Echoes of the Past

[laraine]

Echo chewed at the food and gave him a weird annoyed face, almost child like.

"I actually didn't pay much attention to you before, I was so focused on finding those guys. I didn't even think you'd become a partner. But now that we are, my curiosity shines through I guess." She gave a half smile. Then her face returned to neutral.

"As for money...if you need help I have ways to pay as well." She pulled forth jewelry from a pocket of her pants. The jewelry was beautiful and very ceremonial. It was jewelry a priestess would wear. The designs on each piece were handcrafted and flawless.

"Each one of these as kept me alive this far. Just selling one gives me enough money to last for a month or so.."

She put the jewels away casually and ate what he gave her.

She looked over at him while she ate, trusting her horse not to run off. She was curious about his eye. But knew better than to pry into others affairs that they'd rather keep secret. She looked to the road again, chewing the food carefully so she wouldn't choke.

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru's eyes sparkled with opportunity when he saw the handcrafted jewelry, it was an awful habit of a merchant. "You better keep that hidden, I might scam that out of you. Money is not a concern for me, however it can make a man of my kind do vile things." Boy, did honesty hurt. He tampered with a toothpick in his mouth. He tried to change the subject to get his mind off. "When we get to town, we are going to stick out like a sore thumb, and you'll just have to find out why." He started to ponder, "Awe, but dang that jewelry was made my a master jeweler, I could make so much-- No!" he shook his head to get the thought out. "It would be a betrayal to my partner. I need to get used to this..." He sighed.

[laraine]

"Oh? But if you did try something like that.. I wouldn't hesitate to use my power on you. You DID see me use them before right?" She smiled slightly. "I'm not a completely helpless girl after all. Besides.. I have divine protection on top of that." She met his eyes evenly. She then turned back to the road.

"AS for towns, I always stick out...most think I'm a boy, which is their own misinterpreted judgment. And when someone pisses me off. Well lets just say they think twice about it. But those pieces are rightfully mine so if you did steal them I'd just gift wrap you to the authorities. and I'm sure you'd rather not be known as a thief. Honestly stealing holy jewelry is quite a crime." she smirked.

[JxSlaughter]

"I wouldn't steal it. I would use my cunning trading skills to con you into selling it to me, or to gift it to me. I'll have to know that all my goods have not been stolen, ma'am.[/i][/b]" He looked at her with a silly grin, as if to ask how she would ever possibly think of that. "Such a thing would be very dishonorable in my family. It'd be off with my hands! And worse! If I were to underestimate a stranger like you, I would plummet to hell like those men did. Or worse still." He sat straight for a moment to think a while of all the crazy powers in the world, then fell back to a lazy slouch. He started not to care because he wasn't lying. "Anyways, why do you look like a boy? Is it to hide your identity or is it just your sense of style?"

[laraine]

" I didn't intend for people to assume I was a boy, but it helped me fit in more than being a girl dressed in male clothing. I'd probably get more hassle from other guys if I didn't look the way I do now. I'm 16 so I'm still growing, but....it was a lifestyle choice. To forget my old life I cut off all my hair and dyed it. Mens clothes would work better with fighting so I used them. Its not my fault guys see no appeal in me." She seemed annoyed as she said this. "Ah, well its fine. I decided to do this, it was my choice." She clutched her hands into fists.

"Either way, I'm surprised you found out I was a girl. Though when we first met you thought of me as a kid." Glare.

[JxSlaughter]

"Either way, I'm surprised you found out I was a girl. Though when we first met you thought of me as a kid." Glare.

Jiru was blind to the glare, as his rice hat was in the way. It tended to do that a lot. "What is worse, woman or child-- I don't know. To be honest your still a kid in my eyes." Jiru didn't mean to offend her, but he didn't see a a true adult in her yet. "Even if your close to adult, it is black and white for me, either you are or you aren't, and I think you have at least a year to go." "Though, I treat you like an adult now because I do so with everyone else." "I apologize for asking if your parents were around, I didn't mean to say that you were dependent on them."

Jiru could definitely relate with her went it came to avoiding certain crowds. "You are smart to dress like a guy. It would be bothersome to use magic against people to leave you alone. Indeed, it is easier to look as something your not to avoid things in the first place."

Jiru pondered for a while. "It must be nice to have an ability like yours, I don't think I have any special powers at all." Jiru thought to himself, "In fact, I think I have a disability." he itched his left eye. It felt numb and strange to do so.

