Deion Ryder
(Junior Member)
Strength: 67
Speed: 67
Magic: 67
Willpower: 67
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Post by Deion Ryder on Sept 29, 2015 17:30:12 GMT -5
He walked through Onibas. The city was bustling with activity. Deion was here for only one reason, to make attempts to find his Tanith, his mother. Tracking his mother would prove to be difficult, since he didn't have much to go on aside from a string of murders. The first murder had occurred here, otherwise he had little to even go with. The Government was fairly quick to quiet the entire thing too, in every location one seemed to happen. Likely because this wasn't the first time Tanith killed, and they had an idea who was doing it. I desperately want to believe she did not commit these crimes, but surely she did. Who else can use the magic she developed. She claims to have developed it, he thought as he paused, slinking off into a nearby park to find a place to sit down. He didn't seem to pick up any of the details of Onibas. The people didn't matter to him, he didn't want to bother them or be bothered. He removed his jacket and laid it down beside him. He had some leads of where she might go, Onibas being at the start of his list because of its infamous theater.
The lush green of the park he was in could not pull him from his thoughts. Despite its obvious appeal, the lack of noise that filled the streets of Onibas was relaxing, the blooming flowers and stunning pond. Lets see, she knew about the Yarrow and told me how to find it. She certainly would go there if she was being tracked. No, she probably wouldn't try to reveal the Yarrow's location. I know that she's been to Poinsettia, though going there would be signing my life away. She mentioned Wormwood frequently. But I'm willing to bet she's in Astelia. Perhaps chasing her around shouldn't even be my concern, but if someone finds out my magic works like that I'm going to be hunted, he thought, planting his face in open palms. He thought he was going to start crying about the whole dilemma he was in, but nothing happened.
He gave a sigh. "Tanith...", he cursed under his breath as he rubbed his eyes. He began to take the surroundings in, admiring it. "Perhaps this has not been a waste.", he said to himself as he smiled. Even though he couldn't see everything good, he was enjoying it. He leaned back against the bench he was on, keeping his hands in his lap as he looked off into the distance. Somewhere, Tanith is out there. She's going to be a problem, I'll deal with it when it comes, he thought, breathing a sigh of relief. Things might start looking up, they might not. Deion knew that he would persevere somehow. Even if it didn't feel like it, as if the struggle would simply become too much for him to bear. Maybe he could find people who could support him. Though he wasn't so open, he did what he could to hide his status as a mage and was terrified of what might follow should he be open about himself. Certainly a tight road, he thought. He didn't really want to be on the run, it wasn't something he thought would suit him at all. He might like fighting but truth be told wasn't fond of the idea of being on the run.
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Taichi Negeel
(New Member)
Strength: 9
Speed: 10
Magic: 12
Willpower: 9
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Post by Taichi Negeel on Sept 30, 2015 3:40:03 GMT -5
After visiting the swamp village in Wormwood Taichi traveled to Onibas on directions of the locals. He thought he would be happy to be in a normal town again, but so far his stay here caused him more anxiety than relaxation. Not that the town had bad vibes, on the contrary, it was very peaceful and the people appeared to have little to no suspicions on each other. On his first day he already found out why that was. He had overheard civilians talk about how their town is probably fully free of mages, for most mages avoided nearing the town for their famous Mage Hunter. Even now that mages are no longer hunted, the fear that the hunter instilled still casted a large shadow over most of mage-kind.
This came as a great shock to him. Of all the places he could’ve gone, this was the dumbest decision he could’ve made. He assumed the Mage Hunter knew all about the Lotus Castle dog trainer that took out a slave keeper and fled. Thus he was very on guard and wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. The town would take at least a few days to travel through on foot though, and the careless people around him almost made his uneasiness seem pointless. Though he refused to doubt the legitimacy of his fears, after all, he was on the run for a very powerful man. This meant that anyone could be looking for him, especially mage hunters.
He just couldn’t catch a break, could he? He had never walked so much in his life as the past months, all the wilderness he had to pass through was hard on a boy who’s lived his entire life in a castle. Not that the dog trainer’s chambers were fancy or anything, but all primary needs were met, which can’t be said about the wilderness. Ever since he escaped West Fiore all towns have been shit in either status or climate. He needed to take a load off more than ever, his preferred method of distraction being girls, but even that was too risky for the mage hunter could very well be a girl. Being a natural born actor himself he knew how easy it was to fool someone and this made everyone a suspect.
