"You could say that" he says, his eyes moving over to her. "I did not mean to frighten you, though looking like this, I suppose it is enevitable" his arms crossed over his chest. "Pleasing everyone is a fool's dream...not everyone within the world can be happy at the same time since all want different things...some conflict...overlap...or contradict others" he says. "In wishing to please everyone else, you risk forgetting and losing yourself....is it worth it?"

He looked back up at the moon, "you can relax...from the signs of this land and all of you, you carry the shards do you not?" He did not really need an answer, since he already knew the truth. "I do not desire them, for the damage that they have done to the world is more than apparent...perhaps we do want something similar however, to keep them out of the wrong hands...to use them for something good?"

He looks over at her, "all things have light and darkness within them, even if the two sides are not always equally matched or apparent. They must be there to keep balance within the world, one cannot exist without the other." He figured his words were a bit odd and imposing. "Forgive me, I do not mean to impose.." He turned to the other side of the balcony, "be careful with these people, but do not be satisfied with what merely resides on the surface" he says.

Suzume frowned. Pleasing everyone wasn't a fool's dream. Was it? No of course not. And she knew exactly who she was. Well, she hadn't really experienced much in life, but that didn't mean she didn't know herself. Or did it? And what did he mean about not being satisfied with her friends and what was on the outside? Was there something different on the inside?

She wasn't sure how she felt about this bird man. He'd come here, making her second guess everything about herself and what she was trying to do and even her friends. She assumed that read on her face because he'd apologized and seemed to be retreating.

Should she stop him? She wasn't sure. He wasn't after the shards, not that she had them on her being anyway. He didn't seem to be a threat to the group. She couldn't help but ask anyway, quickly before he disappeared, "What are your dreams then?" Suzume was like that. Always wanting to know what others wanted, what would make them happy. But really, if other people didn't want other people to be happy, what did they actually want she wondered?

World domination? What was the point in that? Where was the joy, the love, the peace and tranquility? She'd taken steps towards him worried that he might not answer her before he left.

He pauses for a moment , "happiness for all is a dream yes?" He looks at her, "I merely wish and am working towards peace and the healing of the earth...as well as for my people to not have to live within the shadows anymore for fear of being hunted down like animals." He was honest, but wondered after if that had been a little to blunt. He reached around his neck, slipping off an amulet, that seemed to capture the light of the moon and stars, glowing softly with it.

"Here" he says, gently taking her hand, his talons a bit cool like metal. He slips the amulet into her hand. "It is my Shinzō-seki" he closes her hand around it. "I trust you will take care of it and if you need me merely hold onto it and call for me.." he gently lifts her face, looking into her eyes, "I will come to your aid...for it might be a fools dream that you seek...but if it is pure and able to help the earth then I will do what I can." With that he turned away from her, moving to the edge of the balcony once more.

Hikari was left alone in the dining hall, blinking and wondering how things had gone so wrong so quickly. After a long moment, the young fox demon stood and left the room. Standing in the hall, she wasn't entirely sure where to go or what to do. She remembered Chi, causing himself to bleed, making a rose out of his own blood. She realized that she had been fooling herself, treating him as a helpless child rather than an equal. She opened her hand and, slowly, drew her own claw along her palm, right where Chi had cut his own. The blood welled up and she stared at it. Her blood was red. She had known that already. The tiger demon bled red as well, and she knew humans like Suzume had red blood. And Chi, she realized, also bled red, just like the rest of them. As her blood dripped to the floor, Hikari closed her fist and made up her mind. She sniffed the air and figured out where Chi was, and went to him. "Chi-kun. Listen, I know it probably seems like I'm just bothering you, but I'm not. Let me say my piece and then I'll let you be. Look..." She knelt down in front of him, and took his hand, the one that had been bleeding. She set it next to her own bleeding palm, so that they were both visible. "See? We both bleed red. I didn't think of it until just now, but we're the same. Even though on the outside, we're very different, when you look inside, you find the same thing. The same red blood and beating heart. I was treating you differently because you seemed so frail, and I didn't realize how that would effect you. I wasn't really thinking of you, I was thinking about helping someone and being a good sumaritan, and I didn't think of your feelings. And I'm sorry." She placed their palms against each other and laced their fingers together. "I'm sorry that I treated you differently, and I'm sorry if I did anything you didn't like. I...really do care about you, Chi-kun, and Hex too, because he is also a part of you...even if you don't believe me...I just wanted to say that. I...I guess I'll go now..." She said, pulling her hand away from his and standing up to leave.

