Dev Shadows of Atrisia

[Junko Ike]

There it was... that was what she had been expecting to come after them when the jeid princess moved she followed as the second blade activated and her lekku twitched. Junko could feel her hair as it moved to the side and she moved it while twisting her torso to catch both blades with her own. Holding the two sabers in an x shape as her blade was in the middle of them and she still had only a single hand on it while leveraging her strength through her arm. She could feel the force in her muscles and bones even making her strength slightly stronger for the practice so she could control the flow of the combat between the two of them.

Junko allowed herself to seep into the moment.. her heart started to race... excitement and tantalization at the prospect of someone who was able to duel her and keep up for the moment brought attention to her. She wanted it to be quite the time as they both moved now. The sabers within an intricate dance of blades and their skin gleamed in the sun that was coming around them. Cherry blossoms that were starting to fall as they created a whirlwind of force energy and wind. The others were standing around them and had formed a circle that could follow and move with them. she could see a few of them shivering with the power before they brought the blades around.

 

[Junko Ike]

She moved with the force now where she and Min were able to encircle and go up upon branches of the tree and both stepped. She shouldn't have been surprised. The Wukong were skilled in these sort of things and they generally taught anyone able to use the force the basics of stepping on pockets of force energy and air or dust. The jedi master moved in as she slashed twice and stepped on a pocket of energy for herself spinning around and she could see Min focusing on defending but also focusing on making the steps o that she would be able to stay up or reinforcing her footing on the branch so it was much much more sturdy.

The battle continued and Junko had gotten in close to Min, being able to move and take her blades away to the side. Where she could check it all out... where she could look over at a few parts. She was close to Min now and the twi'lek was sweating and trying to keep up with her. Stamina for a fighter was important and you learned it best and how to conserve it with time and experience. The pink skinned twi'lek let her lekku twitch as she and Junko finally slipped... falling off of the top branch and Junko softened the landing with a cushion of the force to the two of them while they were laying there and the guard rolled over to look at her with raised eyebrows.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko laid there for a moment as she leaned up on her elbow... framing herself with her hair and she stretched her arm upwards with a nodof her head. "Well now that was a fun time wouldn't you say?" She had a grin on her face though as her chest rumbled for a moment until a small laugh broke out... Junko moved forward and embraced the twi'lek tossing their blades back towards the pile of robes and her equipment. "There is a wholelot that goes into this jedi thing... and your saber skills will be impressive thanks to your training once you get used to it... the rest well.. I will have to teach you a few things that I have learned."

Junko kissed the twi'lek and rolled over her to get helped up before she was stretching. A smile wider on her face though while she blew out a line of air into the sky with her body jumping up and down a little. She was loosening up again and turned to look towards Naori the fix girl who was standing there and she had a wider grin on her face while coming forward with a nod of her head. "I am more then happy to massage you princess... you have been teaching the others and that can be tiring... relax for a moment and the lessons can continue later yes." She had a larger grin on her face while they were all moving around quickly to clear a little area for Junko to lay down.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko laid there though and she felt force energy being poured and rubbed into her muscles as the tension released from them and her eyes closed. The force soothing her body and relaxing her mind so that she could go back and forth in her mind with what she could sense out here... there was far more and her presence went outwards... stretching towards the Agora where the five finger mountains were... a place of legendary sites that had collected and formed the force energies. She had seen it and there was more.. the trees themselves were massive the temple of Agora wasn't part of the tombs that surrounded it but they were being used and created to function as part of it.

She had been working on the Agora project and Noari was stimularting her mind so she could see and feel the construction efforts even from here across the planet. Where she was moving and where she was searching with her mind. Feeling the Wukong who were there in the temple working on it all... artisans and scholars who knew how to fight even though they discouraged saber combat unless it was the only option. The kitsune like force users was playing with her head and she was able to extend her presence across the planet even further while she felt several more minds... Shoma in his palace with the empress and Emperor... her family and some more people arriving.

