Purification? (Closed)

[Rui Ming]

He had arrived in this place feeling the energies that chaotically flowed from each individual. Only refined with those who were at sorcerer level though there were very few at that strength. There was something about this place that Rui could feel much like the flow of water. He could feel the disturbances and the easings and it puzzled him slightly as he vaguely tested the mental link with For'zen.

~This place is a strange one. I can feel the flow.~

-=That is because you are a master of water the flow of energy is the flow of life much like the flow of water. Thus applying yourself you can sense when things are disturbed.=-

~Can you do this?~

-=It is the ability of an elemental. We are after all intune with the energies of the world. Why do you think we seem so omni-potent at times?

~And here I was hoping for something more mystical.~

-=Sometimes the simplest things are the most mystical.=-

Rui shook his head for a moment as he continued walking his hands in the arms of his robes that flowed around him. Pure blue silk with a white trim and on his chest the circle of the nine elements. Only one had the golden inlay that of water. It showed how much further he had to go before he would achieve ascendancy. Or at least that was the belief of his family and it was one Rui intended to figure out. He made little noise only the shuffling of his robes heard as he seemed to glide past people. Many were taken aback by his traditional appearance and found him rather strange. They simply didn't understand that what was normal to them was just as odd to him as he was to them. So in the end it was a matter of if a person was willing to learn about him or just give those quiet and silly whispers. He paused in midstep thought and turned his head.

An energy that was opposing the flow?

The crowd that had been following him stopped when he stopped and they wondered what the devil he was doing. He turned his head for a moment and sensed it was above him.

"What is above this floor?" Rui asked one of the people who he had long sensed was behind him. Not for some mystical energy sense oh no he simply new that they were behind him.

"Dormitories." One replied gruffly.

"I thank you." Rui turned and gave a short bow as he continued actually taking the stairs over electronic conveinence and continued walking to the dormitories. There was something about this energy no it was refined in some ways yet it was chaotic and opposing the natural flow. As if something had gone horribly wrong and poisoned the mind of whoever it was. What healers did was simply help others in what was known to Rui as a clumsy form of purification. By clumsy meaning they were not suited for everyone. Nay a warrior or someone of strength would require a trial of purifications. To believe that they were actually wiping away the stains of whatever weighed on their soul. Hercules' tasks were a prime example of such a thing.

The baptism of water was perhaps the religious transformation and in as such it showed that a pure element could be used for purification tasks. A trial so to speak. A trial of water. He continued down the halls and came across her. A red-haired woman as she entered a dormitory room. He noted detachedly the blade and it's well-worn grip. This was something that he would have to be wary about. The simplest way he already had in mind and why not? This was a task that Rui would simply have to handle as he shifted himself and knocked on the door quietly with four soft knocks. He waited calmly but, even as he did he waited the spell in mind he already had. It would be a simple spell in terms of usage as he merely stood out of the way of the doorway throwing the hood of his robe up to cover his face and waited. Waited for her. To see what so profoundly affected her.

~Ming

[Phae]

It was just another day. Phaedra had many things weighing on her mind. So many things in fact that she was rarely concentrating on one thing anymore. She had so many things on her mind at once that she had begun losing sleep just because so much was happening to her. She was pregnate, planning a wedding that she was having problems with, her best friend had recently died, she was the Captain of The Revolution not to mention so many other things that made her just want to tear her hair out and scream.

Not to mention nightmares still plagued her she continued to feel stained by her past. She had stopped eating for the most part and only ate when Junpei was around so he would think she was eating. She sighed softly her nose in a book. She had taken to studying as she walked through the halls. So much was going on right now she rarely had time to just sit and study and when she did try Jun was cuddly and she couldn't study and cuddle very well at the same time. At least and stay focused. She rubbed one of her blue eyes gently as she looked up and realized she had completely passed right by her dorm.

Cursing her own exhaustian and stupidity she turned on her heal her skirt flaring much to the joy of men around her but she was too tired to notice. She was dressed in her new white ruffled skirt and a soft pale apple green long sleeve shirt that accented her hair color, recent gifts from Junpei. A silver cross hung around her neck, one of her most prized posessions, two rings on her left hand one filled with nether fire and one an ring with gems in it. Her long red hair hung down as per usual as she slid her key in her door and opened it.

