Headquarters of the Blades of the Red Heart

This is the foyer in the Tower of the Blades of the Red Heart. There is a desk in the middle of the room with a book on it, and a few paintings and tapestries on the walls. A staircase can been seen through the doorway to the east.

Eladria stalks down the hall after Julian, fury written on his face.

Lonneke sees Eladria stalking after Julian and catches up to him, "What is wrong?"

Eladria says: "I've got business to take care of, 'milady'.

Lonneke asks: Business, you say? What is your argument with Julian? What has he done to wrong you?

Eladria shrugs in his armor. "Besides the insults? Besides the ((GOING NETDEAD IN RP)) mocking?"

Julian stops in place, opening one eye, "Well friend, what can I do for you?"

Lonneke is shocked, "I know that Julian has been civil with me. Has he threatened you in any way, Eladria?"

Eladria draws his sword. "You can fight the tin can."

Julian lowers his head slightly, "Aw, not this ridiculous dance again..."

Julian spins around on one heel to face Eladria, "I've really got no reason to fight you..."

Lonneke snarls and steps between Eladria and Julian, "Eladria, put up your sword. I know you to be a knight of courage and nobility, and to duel over casual words should be beneath you."

Eladria looks right through Lonneke. "Coward."

Julian scratches his head, "You've got something of a temper there..."

Lonneke gasps, "Eladria, stop this at once. Julian is right; there is no reason to duel. He has revolvers; he can tear through your armor before you've crossed half the distance between you. You'd be throwing your life away."

Eladria shrugs. "Bullets, Arrows. I've taken worse, and that's just what I remember."

Lonneke takes a deep breath, trying to hold her temper. "You've taken worse, have you? I think there's something hurting you, and that Julian's petty insults are just a convenient excuse! Sheathe your sword, Eladria."

Shiroi strolls in, gnawing on a corn cob, with another five resting in a pouch that's resting against her right hip. Coming down the hallway, she munched on her corn, and found herself overhearing a heated debate of.... what, she doesn't know. Still munching on her corn, she swiped a glance over at the people taking up the hallway. Hmm. The foxy lady, dwarf guy, and the desperate bachelor. Wonder what this is about.

Eladria shrugs. "If he requires a lady to defend him, maybe you're right, and I don't need to worry about it."

Julian mutters, "I try to talk some sense into him and I get insulted for it..."

Lonneke clenches and unclenches her fists. "A lady to defend him? Eladria, think about what you are saying. I am not defending him; I'm trying to keep two people I like from throwing their lives away over petty words!"

Shiroi , still munching on her corn, protested at that. "Heeey! There's nothing wrong with being defended by a lady!"

Julian says: Ah, I don't think I'd kill him.

Lonneke turned her head towards Shiroi, her eyes blazing. "Can you not see that this is serious? Eat your corn, girl, and save your jokes for later."

Eladria looks at her coldly. "Words speak, so do actions." He drops the sword, lets it clatter. "Maybe you'd rather fight like the gods intended?"

Shiroi shrugged at Lonneke. "I'm eating it fine. And whoever said I was joking? What's wrong with being defended by a lady? Shee, people these days."

Julian scratches his head, laughing kinda quietly, "You're very persistent."

Lonneke meets Eladria's stare and holds out her hand. "I care nothing for the gods and their intentions. I care for you, and yes, I care somewhat for Julian as well. I have lived for two centuries, and most of the miles I've walked have been lonely ones. Bad enough that I must watch people I care about wither and die, but I will be DAMNED if I'l watch people throw their lives away.

Julian tilts his head slightly, "Well, I said I wouldn't kill him... You don't have to be quite so dramatic about it..."

Eladria looks at Julian. "A sparring match, then? Unless you couldn't even muster that."

Lonneke laughs just a little, "I fear that drama is in my blood, sir. My mother was an actress, and my father fancied himself a bard. However, I have never seen Eladria in this mood, and it frightens me."

Julian laughs slightly, "No, I just meant I wouldn't kill you. I wouldn't want to get the floor too messy."

Julian says: I'm just a visitor after all.

Lonneke sighs, and it seems that she's wilted a little. "Julian, if you and Eladria must fight, will you give me your word that you will not hurt Eladria more than necessary?"

