Lupine, know thy foe

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The woman sat perfectly still, motionless as a slight breeze picked up, sweeping gently through the air as she perched on a rocky outcropping overlooking one of the many coves dotting the surface of Selonia.

She hadn't been to the planet in years; almost four actually, and she'd missed it sorely. But now she was back. For how long though she didn't know. People had been searching for her lately; people who she didn't want chasing after her, and she let out a sigh as her mind lingered on one of those who she knew was following her to the best of his ability. She couldn't let him near her again though; that was how much she loved Taylor Millard. She couldn't risk hurting him again. Ever.

So she'd gone to Diego. And he took her in; let her run wih him, and she was eternally grateful. Diego had been teaching her; showing her his ways and acclimating her to her new life as a lupine. Now though she was resting, praying that her troubles would not follow her for just a few minutes at the most. A small moment of peace was all she asked for.

Her eyes closed as she let the sea air fill her nostrils, the scent reminding her of the Balmorran Sea.

<"I miss you."> she mouthed silently in Selonian.

[Mr Dust]

A very familiar presence had pricked the senses of Mr. Dust earlier, and he had been following it all day. Like most guardians, he always knew when a Lupine was nearby. He couldn't pinpoint which Lupine it was, or where they were exactly, but he could follow it more or less.

The sensation was much stronger now. At his guess, the Lupine should be within sight about now. He begins searching the area until his eyes see... a small girl? Not what he had expected, but there was no doubt that she was a Lupine. He steps into her range of view and leans nonchalantly against a rocky outcropping.

My, what have we here? Is this a Lupine I see before me? If you'll pardon the pun, what brings you to this neck of the woods?

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Eyes snapping open, s'Il turned on her perch, her metallic gaze falling on a pale stranger, and her brows furrowed as she stared at him. Her solitude interrupted, she stood quickly, dusting her hands off on her worn pants while giving the man an odd look. How did a complete stranger know what she was? Did Millard send him?

She made no move to step from the rock she stood on however, simply studying his face.

"How do you know what I am... ?"

[Mr Dust]

His eyes widened quickly, obviously taken aback. A Lupine did not recognize a Guardian? Why, they could detect a Guardian easily as well as a Guardian could detect them. With their sense of smell, even better. So why did this girl not know him... unless..

Excuse me, but you seem to be a bit... behind on some rather well-known facts. At least, known to your average Lupine. Tell me... were you born Lupine, or changed?

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Feet shifting so she could gain a better foothold, s'Il slowly stepped forward and to the side, down off the rock and into the grass.

"I was... changed... "

Her body was tense as she sidestepped slowly, keeping the man at a constant distance.

[Mr Dust]

Changed... not suprising... now, the question was, "Who?"

Do you remember who did this, madam, or was it a random attack?

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Giving the man a steely, narrow eyed stare, s'Il let a small growl form in the back of her throat.

"I don't think what happened to me is any of your business."

[Mr Dust]

Well, so she was going to defend her sire. Apparently she was embracing the Lupine life... definately not an accidental assault. Very well... now to figure out who it was. There weren't many Lupines in this region, so he could probably guess. He watched her eyes for any change.

Ah... I see. So, was it Vega Van Derveld? No response out of her. No, of course not. Couldn't be him. Maybe an elder Lupine... Diego, perhaps? Her eyes flickered. Aha... Diego would do such a thing. I've always thought he should be boxed up and sent back to his home planet. So much trouble here. Ah, but he'd never go quietly... I guess I'd have to cut him a bit...

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Stopping in her tracks, she reached a hand up to brush back an errant lock of hair that had caught in the breeze.

Her hands went to her sides then, clenching into fists as her eyes flashed a dangerous yellow.

"What does it matter to you."

[Mr Dust]

His words had taken hold. He subtly shifted his body in case she were to rush him.

Well, you see... I am a Guardian. I defend the galaxy against the likes of him... and you, it would seem. I have no other choice, actually. I must do my duty. A shame, too... Diego seems rather interesting. More's the pity.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I'm not out to hurt anyone," she growled simply, "... just to stay alone."

