A Stranger In The Grasslands

As he heard her scream coming from deeper inside the tunnels, he broke into a light run his creations moving just ahead of him to keep the tunnel lit as he made his way through. Within a few minutes he entered the cave and saw her, he raised his eyebrow even more as he noticed there was nothing around her or anything that could cause her to be fearful. He walked over to her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder giving it a sharp squeeze to get her attention.

She gasped and looked up at him, the fire disappeared and he was standing there, her eyes widened and she jumped up and into his arms, tears fell down her face as she wept into his shirt, shaking with fear.

His eyes widened a little as she jumped into his arms the suddenness of it all, he then wrapped his arms around her and gently rubbed her back. He could feel the tears seep through his shirt and onto his skin and he looked down at her unsure what had made her so upset.

"What happened exactly? Why did you wonder off on your own in the darkness?"

She kept on holding onto him, she spoke whilst crying heavily "I am sooo sorry... I shouldn't have left... its just you have done soo much for me... I though I would trying and find a Relic for you... and then the fire came... I was soo scared..." she held him tighter.

He continued to rub her back as he held her and raised his eyebrow a little as she spoke, he was not used to compliments, neither someone trying to help him. He continued to hold her remaining quiet for a few seconds as he tried to remedy what to say to her, he was still slightly taken away with the fact she complimented and tried to help him.

"Well...That is rather kind of you to say and do so, but I do believe we are working together no? We should remained together during our partnership especially in the condition you're in at this moment in time....Did you just say fire?....Are you sure? Because I can assure you I saw no such thing."

she nodded, "y-yeah... fire... it was all around me... it was horrible..."

"Perhaps this is a side affect of what happened to you last night, you seem to be hallucinating and there could be a number of different causes for that. We'll continue on the path deeper into the tunnel if you're capable of that now? We'll see what happens perhaps it was just a one off side effect" He said calmly as he tried his best to comfort her.

She nodded and stepped back, "yeah... lets explore this tunnel even further then... I will be able to handle it now... not that the water healed me as such... its just calmed my wounds..." she smiled slightly and then looked at him.

He nodded as she spoke and gave her a slight smile back before he held out her swords to her, holding them in both of his hands.

"I do believe you would be a little lost without your weaponry, especially ones such as these, weapons with a history are always more important and I guess in a way sentimental."

She nodded and took the weapons, swiftly putting them on her back, "Thanks... although I don't think I am in any condition to fight at the moment..."

"You're welcome and no you're not, however I do not think you would have liked to have left those swords back there...Now then let's see, there seems to be another tunnel over there perhaps it will lead us somewhere, I'm growing rather tired of being enclosed."

He then started to walk towards the next tunnel his creations ahead of him lighting the way.

"Reiki, I'm curious about your past, would you tell me more about yourself, you seemed to have made enemies, ones that would try seeing you dead" He said to her as he continued walking.

"How odd, your family must have had some odd dealings back in the past or they left a rather nasty impression on certain people that like to hold a grudge. You mentioned your faction earlier, did that have anything to do with your burden as it were"

As he awaited her reply he continued on his way down the tunnel with her, as they did so the tunnel slowly shifted from rough rock to smooth before it began to adorn odd symbols and pictures that seemed to have stained the walls; it was obvious they were not man made, some far too detailed and complicated to be drawn or painted by hand. His left eye seemed to scan over them as he walked with her, he seemed to be quite intent on focusing on them whilst keeping his ear out for her to speak.

"hmmm, its got to be something to do with it, because that is where my name came from... If I tell someone my full name, then they freak out and do something stupid... either run or threaten me away with a weapon, even though I was really nice to them and then they in return had put me up in their house or something... The only thing I found out was that my Faction was a family one... Lola never told me the name of the Faction... It almost seemed like she was baring some guilt or something about it... One such guilt that was not 'suitable' as such for my ears... I really don't know what the problem is... If they knew that the Faction was destroyed, then why would they be so hostile to me... considering I never learnt the ways of life of that Faction... I only had been born... I am the last survivor of that Faction and it was my choice that I didn't want to build it back up... I never want to be part of a Faction that is solely to do with placing fear and anger into people's hearts... I want to do right and good in this world, I may even want to bring justice to such people who are the very same to what seemed of my Faction... No, wait, its not my Faction... I was never really a part of it... I don't thinking I want to ever be a part of a Faction like that.... There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so." She trailed off looking into the darkness

There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.
William Shakespeare

"Ah I see, so the faction was made up of your family, well it seems as though your family had left quite a strong impact with some people, enough to hold a very long grudge. Perhaps because you are who you are, a member of the family of that faction, killing you would be that of revenge for those that had suffered by the hands of the faction. I guess people aren't going to take into account your good nature and intentions because they are too hellbent on getting revenge on something you had nothing to do with. It's just because of your family and the blood that runs through your veins that you must live like your being hunted...Which is rather unfair."

