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| A Painful Reunion; Izzy | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 19 2009, 02:04 AM (1,270 Views) | |
| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 19 2009, 02:04 AM Post #1 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She floated on a cloud of sleep, all those she knew were below, waving their hands at her as she passed. Smiling, she returned the greeting, that was until she saw her dear old parents. Pain and longing surfaced then, causing the young Kitsune to reach out toward them, beseeching the cloud to take her to them. But it would not yield to young girl's wishes. Just as she leaned over, she felt her whole body fall through the cloud and plummet to the ground below... Tomo woke up with a start, both eyes snapping open. Her eye patch, which usually covered her gold eye, was nowhere to be seen. Along with that, her own body was informing her brain how battered it felt, as well as much damage it had taken. Lifting a bandaged arm, she gingerly touched her head, also feeling that it too was bandaged. A small whimper escaped her lips, despite her effort to keep her mouth closed. She was hurt, as to what extent, Tomo was to scared to find out. Her arms were a bit scratched up, that she knew but she wasn't sure about the lower half of her body. What if she didn't have a lower body? Tears sprang to her eyes then, blinding her and causing the world before her to go underwater. Rai, oh monkey, where was he? Her heart constricted, a painful image appearing in her mind, offering her the suggestion he might be dead. Shaking her head, tears slipped, she groaned as she made an effort to sit up. Despite the fear of discovering severed limbs. "Rai...." Another small whimper. |
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| Izzy | Mar 19 2009, 11:54 PM Post #2 |
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AKA Vinny
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"Run! GO!" A flash of lightning and the clap of thunder ran parallel to his own punch, Raikou took a running dive into cover as he felt gunfire chip at the torn concrete wall behind him. His white hair was a bright target against the backdrop of the torn housing estate. Raikou burst around the corner, his long lithe legs catching up quickly to his eight year old friend. Dashing forward, he felt his lungs strain to keep himself up. A small, metal ball bounced in front of him, and he instantly panicked. Those things were grenades, and they exploded. Get away quickly, his mind told him, but another part told him to just speed up. His legs pistoned to catch up with Tomoko, and Rai's mind cooed in satisfaction. Diving forward, he caught her in his arms, wrapping his arms around her as he tackled her to the ground. The concussion was what hit him first, the dull roar of the explosion knocking his senses black and blue. "Damn it! Shinji, Kai, covering fire! I'm going for the kids!" A rough rattle of gunfire cut into his senses, and there was a scream behind him. A soldier had gone down, his mind registered. There was a rough coughing sound - a shotgun if he had seen the weapon - that was followed by a second scream. As darkness faded, Rai looked up at the impossibly familiar face in front of him. The Elf? His eyes flickered open, a dull electric blue as he found himself face down on the bed. Someone started as he tried to roll himself onto his back. "Stay down, kid." A gentle hand was laid down on his elbow, and Rai shook his head clear. What the hell had happened? Craning his head to look, he saw a woman, her dark black hair cut short as she looked down at him with dark brown eyes. "Who are you?" He managed to croak. "Your little friend used to be babysat by my brother." She explained. The Elf's ally? Then where was he? The woman sensed his question. "Oh, I call him Mark. He's taking care of our... other guest." Tomoko? Rai's struggles redoubled, but he was kept down by the black haired woman. "Oh, my name's Linda, by the way, your... well, the little girl that you were with... she's fine, just a few cuts and bruises, thanks to you. Your back's pretty scarred up, and I'm sure you won't be able to walk around for a few days at least." - - - - - Mark left his quiet rest of coffee and an anpan roll, and headed out to Tomo's sanctuary of sorts. She had been placed in Linda's room, while Rai had been shacked up in Mark's. Moving into Linda's room, Mark opened the door with a whisper. He walked over into the room, and saw that the girl had been awake. Mark picked up her eyepatch, and walked over to her. "Hey, calm down. Your friend is alive, he's hurt but alive." Sitting down beside her, Mark handed her the eyepatch. "You're safe with us. Bet you never thought that your caretaker was a soldier, huh?" He tried to keep his tone cheerful, but didn't really know what to do about it all. Mark grabbed a few more pillows, and lifted her up a little so that she was more or less sitting on the bed. "You got hurt, too. Concussion, bruising and cuts mostly... That boy took most of the blast." He checked her surface injuries quickly enough, and he shrugged. "You'll be fine to walk... want to give him a visit?" Edited by Izzy, Mar 20 2009, 03:22 PM.