At last he was halfway through town, the center marked by a quiet park. The perfect place to rest without appearing suspicious. Of course, it took him a while to find a spot without any people in it. He just wanted to sit quietly without listening in on the conversations of people who decided to hang out in the same place. The one quiet spot in the park was occupied by a single man. This would have to do for now, peace and quiet. Though as he closed in from behind his uncertainty came afloat, what if.. that very guy was the famous Mage Hunter? What if he saw through his disguise? He stopped in his tracks.
As luck would have it he sneezed, it hitting him out of nowhere. He hated himself for it, because now he had revealed himself and was thus forced to engage, otherwise it would be suspicious. He continued to walk up to the guy and came to a halt beside him, his best bet being a casual greeting and politeness to come across as an ordinary citizen. “Good afternoon. Is it okay if I join you?”
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Deion Ryder
(Junior Member)
Strength: 67
Speed: 67
Magic: 67
Willpower: 67
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Post by Deion Ryder on Sept 30, 2015 11:47:54 GMT -5
Deion jumped at the sound of the sneeze. It scared him, gave him a small amount of panic. He looked around quickly, in somewhat of a panic. Until he seen someone approaching him. He gave the stranger a good look over, picking up his appearance. It didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary, not that Deion knew what could be considered normal attire in this world. He didn't look suspicious however, so Deion couldn't exactly continue to freak out about the interaction. He realized that he should probably respond to the question imposed on him. Would he really be okay with someone sitting near him? I suppose there's no harm, it doesn't look like someone who'd try and kil me, he thought as Deion smiled and tried to make eye contact. "Of-of course it's fine.", he said sheepishly, trying his best not to come off as rude. He slide over a little, trying to take up less room on the bench.
He rubbed the back of his neck with a gloved hand, thought about trying to make some kind of conversation. What sort of subjects would be appropriate here? Deion wasn't sure he never really spent a lot of time interacting with others. Not to mention if this was a non-mage and he found out Deion was a mage, it would surely end with a lot of trouble. Well, I guess I could make small talk about the park, maybe Onibas. I could ask about him, would that be too personal? This is not going to be good. I guess keeping a discussion aware from magic and Tanith would be best, he thought as he moved his jacket onto his lap and laid his hands atop it. He gave another look over the guy, taking in for greater detail. Like the color of his hair, the black cloak, the brown pants that seemed faded. It didn't seem like much but Deion was making an assumption that the guy traveled around a lot.
Whether or not the guy would sit down, Deion remained quiet contemplating what he might be able to say. He kept his breathing slow, to keep calm. He closed his eyes, smiled slightly and clenched his hands into firsts. He opened his eyes and tilted his head down, clasping his hands together. "So....", Deion began in a quiet voice. "....Are you from Onibas? I'm not from here myself, so this place is somewhat strange to me.", he said with a smile, making some form of attempt at conversation. Even if it was poor and Deion wasn't sure what would happen as a result. He hoped that the guy would respond, it would probably be nice to have a conversation with someone. Yeah, it would be nice to have a conversation, he thought, waiting for a response.
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Taichi Negeel
(New Member)
Strength: 9
Speed: 10
Magic: 12
Willpower: 9
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Post by Taichi Negeel on Sept 30, 2015 14:21:47 GMT -5
Taichi studied the other man who scooted over to make room for him, he appeared to be around the same age and wore nice clothing, similar to what he used to wear himself back at lotus castle. He couldn’t tell from his appearance if he was going to cause him any trouble, and thus decided to take a seat next to him on the bench.
When he sat down he stretched one of his legs, his heel resting in the grass. His bottom slid further to the edge of the seat to allow him a more relaxing position. He figured if he just looked bored enough the other wouldn’t feel obliged to speak with him. That way they could both enjoy their quiet time, and more importantly he would not get asked about any sensitive information.
There was a nice moment of silence in which he thought his plan had worked, his gaze fixated on the nature on his side of the bench. Until the other practically announced he was going to say something, causing Taichi to sit up right again and pay attention to the other like a respectful civilian. The other asked an indirect question to where he was from, this was exactly why he didn’t want to talk. He could avoid speaking of where he came from thankfully, but revealing any information about himself was tricky for someone on the run. The best he could do was play it confident by raising an eyebrow and answer him jokingly. “Can’t help you there, sorry. I’m just passing through is all”
This was tricky. If he didn’t change topics fast the follow up question would be where he was headed, and since he had no goal other than getting as far away from Castle Lotus as possible he would have to lie, and lying was risky. The best method in this case was to focus entirely on the other and what the other had to say, and if he had any luck the man would be the talkative type. He turned sideways and leaned one of his arms over the leaning of the bench, allowing him to give the other his full attention. “What do you mean by strange? All these happy douchebags living a life without care?”