[laraine]

Echo looked distantly before her as his words hit home.
" You do know the old saying though right? Power comes with a price? I wouldn't dream of having power so lightly. Sure it helps in fighting. But I would trade it all back for..." Realizing she said too much, she shook her head. "Anyway..if I use my powers again I might pass out just a fair warning. It's how they work really." She gave a half smile.

"Usually though my powers fail me when I use almost all of them though. Which is why I eat so much, it gives me enough energy to use my power." She chewed on the food again, staring ahead of her. The day slowly turned to night and she looked around.

"Should we camp out again?"

[JxSlaughter]

"You do know the old saying though right? Power comes with a price? I wouldn't dream of having power so lightly. Sure it helps in fighting. But I would trade it all back for..."

"Hm?" Silence fell, and Jiru felt forced to end the conversation. He listened to the rest of the talk quietly.

"Anyway..if I use my powers again I might pass out just a fair warning. It's how they work really."

When she smiled Jiru tried not to look worried. He remembered what happened just yesterday. How she fainted suddenly before him. "She said that she was able to put the flames out, but the entire town was burnt-- and the well... it was nearly empty. What immense power! No wonder it takes such a toll on her body. But hasn't she gotten any training before gaining such power? Surely not all magic users get eaten away literally from their own power..." He was hesitant to ask why her powers would weaken her so badly. After all, she did end her conversation shortly before- and Jiru wanted to avoid being rude to her any further.


"Should we camp out again?"

Jiru looked at the sky. "Yes. And we should try to revive you to your normal strength if we can. Follow me, I know a camp site somewhere nearby." He pulled off to the left of the road. After what seemed to be an hour later of off-road traveling, he halted into an area within thin forestry. The ground was covered by old leaves from long past autumns. The oranges and dirt on the ground mixed with the green tint of the trees made the place feel wild and unorganized. It was apparent that this place had been used many times before because the leaves were much thinner around the radius of a previously used campfire, hinted by a cluster of rocks and charred logs. There were long logs around the site that could be used as seats, and to the group's luck it had not been raining- so they were not damp to sit on. Jiru hated when things were damp, for it was always hard to get a decent fire going without using his own logs.

There was no place to graze for the ox, but he had enough hay for the trip. Jiru offered some for the Echo's horse, and suggested that the horse would probably like an apple or as well. "Up north from here there is a small stream, the animals can drink from it but we will have to boil it clear from all the wild diseases that our bodies aren't used to-- it would a great misfortune if either of us got ." Jiru pulled out a pan that he would use for cooking and boiling water with. He smiled at Echo. "Would you fancy some noodles tonight?"

[laraine]

Echo nodded and gave her horse a apple as well as the hay.

"Sure I'd love some." She gave a small smile and walked over to him, taking off her cloak and placing it down on the ground where she would sit. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

It feels nice to travel with someone....but I cannot forget, that it won't last. After this, I'll disappear from his life forever. Getting too close would only hurt him in the end. No matter much how I want the company....he must never know the truth about me.

[JxSlaughter]

"Mmmm... well you could draw water from the stream. I would like to go get firewood before dark. I have logs in my wagon but I would like to use it when we need it the most." Jiru handed her a bucket. "If you drank from the gourd in the lunch sack I gave you, then you should refill that while you are there." The ox was already headed there for a drink after Jiru untied him from the wagon and fed him.

Jiru took four metal wiring from his cart, and one iron ring and he started to put the pieces together. It made a stand that would hold up the pot over the fire to make food. "When you come back, fill the pot with the water you got and remember to put the lid on." He placed the pot on the metal ring. There was some logs left over from the last person and he started to light it. It wouldn't last long but it would warm up the pot until he got back.

"I'll go get some fire wood now." He took a hatchet from the cart and started to head off into the distance. "Oh, and if your back before I am, you can head into the cart, grab some blankets and set your bed if you want, and... don't pass out over there you hear?" Jiru chuckled. He then left her, the katana was still strapped to his side and the dog stayed with Echo- it intended to follow her.

[laraine]

Echo made a face as he left, but knew he meant well. She picked up the bucket and headed over to the stream with animals in tow.

She looked down at the dog as it followed her. "Honestly, your master can sometimes make me insane. And what irks me the most is that he only sees me as a kid..."

She sighed. "Ah, well, I really should get over that I suppose." She finally made it to the stream and filled the bucket and gourd with water. She set them down on the shore and looked at her skin, it itched and was covered with dirt.

"Maybe a small dip would be fine...besides even if he did catch me he'd only see me as a child anyway..hmph." She disrobed and walked into the stream diving her head and swimming against the current to wash away all the grime and dirt.