"You shouldn't have done that" Chi says quetly after she let go of his hand. "I'm not the same...inside or out...my blood is not always red...and it isn't always good.." he looks at his hand, both of their blood now on him, "and now it is inside of you....why did you do that?...if my blood is inside of you it multiplies....it takes over and becomes like my own...I can bend it then...bend you.." His eyes slowly moved up to her. Why had she so easily and willingly allowed their blood to mesh like that.

Was she really oblivious about the stories of blood benders? Had she not known...or maybe she had? Placing that trust in him? Dispite the fear, still touching him, even knowing what he could now do to her with his blood infecting her own? He watched her, now confused and unsure himself, her words in his head, his mind still very much confused. Were they the same? Was he so different? He no longer knew at the moment, waiting for the other to answer his question so he could know what she ment and was thinking.

Hikari's ear twitched, and a sad smile appeared on her face. "Chi-kun, of course I knew that. I have met bloodbenders before, I know what you're capable of. I know that, by doing what I did, I gave you the power to control me as you wish. I did it on purpose, because I trust you. I believed you when you said you didn't want to hurt anyone. And now, we each have a little bit of each other in us. My blood is not as strong as yours, but it's there." She said quietly. She had given him her trust to prove her point, and she was prepared to face whatever came of it.

She had met other blood benders? He found it difficult to believe when they were hunted down for what they did and killed as a threat or hated. There were those who attempted to practice the arts, calling themselves as such, but a true blood bender was hard to come by now-a-days. He was one of the last of his kind...was she trying to spare his feelings? She said she trusted him....they had a part of eachother now with them..

He glanced at his hand, the blood slowly being drawn back within the wound, before it closed. A part of eachother....trust.....being equals....He slowly stood, dusting off his clothes a bit. His hair hid his face, but something dropped to the ground. He was crying a bit, attempting to hide it with dusting off his appearance. No one had treated him that way ever....to believe in him, instead of calling him a monster or a liar. She said those things. He was not sure if she ment them, but they ment much more to him then she knew. He felt Hex stir inside of him, but for the moment, even the demon was silent.

Suzume looked at the bird man with happy eyes. He had a beautiful dream. Suzume wanted those things, too. He took something from around his neck, and the way the moon gleamed off of it was enchanting. When he took Suzume's hand, she noticed the cool feel of the talons, though her mind didn't linger on them. Now he was placing the thing in her hand, his Shinzō-seki.

She was speechless, and only nodded in reply as she noticed for the first time the unusual orange of his eyes. He was sort of, romantic. And the thought caused Suzume to blush as he held her chin there. Surely he wasn't meaning to come across that way. But then he was leaving. "Wait," she finally said. She crossed the balcony, one hand holding up the kimono and the other holding the amulet.

"Won't you tell me your name, or where you're going?" She was intrigued by him, and felt at ease knowing that even if none of her friends here really shared the same goal as her, that he did. She hoped he wouldn't run off too far.

Pausing for a moment when the female spoke, he turned his attention back on her. His name and where he was going....He thought for a moment, there was no reason he needed to hide anything. "I was given the name of Raven" he says, "as to where I am going...when I find out myself, you shall be the first to know." A light smile formed on his lips, as the last part was said with a slight playful hint to it. He really had nowhere to go, other than back home. The others were not happy about his leaving, calling him young and naive, but he had grown tired of watching and helping from afar.

