He turned to her and looked at her rings, he thought the same at first; the legends he heard all to well but never tried any of them to see. He waited for a split second before taking her hand in his; dropping his casket down softly, he hesitantly traced her rings with his fingers. A sharp sting raced through his fingertips, his skin turned fast into a blacken ash before breaking off. The longer he touch the rings the higher in crept up his fingers and the deeper it ate.

Hisao pulled his hand away and looked at the blacken bone that was once a index finger, he bent it slowly letting some of the excess ash fall. His finger look like it had been placed in a fire for hours. He smiled at the fasten decayed finger; guess that legend was true. He looked back at the girl, waiting to see her reply. Hoping she got the answers she wanted, but he never did get his.

Her eye's widened a bit as she watched as his finger had already started to heal. She then looked him in the eyes, "I will help you make sure that you don't do anything else that you will regret. You have my word and I will die before I tell anyone your secret in fear of what may happen to you, if it got out."

She grinned, "But enough of that for now. If you're not too tired, would you care to join me on a walk?"

He genitally released her hand, letting his fall to his side, his fingers stung painfully as they restored to new. "It has been begging to be free..." He said referring to his darker side, the creature he came to hate with a passion.

His eyes never left her, he looked into her widened eyes. "Why, why would you do so much for a monster?" He said with a slight shocked tone lingering in his voice. "Why are you so willing to bring it with you?" He asked confused. If he had known ahead of time; he would be positive that his family would have never let in the stranger, but this woman was willing to help him. She was willing to show him kindness, kindness he felt he did not deserve.

He lightly place his hand over his stomach, over the scars that made sure he relived the night every chance they could. "I only changed twice; I haven't been one for long." He said warning her. "I feel it; before it comes." He looked at the ground as it stirred slowly inside. "I can hold it back for the most part; as long as I eat raw, fresh bloody meat." He said to her, which was true; he would leave people alone. Hisao only attacked people before he found that out that the raw meat helped; but the regret still ate at him.

"I bet it has, all you have to do is let it out every so often in a controlled environment. I am nice because being nice get's you further than being mean--I'll only be mean to you if you give me a reason to do so, "she commented as she pulled off the two long rings off of her right hand a stuck them in her pocket.

"It's because you're not really a monster, it's not your fault that you're a Loup-Garou. You didn't ask for it, but you can't change it--you just have to deal with it. As for calling yourself an it, you're not an it--you're a living, breathing human being you're just a bit more special than the rest of us. As for what happened prior, don't hold it all against yourself, the person who turned you is to blame. The more contact you have with regular human-beings will help you bring some normality back to your life, though you probably already knew that, but in turn it will also give you strength."

She reached out and held his other hand with no rings on it, "As it stands now you seem to be doubting yourself, which means you probably don't trust yourself either. This is a trust exercise, shall we walk now?"

Without thinking he jerked his hand away from her, it was more out of habit but he never did get his daily raw meat. He didn't want to hurt her, plus his senses were off more then normal. "I rather not tonight." He simply replied.

Reaching down, he grabbed his casket before walking off. Leaving her in the background; his beastly side wanted something different. The scent of women were brought out more, he found himself wanting companionship when he never wanted it before; this worried him.

He was heading away from town, deep in thought, he played with the nasty appearing scar on his abdomen through his shirt. It still hurt, the nerve damage made the pain react to his touch, making it feel fresh. It was completely obvious when his shirt was off that he was left for dead; the original werewolf never even knew he existed.

She watched as he left feeling rather stupid for what she had tried to do to help, she then sighed and put her rings back on her fingers. The slowly made her way back to her room as she wanted to bathe a remove the sea's salt from her body, once she was in the tavern she walked bare-footed up to her room. Reign unlocked the door, closed it behind herself, set her boot against the nearby wall, started a fire in the fire place, and tended it for a few moments. After which she headed downstairs, asked some of the maidens to bring up large amounts of heated water, and headed back upstairs leaving the door open.

