Iron and Rain

[Tone 6th]

"No no you need to stay here with the doc." Ryoshi leaned forward and tapped the ash from his cigarette into a small ashtray. He coughed a little but continued to until it was gone. He put the butt out in the tray and leaned back. "I think he caught wind that I was in town some how and that's why he started looking for me. If he had been following me all this time he would have had plenty of opportunities to kill me out in the wild." He sighed. "I think we'll have to deal with him at some point, but it looks like for now we are safe. He didn't attack you out in public maybe he isn't looking to get the watch involved.... We should use the time we have to get new gear. My sword needs some tuning and my cloak could use some mending. What about you? What do you want?" He asked her.

As if the arm had a mind of its own and heard Akanes comment it glitched a bit a flipped her off.

 

[Megasis]

Akane gave a softened sigh and ran her fingers through her hair slowly… with her good hand. "I know you are worried, but I'm doing a lot better. My legs work just fine." Which is what she would need for travel anyhow… she'd just have to opt for possibly a weapon she didn't particularly like at first… something she could use singlehandedly. It could work, but Ryoshi did not seem interested. Speaking that singular sentence before it seemed his mind was made up… stubborn old man.

"Those things are going to kill you," Akane grumbled and rose for a moment to take the ash tray and cigarette butt to dispose of it. Usually it wasn't a bother, but that was when they were in the open air and the smoke was constantly being blown away. Circulating in a small room, it could give her quite the headache… especially when she was already on the verge of one.

His words didn't give her much peace of mind, but it was what it was…

Coming to plop her rear back down beside him on the couch, she eased her hand up beneath her hair and to her neck. "I'll keep a look out for him… just… please be careful. You go out there a lot on your own. I know I can't do much yet, but I would still feel better being there with you if something happened." But she wasn't allowed to fight in her current condition. Wouldn't be like she could offer much aid… just a burden.

It made her ever more determined to get that waitressing job. To feel like she was at least doing something instead of merely being stuck in her own maddening and endless thoughts.

"I honestly haven't really thought about that… I think Brenner said he had some ideas. Something we could modify into this thing. I'd be interested to see what he has in mind, but… if possible I want to keep my similar approach of fighting. It is just… what I'm used to. How I was taught." So up close and personal it was. Some sort of sword and she'd like to see what sort of upgrades she could get for her grapple.

Brows then puckered before angling sharply at her own hand of which apparently was having some serious attitude problems!! With a snarl she muscled the arm to rest against her lap with a hiss through teeth. "Well fuck you too—!" Wasn't as though she asked for her own arm to be torn off and replaced with this one… who knew you could physically wrestle with your own body and have it give a little fight back!

 

[Tone 6th]

A week or two passed, and Akane was making more and more progress. Practicing with Brenner was getting easier and easier. Her new arm was starting to feel like a part of her and not just a piece of machinery. Punching, blocking, and swinging her built in blade became more fluid with her arm, it listened well. Soon enough it went of an arm to her arm, she was ready to fight... to live again.

"You've come a very long way Akane, you should be proud, you're no longer that hopeless girl I brought back from the edge of death." he smiled the same dark smile he had sense day one. It was a little off putting but there was a calm to it. "As a reward I'll give you a free upgrade, one I've just completed." he came up to her and took her mounted blade off her arm. "Hold still." he took out a small soldering gun and was looked like a small black box, about the size of stapler. He opened up her arm and carefully attached the box to the arms circuits. Once he was done her closed up her arm and looked to her "Simply think of how long of a blade you want and the shards will form to that exact length." he watched on in anticipation. When she said the size of the blade in her mind all these small black and dull red triangles burst from her arm. It took only a blink of an eye and the shards locked together to form the shape and length of blade she wanted to her arm. "Wonderful! The shards are as hard as the strongest steel, but are quite light. The lock together via magnets and your body's own natural electric current. The only down side is that they require sharpening like any other weapon, I haven't figured out a work around for that yet." he sighed. "I hope you like it."

--------------------
Another week passed and Ryoshi finally let Akane get a job. She found a local diner, "Jonny Hots", to work at. It wasn't to far from the center of the city and offered a warm meal to comfort from the cold rainy days. It was a mom and pop type place where the staff were mostly made up of the family who owned it. It was always busy and most people tipped pretty well. One day, however, she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey sweetie theres another one for you, its a table of Watchers so be nice to um yeah? Fresh coffee and all that." Ira, the owners wife and co manager, said with a smile. Ira and her husband were older, early sixties probably, but they both were extremely nice and tried to give back to the community as much as they could.

Sitting at the table was indeed four watchers, one of them she recognized right off the bat... Nash and his dragon Kaza. Nash was surprised to see Akane here to say the least "Oh um hey." he smiled and blushed a little.

One of the older watchers smirked "This the girl you were talking about Nash? You're right she is pretty."

"Sh shut up!" Nash scowled. "Sorry about him, how have you been?"

 

[Megasis]

Brenner… she was really coming to appreciate that man's work. Whereas in the beginning she may have been skeptical. Afraid of the technology that he had knowledge of and wondering if it would turn her barbaric. And yet, she now realized that he really was aiding to help her get the life back that she wasn't ready to give up on just yet. For that, he earned a rare and genuine smile, just like the ones she often presented to Ryoshi after the long journey of getting to know one another… and to come to the realization that he wasn't just a grumpy old man.

"You're too good to me doc," she said and obeyed his word until he was finished, raising it to inspect and her eyes simply lighting up with how magnificent the blade was in itself…. and customizable! She was mesmerized, really. Playing with the function and manipulating it with her mind, part of her body, just as the mechanical arm had become. Soon she'd be tempted to call the man a genius.

A broad smile as well as a near sparkle in her dark eyes and she ensured the blade was safely tucked before she threw both arms of flesh and tech around his neck in a tight hug. "Truly… thank you."

◖◍◗​

After many a night pestering and relentless questioning… she was starting to remind herself of the spunky youngster she used to be. Driving the teachers crazy with her insistent questions of which some they seemed not to have an answer. Many probably wouldn't have thought she was the same girl with how she had evolved into a calm and nearly stoic young lady, at least, until someone bothered to get to know her and to see the spunk beneath. As Ryoshi was able to see now… and perhaps wished he didn't sometimes.

Yet, he relented. Eventually. And helped her to locate a rather friendly diner where things were always rather relaxed as far as rough-housing went, though the rushes were certainly something else. Still, they seemed to scratch the itch for the need of adrenaline coursing through her veins… that and it was good to be doing something again. Off her feet and providing a service. The customers were often very nice to her as well and they enjoyed her pleasant company.

They had just gotten done with the lunch rush this afternoon. She was running a bit hot even in the simple black tank she wore and simple that hugged rather than giving her something to trip over. And surprisingly enough, she was growing used to letting the arm show as well. Wearing it sort of… loud and proud rather and hiding it all the time. It was nearly a work of art after all, sort of just like her mask that was gifted to her as well. This city truly wasn't too bad… not with the people she'd come to meet thanks to Ryoshi.

