Looking for a Friend

[Danielle Otis]

The morning air was a bit dull; not the most pleasant to walk around. It was cloudy, and damp. But that did not stop the citizens of Avaleur getting a start to their usual busy weekday morning. And Danielle Otis was no exception; but this was no ordinary busy weekday morning.

When she was usually on her way to the pub to wait tables at her waitress job, Danielle was instead searching. It was a peculiar thing; she did not trust nor respect the man who told her, but still she was searching for something she thought gone. It was clear that, at that moment, pride did not mean much to her. Where others would deny what a man they hated said, Danielle fought and hoped that it was true.

Could Roland Longfellow be telling the truth? Could Dax still be alive?

He could have been lying, and Dani knew it fully. But in her eyes, if she did not fight to find out if Dax really was gone, what sort of friend was she? And besides, she still needed to give him a mouthful about how it was rude to tell a girl you love her, and to disappear the moment after.

Her baby bump was not visible under the heavy coat she wore to protect from the cold, as she walked around town, searching.

She had little to go by- nothing to go by, really- but she knew she had to start somewhere. So she walked and walked, asking people if they had seen a man named Dax. All would shake their head in a no. It frustrated her; what luck she would have if she could find another crux, but no. There were none that she could see.

Dani wanted to find Dax for multiple reasons; first and foremost, she needed to know he was alright. He was her friend after all. Another, of course, she had to mouth off to him. That was a given. But a smaller reason, a reason none the less, was that she needed a friend at that time. Her parents could not be spoken to- her father was simple, her mother (to put bluntly in Danielle's words) was a bitch. In truth, Danielle needed someone for emotional support. And she did not have anyone, really. There was Xavier. And, perhaps, there was Dax.

She figured he was in no emotional state to listen to her problems, but she felt that even his company would ease her pain.

An hour into searching, Danielle huffed, and leaned on the side of a building she didn't even glance at. Tears were in her eyes; tears of sadness, frustration, confusion. Her hormones were not helping her in that state. The woman felt stuck as she rubbed at her eyes, frustrated she was even getting upset.

The neko girl saw a person to her right walk out of the building, and finally she took a good look at it. The church. Her face twisted in a bit of disgust; that moment, Dani was not very happy with the gods. She couldn't find her friend, whom was probably dead. Her lover was in a coma. And Eric...she was not even going to think about it. She shook the thought from her mind.

She slid down the wall of the church and sat down, pulling her legs to her swollen belly and wrapping her arms around them. As if she were going to fall apart at any moment. Now, more than ever, Danielle needed a friend. An acquaintance. Somebody.

The woman sighed as she shoved her head into her knees, frustrated at the tears that dripped onto her pants.

[Seth]

"Tch. Poor people." Lianne says after looking down at Dani with friends. "I would be crying too if I looked like that." She laughed and so did her posse'. "Come on, my fathers holding a party down at the lake tonight."
"Isn't that lake rented out to-"
"The other lake." Lianne answers quickly. "I swear it's hard being this young and beautiful." She complains.
"Poor Lianne'." A girl says as they walk by.

"Oh there once was a man named Ragnar the Red who cam trotting fast from old' Rorikstead." Ethan sang as he walked towards the church, feeling good about himself for once in a very long time. After spending some time with Granny and listening to what she had to say, Ethan had become a regular at the church, even a volunteer. For once he actually had something to live for, becoming a better person than he was before. He was also becoming more accepting of his natural form, the nine-tails, as mages called it.

