The path to redemption (ST & TDM)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: SargentToughie on 12-11-2011, 03:26:48</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 03:26:48</strong>
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				The lone warrior walked slowly down the dirt trail that would lead him into town. He didn't know what the name of the town was, nor did he really care for that matter. It was a place that would be able to provide a warm meal and a bed, and as long as he was able to get both of those out of the place, he would be happy. He wore a pair of pitch black trousers with a silver shirt. On his arms were slim leather gloves that came to about his elbows, and his boots were similarly slim, and came up his calves. He had the appearance of a traveler about him, though he didn't carry any weapons, and nothing else on his person other then a small pouch of food that was strapped to his back.<br><br>His hair was dark brown, and his face was completely hidden beneath a dark blue and green mask. There were shadows where the eye sockets were, so not even eye color was visible, if somebody tried to look into his eyes, they would see only the blackness of the abyss. He was a man that walked with a shattered sense of purpose, clearly only moving because his legs refused to let him stop. There seemed to be no sense of hope within him, no light, no optimism, no life anywhere to be found.<br><br>He turned his head off to the side, surprised to see a rather lovely shrine maiden not too far away from him, she seemed to be occupying her time picking herbs or something like that, he didn't really take the time to pay much attention to her before he resumed his walking. However, his attention was promptly turned back when he saw some sort of massive creature suddenly lunging out at the maiden, seeking to turn the woman into it's next meal.<br><br>Without taking the time to think about rather or not he cared, the traveler rushed forward and put himself between the woman at the beast, summoning a pure red longsword to his left hand as he parried the beast's rush and set it recoiling back a few feet in pain.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 17:02:39</strong>
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				She would be the one chosen that day to go and gather the much needed healing herbs that were needed for the aiding of the villagers as well as the members of the shrine she served. She had set out with a number of other girls ...about 9 others and they had agreed to search separately and come back as a group within an hours time. The spot she had chosen was a good one and she was able to find almost all the herbs she needed easily enough and carefully put them into the basket. It was a good thing to since soon enough the winter months would be coming and herbs would become hard to find and even purchase. Many people got sick then too due to how harsh the weather could get and would flock to the shrine in large numbers for food and healing. She would hum a little as she worked, her friendly brown eyes reflecting the sunlight as the warmth of the sun kissed her bronzed skin. She was a quiet girl who was headstrong, yet kind and always ready to help those in need.<br><br><br>She had been left there by her family to learn the ways of a maiden after they discovered her abilities and promised to visit her when they could. They had been able to keep their word for awhile and then the visits would taper off, making her wonder what she had done wrong. It would never be clear to her until the visits had stopped that the shrine wanted her family to leave her under the care completely to further her training since they saw she had much more potential than they had originally believed. At first she had rebelled and threatened to leave even if she had to fight her way out. Once they saw that she was determined to not do anything they said, an agreement had been reached that once she reached a certain point they would allow them back and with that she would agree. So while she had not seen them in a while she was at least getting letters and small gifts to let her know they loved her still and would see her soon. That was what drove her to work harder than ever to build both her warrior and holy skills.<br><br><br>All of this would be coursing through her head as she worked, only being snapped out of it when she felt an overwhelming presence coming in fast. She only had time to drop her nearly full basket and turn to see a creature coming in fast, it's mouth wide with deadly looking teeth and ready to eat. Pretty sure it wasn't coming to eat herbs either. Cursing the fact that she had lain her sword/arrows to the side propped against a tree, she prepared herself to fight with what power she had and knew she could do damage to it with the spiritual energy she had. It would slow it down enough to allow her a chance to grab her weapons..........she hoped.<br><br><br>As she went to take a chance and send out a blast, she was caught in the shadow of a man who seemed to come out of nowhere.Well.............she was&nbsp; not about to question it now.........taking the chance she bolted the short run to grab her own weapons and choosing the bow and arrow she notched it and letting out a loud yell, released it with a blaze of power trailing behind striking the creature in the side and making it roar in a rage as it staggered for a moment and then steadied ready to kill her and the new person who had stopped it's meal.<br><br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 18:37:46</strong>
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				The warrior looked over, surprised to see that the person that he had jumped over to save was completely and totally capable of defending herself without his help. He considered just leaving her to it for about a half a second, before he decided that he had already gone in this far, so he may as well just finish off the beast and be on his way. When the enchanted arrow hit the beast in the side, causing it to stagger violently, it barely had enough time to recover before he suddenly jumped upwards and summoned a giant spear where his blade was a few moments ago. Quickly, he snapped it down and sliced into the beast's neck. Just for safe measure, to make sure that it wouldn't be getting back up, the spear vanished and was replaced with a battle axe, which the warrior sent right into the skull of the downed creature, which would resoundingly ensure that it was dead.<br><br>The battle axe vanished, and the warrior stepped up to the maiden that he had rescued, if he had actually rescued her, anyway.<br>"Be more careful."<br><br>And with that, he turned to leave her, not intending to say anything more to the stranger.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 18:50:01</strong>
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				&nbsp;Seeing the creature slain by the stranger, Tsubaki was grateful and curious. Where had this man come from and why was he about to just walk off like nothing had happened? She heard his warning,&nbsp; his voice coming out soft and somewhat weary like he was tired and worn out from the traveling he was doing. Surely she could not let him just walk away without giving him her thanks and inviting him back to the shrine for a small meal and some rest before he was on his way right? That was the least she could and would do for him, whether he accepted it or not.<br><br>"Wait! Umm....thank you for your help. You gave me a chance to at least run and grab my weapons thought the shrine taught me better than to leave them sitting around. If it wasn't for you then who knows what might have happened.Please..........let me at least make sure you are okay and thank you properly for your help. I'm Tsubaki from the Origimi Shrine. Who are you?" Her hand extended in a warm and friendly way.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 19:07:41</strong>
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				The traveler turned around when he heard her soft words of thanks, not quite expecting them out of somebody like her. No, he was simply content to travel the world alone in exile, never making up for the mistakes he had made in the past, they weren't worth it anyway. Still, a free meal and a place to rest for the day was enough appeal to the young man to get him coming back to see what she had to offer. He ignored her hand, instead just speaking in a low voice. "My name is irrelevant... if you must call me something..."<br><br>He paused before looking around, seeing a hunted bird of prey laying dead on the ground several feet away.<br>"... Talon."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 19:14:31</strong>
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				Giving a slight frown at rude he was being, she lowered her had slowly. Maybe he was one of those people who didn't like to be touched or something. Well that was okay. Still he had helped her and she was going to repay him. "Well then Talon we had better be going. I have to get these herbs back to the shrine to store for the winter healing and also get the meal for the evening started. The monks in training as well as our teachers would not like me or the others being late." She had already gathered her basket and had turned to meet the others who were waiting ahead. "Just follow me and we will be there soon. I am sure that the elders will want to thank you for your help as well." Her face all smiles again. Maybe he just need some friends and company was all. Wandering could do a lot to a person if they did it to long without seeing people.<br><br><br>She turned and began to skip ahead light on her feet as she began to hum. If he wanted to talk then they would, if not she would leave him to his own thoughts.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 19:21:29</strong>
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				Talon would remain quiet as he followed the woman back to town. He wondered how somebody could be so happy and cheerful all the time, he had never really seen anybody quite as energetic as her before. However, it wasn't like he cared enough to really press the matter at all, he'd just join them for dinner, crash at the inn, and be out of the town before the sun rose. He didn't want to bother anybody by sticking around more then he had to, he'd likely just end up bringing tragedy onto whatever village he tried to stay at, he was rather good at doing that.<br><br>He remained all but completely mute on the trip back to town.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 19:29:14</strong>
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				Tsubaki had easily caught up with the other girls and told them of what had just happened making them squeal with shock and delight as they looked back at the stranger and released a series of giggles. They&nbsp; could laugh and be themselves outside but once in the shrine they were expected to be more quiet and subdued. Tsubaki hated that, but knew soon enough she would be able to leave and behave the way she wanted. She hated being glum and quiet a lot of the time. The stranger was not saying one word and he was hard to describe seeing as he was covered as though he was trying to hide himself. Was he hurt or horribly scarred or something? If so, she could help him. She was a rather skilled healer now and she could undo most things that would disfigure a human body and most non human bodies as well. <br><br><br>Seeing as she was saying nothing and the shrine was now right up ahead, she slowed to meet his pace."Here we are.Origimi Shrine and you are most welcome to be here. We will see to your needs for food and shelter for the night and if you wish to leave a monk will escort you out. I do not know if I will be able to see you again once we get there so I want to say thank you once more and if I can do anything on my own to help...........please tell me." Her voice sincere.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 19:32:32</strong>
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				"..." Talon just gave her a brief nod before he started to walk forward. He started to notice something rather odd though, something about the tone in that woman's voice, the look in her eye, seemed to speak to him in a way that he didn't fully expect. Part of him wanted to see her happy, wanted to see that smile and hear that energetic tone in her voice again, but that was only a small part of him, a fraction of his heart that yearned to move on while the majority of him was still stuck in the pits of exile.<br><br>He stayed by her side though, seeing her as his impromptu tour guide as he moved towards the shrine. "I'll... keep that in mind."
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 19:52:42</strong>
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				The shrine (http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t178/liertosasuke/Japanese%20Stuff/Japanese_Lake.jpg) would be surrounded by water on one side making the sight a beautiful one as well as calming. Tsubaki&nbsp; was her happiest when she was allowed to simply think and be alone but there was not a whole lot of time&nbsp; now that they were getting ready for the upcoming months. Those would prove to be trying and tiring for her as well as the others who were training there. The other maidens as well as monks in training would be called on for their healing skill as well as fighting skill for where raiders came. Once things were hard out and food an medicine where scarce, they were often under attack by those who sought to force them to give food and supplies to those who were wealthy and not prone to needing it. They were for the poor and needy and they would fight them off until help could come which took days and sometimes weeks of the snow was brutal. She had taken part one winter and it had been hard to hurt and kill people, but it was them or the intruders.<br><br><br><br>Snapping out of that thought, she led him inside where he was taken to the elders and once more Tsubaki told her tale. He was thanked and offered food and rest as well as any treated if he was injured. A young monk would show him to a room while she headed off with the others to prepare the meal and herself for dinner as well.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 19:57:05</strong>
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				Even Talon, as cold and jaded as his life had made him, could help but be slightly moved by just how beautiful the scenery of the shrine was. The strange thing was that after Tsubaki had left, Talon was offered a mercenary job here at the shrine for a few months, apparently taking down the creature that Talon had was a bit of an accomplishment around these parts. At first he was rather reluctant, but by the time he had made it back to his room, he had to admit that the idea of making a bit of money out of doing what he did best was somewhat appealing.<br><br>He'd have to think on it more.<br><br>Either way, he'd just go downstairs and have his seat in the grand hall whenever dinner was prepared.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 20:12:47</strong>
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				Once all was prepared and Tsubaki as well as the others had dressed for the meal, a young monk (http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz217/urasalion/_MG_4111.jpg) would come and fetch him telling him the meal was ready. He would be led around winding stairs and corridors that separated the men from the women seeing as one building was for the young women and the elder mikos and the other was for the elder monks and younger ones in training. They would meet only to share a meal and training, otherwise they did not see each other. It was thought to cause too much of a distraction and so that was the way it would be until they all had reached a certain level in training. After a few minutes, he would be led into the great hall where all were waiting already and seated a great spread (http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h348/gchonel/Land%20of%20rising%20sun/IMG_1432.jpg) would be waiting for them all to enjoy. At the table they were allowed to talk and mingle however and be themselves. After all the elders were young once and knew that this small interaction meant something to the young ones.<br><br><br>"You will sit with us." The young man would tell him before seating himself waiting for "Talon" to do the same. Once he was the meal would start with much talking and laughter. Tsubaki would look down at where he sat and offer a bright smile, her face a light with joy. This was one of her favorite times of the day and she would love every second of it.<br><br><br>"So young man." A voice would boom from across the room. It was a table for the elders to watch over the young ones as well as discuss things that were for the elders ears alone. "Tell us a little of yourself and what brought you across this land. We seldom see people here."
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 20:17:13</strong>
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				Talon sat down, not really bothering to eat all that much, though he did slip a few bites under his mask, before the elder started to ask him about what brought him to this land, as well as ask about him as a person. He could feel himself shrink into his shell just a little bit, not really wanting to share all that much, but he had to admit that it felt rather nice to not be shunned for just how intimidating his outward appearance was, most people tried to steer clear of him for the way that he carried himself.<br>"... What's there to say? I was just walking, and I came across one of your maidens who was about to be attacked, so I stepped in."<br><br>He spoke in a rather quiet voice, but was surprised to hear as it echoed throughout the entire chamber.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 20:26:28</strong>
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				The hall would go quiet then as the man gave him a kindly smile, his old eyes twinkling with knowledge."Well I suppose that is good enough for now. Once more me and the others thank you as well as Tsubaki I am sure." His voice as nice as his face. He was one of the nicer elders, a grandfatherly type that taught medicines and how they could be used."You are welcome to stay the night and one of our monks will show you out tomorrow and give you some supplies as a reward to help you on your way if you decide not to take the earlier offer."&nbsp; <br><br>At that, all young faces would turn towards him as whispers began. Offer?What offer? The elders had offered the stranger something and he had yet to give them an answer.............but about what?<br><br><br>Tsubaki would look at him, her gaze piercing and curious. She wondered what they had offered him and if he would take it. It was rare that they ever offered strangers anything unless it was contracted ahead of time so what was so special about this one? On the other hand, it could allow her a chance to get to know him a bit better and maybe even see what was behind the mask so to speak.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 20:33:31</strong>
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				"..." Talon remained rather silent and only ate a few more morsels off of the banquet plates before he spoke again. He was surprised to see that it was such a big deal that he had been offered a mercenary contract with the temple. For the most part, from just a first glance it really did seem like Talon's fighting abilities were able to put most of the other monks and priestesses here to shame, they seemed to only have a few legitimately skilled warriors in the bunch. "I've decided to accept your request, actually. After all, it's not like I have anything to lose by sticking around here and fighting for a season or two."<br><br>He paused, wondering how the other young people in this temple would react to this news, specifically, beneath the shadow of his mask, his gaze flicked towards the bronze skinned maiden that he had met earlier that day.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 20:50:21</strong>
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				At that, the whole hall would go into an uproar. He was a warrior and staying to help them during the winter fights? Impossible. Usually warriors were hired in groups and from a man in the village who had trained warriors. He must be something special if they asked him outright the way they did. A few shouts from the elders and the hall would be quiet once more. "Well good! You&nbsp; will stay in the room you are in, however you will follow the rules of the shrine accordingly. We have already gone through them with you in case you decided to stay and so all that remains is to welcome you with a bit of stronger drink!" His face merry as he ordered sake to be brought in. Usually they did not drink and it was saved for when it became cold out but this was important. As the drinks would be poured, Tsubaki would be called to the elders table and something whispered in her ear. Nodding to show she understood, she took a flask and heading to the end of the table poured into the cup Talon had and gave him a bright smile. "I was told to do this and thank you myself, since seeing you will be rare." After she was finished, she headed back to her own seat and smiled at him once more before resuming talking and eating with her friends.<br><br><br>The others would partake and talk as well, except for one young monk who did not look happy at all. He did n ot like the praise and offer this stranger got and he did not like that Tsubaki waited on him.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 20:54:21</strong>
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				Talon watched the uproar with a bit of a skeptical gaze, it wasn't really like he was anything special, he was just a random wanderer who stumbled into somebody in need of help, and was rewarded for it. When Tsubaki came over and poured his drink for him, thanking him herself, he once again couldn't get that curious feeling out of his chest as he looked at that bright and energetic smile of hers. She was a strange one, never before had he felt quite the way that he did at that moment.<br><br>He was never really one for drinking, but he supposed that a single glass couldn't hurt anything. He slipped it behind his mask and drank it quickly, finding that he rather disliked the taste of anything with alcohol mixed in with it.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 21:05:27</strong>
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				Glancing back and forth from her friends to the new part of the shrine, well at least for a little while Tsubaki could not help but smile. He looked so out of place and uncomfortable. Maybe just this once she could talk to him after the meal was over and let him know everything would be okay. Once more she would leave her seat and stand at the end of the elder table waiting to be noticed and then coming forward when she got a nod. After chatting quietly back and forth she was given a nod that made her smile widely and heading to the table she went straight to Talon and leaning into his ear she whispered,"I am to show you around and let you know where you can and cannot go. The training room as well as the male quarters are open if you need someone to speak to and in order to speak to me or any other girls you need to ask the female elder. Come to me once you are done eating and we can go okay?" Giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder as she went to finish eating.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 21:12:01</strong>
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				Talon was rather surprised to hear that her, of all people, would be the one giving him a tour around the temple, showing him where he could and couldn't go. He found it rather annoying that he had to play by the temple's rules, but he supposed that he couldn't really complain. Besides, at any point he wanted to he could just cancel the contract, walk away with a fraction of the agreed amount, and then just be on his way. After just a few more bites from his plate he rose up and walked out of the dining hall, meeting the bronze skinned maiden outside so that she could show him around.<br><br>He remained as silent as ever as he approached her, never being one to start up conversation.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 21:20:57</strong>
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				She had been watching the whole time waiting until he was ready to leave and she had headed out to wait. Once he was outside, she smiled at him and reached out her hand knowing that he was no going to take it but still being nice. "Well let's go then shall we?" She would lead him through the men's quarters first showing him the rooms and then moving on to where she and the girl's lived. "More than likely you will never step foot in these halls again unless it is an emergency or we are under attack.The elders are very cautious about men coming in here. There was an incident before that made it very important to be careful..........." Her voice drifting away from that topic. Then would be on the the training room for fighting, meditating,&nbsp; healing and all of the classrooms as well. "There......." She pointed to a room over looking the water."is where I go when I want to be alone and think. About my family sometimes and when I can see them again. Maybe in the winter if they get ill and need help." Her voice lonely all of a sudden, her face sullen."I tire of being here and want to be my own person. But they say I have I have some kind of skill that no one else does and I have been working on it&nbsp; for years now. I am almost perfect so why do they keep me?" Talking more to herself than to him at this point.<br><br><br>As if she suddenly remembered he was there she laughed embarrassed."I am sorry about that. How about you?Any family? Friends? A wife maybe?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 21:27:57</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon would follow behind without saying much of any description, simply taking note of all of his surroundings, taking full advantage of the tour that his guide was giving him. Everything seemed rather easily laid out so that he could remember where everything was, not that he really much cared for the locations of anywhere except for his room and the dining hall. He wouldn't be spending nearly enough time with the other people in this temple to care about meditating or training with them.<br><br>When she came to a stop in a small room that seemed tucked away in the corner of the temple, overlooking a lake, he couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit sorry for her. She seemed rather sad and alone, something that Talon wouldn't really have expected from the otherwise rather bright and happy girl. When she turned to him and asked about what he had, he shook his head gently and pressed his back up against the wall. "Nothing." That was the truth, he had nothing, he was the perfect example of a person who was alone in this world, and it stopped bothering him so long ago that it didn't even hurt to admit it anymore.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 21:40:32</strong>
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				"Well that's okay!! You have me and the others for now and maybe we can even be friends if you want to....." Her voice unsure. He did not seem like he was very friendly and like he wanted friends and so she would simply leave the offer open if he wanted to be. But then again he seemed like he had been hurt before so maybe that's why he was so closed off. "Hey....I am sorry if this is going to be rude, but why do you wear a mask? Are you hurt or disfigured or something? If so I can do my best to heal it, the elders said that I am really good at it. There was this one man who came in hurt really badly.He was caught by one of the creatures you killed today.They mauled him terribly and he feared he would look like a monster and his family would shun him. Well I was able to heal him to where he looked normal but still had a few scars that would remind him of that day."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 21:44:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon shook his head when she said that he now had 'friends' here at the temple in her and the other monks and priestesses that called this place home. No, of course she couldn't understand what made him act the way he did, how could she? She didn't know, she couldn't know. Still, he wasn't given much of a chance to dwell on her first statement before she suddenly asked him about why he wore a mask, what the purpose of it was. After remaining silent for a few moments, he looked back at her, the sorrow bleeding off of him obvious even through the mask. "... My scars run deeper then mere skin."<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 22:06:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At that, she would stop smiling and nod her head somberly." I understand. The pain that one deals with can corrupt and even destroy a soul before sending it into madness. I have seen it a few times before even though I am young.It requires understanding and healing as well as patience. I know that you will tell me what you want to in your own good time and so I will not press the issue. Just know that I am here to listen as well as help if you need it." Her smile returning once more. "Sometimes you have to smile to keep from crying in despair you know..........and I do not have a&nbsp; physical mask to hide behind so I just bury it deep inside until I am alone."<br><br><br>Turning to take him&nbsp; back she hummed."Scars will never heal if you don't let them get treated you know.." Her words the final ones as she led him silently back to his room ad bid him a good night.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 22:10:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon nodded lightly, knowing for a fact that he would need a little bit of time to think about her words once she had spoken them. He wondered if treatment really was possible for scars like his, he wondered if he was really able to go back to being even halfway similar to a normal person again, he wondered if he even <em>wanted</em> that for himself. It seemed like it would be a disgrace to all of those who were hurt because of what he had done, because of his mistakes.<br><br>He didn't know the answers to any of those questions, not yet anyway.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 22:19:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once she had left him, she would head back to her own room to think about the day. It certainly had started off ordinary and ended with her being saved by a stranger who was now under the employ of the shrine and would be until the winter season was over. She wondered what could have happened that caused him to wear that mask...to shrink so far inside him self that there was only darkness. She was not sure whether he would ever come out and tell her in the time he had with them or if he would move on, taking his painful secrets with him. There was really too much to think about as she undressed and sunk into bed putting the day behind her for now. Tomorrow was a new day and maybe she could see him if he crossed the training fields?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 22:26:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon didn't spent very much time outside the following day, as he mostly just settled in and stayed within the confines of his room, thinking about a great many things that had happened the previous day. In particular, that priestess who he talked to a great deal, she said a few words that he simply couldn't get out of his mind. Perhaps his staying her might end up being good for him, if he decided that he really did want to change for the better. That would be a big step for him though.<br><br>In any case, she clearly wanted to know more about him, and perhaps talking to somebody might make everything easier... maybe...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 22:41:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A young monk would come and get him in the morning to take him to the great hall&nbsp; and partake in the morning meal. It would be only the young men in attendance as the women had eaten earlier and headed out to train with the elder women and would be moving around the shrine to different classes as the day wore on. As the men ate, the one who had been watching fro the night before and had not liked what he saw spoke up."So....anything else you want to share with us? Your real name and where you come from perhaps?" His eyes stuck on the man&nbsp; behind the mask. He could not see the man's eyes or any expression for that matter and it bothered him. He usually could see into his opponent's that way and this was something he was not used to dealing with.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 22:44:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon didn't even bother looking up at the particular young man in question as he spoke, he could sense trace amounts of hostility in his voice, but it didn't seem to bother the now mercenary all that much. "My name and origins are irrelevant, all that matters now is that I'm here to fight, and keep this place safe. If you don't approve of that, then just take it up with the elders." With that, he went back to taking trace bites of his breakfast, which he really wasn't all that interested in. <br><br>He didn't feel like talking, especially not to whoever this kid was.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 22:56:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"It does matter.............you are hear in a place of peace and healing and you are around our women. You know nothing or our ways and I will not question the elders because they know what is right. I&nbsp; do know that I and a few other monks will be keeping our eyes on you and I am telling you now that you are to keep away from Tsubaki. I saw how you seemed to be too cozy for my liking and you will keep away from her unless it is needed.All the other monks here know once training is over I will ask her to be my wife and I do not need some rogue coming in giving her false excitement only to ruin her virtue and then moving on." Clearly he felt threatened by the young man though he had done nothing wrong so far.<br><br><br>At the end of the young monk's word's an elder would come in and give him a scolding look."You forget your place. He is here by our request and you will treat him with respect. Finish here and go to training. The women are finished with the field." Looking to the new arrival he waved a hand."You will come with me. I can tell you have questions and I am here to answer them. Walk with me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 23:09:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon simply chuckled a little as the young monk spoke and continued his meal. That boy was so far out of his league that it wasn't even funny, so Talon wouldn't even waste his time dignifying the young man's fantasies of romance and adventure. He was tempted to ask him if Tsubaki knew about his intentions, but he decided against it for the same reasons as before. Apparently now he had questions to ask, according to the elder, but he figured he'd humor the old man and walk with him anyway.<br><br>He really didn't have any interest in this place outside of protecting it from the attackers, still, he supposed it couldn't hurt to hear what the elder had to say. It was possible that he could provide some insight as to why some of the young monks were acting so foolish.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 23:20:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a slightly confused smile and chuckling a bit the old man looked at him."Ah....pay him no mind. He has the fine makings of a monk if he would quit being so rash and thought before he spoke. Tsubaki has no idea the young man fancies her and I doubt she would say yes anyway. She is a very stubborn girl when it counts and he would not be able to handle one like her. Besides............we have much higher hopes for her....much higher hopes." His words ending as he began to mumble and hum to himself seeming to forget the young man beside him. "As I said, you have questions....you just do not know how to ask them...and I am here to help you find what you need to know."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 23:23:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon, once again, paused in confusion at his words, how could he ask questions if he didn't know what he wanted to ask? Still, he figured that no harm could come from hearing what the man had to say, after all, people didn't get to be monk elders just by luck of the draw, this guy had to know at least something about how to read people. "Alright, I'll bite, what is it that I want to know?" After all, it couldn't hurt to poke a little bit. He was living here and eating their meals free of charge, so the least he could do was provide some level of courtesy.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 23:36:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Ah!! He speaks!" The old man would laugh merrily before stopping to wave at a group of mikos who smiled back and continued on."Ah...youth...you know if I had not chosen to be a monk and then moved on to an elder&nbsp; I would have been with a miko myself and had a family. Instead I chose this path and&nbsp; though I am happy I often wonder what could have been. Like you young man.....you wonder what could have been....if you had done things differently. If you had been different. You must forgive yourself....and think about what good you have done so far......and allow others to help you."<br><br><br>He smiled knowingly. "You want to know if you can be healed........when the bigger question is do you want to be healed? Can you forgive yourself? Allow yourself the chance to know happiness and healing........"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 23:39:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon nodded and crossed his arms, rather surprised by just how well the old man was able to understand Talon's current dilemma. "That sounds about right. Still, I don't expect you to understand what happened, I don't expect anybody to." He stepped closer, speaking in a lighter voice as he got closer to the elder. "If it tells you anything, I'm an auramancer, that's the source of my power."<br><br>The auramancers were all thought to have been wiped out about 15 years ago, they were a clan of absurdly powerful magic users.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 23:48:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I am old,&nbsp; not a fool young one. I could tell something was different the moment you stepped foot in the shrine. The others felt it too............that is why we wanted you to stay. There is much we can learn from you and you from us. Tsubaki is a special one as well.....I know you see it. She has no idea why we keep her here when one of her training would have been sent on her way to face the world by now. Truth be told...we were waiting for one who would be strong enough to defend her when she went out into the world and the job may be yours if you are up to it."&nbsp; He looked over as they continued to walk, passing the now training men in the field.<br><br><br>"So what are you running from? Why do you continue to run? "
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-11-2011, 23:53:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon paused, rather surprised to hear that the elders here thought so highly of him, and trusted him so much, after just one single day here. Still, part of him couldn't help but feel at least somewhat honored by the idea of being charged with something that was clearly an honorable duty here within the temple. "What makes you so quick to trust me? I've done nothing other then slay a beast and agree to stay here for the winter and fight for you." He paused, recalling that the elder himself had asked a question.<br>"Running? I don't think I'm running from anything... no..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 00:02:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				I trust you because I can see your soul young one. You are hurt and lost but not a threat to anyone.I know this because you did not have to stop and help Tsubaki....you could have turned a blind eye and continued on your way but you did not. You stopped to help a young woman you did not know and in doing so found your way to us. I think that means something don't you? And you are running.......maybe not literally but you are. In your mind you replay it over and over and you wander hoping one day that you can find peace, that you can forget. How can you be healed if you do not take the first step to do so yourself?"<br><br><br>If you meant harm you could have done so already. Now tell me............what do you want.......really want?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 00:05:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Well that was certainly a question that Talon wasn't entirely expecting. How was he supposed to answer a question like that? He had no idea what he wanted, or where to even begin looking for it. For the last few years all he did was wander the world looking for solitude. Part of him wanted to move on, but part of him wanted to remain lost in his grief over the mistakes he had made in the past. People died because of him, a lot of people had, how could he possibly just move past that without thinking about all of the lives that he very well could have ended with his own hand?<br><br>"What do I want? Honestly, I stopped wanting things a long time ago."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 00:31:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well that is no way to think. You should want something out of life even if it is peace of mind. There is something out there for everyone. Are you willing to tell me what happened that caused to you run from home.....from your friends and family and why you think it is to risky to become close to anyone? There is no need to continue carrying the burden alone. At least tell me something that will help an old man in the right direction." He was not going to outright ask but instead coax answers from the boy as best he could. He was a patient man after all, he dealt with young men and women on a daily basis and managed to keep his mind as addled as it was sometimes.<br><br><br>"You must want to settle down somewhere, have a home once more...be around people who care for you or maybe......" He winked."Just one woman who cares for you and all else will fall into place."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 00:42:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon simply shook his head in disbelief of what the old man was asking, of what he was trying to suggest. He simply uncrossed his arms and moved to walk past the old man, since at this point ne no longer saw fit to try and make conversation with the old man. He was trying to pry into matters that he didn't understand, in Talon's mind. He didn't have anywhere to go because everybody that he used to know was dead, likely due to Talon's own misjudgement, as well. How could anybody walk out of something like that and look at the world the same way again, he questioned.<br>"I can't settle down anymore, everybody that used to care about my life is dead."<br><br>With that, he moved to leave the room, and go about his own business.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 00:51:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Very well.....but know this. You will never find peace by punishing yourself for something long past!" His quavering voice following the boy as he walked away. Turning on his own he too would walk away and shake his head. Young people............always making things harder than they had to be. All he needed was a push in the right direction and someone to help him along the way. When he was ready that is.........and someone just as stubborn and willing to deal with one with issues like his.<br><br><br>Tsubaki would meanwhile be finishing up a class on advanced healing and had gone outside for a breath of fresh air. Seeing her new friend...at least in her mind, she hurried over and smiled."Hi!! How are you feeling today? I just got done with a healing and I needed to some out for a little air. A few girls told me that you were out here talking to an elder and then you walked off. Did something happen to make you upset?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 00:54:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon had to actively stop himself from groaning as he took his leave from the elder, only to then walk two rooms down and be ambushed by Tsubaki, who he recalled saying the night before that their encounters would be few and far between... odd... <br><br>Either way, if it wasn't one thing, it was another. For some reason, people absolutely loved bugging Talon and trying to get into his brain, despite his greatest efforts to just be left alone. "It's nothing, he just thinks that redemption comes as easy as waving an arm in the right direction is all... I'm done talking about it." He kept walking, regardless of rather or not Tsubaki was in tow.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 01:03:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well that's okay. He told me that you would need my help after all and so I am supposed to keep an eye on you." Her demeanor still cheerful."Besides he means no harm or anything and he is one of the nicer elders. Usually I would not even be allowed to talk to you unless it was during evening meal but since I have been told to help you out it is lifted as long as we stay in designated places. Which really is anywhere as long as it is not your room." She moved over to him and touched his shoulder."So okay then.........since you are my new charge what do you want to do first? I mean there is not a whole lot to do around the shrine and since I am so far ahead in my training maybe you would want to go hunting or out to learn about herbs? Staying inside can get very boring and depressing."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 01:11:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon was nothing short of mistified by the way that everything had developed in just the short term of a single day. What in the world was it that made him so special? He hadn't done anything to earn the trust of the elders, and yet they assinged one of the maidens with the 'most promise' or something to watch over him, after one of them had outright said that he could potentially be capable of pulling bodyguard duty for her once she left the temple.<br><br>He stopped when she put her hand on his shoulder, and he looked back at her, his eyes still invisable behind the shadows of his mask.<br>"Do whatever you want."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 01:21:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Frowning,Tsubaki stopped and looked at him. She had enough of his sullen attitude when she was nothing but nice and cheerful to him. "Fine....I will do what I want. I will leave you to rot in your own self pity until you decide that you want to go hunt herbs or something else with me. You have been nothing but dismissive of me. I know we just met but you have made no effort to be anything but evasive and cold and downright unpleasant. If you do not want my company or friendship then by all means say so and I will not trouble you anymore." Her face finally breaking to show hurt. "I...I just wanted to be your friend...for you to not hurt anymore...............but you push people away. Fine then............I am away and if you want to find me I will be in the forest picking herbs for the upcoming winter months."<br><br><br>Turning her back and walking away she looked back briefly. "You are not the only one who has been hurt....damaged.............left alone due to things going wrong. We are all damaged in some way...........some of us just choose to do something about it."&nbsp; &nbsp;Her voice quiet as she left him where he was and headed off.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 01:30:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon was a bit caught off guard by the way that she suddenly lashed out at him, though he couldn't really find anything in her words that were lies... no, she was being truthful, she really had been nothing but kind and friendly to him and he had simply shoved her away. He wondered for a moment if that was the right thing to do, if keeping himself isolated really was the best idea. Sure, it was the easiest, the safest, but he had learned once, when he was a child, that the right road to travel never was the easiest.<br><br>That was what he thought he was doing, taking the hard road of solitude in hopes that the people who died because of him could rest in peace, knowing that he lived in exile and in shame... but... was that really right?<br><br>He shook his head and went about his business, though he thought maybe he'd seek out Tsubaki in a few hours, once he had time to think of something to say.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 01:41:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				&nbsp;She would head off into the forest feeling hurt and angry. He was so rude and cold to her and she had been nothing but nice. Well if that is how he wanted to live then&nbsp; fine, she would let him. After a bit of walking she would find her spot and settle down picking herbs and looking them over carefully to make sure that they were what was needed and that they were healthy. They would be stored for later and would help many people when the time came. She really hoped that when the time came, her family would be among the ones who came for aid.&nbsp; Just the thought of it made her eyes water slightly as she broke into gentle sobs, no one around to see. This was how she always did. Showed her weakness when she was alone.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 01:59:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon lingered around the temple for a bit longer before nagging thoughts about the priestess from before got to him. He had to go and make ammends, at the very least. She had been kind to him, and it was only proper manners that he at least attempt to do the same. Perhaps they could come to something of an understanding, to prevent something like this from happening again, or something of that nature.<br><br>Either way, he found himself poking around through the forest attempting to find Tsubaki. When he came upon her, he was rather surprised by what he saw.<br><br>He waited nearby, not wanting to shame her by thinking that anybody had seen her crying.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 02:06:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once she was finished, she wiped her face and went back about her duties all of it behind her for another day. She would be the happy girl that everyone knew and counted on. She went back to picking herbs and looking at each ones as she carefully placed it in her basket.&nbsp; Now was not the time to continue on her pity ride but to attend to her duty. The needs of many always outweighed the needs of one. She wondered if the "guest" had thought about what she said and felt a bit bad about it. She had yelled at him but he frustrated her so much with&nbsp; his nonchalant attitude. It was like he didn't care about anything or anyone and that was no way to live. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 02:11:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once he saw that she was done with her quality time in sorrow, Talon took a deep breath and stepped out into the clearing that she was in, approaching her. He had planned on being honest, on just coming straight out and appologizing for the way that he had acted earlier, but he found the words to get stuck in his throat, so he ended up just standing there and exposing his presence, saying nothing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 02:22:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would feel the change in aura around her and turned around to see "Talon" standing there. This time she would not greet him with a smile or friendly wave. Instead she looked at him and with a voice that was flat and uninterested she pointed to the extra basket she had brought along before he blew her off." You can start picking herbs over there." After saying so, she turned back to what she was doing, not sparing another word for him. He basically told her he wanted to be left alone and so she would do what he wanted. They would pick the herbs and head back and she would not try to say a word that seemed to annoy him. She did like to talk and make people feel better but he did not want that and who was she to force something on someone?<br><br><br>So she would go on. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket. Pick an herb, look it over, toss it in the basket.<br><br><br><br>That would go on for a few minutes before she sighed heavily and stopped to rub her eyes. Something had to give and someone had to say something.........but she would not be the first. He was the one who wanted his solitude so he would be the one to say otherwise.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 02:26:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon didn't seem to have any particular interest in picking herbs, instead, he simply watched her grind away at her process for a few moments before he got fed up with it and decided to just say what was on his mind. No matter what, he certainly couldn't be faulted for lacking the same pride as people his age, since it took him quite a while to finally come out and start talking.<br>"Tsubaki... You've been... a lot kinder to me then I... well... then I deserve. I wanted you to know that I'm -er- well... I'm... I'm thankful for it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 02:42:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Finally stopping to turn to him, she nodded her head. "Yes...I was and you threw it in my face." Her tone soft. "I am not going to say that it is okay because it is not. It is not okay to be cruel to people that&nbsp; just want to help and maybe be your friend. If you keep pushing people away you are going to get exactly what you want and that is to be alone.....even when you finally do&nbsp; not want to be. But by then you will&nbsp; have pushed people so long that they will no longer try to get to you."&nbsp; Tossing another herb in her basket she stopped and looked at him piercingly. "Have you ever thought about other people and the pain they go through? You are not the only one who suffers you know. I just want to help&nbsp; you............will you let me help you or do you want me to leave you alone?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 02:47:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon shut his eyes, though Tsubaki would be able to notice this, and let out a small sigh. "Listen... I still don't believe that it's possible to help me, really. The things I've done... the mistakes I've made... it just seems like too much for me to try and move past..." There was silence for a few seconds before he continued. "But if you believe that you can help me, then I won't stop you from trying."<br><br>Well, it wasn't exactly a desperate plea for help, but in order for anybody to change, they needed to start taking baby steps, and that's what Talon was doing, baby steps.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 02:52:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Good but not good enough. I can help you if you want it.......but are you willing to help me help you? I can do whatever I want but if you are not helping then there is no point. First things first........tell me.........what are you running from. What did you do that was so bad that you do this to yourself?? You have to trust me.........please."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 02:59:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon clenched his fist lightly when she asked him what he was running from, when she asked him about what he had done in the past that was desrving of being treated like this. Still, he didn't clench it at Tsubaki, it was more of just a natural reflex then anything else. "I..." he shook his head, finding that the words came rather difficult to him. "I unleashed a terrible evil on the place I once called home."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 03:10:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Okay........now they were getting somewhere. "Okay what kind of evil did you unleash and how did it cause you to become how you are now? What happened to the people back home and was it something you did with no knowledge of what you were doing? Were you trying to help somehow and things got out of hand?" Her face curious. Sometimes some things were to powerful to be controlled through inexperience and not really the fault of the person casting anything. Even some of the elders made mistakes and they had decades of practice at their disposal. She wanted him to know that things happened and he could not go around carrying the guilt forever or it would destroy him. "I am not perfect you know. I have made mistakes and paid for them." Her voice whisper quiet. "Perhaps that is why my family sent me here.........sent me away to be taught by the elders. I believe they love me but they are also afraid of me.........so I am here to learn&nbsp; how to control what I have." He had to understand that he was not alone in the world and that she understood what it was like to feel alone.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 03:17:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon became a bit more sorrowful as she continued to press him about what he had unleashed on his home. He shook his head gently, indicating that he didn't much feel like talking about it anymore at this point in time. "I... I'd rather not talk about it just yet, let's save that for another day, if you could..." He stopped and pressed his back up against one of the trees, seemingly lost in his own mind as he tried to think of something to say. "Tell me more about yourself in that case, Tsubaki." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 04:28:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at him, she decide to drop it for now. "Well there is not a whole lot to tell I think. Perhaps it would be better if you asked the questions and I provided the answers." She sighed. "But I think I can tell you small bit about me before we launch into all of that.The town is called Fanzine....it is a mid sized town with all you will need to keep traveling. You know there is a myth of some kind. I was one of my clan that was born with the natural ability to use power that could prove to help or ruin mankind so I heard. I would one day be used to seek out something...an object of some kind. It was supposed to be.....a jewel that would grant one of my kind with the power to do whatever they craved. It was supposed to be her using the jewel to her people’s benefit…….."<br><br>"But somehow who even knows if that is true or not. If it was I suppose why I know why I am here and why I am training so hard. But really it is ridiculous....who believes in that stuff nowadays anyway?" She snorted and then laughed. "Just some silly little tale to make me work harder I suppose."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 04:40:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon didn't quite go so far as to join in her laughter, but he was rather humored to hear that she apparently had a strange destiny attached to her. He shook his head lightly and spoke in a voice that was a tiny bit more humanlike and personable then the cold and isolated tone that he had speaking in up until this point. "Well, if you did indeed have such a legacy attached to you, and if it turned out to be true, then I guess a lot more power hungry people would be targeting you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 04:52:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would simply wave her hand."Please. I do not believe in such foolishness. I believe that one makes their own destiny in this world. Sure there are things that influence me along the way but in the end the choice is up to me." She smiled a little already feeling better."Besides, who really wants to hear that they have some small part in making something better for a whole lot of people? I think that would be a heavy burden for one person to bear alone don't you think? That is the kind of thing that drives a person to the brink of either madness or greatness."<br><br><br>"Also....who would want to target someone like me? I never did anything to anyone, nor do I draw attention to myself. I simply do what I am required to do at the shrine, nothing more and nothing less. Now....what is there that you want to ask me? Do not be shy I am an open book."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:01:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon shrugged and sat down, he had to admit that there was something of a ring of truth in what she was saying, having some kind of legend focused around a person would indeed seem like it would be enough to drive them mad if they were weak minded enough. "Are you happy living here?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:09:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				That question would make her smile falter a little as she looked away from him and down at her hands. Yes..............and no. I like it sometimes because I know that I am getting the training I need. For what I do not know but I guess so that I can better help people. I like that some of the elders are kind and funny and try to make us feel at home. I like that&nbsp; I made some friends there and that we can laugh and joke together.&nbsp; But then there are the times when I am singled out because I can do things the others cannot do.....feeling isolated and alone when some of them give you the cold shoulder for something you cannot do anything about. Some of the other elders treat me like I am some kind of danger and I do not understand why. It gets lonely when no one really understands you and all you have is yourself to talk to."<br><br><br>She gave him a bitter smile as she looked up slightly. "It is hard to be different you know.............never truly understood. It is hard to feel like your own kin abandoned you to some people because they did not understand you either.That they used to come all the time and now I am lucky if I see them once a year. To feel when they finally do come as if it is a duty and not because they really want to.........to feel unwanted and unloved. To feel like you belong everywhere and yet nowhere."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:13:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon honestly had no idea what he could say to Tsubaki at this point, to think that she actually felt this way, alone in the world. It wasn't all that unlike the way that he himself felt, even though comparing their situations would be an insult to what Talon had done in his past. Still, he couldn't imagine how alone, how sad, the priestess had to fell all the time, to be isolated within an entire group of her peers. It wasn't quite as bad as Talon's self inflicted solitude, but it still had to sting, just a little bit.<br>"I see... And if you had the option to leave?"<br><br>It was about this point that memories of Talon's meeting with that elder started to resurface.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:21:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Go? Go where?Where would I go and what would I do? I always believed that I would leave when the elders told me that I&nbsp; was ready and that they would tell me what to do from there. I already have a feeling that my home is no longer my home and that there is no place for me there. I mean I could return there to&nbsp; show them that I have completed my training but I could never settle down there to live. I already know that I would not really fit in there and that I would never find a husband of any kind. They all seem to be afraid of me for some reason and I know that eventually it would come a time when they might ask me to leave. So why go through it? As much as it hurts I have come to accept it as truth and so will make a way somehow and somewhere else." She sighed and continued to work on filling her basket.<br><br><br>"It's not like that is going to happen anyway right? So why worry about it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:28:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon simply fell silent at that point, not quite wanting to come out and tell her what the elder had told him about how he could play some sort of guardian role for when she left the world on her own. All of this was new and confusing to the masked warrior, and he started to realize that he had plunged himself into a plot that was far bigger then he ever wanted. "... So you don't have any ambitions of leaving? Weren't you the one chastising me for not wanting to settle down? Find a place to call hime?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:39:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Of course I have ambitions of leaving. I simply said I do not know where I would go. However I would travel until I found it I suppose. And yes I did say you should settle down and find a home. YOU can do that you simply choose not to. You will continue on until you have forgiven&nbsp; yourself or you are destroyed. That is all I can see. In my case, I want a home but I no longer know where home is...........and besides, I cannot have a home just yet. I know that the elders said something about me doing some kind of mission before I can settle somewhere. I have no idea what they are talking about and what I have to do but I am all for it if it means I can finally live a normal life...........or somewhat normal life once it is all over."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:42:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon paused in the conversation to make himself a little bit more comfortable before he continued to speak to Tsubaki. By this point, he thought that he was starting to get a handle around what sort of person she was, or at least he hoped that he was. "I think I understand why my situation makes you so upset now. I have something that you want, but I'm actively choosing to throw it away... that's what's going through your mind, isn't it?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:52:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Letting out a dry laugh she nodded."Huh....so you do get it. I usually am not so angry or bitter but I cannot help it this time. You have the chance to be happy, to be healed, to start over and have a home............and yet you choose to suffer and be alone. I just do not get it. I would kill to have the chance at acceptance and to start over fresh. Do you know&nbsp; how many souls out there would trade places with you in a minute despite what you have suffered? They would....just to have a chance to live all over with a clean slate. You are the only one who does not see it...........or rather wants to see it."<br><br><br>She let out a sigh and slammed her hands onto the basket flipping it over. "For once I just want to be normal!! Have friends and not have to smile when I am dying inside. To not always have to make other people feel better and have someone help me for a change." Looking at the scattered herbs she moved to clean them up and put them back in the basket.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 05:56:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon started to take small, slow steps forward before he was standing right behind Tsubaki, at which point, he took to a knee and rested his hand on her shoulder. He wasn't entirely sure why, but something about seeing her emotional outburst seemed wrong to him, unnatural, he didn't want to see another one like it, he wanted to do whatever it took to keep it from happening. "..." He had nothing to say, what <em>could</em> he say at this point? This was always one of his biggest faults, whenever he needed to step up his game and say something comforting and wise, he always seemed to trip on his tongue and fall on his face.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 06:04:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would only look at him....and then his hand and then shake her head. He was not going to say anything. somehow she expected that and for once she did not care. "Don't worry about me.....I will manage....I always do. And a little spell here and there to dull and seal away emotions does not hurt either."&nbsp; Looking away from him a moment, her eyes were swirling with emotions ranging from hurt to lost to confused and sad. Her lips would move quietly and slowly her eyes would dull, the emotions all being lost and suppressed like they were before. When she looked at him again, her eyes were empty and she was able to flash him with the bright smile she had first greeted him with. " You cannot feel what is not there." Her head bobbing as if she was agreeing with herself. "Just something I learned a few years ago and it has been a life saver ever since."<br><br><br>Getting up, the bounce once more in her step she smiled."So...shall we head back? My basket is filled and the elders will be looking for us."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 06:08:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon froze when he saw the way that the happy and energetic Tsubaki suddenly came rushing back to the forefront, completely surpressing all of the pain and regret that she had felt only a few seconds prior. When she got up and started walking back towards the temple with that little bounce back in her step, Talon would hesitate for only a few seconds before he followed her back, he found himself muttering her name under his breath, as so many thoughts ran through his mind for the following few seconds.<br>"Tsubaki..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 06:16:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would simply lead the way back to the shrine, her energy back at the high it was before. It was not like she forgot what just happened, it was that she did not care that it did. The spell simply pushed the bad feelings away leaving her feeling happy and energized. It of course would wear of after some time causing the small breakdown she had in the forest and letting her know it was time to cast it anew. It was one of the only ways she knew how to deal with the pain from day to day and it was a temporary fix until she could face what troubled her. Once she left the shrine and found her place in life she would be okay. Once she found out why she was left b y her family there and why they really did not come to see her often, she could begin to heal. She knew that a lot of it she would not want to hear but at least it would be out.&nbsp; Exposed wounds could be treated and healed with time and that is what she wanted............and what she was trying to tell him as well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 06:23:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon would simply remain wiht his own devices once they got back to the shrine, as he didn't really see himself fit to spend too much time around Tsubaki while she was still dealing with so many issues. She seemed okay for the time being though, so Talon supposed that there wasn't really all that much to worry about.<br><br>He wandered the shrine semi-aimlessly for about an hour after the two got back before his attention was suddenly brought to the bridge leading to the temple, along with the torches and drawn blades that would indicate an attack by bandits and raiders.<br><br>So it was time for him to remember why he was here in the first place, good, he was a bit worried that he was getting sentimental.<br><br>Talon was on a rather high tower, so instead of making his way down the stairs and going through the main gate, he simply took a much faster route of approach by jumping off the top of the tower. Anybody watching would see a pair of bright red wings of energy burst from his back, turning a free fall into a glide as he rushed down, making himself the first warrior on the battlefield with a pair of dark red blades snapping from oblivion and into his hands.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 06:42:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki as well as the elders would hear the warning alarm that let them know that the first attacks of the upcoming months were underway. Dammit..............they were coming sooner than they believed&nbsp; but luckily they had been training for this. All of the elders would stand back and flank the rear giving orders to all of the young men and women of the shrine while they themselves would cast spells to raise barriers and hold the shrine up&nbsp; from intruders for as long as they could. As they all rushed out, they would stop and see that the newcomer was already on the field and that he was something that they had never seen before. It would catch them for only a moment and was something they would ask about later.............but now was the time to fight.<br><br><br>Once they were all out the sides would clash with them mixing in, the fighting loud and wild as spiritual energy combined with melee skills were used by the keepers of the shrine. The force that had come was not entirely too large but nothing to sneeze at either. They had come to raid them of supplies and if they could get away with it, a few women and men to use and trade as slaves. Tsubaki would take herself away from the back of the lines and thrust herself directly in the middle of the onslaught. She knew what she was going to do and&nbsp; how she was going to do it................but in order to do it she need to drop her spell and feel everything. All the sadness, pain, anger and raw emotions. It would give her the charge she needed for the attack she would do. It would cause her to burn out, but if she did it right at least half of them would be taken out and the shrine would have the upper hand.<br><br><br><br>Once the chant was done, she&nbsp; simply kneeled onto the ground and shut her eyes as the fight waged around her. She would block out all sights.....sounds..............all would go quiet in her world as she felt the energy pulse inside her.........