 

[Junko Ike]

She felt something for a moment and then came back to herself... she had been in a deep meditative state and had shifted... she was laying there on her back and the sky was darker... the sun setting while Naori was curled in her arms with the others who were around and making food or practicing what they had been taught.. she hadn't finished but they looked when she started to get up with a nod towards her. "Princess you are awake." Junko rubbed her eyes and the tingling sensation i her head as she knew sh had been focused for a long time and she could feel it in the back of her mind... Where she was looking towards them.

"How long was I out of it?" She looked and Thuiia spoke with a small nod. "About sixteen hours.... yyou were pretty focused and we didn't know if breaking our trance would harm ou so we let it go but we made sure you were comfortable and Naori was right there in the same trance with you... she curledup only a little while ago and seemed to not completely like what she was seeing." Junko turned to look at her and the kitsune like being was laying there with a lopsided smile on her face before she was moving. "Hey... or evening princess." A smile finally came to her lips though and she was checking it out as Junko moved some of the sweat plastered hair from her face.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko looked at her and she rose up but she could feel her body and it felt nice... she was relaxed and calm and almost tripped as she didn't feel anything tense or painful standing up... she was walking over and there was a chill to the dusk filled air above but it was much warmer as she saw the braziers set up around them. The jedi princess was given one of the kimonos with a smile on her face seeing Tripitaka who was standing ther with Jubei while offering her some food. Rice with veggies and meats that had been slathered and crisped in the sauces. She was sitting down and they had changedparts of it,,, mostly the garden and tree were secured in case of an attack or possible danger.

"Are we expecting danger?" She said it and looked at them with a raised eyebrow taking in the sight of other parts they had been working on.. with their equipment they had mini sentries and auto turrets that could be set up... plenty of drones and sensors. She could see where Kirano and Miyoung who were working with Min as her primary bodyguards had gotten the bedding and blinds set up to cover all of them and she looked up into the night sky as the stars were visible beyond the bands of the ANshin mega structure... the massive station and ship[yards would serve their purposes.... Junko was eating and going over the food while the others sat near her.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko had a great many things here.. she was working on it in her mind while eating and she heard Phaidor speak as the dark skinned girl was looking at her. "Credit for your thoughts princess?" She offered a smile though and they were looking at more of it as Junko spoke. "Just thinking about all of the thinggs that I am going to have to go back and work on when I finally return with all of you and that is just making sure each of your have a place to sleep." She offered a smile though as Phaidor spoke and had polled a biwe out of her pack then started checking the strings of it... she strummed it a little and Junko knew that she danced but music had been something she didn't know she played as well.

"I didn't know you played as well?" Junko said it with a smile on her face as Phaidor seemed to blush even in the shadows. "I do but not often but there has been a lot that has happened and I could think of a few verses if we were lucky enough." She strummed "When a humble island bard..... Was graced a chance to travel along.... With Junko of Atrisia.... Along came this song." She was moving her hands andthinking about it with a grin on her face. "From when the White Dragon fought... A silver-tongued beauty... Her army of beautiful maidens... At her words did they revel." Phaidor looked at Junko and offered her a wider grin through on her face.

 

[Junko Ike]

Phaidor was looking at all of them and recalling a little of their journey. "They came after me... With gnashing teeth... Broke down our guards... And then kicked in their teeth... While the white apes horns... Minced their tender meat... And so cried the Princess... The jedi can’t be beat..." A wider grin appearing on her face as it was a little more well pretty then what had happened but the sounds carried into the night and around the others seemed to be moving a little better and a little warmer towards each other. "Toss a glace to your princess... O’ jedi of beauty... O’ jedi of beauty... O’..." It was a strange verse but got a raised eyebrow from junko in approval. "Toss a glance to your princess... O’ Jedi of Beauty..."

"At the edge of the world we found a way... Fighting the mighty horde... That bashes and breaks... And brings you to mourn... Oh what a sad lament... that Chitei was our past and the Anshin our present..." Phaidor had surprised her more and more now when she was singing. "With each thrust of her blade every enemy.... From far back in the east.... High up on the mountains... Or down in the earth... From whence we came..." Junko moved to sit next to her as Thuria rose and was dancing a little to the strumming of the music with the others making it to the beat. "She wiped out our worlds past... Got us kicked in the chest... She is still a friend of Atrisia... So give her the rest..."