"I think we're going to buy this church and destroy. Make a shop here or something. This place is SUCH an eye-sore." Lianne says
"Woah wait what?" Ethan asks as he catches word of that as he walks by.
"I said we're gonna get rid of this place." She says again.
"No you ain't." Ethan says, "This place is the only church this towns got. Where are people supposed to go?"
"Not MY problem." Lianne' says. "This place is a dump, it generate a profit for us if it were a...another pub."
"Jack's is fine, we don't need another pub." Ethan argues. "You're just gonna run Jack's out of business?"
"Yup. We're going to take every cent this city has. The queen will regret crossing me." She says evilly.
"That's fucked up..." Ethan says. "What if the pastor says no?"
"Oh he'll say yes." She says. "Everyone has their price Ethan, whether it's money, things, a new job as a head pastor in Tetra's church."
"You wouldn't..." Ethan says.
"I would, and will." Lianne laughs, "Why do you care, you don't even care about religion?"
"I didn't before, but I do now. I go to this church, we're like a family. You can't just destroy it to build a resturant. We're we supposed to go?"
"Ouu, sorry to hear that. Well at least you heard the news first. Now you can go and tell the rest of them that their final service is soon."
"Almora wouldn't-"
"Almora's not here right now is she?" Her friend says.
"Ay talk to me like that one more time and we're gonna have a problem." Ethan threatens, and the friend immediately backs down.
"Listen, Ethan. It's nothing personal...well not to you anyway, it's just business." Lianne says. We'll be back tomorrow to buy this church out. Tah-tah." She waves and her and her posse' leaves.
"...Damn this city's fucked up." Ethan says frustrated. The more he saw of it, the more he liked living in Almora's forest better. Then he noticed Dani'. Normally he would have just walked away, but he was more..hospitable now adays.

"Hey'." Ethan greets the distraught mother. "What's goin' on?" He asks. He wasn't the best at this.

[Danielle Otis]

Danielle listened into the argument with the man and the girls. Danielle at first did not care; though she had to admit, it seemed a bit cruel. After all, it was the only church in Avaleur. Even if Dani was pissed of at every god that she could think of.

But then Jack's pub came up, and she got a bit angry. She worked there after all- no way was it going to get run out of town by some whores.

But she did not say anything, feeling as if there were more pressing matters at hand as she thought, tears still dripping, about where Dax could be. But suddenly, a voice seemed to call out to her.

Looking up she met the eyes of a man she did not know.

Was he concerned? Remembering the wetness of her cheeks she wiped them with her sleeve. Probably. A girl as young as her crying was bound to attract some attention. Especially of a man whom was high in his religious values.

"Just...trying to find a friend, is all. Not having much luck," she smiled a bit weakly as she finished wiping the tears, and rested her arms over the swollen belly she had.

"And I don't suppose you're having much luck either with those girls, hmm?" Dani wasn't exactly going to spill her whole life story to a man she just met- as much as she wanted to- but she thought that perhaps keeping a conversation would make her feel better.

[Seth]

Ethan looks up to see the figure of Lianne' get smaller and smaller as she walks away, "Yeah...Lianne' Whitmoore'. I used to work for her. When she got kicked off the throne she took it personally, now she's out to overtake this whole town with money...once she buys this church, I think she'll win..." Ethan says as he looks at the church sadly.
"I know how it is when it comes to looking for friends. They always seem to be the hardest ones to find when you need them most." Ethan sits down next to her.
"Who are you looking for, maybe I can help." He asks.

[Danielle Otis]

Danielle wasn't dumb; she would never give a name out to someone she did not know. She would not mention Enoch or Dosise. Or Dax. Eric. Sophie. Anyone from either life that could be harmful to herself or that person.

But she was not a very happy camper. Upset, angry, hormones raging, belly swollen, friend missing, lover in a coma. And she was suddenly craving fried fish.

"Dax. He's a crux. I can't find him for the life of me. I thought he was dead, but someone told me otherwise. I'm probably just wasting my time, but..." she fumbled her fingers together for a few seconds, before smiling weakly.

"I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't try."

She finished wiping the tears from her face, now dry, and rested her hands on her stomach. It was of course bigger than it should have been for someone pregnant at that stage; after all, three kids were involved, not just one. It made her think of the future; children without a father. Widow without a lover, or friend.

She was desperate to prevent it.

