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 Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 11:35 pm
"You almost sound angry." Dain replied, as he took another long sip from his cup, before leaning back, seated behind the counter and perusing a few heavily binded books, leafing through the pages every now and then.
Vahn didn't offer a verbal reply, or any objections, he just quietly sat at the table and merely prolonged the act of actually drinking anything, his stomach doing flip-flops and not up to getting anything new in.
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:03 am
"I'll show you angry, you little piece of...!!!!" Sunstrike suddenly clutched his head. His breath came in great gulps as he tried to control what was about to go off in his mind. He laughed hollowly, it wasn't a very nice sound, sarchastic and bitter...completely out of character. "Damnit...that guy really gets up my nose." He looked up at Dain, the growling quality still apparent in his voice, even though he was pretty much apologising. "Do you know what it is that does this to me and this to Vahn?" His hand suddenly rested on the other mans tousled head, moving it back and forth a bit...speaking of which....he was actually gonna have to do something about that. After Dain's reply, he gently took the cup from his friends hand, and pulled Vahn, and the chair, out with the other man still in it. Leaning down so he could see the withdrawn face, he pulled the goggles away from his eyes. Staring into the dull yellow ones in front of him, he gently reached out and cupped the Vahn's chin in his hand. Lifting it, so that he was forced to look at Suntrike and the shop surroundings.  "Hey, Vahn...You gotta look at me boy-o. We're in the dining room of the shop. Dain is here, researching, and I'm here, talking to you. I want you to focus on me and come out of your mind. There's nothing to worry about out here, there's no need to hide. You have to relax and come back to us for a bit..." Sunstrike continued talking softly, his words looping and crossing themselves and the colours of his eyes mirroring the same effect. "What that guy said doesn't have any standing with how you are now..." And suddenly Sunstrike went physically quiet. Though Vahn would still hear the soft voice, it would be within the confines of his mind. Sunstrike had used words and a bit of magical manuvering to work his way through the, now growing, cracks of Vahn's mind...it was an old trick, and a dangerous one, considering the state Sunstrike was in. You have to take it easy...calm down and think of something other then his voice...think of mine, talking to you now, leading you out into the real world... And then Sunstrike had to close the barrier again...his eyes had begun to darken around the edges and the hand holding Vahn's face had begun to twist out of proportion. Magic...he thought spitefully to himself.
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:07 pm
"Not everything is what it looks like at first glance." Dain eyes met with Sunstrike's, before returning to his book. "You, of all people, should know that." The old man rested a hand against the back of his neck, massaging the muscles there as he continued reading, and waiting for any customers.
The sound fo the chair scraping against the hard wood sounded out, and then Sunstrike filled Vahn's vision. He had never even felt the cup being removed from his grasp, and it numbed him into a silent shock at not even being bale to feel that much. He had been seriously unwound and his head was filled with more doubt than ever, and he didn't quite know what to do...
He remained silent, even as Sunstrike spoke. In truth, when he did speak it sounded like a far off echo, and even when it got inside his head, it sounded as if it were being spoken through a thick barrier, so muffled were the words. Only the dull throbbing and pounding of banging fists could be heard within his head...
Whatever was holding back his "devil" had been undergoing this banging ever since the events of the stadium, getting louder and louder with each day.
However, Vahn was looking right at Sunstrike, and was jarred from his inner thoughts. "...Sorry. But I'll be in my room 'till dinner."
Standing up, and pushing away Sun's grip on his chin in the process, he silently started making his way towards the stairs, turning his back on both men.
~~
"Pheew..." Walking down the street, with both arms behind his head comfortably, he turned down a side alley, deciding on taking a shortcut. "What a day." The young man was none other than Laffite himself, whistling softly.
"I'm really not used to all this trouble... And why the hell did that punk hit me?! Is he insane?!" Laffite craned his head backwards as he stared up at the sky, letting out a wishful sigh. "Man, why am I the one that has to come here and try to recruit Vahn... That doesn't make any sense!!"
As Laffite moved down the alleyway, a sandled foot rose up from behind him, timing a kick straight to his rear end, which would in turn end up pushing him smack dab into a sturdy pipe, nearly cracking his skull open.