Shiroi nibbed the corn cob clean, and started on her second one, still watching the unraveling of the event as one might watch a TV show.

Eladria shrugs. "I don't need to rely on weapons. Do you?"

Lonneke turns towards Eladria. "I asked you to sheathe your sword and put aside this stupidity. You refuse; your pride can't withstand a few insults. So be it! If you must fight over words, then fight!"

Julian shrugs, "If you insist."

Lonneke steps aside and glares at the two men, "I will be watching you both, gentlemen, and I am not pleased that it came to this."

Julian grins impishly, as if still not taking this entirely serious, "Ah, just a little fun."

Shiroi gave a wave with her corn. "If they gotta fight, they gotta fight!"

Lonneke snaps her fingers and a spear of lightning strikes the cobbles in front of Julian, "This is not funny, Julian." Her eyes glisten a little, as if she's holding back tears. "You two are fighting over words, and you have the nerve to joke about it?"

Julian jumps back a step or two, "Ah, I apologize, I have a little trouble staying too serious."

Eladria begins to remove his armor, making about as much noise as can be. "Wouldn't want you to break a nail, would we?"

Mei appears beside Shiroi and steals a cob of corn from her pouch, she then begins to idly chew on it, watching the fight from besides Shiroi, "You know, I should stop this.... But... 5 gil on the desperate guy wearing his grandpas coat..."

Shiroi once again placed in her two-cents without anyone's asking. "You can never have too much humor. Gotta do it, might as well do it in a good mood."

Lonneke sighs, and swipes at her eyes with the sleeve of her surcoat. "Fight, if you have to. I'll be here to pick up the pieces when it's over.

Julian follows suit and takes off his heavy longcoat, tossing it over the desk.

Eladria assumes his stance.

Julian unclips both belts from around his waist, and tosses them over with his jacket as well.

Julian stretches a bit, before standing straight again.

Julian says: Alright, that aughta do it.

Shiroi took a bite out of the stolen corn, right out of Mei's hands. "You people say the weirdest things. So weird, I don't even get which side you're betting against," she mumbled as she chewed. "I say the gun slinger wipes the floor with the dwarf."

Eladria nods. "Ready, then."

Lonneke stands between the two men. "Before you two begin, are there any special rules of combat that you wish to adhere to?"

Mei continues to eat the corn as well, "Well, we are at an impass then. I bet on the gunslinger as well. Want to bet rounds then? I say 3 tops."

Shiroi nodded. "Aright. I say 4 rounds." And she took out another stick of corn and munched on it, watching the match.

Shiroi says: Though 5 gil is hardly a bet. I just picked up 5 gils off the ground today. I raise you to 50.

Eladria nods. "Yeah. I have a special rule. No interference from the outside."

Julian says: Seems reasonable enough.

Shiroi exclaims: Dammit!

Shiroi gets a mischievious glint in her eyes.

Lonneke nods sadly, "I understand. I will not interfere, safe to neutralise all magic in this area."

Lonneke draws her sword and raises it skyward. Light flares about the blade as she invokes the Runic Blade...

Eladria nods. "Let's do this, gunslinger."

Julian simply nods.

Shiroi nudges Mei. "Hey, what's the fox lady doing?" She gestured towards Lonneke.

Mei shrugged and finished off the corn, "50 sounds reasonable. Let's make it more interesting. I win, you carry my books. You win, I'll carry your dishes into the kitchen after meals."

Lonneke steps out of the way, and says, "Be careful, both of you. I've no wish to light a funeral pyre today."

Shiroi say: Deal.

Julian grins his usual grin, "Of course."

Eladria doesn't hear her, but instead begins moving toward Julian, carefully, not too fast.

Mei looks up, "Oh... runic... It draws the energy from magical spells directly into the blade, and further into the body of the caster. Neutralizing the properties and collecting the energy within the users body... kind of a nifty trick."

Mei shrugs slightly, "Like a sponge for magic. I couldn't think of a better sponge. Considering neither of those two are mages. Using runic was about as bright as a darklings heart."

Julian darts forward quickly, spinning and bringing a wide arc of a kick down diagonally towards Eladria's neck and shoulder.

Shiroi nodded. "Kick ass," and she continued to munch on her corn, making it last, since this might be a long show.

