Standard Disclaimer
Damn the holiday season and work destroyed my time. Added to that an acquaintance took time off work and requested my help in fixing up their apartment…sigh I've had most of this chapter worked out in my head for weeks! Sorry for the delay.
I've noticed that FFnet has been evil about italics lately, removing all spaces, so I'll have to go back to 'words' for thought.
X-X
Wandering Pilot
Chapter – 4
"I'm going to go…get camp broken down when you're all ready to go," Shinji mumbled. All but running through the underbrush and foliage, Shinji's whole body radiated with shame and embarrassment.
Watching the lad scamper off as if she was the fiend lord herself Shizuka felt as if she'd kicked a kitten. But they had to learn the truth of the matter regarding his emissions. It wasn't like she woke up thinking 'I need to get Shinji-kun to masturbate onto a leaf', but after the show they had that morning it was needed. "Aren't you going to go with him Leina-san?" Shizuka finally spoke up as Tomoe and she neared where Shinji made his deposit.
Off in her own world, Leina was busy refastening her breastplate and straps for the fifth time since she put it on. Her face literally convulsed a few moments as she shook it about, "Sorry what? I'm a little…" Rubbing her arms, Leina sheepishly turned to see Shinji's departing form, now a good acre away by the remains of the campfire. "You said what?" she coughed into her hands and rubbed them together.
Now what to make of this, Shizuka didn't know. She had judged the duo a couple upon the shared glances over the firelight, and finding them naked and huddled together had sealed the deal. That was, until, now however where Leina had refused even to speak to the boy. The lad looked positively aghast when he asked if she was alright and the blond just looked away. The current situation between the two wasn't Shizuka's business, nor was she going to make it hers. What mattered now was seeing just how valuable that boy was.
Kneeling down by the large leaf the boy used to make his deposit, Shizuka covered her nose and picked up a small stick. "I said are you sure you don't want to go with your man? He's going to be alone by the road and he left his staff here," she hoisted the odd purple stick up. Picking and pushing at the nasty smelling fluid, it was pretty apparent that it wasn't the same liquid as she had found Leina coated in. "Foul stench of this, not to powerful, and men can make worse. But glad we're in the open," Shizuka gagged slightly.
"Really, I find it quite ple…asing," Tomoe quickly stated then covered her rosy cheeks with her sleeve. Kneeling down by Shizuka, poking at the off white fluid with her own stick, Tomoe could be seen breathing deeply through her nose. "And yes Leina-san, Ikari-kun seemed quite worried and…if you wanted to leave the inquiry to us. Feel free to see to your man," her face was still flush from her rather bold statement.
Taking up the last remaining quadrant by the leaf, Leina tilted her head as she examined the rather large quantity slowly congealing. "Why do you both assume that we're…that Shinji and I are together? Last night was…it wasn't…I don't know what it was, but I'm not that type of girl! It was my first…I mean I've never before," Leina fidgeted before falling back on her butt, her sword clanking heavily against her shield. "And what are you so damn worried about his…you know?" Leina sniffed a little and scrunched her nose up.
Grabbing another large leaf, Shizuka covered Shinji's shameful deposit, balled it up, and tossed it far away from them. Grimacing as she noticed a small drop had gotten on her shoe, "I'm betting it was that little cuties first as well. And I only assumed due to how you two were together when we met you, and judging on how you looked at him. If you don't have eyes on him, best you let it be known. Once men get a taste they tend to expect it, well maybe not that one," she kicked her foot in Shinji's direction.
"Agreed," Tomoe stood up with an audible back pop, "He doesn't seem to be the type to be to forward. So after you two…well if it was a singular event let him know." Grabbing Shizuka's hand, Tomoe ran her fingers over where the shinobi applied the sparse sampling of holy milk. "As for her dramatics this morning over her find, I'd be much inclined to hear an answer as well. I've only heard minor rumors about holy milk," the miko strolled further into the woods away from the camp.
Still sitting down, legs spread eagle, Leina pouted to herself for a few moments. "I don't know what I feel for Shinji. He's a great guy, I owe him my life, and he makes a wonderful travel companion, but…" she grabbed her blade and used it as a prop to get to her feet. Sighing hard, "I promised I'd get him home. And his home is not with me, so…even if I did say have feelings for him, what good would they amount to?"
Not knowing if it was wise to probe deeper, or just let the issue fade, Shizuka picked Shinji's staff off the ground soundlessly. "If what I think is true about his little healing powers, you'd live like a queen if you convinced him to stay. Wouldn't be that hard I bet, he is smitten with you," she half smirked smiled at the change in Leina. The moment her comment struck the blond's ear, Leina's face went crimson and her hands fumbled. Hearing the faint sound of hooves, she turned to the road and saw the dust trail of a padre of approaching horses.
"But as for this," Shizuka pulled her hand gingerly away from Tomoe and flashed it to both of them. The flesh she had healed was easy to see, it was brighter colored, appeared healthier, and was a clear sign of the healing properties of the salve. "It seems that after he heals things don't come out like that," she spit in the direction of Shinji's discarded emission. Striking her right fist to her left palm, "Tomoe-sama, didn't you saw you get weird after you channel your spirits?"
Nodding, her mighty ebony locks swaying, Tomoe's eyes went slightly wide. "Indeed! Perhaps there is some similarity between the acts. When I summon my spiritual energy, I must meditate for some time after to dissipate the residual energy or I'll never sleep. Though I don't have any changes in my," she nodded her head towards the pile of leaves. Pulling out a talisman form her Gi, Tomoe closed her eyes in concentration and the paper went from flaccid to hard and surrounded by a blue flame. Letting the paper go it took on the form of a bird and flittered about before dissipating.