He smirked to sell it, but he hadn’t intended to make such a passive aggressive remark. Unless the other was a mage or thought of him as a pubescent teen he just raised suspicion on himself. He was just too worn out to think of anything good to say, and shifting the topic entirely to e.g. hobbies was also weird and suspicious. He tried to laugh it off and recover back to a normal conversation. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. You must be here on business or something, do you like what you do for a living?”
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Deion Ryder
(Junior Member)
Strength: 67
Speed: 67
Magic: 67
Willpower: 67
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Post by Deion Ryder on Sept 30, 2015 15:01:42 GMT -5
Deion found himself wanting a closer look at the other man. He wasn't sure why, likely just curiosity. Hopefully he wouldn't end up dead like that cat does, even though that wasn't the full saying. He watched the man seat himself; heel resting in the grass, the rear near the edge of the bench. Deion was, unsure what he was trying to accomplish here. He was truly unsure what to expect from this encounter, other than perhaps a conversation that could go in any direction. I wonder if he'll provide a nice conversation. I would prefer that above silence or a terrible one. On second thought maybe silence would be the best, he thought, trying to swallow his fear as he waited.
The response. I'm honestly not sure what I was expecting, Deion thought. So the other was simply passing through, much like Deion was doing himself. Maybe I could tag along, its better to travel in groups anyway, he thought as the other spoke up again. He watched as the man turned and faced him, leaning one of his arms over the bench. He was giving his full attention, and Deion felt his heart race. Out of fear. Well this is certainly getting out of hand, perhaps being silent would've been the best approach now he's looking directly at me this can't be good, not good at all, he thought, resting his hands on his knees and turning his head with a forced smile. Deion found himself laughing internally due to what the man said. He quickly cupped a hand over his mouth and turned away, coughing a few times before taking a deep breath and turning back around to face him. He let out a chuckle. That smirk only made it worse. I completely agree these people here are happy douche-bags, even if that's not the wording I would choose, he thought
Deion had given what the stranger said a good debate inside his head. He knew what he would say. "Oh no, I agree. Onibas sounds like a good place, but it is filled with people who don't want to look to the future. They glorify murder like its going out of style, celebrate someone who became famous doing the dirty work of a Government that didn't care for all its people. They're so weak and fragile, that they're scared of anyone who demonstrates power they don't understand", he said in reference of the Mage Hunter. He gave a sigh, having probably said too much. "But never mind that, idle prattle about world affairs isn't the most interesting subject. I suppose one might say I'm here on business, but I'm not. I consider it more personal to track her down.", he said, unwilling to say Tanith's name. "But I don't think you need to know about her, I was actually considering giving up on tracking her down since I'm no match for a mage.", he said, trying to play off being a non-mage. "So you're just passing through? Where are you headed to next then if I may inquire such?", he asked with a smile, dedicating his attention to the man whom he still did not know his name.
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Taichi Negeel
(New Member)
Strength: 9
Speed: 10
Magic: 12
Willpower: 9
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Post by Taichi Negeel on Sept 30, 2015 17:54:31 GMT -5
Perhaps his little slip up about the civilians wasn’t so bad after all. It was rare to hear an opinion like the one the other voiced, defending mage-kind like a big brother would defend their younger sibling. This could very well mean he was amongst a fellow mage, either that or this guy was a very good actor for he had yet to meet the first human to object against murdering mages to his face. The only bad option here was if he was faking it, but judging from his behavior so far that was unlikely.
The conversation took a nosedive however when the guy admitted to being on the hunt for a female mage, and even considered giving up on it due to not having any powers himself. Upon hearing this he shifted position again and folded his arms, this time resting his back against the leaning again. He was not sure what to make of this new found information. This guy was clearly pro-mage, and yet he was hunting one and claimed to not be a match, that just didn’t add up. Then again who was he to judge, he continued doing the castles dirty work as a dog trainer even after he learned that his mother was a slave and that he had a younger sister. He didn’t have time to think on it though for the question he dreaded most came at him out of the blue.
By now he had lost his anxiety about the other hunting for him though. Someone who was convinced that the future should be a place where mages and humans live in harmony could never work for the lord of west Fiore, and then there was the fact he was hunting a specific woman. Even though he felt assured about sharing his traveling plans with this man, every bone in his body was telling him to look around to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation, but to stand up and scout for eavesdropping humans would be over the top. Not to mention it would make it clear as day that he was wanted. “Nowhere special.. East, I suppose.”