Her shorter, charcoal gray hair was pulled up in a small pony this afternoon, showcasing the warmth of her face and arms as she wiped down another table swiftly to get it ready for more customers. Though she was swiftly passed by an equally bustling woman alerting her she had another table. Ira, the owner's wife. She was such a sweet thing and Akane took a liking to her rather swiftly. She and her husband reminded her of the village elders, really. Just a calming presence and always having a smile to spare and a witty story to tell.

"What do you mean? Am I not always a peach?" Akane asked with a soft chuckle and straightened to bustle behind the counter to wash her hands after dealing with dirty plates. "I'll be extra kind," she promised with an easy smile, wiping her hands on her black apron that was cinched around her waist, grabbing her notepad and easing a pen behind her ear. Depending on how big the table was, she was getting quite good at remembering orders, but she always took it just in case. Slipping the pad into a pocket of her apron, she swiftly filled a tray with cups of water, balancing it easily upon the hand of her mechanical arm.

"Hello, welcome to Jonny Hots," she started without even looking up, focused on settling the waters down in front of each guest. "For our lunch special today we have a fresh vegetable and… beef…" One. Two. Three… and then she set the forth glass down and rose her eyes to meet the pair both familiar and had her trailing off in her surprise. "Uh.. hi, Nash…" she nearly stuttered, but said his name flowed easily from her memory, and she didn't know whether that was because she'd been so infuriated by him or if he had somehow managed to leave an impression on her.

Also… was he blushing?

She about smirked until one of the other watchers at the table said something about how Nash thought she was pretty… then her own cheeks were flaring, though there was a sort of defensiveness in her to hear such a thing from a guy that had seemed so ready to arrest her! Her brows puckered in a slight scowl toward Nash and Kaza before she quickly wiped it away, though the red still remained upon her cheeks.

She promised Ira she'd be nice… but this made it much more difficult.

Swooping the tray to hang behind her back in both hands, she tilted her head slightly, about to merely just ask them if they knew what they wanted, but Nash insisted on this small talk… she felt she would have been content to just pretend they didn't know each other. "I've been… good. No more mugging attempts have been made at me so… I guess you could count that as very good?"

Ugh, she sucked at small talk…

"How about you? Staying busy I assume. And also… hungry since you're here," she grinned just a bit, though it was apparent she wasn't used to such conversation.

 

[Tone 6th]

Kaza seemed very curious about Akane, climbing off Nash's shoulder. The small dragon flapped its wings and landed on the woman's shoulder. The drake looked at her with big eyes before giving her a lick. "Kaza no down." Nash scolded and but the dragon back on his shoulder. "Sorry about that." he laughed a little. Kaza still looked right at Akane almost like trying to communicate. "Um things with us has been good, might get a real weapon soon." he laughed.

"Don't push it rookie." one of the watch laughed.

The two chatted a little more before the table ordered, and nearly inhaled by the Watch. An hour or so passed before they were ready to leave. In the mean time the dinner had continued to be busy, customers looking for respite from a now heavy rain. It pelted the windows and the wind had picked up, a common but bad storm all the same. The watch had gotten up from their table to leave.

"I can't believe we have to patrol in this storm." one of the members huffed as he put on a coat, mask, and hat.

"Don't complain no one is out right now so we can probably just get away with doing our job quick." another scolded.

The group left but Nash sought out Akane one more time before he left "Um hey I know we got off on the wrong foot and I'm really sorry. Honestly I was thankful for your help and um.... Would you want to get diner tomorrow night? I know a place reserved for just the Watch." he was bright red.

Toward the end of the conversation Akane could see through one of the large dinner windows, across the street, through the rain a hulking figure staring at her. It was hard to make any features out but a chill ran down her spine as she looked at the things head... it was him Sharp.

His hallow guff voice from that night in the hospital crept back into her mind "It is pitiful how you organics cling to life. Disfiguring your body with mechanical parts and bits of plastic." Her shoulder ached as if his icy metal hand was digging into it all over again.

There was a flash of lightning and then the figure was gone, or maybe he was never there to begin with? Was she over working herself?

"Hey you okay?" Nash asked. "You're pale." he looked concerned. "Maybe this was a bad idea..."

 

[Megasis]

Taken a bit off guard, Akane flinched as the small dragon upon Nash's shoulder made a move toward her… only for the creature to flap its wings and lurch itself forward onto her shoulder! A noise of surprise left her lips and the dark gray of her eyes widened, body freezing as though the animal still sought to attack her with fire! Though the minor flooding of panic washed itself out momentarily as Kaza gave her cheek what seemed like an apologetic kiss with a quick flick of his tongue. Immediately, a charming laugh broke from her as all worry dissipated, seemingly properly buttered up now.

"He's alright," Akane assured with a fading chuckle, managing a swift pass of fingers in a nuzzle over the dragon's head before he was successfully reclaimed by his owner. Her eyes seemed lighter now and the grin on her lips wasn't so fake… like when she had to deal with tables of men that she could feel leering at her behind as she walked away. "Don't be," she said genuinely with her eyes flickering from Nash back to the dragon on his shoulder that still gazed at her, and she couldn't help but extend a hand to give the animal and quick loving scratch beneath his chin.

She missed animals… it was one of her favorite parts about the forest where she grew up, not realizing how desolate the rest of the world seemed once she was wandering it alone. Not a lot out there except for kirioni, which would make sense. It was as though they were the new predators of the world and with the overpopulation of them, any smaller animals were slowly being wiped out from their natural habitats.

"Really?" Akane asked, seeming a little more invested in the conversation, though the hulk of the man beside Nash uttered words of skepticism and laughed at the young man's expense to which Akane gave a dart of dark eyes that thinned to suspicious slits… before settling back on Nash. "Well… from what I witnessed, you should have one already," she encouraged and offered the rookie a rare softened grin.

Small talk wasn't so bad with the right people, it seemed.

She would take the tables order, an easy one that she could remember and easily brought it to the kitchen. Making deliveries back and forth to other tables, picking up orders and eventually bringing the table of Watchers their food when it was ready… and unable to help the flitter of her eyes occasionally spying the young rookie as she was in passing or bringing back a dirty dishes.

Though she was unable to fathom why and wouldn't have a chance to ponder the question as the diner soon became rather busy with new soggy customers trying to escape the spontaneous rain. Oh boy. Unexpected rushes… always fun.

"There you are… sorry about the wait on those. Thank you for your patience," she said as she set down steaming food upon another table, her cheeks brightened to pink and stray pieces of her charcoal hair falling from the short bundle at the back of her head. Blowing out air from between lips to brush aside the pesky strands, she approached an empty table and bustled to pile up dirty dishes upon her tray to which she could balance on her shoulder and take back to the kitchen, stalling momentarily to wipe it down with a rag stuffed in her apron. Apparently so entirely focused with the tasks at hand that she didn't notice the man approach until he began to talk, startling her for the second time that day.

