Within the Jikangai that held the name of Kiseki stood the Siovanui; Seirichi.
When no mere mortal of Adenna could lay a finger on you.
When no guardian of the isles could cause even the smallest quake of fear in your heart.
Who is there to fight?

Yourself.
and those like you.

There she stood. Sweating. Panting. Beaten. Bruised. Bleeding.

Smiling.

The same couldn't be said about the two forms that stood before her. They held blank expressions. Two of the many body doubles that called this Jikangai their home. One looked the mirror image of Seirichi herself, while the other that stood a few feet to its right held the privilege of being her mothers replica. Fighting technique, past achievements, knowledge: information. That was what had accumulated within both of these puppets. Information that continued to grow more and more as the seconds ticked away within the planetary globe that made up the Jikangai. It was like fighting a mirror - at least that's how it felt when she fought with her own puppet.. but the added difficulty of the Techichi one only brought about more risk, and so much more reward.

"I know you're here, Nima. You can't hide from me." Seirichi said. Her training looked to have brought about a spectator. The back of her wrist finding her forehead to wipe away sweat. "You know I don't like being watched." Continuing. Her gray eyes looking up while chin rose. Her neck craning in such a way to look straight up into the orange glow of the sky.

"Ahh.. How troublesome. I do so much enjoy watching you beat yourself up.. Can I not stay?" The Ninth Lilith of Liltu appeared then. Her body draped over what seemed to be a cloud of arcane energy. Lazily, the white haired woman looked to her sister with a pout.

"I'll let you stay if you make yourself useful.." Seirichi no longer held a smile. Her face looked to hold an expression of determination now.

"Seirichi.." A worried tone flowed from Nimas lips. ".. Don't you think it's a little too ear--" The Witch was cut off by the sudden flux of Siovanui energy that splashed over her like a supernova. The cloud she sat upon being destroyed in that instant, and Nima herself being forced to go on the defensive and raise a barrier about herself. ".. F.. Fine..!" The Lilith yelled out in defeat. She hadn't come to fight her sister, nor would she ever wish to do such a thing in the first place.

Seirichi stood there in silence. Fine was all she needed to hear. Her eyes fixated themselves on the Techichi double. Memories were useful.. her own, and her mothers. Not only that -- but the memories of those within Adenna itself. The stories, the legends.

Daichi

No longer did the copy of Techich stand. Her father, Seirichis grandfather, had now taken her place. The man who shaped the great city of Adenna from the fires of war. A warriors paradise. A place where like minded people gathered and flourished. What started as a band of warriors going from town to town in conquest.. turned to an army that crushed all those who stood in their way. A hero who, in an attempt for power, almost caused the same city he created to crumble.

"The last thing I had in that moment was my Adenna pride.. and Dyarhk took that from me.. he took it, along with his life.. He's sitting with the warriors of the past, while I'm still here to breathe another day.. to watch our children grow." Collected saliva, along with her own blood, left her lips after she spit off to the side. ".. You're not the real Daichi.. but you'll have to do."

The patter of rain hit off a wide array of materials from brick shingled awnings to window panes to the iron railings of the Lucky Cafe. It was that rainy sort of day, despite being so relaxing and ambient. But perhaps that was the bad that came along with that quiet, was the uneventfulness of it all. It was what got Aurast out of the house. Learning a few new bass lines was the perfect rainy day pastime, but you could only do it for so long.

It had gotten the bass player out of the house and going around the Blades Glory District to see if there was anything he could busy himself with. It didn't help he hadn't seen anyone he knew... no one he could have fun with. He stopped at the Lucky Cafe with the idea of getting himself a hot drink with caramel and whipped cream drizzled all over the top of whatever he ordered. He was feeling the apple cider, though.

Looking away from the cafe from underneath the awning where its patrons would be sitting were it not so rainy, he spotted the Sunrise Overlook's roof from that very spot where he was aware he could see it. Like the day, he put on a simple frown, but he was cranking the gears in his mind.

He made inside.

He placed his hands on the counter eagerly to attract the attention of Luci in her little coffee shop apron.

He showed her two fingers for his order.


He next found himself on the front porch of the Overlook, shaking his head free of a collection of droplets that had hung onto him. In his left hand was a cardboard tray for four drinks housing half that with two dark brown papercups with bright white lids. The other two drink seats kept a few napkins for whatever reasons he might come up with.

He grabbed the door knob with his free hand and turned it. He never needed permission to go here in the past... he always walked right in... and he was always welcomed and often given a plate of something to eat before he could even get his shoes off. Yes... these were things he was having to get used to not happening anymore, really.

Inside was more of that. More of the same things not being like they used to be in here. He had thought someone would be here. Corea, Christopher, somebody. ?Hello?? he asked quietly.

There was at least one person he knew was here, though.

The owner of his second cappuccino.

He removed his dew-glossed coat and hung it on the tall wood hanger at the door. Shoes kicked off, he then sock-skated (somewhat) across the hall overlooking the living room. When he reached the only closed door on the first floor, he did knock on it.