Eladria drops down, and rolls left, and then moves forward, low, aiming his full weight at Julian's one knee of support.

Julian's leg is taken out from under him rather unceremoniously, but he seems to tuck into a slight roll as he passes over the dwarf and gives a quick kick off of Eladria's back to land on his feet, "Damn, you're not very big, but you're pretty strong."

Mei grins a little, "Really, if we wanted to interrupt, it'd be easier for us just to light these corn cobs ablaze and throw them into the 'arena'."

Shiroi threw her head back and cackled with glee.

Eladria spins, and regains what height he had. "And for a big man, you are pretty quick. Not bad."

Julian moves forward, a bit more slowly this time.

Eladria sizes up his competition. . o O(Gotta take out those legs, drop him to the ground, make it strength on Strength.)

Lonneke strides about the circle and sits beside Shiroi and Mai. She sniffs, and a single tear rolls down her cheek over her scar. She turns one eye towards the girls and asks, "You two are placing bets?"

Eladria moves to the side, slowly, eyes locked on Julian's legs.

Shiroi took another bite out of her corn. "Sure. And I think I've got the better end of the deal."

Julian darts to the same side as Eladria, swinging down in a wide right hook at his head.

Lonneke sighs, "I suppose I'm upset because I know both these gentlemen a little, and care for them. They're mere strangers to you girls, aren't they."

Eladria gets caught in the face, hard, and spits blood like a bad Rocky villian. He spins and drives a blow at Julian's stomach in return.

Shiroi nodded as she chewed. "Mmhmm, to me at least." And she took another stick of corn out of her bag. "Want one?"

Lonneke shakes her head, "No, thank you. I can't eat; I'm too upset."

Julian stumbles back a step or two, spinning into another wide arc kick, this time letting the kick fall vertically down at Eladria's head.

Shiroi shrugged. "Suit yourself," she hummed, and stuck the corn cob back into her pouch, still snacking on her second one.

Lonneke sighs and says, "You know, I've lived and fought for over 200 years. I've been scared, but I've never been sad. I think it's because there's a possibility that at least one person I value may die today."

Mei shrugs half-heartedly, "Their choice."

Shiroi nodded, and gnawed silently on her corn.

Shiroi nudged at Mei again. "Hey, uhm... how are we counting the rounds here?"

Eladria dodges to the right, swinging a left arm at Julian's chest, blood dribbling from his mouth.

Julian stumbles off to the side slightly, a similar trickle of blood running down his pale chin as he spins again to piston the bottom of his boot directly at Eladria.

Eladria spots the boot coming, and knows it'll hit. He throws out his left arm to take the blow, and hears a crack as the elbow gets double jointe mobility. Wincing, he drops back a few steps.

Julian hops to his other foot and makes another overhead kick aimed down at his shoulder/neck.

Lonneke winces. She's seen worse. Hell, she's inflicted worse, but it hurts when it happens to friends. She finds herself wanting to run away and cry, but promised that she'd stay until the end.

Mei seems to be absorbed in the fight, "I'm keeping track. Don't worry. Got another piece of that corn?"

Julian seems to, despite his original hesitation in fighting, be enjoying this quite a bit.

Eladria jumps a bit forward, and grabs Julian's ankle with his right arm, in an attempt to use that dwarven strength to throw the gunslinger.

Shiroi narrowed her eyes at Mei. "Hmmm, something tells me that I shouldn't trust the person who's got a bet with me... but alright." And she handed Mei another corn. And she nudged Lonneke. "So, tell me again why they're going for each others' guts?"

Julian is caught just slightly off balance and surprised, and is thrown to the side, rolling for a foot or so he jumps to his feet again.

Eladria grins. "Oh, sure, expected this to be easy, huh?" He spits more blood. With a great cry, he rushes forward, and leaps into the air, fist ready to crush Julian's poor head.

Julian rolls aside quickly and to his feet.

Julian's pastel emerald eyes seem to have turned a harder hue.

Lonneke sighs, "They're fighting over words and wounded pride. Julian joked about Eladria being a "tin can" in all his armor, and Eladria can't let it go. He has to avenge his honor."

Shiroi munched on her corn some more. "Bah, men, they're the same no matter what world you're in."