It was staring to come clearer in her mind, speculation nonetheless, but Shizuka had an idea. "Well when you do it, it's summoning your own chi, not an external force. What if for him it's more…driving. Leina, did you noticing anything about his actions after healing…or when you were healed?" Shizuka asked knowing full well the answer just by asking.
Dropping her sword on the ground, Leina stammered and waved her hands wildly. "Like I said, I'm not normally a woman that seeks a bed and somebody to share it with. Now I can't remember much of last night," she mumbled something under her breath and fought and failed to keep a small smile form her lips. Shaking whatever mental vision from her mind increased in pitch, "But what I do remember was that, yes his powers do seem to…have a rather unique side effect. You still haven't said why that damn stuff was so interesting! I was…I mean he covered…gods why is this so embarrassing!"
Her lips curled back in a feral smile, knowledge was such a wonderful power to have over others. Normally Shizuka was under armed for a battle of wisdom, but her past had provided compiled with Leina's lack of decorum was just enough to get a working hypothesis. "I think it's related in concept! Holy power is different than chi, but the effect is the same. So as Tomoe-sama has to meditate to relieve her mind of the burden, the young Ikari and his victim have to," Shizuka slapped her knees laughter pealed out of her like raindrops.
Looking at the babbling Leina, Tomoe took a step forward with a brisk and prominent frown. "Shizuka! Don't mock them for this. Leina-san doesn't seem to be taking her…deflowerment well and I'm sure Ikari-kun is just as ill at ease if not worse. Tis a shame that they have no simpler means to ease the aftereffects of such a potent ability," Tomoe expounded. Reaching out for the staff Shizuka still held, Tomoe yanked it from the still laughing girl's hand and her body went rail stiff.
Wiping a tear from her eye as the giggles left her, Shizuka just found it hilarious. The proud, skilled, yet naive fighter that so quickly befriended Tomoe was so coquettish. It was doubly funny to think the timid and shy lad could instill mind altering lust and was able to all but break Leina in one session, boy had talent apparently. "Sorry Leina-kun, just struck me as funny, no disrespect. As for the matter at hand though, in all seriousness, if you plan to stay with that lad, are you ready to kill him lest he fall into the swamp witch's or other vile hands?" ah it felt good to laugh.
Shizuka's mirth was not mirrored by the two women staring blankly at her. Mouth agape, Tomoe slowly turned to Leina before making her way back to her travel companion. "Spirits! Why would she ever need do such a thing? Surely you are over worrying about this...ability to produce that salve. Tis just a healing poultice, and there are mages that can use foci to produce similar healing abilities, if only a little slower," Tomoe's gaze centered off into the distance as she reaffirmed her grip on the staff.
"Yeah, if I fall surely Shinji would either heal me back up or he'd die soon after. And as his guardian I vow NOT to fall," Leina pounded her gauntleted fist against her breastplate with a mighty twang. The power in her voice lost a hitch as she added, "And I won't be advertising his powers, as I don't want to worry about him and some tart…"
Pulling out her weapons, Shizuka could hear the horses getting closer. Likely nothing to worry about, it was a well traveled road by the looks, but better safe than sorry. Her eyebrow raised ever so slightly at Leina's secondary comment as well. It was becoming clearer to the wiser in the ways of relationships Shizuka. Leina likely did care for the traveler, maybe not love yet but quickly moving towards it, less she wouldn't care about him having sex with others. "Well that ruins my plan of asking you to let either Tomoe-sama or myself bed him the next time he needs to discharge that extra holy power," the full sincerity of her statement reverberated in the small glade.
Leina's sword point was quickly under Shizuka's chin, but no malice was in the girl's eye. "If I didn't know you were kidding I'd have pushed harder," she smiled weakly. "You are kidding, correct?" Leina's sword moved ever so slowly away from the oddly garbed ninja.
Watching Tomoe chanting softly to herself, Shizuka was puzzled by her friend's odd attachment to Shinji's queer weapon. "No, Leina-san, I was being totally serious. I can tell you are stronger today than you were yesterday, and only one thing could have contributed to it. I've seen holy milk give sight back to the empty eye socket of the matriarch of my clan. I've heard tales that the power of it goes beyond a simple salve or panacea. How true and to what extent those legends go I cannot be sure, but you are proof that they are fact in at least some regard. If you are truly not sure you wish to be with that man, I would ask in all honest this. And know that if his power is made known, agents will seek him to either kill or capture. So again, are you willing to kill him lest he grant the swamp witch all the power she can milk from him?"
Faltering, Leina took a step back and frantically moved her head about. Caught unprepared for a very serious question, the woman wasn't ready for it. "Those are just…just stories. And while I cannot deny that I feel very good physically right now, I…I will not kill him. I will not fall to my enemies!" a fire burned brightly in her eyes as she swung her blade upward. "As for your request…if Shinji were to WANT to…I couldn't…while we shared our warmth last night we are not lovers," her whimpering of the last of her statement told mighty of her own feelings.
Seeing her pleasurable acquaintance looking quite vulnerable, Shizuka pushed her advantage. While Tomoe would have went to sooth the woman, Shizuka's loyalties were to the miko and not Leina. "While I can't make him bed Tomoe or myself, he seems to shy for such, could I request the next time he has to cleanse himself he capture it so we might have it? Even the smallest amount could be sold for a small fortune. And having something to aid our wounds would be great. You said it yourself, you do not consider him your lover so it wouldn't be a big deal for us to ask?" Shizuka patted Leina's shoulder comfortingly.
As Leina went to answer, her head cast down, Tomoe's body suddenly started flying towards the road. After a good ten feet of horizontal flight the miko fell to the ground with a mighty thump. "Spirits, the soul within this staff! At first I thought it cursed, but it is a benevolent psyche within and it had just been summoned. But that would mean…" Tomoe gasped.
It would mean Shinji was trying to call it only to be stopped short. Talks of lovers, salves, and warriors would have to wait for now. The trio of warrior maidens charged the road to see what had befallen the bashful healer.