He wanted to get back to the days where his proud people did not hide away from the world, or have to fear for their lives. They used to roam the land freely, to protect it. They were one with it, and now, they were merely a secret of it. His mind mulling over these thoughts caused his body to tense slightly, his muscles shifting a bit. He might have been a tad naive, being kept within the city most of his life, only having been trained outside of the walls of his prison for nearly two years now, but he was confident and passionate, that there was more within the world then this.

This female proved that in a sense. Even in her own naivity, she still wished to and sought the good in the world, the happiness and for others as well. Within every darkness there was a light, perhaps he would find one with this girl convincing enough to open his people's eyes. If not....well, that was still ment to be determined either way. It would do no good to dwell on it for now, his mind slowly returning to the here and now, his attention once more on the female who had come surprisingly close, dispite her reaction to his appearance, and him being a stranger.

Hikari watched as Chi stood up and dusted himself off. She purposely said nothing about his tears, choosing instead to wrap her palm in a strip of cloth torn from her sleeve. She figured, since he was hiding it, mentioning him crying would just upset him. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired." She said, tying off the cloth. "I guess...I'll see you in the morning..."

He wiped his eyes a bit with the sleeve of his clothes. Nodding a bit, he finally looked up at the other by him. "Thank you..." he says quietly, before turning to leave so she might go to her room and rest. He felt Hex within his mind, though still saying nothing, he was aware now of what was going on and had been with them. He did not badger him or say anything for now, seeming to be in thought himself in some aspect. Chi allowed him his peace and silence, unsure really of where to go.

Hikari nodded and proceeded to her room. She really was tired, and only then did she realize that she hadn't eaten anything. She shrugged it off. She could eat in the morning, it wouldn't bother her that much. Changing into a more comfortable kimono, she vaguely wondered if she would be able to feel Chi's blood taking over her own. She felt fine so far. She lay down on the bed and decided she wouldn't worry about it. She was too tired, and already she was drifting off to sleep.

Kitaru had lingered there by the door for only a few moments, when Chi walked off, he also walked off. He had nothing more to say to the young man, and certainly didn't feel like listening to Hikari in case she decided to yell at him for being so mean to Chi. Still, the boy had been right. Kitaru was full of lies, but he had to be. He had to be strong and until Suzume was useless to him he had to play the part of her protector because he needed her. He couldn't do anything with the shards without her.

Kitaru's lies were blurring together. The feelings inside of him making it harder for him to remember what was a lie and what was true.

That desire to protect Suzume, it didn't come from just the want of the Maboroshi, it also came from the kindness she had showed him. But how much of that desire came from that? Why was the thought of stealing the Maboroshi and wishing away all humans filling him with a sense of wrongness? A wrongness that only seemed to increase the more he thought about it. Suzume trusted him, she believed every lie he fed to her, and somehow that was beginning to make his heart ache.

His head swam, and he made his way outside. Desiring nothing but stars in the sky and fresh air. There was a dull pain in his shoulder, but the wound was mostly healed, by morning he should be completely fine. He brushed his fingers over that shoulder. He shook his head, trying to clear it of all thought as he inhaled deeply. A slight breeze stirred and it brought to him an unfamiliar scent. Was someone lurking around the castle?

A soft growl escaped his throat, and Kitaru began moving through the yard. Cat like eyes roaming this way and that as his ears twitched and he tested the air with his nose. Looking for any sign or clue, he didn't sense any danger though, but that didn't mean much. It took him a few minutes to make his way around to the side where Suzume and her balcony were, but the scent seemed to be stronger here.

Suzume's scent, and the unfamiliar one. Another growl emitted from his throat, and he crept through the yard. He didn't smell fear with Suzume's scent, but really that meant nothing, she was so naive she trusted everyone instantly. Still, there was no air of danger it seemed, or at least none that his animal instincts could detect.

Kitaru came to stop beneath a tree out in the yard, he contemplated climbing up it and jumping into her balcony, to scare the stranger away, something made him decide against it though. He could see the stranger now, Kitaru's eyes narrowed as he shouted up at them. "You! Get away from my human." The words were uttered almost casually, no threat in his voice. Kitaru was down here on the ground, he didn't really want to end up provoking the stranger into harming Suzume. At least not while he was too far away to actually help.