Of course things were different when she was with Diego as opposed to when she was alone. Vastly different.

She'd tasted blood, and she relished it.

His words did anger her, though. All this talk of harming Diego grated on her ears, and she let her growl rise a bit more before going silent. The elder Van Derveld had taken her in; sheltered her, and she owed him her life. Well, the life he'd given her at any rate.

"Gaurdian or not, I don't rightly care for your little need to 'defend the galaxy' from lupines."

She let the change start just a bit, feeling the stirrings ripple through her bones, tendons, and muscles. Running her tongue over her teeth, she felt them sharpening. It was... delightful to say the least.

The color began to ebb slowly from her vision, at a constant pace as she kept the change at bay for the moment.

"Is that a threat... "

[Mr Dust]

He held in the smirk. At times, it was far to easy to push someone's buttons.

But, as your have been so quick to demonstrate, it takes so very little to set you off. Let me guess... you'd like nothing better than to rip me limb from limb, just for a few out of the way words.

And madam, why on earth would I want to threaten you? I merely state facts.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"If you threaten Diego, you threaten me." Her nails dug into the skin of her palm.

"And no," she said in a low voice, "I don't want to rip you limb from limb.... yet. What would it accomplish other than staining my clothes?

"Besides; what duty is it you think you have to do? I was only sitting by myself."

Diego had taught her patience in some things; though he hadn't told her anything about this... Gaurdian. She'd have to have a talk with him when she met back up with him.

[Mr Dust]

Who said anything about threatening someone? I merely stated that I would have to stop Diego if he were to try something.

He pauses and glances pointedly in her direction.

Just as I would have to stop you were you to try anything. I would recommend against it.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il let a small sigh escape her lips then, and she released her tightened fists.

"I hear what I hear," was her grumbled response, turning then to look out at the water below; unwilling to meet his gaze for the time being.

"What do you want from me," she ventured presently.

[Mr Dust]

Perhaps this would not end in bloodshed after all. Rare in a Lupine. Normally, they wanted nothing better than to kill a Guardian.

Want from you? Why, nothing at all. I merely detected the presence of a Lupine, and came to find out your business. Nothing more.

He turns to leave, but turns back, raising one finger in question.

Ah, but I seem to have forgotten one thing. What is your business here, exactly? You have yet to tell me.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Now that was odd. He seemed a little.... surprised that she hadn't attacked? No matter. She had to be leaving anyway; it had become habit to never stay in one place for too long, and brushing past him, she began her trek back the way she'd originally come.

"I was watching the water," she answered grudgingly, then as an afterthought, she added sarcastically, ".. and planning the next poor soul to rip 'limb from limb'."

[Mr Dust]

He relaxes slightly at her first comment.

But he reacts immediately to her second. He draws and ignites his thin saber in one fluid motion, stopping the blade inches from her throat. His voice, however, is nothing but polite.

Madam, I appreciate your levity, but I must assure you that the Guardians are not known for their flippance when dealing with Lupines. I would caution you not to make such comments again.

He extinguishes the saber and returns it to his coat. But he does not take his eyes off the girl.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il staggered back, the appearence of his saber almost locking her muscles in fear as he stopped it at her throat. The blade thrummed with almost a life of its own, and its tip hovered over the top of the extensive scar already blazing a trail from her neck straight down to her midriff.

Metallc eyes wide in near terror, she watched him switch the sabre off and return it to his side.

"Don't do that again," she hissed, barely controlling the fear she knew was in her voice,

[Mr Dust]

Watch your comments, and I shall not have to. I do not take comments of killing innocents lightly.

Nor shall I ever.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I say what I want to say; you got a problem with it, it ain't my fault, so you can just stuff it as far as I'm concerned.

"You pull that thing on me again though, and I will make good on my words to the best of my ability.

"... and I don't care if you're a 'Gaurdian' or not."

