Sanctuary

[Raistlin Ambros]

Isolated by high palace walls and watched over by the blessed rising sun, there lie a garden of captivating beauty, a serenity that would beckon to those who seeks tranquility and those who seek the true solace of nature. Falling softly like warm, colored snow, pink petals of the cherry blossoms littered the ground in a soft carpet and fell gently into the bubbling creek to be carried away swiftly under the small arching bridges and through the winding banks into the still surfaced pond. Birds fluttered playfully in the branches, the melody of their voices calling out in bliss within this secret garden, they flitted down to the malachite grass and pucked playfully at the tiny flowers that peered out from between the well trimmed blades.

But one creature did not stir in this oasis of life, one creatures presence was silent and unseen. For beneath the green-leaved trees, sprawled out in a fine woven hammock held by the boughs of two sturdy branches of two sturdy trees, slept a man of untold infamy in the underground world. His blood red eyes struck cold fear into all who saw him, his deeds were sinister enough to be retold in tales of horror, his ambitions and intentions were built upon the destruction and hideous mutation of god's gift of life. But today he was just a man lost in dreams of times long passed, with a weary expression upon his face even in his sound sleep, his chest rhythmically falling and rising with his soft breathing that carried on into the gentle breeze that caressed the trees. He was a cold hearted murderer with a thirst for power, a man who led Aerugo's armies to chaos and war, a man who brought death to those who defied the will of himself and the Empress. But he did not don his grim black uniform, with its steel chains and blood red cape. He did not wear his golden gauntlet that had eradicated the lives of so many people, he did not carry his blood-stained sword or his revolver. He was just a tired man, looking for sanctuary in the Empress's private garden.

[Guest]

Feet touched the ground, leaving a small imprint before disappearing once more. The process repeated itself, the girl moving silently on the padding on her feet - through the streets of Edo. Her eyes flitted left and right, checking corners, making sure that there was nothing that would otherwise... cause her to act.

As a loyal retainer to the Tsukino family, she was tasked with making sure that the Empress herself was specifically kept safe - something that Akiha took extremely seriously. If she was to falter, then the life of the Empress would be at stake. That was something that Akiha would rather... avoid. With a small sigh, she pushed off of a building, before launching herself into the air, looking over the small garden outside the palace.

Hmm... no dangers there. Not that she could see anywa--what was that? Her eyes narrowed, and she made sure to land herself on the wall that surrounded it, carefully watching over the tranquil, peaceful area. She sighed again, and dropped off the wall, watching the man resting against the tree - it could just as easily be a ruse... She crept along behind him, and peered around the tree at the dark haired man.

He had a mysterious cold air over him - an aura of darkness, but with intentions that seemed light and true. Strange. The girl peered closer, studying his features further. He interested her. That was enough to pursue this man further. She walked around in front of him, kneeling down and watching him - she'd wait for him to awaken, rather than turning around and waking him up herself. She felt a strange want to watch him sleep.

[Raistlin Ambros]

Slowly, crimson pupils revealed themselves to their audience of one, as Raistlin slowly awoke to the material world. His eyes, modified to adjust much more quickly than normal, immediately perceived the girl that keeled in front if him. With a start, Raistlin leaped out of his hammock and was at his feet within a second, his hand reaching for his....Raistlin grasped his clothing where his Katana would have rested. How foolish of him, to fall asleep in the open without any weapons, not even his gauntlet for alchemy. He was dressed only in civilian clothes, a back shirt and matching black pants, he had practically layed out his own assassination. But wait.... why was he not dead already? Raistlin stared at the girl whom had so skillfully approached him without detection with blood colored eyes. She seemed....familiar. Where had he seen her face before? Without uttering a word, he studied her face carefully, casting aside all thoughts of proper interpersonal conduct and the immediate danger he might have been in. Where...where had he seen that face? She was young, too young to have been on of the researchers he had worked with prior to his employment under the Empress. She was not a soldier directly under him either, he made careful note to remember the important ones. If she was not important, then he would not have thought twice about recognizing her.