Kitaru sniffed at the air again, trying to get a feel for what kind of demon this stranger was. All he got was avian scents, so either the man was a bird of sorts, or there were just to many birds in the area for him to be certain. He wondered what the other would do, he almost hoped the stranger would come down and attack him. Though it wasn't truly a fight Kitaru wanted, he was tired of fighting.

The tiger wanted to talk to someone, his first choice would have been Hikari, but he wasn't sure how she felt about him right now for the way he had treated Chi. He certainly couldn't talk to Suzume, the blind man was resting, and he wasn't even sure where the ink man had even gone. So a fight might be nice, if this stranger came down to him. It might help clear his head.

Suzume felt a light blush creep into her cheeks at his words. Making her so important like that. Then again, she had become really important over the last couple of days she guessed. She smiled shyly, not something she ever was, before hearing a familiar voice and a familiar phrase.

She turned her back to Raven and moved to a spot where she could see Kitaru easily. She was frowning at him. "Quit doing that!" she yelled. "I'm not a thing!" She turned on her heel angrily and stormed back into her room, slamming the paper doors closed.

At some point while she was outside someone had brought her bag with the katana and the piece of the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou inside her room and placed it on her bed. She pulled the piece out and stared down at it. In her other hand she held the amulet. So many responsibilities now.

((Sorry I'm really distracted, I hope that made sense, lol.))

He looked down at the male, watching the exchange of words between the tow. When the female went back inside, he walked slowly to the railing. "Could have handled that better yes?" he sighed a bit, looking back over his shoulder. "You do not have to worry demon, I have no intrest in that what you desire" he says, meaning the crystal shards. From the hints the other had been given off all night, there may or may not have been more to the two of them then merely this, he was sure not even the other knew at the moment though. He walked slowly over to the tree hanging near the balcony, reaching up to lightly caress a closed blossom with a talon.

"I am curious though, will you ever be honest with yourself? Such a life can not exist while inner turmoil continues to grow" he lowered his eyes once more to the other. He kept himself calm and collected, not worried or threatened by the other. He did not desire conflict, as was his nature. He would have prefered to work this out in a peaceful manner, but the other did not seem to be one for words. Then again, looks were decieving.

Kitaru visibly grimaced when Suzume yelled and stormed back inside. At least she was inside now, and away from the stranger, even if only a paper door separated them. He leaned against the trunk of the tree he stood under and crossed his arms across his chest. Could he have handled that better? Kitaru wasn't sure, he handled the situation the only way he knew how really, well, other than outright attacking the stranger which is what might have happened if he had been on Suzume's balcony instead of just staring up at it. Those ears twitched as the other continued to talk.

At least for now the stranger didn't seem inclined to attack, so perhaps there wouldn't be a fight after all. Kitaru was only half disappointed in that, still he didn't want to shout across the courtyard either, if they were to talk and Kitaru was far more quick to trust a non-human, demon or not, humans were not worthy of his trust. Humans that kept demons as pets and made his senses scream 'danger' were also not ones to be trusted, still he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit bad about the way he had treated Chi. What if the young man really didn't want to harm them?

Kitaru shook his head slightly. This stranger seemed to see into his heart, or maybe he was just really good at guessing. That cat like gaze shifted from the balcony to stare at his own feet. "Why don't you come down from the lady's balcony?" He might trust the stranger enough to talk to him about things, but that didn't mean he trusted him enough to just let him linger so close to Suzume and those shards. He looked up at the stranger on the balcony again. "I promise I won't bite."

"A cat and a bird" he chuckles lightly, his gaze lifting lightly to the moon above. "Quite ironic yes?" for a moment he fell silent, before glancing back at the room. the female had the amulet, if she needed him, he would know. His movements were light and effortless, placing a hand on the railing, he easily jumpped over it. He landed without a sound, dispite his size and such. His long tail swayed lightly behind him for a moment, before becoming still, resting slightly on the ground. He looked over at the other once more, noticing the slight disappointment lingering in his eyes. "Forgive me, I do not wish to fight if it can be avoided...why waste energy when there is no threat...suppose you become tired, if someone or thing were to attack...how would you protect her?" he asks. He kept his voice calm and level, his expression hard to read due to the plate. Only his mouth and eyes able to give anything away, though both were still and calm for the moment.

