The Soldiers Attack [Job/Solo]

s Jingyi walked throughout the small village dressed in her Kou military uniform, she had a startling realization: the inhabitants were avoiding her and sending her dirty looks. Upon reaching this Ephiny, the girl studied the locals carefully only for them to just look away and not even look at her. Their reactions were confusing, to say the least, and whenever she tried to approach one they would scatter away.

Frowning, Jingyi continued with her travel through the city when a boy jumped out in front of her. He wasn't much younger than she was, probably fourteen at the least, and he held a rock in one hand. There was a look of anger and frustration in his eyes as he tossed the rock at her. The redhead had to lean to the side to avoid getting hit, her face full of confusion at the action.

"Um, excuse me?" Jingyi inquired, her brows furrowing as the boy picked up another rock, "Is something the matter?" Her question went unanswered as the teen threw the stone in his palm at her, once again missing his mark by inches.

"Don't you understand!?" He yelled a moment later after fishing up another rock to replenish his ammunition, his eyes narrowed in a deadly glare. Jingyi was sure that if looks could kill, she would have been incinerated. His words were just returned with a dumbfounded look and a shake of her head which only further fanned the flames of his fury. "We had enough of you stupid soldiers! Don't you have anything better to do than harass us?! Go away already!" He screamed, launching another rock at Jingyi. This time the soldier didn't step out of the way, letting the rock bounce off her armor.

Instead of enlightening Jingyi to the reason behind his anger, it only served to confuse her further. She mumbled to herself the words harassment and soldier, but she drew up blanks. "Care to explain explain?"

Her response was far from the one that the boy had wanted, apparent from the way he reeled back his arm for another throw. But someone, an elderly person Jingyi noted, grabbed his wrist and held it. The young lad struggled and tried to rip his hand away from the man's clutches, but the elder had an ironclad hold. The senior of the pair whispered to the junior before finally letting go, the boy muttering and rubbing his wrist.

After that, the old man turned his attention to Jingyi and smiled softly, but it was obvious that it was just out of pleasantry and not kindness. "I'm sorry for Boki here. What he's trying to say is, our village here is rather tired of the soldiers infesting it. You come and take from us, beat us, and then laugh. It would be much appreciated if you could leave this place if you have no thoughts of repeating your brothers in armor's actions." He explained, his olden eyes narrowing as he stared at Jingyi. The girl's brows furrowed as she pursed her lips, anger flashing in her eyes. Soldiers, men who were to be respectful warriors who protected their nations, abusing the village?

The look on her face, however, was mistaken as the villagers held their breaths. A look of fright crossed the boy's face as the elder man just looked on with a phlegmatic cover. Moving her hand to her waist, Jingyi gripped Windcutter's handle, unaware that their reactions were due to her actions.

"Mind telling me where these soldiers are?" Jingyi questioned with a tilt of her head, a cocky smile spreading across her face, "I think they ought to be taught a lesson or two on being a proper soldier." She continued, her palm patting her blade's hilt as she crossed the space over to the pair who confronted her.

Their looks of apprehension melted away, but the boy still regarded her with a look of suspicion. "Of course- follow me! It would be a great... relief if they were dealt with properly." The senior replied, grabbing hold of his Junior's wrist, much to the latter's horror. Together, the pair led Jingyi towards one end of town.

"They like to go to the freakin' bars and drink all of the alcohol without paying a haung!" Boki complained, his free hand waving about as he talked. Jingyi just nodded her head as she glanced about the village. She did have a base to travel to, but it wouldn't hurt if she took a detour to help the citizens. Her job as a Kou soldier was to protect the masses, after all.

She was left to her own devices once they reached a tavern that was often populated by the disrespectful soldiers. She thanked them for the directions before heading inside. Pushing up the entry noren, Jingyi peered inside and then stepped inside. It would have been a rather nice place to chill if it was cleaned better and if it wasn't for the three drunken men who were the only contributors to the noise.