Suddenly, vivid visions of unevenly shades rooms filled with complex machinery and various tools of ghastly appearance and shady purpose came to mind. The facility where the AA Project was stationed. The girl...the girl.....Raistlin's eyes nearly widened when he came to realize who this person was. Yes, he could clearly remember now, her face seemed different than from what he remembered. Back then it had been twisted in pain and agony, a pitiful expression that accompanied her screams. After the red stone had been fused into her being, he never bothered too look at her again, he had never grown attached to his test subjects.

But here she was now....but why? Revenge? No....no she had never seen his face, she shouldn't know who is and what he had done. Raistlin recalled that she was meant to be given to the Empress as a retainer of sorts, so her presence at the palace was easily explained, but why was she here before him now?

"This is private property of the Empress herself, state your reason for trespassing" Raistlin stated coldy, after he collected his thoughts. He would feign ignorance for now so he could find out her motive for approaching him in such a strange manner. He was very suspicious, even though he felt no killing intent coming from her. Her expression revealed nothing either, nothing malicious, no secretive thoughts, it was just the face of a young girl. It was hard to believe that she was the result of much of his research, of a project to create a being more powerful than any mere human.

[Guest]

She was... captivated by him. She was certainly prepared to admit that - Akiha was captivated by this man who was laying there under the tree. The darkness that she saw in his still body was strangely covered by some light and caring will... But was he dreaming? The movements of a dreamer were not there... So he wasn't... Who didn't dream in a peaceful setting like this, with the quietly chirping birds and the cool breeze blowing across the garden. Her eyes were bright and cheerful, full of interest in this strange man who was laying here.

The reemergence of waking life came to the man as she watched him, and she stared at his crimson eyes with slight wonder and apprehension. Wah...

Strange, he seemed slightly shocked to have seen her, and was studying her carefully. She was NOT a Test Su--no. Let's not go there. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and a small sigh escaped the Kunoichi's lips.

"This is private property of the Empress herself, state your reason for trespassing" Twitch. Her nerve twinged, and a vein popped in her forehead. She stared at him and stood up straight with a small grimace on her face.

"I should be asking you that, Mr. Sleeping-on-the-Empress'-property. I happen to be allowed on here - performing my daily guard patrol of the property." She leaned in closer, taking no heed of personal space, having her face right in his with annoyed eyes.

"My name is Akiha Akihiro, retainer of the Empress of Aerugo. If you have any rank, then I'll let you stay here and live - if you have no rank, I'll take you away from here, and if you're an escaped criminal looking for solace in this Garden, I'll kill you." Those final words were spoken with a tinge of malice, and then - "Hon no jhoudan~" She giggled, winked and poked out her tongue coyly.

"Still, I'll take you back to the police if you're a crim. So state your name and rank, please." She smiled sweetly and jumped back, tilting her head to the side and closing her eyes with an innocent look to them. He still interested her - that's why she was teasing him like she was.

[Guest]

BUMP!

[Raistlin Ambros]

"I should be asking you that, Mr. Sleeping-on-the-Empress'-property. I happen to be allowed on here - performing my daily guard patrol of the property." the girl from Raistlin's shadowed past said, responding with a grimace on her face.

Mr. Sleeping-on-the-Empress'-property? That was.....an odd name to give him. Her manner of speech seemed childish and playful, even when involved in a serious matter....interesting. Raistlin continued to allow her to speak as he spun his thoughts, deciphering this young girl to the best of his ability and determine the best course of action to deal with her. If she continued to show no sign of even knowing who he was in his involvement to her damnation, then it would not be necessary to..... Raistlin thoughts halted abruptly as the girl suddenly leaned in closer, her face only a matter of centimeters from his own. What manner of behavior was this?

"My name is Akiha Akihiro, retainer of the Empress of Aerugo. If you have any rank, then I'll let you stay here and live - if you have no rank, I'll take you away from here, and if you're an escaped criminal looking for solace in this Garden, I'll kill you."

Raistlin stared back into her dark brown eyes with his own blood colored gaze, his expression remaining relatively unchanged, even when threatened. If she made an attempt on his life, it would be easy to figure out a method to subdue her, after all, he did make her the way she was, it would be a useful opportunity to experiment with the removal of a philosopher's stone, a test of the pseudo immortality these beings, homunculi, were supposed to possess. But at any rate, she did not recognize him, it would seem, though she seemed serious enough, it was pleasing to know she was this way though, she wouldn't be a waste of the power he had imbued in her, now he could safely state his name and rank and be at pea-

"Hon no jhoudan~" she giggled abruptly, sticking her tongue out at him along with a wink in a playful manner.