She poured lavender and rose oils in the base of her metal tub, she then took the braid out of her long damp hair and let it remain on her shoulder, and finally sat on the edge of the tub. The several maidens who carried buckets of hot water had made there way up, poured their water in the tub and left. Once they left, Reign closed the door and locked it back. She undressed, grabbed some soap from the nearby shelf, and got into the tub. She washed herself, set the soap of the floor, and then relaxed. After a while she got out--threw her night gown on, washed her clothes and scarves, rung them out, and left the dry on a bar that had been set up a foot from the fire place. She then tended the fire place once more, brushed her hair out, and climbed into her bed to soon fall asleep.

It felt like a few minutes had passed before he dropped the casket, his insides felt as if it had been set on fire. He could feel his bones crack with every mutation, he leaned against a tree and slid down; the pain was unbearable. He grabbed his head as he slowly and painfully formed, all his fighting he did was coming to a end.

He tried not to scream from the pain but failed to hold back, he bit his bottom lip till blood came out. His bones shifted, fine animal like hair grew at a rapid pace. He ended up slamming his head back into the tree, trying to stop the transformation but to no avail. His clothes loosened under him with every change his body went through til he was no longer a man but a rapid wolf of black.

The scars could be seen, no fur would grow there, just mauled marks on his chest, back and one face. The wolf crawled out of the clothes and howled angrily before running off into the night.

***
((Nice little time jump :) To help us continue))

Reign awoke early, went about getting dressed, and pulled her boots back on. She threw on some of her newer clothes. A pair of new brown pants, a plain white shirt, an eloquently designed burgundy bodice, and a tailed dark blue coat. She grabbed her hat and put it on her head, grabbed the key to her room and put it in her pocket, and grabbed some money and shoved that in her pocket also. Soon after she left her room and locked the door behind herself.

She then headed downstairs, she made her way to the bar, "My usual breakfast basket, Charity. Only this time more, with some uncooked meat--the bloodier the better and lot of it. Also, could it be packaged, so that is doesn't make a mess. Along with extra coffee, some milk, and rum."

"That a rather larger request that usual, are you expecting someone," Charity questioned.

Reign paid her extra, "Perhaps. This should cover last nights tab also."

Charity nodded and walked to the back, she came back a few moments later with a large basket, Reign took it, then nodded a thanks as she left.

She headed towards the woods, once there she began calling his name, "Hisao? I know you're here, I've come with breakfast. Hisao?"

- Darn beat me to it, I was planning to do it right as plunged for some tavern maiden. -

He stirred awake slowly, he sat up and placed a hand over his head; aware of the nights events. A girls screams echoed within his head; flashes raced before his eyes. Whatever, whoever he ate last night came back up within seconds. His mouth and chest was covered in blood; the ground before sickened him. He held his stomach from the queasiness.

Slowly he made his way to his clothes; he barely managed to put his pants on before he started again. Beside the tree he bent over; his hands resting on his knees. He remember the girl; the tavern maid that obsess over his playing, she was his newest victim.

He ignored his name being called, he was too sick to answer. Part of him hope she didn't find him as he knelt shirtless; violently tossing up his meal from last night. He knew she would; that was his luck.

Rainilda's ears perked up when she heard the sounds of someone being sick nearby, she followed the sound and was led directly to Hisao. She set the basket beside herself, then knelt down and began to rub his back.

"I know you probably don't want to be seen in your darkest hour, but there's a source of fresh water for you to clean yourself up with nearby, I can take you to it--unless you already know where it is. I've even brought you some fresh meat and a bottle of rum, if you think you can hold it down. You're probably going to have a rather empty stomach after all the heaving you're doing anyway."

Examining what head had thrown up more closely she could make out a bit of flesh and bone--a hand with a ring on it. Hmm, he got my least favorite tavern maiden. If he hadn't have, I probably would have myself. Well at least now I can get the ring back that she stole from my quarter, she though chuckling quickly grabbing the ring and throwing the scrap of flesh and bone back into the pile of vomit.