"Oh-! Nash…" she jumped and fanned her face, not wishing to be rude because at the moment she was very busy… but also felt she could use the minute of a breather anyhow. Settling her darkened eyes on the male, she rose a brow as he began an apology, feeling her insides flip at such and if she wasn't already red in the cheeks she probably would have blushed.

Settling her hands on her slender hips, there was no mistaking the fact that she was surprised at such a request, eyes growing slightly round, feeling as though the request was nearly as surprising as seeing him at that table an hour ago. "I.. um.. dinner?" she asked softly, and merely looking upon the redness of the man's face, she didn't even have to ask what the occasion was. If it was possible, her cheeks too darkened further to crimson.

Her eyes darted… anywhere. Which happened to be one of the big windows, the rain splattering the glass, though it was not the rain that she was soon staring at. It was the train station all over again. Seeing a hulking figure obscured outside the window and across the street, she froze. Her heart pounded viciously in her ear, an sharp ache making her grimace subconsciously as she naturally rose a hand to cover where skin met metal on her one shoulder. Her mind wandering off, merely seeming to blink at the window, but when eyes focused once more after a pass of lightning, the figure was gone.

But her heart was still pounding.

"I…" His voice came through, and she was thankful for it. Her eyes came back to him and truth be told… she felt a little nauseous all of a sudden, but probably not due to what Nash was thinking. "No… I mean… yes… um…"

One thing at a time Akane.

She closed her eyes for a moment, pushing out a breath, before opening them and settling her eyes on the boy that looked concerned for her in the moment and she found that she liked that better than the accusatory stare he'd held on her once before. "Sorry, it's… been a day. I'm a little winded is all." She didn't need a repeat of what happened last time she was in his presence and this time settled for the fact that the metal man could merely be her imagination at this point. It was… easier to think about that way.

"Yes, I'm okay. No, I don't think your idea is a bad one, and… um… Yes. Dinner sounds… nice." Biting upon the inner flesh of lip, she reached upward to brush aside another messy tendril of hair, offering him a slow grin once more. "So… tomorrow night..?" she asked as though to prod him forth. Tomorrow night… when? Where?

Oh gods what should she even wear…?

 

[Tone 6th]

(Something to set the mood a little)

"Yeah I'll pick you up at eight, wear something a little more formal." he was absolutely beaming!

"Hey rookie come on we don't have all day!" one of the Watch called.

With that Nash took his leave out into the cold rainy night, his heart filled with happiness.

As Akane watched him leave her eyes fell upon the big black window, her shoulder ached again...

---------

The next night came and Nash was super nervous, he hadn't really been on a date before, his job kept him from a lot of things in life. He was dressed in his official Watch formal attire: A navy blue pea coat with brass buttons, a pair of jet black dress pants, and under his coat a deep purple dress shirt. He felt good and hoped Akane would think so to. He took a deep breath in before knocking on the door to her apartment.

The door cracked open and on the other side was a rather familiar demon mask "What do you want kid?" Ryoshi asked.

"I'm hear to pick up Akane for our date." he smiled nervously.

"Oh yeah right she said something about that come in." the swordsmen opened the door and welcomed the boy in.

"Akane! Nash is here!" Ryoshi called before shitting down on the couch to continue cleaning and sharpening his sword.

---------
(Twenty minuets before Nash go there.)

Ryoshi was less then thrilled to see Akane going out with Nash, but he wasn't her father... or trying to be anyway. She was an adult and could make her own decisions, buuuut. "Look all I'm saying is be careful with members of the watch. A lot of them are self absorbed assholes... just be safe okay?" he sighed.

 

[Megasis]

"A little formal... got it," Akane repeated with a grin and reached up to slowly rub the socket of her arm where metal met milky flesh, the dark gray of eyes lightening a bit nearly into a slate blue as she watched the boy run off with the rest of his buddies out into the wind and rain. He wasn't... so bad after all, it seemed.

But wait... wait what the hell did he mean by formal? What was formal?!

In her slight of panic, she tried to reassure herself that maybe Ryoshi could help her... but she'd never seen him in anything but his raggedy clothes or armor!

She was doomed.

✭・.・✫
​

Who knew so much when into merely getting something to eat with another person.... Akane certainly didn't. Back in her village if there was a pairing interested in one another they'd go hunting together... None of this frilly dainty crap.

As she'd expected, Ryoshi was hardly any help when it came to the prep needed for the night of her date. However, she'd found a surprising amount of assistance in one of the many stores that littered this large city. She had been lucky, feeling as though she was stumbling about in no direction specifically when a neon sign lit up above a building called Euphoria's Emporium, in large looping elegance. Not that the name would have meant anything to her, but it was a certain item of clothing she'd seen hanging in the window that drew her to the place. Long ruby colored fabric that shined like a diamond, nearly blinding really, adorning a stuffed fake body with a long trailing wispy fabric circling its shoulders.

Well... certainly that seemed fancy.

A giddy woman with bright eyes but bold dark sultry makeup greeted her and asked if she needed help.

Boy, did she ever.

And the woman pulled through for her, asking the occasion and where she was going, and the woman directed her immediately to a section of dresses that would be perfect to wear to the exclusive hangout of the watch and after realizing just how clueless Akane was in all of this, the woman seemed content to be her personal guide, helping her pick out whatever she was in need of.

✭・.・✫
​

She swore if she had to listen to Ryoshi's spouting of how this was a bad idea one more time... Finally it seemed as though he got the hint and that she could not be swayed, settling instead for the request of - just be safe, okay? "Nash isn't so terrible when he isn't trying to arrest me," she said casually and fluffed her dark charcoal hair around her shoulders, taking a glimpse into the mirror to look over the light bit of makeup upon face.. not a horrible job for never doing it. The woman at the store had been helpful though and walked her through how to use what she bought, doing a mock up as well only for Ryoshi to eye her incredulously when she came home that night with his lips forming a confused question - Akane, what is on your face?

She had nearly hurled her shopping bag at him before she relented to say in slight bashfulness that she had a date. And of course merely that news was enough to make him look grouchy, and the look merely intensified when she said who the date was with.

"I will be safe, Ryoshi.. and I will be cautious, I promise." She swore though sometimes it was like the man forgot she had been living by herself and traveling on her own for a good few years before she started traveling with him. She was more than capable of taking care of herself, now even more so that she was getting a handle on her synthetic arm.

Akane's dress

"I'll be right out," she called from her room, taking a step back in casual black strappy shoes that kept her level with the ground, adjusting the skirt of her black dress that was medium length, the end stopping just above knees with a little slit that ran up the side to about mid-thigh. She was... having second thoughts about this dress now and felt her stomach curl at her appearance. This didn't feel like her... it was so foreign and she felt as though every bit of it merely screamed the fact that she was not of this world and that she was, in fact, a hunter instead. Turning to glance at the straps of back, some of her faint scarring that blended into the white of skin visible, as though to further make her stand out. As though the black glisten of metal that was her arm wasn't enough to make her stick out like a sore thumb.

