taron
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[The Honorable Mod of +Anima 101]
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Post by taron on Nov 28, 2009 17:27:22 GMT -5
Actually, Gariel wasnt quite sure why he wanted to know. That was just how curiosity worked. Still, he understood why she wouldnt want to tell him.
'I'm not sure. I suppose i'd like to know if i can be of any assistance' That was one reason. She'd given him enough information such that know he didnt want to leave her alone. This girl was interesting, and he would have liked to have known the reason behind her chain. Perhaps he would ask that later (if she didnt dissapear prematurely). Just how 'extreme' did she mean?
'I just like helping people when i can' he shrugged. It sounded lame, but he spoke with a sincerity in his tone. Another reason which he wasnt keen to admit was that 'battlefield' obviously sounded quite violent, if it was literal. Gariel wouldnt let that pass without some intervention from him.
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shadowswolf
Soilder
I'm not evil, just up to no good.
Posts: 217
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Post by shadowswolf on Nov 28, 2009 17:42:42 GMT -5
Stormcrest took in Gariel's words careful. Deciding that he was not a threat, she relaxed.
"Ah," she said quietly. "I doubt you could help." She laughed, seeing the irony in it. If only he knew....She brushed past Gariel and walked out into the streets again.
"Looks like the soldiers are gone." She frowned. Which meant her target has also moved. Then, to herself, "I hate this stupid job." She glanced back at Gariel, wondering. Maybe he could help....
She scanned the now thickening crowd. People ran back and forth, buying things ro selling things. Then, she saw him. A man with dark piercing eyes, staring right at her, a thick chain around his wrist. He nodded, his arms crossed. Cursing, she looked back at Gariel. Time was running short, and so was her leash.
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taron
Moderator
[The Honorable Mod of +Anima 101]
Posts: 822
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Post by taron on Nov 28, 2009 18:13:35 GMT -5
'I doubt you could help'
Gariel gave one of his distant smiles. 'Well...help is something strange; you cannot predict it or make assumptions. Sometimes you dont even realise you need it, until you are recieving it' That was an odd concept even to Gariel, but in his mind he meant that help came in all shapes and sizes, and wasnt always physical.
When she looked back at him, he noticed the change in her. Had something happened in the split second since their last words? He couldnt see anything, and was starting to worry about Chiera and this situation of hers.
'What is it?' he asked quietly, so only she could hear. Moving up beside her, his gaze ran across the street. The soldiers had indeed gone, so what had startled her? Well..more like angered. He wouldnt have liked to be on the recieving end of her glare.
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shadowswolf
Soilder
I'm not evil, just up to no good.
Posts: 217
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Post by shadowswolf on Nov 28, 2009 21:02:54 GMT -5
Storm touched his elbow lightly and moved to he other side of him. "Follow, but stay behind just enough so that it looks like we are only going in the same direction."
Then, slipping away, she merged into the crowd. She hoped Gariel had listened to his advice and was following behind. If the man had noticed any interaction between them, Gariel might be in danger. She lifted her chin ever so slightly, her hand positioned on her sword.
She actually liked Gariel, not like the giggling girls, but as a person. His willingness to help others...
"I guess I have a little of that in me," sighed Storm. She turned into the hotel.
"Room Eight," Storm said to the man at the desk. As expected, the man gave her the key immediatley.
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taron
Moderator
[The Honorable Mod of +Anima 101]
Posts: 822
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Post by taron on Nov 29, 2009 10:50:07 GMT -5
Gariel wanted to ask why he had to stay away, but she'd already gone ahead. He bit his lip, waiting for her to move a good distance, and then followed.
When she turned into the hotel, he almost laughed. Typical, that he'd end up back where he started. He'd acheived nothing since his departure. Actually...he supposed meeting Chiera wasnt 'nothing'. Sighing, Gariel went inside, hoping the man at the counter wouldnt think him strange for returning so soon.
The girl was occupying room 8, by the sounds of it. Gariel wasnt sure if he was to follow as far as the room, or wait here. Well...while she was in there (if she didnt want him there also) he could go and do other things. Still, why did she let him follow, only to turn him away at the last mark. Ugh...confusing. What he really needed was some winter clothes. Sailand wasnt as cold as Asteria, but enough that being outside was uncomfortable. Maybe he had enough money for a scarf or something...
He leant against the wall in the lobby, trying to prioritise things.