 

[Junko Ike]

"And that’s my modest tale... Our princess prevailed... Led us through the world.... Now we dance for her... Toss a glance to your princess... O’ jedi of beauty... O’ jedi of beauty... O’...Toss a glance to your princess.... our future waifu..." Phaidor looked at Junko with the last lines and Junko had moved over to look at her as she moved the biwe to the side and lifted her up by the hand pulling her close.... "THat ending might need a little work but... I do rather enjoy the rest of it... have to think of some sort of reward for you my sweet Phaidor." She said it and the two of them were dancing as several were singing the chorus of the song together for laughs.

She looked at the dark skinned atrisian who stood there and could smell the exotic oils she used on ehr skin... in her hair. The scent of jasmine and rain... the underlying scent of vanilla cream that Junko could admit made her mouth water as she felt the silky smooth skin her her hand and just danced a little with some of the others going quiet and the dusk became night while they all sat around the fires of the braziers. The warmth given off was nice and since it was fire rglass as opposed to fires it meant they didn't need to attend to them before she was leading PHaidor back towards her blind which had been set up in the center within the second blind tht had been set up for the others.

 

[Junko Ike]

The night was restless... mostly because she had been so relaxed and rested that going to sleep wasn't possible... instead Junko spent most of the night listening to the breathing of the others around her and expanding her senses outwards to listen to their breathing... to feel the calmness of their emotions when they were trying to find a nice and comfortable position with all of the hardlight bedding. Junko did finally goto sleep... mostly just lightly and woke up with the morning sun overhead and there was the cool breeze that brought the scent of trees and rain. Junko went up onto one of the buildings and could see the clouds in the distance as she held the kimono closer.

"It is beautiful isn't it?" Jubei and Tripitaka were speaking as they approached and the two of them were in their normal combat gear... form fitted kimonos and pads that would let them fight if they needed to but Junko was happy to see the two of them... they were like sisters even though mostly one was a servant slash bodyguard to the other. That made it more interesting to say the least as Junko was not always certain how close they were or what the royals father had thought of her friendship with what most would have considered the help... even on Atrisia which was trying to be more progressive and really create a stronger sense of equality there was always the old guard.

 

[Junko Ike]

Actually the more junko thought about it the more she cringed thinking about it... Atrisia was very different in many cases and traditional but they were also far more accepting.. she was letting the mindset of other worlds get to her. Junko was looking at the two of them though and she stayed there leaning against the balcony as she had to admit to a few things herself when Tripitaka leaned against Jubei and both leaned against her carefully so that she was looking out with the pair of them and just checking it all out. "We will have to move on soon enough from here but this is a peaceful place... still haen't figured out what happened here to the people... maybe it was just bad luck."

Jubei looked at Junko and spoke with a raised eyebrow as she spoke. "Maybe we got lucky or maybe what happened here only happened because there were so many people. The old settlements of legend had thousands of people right... there are less then twenty of us... maybe that much life this far into the mountains themselves that seem to be lifeless... desolate." That got Junko thinking and there was not a way to really test the theory... sending that many people here with the potential of well being attacked or harmed wasn't exactly a good thing but leaving the mystery might meant that they will never know the truth... so she was in between a hard place and two soft bodies.

 

[Junko Ike]

She breathed in the scent of the pair and thought about how best to teach them... if they really wanted to be tested at that and become force using warriors. Both she knew were highly athletic... they had shown off their skills with gymnastic like grace and movements as well as swords and sai weapons. She was more then happy to have the two of them be her handmaidens and bodyguards like the others who were also skilled in a number of different things. "So the two of you, are you wanting to stay with me or would you maybe want to go home again... I know the north has a lot and there isn't a lot of history of good things happening to your people this far down.

Jubei and Tripitaka both looked at Junko and they spoke in unison. "We could head back but then we would be abandoning you and maybe the biggest adventure we have been on in our lives... and we will only hear about it when the news finally reaches the northern continents.... we don't get visitors and the weather requires constant maintenance to the equipment to protect it." They spoke like they had practiced and had almost been expecting something like this whihc raised Junkos attention and ideas while the three of them stayed there and had another group of plums... It had been brought for the three of them to eat.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko finished the plum and she remained there while the chance for meeting with the two heavily armored women... Kirano of Chitei and Miyoung of well she was in the ground and mines more then she was in the north but she was thickly muscled and stunning with her pale skin. Junko stood there while she got her shoulder pack and focused on the force energies to shift and conceal her equipment... she knew how to make it go into a pocket dimension for storage. She was looking at them and Miyoung was there standing next to her as the small atrisian was smaller then her but she was a lot stronger physically... her black hair thick and like a curtain in a ponytail.