It was strange. She'd never been self-conscious of such things until this moment... why? What was changing? It was confusing... and rather than staring at herself further and picking out what was wrong with her own eyes, she huffed a breath and adjusted the circlet of fabric about her neck. She'd already agreed to this... it wasn't like she could tell him she changed her mind...

But why couldn't you...? her mind challenged. She'd maybe run into Nash a couple more times before they were ready to leave this city, but what did it matter? Why should she care? She didn't care...

She did, in fact, care... but why she didn't know. So she decided to be in denial about it instead.

Coming out of her room much less confident than she had been even an hour ago, she reached upward to pass a frill of charcoal colored hair behind her ear as her head turned to see Nash hanging by the door while Ryoshi sat at the couch and did maintenance on his swords... of which he hadn't pulled out to do until about ten minutes before Nash showed up. Akane could only roll her eyes at him.

"Hi, Nash," Akane said as she walked toward him and getting a good look at him for the first time this evening. He... didn't clean up half bad. Offering him a lightened curve of lips, the fingers of her flesh hand came to prod at the smooth rivets of her mechanical arm in a bashful fidget. "You look nice... I um... you mentioned formal, but I wasn't sure how formal. This... ah... sort of stuff isn't my forte," she admitted with a softened chuckle. "Will this be alright?" she asked with her fingers coming downward to lightly pick at the black fabric of the skirt upon her dress

 

[Tone 6th]

When Akane came down Nash's eyes went wide, she was beautiful. "Wow..." was all he could say and looked at her as she came up. He quickly turned red "I I mean you look amazing!" he quickly corrected himself. "Dude are you serious, you're going to blow this if you don't focus! Just calm down and have nice time. Don't say anything weird and don't talk about work all night!' he thought to himself and sighed.

Ryoshi chuckled a little at the boy "Have fun you two, if you get home late Akane just come in quietly okay?" he sounded happy for the two of them. In truth it was nice to see young love budding again, it reminded him of his first date with Anna.

"If your ready I have car outside waiting for us." he smiled. "It's my car... sorry nothing fancy." he laughed a little. He helped her get her coat on, like a gentleman, then brought her out into the cool rain soaked night air. His car was a small thing, it almost looked like a gray box. It had a good amount of wear and a few dents here and there. "Sorry I know its not the best but it will get us where we need to go." He got the door for her then went around and got in himself. He looked at her again and she really did look amazing, he was a lucky guy. Most people you try to arrest don't go on dates with you after. He turned the car on and they were off. The rain hit the windows and the neon lights of the city shown through in vibrant splotches. "How was your day?" he asked trying to break the science. 'How was your day, are you serious! What happened to all the icebreakers I practiced!' He rolled his eyes at himself.

 

[Megasis]

Well that… certainly wasn't what she was expecting. The usual paleness of cheeks went red near immediately at the appraisal from Nash, and his compliment quickly made her cheeks feel hotter. She wasn't used to such attention…! Instantly the woman grew bashful, an unusual trait to be seen upon Akane as she fretted and swiftly ducked fingers toward the bottom of her dress, pulling at the hem just above knee as though to assure everything was staying in place!

The gray of her eyes nearly looked silver this evening, standing out against the actual blackness of her dress, or perhaps it was merely because the storm clouds were clearing behind her gaze. Just as they did on occasion with Ryoshi. Her gaze found Ryoshi on the couch, and for a moment she had to wonder if she was looking at the same old man. His tone wasn't as gruff and there was a soft touch to his eyes that usually held a scowl. And he seemed… enlightened as he wished them a good night, when merely a couple of hours ago he was questioning her actions of accepting the offer to go on this date in the first place!!

She was younger than him by years and yet she felt as though she could hardly keep up with this old man's mood swings.

Still… it was sweet.

Donning her coat with the help of Nash - another thing she didn't expect and was swiftly turning her cheeks the color of ripe tomatoes - she gave a little wave of fingers at Ryoshi and a small but genuine grin. She was half-expecting a curfew, but he merely reminded her to be quiet if she came back late. "Of course, Ryoshi," she promised him. "I'll see you later tonight. Or in the morning." Tonight was one of the nights he had off, and it looked well deserved. He's been working many nights in a row, catching criminals in the dead of night like some sort of superhero. But that's obviously been messing with his sleep schedule. A good long rest was in order for him this evening. "Don't forget about the leftovers from dinner last night," she reminded him. You'd think basic human needs wouldn't be hard to remember to do, but Ryoshi somehow managed it, finding that she often had to remind him to eat when he was too busy or too tired to think of it himself.

Then they were off and Akane turned her attention toward Nash who seemed positively flustered about the car they approached to which Akane really had no idea as to why. Even going as far as to apologize for it and she tilted her head a bit in confusion at such a silly thing. With her hood pulled up over her head to keep as many droplets as she could from ruining her hair - when that became a worry she didn't know - she walked alongside this man of the watch and was only becoming increasingly amused at the way he was behaving.

"Nash, relax," she said with a softened laugh, her eyes running over his car and thought it kind in the first place that he wished to give them a lift to the place they were going rather than walking in the rain. "I… don't do well with fancy in the first place. All of this… it is more than enough," she promised him. "In fact, the only other mode of transportation I've ever rode on is that metro. I'm used to walking everywhere. To me, a personal car like this is rather fancy. So… no more apologizing," she added with a small smile in his direction.

Once more he acted the part of a gentleman and held the door open for her and she slid into the passenger spot of his car. Immediately she picked up the scent of him, nothing unpleasant, in fact exactly the opposite. Something… warm and tangy almost, if she had to describe it. She reached up to pull off her hood for the time being, leaning back against the soft seat and looking out the window, seemingly mesmerized by the lights that whizzed past. She didn't know if she'd ever get used to this sort of scenery. Not that it was bad, but she did miss the wide open spaces of nature… even if sometimes it tried to kill you.

Akane's eyes turned back to find him looking at the road as he drove, and found herself observing him while she replied to his question. She's never seen someone drive something like this before. His hands were relaxed on a wheel looking contraption, and his eyes forward through the clear glass that gave a view outward. She couldn't exactly see what his feet were doing, but surely there was something more to this than just occasionally turning that wheel? "Oh, it was fine. Pretty relaxed today," she said and reached up to flick a lock of hair out of her eyes and behind her ear. "I had therapy today, but everything is going well. Working at the diner has really helped just… bring back those motor skills that we're so used to doing no problem. I think it is… giving them simple purpose. Making these, uh… nanobots respond in ways that would be as natural as if it was my real arm." She gave a small little shrug of her shoulders. "Don't ask me how it works… I honestly have no idea."

She was already lost in this world of tech, lights, robots and… everything else. And never in her dreams would she have imagined that she'd have a piece of machinery attached to her working as her arm. Though she supposed this was the better alternative rather than living without a second arm at all.

