on the sholder. Um, gimme a minute I just had a really weird dream.....Um .....BAH why can't I remember....I am sorry I can't remember my name right now, so just call me whatever you want."

"I think you seem like a Ganthar"

"That sounds bad lets go with Hanthimar instead."

"What do I care, it's your name."

"Fine then until I can remember my name we agree on Hanthimar"

"Ok, well, Hanthimar not even last night's storm could wake you, I heard them say we've reached Morrowind. I'm sure they'll let us go!" Jiub said hopefully. "Quiet, here comes the guard."

I could see him coming down the steps at the other end of the lower level of the boat, he looked very serious, but almost comical in that he only had one bracer on and one bracer off. His clothes were dark, but his boots and overvest were lighter. They might provide a little bit of protection...why am I thinking like that, I don't want to hurt the person who might let me go....now he was upon me and began to speak in a light, but very official, voice, "This is where you get off, come with me." I now noticed that the Imperial had some facial hair and was begining to bald, but that was at this point irrelivent. I was more worried about how I couldn't remember my own name. As the guard walked away I was caught up in my own thoughts, trying to remember something. The guard stopped and looked back threateningly.

"You better do what they say," said Jiub. So I got over my daze and followed the guard. When I got to the door in the floor of the top level a woman behind the stairs said, "The sooner you leave, the sooner we can move on." She was a ....well no better than a female dog let's say....That thought was interrupted by the gaurd from below that was escorting me,

"Get yourself up on deck and let's keep that as civil as possible." I paused for a moment to hate the woman, and the male guard gave me a small light push with a, "On deck now, prisoner" So I headed on up the stairs in front of me. I never could have guessed what I was to find at the top.

This post has been edited by jchamber: Feb 15 2006, 06:37 AM

[jchamber]

I am glad that I have been received so well. Thanks for all the support guys and gals. Hope I surprize you some and please you some more.

Chapter one- the begining
Part Two
The Surprize

As I walked up on deck I found myself in an unfamiliar area of coastline. There was a slight fog present as though it had been a chilly night and the morning had brought warmth with it. In the distance I saw a gigantic beetle..thing as big as a house, in fact it was right by a two story building as if to serve as a comparison. There was a hill leading up to the side of the stationary bug with legs the height of three men. directly in front of me there was a redguard that had some metal armor on, but left his legs were open to the attack of a blade...ahh there I go again..I am not supposed to be thinking like that.....to my left there was a small village with maybe a dozen houses. Further to the left I saw a lighthouse and some swamp that had trees growing out of it. "This is where they want you. Head down the dock and he'll show you to the census office, Let's go.... move it along."

At the bottom of the deck I saw the man who had walked up from the closest building, which had a barracaded route from the boat to the door he had come out of. This Imperial had much better armor than the escorts did, fully covered in metal save his joints and face....I don't think I can contain myself, as long as I don't act on these thoughts though I should be fine. Underneath the armor was a red sleeved shirt, but that was all I could see. As I stepped down from the boat I felt the pain that was left in me more accutely and almost fell of the side into the water, luckily the redguard caught my balence, "Thanks for that". He merely grunted to acknowledge he had heard. The man in front of me seemed almost as drained as I felt, although i suspected it was more related to boredom considering his job.

"You've finally arrived, but our records don't show from where, you look like you are a redguard, is that right?" He had a stong voice containing authority.

"Sure." I only halfheartedly replied as I couldn't remember for sure, but he was right, my skin said I must have some redguard blood in me....but it seemed a little light compared to the man behind me who just made sure I stayed on deck.

"Great follow me up to the office and they'll finish your release....head on in"

As I walked in the door of the building that was the census office I noticed that there was a gate to my right. Once inside I saw an old man in front of me and a well armored gaurd to my left. There were a couple tapestries of people who seemed like adventurers, (a mage, archer, and fighter to be more specific) hanging on the walls that I admired before the old man suddenly seemed to take actual notice me, instead of his paperwork in front of him, and stated, "Ahhh....yes. We've been expecting you. There are a few things that need to be done. There are a few ways we can do this and the choice is yours, my name is Socucius Ergalla, and I will be scribing the release papers that will need to be taken to the captain of the guard. I can get the information from you by asking you questions, allow you to write out the answers and then I will transcribe them to official documents, or you can just describe yourself to me, perferably with detail on personal abilities and traits."

I took the question as I didn't know how to answer anything that he wanted to know as I realized I had total amnesia, I couldn't remember anything from my entire life. No people, no events, nothing. His questions seemed rediculous, and I lied on some of them because I didn't want him to know me better than I did, maybe I was just being a little paraniod though. He told me that I would be best classified as a warrior and that meant that I was good in combat, had very high strength and endurance. I should be handy with a long blade, and running in metal armors with a sheild at my side. I should be able to use a couple other weapons as well as fix them up myself, but he didn't seem to mind, or even care for that matter, one way or another what I might be. "Very good, the letter that preceded you meantioned that you were born under a certain sign, and what would that be?

