Courtyard (North)

[Kumizu]

"How wonderful, it's like a reunion." A man was walking towards the group. He was tall, with long white hair, small sunglasses ((like the Romani ones)), and pale skin. He wore green flowing robes, white gloves, and jet black boots. He was smiling, not rather sinister, but charming.

Kumizu twisted the head on his cane, and the blade of a dagger poked out of the bottom. He threw it at the man like a javelin. Not waiting to see what would happen, he clutched his hand into a fist and a sword appeared. It was rather cylindrical, made of the same pure water energy and colored blue. He charged at the man... as best a cripple can charge.

The man easily snatched the cane out of the air. A strong gust of wind followed, pushing everyone except him back. "Come now, I thought our meeting would be on better terms. It's been so long... centuries, I think." The man tossed Kumizu's cane to him.

Kumizu was nearly knocked off his feet by the sudden gust. He cursed; he should have been expecting that. His cane rolled to his feet and he picked it up, opening his hand, so the sword disappeared. "What the hell are you doing here?"  

[EvrythingTastesLikeGinger]

"...?" The confusion on Ayise's face as she glanced back, having only gotten a few feet away.

Ezekiel placed himself in front of Ayise, "Stand back Lady Ayise, let's not get involved in this."

Ayise blinked, "I sense...resentment...these people...hate each other very much..." She looked a little pale, "But I can't seem to read either of their minds."  

[Kumizu]

"Hmm? Oh, it's just been awhile since we've seen each other. Kumizu tends to... run away from any kind of a relationship with his family." The man's face saddened. "His mother hasn't seen him longer than I..."

Just as quickly, it brightened again. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even introduce myself." The man stepped around Ezekiel, took Ayise's hand, and lightly kissed it. "My name is Kagahn. It's a pleasure to see that my son actually seems to have a bond with... is it Lady Ayise?" Throughout the speech, Kagahn had been looking at Kumizu.

Kumizu, too, had been looking at his father, glaring. He finally walked up and pushed him and Ayise apart. "Yes, I'm sure my 'mother' misses me very much. But you didn't waste time coming here just to talk. Answer my question: why are you here?"

Kagahn sighed. "I can't simply come to see how my son is doing? When I heard you were here, I thought I would come over." He walked to a nearby bench and sat down, relaxing. "Why must you assume all of my intentions are bad?"

Kumizu tried to stay calm as he stepped, from Kagahn's vantage point, in front of Ayise. "Because they are," he responded shortly.  

[EvrythingTastesLikeGinger]

Ayise looked startled and looked on nervously, pulling a hasty curtsey in reply, frowning as the man who called himself Kagahn and Kumizu bickered, or rather it seemed slightly one sided.

After being brushed off so easily Ezekiel stood silently for a moment before picking up a silent cue and quickly vanishing into the trees.

"Kumizu, must you be so rude to your elders? Much less your own father?" She asked quietly, still looking a little confused. "It's normal for parents to be concerned about their children, you could at least be civil." She chided in a light voice.  

[Kumizu]

"Concerned?" Kumizu turned to his father. "Let's talk about being concerned. How is my mother? Oops, I forgot, she's dead. And you killed her! What about my sister? You haven't tried to find her since she married. Afraid of her husband? After all, if only one person knows the truth it doesn't mean anything, but if two people team up against you, you run like the coward you are."

Kagahn rose stiffly. The calm, charming smile on his face had disappeared. "And do you once stop by to see her grave? You think I haven't tried to find Riona? I have a grandson now, not that you would know."

"You didn't even dig a grave for my 'mother'! And yes, his name is Hierqo. Have you visited him, or are you too scared of him as well?"

"Enough, child!" Kagahn threw out his arms and from his fingertips shot out bolts of lightning, ten in all. Being so close, there wouldn't be a second between the attack and them getting hit.  

[EvrythingTastesLikeGinger]

The air around Ayise shimmered and gave an awful ear-shattering note as it caught and absorbed all the bolts. Ayise gave a painful gasp, and stepped from behind Kumizu, "That's enough, there's no reason for anyone to fight!" She said forcefully, her feet planted. Her face losing it's confusion and settling into a determined look.

"I don't know what's going on but the people in a family never hurt each other. So you'll stop this right now!"

The hostility in the air was dullling her empthy and it was becoming quite painful now.  

[Kumizu]

Kumizu cursed himself again, this time for letting Ayise take the hit. "There's plenty of reasons to fight!" He generated another sword and ran at his father.

Grinning, Kagahn followed suit. Still the same cylindrical style, this was colored green. He met his son in the middle of the the courtyard. Their blades clashed together, sparks flying.

They both jumped back and repeated the attacks a countless number of times.  

[EvrythingTastesLikeGinger]

Ayise took a unsteady step forward, "Tsubaki...ishhin...sessshhuuuoooiinnn." The area quieted and shimmered again, the silence interrupted only by the sounds of fighting. Then there was a soft whistling noise and a sudden rush of heat. The sky in the contained area blazed red and then erupted into flames which seared wonward into a raging wall of flames between the two.