X-X
Rushing through the brambles, her katana still sheathed but in hand, Tomoe felt that cold detachment rolling in. Battle was coming, not like the fun spar with Leina, a real threat to her safety and her companions. Though as she rushed to see what befell the young Ikari, her mind was torn by the bevy of reveals she had just discovered. Leina's apparent feelings, poorly hidden, for the man she had slept with. A better understanding of the substance Shizuka had been so enthralled by. Last was the sensation of a soul within the staff left back in the glade.
Upon touching the coiled shaft of the staff, Tomoe felt a soul residing within it. Shamefully her first thoughts were of doubt for Shinji. Almost every weapon that had a soul was a cursed blade, used by one seeking power and using the subjugated to fuel their ambitions. Was the boy toying with Leina? Was he a wolf in sheep's clothing? But no, the moment the staff yanked her off her feet she felt an overwhelming sense of familiar warmth and positive energy. It was the work of a kind soul wanting to protect. The who and why would have to wait, if the owner was willing to let her check it.
The sunlight suddenly assaulted her eyes and temporarily blinded her as she exited the sparse tree line. Using her free hand to blot out the sun, Tomoe stumbled in her stride as her companions charged onward. "What reasons have you accosted that young man?" Tomoe yelled out. Her forward momentum stunted, she drew her blade and dropped the plain but durable scabbard to the ground. Gripping the hilt firmly with both hands, "And what have you done to him?"
A group of five women, clad in flowing red robes adorned with spots of glistening armor, all looked at the sudden yell. Of the five, one was still seated on her white palomino looked down at the only woman with an actual helm on. "Is he prepped for travel Carla?" the short blond haired woman asked pensively. Controlling her horse to turn around, "S-should I go and confirm what we learned?"
The helmed woman, Carla, held a hand up and put one on her sword. "He is not, but perhaps we don't need worry about them," drawing her blade Carla kept it pointed at the ground. "Friend or foe ladies? We were sent by the grand church to confirm the existence of a male healer. The bastard confirmed it by healing Mellon's leg," the leader barked and pointed at a toned looked bronzed skinned woman. Kneeling back down by Shinji's unconscious body, Carla tugged on the binding ropes and slid a gag over the boy's mouth.
Head shaved bard, a bright green eyed woman stepped between Carla and the stationary approaching trio. "The holy laws state such men are to be taken to the church or killed. After he confirmed his taint he pointed at me and started talking so we rendered him unconscious. Now will you assist us in prepping him? Or has he already corrupted you?" the bald woman clenched her fist against her oaken staff.
"Let him go! He has done nothing to you!" Leina demanded through gritted teeth. Already in an offensive position, Leina stepped forward dragging her hind leg behind her. Circling towards the closest woman, the wandering warrior was eyeing the weakest link. A guttural and very rough bark followed of, "Step away from him or I'll have to hurt you, all of you."
Getting up along side Leina's left, Shizuka to her right, Tomoe eyed the woman with the staff. So these were this nations religious order, and they were going to either kidnap or kill Shinji? Not if Tomoe could do anything to prevent it, she liked the boy. He had a kind look about him, honest expression, and simply Tomoe would never let an innocent suffer. "As she said, we shall not allow thy to take one of our companions against his will," Tomoe's tone was flat end neutral. An odd thought struck her though, if Leina was taking Shinji to the church as she went…why not let these women take him?
Turning to the woman on the horse, Carla nodded once and swatted the animal's flank. "Go, inform Melpha-sama of what we learned. If we are not back shortly after you arrive, have her send our souls to the angels," the leader said firmly. Pulling Shinji's body out of the way, she rolled the boy like a log out of her combat zone. Giving the trio of women a steady glance, "It seems the legends hold true, he has already corrupted three to his nefarious cause. Fear not women, we shall not kill you, only render you unconscious. Perhaps if he is away from you, your senses will return."
"Enough talking mindless fool," Shizuka charged towards a nameless brown haired woman. The shinobi was tired of talking it seamed, now that the battle was all but started. With a cartwheel that lead into a jump, Shizuka planted both of her feet on her target's shoulders and combined with her momentum smashed the woman to the ground. "Learn to think for yourselves, that boy is no more a threat than Tomoe-sama is flat chested!" Shizuka teased before slamming the hilt of her blade into the woman's forehead.
Watching her long time companion effortlessly take down one of the women, evening up the odds, Tomoe couldn't help but smirk. "I didn't know you kept track of my figure," she commented. Finding her own opponent quick to advance, Tomoe circled around the bald woman. "Are you so blind to your faith that you cannot see that boy is to kind hearted to enslave anybody? Did you not say he healed one of your companions?" she asked with full curiousness.
Nowhere near Tomoe's league as a fighter, the bald woman lunged with her staff leaving herself wide open. Taking the back of Tomoe's blade to the side, she winced and regained her footing. Coughing out a mouthful of spit, "Heretics from foreign lands cannot comprehend the depth of our resolve. And yes, he likely healed Mellon as an attempt to get us to lower our guards, get more women under his power, like you three." Spinning around Tomoe's stab, the woman released her hold on her weapon and slammed her elbow into the miko's stomach.
Winded but hardly hurt by the blow, Tomoe quickly slashed at her opponent more to drive her back than hoping to hit her. Knowing it a fools gambit, she spared Leina and Shizuka a glance, both of which were fighting the remaining religious zealots. "You are a poor judge of character I am afraid. If only you saw with your own mind," Tomoe took a step back. Drawing another talisman from her ample hiding compartment, the miko tossed the paper against the wind. It floated as if nothing opposed it and burst into flames surrounding the bald woman.