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 06:48:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon, during this time, fought like something out of the tales of old. Any raider tragically unfortunate enough to get close to him was met with a swift and decisive end. Talon made his top priority the heavily armored brutes that were leading the charge, since most of the monks simply didn't have the attacking power to chip through that armor as fast as one would prefer. He'd close in one them, and all of a suddon a pair of twin blades would transform into a massive hammer as he brought it down on the skulls of his slow and immobile opponents.<br><br>It was about this point that he realized that Tsubaki was right in the middle of the fray, completely unguarded.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 07:07:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>Pulse...............pulse................pulse.</em><br><br>Each second seemed to move in slow motion for Tsubaki as she felt the swell of energy she had not tapped since the end of the last attack. All the monks and mikos would freeze when they felt the massive wave of energy and slowed down their own attacks knowing what was coming. They knew that they would be safe and anyone else she recognized as a friend but all else caught in her blast would be done for. All the would hear was a loud cry that sounded like nothing human and a bright wave shoot from the middle of the field where the young woman had sat herself. As they moved to let her pass, she would be bathed in a glow that enshrouded her, her eyes a blinding white as a sword appeared in her hand. Her eyes would slowly look around the battlefield as she saw some of her companions who were hurt and lying on the field as well as some enemy who had fallen.<br><br><br>The elders would be looking on in silence as if they were waiting for something to happen...in case something went wrong. The girl would simply look around the through her as she fixed her eyes on once particular target on the field. Talon. Giving him a wry smile that looked nothing like Tsubaki at all, she turned from him and facing the oncoming groups. Raising her arm with the sword alight with power, she would only speak one word before bringing it down, the boom coming first and then tearing through engulfing all in the way. <em>"Die."</em> All would be covered that was near her and screams would ring forth......<br><br><br>After the blaze had passed all of the monks and mikos who stood near would be unharmed and looking at the now empty armor of the enemy they had been gifting...the armors filled with the ashes of the now very dead warriors. While she had destroyed many of them, there was still more to go and with another sweep she would send a wind through the ranks that would be a healing wind and giving&nbsp; relief and energy to those who were in need. This............this is why they needed her and kept her at the shrine. This was why she was destined for more......and why she would need help. The fight would rage on then, Tsubaki slashing as she went taking down who she could as they worked together to clear the shrine grounds.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 07:13:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon had never before imagined such power before that moment in his life. Had he not met with the elder earlier that day, he'd have gone right to the table after this and asked the true purpose for his contract here, it was clearly not his fighting prowise that brought the contract to him, after all. No, they intended on simply using his time here to intruduce him to Tsubaki, so that he would be more willing to play bodyguard duty for her.<br><br>She had taken out about half of the attacking force with a single swipe of that blade, but about half still remained, and her back was turned to those of them that were. About four or five of the attackers suddenly got smart and started targeting the bronze skinned maiden, and Talon realized that she'd be dead if nobody stepped up.<br><br>So he did.<br><br>He got in between the raiders and Tsubaki, taking a few rather nasty blade wounds while he brought all five of them down to the ground. Had he more time, and had he been more careful, that could have been avoided, but it was what it was.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 07:23:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The attack she had used had caused her to drain her energy dangerously, yet he continued on as the fight waged on. The other monks and mikos had now stepped it up and was helping to surround and clean up the masses that were left. Many had turned to flee seeing more than half the force taken out and wanting to live to perhaps come back one day when they had greater numbers. This was an&nbsp; eye opener and they would have much to report once they returned home. Tsubaki had seen that help had come in the shape of her new friend and for that she was glad. It was then that the elders would step in and send in attacks of their&nbsp; own driving back the rest of the enemy that did not want to die.<br><br><br>Once the air was clear and all was safe, Tsubaki turned to Talon with a small smile, her eyes dimming until they were once again the chocolate pools he was used to. "We....stopped them this time. Drove them&nbsp; back............came much earlier than before........." Her words slurring as she weaved like a leaf in the wind before falling forward to the earth the sword dissolving back into the air from whence it came.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 07:29:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Thankfully, Talon was able to grab her and stop her from hitting the floor, though his own shoulders were significantly weaker then they had been before, due to the hits he had taken during the battle. Still, he was able to get her into the hands of the elders before he himself also succumbed to unconsciousness. It was a relief that they were able to beat back the enemies this time, but in the back of his head he wondered what would happen if they came back more organized and with greater numbers.<br><br>That would be a brutal battle if it ever came to that.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 07:34:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Both Talon and Tsubaki would be taken inside the shrine where they would be place in the healing room while the students stayed outside to clean up the remaining mess that was left behind. There were a few dead bodies and a ton of ash that had to be removed. It would take several hours but eventually, it was all cleaned and they would all go inside for a meal and well deserved rest, a barrier firmly in place to safeguard for the night. A few of the elders would remain with Tsubaki and Talon for a while to treat any wounds they may have had and also give a healing herb drink to speed healing. They would then leave the two to rest and awake once they had recovered somewhat.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 07:37:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon would be out for quite a long while, apparently his injuries cut much deeper then one expected, and considering the fact that he continued to battle even after receiving them didn't really help matters either. Odds were pretty high that Tsubaki would be waking up before him. She'd see him tossing and turning lightly in his sleep, muttering words that really didn't make any sense and couldn't be distinguished from common rambling. Even without being able to tell what he was saying, it was clear that something was bothering him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 07:47:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once Tsubaki had awoken feeling better but not by much, she saw that she had been placed in the&nbsp; healing room with Talon. She had no idea that he too had fallen after the fight was over and staggered over to look at him. He had quite a few wounds here and there that the elders had not been able to patch up quite right and so she moved to do them herself. The wounds he had could be healed much faster with a&nbsp; few pulses of healing from her, but that would drain what little energy she had gained. Oh well though....he was needed in case something happened again. After all that is what they hired him for right? Besides she would be no good until she had more rest and food so why not?<br><br><br>Pressing her hands on him, she would chant slowly over his body sending warm and healing jets of magic into his body mending the worst of the damage and managing the pain. She would continue on for several long minutes, her energy once again hitting a dangerous low making her let go of him and slump to the floor where she lay down on the cool stone. She could hear him but unsure of what he was saying.......but he should be feeling better now and able to wake up sooner. Maybe she should call to him....."Hey.....there...............time to wake up." Her soft voice rising from the floor.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 07:50:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The young man opened his eyes and groaned, sitting up in bed as he gripped his forehead and shook his head. It would take him several, several more seconds before he realized that his mask had been taken off by the elders so that they could tend to his wounds better, and the rather handsome and unscarred face underneath of it was exposed. Still, it was strange that he would want to wear a mask in the first place when there was nothing physically wrong with his face, it proved that his mask wearing was really more of a spiritual meaning then anything else.<br>"Ugh..."<br><br>He looked down at the ground, his azure shaded eyes falling upon Tsubaki's form laying on the ground.<br>"You..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 08:02:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking up at him, she managed a weak smile. "Me?? What about me.......I do not see why you wear the mask...you are quite handsome you know..........." She was feeling weaker now and closed her eyes to save some of her energy. He was quite handsome and she supposed his mask was just&nbsp; an outward appearance of how he felt inside.....but now that it was removed...would he return it? A soft smile would light her face as she whispered,"I think you should leave it off.....your eyes are the most stunning shade of blue.....so clear and pure.....not the eyes of someone who has done so much wrong in their life......"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 08:04:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He simply shook his head gently, though if her eyes were open she'd see a soft smile creep across his features as it did. "That's... debatable." Still, he was able to get out of bed, pick up the weak and exhausted maiden, and get her back over to a nearby bed. "You get some sleep, alright?" With that, he brushed a little bit of hair out of her face and went back to his own bed. He knew he was still in no condition to be moving around, so he figured it would be for the best if he just tried to relax and recover for now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 08:12:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Not protesting at all as he took her back to her own bed, she readily snuggled in and closed her eyes."You should leave it off........really. It is one of the first steps....to being who you want to be.....and I will be there with you every step of the way." A yawn breaking through as she quickly fell into an exhausted and much needed sleep. It was pretty safe to say that she would sleep fully until the next morning and would have to be awakened to make sure that she ate to help build up her energy. The elders would make sure of it and also check on the now mask less young man that they treated as well. They had taken the most damage and so would need the most care and attendance. Both would be shaken and fed energy building meals before they were ordered to rest again, the day passing once more into the night. The elders would make sure that they took full advantage of the rest by adding a little extra in the food to help them sleep through the night.<br><br><br><br>Once the second night had passed, the elders would allow them to rest and wake up on their own quietly observing from another place.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-11-2011, 08:19:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At first, Talon was rather frustrated that he couldn't find his mask anywhere, but he figured that it was long gone, the elders having whisked it off to places unknown. He resigned himself to that fact, and instead simply focused on resting for the next couple of days. It felt strange not wearing that mask for the first time in a couple of years, feeling the wind fully against his face, being able to eat food without awkwardly angling his silverware so that it fit in the gap beneath his mask... But most of all... just the fact that it was his real face that people were seeing, and he was unable to hide who he was from anybody, not Tsubaki, not the elders, not the other monks, and most of all not himself.<br><br>On the third day of his medical rest, Talon was feeling considerably better, physically, anyway. He was just about back to his normal gloomy and serious self as he got out of bed and started to move about the room to stretch and warm up his tired limbs.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 00:09:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would find herself awake after the forced rest and&nbsp; see her roommate for the time already up and moving around. He looked so different without the mask and equally as melancholy. It was as if the mask was removed but his sorrow was firmly planted on his face. Once she was able to sit up on her own without feeling too taxed she gave what could be considered a bright smile for the circumstances and&nbsp; looked at him as if she saw someone new. "So....how are you feeling? They made sure that we would get enough rest to at least recharge and recover properly." Hoping that he would want to at least talk and&nbsp; not continue sinking into the self-pity pit that he was making for himself once again. "You were great out there by the way."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 00:17:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon looked back at her once she started to sit up on her bed, offering him a couple of questions and a compliment on how he had performed out there. He sighed lightly and sat down on the bed, speaking in the tone of voice that Tsubaki would know all too well by this point. "thanks... I'm feeling fine by the way, just about as fully rested as I could be..." He paused for a few seconds, lifting his head a little bit so that he could look into her eyes. "What... what exactly did you do out there? That power was like nothing I had ever seen before in my life."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 00:24:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				&nbsp;She would smile a bit at his modest thanks and felt a bit down at the sound of his voice wanting him to feel better but decided to leave it for now. Once he asked her the question about what power he had seen out there, she hesitated before speaking. "Well..........it was spirit energy if you want to call it something. Something from inside my soul that I can pull out when I or others around me are in trouble. Usually I can do small attacks with it on a regular basis on my own and charge it into things, but that took a lot of energy and I can usually only do it once before I drain all of my energy. Call it a spirit bomb maybe?" Her voice filling with a bit of amusement." It's kind of a good name because I only have so much time to use it before I lose the ability to keep it under control anyway...but I usually tire out before I can get to that level. I have only a few times before and the elders h ad to be there to contain it....but not without damage to things....and people around me."&nbsp; Her eyes taking on a sad tint.<br><br><br>"Guess that is why I was sent away here. The first time I did it was when I was little and some kids kept picking on me in the village...........it was not like I meant to hurt anyone...I just wanted them to leave me alone............and now here I am....alone."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 00:32:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon nodded gently, keeping himself quiet for the most part until she was done talking. "I see..." He couldn't come up with anything more to say to her, again, mostly because his brain liked to fail him during times like this. He gave her a somewhat sympathetic gaze before he decided to shift the subject matter on to something else. "people kept talking about how this raid came earlier then they usually do... is that the truth? Around what time of year do they usually start attacking?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 00:51:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Glad to be off of her for a bit she nodded."Yeah...too early. Usually they come when the first snow is on the ground but that is another month or so off. They attacked earlier this time and I only would have to wonder why. Perhaps they wished to catch us off guard this time or there is something here that they want.............but I doubt it. I mean they usually come for the herbs and if they can, take a few men and women to trade of as slaves or to be used in........other ways." She shuddered. "We have not lost anymore more people since raids a few years ago but it was still a loss. Having to explain to those peoples families are never an easy thing. I would see them looking at the rest of us who were left..............sad...accusing....wondering why it was them and not us. I suppose I would feel the same way though."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 00:58:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon simply nodded gently and started playing with his thumbs a little bit, wondering what else there was to say between the two of them before silence overtook the room again. "I see..." It seemed that he was starting to come out of his shell and get a little bit more compassionate as a result, still, he had a long way to go before he could really move past his own massive wall of depression. "This is going to be a long winter,&nbsp; I think. If they're attacking early, odds are they're going to be striking with much greater force then they had in the past... We'll have to be ready for the worst."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 01:55:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well that's what you are here for right?? To help us through the winter and keeping the shrine defended against the intruders. I really don't want to have to go through losing any more men or women to them or any of the herbs that will be used to help those who will come here once illness strikes." She sighed and looked at him for a moment."How are you doing...............really? Are you okay without your mask?Do you feel different.....naked maybe? I do still think you look better without it."<br><br><br>Getting up out of the bed, she moved over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder gently. "So.....come on...while we are in here and waiting for the elders to come let us out of here care to tell me how you plan on defending the shrine? What strategies will you be using? Also, maybe now you will share something about you this time? I will still answer what you want to know of me as well."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 02:33:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon shook his head lightly and laid a hand on his forehead, nodding at her suggestion of how he felt now that the mask was taken off. "It feels strange to say the least... I can't hide who I am anymore..." With that, he looked up at her and listened as she asked him about battle plans and how he planned on defending the shrine throughout the rest of the winter.<br>"I don't know, honestly. I'm not much of a deep and intricate strategist... sorry."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 02:45:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				That was a little disappointing to see that he had no ideas right off, but hey things changed."Well we will just have to think of some while we&nbsp; wait for them to come let us out of here. Most likely when they come it will to be that we are healed enough to take care of ourselves and then we will be rejoined with the others during the meal to discuss what happened. There will be questions and you can ask what you need&nbsp; on the issue so that you are properly informed.You will also be afforded any weapons and other things you need to aid in your planning and defenses." She nodded as she moved her hand from him and smiled."Also........you do not need it anymore.........and now that the wound has been exposed...........we can begin to heal it."<br><br><br>At that time, they would hear a shuffling and grinding noise as the door would slowly be opened revealing two elders, one man and one woman.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 02:50:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon was about to speak more on what she had meant when she talked about how 'now the wound was exposed, so they could heal it'. She seemed just as determined as ever to pull him out of his rut, and for the first time, he was starting to develop a little bit of faith that she really could pull it off. He opened his mouth to say something more when the doors opened and two elders walked in. Curious as to what they wanted, Talon turned his gaze towards them and kept silent.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 02:58:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The two elderly people would shuffle forth and give each of them a look before breaking out in smiles."Well!! You two look well rested. We were worried there for a bit that you would need more time." The man would be the same elder that accompanied him when they were walking the fields before. Moving straight over to him, the elder for being old, would give him a solid thwack on the back and laugh. "I have to say my boy that was some mighty fine fighting I saw out there! I knew then that the shrine would be fine during this upcoming winter season. Anything that you need simply tell us and we will do our best to make sure that you have it."<br><br><br>Looking over at the young girl, the woman would only nod solemnly and whisper in her ear before ushering the girl out of the room and to other parts of the shrine unknown. "Now my boy....once more.............I know you have questions...............now is the time to ask them." His old eyes wise and patient.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:02:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon rose from the bed and started walking out of the room, as he just followed the elder wherever the old man saw fit to patrol. "What can I say? There are only a few things in this world that I'm genuinely good at, and fighting just happens to be one of them." After that though, he noticed that the elder was opening the door to yet another Q&amp;A, and this time Talon did indeed think of a few things that he wanted to ask the old man. "The attacks supposedly started early this year, how bad of an omen is that for the violence that's going to take place this winter? And what exactly are we going to do if they should come back with vastly greater numbers, and vastly less idiocy. Those were the two deciding factors that we rode to victory on a few days ago."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:10:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The old man would simply sigh deeply and shake his head.'I am not sure but I know it is nothing good that the attacks began earlier than usual. It means that they are more desperate than they used to be or that they have far greater numbers than before and that was merely a test to see&nbsp; how prepared we were. I would not say that we did poorly considering the circumstances, but still it was a wake- up call. If it were not for you and Tsubaki we might not have been able to drive them back as fast as we did."<br><br><br>Thinking a moment on the next question, the elder looked over the training grounds where they had been working the students longer and harder since the attack. They had to prepared and more ready this time now that they knew a threat was much closer than before. "We have no idea how close they are now.....if they are camped miles away or merely around a corner. We are not going to risk sending students and have them get caught or hurt. If they come back with greater numbers we will simply have to be ready....and we are training them better in spiritual and melee attacks. Perhaps you have something you can teach them that would be quick and effective?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:14:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon shook his head gently, resting his hands in his pockets as he gave a rather unfortunate answer to the question that the elder had asked him. "Unfortunately, no, the training that I underwent to master my auramancer powers is heavily narrow. None of these people have the same spark that I do, therefore any amount of training that I could oversee would be pointless. You people have been doing this for a lot, lot longer then I have, you must know what works and what doesn't.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:19:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He would sigh, a bit disappointed."I understand. At least perhaps you could tell us any weakness you saw in the enemy that we could use to our advantage? That could be something that we could use to stop them faster and drive them back." His old face hopeful. There had to be something...........anything they could do to turn the odds closer in their favor without having to rely on him and Tsubaki to shoulder most of the work. "While our students can hold their own, they are going against fighters who do not care who they hurt or kill.........they simply wish to win and take what they can. Now.....I know that if it comes down to it,Tsubaki will do what she must to protect this shrine and all in it.....just in case she has the chance to see her family again. I know that you&nbsp; are not quite ready to talk about things with me.....but please............anything you can do....help us."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:23:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Well, at the very least Talon was starting to display a wider variety of emotions then he had when he first came to the shrine, as now his eyes were filled with regret that he couldn't do anything to honor the elder's request for more aid out of him. "I am sorry, really... But the only thing I can really offer you is something that you already have, my vow to fight for you until the winter has passed... although..." He lowered his head, thinking silently for a few minutes before he spoke. "Several of them seemed to favor heavy, thick armor, and I was the only one capable of disposing of them. No doubt the raiders noticed how effective they were on the battlefield, and they'll be favoring front line brutes next time they attack."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:31:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Well.............that is something we can use at least. Then we should set up defenses that would cause the front to fall quickly since they will be protecting the ones who use the lighter range weapons like bow and arrow. Those can be used to take out people from a distance without getting close and that is what the heavy front would be for." He shook his head and sighed."Well I can only hope that we will be ready...........as well as you and Tsubaki young one. Now.........on to other matters. Is there anything that YOU need to make your stay here easier...and how are you feeling after the few days rest? Sorry we had to force it on you,but you young people can be quite stubborn you know. I know...I used to be once myself." His old eyes merry. "Though you seemed to be quite troubled while you rested.........keep saying things we did not understand. Tsubaki when she would awake would worry as well....but all that is for another time. Come...it is time we headed in for the meal. Then you are free to so what you will until the evening."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:37:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon shook his head when the elder asked if there was anything that he needed to make his time here more comfortable, knowing that the one thing he could think to ask for would be a waste of time, since there was no possible way that he'd ever be seeing that mask again at this point. "I feel fine, I just took a couple of hits is all." He did his best to ignore the old man's statement about his mumbling in his sleep, and instead simply followed the elder towards the dining hall. "Well, I suppose I might as well ask, what did you end up doing with my mask anyway? I couldn't find it anywhere when I woke up."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:45:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Ah!!" The old man would exclaim as he heard the question but chose to ignore it. There were some things he could pretend to be senile about as well. ""I have&nbsp; no idea what I would do if I was not able to enjoy the delicious meals prepared here by the lovely ladies of the shrine. Though I never got a wife this is almost as good!" His cackling echoing through the hall as he hurried along wanting to make it to his table with the other elders. By now he would know where he was supposed to sit at the table as the meal would be served. Once it was, the chatter would begin, most talk about how the attack&nbsp; had come and the display that had been seen by them concerning Tsubaki and Talon. Most of them were more than impressed and happy and some a bit jealous that they got little action due to being&nbsp; unprepared. A young girl instead of Tsubaki would come to serve them this time, her chair empty and her nowhere in sight.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:49:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Upon seeing Tsubaki nowhere in sight, Talon would be rather curious about where she had gotten herself off to, come to think of it, she had gone off somewhere with that woman elder who he really couldn't recognize from anywhere, as well. Throughout the course of the dinner, Talon would begin contemplating the idea of looking around to see if he couldn't find her, since she was really the only person around these parts that seemed at least halfway close to understanding him. Besides, there were a few questions that he needed to ask himself about the way he felt about her. She was the only person he'd met in years that made him feel like a real person again, the only person that made him really think that moving on was an option.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 03:59:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would not come to the noon meal that day, nor would she show up to the evening meal. Instead she would find herself sitting in the lonely part of the shrine overlooking the water where she usually would come when she was feeling alone or needed to hear her own thoughts. She had been pulled aside thinking that perhaps she was to be scolded or counseled on what she had done on the field during the attack. It would turn out that it was not that, but it was have been easier to take. The elder had told her in so many words that her family would not be coming in the winter months or any other time. They had no even bothered to send her any letters in so long that she never knew that her family had left the village behind.....left her behind. Her training was close to coming to an end and her family had no idea what to do with her so they simply left. She was alone........just like she feared. Alone.....unwanted and unloved..............by the people who should love you the most.<br><br><br><br>They didn't care...and she wondered if they ever did. She would just stare out at the water, the sunlight shimmering over the ripples...........slowly she would move to the edge of the lookout...it had no use since they were never attacked waterside.......and peered over the edge. No one would miss her at all if she just closed her eyes and&nbsp; let herself fall over the edge......maybe that was how he felt? He could bear it though from what she could see...................but not her...........she was too weak......right?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 04:03:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Upon the conclusion of the evening meal, having noticed that Tsubaki was nowhere to be found throughout the entirety of the day, the young man from before decided to check the one place that he wanted to save for last, it was the place that she had shown him as being her special sanctuary, the place that she only went when she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. With the sun setting overhead, he made his way to that private little room over in the corner of the shrine, and somehow he wasn't surprised in the slightest to see what he saw there.<br><br>He took a few small steps forward, stepping into the room as he looked at her with a curious gaze in his eyes.<br>"... Tsubaki?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 04:34:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Not bothering to look back, she muttered her voice low."They are gone.........they left you know. The village............my family left and they did not even have the courage to tell me............to see me one last time before they cast me away."&nbsp; Looking down at the rippling waves she shook her head."Am I so terrible?" Her laugh bitter."I see why now that you chose to be the way you are.When you do something that people think is so unforgivable it is hard to forgive yourself. I tried and did my best......but I guess it was not enough..............it would just be so easy........."<br><br><br>Her smile a sad one as she turned to finally spare him a glance. "So easy.........to just give in and end it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 04:37:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon stepped up to her and sat down by her side, giving her as sympathetic gaze as his torn heart could muster before he spoke. "Tsubaki, you've been good to me, a lot better then I rightfully deserve... You're a good person, I know that now..." Again though, this would have been a great time for him to step up, say something brilliant, and completely make everything better, but any words he had got lost in his throat until the silence went on for a few agonizing seconds and he had to force out something. "... You don't even know what my real name is yet, do you?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 04:49:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				That would get a confused reaction from her for a moment before she shook her head. "I suppose I do not....and I figured that was the way that you wanted to keep it. So are you going to tell me now?" Her face still sorrowful. It really did not matter one way or the other but she figured she would humor him for a bit.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 04:52:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Talon shook his head gently, not knowing in the slightest how he could go about cheering her up at this moment in time. "It's Julian... Julian Arrowind. I come from the town of Melnara, back when that place was still on the map." He looked over at her gently, waiting to hear what else she wanted to say to that before he went about thinking of other things that he could say. Just as he thought before, seeing her face as sad and torn up as it was just seemed wrong to him, he didn't like seeing her this way.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:01:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well it is nice to finally meet you ........Julian. So are you going to tell me what happened to your home now? I really don't think that it would hurt at this point in time would it?" Her sighs breaking through as she went to sit on the edge of the small wall that separated the shrine from the ocean. The water looked so small from way up there.....and she looked back at him with a wry look. "We are all just one drop in the ocean you know..........many that makes up one whole body. When we go to war with each other, the sea churns, becomes unstable.........like the human soul I suppose. When we fight with ourselves.......we lose no matter what."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:07:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The young man, now conflicted as to what he could call himself, went over and sat next to her at the edge of the ocean, he wasn't going to give her the chance to do something stupid, if she had anything in mind. "That's a pretty... well... accurate way to look at it, but I wouldn't give us the scarce identity of being mere drops of water. Each and every human fights for different reasons, lives for different causes, we all have our own struggles and dreams, drops in the ocean don't have those..."<br><br>He looked over at her, realizing that he had danced around her question long enough. "It was about three years ago, I was just discovering my powers, and I was just told the truth about my heritage. The parents who raised me from infancy, who I loved and adored more then anything else in the world, told me that I was actually adopted, that I was left in their arms by a cloaked woman who was bleeding violently, just barely giving herself enough time to give me a name before she walked away to her own death. I was adventurous, I wanted to see just how much power my aura granted me... I explored the nearby haunted catacombs of my hometown in search of adventure, and I awoke something terrible. My powers kept me safe, I was rendered unconscious in the cave, and when I came to and went back out to the surface, all that remained of Melnara was ash and the smell of burning flesh. I don't think I'll ever really understand what happened that day, but if it hadn't been for my hubris, if I hadn't gone into that cave against all the advice of everybody in town, they'd all still be alive right now..." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:14:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I see..........." Her curiosity now fed. "So that is what you blame yourself for.........you were a child and could not have known what would happen. What I did, I did when I was a child and look......it still follows me to this day. I have no family, no village no nothing.I feel for you...but at least yours was taken away............and not willingly walked away from you.I think I could have handled that easier if we switched places. To know you are not wanted......is a hard thing to bear.Maybe.............just maybe.....we can fix you yet....or at least the elders can fix you. I am not going to be much help anymore I think......." <br><br>Her words soft as she gave him an absolutely bright smile before pushing off the edge of the wall and plunging down towards the water below. Her words would carry in the wind as she fell."Sometimes you just have to take the plunge and let yourself fall............"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:20:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was quick into action, though his arm was just barely too short to grab her arm before she fell down to the lake below. Cursing himself silently for not seeing it happen sooner, he quickly jumped after her and snapped out the red wings that she would have recognized from before. Using the added momentum of the wings, he caught up with her extremely quickly and grabbed her, stopping his descent as soon as the priestess was securely in his grip. At that point, he flew back up and brought the two of them back to solid ground.<br>"And sometimes that fall isn't worth taking."<br><br>Once they arrived, he set her down gently in the middle of the room and looked over at her as his wings phased back into his shoulderblades.<br>"There are people that care about you, Tsubaki."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:26:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once she was caught and taken to safety she smiled a bit when she hit the solid ground. "And sometimes it is if it brings out a reaction in one who needs it the most. I could have saved myself you know.........I would not have died...but I wanted to see......needed to see if you would catch me when I fell and I am glad you did. Tell me something...what would it have mattered to you if I had fallen? You barely know me........just now told me your name...and these people who care about me...who are they. Surely you do not mean the keepers of the shrine here and I no longer have any family to speak of."<br><br><br>In order to get past what has haunted you so long, sometimes you have to take the plunge...leap without looking and hope for the best..........can you do that Julian? Can you take the risk of the fall?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:31:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				That clever girl... she beat Talon in the most unexpected way imaginable.<br><br>The young man shifted his eyes away and took a deep breath, wondering to himself if he really could do as she asked and take the plunge in the same way that she had. "You know something, Tusbaki? I'm thinking that I'm just about ready to do that, and place my faith in your ability to catch me..." He looked up into her eyes, a bit more genuine of a look then the one that he had before. "Telling you my name, showing you my face, were two of the hardest things imaginable for me to do. You've been kind to me, Tsubaki, you really have. You're one of the first people in years to make me think that it's possible to move on, you're starting to fill me with hope that I might be able to get back to being the old me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:50:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Not just the old you.......a better you......a healthier you and we can do it,&nbsp; I have nothing but faith in you." Her smile genuine. "I had to be a little tricky to get you out of your shell though and I really hated jumping since heights are not my thing but it was well worth it. Now we can move on to other things that will help you, me and the shrine in the long run. You did some of the hard stuff already so the rest should be easier right? The wound is open.........so let's find a way to heal it now."<br><br><br>Offering him a hand, she smiled again."But what I told&nbsp; you was true though. My family did leave me and they will not be coming to see me anymore.It is something of my own that I will have to heal..........but we can work on it together.....the one who can heal the best is the one who truly understands pain."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:54:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He nodded gently, and for the first time since Tsubaki met him, the small traces of a smile started to creep onto his features as he hesitated for a few moments before he took her hand, wrapping it in his own as she spoke. "I'm putting my trust in you, Tusbaki... I know that you won't let me down." He nodded, now more sure then ever that he would have a fighting chance at getting back to being the closest thing to normal that a guy like him could be. He had Tsubaki behind him every step of the way, so he knew that he had a fighting chance.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 05:58:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Good....and I trust you to help me and be honest with me about things that may come up and I need to know about them." Her eyes fixed on him. He had to learn to trust someone and this was as good a beginning as any."So now what do you want to do then? We still have to make plans for what we will do when they come back to strike at us. They may think to come&nbsp; while our defenses are down and we are still regrouping. We need to plan some kind of offensive. I do not want to be caught like last time with no plan in mind. I do not think that it would go so well this time..........."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:01:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I don't really know what I would do, to be honest. I've already given the elder the extent of my tactical advice, so I plan on just putting my faith in them that they won't let us down." He nodded to her, rather confident in his tone as he did. "What about you though? Do you have any ideas for how we could defend ourselves better next time around?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:06:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I see..............well maybe we need to build something.............that would help us take out some of them........a trap of some kind. The grounds around here are rather thick with the dying foliage and I say we use it to our advantage. A few pits well placed here and there and then covered.........with spikes down below.........that would take out a few of them, especially some of the frontrunners since they will be the most heavily armed. With some of them out of the way, we can focus on the lighter melee fighter that even out least skilled man can drive back some. The far range fighters well...........I suppose that would be left to you and me as well as any other archers at the shrine. The elders can keep up a barrier as well as do healing duties as people fall on our side. Not the most effective ideas...but a start."<br><br><br><br>"So....what do you think and be honest...........I mean this is not my kind of thing but I am giving it a try." Her wide brown eyes watching ad waiting for his answer.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:09:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"That would indeed be a good, smart start. I've never been one for battlefield tactics, I just do what I'm told... It helps to have somebody around here that's a little bit smarter then most. You're certainly smarter then me, I'll give you that much." He paused for a moment, realizing that the two of them were still holding hands when they weren't even going anywhere. He considered breaking contact for a few moments before he eventually decided against it though, he rather liked the feeling of her hand in his.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:19:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah...maybe we can run it by the elders once we head back inside." Her mind spinning. She was never one for battle tactics but here she was letting out ideas and ones that did not sound too hard to do either. Even the weakest there could dig a hole and all they needed now was some felled trees that were sharpened to a deadly point and then lowered into the hole before it was covered thickly with leaves and dirt enough to make it look natural. "Well.... let us go then....I have missed all of the meals for today so I suppose I should just head off to bed and we can start fresh in the morning with the ideas."<br><br><br>Letting go of his hand, she smiled a little. "Come on......maybe I can beg something from the kitchens......if not......then at least I tried."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:24:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply chuckled just a tiny bit and followed her out to the main shrine, knowing that she'd have his full support during her entire conquest to try and get her hands on a late night meal. "Worst comes to worst, we can just slip out to the wilderness and I can hunt down a few creatures to make something simple for you. I've traveled alone for three years, I've gotten rather good at preparing meals while on the road, and I think I still have my emergency rations stashed away somewhere in my room."<br><br>He nudged her elbow a little, showing more personality and more life then he had before. "There's always a way to get what you want."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:31:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Happy knowing that at least one way or the other she would be eating, the journey to the kitchen would be easy enough. Once there she gave him a hopeful look and slipped inside the quiet room where a woman would&nbsp; be prepping for the next day.She would be gone a few minutes only to come out wearing a sour expression."She would not let me have anything....not a single crumb. She seems to be quite annoyed that I missed two meals and said that I must not have been very hungry." Her face taking on a slightly red hue from anger."She is doing this to me out of spite.....I just know it. She is one of the other mikos who is working kitchen duty tonight and she does not care for me very much.....she thinks that the elders favor me and so I am not on her list of people that are liked around here."<br><br><br>Looking a little disappointed and now extra hungry she moved to sit on the floor next to the kitchen door."I hope you have something good stashed away....or I might as well go to bed. I have to wait here though....I can't go into the men's quarters."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:35:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded and started to walk away. "You go find us a nice little clearing out in the woods, I'll be along when I've gotten what I need, alright?" With that, he'd leave and go back to his room, grabbing a few spices and herbs that would make any meat he prepared from the wilderness taste that much better. On his way back, he thought about how this would likely be a very good bonding experience between he and Tsubaki, as though the two of them hadn't already had a massive one of those already earlier that day.<br><br>He tried to keep his head focused on the job as he left the shrine and went into the local woods, hunting down an unfortunate deer before he hauled it to the clearing where Tsubaki had been picking herbs a few days ago. If he was lucky, that was where she had decided to hole up.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:48:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Deciding that a familiar place would be were she took him, the obvious spot would the herb patch as she used to. She had taken her time getting there figuring her would need it to do what he needed to and find her from there. While she waited, she wondered what exactly was going on with her and Julian now. What had made him come out and decide to tell her his name? Besides him feeling sorry for her of course. Maybe he thought that she was really going to die at that moment and so he was more open. Well........he would just have to learn to do that without the threat of something possibly happening to one or either both of them and so maybe they could work on that when he got there. There were questions she wanted to ask and there were questions she was sure he had as well. It would have to be a give and take kind of thing so that they could learn to trust each other equally.<br><br><br>She also thought about the shrine and how tired of being there she was. People there were nice to her because they felt they had to be or else face the wrath of the elders. An example of it would be tonight. She wanted so much to be friends with the other girls and only had one or two that was brave enough to talk to her at any given time. When she told him she had friends she had lied.........to not seem so lonely. But it was. The miko in the kitchen had even tossed a pot at her that she managed to catch before it hit her or the floor. She had then left, without argument knowing she was not wanted and that she would leave empty handed. But that was the way it was she supposed.......she often thought about just running away from there and being free from the burden and everything it held.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 06:53:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would come back dragging along the dead deer, though he would try his absolute hardest to avoid forcing Tsubaki to watch the rather grizzly project of preparing it to be eaten. From there, he opened his pack and set up a small campfire, where he used a strainer to hang a small pan over. All of this could easily be compacted into a traveling pack, so that he could set up a small cooking post very quickly while on the road. Once the fire was started and going, Julian tossed a nice sized slab of raw meat onto the pan and started to sprinkle a few of the herbs and spices over it to make it more appealing. He focused mostly on his meal before turning his attention to Tsubaki, though after about ten minutes of work the two of them would have to sit there for the greater duration of an hour so that the meat could properly cook.<br><br>He made himself a nice little seat in the dirt before he turned his gaze towards her, his gaze somewhat curious. "Alright, I know you want to ask me something, let's hear it." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 07:04:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Watching him quietly while he worked she would admit she was a little more than surprised when he came back with a deer. At most she had thought that maybe he would have a rabbit or two, but this was even better. They could share it while they talked. When he asked he what she wanted to ask him, she hesitated for a moment. It would take her a few minutes to think...the crackling of the fire and the meat being the only sounds around. <br><br><br><br>"Well...........I suppose I would want to know how you managed three years alone on the road. How did you manage the loneliness? How did you ever get your powers under control with no one to help you? Did you ever think about just forgiving yourself and finding a&nbsp; home at anytime or did you feel you deserved to suffer? What was your family and village like?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 07:08:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian let out a sound that was halfway between a laugh and a sigh when she bombarded him the way that she did. "Take it easy, would you? One question at a time, please." With that he fell silent for a few seconds until he decided to start answering her questions in the order that they were asked. "The loneliness wasn't really all that bad, I was able to keep myself focused on training my powers to gain greater control and strength out of them, as well as just simple survival. I put a lot of time in the evenings into training my aura, it was all I could do to keep me even halfway sane most nights, honestly... kept the thoughts of my destroyed home away, you see. I never even considered starting up a new home. I thought that to live happily and to settle down again would be a disgrace to all those that died because of my foolishness. Every time I thought about stopping, my legs would just keep me going before I got too comfortable where I was... as for what life back home? well... that's a whole different story in and of itself."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 07:18:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would nod and listen to all he had to say until the end. Now THAT would spark a light in her. "Well I want to hear this story. What was life like back then........did you have to work really hard at home or were things boring at home? I know when I was at the village I had to do the typical chores....draw water, sew, grow vegetables watch over my little.....sister....." Her voice going down a notch. "I would watch over her everyday when my parents would head off for the day to do their jobs. My father.......well he worked in the fields with the other men......and my mother would work with the other women to help bring in and preserve the food for harvest as well as making sure that enough warm clothing was ready for when the winter would come. We all had to do out part.................come to think of it I never really believed I fit in............I never saw any other mikos like myself in the village besides one and she did not really boast any powers. She did healing and birthing .....but never with magic or aura if you will............only with herbs."<br><br><br>She frowned." I know that when I was a bit older and they sent me to help with miko duties she&nbsp; was very upset and worried when I used my aura to heal a villager like I had done something wrong......I got beaten that day when my parents were told and I was forbidden to use them again until they could send someone to "take a look at me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 07:28:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would stop and listen to her as she talked about live back where she grew up, and he found himself giving her a very sympathetic look by the time everything was said and done. He felt incredibly sorry for her, having been raised the way that she had. "I'm sorry to hear that. My own life really wasn't anything spectacular. We lived in a large enough town that we children didn't have to work, the labor force was plentiful enough that we could just spend our days playing in the streets and making friends. I actually took on a small job as a blacksmith's apprentice before... everything went downhill... and now I don't even need whatever little training I got, whenever I want a weapon or armor I can just forge one with aura."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 07:37:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You are lucky then and I am jealous. I barely got the time to do anything I wanted to do...even when I saw other kids playing and having a good time. I just think that there was no time for ME to ever have fun you know?" She smiled a bit as she waved her hand."It's fine though and in the past....nothing can be done about it now." Leaning forward like she had a secret she whispered,"Sometimes I think they all hated me you know.........did not want me around. I know that I did not belong somehow...I just have yet to figure it all out. I think the elders know something but they are not telling.......hmm. Sometimes I think that was not even my real family or my village.........like I was planted there for some reason. More than likely I am being silly though........." Her voice not quite matching her look at believing herself. "Your turn.....ask away."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 07:40:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian fell silent when she spoke about all of them secretly hating her, and about how she never truly belonged in that place. "Well, you answered the only real question that I could come up with when you told me about what life in the village was like... so... um..." He paused, poking the slab of meat a little bit with a knife of aura, which Tsubaki may or may not notice is not entirely red this time, but instead a more of a purplish color, as he spoke. "Huh... do you have any hobbies? Things you do when you're not training to keep your mind off of everything?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 07:45:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Hobbies? Like other things besides training? Well I like to read and&nbsp; hunt and practice my sword skills as well as archery. I do not have a lot to do since no one wants to do anything with me. So I come out here and practice my healing skills and I have gotten pretty good too. I can bring back dead plants so far and maybe one day I can move on to people if I give it a try. I suppose that well...........I never had anyone dead to practice on." Her smile a bit wry and dark. Pausing from her little speech she looked at the meat, her stomach letting of a small growl.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 07:53:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian watched the way that she eyed the meat, and he figured that it was just about time to move on to the next step of preparing the meal, since he had about 10 minutes left before both sides were properly cooked. he started to pull several commonplace vegetables out of his bag, carrots, potatoes, celery, and he cut them all up into little bitty slices and tossed them into the pot, allowing them to soak in some of the juices that the meat was letting off so that Tsubaki could get a fine, quality meal out of his preparations.<br><br>Of course, this only made the matter worse as now absolutely delicious smells would start wafting from the pan.<br>"Here's hoping it never comes to that. I, for one, don't have any intentions of dying at a young age." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 08:12:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The smell was now absolute torture as she turned to him with a pitiful look and sighed. "I might get to practice on myself after starving to death." Her&nbsp; voice light with her own joke. "But really I think that I might be able to do it but that would take so much more training and I do not think I can get it at the shrine. I think it is something that with time I will learn on my own. To be honest, there is nothing left for them to teach me. I have been doing the same things over and over with them for awhile and they pretty much let me teach myself now. I simply go into those "advanced" classes so that I can be alone and not under the judgmental eyes of the others there. It offers me a little solitude at least and I am grateful for that believe me."<br><br><br>"I have thought about leaving......just running away in the middle of the night.......it's not like they could stop me and it's not like the others would care. They would secretly be happy I left....but I couldn't leave them...........at least I mean I won't....until winter season is over and then I am on my own............with or without their blessing.I have to go my own way....it's time. Plus the elder you talked to said it was time I knew something and that he had talked with you on it...........might I ask what it was?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 08:19:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian fell silent when she spoke about wanting to leave the shrine behind and go her own way. At least she was honorable enough to stay for at least this winter so that the monks could make use of her incredible strength, but Julian agreed with her when she said that it was time for her to go her own way and make her own name in life. When the topic went to what the elder had spoken to Talon about back when he first arrived, Julian lowered his gaze gently and spoke.<br>"He said that your time has come to leave the shrine, but they didn't want you to go alone... They wanted somebody to go with you... They wanted that person to be me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 19:12:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				That would completely take her&nbsp; by surprise and she was not one to hide it too well. "But.....I was told nothing about leaving the shrine...and definitely nothing about you going with me as a guardian or even going with me at all? And also....where are we supposed to be going? I mean yes I wanted to leave but I have not thought about where I was going to go........" Suddenly she felt a mix of fear, happiness, worry and rejection."Do they no longer want me there either? Is that why they are sending me away without telling me? I mean...they told you........"<br><br><br>She was beginning to think entirely too much and believed that once more she was going to be abandoned without hearing one word about it. Even he was not looking at her when he told just a moment ago. "Is...is there something else I need to know?" Her face full of worry. Perhaps there was more he was not sharing with her and she wanted it all out in the open. Was there some kind of danger that she was in....the shrine was in and&nbsp; so that is why she had to go? Maybe there real reason the shrine got attack all the time was because she was there. she could never remember hearing of any attacks before she took up training there and so it had to be her fault somehow.<br><br><br>For once she needed him to speak up....to have some kind of answer to give her. Anything to fill the gnawing questions that threatened to spill out at her active mind.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 22:36:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, lifting his head as he tried as hard as he ever had before in his life to come up with something to say to Tsubaki, but he had nothing. He had shared with her all the information that the elder had given him, and yet she seemed desperately yearning for more. Sure, he could fully understand why, and he sympathized with her a great deal, but there was nothing he could do at this point besides just give her what she already had, his company and his assistance. In her own way, Tsubaki was even more alone then he was, at least his home didn't want him to leave, and was taken from him... her? She was being pushed away from every home she had come to know.<br>"Tsubaki..."<br><br>He moved to sit next to her, as he put his arm around her and held her opposite shoulder. "... It's okay, if you want to cry. I'm here."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-11-2011, 23:48:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would only stare into the fire at the nearly done meat and shake her head, her eyes taking on a misty quality."I am not going to cry........" Her voice shaky as she she shook her head. She did not want to cry in front of him or anyone else. Her gaze would not turn to him at all as felt how sorry he was feeling for her and she hated it in a way. She felt pathetic. She was doing her best to hold it together and was doing well enough until she felt the arm around her making her break into small sobs that would increase in volume as her small shoulders trembled.Her head would be down as the tears trickled down her face. "It seems that I am wanted nowhere...........am I ever going to fit in? Is anyone ever going to want me around?"<br><br><br>She wanted someone to understand and she knew he did. Maybe now as she helped him, he could help her as well and they could find the answers together.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 00:04:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian saw that she was well on the road to breaking down into a complete and total crying frenzy, so he only tightened his grip on her shoulder and turned Tsubaki's body so that the maiden's head pressed softly into his shoulder. "Really... just let it all out, Tsubaki, I'm here for you." She had helped him more then she could ever know, if he didn't at least try to step up now then he'd never be able to forgive himself. <br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 00:19:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would only continue to cry quietly in his shoulder soaking the spot where her face was. It felt good to let it out for once and not be judged for it. To not have to put on a smile for everyone and act as though nothing was wrong. It would continue on for a few minutes until she was able to bring it under control and moved to wipe her face dry. "Sorry....." Her mumble small and somewhat embarrassed."I&nbsp; never meant for you or anyone else to see me like this.....please don't tell anyone. They already dislike me and I do not need for this to be another thing they have against me. It would just be turned into I am looking for pity and that I do not need. Maybe ....maybe I won't go back to the shrine at all. You can go back....see what is going on and I can make my own way back later........besides.........I think the meat is ready and it is enough for both of us to share."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 00:25:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian felt deeply relieved that Tsubaki was crying, that she was finally letting out all of those pent up emotions that she had been accumulating over the course of her years alone at this place. She had gone out of her way to prove to him that he had somebody who understood him, her, so he knew that the very least he could do was return the favor by showing her that she also had somebody who understood. When she spoke about going back later, Julian shook his head gently. "No, I won't be going back without you right by my side... as for dinner..."<br><br>He reached over and took the meat and vegetables off of the pan, at which point he dropped them gently onto a very large plate. Julian was rather used to eating for one, so he only packed one plate with him on the road. "Alright then, we'll split it. Dig in, Tsubaki, you must be starving."<br><br>Before giving her the chance though, he reached over and took a hold of her shoulder. "And don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 00:37:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Okay....we can go back together if you insist...though I would be okay on my own I think. But what you are saying makes sense only because there might still be some lurkers from the last fight out there and they could be silently watching." Once he plated the meal though, she was more than happy to dig in and share with him, the meat hot and well seasoned with the vegetables. She would immediately start eating quickly but neat enough, savoring each and very bite as she thought about how nice it was to be out in the open, feeling nothing but nature and no judgement. There were no teachers, no other mikos or monks and no responsibilities for once and it felt good.<br><br>"You know......." Her small pause between bites as to not totally eat in silence. " I know there is a monk there that fancies me as well and that he plans to ask me to marry him after I finished my training...so I am glad that I will be leaving after all. I don't think that I could put up with the likes of him."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 00:39:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian chuckled gently and watched her as she started devouring his food, something that made him rather proud of his cooking abilities. When she talked about that one young monk who had taken an interest in her, and about how relieved that she was to actually be leaving, Julian decided to dig a little bit deeper to the heart of the matter, and perhaps maybe the heart of something else as well. "Is that so? Well what exactly would you be able to 'put up' with when it came to the realm of men and romance?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 00:50:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Digging into some more of the meal, Tsubaki smiled a bit sourly for a moment, her cheeks flushed."I am not really sure what I would be able to put up with seeing as I have never put up with anything at all." Her cheeks tinted. "I told you we never had much time to interact with each other except during meals and special classes. I mean I have spoken to him a few times when we were on the field but I think of him as a companion in the fight we have against the intruders and as a member of this shrine, nothing more. I cannot help it if he seems to want more than I am willing to give."<br><br><br>She paused for a moment and sighed."I have known for awhile about his supposed "intentions'. I just pretend to not know a thing hoping he would turn his eye towards another of the mikos there who actually fancy him. That is another cause for the dislike for me...the miko in the kitchen is one that finds him quite catching and she threw a pot at me when I went in to get food tonight."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 00:57:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, surprised that she seemed so forthcoming with the information about her monk companion as well as a bit more about her solitude. For instance, the news about how she had a pot thrown at her was new to him. "I see... so I suppose that's one of the things you'll be keeping an eye out for once you leave the shrine then?" He was genuinely curious at this point, he wanted to know more about Tsubaki's thoughts and beliefs when it came to things like romance and relationships.<br><br>Damned if he knew why he cared so much, but there was no debating that he did.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:04:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I don't know really. Not quite sure once I leave what I am looking for...but I suppose that if one day I find that and a home to go along with it, I would be a fool to refuse it. And you? Would you perhaps be looking for something or someone once we head out.......well now that I know we are heading out." Her face would take on a super curious look then. 'When ARE we supposed to be leaving or is this something that we will have to find and talk to the elder about? I guess it is time for me to find out what I really was here for in the first place huh? Finally I can get some answers........thing is I do not not know if I will like what I hear at all."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:07:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian looked at her when she pried him for a little bit more information on when exactly they would be leaving, at which point he only gave her a blank look that said he was once again clueless all on it's own. That would indeed have to be something that Tsubaki took up with the elders on her own, though Julian figured that no harm could come in being by her side when she made her approach. He wanted to make sure that she was taken care of, that she knew somebody was there with her when she went to go and face her future.<br><br>She wasn't alone, not anymore.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:18:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would stare at his blank expression before going to work on some more of the food. Once she had eaten a fair share of it, she gave him a wide smile and a nod of thanks. "That was really great. That was really good and I thank you very much for catching it for me."Now feeling more relaxed and filled she was ready to chat a bit more before they headed back to the shrine where there would be ears everywhere."So tell me........." Her eyes suddenly mischievous. "What about you? You asked me and now I am going to ask you. Is there someone out there you ever fancied or ever fancied you and if not...........will YOU be keeping an eye for something maybe?You are not too terrible on the eyes after all." Her voice teasing. "And now your face is exposed and you have been getting a few looks from the others back there.Have you not noticed?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:21:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, raising an eyebrow when she suddenly started to take her turn to pry into his romance life. Well, he figured that it was only fair since he had already hit her with it once before. He paused for a moment, the slight traces of a blush becoming apparent in his cheeks as he scratched the back of his head in confusion. "I've started... attracting looks?" Either way, he simply shook his head and moved on to something else, her asking about if he'd be keeping an eye out for something while the two of them were traveling. "If you ask me? The girl I fall for has to be kind and supportive for the most part, somebody strong enough to snap me out of my depression..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:30:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Of course you have been attracting looks." Her own expression turning odd at his words."You came here with a mask, ate with a mask, most likely slept with one......and now&nbsp; you do not have one. Of course they are going to look at what was behind it and it does not hurt that the view is not bad." Her words honest and to the point. "You have caught the eyes of a few of the women there to the annoyance of the men...and......and..." She began to laugh."I think some of the men there think you are something pretty to look at as well." Her laughter going on until it settled into a smirk. <br><br><br><br>At the words he said though, she stopped to get serious for a moment."Well, there are plenty of women out there who would be supportive of you and try to help you through things, however they must have patience as well to see it through to the end.Some women become rather impatient when something "takes too long" to change and so give up on a person.....and then they miss something wonderful. So just be careful when you do decide that you want to look for "that girl" okay?" Her smile now bright and genuine."Come on....we should be heading back and it is quite dark out now.........we might get a scolding for being out alone."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:34:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian's face became one of mild discomfort when she suddenly erupted into laughter and joked about how even the guys noticed his looks as well, something that he really had no intentions on stirring up. "Please, Tsubaki, don't joke like that." He listened though, and he gave her a genuinely grateful look and a small smile as he packed up the small campfire he had made, cooled off all of his cooking utensils, and packed everything completely back up. With his traveling kit back where it belonged, strapped around his back, he turned around and offered Tsubaki his hand, yet another first since the two had met one another.<br><br>He was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, he already had his sights set on somebody who lived within the shrine.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:44:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would only wave and give him another smirk."You are safe, I promise..........I can totally protect you." Her face though would take on a small cherry hue as he offered his hand after he was done packing. Slowly she would reach out and take the offered hand before she stood."Thank you...it's been a long time since someone has been genuinely nice to me and allowed me laugh and be myself...........even if it freaks them out a little." Moving with a&nbsp; little but more joy in her step she sighed."I think that we should go and talk to the elder......now maybe or would you rather first thing in the morning? After all they are getting rather old and need rest...........and we are out later than we should be and I would prefer the scolding later."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:47:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian also found himself smiling a little bit more as well, finding that he rather enjoyed the feeling of her soft, warm hand in his own. Before he could really think about doing otherwise, he found himself gently squeezing in on her hand, just to make sure that she wasn't going to be pulling away from him any time soon. "Of course. You've already done so much for me that this is the very least I could do to pay you back. As for meeting with the elders, I'll leave that decision up to you. I'm just the braindead follower, remember?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:53:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving his hand a return squeeze, she frowned and shook her head."You owe me nothing.Nothing at all and I was more than happy to help you. You help yourself when you help others whether you think so or not. And you are not brain-dead....why would you say such a foolish thing? I think you are quite intelligent and you simply choose to not display it and I do not know why. Perhaps you are still getting over the fact that you have not had human contact for such a long time that you simply forgot how to deal with others.......but I will help you no problem."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 01:56:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian let his body drift just a little bit closer to hers as they continued to walk on, it wasn't by very much, but it was a few centimeters over so that the difference could be noticed if Tsubaki was paying attention. He found himself rather comfortable with being close to her, as though it simply felt right, if that made any sort of sense at all. "Perhaps you're right... no, you likely are, I can't really think of any instances where you've been wrong about something and I've been right... Just more proof that if anybody's the brains of this outfit, it's you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 02:03:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				That would get a small chuckle out of her."When did I become the brains of this duo? And when did we become a duo?" Her voice teasing. She did notice that he had moved a little bit closer to her and she really did not mind after all, it was one of the only people that she was comfortable with.For once she felt accepted for not just being the "miko" who was different.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 02:06:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian lifted his gaze a little when she questioned when the two of them became a duo, it was an action that got a response out of him that almost bordered on playful. "Haven't we always been a duo? I mean, I don't really talk to anybody else in this shrine."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 02:17:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes...........I suppose that is true............but you do talk to the elder there......or rather he talks to you. He seems to have taken quite a liking to you and enjoys his talks...even if he does most of the talking. He really is harmless you know and I know that soon enough he will leave the shrine himself to live out what years he has left in peace. I suppose he does deserve it after how long he has been there and all he has done.I guess it makes me think about when I leave the shrine as well you know? I am leaving to see where life takes me as well as still being young enough to make my own choices of I ever want to settle down and have a family."<br><br><br>"So what about you......?" Her words growing a bit hushed as they moved closer to the shrine coming into view.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 02:20:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused for a few seconds when she asked what he wanted, what he would be thinking about while the two of them traveled the world with one another's company. With a small sigh, he sunk his head down and confessed the truth about his thoughts. "To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out what exactly it is that I want. I'm starting to think about it, and I'm starting to put my affairs in order, but I think I'm going to need a bit more time before I can give you a real answer to that question."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 02:30:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Understandable. After all you have been alone so long and had nothing on your mind but sorrow that you never thought beyond that.......but now you can and I will be there to help. Anything you need at all............if I can help you ........I will." Giving his hand a squeeze this time as they approached the first of the many steps to the entrance. "You know..I never thought that while I was here I would ever have a conversation like this....and especially not with a male you know? I just thought that I would probably be here for a very long time with no friends and no family, suffering in silence. I am glad that is not the case now." Once they would head up the steps, it would only be a short time before they would be inside and she had to release his hand. "Against the rules you know." Her voice in a whisper. "Now...this is where we say our good nights and we will regroup in the morning to talk to the elder."<br><br>Sneaking a glance around and seeing no one, she snuck a quick kiss on his cheek and blushed as she hurried off." Good Night..............Julian."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 02:33:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian walked alongside her all the way there, and he had to admit that it was a bit of an odd feeling having his hand part ways with hers, his hand almost felt the same way that his face did when his mask was first taken away, it was just unnatural. Still, he suddenly had different things on his mind as Tsubaki came out and told him that she was glad he had come, and that she could talk to him about what was truly going through her mind, as well as sneak in a quick kiss on the cheek before she made her way off to parts unknown.<br><br>That kiss did a lot to warm his heart, he found, as he gently waved her off with a deep blush in his cheeks and a confused look in his eye. "Sleep well Tsubaki." <br><br>With that he made his way back to his own room and laid down to sleep.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 02:48:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once she had escaped from his sight, she would let out a nervous giggle and hurry to her room, where she would get undressed hurriedly and leap into bed.That had been quite the small adventure and Q&amp;A they just had out there. She had learned a small bit about him but not nearly as much as she wanted but she knew that would come in time as he felt more and more comfortable and then more open with what had happened in his life and where he could see it going. Some small thing that nagged at her mind was when he talked about finding a girl that would be supportive and understanding. What else was he looking for and what kind of girls did he even like? Tall, short, medium height girls? Fat, thin, athletic, curvy or slim? Redheads, brunettes, blondes? There were so many things to think about and for a moment, she wondered why she was even thinking about it. Why should it matter to her what kind of woman he liked? It's not like she was invested in him in any way......<br><br><br>Deciding to go to sleep&nbsp; before she kept herself up all night with wild thoughts, she forced her eyes to close and sleep to come after some time.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 02:53:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian followed a somewhat similar path with the way that his thoughts went throughout the night, as he laid in bed and simply replayed the night he had shared with Tsubaki over and over again. He wondered if she saw anything special in him, something that would hopefully lead to a deeper and more intimate relationship if the two of them ended up traveling together. The place on his cheek where she had kissed him still felt oddly warm, and every time he shut his eyes he saw visions of the bronze skinned beauty flash through his mind.<br><br>this just got a lot more complicated then it ever needed to be.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 03:10:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The morning would come soon enough and Tsubaki would come to wake up with a small smile thinking back on what happened last night. Now was the time to get up and see the elders about what was on&nbsp; her mind and there was no way around it anymore. Once she gotten up and taken her morning bath, she would head down to the meal and see that all was ready and the room was a buzz with talk that would slow when she came into the room. Wondering why all were looking at her so oddly, she looked to the elder's table and saw them sitting their faces solemn and serious with what seemed to be worry and something else.............