The same room she had lived in for some six months now greeted her and she still felt tense. For some reason she was finding that she could no longer relax whether home or not. She slid the belt from her waist and was about to put it on the rack where it belonged when a knock sounded at the door. She raised her brow. She knew it wasn't Blacky he never came here and she didn't know anyone else that would. So setting her sword on the desk instead, a very unusual place to leave it for the girl who considered that her most prized posession she went to the door and opened it.

Outside her door stood a man in blue and white robes. Someone she had never met before and she couldn't figure out why he had knocked on this of all doors. She was highly confused. What did he want? She saw no sword so it wouldn't be lessons. Having not seen him before he wouldn't come here for tutoring and rarely did someone have the nerve to just knock on the door and ask for a date.

"Can I help you?" she asked softly as she looked up her blue eyes showed her wariness and her fatigue. Not to mention the dark circles beneath them spoke of so much more.

[Rui Ming]

He gazed at the woman that was in front of him a red-headed beauty that could set a flame to the most stalwart of hearts. Her movements were graceful and unwasted the movements of a warrior and the way she casually stood looking off-balanced without the blade that she usually wore was noticeable. Was she beautiful? Yes there was no doubt about that nor did Rui miss the rings that were on her hands. Could she be engaged? That was a possibility but, if so why was her fiance' leaving her in such a state? Very calmly Rui gazed at her face and cracked something open in his sleeve. His own face and eyes obscured in the shadow of his hood. Yes he would have to act swiftly if she was indeed engaged Rui could guess that she probably shared a dorm with that man. Blue powder fell unnoticably to water that already formed at his feet.

"I am not the one in need of help, it is you who requires the help. You who stands against the flow of the mana that surges in this place. Thus we will lay a test and find the truths that surround you and see where your destiny lies. So it is spoken." Rui spoke strangely even for himself this was strange as he spoke the ritual words. He raised his hood just enough to where his storm blue eyes were gazing directly into her meeker blue eyes. She was a warrior and he would test her and those around her. This was the action that he would be best suited to. Water suddenly surged around Phaedra having a dark blue tint because of the powder as it engulfed her. He watched her expression droop as she inhaled the powerful sedative and was soon falling. It was a simple technique using a combination of herbs and his water.

Very effective as he caught her as she fell and he scanned the room his eyes laying on the blade that was on her desk. He'd leave that behind as a calling card to whoever knew her. Hedidn't know this woman's name but, that didn't matter in this case it was perhaps better if they didn't know each other's names. After all she was probably going to try and kill him until she understood the nature of what he did. Shaking his head he drifted away from the room with her water casually closing the door and cleaning away any evidence that he had been hearing as he was silent. In a few minutes he was gone heading to his own dorm as he sensed the chaotic swirl around her. He paused as he noticed that she was losing weight at an unhealthy level.

Frowning softly he put his senses out.

A healer he would need a blasted healer after all. He would test her another time right now she needed someone to tend to her physical needs that was knowledgable. He paused and turned in a different direction heading to where he felt a rejuvenating source. How conveinent that a healer appeared to live on this floor. Ironic now wasn't it? He walked towards the healer's door and didn't say anything as he knocked on it. The door opened and he placed a sleeping Phae in the man's arms before turning.

"She needs tending to I am no healer but, even a dullard can see that she is on the verge of collapse," Rui said simply and placed a note in Phae's pocket before like a specter he walked away.

Damn whoever put someone like her in this state.

On the note it simply read.

-We will cross paths again lady warrior and when we do I will give you what you yearn for. A chance to cleanse yourself in a trial of purification. ~Ming-

[Alastin]

Alastin was reading in his favorite spot a window seat. He was expecting Ziare later and he was humming softly as he turned the page in his book. A romance yeah Al was a sucker for them as he always sighed happily when it came through in the end. It was always the way he wanted to see people's lives. In that happily ever after ending. Alas though life was not a romance novel and not everyone would find true happiness. He heard a knock on his door and he blinked softly. Since when did Ziare knock? He blinked again at the knock and sighed softly. Okay maybe she misplaced her key and he had accidentally locked his door? No no Ziare was much neater then that. It was a curious Alastin that reached the door and he opened it seeing a man of imposing height stand in front of him and placed a red-head Al's arms.