"What foul demon magic is this?" the woman cried as the blue flames leapt and cracked in the open air. "Sisters! They use nefarious magics on us! Sister Carla do what you have to!" she pleaded. In a moment of blind panic the woman attempted to dive over the spiritual fire and was consumed. What immerged from the other side was not a burnt corpse but an unconscious and nude woman.
Sliding the talisman back into her pocket Tomoe felt a moment of pride in judging her opponent. She had wisely thought the woman would panic and not realize the fire was not real, a moment of fear and the daft woman was a victim of her own idiocy. Turning to her companions, she found that Shizuka and Leina had switched opponents as she downed her own. "Leina-san, do you require any aid in your efforts?" with the odds in there favor Tomoe was in much better spirits.
Things changed for the miko in a very sudden moment. "We shall not fail!" Carla brashly proclaimed. Pulling something out of her cloak, the woman threw it down as she dodged one of Leina's attacks causing a brilliant and blinding light to stun everybody. Rolling closer to Shinji's body, "A coward's victory, but a victory regardless!" Moments later a dagger, roughly a foot and a half long, was plunged into Shinji's sleeping chest.
"Shinji-san no!" Tomoe's hand reached out for the boy as if by will alone she could stop the act that had already happened. The victory had been taken from them, stolen by fear and ignorance. "Why…why did you need to go to such…" Tomoe tried to ask but Leina's war cry filled the air. Shizuka was already busy finishing off her own stunned opponent leaving Leina free to unleash her rage.
Shield bashing the kneeling woman hard, Leina knocked not one but two teeth from the woman's face. "KILL YOU! I'll kill you! He-He didn't deserve this!" Leina pounced on her downed foe. Sitting on the woman's chest, legs pinning down Carla's hands, Leina's long and fine fingers wrapped around the woman's throat. Muscles bulging from her arms, "I was going to help him! Get him home! Bitch! Give him back to me!"
Rushing to Leina's side, Tomoe saw the feeble kicking of the woman pinned to the ground. "Leina-san stop this! He…he wouldn't want you to…" Tomoe reached for Leina's shoulder only to have her shrug it off. Surely the kind boy wouldn't want anyone to take revenge for him. But Leina wasn't seeing that, she wasn't even thinking at the moment Tomoe thought.
Carla's tongue waggled out of her mouth as spittle and drool trickled down as she fought to knocked Leina off her. Her legs bounced weaker and weaker against the ground as life was being throttled out of her. Fingers limply pried at Leina's firm grip, showing no signs of achieving any sort of victory.
Listening to Leina's chanting of 'kill' over and over, Tomoe knew she had to intervene or Leina would make a mistake she'd regret. With one firm placed kick to Leina's side, Tomoe knocked the warrior off. "Sorry Leina-san, but I can't let you do that, Shizuka restrain her," Tomoe found Shizuka staring wide eyed at the back of the downed boy, "Shizuka!"
"He's…he's not dead!" Shizuka gasped pointed at something only she could see. "Instinct, he's instinctually healing himself! It doesn't make sense, but whatever power he has…its keeping him alive!" she sounded happy despite the situation. Reaching over to his front, the shinobi grabbed the hilt of the dagger and pulled it out with a meaty liquid sounding pop.
Stepping over the gasping and panting down leader, Tomoe rushed to the boy's side as Leina crawled over. The blood was pouring from the wound in his chest, so much that Tomoe thought Shizuka had been lying about it. "Spirits…can he be killed?" she wondered aloud as she watched the wound heal itself up. Whatever magic possessed the boy, it seemed it would take nothing short of decapitation to end his life. For good or ill, depending on who's side the lad worked. Shizuka's earlier comment about killing him if he were to be capture resounded in her head. Could Leina do it if needed?
Leina, who had forgone the lie of not caring about Shinji, hugged his head against her chest crying tears of joy. "Stupid kid, don't go scaring me like that, you're not aloud to do that," she rocked back and forth with his sleeping body as Tomoe and Shizuka saw to disarming and binding the other women. They were put on their horses and given a good hard smack to set them going on their way. Finally Shinji woke back up, only moments after Leina had laid him on the ground. He confirmed one thing though, healing grievous wounds made him quite out of sorts.
X-X
Standing at the crossroads that would separate her from the temporary new companions, Leina's mind was a beehive of worry and fret. Looking down at her hands, the noonday sun cast no shadow on them, she couldn't believe what she nearly did that morning. "I would have killed that woman, would have killed her," she mumbled as she continued to stare. The memory of her rage and panic flared in her mind. She was going to kill somebody because of Shinji.
"This is so stupid, I've only known him for neigh on a week!" Leina bemoaned. Grabbing her buckler from the pile of gear, she refastened it with some sturdy bands. She tried to fight it, tried to say it was just out of honor, but Leina could feel something for that strange man that she never had before. As hard as she tried to deny it, her willingness to murder to garner revenge for him cut through her feeble resistance.
Grabbing her sword she performed a few practice swings. She had to do anything to keep her mind away from reality, anything to stop the nagging reminder of her secondary goal for reaching the capitol. "He's with them right now," eyeing the road that lead to the dessert and the fabled city of the elves beyond, "And they'll go to the capitol as well." Could she do it? Run from her responsibility, run from her vow to protect and see him home? If it would ease the pain in her chest, small but growing it seemed, maybe it would be worth it.
"I've never run from anything! Why am I even considering this?" she swung her blade angrily at the sign post and nearly hit it. 'Haven't you been running from your responsibilities to your family all this time though?' Leina nearly dropped her blade at that little mental reminder. She had technically abandoned her sisters and her father's desire to have her take over for him. Wasn't that even worse than running from a man she was falling in love with?
Sitting on the side of the road, Leina picked up the second sleeve of Shinji's 'plugsuit' and gauged its heftiness. After the damage his chest and back took from the damned zealot's blade, it was decided to section the odd armor for easier removal. As a result the second arm piece was created as a water sleeve for the soon to be departing Tomoe and Shizuka.