"BLARGH!?!?" With a sickening crack, and short yelp, Laffite hit home, and slid to the ground, cluching his forehead and rubbing it vigorously, more annoyed than injured. "GODDAMMIT, THAT FREAKIN' HURT!! WHO THE HELL---" Laffite turned his head to the side, ready to tear the a*****e a new... well, a*****e, when he paused mid-yell, seeing who his assailant was.
Standing in front of him, was a fairly young woman, looking like she was still trying to break puberty, as she had quite the small chest, and even her features were slightly babyish. Her blonde hair was pulled into short tufts of hair, whichs tuck out on either side of her head. Her fair face was decorated with freckles, from time spent out in the sun, and she wore a nice set of capris with a simple white t-shirt, and a unzipped trainer's jacket, and the aforementioned sandles.
Another notable feature was the medium sized sword strapped to her back.
"A-Anna...!" Laffite stammered out as he stared at the girl. Anna however, said nothing, as she simply raised her right leg sharply, causing the sandle to fly up and off her foot; grabbing it promptly with her right hand where she proceeded to literally smack Laffite across the face.
"Are you mentally deficient? What the hell is taking you so long?!?!"
"DEAR GOD I'M SORRY!!!"
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned... or kept waiting.
"Where the hell is Vahn!?!?" Anna yelled out once more, as she gripped onto Laffite's head, threatening him with another slap from her slipper.
"Er...I...still..."
"You're still?! You're still friggin' lookin' for him!?"
"Well... no, I found him but--"
"I told you to bring him back as soon as you convinced him to join us!!!"
"I found him but he won't do as I say..."
"So just make him come back by force dammit!!"
"Hey, wait, that's not what you told me before!"
"There you are." The voice cut through the tension of the two, much to the relief of Laffite, as he looked behind Anna...to find Hibon and Nahara, staring at them both. Anna took the moment to return her sandle to her foot, using Laffite for balance.
"Nahara--" Laffite started out, before Anna turned around to look at the two, and raised a hand signaling Laffite to come closer.
"Laffite."
"Eh?"
As Laffite leaned in, Anna's hand gripped onto his head once more and she leaned in tightly and close to him, baring her teeth as she growled out. "YOU WERE BEING FOLLOWED!! ARE YOU RETARDED!?!?"
"Even if I asked him..." Nahara started out, as she took a few steps forward, causing Anna to stop her berating of Laffite for the moment. "I'm sure he'd just say 'Nothing.' So I wanted to ask you directly, Laffite. Who are you two? And what do you want with Vahn?"
"Ha..." Anna stuck her tounge out, as she gave a slow sneer, her eyes cutting like glass. "Do you really think we'll answer if you ask us like that?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:19 pm
Sunstrike fell over into a seated position on the floor as Vahn moved up and away, slightly stunned at the coldness of his friend. It wasn't long before stunned turned to hurt.
"Fine," He muttered sharply. "Waste away for all I care..." He grabbed the chair that his friend had occupied and moved it around to the table...turning his back on the whole situation.
You're letting him go.... Well...life can't all be roses now, can it...
Still.... Look just...shut-up.
The untouched coffee was drunk, and the cup empty in his hand, when he looked up at Dain.
"How do I get to Hollow?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:47 pm
"It's not 'how' you should be asking... but why." Dain responded, never once even lifting his head. "Just what do you hope... to accomplish by yourself?" Dain finally closed the book shut, with a dull thwap, his head lifting and eyes meeting with Sunstrike's.
"You'd be walking right into their hands."
~~
"Anna Akon!"
"Eh?" Hibon blinked, as he stared at the woman in front of him and his sister. She had pulled him to the side, at firts just to harmlessly listen in on the talk between Vahn and Laffite. As the conversation increased in tension, and then Sunstrike became involved, Nahara decided to find out for herself what was going on. Hibon, of course, was dragged along.
"What's the eh for?! It's my name, my name!!" Anna said impatiently, as she tumbed her own flat chest. "So what the hell's yours?"
"...Nahara Dain..."
"Hibon Dain."
Both sibling responded, as Anna nearly broke out into laughter. "HA?!" Her tone grew serious as her eyes narrowed. "Brother and sister, huh?! What a touching thing!" She grinned again as her head shook. "We're just fiances."
"The hell is this fiance crap?" Laffite said, as he started scratching the bridge of his nose in boredom. "How come you gotta decide who gets married?! You're gonan force me to hang myself, dumbass!"