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 03:15:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would be along just a few short minutes after Tsubaki arrived, and he too would be rather put off by just how depressed everybody appeared to be in the main hall. Lightly, he took his seat and just watched for now, though he'd be ready to take Tsubaki's side should anything unfortunate happen. Something about this setting simply made the hair on the back of his neck stand up a little bit.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 03:26:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once all was said and done, the elders would wait until all was present and then speak. "Some things have come to our attention and it's with grave concern that we are to share them with you. Through an informant, we have been told that the enemy we drove back only a short time ago is once more a threat and that the first wave was just a test..........a measurement of what we could do against them....and that they are not as far away as we believed either. They have set up forces that surround the shrine the whole way around so that when they do come we will be completely surrounded. The only way we will have to go is towards the water and you know as well as we do that is a dead end for us if they manage to drive us back up into the shrine. We can hole ourselves up, but for how long and how many numbers will be possibly lose perhaps?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 03:29:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was a bit stunned by that news, how many greedy people were there in the world that there could be an entire army forming up to take this damn shrine? You'd think that eventually even animals would need to learn not to put their noses where it hurt, but these guys were more stubborn then even the most well bred and maintained mule.<br><br>He didn't know what to say, and he was worried about what everybody else in the shrine would be thinking as well. The last attack had come too early, and now the shrine was looking at a full blown raid?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 03:36:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Going on he would speak."We have reason to believe that not only are they after our specialty herbs and skills, there is something more or someone..........." He looked around, his eyes focusing on someone and then shifting away."that they have noticed and have a desire for. However we cannot fully say that is true,only a speculation for now. However we need to keep our eyes open and for now they are not going to attack us outright. They are still planning on how they will come, wanting to come in with as fast a sweep as possible to get what they need and go without losing many of their own this time. No doubt they have heard of Tsubaki and our guest here..........."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 03:41:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian crossed his arms and thought deeply on the rather grim developments of the situation. He had no idea that the shrine had this powerful a fighting force banging down it's walls, how in the world was it going to be able to defend itself once the two of them were gone? Then again, Tsubaki did say something about how she had never heard of any attacks before she showed up... still... that was just a tragic misunderstanding, he was sure. There was no reason why any number of bandits would want to attack a shrine just for one woman...<br><br>He kept silent, lost in his own thoughts until snapped out of them.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 03:47:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well that is all for now...please continue to keep alert while you train and come see one of us right away if something odd is noticed. Enjoy the meal and if there are any of you who have questions, you may come and see one of the elders as soon as it is over." With that, the meal would begin much quieter and with solemn conversation, each person wrapped up in their own thoughts.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 03:55:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would finish his meal rather quickly before spending his time wandering around aimlessly outside. He was trying his best to think of something, anything that could give this outgunned shrine just a tiny bit more of an advantage against the inevitable storm that was going to rain down upon it. Tsubaki's idea of setting up natural traps within the enviornment would be a good start, no question, but Julian wondered if that would be enough on it's own. His bet? Very unlikely.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 17:28:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki on her own would go to find out the answers herself after the meal was over. There was a small room that housed a few weapons was were she would go and sit down before taking in a deep sigh. Things seemed to going downhill faster than she thought. Why were they being attacked so early and then again so soon? It just made no sense at all that they would come so soon for some herbs and a few men and women they could sell of as slaves and use for pleasures. They passed through villages on the way to get to them so that was another question.What could be there at the shrine that they wanted? Were the elders hiding something there that they did not know about? Maybe it was time she asked them..........but not alone. <br><br><br><br>She had seen Julian leave the shrine and now was the time to make good on talking to the elder.She had questions before, but now they were more than just curiosity on where she was going....it was now what was going on there as well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 20:59:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would return to the shrine grounds after a little bit of wandering to see Tsubaki, and notice a deeply troubled look in her eyes as she mulled over what she would be asking the elders. Curious about what she was thinking about, he stepped over and stood near her, though he didn't reach out to try and touch her, not even her shoulder as he was starting to get used to. "Tsubaki... what are you thinking about?" He knew that she'd want to go see the elders, and he knew that she wouldn't want to go and see them alone. He had her back the entire way there, no question about that.<br><br>This was the least he could do for everything that she had already done for him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-11-2011, 21:12:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I am think of what to say.....to do........I am not quite sure where to begin." Her chocolate eyes focused on him as if she was seeing him, but really not. "There is something more going on...........there has to be a reason that we are getting attacked earlier than before.............I just cannot figure out why. There has to be something.....someone here that is the main target and the elders may know more than they are letting on and I want to know why."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>17-11-2011, 03:10:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian took a step closer to her, understanding how difficult this had to be for her, but this time he wasn't going to step down, he wasn't going to let Tsubaki fall again, not for anything in the world. "Tsubaki... no matter what you ask them, and no matter what the answer is, I'll be right behind you the entire time, ready to catch you if you fall."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 04:13:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a nod,Tsubaki would take the first of many steps that would lead her to the answer she so desperately needed.Facing the shrine, she would head up to and inside, her steps taking her to the room of the elder who had made the announcement. Making sure to knock and wait until she was acknowledged, Tsubaki would head inside the room, it being dark and filled with all kind of curios as well as being filled with the aroma of some kind of incense. The elder would be sitting lotus style on a small grass mat on the floor, never lifting his head though she came into the room.<br><br><br><br>"I know why you are here...........why both of you are here and I will do my best to answer what you need to know." His voice ringing out before one thing could even be asked."You want to know what is going on and why and is there anything that can be done to stop it or at least slow it down...............correct?" It was then he would lift his head and peer at them both.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 05:09:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply remain silent and nod his head, not speaking unless he saw a need to put his own 2 cents into the conversation. This was Tsubaki's moment, so he wasn't going to try and take it from her. He would be here as a pillar of support if she needed one, he'd pick her up if she dropped, but he would not walk her towards the goal. No, these were answers that she wanted for herself, so she had to be the one to find them or she'd never feel complete about it, one way or the other.<br><br>He just hoped that she wouldn't be too crushed by what she heard, even though he didn't exactly get his hopes up about it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 06:17:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a nervous sigh, she would launch into her questions.<br><br><strong>"What exactly is going on here and why are we being attacked more than usual? What are they really here for? Is there anything that can be done to stop it? What is going on with telling Julian that is to to accompany me when I leave the shrine?Am I not wanted here anymore?"</strong><br><br><br>Her questions done, the old man would motion for her to sit down before he began. "Tsubaki....there are some things that it is time you knew about. Your family brought you here because they were afraid of you...your power. You were untrained and unstable..........and you were not even their child, you were found in the arms of a dead woman in the forest from the village you were raised in. Those people attacking us............you are from their clan and now they want you back after finding you. They want you child...........want you back for what you can do and what they need you to do. It is time you left because there is nothing more to learn here and it is&nbsp; no longer safe for any of us. You must leave for your sake and our own.......that young man can keep you safe.............to find your purpose in life.........."<br><br><br>Tsubaki would only look on is disbelief. There was no way that was true.........it had to be lies. Once more she was the last one to know anything of her life and she was a fool. "I will not believe it..........you lie leader...........you lie!!" Her voice a whisper as she quickly fled the room, not wanting to hear anymore. Her life was lie............once more. Looking at Julian, he sighed deeply."Go....talk to her..........bring her back.........she must face the truth....we all depend on it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 15:53:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply nodded, not sure of what he could say to her at this point as he turned around and ran out of the room to chase her down. No, that was wrong, this time, this one time, he knew <em>exactly</em> what he was going to say. He was sick and tired of buckling when Tsubaki looked towards him for some kind of advice or support. This time he'd come through for her, this time he'd pick her back up on his own, rather then just simply watch from the sidelines until she threw herself off the cliff.<br><br>this time would be different.<br><br>he'd check all the usual spots for where he expected Tsubaki to be, starting with her own private little sanctuary in the corner of the shrine, until he found her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 18:29:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Forging the usual place of comfort,she instead would seek her solace in the woods. It was cool out and still quiet cries of the animals would echo in her ears as she found a tree to sit under. She was unable to process what she heard just moments ago.How is it possible that her family was not her family? How was she somehow involved with those people who now attempted to overrun the shrine............for her it seemed. So this is what they had been hiding from her all of this time..........why her "family" really never treated her too kindly? Why she felt she never really belonged.............because she didn't. She was found by them held in the grip of a woman who had died to get her away from where ever they came from. But why would her "mother" flee from these people and how had she died? All these questions left her confused and filled with more questions.<br><br><br>She would become lost....absorbed in these thoughts and not hear him approach at all. Though he would not be the only ones who was seeking her at the moment and simply decided for now to watch and report back and what they see. They knew that she would not be alone long and so now would be a bad time to try snatching the girl, especially with her emotions volatile.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 18:51:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian came up upon Tsubaki, watching her as she sat under the tree with that dazed and distant look in her eye. With a small sigh, he walked over and took a seat next to her, trying to hopefully snap her out of whatever she was thinking about. "Sounds like we've got more in common then we both originally thought..." He paused for a second, taking her shoulder with his hand as he pulled her so that she could rest against him. He knew that she would want to vent, talk about her emotions, possibly cry into his shoulder again... and he would be strong for her until she was finished. He wouldn't allow himself to fail this time.<br><br>He would be there for Tsubaki, right when she needed him the most.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 19:03:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a almost sad look, she shook her head."I guess so huh? I never thought that things would come out this way. I mean I know that I was different and that I was treated like I did not belong............but little did I know that I really DID NOT belong. At least I understand now why they acted the way they did.......why I was always left out of things. I never really was a part of them." She chuckled dryly." I belong to the enemy........or they even the enemy? I don't even know anymore. The elders...............held so much back from me.....and I left without hearing the rest.I don't think I can hear it though...............I am afraid."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 19:07:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian started rubbing her shoulder gently, finding that the words were starting to come easier now that he had gotten over the fact that the pressure was on him to alleviate some of the pain that Tsubaki must have been feeling. "Whoever it was that you were found with, that woman gave her life to get you away from the people that are attacking us right now... people that have hired ruthless mercenaries who kidnap the peaceful people here because it benefits them... just to get you back... if that's not an enemy, I don't know what is." He paused for a moment, realizing that his words might have just rubbed in something that was already hurting her. "... Tsubaki..." He looked over at her, realizing just how close they were to one another when he said his next statement. "... If you want, we can leave the shrine tonight. We can leave, and the enemies will no longer have any reason to attack this place."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 19:18:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a curious look, she sighed. "Leave tonight?? But what about the winter months? They will still need help with all of the people who come in sick and in need of help." She was torn between leaving and staying to do her duties there. After all, they would need the help and maybe he was right........would they leave and that would help...right? How would they know that the leaving would stop them&nbsp; and they would not still attempt to take some men and women to use as slaves?<br><br>Looking at him, she shook her head."How do we know that will work? That they still not come to take any men or women? That the shrine needs our help with the people who will come through?" Her eyes conflicted.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 19:22:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused for a few moments, thinking about what she said when he sighed and relented, nodding in agreement with her when she talked about how people would need their help. "I suppose they do indeed still need us... I mean... it's not like we have any way of even telling them that we left on our own, do we? They might just attack the shrine anyway and burn the whole place to the ground, for all we know..." He started to absentmindedly play with a little bit of Tsubaki's hair, now much more troubled with the situation at hand then he was before.<br>"This is a mess."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 19:35:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"It is a mess and maybe I can figure out a way to make it better. Maybe I can go off on my own and do some searching about these people. Why they want me and why they are so bent on the shrine.....I do not know. Maybe if I go to them they will leave the shrine alone peacefully." She knew that he more than likely would not agree at all with what she said, but she had to do&nbsp; something. After all, she now had to find what who and what she was as well. This clan.....she knew nothing about them and they held some knowledge to her past. Who was the dead woman to her? Was it her mother and what happened to make her flee in the first place?&nbsp; She absently noticed that he was playing in her hair but decided not to mention it for&nbsp; now.<br><br><br>"It is a mess................and it is up to me to fix it........" Her words a soft whisper in the breeze.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 19:41:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused for a few moments, knowing what was likely going through her mind before Tsubaki even had to say anything. He just hoped beyond anything else that she wasn't going to do something foolish and ship herself off to the people who were attacking the shrine. After all, it didn't take a genius to say that they were good people, Julian was willing to put down money on the idea that they'd be doing something terrible to her if she ever went over to them, not that such words would ever dissuade the woman if her mind was already made up. "You don't have to fix it alone, you know. I'll be right here beside you the entire time, helping you, protecting you... doing anything that I can..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 19:53:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I know and thank you..." Her voice sincere. "But I cannot just stand by and not do anything to find out why this is happening and why these people want me so badly...if they even want me that is. I need to find out who that woman was and why she was running.............I need to know once and for all where I come from and what reason I exist for. I mean...we all have some kind of purpose and I meed to know what mine is." Her smile bittersweet. "I always thought that I would finish my training here and go on to do something worth doing.........like finding a village and helping people,having a home where I fit in..........maybe even having a family of my own one day. You know I always said that if I found someone who could understand me and I had a family of my own, that I wanted a little girl like myself.............someone who I could make feel loved and wanted.......not like me at all. Not an oddity and unwanted............." Her voice wistful. <br><br><br>Giving her hair&nbsp; a small yank out of his grip, she smiled a little."Well.............then perhaps I need to find the courage to face the truth...........and go back to the elder and hear him out to the end."<br><br>The eyes watching them in the woods would silently observe and take&nbsp; notes. So....she had a protector already? This would prove difficult but not impossible.........perhaps a small test. Taking out a small dagger, the figure would throw it with enough force to send it sailing into the tree right next to the young woman's head. Now to see the reaction.............
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 20:01:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shook his head when she talked about the kind of life that she wanted to live, having a daughter of her own who she could make feel loved and cared for... This poor girl... she had been alone all this time, just about her entire life, and she was only just now starting to get some of the answers that she needed. He was about to try and reach her again, talk her out of doing such a careless and dangerous thing, but he was quickly focused on other things when the dagger suddenly sunk into the tree right next to Tsubaki's head. Almost instantly, he was on his feet, standing between Tsubaki and the route the dagger had come from. After a moment, a purple chain appeared around his wrist, which he threw out into the wilderness in an attempt to snag it around the assailant. Since the chain was made out of aura, he controlled it mentally, if it even made the lightest of contact with the attacker's body, the chain would be around that appendage within the second, and Julian would be pulling him out into the open.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 20:11:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a startled yelp as the dagger sunk in the trunk next to her head, Tsubaki looked around the woods wildly.Someone was there....watching them and listening. It had to be one of them.....one of the enemy. Jumping to her feet, Tsubaki would only watch as Julian threw out an aura of some kind attempting to snag whatever was out there. However, the target would be waiting and simply would dodge the chain that was dangerously close to his body. So....they were dealing with one of those......but how? They had all but died out and yet this one lived...............this would be something interesting his boss would need to know. It had been so long ago now............and they had thought that they had cornered that market in getting rid of those who would cause trouble later on. Tsubaki was one of them...well her family was and they had to be taken care of.......and now this boy.........things had been set in motion years ago with his people due to the boy's own doing and it seemed that a loose end (he)was left. He had not died off like they hoped he would on his own, but things had a way of fixing themselves..........<br><br>Running off into the woods, the man would make sure to remember all he heard to take back to camp. They would attack soon...........they could not risk the chance of losing the girl once she left the shrine.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 20:15:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian drew back the aura chain and sighed, frustrated by the failure that he hadn't managed to apprehend the man who threw the dagger at Tsubaki. Quickly, he clenched his fist and grabbed Tsubaki by the wrist, there was a sick feeling in his gut from that moment that he wasn't going to allow to go unanswered. "We need to get back to the shrine, it's going to be attacked soon, very soon, and we need to be ready for them when they come." Without even waiting for an answer, Julian would drag Tsubaki back to the shrine and right to one of the elders so that they could hand out their warning.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 20:26:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Getting dragged behind him,Tsubaki would dig her heels into the dirt trying to slow him down."Wait!! How do you know we are going to be attacked soon? Tell me...is there something you know?" Her voice concerned.&nbsp; He acted like he was struck by something painful just now when he came up empty and she wondered what just happened. Someone had attacked her but missed on purpose when they could have injured her badly........but why? A warning maybe? She would give her struggle up as she saw the shrine coming up and she let him lead her straight to the elder who she had fled from earlier. He would still be sitting as if he was waiting for them to come back any second. Once they had entered his room, he looked up once more and looked them over. "They have come........haven't they? They will attack soon and we will lose something dear to us here..........and there is nothing that can be done about it." His eyes focused on Julian. "It will be up to you then............to restore what is lost..........the shrine will remain and we will prevail,&nbsp; but not without some loss." His old eyes tired all of a sudden. "I will do what I can as well as the other elders........but we are no match for the power they will bring and I fear that I will die defending this place.....but all will be well."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 21:19:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian didn't even take the time to explain the sick feeling in his gut as he dragged Tsubaki along, and of course, when he heard the rather cryptic words coming from the elder, he couldn't help but get a rather sharp look in his eye as he took a step forward, speaking in an elevated voice. "What do you mean that there will be a loss? What the hell are you putting on my shoulders!?" Indeed, he did appear to be a far cry from the young man that had originally come to the shrine just looking for an easy payment and a bed to sleep in. This young man, Julian, had almost completely overwritten Talon at this point, and although he didn't see the transition, he was a different person now. "Come on! Explain yourself! There has to be something we can do!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 21:28:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The elder would simply shake his head."What I said.....something............" He looked over to something then turned away." will be lost and it is up to you to restore it. We will do all we can here and I have not put more on you than you can handle young man. I knew it............we all knew it the moment Tsubaki brought you here...........you were the one we would need. If you want to do something...make sure you are ready to head out when the time comes...........that you can heal a shattered soul when the need arises." <br><br>Getting to his feet, the old man moved to Julian and moved to his ear speaking lowly. "She will be removed from here........and there is nothing you can do about it now. It is her destiny and her fate to go through some.......pain to realize her full potential. All I ask is that you are strong enough to bear the burden when you find her again. I have loved her like my own daughter and she is yours to look after&nbsp; now. I will not make it through this fight........and it is close to my time anyway so I regret nothing. Now....go and prepare............they will come in the darkness of the night..........."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 21:31:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian heard his words, wondering where Tsubaki was at a time like this, where the girl had gone off to. "Forget it... I won't allow it..." he clenched his fist, a great deal of frustration and anger clear in his eyes as he thought about the idea of even the slightest bad thing happening to Tsubaki. "Forget it!!!" With that, he turned around and walked out of the room. He would make damn sure that he was ready when the battle came tonight, he would make damn sure that he did everything in his power to fight. This was about more then just him now, this was about something far, far bigger.<br><br>He couldn't stand around and simply be sullen and depressed at a time like this. People were counting on him, people needed him to be strong, people were putting their trust in him, and he'd be damned if he did something to betray that trust.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 21:39:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Watching the young man leave with a sad smile on his face the elder sighed. No matter what he did, Tsubaki would be taken and he would be the one to have to find a repair her once she was found. He only hoped that he would be up to what he found when he did and that he too would not be sucked into the darkness that would envelope the girl. Fate had a way of bringing people together and tearing them part. Tsubaki was like his own child and he would do his best.........even though it would not be enough. He had work to do..........and so did the other members of this shrine. Sadly, there was one among them that he knew would aid in their fall...and send Tsubaki to her own dark fate for some time.<br><br><br><br>Tsubaki would leave as soon as she heard the elders words. There was no way she was going to stand by and let anyone die. Not on her watch. She had gone to her room and grabbed her weapons as well as putting on the armor she&nbsp; had been saving for when the time came. It had been a gift from the elder and it was time she showed she was worthy of it. Once dressed, she headed to the main hall where instructions and preparations were already underway....the monks and mikos setting up defenses and traps to help the building stand against the oncoming onslaught.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 21:46:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was simply resting in his room, his eyes shut with his arm draped over them as he thought about everything that had happened so far since he first arrived in the temple. Talon was a being that couldn't be afforded the luxury of existing at a time like this, Julian had to step up and prepare to fight for what he believed in. He wouldn't allow Tsubaki to fall, he would fight to the limits of his abilities and beyond for the sake of the people that had helped him as much as they had since his arrival here.<br><br>In his deep thinking, he actually fell into a light sleep, where he dreamed a very... strange... dream. He was in the middle of a city, people all around him going about their daily lives. Stranger though was that he could look into their hearts, and he could see into their very bodily composition, where there was an odd blue spark where their hearts were. He was looking around, discovering where he was, a place that he had never seen or known before in his life. He was with his fellow auramancers, he was in Eternia, the place where he was born. He began to wander this strange city, it looked absolutely beautiful, massive towers raising up to almost the clouds, perfectly paved streets, warm fires in the furnace of every house.<br><br>What had happened to this place?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 21:55:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The night would come soon enough, with Tsubaki and everyone else on edge. The sun had set some time ago and it was quiet........too quiet. Perhaps the elders had been hasty in saying the attack would come tonight? But no.......they had never been wrong before and so they would merely have to keep their eyes open. Mikos and monks alike would be stationed both inside and outside of the shrine, ever watching to send out the first cries of the alarm. The traps that Tsubaki had mentioned had been dug and hidden waiting for the enemy to take a plunge into the spiky depths. Tsubaki herself would be outside on the front steps at the top of the shrine, watching as the time would wear on and a few of the members began to relax. The elders had set up a barrier around the inner sanctum and only another elder or mikos/monks could come inside or if they desired bring in one of ill intent. However, who would ever do such a thing?? &lt;_&lt;<br><br><br>An hour would pass, and then two.....and then three and finally a tired sigh would come calling them back into the shrines walls to watch from there. As the orders were made to be followed a silent whistle would fly through the air followed by a grunt as a monk in training hit the ground, an arrow through his chest. A loud cry&nbsp; would then follow as a massive wave seemed to come from nowhere and all moving like liquid towards the shrine. This was it................time to fight or flee.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 22:03:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was, right now, in less of a light sleep and more of a comatose trance, as he wandered the town blown away by what he was seeing. He had wondered where his powers had come from before, and now he was actually able to see it. Part of him knew that this might not have been the real thing, but something deep in his heart told him that this just felt right to him. He eventually came across a large manor, towering above the entire city down below. Inside he traveled through the lavish banqueting halls and the elaborate rooms within, this was truly the place of royalty, a bastion that didn't seem like it could be conquered by any mortal means. When Julian found his way to the main hall, he winced lightly as the lights suddenly went black for a few seconds, leaving him in darkness before his sight went back to normal, and the entire castle was in ruins. People wearing strange purple armor, wielding unholy swords that burned with a dark flame were cutting apart guards left and right.<br><br>Julian ran, somehow knowing where to go in time to see two people wearing glorious and royal robes hovering over a maid, they handed a child that they were carrying over to the maid before urging her away. "Keep our child safe, he is the last of our kind... He is the redeemer."<br><br>Julian shivered softly, wondering what those words meant. Redeemer? Last of his kind? What in the world happened here? He needed to go to Eternia to find out, someday, as soon as possible.<br><br>.................<br><br>Julian awoke at the end of his trance, when all was finally said and done. At first all he could think about was how confused and muddled his mind was before the sounds of battle erupted outside. Quickly, he snapped back to reality and started rushing for the nearest exit, he just prayed that the battle was only just getting started, and that he wasn't too late.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 22:24:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki and the others would be in the middle of an all out slaughter as they were being&nbsp; hit&nbsp; by wave after wave of enemy coming in. The traps they had set had given them a small reprieve but not for long.The number of troops was astounding making her wonder what could possibly warrant bring this many people to a shrine? Whatever they were after must best be something powerful or valuable in some kind of way..but what she had no idea. The members of the shrine were slowly losing footing to the troops as the elders began to cast spells to help out. Tsubaki had no idea where Julian was and wondered if he had decided to&nbsp; not help them after all. That would not have long to dwell on her mind as a large boom would be heard and magic would slam into the shrine. They had brought mikos and minks of their own.....dark ones and they were trying to bring down the barrier. With this, they would be overwhelmed soon and Tsubaki knew what she had to do. She could feel the magic rise in her as she allowed into course through her, lighting her body slowly. Descending down the steps she would take them on as best she could.........and to hell with the consequences. She had to protect them.<br><br><br>Following the same pattern as before, she would send out a massive sweep that would wipe out a decent amount of enemy but something was different this time.........she found that she could not pull back her power and soon saw why. The dark mikos...were for her..............to keep her charged enough to burn herself out and therefore take her out of the fight. She had never had anyone to train her in this so she was on her own. Though she would fight back and send out directed hits that stopped a few of the women, it was soon too much for her and she found herself spiraling out of control, her power burning through her wrenching a scream that echoed among the clashing of weapons around the shrine. The fight would only pause as they watched the light show as she began to sizzle out and pulled herself back towards the safety of the barrier. She had to get back and&nbsp; warn the elders.............there were mikos and monks there........and the barrier would fall.<br><br><br><br>Though as she made her way, she would be stopped&nbsp; by&nbsp; one of the dark mikos and restrained with the powers of another. "We have been looking for&nbsp; you for a long time girl...........went through much to secure you from your clan and for what? To have your mother run from us...............pity she had to die.........." Chuckling they would hold her until a man swathed in dark armor would come close his foot near her face as she lay on the ground. "You are what we need.....one half of a whole we might say. I never thought that boy would find you. We destroyed his clan along with yours before you could ever know of each other and now he never will. Finally....my people can richly enjoy the rewards we have...........fought so long for."<br><br><br>Unable to speak because of the magic on her, she could only glare at him with confusion and fear. "All will be known once we are away from here.........just know...............that you are going to serve my needs..........and other uses as well. With what you can do, I will finally have all I desire." Nodding to the women he hissed,"Take her...........and kill the rest."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 22:29:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				By the time the auramancer finally arrived, he knew that the shrine was in the middle of a wholesale slaughter, and that it was only a matter of time before the shrine collapsed. Just like before, massive wings of energy suddenly burst from his back, though this time they weren't red, nor were they even some shade of purple, this time they were a bright and brilliant blue color. Across his body, Julian enveloped himself in armor worthy of his clan, summoned by&nbsp; solidified aura just like he usually did for his weapons before a pair of longswords suddenly appeared in either hand. In this new form, Julian bounded into the battle, targeting people who were clearly key contributors to the war efforts. Something was wrong though, something was very wrong.<br><br>Where was Tsubaki? She should have started using that power of hers by now? Was he really too late?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 22:45:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her powers would be suppressed being as she was not properly trained in them and could only look on helplessly as&nbsp; the war waged on. They had not yet left the field and she wondered why, when she could feel the shift in energy on the field. He had made it....Julian had finally come. The man would look more than pleased then as he held Tsubaki&nbsp; in his arms the dark magic holding her at bay from attacking him. Once Julian arrived the field would go silent as the attacking side would bow out slowly to allow the leader to speak. "You there boy.............I never thought I would see you again, especially after we wiped out that troublesome clan of yours.......pity. You were a promising lot and all you had to do was join me but your parents were fools. Just like hers.." He shook the girl under his arm. "Auramancers in the clouds indeed.." He chuckled. "Do you want to know something? All this time when&nbsp; you unleashed that beast so long ago..........it was me who led you there.............who urged you what to do............who cost you a second home, hoping you would perish this time. I see you are like your fool parents..........hard to kill."<br><br><br>"And her...........people powerful like yours and yet fools as well. Her clan was the light while you see mine is the dark. Both you and her the same yet not the same. One in the clouds and one in a realm of light............while I reside in darkness..........pushed there by the clans of you both." His smile dark and hateful. "Threatened to be sealed and banished for eternity for my "corruption" on this human world..........well I could not let that happen and I could not let you two bring to pass what your miserable parents wanted. This girl......was born for you.......to join your two clans and bring me to an end. Well............I could not have that.......so I did what I had to do.Seems her mother had some fight left even after I killed her clan and she fled, but not before I dealt her a fatal blow. I since then had lost her and spent many years finding her........here.........and imagine my surprise when she found you...or you found her. It seems the fates are set on you two correcting my work...........luckily I do not believe in fate.....and the girl is mine. She will bring in a new reign with ME at her side and I will have my desires finally..........and you. You will die like you should have so long ago.........."<br><br><br>Done with his speech he nodded to his troops."Kill them all..........." Finished he turned away a kicking and struggling girl looking back at Julian with panicked eyes. So now she knew the truth...........too-late to do anything about it though. Disappearing into the night, the fight would resume with a rage that seemed to come from nowhere as he dark forces attacked, determined to keep the shrine at bay.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 23:16:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, looking up at the being that held Tsubaki in his arms. Damn it! He had been here too early, if only he had been faster, if only he had been stronger.... If only he had done things differently, he'd have been able to prevent all of this from happening... He'd get her back, he swore that he would. He'd never allow that man, whoever he was, to do so much as lay a finger on Tsubaki, he would forbid it. And yet, with all of these mindless pawns still rushing with the attack, with ALL of these idiots doing their blind little charge, he found it impossible to hack his way through and get to the man before he vanished into the darkness with the woman in tow. Just what was he planning on doing with her? What the hell made Tsubaki such a magnet for terrible things to happen to her?<br><br>And then there was that strange confession... why would he ever admit that he was the one responsible for destroying Julian's second home? Was he really so confident that the auramancer would die? Was he really so sure of himself that he could cause even more fury to build within the young man's heart? Well, either way, there was no possible way that he would receive forgiveness for what happened, there was no possible way that he'd let that man live.<br><br>His pulse dropped at that point, the world around him seemed to slow down, each second ticking by as though it lasted an hour. Slowly, Julian reached down and put his palm on the ground, speaking a chant in the native tongue of the auramancers. He didn't know it himself, but that dream of his had awakened some deeply buried knowledge, the secrets of his clan. <em>"Hear me ancestors on high, I request your aid. Bring death to my enemies, for they are unjust, a blight on this world... deliver them their great justice! Deliver them to their graves!!!</em>"<br><br>Suddenly, a massive rune appeared beneath the battlefield, and from it a massive roaring sound was heard. From the head to the tail, a massive dragon (http://media.wizards.com/images/magic/daily/stf/stf150_phantasmal.jpg) suddenly flew out of the rune and started wreaking havoc on whatever foot soldiers remained.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 23:25:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The man would simply stop and smile as he heard the massive roar of a dragon entering the field."So..........he has tapped into his power..........hmph well no matter. I have what I came for and it will all soon come to fruition." His voice confident and arrogant. "I have not waited this to be denied.....to be stopped by a mere boy who should not have lived to see this day." His nerves annoyed as he carried the girl. She would be the key to helping him achieve his goals. There was no way that he could ever allow the fates to them together......it would mean his downfall and he had too&nbsp; much planned for that to happen.<br><br><br>Once all the smoke had cleared, the field the shrine members would&nbsp; remain and only look at Julian with a mix of awe and fear. Whispers of who and what he was would echo through as an elderly man would shuffle towards him, his body barely making it under it's own weight. "I knew you were the one...........the one we were waiting for and who would protect her..........." His voice going into a cough as he shakily sat on the ground."I used too much magic......and will not last much longer...........so last chance son............ask what you will for there is no more time."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 23:42:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian clenched his fist, glaring as his armor vanished and the dragon dissipated into the air. He knew that the old man had given his life to protect the people of the shrine, and he would be missed, but right now Julian had bigger things on his mind then playing Q&amp;A with a dead man walking. He looked over and gave the elder a look of absolute resolution. "What's there to ask? That man has Tsubaki and he's going to be doing something terrible with her, that's all I know, and that's all I care about. Understanding why these people act the way they do is irrelevant, the only thing I care about is knowing how to stop them!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-11-2011, 23:48:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Ever the stubborn one I see.................very well." He sighed. "He will take her to his home in the Dark Realm where he has plans to corrupt her for his own. He will use her for his own sick and twisted needs. Of course you and I both know Tsubaki will not give into him so easily and so he will break her enough to get what he wants. With the help of those dark women he had, he can weaken&nbsp; her powers since she was not properly trained...but there was no way we could since we are not of her people. There maybe some one along the way who can help and answer you better than I can. Go now and I wish you luck.The road will not be easy and you will be attacked left and right. She is not something he is willing to let go easily. Like he said.........she was meant for you boy......peace hinged on it...........and now it is up to you to tip the scales back in our favor. With her help you both can make the world better for us all. Defeating him will be a start but he is not the ultimate goal. Now go." Getting up slowly, the old man would turn and go back to spend his final moments in his home of many years.<br><br><br>"And tell her............I loved her as my own."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 00:00:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded lightly, watching him as he left. "One last question... where should I begin my search?" Julian didn't even know the first place where he should begin searching for a lead of how to get to this mysterious dark realm that he had never even heard of before, and he realized that any time he wasted trying to gather extra information would be precious time wasted. He needed some lead, even the tiniest little lead to stop him from running around in circles with multiple wild goose chases.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 00:10:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Follow a path you used to come here and the first lead will find you." His smile mysterious. Not saying anymore, he turned and made his way inside his work done.&nbsp; If Julian would heed his advice, his first lead would indeed find him as the mystery man would send one of the dark mikos back to stall Julian for as long as possible. Now he knew that the woman had no chance of stopping him but anything to slow him down was welcome. He had silenced Tsubaki as soon as they began to travel, tired of her yelling and barrage of curses at his person. She had been stronger than he had thought that she would be and that made him more pleased than anything. It had taken a few of the dark mikos to take her down and that showed him she would be of fine use for what he had in mind for her.<br><br><br>After he gave his order the woman would simply bow and take off through the air, her shadowy form (http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk26/Gothic-Sin/2445854214_c798c4fbf2_m.jpg) making her flight back to where she knew she would meet him quick. He would not get past her...........she just knew it. Settling down in the road, she would simply wait..........no need to do anything more. He was hers.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 00:16:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply nodded and started down the road, naturally, it took him almost no time at all before he came across one of the servants of that mystery man that had abducted Tsubaki. At the mere sight of her settled in the road, he snapped a longsword, now a blue crystal color, and approached her. "You've got one chance to tell me where they took her and get out of my way, got it?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 00:27:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her smile would betray nothing as she shook her head slowly. "If you defeat me I will tell you all you need to know. However, we both know that I will leave your corpse on the road for the wild dogs to feast on." Her words followed by a series of spells she chanted that would cause her body to split&nbsp; and multiply each one surrounding him with a cackle. Each shadow woman would wield a sword that pulses with dark purple power they slowly enclosed him."I think I shall tell you something though it does not matter much since you will die. There is a town from here...........a few miles he will seek refuge and rest to begin his work on her. He is taking her to our realm where her magic will be slowly neutralized and made to be like our own once she is properly broken. She will be the one who will help us find and unleash the power of the stone that gives the power of all three clans to one. It was made in case a clan got out of hand and only one of her kind can free it, since it was cast by her father's hand. You see the realm of light is what holds the balance and once they were killed, it was only a matter of time before your clan fell as well...........leaving us to do as we will since we are the darkness of the world."<br><br><br>Laughing more, she sighed and gave him a pitying look. "Too bad she will be learning to please the Master Dasuke, instead of fulfilling her fate with you, ne? Such is the way of the world. The weak hearted fools the lot of you........and look what you have lost. Your clan, your second home and now......perhaps your destined as well? Stupid boy.........you should have turned away and left while you had the chance." Her battle cry spilling as she lunged at him from all sides hacking and slashing, each replica trying to spill his blood and end his life.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 00:39:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply shut his eyes and shook his head while he listened to her ramble on about how she was going to beat him, as though that was ever going to happen. Still, she did end up coughing up some pretty handy information on the situation, not that Julian would ever allow anything to happen to Tsubaki anyway. The elder said that she would be broken when he found her, and that meant that he <em>would</em> eventually find her, not simply die on the road to some faceless servant of the man that he was hunting.<br>"... Cute."<br><br>Without moving from his position, a dome of ancient spartan shields surrounded him in a tortoise shell formation, spears jabbing out from all directions towards the enemies. Sure, there were more practical ways to achieve the same method to attack, but having a certain creative flair in battle was somewhat important. When he wasn't busy brooding over the future, Julian was actually a little bit of a showoff from time to time.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 00:43:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The woman would merely laugh when she saw his defenses."Fool............you cannot kill one such as me. I move like the shadows." Her words haughty and pointed. She would simply glide right past his shield and spear and kill him with her magic...or at least that was the plan. Then she could report back to her master that she had done as he ordered and there would be much praise and a big reward once he got the stone in his possession. Perhaps a place in his court? Yes.........that would suit her well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 00:51:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian looked over at her, clearly she was underestimating the power of the auramancers, and Julian, who was chosen as the final member of his people. When she came inside his little shield formation, Julian would simply reach out and grab her by her face with his palm before causing a massive explosion of raw aura at point blank range. If that wasn't enough to put her on the ground for a little while, if not knock her completely unconscious, then Julian didn't know what would.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 00:56:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The woman would cackle as she made her way inside his little defenses and reach out with her sword."You will die now and I will be richly rewarded." Her actions poised to strike but not quite making it when she was grabbed by the face and felt a massive rush or aura explode inside of her. Letting lose an unearthly scream, the woman would sink to the ground, her shadowy form now solidified as she trembled on the cool ground. Looking up at him, her skin charred, she begged."Mercy...please...........I...I will tell you all you wish to know....."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 01:21:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shook his head gently at how quickly she surrendered, and here he was, thinking that he would have an actual chance to test the limits of how powerful his people once had been. Even though that dream of his had made him late to the fight, it had unlocked some unearthly powers within the young man, now that he was ready to receive them. He stood over her and snapped a blade into existence. "Alright then, why don't we just start at the top? You're going to tell me everything you know about your master, what he plans to do with Tsubaki, and the best way that I can go about stopping him."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 01:31:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Smiling a little as if she was pleased at having a chance to get away, the woman nodded. "My master is my master and what he plans to do to the girl is of no consequence to you anymore. He will break her.........and how do you think you break a woman?" Her face getting darker and more contorted as she spoke. "He will do things that most people never even think of........especially not people like you and her. It is sometimes good to be one of the dark clan members.........and you cannot stop him because I will not allow it!!"<br><br><br>Her words ending in a screech as she made one last attempt to fly at him. She knew that she would not win,&nbsp; but better to die here than be killed in disgrace by her master.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 01:47:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian winced a bit when she made one final rush at him, of course, it resulted in her basically impaling herself on his blade as she came forward. Still, Julian didn't have any time to delay, he knew that the longer he spent just giving chase, the more opportunities that this woman's 'master' would have to completely shatter Tsubaki. He just hoped for the best, though he highly doubted that she would be the same woman that he knew by the time he got to her, he held out that much realism, in any case.<br><br>Without anything better to do, he just continued down the road and hoped that the next lead would present itself, that or the next enemy, to show that he was on the right track.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 02:03:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would make a gurgling noise as she impaled herself, her throat filling with a dark liquid that would spill from her mouth as she gave him a look of malice."You will be too late and she will never be the same....and we will win no matter what...." Her last words as she began to fade into a wispy smoke as she died, finally blowing away in the wind as if nothing ever was there. Still she had told him that the next stop would be a dark village a few miles off, so he would at least know to look there.<br><br><br>Dasuke meanwhile would have the&nbsp; unconscious girl still in his grasp as he traveled with the other three dark miko who had come to help him subdue Tsubaki and would be there when she awoke in order to keep her powers dampened. So far all was going well and he wondered how the miko he had sent off was faring. Had she even encountered the boy and if so had she at least damaged him in anyway? He knew she was a weaker miko and so did not expect much, but at least hoped she had not given a whole lot to go on. He would need&nbsp; this time to work on the young woman and bend her to his will. Resistance was to be met with force.......and he was not above using any kind of force to break her short of injuring her too badly or killing her............but she would learn her place&nbsp; by his side and get him the power he was so long denied.<br><br><br><br>By the time the boy did come...............Tsubaki would be his and there would be nothing he could do about it..............<br><br>Approaching the dark village (http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy319/mraya1990/march2.jpg) , he spread out the miko and took Tsubaki to a nearby hut to begin his process. The miko would keep watch as guards in case he did manage to catch up with them. Once inside, he would begin his methods of waking the girl and telling her what he needed her to do. Being Tsubaki of course she would refuse and he would at first humiliate her by stripping her of all her clothing, hanging her up and beating her a lash for each refusal. If that did not break her then, perhaps he would move on to more pleasant methods of torture for himself and less for her.........<br><br><br>If he did come, he would come to the sounds of her screams and begging to show mercy and not hurt her anymore. Just what filled his soul with satisfaction and glee.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 02:16:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian took a little bit longer to get to the village with the extremely dark and unpleasant feeling to it, thanks to the woman that had slowed him down. He looked around, a sharp chill running up his spine as he looked around. He knew that some sort of horrible trap was waiting for him here, it was just a matter of going far enough in to spring it. He didn't hear any noises coming from inside the village, either Dasuke had moved on, or he was simply taking a break, depends on how much time he felt like taking before moving on to the next location. If he was still anywhere in this town, he had a damn unpleasant surprise waiting for him when Julian caught up with him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 02:38:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki was proving to be a hard one to crack. He needed her to be much more submissive and cooperative before they got the the Dark Realm so that he could use her to his ends. He needed her submissive so that she would obey what he said when it came time to get the stone that he so desperately wanted...........and he needed her to be shattered so that her pure soul would be way to manipulate. It did him no good to have a stone that was completely unusable by him. He needed her tainted.......stained and that was what he would do. There was not a whole lot she could do against him with her limited knowledge and besides........he only needed her for now. If after this the boy still wanted her, then by all means he could have her and they could perish under his rule together. The thought would make him chuckle as he looked at the naked girl&nbsp; hanging by her arms from the ceiling, her back covered in welts from the lashes he had given her already.<br><br><br>Stubbornly, she had done her best to not show him any weakness which annoyed him to no end. Very well, if she wanted to be stubborn then perhaps he should take things up a few notches...........after all she was to be his for now, so why wait? His smile dark as he roughly cut her down and tossed her across the room, his eyes looking her over before he carefully would remove something from his robes and placed it on a nearby table. "I think my dear by the time he gets here we will be gone but I would not want him to miss this.......would you?"&nbsp; His laughter echoing as he closed in on the girl and forcefully took her, her screams making his ears hurt as&nbsp; he slapped her roughly and continued to have his way with her , her whimpers being ignored until finally he would finish with a final push and grunt of satisfaction as he spilled himself inside the girl, her eyes dead and her screams no longer present.<br><br><br>She would lie there like the dead until she was cleaned up and readied to travel once more by one of the mikos that accompanied them, her face ever turned towards the small crystal that would catch and freeze her face in time until it would be viewed once more.<br><br><br>"Let's see how your friend enjoys seeing this and if he will still want to save you after he sees you are used goods." His last words before he let her to clean himself up and prepare him and her as well as two if the miko to leave. One more would stay behind to greet him once he finally did arrive.<br><br><br>The miko that would stay behind was instructed to take form of the girl and scream loudly as to alert him to her presence in the hut. Once there, she was to allow him to get close...........and kill him. If all else failed.......there was always the little"surprise" he left for him to enjoy.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 03:13:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian's head jolted up at the sound of the bloodcurtling scream, and without even a moment's hesitation he started running desperately in that direction. Naturally, he was at the hut within the minute before he pulled the door open, panting heavily from his run as he did. "Damn it all..." He fell for the appearance of Tsubaki, though if he gave himself a few more seconds to think about the situation he would wonder why exactly he had opted to leave her behind, and he would smell something fishy. As it was, he simply ran forward and tried to get as close as possible to her.<br>"Tsubaki!!! Are you alright!?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 16:39:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Tsubaki" would only look in at Julian as he came inside and rushed to him with a choked sob. "Thank kami you are here!! We have to hurry and leave before he comes back!! He left me here while he went out for some supplies to carry us through to the Realm and figured that the aura around this place would keep me from escaping. But now that you are here, we can run away..........get back to the shrine and not even there if you do not want to....just go until we find somewhere we can hide from him until we can make a plan to stop him."<br><br>The dark miko was more than pleased with her performance and knew that if she could delay him for some time then that would give her master all the time he needed to get Tsubaki beyond Julian's reach.. It was not that he could not follow him to the Realm but it would be more difficult once he was there to stop them. Her clothes were ragged and torn exposing her skin in many places and her skin smudged with dirt and filth. "He...did terrible things to me........things I do not want to talk about right now....I just want to leave......please." Her voice pleading.<br><br><br>If she could get him to believe her, she would take him the opposite way and once he had gotten comfortable she would strike at night and kill him while he slept. There was no way it could fail. She was smiling inside despite the sobbing and dirty mess she looked on the outside. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 19:16:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian reached in gently and ran a hand through 'Tsubaki's cheek. "Don't worry, I totally understand... come on, let's get you some place safe and warm..." He looked around, and honestly, he was starting to smell some of the fishiness that came with this place... There was no possible way that this guy would be so lazy with his one subject, could he? He still had three of those dark bodyguards of his, so the absolute least that he could have done was leave them behind while he went shopping... Yeah, something was wrong here, he just had to keep his eyes open for it. Nevertheless, he helped get 'Tsubaki' to her feet, and he led her out of the building. "Everything will be okay now, I promise you that."<br><br>Of course, when she started to lead him the opposite way, he paused, wanting to see how she would react to some sort of excuse that would keep him traveling in the same direction that he had gone before. "There's a city this way, it's closer then the shrine and they have a lot of good people who can help you. We should go that way."<br><br>Just poke the waters a little bit, see what happened...<br><br>................................................<br><br>Whenever Dasuke's other Dark miko companions caught up with him after their recon, they would have reports of having detected the power of aura extremely nearby, far too close to have been Julian. One of them came back with a series of horrid bruises on her body, but both of them came back. The reportedly attacked the person, and found out that the wielder of the aura wasn't Julian at all, but actually a young woman. This young woman then appeared to move WAY too fast to have been moving by conventional human means as she held off the both of them with a bit of self defense, and she most certainly was using aura. Considering the fact that Julian was supposed to be the last auramancer in existence, this was an extremely unsettling fact.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 19:27:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was NOT expecting him to offer to help her to another village and inwardly cursed. If she refused, he would know something was odd......but if she followed him they would catch up faster than she wanted. She had to make a a choice and make one fast. "Well.............if you insist but maybe we can stop and get some rest somewhere else first? I would at least like to clean myself up..........I do not want anyone to see me like this..........a shrine maiden with barely any decent coverings." If she had to, she would revel herself and give him the stone that was left behind as a bargaining chip. Surely him seeing the things that happened to the girl would be enough for him to forget about her and allow her to escape and send word that he was closer than they would have liked him to be.<br><br>-------------<br><br>The miko once they had returned to Dasuke would tell him of another who wielded the powers of Julian but in fact was a womanm. That would cause him to fly into a rage and curse loudly, his plans seeming to become more difficult now.He thought for sure that the boy was the last and now if there was another one............this would cause issues. Perhaps he had not been as thorough as he thought when they had attacked so long ago...........where did this woman come from and what was she after? He would make sure to find out as he sent the miko back out to observe this time only and stay under the radar. He would wait for them to return and meanwhile he would continue to enjoy himself with his new toy that would serve him when the need arose.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 19:32:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded lightly, understanding full well how she could have such worries about covering herself before going into a city with tuns of other people. "Of course... Is there a store or something around here? I've got quite a bit of coin... worst comes to worst, you can just wait outside the city while I go in and get something more appropriate for you to wear." He reached in, grasping her shoulder softly. "I want to get you there as quickly as possible, Tsubaki... I want to put that terrible experience behind you, so that you can move on with your life. You deserve that much."<br><br>.............................................<br><br>The Young woman (http://moe.animecharactersdatabase.com/images/the_spirit_of_eternity/Ruptna.jpg) would stop along the road when she sensed that one of the dark mikos had come back to keep an eye on her, and despite her best attempts to hide from her, the woman auramancer was able to tell that she was hiding nearby. She turned towards the miko with a wide smile and waved her hand. "Hey!!! I know you're over there!!! Are you going to tell me why you and your friend decided to ambush me? Are you coming back to tell me that you're sorry? If so, it's totally fine..." She paused, a bright smile entering her face as she planted her fist in her palm. "I know! You must just want my autograph! You must have heard of me, Marie Valorain, the beautiful minstrel!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 19:39:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Thank you ........and I would very much like to put it behind me...........and start life somewhere I can be needed but not forced into anything." Leaning in she gave him a kiss on the cheek all while trying not to grimace. She could feel his energy through his flesh and it made her quiver inside with nausea. Being that close to him was not good for her and the fact that he was touching her shoulder was making her want to scream. It felt like he was scorching her skin but she did her best to keep a tired and sad face on. "I will wait while you go and come back.........I will be fine."<br><br>-------------------<br><br>Looking at the young woman she easily sought them out, they looked at her at first and then each other. Was she insane or something? To think that they would come back to say they were wrong and that they were sorry? Or for her to think they wanted her to sign something. Surely the girl's brain was broken somehow. However they would indulge her and smile at each other secretly. "Of course...........we came back to say we were wrong for attacking for no reason and hope you will forgive us.........and perhaps you can tell us something about you and where you are headed? Maybe we can even forget all this mess and he friends?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 19:45:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shook his head, leading her along as he grabbed her wrist and walked with her. "I'm just supposed to leave you here? Forget it, I'm not going to let you out of my sights until we've put this entire mess behind us, Tsubaki." Oh yeah, something was most certainly wrong with this scene. It seemed like this woman was trying to do everything in her power to stop him from going in the direction of the man that he had been chasing, whereas the original Tsubaki would have likely been more then happy to just go somewhere to rest and get some help.<br><br>....................................<br><br>Marie giggled softly and shook her head, letting a bright and energetic giggle come out as she put both of her hands behind her back. "Aww, it's fine. If I held a grudge for every crazed fan that wasn't sure how to say hello, I'd end up hating a lot more of the world then I would loving it." She smiled absentmindedly, apparently having fallen for their silly little phrase completely. "Anyway, you likely know all there is to know about me, I mean, if you're fan enough to greet me like THAT, so why don't you start us off?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 20:00:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The minute he grabbed her wrist, she let out a whimper that made her cringe. He was&nbsp; burning her with his touch and she&nbsp; was not about to blow her cover if she could help it. Explaining it away as best she could, she sighed."Um...you are hurting my wrist........it is very sore from when he had me hanging from the ceiling." She was getting worried now."Yes you can leave me here.........after all we are out of that village now and he will not be able to track us with you leading us out of here........" She was not planning on him wanting to take her anywhere and she was fast running out of excuses. What to do? She knew that the real girl would have been more than happy to go where ever he took her as long as they sought out revenge on Dasuke and stopped him from reaching his goal. Maybe she could use some logic? "Besides.........he cannot do anything without me remember? He needed me to get the stone and so he has lost already............."<br><br><br>-----------------------<br><br>Oh...um...we are new.....yeah NEW fans so we do not know a whole lot about you yet. That's why we were hoping that you can fill us in on what you are up to maybe? That would make all of our friends and YOUR fans back home soooooooooo jealous of us." They would smile mentally to each other and sigh inside. Maybe this would be easier than they believed.........if the girl was really this ditzy then destroying her after winning a bit of trust would be cake. "We just heard you were traveling and were DYING to meet you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 20:07:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shook his head and let go of the wrist, deciding to call her out at this point. This wasn't the woman that Julian knew so well, Tsubaki wouldn't be so easy to break and intimidate away after just a single day, the Tsubaki that he knew would want payback, she wouldn't run away from a man like him. "Alright, I've had enough. It's obvious that you're actively trying to stop me from my goals. How about you quit wasting my time and let me get back to the chase towards the real Tsubaki, huh? I'm done buying your excuses."<br><br>........................<br><br>Marie simply smiled broadly and nodded, humming gently as she lifted her finger to her chin. "Well... I guess you two must have been at the show I put on back in Everich back a few days ago. Let's see..." She paused for a moment, strutting back and forth as she tried to come up with something worth saying. "Um... I come from the village of Mantura, my favorite color is yellow, squirrels love me... Oh, I'm huge on nature, sometimes I feel most like I'm at home when I'm resting in the forest... um... Back home my parents have a dog named Stump, he's soooo cute."<br><br>She giggled gently, having said absolutely nothing of any consequence at this point.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 20:33:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At his words, her face would crumble as if she was were going to weep,but instead a loud laughter would come from her shaking shoulders. "You fool..........do you really think I am going to stand by and let you ruin the master's plan? He has the girl and he is going to keep her until she has fulfilled his need for the stone and the power it holds. Right now he is breaking her spirit and making her into what he needs. You should have seen her face when he.......well you can see for yourself." Her laughter mocking as she dug into her shadowy robes and tossed a stone at him."You should have seen how she begged and pleaded only to be slapped around like a rag doll. I rather enjoyed it myself." Her voice taunting. If she could not stop him, she would still delay him and make him as unfocused as possible.<br><br><br>---------------<br><br><br>That was it.............she had to be stupid. There was no other way they had to explain it. The girl was a simpleton or she was putting on a hell of an act. "Um....well that is well and good but we need to know WHERE you are going and for what reason.........as fans of course so we can keep up with you. It would mean so much to us...........poor girls that we are."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 20:40:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply grabbed the stone, glancing at it curiously, though he was pretty damn sure that he didn't want to see whatever message the thing contained. No, he wasn't going to look, he didn't think that he had the stomach for it, instead he simply placed it in his pocket and turned his attention back towards the woman. He glared darkly, summoning a blade in his hand which he pointed right at her. "You know me... you know the power that I possess... and you know that if you face me that you are going to die, and your 'master' won't give the slightest damn about you. Just like your friend on the road, you will die in an unmarked grave, unmourned and unmissed... is that really the fate that you want?"<br><br>.................................<br><br>Marie simply giggled more and shook her head. "Sorry! Can't go sharing that with you, I'm just wandering the world spreading goodwill and doing what I can to help those in need of aid, you know, a paragon to the weak and all that good stuff. I can't tell you where I'm going because-" She leaned in, wagging her index finger back and forth as she spoke. "That's a sec-ret"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 20:53:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Seeing him pocket the stone, she laughed. "Aww....do not tell me that you do not have the gut to see what it contains? Surely you&nbsp; do not care for the girl that much that it would stop you?"&nbsp; But she would have the sense to stop for a moment when she saw the weapon he pulled on her and she sobered for a moment. "You are right.......I do not want to die......but I cannot allow you to go on. Either way I will be killed....either by you or for my cowardice by Dasuke. I think I would prefer to take my chances on you.' Summoning a sword of her own, she leveled it at him. "Come at me with all you can then and end it if you will. She will be beyond your reach otherwise. He has already began breaking the girl and she was miserable. A pure soul like her can only take so&nbsp; much before it is shattered beyond repair and there is nothing you can do any longer to help her."<br><br>----------<br><br>Rolling their eyes, they sighed."Well............in that case we will catch you sometime on the road perhaps. We have others errands to run today and it was nice to finally meet in person. Maybe next time we meet you can meet another one of your "biggest" fans. We are sure he will be more than pleased to meet you and perhaps learn more about you intimately." A snicker on one of the women's faces as they turned into the wispy shadows they were known for to take off through the air once more and hoping that they had learned enough not to be punished.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 21:02:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian glared a little and nodded, determined not to let anything stand in the way of his travels as he charged forward quickly, swinging his blade at her side. "I gave you a chance to stand aside and leave peacefully, don't forget that!" When this attack was either dodged or blocked, Julian would summon his armor of aura to protect him from her strikes while he pulled back and attached a chain to the handle of the blade. He wanted to put this woman down as quickly as possible so that he could continue going forward.<br><br>................................<br><br>Marie simply put one hand on her hip while she waved the other in front of her face, as if discarding some kind of stench once the two women were goine. "heh... gets 'em every time." She started following the trail of darkness that the mikos would have left behind. Marie had a very deep connection with the sensations of light and darkness, and she thought that perhaps these people would be the ones to lead her to exactly what it was that she was looking for.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 21:23:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The woman would simply dodge his attacks as best she could while striking out as well. If she was going to die, it would be to a worthy opponent and not down on her knees groveling. She would say that she was doing well enough dodging him and getting in a few hits though they were not as damaging as she hoped they would be. She would summon her own dark aura to push his away from her, allowing her to get closer to him."I regret having to do this, but orders are orders. I do hope.........you find your friend though." Her voice somewhat sorrowful.<br><br><br>Taking careful aim, she uttered a chant&nbsp; under her breath as she raised her arm and then slammed it forward sending a wave of dark magic at him. It would either get her a large enough hit to stop him, or she would have wasted a big chunk of energy leaving her open to a possibly fatal attack.<br><br>----------------------<br><br><br>The two miko would talk about what they learned......which was not much because the girl was an idiot......or so they believed. In shadow form they would quickly relay to Dasuke what they had learned and hoped that he saw fit to spare them this time. It would take him a moment to answer back since he was occupied with Tsubaki but once he had responded her told them that what they learned was short of&nbsp; nothing and that they had better find out something useful before coming back or they would be destroyed and replacements sent for.<br><br>Determined to please him enough not to be killed they thought perhaps checking out the neighboring village would yield some much needed information.<br><br><br>---------------------<br><br>Dasuke would meanwhile have Tsubaki at his mercy, the girl covered in dirt and filth as well as naked from her clothing being torn from her body at her refusal to obey him. She had absolutely refused to help him find the stone and access it's power and he had to show her who was in control here. He had whipped and taken her at the village despite her screams and cries for mercy and he thought that it would have been enough to make her obey. He thought wrong however, as the little&nbsp; bitch refused him still making him backhand her across the room once more as he once more whipped her tender flesh, the welts leaking blood from the split skin. Then he had once more forced himself on the girl, taking her roughly and without care for her injuries, denying her food and water as well. She would&nbsp; now be lying in the corner, her eyes vacant as she wondered if anyone was ever going to find her or would she continue being abused by this monster. She would try to fight back as well.....as soon as she got a chance to feed her aura despite the darkness. It would be hard to do with no food or drink to give her energy though.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 21:34:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian held out both of his hands, causing a massive shield of energy to appear, protecting him from the blast, though this did take a great deal of his own energy as well. At her words, he took a step forward, his armored form extending out a hand towards the dark miko, even though there was still quite a bit of distance between the two of them. "Then why follow him!? Would you rather die as one of the villains, or live as one of the heroes? You can help me! I can get to Tsubaki before it's too late!"