"How was your day?" she asked in return, giving a casual glance over her shoulder into the space behind them as though looking for something. "Where is Kaza? I've never seen you without him." Not that she's seen him much… but the little winged creature always seemed to be perched upon Nash's shoulder wherever he went. "What… is Kaza by the way? I've never seen an animal like him…. That's wasn't rude of me to ask was it?" Now she was blushing and feeling flustered… this conversing thing was more difficult than she thought.

 

[Tone 6th]

"Oh my dad is watching him, I figured a date wouldn't be the best place for him." Nash laughed a little. "Draconis Minimis is what Kaza is, a rare breed of dragon that stays small. He's a teenager right now so he's still growing. The biggest he will get is 4'6" then he will be fully grown. He was a left over from when my parents had to close down the pet shop we owned." he explained. 'Dude do NOT tell her the sad story! DONT DO IT!'

--------------------------------------------

Ryoshi watched them leave from the apartment window "Have fun kid." he smiled. He ordered food a few minuets later and kept polishing his sword. There was a knock at the door... it was to early for the food to be there already. He narrowed his eyes and put his mask on, then went to crack open the door and see who was there. "What?" he answered as he saw to men in black suites and plain white masks looking at him. They quickly whipped out two machine guns and pointed them at the swordsman. "Fuck!" he quickly slammed the door and dove to the left of it.

(Feel like this fits the fight)​

The door was shredded by a barrage of bullets, chunks of wood flying off into the living room. Ryoshi covered his ears as the shots rang in his ears, then... silence. The hole ridden door fell to the ground with a thud and both assassins walked into dimly lit room. They looked around but didn't see a body anywhere, just the mans sword in the blue light of the tv. *SMASH!* A lamp cracked one of them in the face "AH!" the attacker cried and gripped his face. Ryoshi was standing next to them. The other attacker rose his gun to fire at Ryoshi but in a quick movement the samurai grabbed barrel and wrenched it from the mans grasp. He tossed it to the side and went for his sword only to be met with a searing hot pain in his back as the one he hit with the lamp had gotten up and stabbed him in the back. The swordsman let out a pained growl before he was taken into a chock hold by the same guy.

The one whos gun was tossed away got in front of Ryoshi and squared up drive a fist into his stomach. The swordsman saw stars as the wind was knocked out of him, his body going limp as he took in a big gulp of air. He was tossed to the ground and kicked in the ribs, a loud *CRACK* as two of them snapped. 'Who are these guys!' Ryoshi said as he tried to get up. They went to grab him again and Ryoshi kicked back as hard as he could snapping the knee of the guy with the broken face. He let out a big scream "YOU MOTHER FUCKER!" he roared in pain as he fell to the ground.

Quickly Ryoshi yanked the knife from his back and stood up to stab the other guy in the neck. He grabbed the blade but it was to late he already started to bleed out and was soon motionless on the floor. Ryoshi grabbed his sword and pointed pressed it against the last guys neck "Who sent you?"

"The Omi family! You put their son in prison!" the man frantically spewed.

"Their son what a piece of shit murderer!" the swordsman had heard enough, plunging his blade into the mans heart. "Fuck...." he dropped his sword as the adrenalin wore off and all the pain hit him all at once. He grabbed his side feeling his ribs "Yup broken...." then the moved his hand to the bleeding hole in his shoulder "Shit...." he shuffled top the bathroom and quickly got the first aid kit they had. He took out some disinfectant and poured it on the wound "AH!" he yelled as it burned. He got a thread and a needle and shakily started to stitch himself back together. Each poke from the needle made him grimace, but he finally got himself patched up clipping the thread with his teeth. He wrapped his ribs and hoped they healed up okay.

He lit up a smoke and looked at the sate of their living room "Can't let Akane know about this." he mumbled. He grabbed what was left of the door and fit it back onto the door frame "I have a feeling shes going to find out anyway." he sighed. He grabbed the two bodies and simply tossed them off the fire escape into the dumpster. Ryoshi laid down on the couch "Fuuuuuuuck...." he moaned before falling asleep.

 

[Megasis]

"Your father?" Akane asked, as though the term dad could mean anything else. It was odd, that once something was taken away from you, you just felt as though it was taken away from the rest of the world as well. She hadn't given a mere thought to anyone having a father in ages…. nor a family. Everyone was just them and nothing else.

"Oh, I've never heard of such a breed. I've seen a lot of things, but a dragon is not one of them. Either way, he's a sweet thing… and you've seemed to have trained him quite well." She was more on the mentality that animals could bond with humans if they chose. A couple people from her village managed to bond with a little fox looking pup that grew up to never leave her side. Another, a bird-like creature that looked like a species of owl. It was young and had broken its wing, and he had nursed it back to health. But the idea of a pet store… well that seemed strange indeed. "Your parents… sold animals?" she asked just for clarification.

 

[Tone 6th]

"Well Kaza has me trained pretty well too, wakes me up every morning just before dawn for our walk." Nash laughed a little. "Yeah in a pet store called Claws and Paws here in the city. We sold everything from Blue Wings to None Venomous Turtle Spiders, and then we came across Kaza's mother and father. We called them Ruru and Don they were more like the shops mascots. Ruru was so kind... she'd help us clean up and put things away at the end of the day. She loved cleaning up the toy isle well she mostly just played with the squeaky toys. Now Don.... Don could be mean if you rubbed him the wrong way, but he always kept the store safe. Once we had some punk come in with a gun... wanted everything in the register and Don just comes out from under the counter sinks his teeth into the guys shoulder. He screams and falls to the floor punching Don as hard as he could but that dragon wouldn't let go until the Watch got there and hauled the guy off. After that Don went to a corner to lay down like nothing happened, of course we all thanked him... hugged him... he was an amazing creature" Nash smiled at the thought of his old friends. "It was strange to... Don always went down each isle the animals were in and made sure they were okay. If one of them didn't have water or food left he would come flying over and get one of us to make sure they will filled." he laughed a little.

"What about you? I know most hunters don't really do pets, but I'm just more curious about what you've seen out there. The only things Ive really witnessed are zombies from the Deadmans Hills and the occasional Giant Rat here in the city. Oh wait hold that thought we're here."

He pulled into a parking lot in front of a rather large tower "Welcome to The Tower, the Watches own privet bistro." he smiled and got out. He opened opened the door for her and helped her out. It was a short walk to the front door. Inside it was very upscale, not super fancy, but it was very nice regardless. There was live jazz, it was warm, and it smelled amazing. "Good Evening Mr. Conrad." a host greeted them.

"Hello Eric, I have a reservation for two tonight." Nash smiled.

Eric went to check the list and smiled "Please follow me." he brought them to a table in the corner, it a bright white table cloth on it and a small vase with a single red Rose in it. Eric gave them both menus "Carter will be taking care of you tonight, please take as much time as you need." he smiled and left.