Both Hibon and Nahara stared blankly at the two.
"But damn, look at her...Big breasts, pretty tall, soft flowing hair... Man, doesn;t she piss you off, this girl?" Anna said, as Laffite was busy covering up his bleeding nose.
"Yeah, uh, well... Comparing her to you, of course there's gonna be some problems."
Both Hibon and Nahara continued staring blankly at the two.
"Alright that should be good." Anna said as her right hand began creeping along the handle of her sword. "There's really nothing more we have to tell you anyway. Now... you can die here." She said evenly, her tone deadly serious.
However, before she could even make a move, a blur of speed, and she was suddenly hefted up into the air, being litterally man handled and carried up into the air, as Laffite began running away with her. "I APOLOGIZE!!!"
"--THE HELL!?" Anna blurted out as she saw the floor rushing past.
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:00 am
"Look at my options, Dain. Vahn's sinking into himself, I....I don't know if I can really save him from that. The young ones are just that, young, I couldn't be watching them and my back at the same time....who's left to stop this conflict between your peoples? You? You're all these people have if I...If, I fail." Sunstrike looked up at the ceiling for a second.
"I don't want to abandon my friend, I don't think that his situation is hopless...and I'm fighting myself to do this. But time doesn't stop because somethings beating the barriers in your head....situations can't wait "til dinner." They need solving, they need sorting out. Then maybe I...I dunno, can heal him...somehow."
The truth was that Sunstrike was scared. Scared stiff that he couldn't heal what was going on in his friends mind. Henry had set up the barriers within Sun's own mind, and it was a seriously complicated puzzle to try and transfer over to another....and still maintain his human-esk form. But he'd have to try....which he couldn't do so long as there was a serious war knocking on their front doorstep.
He looked up at Dain, cheerful on the outside, dying on the in. "I'll be walking into the thick of it, at least I can say that I have experiance! I always seem to find my way there eventually. So tell me, Dain....how do I get there?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:04 am
"...WAIT!!!" Nahara yelled out, ready to give chase to the two. She ahdn't gottenw aht she came here for and she still desperately needed to find out.
"Stop Nahara!!" She felt a tug on her arm, as Hibon held on and refused to give in, holding her to him.
"Hibon...!" She looked to her brother with a look of annoyance, wondering what his deal was.
"You understand right? There's no possible way our abilities could match theirs..." Nahara stayed silent, surprised more than annoyed now. "If we just followed them unprepared like that... we would undoubtedly be killed." Hibon stared down the alleyway... with the sickening knowledge that no matter how much strength he and his sister had just gained... it was probaly just enough to keep them from getting slaughtered.
~~
"The world doesn't rest on your shoulders. I had merely told you that you were link... the necessary bridge to gap the growing racism that stems among both peoples now. But by no means are you obligated to do anything, let alone forced." Dain leaned back, taking out a cigarette, merely fingering it for the moment.
"Everyone has a part to play. You just have to wait until your called out on stage to do your part... Do you understand? This is bigger than Vahn, than me, than you, than anyone." He dropped the cigarette, lettig it fall to the floor, where he crushed it with the heel of his shoe.
"Are you prepared to do what is necissary?"
~~
"Hey, Laffite!!! Let go of me dumbass! I wanna go get 'em!" Anna's yells peirced the narrow alleyway, causing heads to pop out every now and then from windows, as LAffite ran down, still carrying Anna.
"Are you an idiot?! Our target is Vahn, isn't it?! We can't just go messing around with normal people!!"
"So what if we do!? Lemme go!!" Anna slammed her fists against Laffite's a**.
"OGYAAAA!!" Laffite growled, but didn't stopp running, as he took two of his own fingers, and retaliated by jabbing them both hard against her own a**. "I told you to stop playing that game!!!"
"Hey watch it, dammit! That isn't a smart thing to do if you want me to be your bride!!!"
"The hell?!?! That's it, I'm completely ignoring you from this point on, dammit!"
Laffite began leaping up between the sides of two buildings, nimbly heading higher and higher while still balancing Anna thrown over his right shoulder.
"...They don't like us... humans..." Anna said softly.
"I know that."
"Meta's also...hate us..." She said more quietly now.
"I know. Don't worry about it, though. Just wait a little longer, things will change...Dummy."
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:18 am
"I always am, Dain...even though we've only been around for a short time...you should really know that by now.." Sunstrike scratched his head and tilted the chair back a bit.
