What had she done?

Irtar looked quite taken back at her declaration. Then again, who wouldn’t be?
Even though she had her chance to talk to this guy, she completely messed it up. Irtar went on a while about something or the other, but Aretsuya wasn’t really listening. She was more focused on what to say and what not to say. For one, she had no reply to any of the man’s words, and then again, her withdrawn nature troubled her from mixing with others anyway. Her stomach grumbled and she passed a humiliated glance his way.

Her throat was now tremendously parched, and she felt that Irtar didn’t quite want her here. Her long fingers rubbed her bruised knee and she looked up into the man’s eyes again. They were a deep brown and she noted that they were looking back into hers. She could see her reflection on them and she said coyly:

“Your eyes are beautiful.”

Well, a horrible conversation starter but she didn’t have a clue on how to contribute anyway. The guy looked rather surprised at this and she knew it was a very stupid move to make.

“Thanks...”

Then again, what was a better way to respond to such an inappropriate comment?

Having not eaten all day, Aretsuya felt nauseated and faint.

"I think I'll just go outside for a bit. I'll be back in a while."
Heh, like he wanted her back.

After having excused herself from the table to catch a breath of fresh air, she strode to the oak doors. Not once did she look back as she didn’t want to see the insulted face of the man she had just met. The man she seemed to gravitate towards yet had nothing to say to. She felt utterly stupid at this thought though.

She pushed the door and stepped out. She sighed in relief as sunlight danced on her long locks of hair. Squinting towards the sun, she had a sudden thought.

Run away. I don’t want to stay back here.
I don’t know where to go.
He’ll sell you out. Go now. He knows you now.

She couldn’t argue. Taking some frantic steps to the side of a garbage can, she clutched her aching stomach and tried to rid herself off of the pain. She knelt and shook her head, trying to rinse herself free of these wretched thoughts.

Go. NOW.
No, please...

The girl pressed her frail limbs to the side of her head and sobbed for a while. She had no idea where to go from here. She stood up and again and leaned on the dirty brick walls for support, but her being lightheaded got the better of her.

She lost support, her knees gave way and she gradually sunk into oblivion.

"Was it something I said...?" Irtar asked no one but himself as she charged out the door.

Irtar just sat there for a time, completely bewildered. This Aretsuya was a really odd sort. He couldn’t tell whether she was flirting with him or just trying to brush him off most of the time. He just sat there, looking at his cup of coffee. His mind began to drift, as he thought about his love life so far. If it could be called that.

Back in primary school, he had the largest crush on this one girl. He couldn’t even remember her name anymore, when he thought about it. He remembered when he had picked her some flower from the schoolyard and offered them to her for the ‘honour of her love’. She had run off screaming ‘cooties’ and left him crushed. Back then he was depressed for almost a week but now he looked back on it laughing a bit.

He had never been one that did well with that and when he thought about it, he doubted he’d ever find a woman that’d suit him. Or more like one that’d put up with him. His mind drifted to another miserable failure he had, back in secondary school. He really just couldn’t help but shake his head at the memories. The time he accidentally ran into the girl he had his eye. And knocked her lunch tray unto her shirt. He didn’t think she ever forgave him for it. Then there was the time before prom and he said he’d love to take her to the porn when he meant the prom. She slapped him one good for that.

It was really like a living gag reel.

And now, once again there was food thrown, mixed words, and the girl just running off. Irtar sat back in his seat, depressed over it all. He tried to eat some more, but he really wasn’t in the mood. He downed his cup of coffee and told the woman to offer the sandwiches to anyone who wanted them. Paying his bill, he made his way out front with a sigh.

He made his way down the street when a hint of pink caught his eye. He looked over into the alley and saw Aretsuya passed out face first in the alley. Irtar immediately went to full alarm and charged over to her, putting his hand to her neck to feel her pulse. She was alive though the pulse felt a little weak. He held her delicately in his arms, a look of fear in his face.

“Come on… come on… wake up Aretsuya…” Irtar shook her gently, as if cooing to try and rouse her from her unconscious state. “Please wake up…”

He began to think about hauling her into the restaurant to call for an ambulance. There was no way he was going to leave her in an alley in a dirty part of town like this.

Pale light drifted overhead. Shards of glass lay strewn across the ground. Her face was as pale as the whites of her eyes, as they looked hopelessly upon the crowd that watched her. Dark silhouettes across a pallid background, the atmosphere there tense. They were intrigued by her every move. It was like being trapped in an iron-wrought cage, the spectators oo-ing and ah-ing at the befuddled animal.
She was like a cornered beast, clinging desperately to the life it had.

“I told you we’d find her again. Filthy whore.”