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 20 2009, 03:14 AM Post #3 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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The elf! Instinctively she covered her golden eye and took the offered patch with a nod. Quickly, she secured it in place before carefully tying it, not quite sure if she had other cuts on her head. Looking back at the elf, her ears swayed back, a sign of obvious relief. Her bottom lip quivered, tears suddenly springing to her eyes. As they slipped, she slowly nodded her head, afraid that if she spoke, she would break. Holding out her arms, for obviously she expected to be carried. That and her feet were so and tender from all her running. But now, she was afraid to see the condition her best friend was in. Even now she blamed herself. "It's my fault he got hurt.....Rai tried to protect me and there was nothing I could do to protect him." She squeezed her eyes then as the tears flowed and small sobs racked her small body. |
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| Izzy | Mar 20 2009, 05:23 AM Post #4 |
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AKA Vinny
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Mark looked at her, and couldn't help but feel sorry and angry at what he saw. She was a young girl, who had been attacked simply because she had looked slightly odd. He was sure this girl was kitsune, but that wasn't something to be held against her. Sighing with concern, he let her check herself over, and he pulled out a small shaving mirror, probably a decent novel in size. Waiting for her, the Elf waited for a moment before he saw the gesture, and complied, scooping her up. Now that she had a chance to look at him closer, it was apparent that Mark had picked up a few scratches in the past few months - many scars were still healing, small little cuts from shrapnel. He was only wearing a shirt and pants, and as he picked her up she probably could have seen the ugly red scars on the white skin. "But he got hurt for a good reason, Tomo. So take care of... wait, Rai?" Confusion swept over his features as he registered that the young man - probably one his age - was Raikou. "Raikou, the boy that you used to play with?" His head tried to add up the maths, but it simply didn't work out. Mark scratched his head, so reminiscent of a girl in length. Girl... Realization dawned on him as he opened the door, the eight-year old kitsune in his arms. "Ah... I see." Valjean. Again. Mark carried the girl with a thoughtful expression, opening the door to Raikou's room quietly as he pushed the door with his shoulder. "You have a visitor, Raikou." Rai's back was a study in bandage expenditure, and Linda must have used a tube of burn cream on his back... and there was a small bowl full of metal chips beside the bed. The young boy's backpack had been shredded, now tossed aside into a corner of the room, but somehow he managed to survive the grenade blast. Edited by Izzy, Mar 20 2009, 03:24 PM.
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 20 2009, 08:38 PM Post #5 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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Seeing Rai, Tomo couldn't stop the hiccups that accompanied her small sobs. His back, now tossed into the corner of the room, had suffered a fate far worse than Rai's. She had no doubt her own bag was a mess. Quickly looking to the elf and back to Rai again, the young girl wiggled out of the man's arms and dashed toward Rai's side. Anxiety danced across her face, her bottom lip tucked behind her front teeth as her hands hovered in front of him. His back, she assumed to be the worst injury, had her biting back another sob. When she saw the man in front of her, her young eyes always tricked her into seeing the young boy she played with and looked after. The smile, his baby face crumpling with sorrow when she had gotten mad at him. Gingerly, as if he were made of glass, she brushed some of his hair with her tiny hand. "I'm older....I should be the one protecting you!" She complained as she balled her small fists. |
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| Izzy | Mar 21 2009, 02:38 AM Post #6 |
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AKA Vinny
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He held her close, stopping her from making a mad dash to Rai. "Easy there, its probably better for you to keep a little away." Mark whispered, letting her get to the bedside but still keeping her from throwing her arms around him. "He's a little tender, so its best to leave him be." Rai registered her coming, and craned his neck to see. Seeing her walk around and talk, he gave a weak smile. The pain was worth it, being able to see her safe. And considering the amount of drugs in his system, it was relatively painless. "Linda, how's Miko getting here?" Mark's voice got Linda's head up, and she shrugged. "I sent Shiro and Hamish out to get her, so they should be here in about half an hour." "Good, we can get Raikou fixed up well." The white haired boy barely followed the conversation, but he did understand Tomoko's pain. He gave a weak laugh, and rested his head down again. In the past few months, the young boy had somehow managed to get his head around some concepts usually saved for older people... ones who would have had a much more dangerous lifestyle. "I'm stronger, Tomo-chan. That's why I had to protect you." Mark stepped back, closing his eyes as he felt something strike at his consciousness. You're certainly right about that, my friend. |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 21 2009, 03:24 AM Post #7 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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As she stared at Rai, she nodded her head, his words holding nothing but truth. Why did things have to turn out this way. She gave him a wobbly smile, brushing some of the tears away, and ducked her head a bit. "At least it as the Elf that helped us. Even if it is ironic," She laughed a bit, rubbing her eyes a bit more to get rid of the tears. Geez, she never cried so much in her short life. But that sorrow was soon replaced with anger, that very anger had that speck of rage in it that slowly multiplied. She would make them pay, every last one of them. All of them human. "We'll get them back Rai. Even if I have to burn them all to the ground." Tomo puffed out her chest to emphasis her words. Turning to Mark, who she called the elf, she gave held out her arms again. "Up, please." She liked being carried. |
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| Izzy | Mar 21 2009, 04:39 AM Post #8 |
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AKA Vinny