[Mr Dust]

As much as good judgement spoke against it, he simply could not stand to be threated by a Lupine. There was a certain amount of honor involved.

What, you mean, this thing?

He draws his saber once more, igniting the thin white blade.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Taking a few steps back, she glared at him, yellow creeping fully into her eyes as she watched the color drain from her sight.

Falling to her knees, s'Il let the change take over her soul, let it transform her as bones and muscles shifted, dislocating and rearranging to accomodate a changing form. She groaned, feeling as her hands broadened out, fingers thickening as nails grew to claws. Facial muscles stretched out over morphing bones, and teeth sharpened to points as a tail grew from the bottom of her spine.

She would never be used to the pain.

Stepping from the pile of discarded clothes, the vornskr shook herself violently, a sheen of silver fur ruffling in the breeze that had remained steady in the air. She snorted, then cast a tawny gaze at the man brandishing a lightsabre before him, and an immediate growl grew in her throat as lips curled back over a row of vicious teeth.

Slowly, and making sure to stay out of the reach of the glowing blade, the beast began a slow pace around the Gaurdian.

[Mr Dust]

Ah... now the truth was revealed. It seemed, no matter how often a Lupine would claim that they only wanted to be alone, they ended up lashing out in the end. Would things ever change?

He lowers the point of the blade, aligning it directly with her eyes. He removes his hat, holding it behind him, arm crooked. He advances slowly.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Growl remaining constant, she backtracked, his sabre leveled at her eyes. Her tail waved from side to side as she retreated at a slow pace, and with sharp bark, snapped at him.

She darted to the side then, paws digging into the soft earth as she rushed him.

[Mr Dust]

Mr. Dust jumps back slightly as she snaps at him. The momentary loss of balance gives her time to sidestep his saber and lunge. From her angle of attack, there is no way to sweep the saber around in time.

However, the butt of the saber is much closer. He swings his saber toward the creature in a backhand. He connects with a glancing blow to her shoulder. The blow itself doesn't cause much damage. Too bad for her that the buttcap is silver.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

With a pained yelp the vornskr shied away, favoring the shoulder he'd struck with the butt of his sabre. It stung; badly, and she let out a small whine while giving him a wide berth for the moment.


The moment was soon lost however, as she huffed. The sting of his blow was starting to recede; if not just a little, and she stalked forward once more, this time wary of the weapon he carried; not just for the fact that the blade nearly terrified her from previous experiences, but now the metal of the sabre hilt itself.

Head low to the ground, she cast him a withering yellow stare as she approached, and in a spring of fluid motion she lunged at his knees.

[Mr Dust]

The speed of the attack catches him off guard. He attempts to slip to the side, but is unable to move quickly enough. Her bite hurts his knee, slowing him slightly.

Well... tit for tat, it seems...

He steps backward quickly in order to regain range with his saber. On the backstep, he swipes at her nose with the tip of his saber.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The vornskr reared up, her paws raking thin air as she disregarded the saber being swung at her, feeling the blade slice easily through the skin covering her ribcage. Thankfully it wasn't too deep, but it still burned through her pain receptors, and she whuffled a pained growl as her jaws latched onto the wrist of his sabre hand in a vice grip in an attempt to wrench his arm in the hopes that he'd drop the sabre.

[Mr Dust]

Ahhh!!!

Mr. Dust yells as her claws dig into his flesh. He quickly extinguishes his saber and concentrates. He seems to become somewhat hazy, his outline indistinct. The paws on his wrist suddenly slip through, sliding straight through his now insubstantial body. He runs forward several steps, passing straight through the vornskyr and two trees. He turns to face her, body becoming solid once more. He rubs his wrist and reignites his saber, as well as changing his hold on his hat. He grasps the hat by the crown instead of the brim, holding it as if he intends to catch a ball with it. He readies himself for attack.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The feeling of the man as he passed through her caused her to stop as she was taken over by a sneezing attack. Her nose itched, and running a paw over her muzzle, she snorted a few times to rid the feeling from her olfactory senses.

