New and Old Acquaintances

[hieisorcerer]

Jack sat with his back against the wall, one of his pistols broken down on a towel in front of him. With a practiced hand he reassembled the gun and replaced the magazine, holstering the now clean tranq gun he drew his sidearm and disassembled it. He began cleaning the weapon one piece at a time, expertly reassembling the pistol when he was finished. He holstered the pistol and took out a knife and a whetstone, continuing his weapon maintenance he let his mind wander. This school was big, and a little too crowded for his taste. Jack would get used to it however.

It wasn't until he finished his second combat knife, and fourth throwing knife that he spoke. "You can come out now. I saw you walk up, and know you haven't left." He called over his shoulder, people weren't his strong suit so he tried his best to make it better by putting away his weapons. "I'm not going to hurt anyone, this is just maintenance to help me think." He clarified standing up and turning to face the new arrival's direction. It wasn't someone he knew, his nanomachines had a memory of everyone he knew.

[Fallen Hours™]

A pretty, appearing innocent face was what he saw, with almond-shaped eyes and a classical heart-shaped face. "I didn't think you were going to hurt me. I'm just a naturally cautious person." She had a melodious voice, with a slightly lilting tone. "You seemed interesting, so I couldn't help myself. I'm Surreal SaDiablo, but I go by Surreal. What's your name?" She smiled at him, placing her hands on her hips lightly.

[hieisorcerer]

"My name is Jack Edwards, though I have been known to go by Snake." He returned the smile and nodded, "I apologize, I just needed a quiet place. This school is different from where I grew up." That was an understatement to be sure, considering he grew up in combat. His eyes moved over Surreal, not checking her out though he did find her attractive, it was mostly a part of his training: Perceive all possible threats first. Everything else comes second. This was a habit he didn't want to break completely, though he wouldn't have minded not doing it this time. Surreal didn't seem to have any weapons on her, but all the reports the CIA had on this island said it was full of super powered students.

"So what brings you to this part of the island?" Jack asked politely, running his hand through his now long hair. It was something he needed to get used to, as his hand reached the collar of his jacked he checked the knife hidden their. One he had made sure he didn't sharpen in the public eye.

[Fallen Hours™]

Surreal in fact did have weapons on her. Three knives, all hidden in her boots. She has slight obsessive tendencies with her weapons. "Nice to meet ya, Snake." She's not sure why she calls him that, it just feels better. "Hey, hey it's fine! I don't own this place, just hang around it." She tilted her head slightly at him, discreetly looking him over. He looks.. strong enough.

"...I was just reading." That wasn't a complete lie. She had been training, beating up the ruins till they were completely rubble. And she'd been reading before that.

[hieisorcerer]

Jack nodded, he had 'hung around' many places in his life so he knew how that went all too well. A small blip appeared on his motion tracker, it was someone his nanomachines had come into contact with before. The warrior from Asia... The one with the strange abilities, he out classed Jack and all the other operatives easily. Jack was the only living operative from that mission, something had compelled the swordsmen to let him live. He hated this swordsmen, he would give much to make him pay...

He didn't let this show on his face however, he had too much training to do anything other than keep a straight face. "Nice to meet you too Surreal." Jack smiled, something told him it would prove an interesting day, and his gut was hardly ever wrong.



Aven had sensed the familiar Aura days ago, but he ignored it assuming the two would not come into contact. And then he had sensed Surreal approach the operative. Now he was worried. Aven was running as fast as he could.

[Fallen Hours™]

"Something's going on..." The little voice in her head has come full circle when she senses another person in the vicinity. She has been around a long time, and she can figure at least that out. "So, Snake, where did you come from?" She asks it curiously, her smile staying warm and inviting. Surreal has learned that there are many different types of smiles, that can all show different things. "I started off in a place that doesn't have a name." Now she says that teasingly, her smile widening slightly. Surreal's home does have a name... just a rather odd one.

