Keoko stood and watched Miann work. She was amazed at how well she controled her magic was. "Maybe we should have given him a burial before. Oh well it's to late now. At least the vines make a decorative design and will be his tomb for the time being."

Keoko was still curious as to what happend at the shop it all seemed to take place at the same time. She knew she was going to have to find that mysterious murderer. He knew where Rave was, Keoko was sure of it.

"But on another note, where did you come from? This doesn't look like a very common practice or maybe I was just not aware of it."

She smiled. "I'm sorry, perhapns a burial might have been better...it's just not common practice back at home...speaking of which, i come from a forest some distance away, called Eaie Woodland."
She dusted herself a little. Mabey it was time to share her story.
"I was raised there by elves, but as you might be able to tell, i'm a human. It's not known to anyone why my parents left me."
She pondered her memories.

"I was taught the Earth magic by my mentor, and farther figure if you like, Hollow Of The Oak. It progressed so well, that the time came for me to further my magical career. So they put forward the idea of comming here". She sighed a little, and her voive took on a bitter and resenting tone. "There was something that they failed to tell me. five years before a boy child was left. He was raised, and then went away. They always knew i wondered after my family...and told me that this was my brother. It was what convinced me to come here. Hollow said that the young man mentioned something about the Imperial City before he left. He thought i might be able to trace him here."
She dropped her bitterness as she came back to the present, and smiled again. "So i guess we're both looking for sombody."

" You have a most intresting story Miann." Keoko had listened to her story. "As for the man I'm sure he is glad to have been... sealed in his shop with his wares upon his death."

"So you are here insearch of your brother as well. By the way you spoke of him you don't seem to know his name. That makes finding him much harder. But we'll find him either way. Do you have anything of his or something he'd reconise?"

"I'm affraid i don't have any leads on him, other than his name...Lance. Finding him is just a side issue though. I'm wanting to focus on my magic first and formost." She glanced around at the goings on in the street.
"Anywho, we should be going from here. Let him rest..." She said looking briefly through the shop window. "We might even see our Mr. Mysterious again."

"Yes we should." Keoko started to walk away.

"Lance huh, well that at least is a start. Who knows maybe he's in with Rave.If that's the case then all we need to do is find out what kind of stuff Rave's gang likes to steal and then apply to help gaurd a shipment of it."

"Things have gotten real intresting very quickly. Maybe this is why there are so many people here at the Imperial City."

(meanwhile)
The hooded man approaches the same mysterious man whom the man at the inn had approached.

"She is definately snooping around, the man at the store had tried to talk to her about giving her a bounty. I killed him before he could say too much though."

"Did you kill her as well?"

"No, I didn't see the need yet. The way she fights would suggest she's of little threat."

"But she's still a threat! A mistake like that could cost us everything!"

"I'm sorry, I'll go back and take care of things."

"Tenshi, take another with you jobs are quicker to finish with two." Tenshi bowed and then went off to do what the other man had asked him.

((OOC-Sorry about that, Do you want Lance to be in with the bandits or something totally different?)

(OOC- i'm not actually sure yet xD i'll see as we go along.)

"Okay then. I'll give Tor a call." She then took out the same small whistle she had used before, detatched it from its chain and put it into her mouth. "Hmm, there we go." She said after fumbling to get it sitting right in there.
She blew, and only a very faint sound could be herd, if one listened carefully. Mia scaned the buildings infront of the allotments, guessing he wouldn't have gone far.

Sure enough a flash of brown and cream cut through the air. She was blowing again, but it was hard to tell. She had told him to stay high for a while then, when there were enough buildings, to skip along their roofs. His main mission was to keep out of sight for the time being.

Keoko began her search on the ground. She summoned Kaya back to her. Together they started to comb the streets, but they didn't find anything suspisous. "Where could he have went. He couldn't have just vanished into thin air. I hope Miann is having alot better luck then we are."

Keoko walked towards the sewers." Maybe he went in here... oh non-sence no man in there right mind would dare to do in there. But if he can kill a person in broad daylight he must not be sane."

Keoko just stared for a moment she really didn't want to go in there. Maybe she'd go investigate it later.