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Mark looked at the two, and stepped back to let Tomo have a semblance of privacy with Raikou. Linda also slipped out of the room, to let the three get some talk without strangers. He began to look around the room, his room. It was rather bland, since most of his personal belongings were at the AHS dorms, and that even then most of it had been burned when the robots had attacked the school. And in that same attack, he had lost more than a few belongings. Idly, the Elf reached up to his throat, where among identity disks he felt a small blue jewel. Tomoko's little voice brought him back to reality now, and Mark looked back up from the burned and charred pendant. "I've always taken care of you guys, huh?" He cracked into a weak smile, but that soon disappeared as he looked at Tomo. His hand clapped down on her shoulder as she began to plan revenge. "Patience. Revenge is alright, but you can't just walk in burning everything... it'll just get you even more hurt... worse, you might get Rai even more hurt trying." His caution well founded, Mark looked at the girl with a frank stare. "I thought you were strong. Strong people walk around on their own." He sighed, but smiled as he glanced at Raikou. "Injured people stay down." That was one order he would never forget. His friend's paintball smeared face as he shouted out in the middle of their war-game. He looked at Tomoko, and walked to the door. "Do you two want any food? I think we have some food we can cook up easily enough, so we can bring some in here." Rai nodded his agreement for some food. Mark smiled again, and looked out to Linda, who was already boiling some water. |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 21 2009, 04:57 AM Post #9 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She frowned as her order was denied. With a sigh, she grumbled over to Rai, mumbling something about how lazy adults were. As he mentioned food, her stomach gave a soft growl. It had been awhile since she lasted supped. Looking toward Rai, she felt a wave of relief and joy wash over her. "That sounds great, I'll stay with Rai though." She nodded her head and went toward her friend. Tomo stood by her friend's side and leaned forward to place a small kiss on hiss forehead. Brushing back some of hair away from his eyes, giving him a small encouraging smile. "No worries, you'll soon be up and running......Oh!" A realization came to her then. Digging into the mystery that was her kimono sleeves, she pulled out a pouch that had been tied to her arm. And with a grand gesture of sorts, pulled out a bright blue gumdrop. "Tada!" And then she stuffed it into his mouth. "Sweets for comfort." |
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| Izzy | Mar 21 2009, 05:09 AM Post #10 |
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AKA Vinny
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Mark smiled softly, at least she wasn't in emotional lockdown. He gave her a little push before quietly closing the door behind him. The Marauder's kitchen wasn't all that flash, it had the basics and a few extras which made cooking easier, and a lot of knives. There were sparse decorations, and Mark idly ran his hand along the couch. He knew that inside the couch was a small cache of weapons, as were all the pieces of furniture in the house - not to mention the sealed polymer crate in one corner. "Mark." Linda's voice snapped him back to reality again, and Mark felt the conversation's flow. "You know." "Yeah... same kind of thing happened to me. You heard about it, right? I caught up with them, though." He grimaced at the memory, unsure of what to say. But this woman was his sister, his commander and a very trusted individual - he had trusted her with his life, and the life of others on more than one occasion... and she had pulled through every time. - - - - - Rai could feel her presence, even though she wasn't visible as he faceplanted the pillow. He groaned in discomfort, before twisting his head to the side. "Tomo..." He smiled, and saw her animated face. At least his troubles had paid off. She was unharmed. Her kiss... burned. Literally, her lips left a burning sensation on his forehead. Rai's face twisted in disgust as he realized what it was. "Ew... did you just kiss me?" He struggled - weakly - to distance himself a way, and made a face. Something seemed to inspire the little girl, and Rai wondered what it was. His curiosity abated when he saw the little gumdrop. Rai fought to keep his mouth shut, but the little blue ball was already in his mouth. "Tomoko, I don- mgrph!" - - - - - "There's a guy, named Valjean. Well, supposed to be, I think its just a name, though. Phoney." Mark sighed, and shook his head. "The guy's a meta, and they change ages by swapping... well, more like how you fill a jug with another jug... you end up with the same number of years, but different amounts in each jug. He explained it to me when I... asked." More like beat the answers out of. Mark had been vicious when he had caught up with Valjean, showing the rare side of him that didn't hold back. Valjean had almost ruined his relationship with someone he cared for deeply, and now that was getting back at him. |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 21 2009, 05:20 AM Post #11 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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Smiling, she ignored his protests, both her ears perking up at the words being exchanged in the next room. As she listened, she ignored Rai for a few moments, the pieces were now fitting together. Rai's sudden change and this man Valjean, he was the cause of this. The specks of rage were now making half the population in her emotions. Stuffing the gumdrops back into her sleeve, she turned back toward Rai, grinning. All that was left was to find this guy, who, for all she knew, could be anywhere in the world. When she thought about it more, it seemed almost hopeless. The world was huge! Kicking the ground, she went back to Rai and plopped her elbows beside him. "Rai, promise me you won't go anywhere without me." She said with a serious face, holding out her pinky. "A pinky swear." |
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| Izzy | Mar 22 2009, 10:12 PM Post #12 |
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AKA Vinny
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Rai chewed the gumball thoughtfully as he stared at her, wondering if she was really being kind or cruel... he looked at her as she listened in... his ears were still in shock, so they weren't up to more than listening to a conversation right beside him. He craned his neck to look at the door, and gasped out a few words. "What are they saying?" - - - - - Outside, Mark looked out at the windows, and at the battlezones outside. "We have him pinned out at zone four..." He tapped the map spread out on the table in front of them, and sighed. "Not sure if we can drag him all the way out here to turn Rai back as a kid... I can't say he wants to go back to being a kid again either." Linda arched an eyebrow, unsure about what to do about all this. "Why would that be?" She asked, a confused look passing over the door. Mark shook his head, and sighed. "War changes people. Boys become men so fast you don't see them stop. This kid's probably seen a lot happen... if he were to become a kid again, what do you think would happen to him?" He shook his head, and shrugged. Linda knew what he was talking about, and her answer was crisp and emotionless as she tried to keep calm. "He'd fall apart, or get himself killed trying to do something that he could have done with his current state." Mark sighed, sad and regretful. "That's the truth, isn't it?" |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 23 2009, 05:21 PM Post #13 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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Tomo continued to listen in, her ears twitching a bit when the two took turns talking. When Rai lifted his head and questioned her, she merely pressed his head back down with a hushing sound. Mark's next words was like a slap across the face. If that was like a slap, then Linda's next words was a punch in the gut. Appearing to be hit by some unknown enemy, Tomo jerked her head to the side and sucked in her stomach. She dropped her hand from Rai's head and stared intently at the door, her shoulders slumping a bit, even her tails ceased to wag. Falling to the floor like some dead weight. As their words echoed through her head, she couldn't help the look off dread that came over her features. Her mind tried to process what they were saying, the pieces were leading her to think.....She shook her head. No! They had to get Rai back to normal again! What was she to do if she got older and her friend as practically middle aged!? |