[hieisorcerer]

"I was born in Ireland, raised by the American government after my parents were killed. I was trained to be one of their operatives." Jack raised his eyebrow, "A place with no name eh? Why don't I buy that one?" He asked teasingly, although slightly distracted. The swordsmen was getting closer, and he was moving faster than he had seen any human move. Jack absentmindedly traced the grip of the pistol at his side, he would be here shortly. He calculated the arrival point of the swordsmen and prepared his next move. "Now you're just teasing me." He smiled again, one of his rare true smiles.



Something was different about the Aura surrounding the operative... Aven reached out with his mind easily brushing aside the weak barriers around the operatives mind and began learning.

[Fallen Hours™]

"Sounds interesting." Operative. She rolls the word around in her head a few times, like you may roll a dice around in your hand before you throw it. "And oh of course I am. It's just so fun." She likes his smile, it is warm and kind and it's not fake.

[hieisorcerer]

"Interesting is one word for it." Jack said slightly bitterly, he didn't like to remember his days as an operative. Speaking of which the swordsmen was almost...



Aven jumped down landing in between Surreal and Jack, deflecting a bullet fired by Jack with a dagger he created seconds before. "Silence Jack Edwards. I am not here to fight. Yes I know your name, I know all about you. Your mind speaks to me only of absurd fear. Fear of the past. Fear will not get you anywhere..." Aven turned to face Surreal, "I am sorry, hope I'm not interrupting anything..." There was a small stutter in his voice, almost as though he hoped he was interrupting. Not that he would ever admit it, as long as she was happy. "Now Jack. There may easily come a day where we fight, I hope there isn't but it is possible. When that day comes I want you to be prepared, train. Master your nanomachines and come at me with all you have."

Jack stared as the swordsmen deflected the bullet easily with nothing more than a dagger... He knew everything in his mind? How? It was impossible... But he knew his name, and about his nanomachines... "What's your name?" Jack asked his breath catching slightly.

Aven smiled, still facing Surreal. His smile was warm, full of kindness, "My name is William Aven. Call me Aven." He turned to face Jack again, he held out his hands and created two sheathed swords attached to a belt. Aven tossed it over to Jack, "I specially made that Daisho, it can redirect electricity without damage." He turned to face Surreal again, and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "I will do my best to avoid fighting him. I promise to do that for you."

[Fallen Hours™]

(Making up a bit of stuff here... Just go along with it. XD)

...Bang! Surreal freezes, tensing up but then there was a familiar frame in front of her. She and Aven had an 'en'. A karmic bond that a person could reject, or embrace, as Sadi had once put it. But what he was saying now.... "Everyone's scared, Aven. And even if you wouldn't admit it, I could bet that you were as well..." She mutters it lowly, not sure whether he will hear or not. It is obvious that two have known each other before this happening, but it is not absurd, whatever fear he is sensing, it his words.

Surreal glance over Aven's shoulder once, a significant gesture as her apologetic gaze meets Jack's. Very briefly, perhaps, but still significant. She places a hand on Aven's shoulder lightly, her own touch cool and yet restraining. "William.. Don't. He's a good man, I can tell. I don't care what has happened in your past, this is wrong." She still has the habit of calling him William. Even if he tells her to call him Aven.

A gentle sigh escapes her lips as she sees Aven's face full of the warmth and kindness that Jack had been showing her only moments earlier. She needs to stop this, without provoking either of the men. And she knows what she can do for Aven, but for Jack... She barely knows him. Surreal stands on her tiptoes, put her arms around Aven's neck, rests her head gently against him, and embraces him with some genuine emotion, and some courtesan trickster. "William, please don't fight him at all. Please don't. I know good men from bad, and he's not a bad man."

[hieisorcerer]

Jack caught the weapons. "The day will come." Jack promised, narrowing his eyes at Aven.

Aven sighed and wrapped his arms around Surreal, "You're right I am afraid. Of a lot of things, but foremost I'm afraid of loosing you..." Aven whispered only to Surreal. "I promise you, I will not fight him."

Jack's face dropped slightly as the two hugged, he could hear Aven whispering, but couldn't tell what he was saying. "We will fight one day Aven, and I will send you to the same fate as you sent my team mates."

Aven looked visibly disturbed he hated death, he especially hated killing. "I am sorry about that... I never intended to kill anyone, just knock them out..." He was ashamed of every life he took, it was not something he wanted anyone else to have to go through. Aven softly placed his hand on Surreal's cheek, using this gentle touch to show her his memory of his last meeting with Jack.