"Don't suppose you've heard of a man like that walking around, hmm?" she turned her head to look at Ethan, smiling a bit. With hope.

[Seth]

Ethan was wide-eyed when Dani spoke and a bit of anger built up in him but it all subsided when Dani finished, she was probably manipulated by that evil Crux as well.
"Yeah, I know him." Ethan states, "Got to know him real well when he sliced my chest open." Of course he exaggerates a bit, but Dax did leave a scar across Ethan's chest the time they battled in front of the castle, Dax being the victor of course.
"He's dead." Ethan says, "Roland told us so himself. They both got put into a dark portal, Roland was the only one who came out, black blood all across his armor." Ethan recounts the event. "He managed to save a little cruxling though, don't know what Dax was doing with him. Gotta be honest with you though, can't say I'm not happy he's dead. Bastard killed a lot of my friends." He states, "If I were you I wouldn't even give him an afterthought. That guy is better off dead."
Ethan looks at the church, the look of worry on his face. What was he supposed to do when the church closed? It'd been here for generations. It was the only thing to survive the first seige of Avaleur when the kingdom collapsed.

[Danielle Otis]

Danielle's body stiffened- but she quickly relaxed. Of course many people hated Dax. He was a thief, a murderer. A damn good one at that. But Dani couldn't help but feel that he wasn't all bad.

"He's always been there when I needed him. He's never expected anything in return. You don't have to like him, I get that there's a hell of a lot of people who wanted him dead."
"But I'm not that kind of person... I'm not the person whose going to give up until I have proof."
Roland had told them he was dead- so clearly the man had lied. Either to his own men, or to Danielle. But why would he lie to his own men? Who would want to protect Dax?

Not to mention, it was more plausible he just wanted Dani out of his way. Telling her Dax was alive was the best route.

But something stuck in her mind. The young cruxling Ethan was talking about. Perhaps that boy knew something.

"Where's that cruxling now? Can you maybe show me to him?" her head was turned to him, eyes watching carefully. Even if he could not find him, she had a lead. At the very least.

[Seth]

"Hm? Ethan raised his eyebrow at the odd question, just coming out of his worry about the church. Exactly what did Dax do for this woman that she's so bent on being in denial about his death that she'd go as far as to question one of his victims?
"Well uh..." Ethan thinks for a moment, feeling a bit sorry for the poor woman. It was honestly hard to recount the events, he was too focused on trying to save his friend from another assassin that attacked.
"He stayed at the castle for the night he was rescued and then he was brought to Rorikstead. You know how Crux are, always wantin' to stick together." He chuckles at the thought, a bit of envy in his voice.
"I haven't seen em' around at all though, guess he ain't a fan of the city. You could try talkin' to Ryn, he keeps tabs on everyone." Ethan himself didn't even know why he knew that, but he shrugged the unsettling feeling he had aside.
He was about to send Dani on her way, the old him would have sent the distressed pregnant woman off by herself into the dangerous forest path, but now Ethan knew better. Almora's message replayed in his mind 'Never worry about numbers, help one person at a time and start with the person nearest you.'
He sighed, "Shit...Alright I guess I'll take you there." He wanted to spend the day training, he wanted to try out to make the ELITE guard in a few weeks. He needed all the practice he could get. This would just have to be a rest day.
"Comon'." He says, but in a friendly way.

[Danielle Otis]

Hope sprung up in her face as she stood up, her belly more in view. A small smile on her face. So this was it- maybe she was going to find Dax. All she had to do was find the cruxling, and ask him if he knew where Dax might have been.

And she had to admit she was great up for Ethan's help. She had no idea how to get to Rorikstead, after all.

"Thank you. I really appreciate this."