The tavern was sparsely populated, with all but three drinking their rather sad drinks in silence. The only talkers were the gregarious soldiers, cheeks flushed red with alcohol as they drunkenly laughed among each other. They would occasionally snap at the bartender and demand for more before hitting a nearby tavern-goer with the back of their hand.

Walking forwards to the bar, it didn't take long for the trio to notice her. They jeered and smirked threateningly at her, calling names at her like harlot and bitch. The redhead just smiled and ignored the terms, instead gesturing with a hand to the door.

"Mind joining me outside, boys?" She questioned, her words leaving no room for arguments. But they didn't respond, just laughing at her and her apparent "superiority". But again, Jingyi brushed off their callousness and instead drew her sword. They fell quiet at that, eyeing her before getting to their feet. One snapped at the bartender to watch their drinks before pushing past the redhead.

All together, they grouped outside, the trio of soldiers glaring at Jingyi. "Alright, so now I hear you three are terrorizing this town?" Her words drew a sharp laugh from one, his dark eyes narrowing.

"Like hell. We're just... taking a deserved break." The man answered, crossing his arms while he tried not to sway in his spot. Their talk from there devolved, with the men growing more and more aggressive as each word left either group's mouth.

Jingyi, with Windcutter still drawn, jumped away from a sudden slash attack from a soldier, his companions unsheathing their weapons likewise. A crowd began to gather at the very corners, hiding as they watched the soldiers fight against one another.

In a drunken stupor, one of the men charged at her with a Shield Rush attack, prepared to knock Jingyi to the dirt that they tramped on. Jingyi, prepared for the incoming attack, dug her heels into the ground and tensed her muscles. She lunged herself aside in a Power Step, avoiding the attack as she held out her leg. The soldier tripped over it and crashed to the ground groaning.

But her attention diverted back to the other two soldiers as another attacked her with a thrust from his sword. Jingyi easily parried his jab, knocking it aside with practiced ease. Knocking him aside, Jingyi stepped away from a third attack with dance-like grace. The man she had knocked down climbed back to his feet, the grip on his blade tightening to the point his knuckles were white around the handle.

It was obvious that they weren't going to stand down, and unfortunately, that meant that Jingyi was going to have to retaliate with force against her fellow soldiers. Raising her blade, she held up Windercutter in front of her as she moved into stance. Her feet were held shoulder-width apart, her ruby eyes narrowed as she studied her foes. They threw themselves at her once more, their swords aiming to strike out against. her.

One man brought his sword up, preparing for a slash that would swing downwards in front of him. Jingyi, lunged forwards to the man, knocking him forwards as she raised her sword. Her aim with Windcutter was true as she thrust her sword, piercing his arm and stopping the attack. Wrenching her own blade downwards, she pulled it loose and knocked the man aside.

The second man rushed at her, his sword swinging horizontally in an attempt to cut Jingyi down. The redhead, her experience and sheer talent in the art of Kenjutsu, guided her to swing her sword against his, parrying the blade and thrusting skyward. The other soldier's grip on his sword loosened, unprepared for the block as he let go. Jingyi took it as her chance to lunge forwards and drive her own blade into his stomach plate. With a cry, he collapsed to the ground and curled up, his chest heaving with coughs.

The last soldier, just as drunk as his brethren, charged at Jingyi. His sword aimed to stab her knee in an attempt to get her to the ground so he could further pommel Jingyi, but the redhead would not let herself go down so easily. First, Jingyi sidestepped the incoming attack, Windcutter held close to her form as she avoided the jab. She then stabbed her own blade outwards, piercing the man's wrist and forcing him to let go of his blade. The soldier recoiled, immediately grabbing hold of his hand with his uninjured hand.

"Now, I hope that you learn from this experience that you are not to act this way," Jingyi taunted as she sheathed her sword with a smirk, "You're soldiers of Kou, so act like one. And for god's sake, don't fight when you're drunker than a squirrel."