Mia and Tor had found themselves in wondering through the main streets they had walked upon there arival to the city.
Deciding somebody with the guile to murder would most likley be based away from the mainstream public eye though, they had flown to the allotments, and were now prowling the dingey streets there.

There were a few very tall and odd looking buildings that looked derilict. Only a few dim lights shone in some of the rooms.
'Squatters' she had thought. Tor was now walking beside her, his claws still clicking softley.
If their Mr. Mysterious had relayed information to his commerades, she would have little to fear, she surmised, as he hadn't seen her, so she felt little real danger.

It was during a moment she took to rest in an old inns door alcoves, that she noticed a lanky looking teenager skulking along the roadway some distance away. He wore a similar cloak to the murderer. Mabey for this reason she percieved him as being shifty and having something to hide, and she strongly doubted that he would be Rave.
Not knowing the area she had no idea where he could be heading, she summed that the best solution would be to follow him.
It was that that she did, using her silent stalking skills to follow at a distance. Tor followed her with the same skill.

Upon walking more Keoko saw a unusual sight. A boy in a cloak walking casualy past the ally that Keoko was at. A thirty or so seconds later Miann would pass up Keoko, once again another thrity seconds or so Tor would pass her.

'There must be somthing going on' Keoko thought. She then waited abit like Miann and Tor had followed all three of them. She hadn't stalked forever and she loved the feeling. She then assumed that the boy in front had started to take another entrance to the sewers.

There were three ways to the sewers in this district. They were arranged in a triangleish fashion. The sewers were a gigantic maze all underneath the city. It's even been suggested that criminals have found ways from their cells to the sewers and they escape that way. The bab thing about the sewers were that they were infested with rats and mudcrabs near the entrances, as you go down you run into goblins and vampires. You see the city gaurd doesn't even bother with what goes on down in the sewers, making it the perfect place for any sneaky buisiness.

Keoko cut through some small streets in order to try and get thier before the boy did. She turned the corner and the door to the sewers. She then heard the sound of a sword being unsheithed.

"So we meet again." The voice belonged to the man she had met earlier.

Mia was sure now that their prey was heading towards the sewers. Such man made places of confinement did her no good, and it would be apt to say she was claustrophobic. for this reason she ahd no real desire to follow him in there. tor came up against her now, and he too looked unsure about the large and rather dingey tunnel entraces. rats were the only thing he found inviting about it.

Mia fumbled with the whistle in her mouth while her brain raced as to what they should do. The cloaked man was no inside the drains mouth, and looked back hastily over his shoulder. Luckily they were covered by some long, straggled grass. She felt though that even if she had been right infront of him, it would have made little difference, that he was doing it just so as to reasure himself he were doing nothing sinister.

"We'll see if we can meet Keoko. She proberly knows the way better around here. At least we know where he's headed." She said it more to reconsole herself for not wanting to give chase gung-ho due to her own fear. Tor started to head back the other way, and after a little hesitation she followed, as silently as they had come.

Keoko drew out her weapon, stared at the young man and then asked him a question. "Who are you?"

"Did I not tell you my name was irrelevant." The man said annoyed.

"I want to know."

"Well your going to die soon anyway so I see no harm in it. My name is Tenshi, I am one of the men, of the man that you are looking for, right hand." He smirked but the smirk soon vanished with Keoko's next words.

"You know Rave! He is my brother take me to him...now! I have been looking for him for several day's now." Keoko pleased.

"Rave never mentioned a sister. Your just a impostor! A bounty hunter trying to get to him. You'll pay for your lies." With that Tenshi lunged toward Keoko and swung his blade. Keoko lifted her blade to meet his and their battle began...

A sudden clang of metals alerted her to some happenings. She looked up and could see Keoko and what looked like the same cloaked man as before, come back to finnish his deeds.
Mia found herself being lifted into the air as Tor cmae up behind her and with his neck had lifte dher onto his back.
"Ok then, lets see whats going on." She said rather hurridley, as she manovered into position on his back.

He bounded forwards with long loloping strides across the grass and debris on the floor, rather like a horse at the canter.

As she was prone to, she suddenly found herself immersed in a flashback.
She was much younger, and having her first archery lesson from Hollow. He told her the archery etiquette. 'It's not mandatory to kill somebody in a fight. If you can avoid it it's much better to maim them severley instead.'
Mia had laughed at this, finding the whole idea rather amusing.

