<strong>Lionel Porter<br/>Time; Early Afternoon, Day 1<br/>Location;  Library<br/>Tagged; Giselle</strong><br/><br/>Lionel smiled softly as Giselle weeped into his fur, surprisingly it soaked them up like a sponge; must have been that new moisturiser he was using, but never mind. Fact was she got all that baggage, all that pent up stress out somehow, and he didn't mind her beating on his chest at all, anything to get the emotions out. They didn't bruise, but by Zenithia did they hurt; he really wanted that Miracle Elixir now. Giselle then looked into his eyes with ones much more brighter, which made him smile; she looked much better when she had a really sincere smile on her face, the look suited her...and everyone else really. "Giselle, my dear, I'm pure Leo-Sapien; I'm just a domesticated kitty cat paladin. And believe me when I say this, though you have years, you don't age as much as us Leo-Sapiens. Fact is, though I am younger, I too am older...it is confusing, I know, but never mind that now." Lionel let out a little snigger at the end of that sentence, unsure where he was going or what he was doing with it at all. Well, at least me managed to stop it in its tracks before he went on a ridiculous rant.<br/><br/>"Nonsense. Giselle, you letting out your emotions is beautiful, as is anyone else's. I'm just glad it didn't eat up too much of you." Lionel said in response to her calling herself a mess, finding no harm done in it. After all, he was a friend, and friends don't judge on looks. He was quite glad he had gotten to know Giselle better than his prejudiced note on her when he saw them enter Arcania; he knew if he didn't then he wouldn't have even considered being anything more than colleagues. And now look where they were, she was crying into his shoulder and opening so many closed doors to him. Anyways, she then went on to say she saw him as a one night fling? Well, saw, but now unsure of what to think. Lionel couldn't believe she looked at him in that way, and then she went on to say love. Lionel had to put an end to it, so firmly holding Giselle's shoulders Lionel said "Listen carefully. You're emotionally distraught, and very vulnerable. You're a wonderful woman, no questions, and very beautiful. But we both know eventually, at some point, we will split paths. You don't need to go through heartbreak again Giselle. What you need is me to be a friend, alright? No love, nothing of the sort; it'll be nothing more than a painful trip spiralling into disaster. Giselle, I look at you as a friend, but if I was to look at you as a man- well, Leo-Sapien, I'd...well, let me put it this way. If I wasn't the man I am now, I'd sleep with you as much as I possibly could, because that is how beautiful you are, both inside and out. But we must keep it as friends, alright?"<br/><br/>This was quite painful for the Leo-Sapien; he had just ejected one smoking hot piece when she had her guard down. But what kind of paladin would do such a thing? Certainly not an 11 Blade, one who's triumph over temptation would allow his clear judgement. But she seemed sad, and she did seem quite defenseless, as a result of his compassion, so he had to rebuild those defenses...and he knew just how. Lionel cleared his throat and smirked at Giselle as he said "Now...our debate! Fact is, you chose to come up there with me not to help me but your own free will! So, that way, I see that so far I'm in your debt for help...wait, I forget, am I arguing for me in your debt and you vice-versa? Or is it the otherway around?" he spotted that fire in her eye when he struck up this intellectual battle, and from what Lionel had gathered, if there was one way to make Giselle more like herself, it would b competition. "Now, Giselle, I need to ask you a favour. See, the thing is, I miss my strength dearly. I want it back, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Fact is, I want to fight you at my full potential when you too are at that state. I'm glad the baggage is gone for now, because now you can fight me without distractions, but though you're ready, I'm not. I need to get my strength back if I'm to fight you, which from your fiery nature, which does appeal to me, I can tell will be one worth waiting for."