"Well... do you like it?" Nash asked. "I hope its not to much." he smiled and started to look over the menu. Having decided be asked again "So whats the craziest thing you've seen out there Akane?"

 

[Megasis]

Intrigued, Akane turned slightly in her seat so she could watch Nash talk, at first having though the idea of an animal store to be absolutely horrid… but he didn't make it sound so bad. Offering a small grin, she could tell just by the way Nash talked about this life of his that he was incredibly fond of it, and it fit him. He seemed like a relatively easy going guy. Might as well have an easy going life to boot here in the city. Somehow, it was suddenly hard to imagine him anywhere else besides this city, fighting off criminals, and running this store with other members of his family.

Family.

She hasn't thought of that word in so long, but there was a reason for it. It hurt to think about, but perhaps not as horribly as it once did. She wondered if Ryoshi had something to do with that. If that moment out in those hills of hell had anything to do with it. She did, in fact, feel a bit lighter after the whole ordeal, but there were too many unknowns at play. Maybe she simply needed a break from all the hunting. Needed time to just relax and live like a person again instead of a wild dog trying to find its place in the world, trying to survive. Or maybe an abundance of sleep and recuperation like she's been allowed to have while trying to recover from her near fatal injuries. Yet she couldn't quite put her finger on what has made that change within her.

Might as well not dwell on it too much. Otherwise she'd go this whole night thinking about it rather than enjoying her time with Nash. Something that was surely… a special treat. Since she hasn't exactly done anything like this before. Nor really ever sought out any company that wasn't Ryoshi.

"They sound wonderful…" she finally said once he'd finished his story of remembrance, her eyes seeming brighter. She was an animal person after all, and had missed many of the ones she'd see in her home territory. "… Not to mention incredibly smart. Most animals are, really, but we sometimes don't give them credit where it is due," she said and eased her eyes forward with a lightened pull on her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Oh, I love animals… I wish I could have a um… a pet, as you call it, but I'd worry about it out there. Traveling. It can get dangerous so quickly…" And she's be devastated if her furry companion were to get hurt while out on the road with her. Get eaten by another beast or crushed under foot from one ten times its size. It just didn't seem possible without making her hair grey-er with worry. The old person grey.

"Hm..?" she asked softly, peering out the windshield of his car then and her eyes growing a little wide, perhaps with apprehension but also excitement to see the other people all gussied up and heading inside. "This is is..??" she asked as she blinked to make sure she was seeing it all right, for it was quite lit up and seemed like a rather bustling place for being Watch only… how expansive was the Watch anyway?? She was stalled in her seat, merely admiring, before her door opened and a hand was offered to help her out. She took it a bit bashfully and stepped out of his car, feeling her insides jitter for a moment and thinking that his hands felt rather soft for being in police work… pleasant. She thanked him softly and merely walked beside him, staying rather close, as even though she didn't know Nash very well, he was suddenly the only thing he knew at all!

A man wearing all black stopped them at the door, and as his eyes wandered to her after Nash said there was a reservation for two, she blushed slightly and offered another small bashful grin. Oh boy, she really needed to get out more… one would think she would have gotten more comfortable conversing with strangers by now after acquiring that waitressing gig. But apparently not…

Thankfully, they were brought to a corner table in the back, a private little nook almost, and she was quite grateful for that - wondering perhaps if Nash knew this or if it was mere coincidence and luck that had gotten them this table. It would be much nicer talking here and she would be less distracted not being entirely surrounded by strangers she didn't know. The stormy blue-grey of her eyes were still looking the place over when Nash asked how she liked it. Currently busy eyeing the instruments that made strangely melodious noise upon a small stage at the front of the large layered room. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before… and she spoke as such.

"I've… never had such an experience." Her eyes turned to him, seeing his smile, and it was contagious as she gave a gentle one back. "It's not too much. I merely must acclimate a little bit and I will be more comfortable. This is the perfect little spot too, I think that will help." If anything, Akane was only ever bluntly honest, perhaps a respectable trait, while perhaps also not the best, especially when she became angry or annoyed. She wasn't afraid to tell someone what she thought… and in the city that had proven to get her into trouble. Just like with those men on the subway where she first met Nash and fought alongside him.

"Thank you… for all of this, by the way,' she said softly after, finding it oddly sweet that anyone would take an interest in her at all. Sometimes she merely felt like a shadow, hidden in the dark, never to be remembered except perhaps maybe by Ryoshi, if she was so bold to say so.

She glanced over the menus given, not really knowing what anything was, but that only made her more intrigued to read things over… but there was just so many choices. Glancing upward from her menu, she rose a dark brow and gave a little chuckle, reaching upward to place both elbows upon the table while lacing fingers and resting her chin daintily upon her knuckles, one pair metal, the other flesh. "I've seen probably… too many things out there, Nash. Many things that I feel could spoil the nice evening…" she glanced to the side and let out a lightened sigh of breath before settling her sights back on him. "So… I guess, do you wish for the gritty truth? Or do you want the light-hearted tales that fit casual conversation better..?" she asked with a bit of a blush on her cheeks. She didn't wish to be a downer on the evening, but if he wished to know of her, then she didn't feel as though there were a lot of stories filled with sunshine and rainbows awaiting him. But she merely wanted to ask, because she wasn't about to ruin the evening if he wished to keep it light and happy.

 

[Tone 6th]

It had been awhile sense Nash had been on a date with such a beautiful woman before, he couldn't help as his eyes wondered over her body. "Dude stop being creepy! Look at her eyes!" He quickly looked back up to her when she started talking, and her stormy eyes were nothing short of amazing. "Hm? Thank you for what, you've been through a lot and you deserve a really nice night out." He smiled. In truth he had read up on her a little, his heart sank when he found out she really was a victim of the Kirioni incident. He found out how she lost her arm exactly to, damn monsters. This date wasn't out of pity though, far from it, he admired her willingness to keep going with her life. Despite losing an arm Akane kept moving forward... he saw some of himself in her.

It was at this point that their waiter, Carter, came up to take their orders. "I'll have a medium rare steak, the mashed red skin potatoes, and heck a nice bottle of red wine please." he smiled. Carter look to Akane "For you miss?"

After dinner was ordered Nash looked to her, gritty stories? How bad could they be? "Tell you what you tell me what happened to your arm, and I'll tell you my most gritty and tragic story. If we're both sad then there is no way the mood could be ruined." he laughed a little. 'What the fuck are you saying! I said I wasn't going to share that story tonight! It a complete turn off!' he yelled at himself. Thought, talking to someone who understood loss about what happened to his mother might be nice. Sure he had gone to therapy but... no one he talked to had really lost someone. It was strange he was only now getting to know Akane but he desperately wanted to open up to her.

As Akanes eyes focused on Nash, there was strange movement off to the side of him. It was near the wall, in the shadows... a face... the face of the monster that took her arm. Its massive jaw making jerky gnashing movements, then she blinked and it was gone.