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shadowswolf
Soilder
I'm not evil, just up to no good.
Posts: 217
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Post by shadowswolf on Nov 29, 2009 11:17:29 GMT -5
Storm fiddled with the key in her hands, feeling its rough edge. She walked over to Gariel.
"Sorry, I had to make sure...no one was following us." She glanced towards the door. "I had to get the key in case I couldn't come back." She held it up, studying it. It was exactly the sort of thing she would bring back after her trips to show Ryker, something to show him that was from the outside world.
"Anyways," continued Storm slowly, "I thought the lobby is a good place to talk, especially since that guy over there is half deaf and blind."
She sat down in one of the chairs, holding the key firmly in her hand. Checking the door again, and watching as the man walked walked into a room in the back of the hotel, she said, "I saw someone I know, and I can't stay here anymore." Well, that was part of the truth. But if Gariel knew her real reasons for leaving town so soon, he'd probably try to stop her or something.
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taron
Moderator
[The Honorable Mod of +Anima 101]
Posts: 822
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Post by taron on Nov 29, 2009 11:36:15 GMT -5
Oh good, Chiera hadnt forgotten about him. What he did wonder though, was why she would need the key if she didnt come back? Surely if she wasnt planning on returning, to take the key would be stealing? He'd have something to say about that.
So she'd seen someone outside, and it had shaken her somewhat. Well everyone had their own problems, and Gariel could tell she was holding back most of the story. If she needed to leave, then she needed to leave. Gariel just decided things on a daily basis. He didnt really have any ties to this town (though the prospects of a job had brought him here initially). With his wings, however, it wouldnt take long to find another town.
Instead of asking why, he went for a slightly off-the-point question. 'Do you have everything you require, then? For leaving, i mean'
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shadowswolf
Soilder
I'm not evil, just up to no good.
Posts: 217
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Post by shadowswolf on Nov 29, 2009 14:44:58 GMT -5
Chiera looked up, confused. "Things? What things?" Her face darkened, remembering that Gariel wasn't a plus anima like her. Plus anima didn't have the right to own anything, at least in her world.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, remembering that he thought that she was a traveler, not a slave. "Yeah, I have everything."
At that moment, the old man came stumbling out of the back room. "Okay, okay. Yes, right away." He sounded scared, and confused. He moved around the counter and towards the two, handing Chiera a crumpled piece of paper. "This is fer you," stammered the man.
Chiera swallowed. "Does it need a reply?"
"Soon as possible," whispered the man, handing her a writing utensil before running back behind the counter.
She opened flattened out the paper, forgetting Gariel was right there. In spidery handwriting, it read: Out of time. We're waiting.
Storm stared at the paper.
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taron
Moderator
[The Honorable Mod of +Anima 101]
Posts: 822
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Post by taron on Nov 29, 2009 14:57:19 GMT -5
Gariel smiled upon hearing that Chiera had everything she needed, but soon the smile faded when a rather flusterred inkeeper reappeared, hurrying over to them. This is fer you...
Gariel couldnt help glancing at her paper gift, quickly reading the message. Though he had no idea what the story behind it was, the message sounded cold and forboding. Out of time. For what? She'd mentioned she was in a hurry before, but now, whatever she'd had to do, apparently there was no time left. It could have been something silly, like running a few errands for her family, but somehow he didnt think so. This appeared more like a threat...
Chiera wouldnt take her eyes of the words for a long while, and it was beginning to worry him more than a little.
'Um...Chiera, may i ask, whats going on?' He felt like putting his hand on her shoulder, but wasnt sure yet how she would react to something like that.
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shadowswolf
Soilder
I'm not evil, just up to no good.
Posts: 217
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Post by shadowswolf on Nov 29, 2009 17:29:32 GMT -5
Storm glanced up sharply. "Uh..." she looked back down at the paper, confused. Had she gotten the date wrong? It couldn't be time already? She shuttered, thinking of what would happen to her as punishment. They obviously weren't going to cut her any slack, now that their trust had evaporated. Why did she have to ruin everything? Instead of writing a response, she shoved the paper in her pocket. What would happen to her now? She couldn't run away again. They knew where she was.
For once in her life, she needed someone's help.
She looked back at Gariel. "Cages, they're looking for me. I missed my mark, and they'll take me back...."