She came back to the presant, and instead of reaching for her bow, instead would use her magic if need be. She felt there would be a need.
they were now very close to the battle and she was sure Keoko's attacker would notice the aid.

Keoko then began to worry about her side. She had barely just gotten it to stop bleeding and now this new battle may re-open it. That would not be good exspecially since this man, Tenshi, was bent on killing her.

She then thought of his sword. She had been unable to heal her wounds with magic which ment she would have to heal normally and depending on the size of the wond that may be fatel.

Tenshi stuck at Keoko agian and again she blocked. So far so good, now it was time for Keoko to be on the attack. She dartted behind him and swung at him. Tenshi tried to evade but was a second to slow as the sword grazed his right shoulder. He then growled at Keoko but before he could swing another blow a voice was heard.

"Tenshi! How long does it take to kill a bounty hunter."

As they came closer Miann saw the apperance of another man, herd him speak.
"So he does want to kill her then....we'll see if we can't have some fun here eh Tor?" She said stroking the feathered neck absentmindedly with one hand.
She blew a command on the whistle, and spreading his wings, he gave a powerful spring into the air. She leaned forward, as was the custom to make it easy for him to take off. Then they were in the air. As he made upwards the griffin let out a piercing call, that could have been either excitment or anger.

As enough high was gained Tor swung around and headed straight for the second man, wings spread wide, talons catching the light, and Mia on his back creating something with her magic as they went.

"It's very rude to interupt, young lady." The mysterious man said as he streched out his hand and muttered a few word forcing Miann and Tor to land.

"It seems there is an a accomplise." Tenshi smirked.

Keoko's eyes watched the mysterious stanger. He looked about Rave's age and had alot of the same features as Rave did the last time that she saw him.

His next statement confirmed her belief's. "So there were two bounty hunters after me instead of just one. Are there anymore of you that I should know about..."

Rave didn't have the time to answer. Keoko had run up to him and grabbed his cloak. "Rave it's me! Don't you remember me? I've been looking for so long. It's me Keoko."

Rave's eyes widened a bit and then turned to a scowl. He grasped the sword that hung from his belt. He then pushed her way with his sheath of his blade and Keoko hit the wall that was near to her.

Keoko screamed out in pain the wound that Tenshi had createad had opened up and had start to bleed agian.

"What was that!" Exclaimed one of the guards as he came running.

"Your lucky they came girlies or else you would both be joining the shop keeper." Tenshi said and both vanished.

"What happened here!" One of the gaurds yelled.

She wasn't sure what had happened, only that she was now lying on the dirt, with a rather large cherry tree now growing next to her.
'Nice'. She thought.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tor, standing up, looking as if his left wing was hurt as it was splayed out, its tips dragging on the floor.

She stood up and brushed herself down, checked that her belongings were all still there. The gaurds were comming now, calling. She turned to Tor.
"Are you okay? It it damaged?" She said. He looked at her, and flexed his wings before folding them away. He seemed to nod and feathers on his head rose up and back down again. taking it as conirmation she turned and half ran half walked over towards Keoko and the gaurds.

"Keoko! Your wound..." She glanced over it. "This might help. Hold still a moment." She waved her hand, its underside glowing a faint green, and made sewing gestures over the wound.
Thin but stong looking vines acted like stiches and clamped the wound together. She broke the magick and made another vine wrap around just above the wound. "It should hold it long enough for it to heal more."
Presantly a gaurd joined them.

"Thank you Miann. It's alot better then my sad attempts at trying to stop the bleeding. Keoko smiled and would have said more but the gaurd spoke.

"Who are you and what just happend." He yelled and looked at the two girls and then to the griffen.

"We were looking for someone and then we were attacked." Keoko stated.

"So you two aren't one of the bandits."

"No sir."

"... Fine do you know anything about them then."

"Not an extremely amount sir."

The gaurd then left and Keoko then sighed. What had happend to Rave, had he forgotten about her. No! He had a look in his eyes, for a brief moment, that showed that he knew her. But then why did he still attack.

"Are you and Tor ok?"