She was also wearing her combat explorers armor as Kirano was in a sort of armored kimono and cloak. Where they were cheecking out all of the parts was the really exciting part at least. The pair stood with her and Junko was walking to lead the part as her two pets scouted ahead and led the way through the footpaths. What there was at least but going towards the massive mountains in the regular mountains that were in the distance with canyons that were deep and small but seemed to open up near the bottom and never had sunlight at times. Navigating them was tricky but they managed to do it as the cool winter wair here let her breath fog in front of her and she clung to Miyoung as they climbed down the rocks on ropes.

 

[Junko Ike]

Miyoung she had been beginning to understand a little more. The Atrisian was an explorer and scout for the north who researched the ruins that had been lost to history. That was something that Junko could understand at least as she liked learning about the history and what was discovered... Miyoung here must have been enjoying he possibility of well this... of being able to properly see history instead of just being in the mines ad having to face predators or dirt... dirt was the real killer when they touched the ground and Miyoung let her down looking up at the princess and offering a smile on her face. The black pools of her eyes giving her more shivers then the cold shadows down between the rocks.

Miyoung let her down and the two of them were going as Junko spoke. "I am glad you decided to come with us... I know we left a lot of sites and ruined areas back there you would be able to see." She offered a look as the glow rod cast her face in silvery gold light going forward and the sasori style glow rod was thankfully not going to break or run out before she was checking out some parts of it. Miyoung looked up at her and gave a nod of her head. "While leaving my site and findings could be bad... there is a chance with you that I am going to learn a whole lot more and find things no one else has seen... we are not only going to learn history we are making history."

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko grinned at her while she spoke and the chance as the silvery light illuminated their faces was too much. Where she was checking around to really see it here. The canyons they were in had pockets of gemstones and crystal. Areas where they had carved out the stone and fashioned it on lathes into the stones for the city itself. The jedi princess was taking in some more areas of the canyon now that they were deeper down here letting them come out near a river and it carved through as they were able to follow and used one of the rafts they had. Thankfully it was made from hardlight and changing the intensity of it let them use it on the waters.

The raft was set up with half of them and a second was one as Junko produced two telescopic sasori staffs that thery could use and Miyoung and Kirano both started navigating them up river as it were with Junko sitting there and looking at the scholarly atrisian who was built like a cage fighter. "So tell me Miyoung... about some of the things that you have discovered... I want to know that much more about you and there has to be some interesstin stories from you." She said it and had a smile on her face, long hair gleaming as they came out into the sun for a moment and her golden with black hair shined now as did the paleness of her skin.

 

[Junko Ike]

"Stop that... you are actually pretty distracting and I think you know that." She said it with a grin on her face but it was more subdued rather then full blown so she still looked like she was scowling. The smaller atrisian was focused in case of danger but the sun was around them and Junko offered her a smile. "I am certain that I have no idea what you are talking about." Junko leaned back on the raft itself and looked at her while Min was standing there with one of the staffs and she was using it to push them forward same as Miyoung and the woman spoke. "Oh, Min was telling us about your palace how you like to have many women around and build statues of them with clay."

Junko looked at her with a shrug of her shoulders and offered a smile that was broader and much much wider. "Well what can I say to that... it isn't wrong. I enjoy beautiful things and people... that I can work to capture it in the form of a statue only means I can preserve it in my gardens." Junko said it offering a smile on her face while she checked on a few things here... she looked out at the walls of the canyon and the fish in the waters gleamed with silvery scales while some jumped out of the water for a moment and splashed water towards the group that was on the raft. JUnko stretched out looking at her and brought out a small datapad.