Wait a tic...

Alastin knew this red-head. PHAE?! What the devil was she doing unconcious?! Before Alastin could protest or say anything the man was gone and Alastin blinked as he looked around and closed his door leaving it unlocked. Ziare knew of the addition to his dormitory a healer's ward since he was after all a healer in training. A very generous professor had enchanted the room for him so Alastin and his guests would be ale to control who they allowed in the room. That way people couldn't just rudely teleport in. He sighed softly as he grunted from the effort of carrying Phae. She wasn't exactly a light-weight girl even though she had lost some weight since the...last..time...wait wait wait! She was losing weight?! That was not supposed to happen when she was pregnate! Damn it all!

Cursing softly Alastin moved her with renewed effort until he was in the room and grunted softly as he layed her on one of the beds. Immeadiately he threw open the windows to air out the room and give it fresh air as Alastin sighed softly and began going about and setting up medicines. He removed a particular one a relaxant and sugar mix to help give Phae some energy and keep her relaxed so she wasn't panicking. Normally Alastin was against the usage of medicines when someone was asleep but, Phae was in a SERIOUS fix right here and he sighed as he injected it in via needle carefully. He sniffed and smelled the sedative. A natural one? Well whoever made it certainly knew what they were doing Alastin finding nothing fishy with the scent so it wasn't bad for her or anything like that.

[glow=red,2,300]Two Hours Later[/glow]

It was a very worried Alastin that was sitting on the edge of the bed that Phaedra was resting in as he looked down and studied her for a moment. He chewed his lip worriedly and sighed he would have to wait for her to wake up first. Hesitantly he tried calling her name and shook her shoulder gently.

"Phae? Come on now are you okay?" Al called worriedly. Hell yes he was worried. Damn it all he was going to seriously chew out Phae for doing this to herself!

[Phae]

Phaedra stirred slightly when she heard her name. That voice it sounded familiar. There were three people in life that called her by her first name. Blacky, Junpei, and her father. But right now she was being called by the name that all her friends knew her by and she wondered who it was. A stranger had come and taken her. She had so many things to do today and now.. now she couldn't because she had been taken and she didn't now why nor did she know where.

Her blue eyes opened slowly still a bit groggy from the sleeping spell and she stirred softly. Looking up she saw that familiar lavender head and she smirked it was all. But wait a minute...she sat up suddenly with a gasp her red silken hair falling all around her small body as she breathed heavily and looked around. She was.. was in a hospital? She recognized all the equipment and things the smell.. oh god.. it was so strong even with the window open.

"Al? What happened.. this man.. he .. he knocked on my door and he.. cast something on me..." she whispered as she clutched ate her heart in an attmept to calm it before she lay back down on the bed and looked up at him nuzzling into her pillow a bit. She was going to have to get back to her dorm. So much.. so very much to do now.

[Alastin]

He was almost relieved when Phae woke up and he gave a soft smile at her but, she looked to be in a real fix. He had checked her during those past couple of hours conluding that she was losing weight in an unhealthy way. Practically starving herself the baby was slowly going to kill her off or quickly at the rate Phae was going. He shook his head for a moment and remembered what Ziare had said to him and he gave a soft sigh as he remembered her words. Phae was probably the same way. Wanting someone to take control and point her in the right direction. Alastin shook his head stubbornly as he looked down at Phae for a moment. All right then Ziare wanted him to take a stand more often and Phae was going to get the first taste of it. Of Alastin taking his stand and stating his opinion without that timid edge he usually had.

SLAP!

It wasn't really going to leave a mark on Phae, Alastin wasn't the strong-type but, it would be enough to get her attention as he folded his arms and looked down at her. She had been relieved that it was just him. Jeez he had to say some things right now.

"I thought you had better sense then this Phaedra. Damn it all I thought I would be able to rest easy during your pregnancy not be double worried. You're starving yourself and killing both yourself and the child. The child that you want you're hurting if you continue this path Phae. Starving yourself no matter how much pain you went through isn't the answer and I'm sure as hell not going to stand by meekly and let you hurt yourself. Damn it all Phae you really need to just give yourself a reality slap because this isn't you. You're strong, aggressive, a fighter, everything that can be COUNTED ON. If you can't even maintain proper eating habits then how are people supposed to count on you with you as a Captain in the Revolution?!" Al snapped harshly.

