[Thread] It was like looking into a mirror.

[payitgladly]

Characters: OU John Preston, OPEN
Where: anywhere (make it clear one way or another, please)
When: sometime in the afternoon
Summary: Preston arrives and immediately starts to explore the compound.
Warnings: Possible violence? If anyone wants to try and beat up on the Warden look-alike, be my guest. He can more than defend himself.

Comments

The church's belltower, 4:00 PM

[puritanjustice]

A figure in the old black garb of a Puritan sat on the cold stone floor, using a wooden board for a table as he scribbled away at a sheaf of paper. The day of Albel and Sheifa's wedding was dawning sooner than he thought, and that meant he would have to redouble his efforts if this 'father' wanted to have his letter ready by then.

Footsteps echoed off the floor and Solomon Kane snapped his head up, reaching for his rapier. A figure stepped out onto the balcony and the wanderer narrowed his eyes, squinting against the sunlight twice for he couldn't believe the sight before him.

"What bringeth ye here, Sir Warden?"

OOC: Let me have been the first to say it. XD

[payitgladly]

Preston walked into the church with a hint of curiosity. He glanced around at the faded decorations and idly wondered what it was about the grand elaborations that sense-offenders liked so much. They were extravagant and... that was about it for him.

He was just stepping around a corner on the upper balcony near the belltower, his left hand running along the side of the wall, when he heard the voice and his attention snapped to the stranger in front of him. He began to nod in greeting when he realized what the man was calling him and paused with a slight frown.

"I'm not... the Warden," he said calmly. His eyes glanced towards the ready weapon and away. The significance of it was not lost on him.

((lol. Yep! XD))

[puritanjustice]

A shadow of chagrin fell across the wanderer's face as he rose. He'd truly thought the Warden had deigned to walk among them. "I beg thy pardon. Ye must be newly Drafted otherwise I'd have seen ye sooner." The same duellist's hand that had been on his rapier's pommel opened and extended now to the reticent stranger.

"I am Solomon Kane. Do forgive my mistake; thy resemblance to the Warden is most eerie."

[payitgladly]

Preston glanced down at the hand with a not-quite-amused look before hesitatingly reaching out to give it a very brief, but firm shake. It was an old custom he had not preformed in quite some time. Kane was just lucky he reminded it at all.

"I have noticed," he said as he took back his hand. "Grammaton Cleric First Class John Preston. We're not related," he assured the other.

[puritanjustice]

"So I gathered in hindsight. Well met, Sir John." Kane wondered if 'Cleric' denoted a man of some religious order. He sagged backwards to lean against the balcony while his stormy blue eyes studied the stranger carefully. Here before him was a fighter. It wasn't just that his muscles were in the right places for it; the eyes told much as well.

"I take it ye are bringing martial knowledge to this ragtag army?"

[payitgladly]

"Kane," he acknowledged with a slight nod. Solomon's fighter's persona stood out a little more easily considering the weapon in plain sight. Preston might have been interested in testing the other's skills with a blade if he wasn't more concerned with orientating himself to this new place.

He gave another nod to answer the question. "Yes, I actually know several different styles."

[puritanjustice]

"Ah, a Renaissance Man of war. Boons to our cause." The wind whipped once at the black cloak that pooled around his shoulders. "My 'styles' are outdated by the standards of most here. They lie primarily in the fields of fencing and black-powder marksmanship." He gave a very slight frown of his own. "But... know ye that most of our combat capability, no matter where it comes from, meant little to the Entropi the first time they laid siege to us?"

[payitgladly]

Preston frowned a little more deeply at Kane's description of the Cleric. He began to object, but politely waited for the other to finish. His head tilted down a bit as he listened. At the end of it all he glanced back up. "Not of war. There is no war where I'm from." He shook his head minutely. "I have heard tale of what our enemy is like. Basics. I heard that physical means of fighting have little effect, and this makes sense to me considering the idea of them being made of pure energy. I have expressed my thoughts on why I do not think I am such a grand choice of fighters in such a war, but they hardly matter to the ones in charge. Of course." He paused briefly. "But if a weapon is made to counter these beings, I am more than adequate for using such a device efficiently on the enemy

[puritanjustice]

Kane found himself liking this John's straight-forwardness and no-nonsense. He already knew the skills he'd come to Neocontra with, on their own, wouldn't harm the Entropi. But he was holding out the possibility that someone would find a way, and in a manner (firearms in this case) he was master of.

"Aye, exactly that." confirmed the Puritan. He drew one of the single-shot wheellock pistols from his belt, flipped it over by the barrel for John to examine if he wished. "I could of course avail of more futuristic weaponry, and easily given enough time. But old habits die hard." He removed his hat. "My swordsmanship is English-trained. I studied the French ways when I served with the Huguenots as well as the Spaniard-style as a way of knowing my enemy. I can fight Florentine* if need be."

*dual-wield eg rapier and dirk

[payitgladly]

John had nothing else going for him except to be perfectly logical in all matters. If that meant holding out for someone to make a weapon he could use proficiently (likely a firearm, but some sort of blade wouldn't be entirely improbable or impossible for him either) then that was simply were his reasoning would lead him. Otherwise, why bring him into this war? It would be illogical, and that was not acceptable

[puritanjustice]

John's suggestion sent an invigorating rush into the wandering warrior's heart. It was the thrill of a dawning battle. He hadn't known this since he had last duelled with young Alex, who had vanished from Econtra a month ago.

Devon's King of Swords smiled lightly, and mayhap a touch gratefully that John gave him the chance to not let his skills atrophy. This would be a worthy battle. "A duel with the Eastern styles at thy convenience." He bowed, a steely glint in his blue gaze. "Sir Preston... I accept thy invitation."

OOC: Yo, I'll be dropping Rory into the Open Batman thread after a party with the dudes. It's time the Bat Family's Econtran uncle met the father. =D

[payitgladly]

There was a brief upwards curve to one side of Preston's mouth then he ducked his head low in a curt nod and when he raised his gaze again the smirk was gone. "Good. Until then, I should probably get better acquainted with my new surroundings if you do not mind."

((Yay!! I've been wanting to do a thread with Rory since Tony met him! XD))