<br><br>.................................................<br><br>Marie came upon the camp where Dasuke was holding Tsubaki, and the moment that she laid eyes on the man, her eyes started to burn with hate. "That's him alright... that's the guy from mamma's visions..." With that, and the knowledge that both of his dark minions were gone, she sprang from the leaves and charged towards him with a skating motion in her feet, aura pushing her and propelling her forward with each step far faster then a normal human could move. When she got in close, she summoned a tonfa and swung it at his face. "This is it! Today you pay for what you did to my parents! Remember this name as you curse it in the afterlife: Marie Valorain, the fastest human being on the planet!" And she lived up to that name, as she was well out of attack range after that first strike before he would even know what was going on.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 21:51:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Seeming to stop and think about it for one moment, she allowed her stance to relax while she looked at him as if he was not to be believed. "Perhaps...........I can help you and that would&nbsp; be enough to allow me a better reincarnation after I am killed." Looking at him pointedly she sighed."And I will be killed....but maybe I can come back as a mortal this time or even a being of Tsubaki's clan. When shadows like me do the right thing in our lives, we have a chance to live again as something better..........so I will help you...........I hope you know what you are doing.." Hoping against hope, she dropped her shadow sword and looked at critically. "Well..............what are you waiting for? We have to go!" Her form taking off through the air as she sped back to her master...........and her fate.<br><br>-----------------<br><br>Daskue had finished with Tsubaki and currently resting by the warmth of the fire as he looked at the girl. She was proving to be stubborn but he could already see her breaking slightly under his abuse. Soon enough, she would be corrupted enough to feed the stone and he could use it to begin his plans of making all pay for the enslavement and trapping of his people. Dare say he would even be able to take down the actual leader of the Shadows and rule the Dark Realm for himself. The girl would make a fine dark queen and give him strong sons that would lead his new armies across the land to take and conquer all. He would be unstoppable.<br><br>So lost in his thoughts, he did not catch when someone had broken through his defenses and he barely dodged the attack at his face. Once he had caught up though, he looked at the girl with a scowl. "So............you are the little bitch that tricked my mikos.......not so dumb after all eh?Well no matter..I'll send you to hell like I did your clan and then nothing will stop me."<br><br>Drawing a weapon and summoning his own dark magic to take her down. He much much stronger and more practiced with his powers seeing as he had been alive quite a while and knew what he was doing. "Tell me.........besides the boy and you........how many more managed to be saved by your bastard people? Maybe after I defeat you I can.........." He licked his lips. "Have fun with you as well."<br><br><br>----------<br><br>Finding nothing much, the two mikos would head back quickly as they heard the call of their master. He was enraged.........and demanded they come back NOW.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 21:58:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded lightly, relieved that she had decided to help him after all. As he ran by her side, he looked over at her, deciding to place his trust in the good heart of this person. "Thank you, I'm sure that you will be given a chance to come back and live a good life as a reward for what you're doing here today." He wasn't sure why he was putting such faith in the good will of one of his enemy's servants, but if he didn't reach across the bridge at some point, this entire world would become enveloped in pain and despair. No, he would trust in her, and if she were to betray that trust, well, Julian would deal with it then.<br><br>........................................<br><br>Marie shook her head and glared bullets at him, knowing full well what she was getting herself in to. "No, forget it, I'm not letting you go anywhere! Today you will feel the screams of all the people you've made suffer! Today, all your terrible deeds will catch up with you!" She started skating forward, though this time she juked around the man and swung her tonfa at the back of her head, the entire motion taking less then a single second. "Today, jutice will prevail!"<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 22:09:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Watching and laughing a bit as well, he took stance and looked as she moved around. "Well then come and serve me justice little girl."You are a fool just like your people.................if they had just joined me.......joined us they would be alive today. But they instead underestimated my people and wanted to do what was "right" for all people. All people!! Mortals are nothing and we could have used them to serve us and rule this world as we wanted.....but no.............the fools wanted to live and let live. Well you see where it got them......dead. Just like you will be." His words cut off as the room would be swallowed in a dark cloud of aura as he readied his attack.<br><br><br>Charging at the girl, he would take her down as fast as possible. There was no way that he was going to let her ruin his plans. <br><br>Tsubaki would be watching the whole scene with dead, emotionless eyes. So there was more than Julian left of his people? Would that mean that it was possible some of her own people survived somehow?Maybe if she helped this girl somehow.........got involved..........she could get answers.<br><br><br>-------------<br><br><br>Taking Julian as fast as she could the woman huffed. "Yeah...I hope so too. We need to hurry......I can feel the master and he is angry.....I can sense that he is about to send out a massive attack............but not at the girl he took from you...........no.....there is another one like you..a female and she has challenged him."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 22:15:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie shivered lightly at the intense power that was suddenly building up within the man that she had sworn that she would defeat. If he thought that he was ever going to be able to land an attack like that on her, he was dead wrong. There wasn't a person alive who could match her raw speed, and that would allow her to evade his big attacks all day long until the time came when she could hit him as hard as she could. She'd wear him down and then knock him out for good. When he charged, she simply evaded around him, moving swiftly to avoid being caught in whatever he was going to be hitting her with.<br><br>.............................<br><br>Julian paused, the surprise apparent in his eyes now that his aura armor was gone. "Are... are you serious? There's another like me?" He paused, how could that have been possible? Was she the only one? Or were there even more auramancers somewhere out in the world, and what did that mean for Tsubaki's clan as well? He supposed that he would get his answers soon enough, as long as he just kept moving forward.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 22:35:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Glaring at the girl hatefully, he already knew that chasing her would be a bad move. He was no match for her speed so magic would have to do. Summoning&nbsp; shadows, he laughed as he performed the same trick his miko had done,except his copies were stronger and much more deadly. Each one wielding a sword and looking at the girl with a smile."You can not avoid all of us..........and we can also teleport around so do your best little one." His clones looking at the girl greedily, wanting to be the first to spill her essence. The hits would be coming from all sides and angles, nonstop.<br><br>------------<br><br>"Yes, yes there are&nbsp; more like you." Her voice impatient as she sped up. She could feel the increase in aura and wanted to hurry. The camp now was just ahead and she could see the pitch black cloud that hovered overhead. There was definitely some strong magic being used there and she shivered despite herself. She hoped she was doing the right thing by helping him. <br><br>The other two miko would arrive in time as well, settling next to their master and looking at the girl."Well.......we meet again faster than we would have thought huh?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 22:39:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie looked around, realizing full well that it would be next to impossible to avoid the constant attack from all sides that was about to get imposed on her. She had to do her best to prevent herself from getting surrounded, and that meant using her enviornment to her advantage. She would perform each and every evasive trick that she knew to keep herself from being hit, though she still took quite a few cuts before she could find any decent openings for hits. "Tch..."<br><br>Perhaps it might not be a bad idea to retreat for now, she didn't think she was much of a match for this guy.<br><br>.................................................<br><br>Julian nodded and simply ran, out of things to say until he came into the battlefield.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 22:50:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Smirking as he saw the girl was wearing down, he was ready for the kill. "Looks like you took on more than you could handle young one. Too bad I am going to have to kill you now." His sword poised to do a final strike on her. It would be then that Tsubaki would see her chance and coming out of nowhere, threw herself in front of the blast that was sent out at the girl taking it instead. She would let out an ear piercing scream as she felt the blast shredding her flesh more than before and she hit the ground with a sickening thud. Looking up at the girl, she would mouth at her to run..get to safety and never come back. There was no point in someone like her getting killed. Julian would finally have have someone like himself that understood him and what he could do.Besides, if she was dead then he could not accomplish his goals right?<br><br><br>Dasuke would merely look at Tsubaki in a rage before grabbing the limp naked girl and throwing her into a wall."You bitch...who told you to interfere? I will make you suffer more than before once I am through with this one."<br><br><br>-----------<br><br>It was then that the mikos who had come back would grab Tsubaki and hold her so that she could do nothing more and simply watch what would take place. "You two.............take the girl away from here. You know where to go and I will meet you there. If I do not come and are defeated you know who next to go to...........but I will come........I will not fall to the likes of her and the ones who come........including your sister who has decided to betray me........"<br><br><br>The woman in question would suppress a shiver as she saw the camp come into view."We are here......and they are leaving with her. He will not let you get her back so easily. Quickly now.........." Leading him right into the center of the grounds where the miko were slowly fading with Tsubaki as she looked on, her eyes blank and empty.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 22:53:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie would nod, bailing from the battlefield with the speed that she was renowned for as Julian came up, just barely getting a glimpse of what was left of Tsubaki before he got a panicked look in his eye, and reached out for her. "Tsubaki!!!" He turned his attention towards the man who had taken her at that point, a fury in his eyes like none that he had ever harbored before. "..." Two blades snapped into his hands, as he turned his attention towards Dasuke. He and Marie were on two completely different levels of power, if Dasuke thought he was going to be getting off as easily as he had with the young woman, he was in for a tragic realization.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:04:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a sad look, Tsubaki would fade away, his name coming from her mouth like&nbsp; a whisper on the wind."Juli...." Then she would be no more as she headed to where they would next regroup. She was beyond ashamed that he saw her the way she was, dirty and naked for all to see. She only hoped that when they next met, he would not look at her with disgust.<br><br>Looking at the fury in the young mans eyes,Dasuke laughed."Aww.....have I struck something in you boy? You are angry that I took your woman and sent your&nbsp; clans mate running from here like a coward? You should have been smart enough to leave well enough alone. This does not concern you and you should forget about Tsubaki. She was........rather tasty if I say so myself."Chuckling somewhat insanely. "She is not your concern anymore and she even took a hit to save that brat that just ran from here. She is your people.........go after her and find what is left of your people......while you can that is."<br><br><br>Looking to his spawn he shook his head in mock disappointment. "And you...........you betray me after all I have done for you? Well then.............you will learn your place before I send you to hell as well." His clones still present and closing in as they launched themselves at both him and the miko.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:07:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would appear to move until the last second, however, when he did, all of the clones simply fell to the ground, their attacks not even scratching the surface of Julian's power as he looked up at the man. "... This world will be a better place without you in it." He seemed oddly calm, level headed, relaxed. If Dasuke knew anything about the auramancer culture, he would know that an auramancer who fell into a serene state of mind was among the most dangerous enemies in all the world.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:20:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking disturbed, he looked at his fallen clones and cursed. "You!! You did this you traitorous whore! You told him what to do to kill my clones didn't you?" His rage building as he launched himself at the poor woman and took her by the throat. She did not even try to fight him as she dangled from his hands and smiled as though she knew what was coming next."I told him nothing.........it is all his own and he will destroy you here.I knew the moment I decided to help him I would die, but it is okay. Better to die on my feet and with honor than live as a dog under your feet." Looking at Julian she gave him a hopeful smile. "I brought you here and now it is up to you. Find your friend....save her.............stop him before he can fulfill his deeds...........he is merely a messenger , not the main power here. They are taking her to ........."<br><br><br>At that, a sickening sound would echo as he squeezed the dark mikos neck, it snapping under the pressure he used, then flinging her aside as she began to fade. As she began to wisp away she looked at Julian with an odd look as she, instead of fading into darkness like the last one would turn into a small white wisp and blow away in the wind, as her gurgled voice let out a tied thank you before disappearing completely.<br><br><br>Turning to Julian then, he cursed again. "Your turn now boy. Let's get this over with.I have a young woman that will soon crave and desire my touch once I have taught her her place at my side. Or.......you can leave now and live to find your clan or what is left of it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:29:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply shook his head, taking slow and deliberate steps towards the man who had lashed out in anger towards the woman who had once faithfully served him. "You will never lay another finger on Tsubaki again... You will never lay another finger upon anybody again. You are a blight on this world, and the people of this world will rejoice at your demise. Celebrations will be held while your head is paraded around the cities of the world on a spear, and whoever you serve won't bother to give you a proper service..."<br><br>He lifted his blade, his eyes calm and filled with righteous power. "Now, accept your fate."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:37:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"And I suppose you...a mere boy will stop me huh? I was there when your people were crushed under our feet and I will not be taken down by the likes of you. You want my head on a spear? Come and get it if you can." His clones disappearing as he called them back inside him and summoned instead a sword that exuded raw dark power. "I remember.....your parents faces as I cut them down. As they sent you with a maid for safety....I should have killed you then, but I figured that a little brat like you would never survive out there in the mortal world.What an annoyance you have become."<br><br><br>Swinging his sword he advance on Julian ready to cut him down and move on with his plans."I will make this quick........"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:42:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian summoned his armor, using a barrier of aura to stop the sword while looking as though he didn't even break a sweat doing so. "You know something? You talk too much." With that, massive, jagged spikes suddenly erupted from the barrier, if he didn't get out of the way, then Julian's enemy would be stabbed by several different spikes throughout several different parts of his body. Depending on how his opponent reacted, Julian would retaliate appropriately, as he sought to put this guy down as quickly and effortlessly as possible. Since Julian was also in a serene state of mind in this time, any attempts to anger him into doing something stupid would be just about completely and totally pointless.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:47:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Flying into a rage at the disrespect he was shown, he lunged at Julian no longer thinking of anything but killing him."You little bastard....." Though lunging would prove to be a bad idea as he found himself stabbed through with a few spikes that made him howl in pain and surprise before he could stop himself. Though it would cause him pain and a decent amount of injury it would not stop him fully as he yanked his body free, the&nbsp; holes bleeding heavily as he looked mad enough to kill.<br><br><br>Swinging his sword of dark magic he hacked at the spikes determined to smash them into nothing but firewood and then kill Julian as painfully as possible.He had given him a chance...........and now he would kill him without mercy.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:51:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When the barrier fell, Julian would no longer be inside it. Instead, he would be several feet away holding what looked to be some kind of claymore in one hand over his shoulder. It glowed with pure blue energy, while Julian's eyes were closed and his head was sunk off to the side. "I wonder how a man as pathetic as you could ever have been a threat to the auramancers... then again..." He opened his eyes lightly, looking over at his opponent. "I am the redeemer..." The redeemer was the warrior of legend in the auramancer of culture. He was said to be a hero that would rise from the ashes of his clan once it was fallen, and he would redeem the good name of his people. According to the legends, he would wield powers far beyond anything that a regular auramancer would be capable of, and with a 'shining blade' in hand, it was said that even the darkest of hell's demons would tremble in fear before him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-11-2011, 23:58:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You are nothing. NOTHING!!" His rage overtaking him as his eyes blazed red and he flew at Julian with a speed he had not displayed before. His sword would take on a bloody red hue as he went to impale him through the chest and finish him once and for all. Once he was dead, he would keep his head as a prize to hang in his new home once he had accomplished his goals. That would be a good breaker for Tsubaki as well. Her so called savior......dead at his hands.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:01:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply fade away at that point, the image that his opponent saw having been nothing more then an illusion of aura while the real Julian suddenly appeared to the side, swinging the claymore at the side of the armored man's stomach. As it came closer, the claymore would seem to let out a small humming noise, and if it made even the smallest contact with the man's body, it would result in a catastrophic explosion that would send the unholy warrior flying backwards.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:08:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Dasuke was already injured and he was not at all expecting the attack that came next. He had lost control so quickly it seemed......but he still had an&nbsp; ace up his sleeve. That would be his thought as he came into contact with something and a noise that deafened him&nbsp; roared through the air. It seemed as if time itself had slowed as he watched himself moving in slow motion. He felt the air move around him before time sped back up and he hit the ground with a force that knocked the wind out of him. Once he hit the hard earth, he could feel bones shattering in his body as he let out a horrific scream the tore through the darkened air.<br><br>Never before had he seen or felt an attack like it. Perhaps...........he was what he said. But no matter. He still had the girl and only he knew where she was going next.....well him and the other miko who had left with her. If he killed him...he would know nothing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:11:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian stepped forward, apparently having come to the same conclusion as him a long while ago, since he simply stepped forward and put the claymore up to the man's throat. "Make no mistake, you are going to die. However, before you do, you are going to tell me exactly where your pawns took Tsubaki. Because if you don't, I'll ensure that these last few minutes of your life feel like years of nightmares..." He brought the claymore closer, pressing metal against flesh. "I can make you live through each and every atrocity you ever committed on another, I can make you feel the pain of each and every person you've ever hurt."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:20:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You do not scare me and nor do your threats.Do what you feel you must, I will tell you nothing boy." His words mocking as he turned his head from him. He would let him see what he could possibly do to make him talk. Surely he was bluffing anyway. No auramancer could do such a thing...... so- called redeemer or not.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:22:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply chuckled, leaning in as he planted his hand on his opponent's head. "You underestimate the power of the auramancers. My aura can drift through your mind... your memories... everything you've ever done... and I can exploit it." With that, Julian got started. Perhaps the first 10 years or so as his career as a dark... whatever he was... would be enough to loosen that tongue of his.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:33:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At first, he would simply smirk and pay no mind to the flashes that moved through his head. He had done a lot of terrible things and he was okay with that. The pain and suffering he had caused and the screams of those he violated and left to die would ring through his mind. If anything he was rather enjoying seeing them again and merely fixed Julian with a wry smile. Time would go through his mind and he would not budge at all until the memories he entered into a memory that he had long sent away and buried. One where he was much younger and he was the one being brutalized instead of the one doing the damage. He had gotten to his position of power by performing and going through humiliating acts that he would soon forget.<br><br><br>"No..no!!! Stop!!" His bold facade suddenly melting as he seemed to curl inside himself. "No....I will tell you what you want....no more...........no more........"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:35:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shook his head lightly, having not even gotten to the point where he would make the man feel the pain of those that he made suffer. If that didn't get him to talk, he would have made this man endure all the suffering that he himself had brought about. As it was though, he saw no point in doing anything more then was necessary. "Very well then, tell me where Tsubaki is being taken, and how I can get there, then die with whatever pathetic shreds of dignity you have left."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:41:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once Julian had let up on him, he stopped and fixed him with a hateful look."I will tell you nothing."He had simply wanted him to stop the thoughts and he definitely did not want to feel the torture of the acts that were visited on him. He was particularly incensed that he would dare call him pathetic. Him....Dasuke..........a loyal member of the Shadow Lords Realm. He would not give in so easy...though her was tempted.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:44:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian sighed, leaning in again as his hand once again made contact with the pathetic man's forehead. "Well then, off we go." From there, Julian would go digging through his mind again, making the man endure about one tenth of the pain that he had caused throughout his life. All the people he tortured, the pain he caused, the horrors that wouldn't have existed without him around, all of them, it would be his turn to live through it all and understand just what he had spent his life doing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 00:56:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He would do his best to hold on while his mind was being attacked in his own mind. He would slowly begin to break down his mind going into an overload as the memories crushed him. All the rapes, beatings, slaughters....all the homes he had destroyed the families he had torn apart all came flooding into his mind. It was years of agony all compressed into painful flashes in his mind, his screams echoing through the air as he scratched at his face and rolled on the ground despite his body being one large gash. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 01:03:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian made the memories stop after about a minute, if a single tenth was enough to do that much to him, then Julian wondered what exactly would happen if he were to start unleashing it in heavier and more intense doses. Oh yes, he most certainly was going to be walking away from this encounter with the information that he wanted. "Now then... do you feel like talking yet? Or should I move on to something more recent?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 01:14:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"No....I will tell you what you want to know. Just do not go any further.....please." Looking rather pathetic, he tried to get up with as much dignity as he could even though he was now covered in blood and dirt looking more like a beggar than a lord of some kind. "I had them take her to a cave in the north. It is a&nbsp; three day travel from here by foot. They are under orders to keep her subdued until I was to arrive. When I do not come there is a chance they will take her to the Realm on their own."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 01:18:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, listening carefully to his words before he started thinking out a plan of attack. "Well then, I suppose I've got a race against time to complete. I need to get to that cave before they do, before they even get the slightest clue that you're no longer alive." <br><br>It was about this point that Marie came back, having apparently gotten over her cuts and bruises that she had taken from the battle. "I'm sorry... did I overhear you saying that you needed speed?" <br><br>Well, that just about made Dasuke about as worthless as anybody could possibly be.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 01:25:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at them both with the hate burning in his eyes, he cursed."Well then what are you waiting for?Kill me!! I will go out like a warrior and not let you win." His eyes boring into the girl who had arrived."Should have killed you all...........when I had the chance..." His chest constricting from the pain he was in. While they might now have speed on their side, he still had the connection to his mikos. He would send them a mental message that he had lost and would be killed and that they were to move with all haste to the Realm. If they could not...........they kill the girl as a last resort. Better yet, his lord would hear of his death and perhaps send help to secure the girl. Either way, he would have his revenge in the next life..........or this one since he had served so faithfully. Perhaps he would be given another chance at life once the stone was secured.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 01:29:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie simply glared at the man as he spoke. "Well then perhaps you should have just gotten rid of all of us, instead of deciding that my mother was just a little <em>too</em> pretty to kill." Well, that would certainly change things about how 'loyally' he had served, especially if the woman who was, according to her words, his daughter played a vital role in the downfall of the entire plot. In any case, those would be the last words spoken before Julian obliged, and sent his claymore deep into the throat of his opponent. With Dasuke dead, Julian turned towards Marie.<br><br>They took a brief moment to understand the situation, that there were two of their kind left instead of just one, before Marie decided to see if she could use her 'father's' blood to connect with the dark mikos. If she could trick them out into thinking that he had managed to get away, then that would make everything easier in the long run.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 01:45:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki and the mikos would be on the move, the order they got to hurry to the cave and possibly the Realm. Dasuke had told them that he had fallen to the enemy and most likely would be killed, so they had to move with haste. As they moved, it would only come a few moments later a message that&nbsp; he was not dead, merely defeated and that he would be meeting them as soon as he could.<br><br><br>The mikos were confused but relieved that he had managed to escape and would proceed with whatever he would need them to do. Sending back a mental message, the mikos spoke to him."What would you have us do?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 01:56:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At first, Marie couldn't fight back a broad grin when she noticed that they bought the message. Apparently, that meant that the connection didn't discriminate who was sending it, so long as there was a connection between two of these people. "Just find someplace where you can go unnoticed for a while and bunker down... and make sure that our hostage is presentable by the time I get back, I want her looking nice when I come to claim her again." Marie was no idiot, she knew what was going on between this little lot after Julian filled her in.<br><br>With the connection cut after that, Marie pumped her fist lightly. "I can't believe that worked!"<br><br>Julian crossed his arms a little, unable to resist a bit of a smile. "You seem rather energetic... what is it that you plan on getting out of this, anyway?"<br>"Well... it's not like I've got any real goal in mind as it is, outside of just getting payback on the man that hurt my mother... Besides..."<br><br>She clasped her hands and started leaning her cheek on them. "Maybe I'll meet some cute girl on the way there, woo her with all sorts of amazing tales of high adventure."<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 02:10:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Whatever you want Master Dasuke.We will await your arrival."&nbsp; The mikos would decide to take a small detour at a closer cave that was used as a shelter when Dasuke or any other Shadow Clan member would come from home. It would be filled with food and bedding as well as being equipped with a small hot spring inside that would be more than useful to clean the girl up. Tsubaki would not know what was going on when all of a sudden she was being treated more kindly&nbsp; than before as the mikos would take her to a cave and make sure that she was fed as well as bathed and dried. One would stay behind, while the other would go and fetch her decent clothing from a nearby town. The trip would take no time at all since she was able to use her shadow form.<br><br><br><br>The whole time Tsubaki would be silent merely letting them do what they wanted with her. She figured that somehow he had escaped and was giving them orders to prepare her for when he came once more. The thought of him touching her again made her shudder inwardly and want to vomit. If he had escaped and lived, then what had happened to Julian? Was he dead or did he get away?<br><br><br>She was unsure of what happened except for the whisperings of the mikos mentioning something about the death of their sister and her betrayal to Dasuke.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 02:21:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The two auramancers would then proceed to travel northward, Marie being able to sense the direction that the dark mikos were leading her in. It was that very trick that she used to find the two of them in the first place, deflect their initial ambush, and just generally cause trouble for the two of them later down the line. They had a brief conversation about what else remained of their clan, though both of them came to the understanding that Marie was only alive because of Dasuke's idiocy, so it was entirely possible that they were the only two that were left.<br><br>Julian looked over at Marie with a curious look.<br>"So you hate the man that gave you life?"<br>"Of course I do. I might have had a different father later down the line, were it not for him. I loved my mother, but every time she looked at me, she was reminded of that night... He deserved to die."<br>"So what now?"<br>"Since I'm already alive, I'm going to put this life to good use, and do the best I can to make the world a better place... no better way to spite that man then to undo his work."<br>"I hear you there... so you're not even remotely interested in guys then? From what you said earlier?"<br>"Nope! I'm attracted to the ladies, always have been, always will be!"<br>"Huh, good to know..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 02:30:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki was unsure how much time was passing as she was watched over and cared for the the dark mikos. She simply knew that he would be coming for her soon from the way she was bathed and dressed as well as fed. She could feel a little of her energy returning but not as fast as she wanted it too. If only she knew that there was someway to escape....if Dasuke was indeed in his way, then she was on her own for now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 02:34:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was about three hours of traveling before they started to get close, and Marie knew that they had to play their cards carefully so that they could catch the two of them totally unawares. Marie sent out another mental message, saying that he was almost there, and that he was badly injured and in need of their help. She ordered them to simply restrain Tsubaki and come to support him so that he could get back to the cave as comfortably as possible. After that, she told Julian to split off, wait a few minutes, and go get Tsubaki while leaving the two mikos to Marie. She was feeling a whole lot better after a little bit of that good ol' auramancer regeneration trick, which she taught to Julian while she was doing it, and she needed to make up for some of the pride that got damaged when she lost to Dasuke.<br><br>Julian complied, leaving Marie on her own while he went to free Tsubaki.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 02:43:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at each other, the mikos would hear the message.<br><br>"Come sister..........we must go....the master is in need of us."<br>"But what of the girl?"<br>"He simply said to restrain her while we come for him.........he is badly hurt and in need of our services."<br><br>They would simply envelope Tsubaki in a dark aura before taking off out of the cave, heading to the directions that they were given. Soon they would have him safely back to the cave and healing his injuries while he would punish those who had hurt him after he was healed. Hopefully he had killed the meddlesome boy who tried to stop them from achieving the goal they desired.<br><br><br>Tsubaki would be left behind looking questioningly after the two mikos who seemed to be in some kind of a hurry.It seems Dasuke had made it after all and would becoming for her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 02:53:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At the specified location where 'Dasuke' had demanded that the two sisters meet him, there would only be Marie, playfully propped up against a fallen log. "Hey girls! I guess we meet again!" She wore a playful smile, though it was obvious that she had been clever enough to deceive both of the minions, so it might have very well be just as insulting as a direct slap in the face. Marie loved it though, she lived for moments like this, where she could keep up her playful ignorant act, and they could do nothing more then lick their wounds and think about the mistakes they had made.<br><br>Any second now, it would hit them.<br><br>As for the cave, there would indeed be a form that came for Tsubaki, though it wasn't quite the one that she would expect, as Julian came through the threshold and ran over to her. "Tsubaki!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 03:07:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would shrink back at the voice when it called her name before squinting&nbsp; her eyes at the figure. " Julian?? How did you get here..............I thought you were dead.I thought Dasuke killed you. If that was not you that called the mikos then who?" While she was more than happy to see him, she was deeply ashamed that he knew everything that happened to her and now she would have to face him.<br><br>----------<br><br>The mikos would come to stop in front of the girl who WAS NOT Dasuke. It would not take them long at all to put two and two together and glare at the girl in a rage. "YOU! What did you do to our master. We demand that you take us to him right now." They had a bad feeling about this but there was no turning back now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 03:12:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would go about trying to find some way, any way, to undo the dark barrier that Tsubaki was stuck in, and if it was within his physical means to do so, he pulled it off and then instantly reached out and took Tsubaki by the shoulders. "Don't worry about that right now, you're safe, okay?" He gave her a genuinely worried and troubled look, wondering just how 'broken' she really was, after all, the elder had said that she wouldn't quite be the same by the time he got to her.<br><br>Marie simply giggled and stood up. "Oh him? Don't worry about him, he was a loser anyway. You guys know what you should REALLY be doing? You guys should be trying to make up for all the awful things you helped him do, after all, your dark world doesn't do very nice things to those that spend their lifetimes doing nasty, nasty things to others. And now that you don't have that whole stupid 'unlimited power' thing to fall back on, I'm afraid that you're just kinda out of luck."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 03:33:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would shrink back from his touch as he took her by the shoulders. She was not sure exactly how she was supposed to feel or do now that she was safe. Was she safe............she was not sure..........it could be a trick."No.....I am not safe. This is not real and he will be coming for me again. He will....he will." Slowly beginning to rock back and forth in his hold. "He will take me again....he will hurt me again." Her voice broken as her eyes looked tormented. She really wanted to believe that he was there and she was saved..........but what if it was all a lie? She would suddenly burst into an uncontrollable sob as she looked at him.'He said that you would be disgusted with me.....not come for me after........he did things to me. I don't know what to do anymore.......what if....what if.......?"<br><br><br>--------------------<br><br><br>"We will do no such thing you stupid girl. If you have injured him you will pay with your miserable life." The mikos fixing her with an icy glare as they called forth their magic. "We demand to know where he is and what you have done with him."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 03:41:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian gave her a sad look as she started breaking down into her sobs, talking about how he would be coming for her again. With a gentle hand he reached out and ran his fingers across her cheek, seeing to settle her down just a little bit. "You don't have to worry about that man again, he's dead, I saw to it myself." With that, he would pull back and give Tsubaki a little bit of space, even after those two girls cleaned her up, she looked like an absolute train wreck. Some injuries just couldn't be healed over the course of a few hours, both physically and spiritually. <br><br>................<br><br>Marie sighed gently and got to her feet, stretching her arms over her head. "That man may or may not have passed away. He may or may not have totally gotten his world rocked, and a certain redeemer may or may not be going to free your lovely little hostage right now."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 04:08:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Letting out twin screams of rage the women would lunge at her determined to make her pay for what she had done. Both would come at her with dark magic as one wielded a sword and another a spear."We will kill you and leave your miserable little corpse for the dogs to feed on." They would have revenge for Dasuke and only hoped that they would not be too late to rush&nbsp; back and take the girl to the Realm. "What was it any of your business for girl? This had noting to do with you. He did&nbsp; nothing to you and so you should not have gotten involved. Besides, he spoke to us himself and said he would meet us....so you lie."<br><br>-----------<br><br><br>Tsubaki would only shake her head as she looked at Julian. "It does not matter. I am no longer fit to be a miko...........to help people. I am stained........tainted goods and am no use anymore.." She would not even look him in the eyes anymore."He told me that you would see what he did............and you would be disgusted by me....it was like it was nothing to him. He was so cold and cruel..........and he did not care how he hurt me. Who would want me now?? As a miko or a wife? I am disgraced. You should leave me here to rot.........."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 04:13:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie simply brought her tonfas back out and displayed that wonderful speed of hers again as she was able to dance around both of the girls without a care in the world. "Oh... that's right... you don't get it yet, well to put it simply, your precious master got a little bit too friendly with an auramancer some 18 years ago, and guess who got born because of that?" She smiled and leaned in towards the two of them. "One guess... c'mon, it's not really all that hard."<br><br>............................<br><br>Julian sighed gently, shaking his head as he reached out and took her hand into his. "You're stronger then this, Tsubaki... you can get through this, I know that you can." He wasn't sure of exactly what to say, but he knew that he couldn't leave her in this state.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 04:22:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Stopping her sobs, Tsubaki would only look at him blankly before her eyes took on an empty look and she smiled at him. "Of course I can get through it......there is no other way is there? Besides....I still have to find the stone right? Just because he is dead means nothing. There are still others..his master as well as other Shadows who are on the hunt. The elder was right.....we have to find it and take care of it before it can be corrupted." Once more she had retreated into her pretend shell of everything being okay. The spell she had used to push her emotions away would come in handy now....but how well would it work and for how long? This was much more than sadness and loneliness that was being suppressed. She would only look at the bruises on her wrist and shake her head. "Come...we have no more time to waste."<br><br>-------------------------<br><br>"It does not matter what you are. You were merely a mistake that occurred. He should have killed the woman after he satisfied himself with her. However, we will correct the mistake he made so long ago. Then again, if what you say is true then you are a apart of us....join us....."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 04:28:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply sigh gently and shake his head, knowing full well that she had simply retreated within herself and cast that little happy spell of hers. He just had to be nearby whenever the spell wore off, in order to stop her from doing something stupid and hurting herself in some way. He gently got up to his feet and shook his head, keeping himself rather close to her as he spoke. "My first concern is your health and safety, whoever's hunting for you can't do a single thing without you, so if we can just keep you safe, then it doesn't matter how badly those other people want that stupid rock."<br><br>....................<br><br>Marie simply answered by stretching her arms and legs lightly, sighing as she did so. "I'm sorry... who's offering partnership here? I don't think I want to be one of the bad guys, just doesn't seem like my cup of tea, sorry..." She smiled just as kindly and sweetly as ever as she got back up and put her hands behind her back. "I just don't have the heart for it, you see. I like being nice too much, and besides, Karma is a HUGE bitch when she catches up with you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 04:36:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would simply nod and hum a little as she got to her feet as well and headed to the mouth of the cave, stepping out into the sunlight."Yes....can't do a thing without me......" Her humming becoming a bit louder as she looked around outside."My weapons....I will need them....perhaps we can stop somewhere I can trade healing services for some until we get where we are going. Speaking of....where ARE we going?"<br><br>--------------------<br><br>"Very well then.......die." Rushing at her with cries of anger, they both threw in what magic they had hoping one of them would hit and kill the girl. It would&nbsp; be just payment for her part in what happened to Dasuke. Now that they knew that he was no more, they would send word back to the Realm. This would not go unpunished. He had other servants, as well as a son and daughter who would seek revenge.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 04:41:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, thinking for a few moments before he started walking her towards the same city that he used as an excuse to con the dark miko from before into giving away her identity. "A city nearby, you'll have plenty of time to rest, recover, and resupply before we head out again. As for where we're going? Well... I don't really know, it's not like either of us really have anywhere to be..." He paused, looking over at her. "What do you want to do, Tsubaki?"<br><br>...........................<br><br>Marie smiled lightly and skated away from the magic blasts, evading them with ease until she was able to get in any possible solid hits. These girls were trying to fight the fastest human on the planet, it wouldn't be an easy task to get her off guard now that she was fully in defense mode. She had made the mistake of getting cocky during her last battle, and she almost paid for it with her life.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 04:55:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>"What do you want to do, Tsubaki?"</em><br><br>That question would make her pause mid-stride as she turned to look at him. There were so many things she could say that would answer his question and satisfy it, but she was in no mood to lie. She had simply suppressed the feelings, but they still festered underneath....the damage raw and painful. She could see it over and over in her mind as he looked her in the eyes as he forced himself......heard her screams....and beat her as she resisted until she had no fight left. She could lie....but she wouldn't....so slowly she turned her head away from him and resumed her walking to the town where she would clean herself up....scrub her skin raw....and try to forget.<br><br><br>"Die..." Her word quiet but easy enough to be heard as she kept going, not bothering to look back to see his face at her answer.<br><br>-------------------------<br><br>The girl was proving to to be more trouble than she was worth ans for a moment they believed that they should have fled. No....they would defend Dasuke's honor against this whelp and make her rue the day she interfered. She was fast.....but they had numbers. They would see how fast she was against their shadow clones...........<br><br><br>They would quickly form them and send them in a formation that blocked the originals. "Now girl......time to die."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 05:01:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, deeply disturbed by that one simple word that Tsubaki had spoken... he had no idea what he was supposed to do with that, a girl that was strong and stubborn enough to even wake him up from his own depression, and now she was the one that had sunk down into nothingness. Hell, she might as well have gone and picked up his mask for all the similarities that were there. He knew that this wouldn't be easy, but he had to do something to bring the Tsubaki that he knew back. Perhaps all she needed was a little bit of time and patience, all he had to do was keep an eye on her, support her, and let her know that he was still there for her.<br>"..."<br><br>And Julian's worst problem came back to light, his complete and total inability to say something when the pressure was on him to do so.<br><br>....................................<br><br>Sera yawned lightly when she saw the army of clones appear between her and the two originals. "Aww, this same old trick <strong>again</strong>? I've got to tell you, it's getting pretty boring now that my fellow auramancer buddy has showed me the secret to stopping these things. It's actually pretty simple, actually."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 05:13:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Not hearing him say anything, Tsubaki figured that either he did not know what to say or he simply did not want to say anything. Maybe he really was disgusted by her now , knowing that she was tainted by Dasuke. He probaly only came for her because he felt he owed her something.She could not blame him she supposed. She would not want to be around her either. He had wanted her to be dark....tainted so that he could possess and use the stone when it came into their possession. He might be dead now, but she could feel the beginning seeds of rage and pain settling in her heart. It was dark and it hurt.........but it also felt good.......in an odd way. She was tired of pushing the pain away....the not being wanted by her adopted family, finding out her clan had been killed.......her own mother violated and killed as she fled with her in her arms. The shrine not wanting her once she was discovered, the other members who grudged her because she was different. It was all bleeding into each other and she could feel it...........icing in her chest and making her cold.<br><br>----------------<br><br><br>Looking at the girl they cursed. It was&nbsp; not like they were high level and knew tons of spells but they would not take her insults. They would attack suddenly with a fury that left no room for an outsider to know what was going on. All sides, all openings would be filled in by a shadow miko, the need to kill her pushing them forward.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 05:23:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian took a step forward, finally coming up with a few scarce words to say, in only because he promised the one elder that he would share them with her. "At least you're okay now, and you have all the time in the world to recover..." He paused, catching up with her before he reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. "You want to know something? That elder, the one that we approached before... when the battle was over he asked me to come save you, take care of you... he wanted me to do what he himself was unable to. He loved you like his own blood, you know that?"<br><br>................<br><br>The shadows wouldn't even get in a single hit before Marie pulled of the same dissipation move that Julian used on Dasuke, and she smirked a little bit once the mess was over. "Now then, how about you ladies stop acting like cowards and come fight for real?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 05:35:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would be lost in her own mind, not hearing a word he said until he touched her shoulder. That would send her in a mode of some sort as she screamed loudly and fell to the ground curled up defensively. "No.....please.....don't hurt me anymore. I will do what you want just please......." Her whimpers coming through as she looked at Julian through her arms as if she had never seen him before. It would take her a moment to realize where she was and once she did, she would only look at him like he was an alien. Slowly getting up out of the dirt, she turned her face back towards the road as if nothing just happened. "Did he now? Not that it matters anymore..........."<br><br>---------------------------------<br><br>Tired of the girl, they would drop all tricks and simply&nbsp; come at her with all they had. If they did not make it, so be it. Help would come soon and it would be a force to be reckoned with. "You can kill us.............but more will come and more powerful than you can imagine. So act all brave now you little bitch....but you all will pay once the Shadow Realm rules this world and finishes what it began with you miserable people. The stage has already been set....and the seed planted..........." Their smiles cryptic as they readied themselves.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 05:43:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply watch for a few seconds while Tsubaki went through her little episode and fell to the ground, stunned by what he was seeing. She could really be that far lost, could she? Tsubaki was stronger then this... she wasn't supposed to come out this way... then again, the elder did say that it was his job to repair her, and stick with her. He just didn't realize at the time just how hard that would actually end up being. He sighed lightly and continued to walk, the two of them now rather close to the city that he had brought up earlier. "Anyway, I'm going to get us a couple of inn rooms, you deserve a long sleep and some time to yourself right about now..." Julian felt useless, he couldn't do anything but stand by and watch her to through these motions on their own.<br><br>..................................<br><br>Marie simply yawned, a little, getting into a relaxed fighting stance as the two spouted off their words. "I'm sorry... were the two of you saying something?" After that, she suddenly blasted forward with speed that was to be expected of her at this point, though no easier to react to, and she swung her tonfa towards the heads of both opponents.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 06:00:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah............long sleep is just what I need....." Her voice distant as they got closer into the town and she could see the open markets and people bustling around. She vaguely heard him say that he was going to get them some rooms and she nodded as they headed inside. She would split from him since there was no danger there and look at each stall that sold goods. Some would be selling food, some medicines and herbs, some odds and ends, some fabrics for clothing and then............the weapons dealer. She would approach the man, a gleam in her eyes as she bowed lowly and put her miko training into effect.<br><br><br>"Good day to you sir. I am a miko from the Origimi Shrine and I seem to have lost my way...............I lost my weapons and soon must be on my way back to them soon, however I cannot go unarmed. Is there anyway I can trade my service for the price of a few weapons.....a sword and bow and arrow? If you cannot manage that then a sword and dagger will do for now or even the bow and dagger."<br><br><br>She would then haggle with the man who knew of her and her shrine and so was happy to help. She would leave hiss tall with a dagger of her choosing and a bow and quiver of arrows. That was enough until she could replace her sword as well. She had agreed to help out a few sick people there and would have them come to the inn for her aid. Until then though, she would merely find a place to sit and wait on Julian to come back, her dark eyes watching the crowd move past her as she sat in a corner unnoticed.<br><br><br>--------------<br><br><br>Seeing the girl coming they knew that there was no point in fighting. They were going to die and so prepared themselves. After all...........it mattered not anyway. The ball had already started rolling and so them dying was one small sacrifice in the grabs scheme of things. Seeing the weapon coming for them, they merely bowed their heads with a smile....and waited.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 06:08:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian came about five minutes after she started sitting down in the corner, minding her own business while everybody around her went through the hustle and bustle of daily life. Apparently it had been a bit more difficult to get a room then he originally thought it would, though he did eventually manage to get two rooms for them at a relatively decent price. Right now, the biggest concern on his mind came in the from of his fellow auramancer. She boasted that she'd take care of the two of them on her own and join up with him and Tsubaki in town, though she was still nowhere to be seen. He figured that he'd give her a little longer before he went out looking for her, he'd feel terrible if something had happened to her because of him.<br><br>he handed her the key to her room. "Here... whenever you're ready to get some rest, just go to the room number engraved on the key."<br><br>.........................<br><br>Marie was rather surprised when they did nothing to counter her attack, and the two of them simply fell to the floor. "Creepy..." She suddenly got a rather bad feeling about what was eventually going to come, though she did her best to fight it back while she sped back to town, one part because she was delayed by these two, and one part because she found it super fun to move as fast as possible over long distances.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 06:16:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nodding slowly and still giving him and empty look she nodded. "You should go find your friend. She might need your help after all and I can look after myself until you return.." Her face suddenly calm and serene. "Besides...I have a few people who need my care. It was a trade for the weapons here..........so after that is done I will head up for a bath and a much needed...........rest."&nbsp; <br><br>Turning from him, she would head to the inn then to await the people who would soon come to help for healing. It was easy enough to find the room and she looked around it to see that it did contain a small bath that would allow her the bath she wanted later tonight.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 19:56:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, simply opting to give Tsubaki her space for the time being as he went and wandered the town. For the most part he was just looking for some kind of booth where he could buy Tsubaki some kind of gift, something small, just to show her that he cared about her. She needed to know that there were people in her life still, well, one person anyway.<br><br>during his wanderings, Marie caught up with him, panting lightly as she did. "Those girls aren't going to be an issue anymore, still, I'm worried... they were talking as though the worst is yet to come."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 20:27:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would simply take her time and check the room completely before heading back down to the lobby of the inn like she had agreed to. There would be a slow trickle of people who came at first, eventually building up to a small crowd who wanted their chance to have their illnesses healed or at least made tolerable by the miko who had come into town. Their town did not have a miko and so this one chance they would not dare pass up. Over the course of a few hours, Tsubaki would work on, bandage, check auras, clean wounds and do most of what she could to make the people much more comfortable than before. It was tiring work but satisfying in the end once all was said and done. She would finish well before it was time for the inn to begin preparing meals for all the guests there and so she decided that she would go freshen up while she waited for Julian to come back and meet her for food.<br><br><br>She would go into her room and draw the water into her small tub, sinking into it before launching into a scrubbing frenzy, her skin becoming raw and red with the force she used to get rid of the stains.............the taint of his hands all over her. He had violated her and there was not much she could do to erase it and forget....and all the water and soap in the world would not make it any better. She had meant what she said when he asked her what she wanted to do and thought for a moment that maybe that would be for the best. She had no idea if there were anymore of her people left and it no longer mattered. She just knew if she was not around then no one could use the stone......right??<br><br><br>She felt upset that she had been taken by them in the first place and thought that with her training that she should have been able to perform much better under the circumstances. After all if she was responsible for finding and making sure some stone was properly taken care of, how could she do so if she was feeling like a failure? There was some way that she knew that she had to snap out of it....but she did not know how. She relied on pushing bad feelings away and never really dealing with them. Then again, Julian had and she had seen him turn into another person because of it...and she had helped him. Maybe.........he could help her now somehow.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 20:38:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian and Marie walked through the town a little bit longer, after all, Julian didn't want to disturb Tsubaki before she was ready to go and get something to eat. He still felt like he was pretty much useless, not being able to help Tsubaki the same way that she had helped him. During their trip, Marie shared with him everything that the two mikos said, and Julian was indeed rather uneasy because of it. Eventually, the fight would have to continue, and he knew that it would likely be well before Tsubaki was ready to face anything except for her own mind and troubles. Still, about an hour later, he and Marie both returned to the hotel and waited outside Tsubaki's room for her to come out and join them for some lunch.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 20:44:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once she had been able to settle her mind and properly take a bath that cleared her mind, Tsubaki would slowly dress and look at her own haunted eyes in the small mirror the room had. Honestly, she looked like death warmed over and not at all like the cheery happy girl she was before.....but that was normal right? Being dragged off to who knows where, attacked and beaten would make anyone not look quite their best. Though if he had feel that way, he made sure not to mention it. She was basically stalling for time as she she fidgeted around the room, not sure how she would be received when she went down to eat. The last thing she wanted was pitying looks from anyone....treating her like an invalid would not help matters.<br><br><br>Finally after a few minutes of talking herself into it, she would head down to where Julian as well as Marie would be waiting. Looking at them both and then looking away, she smiled faintly. "Hi...."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-11-2011, 23:41:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Both Julian and Marie had already gotten a table, and were simply waiting on Tsubaki to come down before they got themselves any kind of food. Julian indicated towards the free chair that Tsubaki could take, before he turned his attention back towards the conversation that he was previously having with Marie. "So you really just travel the world and entertain people?" Marie nodded happily, giving the two of them a proud smile as she continued. "Of course I do! People need something to brighten their day every now and again, otherwise their entire lives will just be one miserable day after another, and nobody wants that."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>21-11-2011, 02:26:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sitting down at the table, she would say nothing and listen vaguely as Marie talked about what she did for a living. It wasn't like she really cared at the moment to say anything, so she would be polite and listen to her as well as a few other conversations that were going around the room. There were a roomful of others who had taken refuge at the inn for the day and would be staying overnight perhaps....she really was not sure. Searching the room with her eyes, she observed each person and the way they behaved before focusing on her hands in her lap. She completely felt out of place like she did not belong there and thought that maybe she would skip eating with them and take a later meal in her room.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>22-11-2011, 22:10:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian took note of the fact that Tsubaki wasn't eating, and she appeared to look very out of place around all of these happy and cheery people. He would have to confront her about this later, and make sure that she was still of sound heart and mind. The last thing he wanted was for her to become 'tainted' enough to become used as some kind of weapon, she deserved better then that, without a doubt. Still, he did his best to hide his concerns for her behind a light smile, out of hopes that simply being around people in high spirits would start to bleed over into Tsubaki, though he highly doubted it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 05:12:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Not wanting to completely be a buzz kill,Tsubaki returned his smile with a faint one of her own as she looked around the room once more."There are a lot more people here than I originally thought." Her voice faint. "I had agreed to help some people out and I guess word got around. Though I would prefer after we eat that you head them off so that I can return to my room for some alone time unless there is something else you need me for. If not, then I will leave you to have time with Marie. After all, it must be nice to finally meet another one of you kind around and there is much you can discuss with each other."<br><br><br>She did not want to worry him too much after all and so she slowly looked at the food placed before her and began to eat it, not really tasting the meal but knowing it was necessary to eat since they would soon be traveling to wherever their feet took the next. They would need some kind of clue or sense of direction where to even begin.They were already behind the other people in this game since they did not even know were to look.....but someone out there had information.They just had to know who to ask.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 05:17:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian fell silent and nodded, deciding that the chase for some stupid rock wasn't worth risking Tsubaki's health over. He'd protect her until she was fit to travel again, but until that point, he'd keep her confined to her inn room, doing her favors to the people of the town until she was of sound enough mind to travel again. It was high time that he himself started to stand his ground and not let her try and convince him otherwise, she wasn't fit to travel, anybody with eyes could see that.<br><br>Marie, meanwhile, was keeping herself busy by looking at all the room and doing a little bit of people watching. "How interesting... I wonder just how many of these people are here to receive help from a maiden, and how many are just passing through for a bite to eat before they get back on the road." She giggled softly, giving Tsubaki the warmest smile she could. "You're a popular lady, you know that?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 05:28:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking a bit surprised,Tsubaki shook her head."No......I doubt that. They just seek my help for ailments that they could not get help for otherwise. It is just them not missing an opportunity.Besides...........I am a nobody really. I was at a shrine that helped people and that is really why they know me at all. Because I could do some things that the others could not." Looking down at her plate, she sighed quietly. "Besides............they really would not want my help if they knew the truth." Her end of the chat over for a moment as she nibbled on a piece of bread and swallowed some more of the hot soup. "You are the lucky one. You get revenge that you have wanted for so long AND you find another auramancer. I would count that as a lucky thing, right?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 05:35:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie shook her head gently and leaned in, sighing at how depressed Tsubaki was, though she could hardly blame the other woman. "Tsubaki, you and I are gonna have a little chat a little later on tonight, 'kay?" With that, she fell silent and went back to eating at a normal pace. Already, she was trying to think of the things that she would say, the things that she would reveal, for the sake of possibly helping the maiden out of her depression. Julian also kept rather quiet, not sure of what he could say at a time like this.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 05:43:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah.....sure." Not sure what the girl would want to talk about anyway, Tsubaki simply agreed.She would go on to finish the rest of the meal, but felt quite on edge and uncomfortable once she was. She felt as though she was ruining Julian and Marie's dinner and decided to excuse herself for the rest of the evening. Giving him a smile that was supposed to be relaxed, she stood up and nodded to them both. "You two take your time to finish up as well as talk. I will go ahead and retire for now.Yes, I am okay and NO you do not have to worry about me." The last part mumbled as she made her way from the table and through the crowd that was near the door that separated the lobby from the the rooms.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 05:52:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian sighed gently, going back to feeling utterly helpless while Tsubaki walked away. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, no idea what steps he could take to start getting the told Tsubaki back, if there was even some of her left in there. Why did things have to happen this way? He wasn't sure he'd ever understand, this wasn't the way that things were supposed to go... the next time that he saw somebody that could have played a role in Tsubaki becoming as miserable and isolated as she obviously was, Julian would be sure to tear them apart just like he had the man that had kicked things off...<br><br>Damn it all.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:01:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Making it back to her room,Tsubaki would merely throw herself on the bed and sigh quietly. She hated being around crowds anyway as they made her uncomfortable. Yes, she was trained to help out lots of people but that did not mean she had to like it. People could be rude, pushy, selfish and cruel..........but then there were the ones who made her smile........who made her like being a miko. Mostly the children were the ones who brought smiles to her face.........and the elderly. They ere the best and most honest when it came to what they wanted and needed. Just thinking about it and the little ones she helped today made her feel better it that moment if even for a minute.<br><br><br>Sure, she hurting and damaged goods......but who said she had to stay that way in her own head? He had violated her body and now she was letting him get into her head......just like he had planned. Even though he was dead he was getting to her..........damn it. She needed to focus...........find her center...............and inner peace. It would be all that kept her from losing it and simply running away. The way Julian looked at her............she hated it. Like she was broken.....and he was at fault somehow or either lost when it came to what to do. She was not his problem really.............sure the elder told him to look out...........but he had his own life to live and things to do...........and she would tell him that.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:06:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie paused, looking over at Julian as he drifted off into his depressed little trance about what he had done wrong, about how he had failed Tsubaki and now she was broken the way she was as a result. With a small groan, she rose from her chair and started to walk out of the inn. "Hey, I think I'm gonna take a stroll around town. You should lay down for a little while, Julian, you look kinda pale." Julian lowered his gaze and nodded. "Pale? Yeah... I guess..." He paused, realizing that he was still wearing the same rather depressing and brooding getup that he sported back when he went by the name of Talon. Sure, the mask was gone, but the rest of his attire seemed to scream that he was a man with a few problems. Perhaps he'd go out and buy some new traveling gear... maybe get a bit of a haircut while he was at it, so that his hair didn't fall down to about his shoulderblades anymore.<br><br>He'd have to clean up and look the part if he wanted to lift Tsubaki's spirits.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:10:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would not realize when she was getting tired, but she would remember that the last thing she was to do was wait for that Marie girl to come and talk to her about something. Well..............she was sure she could knock whenever she was ready. For now though, she felt unexplainabley tired for some reason as if she had&nbsp; not slept in days and this was the perfect chance. She was a scared rabbit before and now she was in a safe clean place where she did not have to worry about anything. No one waking her up and roughly dragging her around or making her humiliated by having no decent clothing. It would never happen again...........she vowed it.....her mind swirling as she yawned and swiftly slipped off into a fitful sleep.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:13:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie would come buy in a few hours, giving Tsubaki enough time to get some rest if she wanted it. At first she would knock softly, then she would slowly peek in the room since her auramancer powers allowed her to pick the lock without too much trouble, and she would shut the door again and leave Tsubaki to sleep in peace. She'd check back in after a few more hours, and give the maiden all the time in the world to just get some sleep and put away what had happened to her for a little while.<br><br>When Marie finally did one of her check-ins when Tsubaki was awake, she'd smile politely and invite herself in, shutting the door behind her so that the two girls were alone. "I think I said I was going to chat with you before, didn't I?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:19:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would wake up after a few hours feeling a small bit better but not much. She had been plagued with a few dreams that left her a little shaken and so had taken a quick cool dip to clam her nerves. She knew that Marie would be showing up sooner or later and so wanted to stay awake for the visit. She had to wonder............what did she want to talk about anyway? She would hear the door open and immediately jump into defense mode, not sure who was there. Her stance crouched and ready,s he was relieved to see Marie and stood relaxing before nodding.<br><br><br>"Yeah.............you did." Moving to sit on her bed, she stared at the girl. "About what?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:27:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie went over and sat down in one of the nearby chairs, sighing softly as she shook her head. "Look, I know that this must be an extremely difficult time for you, but I think that it would be a lot easier on you if you'd just open up a little more. I know just as well as anybody how much it can suck feeling like you're alone, now don't get me wrong, that's not me saying that I myself understand how you must feel, that would be a huge insult towards you. I'm just saying that I know you must feel alone right now, but it doesn't have to be that way. Julian was telling me about how you helped save him before, but he needed to reach out before you were able to do anything... How can you expect him to return the favor if you just keep yourself holed up like this?"<br><br>She shook her head gently. "It's just something to think about. Just don't write it off and say 'oh, you two can just talk to one another while I go and brood in my room' because it's not the same. It isn't. I can't give him the same kind of fulfillment that you do, heh, I don't even WANT to."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:39:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki had to admit after listening that the girl had a point. "I guess I have been doing that haven't I? Not talking to him and giving him a chance? But come on............how do you talk to someone............a man about THAT happening? It is bad enough that it did and I was too weak to stop it..............but he feels guilty I can see it. He is not to blame in anyway. He is not responsible for me. It's not that I feel alone..............it's that I feel like I SHOULD be alone. That I am used goods..............a miko who has lost her self-respect.............and for what? A stone that I knew nothing about until some time ago. I get shoved into a whole new world of being from a dead clan, being wanted by some corrupt rival clan, seeing you and Julian from a clan thought dead as well.At least you have each other..........at least you can relate."<br><br><br>Looking at her, she sighed quietly once more. "How........how did your mother&nbsp; cope? You know...........did she ever get over it?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:45:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie's eyes got considerably more sad when the topic of her mother was brought up, and she was relieved that she actually got a chance to talk about it, that was one of the things that she wanted to bring up during this discussion, the heart to heart between the two girls. "My mother? That's a loaded question, Tsubaki... She loved me, I have no doubt about that in my mind... but..." She shook her head softly. "Every time she laid eyes on me, she was brought back memories of that day, memories that she wished could just remain buried. There were times where she would send me off to live with my aunt for a few months, just because she couldn't cope with it anymore. She did the best she could, and she was the best mother I could ever ask for... but..."<br><br>She shook her head more and more. "It never felt right, I mean, I'm not even rightfully supposed to exist."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:50:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"So............she never really did get over it. She cared about you, but you brought her pain...........rather the idea of you brought her pain. But you know something Marie?? Everything happens for a reason..........and you are here for a purpose no matter how you came about." She offered a small smile."I&nbsp; mean........." She looked at the floor, her hands a twitching mess. "If I ended up in the same situation as her due to this............I don't know what I would do. She was strong......even though she was hurt she raised you and did not toss you away completely.............so you know that she did love you. It was just a raw wound still.............and who knows what he did to her, you know? He can do some terrible things that you will never forget..........." Her eyes getting glossy and distant.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 06:54:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie took it upon herself to regain control over her emotions, even while Tsubaki started to crumble in hers a little bit. She took a deep breath and nodded, lifting her head back up to look at the trembling, quivering woman that sat before her. "You know... that man kept my mother for almost a year... I'm not saying you should consider yourself lucky that you were saved when you were, no, but... it could be worse, it could always be worse, right?" She rose to her feet, giving Tsubaki as compassionate a look as she could. "I mean, hell, just the visions of what happened during that year were enough to scare me off men altogether... You really should open up to Julian, if anybody can help you, it's him... and you're not making anything easier on him by keeping it all bottled up, alright?