"That's one way to get my ring back, the wench stole it right off my finger as I slept when I first arrived here close to five years ago. If you're wonder it was my Father's--it was something from one of his first plunder's. Thank you," Reign grinned as pulled out her handkerchief, wiped her fingers off, and wrapped the ring in it--quickly storing it back into her pocket.

Hisao looked at the young women weirdly, he would say something about her last comment but decided against it. When he felt that he was done he slowly stood. He brushed his hair off his shoulders, lucky none of the vomit got in it. Slowly he walked back grabbed his shirts and his datemaki. He still thought it was weird that the girl still was nice to him, even after the silver and vomiting up a tavern girl situation.

"I'm good." He said about the food, he knew where a small pond of water was. It was through a bush across from the tree; it's one of the reason he often came here. Granted he was only here for a week. Hisao put his undershirt on loosely, never covering it up. He was self-conscience about the scars from when he was mauled by the original werewolf, it's why he rushed to put on the undershirt; only the blood kept him from closing it. He knew it showed that he was a old farm boy, his physical form never changed but the scars made him feel disgusting along with the killing and eating his victims.

He went through the bush to the water, placing the other articles of clothing aside, he began to wash off the blood. When he was done he placed on the outer shirt, closed and tucked both of them in; still wet from the water. He came back through the bushes while tying his datemaki. "Glad I could help." He said to the girl, he was glad she got it back but it was how she got it back that bothered him.

"Sorry, if the part about the ring sounded weird. I normally work on the saying what goes around comes around, unless situations elevate and I need to take further evasive action. I wasn't the only person she and her husband wrong--I was just the only person who never complained about it. I was only seventeen or so when it happened, much smaller than I am now and with half the crew I had had prior. Many men made me very sick when I got here with what they tried to do, I normally don't like to talk about it. Though I will say this, I did overcome it all and I was able to pool some more strength from it, too," her voice was rather small as she spoke, as she never spoken with anyone about it. Much less the times before that, when he family was still rather whole. Why she was being so open that morning, even she didn't know. Perhaps it was because she had rested decently and wasn't out sailing, even she couldn't tell for sure.

She followed Hisao, feeling a bit like a puppy--instead of a pirate, "Well, could I offer you some fresh milk for your stomach? Would you at least join me for Breakfast, you don't have to eat. We could go further upstream, there's the small waterfall and a good bit of shade."

He placed his daisho back on his side, he never felt safe without it; which was ironic since he was a werewolf. He decided to leave the kimono off, it was a beautiful morning. He knew what men did too women in cities like this, where he was from men were just as bad. Just allot of the girls committed jigai afterwards.

He nodded politely, he rejected her last night and didn't want to offend her again. He placed his kimono on the casket's handle before picking it up to preserve a free hand. "If you want." He said lightly gesturing her to lead the way, he was hopefully wanting to get away from this spot before someone came by. It wouldn't take long before they hunted for the dead girls killer.

"You've got a lovely daisho. If you'd like to I would love to show you my sword collection some time" She grinned as she walked ahead of him, about ten minutes later she had made it to her favorite spot and settled down on a large shaded rock.

"Have a seat," she cooed, as she scooted over to give him plenty of room, "So, what do you think of Tortuga so far? Have you found a favorite place, yet? I myself like to dive into some of the underwater caves, with food from time to to time. Then again, I love Tortuga as a whole--it my home."

She went about and pulled out what she normally ate from the basket and then poured herself some coffee into one of the cups. She then sipped on it for a few moments and set it down beside herself.

He sat down next to her. "This daisho belong to a old samurai by the name Masakazu. A great warrior in his younger days." He looked at her. "The same man that gave me this curse; took his life." He said barely over a whisper, it was more then decorative it was the weapon he swore to drive into the stranger's still beating heart. He looked out at the water and smiled slightly.

