"Hello Orpheous," Kuro said. "I'm Kuro. And, in fact, I do know Simon. He helped me through a grave situation," Kuro answered, recalling a sort of recent event that occurred at the castle courtyard.

He looked up at Kasei who was just coming. He thought he had seen him once before. It was around the time that he met Simon. He decided not to greet him, but let Kasei introduce himself.

OOC:

Sabertache wrote:Ha...Saber and Alpha, mortal enemies...? Hmm...Maybe once he kills off Yassen, we can do something with that?

It's possible, Saber. I'll see if I can add you to his list of mortal enemies.

IC:
Alpha has to choke back a laugh as he watches Aiden suddenly grow nervous at the sight of Saber. 'What, does she think the mercenary is dangerous?' he ponders. Well, that's probably a reasonable thing to think, actually; Alpha had been quite impressed with the boy in the tournament . . . or rather, impressed with his amazing luck. Had he been able to keep up that Favor of the Goddesses for much longer, the Sheikah would have run exceptionally low on magical power and been at a severe disadvantage. The fact that that hadn't happened doesn't change the fact that it had been a possibility.

But no, Aiden had greeted Saber warmly; she knew the man, or at least had met him before. Plus . . . she looked at him with an odd sort of discomfort, almost as though confused. He blinks for a second. What is there to be confused about? She also suddenly was glancing at him with uncertainty in her eyes; was there something concerning himself and Saber that she knew about? There wasn't anything between them that he knew about, so he doubted that. Most likely she was imagining things; well, whatever it was, the Sheikah decides not to let it faze him. "A knife, eh, Saber?" he asks nonchalantly, trying to avoid getting pissed off at everyone else for not answering his rather simple question. Sure, he isn't much of a social person, but he had hoped that he had at least some ability at starting up random, pointless conversations . . .

. . . he's certainly been around enough people with that skill mastered . . .

He blinks for a second as more presences wander towards them. 'One I don't recognize, but the other . . . Kasei. Definitely the Rebel Flame.' He hears this newcomer, Kuro, introduce himself to the group, but simply looks away and towards where his fellow Sheikah is walking towards them from. "Hello, Kasei," he calls out as the fire adept approaches them.

Only seconds after possibly destroying Orpheous' ear drums, Kasei was addressed by another Shiekahn. Lifting his head, Kasei glanced at Alpha. "Do I know you?" He asked. It was a serious inquiry. After all, Kasei's encounters with Alpha were few and far between. "Wait . . . I know you." He suddenly realized after glancing Alpha up and down. "You were that mage from the tourny, right? Took out Saber, correct?" He asked, motioning towards the Tantari mercinary. "How do you know me, again?"

OOC:

Aiden loosened her stance, Saber was clearly not pleased with her greeting, nor the whole situation. As others joined the group and made their greetings Aiden slowly stepped from the group, sliding into the shadowy edges. As a Sheikah she naturally blended in there, even with her striking gaze. A shiver ran through her body, the warm sunlight no longer falling upon her. In the sun her hair looked more golden, but in the dark it looked more brown. Closing her eyes she let the darkness consume her.

Once she felt comfortable in the temperature she opened her eyes once more. From the outskirts she became an onlooker. None of them did the greeting she had learned... with a hurt expression she realized that she must have misunderstood. Her hands fiddled clasped at her stomach. She loved people, but had very few social skills. Watching she hoped to learn maybe just a bit more, then maybe people would like her. Her gaze lingered more on Saber, Alpha, and Orph. They had managed to catch her interest, but Alpha most of all. He was of her kind and seemed to have a great knowledge as well as a lot of connections. She studied his features, listened carefully to his tone, and examined his body language.

A knife..She wondered what made it so unique. It didn't matter, she would probably never understand. This place had been going about it's business long before she arrived. Everyone seemed to have their place, but not her. Heaving a sigh she continued to look on, not with envy, but with wonder.

Kuro sighed as Alpha ignored him. Kasei was obviously more important than Kuro was. That didn't matter much to Kuro. What did matter, apparently, was the fact that Saber had a knife. He decided it was best not to ask about it, considering Alpha already did that. It was also not a good idea because they didn't really know each other. Kuro had seen Saber once before. But only once. He looked around and realized that he had only seen most of the people here only once. The rest of the people he didn't know.