He looked at the other guy with his chin high and a puzzled look on his face, wanting confirm his suspicion about him being a mage. The cause of his inner debate wasn’t about asking and whether he would tell him a truth or a lie, it was about himself having to share the same personal information that he requested of the other as an equal exchange. Was he ready to exchange such vulnerable information as the fact he was a mage himself? They barely knew each other after all.
It continued to eat away at him. He averted his head and frowned, tightly closing his eyes and then opened them slowly. I might as well get it over with and see what happens. He thought. “I agree with you, on the mage thing.. You know, mages are humans too, but they don’t see that.” His head turned to the other’s direction again. “What I’m trying to say is, that it’s okay.” He grew a little tense, but it was the moment of truth, if he didn’t look him in the eyes now it would be far too easy for the other to tell him a lie. “If you’re a mage you can tell me. Your secret is safe with me.”
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Deion Ryder
(Junior Member)
Strength: 67
Speed: 67
Magic: 67
Willpower: 67
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Post by Deion Ryder on Sept 30, 2015 23:45:34 GMT -5
Deion seemed puzzled, almost clueless to respond to the stranger's question. "Hmm, that's a really good question honestly.", he said, reaching into the pocket of his jacket to reveal a pair of glasses with a slight tint to them. He pointed towards his eyes, keeping them wide open. "They weren't always this color, it's a side-effect. The coloration and the fact I can't see well far away.", he said as he unfolded the glasses and slid them onto his face. He then removed the gloves off of his hands and rolled his sleeves up. He was rather uncomfortable doing this, but then again he couldn't really say no. It didn't feel like he could say no. The markings on his palms and forearms, of the Ouroboros, the snake eating it's own tail, were visible now. "Those, those aren't due to the magic I use. I'm not sure where they came from, I've had them as long as I can remember.", he said, visible uncomfortable with what he was doing, what he was about to do.
His markings, the Ouroboros' began to glow a silver color, and so did his hands. No, to be more apt about it, his hands were coated in something. "This....", he began as he raised both of his hands up so that the stranger could get a nice look, though Deion was not thrilled about using this as a show. "This, is a cloak of magic over my hands.", he followed up as he waved his hands around slowly to display it. "Don't make physical contact with my hands, you won't feel any pain externally.", he said, pressing his hands into a nearby tree and discharging the magic, causing the tree to seemingly rot in that location. "The magic I use, it affects living organisms, anything organic. I'm not sure how she developed it.", he stated before continuing. "The one I'm tracking, she taught me it. But I think she's using it to kill people, and I want answers. I don't think its right for mages to abuse their power, they should be punished if they do. But I also agree that for all the pain and suffering mages have undergone, their oppressors should also pay the price.", he said to the stranger.
As the silver faded from his markings, he quickly returned to how he was before; gloves firmly on and sleeved back down, nice and proper. He scratched at his temple with a finger before speaking again. "I hope you can keep a secret. I'm not fond of having to fight my way out of a problem.", he said, keeping his gaze on him as he removed his glasses and returned them to the jacket pocket. "I also hope the demonstration was satisfactory.", he stated. "I suppose it might be too much to make any inquires like this about yourself, isn't it? I won't push the subject if it's a bother.", he said, folding his arms. Deion didn't really seem to concerned about learning any kind of secrets by force, didn't feel right to him. "Oh, I don't think we've exchanged names.", he just realized. He really felt bad now, having forgotten that entire. "I'm Deion, what's your name?"
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Taichi Negeel
(New Member)
Strength: 9
Speed: 10
Magic: 12
Willpower: 9
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Post by Taichi Negeel on Oct 1, 2015 16:05:28 GMT -5
As Taichi assumed his question caught him off guard. And yet he responded very openly, not afraid of admitting that he was a mage to a mere acquaintance. Taichi looked at the markings on the man’s arm with admiration. It was mysterious that he didn’t know how he got them, but that only added on to the cool factor. He noticed the other was uncomfortable about showing the markings, but had they been his own he would’ve worn them proudly as a fashion statement. That is, if he had the luxury of making himself look suspicious, which he didn’t.
At first he was relieved about the other being a mage like him. This meant that entrusting him with information was less of a risk. However as the other displayed the destructive magic type a familiar disdain returned to his being. For a brief moment he viewed the other not as a human, but as a vermin or bug. He held on to his poker face as to not make the other uncomfortable, and listened to his explanation and story. But on the inside he was struggling, very intimidated and fearful of what would happen to a human afflicted by such magic, imagining they too would rot and maybe even die.
