Echoes of the Past

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru was at the door, but her sudden outburst and hint of worry made him hesitent to leave. He knew they both had secrets, but was hers really eating her up inside so badly? Jiru had his secrets but maybe when she finally had the courage to tell her she will. He would eventually tell her his if he was in the mood to do so, but most of the time he had just been enjoying his new found friend's company. Jiru had something to do but it could wait. She almost seemed like she was distressed with something. "If theres something you want to tell me, I'm here." He waited at the door for her response. "We are a team after all..." After he said this he did start to hope that she would open up, realizing that he did want to know how she was supposedly dead. Maybe he would open up in return. It wasn't dark yet, so he had time.

[laraine]

At his words, she opened her mouth to speak. But instead she put her head down, not even looking at him in the eye.

"One thing.." She whispered.

"I'll tell you one thing..I can't tell you anything else now...Its too hard. But, I'll tell you one thing you wanna know. About me and my past, Just...don't expect anything else...I like you a lot Jiru, you are so kind and funny. But you shouldn't like me, not at all."

She waited for his response, her soul hurting inside, but knowing that he was watching her.

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru didn't understand why he shouldn't like her, especially even one bit. He was curious how bad it would be. It would have to pack a huge punch to defeat the good times they had so far. He agreed that he wanted to know, without saying anything else- for fear that she would change her mind. He watched her, worried. He closed the door and stood across from her, waiting to hear what was supposedly so bad.

[laraine]

Echo sighed, thinking how best to word what she was going to say.

"That guy, wasn't lying. What he said was true. The leader of the group came upon me and my family suddenly through the chaos. He killed mother and father before my eyes. My older brother was trying desperately to protect me, but he...he was taken away to be killed as well. Then.."

She pressed a hand against her chest.

"He first cut me open, a thin slice across my body, then stabbed me through." She hated remembering it, but she had to.


" I did die...and was brought back. I don't know how he did it, but someone brought me back to life. But he is right, I did die. They probably believed I bartered with a demon or something." She shook her head, then looked back over to the deity in her room.

Still she left out the hardest parts, the one who raised her was a god, and in return for raising her from the dead, she would become his, body and soul. Only his.

Echo could not say those words.....Because it meant in the end that Jiru would be hurt.

"You cant like me Jiru, just forget about being my friend. You hear me?"

Its now or never.. give it everything you have Echo...

"Just leave, I'll save your town but its better if you don't become emotionally attached. Because I am something that will hurt you!" She looked up at him, her face stern and at the same time, held a hidden sadness. " I never want to see you again.."

When those words left her lips she regretted saying them. But she couldn't do anything else to protect him.

I"m sorry....I'm sorry.....

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru didn't like her more than a friend, but even so- he couldn't think of her as that either? Saying this seemed to hurt her, so he assumed that there was more to the story. He didn't think of her more than a friend but maybe liking her at all was the thing that was hurting her. He didn't really understand. He wanted to ask why they couldn't be friends, but he has situations like this before. It must have been because she thinks it would hurt him. Maybe she would run off, maybe she was just using him to get this far, just to defeat the bandits, or maybe it was something more all together. Either way, it wasn't the full story- so he didn't know and he knew that even now- she would not tell him the full story. So since this 'You cant like me Jiru, just forget about being my friend.' deal was going on, he had to do or say something to make her feel better. He decided that he had to make her feel as if she wasn't liked. Or wasn't liked anymore. Jiru isn't the person who was emotionally driven, so he thought that making her know that she wasn't liked would possibly fix this- after all she asked for it. As a server to his customers, he moved on to give her what she desired.

"Hmpth." He snickered in a smile. "The town will destroy these criminals whether we get your help or not." His bad side started to swell from within and he couldn't help himself, he actually enjoyed being like this from one time to another. But he needed some kind of an emotional drive to make his sudden behavior seem real. So he used the thought, of this: He had been kind all this time, feeding, helping, befriending her, and she couldn't even trust that he would be okay with all of this. He continued, "Your really weak anyways, you'd defeat a couple and pass out after your magic is used up. You think you can take them? Don't make me laugh. You'd better stay here and watch the fight." He shrugged and left the room, leaning on the door outside for her to hear. "All I wanted was to go on an adventure, and I got it. I wont be here for long. I did what I had to do to help you. The town is your ally. You never really needed me except to feed you-- like a dog." He didn't intend on leaving so soon, but it really seemed like she wanted him gone. As if she thought it was better this way some-how. If that's what she wants, I'll give it to her. "I don't like you that much anyways. Sorry to burst your bubble." Maybe he went too far. Who knows. He hoped that she would at least take their memories together, and not hate him for saying those things.