Lonneke sighs, "Yes, men are often the same. But I can't live with just the company of women."

Eladria stops the jokes, and moves toward Julian with a purpose, and kicks toward his side.

Shiroi nodded, and nibbed her second corn clean. "You need some ying, you need some yang, and I need some more corn." Out comes the third stick.

Julian turns aside to avoid the kick, and brings his elbow down towards the crown of Eladria's head.

Eladria drops, literally onto his behind, and then spins on his right arm, kicking at Julian's legs.

Lonneke sees the elbow connect and forces herself not to cry out and beg the men to stop.

Julian falls backwards, hitting hard but following through into a roll to quickly regain his footing.

Shiroi peered over at the tearing Lonneke. o_o . o O (I'd tell her to take it easier, but something tells me I should keep my mouth shut.)

Eladria watches him, and returns to his feet, pressing his attack best he can.

Julian steps to the side and whirls around to aim a backhanded fist at the side of Eladria's head.

Julian seems, on the whole, less aware of the rest of the room than he might normally be... while he would cast a quick glance to the onlookers in the earlier portions of the fight his attention seems entirely focused on Eladria now.

Eladria is struck, again, more blood going flying, right near Shiroi. Probably ruins that corn of hers. His head, however, whips back to it's original position, as though it hadn't moved. With an anger in his eyes, he starts pressing toward Julian, merely blocking attacks.

Julian aims a quick left knee up towards Eladria's torso, followed almost simultaniously by right hook.

Lonneke sighs and wipes her eyes, resolving to lay aside her tears lest she make a spectacle of herself.

Shiroi deftly darts out of the way of the splattering blood, protecting her precious corn. "Hey! Watch the blood spill! Some of us are trying to eat here!"

Eladria grabs Julian's knee, and is about to wrench it, when the hook lands, and he spirals backward, nearly losing his footing. He adjusts his jaw, and continues toward Julian, the same look of determination on his face.

Julian darts towards Eladria almost instantly, stepping to the side quickly and aiming a quick straight kick down at the side of Eladria's knee.

Lonneke glares at Shiroi, "You act as if you were watching gladiators. This is not sport, you know."

Eladria leaps up, and back, landing just behind where the kick would have landed, and spins with his right fist out, aiming for Julian's chest and ribcage.

Shiroi blinked innocently. "It's not?" She then shrugged. "I dunno, looks close enough to me."

Lonneke watches the two men, wondering how long they can continue to pound away at each other. She wishes that she could take religion seriously, so that she could at least pray...

Lonneke hears Shiroi and grits her teeth. She can barely remember being a girl Shiroi's age, and finds it difficult to be patient.

Julian kicks back slightly to push himself a foot or so back and out of range of the spinning fist.

Shiroi feels some murderous vibe coming her way, and shudders. And munches quietly on her corn.

Mei pipes up from her silent place, "Two men, fighting in a set area with spectators. It's as gladiator as one can get. Gladiators weren't called thus because of some purpose they had in fighting, but because they faught with spectators."

Eladria stops spinning, and advances, ignorant of the damage done him already.

Julian darts back into the attack, both fists flying one after the other in a short flurry of punches at Eladria.

Lonneke turned her head and glared at Mei. "Gladiators fought for pay to amuse spectators, unless they were slaves or convicts. These men are fighting over honor, *not* for your pleasure!" She turns slightly softer eyes on Shiroi, "You're reasonably advanced in your studies of sorcery, are you not? When this is over, you will help me tend their wounds."

Eladria flings his broken left arm into the flurry of blows, letting it cushion his chest, and swings for Julian's chin. Blood covers most of his chest, from not only his mouth, but his cheeks and nose.

Shiroi chuckled, somewhat amused, and shook her head. "Lady, where I come from, magic only exists in fairy tales and white, padded rooms. I can, however, set broken bones and amputate limbs without the aid of sharp objects."

Lonneke looks at the bloodied Eladria, who can't back down. She's proud of his integrity, but afraid that he'll take honor too far and die for it. She looks at Julian, who was dragged into this fight and determined to acquit himself honorably. She sighs, unable to do anything but watch them fight...

Julian's head jerks to the side, blood now coming more generously from his mouth, but he spins to that side as if to use that momentum as well and brings his leg around in a wide arc at the side of Eladria's head.