This place wasn't his favorite, but his favorite was destroyed when his family died. "It's like every other place I been to outside of home." He said bluntly. "The trees aren't as strong or over flowing with sakuras; the air here is musky, rotting in scents not sweetly filled with lilacs and other flowers. The streets here are crowded with women looking for a man's touch, where I am from those women are in one single place; the Red Lantern distracts. However those women where sold, forced to be there by their fathers, not like here." He said wearily; he meant no disrespect towards her.

"It's just different here, the way men act; they hold no honor." He said looking back at her, he didn't understand why she liked it here. Why someone like her would be in a place like this.

"I must say, swords with history are by far the best and yours has an interesting history," Reign grinned softly. "Many of my swords have a great history behind them also. I keep them aboard my ship in my chamber's--lest one of my swords be compromised and due of fixing I have another. This one was something my Father had had crafted for me after I completed my sword training, it's never failed me yet, but sometimes it has to be re-silvered."

"I myself, had a place that was my home, once--a few miles out of the riverfront town of Maastricht, Holland. I lived there with my father the infamous dutch pirate, Roche Braziliano, but after he died it no longer felt like the great home it once was. The manor still stand's, the maid's still paid, but the home is no longer where I belong. My Father readied me for a life on the sea. He always said, 'You are my little mermaid, a life on land is not where you belong, but the gift of the life at sea is where you shall forever prosper. Your name will be known at many ports and on many great sea's, as you are my child--my only protégé.' I'm only at port a few months out of the year, not only do I get that bit of down time to relax, I inspect my ship and restock it for another voyage. I've lived briefly in very many places--some more beautiful than others, one no more permanent than the other as the sea is forever beckoning me back. When I'm at port, normally I'm there for the select few people I know, as they don't prefer the water as much as I. As for harlot's they are everywhere, they're either sold into the trade or wander the street's with no self-worth."

She paused as she ate a bit of the fruit she had in her hand, she then pulled out a cloth napkin she had in the basket, laid it flat on the rock, and place the foot upon it.

"The men here are like most of the men anywhere else, except the lot of them are dressed nicer and have higher standings in their society. I myself had an elbow rub with my mother's family when they spotted my ship of the coast of London. My Uncle is in high standings with the King's army. I hail from hail from great pirates and known nobility. I have a good sense of both world's, thought my Mother was removed from the great Winthrop's after her untimely passing she was forgiven. I wasn't trusted as much as the other child of my generation, but I was strangely accepted with open arms. That was years ago though, we're no longer on terms, as I wouldn't lay down my sword to become a house wife."

He smiled at the girl; it was weird the man never smiled as much as he did hear with her. "I would love to see them one day." He said nicely for once; it was completely out of character for him which was very scary.

He closed his eyes, still smiling and faced the ground. "My father trained me as well as my grandfather; Masakazu, though it was more for if I was drafted into war." He was a simple farmer at one time or another but that life died and drifted with the ashes that were once his home. "My father and grandfather didn't get along; my father shamed his family." He opened his eyes slowly and looked at the girl. "My father choose to be a rice farmer; when he was to learn the way of a samurai. He married beneath his family status." He looked at the water. "He disowned my father, said he had no son but taught my brother and I as his apprentices. Didn't want weakness in the blood." He said still smiling. "I am a son of a Rice farmer from small village near of Yahagi River. My mother was sold as a child to pay off her father's debts; she was a local seamstress." His smile faded when he started remembering them. "My twin sister, Sadako was being sot after by a friend of mine; two days before her marriage to him. A stranger came knocking on the door." He stuttered from a small crack in his voice. "My home, my old life, my family, it all vanished that night." He took a deep breath and looked back at the ground. "Don't loose your family, over what you are, what you choose to be." He said never looking back at her.

"My home, my father's dumb jokes, my mother's singing, my sister's playing, my older brother beating me up daily, their laughs. You never know how much you'll miss them till they are gone." He said looking at her; he didn't know why but he enjoyed talking to her. He felt relieved to, he trusted her even though he just meet her. She was the first person he opened up to after that night, probably the only one he would.