"Akane you okay, you look a little pale." Nash asked as he reached out for her hand. 'You idiot you're coming on to strong!'

 

[Megasis]

If Akane noticed Nash admiring the way she looked tonight, she didn't seem to mind, either that or she hadn't noticed at all… highly likely considering there was so much else within this large space to distract her. That and she found her eyes avoiding his a bit, slightly bashful as though she didn't exactly know where she was supposed to look while talking to him. She reached upward to tuck back a stray lock of charcoal behind her ear, doing so with her mechanical arm and merely showing how it was becoming second nature already to use the limb. It truly was becoming a part of her.

When he spoke those words her eyes did fix him in her pupils and she offered him a small grin that more so looked like a reserved smirk. "This all seems quite… extreme for just a woman that was nearly robbed by thugs. I imagine this sort of thing happens all the time in this city… Do you have a habit of taking out all the women you've seen go through something of the sort?" she teased gently. The thought of Nash knowing anything further about her… well, it simply didn't cross her mind. Not knowing how it would be possible anyhow because she was merely one person that didn't seem to matter in the entirety of this fucked up world. It wouldn't hesitate to squish her under foot when her time came… and in the end she truly thought the world wouldn't bat an eye if her soul left this realm. She was merely a single life among many.

"—?" Her attention swiveled as the man apparently named Carter came to take their order, though she found herself properly distracted by Nash and hadn't had the time to consciously look over the menu! "Ah… Nash seems to have good taste. Could I have what he is having?" she asked as she slid her menu over toward the waiter so he could take it. "Though, just the one bottle of wine please… I'm assuming we share?" she asked with a soft chuckle. There was no way they would be in need of two bottles. She was quite a small woman, strong and toned from fighting, but small nonetheless. And she hardly ever had the bitter liquid that Ryoshi would sometimes come home smelling like… To put it bluntly, she was entirely a lightweight.

When Carter left them both alone once more, she laced her fingers loosely and once more rested her chin upon her knuckles, boldly fitting the male across from her within her gaze. She didn't think he understood what he was asking for… and she certainly didn't want to ruin the mood of the evening. She was… actually having a decent time so far. Ever since seeing him in the diner where she was picking up shifts, her view of him was starting to change, thinking that he wasn't that stuffy officer in uniform after all… a nice man lingering beneath that shell when he had to wear it. She had to say… she certainly didn't mind his company at the moment.

"My arm?" she asked softly, glancing over to the sleek black of metal till it met with the flesh of her shoulder, teeth biting upon the inside of her lip momentarily. She shouldn't be surprised that it was eye catching. That people would ask questions about it. Though a feeling of self-consciousness did envelope slightly… though that was odd. She never really felt a reason to be self-conscious before. Was it… possibly because of Nash? She blushed softly at her own thoughts but didn't dwell on them too terribly long. Even if it was… what did it matter…? 

But he offered an exchange that she was surprisingly interested in. Intrigued. She tilted her head slightly in thought, then felt a slow small grin spread her lips. "Hm… alright. That seems logical and fair to me. As long as I can trust you." Another soft tease and she reached downward to adjust the skirt of her dress again, smoothing is slowly to be free of creases. These really were the most odd clothes… they would merely hinder rather than help in any sort of way when it came to a survival situation!

"But I think I'm in need of that wine first," she admitted with a little blush, eyes fixing upon him when her mind decided to play tricks on her. She swore the space was empty between one blink, and then upon another it was there and startled her heart. It trembled and she flinched at the harsh click clack of its toothy maw, feeling as though she could still hear it crunching to then snap off her arm in a single chomp—

Her breath stuttered and she suddenly felt as though there wasn't enough air in the room to breathe. Unknowingly her fingers reached forth, having meant to grab the table cloth to scrunch in her grip, but instead ended up perfectly reaching to grab where Nash's hand was in that moment, desperately clutching at his palm to squeeze before her eyes opened again, darting to the spot of which she had seen it. Where it haunted her.. but there was nothing there.

She swallowed hard and her breathing smoothed slowly, and yet she still kept that grip on his hand… as though she was unaware of what she was doing. Just looking for comfort, and strangely enough she found it here in his presence. Truly she was in need of that wine. "I'm… I'm okay," she promised softly before her faraway gaze settled back upon Nash's worried expression. When she realized she was holding his hand, she looked to jerk it back and apologize with a deep blush coloring her paled cheeks, but Nash kept hold instead, assuring her it was alright.

"I'm… on some sort of herbal medication still. I'm starting to think its making me hallucinate," she admitted a bit feebly. Why would she be afraid of something that wasn't there..? That couldn't possibly be there? Yet each time it happened her heart rake spiked and her blood flooded from her face and left her fingers feeling cold and numb. She'd been having night terrors, too. That was part of the reason she was on whatever it was Dr. Brenner had given her. And yet now she was seeing things awake as well. "I'm fine… I promise," she said softly, not wishing to make him worry, or call this off, to be frank.

 

[Tone 6th]

Nash blushed a little when she grabbed his hand, but it soon left his cheeks when he realized something very serious was going on. It was then he realized they had another thing in common, though for him it was little different. "Akane.... forgive me for being forward but-" 'Not here not now, lets just try and calm her down, bring her back to reality.' he told himself. "We don't have to talk about your arm or anything like that." he offered a smile.

The wine soon arrived and both were poured a glass, it was sweet with a hint of bitter. Nash asked for two glasses of water as well. "I have a place I want to take you tonight if you're down for it. Have you heard of the Rainbow Moss Caves, a massive tunnel system under the city filled with moss that gives off all kinds of colors." he smiled. "Its a maze of lights and the best part is its completely dry, the moss feeds off the moister in the air so hardly any water makes it down there." he smiled. Such places were rare in the water soaked world, even the buildings had water spots here and there. "I promise you'll like it."

Their food finally arrived and it smelled amazing, miles better then anything Ryoshi could "cook". The steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly, the potatoes were light and buttery with just a hint of garlic. They were also served fresh baked rolls, which were brought to them steaming. Nash's mouth was watering so he dug in. "So you practice the blade? I take it you being a hunter for your village helped you learn, but if I can ask why the sword? Why not a spear, or guns, or even a bow, why get in close and risk getting hurt?" he looked at her hoping this was something she liked to talk about. From Nash's experience most hunters liked talking about what weapons they use and why.

 

[Megasis]

Akane's eyes drew to him, a little shake in her pupils in her trauma, but after a couple blinks, reverted back to normal. A couple breathes had her calmed, though her hand still unknowingly clutched his. It was oddly… comforting. She never really took solace in other people's company. If anything it made her feel uncomfortable, as though pointing out that she truly didn't belong. Ryoshi was the first friend she'd ever made after losing her home, and now Nash was somehow managing the same thing. "I… okay," she said softly, timidly returning his grin before she shifted his hand from his and finally felt as though her heart was calming down.