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:01:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"A year?? I don't see how she managed to make it through without going mad.But you see, that tells you there that she was strong enough to handle it and still make space in her life for you, despite how you came about. And.............I don't know how to talk to him really but&nbsp; will make a try...........I really will." What the girl said in the midst of it, stopped her with a curious look though."Scared you off men altogether? You mean...........?"<br><br>Not that it really mattered to her, but it picked at her curiosity.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:03:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie paused, wearing an embarrassed smile for a few seconds before she realized that Tsubaki didn't know about her preference. "Yeah... I'm more drawn to the fairer of the two sexes, honestly..." She was actually quite happy to see that the conversation was drifting back towards comfortable territory, and she could start to relate with Tsubaki again. Perhaps this would be the first step towards her recovery, if Marie could do anything to help patch up somebody that was hurt by that man, she'd help in a heartbeat. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:08:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Oh I see..............well that is okay too." A nervous chuckle escaping. Marie was definitely one of the first she had ever known to feel that way."So.....have you had any luck finding the girl of your dreams maybe? Or is it a tough find?"&nbsp; To be honest, this was making her feel much better to finally be talking to someone and not thinking about the incident. She knew that she would have to confront it and face it head on....but for now..........she could relax.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:11:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie sat back down with a smile on her face that was much more genuine and bright then the one that she wore before, if only because she actually saw a real conversation budding here. Not only did it prove that Tsubaki was starting to slowly, very slowly, take steps towards recovery, but also that Marie just had somebody that wasn't totally grossed out by her preference. "Oh, you have no idea whatsoever. It's a nightmare."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:17:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Laughing out loud for a moment,Tsubaki shook her head."I can imagine........but you know.There was someone at the shrine who thought Julian was cute before and when I told him he had a "moment" of freaking out I think. If there was a male at the shrine who thought he was cute, I am sure there is perhaps a girl there who simply has not spoken of her "choice" to be with one of her own...you know? If you go there, you might have an easy time." Though the thought of the shrine depressed her a bit. "I....I wonder how they are doing you know?Since I left..................probably much safer and glad I am gone.............but it was for the best."<br><br><br>Trying to cheer up a little more she smiled faintly."So................tell me...............how do I go about talking to him?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:21:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie shook her head, chuckling gently when Tsubaki talked about life back at the shrine, and how Marie would have an 'easy time' if she were to go back there. "Nah, I've pretty much decided that if it's meant to be, fate will hook me up, otherwise I'm just going to continue along my way. Traveling the world, and brightening people's days with a little song or two. I can't do much, but I do what I can." And with that, the topic changed to how exactly Tsubaki could go about talking to Julian. "Oh, I don't know. Really, whatever is between the two of you is none of my business."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:28:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"NO..............but it is your business now. I need some help and you will give it to me." Her face desperate."I just don't know how to bring it up I mean....................how do you go about opening up to something like that?Should I say something............should he say something?Should I avoid it as much as possible?How much is TOO much to talk about? I mean....he won't want to know what happened in detail will he?"<br><br><br>She chewed her lip nervously. "Also........there are so many other factors now. There are bigger players in this whole game now and we are just pieces in it. I have a responsibility to people whether they know it or not............and I have to go out there and seek what must be found, willingly or not."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:33:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie sighed, realizing just how lost Tsubaki really was. It made her feel horrible, not having any advice to give despite how badly Tsubaki needed some. Well, she supposed that wasn't entirely true, she did have a few things that she knew she could say for her sake. "Tsubaki, I'm sure that when the conversation comes up, when you're ready to talk to him about it, you'll know what you want to say. And if he's not mature enough to be there for you, to help you when you're ready to be helped, then that's on him."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:37:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a tired nod, she sighed."I suppose so huh? But I think he will be there for me just fine...........I think that he will catch me when I fall." Her smile a a little happier."I think that I will wait for him to come to me though......if he wants to talk and has questions he knows where to find me. I'm going to take some time to get some more rest now...........I am still a bit tired and I keep having nightmares that wake me from time to time.......so I need to doze off when I can. Anyway...........thanks Marie..............really."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:42:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie nodded lightly and thumped her chest with a bright smile. "Don't mention it, buddy. I just try to help out however I can when I see somebody having issues... Making this world a better place is the best thing I can think of to spite the man that birthed me. Anyway, you sleep tight, I'm out." With that, she decided to give Tsubaki a bit of privacy, as she left the room with one last polite wave and left Tsubaki to her own devices. She left the room feeling like some ground was made, like she softened Tsubaki up so that Julian could sweep in to help her out later down the line.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:47:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a small smile as she watched the girl leave,Tsubaki could not&nbsp; help but feel better. Even after knowing where she came from and how much pain was associated with it, she still kept up a happy vibe. And besides.........she had to forever live with the thought that they shared blood. Poor girl, she was even scared off of guys.............but not like that was a terrible thing since love came in all forms. Sliding to the door to make sure it was secure, she hopped back on the bed this time much more at ease and found that slipping into sleep came easier this time...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 07:55:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie stretched her arms over her head and continued to walk along the city streets by herself this time. It was strange, Julian was nowhere to be seen, she was sure that he would be safeguarding Tsubaki by this point, but it appeared that he had seen fit to go off and do his own thing for a little while. Oh well, Marie couldn't hold it against him, the guy deserved to have a little bit of time to himself every now and again, and as long as he was there when Tsubaki needed him, she wouldn't hold a grudge.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 16:41:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would make sure that she got a nice amount of sleep before waking to a rather quiet inn. When she had gone to sleep it was all hustle and bustle and now you could hear a pin drop. She wondered how long she was asleep and if all had bunked down for the night. Creeping out of her room quietly, she would find an empty lobby and all cleaned and put away. Guessing it was rather late, she wondered what she would do now. She was&nbsp; no longer tired and did not want to head back to her room.Maybe she would grab her weapons and head outside for a little air and training to clear her mind Deciding to do so, she quickly grabbed her things and made her way out of the inn. No one was around so they would not see her leave for a bit.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 16:51:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie would have gone to bed a few hours ago, sleeping like a light the entire night. Unlike Tsubaki, she had a certain piece of mind that allowed her to get some good sleep. Julian, on the other hand, would toss and turn in bed for a few hours before he eventually gave in and sat up. Thinking along the same lines as Tsubaki, he'd step just outside the inn for a few seconds to breathe in some of the night air, before he spotted Tsubaki leaving the city out of the corner of his eye. Sighing gently, he knew that this was as good a time as any to approach her. The two of them were alone, and once she left town she would be in a setting similar to the one that the two of them knew so well. With a certain reluctance in his heart, he followed Tsubaki out of town, waiting until she was settled in somewhere before he made his presence known.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 16:56:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Cutting through the darkness of the night, she would creep through the quiet town fast seeing the woods approaching. They had felt like home but now they held a bit of fear for her......but still it was as good a place as any to clear her head. She would slow her walk to a crawl almost as she looked for a decent clearing to work in. It would not take her long and she would settle in taking out each weapon carefully, weighing it in her hand before putting the dagger in the grass and then taking up her bow. She would run her hands over the smooth wood and the coarse but strong string used to hold the bow taut. She would look at the arrows and run her finger over the sharp points before carefully putting them away. These were her weapons and she would never be without them again. Carefully putting the bow aside, she settled against a thick tree trunk and leaned back her eyes closed but her ears open.&nbsp; Letting her head clear, she listened...........to the sounds on the woods and let them soothe her soul.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 17:01:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When he saw that she had settled down, and she was spending a few moments inspecting her weapons and trying to soothe her heart, Julian decided to throw everything else out the window and make his presence known to the girl. With a few reluctant steps forward, he himself also made his way into the clearing and looked over at her. "Tsubaki..." He moved closer, and sat down next to her, looking over at her with a look that mixed compassion with worry. "Are you feeling alright?" Tsubaki, if she looked at him, would almost see a completely different person when she saw him. Thanks to the fact that he spent the day cleaning himself up, and getting some new traveling clothes to wear, his transition away from his former self was pretty much completely over.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 17:25:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a soft sigh when she heard his voice, she cracked open one eye. She already had felt him coming and so was more than ready to talk. It was time anyway..........and she was tired of the elephant in the room. "You look......different." Her small comment amused as she closed her eye again. He did look different...and it was not bad at all. He looked even nicer if anything. However that is not what they were going to talk about, so she decided to let him open up the topic.<br><br>"I feel............okay I suppose. Not good.......not bad.................nothing really."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 17:28:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian also smiled a little when she made her little comment, though he knew that it was only a matter of time before they got down into the real purpose behind his following her out here on this night. He was tired of feeling helpless, of just watching while Tsubaki struggled with the pain of what happened to her all on her own. After a few seconds of silence between the two of them, he gently reached over and grasped her shoulder. "You know, if you need to talk about something, <em>anything</em>, I promise I'll be here to help you through it. You deserve that much."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 17:40:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				At that, she would stiffen a little before giving him an almost bitter look. It was not him she was bitter at, but herself really."I let him get me........I was not strong enough and he got me.All the things that happened while he had in in his grasp...maybe I deserved it for my weakness you know?" She shook her head slightly." All this time I was training at the shrine and what good did it do me? No good at all. I had no proper idea on how to use my abilities when it counted. Hell, even those weak mikos he had were able to subdue me.......though it took a few of them and they knew what to do.....I guess that should be comforting but it's not. I am spoiled.....used. I feel angry and bitter.........just like he wanted. I feel like it would be easier to give in to the rage I feel and let it swallow me..............but I know people need me still for some reason. I need to find that rock already and put it to rest...........destroy it, subdue it........<em>"or use it for&nbsp; myself so I will never be weak again"</em> but that part would be in her mind for her to hear alone.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 17:45:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian couldn't hear anymore before he gently pulled her against him, resting her head against his chest in case she wanted to let more of her emotions out. "Tsubaki, you know for a fact that the way you're thinking is wrong... You didn't deserve any of what happened to you, not the slightest, tiniest little thing." He kept one hand on her back, and the other one on her shoulder, holding her gently as he continued. "Don't let yourself give in to all those terrible emotions, please, you're stronger then that, a lot stronger then that. I know that you are... And no, you're not 'used goods' just because that man broke you, that isn't the case in the slightest. You're the one that decided that yourself, nobody else played a part in that decision."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 17:55:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"How???How did I play a part in this??? Because I am being realistic with what happened? Because I know any other miko would be dismissed from service for something like this?? I mean............what the hell Julian!!" Her voice rising into an angry crescendo. ""He took me because I could get something he wanted........needed.............and he was willing to do anything short of killing me to do it. And you know what? I let him. I fought him and he beat me until I couldn't fight him anymore...........and then after that I didn't try to fight anymore. I just let him do what he wanted. So yeah............I guess that is the part that I decided...that I let happen."<br><br>"It is easier to let go...............to let the feelings come..........." Looking up at him, strange glint in her eye she smiled slightly."The darkness hurts at first............but then it feels better.........."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 17:58:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was deeply disturbed by what he was hearing, what he was seeing. Still, he didn't let go of Tsubaki, he wasn't going to just throw in the towel and let the maiden crumble into this darkness that was tainting her so deeply. "Tsubaki, you're stronger then this. How were you supposed to fight him in your state? Nobody could, you were amazingly strong for holding out as long as you did, if you ask me." He squeezed her shoulder gently, hoping that he could reach in there and pull her out of her depression, the darkness. "Don't let go, don't let yourself fall. I can catch you, but you just need to take that first step yourself. I can't help somebody that doesn't want to be helped, please, don't give in, Tsubaki... for me?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 18:06:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a tired smile, she nodded."But YOU were able to fight him.......kill him even........so what does that say about me?But okay..........I am trusting you just like I asked&nbsp; you to trust me before. I will do my best to not let it get to me.........but I guarantee nothing right now okay............but I will try. Tell me......what made you go out and change your look?" She wanted to get off of her for a moment and so thought to ask him. Maybe what he said would give her some insight on what he was thinking and feeling as well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 18:10:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled gently, somewhat relieved that the topic was changing. Still, her reluctance to promise him that she'd try her best made him feel rather uneasy, he'd have to keep a very close and careful eye on her, and confront her if she turned out to be falling. "I was tired of looking so depressed all the time, honestly. I figured that if I was ready to move on, to really be the kind of person that you wanted me to be, it was time for me to look the part... I didn't want to let you down, or make you feel like what you've done for me didn't matter."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 18:21:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would only frown at that and shake her head."No. You should not want to be the kind of person I want you to be. I want you to be the kind of person YOU want to be. Who you were before when you were happy. There is not anyway you can disappoint me.............I know you have done your best to get out of the dark place you were in and I was glad that I could&nbsp; help. it is my job as a miko.....to want to help and heal others and you were no exception to that rule. Besides, remember the day you saved my life in that field so I could grab my weapons? There was no way I could let you down. You were simply going to leave.........and I stopped you. I knew that you were hurting. I knew by what I saw that what I did mattered and that it helped. This...." She waved her hand."Outward look is just the polishing up of how you feel inside now."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 18:24:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded gently, smiling just a little bit more as she spoke. "And is there anything wrong with me just wanting to return the favor? You did a lot of good for me, Tsubaki, I'm not just going to leave you in this dark place to wither away, either." He leaned in gently, keeping his gentle hold on her in hopes that she would start getting more comfortable as time went on. "Like I've said several times before... you're too good for that, you don't deserve to just wither away in the shadows the way that you are right now. You deserve to be happy. There are people that care about you, they care about you a lot, and I know that I would never be able to forgive myself if I let those people down... if you weren't saved."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 18:38:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shooting him a look, she smiled crudely."So..........you are saving me so you will not feel guilty? Is that it?" If he looked he would see that she was teasing a little bit. "Besides...........who cares about me? There was only one...and I know he was close to death..........I do not need you to tell me that. I just know. My"family"left so they would not have to deal with me ever again and my real family is dead.So who is there? No one at the shrine otherwise really cared about me."&nbsp; She frowned. "Minus what's his name........the monk in training who liked me......but he does not count since I would never have felt that way about him. But...I could have pretended I suppose and had a small chance at being happy........being normal....right?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 18:42:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian sighed gently, not really seeing her teasing look as he shut his eyes and lowered his head a little bit. He had to see it from where she was sitting though, it really did seem as though she didn't have anybody, she had been alone for so many years, and now it was starting to catch up with her. Julian realized that if he was ever going to make her care about herself again, he had to make her realize that there were people who cared about her as well... well... there was at least one person that he could name, anyway. "Tsubaki, if you think that the only reason I'm doing this is so I can sleep easy at night, you're wrong." He squeezed her shoulder a little tighter, keeping her as close as possible as he worked up the nerve to keep going. "There's at least one person that cares about you... I care..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:00:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Smiling at him slightly, she nodded."Of course you do.I helped you out and we have built a bond of some kind. I care about you to and want to make sure that you are always okay. Besides I was just teasing. I know you don't do it to ease your thoughts at night." He seemed like he was jittery about something but she had no clue what that could really be. She just knew he seemed to be squeezing her more than usual and she pulled away from him to give a curious look. "Julian? You okay?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:04:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused when she pulled away and looked at him as though something was wrong. As she did, he shifted his gaze away and started to speak gently, not sure of rather or not his words would be able to make things right or not. "I can't stand seeing you like this, Tsubaki... you deserve to be happy... you deserve to live a good life and not have to worry about all of this pain and suffering that's on your mind." He reached out, trying to take her hand between his. "I just..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:11:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Narrowing her eyes, she nodded." I just what??" He kept saying that she deserved to be happy, that she deserved a good life and shouldn't have to worry.But to be alive was to worry, to suffer and to go through things. She completely understood what he meant but she had no clue what he was trying to say really. Was he trying to get rid of her or something?Was he suggesting that she not bother looking for the stone? If so , she would thank him for his concern&nbsp; but she would continue on the journey. It was her problem and she took it seriously. She could see he was nervous and that he was reaching for her hand, so she crossed the gap and took hold of his hand with a gentle squeeze.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:16:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian took a deep breath when she squeezed his hand, though he highly doubted that she would really understand if he were to finish the statement. She was too stubborn, no matter what he said, she'd just continue looking for that stupid rock, for her own sake. Part of him thought that perhaps she'd try to find it to try and take advantage of the power herself, but he didn't want to think that she had become so tainted that such thoughts become a viable option. "Tsubaki..." He shook his head, stopping himself as he pulled his hand away from her. "Forget it, you're not going to listen anyway. You've already made your mind up, and nothing I can say can convince you otherwise."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:20:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Frowning at him once again, she pressed. "No...tell me." She felt slightly offended that he pulled away from her as if he was annoyed or disgusted. Was he perhaps? Maybe now was not a good time to talk anymore. Sliding out of his lap, she looked at him with a mix of hurt and confusion. "What did I do wrong this time?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:24:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shook his head gently. "You didn't do anything wrong... you're just... you. I know that no matter what I say, no matter what I try to tell you, you're still going to go after that stupid rock. In my mind, if you're needed in order to have it, then why don't you just hide away and prevent anybody from finding you? You'd be able to live a happy, quiet life..." Part of Julian wanted to also point out that it could be a life with him, should she so desire, but he wasn't quite ready to come out and say something like that yet. He wasn't sure how she would react, what she would think.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:30:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Hide....away?" She gave him a curious look. To be honest she had never thought about it. She could hide and make a nice life somewhere else......but where would be the question and how would she know that she would never be found again? They had found her before and maybe she would at least have some time before they did again.....and would be prepared this time. Knowing that they were coming at least gave her some kind of defense to be ready.<br><br><br>"I had never thought about it...........but it could work.But where would I go? How would I know when I have found the right place. I already know that I can be the resident miko there and take care of people who need my help..........." It was an idea and almost a good one that was possible. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:34:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, his smile coming back a little bit when she started to think about just settling down somewhere. He let her keep her distance, since he wasn't really needed to comfort her anymore, and instead he just focused on trying to sell Tsubaki on this idea, if only for her own safety. "That's right, and besides, if you're that worried about the people from before finding you again, all you need is somebody that can protect you... keep you safe, and never abandon you."<br><br>He paused, shifting his gaze away for a few seconds before he spoke again. He found that the words were rather difficult to get out, but they came regardless. "If you want, I could be that person..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:43:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				That took her as a surprise and she coughed a little before smiling. "Really? You? You would stay with me?" She really was at a complete loss at what to say and so she nodded before moving to sit down next to him again. "Thanks.............I mean I never thought that you would want to stay with me after all when there is big adventure out there to be had...........and besides, I never want you to be stuck with me when you can meet the girl of your dreams out there."<br><br><br>"I just want it to be your choice and for you to be sure it is what YOU want. I don't want you to wait and then be old and bitter later on." Her smile turning into a slight laugh. Leaning over to give him a soft kiss on the cheek, she sighed. He was offering her a lot and she felt slightly bad about it. But if it was his choice because he wanted to then so be it.<br><br>Looking around the darkness, she shivered."You want to head back now or do you want to sit here for a bit longer?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 19:48:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian started to naturally put his arms around her again, and he started to feel fate's natural pull about what that old man was saying, that the two of them were meant to be together or, something like that. "I think I've just about got this decision made. I like being close to you, Tsubaki..." He leaned in and kissed the top of her forehead, pulling her against him gently again. This time though, it was a more affectionate hold, rather then one intended on providing comfort. "I'll stay out here for as long as you want to, if you're not ready to head back, then neither am I."<br><br>Part of him was tempted to tell her about what he learned before, about how the two of them were supposedly brought together by destiny or something like that. He didn't quite believe the words himself, but for the first time, the thought was rather appealing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 20:06:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would only nod then and remain quiet while she relaxed in his arms. She was not quite ready to head back and so would not say anything about it until she was ready. It seemed like something was on his mind though and she wanted him to come out and say what it was. There was no point in there being anything hidden between them, since he completely had her trust at the moment.<br><br>"You know..........I had a talk with Marie and it was quite an interesting one............I had no idea that she "enjoyed" women. I found that to be quite interesting and she made me laugh a few times too. She is a really nice girl despite knowing where she came from and how."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 20:12:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian also fell silent, deciding against telling her about the pull of destiny. If something happened between the two of them, it would be because the two of them were a proper match for one another, not because Tsubaki felt obligated to obey the words of some elder who could have just been making it up so that Julian would have a reason to fight harder. He started to gently slide his hand up and down her shoulder, simply enjoying the silent tranquility of the night with her.<br>"Yeah... Marie's an interesting one, that's for sure."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 20:20:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah she is. Tell me.......how does it feel to have found another auramancer? It is weird or are you excited?Happy? I mean if I found another one of my clan around I would have so many questions....want to know so many things." She was perfectly content to sit and talk to him. Get into his head in a sorts....she wanted to know what made him tick and what he thought about everything so far. If they were going to give a shot at being together and finding a new place to start over, then they had to be on the same page with some things.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 20:24:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shut his eyes, continuing to just peacefully stroke her shoulder while she asked him about what it was like to have met Marie, a fellow auramancer. "It feels strange, there's an unusual kind of kinsmanship between the two of us that I didn't expect to feel anymore... and yet, at the same time it doesn't quite feel right. She and I came from two totally different worlds, the only thing that unites us are our powers... and both of us are equally young and clueless when it comes to the greater parts of the history and lore of our kind... it's strange, no question about that... not bad though, Marie's a good person."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 20:37:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well...........that can't be it. If she is around there have to be more of you somewhere. She could not have been the only one to have survived. I won't believe that. If there is, you have a chance to learn about yourself as well as what you can really do. At least you have that chance and I want to to take it no matter what and no matter where we go. I would do anything to find anyone like me and to know my full potential. Don't waste it."&nbsp; It was quite dark out now and a bit chilled as well. Shivering slightly, she looked up at him."I am ready to head back inside now...........and maybe there will be someone up to get a snack?I am still hungry from earlier when I did not enjoy my meal....."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 20:41:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian chuckled a little bit and started to shift himself out of the very comfortable position that he had slipped in to. "Well, don't hesitate to say the word if you want me to cook for you again, alright Tsubaki? Regardless though, I think there are a few food vendors that stay open 24 hours..." He smiled softly and rose back to his feet, offering her his hand. "You may be the last of your kind, but you're not alone... you're never alone, not while I'm here, okay?" he was actually rather surprised by his own ability to speak such words, as he had thought they would just get stuck in his throat again, like his words of motivation did so often.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 20:49:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I won't forget.....in fact I expect that you will make food for when we head out once more. Is Marie going to becoming with us? She seems to be really nice and maybe she could come for even a little while." Taking his hand, she stood and dusted herself off smiling at him as she did. "I will hold out hope that I am not the last.......if someone was out there who is like you I have to believe that there is someone out there like me.I do know that you said you would stay with me and I do not doubt that for a moment. Now come on..............food awaits."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 20:53:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It warmed Julian's heart a great deal to see Tsubaki genuinely smiling again, so long as he continued down this road, he was sure that she'd make as close to a full recovery as he possibly could. When the two of them were back on their feet, he kept his hand secured gently around hers and walked her out of the forest. "Now that you mention it, I'm pretty hungry myself..." He looked back at her with a gentle smile. "Dinner's on me, alright? Don't even think about paying."<br><br>With that, he walked the two into town, and up to a small food booth.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 21:04:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Fine........but I pay next time then. No argument." She was feeling a whole lot better now and was more than happy to accompany him to get something warm to eat. She was not sure where he was going to take her since a few places were open but she was not picky. By the time they had gotten back, there were not many people outside and the ones that were had been closing up small booths and shops for the night. Only a few stayed open in order to catch the few customers who came in late at night needing food and a room to stay in. The booth would have an elderly man at it, with a head full of graying hair and a kindly look to him. He greeted them warmly enough and showed what he had to offer that would be to their liking.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 21:07:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would take a look at the rather impressive menu that the old man had available, before he ordered a nice, meaty steak. He had always been a fan of steaks, especially with a baked potato on the side, and he could hardly wait to actually have one again, since it had been about a year and a half since the last time he got to sink his teeth into his favorite form of meat product. Once he requested his meal, he asked Tsubaki what she wanted before he turned to the man and paid for their dinner.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 21:21:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would order a nice steak as well with a side of potato and a few pieces of chicken that were skewered.The man also had a few drinks that could be enjoyed and she chose one that was cool and refreshing to go with the meat. Once they had ordered and received the food, she found a nice little spot next to the booth to sit and eagerly began to tear into her meal. It was really good and she was grateful for it. It was a quiet night and she took the time to look around at the people who were moving around while she waited for Julian to join her. She wondered where they were going to go from there and if he even had any idea.<br><br>Once he had joined her she would ask."So...do you know where we are going next? Or will we just go until we find a place that accepts us? Also....do you think that there is anyway that we both can do a small research on our respective people?Maybe there are more around............as long as it does not draw too much attention I mean."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 21:24:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian came down and joined her only a few minutes after she herself began tearing into her dinner. When she asked him if it was possible for the two of them to research their respective clans, Julian just gave her a small nod and smiled supportively. "I don't see any problem with it. Even if it does draw a little bit of attention to us,&nbsp; I think I'll be able to protect you this time. I failed last time because I wasn't able to get to the battle in time, but I won't allow it to happen again. Rest assured that you're safe with me, no matter what comes to try and take you away."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 21:38:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah............well we did not know that would happen. So it was not your fault that they got me. I already told you that. All that matters is that you came for me and he is dead now. He paid for everything he&nbsp; has ever done to people. Justice was done for both them and me. Even Marie got some satisfaction out of it.........so it was a success.I trust you to be there for me and so I am not worried at all."<br><br>She really did trust him and knew he would make good on his promise to her. Now all that remains was to figure out where they were going and what to do when they got there.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>24-11-2011, 21:42:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded in agreement before he fell silent and focused on his meal for the most part. He found it to be a rather relaxing experience, knowing that Tsubaki was placing her faith in him to protect her. He'd make sure that he didn't let her down. He would keep her safe and happy for the entire rest of the time that the two of them were together, he'd see to it. "Anyway, Tsubaki, where do you think we should go from here? Are you actually considering the idea of settling down and living a peaceful life? I know that we have some loose ends to tie up before we can do that safely, but it's something to consider."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 00:20:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I have no idea where I want to go. I do not know where we will be received well and what loose ends do we need to tie up?" She had no idea where they would go from there OR what loose ends they would have to clean up,&nbsp; but whatever it was she would do her best to help out. "I do want to settle down after all this happened.........."<br><br>Focusing back on her meal once more she began to eat quietly thinking about what he just said. Where would they go and how well would it be received by the people there?Would they be able to fit in like they always belonged there?She hoped so."And what about you? Are you ready to settle down and make a quiet peaceful life? What will you do for work?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 00:26:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian chuckled gently when she shifted the question over towards him, asking him if he was prepared to settle down and just have a nice, quiet life, as well as what he would do for work. "Oh, Tsubaki... I'm an auramancer, I can do just about anything I damn well please, to be honest." He leaned in gently, giving her a soft gaze. "Hell, even if you just wanted to stay at home all day and just do your own thing, I'd be able to pull in more then enough money to support the both of us."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 00:33:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shaking her head furiously, she hissed lowly."No.No way would I ever be staying home and doing minimal jobs like cleaning and cooking. While I would of course help you do that anyway, I will be out doing my own thing as well and helping people when I am needed.There is no way around that.Having nothing to do would drive me crazy and I think that would be a bad thing for all involved." She was feeling rather content enjoying the meal that they were sharing and turned to him with a slight smile.<br><br>"He did a really good job....this food is great. Even better than the stuff they served in the inn to be honest. Or maybe it is because it is late at night and food tastes better then."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 00:39:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shot Tsubaki a playful smile and jabbed into his dinner again, teasing her a little bit, if only for the sake of teasing. "Or maybe it's because you saw fit to starve yourself the entire rest of the day, so any kind of food at all is better then nothing." He smirked a little, deeply enjoying the fact that the old Tsubaki was starting to come back out to the surface. She was recovering, or maybe she was just putting off her woes for the time being. Well, no matter which way it went, this was good for her, very very good for her. "That might have something to do with it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 00:54:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a playful punch in the arm, she laughed."Shut up. Be glad that I feel better now to eat at all. I was seriously thinking of never eating again." Her voice somewhat serious."I was feeling pretty bad and thanks so Marie...........and now you I feel better.I am not going to pretend like I am fixed and that I feel wonderful because I do not..........but at least I am not as miserable. It mostly comes at night when I am alone anyway. Sleep has been a little hard but I think that it will be better."<br><br><br>Leaning over and looking at him wit a serious face, she sighed not wanting to know but she needed to. She wanted him to be honest. "Tell the truth. I know I look pretty bad. I saw the way you looked at me even after we got here and I was able to clean myself up a bit. I know that he worked me over pretty well and that he was not at all gentle about it. I am all scratched and scarred and bruised and I hurt...." Her voice a low whisper."I see people looking at me. They most likely think since I am a miko that I was in a battle of some kind and I would prefer it stay that way. No one needs to know........they would be disgusted and I would be disgraced."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:00:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, handing over his now empty plate to the old man while Tsubaki went on her little tirade about how she felt, and the things that were going through her mind. When the two of them had a little bit of privacy again, Julian turned to her and gave her a compassionate look. "Tsubaki, I don't expect you to get better overnight, I'm not that naive... but I'm delighted to see that you're at least starting to take the first steps in that direction, you've already made great progress, and I couldn't be more proud of you for it... Like I said, you deserve to be happy..."<br><br>He paused for a few seconds before he reached over and grasped her hand in his again. "And between you and me... if you have trouble sleeping again, you know where to find me, alright? My door's open to you." He wasn't trying to be dirty, or make a suggestive comment to her, his eyes were filled with genuine worry for her, and his offer was about as innocent and fueled by genuine kindness as was possible.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:10:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Sure.......thanks I will think about it." Though she was sure that she would not be going to his room anytime soon for any reason. She knew that he was just trying to be helpful but it would take sometime to want to go into any other room for sleep other than hers, though if the nightmares got too bad she would reconsider. She had finished her own food and so passed the plate to the old man who walked by every few minutes to check. Once she was done, she looked to him and nodded."So now what? It is still late and there will be no rising of the people for the next few hours. You can try to get some sleep....."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:13:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian walked alongside her, remaining silent until she brought up the fact that it was still extremely late out, and they still had a few hours before people started to get out of their beds. "I think we should try getting some sleep, are you just about ready to head back in and retire, Tsubaki?" He looked over at her, wanting to read her body language as she gave her answer. If she didn't want to call it a night, or if she would just slip back out once Julian was asleep, he wouldn't go back to the inn yet. He didn't want to leave Tsubaki alone, he wanted to remain by her side and be prepared to protect her at a moment's notice.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:25:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I am not going to head back to sleep but I would like to go back inside and just lie down for a bit.That would give you a chance to get some sleep and NO I am not going to sneak back out once you doze off. I will remain in my room until the inn starts moving again. It will give me a chance to gather my thoughts and figure out what I want to do with my life and where I want to go. I just want to make sure that this time it is my choice and that I am making it for the right reasons. Not because I am simply needed or because it seems like the easiest choice to make.Besides, I want to make sure that we catch Marie in the morning to see what she is going to do as well."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:28:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian chuckled softly and shook his head when she shot down his entire frame of mind and insisted that she was just going to lay down and reflect on the world. Well, in any case, he couldn't exactly deny her the chance to do that, so he led the way back to the inn and escorted Tsubaki safely to her room before he himself walked about 3 doors down and went into his own room. When he laid down, he found that sleep did not come easily, with all of his thoughts being concern over Tsubaki's well being, but sleep eventually did come, and he would be sleeping in the following day as a result, unless woken up by something before his natural time.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:40:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would do just as she agreed and stayed in her room the whole night.........or what was left of it. She was sure that he would want to sleep in and so she would not be the one to wake him up.Once morning had come, she would leave her room to eat quickly and then head off into the town to help a few more people for a little bit of coin in order to help buy some supplies for the road. After all she did not want him to pay for most stuff as they traveled. She was used to doing most things for herself and she would not veer too much from that path. She would of course see Marie and have a small chat with her before she headed off, telling her that Julian was sleeping in and maybe she could be the one to wake him up if she needed him for anything.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:46:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie had insisted that she wouldn't really need anything from Julian before the young man awoke, and she ended up handing Tsubaki a large coin purse from a performance that she had apparently held without telling either Julian or Tsubaki the day prior. "I'm on the fence about rather or not I should tag along with you guys though. I don't want to get in the way of you two being together, but I also think that you guys are going to need all the help you can get when things start going downhill again..." She hummed silently and put her index finger to her chin, as though this was as mundane a decision for her as&nbsp; what she'd have for lunch. "Decisions, decisions..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:50:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at the purse and then to her, and then back to the purse she shook her head."No. I will not take your money. I am perfectly able to earn my own and was on my way to do so right now.You going with us will not get in the way of anything. I want you to come because YOU want to come, not because I want you to. Also I do not want you to leave because you think you will be in the way. I know that we will most likely need some help on our travels as we try to find&nbsp; a place, but what do you mean when things "go downhill" again??<br><br><br>She had bee attending to a small girl who had injured herself and needed a little care as well as sympathy.Nothing serious but she loved those cases the most.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 01:52:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie lowered her head a little bit when she realized that Tsubaki hadn't been there to hear what Marie said about her enemy's cryptic final words before she put them down. With a reluctant intake of breath, she started to retell what had happened a few days prior, silently hoping to herself that Tsubaki wouldn't over react in some way and lose all the progress that she had made so far.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 02:03:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Listening with a blank face at first, she said nothing until the girl was finished.She had already cleaned the child up and sent her on her way and so she stood slightly, her face unreadable. "It's not going to be over is it? Somehow they are going to get me, I know it. Julian said that he would protect me but he cannot be with me all the time. I just knew it. I knew it was too easy...........too simple......." She mumbled to herself as she looked at her hands and then the ground. "I....I just need sometime to think....tell Julian I will be back okay?" Nodding and mumbling more to herself than Marie, she calmly headed to the edges of the forest&nbsp; before disappearing into the thick foliage.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 02:08:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie simply sighed softly and shook her head, instantly regretting that she had told Tsubaki about what the dark mikos had told her. She should have just kept it to herself and left Tsubaki in the dark... then again... she could possibly have been caught off guard by said enemies if Marie hadn't told her, if it helped in the long run, then Marie would be delighted that she had spilled the beans, however, if it didn't change anything or made the matter worse, she'd end up feeling incredible amounts of guilt over it. For now though, she just decided to wait in town and wait to see how things developed. Tsubaki needed some private time, and having Marie follow her wouldn't do anything but make things worse.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 02:16:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Finding herself under the same tree, she noticed that there was a small stream of water near by. She would go to sit near it and stare into the cool bubbling water, her face rippling with the current. Why had Julian not told her this already?Why did he hide it from her? Did he think that she would not be able to handle it...........or that she would break again. Whatever the reason she felt slightly betrayed. Betrayed that he thought she was not read to know or that she could not handle the information. Was he going to wait until something happened to tell her? Until they ambushed? She had no idea what to think or what his reason was. Either way she would want to know from him what he was thinking.<br><br><br>She wandered herself what the women meant by it and what was possibly going to happen. She knew that there was more of them out there...........a whole clan of them in fact and they all knew who she was know.Power was a tempting thing and there were many who would get her if they could to exploit it. Perhaps Julian was right in suggesting that she find a&nbsp; home and hide.....but they would still be looking. Trailing her fingers in the icy water since it was early still she sighed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 02:26:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie would wander the town aimlessly, buying a few pointless trinkets while Julian slept like a log. Eventually he did get up out of his bed, groaning gently as he did. After he went through his morning routine of rolling around in bed for about ten minutes before stretching and giving in, he forced himself out of bed and got dressed before he started to go downstairs and look around for Tsubaki or Marie. Upon seeing neither of them at the inn, Julian figured he could check the same wooded out area that he had used to comfort Tsubaki in the night before, if only because the maiden had a deep passion for wilderness, Julian knew that much.<br><br>He came upon her at the stream, unaware of her feelings of having been betrayed. "Tsubaki, you feeling alright this morning?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 02:32:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at him with calm but accusing eyes, her voice came out slightly bitter."Why? Why did you not feel the need to tell me what those mikos said?Why did Marie have to be the one to tell me?I suppose she had more faith in me than you did huh? She thought that it was something I needed to know and that it was important in case something happened down the road. She might not have even said anything if she had not mentioned something about things going downhill again."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 02:40:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian's eyes instantly became flooded with regret when she suddenly accused him of not trusting her, and said that Marie had to be the one to tell her about the mikos' cryptic words. He sighed softly and rested up against a tree, struggling for words. "... I didn't have the heart to say it... I didn't want to see you hurt anymore... I wanted to protect you from it, all of it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 02:50:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Protect me from all of what?Myself? What were you going to say when something DID happen down the road? Would you have told me then?" Slapping the water with her hand, she cursed."Damn it Julian!! Do you really think so little of me, that I am so weak and of fragile mind that I did not need to know this? I get that you wanted to help me......but hiding things from me??? How am I supposed to trust you if I think you are hiding things from me?? How are we supposed to take a chance at staying together somewhere of you think that I can't handle somethings?"&nbsp; Her voice suddenly sad.<br><br>Standing up, she shook her head."You just see me as victim still who cannot handle anything. That I might just spiral out of control once again right............just doing your job to protect me just like you promised.........I get it. See you back at the inn when you are ready to leave town. I'm sure Marie is around here somewhere." Her voice quiet as she brushed past him and headed back into the village and to her room. There was more that needed to be thought about..........she was more hurt than angry.......and it once more made her feel weak.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 02:53:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply lowered his gaze in guilt and let out a depressed sigh. He hadn't intended on things to happen this way, but he supposed that he should have expected it. He wondered if what he was doing really was right or wrong... he wondered to himself if perhaps Tsubaki would be better of just watching out for herself, rather then have some guy like him babysit her and try to coddle her every seven seconds. Perhaps what she really needed wasn't somebody like Julian, perhaps she just needed somebody who really could protect her, while still giving her the amount of respect that she deserved.<br><br>He felt horrible for it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 03:02:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki was upset at Julian and slightly angry...but more so at herself than him.Maybe she had shown him that she was not quite ready to handle some things. She tried to see it from his point of view and within a few minutes she was less upset and more understanding. While he still should not have done it, she did get it.Now........they would need to talk and really talk about it all. She knew that he would be coming back soon enough and they would have to prepare to leave................but she wanted the air clear before they did. She would be sitting in his room that the innkeeper so graciously let her into and waited. Once he would come in, she would look at him."We need to talk.........."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 03:05:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian returned to his inn room after about fifteen minutes of sulking on his ignorance and over protectiveness. When he opened the door to see Tsubaki sitting on his bed, waiting for him, part of him would be genuinely surprised, while the majority of his mind went to his heart hitting the floor. He wondered what Tsubaki wanted to talk about, was she going to tell him to get lost? That she didn't need some kind of guardian? That he had hurt her pride? He wondered what was going to be coming to him, as he softly sat down in one of the nearby chairs, shut the door behind him, and shifted his gaze away from her. "Go ahead."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 03:15:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at him seriously, she sighed and then started."I was thinking for a bit on the situation and I was really upset that you did not trust me enough to tell me about the mikos words. I felt like you thought I was weak and could not do anything for myself.I was thinking that maybe you were worrying too much and not giving me a chance to figure out what to do....that you wanted me to find a home and simply hide away and live in ignorance. I thought about what else you could be hiding and I thought about whether or not we should go on together....but only for a moment. While I was upset at you, sending you away would be worse......I have become attached to you in a way and I want you to keep traveling with me...."<br><br><br><br>Getting up, she went to his chair and slid a hand on his cheek, directing his gaze back to her."I want you to promise me that you won't keep anything else from me, okay? I know that you are just trying to look out for me......but the best way you can protect me is by helping me know what is going on please?? That way I can help you look out for me as well. I trust you still.......please don't ruin it. I can only get better with you being honest and upfront with me....no matter what.....and no matter how you think it will affect me please."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 03:19:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was honestly surprised at how gracious Tsubaki was as she came over and told him that she understood where he was coming from, and that he was just trying to do what was in her best interest, even though he had failed in that regard. He gently put his hand over hers as it rested against his cheek, and he gave her a brief nod. "I promise you, Tsubaki, from this point forward I will do everything I can to be as honest and genuine with you as possible. I won't hide anything from you anymore. I was just trying to look out for you, and I didn't think about how you would react... I'm sorry, and I'm glad that you saw fit to forgive me for it."<br><br>he looked up at her, clearly thankful for her decision. "I give you my word."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 03:32:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Good.........well now that this is out of the way, is there anything else that you need to tell me? Tell me now before we leave this room." Her eyes watching him closely. Giving his cheek one final rub, she removed her hand from under his and looked around the room."So do we head out now or do you need a bit more time to get things together? I mean we still have to talk to Marie and see what she is going to do as far as coming with us or not. She had said she had to make up her mind......so it is high time we found out."<br><br><br>Her cheeks would flush slightly as she looked at him."I should go and leave you here to do what you need to. I just wanted to come into the room to clear the air....." Smiling a bit strained as she headed out. The room was seeming to close in a little and she wanted out.Plus she had admitted that she cared enough to want him to keep going with her...which surprised her considering all that happened. But he had not hurt her and so that is why she was able to stay somewhat close to him...but not too close.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 03:37:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was still kicking himself for being such a fool even while Tsubaki walked out of the room. He had honestly never felt more pathetic in his entire life, and he felt as though Tsubaki was giving him some kind of privilege by allowing him to continue traveling with her. In it's own way, that was actually rather depressing. He was supposed to be the one that came along of his own will, because Tsubaki needed the help, it wasn't supposed to be some divine favor blessed onto him by Tsubaki, and yet, there they were.<br><br>Perhaps that destiny thing was a joke after all, how was he supposed to be 'meant for' Tsubaki if he ended up causing her more harm then good? With a reluctant sigh, and still feeling lousy, he packed up what little gear he had and prepared to head out. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 03:43:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would head back to her own belongings, which were the things she bartered for in the town. Once she was finished, she went to wait on the outside where she was sure she would run into Marie and soon enough into Julian. He had seemed upset still when she left and she did not like it at all. She had told him that everything was okay and that they would be upfront from now on..........so what was nagging him? She really needed someone to talk to and she hoped that Marie would show up soon.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 03:45:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie, as it turned out, beat Julian to the meet up point where the three of them would gather in order to head out of town. "Heya! So I decided to tag along with you guys after all, it's fun traveling with people." She smiled gently and rested her hands behind her back, oblivious to any kind of little drama session that was going on behind her back.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 04:19:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking&nbsp; at her somberly,Tsubaki would not greet her with a smile or anything close to it. Instead, she would launch into what had happened and how she felt about, how she thought Julian was feeling about it and what they should&nbsp; both DO about it. She was really feeling lost and in a bind and any advice now would be good advice.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 04:23:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie sighed softly and plopped herself down on the ground, her head lifting towards the sky as she thought about the issue that the two of them were having. "Well, it's a matter of two people's collective pride getting in the way of common sense. Julian was proud enough to want to try and take on the world himself, protecting you from everything and anything, even when you don't NEED that, and he was too proud to see that letting you in was the right thing to do. Meanwhile, your pride was damaged by his mistake, and so you overreacted in an attempt to try and commence damage control. I think if you two are really going to work this out, I mean REALLY work it out, both of you have to admit that you were both wrong. Julian isn't totally in the right here, but neither are you."<br><br>She then giggled sweetly and gave Tsubaki a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, if you two can work this out, it'll mean that you're that much better off because of it. All good relationships are trial and error, it's all about how the couple reacts from their mistakes, and overcomes them that makes it a long lasting relationship. Just think of it as a test."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 04:33:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving Marie a slight look, she nodded. She had to admit that she was right...............they both were wrong and needed to own up to it. Well..............all that remained was the fact of telling him exactly that, and she was sure that he would&nbsp; be out in a few minutes to join them anyway. Thanking Marie for&nbsp; her help, she made sure that she quickly used some of the money that she earned to buy s few things that she would need on the road as well as a few snacks and some materials to keep her mind busy when they made any long stops. Once she had finished she came back to see that he had not quite made it yet and for that she was glad.<br><br><br>"As soon as he comes I am going to pull him aside and tell him. No point in waiting after all is there?" She looked to Marie for reassurance.&nbsp; After all she was right......if it was going to work, someone had to say something to start it off.......might as well be her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 04:37:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie smiled, proud that she could be of assistance, as she nodded eagerly and simply waited for Julian to arrive before she said anything more. She was glad that Tsubaki had gotten so easy to talk to, and that she was willing to be the one to take a stand and be the first to admit that she was wrong. As a result, she simply rose back up to her feet and stretched gently while the two girls waited for their male friend to arrive. Julian came up about five minutes after they got done talking, and he still seemed to be feeling pretty lousy for what had happened.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 04:51:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As soon a she saw him, she would give Marie a small nod and quickly pull Julian aside. Taking a deep breath she looked at him and launched into what she had to say, no holding back. "Look...........you were wrong for being overprotective and I was wrong for overreacting to it........I was upset that you thought I couldn't handle the news about what they said...........but I still should not have freaked out on you about it,knowing you had my best interests at heart.I don't want us to travel like this.....upset with each other or feeling bad about this either. So what do you say??? We okay?"&nbsp; Her smile hopeful.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 04:54:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian looked at Tsubaki in surprise, not expecting her to come out and apologize to him in the slightest. For a few seconds, all he could do was gently nod at her question about if the two of them were okay, but once he gave his mind a little bit of time to adjust, he started to speak, though his tone was still rather light. "Y-yeah, we're fine. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you earlier, I guess I just thought that I could protect you from the world, you know? I thought that, if I could just prevent you from ever knowing that people were after you, that you'd be able to live happily... I was wrong, and I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way because of it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:04:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"It's okay, I understand............thanks to a little help from a friend anyway. Now.....let's get going. We have a lot of ground to cover I suppose, even though I have no idea where we are going. I don't know many villages that have need of my services...I really have not left the shrine much at all. I guess now I know why though. When the others would go to neighboring towns to help out, I was always to stay behind. They gave me some excuse of course,&nbsp; but at least it all now makes sense." She smiled a bit. "Well..........Marie has decided to come along.....at least for now. So maybe we should take a second and talk it over with her.........she has been many places after all..........and even you have traveled."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:10:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled a bit more genuinely now that the two of them had moved past their little spat that they had gotten into that morning, and he stepped back out onto the main road in order to meet back up with Marie, who was waiting very patiently for the two of them to get done so that they could get on the road already. When her two companions came back out to join her, Marie giggled gently and put her hands behind her back. "There you two are! Now how about we start figuring out exactly where we want to go, anyway. So what is it that the two of your are trying to achieve in your travels? An end goal is the most important part of any trip."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:18:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shifting uneasily,Tsubaki sighed and looked around for a few minutes. "I guess what I want to achieve is a place to finally call my own I guess, somewhere I can be accepted and be myself......and maybe not have to worry too much about being found? I mean you already know that I have a target of sorts on my head. I just don't want to have to keep running forever."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:20:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie smiled happily and nodded her approval, as she started gently walking on the path that would take them out of town. "Well that shouldn't be too hard! What kind of place do you fancy yourself living in? Are you a big city girl? Or would you prefer a small village?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:24:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at Julian, she smiled faintly."I suppose I want to be somewhere that is not too large like a huge city, but nowhere small like the village I was adopted into.....it was a small farm village and while it was quiet I just have bad memories of it. So something in the middle would be nice...........also...........I think he should have some kind of say in it since he has agreed to stay with me after all........so he should like where we are going too......"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:26:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie let out a delighted yelp when she heard that Julian had agreed to stay with her, and the young man suddenly had a pair of adoring eyes aimed right at him while Marie waited eagerly to hear what Julian would say. Made rather uneasy and greatly humored by the situation as it was, Julian chuckled lightly and scratched the back of his head nervously. "I guess a middle class town would be pretty nice... can't go wrong there."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:35:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a giggle out of nowhere,Tsubaki looked at Julian's face. She supposed he had not said a thing to Marie about it from the yelp she gave. While it made her a bit embarrassed, she could not help but laugh slightly.Looking to Marie, she put on a smile of her own and teased the girl. "Now all we need is for you to find a girl of your own and come settle in town with us, yes? I mean you can still travel,but you will have a home to come to once it is all over. Maybe you can stay with us sometime until you find a place and you come from the road?" Her look slightly pleading. The girl was like a friend to her now and she would like her to at least come and visit sometime until she wanted to settle as well.<br><br>Feeling cheerful, she hummed a bit."Now that size is agreed on....where do we go from here?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:38:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Unlike Julian, Marie simply turned to her and gave a bright smile as she nodded her head. "Oh trust me, I totally hear you there. I'd love to find a nice girl, settle down, mmmm...." She shut her eyes and slid off to a dream state for a few seconds before Julian snapped her out of it, and she continued walking down the path. "Well, wherever your feet take you, obviously! Seeing new sights and not knowing what lays around the bed is half the fun of the trip!" Julian rolled his eyes lightly, giving Tsubaki a humored smile. "She's going to be trouble, I can already tell."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:45:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Completely losing it at Marie's face,Tsubaki let out a peal of laughter that had her trembling. She couldn't stop laughing even when Julian had snapped her out of it. It would take her a few minutes to compose herself and when she did, she would give them a sheepish look. "Sorry....." Her grin faint. It felt really good to laugh.........to really laugh and let it all out. Marie really was going to be fun to travel with and she did not mind a little trouble. Trouble could be fun.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:48:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				With Marie giving one last playful grin, and Julian rolling his eyes in concern for what awaited them on the road, the three of them stepped out on the road again. While they traveled, Marie told them stories about all the places that she had been and all the things that she had seen. Basically, she was trying to give the two of them a basic idea for what kind of place they would want to settle down in once they finally got to the point where such a thing would be possible.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 05:57:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Traveling with Marie was turning out to be a wealth of information. She had been many places and so hearing her input on what places were good and bad was valuable. She would listen carefully to all she had to say as well as sneak a peek at Julian every once in awhile to see what his reactions were to certain places she mentioned.Like she said, he would be staying there too and so how he felt was equally important. It would have to be somewhere they both could be comfortable and make a decent living as well as get along well with the locals there. People who would be hardworking and honest as well as not likely to sell her out if they ever knew who she was. That was important to her. Once they settled, she hoped that they would not have to run.............but she would always be prepared to fight or run either way.<br><br><br>"Well Julian......." Her voice breaking in."Is there somewhere that you particularly had traveled to before and want to maybe settle down in? You have been traveling a bit too and well............you had to see some place you liked?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 06:01:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was more then content to let Marie do all the talking while the trio wandered down the road, however, when Tsubaki butted in and asked him for input, he realized that his plan of staying mute for the duration of the trip had completely failed. With a small sigh, he tried to think back to some of the places that he had been before, and he tried to think of places that he wouldn't mind settling down at. "Honestly, I was almost moving through towns so quickly that I never really got a sense for how good or bad most places are. I guess you could mark that up to me wanting to spend my life in atonement, but there it is."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 06:07:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Oh...okay then."Slightly disappointed in his answer. However it was what it was and she would make do. Marie seemed to have enough to say for them both anyway, so she would let the girl go on talking about her adventures and travels. She felt slightly insecure on the road now as she looked back and forth sometimes as they walked. It was as if she wanted to make sure that&nbsp; no one was there...........was watching or following them............was hiding and she could not sense them anywhere.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-11-2011, 06:15:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian noticed just how uneasy Tsubaki was after about a half an hour of them traveling down the road. He reached over gently and pulled her hand into his as he gave it a reassuring squeeze. If she looked over at him, she'd see that he was giving her a look that basically said 'it's going to be okay' without saying any words. Now that they were done with their little spat, Julian was able to get back to doing what he truly wanted to, he was able to get back to being a pillar of support and strength for Tsubaki to lean on whenever she could feel herself faltering.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>26-11-2011, 23:03:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Returning his squeeze, she gave him a shaky smile and leaned in closer to him."I have a feeling like something will find us while we are out here........and I want to be ready for it no matter what it is. I am going to keep my eyes and ears open so that there are no more sneak attacks on us............I can't afford to fail this time." Her voice low but steady as if she believed what she said. She knew that Julian and Marie would do their bst to make sure that nothing happened to her and that was good..........but she wanted to make sure that she pulled her own weight as well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>26-11-2011, 23:23:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian offered her a small nod and kept his hand in hers while the three of them walked. Fortunately, it didn't look as though there would be any types of ambushes or attacks while the group was on the road, and for that, Julian was extremely grateful. He hoped that it would be a long time coming before any enemies tried to jump on them, for the sake of Tsubaki's mental health more then anything else... then again... perhaps it would help her out a bit if she were to emerge victorious from a battle or two. Julian supposed that the answer to that question would present itself in due time.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>26-11-2011, 23:31:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Feeling much more secure than she had in awhile, she found it was easy enough to travel with little worries about what might happen. Being that she had two people who were very in touch with what they could do , however made her a bit disturbed. Looking at him again after so much time had passed, and she had looked at the passing scenery as well as listened to some of Marie's other traveling stories she came to a decision. "I want to train." Her voice coming out of nowhere."While there might or might not be anyone out there like me, there has to be someone who KNOWS of what my people could do and perhaps there are some writings,scrolls, memories that could help me."<br><br>Looking at the ground as she walked, she mumbled."I don't ever want to be caught weak again. You two know what you can do....I just want to know as well and how to wield it."Giving him a hopeful look, she offered a half-smile."Maybe we will see someone.........can we ask around as we travel?Please?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>26-11-2011, 23:51:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian looked over at her, initially surprised by her desire to train and learn more about her powers, but he could hardly blame her, and he fully understood exactly where she was coming from with how weak she must have felt. With a small nod, Julian decided to give her the answer that she wanted to hear. "I think that would be good for you, we should look for anybody with some kind of knowledge while we're traveling." Marie seemed to agree as well, though she didn't say anything as much as she did just give a reassuring nod that she didn't have any problems with it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-11-2011, 00:01:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a brilliant smile, she gave his hand a squeeze before looking back towards the road."Though we are traveling at a decent rate we are going to be in the forest come dark.We should make plans now on who is going to do what as far as making camp, food, gathering wood and the like. I am okay with whatever you guys want to do as no job is an issue for me. Working at a shrine has that kind of affect on you, you know." She smiled faintly.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>27-11-2011, 00:59:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shrugged lightly, thinking quietly for a few moments before he gave an answer. "Obviously, I would be the best for doing the hunting and meal preparations, though if you want me to hold off until camp is made, I'd be more then able to do that. Marie shook her head, smiling brightly as she spoke to Julian. "Don't even worry about that! Me and Tsubaki can take care of the camp while you're out." She paused, nudging her elbow into Tsubaki's slide. "Can't we?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-11-2011, 16:50:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nodding absently and then giving a slight smile, she nodded."Yeah...we can definitely do that. Me and Marie can have some time to set up camp, check the area and maybe talk about who we can hook her up with when we get where we are going." Her face smug and teasing. She figured that would be something to giggle about with Marie later. "Also I figured you might want to hunt and have that chance to clear your head, plan our next move and figure out where we are going next." Giving him a light kiss on&nbsp; the cheek, she began to hum slightly, feeling better than she had in awhile.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>27-11-2011, 16:57:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie simply rolled her eyes and kept walking, a humored smile on her face as the trio continued to make their way towards the place where they would camp out for the night. Once they arrived, Julian split apart and started to go take care of his own business in the wilderness, while Marie started unpacking the tents and setting them all up. "Talk about who I'm going to get hooked up with, huh?" Marie giggled softly, shooting Tsubaki a playful glare as she focused most of her attention on camp setup for the night.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-11-2011, 17:11:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Hahaha yeah. I just had to say that to see his face. The way he looked when you talked about it earlier was priceless." Tsubaki could not help but laugh as she thought on it once more."Besides..........he seems to be much better since we worked things out and I have been doing my best not to be sad around him. I have been trying to not let things get to me, but it is still pretty raw. You&nbsp; guys have been an amazing help."