Welcome to Gaia! ::

Malachai let out a quiet chuckle. One thing was for certain: this young girl was an odd one, Sinful or no.

"By all means, feel free. I'll resort to more... conventional food sources. I'm Malachai, by the way. Formerly just a farmboy who became scholar. Came home, found my family dead and my old home burned to the ground, and, in a small pit, a rusty bracer. Here I am, just a few days later, being chased by the church with no one by my side. Well... formerly with no others by my side."

Enough of the life story. Stop being a coward; slit a guard's throat.

Malachai ignored the voice, knowing that he had explained many times the importance of complete planning and development.

"S-single?" Malachai repeated, caught off guard. "Erm... yeah..."

A loud chuckling could be heard within Malachai's mind. Truly, the young one is full of surprises!

Slowly regaining his composure, Malachai hesitantly looked toward the girl. "It's just Malachai, " he said with a polite smile. "And of course I'll be your friend, but as for the bread... I'd prefer not to steal from the poor, if possible."

Malachai, stop worrying about ethics. Everyone wants you dead, just take what you can from anyone.

"It's up to you, just remember this, should we need to run: it's much harder to manipulate the shadows while moving."

Not to mention the fact that you're not one for unplanned detours, Malachai?

"Doesn't matter, " he replied. "Worst case scenario, we do something like this in a more comfortable area. She can get some sleep and I'll stand guard."

The young are not always so weak, Malachai. We know not this girl's nature; she may require little sleep, or she may requir more sleep than the average.

"Aye. We'll figure it out when the time comes, I suppose."

((No worries, I actually prefer to read and write third-person. ^-^))

"Are we going to stick the shadows, or try to walk through the open? I can manage both, but the Church guards could see us in the open. Your decision, " Malachai said, looking over to the girl.

Is it because she is so young that you deviate from your usual attitude? I still cannot come to an accurate conclusion on this.

"Something like that, " Malachai replied. In truth, the hunger was starting to affect him.

Just remember Malachai, she's too young for you.

In response, Malachai pressed his palm to his brow, slowly shaking his head. "Funny how you're the one to turn it into something like that, isn't it?"

Remember what I said about her being too young? It doesn't seem to stop her... Just wait until she wants your trousers for some reason or another and asks you to wait in the light...

"Actually... I can only agree with that, from the looks of things. But anyways, until that time comes, try not to burst my eardrums with your laughter."

No guarantees... But I'll try not to do so.

Quickly stripping off his shirt, Malachai stepped over to the girl, placing it in her hand whilst looking down awkwardly. The entire situation was awkward, really, but Malachai would play along, for the time. Though his body showed no fat, it did notshow muscle, either - a condition which the young girl was sure to notice as the light struck Malachai slightly, forcing the shadows to return to their origin.

"Erm... good luck. If you run into the trouble, try to get back here; I can hied or protect you, if necessary. Oh, and please try not to lose that shirt... THe bracer tends to scratch with nothing beneath it."

May the shadow guide the young one. Young of body, anyways... Of mind is another matter.

((Sorry Minty, .hack//:GU has legal ownership over my soul. Not active in anything right now...))

Serin followed Ryan back to her room, the man turning to leave her to her own devices for the night. He stopped at the door and turned back partly to face her, "Remember, if you need anything then call for me. Tomorrow we can see about hunting down the people that ambushed you." He spoke, nodding to her before taking a step out of the door.

"Wait!" Serin shouted, the urgency in her voice stopping him in his tracks for him to whirl around to face her. The young girl blushing at being so expressive and averting her eyes slightly, "Erm... My grandmother left a blade to me... I've never actually seen the blade, but the hilt was rather simple with a gothic style guard... You said you steal from the merchants to keep food and weapons in this religion?" She asked hesitantly.

The man nodded, "Let me guess, you want to know if we happened to take it with us and if it so, could it be returned to you... right?" He asked only half interested, the young girl nodding shyly at his deduction.

"I'll see what I can find out for you, for now you should get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow." The door was shut and Ryan walked down the hall, the slight narrowing of his eyes being the only indication of something being on his mind.

'Though what the Oracle wants to meet with her for is...' He shook his head slightly and grimaced before turning towards the inventory hold of the recent hauls to see about this blade. He doubted he would ever understand the machinations of the Oracle, but she had never led them astray from the goddess yet...

Now if he could only find out where this blade of hers was... It would be a pleasant surprise he surmised, should she awake to see it. He allowed himself a small smile, yeah.... a pleasant surprise indeed.

ori qalked quietly back, Malachai's shirt wrapped around her holding the food. She looked at the guards and walked up to one. "Excuse me. Mr. Guard."
"Hm?" He looked down abviously bored and sleepy. He'd probably be getting off his shift soon.
The brunette pointed down the road she just came. "I went to visit my friend and her father was saying sinful things."
"Like what?' He was bored, and obviously thinking her talk as childish and something he shouldn't believe.
"He was saying God didn't exist. The saints, the angels." She got teary eyed and looked up at him. "They exist right?"

I believe this is called 'milking it'.

"God doesn't exist?" The other one asked. "Which house was it again? What else was he saying?"
"H-he was just saying God wasn't real and when we die we don't go anywhere. A-And." She looked up at him. "He was also holding onto a necklace and he wouldn't let my friend look at it."
"What did it look like?"
"It-It was reddish."
"I'll go check." The first guard said quickly walking.
"I walked out of the gate!" She said quickly. "That's the easiest entrance."
"Alright thank you Little Lady." The second guard said grinning and patting her head. "Now you can go home alright? What's the food for?"
"I buy the bread from them. Thank you sir!" She ran off happily, and once she was out of site a devious grin grew on her face and her speed increased.

Does a child really kknow how to set up explosives? Sinful asked curiously.

"Just wait. Dad taught us how so--" Immediatly the explosion was heard, causing her to nearly fall. "I gotta hurry before they find me!"

Revenge is a cruel thing Tori. It comes back to haunt you.

"Then let it!" She exclaimed turning into an alley and running behind the buildings. Which one was Malachai in again? She glanced up and behidn her, seeing the black smoke billowing against the dark blue sky, orange dancing among the edges. The smile seemingly grew and she turned back around in search of Malachai.