Turning her head, she looked behind her to where the pale stranger had run, and her body followed the motions of her head as she once more paced toward him, growling. Stalking around the first tree, her teeth snapped when he held out his hat, and she tensed her muscles, readying for another leap.

[Mr Dust]

His eyes narrow as he watches his opponent move forward, timing his movement. As soon as he sees an opening, he dives forward. He cups his cortosis-lined hat over her muzzle, locking his arm around her neck to hold the hat in place. Last he checked, cortosis had virtually the same effect on the Lupine form.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Screwing her eyes shut, s'Il tried to struggle out of his grasp, but she failed; miserably. an anguished yelp, muffled from inside the hat, turned into a pained howl as she went still, bearing the pain.

Her bulk sagged, and she fell into him, trying to drive his body down in an effort to get atop him.

[Mr Dust]

Her weight in human form is very slight, but as a vornskyr she was much more massive than Dust. Her movement pushed him to the ground atop him, but fortunately his hat was still blocking her teeth from his throat. He lets her move more over him and wraps his legs around her ribcage, locking on. He places the silver buttcap of his saber on the back of her head and begins to squeeze.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

One of his legs brushed over the cut he'd made previously with his lightsabre, and she let out another yelp that turned almost frantic at the touch of the silver on the back of her head, and she threw her body left and right. It did no good as the hold he had on her was solid, and with a last whine the vornskr fell still, letting her form go limp atop him.

The stinging still raging across her muzzle by whatever was in his hat raged mercilessly, and with the exception of a few slight shakes, her head remained unmoving on his shoulder. She let the silver burn; let it seemingly scorch her skin beneath her silvery pelt, and with a pained yellow gaze, she stared straight ahead, remaining utterly motionless.

[Mr Dust]

Either she was giving up, or simply losing hope. In any event, the fight seemed to be over. And to continue attacking an opponent who wouldn't fight back... that was simply not done. He pushes her off of him quickly, and returns to his feet. He does not, however, extinguish his saber.

Are you ready to stop fighting and be civil, or must we go on?

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Staggering back onto her paws, she stood, head low to the ground while doing her best to recover in any way possible. Her whole head stung, and the brush with his sabre blade ached. Lowering herself to the ground, she looked up at him with malicious yellow gaze, then at his sabre.

A low growl began in her throat before she shook herself once more, starting with her muzzle and rippling down her body to end at her tail in an effort to rid herself of the effects his attacks had caused. Glancing up at him once more, her ears swiveled back, laying flat against her head, and she began to pace once more, mindful of both his saber and his hat.

[Mr Dust]

Perhaps she did not know when to quit. Very well... he must instruct her.

He moves in rather quickly, swiping in short strokes in front of himself. None would do terrible damage, but each small stroke would burn terribly if it hit. He advances, blade continually darting toward the nearest part of her body.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Retreating, she backed away quickly, and with an angered bark, shot to his right. She didn't press in, instead she kept her distance while continuing to avoid his sabre. The vornskr halted, standing stock still as another growl grew in her throat, but she didn't move as her eyes remained glued on his actions.

And then, crouching low, she followed the motions he made with the blade, and as soon as it swept to the side, she leapt, paws outstretched in another attempt to knock the blade from his grasp.

[Mr Dust]

Due to an errant swing on his part, her leap connects cleanly with his saber, sending it flying. He kicks upward with his left foot to keep her from pressing the advantage.

He backs away quickly, unable to reach his saber. He backs up to a tree and reaches into his coat pocket, placing his hat back on his head. He pulls out a small object and hides it in his right hand.

Come, Lupine! Are you afraid? A mere unarmed man cows a mighty vornskyr? Attack me!

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

And yet, she didn't make a move to advance on him, simply standing between him and his saber while staring at him with eyes that seemed to say 'That's all that I wanted to do'.

She huffed, then sat, her movements slow and deliberate as she continued to look up at him. He'd pulled something from his coat, and she would not be goaded into whatever it is he was trying to prod her to do. His weapons had already taken their toll, and she didn't want to risk any more pain.