[Seth]

"Yeah, don't mention it." Ethan smiles. After twenty minutes of small talk and walking towards the Avaleur forest path, Ethan finally got fed up and hired a carriage to take them. The trip on foot would have taken two hours. In the carriage Ethan curiously watched as the sunny landscape passed by them. The green trees, the sunlight capturing the flowers and the sounds of nature all around; these were all things he'd always taken for granted until recently. He thought about what the oracle said, was he really happy here? Not in this country, but in this realm. Did he really belong here?
He would have kept staring out the window until he noticed the awkward silence and looked at Dani, who was still in distress.
"Listen," Ethan begins, not sure what to do to break the ice. "Let's just say he is alive? What then?" He questions.
"You know he's a murderer, you know the things he's done. Why go back to him?" Ethan for the first time felt something strange coming from Dani. It was very feint though, it obviously wasn't her, but there was something in her...he couldn't figure out what it was. It felt dark and cold, pure dark and cold.

[Danielle Otis]

He seemed like a nice fellow. A bit odd, perhaps one of those obsessed Almora followers. But, probably not. Enjoying scenary and wishing for the continuation of church didn't mean you were crazy.

But, that was just how Dani thought. Still, a nice fellow.

On the carriage, she stared down at her lap in thought. Would she really do it? Find Dax? It seemed impossible. But, she had a lead, and that was good. At the very least she might get a confirmation.

Danielle did not know how she would react if it turned out to be true that he was dead. She had never had anyone die in her life- other than Stacy. But that was a bit different. She had seen Dax just a day before she found out. Stacy, she hadn't heard from in years.

Dani looked up as he began to speak. It was only natural he was curious. Dax wasn't exactly the best person around.
She could only smile.
"Well... I owe him quite a bit. He's saved me quite a few times, and never expected anything in return. We haven't gotten along in the past, but because of that, the fact that we do get along now makes all the difference. I owe him at least finding him.
"I also don't have many friends. He's one of the few I have. Seems like the people I care about aren't having much luck lately... so if he is alive, that'll make things better."

Emotionally, at least, for her. A bit of support, even if he were to do what he usually does. Make jokes at her, poke fun. Try and annoy her in every way possible. A little bit of normality in her life.

"As for what I'll do when I find him," she spoke as if she would. Dani didn't know for sure, but if she said if, she might not believe herself.
"I'll bring him home."

[Seth]

"You're joking right?" Ethan asked, but then realized that she was serious. He didn't want to cause tension in the carriage with a woman he just met, even if she did give him a bad feeling.
"Well you know he's an outlaw right? Harboring him would get you thrown in prison with him." He states simply and leans back in the carriage a bit exasperated by this woman, was she in the right mind?
There was a bit of silence as the carriage pulled to a stop.
"Here we are." The driver said and opened the carriage door, letting in the sunlight from the peaceful town. The bridge to the village was blooming with trees and the sounds of Crux training could be heard from afar.

"I'll never understand these guys." Ethan states, helping Dani out. "They just keep fighting, they don't stop. It freaks me out." Course Ethan doesn't mention the difference between fighting for sport, and fighting out of anger.

[Danielle Otis]

Danielle didn't reply to his comment about herself being thrown into prison. She didn't exactly care; she doubted this man knew she was a criminal herself.
She nodded a thank you as Ethan helped her out of the carriage.

The girl looked around, straightening her posture with a small smile on her face. It was easy to see that she was feeling more upbeat. Nearing the possibility of finding her friend, it was a wonderful feeling.

Oddly enough, even as she had a distaste for the church at that moment, she prayed that she would find Dax. If not that day, the next. In a week. Any time, and it would be good.

"It freaks you out because you're not used to their culture. I'm sure if you spent a long time with them that you wouldn't be freaked out."
She took a step forward, face bright, before turning to Ethan and clasping her hands together.

"Right. Where are we starting?" Dani started, before raising her eyebrows.
"Oh, on the assumption that you're staying."
Ethan really had only said he would take her here. As nice as it would be to have someone try to help her, he had done a lot for her already. In her humble opinion.