Laughter echoed through the narrow corridor and Aretsuya’s fingers raked around the floor, glass impaling her fragile limbs. She shrieked and cried, trying to steady her arms as they bled a small trail of blood. Not only was her whole body stinging, but her legs were weakened and almost immobilized. With an effort of will, she tried to raise her body from the fragments of glass. The light grew brighter still, blinding her eyes as she frantically tried to feel a way to safety. On her back, she felt perspiration mingling with the beads of blood, trickling down to her lower back.

“Let me go. Please…”

But the walls shook with laughter again, eyes watching her menacingly as she scrambled around uselessly. They seemed to be enjoying this.

How did they find me…?

But no one replied.
Where did she go? Why wasn’t her love replying? Was she all alone?

One of the men from the crowd stepped forward and Aretsuya cowered, stifling sobs in case it provoked them.

“You thought you could escape, did you?”

A hand gestured her way and spoke those words. Her ears were filled with recognition…
The hand lashed put and struck her head fiercely, the powerful blow driving her to skid across the cold floors, glass piercing her already mangled body. Again he drew closer, moving in to strike again. She bowed her head and prepared herself for the blow...

Aretsuya screamed.

Waking with a start, a feeling of nausea was now felt, as bile came up to her throat. She swallowed it back down again, ignoring the lingering bitter taste.. She opened her eyes slowly, everything a blur and her head snapped up. Large hands grasped her and the familiar brown eyes examined the state of the disorientated girl. Noticing that she was back into reality, he heaved a great sigh.

But Aretsuya couldn’t help bursting into a fit of tears, arms flinging around the man's neck as she sobbed into his comforting arms, thankful that it was only a dream.

He’ll sell you out…

((OOC: Gah....))

Irtar sighed with relief as he saw her stir from her unconscious state. And then, he immediately was just as tense as he was before. The small form of Aretsuya held tightly to him, sobbing as she held on as if for dear life. Irtar’s arms pulled back for a moment of hesitation, not quite knowing what to make of what was going on.

One minute she’s running away and the next she’s clinging to him?

Slowly, Irtar brought his arms comforting around her, patting her back a bit. It was highly awkward and uncomfortable. He wasn’t used to being this close to someone in a long time. He just kinda held her, wondering what was wrong and what was going on.

“Uhm…” Irtar began. “It’ll be alright… you just had a spill… I think… Come on… do you want to head back in the café? Have something to eat and that drink?” Irtar offered to the crying Aretsuya, hoping to try and break her from this sadness that consumed her. “Come on… we can talk more?”

If his arms weren’t busy trying to comfort Aretsuya, he’d have slapped himself in the head for his stupidity. What he done that upset her so? Was it his fault she went comatose for that little while? Maybe he said or did something foolish? Maybe there was something that he said or did that offended her culture? Irtar was just confused and hoping that maybe they’d move on or that she’d forgive him for whatever offence he obviously caused her.

(OOC: post kinda sucks. Gonna touch it up later. :P)

Still disoriented from what she had just dreamt of, Aretsuya tried to stifle her sobs and clung to Irtar’s torso, frightened that her nightmare would in fact be real if she just turned her head.

“It’ll be okay.”

The words were fuzzy and seemed to come from much farther away than where his figure stood, but Aretsuya smiled weakly as she felt the warmth of his voice, the latter replacing the grotesque croaks which she had just heard in her head. She closed her eyes and watched the misshapen shadow of herself writhing, the body bleeding a pool of blood.
She laughed quietly, almost hysterically and turned her head to face the breeze. It was an easterly, gaining speed by every minute. In any case, the clouds closed the remaining gap in the sky.

“It’s not real…”

Irtar stared at her, baffled by her remark.

She felt she could jump for joy and weep. So he hadn’t given her away.

The clouds were thickening and Aretsuya coughed as she felt the cold in her lungs. Considering how she had just passed out, she felt immensely tired and ran a finger down Irtar’s face.

“Who really are you? How did you find me?”

But that wasn’t the main concern. What was this she felt coming from him? It proved to be so powerful as soon as their bodies touched, and she shuddered when she realized there was a tingling sensation down her spine.

She closed her eyes and various images flashed by.

“Open! Open! Please! Let me in!” A young girl’s scream escaped her throat as she hammered onto a wooden door. She turned her head back to see scores of men, coming out from the streets growling, walking in strides towards her.

“There she is!”

Arms lashed out towards her. She ducked but not until they managed to grab a small golden locket from her neck. She felt a rush in her head and fear rising equal pace and dropped to her knees, finally giving in that no one would answer her call.

Then…

An old lined man walked cheerfully across the grassy fields, holding Aretsuya in a tight grasp while she was reluctantly strung along.