"Yes, that they would!" Artorius replied warmly to Kuro, and his wise mind instantly began forming sentences to rhyme with the first, his eyes closing for a few seconds as he pondered the possibilities. When they opened again, he seemed to notice that all the attention had shifted from him, and the adventurers were instead pursuing their own conversations amongst themselves. However, he really didn't mind. It felt good just to have people in the area again. He felt like a real part of the adventures in Hyrule again, just like in his youth. He gazed at the mercenary's dagger as well, a warm smile firmly in place.

"Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
For we may and might never all meet here again

There's a thousand roads and we shall walk them all,
Till the song birds leave us and the white snows fall.
Then we'll dream all winter of that of that great spring day,
When the winds will call us, 'Come away! Come away!' "

Arrika sang, her spirits soaring. She was in an exceptionally good mood and upon seeing the small crowd found herself instantly drawn to it. The Sheikah recognized most of the group present. Her dark eyes singled out Alpha. She had never spoken to him or got to know him personally; he was somewhat intimidating. She found it a little odd that the almighty Alpha would ever choose to sit and express his longing for times long gone. Her sensitive ears picked up bits of the conversation as she drew nearer.

"Hey, I don't think I've ever met you before," Arrika said to Aiden, coming up behind her silently. "What brings you here?"

Saber looked at Alpha, an odd gleam in his eye. He might know... "This dagger...it was Dogura's. He tossed it to me during that battle at the inn. Against those assassins. I...never really got to see him again. Can't find him anywhere. In fact, nobody has. I've never really learned how to wield a second weapon, perhaps I should learn sometime? I just...wonder where Dogura went, I suppose. Him, Darkin...Rose as well. It seems like everyone's leaving." He turned the blade over in his hand a few times. "I suppose I really have no room to talk. You've been here longer than I have, haven't you? Now that I think about it, I crossed the border just a little over a year ago."

OOC: Eeeeveryone wants to damage Saber's self-esteem

Anyways, let's try and get this going again...

OOC: Darn you and your alternate timeline, Kasei.

IC:
"That's correct," Alpha replies as Kasei mentions the tournament, and his first victory there. "And you were the one who fought against Orpheous here in the first round . . ." He jerks a thumb in the scribe's direction. "You lost, though if memory serves it wasn't because you couldn't win. Something about your power being too great and all that."

He would have continued speaking with his fellow Sheikah, if not for two little items. First of course being that he doesn't really know much beyond that about Kasei; second being Saber speaking to him once more and happening to mention a certain name: Dogura. "I'm afraid I can't help you with Dogura or Darkin . . . we were good allies, fought alongside one another several times, but I have no idea where he could have run off to. As for Rose . . ." A shadow drops over his face, recalling her departure after the night when the Hakiems had secretly invaded North Castle. Not many of the populous, Sabertache included, were aware that the occupation had ever taken place, and Alpha has no intention of being the one to inform them. ". . . we were in a battle recently and . . . it scarred her emotionally. I think she left after that in order to do a little soul searching.

"You get used to it after a while, I suppose . . . people disappearing without a trace. I've been here for only three years, and there are dozens of people I knew and fought with who I doubt I'll ever see again." His voice doesn't sound terribly depressed . . . he just speaks the words for what they are: a fact. "People come and go as they please, and you just have to be willing to move on until the time comes for you to leave as well."

Kasei looked at Alpha with an odd look. That's it, eh? That's all Alpha has. Oh well, he's nice enough. However, just like Alpha, Kasei heard the name of someone he recieved news about only recently; Dogura. Kasei glanced over at Saber, the one who uttered the dreaded word. It was obvious that a million thoughts were going through the Rebel Flame's mind right now. Do I tell them? Do some of them know? Will they believe me at all? Will they believe that the mighty samurai went down in such a way? He mused.

Facing Saber, who was two heads shorter than Kasei, The Rebel Flame gave him a freindly pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, tantari mercinary, i'm sure that Dogura is just fine right now." He lied through his teeth, so as to cheer up Sabertache.