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| Izzy | Mar 23 2009, 11:56 PM Post #14 |
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AKA Vinny
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The two Marauders sat in silence, unsure about what one would say to the other. Mark picked himself up, walking over to the warmed food, and inspected the pan. It was literal powdered soup which had been hydrated and warmed up. However, it was filling and tasted a little more like sweet mud, so it was edible enough for someone in a hurry. - - - - - Rai frowned, looking at Tomokos's back as he struggled to get back up. "What's going on!?" He growled, and sighed as he gave up, letting her push him back on the ground. But something made her spirit fall as he saw her literally freeze and go limp. Her head and tails said it all. "Tomoko!" - - - - - Looking around, Mark grabbed a few tubes of some nigirizushi that had been lying around as well, and put them on a plate before loading everything and going over to Rai's room. He paused, looking back at his older sister of sorts. He paused, and shook his head. He didn't say it, but there were other dangers to Rai's changing back into a kid. Sometimes it was simply the physical trauma of suddenly having such a small body - as he himself had done. Opening the door, he entered the room and stopped as he almost ran into Tomoko. Who was about three inches from the frame of the hardwood door. Mark's mind processed what had happened in an instant. He sucked in a breath, and quietly cursed to himself. "You heard it, didn't you?" He set the food down, and sighed. He did not know how to explain this. |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 24 2009, 02:41 AM Post #15 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She stood there for a few moments, her head bowed, and her ears laid back. Visibly, her shoulders trembled, as if she were suppressing some great burden. When she finally lifted her head to look at Mark, a look of forlorn was etched into every feature of her face, her eyes filled with anguish and confusion. Despite the chaos going through her head, she simply nodded her head and returned to Rai's side. She averted her face from his peering eyes, Tomo didn't want him to see how she felt. Because, slowly but surely, everything she cared for and wanted, was being torn from her grasp. One person at a time. "Boy, I'm starving! Aren't you too, Rai?" She burst, whirling around to face them with a lopsided smile, one hand rubbing the back of her head, while the other lay on her hip. Both ears perked, she looked toward what Mark brought it, thankfully it appeared edible. Making a face toward Mark, she perked a brow. "You don't know how to cook?" |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 24 2009, 02:42 AM Post #16 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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-double posted on accident- DX Edited by +Puppet Strings+, Mar 24 2009, 02:43 AM.
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| Izzy | Mar 24 2009, 11:30 PM Post #17 |
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AKA Vinny
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He looked at her, unsure about what to do with the girl. She was absolutely devastated, he guessed, and so Mark knelt down in front of her to meet her eye-to-eye. Rai looked on, curiously as he strained his damaged ears to hear what they were going on about. But it seemed like Tomo wasn't trying anything. But then she broke the tension, happily going over to the soup and the sushi that he had brought in. Mark watched on, knowing in the back of his mind that the happy kitsune persona was only skin deep. He sighed, and smiled briefly at Rai as he sat down beside Tomoko. "I could, but things like that would need food and time. We don't have much of the either. Eat this for now, I'll get you something better when Rai gets up. Its a lot easier to eat when you don't have to worry about your back." He smiled, but inside was the same as Tomo: worried, for the two of them. Edited by Izzy, Mar 24 2009, 11:30 PM.
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 25 2009, 12:09 AM Post #18 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She made herself a plate, her movement almost zombie-like, a far away look coming to her eyes. Honestly, she wasn't paying attention to what she was getting. Tomo didn't pay attention to the taste, merely placing it in her mouth and chewing it until she could swallow. Her stomach ceased it growling and greedily devoured what she swallowed. Looking toward Mark, she lifted a brow. "Mr. elf, are you married?" It was a personal question, one that would turn her attention away from darker thoughts. She stuffed, what she thought to be sushi, into her mouth and started chewing. It wasn't the best thing in the world but it would have to do. As soon as she could find a nice place to live, she would make it her business to go grocery shopping. "Girlfriend, maybe? I find it weird you're not with someone at your age." She continued to chew. |
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| Izzy | Mar 25 2009, 03:43 AM Post #19 |
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AKA Vinny
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He looked down at the young girl, somehow far more mature than what he would have expected of her... or anyone her age, really. Spooning out a bowl of soup, he set it down beside Rai and struggled with him to get him up. Rai held onto Mark's forearms as they both carefully eased him up to a seated position, and Rai felt like half his back was numb. The rest was all pins and needles. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the pain. Letting his breath out as a hiss, he let Mark push him into place. "There. Sorry about that." Handing him the bowl, Mark stood back, standing by Tomoko. "Mr. elf, are you married?" He froze, and maybe so did the entire room. Mark's eyes hardened to ice, and his jaw muscles clenched. In his mind, he held the image of what was left of Yang-Yang Hua, after the attacks on the dorms. He leaned forward a little, and the clinking of the small blue jewel against the dog tags emphasized the room's silence. Mark's eyes held a distance to them now, trying desperately to cradle a fading memory in his mind's eye. "Girlfriend, maybe? I find it weird you're not with someone at your age." The blond mercenary looked at her, and sighed. She didn't know. She didn't have to know, either. Mark quickly changed the subject. "You two were lucky to escape those Hunters. Any other pair would have died..." Or have found themselves alone. Which one would have been more painful? "Rai, good job on frying the guy's weapon." He smiled, and gently ruffled the white haired boy's head. "Tomoko, you haven't thanked him yet, haven't you?" |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 25 2009, 03:59 AM Post #20 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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Tomo nearly dropped her plate of food, the look in Mark's eyes made her step back, expecting him to lash out. It hadn't been the first time someone struck her. Clenching the plate, she prepared herself for the deafening blow, squeezing her eyes shut. Seconds passed, but no such blow came. Cracking a lid, she found Mark helping Rai up. Exhaling in relief, she stared at the floor, cringing when she heard the gasp of pain. When he started to speak, a deep frown etched her features, making her brows furrow. She could have taken them on....if she was an adult like Rai. Puffing out one cheek, she turned her head to the side. He had a point. Looking back to Rai, she smiled, but it wavered due to seeing the pain he was in. "Thanks Rai." Tomoko blurted, a bit flustered. |
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| Izzy | Mar 25 2009, 04:21 AM Post #21 |
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AKA Vinny
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He looked around, and saw Tomo, eyes closed shut and her face squirming... like she was trying to take a blow. Confused, he gently touched a hand to her shoulder. She had been hurt, abused. Someone had been beating her. From what he knew of her parents, back when they had been around on more comfortable terms. Who was it? Mark frowned, unsure. "I'm one of the last people in this world that's going to hurt you." He whispered, and resumed with helping Rai back onto a face-down position. His friend would have to really be careful for the moment, now that his back was so fragile. Rai looked up at him, a little confused at Tomoko's position... he had been too focused on his own hunger to pay attention to the two. His face flushed red, and Rai bowed his head. "Yeah... you did okay with that fire, too." He managed to mumble, and let himself be helped back to his face-down position. Mark looked at the two of them, and sighed. "I'll leave you two alone, then." |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 25 2009, 04:34 AM Post #22 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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The hand on her shoulder made her involuntarily jump, a sort of jump. Looking at Mark, she merely pressed her lips together and watched him. She had once thought that about someone, later to be proven wrong. Tomo gave her head a small nod before looking back to Rai, heaving a small sigh of relief not that he was on his stomach again. It killed her to see him in pain. "It was nothing compared to what you did, that was a pretty cool attack." The young girl chuckled as she walked over to his side. As Mark made to depart, Tomo chewed her lower lip, desperately needing some of her question answered. What were they to do now? She still wanted to find this man but....would they take her with them? "Your flies down." She lied with a grin, wondering if he would fall for it. |
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| Izzy | Mar 25 2009, 10:59 PM Post #23 |
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AKA Vinny
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Mark looked at her, and after a brief moment he shook his head. There was no need to check. He gave her ear a gentle flick - like had always done when she had tried to play a prank on him or the other kids - and smiled. "It is not." He had already been told by Linda that morning. But as he closed the door, his hand quickly went to check that it wasn't down. Giving a small sigh, he let his composure fall away as he drifted to his temporary sleeping space - the couch. "Kids..." - - - - - Rai smiled briefly, and flexed his ungloved hand. "Yeah, but you get pins and needles for a while after doing something like that." He sighed, and tossed his head around a little, to get the hair out of his eyes. It had grown wildly for the several months that he had been rougishly wandering the destroyed apartment blocks, and was now reaching a length rivaling Mark's. "I need to get a haircut." He dryly observed. "But first... some sleep..." His eyes fluttered for a few seconds, and he eventually found peace in the darkness of sleep. |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 26 2009, 12:28 AM Post #24 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She puffed out her cheeks as he flicked her ear, cursing him for not falling for it. Tomo herself started to feel sleepy, a nap, for once, sounded good. As he closed the door, she looked back to Rai, seeing already the signs of sleep gripping him. A haircut would do him so good. She considered giving him one but she really didn't want to risk getting shocked to death. Tomo herself wasn't quite sure where she should sleep, Rai's space was off limits. Mark on the other hand.....surely he wouldn't mind sharing some space? With perked ears, she opened the door and followed after him. Carefully, as to not disturb him, much, she crawled in beside him. The young Kitsune was use to sharing sleeping space with others. In fact, she would always sleep with her parents, it kept her safe from the others. So, she crawled over him and spooned his side, seeing she didn't have much space. She fell into a state of sleep that gave her some rest but left her ears open to listen to for any danger. |
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| Izzy | Mar 26 2009, 03:49 AM Post #25 |
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AKA Vinny
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Mark slept more of less peacefully. Getting a good few hours of solid sleep was a luxury for him... his hours of darkness were always haunted. By the faces of those that were lost to him. Faces, hands reaching out for help... but never getting it. Bathed in their blood, they suffered, crying for help and crying in their pain. Missing limbs, craters of flesh and blood... where there was clothes and skin only a few moments ago. A crying, pained face, where only in the morning it was alive with joy... the liked joking and playing with their friends, reassuring the rookies everything was going to be fine... they needed help... he shouted for it. Healers, medics, time... the never got it. Not enough, not in time. Mark tossed fitfully, and ended up with one arm lying across his chest, the other dangling off the front of the couch. His legs were twisted together, and leaning off the side was well. The names were engraved into his mind, their faces projected into his soul. Lukas, Mitch, Ingrid, Johan, Rook, Al... "Yang." He breathed the word, the name... it was her shattered room that brought him the most pain. Knowing that she had never even stood a chance of survival, burned to