Scanning the horizon for them, Leina couldn't see the departed trio that went to back a ways along the road. Tomoe had thought the river would have traveled back for water, but it seemed the miko's sense of direction was quite horrible. So, at Shizuka's request, they wandered back to fetch some extra water and maybe fish. Leina spit, "I know what they're really doing. Tomoe I like, but something about Shizuka makes me worried."
Having not spoken to Shinji directly since the night before, Leina did feel shame in her actions. It wasn't Shinji's fault what happened between them, nor was it her own, but it had happened. "She's likely milking him or letting him have his way with Tomoe or her. She's the type to do anything to get ahead it seems," Leina felt her stomach loosen. More proof that her denials of affection were lies, she didn't want Shinji having sex with others. A deep secret part of her actually wanted to try it again, only this time without the aid of aphrodisiacs so she could remember.
Bits and pieces of the night before came back like shapes in a deep fog. Pressing her hand to her breastplate, a rosy blush adorned her normal features. Letting her fingers trace the rings of her fore-braids, it helped to have her hands moving. Hushed neigh indecipherable a memory came to her mind clear as crystal, "He said I was beautiful," and she believed he thought so. NO! Don't blush! Don't rub your thighs together as more saucy bits surfaced!
"Maybe I should just leave him in their care. He seemed to warm up to Tomoe. Not as much as we did, but…" Leina got to her feet and let out a long shuddering sigh. This wasn't what she thought her quest would have started off like. The battle with Melona had been a great start, but the defeat handed to her by Claudette had been an eye opener. Now she was a 'real woman', falling quickly into love with a sweet and caring young man, and she had sworn to send him home. A home she couldn't follow him to. "I could ask him to stay, no…no I can't," because she knew he'd stay despite what he had to do.
But what could she do then? Let her heart take root and succumb to the emotions threatening to drown her, and then lose it? Or did she take the quick pain of leaving now, cut off the infected finger before it took the arm. Before Leina even realized it, she was already walking down the road towards further from what her heart wanted. "He'll be fine with him. Totally fine without me," but she wouldn't be fine without him. Who would cook for her, tell her what was safe to eat? Who would talk to her? Who would she tease?
Who would hold her in the dead and cold of night and keep her warm? Who would take away the loneliness that had pervaded her life since her mother died? Her sisters had been there, but sisters couldn't fill that growing hole. Coming to a stop, Leina again examined the coarse and dirty road under her boots, the mocking comfort of the wolf pelt reminded her of what she was leaving behind. "I can't…I just can't…" couldn't what she didn't know. The crossroads took on a more meaningful symbol all of the sudden.
As Leina stood, stock still, gazing at an insect that had the audacity to walk in front of her, a hand reached behind her breastplate and began to squeeze happily. Having only had one man, she never considered Elina's gropes to be more than a child's affection, touch her, Leina yelped as the rush of pleasure worked through her. Yes, he had done that hadn't he, squeezed one with his hand as he mouth captured the other. "Shinji what are you doing, its only noon, and what of Tomoe?" she turned around.
"SHINJI! Is that the man that has been dragging you away from home and me?" Elina gasped and yanked her hand back. "What has he done to you onee-sama? He hasn't…oh my gods you're crying! He-he did didn't he, he took you against your will!" Elina jumped back and pointed her gauntleted hand at her sister. Drawing her spear from behind her back, a grim and feral expression washed over her. Licking her lips, "Where is he, onee-sama, or did you escape from him already? Come let's take you home, my horse is just a few yards back." Grasping Leina's free hand, Elina started pulling her back towards the crossroads.
Freeing herself from Elina's rather sudden gesture, Leina still couldn't bring herself to bring her head up. "I'm not going home, Elina, and he didn't…didn't do anything against my will," she sniffed hard as acceptance crept in. No, she had wanted it, deep down she knew that. As much as she wanted to blame Shinji, blame the healing, she knew deep down she woke him intentionally. Finally casting her gaze forward, "And I promised I'd take him to the capitol with me. To get him home."
Slowly spinning around, spear clenched hard in her hands, Elina's head tilted ever so slightly to the side. "So if he was gone, you'd come home? Sorry onee-sama, I'm taking you home with me. Father wants you home, I want you home. That man can see to his own way, can't he?" eyes wide, Elina's spread nearly from ear to ear. "I'll be gentle on you, onee-sama," the sun glinted off her cat-eared tiara.
Making herself known for the first time, Nanael fluttered over the siblings. "Finally another battle for Queen's Blade!" she cooed loudly into the open air. Summoning her angelic powers, various vision spheres appeared all around the area showing both Vance sisters'. "Let's see we have…the wandering warrior versus the captain of the guard, START!" with her rather vacuous decree the spheres began broadcasting the battle.
An angel here? But Shinji wasn't around to talk to her, were Leina's first thoughts. "Elina, why are you…we don't have to fight do we?" she tried to defuse the situation. Having already fought one sister, Leina had no desire to go against another. Something about hurting her family didn't suit her well. Having to bring her shield up to deflect Elina's sudden blow however was an eye opener, talking wouldn't work. Pressing forward, a swift kick to Elina's stomach, "I will not lose here!"
Being forced back by pressure from Leina's kick, Elina gasped as shock wormed into her. "How did you get so much stronger since you fought Claudette-onee-sama? No matter," the vicious younger sister was showing no signs of backing down. Poking several light jabs with her spear, she goaded Leina into a swing. Grabbing the blade with her gauntlet, Elina brought her sister in close. "You look ravishing when you're like this, I could kiss you. Actually," leaning in suddenly Elina did just that and kissed her sister on the lips.