<br><br>Moving to help set up, she laughed&nbsp; a&nbsp; little and looked at Marie. "And yeah....we are totally going to find you someone so you can be our neighbor one day.....I won't have it any other way."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>27-11-2011, 17:37:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie laughed right along with her, having never really seen this side of Tsubaki before today, and she had to admit that she really liked what she saw. She could certainly see what drew Julian to her, that's for sure. "Alright then, I'll hold you to that, Tsubaki, you find me a nice little lady to settle down with, and I'll move in next to you in a heartbeat... well... once I've decided I've seen enough of the world, that is." She laughed playfully and turned her full attention towards Tsubaki, since the tent was now up and she didn't have much else to focus on.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-11-2011, 18:22:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Alright.........I will remember this okay?" Her glare playful. It looked as though everything was set up and now all that was left was for Julian to come back with whatever he had caught for the night's meal.Knowing him he had done his best to catch something that was large enough to have several meals of of that night.It made her smile just a little bit. He really was a good provider so far and was doing his best to make sure she was okay."Soo.........what do you want to talk about before he gets back?? Anything goes and I am totally open to all you want to know....so take this chance." She laughed."You may never get me to be this honest again."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>28-11-2011, 14:42:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie smiled gently and took a seat by the campfire that the two of them had started. Setting up camp was actually a very easy job, no denying that, though having the help of another made the entire process go by that much quicker, so it was even less of an issue. "Alright, you might just regret asking that though." She giggled playfully and shifted her legs by the fire a little, looking into it. "So what are your real feelings on our male companion? It's clear that there's some tension between you two, some budding feelings, but how do you feel about it?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>28-11-2011, 21:47:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Stopping her movements and peering into the fire, she thought about it a moment."Well.....I am not sure how I really feel you know?? I know that I like him and I would be really upset if he got hurt......and I felt really bad when we had that argument from before." She smiled slightly."I want him to always be happy you know. After everything that happened, he worries for me.I can see it and so I do my best not to be sad around him because I do not want that.."<br><br>Sighing a little, she shook her head slowly."I do not know how to feel about it.I&nbsp; have never been in this kind of place before and I do not know what to do at all. There was someone at the shrine who showed and interest before but I paid him no attention. Other than that, I never got paid attention really." Looking at her somberly, she mused. "Tell me.........have you ever had any lovers and how did you know when you were feeling something for them really........and that it was real and meant something? Also............how did you know if the feelings were mutual? I do not want to look like a fool."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-11-2011, 00:21:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie paused, sighing gently as she took a stick and started playing with the fire a little bit while she responded. "Well... there was this one girl, once upon a time... Things fell out though... I've got some great memories from it though, she was just way too kind, and I was way too immature... Anyway, you're asking me how to tell if your feelings are real? You should know the answer to that, if you doubt your feelings at all, then they're not real. When you really, genuinely care, you'll just know... As for getting to know if the feeling is mutual? Well, it depends on the person, but sometimes it can be pretty hard to tell. For me, I just had to risk it and tell her how I felt, I was just lucky enough that she was willing to give girls a shot for me..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-11-2011, 01:08:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Risk it and tell him? What if he does not feel the same way..............then again he did agree to stay with me so maybe he feels something.....but what if he is staying because he feels he needs too?" Her face scrunched in confusion."I guess I will have to say something to see how he feels but I do not know how to go about it."<br><br><br>She sighed lightly."Maybe tonight when I can get him alone...or some other time?? I do not know..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-11-2011, 01:35:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie leaned forward and softly patted Tsubaki's shoulder before she continued. "Tsubaki, buddy, that's all on you. I honestly don't have any kind of advice that can make this easier on you, you gotta make the plunge yourself and hope that he's able to catch you. If you trust yourself, and you trust him, the words should come naturally."<br><br>With that she fell quiet and withdrew her hand, content to continue playing with the fire until the end of her stick burnt off. "Aww."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-11-2011, 02:25:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Okay...well thanks for the help anyway. I will pull him aside when I can and see how he feels as well." Laughing a bit at her antics with the stick she shook her head. "Speaking of............he has been gone awhile. I wonder if he is okay and maybe I should go look for him? I mean......I know that he is perfectly able to hunt and come back safely but still......." Smiling a little, she poked at the fire with a stick she grabbed as well."Maybe I do care more than I am letting on huh??? I mean.......here I am worried already about what he is doing out there?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-11-2011, 04:19:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie simply shrugged and just leaned in a little closer to the fire to continue jabbing her stick into it. "Well if you want to go find him, he can't have gotten too far away. I'll hold down the fort, and if I sense any baddies from that other dimension on the way, I'll come out and find you. With that man's blood in my veins, I should be able to sense when they're close by and alert you. She looked up at Tsubaki and nodded her head off into the woods. "Go on, but don't take too long, you hear."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-11-2011, 22:41:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Okay mom. I promise that I will be careful." Her mouth in a smirk. Getting up and slowly leaving the fire, she peered into the darkness that had come over the forest and shivered slightly."Be right back........" Her voice somewhat shaky as she headed away the firelight getting smaller and smaller. She wondered exactly where he was in the woods and how long it would take to find him. As she got further and further in she would call out quietly, enough to be heard but hopefully not attract something that she did not want.<br><br>"Julian??" Her voice quiet and subdued.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>30-11-2011, 00:09:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It would take her about fifteen minutes, but she would eventually come across him, actually, it was more like he found her, as he came up lightly behind her after she quietly called his voice for the seventh or eighth time. He would make sure that she knew that he was coming behind her, so as not to startle the rather paranoid and uneasy young woman. "Tsubaki? What are you doing out here?" He shifted his gaze towards her with a curious look in his eye, wondering what had brought her out here at this point in time. "Is something wrong?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 06:31:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Surprisingly, he would find her instead of the other way around and she felt slightly relieved."Oh....well..............I came looking for you because you had been gone for awhile now and it is dark out.Marie said that I should come and check for you....after I mentioned it of course." She hoped that he was not going to be upset or even annoyed that she came to look for him. She did not want him thinking that she believed her needed her help or anything..it was just that she was concerned. "And no nothing is wrong. I just wanted to see that all was well............and maybe ask if you needed some help?" Her face slightly hopeful but also nervous and&nbsp; unsure. What her and Marie had talked about was now on her mind and she wondered if it was proper to bring it up now..........or maybe later?? Maybe she should wait for him to say something? All in all, she was a bit confused and chewed her lip as she continued to look at him and then the ground. "So........catch anything?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 06:45:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled lightly when she responded, and when she gave him that hopeful little look in her eye when she asked if she could help, he knew that he couldn't say no. "Sure, you can come along if you want, Tsubaki. I should be done here in a little while, actually, I've been tracking a pretty decent sized boar for a while now, should give us plenty of meat for dinner." He nodded his head, urging her to follow behind him as he slipped back into the woods. Something seemed to be bugging her, like her mind wasn't totally on the matter at hand, perhaps he'd bring it up, but right now it didn't seem like it was anything overly pressing.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 06:50:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Smiling a bit cheerfully, she nodded."Okay!! I think I can do this with no trouble. I can hunt and since I can use a bow well, that should be a big help getting the boar. Where is the boar now?" Her voice whisper soft as she followed him into the brush.Depending on the size of the animal, maybe they could cook enough and dry some to eat while on the road when they needed to take small breaks and there was no other sources in sight for food.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 06:51:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian decided to let Tsubaki be the one to fire the arrows, since he himself could also just form an aura bow and fire arrows in a similar manner... still... he didn't have to tell that to the maiden, not while she was going to be tagging along with him. "He's a little ways up this way, I think, I've just about got him." With that, Julian led Tsubaki to a tiny clearing where a rather large creature was feasting on some of the foliage. "See? There he is." He reached over and patted Tsubaki's shoulder. "All yours."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 06:59:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Smiling a tiny bit and looking at the rather juicy creature, Tsubaki nodded and strung her bow quickly and quietly.Aiming steadily, she held her breath before letting the arrow fly. She was not intending to kill the pig, but only wound it enough that he could make an easy enough kill. She only wanted to help......not take the whole hunt away from him. Once it hit and she heard the loud squeal and thrashing she looked to him."All yours now...I will wait here."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 07:01:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian rolled his eyes and stepped towards the boar, snapping a sword into existence while he wrapped an aura chain around the hairy pig's stomach with his other hand. "Force the man to do the nasty part, I see how you operate, Tsubaki... that's evil, pure evil of you." He was joking, of course, and he came back about fifteen seconds later with a dead boar in tow. "Alright, so why don't you tell me why you really came out here? It wasn't because you were worried about me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 07:08:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sticking her tongue out at him, she shook her head. "Welcome........and anytime.Blah." Her face all smiles watching him finish off the animal and bring it over. Her smile would fade as he asked what she really came for and she sighed slightly."Well..........um...me and Marie were talking.........about feelings and how to express them to someone who might or might not share them............and well...........I don't know." Looking at her hands, she swayed side to side a little. "I was worried too though............"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 07:34:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, looking over at her gently when she started stammering about feelings, something that he wasn't quite expecting to come up from her this soon after her stage of recovery. He set his little sled and chain off to the side so that he could step up and gently plant a hand on Tsubaki's shoulder, which he squeezed gently. "You can talk to me, Tsubaki... you can talk to me about anything, you know that right?" He was genuinely curious to hear what it was that she was going to say, he wanted to know.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>01-12-2011, 22:42:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes.....I know..........it's just that I am not sure what to say or how to say it really. Maybe.......maybe we should just head back to the camp and get this boar ready for cooking huh?" Her smile a little shaky as she looked from him to the now deceased animal. She was not really sure how she was ever going to come out and say anything to the effect of how she was feeling when she did not even have a remote clue on how he felt or what was going on in his mind.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:01:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, giving her shoulder another gentle squeeze before he pulled away and picked up the chain. "Fine... if that's how you want it..." He glanced back over at her, his voice rather soft as he spoke again. "Just remember that if you ever find the words, if you ever want to talk about anything, I'll listen... okay?" He was worried about her, worried that she was having thoughts of those nightmares that she had endured again. He didn't want to see her crumble away and squander all this progress that she had made.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:07:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah....I know and it is fine..promise." She chickened out and did not tell him anything. Besides....she was not sure how he felt anyway and she did not want to risk looking like a fool. She would never&nbsp; be able to live it down and would even go as far as not wanting to travel with him. She had enough humiliation for the time being and figured that when she got back, she would help him get the food prepared and after he had gone to sleep she could talk to Marie again or maybe just take a walk to clear her head. The girl had not sensed anything out there , so it should not be too much of an&nbsp; issue. Besides, she had some weapons once more and she could look out for herself.<br><br>Marie would probably think she was a coward for not saying anything, but she couldn't...she just couldn't. She had looked him in the eyes and the words had died right then and there in her throat. Why...she was not sure...but that was how it was for now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:13:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian dragged the dead creature back to camp, and before Marie dared to say so much as a word to either of them, she glanced over towards Tsubaki to see the rather ashamed look in her eye. She crossed her arms and huffed for a single second before she pulled herself back down and relaxed, watching Julian as he finished dragging the boar over to the corner of the camp. "It'll be about half an hour before dinner will be ready, I suppose you two are welcome to relax or poke around the forest a little bit before then, just try not to go too far off... we don't want to be isolated if anything should come looking for a fight, alright?" He still seemed rather oblivious to the way that Tsubaki was really feeling, though he really was worried about her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:18:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a noise that was a mix between relief and weariness from the day, Tsubaki nodded. "Yeah....I think that I will do that." Not waiting, she turned and took off back towards the way they had just come. She would use that time to think about what she would say and do and also what went wrong. She had not been able to talk to him at all and it was mostly fear of rejection or unrequited feelings that would hurt the most.........she was not equipped or prepared for that. She had been trained how to heal bodies and maybe even hearts.....but she had no clue how to deal with the. Smiling a bit bitterly, she shook her head.Of all times to be unprepared. And on such a small matter........right?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:22:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie casually came up behind her and climbed a tree, making herself an nice little resting spot before she spoke to Tsubaki. "So what happened? Did you just choke? I'd really like to hear about what's going through your mind right now... maybe I could give you a hand?" She genuinely wanted to help Tsubaki, since it was clear that the bronzed woman felt deeper feelings for Julian then she was letting on, and Marie was quite, quite confident that the two of them would be a very good match for one another.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:29:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Not at all surprised that she had been followed, she merely nodded. "Yeah.....I froze....choked.........whatever you want to call it. All I know was that I chickened out. I was right there looking him in the face and I could not talk or move.......or breathe.I honestly do not know what is going on through my mind right now.............just confusion. I want to tall him, I should tell him and in the end I will need to tell him but I can't. There are too many things that could go wrong. He might not feel the same, or when we get where we are going he might see someone he likes better and has not been damaged like me.....you never know."<br><br><br>Sitting down on a nice patch of grass, she nodded."If you think you can&nbsp; help......let's hear it sis."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:36:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie blinked a few times when she heard Tsubaki refer to her as 'sis', though she smiled at the notion and rested her hands behind her back while she spoke. "Like I said before, Tsubaki, if you trust yourself enough, and if you trust him enough, everything else will fall in to place." She looked down at Tsubaki. "Believe it or not, you really do have a lot going for you, you have a lot that you can offer him that he won't be able to find in other girls. I think that the only one that sees you as damaged is, well, you."<br><br>She paused for a few seconds to make sure her words were sinking in. "Just have faith in yourself, and be confident, and you'll be able to say anything you want to him without skipping a beat."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:47:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Taking it all in and then fixing the girl with a strange smirk, she laughed."A lot going for me huh??? Stuff he can't find in other girls?? Like what?" This was going to be interesting to hear. They always did say that people looking on the outside noticed things that you did not notice about yourself and she wondered what that was.<br><br>Pulling her knees up to her chest, she looked at the girl hopefully wanting her to be honest and not spare anything even if it was good or bad......as long as it was truth she could deal.<br><br><br>"And while you are at it, maybe you can tell me just how you know he feels anything for me anyway???"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:49:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie turned towards Tsubaki, smiling a bit as she started to go into a detailed explanation. "Well, for one, you're incredibly strong willed. Your recovery has proved that. You're very smart and kind, always helping people out whenever you can, and you have a tendency towards being rather selfless and putting other people's needs and desires before your own. After all, you're keeping yourself away from Julian despite your feelings for him because you want him to be happy. You have a lot of fantastic qualities, Tsubaki, you just need to see them yourself."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 00:55:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well...I was not going to sit there and let what that man did destroy my life. Julian was and is doing his best to make sure that I am okay and what kind of person would I be to throw that in his face with weakness? Either I do my best to get over it or I at least can hide it when I am about to fall apart. I do not want him to see me that way because then he blames himself for not being there when it all&nbsp; happened and he has nothing to feel bad for. He was not the one who took me or did things to me and he was not my keeper either. If things are set to happen, they will no matter what you do."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 01:06:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie's voice got a little bit more assertive as Tsubaki shut down what he was saying. "it still reflects amazingly on you as a person, Tsubaki, open your eyes to that fact, will you?" she shook her head, genuinely hoping to get through Tsubaki's incredibly thick skull and pride. Even after everything that had happened to her, Tsubaki was still as stubborn and set in her ways as ever, those ways were now just changed around a little bit. "I'm being serious, think about it, name one other woman in the entire would who would be able to go through what you did and still be able to carry on afterwards."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 01:15:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at the girl, her eyes taking on a dull quality and hoping what she was about to say would not be offensive she spoke."You're...............mother was one. She went on and had an amazing daughter who did what&nbsp; she had to do in order to get justice for her mother, despite the pain she was caused growing up....that's who." Putting on a cautious smile, she nodded."So yes I see what you mean and I thank you for it......but I knew that I needed to snap out of it as best I could. I mean....it's not like I don't think about it sometimes and fear going to sleep....but I can deal with it. There are others out there much worse off than me and so I will not complain." She shrugged. "He could have done worse........so...no worries."<br><br>Pulling up blades of grass and shredding them she sighed." So&nbsp; back to Julian....maybe you can say something to him?? A small hint maybe that would give me an opening of some kind?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 01:20:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie sighed gently and shook her head when Tsubaki asked for her to help her out when it came to Julian, and her telling him about her feelings. "Tsubaki, I want to be able to help you, really, I do. But if you don't take matters in to your own hands, if you don't place the confidence in yourself to take the plunge, then really you're just hurting yourself. Just go talk to him, really, you don't even have to start with heart bleeding confessions or admittance of love, just strike up a gentle conversation, get close to him, and go from there."<br><br>She hopped down from the tree, looking over at Tsubaki. "Let it come out naturally, when it feels right, it's the right time, and you'll have done it all on your own."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 01:33:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Ugh...okay, okay...I will talk to him. I mean what is the worst that could happen eh heh heh heh." Her laugh sheepish."We should head back before he comes looking for us and flipping out about it. That is one of the last things we need...and I know that you are not about to leave me out here by myself so I know not to ask." Huffing slightly, she crossed her arms."I suppose I can't blame you though and I do understand......Julian would be upset with us both if I stayed out here."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 01:38:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie nodded and helped Tsubaki back to her feet with a light smile. "that's right, he worries about you, cares about you. He doesn't want anything bad to happen to you, and if that's not incentive enough to fuel your desire to pour your emotions onto him, then I don't know what is. I'll be right out of sight rooting you on, so you get back there and tell him how you really feel, alright?" Before Tsubaki could object, Marie took her by the shoulders and started pushing her back in the direction of the camp. "I've got faith in you!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 01:46:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"No....no wait!! I mean what do I tell him............Marie!!" Her cries being ignored by the other girl as she was pushed back towards camp. For all her struggling, she knew the girl was right and quietly gave in after a bit and settled her mind. She would do it. She would tell him what she felt...........it would not be some whole big confession of love or anything, but she would tell him that she cared about him and how he felt and that she wanted him to be happy. Perhaps that she was happy that he had chosen to stay with her once they found a home and that she would do her best to make sure that she did her part.<br><br>Soon enough the camp light would come into view and she swallowed the hard lump that suddenly formed in her throat and her legs locked up as she was being pushed making her feet leave grooves in the dirt. "I can do this...I can do it..." Her voice a whisper.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-12-2011, 01:49:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie chuckled softly once the camp was in range. "That's right, you most certainly can do this. Don't you dare set up to sleep for the night before you come out and say it. Good luck, Tsubaki, I'll be rooting for you the entire time." And with that, Marie gave Tsubaki one last shove into the opening of the camp before she backtracked a little ways to avoid being seen. Julian, confused by Tsubaki's sudden appearance, turned to look at her gently. "Tsubaki?" He paused for a moment before he turned his head away, prodding the meat that was cooking. "You're... you're back sooner then I thought you'd be... dinner's not quite ready yet."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 00:30:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I...I know.............I um.........had to talk to you about something." Glancing back at the woods she knew she was on her own. Damn Marie for this but she knew it had to be done. "We..need to talk about something and I am not sure how you are going to take it or feel about it really." Moving to sit down by the fire opposite him, she sighed deeply. "I need to know something first......" Not looking at him, she shook her head. "How do you feel about me? Anything at all?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 00:33:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian gave her a confused look as she walked over and sat down on the opposite side of the camp fire as him, her question only confused him more for a few seconds, before the gears in his head started to turn. "Tsubaki... you're incredibly special to me, I'll tell you that right now." He shifted his gaze away, not entirely sure how much he should say, or why she was even asking him right now. Did she not want him to stay with her? Was she hoping to cut him loose and do her own thing. "I care a great deal about you, Tsubaki... I want to keep you safe, from anything."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 00:40:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The tense feeling she had tapered off slightly at his answer, but she still felt wary. "Well...that is good to know and somewhat of a relief. I was trying to decide how to say anything to you at all, but Marie insisted I just get it over with and deal with what comes from it.."<br><br>Looking at her hands she sighed again. "Look.....I just mean...what I am trying to say is......well I care about you as well and I came out there earlier because I was worried about you and had to make sure you were okay.I care about you a great deal and I am glad that you are staying with me.......once we get where we are going. I guess what I am trying to say is that I care about you more than I thought I did." Looking with a mix of frustration at not being able to say what she wanted she wrung her hands.<br><br><br>"You are special to me and I hope that we can perhaps....explore those feelings and see if they are just mutual friendship or something more?" Her eyes trained on the ground. There. She had said it.........kind of.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 00:45:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian slid himself over to sit next to her when she finished talking about wanting to explore her emotions deeper, and find out if there was something deeper then just friendship laying beneath the skin. Gently, he reached around and slung his arm over her shoulder, not forcing her to talk any more then she wanted to. If she was uncomfortable with talking about what she felt, then he wouldn't force her to say anything else. "Don't worry, Tsubaki, I think that I understand."<br><br>He tugged on her gently so that she rested against him, and he looked over at her to see how she'd react to his actions.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 00:55:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Stiffening a little at first, she would take a moment and finally relax her head to fall onto his chest slightly. Closing her eyes, she could feel how rapidly her heart was pounding and was thankful that Julian was quite bright and understood what she meant. She was not that good at explaining her feelings since she never really dealt with them before. Maybe she should thank Marie....after she strangled her. Turning her face into his chest fully, she spoke, her voice muffled. "I am glad that you understand and I was really worried about how you would take it. I did not want to come out looking like a fool after all."<br><br><br>Going quiet for a moment, she let it all sink in and then she spoke again. "Well..........now that you know............now what? Also.......how do you feel?" He had said he understood, but had not voiced a thing on how he felt. It caused a small panic to rise in her chest and sink into her gut, the feeling cold and unsettling.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:02:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would begin running his hand gently through her hair when she asked him about how he felt concerning her emotions. She really was having trouble with portaying how she felt, but Julian didn't seem to mind as he hugged her against him just a little bit tighter and shut his eyes. "Tsubaki... it feels rather nice, knowing that you feel the way that you do. I'm honored that you've developed such feelings about me, and.... well... I promise you that I'll try my absolute hardest not to disgrace those feelings... I care about you too much to see you hurt... by anybody, at any time."<br><br>He continued to stroke through her hair. "Tsubaki... I believe that... since we've spent so much time around one another, and we've gone through so much... I believe that I've fallen in love with you."<br><br>She didn't want to be the one to say it? Fine, he'd come out first, he figured.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:12:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				After he had spoken, she began to tremble slightly her body giving tiny shudders as kept her face buried in his chest. At first glance, most would think that she had begun to cry or something to that extent but that was not the case at all. She could not look up at him for a few minutes, and when she did it would show that the shudders where suppressed laughter. She was laughing slightly, her face covered in what could only be relief.<br><br><br>"I thought that you did not feel that way at all and I was never going to say anything.I was not going to take the risk of looking stupid and then having to go on with you. I think I might have not bothered and went my own way..that would have been to weird.Even though I still feel somewhat odd for confessing I am glad I did because I feel the same. The traveling has allowed me to see you as more than just a travel partner or someone who was trying to keep his word to an old man from a shrine. You are loyal and kind and honest......and not to bad on the eyes either." Her voice playful for a second.<br><br>"I guess what I am trying to say.....is that I think I love you as well Julian. And now I suppose I have to thank Marie for the push instead of killing her in her sleep." Her smile faint.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:17:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled happily when she spoke, and confessed her love towards him with that uneasy, faint smile across her face. When she was done speaking, he reached down and slid his hands gently across her cheek. "Tsubaki..." he chuckled softly. "You don't have to kill Marie, that would be mean..." Still, his mind was completely consumed by other things at the moment, as he leaned in gently with the intent of kissing Tsubaki, as if to seal that this relationship was really going to happen.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:26:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving a little laugh herself, she nodded."I suppose it would be.....plus I think she would make a wonderful sister anyway...so I plan on keeping her and finding her a nice girl."<br><br><br>Her thought would come to a halt as she saw him move in closer to her, and she froze for a second as a small wave of panic washed over her. What was she supposed to do? It was clear that he was going to kiss her and she felt afraid as well as a twinge of nerves and excitement. She supposed it was from everything that had happened so far, but she knew that he would not hurt her and it was because of his care that she was coming along as well as she was.<br><br><br>Her own breath caught as she watched it all in slow motion, she made a choice. She would not let her fear stop her from seeing where this would go. While, she was not at all ready to go any further than that because of past events....kissing him was harmless and it made her feel slightly warm and wanted as well. She had felt so used and unwanted......a disgrace....but it was slowly fading away as more pleasant thoughts crossed her mind.<br><br>Giving into the moment, all other thoughts on hold&nbsp; she slowly closed the gap and planted her lips on his, the kiss immediately feeling warm and strange.....but good.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:30:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian's heart skipped a small beat when her lips pressed against his, they felt very soft and warm against him, and the knowledge of what this contact meant caused his heart to swell within his chest. Tsubaki was coming along so well, he couldn't have been more proud of her, and more happy with the way that this was going. He wouldn't even dream of going any further after everything that she had been through so recently, but just like she herself was thinking, Kissing was harmless, and it left a very good feeling in Julian's heart and mind when he pulled back for breath a few seconds later. "Tsubaki..."<br><br>he ran his finger softly across her cheek, and he smiled affectionately at her. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:40:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When he pulled back, she&nbsp; ducked her head shyly after returning his smile. Placing her head back on his chest, she smiled inwardly and asked, her voice teasing.'I suppose this means that we are a couple now? Marie will be thrilled........and maybe say something to you about it. I look forward to how she is going to tease and harass you." Her voice breaking into laughter for a moment before sobering.<br><br>"I am glad that is all is finally out in the open and I hope that we can continue to be open and honest with everything no matter what the cost." Her eyes closed now as she snuggled closer and a small yawn broke through as well as a small rumble from her stomach.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:46:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled down at her and placed his hand on the side of her stomach while she brought herself closer to him. He was more then happy to just rest here with her, relaxing in the silence of the wilderness until he heard the way that Tsubaki's stomach was rumbling gently. At that, he looked over at her and chuckled. "Just hold on a little bit longer, alright? Dinner will be ready in about another five minutes." He continued to keep her close and allow her to relax against him. He liked the feeling of having her body pressed up against his so affectionately, while she just rested there.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:51:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Laughing a little herself, she shook her head her eyes still shut. "I can&nbsp; hold on no problem. I have learned to go a few days without food as a part of training. So....while my stomach might make protests, I can handle it just fine." Yawning again, she nuzzled his chest. "I wonder where that crazy girl has gotten off too? It is quite dark out and I do not feel she should be out and about alone out here." She did care for the girl and would be quite upset if something happened to her after all they had gotten through so far together.<br><br><br>"Besides.......she needs to be here in time for some of the food." Being creepy for a second, she smiled wickedly without looking up at him. "Maybe...........maybe she is thinking about the hot yummy girl I am going to find her.........and you can help me...mm..yeah."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 01:57:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shivered a little bit when Tsubaki started going on about where Marie was at, and what she was thinking about. Still, he just let out a simple, uneasy laugh and continued to stroke his hand up and down the side of her stomach. "Um, you alright there, Tsubaki?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 02:02:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Finally unable to hold it together, she erupted into laughter."Yeah...perfectly okay. I just know how squeamish you get about it and had to have a little fun with you, that's all. I really have no idea what she could be thinking about right now but whatever it is, she better do it while getting back here. No telling what kind of stuff is lurking out there." Getting quiet, she whispered."And I know they are out there. There is no way that they have forgotten about me.........they could be getting reinforcements and trailing us in secret just waiting for a chance." Shivering a little, she rubbed her arms as if they had gotten a chill.<br><br><br>"They are waiting.....I can feel it..........but I won't be caught off guard this time. I will find someone to teach me what to do..someone who knows of me or my people. I will never be a victim again." Her voice fierce.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>04-12-2011, 04:23:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian continued to hold her close to him the entire time, watching as she went through an entire spectrum of emotions over the course of just a few seconds. He shook his head, as he rubbed her arm affectionately. "No, you won't ever be a victim again, I can promise you that much." He'd never let Tsubaki fall again, he wouldn't dare let her out of his sight for long enough to let them get the upper hand on her. No... next time both he and Tsubaki would be prepared, they would be ready to fight and they would prevail."<br><br>Marie came back a few minutes later, sitting down on the opposite side of the fire as Tsubaki and Julian. She gave Tsubaki a wide and approving smile and nodded her head, while Julian let go of Tsubaki and started to serve dinner to all three of them.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>06-12-2011, 00:22:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nodding slightly, she knew that she could hold&nbsp; him true to what he said and not worry about anything happening as long as he was around and could do something about it. Once Marie had come back and nodded her approval, she flashed her a smile in return and lifted up so that he could have space and also so that they could eat.<br><br>"So...Marie where have you been this whole time? I was worried for one minute that you might run into trouble out there."<br><br>Taking the food that was offered, she blew on it carefully and then slowly began to eat and savor the meal as the flavor exploded in her mouth. It was sorely needed after being on the road all day and not having anything to eat. He really had done a great job...even better than the last time.<br><br>"This is really great Julian........even better than the last time you made food. I think that perhaps you can do a lot more than you let on.." Her taking a pause to flash him a sincere smile. "Anything you want to share?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>06-12-2011, 00:33:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled over at her, letting his heart swell with pride when Tsubaki praised his cooking and said that it was even better then last time. Still, he figured that this was a prime opportunity to have a little bit of fun with the woman that he was now apparently courting. He shook his head, keeping the look in his eye very light and playful. "Nope, actually. If I reveal my secrets, I'm afraid that you won't see any reason to keep me around anymore. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, and hope that you never learn how to prepare something better."<br><br>With that he laughed lightly and dug in himself, hell, even he was impressed with how well he had prepared this.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>06-12-2011, 00:50:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Laughing slightly, she shook her head."Fine...keep your secrets then. I will learn them soon enough as time passes. And I already know how to cook..........the thing is to find out what you use to make it so good. And I will find out." Giving him a playful wink. "Marie can help me." Things were going so well so far and they had yet to do any really hard traveling. She only hoped as they traveled that anything that they came across would be easy enough to deal with and if it was difficult that they would be able to band together to deal with it.<br><br>Thinking on it as they ate, she mused."So..any idea where we go from here?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>06-12-2011, 02:51:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian ate silently until Tsubaki brought up her question about where they go from here. He paused for a few seconds while he finished up his bite, and then he turned to look at her. "Well, you said that you would prefer to live in a rather small and humble village, right? I suggest that we begin looking around to see if we can find any place that appeals to you. Perhaps at that point we could begin to settle down a little bit, maybe go out adventuring a little bit less often." He smiled comfortingly at her, trying to make Tsubaki feel as much at ease as possible. "Of course, I'm just following your lead here, Tsubaki. At the end of the day you're the one with the final call in where we go and what we do."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>07-12-2011, 03:04:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah.........someplace small but not TOO small. I want it to be able to supply all of our needs without having to travel far if the town needs something. It should have a fair amount of people in it that offers a good chance of connecting with the villagers and gaining their trust. I want them to able to let us know if they see anything suspicious so that we are warned in time. I also want someplace where we both can live well and do what we want as jobs without too much notice but a lot of satisfaction from it. I want you to still be able to go out and adventure if you want and I will be able to go out and get the training I need&nbsp; to make myself stronger."<br><br><br>Going back to working on her food, she smiled a little. "I just want things to work out and for there to be as little bumps along the way as possible. So much has happened and I know it will not always be smooth...but a little peace is nice to expect."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>07-12-2011, 03:11:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled and nodded in agreement with Tsubaki's statement, as she went into detail and described what sort of place would be her dream home once the two of them found it. He continued to sit close to her, rather enjoying having her nearby like this, something about it simply felt right to him. "Ah yes, I remember now. You don't have to worry about a thing, Tsubaki, we'll just travel until we find a place that matches the description that you just worded, and then we'll make that our main settling point for when adventuring and traveling gets to be old... Sound good to you?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>07-12-2011, 03:17:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Sounds great to me........I think that it will all work out just fine. I also think that it will be a good thing as well for us to get to know the area we will be settling in and how close to any threats we might be. I don't ever want this to be another shrine issue, where they can just run up on them and attack if they find out I am there. I want to make sure that we are safe as well as the people there. It would not be fair to bring any trouble on them that could be prevented."<br><br>Looking at Marie, she smirked before digging in to finish up her food. "And you plan to keep on moving as well and doing shows right?Any chance I can come with and see one when Julian is off doing his own thing and I am just in the village? Maybe we can see one as we are traveling now? Please? What all do you do during these shows anyway?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>08-12-2011, 02:24:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply went quiet at that point and focused on his dinner while Marie's eyes lit up at the mentioning of her shows as a traveling minstrel. "Of course! Entertaining the masses is one of the best ways in the world to make a bit of spare change on the side, it's basically ensured that I don't have to do any kind of work to keep my traveling budget nice and hefty." She crossed her arms and nodded proudly. "Besides, I love putting on shows, this world kinda sucks when you think about it, but if I'm able to make it just a tiny bit brighter, I'll do it without a second thought."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>09-12-2011, 21:39:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Good...then I look forward to it. We can focus on that after we head out in the morning. I for one am pretty beat and think we should all rest up. We have a ways to go until we find what we are looking for and then we have no clue what is out there for us. I am not foolish enough to think that there is no danger out there and that our problems have magically "vanished." They are out there watching, waiting..lurking. But I know that we will be more than ready for them no matter what comes up.........but what I want to know is this. What is going to happen now that the first plan they had failed? When will they think to strike again and with what? Who will they send? What will they look like?It could be anyone and we would be none the wiser if they know about Marie. They would try to disguise their auras as well as other things."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>10-12-2011, 04:20:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie lifted her hand and gently waved it from side to side. "I actually don't think that's gonna be much of a concern, all things considered. The only people who really knew about my sensory of the darkness are dead, and besides, a person can't hide their blood. They can hide aura, they can hide just about anything else, but blood is the deepest running thing that a human being can possess. If I can detect anything, anything at all, it's that." She seemed rather confident, and Julian was inclined to believe her for the most part. "We should still be careful though, if your sensors pick them up before they strike, fine, but I think we should mostly just pretend like it doesn't exist and take the necessary precautions... better safe then sorry, right?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>10-12-2011, 07:07:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I think so and maybe we should get some sleep..like I said we have a full day tomorrow and I want us rested and ready to go." Smiling at them both, she gets up and goes to rummage through her bags for a tent and a bedroll." You guys bought supplies as well before we left town right? I knew we would have to camp outside and did&nbsp; not want to be exposed to the elements in case it was really cold or rained. You are welcome to share the tent with me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>10-12-2011, 21:32:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian and Marie both just glanced at each other before gently laughing playfully at Tsubaki's statement. Marie would be the one to speak up though. "You do realize that we're auramancers, right? We can just make solid objects in the design of our choice if we have the aura for it... There's nothing stopping us from just making tents for the night out of aura."<br><br>Julian got up and demonstrated, as he pulled the aura out of his body and solidified it in the same way that he would make a weapon, but this time he just turned it into a tent. "Ta-da."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 02:55:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Frowning a little at the display, she shook her head."Well okay then I was just offering........." Crawling into her tent and zipping it shut for the night. She felt a little put off by the display and the fact that they shared a laugh at her expense. She had just wanted to be helpful and all it did was make her feel useless and weak like before. They had control of their powers and she had yet to see what she could do. It was depressing in a small way.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 02:58:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian had noticed that Tsubaki seemed rather upset by their little display, something that he began regretting after just a few seconds. After getting a confirmation nod from Marie, he slipped into the tent with her before zipping it back up. Once inside, he gently reached out to grasp her hand. "Hey... Tsubaki... you know that we were just joking around out there... right?" He wanted to comfort her, since he knew that he had made the mistake of stepping on some rather unpleasant ground for her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:03:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Not looking at him and having her head already buried under her blanket she merely mumbled."Yeah sure......I know. Don't worry about it. We should get some sleep since there is a long day ahead and all. I mean I don't want to waste any unnecessary time wandering around if I can help it. I have things that need to be done like finding a home and then someone who can help me realize what I can do so I won't be some useless victim. No point in having powers you can't even use properly or summon until your life is on the line." Her voice taking on a bitter edge.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:14:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian laid down next to her, feeling terrible for what had happened outside the tent. Gently, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled Tsubaki, blanket and all, against him. "Tsubaki, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so thoughtless with my words, I didn't consider your feelings..." He hoped that she'd be willing to forgive him, but some small part of his mind was reminding him, even then, to stop being so naive about it. He had just dumped a bottle of salt into her open wound, a few soft words wouldn't be enough to mend it and make everything better.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:20:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Letting out a deep sigh, she shook her head still buried."Don't worry about it. I mean you didn't really think about it and that is fine. I know you didn't mean anything by it. It just reminded me about how useless I feel and all since I am not trained like you two." Sliding more under the warm blanket, she yawned. "It's fine....so you can go ahead and talk with Marie a little more before you head off to sleep. I'll be fine in here. Have a good night....the both of you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:24:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shook his head, hugging Tsubaki around her blanket a little bit more. "Tsubaki... If you like, I could keep you company in here tonight. It can't be easy sleeping alone after what you've been through, so I'll be here if you have any nightmares, or if you need somebody to hold on to." He took a breath in to pause, before going further with it. "If I'm going to be the kind of guy that you deserve, I need to start acting like it, so from now on, you come first... and that means I'm not going anywhere."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:32:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Pausing a few minutes before saying anything, she then nodded slowly."Okay then...if you really want to then that is fine by me. I do have a little worry about being alone sometimes,but I know that I am just being paranoid about the whole thing or either a baby. I have to learn to get over it and deal with what makes me afraid. I wish that I could just forget or just run and hide sometimes, but that would be the coward's way out...and just because I ran doesn't mean that they would not have found me anyway." Leaning back against him slightly and still wrapped up, she yawned again.<br><br>"I just don't want you to feel like you have to do this...."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:37:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian squeezed her against him, wishing that she didn't feel the need to hide behind all of those blankets that she had buried herself in while she spoke. "I don't feel that way, Tsubaki, but I want to stay here regardless, because you deserve to have somebody that can care for you properly. You deserve to have somebody who can protect you without making you feel weak... I know I might not be perfect for the job, but I'm sure that if you give me enough time, I can figure it out. I promise you that I won't stop trying."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:43:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Peering out of the blanket she was in,she smiled a little at him and shook her head."I never asked you to be perfect at anything.It is simply good enough that you want to try and that is all I can ask for okay?" Opening her blanket a little, she blushed."Want to share with me? I know that it will get a little cool tonight and we can share..........unless you want to make your own that is."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:46:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian found himself chuckling just a tiny bit again when she made her suggestion, and he did indeed decide to share the blankets with her and slip in so that their bodies rested against one another. "Now, aura can do a lot of things, Tsubaki... but making blankets isn't one of them, aura's a very hard, rough substance when it's solidified..." He put his arms around her and held her against him, now much more warm since it was her actual body, rather then just the blankets, that he was holding for the night. "It's sweet of you to offer... thank you, Tsubaki..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 03:54:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Oh...I didn't know.I figured that it could be used in any kind of way." A faint smile on her face as she eased back to mold her body with his. He was warm and she knew that would be beneficial for them both as the night wore on."I just offered because it was the right thing to do......and because I wanted to. Did you at least say good night to Marie before you came in here? I don't want to be rude after all." Marie was really nice and she wanted to make sure that she did not feel left out at all.<br><br><br>Yawning for a third time, she turned and faced him before burying her head in his chest." There is just so much to think about and so much to do. I really do not even know where to begin. I know you guys are there to help me but there are somethings that I am going to have to do on my own.I know that there is nothing to worry about.......at least.right now."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 04:01:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded gently and nuzzled against her a little more, finding her body incredibly comfortable to rest against once she started to mold into him a little bit. "That's right, no matter what happens, me and Marie will be right here to help you the entire time... even when you're taking care of matters by yourself, you won't be alone... I promise you that..." He shut his eyes, finding that a relaxed state was coming much easier to him tonight then it did most nights. "Tsubaki..." he began slipping off to sleep rather quickly, as comfortable as he had ever been before.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 04:07:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a small smile, she would find that sleep would come for her quickly as well as her breathing evened out and she soon found herself enjoying a sleep without worry. She hoped that the nightmares would stay at bay during the night and even if they did not, Julian would be there to help her out and let her know that it was just a dream now and that nothing was going to happen to her anymore.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>11-12-2011, 04:10:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Rather or not the dreams kept their distance from Tsubaki throughout the night, the young man slept peacefully until morning, only waking up for a few moments whenever he was needed, if he was needed at all, to settle Tsubaki down and remind her that she was only dreaming. When morning finally came, he yawned lightly and started to move away from Tsubaki, an act that he found was much more difficult to carry out then he initially thought it was going to be. <br><br>Eventually, he decided to remain where he was until Tsubaki also woke up.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-12-2011, 05:51:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would sleep well into the night with the occasional whimper in her sleep as certain things would plague her dreams.However, she would be comforted and told that everything was going to be okay and that made it much easier to deal with the nightmares that would come to her in her sleep. After the somewhat peaceful and chaotic night, she wold find herself waking up still buried face first in a warm firm chest. Blushing a little as she looked up at the face that belonged to the body, she smiled faintly.<br><br>"Good Morning......how long have you been up and waiting on me? Sorry I kept you here."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-12-2011, 06:16:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian looked down at her affectionately and shook his head when she apologized for keeping him there for as long as she had. "It has only been about a half an hour... and don't worry too much about it, I was more then happy to remain here with you until you awoke." He leaned in gently and kissed her forehead, finding that the blush in her cheeks was positively adorable when she looked up at him. "How are you feeling this morning? Did you sleep well?" That was just his way of asking rather or not he had done his job of watching over her properly, he didn't want her to have a lousy night, and have to endure nightmare after nightmare while she rested in his arms.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-12-2011, 06:24:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah.......I slept really well thanks to you." Her blush deepening."Though I do think that we should get up now. I know Marie is waiting and we have some ground to cover." Pulling out of his arms, she smiled at him before leaning over and giving him a quick but modest kiss. "I am going to go and take care of some morning needs and then I will come back. Then we can have some breakfast from the leftovers and get out of here. I have to come and break down this stuff anyway to repack. I want to make sure we clear everything so that we do not leave anything for someone who may be looking." Sliding out of the tent, she said her good mornings to Marie and after chatting a moment, headed off to take care of her needs.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-12-2011, 16:03:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian stretched and groaned gently while Tsubaki talked about getting up and taking off into the woods for a little while. "Alright then, see you when you get back..." With that, he stepped out of the tent to see that Marie was already working towards breaking down and concealing the camp, though she clearly wasn't in any hurry to get it done before the two of them woke up. "Oh! There you two sleepy-heads are. Geez, I've been waiting for the two of you to come around forever." She just smiled and giggled though, as she went about continuing to make the camp look more natural and concealed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-12-2011, 18:24:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Heading off,Tsubaki found it easy enough to hurry and take care of what she needed before heading back. She was excited&nbsp; to get on the road and see where it took them. Things were looking up again and she could not be more happy.She had a good friend in Marie, someone who expressed his adoration for her, Julian and a chance to have a normal life as well as finding out who she was once she began training. It could not get any worse after all that had happened.........at least she&nbsp; hoped not. Like she had said before, she was not naive enough to just think that they had given up on her and disappeared into thin air.&nbsp; No..they were out there watching and waiting for a chance to slip and in and grab her again or worse. They would not kill her&nbsp; because they needed her....but they would try to hurt her friends.<br><br><br>She in no way shape or form wanted to be the cause for that and so she would do her best to make sure that she kept her eyes open and trained to be the best she could so that she would not need their protection.<br><br>Coming back into camp.........well what was left of it, she smiled."I hope you guys are ready to go....I am and really excited too. There is so much out there to see and get down and I want to get started right away."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-12-2011, 19:44:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian and Marie finished packing up the camp roughly around the time that Tsubaki came back to meet them again and talk about her excitement. It warmed Julian's heart to know that Tsubaki was feeling so much better and happier, and that he had played a part in making sure it happened. He was glad that he was able to do his part, but above all else he was incredibly impressed with just how strong and capable of moving on Tsubaki really was, he was worried that it would take a lot longer, and be a lot more difficult, to get her fully out of her depression. Well, maybe she wasn't entirely over it yet, but it was just a matter of time at this point, and that was what excited Julian more then anything else.<br>"Right then, what are we waiting for?"<br><br>Marie giggled and nodded in agreement before she started to walk out towards the road. "Right! We should hit a medium sized town by the middle of the day, if I remember the way around her correctly."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>14-12-2011, 07:09:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Happy to be on the road once more,Tsubaki was more than ready.Once all was packed and ready to go, she would waste no time in leading the small pack with a skip in her step and a bright smile on her face. Yes...things were really looking up for her. She had a friend, love and a possible bright future. There was nothing that could possibly go wrong right about now....she hoped. She just knew that Marie knew the next town would be coming up soon and they could look around there and see what it had to offer as well as see one of Marie's shows as well.<br><br>That had her more than excited.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-12-2011, 07:15:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The trio would reach town after a few more hours of travel, just as Marie promised. When they finally came in, they would see that it appeared to be the very epitome of a middle class town, one that was small enough to where most people could know one another's names, yet just barely large enough to have a whole dedicated district to just marketing or just lodging. Marie smiled broadly and started to walk through the gates with a bit more pep in her step. "Hah! I love middle class towns like these, it's the perfect blend of both a quaint village and a booming city, honestly." She waved the two of them off as she split to do her own thing. "Alright! I'll meet you guys at whatever inn you decide to rent tonight, toodle-oo!"<br><br>With that, she was gone.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>16-12-2011, 04:14:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It wouldn't take them too long to get to the town that Marie was talking about and Tsubaki was not to be disappointed. The pace was great and full of markets and shops as well as bustling with all kinds of people. There were avenues for business, pleasure, curios and all kinds of things. She wanted to check out the districts that catered to making weapons and specializing in ancient magicks. They would surely have some answers. Then after that maybe they could head to the many places to eat and be entertained.<br><br>Marie had ditched them as soon as they got there and Tsubaki would turn to Julian with a look and slight smile."Well? Where to first?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>17-12-2011, 04:31:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shrugged when Tsubaki suddenly turned to him and asked where they should go. Strange, for as long as he traveled he couldn't remember visiting this place for the life of him. It was entirely possible that his rather depressing outlook on life at the time, combined with just how quickly he moved from town to town, resulted in him forgetting a lot of what he saw and where he went during his expeditions. He rather enjoyed the ambiance of the town though, and after a few seconds of confusion he came up with a pretty good answer for Tsubaki's question.<br>"Didn't you want to learn more about your powers? Let's turn the town upside down for somebody that might be able to point us in the right direction."<br><br>From there, Julian would just follow behind and help Tsubaki look around town for somebody that could be able to give her advice.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>17-12-2011, 21:33:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Alright....then lead the way. I have no idea where to look first and Marie just left us on our own." Not that she minded a whole lot but she wanted to take care of business before anything. She wanted to be able to pull her weight once they were back out on the road and not have to rely on either of them if something went wrong. Thinking about it for a bit, she changed her mind and decided to be the one to get them moving. Grabbing at his arm, she yanked it gently with a bright smile and then a laugh. "Well come on then..........there are so many people to talk to and places to explore!"<br><br>She had a small idea where she might want to go as she felt a small pull telling her that there was someone in this town that could help her and had the answers she needed."I think that going to the weapons district with all of the people there, as far as magicks go as well...will bode well and find who I am looking for." Her voice optimistic as she led him along.There was something calling to her and she would follow where it led. It felt odd, but there was someone here who knew she was coming and was waiting for her....<br><br>Her path would take her and him to a small building that was somewhat in the shadows among the other louder and more bustling places. Feeling the pull more, she would swallow hard and head inside expecting to see someone who was old ..a woman maybe and perhaps&nbsp; even ancient.....but what she saw was quite the opposite. It was a man...but he looked quite....androgynous ....easily mistaken for a woman by the untrained eye.<br><br>"Welcome.." His voice soft.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 01:56:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian, being an auramancer, didn't really have any need for physical weapons, but he'd be more then happy to follow Tusbaki wherever it was that the priestess wanted to lead the two of them. He could tell that she was moving with a purpose, that something was compelling her forward, and he could only hope that she'd be able to get the answers that she sought. He didn't ever want to see Tsubaki sad ever again, no, he wanted her to grow strong so that she could regain her precious self respect, and then perhaps she could truly put this entire mess behind her someday.<br><br>Someday...<br><br>For now though, Julian would continue to play guardian for her, and protect her from anybody who would try and hurt her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:04:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A little startled by his soft voice,Tsubaki would bow slightly as she looked back at Julian. "Hello.....I think you know why I am here. I could feel you pulling to me and I know that you know what I am and I need your help. So much has happened and I will tell you all of it before I can implore for your help." She would then take a seat as he waved for them both to sit. She would begin her tale and recount it slowly,&nbsp; her face contorting as she told the more painful parts, but keeping her composure.<br><br>She knew she was doing her best under the circumstances and that Julian was with her making sure she was okay.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:09:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Hearing her story retold caused Julian to cringe lightly, and it brought up unpleasant flashbacks of the moments before he had been able to save her, the time where she looked so wrecked and beaten before she was taken away, and he was able to kill the man that was responsible. He took Tsubaki's hand in his own, and squeezed it gently to help support her through all of the rougher parts. If this man... man? Woman? No, man... if this man could help Tsubaki become stronger, then Julian would be willing to wait for as long as it took.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:14:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Having Julian there to hold her hand through the rougher parts was a great comfort even though she knew that he was uncomfortable hearing things that he had not known of when she was away from&nbsp; him. She really did not want him to find out that way but she had to be honest in order to get the best possible help she could. It could not stop the wave of shame that washed over her as she told it however, making her feel like he would be turned off now that he had heard it in full detail. That was something she would worry about later though. For now....it was time to learn.<br><br>Once her tale was done, the figure would not move for a bit before speaking. "I know of you and your kind as well as yours young man." Focusing on Julian, he spoke."Tell me of you....I can feel great pain and suffering within you and yet you are here now with one of the lost clans...same as your own.Tell me....how...and why?" His eyes intent and peering.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:19:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, rather surprised when his eyes suddenly turned towards Julian, and he spoke of the great pain in his own heart as well. That was rather strange, Julian didn't really think that his own heart was in very much pain, other then the fact that he was feeling incredibly sympathetic towards Tsubaki, and he simply wanted to protect her from whatever might come later down the line. "It's simple, sir, I feel as though I failed Tsubaki by allowing her to be taken away... that it's my fault she was hurt the way that she was. Right now all I want to do is protect her, all I want to do is keep her safe from whatever might come later down the line. That's the only thing that matters to me, right now anyway."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:31:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				" I see..well there is nothing you could have done about it if fate wanted it that way. Perhaps it was to make her stronger in the long run, have you thought that? Both for you and her. Her to come into her own and you to find a reason to go on.....someone to protect and to protect you from the path you were on. You were content with withering away...letting the world pass you on as you merely moved through it. You blamed yourself for so much...and yet you were not at fault. You know that now, do you not?"<br><br>Giving a knowing smile, he nodded again. "And you are not alone....there is another here with you. She is like you ...one of your clan that you believed once gone."<br><br>"However I will help your Tsubaki here...........but the price will be paid AFTER we have trained and all has been done."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:33:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused for a few seconds, hearing about how he'd be willing to help her and let the price be waved until after they were done. "What exactly can we expect to be paying?" Naturally, he was going to be as cautious as possible, the last thing he needed was to get the two of them wrapped up in something that they had no business being involved in.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:38:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Ah...wise one are you not? I simply would want to study you a little. You and Tsubaki as well as the other. None of you kind have been seen in many years and this will be a grand chance for me to learn and put this in my books for further study. Rest assured that I mean you no injury..and I will see that she gets the very best for what I am asking. So...do we have a deal?"<br><br>His eyes glinting slightly hopeful.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:44:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused when he said that he was just interested in learning more about them, something that he found to be rather strange, since he was supposed to be the one with the knowledge to help Tsubaki. Still, he could tell that the man meant no ill intent, so he simply sighed and glanced over towards his female companion. "That decision comes down to Tsubaki, I'm afraid."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-12-2011, 02:48:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Eying him he nodded."I know what you are thinking and while I do know OF you and your kind, I do not know you. I do not know what you can do or&nbsp; how much you know. This will help me greatly in seeing where you are as far as skills and where I shall begin." Sounding a little miffed. Looking over at the girl who had been quiet, he waited. It really was up to her and he would honor what she felt.<br><br>"I will do it.........I mean we will if he agrees. After all I cannot make the choice for anyone else." She was hopeful though. He could help her and that was all she could hope for. Being able to handle herself and help out when it mattered instead of in panicked spurts. Having power was good......but having controlled power as even better.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-12-2011, 21:29:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When Julian heard that Tsubaki was willing to accept his help, he simply nodded and looked back towards the man. His goal was to give Tsubaki a semblance of control within what happened with her actions, he wouldn't lead her around on a leash, since that would only harm her all the more. No, instead he'd allow her to make her own decisions, and he would honor whatever conclusion that she came to. Not only to help her recover from her pain, but also because he cared deeply for her, and he knew that her opinion was just as valid as his own. "Well then, it looks as though you have your answer."<br><br>(gonna be slower then usual this week for christmas, but I should be able to get on and give you at least 1 reply every day)
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-12-2011, 00:00:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Smiling a little bit at her decision she was glad that he let her have the final say. After all, it would have been so weird to not know what you wanted to do with your own life. She had agreed and now she would see what he had to offer her as far as training and information on where she came from. Looking at Julian, she gave his hand a squeeze and smiled. "I can be like you guys not. Not weak and knowing how to use my powers. I can help out more and maybe even be able to go back and perhaps right what happened to me before?" Her face hopeful."I do not mean now......or even next week or month. Just one day in the future. I know the stone will not vanish and they need me for it.........but with you and Marie..we can do it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-12-2011, 05:12:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, not overly sure what else he could say at this point. Tsubaki had agreed to let this man help her, and Julian had every intention on honoring her decision and supporting her in her future endeavors until she was able to stand on her own two feet again. "That's right, so it's important that you pay attention and try to soak up as much knowledge as you can from this man." He smiled and squeezed her hand softly. "Of course, I'm fairly sure that you've already decided to do that much, but having a little nagging voice in your ear never really hurt, right?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-12-2011, 20:49:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Of course. I will do nothing but learn as much as I can. I want to be able to defend myself and be able to control what I can do....anytime I need to, not just when I am in danger or someone else is." She had a lot of hope for this chance and knew that Julian of course would make sure that the man would not take advantage of her in anyway. All he wanted was to study them. Though that made her curious about what he wanted to study, she would file it away for later.<br><br><br>"Good........then I will still need you to help with her training. You are in control of what you can do and it will help bring out her potential. I also know that you will know how far to push her limits........even when it becomes uncomfortable. You must be able to look past that and do what is important."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>23-12-2011, 20:25:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of 'pushing Tsubaki' into uncomfortable limits, though he supposed that he did understand the motive for why they were doing this, so he'd be able to do it for her sake. He wouldn't do anything that hurt her, of course, he resolved that much as soon as he agreed to help. When the man was finished talking, Julian simply nodded and rose from his chair.<br>"Then let's stop talking about it and let's get started."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-12-2011, 20:04:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nodding he would take them both outside.'We need to see what you can do already and to do that I need you two to fight." His voice mundane. "You will attack and she will defend. No powers at first and then we will move onto that next." No weapons either..hand to hand first. Now begin so that I can gauge her strength and stamina as well as yours."<br><br>His eyes watching them both as he sat down on the ground not too far away. He would observe every move, doing no correcting or judgement. Now was not the time for that...it was time to know what he would be working with and how much work it would take.<br><br>Readying her stance,Tsubaki frowned."Well.....okay....let's do this then." Rushing at Julian her hands readying to strike.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-12-2011, 04:22:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shifted his gaze away for a few seconds while the man talked about what he wanted out of the two of them, he was extremely reluctant to inflict any kind of harm on Tsubaki, so the challenge for him became trying to figure out how to inflict the greatest amount of possible pressure while minimizing the amount of possible harm that could befall Tsubaki. When she suddenly rushed at him, Julian stood his ground and waited for her to get close, when she made her first strike, he'd evade and move around her, seeking to make light but swift contact between the tips of his fingers and her shoulder. It would be enough to judge just how fast she was able to react, but there was no possible way that Julian would hurt her.<br><br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 03:56:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				All she could think of was rushing at him and nothing else. She wanted to prove herself to this sage that she was worth learning her powers and the knowledge of her people. If she showed fear, if she hesitated he might send her away and that was not going to happen. So though she did not want to fight Julian, she was going to do her best to impress the man without going overboard. She knew that Julian had much more control over what he could do and that he did not go easy on her to make it seem like she was too weak to take it.<br><br>When she swung out on him, she just saw a blur and then a light touch on her shoulder before she whipped around surprised. He was fast...but no matter, she would recover and give him a small smile before regaining her momentum and coming at him again. It did not matter if it took her all day..she just needed to land a hit on him and she would be satisfied. She knew that is what the man was looking for. Her speed, heart and ability to go on even when she was not evenly matched because of experience. If she did well, she would be on his level soon enough. She could taste it.........