death in an instant... asleep one moment, ashes the next. A warm body was pressed against his stomach, curled up next to him. A part of Mark's mind registered its soft ears brushing against his nose... the gentle breath of a sleeping child. Wait... what? "Mark!" Linda kicked the couch, and resumed shouting. "What the hell are you doing, sleeping with a girl that age!?" "Wha-!?" This time the socked foot dropped from the sky, a hammer drop kick which threatened to shatter his ribs. Mark gave a pained cough, before throwing up his Ghost Arms in a protective barrier. His nightmares had dulled his reflexes... and deepened his sleep. Mark blinked what sleep he had gotten from his eyes. "What the hell are yo- Tomoko!" He found himself with an eight year old girl, curled up on the same bed as he was - well, technically it was a bed. Mark scrambled vertically upwards, over the back of the couch. He fell down behind it, onto a crate of military appearance. "Argh!" |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 26 2009, 05:12 AM Post #26 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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Okay, so she wasn't able to keep her ears alert for long as she planned, but he was able to fall into a sound sleep. Clouds floated around her, they were warm, soft, and fluffy. This was a common dream, one that she enjoyed most, being surrounded by fluffiness made her all fuzzy inside. Outwardly, she was curling up close to Mark. The chaos that followed her actions....well, she barely twitched an ear. Even as he crawled backwards, she merely moved her legs to occupy the vacant space he left. With a silly grin on her face, and her tail fanning over her stomach and behind her, Tomo continued to snooze on. However when Mark called out her name, especially in such an alarming voice, she cracked her eyes a bit. "Papa...? Just...five more....minuzzzzzzzzzz...."Falling back into a deep state of sleep, she sprawled herself onto her side. One ear flopping over the side of her face, while the other lay back. After a few seconds passed, she started to mutter incoherent words. "Rai....geddd....down from...there....elf will.....get mad...." |
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| Izzy | Mar 27 2009, 03:45 AM Post #27 |
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AKA Vinny
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Mark grabbed the back of the chair, and heaved himself up. First, he checked with the young girl that was sleeping on the couch. Still undisturbed, she mumbled... papa. Mark's cheeks flushed red, and Linda put a hand to her lips. Her eyes said it all. He waved it off, and silently - and it was silently - stepped around the couch and sat down on the lazy boy beside it. His attention was wrapped around the kitsune on the couch. "Family name Kimiko. She's an adopted kid... I'm going to check on Rai." He glanced at Linda, and the unspoken request was met. Mark stood up as Linda went off to the comms room (really supposed to be the third bedroom), and scooped up the young kitsune. Shouldering the door open, he laid her down on the bed and brushed her hair from her eyes. He quietly undid her eyepatch, and placed it on the table beside the mattress. Pulling the blanket over her, he drew the curtains closed - the sun was still going down - and walked over to the door, peeking in to check on her again before closing the door. Linda was facing him. "The kid's parents are dead. Both pairs. Confirmed by the police. Illness... an old one. Nothing suspicious." Mark nodded, his stomach freezing over again. "Alright." "She's supposed to have siblings... but... looking at the will, you can guess." Nothing more need be said. The two of them knew that money was always a problem in life. "So we're all she's got. I'll be damned if I let her only friend stay down. Where is Miko?" "Shinji just marked their vehicle out at the edge of the complex. They'll be here soon." "Alright." |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 27 2009, 04:37 AM Post #28 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She continued to sleep on, even as she was moved to a different bed, her mismatched eyes stayed closed. In her dreams, she considered to float. And even while it was a dream, her mind continued to run on. She was conscious of the dream and took advantage of it. The scene changed, she was back at home, basking in the heat of summer, her tanned legs dangling from the maple wood floor. On each side of her were her parents, they were smiling, sharing a joke amongst them. No doubt poking joke at their own kids. Tomo enveloped herself in their love, engraving their image in her brain. In this dream, tears started to slip. "What's wrong, Tomo?" Her mother asked, motherly concern coming over her in an instant. "I miss you so much!" She sobbed, throwing her arms around the older woman. "Oh sweetling, I'll always be here. And when I'm not, I'll be right in your heart." That smile always had Tomo grateful for both of them taking her in. And with that, she came awake, her eyes still heavy. She wasn't quite sure how long she had slept but she continued to lay quietly in the dark. Tomo stared at the ceiling, willing herself not to think of them. If she did, it was over, she wouldn't be able to keep smiling. And she needed to smile for Rai and the elf. Seeing that there was light and she could see out of her other eye, Tomo assumed he took it off her when he was laying her down. |
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| Izzy | Mar 27 2009, 06:16 AM Post #29 |
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AKA Vinny
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Miko sat beside Rai's bed, a look of thorough exhaustion on her face. Mark looked at his bare back, and smiled as he could see it was only scarring. Now he could move more or less normally... those kids really were lucky, at that range what usually came out was chunks of meat. Not whole bodies. And... well, they were really lucky that the grenade had bounced into a hole, and that Rai had tackled Tomoko into yet another, but that was in part a bit of skill as well. "Get some rest, Miko. You earned it." He smiled, and replaced the young healer as she headed out for the living room. Rai would not be fully operational - Miko's powers did have its limits - and he would still feel pain, but the basic functions of his back would be fine. "Mark, don't forget!" Yes, even between Marauders, jobs this big had to be compensated. Mark sighed, but smiled. What would no doubt be the expression on Tomo's face after this was going to be worth it. "Contact Elrics, he'll wire it through." "'kay! Or are you sure you don't want to go out with me?" "Miko, I'm a mercenary, not a call boy." "Aww..." Mark sighed, and looked around for something to do. Rai gave a slight groan, and Mark stood up. "Welcome back to the world of the unwounded, Rai. You had some rough going there, so you need to be careful. I got some clothes for you, they'll fit for now." He tossed Rai a white shirt and a pair of baggy pants, which he eagerly put on. "Tomoko?" Mark smiled. Those two would go a long way. "She's in Linda's room. Outside, third door on the right." |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 28 2009, 03:52 AM Post #30 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She thought about counting sheep, that seemed to help other people falling back to sleep, but when she started, she could never stop. The highest number she got to before stopping was 1,560, that was after she realized it wasn't helping. Heaving a sigh, she closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep. Tomo imagined herself coming homing from a long day of working, her muscles tired and the prospect of a nice long nap.... Trying to go back to sleep had never been so hard, this hadn't been a problem before. What was different this time? The realization was like a slap across the face. It was the fact she wasn't at home. Tears stung behind her eyes. More memories were pushed back. Instead of thinking about that, she focused on relaxing each part of her body. She started on her toes. Goodnight toes... Tomo thought, then move to her ankles. Goodnight ankles... Next were her legs, and from there, all the way to her shoulders. So focused on that task, she eventually dosed off. |