Aven sat in his small hut in the village, he had been here for a few months now training to be a swordsmen and training with his Aura. He was an accomplished swordsmen, though his skills with Aura were lacking. He had defended the village from attack many times, yet he refused to take a single life. Aven did not want to be a part of taking life, it was the epitome of wrong doing as far as he was concerned. His head shot up, something was wrong. There were five new Aura's in town, they all felt... Wrong. "Stay here Riolu, I'm gonna go check something out." Aven said grabbing his sword and walking out the door.

Aven turned toward the first of the new Aura's, it felt the calmest out of them all. Hopefully he could throw this one off his game. The operative turned the corner, and Aven launched a kick straight at his face. His boot connecting with the operatives chest, sending him flying several feet. The operative pulled a gun and fired three shots at Aven, he deflected all three with his sword. One of the shots ricocheted off of a large hut and went straight through the man's chest. He was dead in seconds... Aven's eye's widened, he had seen death many times but he never enjoyed it. He felt worse now that HE was the instrument of death.

He didn't have time to grieve however, as he sensed two other operatives approaching. He jumped to the nearest roof as the two turned the corner and each fired one shot, both a head shot. Aven's heart skipped a beat, he had been instrumental in the deaths of three people now. This was not what he had wanted at all. He wanted to protect, not harm. This went against everything he knew, everything he wanted to do... His face showed genuine remorse and guilt at what he had done, he would do his best to make up for this somehow.

As this thought crossed his mind he sensed another operative closing in, Aven sheathed his sword and inched toward the edge of the building. He jumped down and and quickly subdued the operative with a sleeper hold. He would later learn that this caused a blood vessel in the operatives brain to burst. Killing him instantly. He could only sense one more intruder in the village. The last one and he was done, he could do his best to forget this horrid night.

Aven heard a soft growl and only had time to turn and face his last opponent before he opened fire, he carefully deflected all sixteen shots. Aiming each one away from the village and his opponent, he would go out of his way to prevent this last death. The operative was shocked, Aven wasn't surprised it wasn't everyday you saw someone deflect bullets with a sword. Aven pressed forward, the operative drew a knife and began defending himself. He was doing a good job Aven thought, but not good enough, he was a better swordsmen by far.

It didn't take long at all for Aven to overpower and knock his opponent out cold. He sheathed his sword, and knelt down. "You may not believe me... But I am sorry, I never meant to kill anyone. Live and be at piece." Aven stayed their for several minutes before he turned and went back to the village. Minutes later the only living operative was gone.

[Fallen Hours™]

"You should have figured out by now that if there's anything I can do about it, neither of you are going to die." She speaks to Jack, smiling wanly at him but still showing the same warmth and kindness she had shown him just so much earlier. Of course, her guard her is still up, as always, but she can't help but show innocent emotion towards them. They're not like the men she has worked for in the past, they are definitely something else.

"Thank you, William.." His arms around her slender frame.. It feels right. She leans into him gently, with a cool touch. Surreal likes this. It's a place she can belong, and a place to belong is one of the only things she's ever wanted. You sent my teammates. William wouldn't... No, he doesn't seem like that... He's too kind. That wouldn't make sense. But a lot of things don't make sense.. Suddenly, she feels his hand against her cheek, and she tilts her head slightly towards it.

She watches the happening shockedly, and when she finally snaps out of it, looks like she has been stung. She breaks the hug, taking a step back and staggering slightly, but catching herself. She has killed people before... But she has done that to survive.

"William? William, please tell me that wasn't real." Now, if Surreal takes one more step back, she i going to fall over a rock that could break her ankle.

[hieisorcerer]

Aven took a step back and looked ashamed, I wish I could Surreal... I really do." He looked away, unable to keep eye contact with her. "I see their faces. Every night when I go to sleep I see the face of every person I've ever killed. Every single life I've taken haunts me." Aven took another step back, casting his Aura around Surreal, protecting her in case she stepped back again. He forced himself to look back, the guilt apparent on his face. But more so was the look of sorrow that she found out this way.

