Can't personally vouch for his skills, Mr. Reinhart, but he has one hell of a reputation back East. * Harold shrugs. "Maybe, but I dunno if even Calamity Jan can take care of the vampires. Ordinary stuff don't hurt 'em." And we've already tried. Lots of people dead or undead. It's been easiest just to live with 'em. * Harold shakes his head. "One man is suicide." Besides, I doubt Millie would let us leave without tryin' to do something about the vampires. Oh no. I ain't havin' my only daughter dyin' ta those things. So if the lot of us are goin' after them anyway... backup from Kojiro himself wouldn't be a bad thing. *grins* * John nods. * Harold frowns. It's obvious he doesn't like the idea. * Tairan shrugs. "If she doesn't go, the rest of us will anyway. I ain't one to really play hero... but I can't just ignore this when I can do somethin' to help." * Kojiro nods. "I will be more than happy to work with you on this." Yeah. But we need a way to hurt'em. Vamps are immune to most normal weapons, aren't they? They can be defeated. Wood seems to be their weakness. Yeah, seems ta be, but makin' wooden bullets... * Harold rubs at his forehead. "Though I guess that ain't much trouble for a slot eye." Magic is also fairly effective. * Tairan frowns, but refrains from comment. "Do normal bullets hurt them but not kill them, or do they just do nothing?" Can't tell if they hurt 'em, but they sure don't slow 'em down. Damn. *pauses* Well, this sword's magic. Guess we can find out if that's good enough. * Tairan eyes the barn. "... and we can always wear this foul-smelling stuff around our necks." * Harold shakes his head. "Anyway, Easterner. I don't like the idea of you stickin' yer neck out for us, but if ya can pull this off, I'll give ya one of the best horses I got an' a good week of feed." They're damn good horses, too. Got the best ones this side of the Sallies. Maybe the other side, too. * Kojiro nods. "I accept." * Harold smiles. "It's a deal, then." He holds his hand out to the Shomuran. "Harold Reinhart." * Kojiro shakes Harold's hand; seems he knows something of the Teckian tradition. "Kojiro." Kojiro? Interestin' name. ( Stick our necks out. Heh heh... ) * Harold withdraws his hand. "I got some mouths ta feed. If ya wanna stay fer breakfast, that's fine with me." He looks to Tairan. "I still say it's suicide, but if ya wanna help Kojiro here, I ain't stoppin' ya. Shouldn't do it on an empty stomach, though." * Kojiro nods. "Very well, I'll take you up on your offer." Suicide, how many times have I heard that before. A lot. We rarely seem to end up with easy tasks. Yeah. Figure out who's goin'. I got some stakes, garlic, an' crosses that might help ya out. * Harold heads back into the house. * Kojiro follows! * John walks outside.