Eladria finishes the turn his punch made, and takes the blow directly to the back of his neck. He drops, almost instantly, to his knees, then his stomach, blood pooling.

Julian stands back up straight, bringing both hands to his face as he closes his eyes... and with an audible snap or pop, realigns his jaw with the rest of his skull, swallowing afterwards.

Eladria groans, and starts to get back to his feet, though slowly. So slowly.

Mei doesn't even blink, reaching into a side pouch she pulls out a handful of gil, idly counts it and hands it to Shiroi, "I'd say that means you won."

Lonneke leaps to her feet and rushes to Eladria's side. She glares at Julian, "Enough. You've brought him down." She quickly examines Eladria and finds that his neck is fractured. She heals the fracture before turning Eladria onto his back and wiping the blood from his face, "Enough, please."

Eladria looks at her. "Can't. . .even. . .follow. . .the. . .rules. . ."

Shiroi whistled. "Alright, 50 gils! And I get my dishes carried!"

Julian says: The fight's over... she's not interfering.

Lonneke smiles, "Rules be damned. You've been knocked down; the fight's over. I will not let you continue."

Julian opens and closes his mouth a few times, wiping the blood from his face.

Eladria spits blood to the floor, and manages to stand up. "Like hell it is."

Lonneke swallows; a tear falls from her face and rolls down Eladria's cheek, "I told you that I would not let you throw your life away."

Julian takes a step back, lowering just so slightly in stance again. "Eladria... knock it off already.."

Eladria is a mess. His face is more blood than skin, his left arm hangs limp. But he resumes a stance, one handed, and glares at Julian, despite. "You were always bull headed..."

A figure walks out from a well-placed shadow, and he looks around a bit nervously.

Shiroi says: Wow, that dwarf /really/ hates that desperate bachelor.

Lonneke steps back from Eladria as he forces himself to his feet. Her breath hitches and tears begin to fall as rain from her burning eyes. Her chest heaves and she cries as lightning from the clear sky shatters the cobblestones before both Eladria and Julian, "ENOUGH! BY ALL THE FIENDS EVER NAMED THIS HAS GONE FAR ENOUGH!!"

The brown-clad man blinks.

Julian seems to ignore the lightning well enough, his hard emerald eyes set on Eladria, "You know she's probably right..."

Shiroi falls over on the bench, clutching desperately at her ears. "Oooooowwwwwww...." she winced.

Eladria returns the glare. "And if she is?"

Lonneke stands between them, her tears continuing to flow as two walls of flame erupt before the two men, separating them. "I WILL NO LONGER STAND FOR THIS STUPIDITY. ELADRIA, I WILL NOT ALLOW PEOPLE I VALUE TO THROW THEIR LIVES AWAY OVER PETTY WORDS. I WOULD SOONER SLAY YOU MYSELF."

Julian shrugs slightly, "Might be a good time to throw in the towel."

Eladria shrugs, himself, unimpressed by the fire. "You first."

Shiroi clinged to Mei's robe. "Make the bad lady stop yelling..." she whimpered quietly at her.

The hunter walks toward Eladria, "Hey.... I just found you alive, dont go dying again..."

Julian smirks slightly, "Ask anyone, I'm very persistent."

Eladria looks at Julian. "Draw?"

Xalin peers around.. o O ( hmm.. Guess this place is low security too.... )

Julian says: I'm not opposed to that.

Lonneke stands between the men, the firewalls still raging between them. She hisses at both men, "Settle this at once. You are men, not children."

Mei raises a hand, a small ball of displaced air appearing in her palm, the air slowly fills with a white, smokey mist which grows thicker and thicker, "A mute spell for her, if she keeps screaming. Even the youngest students know not to raise their voices in the halls."

Shiroi nods, and nods, and nods.

Eladria nods. "Fine then, a draw."

Lonneke pulls an echo screen from a belt pouch and eats it, glaring at Mei the whole time.

Eladria turns to Xalin. "And who the hell are you? Of course I'm alive."

Julian relaxes his stance.

Xalin peers at Eladria, "Ehh... great.. great.."