Aiden was lost in thought watching the gathered crowd interact. Her bright eyes still studying Alpha, who was he exactly?! Just then someone spoke from behind her, she yelped like a wounded dog and spun around quickly. On instinct she had pulled her dagger and had it facing her opponent. Her green eyes narrowed, who was this person? Why did they come up behing her?! Didn't people here have manners? Aiden's stance was defensive, but the look in her eyes was offensive. Upon studying Arrika she lowered her weapon and straightened out of her stance. Taking a few steps backwards she tried to calm her still shocked heart. From this moment on she'd probably be hesitant around the girl. Not only that but she was Sheikahn and Aiden had issues with that anyways. Swallowing she fought her inner fear to flee, especially being in such a large group. Her gaze scanned the girl again and putting her dagger away she crossed her arms in front of her, clearly rather uncomfortable.

The dagger nearly flew out of Saber's hand as his entire body jerked at Aiden's exclamation. He spun towards the supposed target to see just another Sheikah there. "Hello, Arrika. Seems like everybody's dropping in today..." Calming a little, he looked at the bundle of nerves Bard. "Aiden, are you feeling right? I'm sure you could sit down if you need to." Turning back to Alpha, he sat back in the grass himself, the dagger once again rolling between his hands. "Thank you for your kind words, Kasei, but it just seems odd that he would disappear like that. He was such a prominent person...it was hard to miss him for sure, with his hair and all. Rose...it's hard to imagine someone like her could be shaken by battle. After the whole ordeal with Baris and the stalfos, you'd think she'd handle anything that came her way." He was silent for a while, his left hand playing with the grass. He plucked a piece and held it in front of his face, studying it. "Where do they all go? Hyrule is such a nice place, it's hard to imagine people would just come from nowhere and return to the same mysterious location. This is the first place I've stopped at in a long time..."

Arrika's lips twitched into an amused smile. "Hold on!" She said, reflexively throwing up her hands to protect her face. "Oh, c'mon, don't be mad! I didn't mean to scare you. I've just never seen you before, really, and I like getting to know potential allies. Or just friends, if you like," she beamed, drawing closer to the group and Aiden especially.

There was something more to that. Is it me obviously being a thief? Arrika had learned from an early age how to understand the thoughts and feelings and others just by a single reaction or their entire behavior. There was definitely something troubling Aiden, and Arrika reasoned that she would find out eventually.

"So, what was your name? Didn't catch that," the thief continued.

OOC: Being as no one else is posting I will.. lazy poops...

Anyway.. Arrika I hear you are also a drum major! What instrument(s) do you play?

IC: Aiden was terrified, who was this woman!? Why did she pick on her? Wasn't there someone else about? Did no one else feel this bad vibe as she did? No, she supposed not, the woman was being friendly... only a little too much. Her eyes were wide, just take a deep breath, close your eyes and count from ten. It was what her father had taught her, for she was told violence was never the answer. Even when they hit her, or threw rocks, whatever else the kids decided to do that day. They never stopped, not until she ran away crying a river. Opening her eyes she made a small eep, like noise. That woman was closer! Was it not evident how scared she was, did it not show in her eyes?!

Even Saber's calm voice and soothing words did nothing for her. In fact, it pushed her nearer the edge. Could he not see she needed help? Swallowing hard she raised her gaze to meet the woman's. A shiver of fear ran through her and her heart fluttered nervously.Why was she so insistant? She had yet to give her own name, yet questioned Aiden so?! Why? Why was she picked out? Was this woman a shark, smelling her fear and feeding off it? Unsure she took another step back, only realizing that she was backing into a fairly big crowd. Surrounded by her memories she fell to her knees, her head bent made a curtain of her curly hair. She was panting as if after a long run, and the world was spinning. She felt as if she were ten again...

OoC: Assistant drum major, actually, drum major next year... I was supposed to be drum major this year but mr. band director changed his mind because the show is really hard. I play piccolo in band but I also play the piano, flute, and electric guitar.

IC: "Hey! Woah!" Arrika said, alarmed as Aiden fell. "Are you- are you okay?" Something told her that touching her or helping her get up wouldn't help much. "Did I... did I do something wrong?" It was becoming more obvious that Aiden didn't like her for whatever reason, one that the thief couldn't comprehend. She looked around for someone to help and tried to catch Saber's eye. "I'm Arrika. I didn't mean to scare you or anything... I was just in a good mood today, and..." She shrugged helplessly. "Will you at least let me help you up?"