Jack watched this, Aven felt bad for the lives he took? He had never thought about it himself, he had only ever followed orders or defended himself. He didn't feel guilt over the lives he took, and he certainly didn't have nightmares about them. True enough, he didn't like to kill but it was as much a part of him as it was this murderer, this William Aven. The one he had sworn revenge against. "Doesn't change anything. I don't care how you feel about what you've done. I will make you pay for taking the lives of my teammates."

Aven sighed, "I didn't think it would. So I planted a telepathic seed in you're mind. You'll understand me more and more everyday." His eyes never left Surreal.

[Fallen Hours™]

"..." She freezes a few inches away from the rock, feeling extremely panicked. "Snake - I swear on my life that William isn't going to die in the near future! And I won't let you be harmed by him, either!" Her voice is sharp, and determined, and she has all barriers up full strength now, and it shows. You can see the stiffness in her limbs and the tenseness in her muscles, like a crouching tiger ready to spring.

"Now, William." She turns her attention back to him with a stiff tone, her bright stare more livid than it's ever been. "I opened up and I let you in. More than I have anyone else. I was so sure that you were practically perfect, exceptionally kind and smart and it all felt so right. Really, really right. I didn't think you would have done anything that much against my morals in your life..." She turns away slowly. She is torn into pieces inside, torn between two. "You made me feel alright for once in my life, and now... And now this."

Surreal slowly turns back, her strong gaze not focused on anything in particular. "Snake... I'll be keeping an eye on you and making sure things don't get out of hand. William? I'm not sure what I have to say to you. You have my mobile phone number, my dorm number... You can contact me, but I'd prefer you not unless you think it necessary." She nods once, but makes a crossing motion with her left hand.

Then Surreal turns away slowly, and runs.

Surreal knows Avenue A like the back of her hand, so it is easy for her to find a deep hiding place where she can think and, for that sake, hide. She finds one of the only places with a second story, because she has always liked new places, and tucks herself underneath a ledge, so people can't see her from the ground. She just needs to think, and figure things out. In a fetal position, Surreal curls up in a ball, hugging her legs and being tempted to rock back and forth, but not sure how much will set this ruin off.

She feels like she's suffocating after that occurrence. She sniffs pitifully, and then, she's just a girl. All her years don't count for anything. It.. It had just began with just talking friendly with a stranger and it turned to... Seeing William, the inexplicably kind William, kill. To completely snuff out the flame of a person's life... Of numerous people's lives... It was... devastating.

[hieisorcerer]

Aven watched her run, falling to his knees. He didn't blink, he couldn't move. Someone could run him over right now and he wouldn't care in the slightest. His life had been destroyed when Namine filed for divorce. He found the one person who helped him forget, and all because of his stupid mistakes he lost her.

Jack couldn't help but smile, seeing the man he hated more than anything else like this brought him pleasure. He didn't care what Surreal said, he would get his revenge. In fact now was a good time to do it, he was distracted and defenseless. Jack drew his pistol, and relying on his nanomachines, took aim. It was all to easy of a shot, the bullet flew straight for Aven's head and then...

Aven raised a barrier around himself, the bullet bounced harmlessly off and hit the ground. "You know what? Maybe you won't be able to understand me after all. You don't feel the slightest bit of remorse for all the lives you've taken. In fact I'd say you've enjoyed it." He hadn't moved, hadn't even blinked since she ran. The barrier was all that he had done, even that he didn't want to do right now.

Jack grunted, he was not pleased with this out come. Every shield had a weak point, might as well try to find this one. He emptied the clip on Aven's shield, when he finished he reloaded and emptied the next clip. He did this three times, until he had no more lethal ammo left to fire. The shield hadn't changed in the slightest. Jack didn't care anymore, he gathered all the electricity in his nanomachines to his hands and fired it Aven.

The electricity harmlessly funneled off of his shield, starting small fires around him. The moment it stopped Aven used the air from his shield dispersing to put the fires out, before forming a new barrier. He still hadn't moved.

Jack was in shock, he couldn't believe it... He had thrown everything at Aven and nothing fazed him...