Lonneke hears Eladria accept a draw and sighs in relief. The firewalls come crashing down and she staggers towards Eladria. "Never do anything this stupid again, Eladria. I value your friendship; and I would like to think that you value mine enough not to throw your life away in front of me."

Julian heads over to the desk and pulls a small cloth from a pocket in his jacket, cleaning his face and fists of blood.

"Well, I happened to be tracking someone, and she led me here.. lo' and behold, I find Eladria..." Xalin scratches the back of his head, "You remember the Unit....... right?......"

Eladria looks at Lonneke, as well as he can, really, and sighs, shrugs, and turns back to Xalin. "Let me guess. You knew me from WAY before three weeks ago?"

Julian lifts the pair of belts out of the jacket and straps them back on, positioning the holsters on either leg.

A sound like a gunshot goes off in the distance, a small yellow pellet flies into the room and soundly thuds into the back of Julian's head. The pellet then falls to the ground and rolls about idly, a small bit of writing on the pellet reads, 'Bang, your dead."

Lonneke turns towards Julian, "Thank you for restraining yourself, and not simply putting a bullet through Eladria's head."

Julian turns back, grinning slightly, his eyes back to the odd pastel green colour they usually are, "Not a problem, I told you I wouldn't kill him."

Julian lifts the heavy longcoat off of the desk and puts it back on.

Xalin says: err.. so you have a memory problem.. at least you know about it..

Eladria looks at Xalin. "I was told about it by a guy who liked hopping around."

Lonneke blushes and bows. "Do you need healing, or will you find a healer elsewhere?

Julian says: Ah, I'll find a healer elsewhere, I doubt the kind of healing you have in mind would work very well anyways.

The ranger smirks, "Rathe?"

Lonneke asks: Sorcery does not affect you, Julian?

Julian says: Not quite like it affects most I suppose.

Julian shrugs.

Eladria shakes his head. "Called himself Aestus."

Lonneke says: All right. I suppose I should see to Eladria. Though I am tempted to leave him a headache...

Shiroi is curled up on the bench, with her ankles drawn together to prevent herself from accidentally flashing some people. Her head is laid in Mei's lap. "So, think it's all over?"

Xalin says: yeah..

Mei chuckles softly, "Oh, I'd say it probably is. They look to have gotten all of their hormones burned for the time being."

Julian picks the little pellet up off the ground and tosses it into the air, catching it and putting it into his pocket discreetly.

Eladria says: Take it you knew the other me?

Lonneke concentrates and gathers her mental strength. A bright white light envelops Eladria as she presses her fingertips to the nape of his neck.

Xalin says: well.. I just thought you might remember me.. perhaps trigger something, y'know?

Xalin backs away, as Eladria receives healing.

Xalin says: Yeah.. Nice little life you have going here I guess...

Lonneke looks at Xalin and feels the crystal shard between her breasts grow warm and shiver slightly. She looks harder at Xalin and says to him, "Excuse me, sir, but have we met before."

Eladria starts at the touch of Lonneke's fingers. Without turning his head, he speaks. "Shouldn't you be attending that other guy?" His eyes return to Xalin. "I don't know. Could you tell me more about before?"

Julian glances around momentarily with a more serious look upon his face before returning to his casual demeanor.

Xalin bows lower and stays down. He says to what he thinks are the superiors present. "Please accept my apology, for not having myself recognized within your halls. I have been sneaking around for some time looking for the one call Kira, and have been watching this little bout."

Lonneke smiles a little and says, "Sir, you are going to hurt your back if you remain hunched over like that. Stand up straight; I've little real authority here. In fact, I am just a teacher, and an inexperienced teacher at that."

Eladria looks at him. "Kira? Daughter of yours?"

Xalin stands, "Well. Seems this was a place to follow protocol.. I may be sort of.. 'freelance', but I still respect others if I can.. y'know.. "And Kira is someone that is somehow related to ... Aestus"

Julian sidles over to Shiroi and Mei, "Well hello ladies, I apologize for the blood that seems to have found its way to various parts of this hall, I hope that we at least put on an entertaining show."

Xalin says: Well.. Err.. Im Xalin Stendio.. Knight of the former Tactical Defense Unit.

Lonneke laughs, "Were you a student I'd beat you over the head with protocol. But you are not a student, and outside what little authority I have." She strides over to Julian and the girls. She whispers in Julian's ear, "I didn't know you liked them young," before looking hard at the girls...

