Morning, January 22nd..

Fire.. Crackling, snapping, popping, spitting.. His eyelids were heavy..they didn't want to open. Beyond that fleshy wall, he saw flickering orange light..

He grunted. He was laying on something..soft.. He tried to curl his fingers.. Cloth.. Bedsheets..?

Something touched his back..right in the middle of his spine. It was cool..wet. Then it started to burn. It sunk in, right down to his core..crawled up to his brain, the sensation biting and clawing..tearing at his innards.

No.. He wasn't..being eaten.. Yoma didn't..start from the back..right? Tylor.. But then..why was he on a bed.. Maybe he was hallucinating.. Maybe he..wasn't on a bed..but still in the forest and in the snow. The fire..the trees must be burning around him. He must be..too out of it to smell the smoke..

"Mmph.." he hissed, whined..tried to lift his head. Pain screamed in his neck. He'd had his head turned..for a while..

"You will remain still lest I make a mistake and further injure you. You have absolutely no idea how difficult this task is."

A voice..from behind him. He couldn't tell if it was male or female. Definitely..not Tylor, though.. Toby wheezed out the breath he'd been holding..sucked in a new one. He tried to move his legs.. He..couldn't..

"I shouldn't like to be bothered with knocking you out. I already had to do such with your dog and that was taxing enough for that thing hardly stayed still."

"Giz..mo.."

"There. You are finished. I will advise you against any attempt at escape because you will indeed fail. Sleep now.." He felt a hand in his hair. It was a coarse touch..and was more like a push down into whatever he was laying on. He didn't want to..go back to sleep.. He needed to get up..

He had to..

"Hmm.. perhaps some of this.."

He grunted. Stars exploded in his eyes. The back of his neck stung..felt warm from the strike. He slipped into unconsciousness without any chance for protest.

Denise's player. Thank you!! ]

Early morning, January 23rd..

"Mmph.." he grunted, turned his head. Pain screamed in his neck and across his back in three select spots. He panted for breath..tasted meat and vegetables on the air. His mouth was stuck to the pillow under his head. He tried to lick his lips.

"Don't strain yourself too quickly, else I may just have to stitch you up and knock you unconscious again."

He could only grunt in response. He had to..get control of it.. He had to find out how much it hurt..so he could know how much energy he could spare in forgetting about it..

Something..was bubbling. He gripped the sheets in his hands, coaxing feeling back into them. He tried to do the same thing to his legs.. It..didn't work..

"I-I..where..am I.."

"You're here and you are alive. Considering the state that I had to pull you back from, I daresay that that is a miracle. You have been asleep for two days, Toby," they said. He recognized..this voice. It was the same..as the last time he was awake. They were hoarse, almost..their tone low. But now..he could tell it was a woman. He didn't question how she knew his name..he figured that would be a waste of energy. From now on..he should just assume that everyone he came across already knew who he was.

"Do you believe you have the strength to keep something down? You must eat, you will not be able to heal yourself if you do not."

He groaned..pushed into the bed. It was enough..to lift his head up. He twisted it the other direction, his neck didn't want to cooperate with him. He saw the rest of the room he was in. Across from him, on the opposite wall, was a large fireplace, orange flames crackling in the hearth. His coat was hanging on the wall..next to a black cloak. To its left was a large iron stove, on top of which was a pot. The woman, dressed all in black..stirred with a silver ladle.

The room wasn't big..about the size of three of his rooms at the inn put together. It was..cozy. Above all..it wasn't the forest.

"I..don't know.." He wasn't really hungry. The thought of eating..made him nauseous.

"You do not have a choice in the matter," the woman said, spooning up whatever was in the pot into a wooden bowl and settling it down on the small square table at the head of the bed. He tried..to see her face. He couldn't. It made him uneasy.. Why.. "Relax yourself, I will help you roll over."

"Help..me.." It made him try to turn..look at himself. He was without clothing, save for the pair of black boxer shorts he had put on..how many days ago. He wondered..if that was bad. His left thigh was bandaged tightly..as was his torso, he realized. Taking deep breaths..was weird. But.. "My..legs.." He was..trying to move them.. But they weren't.. Were they..asleep..? "Why can't.."

The woman was standing beside the bed. She was taller than he thought she was. He watched her put one hand on his right hip..and shove at him. He flipped over, and then some.. His legs.. He hadn't felt her touch him..

"Whilst I was mending you, I had to extract a five inch knife from the center of your spine. I'm afraid that the use of your lower body isn't a current possibility." She moved..placed that same hand at the back of his neck and pushed against him. He didn't help her..but she was easily able to get him to a seated position. Her words were still sinking in.. The use..of his lower body.. His legs..

He leaned over, against the wall that the bed was set against. He bit on his lips to keep them from trembling..but had to cover his face with a hand anyway. Moisture coated his fingers within seconds.

How was he supposed to..help Katt now..

"Here. You need to keep up your strength," she said. She pushed what he figured was the bowl into his left arm. It was warm.. He could smell it. Stew..or something like it.

He choked..tried to curl into the wall. It reminded him..of when Katt made it for him.. He had been living with her..in the villa.. And..and..

"Get a hold of yourself, you incompetent child. If you hyperventilate any longer, I cannot be held responsible for my actions. That noise is pitiful, and coming from one such as you... Though I guess it is to be expected." He heard the clicks and thuds of something being set down. He grunted..sniffed when he was smacked across the back of the head. He pushed his face into his hands, palms shoving into his mouth and nose. He tried..to calm down.. Tears still squeezed out of his eyes.

