Outskirts

[H4X]

"Oh, I can find her. I just figured we were going to go it solo later. I mean what exactly would making Ishira complete do?"
She tilted her head back, completely ignoring the power display.

"Listen, plain and simple I don't care."
The temprature around them seemed to drop.
Her eyes were dark.
Most noticeable would be the tainted feel that floated around in the air.

"Ishira ******** up on her own. Knowing her she's probably upset at betraying Reeve. IT does NOT mean she's unable to control her actions."

She turned her head away from them.  

[H4X]

"You're right about one thing, I don't care about her feelings."

"She lied to us and you're just a facet of her that's been separated from the rest. Your word is as worthless as hers because of her actions. In reality I figure keeping you as far away from her as I can is the best option."

Lina threw the screen she had pulled at Reeve. It was a map that turned three Dimensional and had a blinking red dot.
"That map is accurate to within four hundred feet of her current position. They will realize soon that she's been bugged."

She turned back to Iris.
"You shouldn't assume I can't understand her pain. She told me she had four hundred years to her name. I have ten thousand two hundred and thirty seven years, five days exactly to this body. Combined with that is Fourteen thousand, three hundred and sixty three years of total memories. If you really believe in all that time I haven't broken someone's heart and regretted it then you truly are blind. Though people always choose to be short sighted, assuming that the universe revolves around their emotional drama crap till they grow out of it, though I assumed she would have passed teenage drama by now."

"I doubt they'll want my help anyway. Reeve if you get captured or fight heavy equipment I'll give support. But I will not help Ishira just because of another sob story. Especially one belonging a facet that will just be used against us once she recovers it."  

[H4X]

She put her jacket sleeves together and then pulled out the extended hilt, re-attached to her machete.
"I doubted you want the full cleaver anyway, and it's locked down so don't try detaching the blade."

She then tossed him her kunai, shuriken, and nin-wire pouches. After a second thought she pulled a micro scroll with several spare sets of pouches, and sections labeled as scrap metal then tossed it to him.
"That's more then I'd risk if it was anyone else going that close to Neko. I'll leave it to you."

She started walking away, deliberately walking past Adara and stopping to her side for a moment.
"If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha.
If you meet your father, kill your father.
Free of everything, you are bound by nothing.
Live the life that is given to you."

She kept walking.  

[H4X]

Lina sighed and left them. Deciding to be flashy in her departure. Two seperate Rai Shushins left the area when she departed.  

[H4X]

Two people were walking through the woods on the outskirts, just a few miles walk from the Rai dojo. Rather one of the two people was walking, the other had somehow managed to be perfectly still on the man’s head. It was the blond haired fox-girl who was standing on-top of the man’s head. It was obvious he didn't know at first given how after a few moments the man turned a few different directions he felt something off. When he finally tilted his head down she had took a step back, the sun high overhead resolving their shadows into one.

“You realize how immature this is of course?”

“You say to the dream-walker, who’s had seven-thousand five-hundred fewer years then you.” Was a retort that came from elsewhere in the woods. The girl’s lips had never moved, but her eyes twinkled a bit. Something didn’t fit about the voice, it was still female in its nature, but it didn’t fit those who knew the body. It seemed to be a bit forced, in a way of someone who wasn’t used to their vocal chords.

“But I do have something to offer you.” The girl stayed on his head, having retained her position as he lifted his head, looking through the woods, she had cracked a smile. Her words had seemed far too teasing as an effect of this.

“Why do I care what offers you make me, nothing you have is worth my interest. Am I correct?”

“But Everything I say should be of interest to you, after all if you’re a copy of your master doesn’t that mean you’re stuck listening to everything? Won’t you take every challenge I give you and somehow still match me like he did, no matter the stupidity I make him follow?” Her golden eyes closed, her smile looking somewhat disturbing now, the light glinting off her fangs. She knew something it seemed and yet she still didn’t tell him anything of use. She tilted her head to the side, looking out towards the direction of the Kaze dojo.

“So, share these words then? Less I tire of this conversation and prove I am no mere copy.”

“Kill her, do it in-front of Ishira. That eclipse will be sooner than expected, but still waiting for it won’t accomplish anything of value for you.” Her words were calm and practiced. Every word seemed to convey different emotions.

“And why would you ask this? What is there to gain from my killing someone? How would my attempt be of any use to you given your bond? Wouldn’t this create pain for you? I know you would just bring her back eventually, so why exactly would you want this, and why would I want to help?”