When asked if he could keep a secret he twitched, snapping out of his inner panic. By now it was him that was uncomfortable, afraid that if he told the other the truth about his past he too would have to pay the price. He tried to play it off as a joke “Of course. I have enough enemies as it is.”
He simply nodded about the inquiry to the other’s demonstration and scratched his head when subtly asked about being a mage himself. Thankfully the subject changed, the other finally realizing that they hadn’t introduced. Taichi looked away, he purposefully avoided introductions when speaking to others, mostly because he’d have to lie about his name to people he enjoyed the company of. And up until now this guy seemed harmless, aside from the magical capabilities. “I’m…”
He took a slow breath and exhaled, then turned to the other with a puzzled expression, unsure about what to think of mages and humans, understanding both the injustice and fear of both parties. “I’m going to be honest with you. I haven’t told anyone my real name in a while.”
He folded his fingers together, leaning forward, arms resting on his lap. He was biting his lip, pondering over what to say next. He wanted to be honest without admitting to his past. “It’s because.. Well, I recently discovered that I’m, you know. A mage.”
It felt strangely relieving to admit this, even if Deion was someone he only just met. He leaned back again, looking up at the clouds with a nervous smile. “And it scares me. And when you showed me yours I-”
He had to swallow his words, for he couldn’t admit to having thought of him of less than human, even if it was only a brief moment. “I got scared..” he chuckled, feeling awkward about admitting such a thing. His gaze shifted back to the other, still laughing at himself “Pathetic, isn’t it?”
When he was done with self-deprecating he grabbed onto his robe, fingers moving around the whistle that was underneath it, and then let go again. “I don’t want to go into detail but, I’ve done things. Things I don’t want to think or talk about. And I messed up big time when I first discovered my ability, so I ran. And now they’re looking for me.”
He chuckled again, amused by the irony. “How ironic, the hunter becoming the hunted” That joke was short lived, and hurt more than he thought. “And that’s why I don’t tell people my name.”
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Deion Ryder
(Junior Member)
Strength: 67
Speed: 67
Magic: 67
Willpower: 67
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Post by Deion Ryder on Oct 2, 2015 3:35:48 GMT -5
He watched with careful eyes, taking in the reactions given to him. He felt the stranger look at his markings, it made Deion uneasy. Like a sharp jab to the stomach. It kind of bothered Deion to even have those markings, they were strange and those ones looked like birth marks or something. Only the one around his waist looked like a tattoo. He shook the thoughts off. He certainly didn't seem like his body language changed at all, Deion couldn't pick up whether admitting himself capable of magic was a bad thing to this man.
Enemies? Dare I even ask how he garnered their attention? No, perhaps it would be better to leave it alone for now, he thought letting out a sigh of relief, feeling happy that he could trust this pleasant stranger with knowledge like that. He seen the stranger turn away, only to turn back around. He looks perplexed, was it something I said, he pondered. Then the stranger said he would be honest, that he hadn't told his name to anyone in a while. Perhaps his enemies are good at tracking him by word, people might've heard his name before and found him, Deion thought, showing a look of concern and worry. I feel terrible now, I hope nothing bad happens to him because of this, he thought as he nodded at the last part.
Fear. Deion knew it well. "Actually your fear is well-placed. Not in me, but certainly in the magic. It was designed to harm, but not to kill or cause rot. At worst, some internal bleeding and possibly cutting into the heart or lungs if one has the precision required to do that.", he said, realizing that it wasn't comforting words he was providing. "Oh no no no, I'm sorry what I meant was that its more of a grey area, it can be used to repair as much as it can be used to cause damage. Magic tends to be all about how the mage uses it.", he said. "For example, a mage that specializes in healing magic may also have enough skill to use that same magic to cause harm to others. It's all about how you use it, not the magic itself.", he told the stranger. "Honestly, when I first started learning this magic I was terrified. Imagine a child, essentially playing with knives? That would've been me. I don't think its pathetic, but more of a natural response, like anxiety.", he added.
"But if you aren't going to give me your name, I think you should at least give me something I can call you by.", Deion said to him. "I mean I can't not have something to call you.", he said with a wide grin. Deion leaned towards him and whispered. "I also know the way to the Yarrow if you might need to lie low among other mages.", he added.
ooc - when you're too tired to code in color and center the post
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Taichi Negeel
(New Member)
Strength: 9
Speed: 10
Magic: 12
Willpower: 9
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Post by Taichi Negeel on Oct 2, 2015 18:45:29 GMT -5
The explanation the wizard provided at first did a very poor job of reassuring him, leaving Taichi no other choice than to stare at him with disbelief and concern. The other came to realize this and corrected himself. From then on out the explaining went smoothly, and actually did put the confused wizard at ease. Deion had been a lot of things in this short amount of time: the stranger, the possible mage hunter, the mage, the vermin, the nice but dangerous guy. But Taichi wasn’t one for labeling others, he went with what his gut told him and right now his gut was at ease. This mage wasn’t so bad, in fact, he seemed way too nice and understanding to subject others to cruelty the way he had himself.