So she merely sat, watching him with careful eyes to see what he would do next, and her muscles tensed regardless in case he attacked.

[Mr Dust]

He cannot help but chuckle. Perhaps she is more intelligent than she lets on. No matter. If words didn't work...

He reaches down and picks up a handful of rocks. Taking a large round one in his left hand, he hurls it straight at her head. It doesn't hit right in the eye as he had intended, but it does graze her skull. He continues flinging rocks at her, over and over.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il yelped, feeling the rock glance across her skull, and she shifted her paws in an attempt to avoid the next ones he threw, but it was futile, and she rose to her feet, backing away just a little while dodging the rocks he was hurling at her.

Another stone smacked her left paw, and she sidled to the right. He was trying to get a reaction out of her, and slowly; ever so slowly, it was working. With a low growl she began advancing on him. Mindful of the rocks he flung at her, she worked her way closer while doing her best to stay between him and his saber.

She paused then, a few feet before him. Her growl grew, and swishing her tail back and forth, lowered her head while looking at him from the tops of her tawny eyes, waiting for his next actions.

[Mr Dust]

He keeps throwing rocks until she gets nearby. Once she is, he goes immaterial once more, still throwing rocks. The rocks in his hand are immaterial, but solidify the instant they leave his hand.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Now she was confused; what was he doing? A small whine of indecisiveness was all that she vocalized, and backing off, she snorted. This was getting time consuming, and she was skating on thin ice staying as long as she had already. With a final huff, she gave him a last yellow gaze before turning and beginning the trek back to where she left her clothes.

The vornskr hesitated at the dropped sabre though, sniffing at it before carefully stepping around it, mindful of her paws.

If the pale stranger followed her, then fine. But she wasn't going to let him catch her unawares again; the sting of his weapons were on the forefront of her mind.

[Mr Dust]

"Ah ah ah... not so fast, madam vornskyr...." Mr. Dust can only hold the ethereal form for a few moments, so he has to make the best of them. He rushes forward and dives, right hand extended. In his hand is a small silver coin. As he finishes his dive, his insubstantial hand and coin end up inside her torso. In its present state, the coin can't hurt her. However, when he lets go...

As the bonds in the silver come together, they don't quite merge with her body, but they don't exit easily, either. The coin's molecular bonds wish to become solid once more. So, they push together. In any species, this is very painful. However, when the species is Lupine and the object is silver....

After dropping the coin, Mr. Dust pulls his hand free and becomes solid once more. He is drained almost completely from holding his immaterial form for so long. He will have to be rest a moment before he can fight again.

[Diego Van Derveld]

The sound of a bowcaster quarrel echoed through the forest clearing. It was the first thing that struck Mr. Dust....that is...until the quarrel itself perforated his left leg, through the fleshy calf muscle. As the Jedi fell with the sudden loss of balance, the underbrush at the forest perimeter came alive, and a simple-garbed man emerged, one that was all too familiar to both parties. He walked purposefully forward, the Wookiee-built bowcaster never wavering from Dust's heart. It wasn't as intimidating as the blue fire in his wild eyes.

A sound kept Diego from pulling the trigger. It was the sound of the silver coin that still lay on S'Ilancy's body, searing away at the flesh it lay on. The same silver coin from the bar...

He threw the weapon aside, and with gritted teeth, clenched the coin in his own hand, as he put the gaunt Jedi horizontal with an infuriated haymaker. His fist now shook, blood dripping from the cracks in his fingers as vapor from a cruel chemical reaction did its awful work. With a sneer, he tossed the accursed piece as far as his arm could carry...returning his ire to the Guardian.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The pain of the coin was unbearable, and the beast had dropped like a rock, curling in on herself as the coin burned her flesh. Involuntarily she'd reverted back into human form, limbs elongating and head broadening as she convulsed, the pain almost causing her to scream. She clenched her jaw tight though, biting back the cry of searing pain tearing through her nerves.