It was at this point I had to admit that I had no idea and that I wasn't really sure about anything about me. "Oh that is very unfortuante and inconveinient indeed. Well, we need to try some things out. Barry get in here." The guard from the boat came in the room, "go to the supply house and get us these things." He was already sitting at his table creating an inventory of a list. His handwritting was magnificient, I could see why he was a scribe of a good position. When he handed the list to Barry he added, "and bring Sellus Gravius if it makes you more comfortable." The list had been different kinds of things, including:

-Imperial shield, steel and studded leather armor and long and short swords
-meat some kind of egg
-an iron halberd, battle axe, hammer, 10 arrows,
-chitin clothes, and a bow enchanted by a rat
-a lot of scrolls


I felt uneasy and thought that the guard might come back with reinforcements wearing the armor, and it must have shown because as soon as Soccucius looked at me he clarified, "This is standard procedure for anyone who wants to see what they are good or talented at, I have no doubt that with your heritage you will be good at using a long blade, but I want you to use everything he brings back and we'll see what is what." So Berry came back with Sellus, who was grumbling something akin to 'second time this week', and Berry was carrying a whole load of stuff, dropped it without passing any grace of form, and turned around to go get more.

"I want you to start by just putting on each kind of armor and tell me how you feel in it, move around in each a bit and see which type you like best, perhaps I will even give you a peice or two"

"That is my men's armor! Don't you go handing it out to jail dirt like him, Socucius." Evidently Socucius didn't get along the best with the captain and I did not want any trouble with him so I stepped in and said, "I don't want any handouts, don't worry about it." This was the wrong thing to say I guess.... because it only insulted the captain, who then got irritated with me. So I kept my mouth shut and tried each type of armor without gaining any level of comfort in any of them I doubt my bruises helped, but irregardless I still didn't seem to move right in any kind of armor, not to mention they were heavy and rubbed in the wrong places. I saw Socucius scribble something down on paper with his quill after a quick dip in the inkwell.

Next thing I did was smell and look at each item of meat and plant stuffs that Barry had brought with him on the second trip. I could only tell half of what most of the things would do if I ate it, like how crab meat would both act as a pick me up and a defense against a shocking blade, but I knew I was ignorent of as much as I knew, if not more. Next I tried to manuver some weapons and see what felt right and familiar, the whole time I was trying to remember something like training sessions or fights I had been in, but nothing would come. I wasn't any good with a shield, but I was very good with the long blade, just as Socucius had predicted. I was able to use the enchanted bow a few times before the enchantment ran out, and my aim wasn't too shoddy either. I seemed familiar with the shortblade too, but to a lesser extent. I kept looking over and seeing Socucius jotting things down, the best part was when I got to hit a guard with my bare hands, I hit him square in the nose and felt something have a little crunch to it, the textile pleasure I recieved from this almost worried me. When I was done the last thing they had me do, which was try to unlock some small chests that felt empty inside, which I was not too bad at.

Finally I got to look at that paper that S. Ergalla had been writing in, it was another form that listed my abilities from best to worst and their were many close calls but it seemed, long sword was my specialty, maybe Socucius was biased, though. Followed by potion making and enchantment use, as well as dodging attacks when unweighted (the guard missed when he tried to hit me back a few times). It said that from observations that my specialty was subtlety and subertfuge, even if it was in a combative manner. My best attributes appeared to be strength and endurance, with a note of high intellect. But far above all of that, geographically and in ranking of importance, is what appeared at the top of the page on the line marked 'name'.....Hajima *o*ok*....part of the family name had been blanked out.

"What is this? Why is this family name gone? I want to know what my name is!" I was on the verge of being able to know my identity and I was excited about it, and desperate. The guards knew that much and drew their swords at my heightened voice in alarm and as a cautious warning to remind me of my position.

"The letter that perceded you was from the Emperor himself and even he does not know any more than what is on that paper, but feel free to swim back across the inner ocean and ask him....just as soon as we finish up your paperwork." My heart and head fell as I realized that it would probably be quite a while before this matter was settled, until then I would just try to remember as much I could. It was in this moment that I remembered the dream that had come to me the night before. The guards were putting their sword back in their sheaths as I asked for my papers to be stamped and completed.

"How would you describe your position and occupation then Hajima?"

"Wonderer."

Edited for fluidity, character tweaks, storyline adjustments, and various other minor alterations of comfort to the eyes...like candy....

This post has been edited by jchamber: Feb 15 2006, 09:02 AM