Welcome to Gaia! ::

((Bye.))

"I'm fine, don't worry. I just need a little rest. My foot's taken a lot of stress the past half hour.... See? I can stand." Kumizu tried, at least, but after putting weight on his leg, he decided to stay seated. "I just need Rake to get my cane and I'll be set. I can tell you now, wherever you decide to go, I'll be at the hotsprings."

Kumizu was breathing deeply by the time Rake had come and sat down. "Thank you. And don't feel so bad. Contrary to what it looks like, I don't have that much strength either. I can control the liquid form of water, but not ice or water vapor. That's why everyone comes here: to strengthen their weakness. With a few classes under your belt, you'll be great."

Why did he do that? He never tried to give little emotional pick-me-up stories. He thought for a moment, and it finally hit him. He was like this towards his friends. He wasn't used to befriending people this quickly, and everything instinctive that he did, or said, seemed odd to him looking back on it. Truly, he had only five people he could count on before coming to this school.

Alright, enough of this crap. My leg is killing me. Kumizu stood, leaning so heavily on the cane that it looked like it might break. "Well, I love the idea of going to the springs. So, that's where I'll be going. I'll meet up with you, there or around the school." He turned and started walking. As much as Kumizu wanted to wait for them, his leg didn't like the idea.

((I already posted in the springs, so we'll just screw the time discrepensy here. 4laugh ))

"I'm fine. Don't worry, you don't need to help me. The springs are on campus, and not too far away. I've been there before, I can lead you." If Kumizu wasn't limited to the cane, he'd have been a bad leader. He would've sprinted and been there by now.

Oni was met by a bright light upon entering the underground facility. The walls were painted white, there was white tiling on the floor, and every piece of furniture was white. It took a few moments for Oni's eyes to adjust to the brightness of the environment.

Oni looked around the room. It was an enormous area with computers and other forms of technology lining the walls. In the center of the room, there were three large tubes connected to wires leading to the computers. The tubes looked big enough to hold small children.
"This must be... where those girls were born." Tetsuo whispered to Oni. Oni walked over to the tubes to have a look inside, but what she saw scared and sickened her.

Inside the center tube was what appeared to be a small girl. She had the trademark crimson eyes and silver hair, but it appeared that something had gone horribly wrong with her creation. The organs in her abdomen seem to have developed outside of her body. They floated freely around the fluid that filled the tube. The compartment on the left also had a small girl, but it also appeared to have been deformed. She was without a head, arms, or legs. She was just a torso floating around the tube. The right compartment was empty. Oni assumed that the one there had been removed.

The sudden appearance of the man startled Oni, but she couldnt help but laugh at the situation. However, it didn't seem that the man was in the mood for laughter.

"Who are you, and how did you get in here?"
You have something... or rather, someone, that I've come to retrieve... I want him back. Oni said as she pointed at Tetsuo's lifeless body.
"....Go ahead and take him... I cant use him anyway."

Oni was suprised that the man gave up so easily. "That was.... easy..."
"The entire experiment went to hell when the first success escaped and died.... We've never been able to replicate the information used to create her... as you can see. We shut down the facility months ago. I was just wondering what to do with this young man when you showed up... so just take him..."

Oni stayed silent as she watched the man leave the room. To think that she was worried about this being a dangerous task. She looked over at Tetsuo, but she couldnt find him. He was no longer on her shoulder.

Oni jumped when she saw the body start to move. Tetsuo had already returned to his body while she was talking to the man.

"Let's say we get out of here, huh?" he said as he tossed the now lifeless panda plushie at Oni. She was relieved to finally hear that familiar voice. Without a word, Oni lifted him up and they left.

((super lame, i know. but i was getting pretty tired of the story...))

The silver haired man stumbled through the woods into the open, his choppy, shoulder length silver hair was covered in leaves and twigs. In the hot summer heat, he had taken of his long black coat. It was unnecessary in the place. Where he had been, in the Alaskan mountains, the coat was essential to his survival. It now hung over his right shoulder. The sleeveless black biker vest he wore under it had a tall collar secure by a leather strap and a square, silver buckle. It was a matte texture, wide at the sleeves and zipped up. Two chains hung from the right side, connected to the left side in the back, hanging down in curves of silver links. They didn't jangle as he moved. The black pants he wore emphasized his skinny figure, which was barely anything on his skeletal figure. His arms weren't particularily muscular, but the the lack of excess fat emphasized the solid curves that marked his strength as above average.

If Kai didn't seem so serious all of the time, he would've been a funny sight, covered in shrubbery and things, carrying a long, thin sword on his back and a bag over his shoulder. He was obviously tired, from his stance, but not a single muscle twitched on his face. He looked out towards the distance at the base of the bell tower The sunset was making the entire scape orange and red, burning with golden fire. A few dried leaves picked up off the ground and floated across the dusty ground. He stared towards the small, slim figure at the base of the bell tower, and the figure stared back. Kai began to walk. Their body build was so alike, both of them ragged looking in health and equal in emotion, that they could've been twins...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rivera lifted her head. Her pale green eyes met with crystal blue ones and locked. For a moment, all she could target were eyes, but then, her scope opened and she saw a man walking towards her from the woods. She stopped scuffing the earth... she had been there waiting for nearly three hours. It's been much too long... With a nod, Rivera stood up straight, her back no longer leaning against the tower wall. The man approached her with firm, even steps. Kairyu began to hum in reaction to a blade on his back... it was a curious blade, built with a blade like the Kairyu but with a singray hilt ring. Rivera blinked... so this was the man who knew about the Crimson Decadia... wasn't he just another student?