And then it was gone, the coin had been lifted from her body.

Unmoving, she opening a single eye and cast a stare up. Diego stood over her for a breif moment before vanishing, and with a sigh she let her muscles go limp, closing her eye as another wave of pain swept through her body.

[Mr Dust]

AAAAHHHH!!!

Mr. Dust curls up, grasping at his leg. The punch was nothing compared to the bowcaster. Through gritted teeth, he speaks to the elder Lupine.

BAD FORM, DIEGO! Bad form indeed. You have no honor.

[Diego Van Derveld]

He shook his head as he squeezed more blood from his palm.

"No honor? No. Just different honor."

[Mr Dust]

His eyes widen in shock at his flagrant disregard for common decency.

There is no honor in attacking an unarmed man! You know this is so.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego pointed to S'Il.

"She is unarmed."

He held his hands apart.

"I am unarmed."

And he nodded to Dust.

"And you are, as well. We can either leave each other be, as we should have, or we can debate our differing honor, as unarmed men."

[Mr Dust]

Mr. Dust inclines his head toward Diego.

A debate will lead us nowhere. Depart, and I shall as well. Good day.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her body wracked in pain, s'Il rolled to her back, throwing her head back in a silent scream as the burning swept through her body, blisters rising where the silver and cortosis had touched, and a thin charred line from where the lightsabre had cut along her ribs. Hands balled into fists as she endured the pain in silence, and she turned maddening metallic eyes to the pale stranger.

Is this what Guardians did? Goad a Lupine to attack, then leave them to fend for themselves after wounding them? She gasped a little, then spoke, her voice more of a whimper than anything else as she addressed Dust.

"I... only wanted you to keep your sabre... away from me... "

[Mr Dust]

He turns to look at the fallen Lupine.

And I only wanted to make sure you were not going to assault anyone. Many Lupines have made 'jokes' like yours, only to follow through with them on a whim.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She turned her head away, refusing to look at him any longer.

"Someone would have been dead... if I'd been so inclined... " she coughed, then rolled to her side in an attempt to move closer to Diego. "And you would have found me standing over a bloody corpse... not sitting on a rock outcropping... "

She curled in on herself once more, saying nothing else.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego's eyes radiated lightning...as if his emotions sparked through his orbs and nowhere else on his person.

"Guardian, I loathe your kind. You represent all that I am against. Yet, I can afford you respect. You are at least above common, wife-beating slime in the sense that there is some semblance of what you call honor, that you adhere to."

He glanced to s'Il....who was still in the throes of agony.

"Let her decide what to do with you. I abstain what shred of civility that I can afford to you now."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il wouldn't look at the pale stranger any longer as she levered herself up, then doubled over in pain.

"Just... just leave him here...

"... I want to get off this planet... "

[Mr Dust]

Mr. Dust tips his hat to the female Lupine.

Very well. Our business is concluded. Unless it becomes necessary, I shall not trouble you again.

He turns to Diego.

But you, sir, have dealt me a grievous wound, not the least of which to my honor. We shall settle accounts... at a later date.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Alright"

Diego's eyes were still on his suffering companion. Slowly, the blue irises turned back to Mr. Dust.

"You'll have your fight, if it ends at that."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

A second attempt to sit up succeeded only minimally as she hunched over, and a hand shot out, catching a hold of one of Diego's legs so she could steady herself. Her head lowered in one hand, she groaned as the burning continued.

"For a guy so hung up on honor, you don't seem to have any," she grumbled through semi-gritted teeth, "... using cheap shots to win a fight is pretty low, mister."

[Mr Dust]

I am sorry... but you could not be allowed to leave. I did not know what you would do when you did.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Does it really matter??? I had no intention of any kind to hurt someone; I'd already said as much when I first saw you. Whether or not you took an offhand remark seriously is not my problem.

"Or at least it wasn't until you started attacking me."

She leaned against Diego's leg for support, still holding her head and refusing to look at Dust.