 

[Junko Ike]

"What is that?" She said it and Junko looked up as she turned on the holodisplay. "Justa journal of sorts... I have been keeping it for the things we have been doing. Trying to document it for posterity at least as there is a lot we have discovered." She offered a grin but sat there taking recordings of the river and everyone who was there with them. Waves and smiles, some small singing could be heard as JUnko ran a finger in the waters and it was cold from the lack of heat and glacier run off but they were heading around a bend and the river changed... Sharp overhangs of rocks with trees growing under them... stretching up and into the rocks as it looked beautiful.

Junko was seeing more though as they stopped and she motioned to them getting their equipment. She could see the only one she hadn't spent a lot of time with. Tall and muscled Kirano who was of the ancient atrisians that they had to work on. Where she was going for now though the jedi princess walked towards her and reached up but she couldn't reach it as she willed and tried to imagine Kirano helping her and noticing it. The woman turned to look at her and then looked up grabbing the frit and she held it there for a moment as Junko came up to hewr stomach and her long cloak covered the kimono for a moment but she brought it to her mouth and took a bite.

 

[Junko Ike]

"Hmmm." She said it tasting the fruit and it wasn't the most fragrant smelling... infact it smelled sour and sickening to her stomach but the scent of it compared to the taste which was more smooth... it was like an explosion of sweet flavor in her mouth before she was looking at Kirano who was looking down at her and the woman was built... she had changed with her outfits. Junko could see the outline of her muscles and the tightness of her jawline as the warrior who was acting like a diplomat to her. She would be around the palace when the time came to support Chitei interests with the emperor and empress or Shoma. "So I am guessing that is it good?"

JUnko looked at her and she nodded her head as she held up a piece to her. "Once you get past the scent of the fruit it is very tasty.... almost sickeningly sweet like biting into sugar." She said it while looking up at Kirano and she touched the tree as the Agora mountainswere there in front of them... maybe two kilometers away but the waterfalls that were coming out of it meant they wouldn't be able to keep going up river by raft.. they would have to walk but she could see foot paths that were carved and leading them itno the mountains. The jedi master stretched her arms out and looked at her before she spoke. "So I want to get a chance to know more about you."

 

[Junko Ike]

The woman was looking at her but she didn't worry about it as much... instead she sighed and nodded her head. The black hair she had in dreads tightly against her head and her cloak she opened up as they were walking into the footpaths themselves. "So what do you want to know?" She seemed ready to talk and had her sword at her side... where the others could look around or follow through as they were keeping Junko between them. "Well first off... how is it being on the surface.. I know it might not be the best compared to Chitei." Junko said it and was looking at her with her hand offering another piece of the fruit she had found low hanging.

Kirano took the fruit and producing a small blade sliced off the outer layer of it to get rid of the pungent smell before slicing smaller slices for herself. She spoke finally as she looked down at her and slipped a sliver of the fruit into her mouth. "I am adjusting to it... seeing a real sun is quite different and some of the people with you as I have gotten to know them are much more ah interesting. I didn't know about some of these alien species that were out in the galaxy much less had been brought here to Atrisia to protect them and help and...." She looked up into the sky as the Anshin was high above them and the shimmering of the planetary shield between the megastructures rings shimmered.

 

[Junko Ike]

Junko looked up and gave a nod. "Yes we have spent a few ten thousand years really expanding... wait until you see where some of the colonies have gone... generation ships that sailed away from ancient Atrisia and went far and wide to some world.. some of the most ancient worlds and they have managed to build places we or even societies... the Jin and Seoulians are a good example. Kirribe which have developed their own structures and home across the galaxy." She said it with a smile on her face where they were going and climbing up higher as the mountains themselves were extending in front of them. The rocks becoming smooth and almost step like carvings being seen as the sounds changed.

Kirano looked at her and checked on some of it with a nod of her head. "Echo chambers, it will make it difficult to determine where predtors are if theare around but we will be able to hear them from further off." She said it and was looking now forward as hey walked and motioned wih her head for them to go slow and quietly through the paths here. Junko could see parts of the wall that had been carved into faces, into statues markingthe path and the Chitei empress had sent them here.. telling them about it as a means to show trust betwen the two areas. From orbit she knew these mountains but they were remote and never much reason to go down to them as it didn't look like natural resources were around.