"Did you... send me the message?" She asked in a whisper as he drew closer. She could see his face now. It reminded her of looking into a mirror. She could see herself in his eyes, not only her own reflection but also his reflection of her and his image in her reflection. Rivera clasped her hands behind her back, the nails of her right hand digging into her left arm, slightly tense and unsure. She wanted her hand to be near her gun or knife if he planned something treacherous.

Kai nodded, then sank to one knee and bowed to her. "Your highness... it has been a long time..." His mouth turned upwards into a slight smile. "Isekri Impirenne..." He looked up, as if expecting something from her. His clear, sharp eyes with their draconian pupils compelled her to remember what she had lost a long time ago subconsciously.

Rivera slowly unclasped her hands and held out her right hand. Kai took it and pressed his lips gently to her finger tips. Rivera grew slightly disturbed and unnerved. Why did this seem familiar, and why was it so strange at the same time? Words rose onto her tongue without her mind's command, and poured out of her mouth in a refined flow that was unlike her undecisive and quick to react nature.

"Rise... your greeting is my pleasure, warrior loyal to the throne of the Impruise." The whisper was even and firm. Rivera blinked, her eyes turned a blue-green, surprised at her own words. She drew her hand away. "I'm ... sorry, I dont understand how--"

"All in due time, your highness." Kai spoke. "We are here to discuss the Crimson Decadia. I wish you remember me... we were made for each other."

Rivera looked at him harder and shook her head. "Forgive me... I can't recall you at all..."

"My name," he stood up and bowed again, "is Kai'sekillre Dracasein. I'm sure you still understand the ancient tongue. Tell me... what does your name mean?"

"Rivencaira Aeryazure Capella'acque?" She asked, "It means City over the River, Storm Aired Temple of water... doesn't it?"

Kai shook his head. "What about your real name?" He asked, "Your highness's real name is not Rivencaira... " His blue eyes bore into hers again, which were now violet and green in right and left, respectively. She bit her lip. She was beginning to see where this was going. Her name and his were a perfect fit.

"Isekri Impruise... Gyrfalcon of the Imperial Dynasty." She translated shakily, not knowing what would come.

"Yes..." Kai nodded. "And what about my name? I know you understand... Kai'sekillre Aztarael Dracasein..." He looked at her with a slight smile of reckoning. He bore the secret to the past. From his collar, he drew out a silver chain with a lock, It was a round lock decorated with a sea serpent, wrought in silver and a single sapphire in the serpent's eye. Kai moved forward and gripped Rivera firmly by the shoulder. Rivera couldn't move, frozen by his gaze and his cliffhanging sentence.

Kai's hand moved over her chest and drew out an identical silver chain with the hand still holding the lock. On it was the black-silver key with the dragon shaped handle. Carefully, with the hand that held them both, he slid the key into the lock, but didn't turn it. The two pieces made a distinctive click that rang out like a gunshot over the silence between them.

His firm, tenor voice broke the silence like a knife parting water. "Kai'sekillre Aztarael Dracasein... Lightning Falconer, Startears in Dragon Blood." He seperated the lock and the key, letting each device thump onto the chests of their respective owners. Rivera's trance broke. "Do you remember me now? Isekri..." He was about to say something, but hesitated. Kai took a breath before he resumed with what he was about to say, but in a mischievious whisper. "Isekri-siaracellre?"

A look of enlightenment came upon her face. Rivera's eyes widened, her jaw dropping slightly before she closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes, dealing a light but firm cuff to his head. "Kai, you dumb jokester!" Her whisper was more of annoyance than anger. "I told you already, I'm not a shark-keeper!"

"What ever you say, your highness." He winked with a smirk. "They followed you around very fondly..."

Rivera just shook her head. She suddenly threw herself over him in a hug, knocking him to the ground. Usually, she wouldn't have managed it at all, with her light weight and all... but Kai's balance was so bad after such a long trip, and he was just as light as she was now in this different terrain, it wasn't at all difficult.

"Oi oi oi! Stop that! You're supposed to me a princess, remember? You're not a kid anymore!" Kai struggled to get her off him, then changed his mind and just stayed put. "You're a lot lighter than you used to be, Krichi."

"I thought I told you not to call me by such a stupid nickname..." Rivera rolled off of him and lay in the grass beside him, looking up at the top of the tower.

"I hate to say it... but I'm just a commoner. I dont know any better... " He laughed, then sighed. "What are we going to do?"

"Do about what?" Rivera asked softly.

"The Crimson Decadia... What will we do?" He asked, his brows knitted.

Rivera gave a small sigh, then gripped his hand tightly. It was growing dark now, and the stars were quickly appearing one by one. The two of them looked up at the light pricked fabric of night together. "We'll make it through alive, the both of us... right?"

"Right..."

[ Message temporarily off-line ]