Shoving with her free hand, Leina felt an odd revulsion work its dark magic on her stomach. Spitting yet still feeling the softness of Elina in memory, "Why would you do that? Why won't you just let me live my life how I want it?" Pressing her momentum for as much as she could, Leina spun with her blade firmly in hand and sliced through Elina's outer armor leaving the younger girl's chest fully exposed to the elements.
Non-pulsed at being semi-nude before her sister, Elina spun her spear in a circle in front of her. "Naughty-naughty onee-sama, if you wanted me to take it off all you had to do was ask," she teased. Suddenly throwing the spear with vicious speed, Elina cackled madly.
Not expecting a projectile, Leina took the full force of the blow to her breastplate that snapped in the middle. The heavy steel fell to the dusty ground with a mighty clang. Thankfully the plate would mend itself thanks to the enchantment her mother had placed on it, but for now she was just as exposed. "Now you don't have a weapon, stand down Elina," Leina charged her seemingly unarmed sister. When she felt the pressure against her legs, a sense of vertigo and airlessness as she fell to the ground, she noticed her sister still had a small piece of metal in her hands.
Retracting her spear, the thin metal wire in its core acting as a line, Elina took no time in pouncing on her downed pray. "Did he touch you here," Elina's hands went to Leina's thigh and neck. "Naughty-naughty man, nobody touches my sister but me, nobody. But I'll deal with him after we finish here and I get you home," the assassin of the Vance family slide her hand up across Leina's exposed cleavage and grabbed her hair. With a hint of sadness, "I only hurt to be kind. You'll forget all about this nonsense when you come back with me."
Her vision swam, she could see two maybe three versions of Elina atop her, but Leina could barely concentrate on them. A rookie mistake was going to cost her this victory and her freedom? All she felt was a warm hand on the inside of her leg, and the pain of having her hair pulled up hard. She could barely make out the spheres in the air, odd comments from the angel could be hardly made out, but then…then she heard something she wasn't expecting.
"Leina-san! You're better than this! Get up!" Shinji called from a safe distance away.
Stupid man, he was supposed to be trying to get the angel's attention to answer more pressing questions, not worry about her. But he was right! She was better than this, with a single hard shake of her head, Leina's vision cleared and she knocked Elina's hand off her head. Balling her fist, "Sorry, but I'm not going home just yet!" she applied her fist to Elina's chin with sickening force.
"And the winner is the Wandering Warrior!" Nanael cheered as the orbs depicted a very unconscious Elina Vance laying on the ground. "Ah that was fun," she angel cooed before flying off without heeding the frantic calls from the lowly humans on the ground below her. Her short blue hair ruffled in the air as her shorter wing flapped frantically to keep up with her larger, the white tunic hardly holding her form with in it.
Back on the ground, Leina slide the two fragments of armor back together and held it till the ancient magic melded them back together. Covering Elina with the fragments of her own armor, Leina was suddenly besieged by Shinji throwing his arms around her waist. So this was the reward she got for her second victory, she lost her chance to escape, to run from this. Returning the hug, she was ok with that.
X-X
Several days worth of traveling along the mountainous trail, Tomoe's feet were starting to feel raw and aching. It wasn't as easy going as they expected, and as they went, quite close to the dessert they planned to avoid, it was becoming neigh impassable to keep traversing with their gear. Simply put, Tomoe's footwear just wasn't suited to heavily rocky terrain or climbing, so they had to remain on the edge of the incline.
"Perhaps we should just abandon this plan and venture through the dessert instead. I had hoped a path would have existed, but seems I erred in judgment," Tomoe dabbed some sweat from her forehead. Being so close to the sandy expanse hadn't lessoned the heat it exacerbated it. Hearing more than seeing Shizuka stopping, "Would be easier to travel on the flat ground than these accursed jagged rocks, and if my eyes do not deceive it appears some sort of city isn't to far into it."
Blotting the sun out of her eyes with her hand, Shizuka peered off in the direction Tomoe pointed and grunted. "I think I see something, but with how flat the area is we can't be sure it's not a lot further away. If it's about your feet again, I could carry you if you wanted," the shinobi teased. Reaching for the water sleeve, she grimaced, "Think we have enough water for that? I don't know this area, and I think we're off the map again."
Pulling out the piece of paper in question, Tomoe unfurled it and put a finger to her chin. Not trying to show her confusion, "I believe we are still on pace with our plans. The chain of mountain takes a more round about way to our goal." That was the case if she was holding it right way and didn't have it upside down again. The compass was supposed to be on the top was it not? No matter, she put it away with the remains of their food. "So what be your opinion, you've as must to risk as I altering out path," she took the sleeve and took a drink as well. Well over half remained.
Hopping down from her higher vantage point, Shizuka leaned up close to Tomoe almost nose to nose. "I think you just want to travel with Leina-kun again, am I right? Am I such poor company? Could make things nicer for you if you weren't such a….whou!" Shizuka yelped as Tomoe quickly backed away sending her tottering forward. Skipping on one foot to regain her stance, "You never could take a joke Tomoe-sama."
Flustered, Tomoe wasn't mentally prepared for her companions odd attempts at humor. At times the miko wondered if Shizuka was being more serious and less joking in her advances. Pulling the hand size sealed ceramic jar she had hanging from her sash, Tomoe waved it menacingly. "I might pose the same question to you regarding Ikari-kun. You were quite forceful that he provided this for us. And if I recall you had even offered to let him…let him…" Tomoe dropped the jar and let the strap catch its fall.
Further descending the mountain towards the arid region, Shizuka just shrugged. "I won't pass up a chance at riches that would be squandered, or a chance to get stronger, nor should you. If you weren't such a prude, had we both pressed him back then we would have had him. He's too accommodating and naive, just like that girl he travels with. Just like…" Shizuka went silent but turned to help the miko down some of the steeper inclines.