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| Izzy | Mar 28 2009, 07:12 PM Post #31 |
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AKA Vinny
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Rai awoke the next morning. He looked up, and around. He saw the Elf looking at him. "Thought it was you." He smiled, and looked at Rai's back. "Nice job, Miko." He softly whispered, and explained to Rai his new condition. Helping the youth as he staggered to his feet, Rai was finding his back remarkably painless - compared to the feeling of constant burning from earlier on. Rai took a few experimental steps, and finally managed to stumble over to the door. Mark passed him a kendo sword to help as a walking stick, and Rai quickly found the white leather covering scorched. "I'm going to need to be careful about this." He whispered to himself, and Mark walked around him to open the door to Tomoko's 'room'. "She's still asleep." He quickly reported back, and Rai nodded once before sitting down. His stomach grumbled as he realized he hadn't eaten since last night, so he looked at Mark, who pointed at the breakfast of rice and assorted stir fry of vegetables and chicken. "I got more time to prepare." He explained, smiling. Mark smiled, and served Rai a big breakfast, which he quickly devoured. He kept up this more or less bright mood as he saw Linda slip into the room. "Morning, Rai. Feeling better?" The three lounged about and ate in peace, leaving a portion for Tomoko. |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 30 2009, 03:33 AM Post #32 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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When she woke up, her eyes snapped open, a wave of panic washing over her. For a few minutes, she had forgotten where she was and how she got her, her small chest rising rapidly. Gripping the sheets, her mind ran over the possibility of escape, and what punishment her "siblings" had planned for her. Shuffling out of the bed, and getting tangled in the sheets in the process, she fell over with a loud "thump". With a snarl, she fought her way out, a cold sweat breaking over her forehead. When she was free, she raced toward the door and swung it open, instantly looking around. When she came upon Rai, Linda, Mark, a look of confusion and bewilderment masked her face. It took her mind a few moments to catch her up to date. It was a weird feeling. The previous events slowly falling back into place in her mind. And now, for some odd reason, she felt nervous and a bit shy. Slowly, she started to back out, heading back toward the room. Stomach growling, she stopped, biting her lower lip in worry. Avoiding eye contact, she took her own portion and started to head back toward the room she slept in. |
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| Izzy | Mar 30 2009, 11:01 PM Post #33 |
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AKA Vinny
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The two more alert of the two diners registered the thud, and Mark glanced up. Tomoko was up. He picked himself up to walk over, but was stopped by Linda. There was something about the girl that told the black haired mercenary that she would want to be left alone. Mark settled back down, and began to eat again, almost in silence. Tomoko eventually appeared, and Rai cheerfully looked up, before catching her eye - singular - and found himself faltering. "Good morning." Was his simple greeting, and he gently gestured to the empty seat - the one of two not covered in clothes. He stopped eating, and waited for Tomoko. Mark smiled as he greeted her, apologizing for starting before her. They were just too hungry. But instead of sitting down, Tomoko went off on her own. Mark sensed that something had bothered her, and remembered the morning before. Linda had found out about what happened to Tomoko's parents... it was really just a simple inquiry. He reached out, and gently touched her shoulder. "Families eat together, Tomoko. Come sit with us." |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 31 2009, 12:05 AM Post #34 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She couldn't help the way her body instantly stiffened up, the word "families" triggering it. There were so man things she wanted to say, the acid of the words biting at the back of her throat. Gripping her meal, she slowly walked over to her seat, which appeared to be right next to Rai. Setting her food down, she climbed up into her chair, and started to eat. Head bowed, she ignored the fact that her eye-patch was missing, and sneaked a quick peak at Rai. Inwardly, she was glad to see his back looking better. After a few moments, she managed to relax, both shoulders and tail drooping. Now she felt stupid, Tomo couldn't blame these people for how she was acting. "Sorry...." She mumbled, glancing quickly at Mark, Rai, and Linda. |
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| Izzy | Mar 31 2009, 04:12 AM Post #35 |
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AKA Vinny
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Rai felt something was off, and Mark's cheeks instantly burned as he realized he could have said something very bad. He knew the pain of losing a dearly loved one, but what if your life was owed to them? He gritted his teeth, the blood returning to his hands. How many friends had bled and breathed their last while in those arms? Why was she apologizing? "I should be." He answered cryptically, before returning to his meal. Linda looked at Mark, then Tomoko, and shrugged. She sighed, and returned to her meal as well. She didn't want to think about it while she was trying to eat... it was simply too much for the mercenary. She liked things simpler, and looked at the two young metahumans... wait, one metahuman and a kitsune. "Don't be sorry. You're alone out here. You need friends... family." |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Mar 31 2009, 03:14 PM Post #36 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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Tomo continued to eat but nodded her head, she needed friends. She wasn't quite sure she wanted family. Friends were okay to have at the moment. Lost in her own thoughts, she failed to notice the speed at which she ate, and before she knew it, it was all gone. Without even knowing her own appetite, she had finished the food within a blink of an eye. Seeing as she was done, the young girl placed her dish aside and sat with her hands in her lap. Swinging her feet beneath the chair, Tomo glanced at her friend. What was next? She wanted so badly to find the horrible man that did this Rai. Even if that meant they couldn't return him back to normal, she wouldn't care, she just wanted that man destroyed. In her mind then, she vowed to destroy Valjean or whatever his name was. With or without the help of the Elf and his companion. Nibbling on her lower lip, she pondered the idea of escaping and finding him on her own, despite the time it would take for to actually locate him. Looking to Mark, she summoned all her courage before opening her mouth to speak. "You know where he is, take me with you when you go." |