Whilst he spoke to her, she had started to eat her meal again and chewed it carefully, then swallowed before speaking, "Has anyone ever told you that you've got a lovely smile. Pardon me, the subject had to be broken for a moments time. Perhaps today you can come with me today, I let you see my swords and even show you around the ship a bit. My first mate docked the ship earlier this morning."

"It seem's we have more in common than I thought, two members hailed from honorable blood married those of lower class out of love. My Mother was supposed to marry a man of nobility, but she met and fell in love with my Father, she fled England with the assistance of my Father and a few of his men. Unfortunately, I was an only child as my Mother died shortly after I was born. The Winthrop's don't much like me after I publicly defied them. They were never truly my family, my Father was--is and my crew are."

"The place I used to call home, soon lost it's touch as ship replaced it. The garden out back my home--I'd play around and have toy sword fights with my Father, but the maid's would get mad when we played around it. He sung me to sleep every night, tickled me awake every mornin'. He taught me how to sing, how to fight, and to love. He was my Dad--my Mum, my best friend, and my mentor," Her eyes welled up as she spoke and the tears rolled down her face, so she looked away from him and dabbed them on her sleeve until they were gone.

She took in a shaky breath, "Please, tell no one of this. I can't be seen as weak , the insult that could come with it would be unbearable."

He couldn't help but smile at her compliment; they were allot alike in many ways. "I would like that." He replied looking back her, he enjoyed swords. Never had a chance to get one of his own, even with his Grandfather's it wasn't the same. He never earned his own.

He listened to her stories, they were similar in ways. The love she had for her father made it sad. He wanted to get her a hug but held back. "If you want, I have a custom in my country. We write a letter on a paper lantern for our ancestors then at night, we light it then set it out in the open waters. The light of the flame guides the way for our diseased family spirits as they depart." He looked at the girl before continuing to talk. "It is a tradition every August thirteenth through the fiftieth, I write a letter on a paper lantern for my family, I send it out." It was all he could do while he was away from his village, otherwise he would pray at their graves.

The smile stayed on his face and he chuckled a little at her last words. "Well if you want, the first wise comment from anyone; you can sick a wolf on him." He said playfully to lighten the mood.

"Excellent, you would happen to be looking for your own would you? Almost every time I go to Japan I get given a sword, let's just say I helped dispose of some mongrels that were harming the town and it's people," She grinned and paused herself, "I would love to learn how to use one, as one continent's fighting styles differ from the next. In exchange, you'll get your very own Katana of your choice."

"I would love to, I usually just get drunk and sing the songs my Father sung to me as a child, especially my Lullaby. My Mother made him promise that he would sing it to me every night just before she died, as she sung it to me from the womb and right after I was born. Your tradition sounds more pleasant than mine," She chuckled thinking of the previous year when she lost one of her boots and was found passed out on the shore with a bottle of rum in a her hand, "The only problem with sicking a wolf of them would be if you got hurt or caught."

He shook his head 'no' to her offer. "The sword they give you is a sword of honor. It symbolizes your connection to the village, to the people. You would dishonor them, bring shame if you gave one away or sold it. You bring dishonor if it is stolen on yourself. It is not a gift to be given lightly, I will train you if you wish but a well crafted katana is earn by being a great warrior." He was not a warrior, he was a monster; nothing more nothing less. The only reason he could carry these was for revenge, afterwards they would be his due to honoring his grandfather's death.

He sighed softly and looked at the girl. "I understand that all to well, my Shamisen belong to my sister. I played it in her memory; she use to drive my brother and myself insane playing it while we tried to sleep." He said chuckling at his sister's memory. "It is time to cast off the lanterns again within two weeks time, if you wish I can even teach you to make rice paper lanterns. It is very time consuming." He said sweetly.