[Mr Dust]

You have no idea how many times offhand remarks ended up coming true. I have lost friends to such remarks.

And when the fight had begun, it could not end until it was truly finished. I am sorry for what I had to do.

Mr. Dust wraps his coat around his leg in order to brace it, and works his way upright. He retrieves his saber.

Good day to you both.

He tips his hat and begins slowly hobbling away.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il looked up then, her hand grasping at a small pebble, and cocking her arm back, she sent the small stone lancing through the air, aimed at the back of Dust's head.

[Mr Dust]

He senses the rock coming toward him, but does not react. Let her take out her aggressions. It strikes him, making a small mark. He looks over his shoulder.

Another time, madam... another time.

He continues moving away.

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego helps S'Il to her feet gingerly, mindful of her myriad injuries at the hands of the Guardian.

"Let it go...his kind are too dangerous to be approached lightly."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il let Diego pull her up carefully, leaning into him as she cast an angry stare at the Guardian's back before dropping her head to stare at the ground, teeth grinding.

"Why didn't you tell me about him... ?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego paused, looking at his companion.

"To be honest, I never thought it necessary. His kind are an old enemy, almost forgotten."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She buried her face in his chest then, the burning still raging through her body. Whether or not the Guardians were 'almost forgotten', she'd talk about it later. Right now she was hurting.

Hands balling into fists, grasping his shirt as she leaned into him, she let her nails dig into his skin through the material of his shirt.

"It hurts."

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego turned his eyes from her, biting his lower lip.

"It always does. I know."

He clenched one of S'Il's hands, and with his other hand, removed a small vibroblade from a belt pouch. Flipping the blade out, he extended it to her.

"It'll hurt more. Either slowly for many years, or intensely for a few minutes."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She tensed then, her eyes locking on the blade in his hands, and she froze.

"What do I have to do," she managed to get out, unmoving as she stared at the knife he held out to her.

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Cut away the scar tissue. Otherwise, it'll never really heal."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

A hand unclenched from his shirt, and she reached out to grasp the blade from him.

Completely oblivious to her nudity, she pushed away from Diego, stumbling a little before steadying herself. Her face burned, but she did her best to ignore it for now, concentrating on the knife in her hand.

Her shoulder had been her first injury, so that was where she would start. The edge lifted up, the gritting her teeth, she began the first cut. It sliced through her skin, and s'Il let out a cry, pulling the blade away.

It hurt as bad as the burning, and she looked to Diego, eyes reflecting her pain, but also a resolve that she wouldn't let her wounds defeat her.

The blade came up once more, and she bit her lip as the edge dug into flesh once more. With a stifled cry she kept at it, cutting away at her own arm. A tear trailed down her cheek as the blade came free, cutting loose the scarred portion of her arm. Expelling a painful breath, she lowered her arm.

Leaning against the nearest tree, she held the vibroblade out to him. "I can't do the ones on my face; I need your help... "

[Diego Van Derveld]

Diego hesitated, then took up the blade, pressing S'Il's forehead with his palm, and steadying it against the tree. Wordlessly, he ran the blade against her face, removing scar tissue in quick, thin slivers. The lacerations welled up with blood, which ran down her face. After the initial rush of crimson, however, the bleeding ceased...and the clots set almost before Diego's very eyes.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She'd remained unmoving through the whole thing, whimpering only a little as he began the cutting. Hands clenched in fists at her sides, she gritted her teeth and let the pain go through her body; there was no use trying to fight it, she might as well just let it wash over her. Just like tha blood that ran down her face...

... and then the bleeding stopped, and she let out a slight gasp as the knife was pulled away.

Eyes closed, she strained her neck upwards as she felt the blood clotting already.

"What happens now... ?"

[Diego Van Derveld]

"Now..."

He slowly helped her to her feet, wiping red away from her cheeks.

"...we leave this place. And you will heal."

Her skin was warm to the touch, a testament to the amazing regenerative ability of her body's metabolism at work, as it mended her wounds quickly.