"That's better. Now I may continue." She hadn't..pulled her hand away. It was heavy, and a little awkward. Her fingers were thin. He wondered..if she was trying to make him feel better.. "I've said that it is not a current possibility. But you know as well as I that you have the ability to make it so in the near future. The fact that you are sitting here before me now with scars on your flesh proves this to me. You know how to manipulate your yoki and heal your wounds."

Toby squeaked out a questioning noise, his head swiveling again to face her. His brow was wrinkled so much it hurt. The woman pulled her hand back..her cowl hidden head lowered in a single nod. He could just see the outline of her jaw, chin and neck. Her mouth was small.

There were only three kinds of beings that knew about that.. He counted swiftly in his head. She was no Yoma..because his gut wasn't churning around..and because she hadn't eaten him while he slept. He hadn't met one..that didn't do that.. That left..Organization..or Claymore. Eyes swiftly darted around the small room. He didn't see the silver glints of armor..or a massive sword.. He looked at the door, but..

While he was doing that..she had retrieved the bowl of stew..and held it out for him.

"But for you to be able to do so, you need to build up your strength." He swallowed..took the bowl from her. He didn't want to eat it..not right now. He set it down on his lap..grimacing as he didn't feel a thing.

He glanced aside to the woman..who had crouched down in front of the fireplace..tossed sticks into the flames..with that same arm. He wondered..if her other one was hurt.. Or if she only had the one.

"Who..are you.."

"My name isn't important. You will probably forget it once you're healed and ready to depart, so it's not required that I tell you. I may have an idea what you're thinking though. I am not from the Organization, nor am I a warrior. Had I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already. I am merely an observer," the woman said quietly. He grunted.

"Then how..do you know about me.." He thumbed the spoon resting on the lip of the bowl. The stew..didn't look that bad. He started stirring it..tried to cut a chunk of beef in half. It didn't work too well.

"As I have stated... I am merely an observer. And I am good at what I do," she said, standing and turning for the door of the cabin. "I will be outside gathering firewood. I doubt that you will desire more food, however."

He was left by himself. He didn't want to lean away from the wall..he was scared..that he'd fall over. His legs..didn't look any different. But..

He shook his head..scooped a small bit of broth and vegetables, bringing it to his mouth. It warmed him on the inside, burning away the cold fear he was starting to get used to feeling. He sniffed several times..wiped his face with the heel of his hand..and continued eating.

Katt's..tasted better..

Denise's player. Thank you!! ]

His first instinct..was to tell her that he didn't believe her. It seemed..too weird to be true. He felt confused, he noticed, more than scared. He wondered..why..

She didn't say anything else. Neither did he. They stared at each other..until she smirked at him..and turned back to the stove. She stirred the pot slowly..pulling it out and dumping the stew she had caught back in. It plopped and splattered loudly in the silence.

"I.."

"You're an interesting being, Toby. Perhaps I was wrong in assuming you would be displeased by this face. I would think that being face to face with one that thought nothing of your destruction would be awkward," she said softly, retrieving a wooden bowl and spooning up stew. She turned and offered it to him..again with that same hand. Her clothing hid the rest of her body. He couldn't tell..

He reached out to take it, paused..then finally gripped the bowl. He wasn't hungry. The vial..had fixed everything.

"It's..just weird. I don't picture you..as that person. You're nice," he said as he shuffled back to the bed..sank down on it. He didn't want to..but his legs needed a break. If he had his way, he wouldn't sit down again. "I suppose..it's because I've never seen your face.. I can't imagine you..trying to kill me.."

"Just because you cannot imagine such doesn't make it any less true. You know this, correct?"

He nodded, staring at the puffy carrots and fat chunks of meat bathed in broth. It smelled good.. "Yeah.."

"I daresay you are the first whom has told me I was... 'nice.' Such a term is not usually employed for the description of one such as I." Her voice was different..softer. He glanced up at her. She was staring at the pot like he had just stared at his bowl. "You realize that I have no intention of believing you either."

He snorted softly. "Just because you don't..doesn't make it not true..right..?" As he asked, he felt the right half of his mouth turn up. Denise looked sharply at him for a moment. It froze his expression in place.

She nodded once.

"Mmph.." He couldn't think of what to say next. She didn't just know of yoki and Yoma. She was part of that world, just like him.. He could never really look a Claymore in the face for too long..so his eyes diverted to the fire. He had to set the bowl aside on the bed. It burned his legs. He scowled, thinking..rehashing the conversation in his head.

"I should have known..from the beginning."

"And what do you mean, may I ask?"

"You didn't say Claymore..when I asked you before..who you were. You said that you weren't from the Organization..and not a warrior.." His head swiveled around to her. Her eyebrows shifted on her scarred forehead. "Only Claymores..don't call themselves that."

"Hmph. You are correct. Had I any further interaction with any other being, I wouldn't have made that mistake. But as you see, such thinking isn't necessary." She gestured to the cabin..moved so that she was leaning up against the wall beside the fireplace. Her cloak shifted..like she was folding her arms. "I believe you have questions you wish to ask me, do you not?"

He blinked..nodded softly a couple of times. She did the same.

"In light of that, I would like to make a suggestion before we converse any further. We are not to lie to each other, or leave any query unanswered. Lest we run the risk of having information falsified or withheld from us. Is this fair?"

His head tilted. He sat back a little..folded his hands loosely, letting them dangle between his knees. "How will we know..if the other is lying..?"