"You must stop, family..." She knelt on the ground, apparently exhausted although the flames continued to burn with unearthly heat. "A family stays together." The edges of Ayise's clothes were slightly singed, "Don't worry, the area is contained..." The flames flickered around her although she seemed to not to feel them, they didn't seem to harm her either.

"You have to try to talk things out, because you'll regret it if you don't at least...try..."  

[TaiBaiWong]

It had been a while since Darius had been back in Ria. After celebrating summer break he was fresh and back for more fun in the wonderful campus. He severely wished to see Lily, Liz and the other girls again to check up on how they were doing. It was a very cold and crisp night in the courtyard as he walked down the cobblestone steps towards the lovely fountain that spewed out a steady gush of water.

He would have just gone to his dorms, however he was very tired and thought that sleeping under the stars would be a very good idea. He rested his body up on the stone circle used to keep the water in and tried to get comfortable with his wings. Staring up at sky was always lovely when he looked up at it. The stars all had a beauty to them that Darius found very calming.  

[shining_lights]

She had left without even a note. No sign, no letter, no footprints to follow. Just...gone.

Liz still didn't know where Lily was. It was late at night, and Liz has come back to Ria after months of searching for her sister. The night was eeriely calm. Making the turbulence inside of Liz even more disturbing.

As she walked through the courtyard, she suddenly noticed a familiar face, and she smiled. "Hey stranger." She said to him with a little nod, wondering what his reaction would be to seeing Liz again after about five monthes of being gone.  

[TaiBaiWong]

Darius turned slightly to see that Liz was looked down at him with a smile on her face. Darius smiled back and stood up.

"Liz! It's great to see you!" he began giving her a quick hug. The five months that he had spent away from the girls was feeling like a long time and Darius was pleased to see her here.

"How have you been?"  

[shining_lights]

Liz smiled at his welcome and hugged him back. "Tired. Hungry. Lost." She said shaking her head as she sat down on the fountain and looked to Darius shaking her head.

"I came back because...because I can't feel Lily anymore." She said slowly. The thing about Liz and Lily, was they felt opposites of each other. So if Lily was happy, Liz felt unexplainably sad and visa versa. But now, she couldn't feel anything from Lily. Every emotion she had was all her own, and Liz was afraid to know what that meant.

"What about you? How have you been? And have you gotten any wrod from Holly, Andi or Emily?"  

[Kumizu]

((Three elements now... Ayise know any earth-based attacks? biggrin ))

Seperating once again, their attack was halted by a huge wall of fire. Both men had ignored Ayise's outburst.
This isn't something Kagahn knows how to do... Before he would worry about another attacker, Kumizu needed to take care of the fire. He threw up his hands and a wall of water expanded from his body to become as large as the first wall. He was about to push one into the other in an attempt to extinguish the fire when his father broke through.

Kagahn's clothes might have caught fire if he hadn't gone through the water next. He flew out at Kumizu, holding his sword like a lance. This time, however, his other hand cast out bolts of lightning, all five aimed right at Kumizu.

Kumizu had to jump to avoid the lightning, and quickly reabsorbed the water, which hadn't done much to affect the wall of flames. Kagahn was still charging at him, and Kumizu only had time for one attack. He put his wrists together, both palms pointing outward. "Quaetus!" A blast of water spouted from his hands.

The blast hit Kagahn full-force, sending him back through the wall and hitting a tree. This time, his clothes were singed, and the tree he hit lit up as well. He stood, a bit dazed. He's gotten stronger... interesting. Looking around, Kagahn saw others in the courtyard that might potentially get in the way. He relaxed and his sword disappeared. "You've grown. Excellent. I'll be seeing you." Grinning, he flew up into the air and disappeared.

Kumizu relaxed as well. He threw up the water again, this time fully extinguishing the wall. He turned and saw the condition Ayise was in. "Ayise!" He ran to her, putting out the fire around her. He knelt down also, realizing for the first time that she had put up the wall. "It's okay. It's over." Kumizu hugged Ayise, holding her in his arms.

((Since he didn't know it was Ayise, Kumizu only put out the wall first, not the flames surrounding her.))  

[EvrythingTastesLikeGinger]

"Huh?" Ayise blinked quickly in her slight delerium, "Daddy?" She gasped, her eyes wide and centered but looking far away. Her skin flushed with a sudden high fever and she looke terrified. "You're not..."

"Let go of her you moron." A voice suddenly snapped, Seiya stood close by with Ezekiel close behind her, "Can't you see you've caused enough trouble with all this excitement?" Ayise was jerked rather roughly from Kumizu's grasp and floated in midair while Ezekiel adjusted her into his arms. "I warned you before to leave my sister alone, she doesn't need to be taking up with rabble like you, putting strange ideas in her head. Who do you think you are? If something happens to her because of your stupidity I'll kill you myself." She said in a calm voive her arms folded.  

[Kumizu]

"Yes, I can understand how it's all my fault. After all, I set up a fight beforehand just so she could be traumatized by the experience. Because, of course, she's never seen two people fight before. And as for killing me," Kumizu smiled. "I'd love to see you try. Besides, if you take her away, how can I affect her with my stupidity?" Throughout the entire speech Kumizu's voice had been dripping with sarcasm. He had to deal with his father's reappearance, Ayise working too hard to protect him, and the bullshit with her family. He was sick of it all.