He lightly walked over, backing the other against the tree. He placed a hand near his head, before leaning into his ear. "When lies and reality begin to blend, perhaps what you thought you wanted, may not be what you truly desire.." he stepped away, turning past him to walk down the path. A light breeze moved through the trees and for a moment he closed his eyes. The voices of the land were around him, he was well aware of a group of demons residing a bit farther up the mountain near this castle. Would they strike? It was still yet to be known, but he would stick around for a bit, learn more about these people, the puzzles they created and had yet to answer were intriguing.

Good. The other left the balcony after a few more words. Kitaru watched him carefully, assessing the bird once he had landed softly on the ground. He was light on his feet, but that made sense, a bird ought to be light in the air. Probably quick to take off as well, Kitaru wondered just how fast this stranger might be, and how strong. He looked imposing, almost intimidating but Kitaru wasn't easily intimidated, and an intimidating appearance didn't mean one was a hostile creature. So far this stranger seemed rather placid.

"That's fine, I won't attack you unless you prove yourself a threat." The words were spoken with only a hint of disappointment, still Kitaru saw the logic in the other's words. He had fought with a badly injured shoulder and come out on top, but next time in such a situation he might not be so lucky. Then the stranger had him backed against the tree and that lingering disappointment turned very quickly to wary alertness. Body tensing slightly as words were spoken into his ear, that ear twitching lightly from the tickle of breath against the fur. It made him shiver slightly.

"...I..." He began but the stranger was already moving away, Kitaru blinked, staring after the other for a few moments before he began to follow. "I don't know who you are, or what you think you know, but you don't know anything about me or anything about my wants and desires." There seemed to be a little anger in Kitaru's voice, maybe a hint of uncertainty. He wasn't even sure he knew his own wants and desires anymore either.

"What were you doing in Suzume's bedroom?" Suspicion laced that voice now as he attempted to change the subject even though he wanted some kind of guidance to help him wade through the turmoil in his heart. The conversation had seemed to be heading in that direction, this stranger could perhaps offer him some insight, and Kitaru had stubbornly turned the conversation aside. "If you try anything with her, I'll take your head." He almost sounded jealous.

Raven chuckled lightly, turning to face the man once more. "Seems your desires betray you" he says leaning in once more. He looks into his eyes, "I do not claim anything, though you have proven quite easy to read. I was not expecting people to be so....interesting" he reached up tp brush a bit of hair from the other's cheek as another breeze flowed past the two of them. "If you do not desire someone else to make a move, why do you hesitate to make one yourself? Out of mistrust? Fear? Careful cat, the opportunity as well as she may slip away" he says. He turns and continues on, "as for my head you may have it, if you can take it that is, but I am no easy feat to overcome I assure you...seems I already have an upper hand yes?"

He was finding the other amusing, for one with such a front, he was quite....cute? He chuckled lightly as he mused the thought over. It was true, in his culture he was of age to take a mate, but honestly he had never given much thought to it. He had grown up with many of the females of his generation, somehow none of them appealing to him though. Perhaps he would find such a thing as he looked for his own place within this world. It was a thought to mull over, though at the moment, it was causing his attention to slip. He pulled himself back to the situation at hand, awaiting the headstrong reasponce he was sure would follow from the other.

Easy to read? Kitaru frowned slightly, the others didn't seem aware of his true intentions or lies at all. Especially Suzume, but she was so naive. Those eyes blinked, body tensing as that hand reached for his face, Kitaru looked ready to jump back out of reach if the gesture proved to be a hostile one. It wasn't a hostile gesture, it did send a shiver down his spine, much like the one earlier from whispered breath tickling his ear. It was a light touch, and for a moment Kitaru seemed uncertain, he had raised a hand, as if to fend off an attack or swat the stranger's hand away. That hand was only half raised though.