"We will not. However the prospect of telling an untruth will plant that seed of doubt within the mind and give us pause," she said calmly, shrugging. "I should let you know that I have absolutely no reason to lie to you, Toby. It will serve me no purpose. You have spent a great deal of time around one or more of my comrades. This information isn't new."

He grunted softly, looked down at his hands. He didn't understand..why he was even thinking about this. He didn't..have time to do that. What the hell did it matter..what Denise wanted to know.. He needed to do whatever he could..

"We are both tired of those whom deem it necessary to withhold the truth. Let's not continue that trend."

He glanced up at her. Her silver eyes were steady. He couldn't..stop staring at the scar the cut down across her face. He'd never known a Claymore..with one before. He nodded.

"Very well then. You may begin."

Toby chewed on a corner of his mouth before he asked. "You said..you weren't with the Organization anymore.. Are you..like me..?"

"A fugitive marked for elimination? Yes, I'm certain that I am," she said, nodding. He thought..she sounded a little annoyed by that.

"What happened to you.."

He watched her take a breath. Her small mouth pursed, then she shook her head. "I had a disagreement with someone whose status outranked mine in the Organization. Such an altercation, and the events that followed it, were frowned upon and I was deemed a liability."

"Events that..followed.."

"Yes. Events that followed."

He kept track of that. She'd said..that if they lied, or withheld something..they ran the risk of the other one doing the same thing. If she was doing it now.. He wanted to know what happened..what would cause the Organization to cut off the people that were supposed to be working for them..

But if she didn't want to tell him..that was fine. It didn't really matter to him. He was just curious. And now he had the option of doing the same thing.

So he nodded..and didn't press it. Maybe she would just tell him later..or something.

"Will you..help me.." It took him a while to say it..but he didn't want to give her time to ask him something first. If he didn't say it then..he was unsure whether or not he was going to. It was stupid..that he was nervous. He stared at his hands. They were clenched tighter than they had been.

"Help you further than pulling you back from the brink of death and housing you under my roof?" she asked. He hoped that he didn't sound that ungrateful..

He shook his head. He didn't look up. "I need..to learn how to use my yoki. And I need..to learn how to fight."

"Is that so?" It wasn't going..as he hoped it would. She sounded like..

"Yes.. I need to learn..how to stay alive..and kill a Yoma."

Denise's player. Thanks!! ]

Early morning, January 24th..

Toby's hands and wrists stung. The impact from Denise's strikes still rattled his arms, even after the giant claymore flew out of his grip. It whipped end over end an stabbed into the ground some distance away. He fell to his knees, grunting. The snow..felt good on his palms.

"That is enough for this evening. We shall pick up at this spot in a few hours," Denise said. He panted..didn't look up. But he heard her spin her sword in her hand.

"No..I can-"

"If we continue with such training in your current state and at your energy level, you will sustain far worse injuries and instead of only having to rest for a while, you will pass out and most definitely lose precious time."

His hands fisted around clods of snow and dirt. It was cold under his fingernails. He felt..that he hadn't gotten anywhere..with any of it. Granted, he had only been working for a handful of hours..and his teacher..was a part of the best fighting group he'd ever known.

She was right..and he hated it. He forced a nod.

"Besides, swordsmanship is only one part of what you wished me to teach you. Recognizing and controlling yoki doesn't require such physical strength," she said. He heard the snow crunch as she walked..pulled the other sword out of the ground. He grunted..shook his hands off, then pushed up to his feet.

He hadn't gotten hurt as much as he thought he should.. He figured..it was because she was holding back, matching his skill. He had to remember..that she was the same woman that stabbed him through the back.. Looking at her now, thinking that, was really hard.

He had deep scratches up and down his shoulders and sides, one traced his cheekbone on the left side of his face. The uglier of his injuries was a slash across his middle. The trails of dried blood looked wavy over his abdomen. That one..hurt the worst.

"Come. You may rest inside while I collect some water. Take these... and place them beside the door," she said softly, holding out both swords to him with one hand. He didn't say anything..took them, and pushed inside. He nudged the door to get it to stay open for her whenever she decided to come back. The swords were left to lean against the wall.

The smell of stew and the warmth of the small room hugged him. It reminded him..of Werou. He hadn't thought about it in a while. But as he looked around at the flickering room, rubbing at his mouth..he chuckled softly.

"Did you know that you make a better door than my real, physical door?" Denise asked from behind him. He grunted..shuffled out of the way. He waited until she passed him and swung the door closed. "I was not so blind as to miss your expression some minutes ago, Toby. You must not be discouraged so quickly." She set the bucket down on the floor and pulled a second iron pot of nowhere..set it on the stove next to the stew. She poured a good amount of water into the pot and stoked the hidden fire to make it start boiling. Then she dropped a second ladle into the bucket. He figured it was for drinking. He started towards it immediately. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth.

"While your current skill level is indeed laughable, you fared better than I thought you would and only escaped with minimal wounds. You possess speed that surpasses that of many of my comrades at their beginning. And you are not a slow learner. Do you understand?" He had planted himself before the bucket..was gulping water like a fish. He looked up at Denise, droplets dribbling down his chin for a few seconds before he wiped them away.

"Really..?"

"Do not let my praise get to your head. You have a long way to go, not much time to get there, and those areas I mentioned to you are your only strong points."

He grunted softly, ladled a couple more mouthfuls of water up..then pushed the bucket away from him.

"Today's exercises were merely to obtain an idea of your state and what needs improvement. As I have spoken previously, you aren't unfamiliar to close quarter combat and therefore are quite able to protect yourself. However a sword is another entity entirely.

"You are not too strained?"

He blinked..shook his head, wondered what she meant. He was..buzzing with energy. He felt like he did after he ran. It was nice..