It was a funny thing how fear could blind oneself from the truth, how it turned people into monsters. He had been so preoccupied with the fact he was being hunted and calculating whether or not Deion would be a danger to him, that he forgot an important thing, that he was no small fry himself, and was probably worse in personality than the other. He wanted to change that though, and become a good person.
Taichi felt strangely relieved, all the suspicion and tenseness blowing away like a summer breeze. It was nice to be able to see someone in a positive light again. Always being cautious and putting up an act was very tiresome, but inevitable in his situation unless someone managed to gain his trust.
He was amused when Deion joked about requiring a name to call him. By now he wouldn’t mind sharing his real name, but it would be risky if he was called out to in public. When he heard about the Yarrow he smiled and was filled with hope. A place where he could relax and not worry about getting tracked down or discovered felt long overdue, even though it had only been weeks since he escaped. Nevertheless he wasn’t interested in going there for shelter. What he needed was to free his mother and sister from slavery, but he couldn’t do that alone. And in his current state of being he didn’t have the balls to go anywhere near west Fiore, let aside free some slaves. His smile faded. “I can’t. I’d like to, but it’s not right. They’ll track me down eventually, that much I know. And I don’t want to put others at risk for my own convenience like that.”
This much was true, as soon as the lotus castle got a new dog trainer they would be able to track down Taichi’s scent. “And I guess you can call me T.N.”
He figured his initials wouldn’t ring any bells for those tracking him, they could mean anything. And this way he could at least provide a name that wasn’t fake.
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Deion Ryder
(Junior Member)
Strength: 67
Speed: 67
Magic: 67
Willpower: 67
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Post by Deion Ryder on Oct 3, 2015 0:18:26 GMT -5
Deion would have to ask. It was at this point, essential to progressing anything forward. Better yet, perhaps not if the stranger, whom suggested that he can be referred to as T.N. seemed to avoid mentioning what and who was coming for him. I'd certainly like to ask, maybe I could offer to lend a hand if he needs help with someone, Deion considered the thought. Of course on one hand, his mother always said that non-mages would quickly try to kill a mage or sell them into slavery. On the other, someone whose company he enjoyed was potentially being tracked and with little detail to go on Deion was of course concerned for T.N. This concern was visible upon his face as he kept his gaze on what Deion would describe as his newfound friend.
"Hey..", Deion began, making sure his gaze was locked to T.N. His hands balled into fists on his knees. He took in a deep breath, then released. "...I know you said you don't want to put others at risk, but you know if the Yarrow isn't for you...", he said, pausing for a moment. "You could, you know join a guild or something. I don't think running away is going to be a good way to deal with anything. But if you have friends and comrades you don't have to face burdens alone.", he said to him with a smile on his face. It was rather cheesy of Deion to say that, but nonetheless it spoke volumes of truth.
Deion maintained how he was, keeping an intense gaze upon T.N. "But it's up to you I suppose. I do think that its better to face your problems with the help of friends. What's the saying? The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.", he said, clapping his hands together as he remembered the saying. "Yeah, that's it. Hell, I'd offer my help if you'd let me, I'm a pretty decent fighter and I can provide some support too.", he added, seemingly proud of himself and his own skills. "If, you'd like my help of course.", Deion finished, somewhat shying away and turning his gaze and body to look somewhere else.
Stupid stupid stupid! You didn't need to suggest stuff like that and then offer your help, you'll look so stupid, Deion thought, trying his best to hide his anxiety about what he had said without properly thinking. Maybe he won't get mad or anything. I kind of want to be his friend but I'm not sure if he's the type for friends, he thought, scratching at the back of his head sheepishly. He still hadn't turned back to face T.N. Oh what can I say now, I'm such a fool why can't I think straight, he debated what was going on with him, whether he was merely exhausted from traveling or maybe the conversation. Maybe I should call it a day while I still have my dignity.
ooc - too tired to code and center again
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Taichi Negeel
(New Member)
Strength: 9
Speed: 10
Magic: 12
Willpower: 9
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Post by Taichi Negeel on Oct 3, 2015 19:38:03 GMT -5
Empathy and concern. The other’s voice, face and words were full of it, and it was new and strange to Taichi. The way Deion looked at him made his heart feel heavy and confused his mind. It hit him deep when he was told that running away wasn’t going to help. He knew that, but he was convinced that it was the only option for now. Still, he wanted to right his wrongs and save his family, be pro-active about that instead of running.