"I know I'm not obligated...I can leave any time, maybe live out in the desert somewhere and be some kind of weird looking hermit. As soon as you mentioned him, though, that severely cut off that probability...I can't hide anywhere from him, Dain...and if I do hide, I'd best have a good excuse for doing so..." Sun got a faraway haunted look. Then he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, chuckling ruefully.
"Maybe I should go check on that idiot...."
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 10:59 am
I can still hear it.
Vahn entered his room, eyes barely open as he stumbled towards his bed, and collapsed face first onto it.
When he came out during the fight with Victor, I was able to drive him away. Images of the half formed mask, that reeked of iron, and was blackened bloodred, and the insane amount of heat he'd been pouring out. He litteraly felt like his entire blood was on fire. He had just barely managed to rip that mask off... Until then, no matter how many times I was injured badly, the mask would always protect me. But after the fight, it suddenly dissapeared.
His right arm crept along side the bed, fingers stretching out as he reached out for his pillow, his vision blurring, as beads of sweat ran down his face. And from that point on...From that point on I've kept hearing him.
The White Vahn... like a bizzaro version of him, that eery face still haunted him, the pure aura of death that he emmitted, without a care in the world. A pure, unchecked Id... Deep inside of me, he's...calling out to me... A soft groan escaped his lips, as he turned his head to the side.
It sounds a lot closer lately. It isn't like a daily thing. His eyes closing, he could hear the continued banging.. feel the shouted words.. often times the whispered words... It's much more than that. But now it sounds even closer than ever. From when I was talking to Laffite.
The white lips continued moving, ceasless in the words that danced out, like tempting, soothing music. I can certainly tell that much, at least.
His hand started to tightly clench at the sheets, bunching them up as his whole body visibly trembled. He wants to swallow me up...erase me... His breathing became more shallow as he tightene dhis eyes shut.
What...What the hell am I supposed to do?!
~~
"And.. who is him?" Dain watched the red-head, carefulyl choosing his words, and how he spoke right now. This was the moment he was waiting for...and he wouldn't have a second chance.
The door to the shop suddenly flung open, the bell at the top ringing madly, and causing Dain to stare at who just all but threw themselves into the shop.
"AH...Excuse me!! Just now..." A Militia guard was in the process of tryign to catch his breath, as he reste dhis hands on his knees, looking towards Dain.
"Oh! What's going on?" Dain asked, alreayd standing up.
"Hey!! Something big is going on, Magistrate Dain!" The guard exclaimed out, now standing up as well and striding briskly over towards the counter.
"Ah?"
"I've been ordered to come get you-- you have to come see for yourself!! They've come."
~1 Minute Earlier~
"Man, today has been more boring than usual... Ah~~hh... bo~ring..." A Militia member was seated behind what appeared to be a desk with controls, and viewscreens, showing camera pictures. Other consoles surrounded him in the room, all occupied by people.
The room appeared to be a control center of sorts for the city.
"The guards haven't reported back anything of interest either... Just the normal crap going on."
"Yea, I know what you mean." Came the reply, before an odd beeping nosie began to fill up the room, causing all it's occupants to stare at the console the beeping was coming from.
"Something showed up on the radar!!"
"!!!"
"Axis 2800-6000...Northern part of the town.. right in front of the main gate!!"
All the others began furiously checking in on their stations, sending out the reports as well as the alerts.
~~
It came crashing from the sky, in a straight downward ark. A thin stream of air parted, creating a narrow beam-like shot visible for miles on end. It impacted straight into the ground, cratering and sending out waves of dust and sand, obliterating the main gate and the unfortunate guards there, as well as any nearby people.
"WHA...WHAT THE?!"
"It looks like something fell over there!"
The yells started up, as anyone not caught in the blast started scrambling over, as well as a small group of guards that had rushed over. Within the centre of the blast, two figures could barely be made out.
As the dust and debris settle down some more, the figures could be more plainly made out. The one in front, was a bit smaller in stature than the one behind him, but then again the one behidn him was a hulking mass of muscle.
The taller one kept his arms folded across his chest, while the one in front merely checked his surroundings. Both figures were dressed in white robes, the hoods of which were pulled down. Strapped securely to thei black sashes around their waists were swords...sword smuch like the Kyonuske weilded.