"Very well. Seat yourself on the bed and we will begin." He did as he was told, neck craning to keep her in his line of sight. She stood before him, her cloak rippling like she was folding her arms again. She hadn't..used her other arm once during that sword training. He didn't think..he should ask yet..

"Tell me what you already know of yoki."

"Uh.. It's..something that all Yoma have..and Claymores too.. It can be sensed by people..it's some sort of power that lets you do things.."

"A less than academic response, but yes, that is the truth. Yoki is the very essence of all Yoma. It is what gives them their strength and abilities, as well as warriors like my comrades. Utilization of such allows one to perform special skills unique to that individual. Although, there are those that are unable to perform specific actions, but they are nevertheless formidable in their own right.

"The use of one's own yoki and the detection of yoki that belongs to other beings is a rudimentary skill when one is on the path to become a warrior. It is how a Yoma is told apart from a crowd of humans whom it is hiding within. Just as one's yoki is detectable, it is also suppressible. Are you keeping up, Toby?"

He nodded softly. Now that he was inside, not thrumming as hard from adrenaline..the cuts along his body started to sting.

"By far, the ability to detect such is easier to learn than utilization. It is merely the act of recognizing signatures in your surroundings that are constantly present. The trick to successful detection is not to fight the sensation off. I am told that it is unique to each warrior, but the most common side effect is nausea." He blinked..sat back. Denise lifted her chin. Her small mouth twitched at the corners. Something sparkled in her silver eyes. "I see you have felt such before. That will prove beneficial. Remember, Toby, do not fight the sensation. Welcome it," she said. Her eyes changed from silver to gold, spliced right down the middle with a black pupil. Immediately, his gut clenched..skin crawling. Cold sweat broke out all over him. He clamped his mouth shut, pursed his lips into a line.

"Breathe through it, Toby. This is probably as close as you will ever get to a being possessing yoki, save for my comrades," she said. It sounded..like she was trying to help him..but her voice was a little hard. He wondered..if she was annoyed at doing this.. He breathed hard through his nose, pressing a closed fist up against his mouth to keep whatever was trying to come up from doing so. He swallowed several times. He had felt it before..so he knew what was coming, but..

"Very good. Get yourself used to the feeling of resonance. I will begin suppressing my aura, and you will tell me if you can still feel it."

The feeling quickly went away. He huffed a breath, closed his eyes..relaxed. His head shook. "I can't..anymore."

"Hmm. So you are able to sense yoki when it is released, though not suppressed. This is nothing to be ashamed of. Detection, like battle skills, is a special ability that a few of my comrades have perfected beyond imagining. I daresay, though, that you will not meet a being willingly showing you their power. The stronger the feeling you get, the stronger your opponent. Soon, you will learn to differentiate between separate sources of yoki. We may be able to practice such later."

"Why..does it feel so bad.." he asked. He wasn't that nauseous..but he felt like he wanted to lay down.

"Consider it like recognizing the face of one you haven't seen in quite a while. It is merely your own yoki resonating with that of another. Yoki is a part of the Yoma within us and it goes without saying that it is something that does not agree with our bodies. Therefore the reaction from such resonance is less than pleasant," Denise said, shrugging softly. "But as I said, this is only a rundown of such abilities. While sensing yoki is indeed important, using your own is a matter of life and death. I shall assume that you are currently unaware of the limits placed on the action?"

"Limits.." His hand dropped to his stomach and he rubbed it. It had settled down, but still..

"I will take that as a yes. Yoki release has five stages. Ten percent, and your eyes change color as mine. This is something that I know you are capable of. Thirty percent, and your facial features begin to take on Yoma characteristics. Fifty percent and your body follows suit." She had held up her right hand, ticking off points on her thin fingers as she explained. "Eighty percent is the cut off for reverting back to your own human figure. Eighty percent, and you are done. One hundred percent is a full fledged awakening, the complete release of one's yoki."

Toby shivered, looked down at the floor. He saw her shift on her feet, heard her shake her head.

"I should have known... You are no stranger to any of this explanation, though you lack the discipline and the skills required to recognize what you are even doing with your own body. I am surprised that you haven't awakened already."

His head shot up again, he stared hard at her. He knew his face was frozen in a scowl..and that should he try something stupid..it wouldn't succeed.. "I'm not going to fucking awaken."

"Hmph. We shall see. For now, let us focus on healing your injuries. None of them are deep and they will disappear without a trace. Relax yourself, dig deep within the hidden well of power you hold, where you know your physical strength comes from..."

He shook his head..tried to rid himself of the irritation he'd felt. His eyes closed, he squeezed his eyelids tightly until he saw stars. He clung onto Denise's voice. He'd never..done this willingly before. It was usually whenever he had to..when he was close to death. And even then, it wasn't really even him doing it.

A vision of the demon face flashed into his mind. It sneered at him, its ridiculous mouth hanging open. His body felt warm. With each beat of his heart, the warmth spread..buzzing in his muscles.

"Very good. Release it until you feel the pain from your injuries diminishing... then hold that level of yoki, contain it, keep it from reaching out any further..."

He breathed long and slow..the scratches on him were closing. His stomach didn't feel weird.

I knew that you would be back, boy. Calling upon me, releasing me and then trying to hold me? Let us see just how strong that Human willpower of yours really is.

"Toby, that's too much," Denise warned. His chest hammered..he felt the beating in his head. His eyes flew open. They burned and throbbed with yoki.