"Interesting conversation I stumbled upon," a sultry voice echoed off the rocks. Spinning out from behind a large outcropping of stone, a long green haired woman with elongated earlobes leaned against her previous hiding place. Garbed in what looked like a snakeskin armor that just covered her breasts and long leggings, her thong appeared to be a snake, the woman's smile didn't reach her eyes. "What pray tell do you have in that jar of yours?" the woman asked eyeing Tomoe's side.
Instantly drawing her blades, Shizuka put herself between Tomoe and the new intruder. "Who are you, why are you following us?" the duel bladed Shizuka moved to put the sun out of her vision. Head flinching towards her companion, "And what we have is simple a herb based remedy we bought from a pauper back in a town we passed before hitting this mountain."
One hand going to the jar, her other her sword, Tomoe examined the new woman's features closely. "You are not human, you're an elf? I've heard tales of a mercenary…Echidna the woman most favored to win the Queen's Blade," Tomoe gasped in shock. The stories claimed Echidna was once the trainer of the queen, leader of the guild of assassins known as the 'Assassins of the Fang'. Tomoe couldn't believe such a woman might be her opponent, but Tomoe had to win or the Mikado would fall to ruin.
Petting her thong, the 'armor' slithered contently as it repositioned itself to further increase its warmth, Echidna gave a small bow. "Seems you are well informed for one not of this land. Oh the things I could teach to your body…both of yours," she licked the edge of her curved snake-looking blade. "But you're not one of my current targets, so I won't waste the time, now. As for that remedy of yours, why not share a little with me," she gave a knowing look.
Not backing down, Shizuka inched closer to the snake enthusiast. "That thing is real? You're not wearing any…odd tastes I'd say. And no, we only have enough for an emergency," in a sign of good faith Shizuka put one blade away, and lowered her right hand. Scooting closer to Tomoe, "If you don't mind my asking, who are your targets?"
"Give us a taste of blood or pleasure and maybe I'll tell you, I've no reason otherwise," Echidna's eyes seemed to dance over both women's bodies. Sliding her larger blade back behind her back, the short sword never leaving its sheath on her left leg, she slowly approached Tomoe. "Just one finger in a pot, any pot. Yours, hers, or that?" she pointed at each woman's crotch and finally the jar, "If you like it maybe Kelta-kun can join in," the snake hissed but remained stationary.
Offended at the audacity of this strange woman, stories or no, Tomoe scowled. "We will not provide for your entertainment. You seem mighty interested in a medicinal compound, are you in some sort of pain? If so I know several types of first aid that can help you. But if you wish to continue this perverse conversation, I'm sorry we'll have to leave. We do have places to go," Tomoe stood face to face with the mercenary. Feeling out with her chi, Tomoe knew she was a cat before a tiger.
In a flash of motion, Echidna's snake reared back and struck out at the miko, giving both woman proof that their opponent did in fact use the snake as underwear. As Tomoe leaped back, drawing her blade, the one time assassin simple pulled the jar out of Kelta's mouth. Popping the seal she smiled, "My-my, you two are awfully protective of some backwater 'snake oil.'" Tittering as she slide a naked finger into the vat and pulled out a healthy sample, she dribbled it in her mouth. "Delicious, in all my five-hundred years I've only had this flavor once," she capped the jar and tossed it back.
Shamed at how easily she had been tricked, Tomoe felt her blade shaking in her hands. "Anything else you'd like to steal from us before we…we…" Tomoe felt it then. It wasn't a mighty search of power, but the life force of the elf swelled and grew before her eyes. "Spirits what are you?" was it the salve doing the trick or did this woman have the ability to mask her power?
No longer interested in her current playthings, Echidna turned her back to the armed miko and shinobi. "I'm looking for a man and a woman. I saw a pair of foot prints going off in many directions and chose the smarter of the tracks that would lead where I expect them to go. I guess my pray isn't that smart. Thank you for the milk," Echidna said nothing else and rounded back behind the rock she had first walked out from behind.
Rushing the woman, blades aching for blood, Shizuka called out, "Stop bitch! You can't just…just." Coming to a halt, she pointed at the rock with a look of utter disbelief, "She's gone? How…where?" In frustration she chucked her blades into the dessert with a mighty foot stomp, "Guess we have to assume she's after Leina and Shinji-kun. You get your wish Tomoe-sama, into the dessert we go."
"You don't sound to upset at that," Tomoe resealed the jar with a half frown. Even in the face of what they had just lost, and the knowledge that came with it, Tomoe felt her spirit lighten. They might be traveling a bit longer with that charming woman and her timid yet accommodating friend. "Come, let us make haste. We don't know truly if they are her target, or even what she aims to do with them if she were to catch them," Tomoe allowed Shizuka to help her off into the rocky sand. Hopefully they weren't to far away from Leina, but the area was big, the old Amara kingdom had been quite vast.
X-X
Staring up at the starry sky, Shinji stopped to lean on his staff and catch his breath. It had been a strange and quite two days since they had parted ways with the other two women, and he did regret it to a degree. While they had started off semi-hostile towards the end of the shared venture he had warmed up to them a degree. It was funny how without the trappings of modern life how quickly bonds were formed he thought. When you can't just walk to a store to get food, the people who help you hunt it become friends quick.
"I've only seen stars like this once," he gazed up at the multitude of alien twinkling lights. "G-guess you're used to it though, where I come from the city is so bright it blots out most of them," he tried small talk with Leina again. It was very similar to the night after the seventh angel, the power outage allowed him to see the sky like this. As for Leina, Shinji could understand why she didn't want to talk to him. They hadn't been fully in control of themselves at the time, but he took full blame for the encounter.
Running her finger over one of the semi-eroded sandstone statues that started cropping up in the dessert around them, Leina nodded. Breaking off a piece of the stone serpent accidentally she cringed away from the rest of it. "I never saw a night NOT like this I guess. Maybe when we find a way to s-send you home, I could visit it once to see all these wonders you speak of. A city of perpetual light must be beautiful. But why are we traveling at night anyway, it's so cold," she rubbed her arms to emphasize her point.