Eladria thinks about that a sec, and shrugs. "Got a description? Maybe someone's seen her?"

Shiroi grinned. "Thanks to you, I'd just added 50 gil to my pocket! You should do this more often!"

Julian it should be noted, is only nineteen himself :P

Shiroi is still, note, curled up with her head laid over Mei's lap.

Xalin feels his crystal react as well, and no> Xalin feels his crystal react as well, and notices who it is reacting from. He masks this.

Xalin gives a very accurate description of Kira aloud.

Lonneke laughs as Julian reveals his age. She whispers in his ear, "I've heard of young men seeking older women, but I've two centuries on you."

Julian shrugs indifferently, and coughs lightly.

Julian turns back to Shiroi, "Well... I'm not so sure about doing that too often... it leaves you quite sore in the morning."

Xalin stares noticably at Lonneke, then reverts to his usual practice of changing focus every couple of seconds. "And no.. I don't think we have met.. persay.."

Julian says: And I much prefer to conserve my energy for other persuits.

"Eladria... you don't remember teaching me how to actually use this thing with the commander?" Xalin glances down at Stalker, the blue hilted sword he currently has sheathed.

Shiroi's bottom lip trembled. "B-b-but.... 50 gils!" She whimpered pitifully.

Lonneke glares at the two students again before whispering in Julian's ear one last time, "If you're going to take advantage of girls not even 18, at least be gentle," before flicking her tongue across his earlobe.

Eladria shakes his head. "I don't. I'm telling you, I think you've got me mistaken. You and that guy. . .and all these other people. . ."

Xalin takes a long, deep breath.. "Ahwell.. I guess the old Eladria is truly gone... sorry for the.. 'mistake'"

Lonneke she strides back towards Eladria and Xalin, hearing their conversation. She turns towards Xalin, "All my friend knows, sir, is that his name is Eladria Kiran. He knows that somebody else bore that name, and that there's a measure of legendry behind it, but he believes that he is not the man behind the legends."

Julian snickers momentarily, "50 gil isn't all that much money."

Xalin nods at Lonneke, then extends his hand toward Eladria, "Sorry... here... I am Xalin Stendio.. Just.. that now.. and you are Just Eladria Kiran now.. right?"

Shiroi beamed. "Which is why you should do that more often! Next time I'll raise the stakes!"

Eladria nods. "I've been told that the other me died. . .Where is he now?" Xalin attempts to fathom something, "Dead I guess.. If you are not him."

Julian shakes his head slightly, "There are much easier ways to make money, although depending they may still leave one sore in the morning."

Eladria nods hurriedly. "Yes, yes. But I mean. . .where is he?"

"uhm...... I guess with the memory of the Unit.. When yo.. er.. He died, so did the Unit."

Shiroi nodded solemnly at that. "Yes, I know."

Mei giggles slightly, "Ah, so thats why the great wanderer wanders... I see, isn't that just dirty of him?"

Eladria sighs. "He was legendary, yes? A fine warrior?"

Lonneke sits on a rock, listening to Xalin and Eladria. Her mind kept wandering back to the crystal shard, and she thought, "First Meroveus, and now one who causes the shard to react. And he keeps staring at me, but it's not the stare of one acting as if he's never seen a woman before..."

Shiroi smirked. "I've met worse."

Julian peers at Mei, "Hey now, I didn't say that _I_ made money like that."

Shiroi say: Sure, sure, that's what they /all/ say...

Julian says: If you insist, I'll give you a group discount if you'd like.

Mei grins at Shiroi, "Oh... I see now... I think he's trying to buy himself some women then..." Mei tsks, sadly, "Such a shame when one falls so low, isn't it Shiroi?"

Xalin speaks with Eladria, but continues to find his gaze shifting to Lonneke.. o O ( Perhaps she is another..? )

"Well... yeah.. but you st.. You and him share the same bullheadedness.."

Shiroi patted Mei on the knee. "It depends on how much he's willing to dish out." She grinned, almost making one wonder...

Lonneke meets Xalin's eyes for a moment and wonders...

Mei tsks at Shiroi, "Now that isn't a proper thing to say, at least not while a teacher can possibly hear you."