It felt..good..having it spread through him. Like stretching after hours of using his muscles. It was freeing, relaxing..the sensations danced down his spine, shot into his legs..made his toes curl on the ground.

"Goddamn it, you idiot." Denise's rough voice cut its way into his ears. His right cheek stung..his head snapped to the side. He grunted..blinked. She had..backhanded him..

There was laughter in his mind.

"You were doing just fine, then your yoki began spilling out of you like it was water and you a broken canteen," Denise spat, gripping his jaw in her claw-like hand and jerking his attention around. She shook him once. "If you cannot withhold yourself now, then there is no use in continuing this farce of a tutelage. You will not be able to control yourself when your life depends on it and in battle you will have no such opportunity to lend energy to keeping your yoki in check." She threw him from her hand and spun on her heel. She grabbed one of the swords leaning up against the wall when she was close enough to it and stormed from the cabin.

He glanced down at himself..ran his finger across the angry red line of dried blood where his cut had been. It didn't hurt..and didn't bleed.

His thoughts were spinning. The silence vibrated in his ears. He was..too surprised to really feel guilty..or anxious about the fact that she might not..come back.

At least not yet..

Recognition momentarily stilled the rise of her yoki, and her annoyance, as she listened to the brief words of the figure. A voice like dried autumn leaves, possessing a certain sadness and compassion that she had never before been able to discern as true or false...

The words had been spoken by that of her Handler.

"Habbor, you fucking bastard!" she snarled out into the night, words accompanied by several flecks of blood and saliva. The mixture coated the bulbous chin of her distorted face. "You owe me a lot more than a mere explanation of these events. What is the true situation? Why have I, following your instructions, been struck against by a comrade of mine?"

"Denise," he began again, his shadow drenched, portly body stepping slowly towards her with each prolonged second; perpetually silent. "I know you are upset with me, but I urge you to calm yourself."

"Bullshit!" she bellowed. Her muscles twisted beneath her skin violently, causing her pain strong enough to give pause. She lifted her now grotesque imitation of a right arm, complete with blade still wet with her comrade's organs, and held it aloft at the male who dared near her in such a state. "She would not stifle her claims of my lack of control, insisting that that which I attacked this evening wasn't a Yoma as specified, but a regular human child. But I could detect the taint of his body as clearly as I can my own. What then would give Lillia the idea that I have betrayed the Organization?"

"You were always my favorite, Denise. Your intelligence, your prowess and your skill. You took to your application like kerosene to a match. It lit you up, gave you power-"

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Those trees around them that had not yet been destroyed quaked under the pressure of her rising voice. Throat dry from the exertions of battle and now burning with the aftermath of her declaration.

"I traveled here as quickly as I could, but by the time I had arrived, your comrades under my care had already been slaughtered. I'm assuming that Number twelve was sent to dispose of you as per her own mission."

Neanderthal brow furrowed, her muscular arm lowering slightly, Denise expelled a sound of surprise. "Why? What have they done? What has any of us done but follow our orders implicitly?"

"I am afraid that it is because.. of me, Denise. The Organization disapproved of my work with a young child and sought fit to-"

"This... is... your... fault?!" A labored breath split the words and made them a chore to utter. She could scarcely believe that which she'd been told. Every single one of her comrades... dead by the hands of one of their own. A mission approved by the superiors of the Organization. Did they not think to merely punish the one that was to blame?

"Denise, please, you must remove yourself from this place. Dispose of Lillia's body and suppress your yoki aura as best you can. Because I did not get here in time to warn you your actions against her will not be forgiven by the Organization and you will thus be marked once more."

"SHUT UP! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! DO YOU NOT THINK BEFORE YOU ACT?!" The immense pleasure of the rise of her own yoki scuttled across every single nerve ending she possessed. It sank within her core, touched the deepest recesses she did not know could be felt. Flesh stretched painfully beneath armor and clothing. Feet armored by sabatons grew and pressed against the reinforced silver struggling to contain them.

"If the Organization does not see fit to carry out the proper justice upon those which fuck up the lives of ones such as I... I shall take that responsibility in their place," Denise hissed to her former Handler. She had made a swift, self preserving decision and she continued to let her yoki rise. Every slight movement she made drove pleasure across her senses and she, for a moment, wondered what about such bliss could be so horrid.

"You have breathed your last, this night... Goodbye, Habbor. I shall not thank you for your attempted good deed."

The next second found her standing atop the frozen lake's icy crust, the normally gleaming heels she instilled pride marred by the grey matter and broken husk of bone that was previously that of Habbor's head. The Handler's body lay in pieces behind her, blood blackening the grass and surface of the ice upon which she stood.

Denise tossed her head back to the sky, mouth agape and sharp with teeth like pointed rocks gnashing at the cold air. A rainbow of hues danced up about her slim figure, evidence of the continued release of yoki she hadn't bothered to once temper. Her throat further eviscerated itself around a demonic cry that she would make sure reached the ends of the earth before it ceased.

Denise turned about on her heel and pitched her blade outwards into the night. The whooshing sound of displaced air became harder to hear after the first few seconds.

She could not specify what exactly about this current situation irked her. It all had to do with that boy in her cabin, the chosen child who was the beginning of the end of her previous reality... as well as that of her former comrades. She had not lost nearly as much as they. An arm was a small price to pay instead of one's life. Coming face to face with his pitiful attempts at bettering himself, his disrespect for that which could draw and quarter him without a second thought...

For what worth was Habbor's experiment? Was teaching one deficient human boy more important than she, or her comrades? She failed to previously see the comparison... and such was still the case.

A sigh left small, pink lips as she followed the path of her flung blade.