Inwardly cringing at the mistake he had made, Shinji shuffled over to her. While he was glad for the easier manner of clothing himself now that his plug suit had been carved into mock clothing, it allowed sand to get into everything. "I-I saw it in a movie actually. If we walked during the day the sun would be a lot hotter and we'd dehydrate sooner. If we travel at night we can move faster, not worry about dessert animals, and conserver water. A-and if you wanted I'd like you t-to come visit," he didn't want her gone that was for sure.
It wasn't just the one night of hardly remembered animalistic love-making, he hardly remembered it at all, but Shinji could tell shamefully that what he felt for this woman was bad. His initial crush on Rei seemed childish, his reluctant feelings for Misato small in comparison, and his idol worship of Asuka was down right foolish. No the women from Tokyo-3 made him feel stupid, his blossoming fondness for Leina was painful. He couldn't stay here! How could he forsake a whole planet for his own happiness? He couldn't, so no matter what he knew to be true he couldn't stay.
Taking a sip of water, Leina's eyes blinked rapidly as if stung by sudden insight. "You're right! I've remember reading of how dangerous travel in the dessert could be, but we've been having no problems at all! But what is a movie? Another of your futuristic bobbles?" she ran her hand against her mouth to wipe off the excess water. Handing the container over to him asked, "Want a drink?"
Never more aware of the silly notions of 'indirect kisses' from the TV shows he watched, Shinji was tempted not to. But his chapped and cracking lips were all but demanding he swallow his pride and have at list a mouthful. Grabbing it, he gazed at the cusp for a moment of childlike panic and downed just enough. "Think of a movie like a play, I guess," was the best comparison he could think of. "Are you still sure we should be going towards that pyramid? It might be dangerous," he synched the water as they continued walking side by side.
In an unexpected motion, Leina tentatively wrapped an arm around Shinji's shoulder and brought him close. "We're explorers Shinji! Had I known this was here, I'd have made it a point from the start to look at it. Judging from the decay of things around here, we have nothing to worry about right?" her exuberance was contagious. "I've read of the fall of the Amara kingdom many times in my youth, I thought it was totally buried in the sand. Glad that it isn't," she didn't release her hold.
She was just doing it to stay warm, that is all, Shinji kept trying to say to himself and failing to believe it. As more time passed since that night they shared, Leina was slowly returning to her old self about him. Childish and teasing like Misato, but she was touchier now. She had even forgiven him for providing for Tomoe and Shizuka. Now that was humiliating.
These powers of his were mind boggling as they were helpful. It was like puberty only worse. When he became technically a teenager he had classes at school that told him everything he needed to know. Everything had been explained when his body changed last time. Now, now it was finding out on the fly for good or bad. Thankfully he knew he didn't have to worry about Leina being pregnant due to his condition at the time. Whatever that stuff was, it hadn't been able to create life that's for sure. And he had been stunned after his near death experience when Shizuka asked for it.
As it was either waste it or give it to them, Shinji took the latter, still not knowing just what it was he was capable of creating in his post healing state. When she had asked if he wanted to apply it directly to her…well Shinji all but ran from the duo. He couldn't do that! Yes they were nice people, but he wasn't the time to want sex just for fun.
"Are you listening to me Shinji? Hello Gainos to Shinji, this is Leina talking," the wandering warrior flicked Shinji's forehead. Confident that her tiny blow regained his attention due to his head shake, she continued. "I was thinking…while we're traveling together…for safeties sake…we should um…sleep in the same bedding. The s-sun is coming up so we should make camp before it gets to hot like you said. N-now I'm not saying we should…you know…just for protection," the bashfulness in her features was hard to miss.
Had he been a smarter man or one more accustomed to women, Shinji would have realized Leina's words were blatant cover for something else. However to lost in his self doubt and misery for his believed abuse of his protector, Shinji saw nothing of it. "If you're sure that's what you want, I-I'd be honored," even still his smile was genuine and hard to mask.
They made a small camp underneath the arch of a toppled obelisk, using their cloaks to block out the sun from the one side exposed to the elements. Laying close to one another, neither spoke as the saw the sun creeping in under the heavy cloak. Being the larger, Leina lay with Shinji being the little spoon, and after what felt like an eternity, wrapped her arms around his waist. "Shinji…about that night…I don't…don't regret it. I know I have to get you home, and I'm sorry that you couldn't talk to the angel. But until you do go…could we…?" her voice was as fragile as the worn sandstone all around them.
"I'd love that Leina-san," Shinji said just as meekly. He vaguely understood what she was asking. "I'll try not to get in your way, try not to…not to…" he didn't know what to say really. His heart was beating to fast, his breathing to hard to even let his mind try and focus. She was asking him to be with her…to be hers, not that he wasn't already. He had his fears regarding her though. The fact her fight had happened far down the path away from the crossroads that day was something he oft thought of. Had she tried to run from him? Leave him in Tomoe's care?
Murmuring a little, Leina shifted her weight and pulled Shinji even closer. "Sleep now, we'll talk more about it later," she mumbled as she fell into a heavy sleep. Even after days of travel in the wilds she smelt of honeysuckle and other sweet things. And as the sun blazed above them, the two slept comfortably in their uneasy and delicately established relationship.
X-X
Notes
Trying to make it more realistic with the whole relationship thing. It was a rocket ship taking off, but neither of those two characters seem the type to just rush off into a relationship. Hope you don't mind it. And remember this will take just about any QB character, from the video games as well so Chaos Gate is optional too. So if you want somebody tossed in, feel free to ask. It gives me more options to try new personalities and character types. This is an exercise in writing new personalities for me so having people show up for a chap or two is a good thing.
Oh and happy new year!
Later
Mercaba