Ever since he made his escape he’s been having negative thoughts about himself and his situation, and walked a self-destructive path that only encouraged this state of mind. Therefore the mere suggestion of him obtaining friends was laughable. Who would want to be friends with a cruel asshole who tortured and killed hundreds of wizards? Even if that was in the past, he couldn’t erase what he did. He wouldn’t blame other wizards for hating him for it, in fact, he expected them to. All this negative energy was poison for his body and soul, and prevented his mind from closure and healing.
When Deion offered his help something in him snapped. He had been all alone in this, confused and scared, helpless in his situation. He wanted nothing more than to receive help and fight back with an army of friends, but he was confident that would never happen. Both wizard and humankind would hate him for who he is and what he did. And because Deion had managed to tug at his heartstrings and offered solutions he dared not dream of his insanity came to surface. There was a moment of silence, his eyes big and mind running overtime. He started laughing in an eerie manner, at first softly, but it grew increasingly more dramatic. Still laughing he got up from the bench, moved before the other mage and looked down on him. It was clearly visible he had lost it that moment. Gradually his laughter died down, but he was still insanely amused. “You would help me? ME?!”
He started laughing again, unable to comprehend why someone would want to help him. Then he realized Deion only wanted to help because he didn’t know the full story, he was unaware of the terrible things he had done. He bent forward and gestured for the other to lean in with a big grin on his face, then neared the other’s ear as if he was going to tell him a secret. Within seconds his amusement made way for spite. His cruel side surfaced, his voice sounding cold and raw. “I’ve trained dogs to track down mages and turned them into slaves. I’ve had my dogs rip mages apart for attempting escape. I’ve tortured them for disobedience. I even provoked them to disobey just so I could beat them down, and I liked it.”
He slowly moved away from Deion’s ear and turned back into standing position, his arms hanging from his body like spaghetti. His insanity started dying down a little, his eyes angry and half a grin plastered to his face. “And you want to help a guy like me.”
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Deion Ryder
(Junior Member)
Strength: 67
Speed: 67
Magic: 67
Willpower: 67
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Post by Deion Ryder on Oct 4, 2015 4:29:21 GMT -5
Deion was unsure of how to respond at first. The guy sounded like an idiot, yelling all these things at him. He shook his head. He clearly doesn't realize, does he, Deion thought. It was kind of sad really. A sad, sad man. Deion was only trying to be nice and he had to go and say thing like that. Deion couldn't say he was angry or anything like that, but what for? He didn't personally know any of those mages and so what it was in the past. Thus Deion knew what words he would say to him.
"And you think I'm concerned that you'll be able to hurt me?", Deion asked him. He was standing up now, one of his hands was glowing. He looked down upon him, his vibrant eyes glaring. "Do you think you're the only person in this land who brought harm upon mages? Do you think you were the first? The last?", Deion asked as he pointed in his direction. "Do you really think that's the worst fate for a mage? We're sacrificed for who knows why, like we're damn lambs to the slaughter.", Deion shouted at him. He lowered his hand, along with his head. "Dammit...", he muttered under his breath as his hand stopped glowing. He balled his hands into closed, tight fists and turned away from T.N.
"I think, that you need to reconsider your outlook on your situation. If that's your past, then that's great. Maybe I can't trust you. Maybe I should kill you right here and now, I'm sure we both know I could do it.", Deion stated coldly. "But I'm not. You know why? My mother raised me to hate non-mages, but now that I'm away from her I'm learning so much about them is wrong.", he stated, back still facing T.N. "I think you need to focus less on letting your actions in the past prevent you from moving forward. We don't get to pick how we begin our journey, now who helps us and raises us. What they teach us as truth, is subjective.", he said to him, turning around to face him. "Hatred is taught. But it's also something that can be moved past.", he added. It seemed Deion might've been crying, he seemed to rub his eyes a bit.
"If you can't move past it, then fine that's your decision to block out others. If I judged everyone based on how they acted and treated mages in the past, well surely you aren't as clueless as you're acting right now.", Deion stated with a warm smile. "If you want a fight, I'm game. If you'll accept my help, I'm game.", he stated. "If you don't want my help, well think about it. If that's you're answer I doubt we'll ever cross paths again, you'd be a liability for someone like me in that situation.", he added with a sly grin.
"What say you?", he asked.
