Snippet #2457635

As the magma colossus continued walking away from the gorge from which it had risen out of, a girl suddenly landed upon its hand, directly next to its new master. What she wanted wasn't clear, but the giant's other hand began to rise when she approached the boy, as if to attack her. When she didn't try to harm him, it also did not strike, though its hand still remained in position.

No one could really tell what the titan was thinking at any given time, but it was clear it was ready to protect its master from anything that it deemed a threat.

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A rhythmatic series of jabs to the face caused Michael to finally awaken from his nightmare...or whatever he had experienced in the gorge. Rubbing his face, he started to rise, feeling his entire body had been soaked from the cold sweat he had broken into...that apparently hadn't stopped even when he was sleeping. Was his heart beating faster, still? This was really bothersome...but terrifying, of course. If he met that giant again, what would happen? Would he have a mental breakdown again?

There was no point in worrying about all this, so he looked around to see who had been poking him in the cheek. It seemed to be a girl with black hair, barely older than he was. "O-oh...hello," he greeted awkwardly, giving his best smile that he could after the trauma episode. "Well...I'm awake now. You were sayi-"

But his words froze midsentence, for as he was looking up to her, he noticed that the magma colossus from before was also there...and holding them in its hand, even. Once again, his mind blanked out, and he suddenly fell back down in the giant's hand, his eyes wide and his entire body tense. His vision blurred with a crazed combination of whatever he was seeing now, and the events that the magma colossus reminded him of...

It seemed the boy was awake. And given his sudden self-interruption, perhaps he was completely new to this whole aether thing. Though... there wasn't much of a reason for such a fearful reaction? In her current form, she was utterly inconspicuous. And the monster wasn't even that bad. Just a giant magma lump, or whatever. While she knew that there must have been some kind of symbolic reason as for why the boy's reflection spawned a guardian, it didn't really matter all too much to her. She focused her gaze on the boy, rearranging her hood slightly.

"I'll explain all this shit later." She said flippantly, gesturing at the guardian. "Just answer me this first, boy. I was thinking. You look kinda girly." She paused, chuckling a little. "...You kinda act girly too. So maybe your fear reaction was cuz of this rapist I heard goin' around. You seen him? Know where he went?" She sighed, still sneering at the boy. "I was hunting him for the past few weeks. Scum. Y'know. But yeah. Any idea where he mighta gone, boy?"

Though he could tell even in his nightmare...actually, he had no idea what he was supposed to call it, since he was still awake...that the girl was talking to him, Michael could barely hear her over his memories. He couldn't respond at all for a few minutes, before the hallucination ended abruptly. Gasping for breath, Michael put a hand on his heart, just to make sure it was still there. When he felt as though he had calmed down enough, he started trying to respond, but it all came out in a quiet, raspy voice that was completely different.

"...I...I haven't seen any...rapist at all...or anything here...really," he replied, trying not to look at her, for if he looked in her direction, he'd be looking at the magma giant directly. "...I...just entered...the Aether...some time ago. Fainted...when I came in."

Of course, he could divulge into the reasons why he had fainted, but he was trying his absolute best not to go into it.

If the girl really cared at all about the boy or whatever, she'd have thought more about what kind of thing would make the boy faint so suddenly. She took a cursory glance at the scenery - there really wasn't anything special around, unless the Guardian counted. So... magma-based trauma? In any case, it didn't matter. What did matter was that this boy had no lead whatsoever on her hunt. She prepared to unleash her wings again, when she remembered that she said she'd explain the whole deal to the newcomer. So, perhaps grudgingly, the girl sat down again, almost uncomfortably.

"...Whatever." She said, with a lazy frown. "Guess I gotta get you up to speed..." She poked the boy again. "What do I even call you? Just boy all the time ain't really gonna cut it." She then gestured at herself. "I'm Luna, by the way. Been here much longer than you."