“Some things aren’t expendable. I have more pieces then you, but what reason would you have to avoid my words? You will eventually stop playing with her and go for the kill, it’s your nature, and it’s your master’s orders after all, or did you think the link you abuse only worked one way?” Her head turned down to look at him. Her clothing shifted into a very plain red yukata that seemed a bit off on the figure. She dropped to the ground next to the Demon, giving away her position by the clack of wooden sandals on the road. She flicked her hand and a straw hat formed before she put it on her head. She kept walking, ignoring the demon’s reaction.

“Not the most brilliant idea, I do agree, but still it works for my fighting the owner of that body, after all she has no way to figure that out, and even with the knowledge you and I both know the link won’t work as she wishes. I still ask you, why should I do any of what you ask?”

She turned back to him, noticing how he had stopped. Her eyebrow rose as she looked at him. The effect on her face showed amusement at his answer. “I only answer that you and I both know you need it to happen, those are your orders, those are your restrictions. It is what binds you to this place, and once she passes on you’ll be free to live several lifetimes doing as you please. Your master made you for no other reason than revenge, while I made my decision for reasons you would never understand demon-spawn. Likewise you never can understand why find I must tell you when your chance will be. If you don’t go for the opportunity I suggest I find you’ll miss your opportunity. She will die, she has to die by the hand of someone with that face, and given yours is the only version with those scars I do believe it is your chance. Memory will be lost, things will fade, and you will find your master displeased with your actions should you ignore my words. He knew when the time for games was, and when it was the time that action needed to be taken, and while I still hate the very existence of that thing I respect that about it.”

“You still refuse to give me answers. You still have nothing to offer me.”

“But I do have something to offer that you already accepted, or would you rather I took it back? You already knew you needed it for your plans, but did you ever know why you knew that?” She smiled as the hat tilted down to cast a shadow over her face as she keeled down, picking up a stone from the ground. She calmly avoided giving any of her attention to the demon. She threw the stone over her shoulder; the sound of a metal sheath receiving an impact would give a clear message on its own. Even though the message was clear three small lights still formed around the blade, each looking like a small wisp. They vastly different from each other beyond the basic image they each created as they moved over to the blonds’ open hand. Her eyes tilted up, the gold animalistic eyes and several of her traits seeming different for a moment as she grasped the wisps. They were gone the moment she released her hand. The wisps still floated, almost like they were watching events unfold.

“You can take some of the blade, but if I destroy the vessel then you still leave now”

“And then you would accomplish even less than if you ignored me.” She was adjusting the yukata. Even though it was a manifestation of some sort it still seemed as though she had sized it improperly for her form, or perhaps she was purposefully showing skin to the demon who many knew had no self control.

“You disgust me with that body. I’ll take my leave, unless you have something useful to say to me.”

She yawned and let the wisps return to the weapon. “I have nothing of value to those with no patience.”

“And I have no patience for those who would play games like this for no reason.”

She tilted her head to the side, looking away from the fire that rose as the Demon departed.

“Now I need something, something to remember, something to tie me to times of old. My part is to forget everything, but I will take something.”
She looked through her supplies, and then spared a quick glance at several objects. She smiled when she noticed it; it was a small chipped fang on a necklace. She sniffed it several times then grinned as she seemed to confirm what she wanted to know. She lay back on the ground looking up at the sky, concentrating intently. She blinked once and the sky was still blue, she blinked again and still there were clouds in the sky. She blinked again, the clouds had changed ever so slightly, but still she closed her eyes again. The sky was a burnt orange, but the sun still sat high in the sky. She closed her eyes for the final time. This time she didn’t have to open her eyes to see.

There were two bright lights in the sky, each looking smaller then the sun. The clouds were fewer, and as her head tilted back she could see sand dunes for miles. She tilted her head up, brushing silver hair so dirty that it looked a sandy brown. The tangled mess only moved slightly. Her hand brushed around the ground before she picked up a large blade. As it was tilted up the sand slowly drifted down the weapon. It seemed she had been in the desert longer than expected. Something kept flickering into the back of her mind but she ignored it, whatever it was had to wait. She had rested too long. She needed to collect it before she could finally end this journey. It was too much to let remain in any one person’s control.
She walked, the armor she wore was weathered heavily, and it seemed that sand had torn at the metal for many years. The armor had been highly polished at some point recently given the material had been made smooth again. Given the hair that kept drifting back into the woman’s face as she walked it was not unlikely that something had changed the routine. As she climbed a large dune she stopped and turned back in the direction she had come from. Smoke was rising into the sky off in the distance, the fire was extremely large, and it was far enough to where some might think it was a smaller fire that was closer. If only she knew what the scene was like at the ground.