[laraine]

IT did hurt, a lot. After he left her head lowered and she closed her eyes, feeling tears fall from them and onto the bed. Alone once more, she looked up at the ceiling, trying to ease to eh pain within her. But it felt okay, considering that if he knew everything it would hurt ten times as much. Even friendships can hurt once they part forever. She knew this, and she did like him as family a lot. She didn't know him well enough to say she would ever like him romantically, even then. Those thoughts would have had to be abandoned.

For she was locked into a contract with someone she could not refuse, no matter how much she did want to stay.

" I don't know what to do." She whispered. In the end, she had no ally. She just ticked off the one ally she had and forced him to leave.

"You did what you had to." The glowing figure appeared to her once more. She looked up and then lowered her head.

"Echo, my child. My dear one, no one must know of our contract. A contract between a human on the verge of death and a god is forbidden. Even I do not know what will happen to you if this doesn't succeed. Do you really wish for that man to suffer because of your selfish wish to have a family or friends?"


Echo laughed a little while crying. "No, that's why I was so harsh. It's better if I'm hurt, rather than him. He's done a lot for me, he deserves something better friend wise or otherwise. I'm glad, I was able to help him."

Still, it hurt, She couldn't handle being in that room any longer. She got from the bed and got on her shoes. She needed to find her clothes, money and her horse. She had to wait outside of the city so she could surprise them before they touched the city.

"Be careful dear. Remember your limit. You can only use the element magic once. One per element. If you use a element more than once..your body will start to dissipate."

" I know, I know...don't worry my lord. I will fulfill the promise you and I had. I swear it." She opened the door to leave.

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru was listening to Echo talk to herself in the room. He did not hear the deity or see any light come though under the door. Most likely because of the man's power. When he heard her walking toward the door he swiftly and quietly ran into another room in the hallway. He did so as a child when exploring at night. He waited for her to leave. He started to question himself in the room where he was alone in. I shouldn't have done that... But, what else could I do? He looked down in the room he was in. It was a room just like Echo's room but it was across from her's. Jiru wasn't a lonely person, but Echo surely must have been. He had set aside his short vacation for her. He could have just walked out at any time, but he chose not to. He would pull through to the end with her, but she wouldn't know it yet.

[laraine]

Echo walked down the hallway, realizing she had no idea where her clothes were being kept or her money. She stopped, thinking hard about this. After all she was a guest here and the fact that she just fought with the important man who brought her here, who basically saved her life, she wondered how they would treat her. Still she walked down the hallway, trying to find someone to help her, or at least look around the area to see how to get out.

In the end she got extremely lost and had to lean against the wall for support. Her side was killing her and as much as she hated to admit it, she needed Jiru's help.

Not that she'd ever say it in front of him though. She was slowly starting to get peeved at his comments to her. Especially the remark about the dog.

If I ever see him again, first Ill knock him out over that comment about me being a dog, then I'll have him help me....who am I kidding? He won't come back. He must be through with me...

"Dang it, what's a girl gotta do to get her clothes and money back?" She mumbled to herself. Still leaning against the wall and trying to stay conscious.

[JxSlaughter]

It was sometime later in the afternoon so the building wasn't as busy as it was in the morning. But luckily for her one of the workers in the building was still checking to see if random things were the way it was supposed to be. It was a girl, around Echo's age. She had her black hair into a bun. She saw her laying about on the floor. She put her palms against her cheeks, "Oh no!" she ran to Echo. "The land owner will have my head if he sees you like this." She kept bowing before Echo as if to plea for mercy. She was quite a nervous girl. "Is there something you wanted that made you leave the room? If it is anything at all I can get it for you!"

[laraine]

" I wanted my clothes, and my money..and my horse." Echo managed to say. She pulled herself to a standing position. "Please.." She begged.

I have to get out of this place before he finds out that I left...

With her guiding Echo, she got her clothes and money and Hikaru. She rode out towards the gates of the town and looked out at them. She managed to somehow convince the guards to let her out. She nudged Hikaru and she rode out to just a few feet outside the gate and got off. She looked around, and felt the presence of a dangerous person. She gathered her courage and powers and got ready to attack them when they revealed themselves.

All the while hoping in the back of her head that Jiru was safe and sound.

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru was back in a different room of the building. A room full of messenger falcons. He was writing home, he was supposed to be gone for only three days. The room was nearly a library of the falcons. He went to one of the desks and started writing his letter.

Dear Brother,

I hope you aren't worrying about me,
though you are most likely not. You
know me best, and it has just been
another one of those days where I
have gotten side tracked. I hope
you, Lina and business is going well
without me.