She was quick to partake in the wine when it arrived, taking the glass in her fingers and taking a sip through lips to find it rather pleasant. Much better than that crap Ryoshi was always drinking… she could smell it on him when he came back from the bars. But still, she shouldn't be so judgmental of his tastes. "Hm?" she asked softly, a little surprised that there was something more to be offered after dinner. It was a nice surprise though. "Oh, I mean, you have me booked for the evening so… yes. That sounds nice." It would be fun to explore the city with him, and if he had a place in mind, all the better. Even from the first sip of wine, her cheeks grew to be pleasantly heated… or was that her just blushing…? Either way, she started to care less and less as the wine relaxed her. "How'd you come across that? It is the first time I've heard of such a place." Not that she got out much… or really talked to others. That made exploring a bit hard, especially when Ryoshi thought it best that she stay close to the hospital and resting. She was honestly lucky he even let her get that job at the diner, really.

They continued to talk in the meantime before their food arrived, and it was rather stunning… nor her or Ryoshi had ever made food that looked like this! It looked like a rather hearty meal too for a woman, but Akane had no such concept of what was standard around here, so she too dug into her food and savored each bite as though it were her last. She'd been a bit caught up with it in fact, that Nash's question caught her by surprise. She chewed and swallowed the bite in her mouth, wiping her mouth with her thumb and licking the juices off as she thought. "It has just always resonated with me, I guess. Hunters in my village always got to choose their weapon of choice. When I was learning… the sword always felt best in my hands—" She paused then and looked at him suspiciously, reaching for her glass of wine which had been refilled for the third time. "Nash, how do you know of my village?" she asked with a dark brow raised. She hadn't recalled speaking of where she was from… just that it wasn't from around here.

 

[Tone 6th]

Nash smirked "Well couple of months ago we busted a HUGE drug ring. Turns out they were using the tunnels to transport their shipments, it's amazing what you can find under all the muck and water on the surface. There places underground that are completely dry, hard stone is abundant, and monsters don't really seem to like it underground. It's quite nice really and the city counsel is thinking about expanding underground." he explained.

"Oh my god that sounds so boring you nerd!"

"Ah interesting, I've heard tales from other hunters about a weapon 'just fitting' in their hands. Who taught how to use it if you don't mind me asking?" he smiled.... then his face dropped and fell into a blush. "I um... uh...." she sputtered for a moment then let out a long sigh. "Okay so after I questioned you I had to do a routine check on your name aaaaaand nothing came up, which struck me as strange. Usually everyone has some kind of record on them even Ryoshi or 'The Masked Demon'." He laughed a little. "So I thought to myself how can someone have no record, it would be impossible right? Unless all those records were destroyed, but then the question is how is that possible? It would take some kind of cataclysmic event to just wipe out an entire town, that's when I stumbled upon the Kirioni event. A whole town destroyed in the wake of this ancient monster, but there accounts of seeing a woman fleeing through the near by forests, a woman who matches your exact description." he paused with a smile proud of himself for all his sleuthing.

"Don't smile idiot! She lost everything, are you insane!"

"But again I'm sorry for your loss...." he looked away. "If it's any consolation I know what it's like to lose someone you love..."

 

[Megasis]

Keeping her eyes on him as he explained more about the place they were going after, a small curve appeared upon her lips. It was fun to watch him talk and see the expression upon his face. It was a rarity, really. Until recently. As her only companion was one to almost always be wearing a mask, taking it off only when it was dark enough that it also obscured his features. Once in awhile she'd take shelter in a small town or city and would be able to converse, but she was often a recluse instead. Keeping to herself before she'd move on, just like all hunters. Maybe she didn't wish to miss those she'd possibly make a connection with, but if she really searched deep down, she'd know exactly why she didn't want to get close with others. It was because of the pain that ensued when they were severed or lost.

Still, for some reason, those thoughts weren't all encompassing this evening. Perhaps it was because she was already here and with him, and that he was keeping her mind busy enough that it couldn't dwell upon darker thoughts. Maybe she had forgotten how pleasant it could be learning the story of another human being. Regardless of what it was, she was polite to listen to what he had to say, even if it didn't all make complete sense to her, but found that it was a satisfying activity as well.

"They want… to make the underground like it is up here?" Somehow, she couldn't even imagine the scale of an operation like that. This city was mind-boggling enough in its sheer size. But to expand downward and be confined to the underground? Something about that made her stomach squeeze. "I don't know if I'd like that. It was feel… squished. Suffocating almost," she tried to explain after another trickle of wine between her lips. "But, that's just me. I don't do well being beneath the surface for too long." She didn't know when that phobia started. Maybe after that fight with the venomous ground dweller she told Ryoshi about? It's so dark… and it all looks the same. One starts wondering what is up, down, left, or right… and all of the sudden you're lost. Not to mention with an angry creature after you, you'd want a quick escape! It was a fear she never actually explored or even knew was there. Just that when he started speaking of such, it made her stomach quiver, giving her a sense of dread.

So she took another drink of wine to drown it away. 



"Before I answer that…" she paused to give him a look with her eyes, as though expressing that she expected an answer before she gave him any more. And he delivered, but the return of a congratulatory smile - like he'd just found a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle - would be absent from her lips. They pulled into a line, kneaded together as she thought, and strangely enough, found that the action didn't bother her much. Merely a… dull sting of her past being brought up by a man that was still basically a stranger.

"Ah… I see," Akane said softly, though documentation and things of the sort wasn't something she had experience in. How he'd ever come to find said files she wouldn't know… having no idea that there would even be something like that in existence especially coming from her village. But there were many things she didn't understand… she just learned to start accepting them as they were instead of wasting too much brain power thinking about it.

I lost everyone… everything. A nasty part of her mind snarled, but she waved it back. It wasn't about that… no need to measure tragedy by how much was experienced. It didn't dismiss the fact that it was suffering and distress.

She swirled the contents of her glass slowly, giving a small bite to her lower lip as she thought. "I am sorry as well. That you've experienced similar." Leaning forward, she placed a hand beneath her jaw, propped up upon the table by her elbow, her eyes upon the dark liquid wavering within her cup. "I feel as though there is not a single person on this plain that has been unmarred. I've seen many things, traveling about the plains. Hardly any of them were good." Or maybe she just hadn't seen them while she lived in darkness those years after the incident. That was very probable as well.



"—but, ah… my teacher," she continued as though dismissing the fact that he snooped into her personal business. Seemed he was forgiven if there was a need for such a thing. "He was the best hunter in our village. Everyone learned from him. He thought it was important for everyone to know how to defend themselves against harm. I guess it just… didn't really matter in the end." Not for any of them. That thing… that Kirioni. It was much too large for them to even cut a notch into the hard exterior of its body. And those who tried ended up as bloody mush beneath its bulky frame.

Who did you lose, Nash…? She wanted to ask, but somehow it didn't feel like dinner talk. Maybe later if she grew bold, she would ask.