"I'm...I'm only using Suzume." Words that should have been said with conviction were said with uncertainty instead. He lowered his half raised hand, ears twitching, and his tail swaying slowly side to side behind him. "I'm only using her." Now the words sounded more convincing, if only slightly. "She's just a human, she means nothing to me at all." Those words, did they sound convincing? Kitaru couldn't tell and his frowned deepened. It wasn't true, it was slowly but certainly becoming untrue. "She's nothing but a tool, a way for me to get what I want."

His body had tensed again, his heart weighed down with lies and the feelings saying such things evoked in him. "Humans are evil, even the naive ones that pretend to show so much kindness." He knew Suzume didn't pretend in her kindness, the amount she had, the sincerity in which she showed it could not be faked, but it would be easier, to betray her in the end if he kept telling himself such things. His chest felt tight. "If you want her, you can have her, but not until I'm done using her for my own gain."

Kitaru wasn't even sure how he honestly saw Suzume, she wasn't just a human, nor was she just a tool. She certainly wasn't his lover, did he dare think of her as a friend? Kitaru wasn't sure. Sometimes her presence did make him feel awkward, and sometimes he did find himself thinking how pretty she looked. He shook his head hard. "She means nothing, I don't care what happens to her once she outlives her usefulness." It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself instead of the stranger.

"You keep saying the words over and over, but it does not make them true, at least not fully yes?" he looked back at him. "People change, things change, not all is the same nor stays the same" he looked up at the moon. "You can choose to walk down this path, to convince yourself that this is all true and right, what you are saying, but what happens once it all ends? Will you truly be happy then? Once you have what you desire....will you kill her then?" he asks. He kept walking, heading towards a small pond, fish swimming around within.

He did not know if the other would follow, he would not force him if he did not want to. People had will, the will to make desicions, the will to change their mind. What would his will be in the end? He kneeled by the water, his hand slowly dipping into the water. A koi fish swam up to the surface, moving its way to his talon. He smiled lightly,nature was much the same way as people, yet at the same time, far less complicated and raw. Perhaps in time it would work out for the best, maybe the worst? The future was unclear and always shifting just like people's minds. He would see where the future took them.

Kitaru bit his bottom lip, not saying anything as the other kept walking. Ears twitching and still filled with uncertainty he followed the stranger to the small pond. Quietly, he lowered himself to sit down next to the bird, watching the stranger almost curiously as he dipped that talon in the water. That cat eyed gaze shifted from the bird to the water, watching the koi swim unafraid to the bird's talon. His tail curled around his waist and he grabbed the tip of it. Those eyes no longer on the pond or the stranger, they were on the tail in his hands, the tip twitching lightly.

Kitaru looked as if wanted to say something, but he wasn't even sure what to say. He let is tail go and sighed softly. He wasn't going to kill Suzume, but if he made his wish, that all humans went away, she would disappear, wouldn't she? He wasn't sure he wanted Suzume to disappear. He laid back, hands going under his head to pillow it and his eyes were on the sky. "I don't have any intention of killing Suzume, but the wish I make with the Maboroshi might make her disappear." He was still frowning.

"I don't understand why that idea makes me feel sad." He spoke the words quietly, perhaps too quiet to be heard by the stranger, but Kitaru doubted that. "Humans have been nothing but cruel to me, they have always been monsters in my eyes...Why should I care at all about Suzume?" He closed his eyes.

Sayuri

Fussing could be heard behind the door as the high priestess pasted by the door. With a chuckle she gentle tapped on the wooden frame she called out to the young woman inside. "You should take so much with with you Sayu, it may hinder you're ability to fight." She waited patiently for a response and after a second or too a quick 'shit, you're right', a few more rustling noises and the door to the room opened to reveal a young woman with deep blue eyes and long flowing hair held back with a big bow for a headband. She smiled gentle at the older woman and leaned in for a light embrace.