Swaths had been cut into the earth, in several places molten rock was flowing freely throughout the crevices in the ground. Buildings had been turned to ash within moments of the first spark. The heat was enough to kill within moments. There were small random explosions appearing in the air with no warning. No bodies lay in the streets, but the meaning was not happy as most might expect.
One figure was walking out of the mess; it was the woman in her armor. She was still a mess, but seemed cleaner given the lack of sand covering her body. As she walked she was sweating heavily. Her armor was normal in every way, and as such it wasn’t helping her movements as she made her way out of the burning ruins.
An explosion went off within a few feet and she slid. The explosion had been stopped by a shield of some sort. She adjusted the pack on her armor. Three large crystals were attached to a machine of some sort. It seemed to have been a rushed job. The crystals all were glowing orange, organic metal patterns ran along the outside of the three crystals. They rested in poorly fitted slots on the device, sitting lengthwise. Her eyes were unfocused as she made her motions. They were nearly lifeless, but she kept walking. Each crystal seemed to be darkening slowly. The shield never turned off, but it only flared into the visible when something of substantial force impacted. As she passed the ruined gates she felt a wave of nausea. She stared at the various sized small fires on the streets. The heat was lessoned here as there were no signs of the swaths that had cut into the earth. She had emptied the contents of her stomach already. Still she found herself suffering dry heaves at some of the scenes that were presented. The smoke that was becoming a nuisance decreased her vision The scenes only became worse as she walked, bumping into things that weren’t burning still, and she rapidly was losing that habit deciding to walk over the flames and relying on the shield, soon desensitized to the entirety of the carnage before her.
She turned her head back as she passed the outer walls. She felt some disgust as she looked back in. Standing proud still was an impossibly large tree, made of some metal that seemed to withstand the heat with no effort. There were several fires that had broken out on the various branches and all around the base of the tree, but it still stood there, she felt proud it still stood as a way to mock the ones who had caused this, but no, it wasn’t something she should applaud, it needed to fall, it had fallen then the war would have ended with a surrender, if that still stood then everything would continue. Not even it’s capture would deter those who would rally behind the banner. The world needed change, not the chaos that symbol would bring through conflict.

She shook her head. She didn’t need the memories of that experience. She shouldn’t have the memories of that experience. It wasn’t part of this, it didn’t happen like that, and yet there it was for all to see. Her mind screamed out at how this couldn’t have happened, it seemed wrong in so many ways, other memories still drifted through from the vision. Ones from before the bodies had left the streets, and even ones from when the inhabitants still were among the living for several moments after the destruction. A final memory seemed to appear, someone she felt she knew, and yet knew she had never meet. The man had turned the pack on at the last moment before everything around her went to white. She knew she should feel more then the small feelings she always had over the needless sacrifice.

She closed her eyes again, returning slowly to this dream world. She had descended from the large dune and kept walking. Her path crossed an old fortress, it seemed damaged long ago, but another image overlapped, one where the walls were still solid, one where there still stood a large watch tower in the middle of the structure. She then saw the tower falling, destroyed as something swept through the fortress, dark lines spreading along the ground. She remembered a large disc falling from the sky into the north wall, being deflected into the east wall by pure luck after its landing.
Her eyes opened and she sighed, looking at the fang. Her mind cleared and she took a last glance before cursing. It seemed the images she was seeing were not of her expectations. They held nothing of value to her as none of them could be real.
“It seems the dreamer cannot enter a dream without tainting it with fiction. My time likely begins to run short. I suppose I should return this body given her modifications effects with distance and control.”
She stood up, brushing the grass off her yukata and donning the straw hat. Her sandals clicked against the ground as she made her way towards the Rai dojo. Her landing point had not been chosen without some purpose. Her mind wandered as she walked. Something that she knew was a bad sign for her time limitations.

“Things have to change, nothing I can do will make the changes, but likewise I must lead them down this course. Whatever I desire to happen has no meaning behind it. It all ends with death, but that’s how these stories go. Nothing to tie everything together and you live life as if it was a comedy.”
She tilted her head, glancing back towards the Kaze dojo as she walked, keeping her slow pace towards the Rai dojo. She had time to spare at the very least, but this body needed to be reclaimed soon. It was never meant to be separated for long under this variation.
“But I see nothing funny about what happens now, nothing about what will happen next has any humor in it. Everything always will fall apart, life always is a joke in the end, but now I don’t see it. Watching this seems almost a reversal from the norm.”
Her words slowly became quieter as she kept speaking to herself. Her mind clearly was fading away quickly.