She acted like a schoolgirl in trouble, and hung her head, stared at the floor with only intimitant glances up at the gaurd as he spoke.
When she saw him turn away and Keoko spoke, she looked up.

"I'm okay. He's pretty resiliant too." She pasued and looked about. "So, was that your brother then?"

Keoko smiled. "I'm glad you both are fine." She then thought of her next question and then looked down.

"I thought that he was. But... maybe it was a different Rave. I mean last time that I saw Rave he would have never hurt me like that." Keoko hugged her knees on the ground, her back leaning against the wall. "I blame this city! It's tainted him, he forgot... our promise."

"So why were you following that teenager earlier?" Keoko asked Miann.

"He looked kind of suspicious to me. He headed off towards the sewers i think. Thought he might have been a lead."
She looked about again. It was about as deserted has it had been for her duration there.
"What do you propose we should do next...carry on after them?"

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure they must have a base that is easily accessed by the sewers. That doesn't mean that we can find it easily once we're in the sewers." Keoko got up. "If what I've heard is true then the sewers are nearly impossible to navigate unless you know exactly where to go. Plus I've heard that Ghosts and Wraiths are becomeing more and more plentiful down there."

"If we do go after them I'm going to need to enchant my sword, to do that I need to find a soul gem but where to find one here." Keoko then smirked, she knew where to go, she would pay the mages guild a "visit."

"Okay then...gems." She looked about again. "Do you know where to go for this then?. I's love to see them, they fascinate me..." She glazed over with a dreamy look at the thought of seeing this magic in work.

"Yes I have been looking for them for some time and I finally found a place." Keoko led Miann and Tor down the road. Her movents were still a bit sluggish from the wound she had gotten.

She stopped infront of a building. "Ok here we are, I'm going to need your help majorly here. There is a woman with chestnut hair and a man with blonde hair in the front room. I need you to distract them while I sneak into the room behind them and "borrow" the jewels."

Keoko went in ahead and stealthfully took her place in a darkened corner and waited silently until she was forgotten, she then waited for Miann.

"Okay then." She nodded and watched Keoko enter the shop. She tapped out 10 beats with her foot before she burst into the shop rather noisily. She wasn't sure what she would find here, so upon her grand entrance she flew into the middle of the shop, swung her arms widley around while she looked in half faked, half genuine awe at their wears.

"Oh what wonders!" She swept quickley around the shelves around the walls, admiring the bottles of various pickled things on one, before turning back to the man and woman. This time her face was contorted with fake worry and sadness. She threw herself onto the counter, her head on folded arms while she tried not to laugh. She wondered weather she was distracting them enough to let Keoko find her gems.
Having compsed herself again she looked up at them. "Please Sir, Madame, you have to help me. I was wondering if perhaps...No wait." She paused and looked towards the door. "it's better if i show you." She scurried to the door and pulled it open. She was greeted by a steely faced Tor, who could see what was comming.

"Come in poor baby!" Mia cooed, pulling him gentley in. She whispered in his ear..."Go along with me okay?" She half heaved half carried his front half over to the counter and he put up his front feet. "My poor babys got a thorn in his foot. Do you have anything that will help him...He's in angony!"
'I wonder if i'm putting it on a bit thick?" She wondered.
She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see where Keoko was, as the rather reluctant shop owners prodded at Tor.

Keoko waited for Miann to come in. She wasn't expecting her to run in here like a madwoman. She liked this better the man came and stood by the woman as Miann flailed about.

Keoko took this chance to go into the room where the man just came from. She then began to look quickly for any soul gems that she could use. She then found found her prize. But as luck would have it it was locked under a heavily locked cabinet.

Keoko brought out her lock pick and began to fondle with the case. After a minute or two she got the darn thing open and began to stuff her bad with the soul gems.

She then her the dreaded words of the man, "I have something for it in my office."

Oh crap Keoko was cornered there would be no way to open the window and get out in time. The door opened and Keoko quickly darted under the desk.

Footsteps could have been heard throughout the room. The then stopped right in front of where Keoko was and she hold perfectly still. She almost forgot to breath as he opened up a cabinet. He then got what he needed and then left the room. Keoko then got up from under the desk and stealth fully slipped out of the room and motioned to Miann she was going out the back way.