Eladria ponders. "You really think I'm him, huh? I suppose I might just not remember. . .doesn't seem likely, but then, I've seen some interesting things here. Like a guy with a long pole jumping around and hopping like some sort of frog."

"Legendary isnt the word.. Honorable would be better.."

Lonneke turns away from Xalin to seek Mei and Shiroi teasing Julian. She half suspects that Mei and Shiroi are together in that way, but it isn't really her concern.

Shiroi turned her head up and blinked innocently at Mei. "Who, me? Whatever are you talking about?" A perfect picture of innocence...

"To describe who Sir Kiran was... I suspect that you share a few of the same base traits.. But are probably quite different now.."

Mei just giggles, shaking her head slightly, "He seems so young though. He'd probably have to pay just to find out what to do with what."

Xalin says: Ahwell.. It felt like a lost cause, sorta..

Julian's head lowers slightly, "Well now, that's rather cruel of you."

Eladria peers at Xalin. "Busy? Maybe you could explain more. I keep hearing about him. . ."

Shiroi turned her head over to the side again, and swept her eyes over Julian, down and up and down again. "Hmm, I'm afraid you might be right... Though, it may be fun...!"

Xalin eyes the unfamiliar crowd past Eladria, "Interesting bunch."

Shiroi say: I like... taking charge once in a while.

Mei gives Julian a look of purest, gentlest innocence, "I'm sorry, sir Julian." she says, fluttering her eyelashes, "I didn't mean to be all mean and cruel to the big, bad gunslinger."

"If it's what you really want. I suspected that you might be tired of hearing about someone you aren't.

Shiroi winked at Julian. "You know you like it."

Eladria smirks. "And they want ME to teach them. . ." He shakes his head and sighs. "It makes me wonder. If so many people think I am him. . .and we have the same NAME. . ."

Xalin says: Mind if I speak to the rather emotional female that healed you first?

Eladria seems to get sorta tense at that. He shrugs. "Sure, whatever. She's not mine, that's for sure."

Xalin says: Her name might help a bit...

Xalin coughs

Julian scratches his head, . o O ( I'm being teamed up on here. )

Lonneke hears Eladria speak her name and tears her eyes away from the girls. Even though they're very young she found herself wanting them for herself just a little, along with Julian.

Mei runs a hand across Shiroi's hair, "Is think we're confusing him, don't you? It's almost mean of us... Almost."

Julian coughs quietly, "If you're so intent on double teaming me, I think there are more pleasureable ways of doing so."

Eladria , meanwhile, sits down against the wall, gathering his strength, and his armor silently.

Xalin says: Alright... Lady Alcis.. Is there somewhere that we might speak more.. uhm.. privately?

Xalin looks at himself. . o O ( Well, at least im not trying to kid anyone that im -Not- a Ranger.. )

Shiroi looked up at Mei again. "He knows he likes it." She smiled, and her eyes glinted mischieviously.

Lonneke perks up as Xalin speaks to her, "You would speak to me in private, eh? I see no reason not to. Have you a place in mind?"

Xalin says, with no idea at the pass he is making, "I actually thought you would know somewhere, perhaps where ever you room here?"

Lonneke smiles, "I've been sleeping in a tree, actually, though I plan to build a home nearby soon." But I'm sure we could find a room or a corner of the garden.

Xalin says: Sure.

Xalin thinks to himself, "My kind of person.. trees make such wonderful sleeping places.."

Lonneke turns to Eladria, "Will you be all right on your own, or are you going to pick another fight?"

Eladria listens silently to Lonneke and Xalin, and grabs his gear. He stands, and ponders for a few moments. He drops everything, looking at Lonneke, and walks from the hall.

Xalin smirks.

Eladria does, however, nod at Julian on the way out.

Lonneke sighs, "I guess his pride is still hurt. I should try to comfort him later, if I can. On the other hand, perhaps I should just leave him alone."

Lonneke leaves east.

Xalin hmms, and follows.

Julian says: ... Very stubborn, that one...

Julian shrugs slightly.

Julian glances at Mei and Shiroi, "Well, it seems as though you two will be otherwise preoccupied, so I'll go ahead and take my leave. Unless of course you would like to invite me to join you."