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 07:23:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian found himself deeply admiring just how determined Tsubaki was, just how headstrong she was that she didn't allow the fact that she was fighting him to even slow her down in the slightest. It was that kind of determination that made Tsubaki the kind of wonderful woman that she was, it was that kind of determination, that fire of the soul, that attracted Julian to her back when the two of them first met in the woods. When she rushed at him again, her attack would meet a similar fate to her last one, though this time his pat on the shoulder would be just slightly more forceful. After all, if he just kept going at this snail's pace the entire day, Tsubaki would never be given a proper test of willpower.<br><br>She needed to be able to go on even when her body didn't want to, though Julian was still determined not to cause any harm on to her, he did understand that, so getting progressively more rough wouldn't be too much of a problem to him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 07:49:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She had noticed that his last hit had become a bit more forceful and it halted her....for a second. He was gradually going to become harder on her and she understood that. It didn't mean she was going to stop though....she had to keep going because failure was not an option for her now or ever. She would discover what she could do as well as properly use the power no matter the cost. So, shaking off her stupor she went after him one more time thinking to perhaps change up her final attack. She went after him the last two times and had thrown a hit..not this time. She would throw the hit as a distraction but she would also do a sweep...and take his legs from under him. That would be last minute and maybe he would&nbsp; not see it coming. Grinning a little, she sprang into action. She only needed that one little opening......<br><br>She could get hurt....but a little pain was always worth the end result and the price she had to pay was more than worth learning what she could do.<br><br>His eyes were on them still, never leaving either.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 08:01:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was far from an incompetent fighter, so when Tsubaki put her latest plan into motion, Julian went to counter her move just as he had the first two times, but when he suddenly saw the leg sweep towards him, his eyes widened to show a hint of surprise before he jerked himself backwards and just barely avoided the sweep. He had been caught off guard many, many times before by opponents more clever then Tsubaki, he had built up a natural reflex for getting himself out of many simple feints such as leg sweeps and hooks with the other arm.<br><br>Even so, Tsubaki got her tiny pocket with which she could strike at him, though one could only wonder if he'd be able to retaliate and defend himself in time or not, as he proved in the past, Julian was most certainly no pushover.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 08:30:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Frowning a little that he avoided her sweep, she had to think fast. There was still one second for here to have a strike and she took it. When he jumped back, she used an open palm strike to hit him in the middle of the chest, hoping to knock him to the ground since he was slightly unbalanced. It was a tiny chance but it was better than nothing considering she had come up with the move last minute. He was a good fighter and seasoned for surprises...she should have felt good that she managed to get him that much. Not that she was doubting herself at all. She was intelligent enough, just not as practiced and skilled as he was.<br><br>There was no way she was givng up.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 08:36:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The palm did make contact with Julian's chest, however, it seemed that Julian saw it as a perfectly acceptable hit to take as he quickly retaliated by grabbing her extended arm. He then attempted to press her into the ground beneath them, seeing if he'd be able to force her into something of a pin that would wear her down or not. This would be a good test of just how stubborn and committed that Tsubaki was to trying to get stronger, and if she managed to break free or prevent herself from being pinned, then he supposed that her strength would be proven.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 08:46:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Feeling her hit make contact, she felt better but was not at all ready for the knee-jerk reaction she got. She quickly found herself grabbed and forced towards the ground. She was already a little winded from being out there with him all afternoon and now she felt terrible. She was about to lose and then she would never get her training. It would have all been for nothing and she would be sent away. She could not let that happen. She could feel her energy giving out and her knees buckling as she struggled against his pressing into her and she closed her eyes. She needed to focus....take her last bit of energy and channel it into one last blow. After that, she was tapped out and she was done for anyway so this would have to count.<br><br>Growling like an angered animal, she twisted and shifted so that she was able to do what she needed. He was getting her closer and closer to the ground and so she would allow her body to go limp and make him think she had finally tired out. Once he slacked his hold, she would give all she had into the one burst of energy to push up into him and unless he let her go, he would suffer a rather sickening crack to the face from her head at the angle she was planning to spring up in. It would most likely hurt him&nbsp; badly enough and she did not want that to happen...but knew he would not risk it connecting.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 08:53:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When Julian felt her slack in his arms, part of him felt rather ashamed of himself for putting her down as quickly as he had, while the other part of him knew that what he was doing was the right thing. He was trying to help Tsubaki, and he had to come to the understanding that just coddling her all night long wasn't really doing her any good, it was only making things worse for her and keeping her sheltered from the chance to grow stronger. After just a second of the pin, his grip did indeed start to slacken, and he sent himself flying away the moment that he felt Tsubaki start to force herself to the feet. She was right, there was no possible way that he'd risk taking a hit like that, not when the two of them would walk away with some pretty significant injuries from it.<br><br>He stood ready, wondering what her next move would be while she got up. He was rather oblivious to the fact that she had put everything she had into simply getting back up, oblivious to just how tired she was now.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 09:03:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When she felt his grip slacken and finally his release from her plan, she was so giddy she could have danced. Her smile would have rivaled the sun at that moment, even though her legs felt like noodles. She was wobbly when she stood up and staggered a little but she was happy. "I win....I think." Her voice chipper but heavy. Looking over at the man, he would only stare and then nod slowly before lifting himself from the ground. "You both will return tomorrow. It grows late and you perhaps need to find a room at the inn and partake of a decent meal as well. Return tomorrow once you have eaten and prepared.You will continue again...with weapons and power this time. If you do well then I will help you as you desire. If not..you leave here and seek another for your needs." His words carrying on the wind as he seemed to float back to his home.<br><br>Looking until he was out of sight,Tsubaki smiled again this time at Julian. "Let's go....I have&nbsp; nothing left for today. Food, a bath and some rest sounds the best."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 09:07:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled broadly over at Tsubaki, and he couldn't have been more proud of her for having made it through the first trial. Though now that he was out of combat mode and back into his regular self, he couldn't help but notice just how worn out she was. His smile and his gaze both grew more gentle, as he walked over to her and grabbed her around her waist, holding her up for support as he started to lead her off. "Sure, sounds like a plan. We'll go grab an inn, some dinner, and check in for the night." He paused, shifting his gaze away from her. This was something he had intended on bringing up since she first woke up in his arms this morning, but he hadn't really worked up the nerve to say it until just now.<br><br>He loved feeling her in his arms, the warmth of her body against his, and he wanted to feel it again.<br>"Uhm... Just so you know... it would save us a lot of money in the long run if we... you know... roomed together..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>26-12-2011, 09:18:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Feeling good about herself,she was determined to make it to the inn on her own but once he came over and helped her along she was happy to shut up and allow it. She was more tired than she had been in a long time and figured she was losing her edge since she was not training like she did when she was at the shrine. She would get back there though..and not only get there but blow past it. Julian was a great help so far and was glad that he has not been easy on her at all. That would not help her in the long run when she had to defend herself and needed to use her power when it counted.<br><br>Commenting on his words, she nodded."Oh yeah...food....and a soft bed, I can't wait. I feel like I am about to drop any minute. I wonder if Marie..." Her words ending at the second sentence he uttered.<br><br>A blush crept on her cheeks as she processed the words and ducked her head slightly. She was not at all offended by what he said. She knew it was smart and economical to save money since they were on the road and she didn't really mind sharing with him since she felt safe with him anyway. He had helped her sleep much better than she had in weeks and&nbsp; it felt nice to be wanted.<br><br>Looking at him, though he was not looking at her, she blushed again. "I would like that..." Her voice coming out soft. "But not just because it would save us some extra coins..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>27-12-2011, 10:33:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When Julian heard her soft reply, he sighed in relief and clutched gently at his chest. He was somewhat worried that she'd actually end up turning him away, that she wouldn't be interested in doing such a thing, that she'd rather have her privacy then spend the night with Julian. To know that those concerns of his were entirely unfounded left a very warm and light feeling in the young warrior's heart. With a gentle smile, he pulled his bronzed beauty of a companion a little closer to him and spoke in a mildly playful tone. "Is that so? Well, I'll be sure to do everything in my power to make you as safe and comfortable as possible then."<br><br>He cared for her, more deeply then he ever thought he could care for anybody.<br><br>When the two of them got to the inn, Marie was already standing outside with a broad smile. Having seemingly read the minds of the two of them, she brandished a key and tossed it to Julian. "You two play nice now! I've been waiting here FOREVER, so I'm due to actually hit the town right about now!" From there, the black haired woman would wave brightly and make her way back into town. "Later!"<br><br>Julian would smile and laugh, gripping the key gently between his fingers. "That girl..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-12-2011, 19:05:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Blushing deeply, Tsubaki looked at him. "I know you will. I never doubted it for a moment." Her own smile bright as she moved closer to his embrace. She was more than tired from the day's efforts and was ready to see what the inn had to offer as far as meals and beds. She knew that Julian was going to look out for her no matter what, but he was not going to coddle her when it came to training. It was what she would need when it came time to push ahead.<br><br>Once they had gotten there,Marie was waiting like usual with a key and a smile on her face. She had tossed the key to Julian and said something about going to spend some time on the town. Marie always seemed to think ahead and was prepared for the next move...she needed to start thinking on that level.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>28-12-2011, 08:11:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would remain rather unaware of Tsubaki's mental resolution, as he simply guided her to the room number on the key and led her inside. Once the two of them were behind closed doors, Julian would move her over to the bed and lay her down on it gently. It was queen sized, so there was plenty of room for the two of them, even if they didn't intend on using it. Once Tsubaki was laying down, Julian would sit off to the side and look down at her. "There, now we can just rest for the remainder of the day... Is there anything I can do for you, Tsubaki? You look bushed."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>28-12-2011, 18:21:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was never more glad to be in a bed than she was right now. The bed was large and soft and the room was pretty nice. Marie had gotten them a great room. She must have already figured how the sleeping arrangements would be...clever girl. Once he laid her own and asked what she needed, she would look at him sleepily and yawn as she spoke, her energy drained.<br>"Food would be nice......but some sleep would be even better. I think this is the most tired I have been in a really long time. I didn't think he would say yes and then have me attacking and defending myself right after that.I can only hope he finds me worthy enough to keep teaching me. I have to learn and know where I came from. I don't think I could go on if I failed and I was glad that you did not go easy on me either. You really helped me out and showed me I could go on even when it looked like I had lost."<br><br>Patting the bed next to her, she yawned again. "Come sleep next to me.......at least until I fall asleep and then you can go eat or do whatever you want. No need to stay cooped up in here when I will be asleep anyway.Maybe you can go shop with Marie...you guys haven't talked all day and whatnot."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-12-2011, 11:21:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled softly and shed his outer shirt before getting into bed right beside Tsubaki and pulling her into his arms. He found himself rather humored by her words, though he didn't expect anything else from her at this point. She seemed to be one to put a lot of her own personal needs behind her in favor of doing what other people would like. It could get a little nagging at times, but Julian found it absolutely charming nonetheless. He shut his eyes gently and squeezed the woman softly, speaking softly into her ear as he did so. "Don't be silly, Tsubaki, I'd never pass up a chance to rest with you... here... like this..." He remained in place, content to stay here for as long as Tsubaki needed him to be.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-12-2011, 18:58:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a sweet contented smile,she was more than ready to take his word for it as she felt him move close. One of the last things on her mind was that things seemed to be going well and that she actually had a chance to walk away from this place a much more powerful and wiser person than she had been before. It would all be to her not giving up and giving in as well as Marie and Julian not letting her sink into self-pity when she felt bad.They had been a great force in helping her out and she could not wait for the next part of her training.<br><br>She would allow her body to relax then as she unconsciously moved closer to him for warmth and comfort, her dreams pleasant and comforting. Everything was going to work out.....
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>30-12-2011, 00:05:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian's heart swelled as she snuggled closer to him and seemed to sleep well for the duration of her rest. He himself was rather fatigued, so it didn't really take very long before he himself shut his eyes for good and fell asleep. Just like the night before, having Tsubaki in his arms went a great deal towards him having a deeper and more restful sleep then he ever had before. His dream was a strange one, he dreamed of the first time that he and Tsubaki had ever met, back when he was still wearing a mask and hiding behind a shield of sorrow. Back in those days, he'd never have imagined that he'd eventually be in this place, with this woman, under these circumstances. Tsubaki had been a very big and powerful influence on him, and his dream helped to reaffirm his convictions that he was only doing what was proper by helping her out in return.<br><br>It had become deeper then that though, Tsubaki was special to him, she meant more then any other person alive...<br><br>He loved her,
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>30-12-2011, 01:19:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would rest uneventfully, her dreams no worse than usual for the first time in a longtime and for that she was glad. She had been plagued with nightmares for so long and she was tired of it. Julian helped her realize she was much stronger than she ever believed and now she was showing it more than ever. She would also wake up before he did and slowly got up out of his hold without waking him up. She would quietly look him over, a slow smile creeping on her face as she slowly rubbed his cheek and then planted a soft kiss on it. She was feeling a whole mix of things for once it was a good thing.<br><br>She wanted to stay in bed with him, but she was to a point of hunger that would have given her the shakes if she did not eat soon. She knew that he had not eaten either having trained with her and then going right to sleep with her as well. So she would do that for him and come back before he woke up. Slowly, she crept out of the room and would order a few things to have brought to the room before returning there to once more lie down near him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>30-12-2011, 01:25:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would remain completely unconscious throughout the entire event as Tsubaki slipped out of bed and ordered food for the two of them. His dreams didn't change all that much, as he continued to reflect on the person that he had become through his travels. He had said before that this was simply him going back to the person that he was before, but that was a lie, in all honesty. He was never this strong before, he was never this compassionate before, he was never this intelligent or tact before. His travels, his time as Talon and his time with Tsubaki, both contributed to making him the kind of person that he only wished he could have been in the past. He was stronger now, physically, mentally, and emotionally... He was stronger then he had ever been before in his life.<br><br>He woke up with a small groan after a few minutes, completely oblivious to the fact that meals were on their way as his arms wrapped back around Tsubaki. "Hmm... morning, beautiful." Perhaps it was just his morning disorientation talking, but he felt like showing Tsubaki all the love and affection that she deserved right now, more so then ever before since the two of them had the privacy of four complete walls around them for the first time since their emotions were exposed to one another.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>30-12-2011, 02:03:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki was surprised to say the least at the words to come out of his mouth when he woke up. It made her smile broadly when he said it and she gave him a shy kiss. "Morning..." Her voice shy and happy. "You were still asleep and so I took the liberty of getting us something to eat. It should be coming in a few minutes, and I did not know what you liked and so I ordered a little bit of everything." She smiled and gave an affectionate hug as she moved to see when the food would be arriving.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>30-12-2011, 02:10:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian sighed peacefully and nodded, returning the shy kiss while it lasted before Tsubaki and shifted over just in time to hear a knock come to their door as breakfast was brought to them. Apparently this was a rather busy time of day, so they prepared a lot of breakfast beforehand for anybody that would want to get something to eat in the mornings. The server would hand over the tray and go about his business, while Julian simply sat up and stretched gently. "Urrrggghhh... How are you feeling this morning? Sore from yesterday's exercise?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>30-12-2011, 02:40:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Feeling hungry from lack of food, she would practically fly at it and begin too much happily. They had brought a nice selection and she could not complain at all. “Yeah I am pretty beat up but that is okay. I am ready for today and a few bumps and bruises are not going to stop me. I am going to show him and everyone else that I can do this and earn the right to learn the ways and knowledge of my clan.” She was feeling good and nothing was going to weigh her down today. She would make sure to slow down to allow a drink or two between bites so she did not choke and would sigh happily after a few minutes of nonstop eating. “He is testing you in some kind of way as well but I do not know how yet. He is watching, studying and he creeps me out a little. Still, he is the one I need to learn from and so I will heed his words."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>30-12-2011, 05:01:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian laughed softly and ate with her, more then happy to share this moment with her and listen to her talk about her goals for the day. "There does seem to be something rather unusual about that man, no questioning that fact, but I'm going to assume for right now that he's going to be trustworthy." He paused for a moment, staring at the palm of his hand as he spoke. "I don't think I'll be exposing the extent of my power to him though, I need to keep a trump card up my sleeve in case he gets a bit too greedy with his curiosity, or something of the sort." With that, he'd turn towards her and smile, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. "Anyway, I wish you luck today, you deserve this, Tsubaki... you deserve to be happy."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>01-01-2012, 04:57:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Understandable. I would not trust him completely either...I have a few reservations about him as well and would keep an eye on him if I were you. I am excited to see what he has to offer today as well as hoping that we can at least check out this town as well. There are some places that are very odd and I want to know all I can about it before we leave. The shops that dabble in magick are especially calling to me and I need to know what they have to offer."<br><br>Giving him a softer look, she blushed."I don't need luck. I have you and Marie and that is all the luck I need. You guys are great support and showed me that I can do anything."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>01-01-2012, 05:29:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would offer Tsubaki a simple loving smile when she said that he and Marie made up a great support group for her, and it made his heart swell to know that he had played such a large part in her life and well being. He gently reached out and cupped her hand with his again, he wanted to feel that contact between the two of them, he loved feeling like he was close to Tsubaki, like they were sharing something special between the two of them. "It was an honor to help you get this far, I only hope that I can continue to provide such assistance in the future."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>03-01-2012, 03:08:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				'I am sure that you will be and I am not worrying about failing or not showing myself worthy to him. I just have to get through this and then we can move on from here and see what the world has to offer as far as a decent village to settle in and also maybe we can see how far I can push the limits of what I have learned when we are out on the road once again as well. To be honest I cannot wait."<br><br>The food would be finished soon enough and she was ready for a new day."Well let us be off. I know that he is waiting and I wonder what he is going to have up his sleeve today."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>03-01-2012, 03:57:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled lightly and rose from the bed, opening the door for Tsubaki before offering her his hand. "I suppose that there's only one way to find out, isn't there, Tsubaki?" Once she chose rather or not she would accept his hand, the two of them started to make their way back towards the old shrine that the man was waiting for them at. Just like the day before, Julian would be wary of him, but he would do his best to be polite, since it wasn't like he had done anything malicious yet.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>04-01-2012, 19:53:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes so let's go and see what he has to say today." Taking his hand and making way to the shrine and the ever mysterious man. It was something about him that made her skin crawl and yet she needed him to tell her something about herself and her kind as well as train her. The thought that would cross her mind as they walked was how did he know anything about them anyway and why was he being so weird and mysterious? He was hiding something and before they left she would know what.<br><br>"Too be honest I think he knows a little TOO much to just want to teach me. I think he knows a lot more than he is saying and I want to know what and why.Do you think he might be some kind of ancient....well not ancient but pretty old guy who lived back when all the knowledge existed? I mean I know our kind live a decent amount of time so he could well be up in age and just saying nothing."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>05-01-2012, 06:15:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian sighed lightly at her theory and nodded, finding that he couldn't come to any conclusions about the man himself. "I don't know... but yeah, like you I don't really understand what he has to gain from doing all this for you. As I promised before, I'm going to be keeping some of my power hidden away from sight just in case he tries to pull something funny... He may be prepared for a standard auramancer, however, I don't think he's entirely ready to deal with the redeemer at full power." He paused, gripping his chest when he said that last part. He didn't want to say anything to Tsubaki about it, since he didn't quite understand it himself, but it was almost like a separate entity within Julian's mind was keeping that power sealed away, almost as though Julian became a different person when he unleashed his full power.<br><br>Julian wanted to strike that wretched man down with righteous fury, yet he couldn't even raise his voice or muster a glare. He still controlled his hands, his mind still controlled his own thoughts, it was just as though his emotions were completely shut off from the rest of his body...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>05-01-2012, 22:56:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Giving him a somewhat worried look w hen she saw him grip himself, she touched his arm. "Are you alright? You seem to be somewhat.........disconnected." He seemed like he had slipped off into another world and as if someone else had taken over."I do not know what he has to gain either but I am going to keep an eye out for him as well. In the meantime.........let's show him what we can do and what he would be messing with if he decided to do something stupid!!!"<br><br>Her words would make her want to push even&nbsp; harder to do what she needed to do and head off to what could be her fate as well as the fate of her friends.<br><br>He would be waiting for them as&nbsp; soon as they came into sight."Welcome back. I was not sure you would return after yesterday's actions. I am glad to see that you were able to push through the fatigue.Today we will train again but powers will be included as well as weapons."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>05-01-2012, 23:19:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian glanced over at her when Tsubaki asked him if everything was alright, at which point he would just give her an empty nod and continue along his way. He didn't want to worry Tsubaki, not when he himself didn't fully understand what had happened in his head back before. "Oh, it's nothing... C'mon, we're almost there." At that point he would fall silent, focusing his mind towards the knowledge that he'd have to try his best for Tsubaki's sake, not to hold back on her while also not letting any harm come to her. It wouldn't be easy, but Julian always found a way to make things happen before, even when others would have considered them impossible... after all... he had rescued Tsubaki from her captors, hadn't he?<br>"That's what you were saying yesterday... If you don't mind my asking, what is the purpose of these tests?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>06-01-2012, 00:26:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The purpose of these is to see where you are as far as power level goes and how to improve on her skills. I also have an idea of what I want to learn from you both as well since there have not been many of your kind in quite awhile. I want to know all I can about you&nbsp; for my studies." His smile faint. "You both can begin now as far as the assessment goes. I want you to both go full out today....no holding back." His eyes snapping to Julian. "I know you have much better control over what you can do and I am...eager to see what you have to offer."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>06-01-2012, 00:52:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply nod, knowing full well that there was no possible way he would be exposing the extent of his powers at a time like this. He wasn't even sure he could guarantee the safety of the people around him if that was the case, after all, he still had so many unanswered questions and mysteries when it came to the extent of his own powers, and he didn't want to leave himself completely exposed regardless. He would show the man enough power to prove that he was indeed strong for an auramancer, but as far as Julian was concerned, he was just a typical member of the clan, no redeemer powers in sight.<br>"As you wish."<br><br>He walked back out to the same field as yesterday, and snapped a powerful looking blue blade into his hand, though the end was dull and couldn't cut so much as a fruit. "I'm ready when you are, Tsubaki."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>07-01-2012, 02:27:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nodding at him, she frowned and tried to ficus on her own energy...her own power forming. She knew that she could do it when she was in danger or someone else was and it showed when she unleashed it when the shrine was under attack...but how to draw it out now? She was not being threatened or hurt and she needed to ficus her power somehow. That was her issue. She had the power but was not trained how to draw it out when she wanted it. It was unstable and unfocused and could cause real damage if she did not learn how to harness it.<br><br>Her frown would only deepen after a few minutes of staring at her empty hand, only a faint glow rising but not taking any form. Sighing with frustration and a bitter look, she looked from her hand to Julian. "I can't do it....."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>07-01-2012, 03:20:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would put his blade down, realizing that she could only use her power when her life was in danger, however, there was no possible way in hell that Julian would never take the steps required to draw out her power. No, he would never intentionally put her life in danger of his own accord. Instead, he turned towards the old man and spoke in a voice with moderate conviction, it wasn't an angry voice, just a serious one. "Well? I'm sure you must know how she can harness the power of her own free will. We came to you for this purpose, can you help her?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>07-01-2012, 23:40:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I can help her and you will aid me in it. I want you to attack her and to use enough force to drive her power out. I am not intending for you to damage her too...much but it is needed." His smile secretive."I think you will do what is needed to help her out, will you not? <br><br>Tsubaki would only look on as the man spoke to Julian and frowned. What was he up to and why was he trying to force Julian's hand like he was? It was like he was digging for something and not sure how to get it really. She was feeling a bit uneasy about it, but she would go along with it for now if it got her the training she needed. She knew that he would not want to risk hurting her or anything but sometimes you had to push pat a comfort zone in order to get things done.<br><br>"Do it Julian.." Her voice soft. "We have to to get past this and if you have to rough me up a little, then I am ready for it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>08-01-2012, 02:54:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian growled lightly under his breath when the man told him that he had to attack Tsubaki with enough force to drive out her power, like that was the brilliant first step in her learning how to manipulate her powers. She had done that several times in the past, so if that was the first step, then she had already crossed that bridge multiple times before, and there was absolutely no purpose in Julian going in to strike her down the way that this man wanted. "You can't be serious..." He shook his head, flashing a few images of him hurting Tsubaki, striking her with this dulled blade through his head, and he found that he simply didn't have what it took to do such a thing. "Forget it. I can't do that... I'm sorry..."<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>09-01-2012, 22:24:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Then you doom her to failure. Is that what you wish of her boy? To keep her weak and dependent on you and your friend? I would think that you would want her trained and able to fight on her own....especially after she was taken and...used&nbsp; by the ones who still even now come in pursuit of what she can do." He was watching carefully, seeing how far he could push him to see what he could do. He knew he possessed much more ability than he was showing but was controlling it well enough.<br><br>"However if you wish we can do it another..way. Come with me inside the home and I will do what needs to be done to help her. You will still be needed for this to help control the power as I call it forth from her body. You are enough to subdue her for now...at least until I unleash all the raw energy she has. After it is done, you will take her to rest and return once she awakens. I have done this only once before and they did not make it but she is strong enough."<br><br>"So young one...will you do it? Will you trust me enough to bare your soul and expose you the world?You trust me to not let you die? The pain will be great but so is the rewards."<br><br>Looking at Julian and then him, she nodded."I am.....and I think Julian can do fine helping out." Turning without another word, she went to follow the man to the hut.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>10-01-2012, 05:10:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply remained silent during the exchange, unable to find his voice during this time. Great... now because he was too weak to fight her with all that he had, he would be putting her life in danger by causing her to go through this extremely risky procedure to force the power out of her. Still, he just didn't have the willpower to do it... he simply didn't have what it took to hurt her... he never would. With a slightly clenched fist in anger at himself, he followed the man and Tsubaki into the hut. He would be ready for anything that came out of her, he would defend himself by any means necessary, even if it meant exposing the limits of his potential to this person that he still didn't fully trust... <br><br>Still... Tsubaki was putting her life in his hands, so Julian relented and placed his faith in him as well... for the time being.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>11-01-2012, 18:20:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She would not admit it, but she was feeling rather scared of what she had made up her mind to do. She was basically giving him control over her life and though it was a scary thing, it was worth what she would gain. She would be able to access her powers and help out when it counted. She would be able to defend herself and not rely on Julian or Marie to defend her if something happened out of nowhere. She would be able to defend herself if the shadows ever came to look for and find her. She would be ready.<br><br>She would be told to lie down on a futon that was on the floor and that she would do without incident. She would be told to relax and close her eyes, allowing her power to swell to the surface in her mind and that he would pull on them physically and bring them out. She would have to relax and not fight the powers that flowed in her as it could be dangerous for them all if she went out of control.<br><br>He would begin the chant slowly, as small prickles of energy begin to course through her.....
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-01-2012, 05:16:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply stand to the side and keep his powers at the ready. He had to be prepared for anything, absolutely anything, to emerge from Tsubaki's body at this point. He had already failed to do his part to help out her training, he refused to be such a burden that he couldn't even suppress whatever powers were about to come gushing forth. He would protect Tsubaki, from herself, from the shadows, from her own weakness and self resentment... from everything that he possibly could. And right now, the best way that he could protect her was by helping her overcome her own demons, by helping her to become a more whole person, and remind herself that she was still a strong and valuable member of this traveling group.<br><br>She was trying so hard to stay determined, the least, the very least he could do, was be just as determined along with her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-01-2012, 07:02:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It would feel like a small tingle at first that would increase the longer the man would chant over her. It was not at all painful just odd feeling and she gave Julian a small smile before closing her eyes to focus on the energy swelling inside her. It was like a dam that had been bricked up and now all of a sudden small cracks were forming and water was leaking through slowly. It would grow larger and larger as the time ticked by and soon Tsubaki could feel a buzzing in her skin, causing her to open her eyes. Her whole body had taken on a soft glow and was both exciting and eerie to see. It was at that moment that she began to panic as she felt the swelling become more than she was used to and she was losing it slowly.<br><br>Looking to the man, she spoke her voice soft. "I...I can feel it but it becoming too much...I think we should stop for now and continue later." Her words would go ignored though as the man was in the chant and going on, his face concentrated. Even if he did hear he was not listening. In truth he really was not...he was going to draw out her power and see what it could do. In fact, he would increase the chant making her let out a soft whine as the power flowed faster than before the glow becoming brighter and lighting the dark little hut....
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-01-2012, 07:07:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, realizing that this had all been a big mistake the moment that Tsubaki started to get worried, and talk about how they should continue this later. He would have stepped in on her behalf, forcing the man to stop, however, he had said something earlier about how her very life was hanging in the balance during this operation. Perhaps derailing his train of thought wouldn't be the best idea in the world at this point in time. Instead, he simply looked over towards Tsubaki, and tried to be as comforting as humanly possible to the woman, perhaps he could give her the strength she needed to keep her power under control, but at the very least he could help her to relax and put her faith in him. "Come on, Tsubaki, that power belongs to you. Own it, fight it, don't let it take control of you... you're better then that, stronger then that." He stepped forward, but paused again, not wanting to physically interfere with this little ritual.<br><br>"Don't worry, even if things go wrong and you fall, I'll be there to catch you just like before. You just focus on fighting, containing, and controlling your power... Leave the rest to me, okay?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-01-2012, 07:25:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				All she could do was look at him and nod, not wanting to be a failure or a disappointment. She had done enough of not picking up the slack in the group and she would tough it out no matter what happened. The buzz was getting louder in her ears, so after a few minutes if he was talking to her it would go unheard anyway. She could feel the powerful prickle as the energy swelled more and more finally earning a groan from her throat instead of the whine. She would look at Julian in a somewhat pathetic manner but say nothing.<br><br>The chant would only increase as the man felt the power rising from her causing him to smirk inwardly. Things were going better than he had hoped. At this rate, he should have forced it to the surface and though it would be erratic, it would be freed. She would then have to learn to control it, use it to her benefit. If it did not drive her insane from the rush...but she could do it....<br><br>Placing his hands on her stomach, he would say a final chant that would&nbsp; turn the trickle into a flood and then he threw himself back to see the results. This would be interesting........<br><br>Tsubaki would only remember looking at Julian before she was slammed with the raw power that hid inside her so long causing her to scream, it echoing into the tent and outside as well. She would convulse and flail pitifully, feeling like she was burning from the inside out as the glow reached a high and making her look otherworldly. Her eyes would take on a bright hue, the human look disappearing as she screamed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-01-2012, 07:30:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian's eyes would bulge just about out of their sockets as things went from the frying pan into the fryer. The moment that she started convulsing so painfully, screaming in agony, Julian would rush forward and grip her by her shoulders. "Tsubaki! Tsubaki!!!" He would look towards the man, an intense and serious look in his eye as he spoke. "What the hell did you do? What's happening to her!?" Rather or not he had time to answer was up to both Tsubaki and the man who had cast this thing on her, as her human form started to actually vanish while she screamed. He would back away, preparing himself for whatever terrible storm was about to come. Worst case scenario, he would use the powers of the redeemer to handle this threat. Tsubaki's safety and well being came first, his own second, and then everything else including whatever this man's schemes were came after that. Still, all he could do was stand firm and prepare himself for what was to come.<br><br>He knew it wouldn't be good, that was for sure.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-01-2012, 07:40:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I freed her. Freed her from that pitiful form she had...now she can be more....much more." His face calm as though&nbsp; nothing was going on the tent. All was going to plan as far as he was concerned and it was time to see the ultimate result. He knew of her people from long ago and knew that she would not change too much, just unlock a form that could contain her powers when they were called upon. Her kind had two forms...the one people saw everyday and the one that was about to emerge.<br><br>Tsubaki would only howl like an animal being beaten while she fought in his hold on her. She could feel the internal burn and struggle and tore at her face with her hands as though to peel away the burning flesh she felt. Her formerly brown eyes would take on a slightly silver hue infused with brown as her face took on&nbsp; a symbol of her tribe that formed on her forehead. A small infinity symbol also in silver would find a home there as she struggled.<br><br>"Get away from her boy.....let what must happen,happen. It will do you no good to worry. It will be over soon and she will be a new creature." His smile slow and secretive like nothing was happening and here was no screaming glowing girl in his home. "She will remain one you know and admire.....just better....and exactly what I need to see."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>12-01-2012, 19:55:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Naturally, the man's words only spiked the rage and confusion that Julian was stuffing deep within the confines of his heart at this point. He looked back towards the man, glaring bullets and speaking in a now harsh and angry tone as Tsubaki continued to transform. "I asked you a damn question!" He didn't like what was happening to Tsubaki, he didn't want to see her turn into some kind of creature, no, it simply wouldn't be the same in his eyes. How could this man honestly expect her to remain the same after she had gone through all of this?<br><br>He had no idea what was going on, and he felt completely and totally useless because of it. "Damn it..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>12-01-2012, 20:33:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Chuckling now as he looked at Tsubaki still as well as Julian's rage, he shrugged." I told you I freed her. She is not changing into a monster if that is what you are thinking. I merely unlocked her energy and her body is changing a little to accommodate it. Do you want her to burn out and die because she is too weak? You see now the small changes...her eyes...the symbol of her house. Soon we will see the form that she has been housing inside...the one that will show when she is at full power...it will be glorious."<br><br>Tsubaki would continue as she finally felt her body lifting from the mat and an explosion of energy tear through her that left her breathless. She felt like she was going to die and she cried out to Julian only to shrink back in pain when she moved at all. She could feel the burn as a tearing feeling erupted from her back as a pair of wings formed and were translucent like fairy wings with a shimmery look. It would all finally go out in a sound that rocked the hut and she settled once more to the floor as her eyes settled closed and her voice quieted. She was breathing normally but now seemed to be asleep.<br><br>Getting up the man would smile and walk over to the girl tracing the symbol on her head"Now.. she is ready." His hands touching the wings that looked as though they would crumble under his touch. As soon as he did, they would disappear&nbsp; it would look like Tsubaki was Tsubaki only with the symbol and her eyes...once she would open them that is. "Once she is awake...I would like to begin seeing what she can do. It will be amazing and I cannot believe that I will witness it. I was almost sure that my chant would not work...I am glad that I was wrong and took the risk..."<br><br>He smirked at Julian in triumph.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 02:48:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would almost be in shock of what he was hearing, though he as deeply relieved that she was now asleep and not suffering anywhere near as intensely as she had been before. Julian signed softly, his gut twisting deeply in his stomach as his rage grew. This woman wasn't just some research subject for him, some well of knowledge. She was a person, one that he cared for deeply, one that he didn't want to see anything happen to. Though his rage was still building, he simply stepped forward and picked her up gently off the ground. As he turned to leave, he looked over at the man with an intense gaze. From this point forward, he wasn't going to trust the guy with anything, not after he had just put Tsubaki through hell for his own curiosity as to what she was capable of. "Fine, but only because we need to offer some kind of payment for your services... Try anything to hurt her like that again, and it'll be you paying the price... I promise you that much."<br><br>At that point, he would carry Tsubaki out of the hut and back to their inn room, where he'd lay her gently in the bed and wait for her to wake up. Depending on how long it took her, she'd either find Julian sitting over her, holding her hand gently, or if she slept until deep into the dead of the night, she'd find him sleeping instead, though his hand still grasped hers.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 13:23:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Merely shaking off his threat as he watched him take the girl and leave, he shrugged."I doubt it young man...I doubt you can do anything to me at all." Not knowing if he heard him or not. He knew what he did was risky and the girl could have died but she did not and it had all paid off. She was much stronger than he believed from earlier and it was a good thing. Perhaps with a little coaxing and a few tactics he could get her to do a few things for him that would greatly help out his efforts and cause. The only issue would be the boy since he seemed to care for the girl more than friendship would allow. He would be the roadblock that would hinder or even derail his&nbsp; plans. He had to go about this with caution and it all would begin once she was awake.......<br><br><br>Tsubaki would sleep well into the day, night and the next day finally waking when it was close to evening. She had been as still as death beforehand, only her chest rising and falling to show that she was alive.Once she was awake, she would open her eyes to find them blurry and unfocused as well as her mouth dry as cotton. Coughing when she tried to speak, she would swallow harshly trying to lubricate her throat after the lack of water.<br><br>A pair of eyes would be focused on her as well as the warm feeling of a hand holding hers. Attempting a smile, she blinked to clear her vision. "Hey there..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 14:18:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The man's words would only make Julian even more frustrated and annoyed as he carried Tsubaki out of the room and back to her own bed. That man knew nothing about what he was truly capable of, so of course he would be overconfident. Perhaps he would have some power, more then Julian would be able to handle with just his regular levels, but Julian had power that could change the very world around him when he activated the redeemer, so he honestly believed that he would be able to hold his own against that man, should things get messy.<br><br>When she didn't wake up for an entire day, Julian was starting to get worried, and when she finally started to open her eyes he would smile in deep relief and squeeze her hand gently. He had barely left her side for long enough to eat over the course of her sleep, since he knew for a fact that when she woke up she would be extremely hungry and thirsty. "Hey..." Whatever it was that he was planning, Julian refused to let him manipulate Tsubaki in any way, shape, or form. Right now though, all he cared about was her health, which was likely waning because of her time sleeping. "Don't try to talk, I'm going to order some dinner and a tall glass of water for you... just lay down until they get here, okay?"<br><br>He smiled down at her affectionately, deeply relieved that she had woken up when she had.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 14:52:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Nodding tiredly, she could only do what he asked anyway. She felt weak and yet there was something tingling under her skin....something that was not there before...and she wondered what happened to her. She would have to ask him once her returned. In the meanwhile, she would look around the room, her vision&nbsp; getting clearer as moments passed. She could not remember a whole lot after the man had touched her and she felt the jolting horrible pain....<br><br>When Julian came back she had to know what happened.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 15:53:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would return less then ten minutes later with a large dinner plate, some juice, and a glass of water on the side. Now that Tsubaki was awake, it was only a matter of time before they had to conduct their next item of business with that man in the hut, who's name was still a total mystery to Julian. "Here... this should help you out a great deal..." When Tsubaki inevitably asked him about what had happened in there, Julian would retell the events to the best of his abilities. It made him somewhat regretful that she had been put through all that, but she deserved to know everything that had happened.<br>"Listen, about that man... I think that we should cut our ties with him as soon as possible. You have your power now, and me and Marie can help you to harness it... I say we give this man whatever 'ancient knowledge' he's looking for and move on... Something about him is really starting to bother me, it's not right."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 17:26:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Taking the water greedily, she would gulp it down before sighing happily. She was more than happy to chow down on the plate of food he brought as well. It felt like she had not eaten in weeks and she wolfed down the plate not caring how she looked at the moment. She would be listening to what he had to tell her and most of it sounded completely unbelievable at the time but she knew that Julian would never deceive her. "So what do you think he is planning or are you not quite sure? I don't want to stay here any longer if he means any harm to me or you guys."<br><br>"How can you and Marie teach me?"Her face hopeful.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 19:36:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian shook his head gently, watching her with a humored smile as she demolished her dinner plate, he made a mental note that if she was still hungry when she got done eating, that he would go down and get her another plate, maybe some more water to go along with it. "I have no idea what it is that he's planning, but I have no doubt in my mind that he doesn't mean us well by this point... He gambled with your life like it was nothing, Tsubaki... He wants to use you for his own benefit, without caring about your own ambitions and desires... that became painfully obvious the moment he started his damned chanting." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 19:52:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shaking her head slowly, she sighed."So what you are saying is that I could have died or something...why would he do that to me? What is his real agenda? I don't know what I can do really and I need you guys to help me out." She sighed."I think that we should hurry and leave then before he notices anything, I don't want to know what he might do if we do not go along with what he wants us to do."<br><br>She was feeling unsure and nervous about the whole ting and really needed to get ideas from her and Julian. "I wonder what kind of chant he was using and if it did anything more than release my energy."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 19:57:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, as Tsubaki had opened up a whole new floodgate of thoughts into his mind that he hadn't thought of initially. "That's... that's actually a pretty good question, Tsubaki... I wonder if he did do anything else to you with that chanting..." He reached out, taking her hand again as he gave it a comforting squeeze. "That doesn't matter though, no matter what it takes, I'm going to keep you safe... Keep you safe from the shadows, that man, anything that tries to hurt you or manipulate you..."<br><br>He paused, shifting his gaze downwards. "As for helping you master your powers... I have to confess that I'm not all that sure... do you feel any different? Any more powerful?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 20:10:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I do feel it.....I can feel a tingling under my skin and I feel so much stronger than I ever imagined. I wonder what I can do...." Her eyes snapping to her hand as she focused on it for a moment and a blue light erupting and surrounding her hand with a quiet but powerful light that washed over and spilled onto his own hand holding hers."I can feel much more, see more, my senses seem to&nbsp; be more in tune than ever and I feel like I can do anything."<br><br>"I don't know how he would want to use me but there is no way that I am ever going to let anyone use me ever again, nor will I be a victim. As far as the shadows and and any other obstacles I say bring&nbsp; it on if it happens. I am ready. As soon as you guys help me of course." Her smile faint.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 20:16:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian smiled at her as she summoned her power, and the radiant light filled their room. He could feel drift into his own hand, the raw strength that Tsubaki had at her disposal, rivaling even that which he could use in redeemer mode, it was amazing, honestly. Then, when she talked about how she was ready to go, Julian would simply nod and start to lift himself off the bed, offering her his hand once he got up. "Alright then, what do you say we go find Marie and get out of town."<br><br>His smile got more compassionate a few moments later. "I promise, I'll do everything in my power to help you... I'll help you grow stronger, more understanding of this power... everything..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 20:58:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah let's&nbsp; do it then." She smiled a little as she took his hand and got up of the bed, her legs slightly wobbly. It had been a day or so and so she felt weak but good overall. It was time to go and see what she could do for herself. Getting out of town and past the man might prove to be odd if he did do something else to her...but she would have to wait and see. "So what has Marie been doing this whole time I was "training" as well as being out? I have not seen much of her lately and that makes me a little sad.<br><br>She did miss the girl and her crazy antics and was more than ready to get out of there. "I know that you will do everything that you can and I promise that I will do all I can to move things along as well........without blowing us up or anything. I still have to know my limits."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-01-2012, 22:42:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would smile softly when she spoke, and nod at her gently as she talked about them getting out of town, while she figured out her limits. "It's almost evening, so we can likely leave first thing in the morning... For now though, why don't you and I just focus on figuring out the extent of your limits in a controlled environment? I say we step outside town and go into the nearby forest, so that you can see just how much you can control and manipulate... Hell, we might even be able to turn it into a reoccurring project while we're on the road, if it proves to be just a bit too much for you to handle right off the bat."<br><br>He squeezed her shoulder gently, before he supported her off her weak legs and gave them time to recover. "I have nothing but faith in you, Tsubaki... I believe that you're tough enough to overcome whatever hardship and obstacle the world may throw at us."<br><br>It was his way of saying that, even if that man had done something to her, he had the utmost confidence in her ability to move past it and continue onward.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-01-2012, 08:02:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I think I can do that. We should at least have some idea of what I can do&nbsp; because I have a feeling like this is not over by a long-shot and he is just not going to let us walk out of this village. He has plans.....deep plans and he is not going to just let them go. I know it." Her face scrunched up in worry. " I need to be able to at least hold my own weight if it comes down to fighting him. I have a feeling he is much more than he lets on Julian."<br><br>Smiling at his words of encouragement, she returned his squeeze. " I know I can do it...thanks to you and Marie. I know that I can do much more than I think I can and i will not let you down or myself anymore if I can help it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-01-2012, 08:36:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, finding himself agreeing with her as far as those sentiments went. "I'm worried about the same thing, Tsubaki... He told me that I wouldn't be able to do anything to him..." He smirked a little though, putting on a confident face despite his worries beneath the skin. "Don't worry though, he's not the only one that has more power then he lets on to... And I don't think he even knows that Marie exists yet, which will be a huge boon on us, all things considered."<br><br>He started to make his way towards the door, supporting Tsubaki all the way until her own feet could hold her up. "So, shall we head outside and see just what you're capable of?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-01-2012, 17:36:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Finding the strength in her legs, she would let go of him and walk on her own even if it was shaky. That would&nbsp; be her first lesson. It was time to stand on her own two feet and surely she could make it to the forest on her own. "Let's do it." Her smile brighter as she followed him out of the inn and to an are where they could practice and experiment without blowing up anything or anyone with incident."You know you are right. Him not knowing about Marie is a good thing and I would keep it that way. There is no telling what is in his mind and what he has planned."<br><br>"I have had enough deception from people to last me a good longtime but I know in this day and age asking for more truth is a poor thing. Too much to gain from being a liar and a thief and not enough being one of the good guys. Such is life though huh?" Her smile faint.<br><br>Once they would get somewhere worthwhile, she would stop and look at him before focusing on herself and drawing out the power she felt right under her skin. It would take a few minutes to get used to and focus but she would form a bow and arrows out of her power and smirk before aiming at Julian."Shall we dance?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-01-2012, 23:40:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian sighed softly when she spoke to him on their way out of the town, and he had no choice but to agree with her. "You're right... this is a pretty messed up world we live in... Just once I want to find somebody that's genuinely honest, true... somebody that doesn't have some kind of ulterior motive or doesn't want to exploit us..." He smiled over at her, content with where things were going between the two of them. "At least we have one another though, I place faith in you that much." With that he would fall silent until the two of them were in the forest.<br><br>When Tsubaki materialized her bow and arrows, aiming towards Julian, he would be rather surprised to see that her own powers weren't all that far off from his own. He would materialize a dull sword, as he had done before, and point it towards her. "As long as we keep this friendly, I don't see why not..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>16-01-2012, 04:39:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Of course silly. This arrow is going to go straight through you and you won't be hurt. Now let's go!" Her smirk wide as she took a stance and pulled back her arrow crackling with energy.She would let it loose and hope that it would hit the mark, which would be square in his chest. The arrow would go through but leave an icy feeling to let him know that something was actually there.Once that was done, she dissolved the bow and forged a sword instead."Come at me Julian. I think I can take you...or at least give you a good workout." Her eyes twinkling mischievously.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>16-01-2012, 04:44:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was able to dodge the arrow, but did take it through his arm. This left him with something of a chilly sensation that ran down his spine as he still struggled to figure out the extent of Tsubaki's powers. Still, seeing her forge a sword and tell him to come at her, he would simply nod and grip his blade in both hands before charging. "If you insist!" He would swing the blade overhead, bringing it down with a great deal of force, but nothing that no regular human wouldn't be capable of doing. He figured he could keep things light and somewhat normal for the time being, the less fatigued he was,&nbsp; the better, in his mind.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>16-01-2012, 04:48:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was slightly disappointed that he dodged her arrow but she was more than happy when he charged her and brought down his sword. It was a decent enough hit, and she blocked it easily. Much easier than she would have even been able to before and was able to also shove back with equal force. She was still feeling a bit wobbly but it was much better than before and she could feel the delicious tingle of magic in her.<br><br>"I can feel it already. I would not have been able to hold my own&nbsp; even though you are going easy somewhat. I was weak with a sword and relied on my bow and arrows to work for me. I never could have done hand to hand and would have been in trouble from the start. Let us take this up a notch." Glowing a bit, she shoved back hard at his sword and leapt back before giving a small war cry and charging, still&nbsp; not to hurt him but a good challenge was what she wanted.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>16-01-2012, 05:04:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian was surprised when she was able to push back his attack with force that rivaled his own, and he didn't hesitate in the slightest before he parried her own blade when she charged. Using the momentum and his close quarters experience to his advantage, he sought to send his sword slamming up against her shoulder, hopefully giving her a light sting without hurting her in any way. "Alright then, Tsubaki, if you wanna take it up a notch, don't say I didn't warn you!!!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>16-01-2012, 05:21:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Wincing a little at the sting of the hit, she&nbsp; pushed hard into him and attempted a sweep of his feet from under him. She was feeling stronger than ever and she was going to show him that she could handle herself. "Warning noted, now let's go!" Her smile darkening playfully, as she attempted to swing&nbsp; at him and deliver the same sting....except while she attempted to swing her sword one handed, she had the other creeping up and charged to hit him from another angle.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>16-01-2012, 05:50:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would be able to avoid the leg sweep by jumping backwards, though in all honesty, he was rather surprised by just how much of a fight Tsubaki was really putting up. He had seen her spar a few times back at the temple and she had never been capable of moving like this before. If she could hold her own like this from now on, then he had absolutely no reason to be worried for her. "Alright then!" He&nbsp; blocked the first attack, however, her fist was able to strike home at whatever she was trying to hit with it, causing Julian to wince lightly in pain and swing his blade quickly towards the side of her stomach. "Ack!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>16-01-2012, 22:05:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The blade would hit her square on and she would duck and roll from the rest of the hit. "Want to play it that way do you?" She grinned and dropped the sword altogether before making her hands glow and laughing out loud. Bending her knees, she sprung like a rabbit and flew at him grabbing around his middle and attempting to take him down like she was doing a tackle. Once she tumbled to the ground with him, she straddled his waist avoiding his weapon if he still had it up and grinned."I think....I win!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>17-01-2012, 05:32:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"what the-" Julian didn't even have time to let out the rest of his surprised jolt before he was tackled forcefully to the ground beneath Tsubaki's absolutely overwhelming and unexpected force. When she claimed her victory, he'd just look up at her and suddenly put on a playful grin. "You win, huh? Well..." His sword dissipated, and he reached up to plant both of his hands softly on the sides of her stomach. "What if this was all part of my plan to get you down here? What then?" It wasn't, of course, but there wasn't any harm in playing around with her, he figured.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>17-01-2012, 20:48:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well I would say you are lying but it is okay anyway." Her smile bright. She was feeling especially proud of herself at the time and more-so that he was the one she had taken down. She never would have been able to do that before and now she knew that she could hold her own once they were out of the village and on the road. There were all kinds of people, bandits, monsters....that would be waiting for travelers like them..and now she would be ready.<br><br>Smirking a bit, she leaned over quickly and with a boldness and flush of red to her cheeks she kissed him gently before pulling back and moving to get off of his lap. She was not at all sure how he was going to respond to what she just did but it would not be bad she hoped. They cared about each other but she was not sure how much he had invested in her after all.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-01-2012, 03:28:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian broke into a wide smile when she leaned in and kissed him, and before she could move to get off his waist, Julian reached up to hold her in place by gripping her with one hand between her shoulderblades, and the other one on the small of her back. Those warm, sweet lips pressed against his... the knowledge of what it meant between the two of them... He wanted it again, this time deeper, more passionate.<br>"Where are you running off to?"<br><br>His eyes glimmered gently, and he began urging her back down against him, while he himself leaned up with the intent of kissing her again.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-01-2012, 14:48:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Blushing deeply when he went to pull her back down, Tsubaki would let him pull her into the kiss that she was more than happy to share in once more. His lips felt warm and inviting on hers and she moaned quietly in his mouth before taking a slight grip in his hair as she pulled him closer. At first, she had felt a bit hesitant but it felt right and she wanted more of it. It was nice to know that he felt something more than she thought and finally after a few moments, she pulled away from him and blushed from the roots of her hair to her cheeks.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-01-2012, 15:35:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				the kiss felt so sweet, so wonderful, that Julian wanted to let it stretch on for as long as he could. Still, the time eventually came when Tsubaki started to pull away, and Julian was more then happy to share in that moment with her, staring affectionately into her eyes as his hands rubbed the woman's shoulders. Her eyes were indeed different this time, and Julian would be lying if he said he preferred these over her old eye color, but that was such a small detail that Julian hardly cared. After all, Tsubaki's eyes were still beautiful, deep, and she was still the same woman beneath them. <br>"Tsubaki..."<br><br>His heart fluttered a little, as he came full to grips with just how close the two of them had gotten to one another. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>18-01-2012, 22:11:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her cheeks on fire, she moved from his lap and blushed deeply. "Maybe we are finished for today and should head back? We do have to get out of here before we are noticed after all and Marie knows nothing about what we have decided to do. This was pretty much a spur of the moment decision." She smiled at him before offering a hand to help him up and sighed. She felt really good and happy. She was no longer the weak girl she was before and she was surrounded by people who cared about her. What could go wrong? She was a little self conscious from a moment about how she might appear to him with the subtle changes that took place due to her power release but that was small thing to worry about.<br><br>To be honest, she was worried about when they went back to grab Marie that he would be waiting. They had not showed up to train and he would at most be annoyed and at worst come to seek them out. "Do you think that we should make up some plan while we head back? No telling what might be waiting for us when we get there."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>19-01-2012, 02:03:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian glanced over at her, blushing deeply as she got off of him, and he also sat up as well. Julian did have to admit that it was a bit jarring, with the small physical changes that Tsubaki had undergone, however, they were such small changes that he didn't spend more then a moment every time before he got over them and moved on. When she brought up her suggestion about the two of them putting together some kind of plan, he would simply nod in agreement before relaxing his arms lightly behind his back. "that wouldn't be a bad idea... Like you said, I'm very worried that he might have added something to you when he was doing that chanting... Even if that is the case though, I won't let him harm you..."<br><br>He glanced over at her with a reassuring smile. "What do you think? Should we enter the inn with more caution then usual in case he's waiting on us?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-01-2012, 22:11:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I think we should and I also think that you should get in touch with Marie as soon as you can. She has no idea what is going on and I would hate for him to catch up with her and try something funny if she reveals she knows us. I just want to get our stuff and get out of here." Grabbing his hand to pull him along, her eye worried a little. What if he had done something that she did not understand? She would not want her new family getting hurt because of her now that she could actually do so. She had control of her power and would hate to hurt them, even if she was not the cause and was somehow manipulated.<br><br>They would leave the forest that they learned more about her energies in and head back to the inn. Hopefully,no one was looking for them and would report to him that they were coming back. He might be waiting....or plotting.<br><br>Once they got back to the inn, she smiled slightly hoping that they were in the clear, but that was not as easy as she thought when they got inside and a man was waiting. Seeing the two,he bowed and nodded. "You were missed today and I was sent to see about the delay. Are you well miss?"<br><br>She would look to Julian not sure what to say.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-01-2012, 03:43:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian paused, showing his talent for coming up with excuses on a dime when Tsubaki's health was questioned. He would simply nod back politely and smile, content to play the civil game for the time being, until the situation started to get more and more out of hand. Still, he wouldn't reveal that Tsubaki had made a full recovery, that was one thing that he had absolutely no intention of letting anybody know until the three of them were well out of town. "She simply woke up for a little while and wanted to step outside for a walk... She's still rather tired from her training, and we suspect that she might need just one more day of recovery before we are fully prepared to continue on with the next step."<br><br>he glanced back at her, praying that she'd be willing to play along. "isn't that right, Tsubaki?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-01-2012, 21:32:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Right. I was just feeling a little weak still and thought that some fresh air would do me some good. I was not planning......" She looked at Julian. "We were not planning on missing anything really, it was just that I was not up to it right away. I will see him tomorrow surely and without delay." Hoping that he bought it and allowed them the day to get out of there with as little trouble as possible.<br><br>She knew that if he did not or was the least bit suspicious that it would not go so well for them at all...and where was Marie? She had to be told what was happening.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>21-01-2012, 00:35:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would lead the two of them upstairs, though by luck they would run right into Marie on the way to her room in order to warn her. Marie, oblivious that anything shady was going on in town, simply smiled broadly and leaned in a little. "Well there you two are! Good gracious, I was starting to think that I was all alone in this place." She giggled a little, obviously kidding, but it was around this point that she realized from the grim expressions on Julian and Tsubaki's faces that something was off. "Uh... what's up?"<br><br>Julian then explained the situation, telling Marie that they needed to leave town as quickly as possible.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>22-01-2012, 07:01:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes...we have to get out of here. There is no telling when and if that man will come back today and now I feel uneasy. He knows that we did not come and&nbsp; will now here that I am not feeling well. He may want to come and see for himself and for all we know, that man was not the only one he has around here. There could be eyes and ears watching and waiting to tell him if we check out or make any weird moves. Now is the time I think to really put what you guys can do into play. With someone like him, he can most likely see through it, but his hires&nbsp; won't. Can you guys do illusions maybe or some way to trick the human eye? I trained on it but never had the power...but now I think I can do it without too much trouble."<br><br>She smiled. "I think they can see some people leaving the inn...just not us.."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>22-01-2012, 08:52:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian and Marie exchanged glances for a moment before Julian sighed lightly and pressed himself against the wall. "Tsubaki, I think you're overestimating just what the extent of our power as auramancers are. Aura is a spiritual substance that we use for raw fighting power. We can use the energy to attack with whatever brand of energy our imaginations and talents can provide... Our weapons, my blades and Marie's tonfa, are merely large amounts of aura that we force to condense to the point where it turns into a physical object."<br><br>He paused for a moment, sighing again. "Unless I risk using my redeemer powers, that's the extent of what aura is capable of, and I don't want to reveal my final trump card on a gamble that there MIGHT be people watching us, and they MIGHT report back to him..."<br><br>Marie simply kept quiet at this point, sighing lightly.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>22-01-2012, 23:19:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Oh.." Her face taking on a frown from the smile she had on before. "I guess that leaves me then. I can make some believable illusions that can disguise us as other people but I can only hold it for so long since I will be using it on more than once person. It should be enough to get us out of town though before we are noticed. Enough time to grab any last minute things if we need them too. Normally before I could do it, we were taught that we could hold illusions for ourselves for several hours if need be. For all three of us, then I can most likely do it for about an hour or so. It will not take too much strain and as long as we are not delayed by anyone asking questions we should be fine."<br><br>She sighed."Also...as long as we do not run into anyone with semi-decent powers we can escape too....last thing we need is to be seen thorough the guise."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>22-01-2012, 23:38:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply nod at Tsubaki's words, trying his best to wrap his head around the suggestion as it was. "Only an hour? That actually shouldn't be all that hard at all. I think we have everything we need, so we should be able to just make a straight walk for the gates of the town... The next question is where do we go from here? I'd assume that we would want some kind of a game plan before leaving town so we don't get confused on the road... that would lead to delays." <br><br>Marie simply nodded in agreement, thinking lightly. "I think there's actually a pretty big city about a day's travel from here... but I want to know what you two want to do now..."