He spun quickly and summoned Laelaps as he felt a trail of thought. Price...Richard Price...Blacky....yeah...this was going to get nowhere as he he knew about Price. From the time that Phae had confessed to him. Alastin looked at the magical hound.

"Laelaps go find Richard Price," he said softly the hound nodding and quickly leaving as Alastin spun on his heel and looked at Phae tears in his eyes as he sat on the bed beside her and gently brushed her hair from her face.

"Don't do this Phae, I don't want to take more drastic measures but....I won't let a friend die...not like this," he said softly.

[Phae]

Phaedra felt the slap across her face and tears stung her eyes as she touched her face. She began to cry as he began to berate her and she listened head down as she knew what he was saying. She could understand where he was coming from. He was right but he didn't understand... no one did. No one in the world understood and she couldn't find anyone that did. So much had happened in her life and it seemed that nothing ever just let her settle down and be herself but no.. nothing ever allowed her to just be a girl.

He sat beside her and brushed her hair out of her face and she leaned against him. He had sent for Blacky and all she could do was sigh. She needed him and she knew it. The only time she had really eaten recently was that day she had spent with him in his dorm. She looked up at him.

"I.. I don't mean to. But Alastin.. my life it never stops and I do eat. Just enough for her.. for my daughter. I love her already more than you can know. I do.. I try so hard. So very hard for her. I don't want to die but so much has happened. Richard doesn't know I"m pregante yet.. I'm not sure how to tell him. I love.. love.. and .. and there is.. just so much. Jonathan.. he died.. and Jun wants a wedding.. the pregnancy.. the turmoil inside me. The memories.. the nightmares.. everything is on MY SHOULDERS. I.. I'm so lost. I .. I want to go away! Not die... but .. but away Alastin. Away.. from it all." she whispered at the end as she leaned against him and cried softly.

She clung to him and cried softly as she rocked back and forth gently. She didn't know what to do she was getting to the end of her ropes.

"I don't.. even remember the last time I slept. I keep using mana inhalers to keep her happy and to keep me awake. I try.. I do.. I have to do so much and.. and I'm so lost." she cried.

[Alastin]

Alastin sighed softly as he gave a small exhale of relief. It was a harsh method but, he needed quick results at the moment so he could have Phae let go some of her pain. Death. Death was in the air someone had died who was important to Phae and he cringed softly. Phae's case had been complicated ever since the first time she had entered his dormitory and it wasn't getting any easier. He shifted for a moment and gently wrapped a blanket around her as well to keep her warm. Shock of this kind as deep as it was might leave her suspectable to cold and he didn't want her catching a chill. Very gently he held Phae against him tenderly and gently. It was the touch of a Healer. That gentle and soothing touch that Alastin had long since mastered. It was the main skill that a healer required. To master a gentle and trust-worthy touch that people wouldn't recoil from.

"Phae... Phae... Phae... you're not going to get anything sorted out if you keep it bottled up. The pregnancy I'm glad you love your daughter so much already and she'll grow up in a good area. Me, Ziare, and any friends you make can be all the family and relatives you need up here. But, keeping it bottled up like this. Don't wait this long come here sooner and I can help. This is my life calling Phae to help others. Even Ziare knows that sometimes I'll just drop everything if someone is in pain or is lost. Bringing people back to the light is one of the things I love for. The other is Ziare now..." Al said softly in a soothing tone as he rocked Phaedra in his arms. Alastin was rarely aggressive and only took stands now because he was still learning. Still learning how to handle people on a more firm point.

"Your nightmares I can help you with now, I took a dream-weaving class, I can give you natural herbs, candles, and incense that will give you a dreamless sleep or pleasent dreams. All you have to do is ask for them Phae. Right now though," he tilted her head up his golden gaze gazing into her soft blue one and he shook his head before giving a soft smile.