[Seth]

"Ay girl, look..." Ethan sighed, he had no intention of being this pregnant woman's escort, especially with that dark feeling around her, but before he could voice his opinion, a Crux appeared right in front of him.
"Greetings human, I'm-" The Crux is silenced when Ethan, very startled, threw a punch and knocked the Crux out.
"Oh shit!" He exclaims reacting on instinct. He then realized what he'd just done.
Immediately about four Crux appear, all in training Gi's
"Contain the threat!" One yells.
"Now hold on just wait a minute-" Ethan tries to explain.
"CONTAIN THE THREAT!" The three crux yell, and one touches Ethan, sending shock waves through his body. The equivalent of getting tased, but rather than yell his body gets very stiff and he turns to Dani and points, still completey stiff, "This is your fault." He says and then drops to the ground, his body twitching.
Two Crux immediately begin to carry him to their prison.
"Greetings cat woman." One of them greet Dani as if nothing ever happened. "How can we be of service?"

[Danielle Otis]

Dani reached a hand out slightly, eyes wide as she stared in confusion. She supposed Ethan did just hit one of them, but to act so quickly?
She was about to say something when he said it was her fault. She pursed her lips.
Not my fault your natural reaction is to punch someone in the face.

Not that she didn't feel bad at all, he did help her. But she could deal with that later.

One of the crux greeted Dani, and she had to smile. It was as if that did not just happen. At the very least she had to be thankful that she wasn't being taken away as well just for being with Ethan.

"I don't exactly know his name, but is there a little crux around here who recently was brought here by the castle? He was apparently rescued by commander Roland?"
Her heart beat faster. She felt closer to her goal now than she ever had before. Perhaps this was a reality now.

"I've come to speak to him about something," she finished, waiting patiently with her hands in front of her belly and her eyes shining a bit with excitement.

[Steele]

"Oh yes indeed." The Crux in training nods to Dani. "A truly heroic story, sir Rolandand." The Crux pronounces Roland's name completely wrong, "He saved the Cruxling from a Crux who had lost his way. The Cruxling is a bit distant, but we hope in time he'll make a full recovery. You can try the training square in pine forest, that's where sir Rolandand is and he came to speak with the Cruxling as well, or you can try the eating square, sir Rolandand could be coming for lunch. Mmmm Lunch.." The Crux's stomach growls loudly, "Lastly, you can check the school, sir Rolandand and Teacher Ryn could be teaching a seminar today. We would go, but then we would miss the teachings today." The Crux's large ears perk up for a moment and then he suddenly teleports away, leaving Dani to her own thoughts.
It was up to her to decide which location she would check out.

[Danielle Otis]

Dani stared at the spot where the crux had disappeared, still amused by the fact that they came and went so quickly. She hoped she would not be like Ethan and become startled; finding this cruxling would be still hard enough even without being thrown in this jail of theirs.

For a moment she stood thinking, wondering where to go. In her mind she realized that finding either Roland or Ryn would be her best bet. Have either find the cruxling for her, since she had no idea what it looked like.

So the neko girl set off towards the school; or what she hoped was the school. She could always ask directions if need be. But the school was hopefully her best bet in finding someone who knew the cruxling.

[Deleted]

Dani was going the correct direction however it would be like no other school she had ever seen. The schooling for the Crux was quite different. There classroom was as much in nature as it was within the building. One could compare it to a dojo, although it was quite different. Out front, a Crux and a male man skirmished in front of a small group of Cruxlings.

Roland held a much heavier and larger staff than what his spears normally were. It trained his conditioning. Upon his head was a rage to help absorb the heat of the day. Other than that he didn't have much clothing other than the rugged shorts and bracers he wore. In Rokistead, Roland looked much different. On his chin was a colored stripe. Once, he had found himself in Rokistead bonding with the Cruxlings when one young Crux came up to him with sad eyes. He asked Roland where his stripes and fur was. Roland laughed a little and had told him he didn't have any. The child stared sadly and went off somewhere. When he came back he had paint smeared on his hands. Roland looked at him questionably when he asked him to kneel down but he did so anyway. The Cruxling marked his chin with a stripe and he soon smiled widely and said, "There. Now you have a stripe too!" Ever since then, Roland made sure he marked his chin with a stripe while he visited Rokistead. It wasn't always the same color. But he always had a stripe.