And now, that same deficient boy was asking her for assistance... to save the life of his friend. Having had only a handful of successful experiences with the human race, Denise couldn't fathom his ability to care about another being. Especially since he possessed the same taint as she, albeit in a much smaller quantity.

Slow, thoughtful footsteps ate up the snowy ground beneath her and she was soon standing within the small clearing that housed her modest domicile. Her blade jutted up at an angle, shining from whatever meager amount of light hit its razor edge. She could sense the boy still inside the cabin, pacing if she was not mistaken.

"I will discern his worth myself... and the worth of this friend to him," she muttered softly as her only thin hand closed about the cool hilt of her sword. She deftly freed it from the frozen earth's grasp. "And if I am not satisfied, I shall dispose of him as I should have been able to that night."

Denise entered the cabin with the force of a tornado, cloak upset and flapping at the backs of toned legs. The boy whipped around to face the sudden disturbance, his aquamarine eyes wide in puzzlement. Only one such as she could make out the silvery sheen in them which denoted his taint.

She stepped into the cabin and slammed the door behind her. The man before her received nothing but the dirtiest look she had ever fixed one of his stature. Arm raising slowly within the space between them, sword point bathed in the flickering orange firelight... she angled her weapon directly at Toby's chest.

"Before I even consider eating my own words and continuing that which I've started, I would like to speak to you about something. I urge you not to lie to me, Toby. The answers you present me with could mean the difference between you having the capability to aid your friend or exiting this cabin with your life."

Denise's player. Thanks!! ]

"AH!" He froze. The wood of the doorframe two inches from the right side of his face crunched and exploded inwards. He jerked away from it, staring..at the shining length of metal that stretched back to..Denise. It came from her sword. No..that wasn't right. It..was her sword.. The hand around his own blade was suddenly slick with sweat.

"You recall, do you not, I told you previously that warriors sometimes utilize their yoki to perform special skills unique to them." Denise twisted her wrist..her sword groaned, warped back into its original length and shape. She spun it in her palm..pointed it at his chest. "I possess such a skill. I am able to temporarily send my yoki into an object that I am touching and cause its physicality to change. I show you this now so that you may become familiar with that which will lacerate you if you are not careful enough.

"I also do so because I wish assess whether or not you have the potential for such an ability as well. Take up your sword, Toby, and we will begin."

She didn't..sound the same as she did last time. She sounded angry again..he figured she was. Why.. Because he didn't give her the right answer..? How could he know what the right answers were..when he didn't even know the questions she was going to ask him..

But it couldn't be completely bad..because she was still here, still willing to teach him.

Or was she..

He gulped..shook himself..and lifted his own blade.

She came at him fast..too fast for him to see. One second she was there..the next in front of him. Their swords made an X. The only thing that saved him..was that he was already holding it up in a protective stance.

"Protect yourself, or you will die," she said, her voice like ice. She sprang away, whipped her sword arm like she was trying to fling something off of its edge. She hadn't moved any more than that, but he was forced away from her, pain biting into his shoulder. His own blood tickled his arm as it ran down from the cut. He stumbled back, sank down to one knee. He had to..get a grip.

"You are not safe at any range from a Voracious Eater. Just as you are not safe at any range from me." She sprang at him again..the strike came from his right. He yelled..impact rattling his arms when their blades clashed. He skidded back on the wet ground.

"You must force the upper hand on your opponent or you shall fail." He slashed..it was sloppy. She parried it without thinking, spinning..slashing at him in response like her sword was just an extension of her hand. He found the ground at his back. The cold made goosebumps rise immediately. There was a new wound across his chest.

"Pathetic. The reason I told you not to let anything get to your head was because I was hardly sparring with you in any manner of seriousness. You say that you wish to kill this Yoma, do you not? That you wish to rescue the friend that you care so much for, this Katt girl? Prove it to me, Toby. Pretend that I am that which stole her if you must, but take me lightly no longer for I am still unsure whether or not your head is suited for your shoulders."

He shoved to his feet..shook himself off, clenched and unclenched his hands. He was..getting used to the hard impacts. He had been right..sort of. Learning swords wasn't that hard. They were just..longer and heavier. He had to compensate..

Pretend..that she was Tylor. He could do that..

If she was Tylor..he would be paying attention to that churning in his gut.. But he barely felt that now.. He wouldn't hold back, he would let himself lash out with all the strength he had..in every blow. He didn't know if he would have to release his yoki.. If he did, that wouldn't be good.. He already knew what he could do..without doing it.

"Pretend.."

"Correct." She came for him again. Their blades created another X, but instead of waiting for her to back away, he pushed his heels into the ground..shoved at her. The swords' edges scraped against each other. He slashed..swung his sword like it bat. It cut through the air with a whoosh, clanked into Denise's waiting blade.

They traded blows..pain bit into his arms and sides all over again. But it wasn't happening as much.. She performed an overhead slash..he lifted his blade to meet it..then dropped to a crouch to try and kick her legs from beneath her.

She vaulted into the air, her black cloak flapping. He pitched to the side just in time. The screech of her blade sounded right before the place he'd just stood exploded in clods of dirty snow.

He launched himself into the air to meet her..already raising his blade. He saw the smirk on her face too late.

"AH!" he screamed, her lengthened sword wrapping around his right thigh..easily slicing into it. The cold air rushed past him as he was flung back down into the ground. The impact echoed in his chest. He coughed spots of blood, choked..tried to get air back into his lungs.