?Who's there?? Was the delayed response to his rapping.

?Aurast.? He said.

Silence.

?I'm coming in.? He said after a certain time passed. He walked in blindly when under normal circumstances he'd have had anything that could be found in a bedroom thrown at him: a lamp, a book, a whole dresser. All potentially lethal at different velocities. But that wouldn't happen this lunch hour.

?I got you a cappuccino.? He said, looking around. ?Man, it's sure mopey in here.?

?What do you expect?? Seiri began, tossing from her red nose another among the hundreds of crinkled up tissues. ?It's the rainy season.?

?Yeah... I know that. Figured that's why it was raining outside.?

?That's what you get for going out in it, and I hate coffee. I hope you catch cold.? She said, watching him.

He sat the cardboard tray down and took his drink out to hold with both hands while he eased slowly down into the cushioned chair at the vanity counter. ?Your allergies acting up?? He hushed out.

?That's my story and I'm sticking to it.? She answered with a dead-serious tone.

?Your story. Not Corea's, or the rest of the city for that matter.? Aurast took the first scolding hot sip. Yeah, that was enough to keep him just holding onto it for a while.

This surprised Seiri. She didn't think anyone, well, outside the immediate family, knew she wasn't in the utmost height of spirits. She didn't need that aggravation if anyone felt like bothering her out on the streets. She could handle it, but it didn't mean she still didn't want to avoid it if she could help it.

?Don't you have better things to be doing than bringing me, coffee, Aurast?? Seiri forced a genuine little grin out. She did find it cute he had come out here.

?Believe me. I tried. Like you said, it's this damn rain. It won't let me do nothing.? He chuckled, opening the drawer that had nothing in it, nothing but a green stone. ?What's this??

?Huh? Oh... that. It's that rock I won for beating Harris. You remember him... the blue-haired judge at the swimsuit competition.?

?Oh, that dude.? He picked up the stone to observe it before it phased right through his hand and hit back on the floor of the drawer. ?Whoa!?

Seiri grinned again, snapping out a new tissue from the tissue box. ?Yeah... it does that. Normally keep it in my underwear drawer. But any drawer's safe against that damn red panda of Nayun's.?

?Pretty neat trick... for a rock. What's it called??

?Pathfinder.?

That got Aurast thinking. ?Hm.? He looked at it once more before closing the drawer. He stood and handed Seiri the other cappuccino and then retreated back to that vanity counter's chair. Seiri, a bit hesitant, accepted the cup and did very similarly to Aurast and just held onto it. She was more busy trying to figure out what to say, or how to get him to leave.

?Thinking about getting more into the duels, are ya?? She asked, wiping her red nose with that fresh tissue.

Aurast seemed very deep in thought. He had to be tore from this thought to return to the conversation at hand. ?Huh? Oh... I don't know,? He shook his head. ?Maybe...? He was still thinking.

?You should. Go after one of the other rocks. They're trying to get it so that it's all women holding them. You could mess it all up for them.? This time she managed a chuckle while holding that cup between her indian-style legs, both under the sheet and bedspread of the bed.

?Nah...? He began. ?I think after Madness I'm done. My holiday around Rhy'din is almost over. Bout time to refocus my efforts here at home. Maybe get a serious job. Maybe start dating someone that doesn't fall under my ridiculous standards. Maybe become a little more dependable.? He said, thoughtfully.

?Good lad... you're finally acting like a man.? She says with a grin on her face, picking on the brother she never had.

?How bout you? Nothing like post-rainy season resolutions...? Aurast said, looking across the bed at her.

?Same old same old for me. I'm a busy, working Mom, Aurast. Always will be. It's a while still until Kara, Kellie and Marissa move out... and even then, you never really stop worrying about them. A few other things, sure. I'll defend that rock when Harris comes back for it. It's the only reason I'll ever go back to those duels, really.? She shrugged kind of simply.

Aurast grinned before standing up. ?I'll leave you alone.? Quiet and not like him very much at all, really. He headed for the door, but Seiri stopped him.

?Aurast.? Sharp and serious, getting his attention. ?What's up??

?Nothing... I was just thinking.? He said, shaking his head.

?No. Tell me.? Serious, but still with a friendliness and caring. She wanted to know.

He took some time before speaking, but ultimately decided to. ?You said the only reason you'll go back is to defend that rock??

Seiri blinked at him before shaking her head, unbelieving that this was what had been on his mind. ?Aurast, if you really, really knew how all those duelers are. He's the only good one, really.?

?No, that's not it.? He replied.

?Then what??

?I don't know. I was just thinking... Pathfinder's another word for an adventurer.? Aurast said before putting on a thoughtful look and then smirking. He nodded his apologies to Seiri and then backed out of the room, pulling the door to a close and then making his way back on out and into the rain to head onto the next thing.

Seiri held that tissue in both her hands in her lap again, the cup having moved over to the nightstand. Her eyes wandered in the closed bedroom to the tune of a curious new perspective.