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Taichi Negeel
(New Member)
Strength: 9
Speed: 10
Magic: 12
Willpower: 9
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Post by Taichi Negeel on Oct 4, 2015 8:35:05 GMT -5
The lack of knowledge Taichi had of the life of mages outside of slavery was close to zero, of course he didn’t know about their strife amongst each other. He just assumed the obvious, being raised a cruel man he could not understand the possibility of a forgiving and empathic nature. Thus everyone could only hate him for who he was, he would have to pull through all by himself.
That’s why Deion’s fiery response came as a big shock to him. He had expected the other to attack him then and there, or get angry at him for what he did at least. But the other mage seemed more upset about Taichi’s outlook on life, and didn’t care a bit about what he did in the past. His words had a great impact on him, his smile disappearing when confronted about his fate, reminded that the enslaved mages were worse off. A flashback of his younger sister came to mind, how he protected her from the slave keeper at the time. It brought back his sanity, the mage disconcerted as he continued to listen to what the other had to say.
He said many things that unnerved him, his heart aching at every word that insinuated understanding. All this time he thought of himself as scum, and this guy treated him like a normal human being, no, more than that. He cared. For a stranger like himself? He found himself unable to move, his body lightly trembling. And here Deion was, offering his help again, even after everything Taichi told him. I can’t believe it. He thought, moved by the kindness he was shown.
Overwhelmed with emotion he collapsed on his knees, staring deadly at the ground before him. After a moment his unrest started to show “Kch!” He struggled with his feelings, not understanding how or why he was hurting so bad when the other hadn’t said anything that offended him. Then tears started to well up in his eyes. He tried to stop it, raised to think that tears were weakness and intended for the enjoyment of those who provoked it. But his attempt was in vain, his suffering showing as he cried without making a sound. “Damn it”
His voice sounded distraught, and cursing didn’t make the pain go away. After everything I did, all the pain and suffering I caused, he still wants to help me. He thought, thinking back on the cruelties he committed, the mages he captured and punished. His lips started to tremble at the awful memories “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry”
He was sorry for a lot of things, for the way he had behaved towards Deion, for the things he did in his past, for leaving behind his family. He sniffed and wiped his face with his sleeves, but that that didn’t stop the continuing stream of tears. Wanting it to stop he got back on his feet, legs trembling as he did so. “Sorry, I lost it back there. I was sure that you’d hate me.”
He once again dried his face, this time it remaining dry, though his eyes were still watery. He looked at Deion apologetically “But I do need your help”
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Deion Ryder
(Junior Member)
Strength: 67
Speed: 67
Magic: 67
Willpower: 67
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Post by Deion Ryder on Oct 5, 2015 17:34:30 GMT -5
"We're only human.", Deion stated. It felt like a powerful statement to him. "We aren't born prepared, none of us are. We're raised.", he added. He wasn't smiling, he seemed more neutral than anything. "Circumstantial birth and how we're raised isn't what I want to define people by....", he seemed to pause, letting it hang on a heavy sigh before he continued, his gaze soft as he looked at T.N. "...No, I'd rather define people by their actions.", he said. He noticed that he was crying. Both of them were, Deion hadn't noticed his own. "This is a normal reaction, simply part of being a human. It's natural for us to cry when we're happy or sad.", he stated, still rather neutral in his speech and facial expression.
He wiped his cheeks and rubbed his eyes slowly with his hands. He dipped his hands into his pockets afterwards. I'm sure it would mean a lot for me to accept your apology. So I will, after all better to show compassion for you, he thought as he tilted his head and smiled. "I accept your apology, I think I understand why you'd react like that. There's a lot of blood on your hands, and I doubt it's easy to make any kind of decision.", he said, trying to show more compassion. "I'm sure if our roles were reversed I would've reacted in the same way.", Deion added quickly with a light-hearted chuckle.
"But I think we've overstayed our welcome here. I think the sun will start setting soon enough. If you need my help, of course I'll watch your back. But you need to watch mine too, it's only fair.", he said as he retrieved his jacket and slid his arms into it, doing up the buttons and fixing the cuffs. "I think, if anyone seen us we've made quite a scene, perhaps it would be in our best interest to move along to a much more mage-friendly location. Or at least a place where we're look less suspicious to the general populace.", Deion suggested to his new companion.
He seemed to look off in the distance at the sky. It was getting dark. I didn't think it was evening when I came out here, but then again I never bothered to see what time it is. No reason to stay out in the open any longer then, he thought.
"So then, I'm sure we have a long way to go.", he said. "Probably won't be easy, but it's whatever we make of it. So, anywhere you wanna head out to?"
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