I met this young girl-- and no, don't
even think of that. She has
been though a lot and I need to
help her. I wont tell you much until I
get back.

You have probably noticed that this
falcon is from Sen Sei. Yes, I visited
uncle. He is still.... himself, so I
might come home missing a hand.

If you don't hear from me or uncle
after your reply.... in a month,
something has happened to me.
I'll take care of myself, so don't
worry about me.

-Zhijiru

[/center]



He placed it into the container mounted on the bird after finding it through the library. Jiru sent it off out the window. He watched the bright red ribbon disappear into the distance. He sighed in relief knowing that his home will hear from him soon. He ventured out of the room.

[laraine]

"They wont be ready in time..I'll have to stop them before they reach the doors." Echo said to herself and prayed to her god that she would survive this.

As if on cue, five men appeared from almost nowhere. Each one held a different weapon, two had blue hair, but one had green eyes while the other had black. The one with green eyes had it tied back and wore black pants and a almost transparent black long sleeve shirt. He held a katana at his side, much like Jiru did. The one with black eyes had short cropped hair holding a chain. Both looked fairly young.

The others were much older in appearance, one held a strange weapon that was known as a gun, but Echo didn't recognize it. He had white hair and old blue eyes. He wore simple robes.

One had a mask over his face, hiding his features from view. But had long red hair. He wore black skin tight clothes as well as strange bombs and twin daggers at his side.

The final opponent had blond hair with green eyes. He appeared in his late 40's and held before him a crossbow.

The five circled Echo in a attempt to look threatening.

"Coward. I knew he would never come himself." Echo muttered, yet got ready to attack once they attacked.

"Master has more important things to deal with than a young rebel girl." Long blue hair said.

"Tch, figures. Well let him know that he will never get this town. I swear it." Echo jumped off her horse and landed before them. Her horse ran off back towards the gates neighing.

All five drew their weapons and Echo smirked.

"Bring it."

The first to attack was the man with the gun, he fired off a round and somehow Echo managed to dodge it in her weakened condition. She flew past him and ran far enough away to concentrate on her magic.

Two hands flew up, glowing green. With her earth magic she formed hands from the earth and grabbed the two blue haired boys, crushing them with the power of the earth.

Red hair threw his daggers at her, She managed to dodge one but another caught her shirt, throwing her down to the ground.

He pinned her down and held a dagger to her throat. He looked at her for a second, and she could see he had similar blue eyes to her.

Those eyes looked familiar....

He froze for a second, giving her enough time to shove him off her legs. She aimed next for the blond guy, setting his clothes on fire.

Finally only two remained and she smirked.

"How about you boys? Wanna taste?"

The red haired masked man growled. "Retreat!" The two ran back from where they came. Echo sighed in relief. Sitting down on the spot.

[JxSlaughter]

The men at the gate were on the look-out ever since the message for war was sent out. One of the guards noticed Echo through his telescope. He saw her battling and wondered if the town hired some visiting strangers to battle on their side. Though from his distance he thought it was a young boy. He saw that the boy drove them off on his own. But he still announced to his comrades that the enemy was starting to make their move. The amount of weapons they made would have to do. As rich as the town was, they had a stock in case a random attack such as this were to happen. A gong was sounded, it meant that everyone was to be on their toes and ready. But it meant that actually battling was still uncertain. After the first gong was hit, another and another was hit in different locations as they heard it until it was heard around the entire town. Everyone got the message.

[laraine]

Who was that boy? Echo thought to herself, sitting down to calm down from the fight. She didn't feel the enemy's presence and to be fair she was very . She wandered back into the city to hear the gongs go off repeatedly. Apparently they were getting ready for battle soon. Echo knew they would attack the town. But she wasn't sure when. The only thing she knew was that she had to be ready.

In town she bought food and gulped it down rapidly. briefly she thought of Jiru. But shook away the unease and continued to eat. After she was full she wandered back to the place she was staying at. Since she didn't have another place to stay and she assumed that Jiru hadn't kicked her out she wandered back inside, wandering the hallway and trying to think of the next move. She finally ended back in the room she had been given and lied down. But she couldn't fall asleep. Not yet, it was hard with so much going on in her mind.

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru noticed her walking around the hallways trying to find her room. Since he knew the large building well he was able avoid her gaze. After leaving her in the room for some time he decided that it was time to go see her. Jiru slowly opened the door. He peeked his head in. "Hey, I see your still here..." He wasn't sure if he she wanted to see him or not, but he felt bad that he made her cry. He waited to see if she would yell at him. Jiru held something behind his back hidden from her view..