Roland smirked, "Come on now Caz." He spun the poll in his hands. "Balance is key."
The two went at it. The Crux was quick and his hands seemed to be a blur as they moved to try and get Roland into a position in which he could follow with the takedown. But Roland's movements were likewise as fast. The Crux vanished in a puff of smoke while Roland turned to the side and held up a hand, catching a drop kick while his arm spun the poll behind him and he twirled, hitting the Crux still in the air on his side. The Crux took the attack well and rolled up onto his feet. His tail swayed back and forth as he too had a grin.

"Imma getcha this time Roland. Oh ye-" He vanished again and appeared behind Roland as he gave a roundhouse."ah!"
Roland ducked and spun, lifting the poll as he did so and flipped Caz onto the ground before twirling the poll with the Crux and meeting him on the ground, holding him there. The man breathed heavily but laughed.

"That's match point right?"

"Yeah... haha... yeah that's match point." Roland removed the spear and offered his hand, Caz took it and stood, giving Roland a pat on the back. From here however, Roland was no longer with his back to Dani. He looked over to her and his grin faded slightly.

"Hey Caz, you finish this lesson alright... I uh, I got to make sure this girl isn't lost alright."

"Man, always leaving me with the hard part." The Crux joked after a laugh while Roland jogged over to Dani. His chest glistening slightly from sweat.

"Hello." He stopped for a moment. "You have come to the right place if you are looking for him... but what can I do for you now?" He asked with a friendly smile.

[Danielle Otis]

At first she was impressed with what she thought to be the school; the amount of cruxlings in the area made it her only guess. But she was more surprised at what was going on in the school.

Danielle had never seen a Knight fight before; unless she included Dosise. But it was very clear, as Roland and his fighting partner drew blows back and forth, that he was well-trained. Where was it he had come from again? She shook her head of the question. That didn't matter. It was already in her luck to stumble upon Roland.

Though she still held a distaste for the Knight, he was the golden ticket.

Danielle raised an eyebrow as the crux teleported behind Roland; and failed in his move, as Roland flipped him over. The tension was broken with Roland's laugh. She was surprised that two people could be so into a fight, and just go back to casual emotions mere moments later.

But the Knight's eyes met hers, and her smile faltered slightly. She wasn't here to admire the fighting of anyone, human or crux. She was here to find Dax.

She stood where she was, leaning against a pole with her arms crossed over her chest as Roland ran over; she couldn't lie, she was relieved that he did not ignore her. After all, she was expecting it. 'Find him yourself' she could imagine him saying.

Her smile grew slightly bigger as his did, to her amusement. Was he acting? Was he truly being friendly? He was after all, speaking to the woman that had wanted to kill him not so long ago.

"I am looking for the Cruxling you brought back with you after fighting Dax," she began, one of her ears flinching with a slight breeze in the air.
"Unless you can tell me the information he apparently knows."

[Deleted]

Roland chuckled, he could feel the slight tension between them, and it was understandable tension. She thought he killed friends of hers, and she wanted him dead at one point, it was a lovely atmosphere to be in. Roland only smirked at her comment though, she was getting closer, nearing the end of the trail. It hadn't been that long of a search either, she must have at least a bit of talent. But then again it was really just as simple as coming to Rokistead.

"You're getting closer, but I can't help you with that." He started. "That Cruxling wished to remain hidden, and he is quite adept at staying hidden within the shadows. He might be watching us now to be honest with you." A subtle hint? Perhaps, really and truthfully it could be a hint to any who would have known Dax.
"You might wish to ask yourself, if I was a young Cruxling saved from the evils of a dark master, what would I do and where would I hide? Or I suppose more precisely... why would I hide?"