"Right now I want you to be just Phae. I'll handle your responsibilities for the Revolution. Delay things until you feel it's just right. And talk to people rather then just let the grief of Johnathon's death cripple you." He moved his hand to where it was over his stomach and sensed the life that was growing there. The child was safe but, right now he needed to ensure that Phae would be save as well. He carefully shifted again but, he didn't let her go as he rocked her in his arms.

"Just be Phaedra Wiess for now. I'll take the weight of your responsibilities and take any heat from Junpei. I'll share your grief over your loss. To help you rebuild so you can be laughing and have smiles again. For not only the sake of your beautiful daughter that you have growing in you. But, also the sake of you Phae my friend." Alastin said with a small smile and he closed his eyes for a moment. Softly he began to sing. Alastin's voice was a soft and gentle tune with a soothing quality that was all his own. He sang a song of hope even as his heaven fire gently wrapped around Phae for a few moments using a soothing and happy memory to help ease her. To help lighten her mood so grief wouldn't cripple her.

[Phae]

He held her tightly and rocked her back and forth. She closed her eyes and let him confort and console her. She didn't know what else to do at all except she wanted to just take a break for it all. She opened her eyes gently and looked up at him. He seemed to understand that she wanted and needed a break but he didn't understand completely. What he didn't understand was that was. What was bothering her.

"No." she said plain and simple.

She lay down on the bed again and closed her eyes. He didn't understand she .. she had a lot of things in her life that was making her slowly just.. just wither. She couldn't spend one moment of the day anymore being a regular high school girl. Her birthday? Well it was tomorrow and she was skipping it for so many reasons. She didn't want anyone to worry about her. Jun hadn't mentioned it. No one probably knew and she didn't care anyways. She was a young girl and she didn't care. Was that normal? Probably not but she was going to live with it anyway. When she should be all excited about her birthday and what she might get.. right now she just wanted to go somewhere and get away from everything.

"It isn't like that. My life is out of control. My dreams they don't let me sleep. My days are completely filled with business. It isn't the Revolution business I like doing that. Why? Because I actually get to sit down and do it. Other than that I'm up before dawn to work out for three hours. Ususally inhale an orange and then.. I go to class. From there I run around all day. Planning everything. Trying things on and out. And then I usually pass right by lunch without blinking just because I'm doing so much. When I finally get home to the dorm, I cook a home made dinner and work on Revolution things at the same time. Then Junpei comes home and he's tired. So I eat with him and we do whatever it is we do until we go to bed. And then I try to sleep and if I do I have nightmares and if I don't then I'm up pacing the room biting my nails and waiting for the right time to do it all over again." she told him.

"I've been stained from death. Not Jonathan's but the deaths that I was forced to give during a class here. I can't eat meat because of the horrors that befell me that horrid day. Everything that is meat just.. makes me sick to my stomach and I.. I am so tired. I can't sleep I'm so tired. I don't know what to do anymore. I am just.. so.. tired."

He began to sing to her and she closed her eyes gently having opened them to look out the window as she spoke. She listened to his song and said nothing else as she tried to just relax her body so that she could just sleep or something. Right now she would welcome a nightmare so long as it was something.

[Alastin]

Alastin gave a sigh for a moment as he heard Phae's single and determined response. Hah she was strong he would give her that but, if she pushed herself too hard like this she would only get herself killed. He shook his head for a moment as he brushed his fingers through her hair soothingly. Alastin knew what it was like to have a busy day but, at the same time he knew that he would have to restrict Phaedra from some things. He would speak to Ziare about unnoticeably lightening the load for a bit. So Phaedra would have some time to just be herself. Still one of the things that Alastin knew she would have to do was cut down on a couple things so she would have time to get away and be herself. Maybe designate one day in the week to just shove everything aside.

"Phae I can't help you lower the day busyness but, it might help if you set up a schedule and set some time aside to just be yourself and relax. Not let anything else eat your time just relax and do what you want. I do that every day to help keep my mood and spirit up since being a healer is very stressful." Alastin said gently but, warmly to her and then he heard her speak again this time of how she was tainted. She had been forced to kill. Alastin had heard rumors of that terrible class. That terrible and horrid class. He never liked the sound of that class and had been hearing endless rumors about it. Stuff that just made the healer worry himself sometimes. He nodded at moments where a response would be neeeded and let her speak about it and when she stopped he spoke again.