It was only after the girl had moved herself right next to him that Michael finally started looking in her direction...well, she didn't seem very friendly, but at least she was bothering to give him a hand. At first, Michael was about to stand up, but his legs were too weak from the trauma, and he ended up clumsily falling back down. "Ah...I am Michael Aefenleoht," he replied, keeping his voice as steady as he could as he nodded in her direction. Wasn't exactly a bow, but it would work. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. Um...just call me whatever you want, I suppose?"

Michael whatevertheshit. The last name was too confusing, and it didn't really seem worth it to bother. And Michael sounded kind of silly. Mike would have to do. Mike the boy that wasn't really very manl- anyways. That didn't matter. The girl relaxed on the hand, figuring she might as well take the time to rest a little before ditching the runt and hunting again.

"So, Mike." She started. "I ain't gonna ask why you're here. That's personal shit. But you do gotta know that... there're demon things. They wanna kill ya. That means combat. Relyin' on your Guardian - the magma dude - who, by the way, is a lot bigger than most Guardians I seen. So I s'pose you got lucky there." She stretched her arms. "Anyways. Yeah. Demon things. Combat. Gotta get over whatever's got you afraid if you wanna survive in here. This magma dude's your only ally. Understood?"

Well, "Mike" would work, he supposed...but when Luna said he had to rely on his guardian, which was the magma colossus of all things, Michael stared at her with disbelief and dismay. He started to protest the idea, before he realized that there was really no point in protesting--she knew the land better than he did, so she probably was more aware of what was going on. "...some luck I have," he sighed, eyes focused unusally closely upon his hands...no wait, he couldn't look at them, either, not with the new green marking that had appeared. "Um...I'd like to ask more, but...I think I'm a, um, bit of a special case, so never mind. Well...is there anywhere we can go, then...like, where the demons won't attack us, or something?"

Looking the boy over... who really did seem utterly terrified of pretty much everything, Luna figured that it really was a shame. If he was stronger mentally, he'd be an amazingly powerful fighter, what with the Guardian. Of course, Guardian Reflections leave the seeker themself to be vulnerable, doesn't it? So... in any case, the boy would have to learn some basic self defense. Or... just go to some settlement and stay there, where he'd be surrounded by others. That's the coward's route though - but perhaps it suited him just fine. He wouldn't have to really fight - but then, he wouldn't be able to find whatever it is he's looking for, either.

It really did suck. Luna'd probably have a better time finding Olivia if she had a strong companion to sic on whatever's too strong for herself to handle.

"There's some place with people up ahead." Luna pointed in the direction. "Though, y'know. Demons can still get in. But there's safety in numbers." A sigh. "...Though it's kinda stupid. Can't look for what ya came here for, ya know?"

Well, as good a time as any to describe the whole Reflections shindig.

"Anyways. Y'got three different types of reflections. You're a Guardian type." She grabbed his face and aimed it at the magma dude. "In which y'got that guy, for example, protecting your ass." She then quickly shimmered lavender, emerging in her magical girl outfit after whispering her catch phrase and looking away briefly (conveniently at the point in which Mike started to laugh, but barely managed to suppress it before any sound could come out or when she turned back.). "...Y'got Aegis. That's me. Enchanted equipment and stuff. Like my sword." She quickly changed back. "Then y'got self reflection. Like, body mods, or super powers. Y'could have better reflexes, maybe. Or shoot lighnting outta your nipples. Shit like that." She poked the b- Mike again. "Ya gettin' it so far?"

Michael shot an annoyed glance in her direction. "Would you mind not poking me so much?" he asked, before his expression changed back to its normal smile...which wasn't necessarily genuine, but let us ignore that for now. "But, yes, I think I get it."

"You're helpless." Luna said smugly. "Kinda like someone I kn- anyways. Yeah. And helpless people're fun to poke." She then conjured up a small dull rapier, and tossed it at Mike, hilt first. "Swing that 'round a bit. You're gonna have to fight yourself too, at least a little bit. Just in case. Magma dude don't look like a fast type."