<br><br>Julian glanced over at Tsubaki, realizing that the raven haired auramancer was right, and that they needed some kind of new goal. "that's right! you're a lot stronger now, Tsubaki, what do you want to do now? Find out more about yourself? Hide away? It's on you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>22-01-2012, 23:51:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes...only an hour for now. I will improve it once you guys teach me like you said. I..I also do not know where I want to go from here. I am willing to take any suggestions that you have." Her eyes slightly confused." I just want to go somewhere that I can train in peace and then we can go from there. I have not done traveling like the two or you and so I am relying on you to show me the best places there are to go."<br><br>"I am not so sure about hiding away. I think that is not going to solve anything at all and besides...I think I can help defeat anything that comes our way."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>23-01-2012, 00:02:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded lightly. "Alright then, we'll find a place where you can refine your powers in peace, and just as I promised, I'm going to do everything I can to help you out with that." He smiled lightly, trying to be as reassuring as possible towards Tsubaki. "For now though, let's just get out of town and worry about the rest later... We gotta go pack up right now, I say we meet back here in about... I dunno... half an hour? It's not like we can exactly take our time here, if that man is actually going to be poking around looking for us."<br><br>Marie would simply nod at that. "I'm fine for whatever you two are gonna do."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>24-01-2012, 22:17:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Alright let us break up then and do what we need to do. I want us to meet up at the head of the town in the half hour and be ready to go no matter what. Let us try not to attract any attention to ourselves as they will more than likely be looking for us since we did not go to training. I do not trust him at all and have no idea what his real goal with me is but I do not want to know. I believe the only reason he helped me was because he wanted to use me for his own ends somehow with Julian in tow."<br><br>That said, she headed off on her own ready to get what was needed and leave this place.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>25-01-2012, 04:54:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded, though he didn't really have any reason to leave Tsubaki's side as the two of them made their way back to their shared room and packed up. If Tsubaki wanted to head out into town for anything, god knows why she would want to at this hour, but she'd be doing so alone as Julian offered to simply pack up their stuff. He didn't want to seem overly territorial, though honestly he didn't want to see anything bad happen to her, and he was afraid for what might happen to her if she were to go off on her own.<br><br>Still, he had to put his trust into her, if he never trusted her with anything, then he didn't deserve her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-01-2012, 03:08:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Taking his silence as approval, she headed out into the town to look around and gather a few items here and there that were not really important but gave her the chance to look around and see how people in the town were acting. If no one seemed shaken up or was acting oddly, then she felt safe enough to go through with the illusion to get them out of there. Either way they were leaving so it was just how safe she felt. After she was done exploring, she would head back to the inn, but not going in to see if they had left. She would meet them right outside of town just like they had agreed and hoped that they were there.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>27-01-2012, 03:15:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian and Marie would be there on time, as Tsubaki came up to the two of them. When she finally arrived, Julian put on a look of great relief, and he stepped over towards her. "Let's go." And with that, he would turn around, and the three of them would begin to leave town. Hopefully nothing would happen as they departed, but Julian wasn't so naive as to believe that things would ever turn out that simple.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-01-2012, 03:21:52</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Good....we all made it now let us leave here before someone sees us and alerts unwanted company." She was sure that they made it out there free and clear but there would always be a small buzz in the&nbsp; back of her mind about someone seeing them and saying something. Even as they left town after she cast her illusion, she would look back on occasion and finally sigh in relief once they reached the edge of town and the wide open forest came into view. It felt good to be leaving that town and she looked to her two travel mates.<br><br>"That felt easy...to be honest a little too easy to me. I think that they may have let us leave because they have something planned for us. I think that it would be more than wise to keep our eyes and senses open for anything that might seem as though it is out of place. I know that he is watching...or someone else is. Now that I can spread my own aura around I can feel more "see" more with my extra eyes if you will."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>27-01-2012, 03:24:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian glanced over in Tsubaki's direction when she talked about this man possibly just allowing the three of them to leave because he had something planned for them. Reluctantly, all he could do was nod and agree with her. In all honesty, she was right, this all did seem just a bit too easy for him to let down his guard already. Marie as well seemed to agree, as her eyes shot from side to side without her making a sound, which was a bit unusual in her case. "Hmm..." Marie seemed to be thinking about something, though she wasn't going to let either of her comrades know about what, exactly.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-01-2012, 03:39:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She could see though that something was on her friends mind and so she looked to her quietly."Marie? Are you feeling something? You like like you are lost in thought and I would like for you to tell us what it is. We all need to be on the same page no matter what the idea is." Her smile faint. She could feel some kind of buzz in her ear from the surrounding woods and she did not like the feeling. It did not feel like a potential attack of any kind but more of someone was watching them for some reason and preparing to follow them to see where they went. That was more than possible and she knew that they would most likely be a spy and report what they saw.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>27-01-2012, 03:42:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie lifted her head gently, shaking her head when Tsubaki asked about what was on her mind. "What? Oh, it's nothing relevant, honestly..." That was the truth, at least, it wasn't anything that really mattered at this particular point in time, though it could very well become relevant later down the line, she wasn't sure yet. She feigned what she considered to be a pretty authentic smile, if Marie was anything, it was a good performer. "I'm just kinda sad that I couldn't put on a show for this town, I wanted to wait until you two were available."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>27-01-2012, 03:45:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah...I guess that would be my fault in a way...sorry about that Marie. I lost you some money as well. If I had just not bothered with that seer then you could have done it." Feeling a little guilty. "I should have thought it out better before I did anything...tell you what. The next town I will just sit back and make myself unnoticed and then you can do your thing and I will finally be able to see what you can do, okay?" Her face hopeful.<br><br>She had totally forgotten all about her potential show and now that was ruined as well as potential capital for her as well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>27-01-2012, 04:14:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie, while thankful that Tsubaki had bought into her little tale, did feel a bit guilty that she had been forced to lie in order to get the bronzed woman off her back. Even Marie, as lighthearted and playful as she appeared right up front, had some things that she really didn't want anybody else to know about, not until the time was right and she had delayed it for as long as possible, anyway.<br><br>She simply continued to walk, and did her best to remain vigilant about their surroundings.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 03:46:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Humming a bit absently as she walked along, she was not sure what was going to happen but the feeling of being watched did not leave her at all and she knew that if she felt it, then they surely did as well. As long as they stayed away and contented themselves with watching then she was fine with it. It was more than likely someone who was curious or maybe one who would go back and tell that they had left. She was not worried in the least though. If it came down to it, they had left the town&nbsp; and if fighting was inevitable at least no one was around to get hurt.<br><br>Making sure that they fought away from innocent people was the most important thing to her and she would feel terrible of someone got hurt because of her and some power hungry sage.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 03:50:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian didn't get any such feeling of being watched, it seemed, as he was able to keep his eyes fully focused on the road ahead of them while Marie lingered in the back, also lacking that same feeling of being watched. Like Tsubaki, Marie was relieved that they were able to get away from the innocent people in case something did turn messy, and something told her that such a messy outcome was indeed inevitable. She just hoped that her comrades wouldn't think less of her for what may or may not come to pass, depending on how powerful their opponents were going to be if they caught up with them. She had been fighting at 50% strength for as long as she could remember, and the last thing she wanted was to ever fight at 100%... She didn't want to give that damn man the honor of thinking that he had ever given her anything worth having.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 03:59:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Now Tsubaki could be naive about a lot of things and she was when it came to most people, but feelings was not one of them. She could tell that something was bothering Marie but it was not her place to call her out on it...not until she was ready to share. It did nag at her though and made her wonder what could be so deep..that she would hide it from them? Did she not think of Julian and her as friends? She was not one to judge anyone and knew that no matter what the girl would be her ally....at least if she wanted to be. All this would run through her head as she walked along still feeling creepy. Ever since her power was released, she could feel the smallest bit of magic and life force. Good? Yes.<br><br>Though a bit unnerving. "So..any idea of what you are planning on teach me now that we have evaded that place? I would have loved to know all he had to teach but he was up to no good and I could not be a part of that. I just&nbsp; hope there is some one else.....though if he existed there has to be others. He is not the only being out their who knew of my clan and what we could do..so all hope is not lost." Her voice relaying more cheer and belief than she felt.<br><br>She had all assurance that Julian and Marie would teach her all they could..at least she hoped. They were from two different clans after all and powers differed greatly.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 04:12:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie was extremely grateful that Tsubaki didn't press her for information on what was bothering her, she was more then happy to simply keep her issues to herself and pretend that they didn't even exist. She was simply terrified that Tsubaki would no longer be able to trust her, that she would lose the only two people in this world that she genuinely considered as friends these days. As they traveled along, she tried her hardest to keep her mind off of her hesitations and concerns, but she found it next to impossible, as her mind always seemed to keep her dragging back to that same damned concern of hers time and time again. She had to find something else to think about... anything else to think about. Maybe she'd be able to find a cute girl in one of the upcoming towns, one that would finally be able to understand her and love her... Though she didn't exactly hold her breath for such a thing, Marie had actually given up on relationships a long time ago.<br><br>Julain, on the other hand, was more concerned about Tsubaki, and the possibility of them being tailed. Perhaps it would be wise for them to start taking night shifts when protecting the camp tonight, so as not to be completely caught off guard if something did end up happening while they were on the road.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 04:19:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Camp had been set up for the night and Tsubaki would be looking at the crackling fire and the kill that had been gotten for the night's meal. She was hard pressed to relax though because of the feeling that followed her all day. She was also bothered by how Marie had been behaving and was hoping to get the girl to open up. "Hey Marie....while we are waiting for the food why don't you come and have a bath with me? There was a nice a warm spring I spotted a little ways off and I do not want to go alone."<br><br>She knew that Julian was more than able to hold down the fort and that she would be alert as well the whole time. The eyes that had been following them was now at a standstill and waiting. They had set up camp...perfect. He had known something was wrong when the girl had not shown up and now knew that they were lying about her being ill. He was not about to let her leave that easily. He needed her magic....her&nbsp; untapped skill and she was not going to leave without him getting what he needed.<br><br>Creeping to the edge of the woods the sage smiled grimly. He would make them regret slighting him....all he needed was for the man to be alone. He would attack him first and surprise the women at the spring. They would not know what happened until it was too late.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 04:24:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				While they sat around, waiting for the dinner to be prepared, Marie looked up at Tsubaki and smiled softly when she talked about going to take a bath in the spring. With a slight nod of her head, the raven haired auramancer rose to her feet and stretched her arms. "Sure, that actually sounds rather nice." She giggled mischievously, having managed to get past her paranoia and her fears for the most part. "I'll try not to peek <em>too</em> much." And with that, she would begin heading down towards the spring in question, rather confident that Tsubaki wouldn't be far behind her.<br><br>Julian, on the other hand, simply took it upon himself to safeguard the camp and make sure that the meal was being prepared properly. He would occasionally poke or turn one of them around to make sure that the heat was evenly balanced. Unfortunately for their stalker, his front was facing where the sage was hiding out, so it would be rather difficult to get close without the man giving himself away to Julian.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 04:34:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A red flush creeping on her cheeks, Tsubaki coughed."Oh..okay then." Her steps right behind Marie's as she headed to the spring with fresh clothing and wash supplies in tow. She was not all all worried that something would happen while she was gone with Marie....or maybe that was just wishful thinking. Either way, it would find her at the warm spring slipping off her clothing and sliding into the water, her&nbsp; supplies on the shore next to her." Ooo...this is nice. While I do love a tub at an inn, I find nature's hot springs to be the best and most soothing." Hoping to loosen the girl up with small talk.<br><br>"You know...I used to worry all the time about people judging me....and they did. When I was at the shrine. Always judging me for what I was....and what I was not. I would never be an ordinary priestess and so I was shunned for the most part. I never really felt acceptance until I found you both and I feel I can tell you anything and you will not judge me. I t hank you for that."<br><br>----<br><br>Cursing as he saw the young man facing his direction, he would take the chance. He was no coward after all....but a power in his own right. He would&nbsp; puff up his own aura and step out into the firelight. "You left....how very unkind of you. After all I have done for you all....and this is how you would repay me?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 04:39:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie flinched lightly at her words, as she herself stripped down and gently eased herself into the spring. Hearing Tsubaki's words did little to ease her own troubles, though it was kinda nice to know that she wasn't alone in this boat of hers. Still... It wouldn't quite be so easy for her to come out and say what it was that was bothering her, no, not a chance. "I see..." She chuckled uneasily, hoping to change the subject for the sake of her own sanity. "You know, I'm actually kinda jealous of what you two have, I've pretty much thrown in the towel when it comes to that sort of thing..." Her gaze cast down, and for the moment, she knew nothing about what was going on at the camp.<br><br>.......................<br><br>Julian, meanwhile, sprung quickly to his feet and prepared himself for just about anything. He didn't know what to expect, but he was well prepared to defend himself if any sort of attack did come. "How unkind of you? You gambled with Tsubaki's life, that made it obvious enough that she's nothing more then an object to be used to you... a means to an end. I don't know what you plan on doing with her, with any of us, but I know that I don't trust you, I never have. I wasn't about to just sit back and wait until you hurt any of us, until you hurt her with your ambitions, whatever they may be."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 04:52:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking surprised,Tsubaki laughed."Jealous? Why? You seem like one of the happiest girls I know. You have success, fans, money and hell...I know love will come soon. You have the spirit for it. To be honest, I am shocked that Julian even wanted to be with me after everything that happened. I know I would not have wanted to be. I was...still am used and tainted goods if you think about it." Her eyes growing dark. "His filthy hands all over me as he used me...beating me and raping me trying to break my spirit. He succeeded you know.At least at first he did. I wanted to just kill myself to end the pain but Julian would not let me give up....and you did not either. I owe you more than you ever will know and so I will always be a friend and ally to you no matter what." Her voice sincere.<br><br>"And besides...I promised to help you find that elusive women did I not?"<br><br>---------<br><br>"I wanted her to help me after I unleashed her potential and you ruined that. Though if I get you out of the way then getting her back will be easier. She believes in you...trusts you too much for my liking. A young fool like you give her the fantasy that life is possible without absolute conquest and that she needs friends and allies to keep her grounded. That is foolish. Power will give you friends and allies....and servants. I need her...." His lips twisted."I need her now that she is fully unleashed to find me that stone." He laughed.<br><br>"Yes...I know all about it and you all......how you killed that Shadow Lord but anyone can use that stone...it can give anyone the ultimate power and I will ave it with her help.'<br><br>Drawing his staff, he crouched and smirked."Now you die boy....and I can have what I need." Launching at Julian.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 04:58:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie was about to speak, about how even through Tsubaki's words, Marie found it rather hard to believe them. She was no fool, she knew that it would take more then a few lofty promises and words to find her the kind of person that she was looking for. Of course, she was about to, when her mind was suddenly jerked in another direction by the spike of aura that came from the camp. "Huh?" She tried to investigate further, though it was just one initial spike, so she couldn't be certain of anything just yet. Either way, her concerns about her love life and her secret were both shoved to the wayside for the time being. Whatever was happening at the camp was far more important to her.<br><br>....................<br><br>Julian glared fiercely. "Just go ahead and try!" He snapped a sword into existence, blocking the staff should the old sage decide to attack with it. He didn't know anything about that godforsaken stone, but he already knew that it was possibly the single object that he despised most in the known universe. Everybody was coming after Tsubaki looking for that thing, it was the source of all their woes and trials, and it deserved to be destroyed. It was that decision that Julian made right then and there. As soon as this old man was dealt with, he would take whatever steps were needed in order to completely obliterate the stone. With it gone, there would be no more reason for people to come after him, no more reason for people to try and exploit Tsubaki.<br><br>none at all, and that was a future worth fighting for.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 05:09:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki really had the best intentions at heart but she did not know how to deal with Marie really. So she would just be the best friend that she could be and hoped that everything would be alright. But it would be around the same time that Marie felt something she would as well and she froze. "Camp....something is happening and we need to go!" Rapidly jumping out of the water and tossing on her clothing rapidly. Drying off was not important and she could come back for her things later. Not waiting because she knew Marie would catch up, she was gone like a shot back to camp.<br><br>---------<br><br>Leaping at him and throwing spells as he did, he cursed at Julian. "Why would no one want that kind of power? I know all about it after reading her mind." He laughed." I knew something was special about her and while freeing her I read her as well. You are a fool.....telling&nbsp; her she could be normal..that you would find her a home and live together. You want her for yourself....denying her what she could do for someone who would value her skill."<br><br>"I can give her life more meaning...purpose...power." Clashing against Julian as he tried to land a hard blow across his body with the heavy stick.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 05:15:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie got up as well, dressing as well, though she was able to take more time to make sure everything was in order due to her natural movement speed. Once she made sure all of her affairs were in order, she blasted through the wilderness at about twice the speed that Tsubaki was moving at, after all, she didn't boast about her being the fastest human in the world for no good reason. She would be back at the camp within seconds, snapping into the clearing and spinning around in an attempt to deliver a kick to the side of the sage's head while he was more distracted in his attempts to harm Julian.<br><br>.................................<br><br>Julian found little difficulty in avoiding the spells, since he well predicted the sage to be extremely aggressive. Arguing with him was pointless, this was a man that would never understand what it was that Julian offered Tsubaki, how she wanted to just live a normal life with him. Talking would simply be energy wasted at this point, since nothing that Julian could say would shake this man's beliefs. Instead, he simply deflected the stick with his blade, since when it came to close quarters combat, there was very little that a sage with a stick could do against a master auramancer like Julian.<br><br>And that was around the point that Marie also snapped into the clearing with her spinning kick.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 05:27:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Using her new power, she used a burst of speed to hurry along as well to see the action that was taking place. She would see the sage from town attacking Julian and Marie attempting to deliver a kick to the man's head as well. For an old man he was fighting like his life depended on it...and now it most likely did. They would not be letting him go after he tried to harm them the way he did. Grabbing at her bow and arrow, she pointed and fired a charged shot between them all stilling the fight for a moment. "What the hell is going on here?" Her body trembling in a rage.<br><br>---------<br><br>Cursing as Julian fought back, the sage was readying another blast when a kick was aimed at his head. Jumping back he cursed and swung at Marie. "You little bitch!I guess I will have to kill you as well." All coming to a halt as he threw up a shield of some kind over his body when the arrow came flying through camp.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 05:31:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian had attempted to swing his blade at the sage, during the same moments when Marie was about to connect with her kick. The end result was Julian's blade being recoiled, with Julian stumbling back a few feet, while Marie grunted in discomfort while her foot hit the shield. Still, she quickly kicked off of it and sent herself back a fair bit of distance. With a small flip backwards, she landed gracefully on her feet, though her knees gave way and she ended up in a crouching stance before she recovered. With that little move, she demonstrated fully just how acrobatic she could be, as her fighting style focused far more on dodging and being spry, as opposed to Julian who was more or less just a straight up sword swinger.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 05:43:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Laughing as the two blows were deflected off of him, he readied another blast and sent this one at Marie hoping to get her further away from him. He was not one for strength after all and relied heavily on his magic to help out. He needed to separate them as much as possible and get as close to the girl as he could. If he could just get close to her, he would throw out a spell that would distort what they were seeing hopefully giving him an edge. Throwing&nbsp; out blast after blast, he was chanting as he did smirking when he finished. A large smoke would arise from his staff and form into a dark fierce creature that would launch at Julian as well as Marie. It was like a dark, twisted version of a large cat that would hiss and stalk towards the two as prey.<br><br>"Now...try on my demons for size. Not so agile now are you girl?" His laughter mocking. "Come now Tsubaki....there is much I have to show you....such wonders...such power." His voice cajoling, slow and deep like a trancing spell.<br><br><div class="floatright">(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr294/Snowpelt16/panther.jpg)</div>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 05:47:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian prepared himself for the cat while it stalked towards him, though he changed his weapon from a single longsword to a rather large spear that he held in his left hand, while a massive shield formed in his right hand. He crouched down, ready to counter whatever blow the cat was about to hit him with. Since he wasn't quite as agile as Marie, he had to focus on countering and powerful blows to make sure his attacks connected. However, Marie was able to keep herself rather spry, as it seemed that the sage had well underestimated just how fast she could be under the right situations. There was no way that this silly little demon was going to be laying so much as a claw on her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 06:07:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Each demon would prowl towards the two fangs bared and claws at the&nbsp; ready. The one at Julian would spring through the air with a loud hiss ready to tear at any part of him it could get. Marie's demon would simply continue to stalk knowing the girl was fast and hoping to find a weak spot to tear into the girl. They were being controlled by the sage with each move as he focused on Tsubaki and moved closer and closer. "Come girl...we have much to do....to discuss." His voice soothing over her frayed nerves making her bow arm slump. It was as if a fog had taken over her brain and she felt fuzzy and warm.<br><br>"That's right....let us go..." His voice cajoling. When he had unleashed her he had also implanted his own thoughts into her mind to make her more compliant should the need arise. She would follow him when&nbsp; he told her to and all he needed was to get her away while they were&nbsp; busy.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>29-01-2012, 06:10:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Upon realizing that Tsubaki was being led away, Julian swiftly moved to counter the demonic cat with a quick shield block and a stab of his spear. He tried his absolute hardest to kill this thing as quickly as he possibly could, in order to quickly be after the man and Tsubaki, before he could get the two of them very far away. Tsubaki would never be a victim again, he would never allow it. Nobody would ever, ever, be able to manipulate her and take advantage of her again. It didn't matter what it took, what it cost, he would give pursuit after the two of them, refusing to let them get away.<br><br>Marie, meanwhile, would be the one to instigate her own fight, as she bolted forward and tried to stab the cat in the forehead with a dagger of solidified aura.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>30-01-2012, 23:52:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She could feel her body moving of it's own accord even though she struggled against it. He was leading her way from the camp, the fight and her friends so he could use her for his own ends. It was simply supposed to be a distraction to get her away and throw up something that would make it that much harder to track them down when he did the traces of their aura and energy. That is what he had done when he had so called helped her out. Made it so that if they ever did catch onto him, he would have some kind of backup plan...and it seemed he was about to put it to use.<br><br>"Come...we have much work to do and these two will only hold you back and not let you live up to what you can really do...they are not really your friends and they don't care whether or not you really learn what you can do.They always want you to rely on them....be the weakling they believed you to be before you came to me." His voice washing over her senses. He was trying to weaken her resolve, make her easier to control and so far he was not failing but it was not easy. She was fighting him every step of the way and he was impressed that she was learning so fast despite just being&nbsp; spiritually awakened. She would do nicely.<br><br><br>He smirked as he watched his two demons fly at the offending two and then frowned as he saw that they were doing better than he had hoped. They would surely make an end of the beasts after a bit and he needed to be gone by then.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 00:34:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Naturally, Julian wasn't quite so willing to give up the pursuit as he led Tsubaki out of the vision of the camp, however, the cat wasn't ready to give up the fight itself either, as it pounced after the young man from behind. It was intercepted at the last moment, Julian never noticing as Marie slammed her foot against the head of the cat, causing it to stumble back. It wasn't until Julian heard the sounds of violence behind him that he turned around, seeing his raven haired kinsman facing both of the creatures herself. "Get going! You're letting them get away!"<br><br>Julian would simply nod, bolting into the woods in the direction that he saw that sage leading Tsubaki. Marie, in the meantime, turned to address the two approaching black figures. She would straighten up, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves before she turned towards the two of them with a serious gaze. "You two wanna play serious?" Her pupils, normally a deep brown shade, started to swirl with a little bit of black. "You asked for it..."<br><br>Julian, during this time, simply made his way through the woods, shouting out Tsubaki's name while reaching out to try and connect with her on a mental, spiritual level... Something, anything to go off. Tsubaki wouldn't be a victim ever again, he wouldn't allow it, she wouldn't allow it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 01:37:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				His voice was like an annoying buzz in the back of her head but her heart leapt when she realized it was Julian calling to her.<em>"Here!! I am here! He is leading me to some abandoned hut in the woods. I now know what he did to me when he&nbsp; "helped" me. It was some kind of spell that makes me follow him though my mind is not in it. I have to find a way to break free."</em><br><br>Outwardly, she was glaring at the sage, her eyes wishing to cut him down like chaff in the wind.She could not speak and was moving like a doll who had no control of it's own and was being dragged along. She knew that if he was following her then they had to have defeated the cats....at least she hoped so and that he and Marie were okay.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 02:10:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Thanks to Tsubaki's guidance, something that he never thought would actually happen, it took no time at all for Julian to lock on to Tsubaki's position, and he was off like an absolute shot through the wilderness. He ran in the direction of the call in record time, praying beyond all hope that he could manage to get to the two of them before Tsubaki was taken to the cabin in question. He didn't know what it was that the sage was planning on doing with her, however, he had absolutely no desire to let him have her long enough to find out.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 02:23:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Moving quickly, he moved Tsubaki to the hut and had her sit in a chair where he could focus working on entering her mind. She knew that Julian would not be far behind and he knew it as well once he tapped into her thoughts. Cursing he had thought to buy some more time by raising a barrier of some kind around the hut and setting a few more of his beasts to surround the one entrance to the small hut. If he could not take her with him, then he would just have to use her mind to force her to find the stone from a distance. It was not that she had to find it, she always knew where it was. It had simply been sealed in her mind while she was still young.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 02:34:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian growled in frustration when the barrier shot up, as well as the beasts that suddenly rose up to protect the hut. Naturally, he would be able to cleave his way through such a defense, however, it would simply take too much time due to all the added defenses. Unless the beasts were absolute pushovers and the barrier little more effective then paper, it was almost inevitable that the sage would get his answers and unlock the location of the stone before he was able to get inside. However, just because he learned where the stone was didn't mean that he would win.<br><br>not by a long shot, there was a variable that the sage had completely and totally forgotten about.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 02:56:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would whimper slightly as he forcefully tried to dig into her mid to get the information he sought. He was trying to make her remember where the stone and what he would need to get it to respond to him.It would&nbsp; not just work for anyone and she was the key to finding the answer. He knew that with him using energy on her, his outside defenses would not last long and that was not his worry right then. If he could get the information then he wouldn't care if he came to get the girl or not.<br><br><br>"Just a little more time.." His voice strained with concentration as he dug into the girl's head with his incantations. Tsubaki would feel the strain of his entry and do her best to throw up her own defenses. While he might not allow her body to move, she was more than capable of keeping him out of her head. Her own mental block were getting stronger and she knew that she was going to be able to at least keep him out until help could come. Julian.....and Marie was right. She was not going to be his victim and she was not going to chance him getting his hands on something that would allow him to bring ruin.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 03:04:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A being would crash through the walls of the cabin, coming in as fast as a lightning bolt and as powerful as a tornado, however, when the presence made itself known, it would not be Julian standing there. Instead, it would be Marie, her face given a light coat with the dark blood of the cats that she had slain back in the camp, and her eyes midnight black without pupils. "Weakling..." She would suddenly ram the sage, slamming him against the wall with one jab of the shoulder before she snapped out what looked like some kind of double sided claw, trapping him in it. Her aura was a mixture of it's usual, beautiful shade of purple, and the same shade of black as her eyes. "Using manipulation and illusions to obtain greater strength then you deserve... You have no right to wield that stone, no reason to cling on to your own life."<br><br>Her voice would sound almost like a woman possessed, as a small blade started to emerge from the tip of the claw, seeking to puncture through the sage's heart slowly, painfully slowly.<br>"Now, reap what you deserve!"<br><br>A cruel, terrible grin slipped across her face, and the instant that the blade of the claw hit his bare skin, the sage would suddenly feel terrible, unimaginable pain resonate through his entire body while it pierced through him. The blade's contact with his heart, instantaneous death, would be a reprieve from the seconds which would last like a lifetime.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 03:36:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would only know that an explosion that rocked the small hut and she looked on as Marie looked like something that feared her so long ago...and she would only looked at Marie as she the oh so familiar eyes of the one who had grabbed her so long ago. She would also see how cruel and cold Marie was being to the sage while she was killing him slowly. If she had given him an instant death then that would have been one thing...but she was savoring it.....enjoying it.<br><br>Approaching the girl slowly, she reached out her hand shakily."Marie.....stop it....just end it and kill him. There is no need for this no matter what he has done so far.Please....you are making me very worried....and you look...like him." Her voice wavering.<br><br>The sage himself would be squirming weakly under the blade his life slipping away rapidly as he screamed pitifully. The pain was unlike anything that she had ever felt before and he just wanted it to end.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 03:43:12</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie, if she could even rightfully be called by that name at this point, shot a glance over in Tsubaki's direction before returning her attention to the sage. With a loud, frustrated growl she would simply comply by Tsubaki's request and send the blade sinking through his heart, piercing it and putting him out of his misery. Her breathing would be loud and labored, and a bit of her normal purple (ret-con) pupils would trickle through the blackness. "Ughn..." With the sage gone, and the darkness leaving both her aura, her eyes, and her body composure, Marie would collapse to the ground and grasp at her head lightly. "You saw it... you actually saw it... the monster I hide, the side of me I bury, smother, and try so hard to pretend doesn't exist..."<br><br>Julian would be able to force his way through the barrier, an easy task since it collapsed the moment that the sage died, and he would look on in confusion. "M-Marie? What happened in here?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 04:05:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yeah....I saw it. It was just like him...and this is what you were so anxious to hide away from me? Why Marie?" Shivering slightly as she looked at the girl who now had an all too familiar look to her. She had not taken out the time to realize what Marie parentage was and now it indeed was food for thought. She possessed some of the power that her tormentor had and it made her have a slight moment of panic even though she knew that Marie was nothing like him and would never hurt her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 04:09:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie did not get back up to her feet right away, instead she simply curled up a little bit more, shutting her eyes out of the fear that a bit of that pitch black glint was still hidden within them. "I was terrified... I knew that you would judge me if you knew... I knew that it was something best kept a secret, the knowledge about what I have been tainted with..." She glanced back up at Tsubaki, her perfectly normal eyes filling with anger and disgust at herself. "Besides, I don't ever want to let that wretched man know that he had ever given me something worth having..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 04:19:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"While I will admit that it is something that I did not expect at all, I am not going to judge or blame you for it. After all what could you have done short of traveling back in time and warning everyone?" Her face trying to take on a small smile before growing&nbsp; serious. "Besides...how will he ever know he gave you anything? He is but a shade in the after-world right about now....at least I hope so. I know not about how people from that kingdom truly die and if he merely&nbsp; came back as something or someone else. Either way, I refuse to worry about it right now as I will never be a victim to him...in memory or in flesh if he ever comes back. He had his chance before and since he did not destroy me, he will never get the chance again." Her face turning into a dark scowl.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 04:23:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would come up behind Tsubaki and softly put a hand on her shoulder, while Marie simply forced herself up to her feet and nodded. "You don't have to worry, Tsubaki, I am no danger to you... I'm more afraid about the people who decide to come after you, really..." She paused, reaching up to place a hand over her own heart, the knowledge that dark, unholy blood pumped through it with every beat was something that she constantly had to live with, a burden and a nagging sensation that she almost never showed to anybody. "... Nobody deserves to suffer a death like that man did..."<br><br>That was all she would say for a little while as she made her way towards the door of the cabin. "... Come on, we're wasting time."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 15:28:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Squirming slightly at her sudden change in attitude, Tsubaki sighed. "Yeah....let's go. There is much out there we have to do as well as get back to camp and gather our things. " She was tired though...really tired. They had not even been able to settle in for the night and now they would probably be walking all night. She was not at all worried about what Marie said about harming her though. She already knew that if she had wanted to, that there had been many chances for her while Tsubaki was weak and insecure about what she could do with her own powers.<br><br>No...the girl was more that trustworthy and she was a good friend and nothing would change that...even knowing what she had been suspecting for a bit. You could do nothing about where you came from but you could do everything to change where you were going. She really believed that&nbsp; and she was not going to let Marie feel sorry for herself. She had not been allowed to and she was not going to sit around and let it happen to someone else.<br><br>Truthfully, she cared about the girl as more than a friend....more of a sister really and she would be there for her as much as she could.<br><br>She also wondered what was going on in Marie's mind when she was killing that sage. She had taken so much pleasure in his suffering....and relished how bad she was making him scream. Truly what was locked inside her was some kind of beast....but she had learned how to contain it to a point...but what had finally driven it out?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>31-01-2012, 23:56:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie might have let off a rather confident and playful air, but in all honesty, nobody was more self conscious about her lack of power then Marie herself. She would frequently get afraid that her own meager auramancer powers, as diluted as they were due to her bloodline, wouldn't be enough for her to properly protect her friends and the people that she cared about. The only way for her to fight at a proper level was to use the other half of the blood that she had inherited, the other piece of the puzzle, in the form of that dark, cruel energy that Marie had unleashed. If she could control it, if she could make use of that darkness without losing her mind, then she wouldn't hesitate to wield it frequently and fully. However, every time she unleashed the floodgates and started to wield her dark powers, she lost control of her mind and her most dark and twisted desires came to light. It was part of who she was, part of her mind wanted for those things to happen, and that was what genuinely scared her the most, more then anything else in the world.<br><br>She would simply walk silently, wondering if she would ever be able to live a normal life with this kind of taint. True, she could wear the mask all she wanted, she could pretend that she was happy and normal, but knowing that a monster laid just beneath her skin, that there was something dark and terrible just waiting, desperate to emerge...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>01-02-2012, 18:54:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki could feel the aura radiating off the girl and it was no longer the confident and happy one it once was. No...she seemed depressed and worried and something more.....concerned. Was it that she worried about the fact that her secret was out? That she was not able to control it she wanted? That she had killed a man and relished in it? She could not imagine knowing how&nbsp; Marie felt and she would not pretend to.&nbsp; She would simply be there for the woman and hope that it would be enough. No matter what was inside of her she had been a good friend and that was all that mattered.<br><br>They were supposed to be teaching Tsubaki how to harness her own powers, but perhaps now they needed to include Marie in this thing as well. There was no point in having someone who was unsure in their own abilities suffering in silence. She already knew that Marie was not going to ask for any kind of help and so she would have to find a way to bring it about in a gentle way. They were back to the camp after a short time and she would&nbsp; break off,leaving Marie and Julian alone to talk while she hurried off to the spring to gather all her scattered supplies.<br><br>That would allow the two auramancers to talk as well as allow her to think. She would gather her scattered bag and clothing as well as bathing items and once she was done, head back to the still crackling fire..that surprisingly still held the now well-done meat that had been cooking when they had been attacked. She was not at all sure of the irony of the situation that they had grown in skill so much in such a short time that they had killed an enemy and made it back in time for dinner. If it was not a serious time she would have laughed....but still could not escape the tiny smirk that forced it's way on her face.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-02-2012, 01:15:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When the three of them got back to camp, Marie seemed to be in a bit of a better mood, though she wouldn't quite be back to normal until she got a good night's rest and was able to sleep her woes away. Honestly, these dark powers of hers wasn't even a topic that she thought about very often, it only came to the forefront of her mind whenever she either found the need to use them tempting, or when she just got done with them. She would stop beating herself up over it in the morning, but until then the shallow smile and the small glimmer in her eye would be enough to indicate that she was on the path to a full mental recovery. Marie absolutely could not understand how some people could dwell on their miseries and mistakes for their entire lives. Life was too short, and there was simply too much to see, to spend the entire time miserable in her eyes.<br><br>Julian, meanwhile, would simply go about taking the meat off of the burner and making sure it didn't get more cooked then it already was. "I prefer my dinner a bit more rare then this, but I'm not exactly going to complain." With that, he set out three equal portions and waited for Tsubaki to come back before he even started to eat.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>02-02-2012, 01:34:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Tsubaki would simply come back and see everything was in order and that the meal had been prepared and ready for her to eat. She had noticed that he had yet to touch his own food and figured that he was waiting on her to come back. Thanking him for the food once she settled in, she would take a few small bites and was thankful they caught it before it burned...it was almost on the verge of&nbsp; being too well cooked. But it was edible and for that she would be happy enough.<br><br>Looking over at Marie she noted that she seemed to be okay and that lifted a small worry off of her shoulders as well.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>02-02-2012, 01:42:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian decided that the best thing to do at this point would be to simply steer the topic away from the dramatic series of events that had unfolded to night. Instead of dwelling on those, he simply coughed lightly into his hand and spoke towards Tsubaki with a light tone in his voice. "Well, your power is now unlocked... what do we do from here with it? Where do we want to go? What do you want to do?" Naturally, he could do whatever he could to help her develop and refine her powers, but there was only so much he could do with his rather limited knowledge on the subject.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>03-02-2012, 00:41:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				'Where we go from here....I will let you and Marie decide. After all it is you and her that have to teach me what I need to know. You both have been in control of what you can do for the longest time and I trust you both completely. I would say that we can go on with what we planned already and find a nice and nice little town to&nbsp; hover down in and train there until we are ready to take on anything else that you have in mind. I am and always will be ready to follow your lead you know this." Her voice sure. Munching on the meat, she looked over at Marie who seemed to be quite calm now and asked.<br><br>"What do you think? This is something you should participate in as well. I know that there is something you want or need to do and I want to help in anyway that I can. You have to know that it is not all about me...never has been. It is about us as a whole and what will benefit us all is what I am interested in."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>03-02-2012, 06:45:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply nod and shift his gaze down when Tsubaki said that she would be fine just following the two of them where ever they wanted to go. He would return his gaze back up to her after a few moments, speaking in a sure voice when he responded to her words. "Alright then, I'd like to continue trying to find a place where we can settle down and hide ourselves away for the most part... however..." He paused, clenching his fist a little. "Whenever we feel that the time is right, I want to seek out the stone that everybody is chasing after, and I want to destroy it. If we can do that, then we should be able to just live in peace without everybody breathing down our necks, seeking to take advantage of you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>05-02-2012, 00:20:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I can agree with that." Her face assured as she polished off the rest of her meat. There was some bread she had stashed away as well that she would offer around before she had some herself. "I think that in the end no one is going to have that stone and if anything I will destroy it....or if I have to use it myself." Her face serious."It can grant you anything your heart desires and so it is a dangerous thing. Also..there is a trick to it as well. While it will grant you what you want, it will somehow corrupt what you ask for if you do not word it correctly. So it is something you really have to think about before you act. There is not going back once the words are out."<br><br>Her face was solemn for a moment before she went on. "I also think that finding a home will be an excellent thing...and maybe..just maybe if I can think of the right thing to say I can benefit everyone with that stone you know?Maybe I can ask for eternal peace..health...stuff like that for the world. But..eternal peace can be misconstrued as well. Eternal peace can cause the stone to kill us all, granting us eternal peace and I do not want that at all." She sighed. "There is much to think about...but that is for another time....I shall think on it from time to time.....because the correct request is futile when the moment comes."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>05-02-2012, 00:26:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian clenched his fist just a tiny bit when she talked about using the stone for the benefit of everybody. This was how it began, he could tell it already. Sure, Tsubaki meant well, but it would be too incredibly easy to just manipulate her into making a few fatal errors, and she would be causing far too much widespread damage and destruction to handle. No, best off just destroying the thing and moving on without it. He would simply shake his head lightly, still in disagreement as to what they should do once they got their hands on the device. "No, Tsubaki, I don't think it's a good idea to even consider using it to be on the table. It's too powerful for people like us to use it, best off destroyed." His eyes remained resolute, at this point in time he absolutely hated the stone, and he wanted to see it destroyed, it's shambling shards falling to the ground and becoming nothing more then a worthless pile of scrap.<br><br>That was his ideal solution to the problem at hand.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>05-02-2012, 00:43:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Eying him for a few minutes she finally gave him and shook her head. "If that is what you desire then I shall not disagree. It cannot be destroyed by normal means but I know what I can do. I can simply wish that the stone would destroy itself or begone from this world forever. No messing that up and it wold solve the issue at hand...though it would have been nice to make a good wish for everybody." Shaking her head she sighed."But I know that you are not only looking out for me but the rest of the people who would&nbsp; be affected by it." While she was a little disappointed, she understood and would do what was best for them all by getting rid of it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>05-02-2012, 00:47:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian nodded lightly, feeling a bit guilty for sounding as harsh as he had, still, this wasn't an issue he could really see himself compromising on. "I'm sorry, Tsubaki, I know you only want to help people, but there are other ways to do that... It's best if we don't go playing with things that we don't understand. Really, this is for the best..." He paused for a few moments, shifting a little closer towards her as he tried to catch her eyes with his own. "Even with the best of intentions, that stone could potentially cause destruction on a terrible scale... I don't think either of us want to live with that on our conscience..." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>05-02-2012, 00:58:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She wouldn't look at him at first, feeling a little put off by his tone. However, she realized that he was just worried and was not trying to hurt her feelings at all. After a moment, she would look up at him though and shake her head."I know you are right and so that is why I am not arguing the point with you. If something was to go wrong then I would be too blame and I could not live with that on my head either. So destroying it would be for the best after all....thanks for being the voice of reason. Her smile a bit shaky bit grateful.<br><br>"None of really knows what it is capable of and even though it did belong to my people, they died out. I wonder if the stone is a collective of what is left of them? That would&nbsp; be amazing you know? I would be holding something worth more than all the knowledge in the world in my hands. That is something we cannot gamble with and leave to chance. Thank you ."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>06-02-2012, 04:19:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie would simply keep herself silent in this matter, more then happy to simply be a piece of the background for this particular scene, while Julian reached forward and softly caressed Tsubaki's cheek. He knew that it was very likely that his words had hurt her, even though he had no such intentions. "Please forgive me if I sounded harsh, Tsubaki... that wasn't my intention." He would edge himself a little bit closer to her, hoping to simply move past the matter now and get her feeling a bit better, he knew his words had done little to help her. "It's sweet of you to put the world first... you know that? I know a lot of people who would simply try to abuse that kind of power for their own gain.... hell... we've killed at least 2 of them already..."<br><br>Seeing Julian try to make things up with Tsubaki brought a warm, mildly jealous, smile to Marie's face. She wished that she could have somebody like that.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>06-02-2012, 06:23:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I know...and it is fine. You were only thinking of long term and what could possibly happen. So I cannot fault you for it at all." Her own hand reaching out to take his own giving it a soft squeeze. She smiled inwardly at the fact that he kept moving closer to her, a small flush on her cheeks as she sneaked a look at Marie. The girl&nbsp; seemed content enough to sit there and let them talk but she hoped once they got going again that all that would change. "I know that as well that people had to die because of it and I would rather than not keep happening to me." Smirking a little. "I went from being a nobody at a shrine to a person most wanted overnight like a common criminal. In some small way it was humorous to her because she had always wanted to be noticed just a little bit and now she was getting more than she ever wanted.<br><br>"Anyway we should rest up and head out as soon as the sun rises. There is no more time to waste." Looking to Marie she bid her a good night and while her powers were unlocked she still liked her human made tent even though now it would be reinforced with aura that would alert her to danger crawling around. Smiling a bit at Julian she leaned over and shyly pressed her lips to his before getting up and heading into her tent, the invite open if he wanted to join her later..but for now maybe he and Marie needed to talk about what happened tonight.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>06-02-2012, 07:44:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply nod, more then happy to accept Tsubaki's blessing concerning everything that had happened tonight, before the bronze skinned woman was off and getting ready for sleep. "Leave it to Tsubaki to find humor in even the darkest of places..." He would simply shake his head, noticing that the flap to her tent was still open a few moments later. All it would take was a tiny bit of urging from Marie before he gave in and went to join her, closing the flap behind the two of them. Just like before, he was sure that she had to many bitter memories for the two of them to really go all the way in this setting, however, just having his arms around her, feeling her resting against him, would be more then enough to keep Julian happy.<br><br>His arms secured themselves around Tsubaki's frame, and he leaned in to give her a soft, gentle kiss. "Thank you so much Tsubaki, for being so understanding and kind..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>08-02-2012, 22:47:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Snuggling into his chest, she yawned. "I am not understanding and kind. I am simply realistic. As much as I know I want to use that stone and do good, you are right. There is just too much that could go wrong and then there would be maybe no way to repair it. I could not live with doing that to a world full of people. I have to thank you instead for helping me see that and though I was a little bit upset with the way you said it, I understood."<br><br>Her own arms would go under his own holding her and&nbsp; moving her head to press it into his neck, she took in the unique scent that was simply Julian. " Everything you have dome was always to help me ever since we left the shrine. You once said that I helped you when I invited you back tot he shrine and talked to you..got you to open up. But it was you as well... when you were passing through that time I was out gathering herbs...but I think it was fate that I meet you that day. And truthfully, you have more than repaid me ten times over..though I was never keeping track anyway." Her chuckle blowing wisps of hot air onto his throat.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>09-02-2012, 03:21:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian simply shut his eyes, basking in the wonderful presence that was simply laying here with Tsubaki. She really was a wonder, the only woman in the world who could make Julian feel so distinctly special and happy with the way his life had turned out. True, they had a great many trials still ahead of them, but Julian was confident that they would be able to overcome whatever it was, so long as they stuck together and remembered what was important. "Don't even mention it, Tsubaki.... It's what I'm here for." He held her a tiny bit tighter, as though he was afraid that she was simply going to drift away if he let her go. "Besides, trouble seems rather attracted to you... Somebody has to stand between you and that trouble, or at least by your side."<br><br>He would chuckle a tiny bit, reaching up with one hand to softly run his fingers through her hair.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 01:51:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Laughing a little back, she sniffed."I don't think that I attract TOO much attention...just the weirdos who want to use me for something and that is not my fault." Her voice amused. Julian made her feel safe and wanted and she knew that no matter what she would want him by her side. Marie was a value asset to her as a friend and she hoped that would not stray to far away once things were all said and done.<br><br>Besides, she still owed her a complimentary hookup and she was not going to let her leave until she had found her the perfect woman. So far, Julian had been patient, kind and understanding with her and everything that she had gone through. She simply wanted it all to work out and for them to find a place to dwell together and live out their lives peacefully. She was not majorly concerned about having a family or anything, just being with him was good enough and that was something she would allow him to approach her on when and if the time ever came.<br><br>Though she did wonder if he was ever thinking about taking the next step with her considering the trauma she had dealt with. It had crossed her mind once or twice but was not something she dwelled on.Besides, when they had that talk she would prefer it be behind closed doors and not within earshot of any other being.<br><br>"I know that you will be here....I trust you with everything Julian....believe that." Her voice sincere as she lulled between sleep and the land of the wide awake.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 05:59:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply smile at her soft words while she began to slip away into the land of dreams. He himself had a little bit more energy left in the tank before he followed her to that abyss, so he was able to simply continue running his hand through her hair and keeping her as comfortable as possible. He had indeed thought about that natural next step, he thought about it quite often, actually, but he was patient enough with Tsubaki that he didn't need it before she was ready. After all, she had been traumatized by that man, and Julian was worried that being with him would be extremely difficult for her to do, even if she agreed to it. He'd simply have to watch out for her, keep her close and safe.<br><br>There were a few times where he just wished that he were able to go back in time and prevent that wretched man from ever laying hands on her, then she wouldn't have to suffer from as much turmoil as she did.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 06:09:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her eyes would grow a bit heavier, her speech slurring slightly as dropped her guard. "I mean it Julian....I trust you more than I have ever trusted anyone and I want to be with you...I was just...worried that you would look at me badly because of what happened. But I am ready to make a life with you and live it out peacefully. I don't even care if we ever find that stone or not...I just want to be a normal woman....as normal as can be anyway. Her words coming out slowly.<br><br>"I am not afraid of you...and I know you would never hurt me like he did. You are nothing like that.." Her fingers moving up to&nbsp; wind into his collar grip him tightly as if he would slip from her grasp when she fell asleep. She was no longer afraid to tell him how sh felt since he basically had been with her in one of the lowest times in her life. She knew for sure that he was it. The one she wanted to share life and those intimate and sweet moments with.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 06:12:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Tsubaki..." Julian would simply hug her closer and with more intention as she slipped fully off to sleep. Her words had done a great deal to help him, more then she knew, most likely. He would want to remain by her side, no question about that, for as long as he possibly could. Perhaps when their fight was over, Julian could give her the kind of normal, regular life that she was asking him for, that would be his goal. He would simply lean in and kiss the top of her head, intent on being there for her whenever she needed him. "Sleep tight, Tsubaki... I'll see you in the morning."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 06:22:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				His only response would be a murmur as she quickly fell into a deep and satisfying sleep knowing that she was loved and protected. Taking that next step when he was ready for it was no longer a worry on her mind because she knew that he would take care of her in every way. He would make sure that she was safe from every threat that came their way and now that she could properly defend herself, she would not be a burden on him as well. That was something that made her feel good.<br><br>She would sleep well into the night in the arms of the man who she had gone through so much with in so little time...and slowly had grown to love as well. The morning would come quickly for them all, the annoyed groan coming from her as she felt the air shifting telling her it was time to start the day. She didn't want to move but she knew they had to. They had things to finish so that they could have the life they so wanted.<br><br>Looking up sleepily to see if he was awake yet, she would smile at him if he was and speak quietly. "Our journey is coming to an end..I can feel it deep down. Whether we find the stone or not...I can see us settling down soon... and we can finally be at peace.."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 06:34:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would fall asleep about a half an hour after Tsubaki, and like her, he would wish that the night would never end so that he could enjoy his time with Tsubaki all the more. Oh, how he wished that they didn't have to move, that they could just remain in this position forever, but they had to get up, they had to keep going, and they had to continue fighting. He knew that much, and as such, it wasn't as difficult as it could have been for him to get out of bed and begin his day anew. He would be awake as Tsubaki stirred, letting out her unhappy groan as she was forced to wake up by the same sense of duty that roused Julian from his own slumber.<br><br>He would smile at her words, and gently pull away from her. "You know something, Tsubaki? I really, really hope that you're right..." He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her forehead before her began to sit up, groaning and stretching as he did.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 06:42:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Getting up with an unhappy pout,she yawned."I know it...I can see it coming so fast for all of us. Speaking of all of us....we kind of left Marie out there last night....I wonder how she is doing." Shuffling as she got up and grabbing some supplies headed out to take care of her morning needs. She would exit her tent, looking for Marie and knowing if she did not see her that the girl would know to meet her for a quick bath and then breakfast so they could head out.<br><br>Next stop....a town where she could finally see Marie perform as well as keep her eyes out to see if the town could be a future home for them all.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 22:14:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Marie would already be up for the morning, working on tearing down camp when Tsubaki finally came out for the morning. She'd simply offer her a small smile and a nod before Tsubaki went off, and Marie simply kept to her own business for the time being. Seeing as how she had been the one to urge Julian to go in and join Tsubaki for the night, she really couldn't be all that angry with the either of them. Rather, she was more then happy to simply play a backup role to their relationship and watch how things unfolded from the sidelines.<br><br>When they arrived in town, like before, Marie instantly took off to go and take care of her own business, leaving Julian and Tsubaki by the sidelines and looking at the town. "Well, what do you think, Tsubaki?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>10-02-2012, 23:34:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking around the town slowly and with a very critical eye, she nodded."I cannot find anything to complain about right now. It would take a much closer inspection before I can really say what I think but so far so good." She had noticed that Marie had once more vanished and frowned. Where was it that she was always heading off too? It&nbsp; struck her as curious but she was not about to go spying as that was not her business at all.<br><br>Looking&nbsp; at Julian, she instead asked the question. "Do you perhaps know where Marie is always heading off to when we get to towns? She never says anything and just leaves. It makes me wonder if she does not like being around us or even me...maybe&nbsp; I am simply thinking too much."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>13-02-2012, 03:32:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply smile and shake his head when Tsubaki asked if there was a particular reason for why Marie always seemed to vanish whenever they made their way into town, though he really didn't have any sort of concrete answer for her. "I don't know, she likely just wants to sight see on her own for a little while and give us some time to ourselves. Really, I have no idea about what's going on in her mind."<br><br>He took a few steps into the town, giving Tsubaki a small smile. "well? Shall we look around?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>13-02-2012, 22:48:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shrugging at the vague answer, she mused."Sure why not? I'm sure she will be back when she is good and ready and so let us take the time to see what this place has to offer. It looks friendly enough and from first glance it has everything you could need unless it was something that had to be custom and magic infused. There is two inns, a blacksmith, a jeweler, a good many shops and some places that are odds and ends to me for now but I will really like to check them out."<br><br>To be honest, the place looked wonderful and she could very well see herself being happy there. But appearances could always be deceiving and so until they looked the place over she would be slightly on guard.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>15-02-2012, 05:01:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would be extremely vigilant as well, standing by Tsubaki's side and keeping a cautious and diligent eye out for anything that could prove to be dangerous to the two of them, or just Tsubaki. Still, there didn't seem to be any clear dangers, so after about ten minutes or so, he was able to let down his guard a little bit and more properly enjoy traveling through the town with Tsubaki by his side. "Hmm... see anything you like?" Tsubaki would eventually run across a fortune teller while she went about her travels, a rather lovely young woman about Tsubaki's age with violet hair streaming down beneath her black hood. "Welcome, welcome. Spare a few coins to see your future?"<br><br>Her smile was kind and sweet, no ulterior motives or dark intentions anywhere to be found in her eyes.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>15-02-2012, 05:09:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Figuring what could it hurt, Tsubaki would produce a few coins from her waistband and hand them over to the woman.Though she mostly believed that people made their own fate, it could not hurt at all to see what the woman had to say. She would merely shrug her shoulders and look to Julian at first and then back to the woman in question. So far nothing had given her a bad vibe about this woman or this town they were in so far and so things were looking up. She also had yet to answer Julian about whether or not she saw anything she liked, when truth be told she saw many things that she liked already.<br><br>"So...tell me what is my fortune? What lies in store for my future that you can see?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>16-02-2012, 07:04:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The violet haired woman would simply smile and shut her eyes for a few moments once coins had exchanged palms. "Mmm... In your future I see a large and terrible ravine, it's pit deep, black, and endless should you fall inside of it. But on the other side of the ravine, past the black pit, lays a valley of eternal sunlight and an endless garden..." She opened her eyes, giving Tsubaki a small nod. "You will have great hardships awaiting you in the future, however, should you have the strength to overcome them, you will find happiness unlike any other."<br><br>Well, of course fortune telling wasn't legitimate, but it was kinda surprising how good of a show she could put on. In all likelyhood she got most of her money from people paying to view her pretty face and earn the chance to flirt with her, rather then them having any kind of interest in her 'fortune telling'.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>16-02-2012, 21:31:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Looking at the woman with a critical eye, she nodded grimly."Is that so?" Her mind in turmoil. Sure, she made her own fortune but what if what this woman said had one ounce of truth to it? Had she not already gone through dark days and suffered enough? Sure a light at the end of the tunnel was promising&nbsp; but what did that mean for her?Julian?Marie?&nbsp; What could that ravine possibly mean and when would it come? Here she was feeling good about their journey coming to a close and now this? Perhaps she was simply on the end of some kind of cosmic joke but either way she was not going to take it lying down.<br><br>"Very well. I know that I can overcome whatever you have "seen" and that I have those who care about me to&nbsp; help me through it. I am not going to let this worry too much as ultimately I am master of my own fate. I do thank you for your "vision" though."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>17-02-2012, 02:04:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The violet haired woman would simply smile and nod towards Tsubaki, not sensing quite what she had done to the poor bronzed woman's mind. "Of course. Please feel free to recommend me to any of your friends... Tarah the seer." She would wave as the two of them walked away, and Julian looked towards Tsubaki with a mildly serious look in his eye. He was getting to the point now where he knew Tsubaki's physical tells well enough that he could tell how Tarah's words had gotten to her. "Don't read too much into it, Tsubaki. Fortune telling is little more then a sham anyway." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>17-02-2012, 04:27:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Is it? I mean she had nothing to say to you at all. She didn't even mention you when we came through. She zoomed in on me and then gave this doom and gloom "prediction" as if it an everyday thing. I know that we are the makers of our own fate and all but sometimes it is hard to remember that when you hear things like that from people. But maybe&nbsp; you are right...maybe she has no actual abilities after all and is merely&nbsp; on a nice little run to earn a few coins from travelers coming through...so I will try not to worry about it."<br><br>But that was it...she was worrying about it and she wondered how much truth might be in that woman's words phony or not. She would do her very best to make sure that nothing got her down and that she would keep her eyes open for such things..but until then there was still a whole town to explore...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>18-02-2012, 07:16:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would simply smile lightly and nod, figuring full well that Tsubaki was putting far more thought into this then she really should have. "She really wasn't even that good at putting on her whole 'benediction' show, either. I mean, she didn't have any sorts of props to pretend to be using, and she didn't even ask to see your palm, for whatever reason. She just took your coins and shut her eyes..." He reached over, laying a hand gently on Tsubaki's shoulder. "really, it would be for the best if you tried not to read so much into it."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>19-02-2012, 23:38:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I know...it just seemed that I am getting used to this whole doom and gloom thing going on. I know that most likely she was just a fake who is making her coin by giving out silly fortunes...but I cannot help but wonder if she can be right in some small way. There is just so much going on that I expect anything to happen at anytime. I know that I have you and Marie there for me as well&nbsp; but I cannot rely on you guys to watch my back all the time. I have been able to come into my own&nbsp; after my powers were released."<br><br>Taking comfort in his touch, she relaxed a bit and mused."But I will try not to let what she said get to me. Now..do we or do we not have a town to explore?" Her face taking on a cheery look. "I want to go visit the weapons shops as well as any magicks shops and also grab something to eat while we are at it."<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>SargentToughie</strong> on <strong>20-02-2012, 02:48:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Julian would smile, relieved that she was feeling better once he had comforted her properly. When she said something about going to explore the rest of the town, he simply took a step back away from her and motioned towards the busy streets of the town. "Well, Tsubaki, lead the way." He was extremely thankful that she didn't let the fortune teller's words go entirely to heart, since he himself didn't believe in anything as simple as destiny or fortunes anyway.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The path to redemption (ST &amp; TDM)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>TheDarkMiko</strong> on <strong>20-02-2012, 20:47:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Taking his hand,she was content enough to lead him along gazing at each shop and even grabbing a few items that caught her eye. Some of the weapons and magick items were of very good quality and that lead her to wonder where they had traded from or if there was simply a very skilled maker among them somewhere. Maybe this place was worth giving a deeper look into after all. Looking to Julian,she mused."There is someone or a few someones who are very good here and I would love to meet them if possible, they have very good crafting skills."<br><br>She was feeling somewhat excited like they had discovered some kind of diamond in the rough here that made things she was used to seeing back at the shrine. That had brought a feeling of loss and sadness to her all of a sudden and she sighed. She wondered how they were doing back there and if they even missed her. Most likely not...if anyone would have it would have been the man who was like a father to her and he was probably dead since he was on his last legs when hey had left. Though the other priests and mikos were often mean to her she did miss training and learning with them.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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