"Oh but imagine the look on their face once they see you have a werewolf as a crew member. Other captains would run in terror." He said jokingly, he would never really hurt people for fun.

She chuckled, "I knew that you would say no, but instead of keeping one you have my open permission to to play with the one of your choice anytime you'd like. Then next time I sail to Japan, I'll send for one especially crafted for you for teaching me.To refuse such a gift would be extremely dishonoring for you will be my mentor."

"I would love to learn and participate in your casting of lantern's as I love to learn things and pool them in with tradition's of my own. We could start on the lanterns after I show you around my ship, that way they would be started early. You're very fortunate to have had siblings and it sounds as though you loved your family very much--that kind of love never dies so long as you keep it with you," Rainilda purred.

She was taken aback when he spoke of himself as her crew member, "So, you've come to take my offer then. If there's anything you'd like to place upon then ship, you're more than welcome to place it in my quarter's for the time being. There's a reasonably sized side room in my cabin that's vacant--it's got a bed and a cabinet for your thing. Before I forget, welcome to the crew. I myself play the violin from time to time--I took lesson's as a child."

He smiled at her, she knew his customs to a point. "Very well, I will teach you everything I know about sword fighting and anything else you wish of me." Hisao said sweetly, he was actually enjoying his time with the woman. He never did understand why he was so open around this girl, but at the time he didn't care to question it. She made him feel human once again; something that wasn't so easily done.

He nodded in response. "Though you said you will be leaving after a week. I will teach you how to make flying lanterns instead." He told her happily, it was the same just with flying lanterns. He rarely made them but they were just as easy to him to make. "Everything you want to say however, say it on the paper of the lantern." At the time, he wasn't the best sibling. He wrote countless of apologizes to his victims and his family on the lanterns. He often prayed for them forgiveness in hopes they find peace in the after life.

He nodded lightly. "That is if it's okay, training will take a while all on it's own. First we need to build you so you can learn mentally, then the physical training can happen. Mental weakness is not aloud in the way I was taught, your sword most be a part of your arm as well your mind." He said bleakly. "More mental then anything, you can't think that slows your reaction down." He told her in a warning tone, the training was hard, that is why woman were not allowed to fight where he was from.

She finished her meal and spoke once more, "That would be most excellent. You may want to eat then, you'll need the strength. If you wait too long, the meat will spoil. That and I plan on keeping you to myself today, so that you have an alibi and won't have to worry about confrontation."

She chuckled, "You must not have been listening all too well, I'll be here for about a month. My ships soon to be taken from the water for further in inspection--any needed repairs will be made immediately, the entire ship will cleaned, supplies with be reviewed and then restocked. I usually wait until warmer weather to have my ship worked on, but I only trust the builder who crafted her to do so."

"So, we should have time to craft both---it's up to you though. As I said when we met formally I will have more than enough time to get to know you. Along the lines training, I was aware that it was a more mental training. Though your teachings were similar to mine as the sword is an extension of one's body, if one did not move without thought they would not only endanger themselves but the ones around them."

He looked at the basket, that was the last thing he wanted after the morning he had. "No thank you, I will eat when my stomach settles. " He replied politely, he wasn't feeling good still. She was nice and he liked that.

He looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry, my mind hasn't been the same since the accident. " His mind had a hard time remembering time base information since he was turned. It was something he wasn't use to yet, everything seem to blend, so he offend took notes and counted the days to remember.

He nodded lightly, most training were except his grandfather had him bloody his knuckles down to the bone and kept him training still. He remember the nights his grandfather kept him up to train and the pain he cause to strengthen him and his brother up. "Come to think about it, maybe I will soften the training for you." His grandfather was brutal to his brother and himself. "My grandfather use to have us train til we bled, if we bled we were weak and have to train harder. He made us hang upside down from ropes and made us strengthen our abs, if we fell. We would fall on a bed of pointed rocks. Tore my brother's back up, then he beat us with a bamboo stick for falling." He said letting her know how he was trained, she would hate it if she trained that way.