"Phae what happened in that class I can't erase or make easier in an instant. I am not a psychic," he admitted as he pulled away gently and stood up turning to give her one of those head-tilted smiles.

"I did however take a dream-weaving class so I can give you things that will allow you to sleep in peace and dream peacefully which I will give you a week's supply before you leave. Anything more and I'll have to go to the city to pick up more ingrediants or get some from the school medical wing," Alastin admitted as he snapped his fingers remembering something.

"Be right back!" Alastin said with a smile as he left the ward and came back a few minutes later holding a large package. It was birthday wrap and cute with puppies pouncing on each other covered in present ribbons and bows. He gave a smile at her and placed the package in her lap. A HAPPY BIRTHDAY card was on the top a penguin giving a polar bear a present on the front. On the inside it read the following.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHAE I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT TIME CELEBRATING ANOTHER YEAR!

Your buddy,
Al!

Inside the package lay a beautiful blade...



The blade was beautiful and heavy a replica of the legendary blade Excalibur. It had been sharpened as well to give it a hint of realism and on top of it lay a necklace with a smaller version of the sword in it's sheath. Al gave a small smile as he sat on the bed.

"I know you're birthday isn't till tomorrow but, being as I don't see you all the time I wanted to give you this now," Al said softly.

[Phae]

She listened as Al told her that he would be able to give her something to help her sleep better. That she wouldn't have to be haunted by her nightmares all the time. He couldn't make them go away but he could lessen the effect and how often she had them. She sighed softly and looked up at him as his hand ran through her hair. Ziare was lucky to have someone that knew when to be firm and when not to be. When to be soft and sweet.

She closed her eyes when he left. She wanted to sleep and maybe if Blacky got here soon he would curl up next to her like that one night. She felt normal with him. Very normal almost just like a teenager. She was a teenager 17 tomorrow. She was nearing sleep as she was finally relaxing and she could see the bruise on her arms where Alastin had injected her with something. Maybe it was helping her sleep or maybe she was just finally letting her body relax now that she wasn't worried about all the things she had to get done.

Suddenly she woke with a start as a package was laid in her lap. She sat up and smiled at the puppy paper and looked up at Alastin. She squealed just like a 17 year old should when a big gift was laid in her lap and of course waisted no time tearing the paper off. She read the card and smiled happily as she sat it aside and then made to open up the box. She gasped her hand went to her heart as she looked down at the sword that was in the box. She picked it up. She knew exactly what it was. Excalibur and she.. she had always loved the stories that surrounded this blade and below it.. a necklace.. a replica. Tears streamed down her face as she moved quickly and pulled Alastin down into a deep hug.

"Oh Al.... it's perfect. Thank you so much. You shouldn't have.. but I.. I'll always hold them dear. You're such a good friend. Thank you so much." she said kissing his cheek as she moved back putting her necklace around her neck and clasping it gently around her neck letting it fall just above her chest and ran her fingers over it. Now a cross, Jonathan's cross, and her sword were around her neck.

[Price]

Another day, another trip to the training grounds. Price, however, had decided upon making this day a light training sessions, focusing entirely on calisthenics and katas. In fact, Price was even working out his T'ai Chi forms, slowly and carefully going through the motions, his eyes closed, his breathing low and controlled, as he blanked out his mind from the physical world and focused only on the spiritual. For most T'ai Chi practicioners, this would result in a clarity of the mind in which they would find serenity in the blankness. For a Chi-Channeler such as Price, however, especially as he had been raising his awareness of such things, it was almost as if the world itself was still opened to him. The walls of the dojo he had re-created hummed dimly with faint resonations of the spiritual energy, and the plants he had summoned forth in the corners shone much more brightly. It was still something he was getting used to, however, being able to sense Chi in an object so clearly, and the 'sight' in his mind broke his focus, causing the image to shatter and his eyes to open in frustration.

Letting out a sigh, Price stretched his arms and was about to start again when the door suddenly swung open and a large, pure white hound dropped down on all fours from the doorframe, as if it had just used its forepaws to push open the door. Price raised his eyebrow at the sight of a dog pretty much just randomly bursting in on Price's training session.