He had to get up..he couldn't stop here.. He felt his heartbeat in his back. Denise called her sword back to its original state. Crimson flew out of his leg. He had to.. Get a handle on the pain..ignore it..prepare himself.

Pretend..

Tylor..

Warmth surged into his body from that place deep inside him, the one Denise had told him to reach into. It spread into the tips of his fingers and toes..throbbed in his chest and eyes. Yoki..

He drew his sword across his chest, effectively stopping her attack from hitting where she wanted it to. He drove her weapon back..sat up quickly. Pain stabbed into his left shoulderblade.

"Never show an enemy your back." He ignored it..he had to. He switched his sword from his right to left hand..jumped away from Denise, leaning forward. He caught the ground with his palm..spun upon it in a one armed handstand..then set himself down, facing Denise. His teeth were grit..yellow cat's eyes glared at her.

He hadn't tried to show her his back..she was just too damned fast..

"You maneuver your body well." His gut clenched around a sudden feeling of nausea. He pitched to the side again..her sword screamed and gnawed at the land he'd just jumped away from. He hit the ground running..refused to recognize how each pounding step made his right leg shake.

She caught up with him first. Her pale blond hair shone as she spun, dealing blow after blow..a handful of which he could only dream of dodging. Suddenly, his wrists ached..the sensation traveled into his fingers.. She was able to bat the blade away from him with a single blow. A straight shot kick hit him in the stomach next..and he folded in half as he flew back. His body slammed into the ground..slid back until his head smacked into a tree trunk.

He rolled over, or tried to..he just barely succeeded. It hurt to cough, but that's all his body was letting him do. Vaguely, he heard snow crunch from behind him.

He..had to..

"Hmph. And you were able to keep hold of your weapon for a considerably longer amount of time than when we last practiced. I am impressed.

"I see that I was correct in my assessment. Your affinity lies within your ability to move your body. As I have spoken previously, you have great speed for one at your level. With enough practice, you will become formidable. That is should you not be put down first."

He opened his eyes..his surroundings were shaking. One part of the sky was pink..orange. It rippled. Sunrise..?

"Come. Shake yourself off. We shall continue." He grunted..shifted so he could look at her. She was standing before him, her blade stabbed into the ground..reaching out to him with her right hand.

He hesitated..before he took it..and allowed himself to be yanked to his feet.

Denise's player. Thanks!! ]

He grunted..relaxed his hand in the folds of her cloak..and listened.

"Katrina was the eldest child of one of Balenga's many families. And as such, most of her time was spent aiding her parents in the care of her younger siblings. She was never one to bemoan her fate, however, and seemed to enjoy the fact that she was so depended upon and needed by others.

"When she grew older, Katrina became owner of her family's bread and bakery, an establishment that had been a part of her life since birth. One day, whilst she was leaving her shop, she happened upon another young girl who had fallen unconscious upon the ground. She was bone thin, obviously dehydrated and malnourished. Her red hair was long and matted, knotted and full of debris.

"Katrina took this child into her shop and fed her generously. When asked about the girl's origins, Katrina was told that she had no place to go as she was trying to leave Balenga to locate her family. Katrina took pity on the young girl and assumed then and there that her family had either died or chosen for some unknown reason to abandon her along the way. Nevertheless, she made a deal with the child. Katrina offered to take on the girl as her apprentice, give her a place to call home until the day came where she was strong enough to continue her journey. At that time, she would have life skills, strength and money saved up to make such an expedition easy.

"The girl readily agreed. They lived happily together for nigh on a year. During that time, the girl grew to love Katrina deeply. She was not only physically beautiful, but beautiful in heart and mind. Never did a dark word pass from her lips to another, nor a dark thought mused upon. Katrina confessed to the girl that her greatest of many faults was her lack of courage. She didn't possess bravery and avoided conflicts religiously. The girl denied this harshly, explaining to Katrina that she was the bravest, strongest and kindest person she'd ever known. Most of all, the girl told Katrina that she no longer wanted to leave, but stay in Balenga with her... for she was now family to her. Katrina smiled, and they wept together that night, tears of happiness and of hope for the future.

"Such a future... would not come to pass. Balenga Valley was attacked continuously within the next week until it was overrun with Yoma."

She stopped talking..the air buzzed with its new silence. He shifted..his eyes roamed back forth under his eyelids. They didn't really want to open. He was comfy here..he felt..safe..

"What..happened to Katrina..?" he asked, his voice was barely a whisper.

Vaguely, he heard Denise shrug..shift under him. "She was killed protecting the young girl from harm. And before you even have the chance to ask your next question, yes, the young girl indeed lived."

"Oh.." He felt bad.. His chest twisted slightly..he didn't like guilt. "Denise.."

"What is it?"

"I.." He grunted..moved his hand..and patted her knees, rubbed them with his palm. He couldn't really say it..even though he felt sorry for her. He had a feeling that this story..was about her..that she was the little girl. He pushed his face into her lap..then sat up. He turned his head away from the fireplace, refused to look at it..or the knife still on the ground.

"Hmph. You are a curious being, Toby. Though you do look a bit more colorful than when I first laid eyes upon you," she said. He blinked as she reached forward and patted him on the top of the head. Then she stood, turned for the door. "Come, let us continue. Soon you shall have no room in your mind to focus on trivial matters."

"Trivial.." She thought..it was..? He stared at her..watched her pick up one of the swords leaning by the door.

"Indeed. You may be worried about your friend, for it is your ambition and your goal. It is that which you are working towards. However, you must not let it take you over. Because then you shall be useless, no help to anyone and merely a mass of blood, flesh and bone wallowing in your own self pity and guilt.