That's when she felt his presence nearby.

She stood up and looked at the forest as a image encased in gold appeared before her. She went to shore and knealed on the ground.

"My lord..." Echo whispered.

"Child, why haven't you contacted me lately?" The man whispered, a golden hand brushing against her face gently.

"I'm sorry my lord. But I've been busy..I have a way now to destroy them. Me and a fellow traveler will use his village as bait. They will come to destroy it." She looked up at his eyes. "I'll finally be free from it all. They will finally feel the wrath of killing my family."

The man looked at her. "I am glad you will be happy soon. But do not forget our promise. After this...."

" I know, I have no intention of breaking our promise."

"Good girl." With that the man vanished.

Echo stood up, staring at the place the man was.

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru was hacking away at previously fallen trees, surely they were dead for a long time, so it would burn rather nicely. Since he was alone and doing work he felt as if his rice hat was in the way. So he took it off and it hung on his back. When his forehead sweat the bandage wrapping on his wrists served as a way to soak it up when he wiped his forehead. After getting some logs he took a break so that he would not use up his energy so fast. Jiru sat on the remains of the tree. Surely even after collecting the firewood for the night there would be more than half of the tree left. Jiru sighed to himself.

"This is going to be interesting, I haven't seen uncle in about a year." He sighed again, but this time much louder. He started to think in his head so to not risk anyone hearing. "Well, at least it isn't my home town. Surely she wouldn't hate me for lying, after all- why would I risk my close friends and family." Jiru whined. "I should have taken the white dragon ox, mine is definitely going to stick out. Me and my stupid humility. Hopefully she wont catch on, I still think she would get mad..."

Jiru started to use the hatchet again. This time he was taking out his anger on how he will face his uncle. He cursed in his head as he relived the moments of his past. Jiru finished his work and started to head back to camp. He looked forward to cooking for- and eating with company tonight.

[laraine]

After cleaning herself, Echo got dressed and walked back over to the camp site with the animals. She quickly put the water in the pot and set down the gourd

She sighed, then brought out a blanket from the cart like Jiru told her to. She set down the blanket near the fire and sat down, awaited his return.

This is nice..I haven't shared a meal with someone in ages. Brother...mom....dad.....Everyone...I'll avenge you...I swear...

Echo blinked as the fire slowly began to die out.

" I hope he gets back soon..."

[JxSlaughter]

Jiru came back with the firewood in hand. "Did you miss me?" He laughed. Jiru placed some firewood in and relighted it. The rest was set nearby to refuel it when needed. Unfortunately since the fire died it would be a little while longer until the noodles were done. Jiru went to the cart and got the dried noodles and a bag filled with dried meat and vegetables. He poured some of the dried goods on the ground for the dog. Jiru whistled. The Akita then came running to enjoy his meal. Jiru put the rest of the bag in the cart and walked back to the fire with noodles, bowls and a very small packet of other goods to flavor it with.

He sat next to the fire and kept poking the fire with the stick. Jiru always enjoyed looking at fire, poking it just made him happier. The rice hat was still strapped and hanging on his back. He waited until he heard flickering of boiling water. Then he put in chucks of meat and carrots before the noodles, because these would take longer to cook. Lastly he put in little peas because he never did have a liking to them. He toped it with sauce and mixed it after a couple minutes.

Jiru handed her a clay blue bowl with detailed, hand crafted carvings of a mountain, ocean waves and fish. Jiru's bowl was plan green with little notable features. On one side of the bowl there were what appeared to be carvings of grass but that was all. Inside of both bowls were chopsticks with paintings of cranes on the tip that didn't touch the food. He poured her noodles first then his. The ashes and heat from the fire were irritating his only eye, so he left it shut when he ate.

[laraine]

Echo rolled her eyes when he asked her if she missed him. Then when he gave her the food she ate it quite hastily. The food was finished in mere seconds.

She quickly got more from the pot and ate her seconds just as fast. It took about two more bowls before she was finally full.

"Thanks for the meal." She said as she finished and set the bowl down on the ground before turning to Jiru who was still eating. She once again looked over at his covered eye and then averted her eyes before he could know she was looking.

Silence seemed to envelope the two. She looked at the fire, painful memories just below the surface of her mind.

She inhaled deeply, then looked up at the moon and stars that shone above them.

"It's such a beautiful night." She said. "Its been a while since I've seen such a night as clear as this."

She continued to stare up at the moon as the wind gently caressed her face and hair.

She closed her eyes and let the moonbeams shine on her face.