“These flowers are called Irises. They only go into bloom certain times of the year, did you know that?”

Aretsuya shook her head and her grandpa played with the girl’s messy red hair and smiled. “These sell especially well this time of the year. If you get some for me now, I’ll have a gift to give you by the end of the month.”

Later, they returned home and her grandpa stepped out. You could call it a home but it was just a small shack with several trinkets and ornaments hanging from the dusty beige walls. She sat all alone on a rusty chair and awaited his return, and even though she only lived with him, it was all she needed. He found her trembling in a street corner one day and took her home. She didn’t remember anything before that though.

Sure enough, he came back home, hands hidden behind his back. She ran around him for a while trying to grab his hands and when she finally did, she broke a small box from his grasp. Dying from the suspense, she opened it and a small golden locket dropped out.

“It’s beautiful!”

Aretsuya was now sobbing again, her hands tracing the long scar at the back of her neck as if searching for something.

”Don’t leave me Irtar…”

Together they walked back into the cafe, where her body collapsed onto a chair from fatigue and hunger.

[FONT=Palatino Linotype]Amara watched from a safe distance as the two entered the café…

She took great interest in the young woman she was sent here to pursue. Amara could sense she had a great deal of conflict within her…

Amara began to think…


A prime candidate indeed.


As the woman threw herself in her seat, Amara took note of the man who accompanied her. She sensed this individual could pose a problem.


Deal with him when the time is necessary.


Amara stared through the window at the woman…

Their eyes met…

Amara’s eyes emanated the darkness she possessed within as she stared right through her trying to gauge the woman…

Amara then used the power of Mind Touch to communicate briefly to her…

“Come with me.”

The woman’s eyes seemed to widen towards Amara.

A small group of people walked in Amara’s direction…

As they walked by, Amara disappeared from sight.




She would leave the woman with this simple encounter…




…for now.[/FONT]

Aretsuya sat in frowning thought. She was tired and her entire body ached, thoughts coming with aggravating slowness which made her head throb even more. Across from her she caught a glimpse of two gleaming eyes staring back into hers, a strange alluring beauty which attracted Aretsuya to them.

“There’s someone back there…”

But as soon as Irtar craned his head back some pedestrians walked passed and she lost sight.

Damn.

Intrigued, she kept her eyes locked on the same area, hoping to catch sight of those eyes again.

“Come with me.”

Not recognizing the voice, her eyes widened, suspicion and fear rose with force through her body and she stiffened, like a cat sensing a scurrying mouse near by.

There’s someone here watching me. I can feel it.

Irtar smiled slightly as she managed to at least shuffle her feet abit. He provided her most of the support but it proved she still had some strength left in her bones. The pair carefully making their way inside. He shrugged off her weird questions and behaviour to whatever caused her to pass out.

She was probably just delusional. She didn’t feel warm like she would from a fever. She felt cool to the touch actually, which Irtar knew was about as bad. He would’ve rushed along, but he allowed her to take her own time. Through the door, down the aisle, to where they’d been sitting before.

He heard the waitress before he she even spoke as she charged forward in a huff. She seemed to be quite ‘put-off’ to put it lightly at him hauling in the barely conscious Aretsuya.

“We don’t take in dead beats anymore we’re just trying to clean up. If she gets herself on a trip she can keep on going. We’re trying to im-” The woman rambled on belligerently until cast her a cold stare that stopped the woman dead in her tracks.

“Call an ambulance or something. She needs help.” Irtar groaned as he continued along past the waitress to the seat and slid down with Aretsuya. She seemed pretty out of it, rubbing the back of her neck but when Irtar was about to move away to grab some wash cloths when he heard her mutter something.

”Don’t leave me Irtar…”

Irtar immediately froze up not really knowing what to do. He cautiously took her hand and patted it softly, a small smile coming to his lips. “Don’t worry, I’m here.” Irtar said calmly, in an attempt to comfort her. “Some help will be on its way soon…”

“There’s someone back there…”

Irtar’s head immediately turned to where she was looking, but there was just a group of people walking by. He sighed a bit, wondering what was so wrong with her. Then he felt it. An intense shiver more than what he’d felt those times Arestuya had been eyeing him up. This one like piece of ice was pulled along his back. He shuddered for a moment and then he swore he heard something. A whisper right next to his ear that was so quiet he couldn’t make it out. But it was something there.

Irtar suddenly became on guard, looking out to that point and waiting for whatever help to come.

“Now come on Aretsuya… stay awake with me. Tell me about yourself. Like what’s your favourite colour? What are you doing around here?” Irtar asked, trying to keep her mind busy.