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taron
Moderator
[The Honorable Mod of +Anima 101]
Posts: 822
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Post by taron on Nov 30, 2009 12:48:11 GMT -5
Cages...I missed my mark...
Gariel was deeply confused, and concerned. Cages...they as in the objects were not uncommon in a country of slave traders, which raised new questions about Chiera. Her face, though she was still making an attempt to hide it, displayed how she was feeling, and it wasnt good. He thought fast, wondering what he might be able to do. It was more than a little difficult when he didnt have a clue what he was up against, and still didnt really know what was going on. Having said this, if there was one thing Gariel was really good at, it was dealing with tricky situations.
'So we need to leave immediately then' he said, getting up off the seat and turning to her. 'Unless of course, you want them to 'take you back'?'
If she was indeed a slave on the run, it was likely she was a +anima. There was no time to wonder what kind though. 'Want to confront these people?' Gariel always gave the enemy a chance and tried to negotiate. Just running wouldnt really solve much. 'Come on'
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shadowswolf
Soilder
I'm not evil, just up to no good.
Posts: 217
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Post by shadowswolf on Nov 30, 2009 13:23:07 GMT -5
Storm blinked. "Where are we going?" She got up from her seat, glancing back towards the counter. She looked down at her chain. "You seem like an okay person, so I'll tell you...I'm a slave. My master is powerful and runs and underground arena where they pit animas against each other, usually to the death. He gets a lot of money from it." She shook her foot gently, watching the chain move with it. "Luckily I've only been in the arena once, before I was assigned to a different job."
She sighed. "If I go back to the Cages, they'll bring me to the arena as punishment for failing my mission."
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taron
Moderator
[The Honorable Mod of +Anima 101]
Posts: 822
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Post by taron on Nov 30, 2009 13:42:19 GMT -5
Gariel smiled, but was also rather sorry that his theory had been correct. She was a slave, poor girl. The idea of making +animas fight to the death was sickening. Fighting itself was sickening, but making +animas do it, just because of what they were. He shuddered out of disgust.
'I wont let you be punished, but what was your mission?' No one deserved punishement unless they'd sinned, and failing a mission wasnt sin, everyone failed once in a while. Everyone made mistakes. Still, how could he judge without knowing the true nature of this 'mission'?
'We're going to see these 'cages', whether they are aware or not' He sensed that she was object, but was not thrown off. 'I want to examine the situation further; they dont have to know, but i would like to speak with someone' he couldnt let something like this pass without his input. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her to the counter. Maybe the old man would know....'Dont suppose you'd know where the people went? whoever wrote the message?' he asked Chiera.
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shadowswolf
Soilder
I'm not evil, just up to no good.
Posts: 217
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Post by shadowswolf on Nov 30, 2009 17:02:14 GMT -5
Storm shrugged away from the counter. "They'll find me before I find them. And if talking to them would help, Gariel, I would have done it years ago. There's no point. Anyone who isn't a plus anima that runs across them gets hurt, any anima get shipped back to the arena. They don't talk. After all, they make a good deal of money just from one run."
She pulled him away from the counter. "Don't worry, they'll find me whether I like it or not." She fiddled with her key, studying it closely. "If I don't return on time, the Cages will send second-trackers after me to bring me back. I'm a first-tracker, I go out and steal what I need to steal, hunt what I need to hunt. Usually its just something in general like finding plus anima to resupply the arena. Others its sneaking into the King's castle itself and stealing a precious jewel or two. Sometimes, like this mission, I have to find a specific something or someone."
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taron
Moderator
[The Honorable Mod of +Anima 101]
Posts: 822
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Post by taron on Dec 1, 2009 12:29:32 GMT -5
'Nonsense!' Gariel replied cheerfully, not put off. Everyone can be made to talk. She wasnt looking forward to this encounter though, he could see. To be honest, Gariel himself was more than a little worried, but more about the situation in general, rather than their own little problem. Being made to steal? His eyes narrowed when she spoke of that, but if she was being ordered to do it, or face punishment, he couldnt blame her. This story was sounding more and more worse with each sentence, and the whole thing angered him.
'Finding +anima to resupply the arena...' he repeated, almost spitting the words. 'How disgusting'. Glaring at nothing in particular, Gariel grabbed her hand again and made his way outside. No point hanging around the counter if these people would come anyway, wherever they went.
'Well anyway' he said, bright and peppy again. 'What special something are you looking for this time?'
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