"Well aren't you a cute little puppy?"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Price was more than surprised to hear the dog reply, a clear and stern voice sent directly to his head.

~The one known as Phaedra has need of you warrior. Follow if you wish if you don't believe me then you can resume your boring life.~

Price's mouth dropped slightly, and he stood there agape. T'ai Chi practice was now officially over, there was absolutely no way the young martial artist would ever reach peace of mind today, knowing there were psychic talking dogs running around the Academy. Without another word, mental or vocal, the dog nodded his head backwards in a very human-like way, nodding with his head back to where he was planning on going before turning and heading it.

At that point, the words themselves fought past the fact that words were uttered in the first place, and Price realized what the hound had said. Snapping back to reality, Price dropped everything he was doing, left his duffel bag on the ground, and ran at full tilt after the hound, who heard the speed of his coming and picked up the pace itself to keep leading the way.

Before long, the hound stopped right in front of Alastin's room. Price, not so gracious, kept going, hitting the door at a run and opening it fluidly as he took one more running step inside before he stopped on a dime, his eyes on the healer, who was tending to Phae, his Phae, who was admiring a sword she had apparently just been given. Price wasn't the most perceptive of human beings, at least in matters outside of fighting, but the birthday-themed wrapping paper and card did not escape him.

Is it... is she..?

No time to wonder about that now, Price dropped to his knees beside Phae, taking her nearest free hand in his and leaning up to kiss her gently on the lips, his worry and concern for the girl taking over any rational thought.

"Phaedra, are you alright? What are you doing in this weirdo's bed? Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

[Phae]

((Got permission from Alastin to God him))

Phaedrea looked up as the door burst open and if you have ever seen a smile on Phaedra's face it paled in comparison to the one that shown for Blacky. He ran over to the bed kneeling beside her she looking into his eyes and before she knew it he had kissed her and she had kissed back. Love? Oh hell yes, she had never stopped loving Blacky not once and it was so hard not to show that love to him sometimes. He took her hand and asked a few things all of which she chuckled for.

"I'm so happy to see you." she said softly her eyes only for him. Al was a bit perturbed by the weirdo comment but he let it slide because Price was worried about Phae. Phaedra only had eyes for the black clad youth beside her. He was the man that everything just felt okay with and the one that made her smile no matter what was going on.

"Ill go so you can have some time, but I'm cooking and your gonna eat." he said matter of factly as he left the room and closed the door.

Phaedra wasted no time in kissing Blacky again this time letting it last a bit longer thier lips holding one another for some time before she broke it gently. She smiled at him and brushed his hair from his face in a gentle manner. She felt a hundred percent right now. Nothing could take the smile off her face unless he was mad at her or he left. She hoped it didn't come to either one of those but if it did her heart would suffer another break.. perhaps one day it would fail to mend.

"To answer your questions. According to Alastin, the weirdo, I"m not allright. Not enough sleep and not enough to eat have made me weak. I was kidnapped today. And I don't know what happened but when I woke up I was here. I was too tired to fight back." she told him honestly. "And so Alastin is keeping me here to heal away from my stresses for a bit and sent for you because he knows I eat for you and you alone. And because.. I need you Blacky. I need you so much that it hurts.." she told him softly.

She moved over in the bed and gently pulled on his arm wanting him to lay next to her. Her eyes saying it all. She needed him in so many ways he was the one that made her normal she relaxed around him and she trusted him completely. She sat her sword aside on a table but the necklace could still be seen on her neck. He lay down next to her and she immediatly cuddled up taking her spot against him.

"What if I told you.. I made a mistake?" she asked. "A mistake a month ago.. when faced with a choice." she asked softly closing her eyes wondering what he would say to her.

[Price]

The first thing Price could actively realized after he burst into the room in his usual rather abrupt fashion was that, after he'd kissed Phae, she not only kissed him back, but then kissed him again, seemingly so relieved to see him, or maybe just anyone, there for her that any kind of mental barriers against him she'd put up had fallen, and the second kiss was longer, and more full of love than the first.

After breaking the kiss, Alastin's words finally buried themselves in Price's head, and he realized what the healer had said.

~"I'll go so you can have some time, but I'm cooking and you're gonna eat."~

Upon hearing it and realizing it, Price grinned and jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards Alastin's direction.