Raistlin was at a loss for words.....entirely. Joking? What was there to joke about her? Why would she state such an appropriate response for a palace guard. What on earth was this girl playing at? Well, at least it was apparent that she was not too wary or suspicious of him, the situation looks suitable to feign ignorance of his part in her creation. This way he could watch her behavior, study her as a homunculus, and she would be unaware of it, certainly easier that way.

"Still, I'll take you back to the police if you're a crim. So state your name and rank, please." she added just as he concluded his thoughts and planning. There was no long any need to remain silent anyway, his observations were finished, there was nothing more to take into account, other than the quirks of this odd girl's personality. He hadn't known her before he fused the red stone to the core of her being, so he would not be able to take into account her personality before her transformation. A pity, it might have been important information, the mental effects it had.

The raven haired man got up slowly as his interrogator backed away and gave him an innocent and playful smile. He paused again. What was with this girl, to treat him so? Even children, such naive beings, ignorant of the world, feared his appearance. He was different, his appearance as ominous and his cold demeanor was beyond uninviting. Nobody.....nobody but Harumi had ever smiled at him before. Was this girl, Akiha Akihiro, just oblivious? Well, no matter the reason, it was about time that he spoke and cleared up this pointless misunderstanding.

"Raistlin Ambros" his cold voice stated slowly, foreign words pronounced in a manner not used by the Aerugese, but in the heavy way of Amestrian. "General of the Aerugese Army and vassal of Harumi Tsukino" he continued in clear and deep Aerugese. He looked upon her carefully, thinking silently to himself before continuing. "Before I dismiss you to carry on with your duties, I must ask, if you thought I was a suspicious figure, why had you chosen to wait until I had awoken rather than restraining me while I was incapacitated?" he questioned, no hint of true curiosity audible in his deadpan voice, only a posed question that stood without emotion. Yet he was curious, to some degree. This girl was strange, and it was imperative that he learn her well, considering the nature of her existence.

[Guest]

He was inspecting her further, strangely enough. Was he confused by her actions? That motion caused AA to reconsider her actions, bringing them up in the back of her mind. Was she acting in a bad way? No, she was acting like she always had, right? Then... what? Her hand went up to her mouth, placing a finger on her bottom lip with wonder. She looked back down at Raistlin and sighed softly and exaggeratedly.

"Raistlin Ambros" Once he said that, she opened her mouth and attempted to pronounce the strange words, finger still on her lip.

"Rai...stil...in... Amburos..." She blinked a few times, and scratched the back of her head with her other hand. Rai...stlin...? What a strange name, was he really Aerugese? She bopped the side of her head after scratching, and sighed.

"General of the Aerugese Army and vassal of Harumi Tsukino" She liked his voice. It was so... deep. It was so... clear... And when he mentioned that he was a General, her eyes widened in amazement.

"Uwaaaaah! That's so cool!" She knelt forwards, staring at his crimson eyes with a smile. A General? She'd never met someone of that rank - Haru was the most powerful, actually really the only, person that she'd met before; so to meet someone of this rank was just unbelievable for her!

"Before I dismiss you to carry on with your duties, I must ask, if you thought I was a suspicious figure, why had you chosen to wait until I had awoken rather than restraining me while I was incapacitated?"

"...eh?" Silence. She stood there for a second, wondering exactly what was going on. What did he mean? She just did what most normal people would, right? Just because she hadn't been taught most conventions... IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT S--why was she yelling in her head? Hold on, hold on. Coming back, coming back. Alright.

"Uhm... well, uh..." Her cheeks were tinged with red, the blood had flowed into a blush on her. She was the one to be at a loss for words now, so she had to recombine her thoughts, get herself back to a state where she was alright now. She folded her arms and huffed, looking out to the side.

"You interested me. I'd rather talk to you and find out who you are, instead of simply detaining you. I mean, you seem like an interesting person..." Her voice trailed off from there, and yet the slight red on her cheeks didn't fade...

[Guest]

BUMP

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