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| Izzy | Mar 31 2009, 11:35 PM Post #37 |
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AKA Vinny
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Mark shook his head to her request, and sighed. His eyes hardened to a firm commanding glaze, and he knew that Linda was of a same mind. "That guy's dangerous. You're not going. He got his hands on some weapons, and I don't want you getting yourself hurt out there." His tone serious and brooked no complaining. But it was also calm, not trying to scare her into stillness, but giving a firm warning. He sighed, and saw back down to his seat. There was a buzzing sound, and both mercenaries jumped as the all to familiar tone went up. "Kai here. Mark, we just had someone start a battle! I'm coming to pick you up!" Damn. This wasn't good. Mark looked at Rai, and sighed. "Can I trust you to keep her here?" Rai nodded, and watched as the two youths turned themselves into faceless warriors. Masks and goggles concealed their faces, while the combat fatigues and webbing went over their arms and legs, covering their bodies as they dressed in the shades of grey and white. Mark picked up his weapons, and Linda retrieved hers. "We'll be back in about half an hour... maybe more." He reassured them, and looked out as a SUV pulled into the courtyard below. They ran out of the room to the sounds of squealing tires outside. |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Apr 1 2009, 03:21 AM Post #38 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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She didn't hide her frown this time. If there was on thing she hated above all else, it would be someone telling her "no". And who was Mark to tell her to stay? He wasn't her mom or dad! She was grateful for the food and all....dang, now her conscious was starting to prod her. Trying not to think about it, she looked down at her plat, determined not to shot her own frustration. Though upon actually looking at the table she was eating on, Tomo couldn't quite believe what she saw. It was a map, and not just any kind of map, but one that had Valjean scribbled all over it. Well, not all over it, but in certain spaces that stretched. But they were near! And it was under her nose the whole time! And without thinking further, she pulled off a common trick by yanking the map off without unsettling a single thing. She quickly looked over the map, rolling it up and down with her inspection, much like a scroll. Everything seemed to print into her mind, her eyes seemingly making a copy to store in the back of her brain for later use. Nothing would stop her, not even Rai, no matter how much affection she held for him. "Rai, I'm sorry." And with that, she dashed out of the building, the map stuffed inside her kimono. |
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| Izzy | Apr 1 2009, 04:08 AM Post #39 |
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AKA Vinny
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Rai looked at the two who had just exited, and shook his head in disbelief. The Elf had always - to him - been a firm but kind young man, who had seemed to be able to access unlimited stamina when playing and handling the kids - and unlimited patience, too. He had especially found friends in many of the more active and troublesome of the kids, forming a playful police force among the metahuman children. And now there he had gone, a faceless but no less frightening warrior... out to kill. He shook his head, and felt something whisper out from under his arms. He looked down to see that Tomoko had ripped off the map... and that it was now in her arms. Standing up, he walked around behind her, his eyes scanning the paper... and his eyes finally locked down on one of the words on the map, drawn in a thin felt, it read VALJEAN. There was something important, since it was the only name around that wasn't marked with a number or a color. But his thoughts were dashed as Tomoko rolled up the paper, and tucked it into her kimono. "Hey!" He looked at her, saw her apologizing, and then failed to grab her as he reached out to catch her. His arms... his legs and everything was going too slow... "Tomoko!" She was going after that Valjean... Rai didn't remember what it was, but when he tried to follow her all that happened was that he fell down. He also realized that he was missing his glove, too. It would be pointless to follow her in his condition. He staggered back to his feet, and felt the pounding in his head worsen... he reached up, and when his hand came away from his head it was slick with blood. He staggered, and almost fell if it weren't for a black haired young man who had come into the room. His vision began to tunnel, and he looked up to see the shine of glasses, and the dark grey jacket. The young man's voice echoed in his ears. "Alyss, look after this guy, lock him down if you need to! I'm going after the kitsune! Get in touch with Linda, tell her what happened!" Rai gave a staggering couch, and collapsed. "Tomoko..." |
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| +Puppet Strings+ | Apr 1 2009, 04:31 AM Post #40 |
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Mobilize And Move Out!
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Tomo was fast, not even her long hair seemed to delay her. With nimble feet, she picked her way across the buildings. Closing her eyes for a moment, she allowed the image of the map to appear in her mind's eye. She could see the path, the road she would turn at, everything. Despite all this, she hadn't even noticed Rai's fall, her mind too set on the task at hand. Minutes seemed to pass by like the wind, her legs slowly starting to protest. But she couldn't stop, not until she reached the area on the map. She was aware she was being chased, as to who it was, she had no clue. So, as she came to a skidding halt, she crawled under a fence to sprint to the other side. It was a shortcut, one that had been left out of the map. She was almost there! Panting, Tomo came to a quick stop to catch her breath. Sweat trickled down her legs and across her brow. Slightly winded, both of her eyes darted left and right. This had to be the neighborhood, she found the spot that was marked by a fire hydrant. Now, all that was left was to find what house he was in. |
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