As he continued to walk with her, he was deciding whether to tell her or not his plans were to join a faction similar to what hers had been but on a grande scale. Instead he chose something a little more subtle.

"You and I will eventually come to a crossroad where we will each take a different direction, my goals will conflict with your ideals and opinions and I do not believe you will wish to be around me as I try to make my goal a reality."

She sighed and looked at floor, "Y-yeah... your right... but I don't know what I would do without you..." she muttered, still looking at the floor as they walked.

"You're already very independent of yourself, I do not believe that you will need me once I have left your company. But looking for these artifacts will take time, perhaps instead we could part ways for a few short days and come back to each other after we have settled our own goals. Perhaps that would be more to your liking?"

He said as he looked over to her, he found himself enjoying the company she brought to him, it felt like he was with one of his little sisters once again and that feeling was one he cherished, despite the kind of person he was as well as his kind of ambitions and goals.

She smiled and nodded, agreeing to what he had said, "Yes I would love that very much...." she blushed slightly then gasped shaking her head slightly, "I mean I would like that very much... I didn't mean to say love..."

He raised his eyebrow as he looked over to her still, he then seemed to chuckle a little, a soft smile upon his lips. This must have been the first time he had done so since he had been with his siblings, he found it odd himself but he guess she was managing to grow on him a little.

"The first words are always the most honest and true" He said with a slight hint of tease toward her. "Your red cheeks suit you" He said as he turned his head back forward beginning to walk ahead, his words were his subtle way of saying it made her look attractive.

She gasped and stopped walking, "Y-you really mean that?" she looked at him, her blush appeared a little more red as she looked into his eyes.

He turned around once more and looked directly at her, his eyes looking into hers as his smile grew a little more at the sight of her red cheeks. He then nodded as he walked up to her closing the gap between them.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it Reiki" Something within him made him so naturally bring up his hand and gently brush the hair resting against her cheek behind her ear. He had done it many times with his little sisters and it was quite natural for him to do it with her, however it couldn't understand why. He was even more bemused when his hand came to rest against her cheek cupping it as his thumb lightly stroked her red and warm skin; again something he had done to his siblings but it wasn't anything he had ever done outside of his family life to anyone.

She looked at him, "I-I don't know what to say... Phoenix... I... I have never felt so safe or secure with anyone before... But I feel it when your around... I didn't even feel it with Lola as much as I do with you..." She looked down slightly, her eyes swimming in thoughts. "I wish I knew what this feeling in my heart was, but as I have never gotten this close to anyone, ever... I don't know what it is... I wish I could explain it but..." She looked into his eyes, her eyes sparkled with tears showing she really didn't understand what she was going through.

"I have to admit, you're the only person who's actually made me feel comfortable outside that of my siblings and believe me it's very hard to make me comfortable. I seem to have gained a protectiveness over you too, when those men came for you, there wasn't a chance I'd let them take you"

He looked at her as his thumb continued to stroke her cheek softly, his eyes looking deeper into her own as he lost himself within them. He too seemed to feel something in his chest, an odd light feeling that was all new to him, however he could tell what it was and it seemed to send flurries of heat throughout his body. For the first time since they met his voice softened and seemed to carry a loving feel to it.

"I'm feeling the same kind of sensation right now too Reiki, I too have never gotten so close to someone before but I believe that we have developed feelings for each other, I know at least I seem to have for you."

"Feelings... as in feelings from the heart...." she seemed confused with what was happening, her eyes swimming in all this emotion, "I don't know to do... this is so..." she looked down, trying to find the words to say what was happening in her heart.

He nodded a little as she asked her question, he seemed to be very much lost in the feelings that had suddenly sprouted. They were overwhelming as he had never felt them before, much because he never allowed himself to become involved with anyone, but with her he couldn't seem to help himself. She had been so soft and gentle from the moment he met her, he gave her aid and again and again and he didn't develop an intolerance whilst doing so. He didn't show it at first but he wanted to care for her, as if he had missed his siblings very much and to be given the chance to experience those feelings again, he seemed to take it. But then it developed into something stronger and he found himself where he was.

"New? I understand how you're feeling, it's new for me too, but I'm find this feeling enjoyable and it's all because of you I feel this way, I don't think anyone else could have achieved making me feel this way."