"I like that weirdo already."

Phae smiled weakly and went on to finally answer Price's myriad of questions, informing him not only of why she was weak and in need of help, the answer something Price wasn't surprised at all to hear, but more importantly, at least in Price's mind at present, the fact she was in the bed in the first place.

Someone had tried to kidnap her. Granted, it seemed they dropped her off at Weirdo's place to heal her, but still. Phae had been kidnapped!

Price's eyes narrowed and he stood up abruptly, turning around to face the doorway, where Laelaps the hound had only recently re-entered himself. "What? Kidnapped? What'd he look like? I swear to you, Phaedra, tell me who it was so I can go and tear them limb from-"

He felt her hand upon his wrist, and he turned around again, seeing the look in her eyes that told him everything he wanted to hear. His features softening, Price smiled gently and shook his head, as if dismissing his former hostility, and crawled into bed alongside Phae, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to him.

Gently nuzzling against him like this, Phae finally decided to drop the bomb, confessing a truth she'd apparently been holding for some time. That, a month ago, she'd been forced to make a choice, and she'd made the wrong one. Upon hearing her confession, phrased in the form of a question, Price couldn't help but laugh a little. He pulled his head back a bit so he could turn it towards her, and she looked up in his eyes as he carried that usual Price smirk, except that even it, too, at this moment, still looked warm and inviting.

"Well, then I'd probably say something along the lines of 'I told you so...'."

Price then leaned in again, kissing Phae gently on the lips, letting them linger there for quite some time before finally breaking the kiss, smiling gently toward her.

"Either way, none of that even matters now. All that does, is that you get better. We can sort all that out later. Until then, however, I'll be staying right here next to you." The words were as warm, sweet and tender as one would never expect to hear from Richard Price, Jr.

"Of course, Weirdo better be a damn good cook, else I might have to take that back." A wink and a smirk, and Price was right back to normal, holding Phae close to him gently.

[Phae]

His reaction to her kidnapping had been something that she could only hope that the one that loved her would do. Getting right up to go off and fight for her to find that man and show him you didn't mess with YOUR girl. She clasped his wrist and he turned. When his face softened so did her heart and any kind of barriers that she was keeping up to hide her love from him. He slid into the bed next to her and held her as close as she hoped. It was as if he felt she was precious.

When she told him that she thought she had made a mistake he pulled back and their eyes met. His arms were still around her and they were close. He said 'I told you so' and she smiled. It was him perfectly and he didn't seem mad or hurt really more happy that she had come to the realization of it at all. She chuckled at him and cupped his cheek gently. But her smile fell away when he moved in and kissed her. She kissed him back for as long as he would let her. Her small heart racing in her chest as she did so.

The kiss broke and he told her they would sort everything out when she was out of here and feeling better. She could only laugh softly when he spoke of Al's cooking and she looked up at him just happy to be in his arms and to have him being himself right next to her. He set her at ease.

"You better take me with you I'll die of bad cooking." she giggled softly so much happier and light hearted right now.

She looked up at him and bit her lower lip for a moment. She didn't know what to say to him. She had confessed that she had feelings for him but she wasn't sure if she should say them outloud or perhaps save them for a more private time. She nuzzled back into him and kissed his neck gently a few times. She needed him and he knew that or else he wouldn't be here not to mention that she wasn't going to let him go anywhere without her for the moment.

"I've gotten myself into a lot of trouble Rich." she said softly. "I'm not sure how to get out of it all. And. .. be the girl I want to be. I'm tired Richard.. so tired of being everywhere at once and doing so many things that I can't even spend one moment just relaxing on my own. I'm so tired of doing so much all by myself and.. I'm tired of being someone I'm beginning to learn I'm not." she told him softly.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. She needed guidance but more than that she needed support. She needed to know that someone would be there through it all and she had.. had so much to tell him. The baby inside her for instance she knew.. deep down he would probably abandon her when he found out she was carrying Junpei's child. No she and Jun were not married but she was still pregante. And she was at a loss for what to do.

"I'm afraid.. you may not care for me when you know.. all the things I have done. I'm.. I'm tainted Richard.. stained.." she began to cry softly but her eyes never left his.