Was it a concussion or something? Did she actually go out to do some sort of drug like the waitress suggested? Irtar had no idea but he was really worried about the pallor she was beginning to take. He just tried to keep up a smile to keep her engaged. He didn’t know what upset him more, that this wasn’t the first time he was in a situation like this or that it probably wouldn’t be the last. He just hoped he had the same batting average he has had so far of survivors.

After a while of small talk, he heard the sirens in the distance and made a slight muttering of prayer to what power may be.

(OOC: I told you to give me ideas >_> It sucks I know. Stupid James.)


The sound of sirens filled the already tense air and Aretsuya apprehensively eyed Irtar, wondering where all the commotion was coming from. He seemed to be asking her some rather strange questions. She kept her lips pursed the whole time, too exhausted to talk. She just wanted to have a long nap, too weary to think of all else.

Irtar touched her shaking shoulder, but she shook him off. He wasn’t helping in any case.
Now she could hear the earsplitting screech of the sirens, coming closer and she stared questioningly at Irtar, grumbling at how her ears hurt from the raucous.

“Don’t worry, they’re coming to get you and you’ll be just fine.”

Immediately, Aretsuya froze, alarmed at what she just heard.

“Coming… to get me?”

Shock.

I told you so. Run. NOW.

I’ve got to get away. I should have listened to you. I’ll get away from here and they – he – will never find me again. No one will know of my existence, not even Viktoriya.
I’ll disappear. This time I will.

With all the strength she had left in her body, she pushed herself up and with sheer force she made for the door. Not looking back, she guessed Irtar’s face was probably bewildered from the sudden happenings, but however tired and wasted her head was, she willed herself to at least get away for the time being.

She heard a chair creak back, but she was at the door already, twisting the handle around hard and staggered outside.

“Wait!”

But she did not. Running at full speed, the cold air hit her face and her eyes watered up, bare skin prickling from the chill. She knew she was being pursued and she hated Irtar for causing all the trouble. She wished she never even set eyes on him at the moment.

Faster… faster… faster…

The streets stretched far and winded in several directions and she knew that if she was foolish enough to try and walk that length, her body would just give up on her. Perhaps Irtar would quit the chase anyhow, and she could be in a moment of solitude. But inside, she wished she wasn't so alone right now, it was creepy here..

She ran till she thought her legs would seize up and she would tumble head over heels. Now all the sounds of his voice which once trailed behind her melted away. Now the screech of sirens appeared too distant to be heard. Her knees buckled behind an iron fence, ankle sprained from all the pressure they had exerted, and she let her body resign from all the stress. They wouldn’t find her for the time being.

She broke down and started to cry. She had come all this way, through so many troubles only to find that she was back where she started; fleeing from those who sought her.

Hush, be strong.

Subconsciously, she knew she'd never be strong enough to survive if she just kept running. Consciously, she chose to barricade this knowledge from her mind. She stilled her mind, emptying herself of all thought, concentrating solely on the next move.

Those familiar footsteps were heard again, and she shoved a hand into her mouth just to keep her from making any audible sounds. She knew he was walking swiftly and groaned at the thought of him still coming after her. She turned her head back a bit, and there he was, though he couldn't see her yet. She kept looking at him, looking at his familiar features, the way his hair was ragged and windswept, stubble showing on his chin and sideburns. Felt strange seeing him again, now against him instead of clinging.

She looked at the sky, retreating lines of clouds just edging about the fuzzy periphery of her vision. Everything seemed so normal, yet she was running from her life.

[FONT=Palatino Linotype]Amara stepped out from the shadows and with great stealth she knelt beside the young woman without being noticed…

She then leaned in and whispered in Aretsuya’s ear as she stared at her pursuer…

“He will betray you…”

Aretsuya turned swiftly as she was startled by the voice so nearby. She began to stare at Amara who was now looking at the man who was chasing her. Apparently she recognized Amara from their brief encounter earlier.

“He was going to let them take you away wasn’t he? How sad a thing like betrayal is” Amara said as she shook her head.

Amara now slowly turned to look into Aretsuya’s eyes and gave a concerned look while with a gentle move of her hand she wiped away the tears from her face.

Amara then smiled…

“You have nothing to fear from me my sister, nothing to fear at all” Amara said as she now brushed her hand through Aretsuya’s hair trying to calm the scared woman…

“There is a great strength within you and you can be taught to harness it as I have. You can learn there is nothing to fear and nothing to run from.”


Amara brushed Aretsuya’s cheek with her hand as she slowly stood up and began to return to the shadows sensing the man was still nearby, her eyes never leaving Aretsuya’s…

She invoked the spell of Mind Touch with her as she did earlier and stretched out an open hand…

“All you need to do…”



“…is come with me.”





“Come with me my sister."[/FONT]