They stayed there for sometime, reluctant to accept the fact that they would be separated for quite sometime. They were interrupted by a clearing of the throat and a mutter, "Women". Both let go and turned to face the high priest of the monastery who looked upon the two woman with a gentle eye. The man opened his arms for Sayuri to enter, which she did in the blink of an eye. "I cannot believe that it has been eighteen long,"he emphasized which made Sayuri giggle, "AGONIZING" he jested but she responded in a pout, "years since you were first found at the front gates of this monastery. You my dear hold so much potential that neither I or this old lady can teach you much more." He held her out at arms length, both giving one another a silent message before embracing once more.

The high priestess patted the girl's shoulder and held out a small bundle of food. With a quick good-bye to the rest of the residents at the monastery the young woman stood at the front gates. Turning around only the high priest and priestess was there to see her off. "You are welcome to visit at anytime, if life troubles do not hesitate to come back home." The high priestess said with glazed eyes, Sayuri sucked in a breath to prevent herself from tearing up as well. "Be sure to keep yourself safe, and remember the importance of your mission. The Maboroshi no Ginzuishou is a source of great power, it must not fall into the hands of evil." The high priest said, steeling himself as Sayuri nodded and turned to begin the descent down the step.

Laine

A figure stood in the middle of the lake, staring at it's reflection in the still water. It held out it's hand parallel to the waters surface, slowly ripples broke the still lake as a trident appeared to the awaiting hands of the figure. Gentle the figure grasped the weapon in the outreached hand, bring it close to it's body while the other traced the outline of the trident. The figure smiled a wicked and dark smile as it held it to the sky, thunder rumbled through the land as the figure let out a sicking laugh. "FINALLY! I AM KAMI!"

[[Introduction to my characters! Please treat them kindly! Or not so kindly ^^;]]

"Does the actions of a few justify the mistreatment and erradication of the entierty? By that logic my people would have been erased a long time ago, or we could have used said logic to do somthing ourselves yes?" He looked up at the sky as the other did. "All races have their good and their bad....many in the world become reluctant and rejecting or cruel to what they do not understand...to what is different than themselves" he looks back at him. "Actions such as this...wanting to make them vanish...to take away their lives..their freedom...does that make you any better than that which you hate so much?" He was aware of how the question sounded, but so many times in the anger and negative feeling such as these, one let it consume them and they slipped into the same fear and hatred as those who felt it towards them.

He looked him over a bit, "feeling the way you do under the circumstances is understandable...the resistance to trust...being wary and angry..but letting such emotions consume you and cloud your heart turn you into the very thing they may think you are. I am sure you do not wish to prove them right correct? Then prove them wrong...choose your own path..you have your freedom, do you truly wish to spend your life chasing such a dream when you are unsure if it is truly what you want, or if it will even truly make you happy?" He looked back into the water, as the fish dove back down. He laid back himself now, raising his hand to the moon and looking at the talons of his hand. "We are created as we are...we have power, a mind and a heart....we choose to use it weather for good or evil....we define who we are..."

Ears twitching, those eyes reopening, to gaze at the sky. "Humans are evil. They have always been evil, and cruel. I'm nothing like them. If they all disappeared, then the evil would be gone. The man we killed in this castle was human and he was so very evil." But he was being cruel, using Suzume and saying she was nothing but a tool. Those were cruelties in their own right, and he knew that if Suzume had heard him say such things they would have crushed her. She was too naive. Too kind, she was nothing like the humans he had ever known.

"I thought I was on the right path, but now everything is so confusing, and the things I think and thought I wanted to do feel so wrong." He glanced at the other, those hands leaving the back of his head to grab the stranger's outstretched hand. Kitaru wanted to feel the other, though he wasn't entirely sure why, fingers touched ever so gently at the other's talons. "I don't want to be evil. I've never wanted to be evil, I just wanted vengeance." Those fingers ran along that cool surface, and would probably continue to do so until the other made him stop. "Are we ever truly free though? Do we ever truly know who we are or what will make us happy? My heart is shackled and I don't know how to break the chains."