As he caught the unsheathed weapon (it was best not to ask where it had come from), Michael sighed. Helpless, she had called him. It wasn't exactly the most encouraging thing to hear after a trauma attack...Ugh, I shouldn't be thinking of that now! Carefully propping himself up with the thin blade, he tested his legs to see if they were actually capable of working now. To his relief, they were. "So...I guess I'll need to use this weapon, then." He tried stabbing through the air with it, but of course his arm was shaky, and he was sure he looked silly. Hell, Thomas would be laughing at him ri-

Shouldn't. Think. About. Thomas.

Michael was about to sheath the rapier, but he remembered there was no sheath, and he was just making himself look even more idiotic. With a sigh, he put it back down. "Well...thank you for telling me about this place, Luna."

....This really was hopeless. Mike just didn't really seem good or whatever, with a sword. Perhaps it'd take time. Luna more or less ignored the thanks - she's a knight of goddamn justice, didn't need no thanks - and brandished her left hand. Her mark glowed, and yet another sword popped out. She did this a few more times until there was a small, yet worthy selection. A greatsword, a claymore, a cavalry sword, an estoc, a zweihander, even a shortsword and an epee. There was also a katana, but she had a feeling Mike wouldn't go for that one. She gestured at the selection with a grin.

"So maybe a rapier ain't your style." She said. "Pick whatever feels right t'you, I guess. Then we can ask some smithy in the settlement t'make you a sheath for it, after you try it out." She looked fondly at the weapons. "A sword's gotta feel like an extension of your own arm, y'know. Gotta feel natural. If it's awkward, y'won't be able to use it in a pinch."

Though Michael was actually tempted to pick up the katana just to see what it was like, he figured it was the worst possible choice. He looked among the other weapons, already knowing he wouldn't be able to weild something too heavy, so the zweihander was out of the question, too...after going through the other swords, he picked up the claymore and started swinging it around. This one felt a little more right, but he needed two hands to wield it. Oh well, better than nothing...hopefully he could find someone to teach him how to use it.

"Then, I guess I'll go with this one," he declared, holdng it up. "Is it really okay, though, for you to just be handing me your swords?"

"I got plenty of spares." Luna shrugged, before conjuring her own favorite, a curved cavalry sword. "Wanna have a go?"

"W-wait, now?!" Michael stared at her with disbelief. "Um...I don't know if I'd like to do that...you know, we might..." How was he supposed to word this without feeling silly? Somehow, though, it didn't feel like the palm of the magma colossus...or rather, his cruel joke of a Guardian...was the best place for a duel. "Um...maybe when we get to the settlement," he sighed.

That reminded him, he needed to tell his Guardian to head to the settlement. Would it listen to him, though...? "H-hey. Guardian," he called up, without looking at its face himself. "We, uh, need to go in that direction, okay?" His hand pointed in the direction that Luna said the settlement was in.

To his surprise, the Guardian immediately turned and began to move in that direction without any questions or delays. Perhaps it wouldnt' be that much trouble after all...maybe. All he needed to do was get over his fear of it...

Luna waved a hand and dispelled the extra swords, before putting herself back into a relaxed position.

"Seeing as you're all weak right now..." She laughed. "Guess I'll stick 'round for a bit. Maybe use you as bait to draw the rapist out once we're there. Sure are girly enough." Oddly enough, she didn't really mind the kid too much. Maybe it was because he was similar to Olivia in some ways - but perhaps not, and he was just too sympathetic for her Knight of Justice self to ignore. In any case, it seemed she was going to accompany him for at least a little bit. Maybe she'd eve enjoy it. Poking him sure made her day, after all.

Eying her with a rather annoyed...and maybe nervous...look, Michael hoped she was joking about the part about bait, even if he was mostly sure she was. "Well...thank you," he replied awkwardly. Well, it was nice to not have to travel alone, he supposed...

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Meanwhile, if the people in the same room as Violet looked out the window, they would see a certain magma colossus far away, but advancing towards the settlement...