The figure in front began pulling down the zipper of his collared robe, letting fresh air get in. His entire skin was pale, and he had tousled raven hair. His eyes were yellow and hollow within, what looked like tears of blood frozen in place, lead a straight line down from his eyes and over to the sides of his cheeks. His fingernails were painted a deep black; his entire body lean and gaunt. The remnants of a bloodred mask could be seen hanging half off the left side of his head, ending in a large spinal like bone structure that went over his entire back, like a tail.
His features were human, but the slitted yellow eyes, gave hint that there more to him than meets the eye... His companion looked more like a breed of lizard and human than anything else, a bloodred mask still fixed upon most of his face as well.
The Conquistadors... had come.
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:15 am
Sunstrike had turned around in complete surprise...
"He's..." And then the door slammed, making him jump. He took in the panicked look of the guardsman...heard the story only halfway through before he was moving and talking.
"I'll go get Vahn...be down in a second..."
He took the steps two and three at a time, diving up towards the room. He threw the door open, scanning around before leaping towards the packs and the rest of his clothes, throwing them on, along with the wooden staff he'd been looking for.
Sunstrike looked at Vahn..."We've got trouble...you coming?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 10:52 am
A single man walked out of the desert, stepping foreward towards one of the gates into the city. He wore a large flowing cloak the colour of sand around his body which whipped around with an unseen force of air, his figure blurry in the unnatural sandstorm which followed him as he moved, and those who would peer into the chaos, may just see shadowy figures hidden inside. But it didnt matter as he neared the gate.
It seemed that something was catching most of the cities attention over in the north. Oh well, just more convenient for him. As he neared the gate, he was ordered to halt by one of the guards, and only then, the sandstorm pulled forward, engulfing the figure as it moved over the wall to encompass the entire area. Screams broke through the howling wind, followed by splatters, and then, as the sandstorm moved into the city, it disappated, leaving no trace of the man other than the torn up bodies of the handful of guards stationed at the gate that moment.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:22 am
"Trouble...?"
His stupor broken out of, he lifted his head up and stared towards Sunstrike, eyes a litte red, and his arms a little numb from being laid on top of. He could see how his companion acted with a great deal of urgency, and was wondering just what exactly was going on.
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Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:40 am
Sunstrike froze when he saw Vahn's face.
He was close enough that if he reached out he could almost touch one of Vahn's cheeks softly, and he nearly did. Then Sun caught himself, I don't have time for this, and retracted the hand, turning around and going to the door.
"S'nothing...a little bit of trouble at the main gate or something. Get some rest, I'll be back later on...maybe we'll set up a meeting with Laffite to get you sorted out..."
And he was out the door and down the stairs before a reply came from the bed. If Vahn wanted to follow he was certainly welcome to, but they'd wasted enough time just waiting through the story the first time...for Sunstrike to try and repeat it now.
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Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 2:53 pm
His left hand clentched shut tightly, the entire hand shaking visibly, even as the knuckles whitened. He began to straighten up from the bed, lifting himself up with his other arm.
"..." He stared towards the now empty doorway. Yellowed eyes narrowed briefly as he stared. Just a bother... I can't even help any of them. I want to help-- to help dammit!
Pushing himself off of the bed, his right hand was resting against the side of his leg, andhis figners breifly brushed over the odd little box he ahd bought from that merchant.
"..I want to get stronger... and help everyone." His hand plunged intot he pocket, seeking the item and pulling it out. He stared at it, within the palm of his hand, and snapped it in two, a single reddish iron ring falling out, and clattering to the floor.
"........" Without another word or thought, he tookt he ring, and slipped it on.
He was going to help, even if it killed him.
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Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 3:22 pm
Sunstrike's feet hit the landing.
Truth be told, he felt...odd. He wasn't normally this pressed for a fight, nor was he eager to jump into the front lines. Something was resonating in his mind, was pulling his emotions tighter and tighter. It choked him and forced him out like this, and deep down, he wasn't sure this was right.
His mind was also telling him that this little voice was totally ridiculous! Hadn't he always been this way? Take charge, get the job done, get everyone out of the way. EVERYONE...there were people dying, people he had to protect. He couldn't wait on...anyone.
He ran past Dain and the stunned gaurd, practically a red blur as he hit the street making his way to the dust cloud at the main gate.
There was work to be done.
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