"You told me previously that your friend was not dead. Are you eating your own words now?"

He blinked..glanced quickly aside at the fireplace..then pushed off of the bed. He was tired..worn out. His panic and fear made his body stiff..but he made it to the door, closed his right hand around the remaining sword. Denise smirked at him before letting herself out of the cabin.

"I'm glad to see it." She held the door for him..and he followed her out.

Denise's player. Thanks!! ]

Night, January 25th..

"Stop," Denise ordered. He immediately sank down to his knees..the sword clattered to the ground. He pressed his hands into the snow, hissed a breath of relief. He glanced up to her..and found her looking off into the night, her own sword arm slowly lowering. What he could see of her face was set. "We will rest now. There is a small pond in a clearing beyond this cabin to the south. You may bathe yourself there." He blinked..shakily pushed to his feet.

"Wouldn't..that be cold..?"

"You stand before me dressed in naught but a pair of flimsy silk shorts, what is your point?" Her voice was dry. She turned, but kept looking over her shoulder for a few more moments. "When you have finished, come inside. I have something I wish to speak to you about." She bent down and curled a few of her fingers around the hilt of the sword he'd been using..brought both blades into the cabin. He watched her go..and moved to find the pond she talked about.

The snow crunched under his feet as he walked..he barely felt it. He couldn't remember..the last time he'd taken a bath. He'd washed off a few times, though.. He had to shove through a cluster of skinny trees, but he could see the pond through their branches.

It was tiny..and half of it had already been cleared of ice. He glanced over his shoulder. Not at the cabin, but at the place that Denise had seemed to be interested in. He hadn't..seen her look at anything with purpose other than the stew and the fire. He shook his head, slipped his thumbs under the waistband of the boxers and stripped them off. Then he took a breath..jumped into the half frozen pond with a loud splash.

******

By the time he pushed back into the cabin, half of the water still clinging to him had frozen. It made his skin feel funny. His hair was hard as a rock. He sucked on his lips to keep them from trembling.

Denise was at the stove, stirring the fat iron pot. The smell of stew was stronger than he'd remembered. The clothes he'd worn when he was attacked..were smoothed out on the bed. They looked clean.. There was also a massive leather belt that looked too big to go around his waist.

"I doubt that you were able to feel such whilst we were training, or when you were outside bathing," Denise began, setting the ladle against the rim of the pot and stepping away from it. "A large concentration of yoki has been passing through this forest to the northwest. I know not whether it is the same being that nearly killed you or another, though I don't believe it to be the latter. The most puzzling about this incident is that the reading I managed to make, while brief, was sporadic and seemingly uncertain."

He blinked. She'd had his attention from the first four words she said. He stood frozen, holding the door open. It wasn't helping..the cold feeling. Belatedly, he shut it behind him. His chest felt funny.. It was..anxiety..? He knew how adrenaline made him feel..it wasn't that..

He wondered if that was bad..

"What..does that mean.."

"It means that something has caused that which wields said yoki deep unrest, perhaps a battle of some sort."

He swallowed..hard. He didn't know..what she wanted him to do with this. And he just stared at her. It was the first time that he had seen her roll her eyes.

"If I am correct in my assumption, then the time to strike is now whilst this Yoma is on the road to recovery. Do you understand?"

"But..what if..it's not..?"

"Then that is something you will merely have to ascertain now, isn't it? Come, you must eat something quickly then dress yourself. I daresay, even for one of your stamina, that running around in shorts is not very healthy. Not to mention it leaves your body wide open."

He stepped away from the door, forcing his fingers through his hair. He looked down at his arms as he sat down on the bed. The cuts on them had disappeared. He was..getting good at using that small amount of yoki. Denise held out a bowl of stew to him. He spooned it up faster than he had the first time.

"You're not..coming with me..?" He hadn't wanted to ask that. He was supposed to do this by himself, right..? Now that he thought about it..actually going outside, to do this stuff seriously..

"No, I'm not. I have already stated such previously. I have no desire to aid in anything that will benefit the Organization. You are not of them, you barely qualify as a swordsman, so I therefore deemed it just fine for me to help you."

His spoon paused on the way to his mouth. "You're..wanting me to go..but you don't think I'm ready..?"

"Child, had you the amount of time required to hone your skills, such wouldn't be a problem. But as we have already determined, you do not. Ergo, it doesn't matter when you leave, for you will not be ready for a while. My point is... you cannot pass up this chance. The difference in experience may indeed still be significant... but your odds will be better in the long run if the beast is weakened.

"You must remember... that you are running out of time. You cannot pick and choose your battles, Toby. You can never back down."

He didn't..really feel like eating anymore. He put the spoon down, held the bowl out to her a second later. She took it from him. His head swiveled around..he looked at his clothes on the bed..and his coat on the wall.

"Okay.." He scooted to the edge of the bed..and stood up, then started to dress himself. It was weird..wearing clothes again. He found socks hiding under the maroon silk shirt. There were still holes in all of them..but they weren't stiff and didn't smell like blood.

"You may use these," Denise said, kneeling before the hole in the floor and pulling out a large pair of sturdy boots. "That ridiculous footwear I found you in has no traction and seems to be only for show rather than practicality." He nodded..stepped into them and laced them up tightly. He grabbed his own dagger from the mantle and it disappeared on his person. He stared at the mithril dagger..before moving to his coat, and shoving it in its hidden sheath. He hoped..he didn't just mistake those flickers.

He shook his coat out with a hard snap, and shrugged it on. Its weight felt familiar.. Denise moved to the mattress and took up the large belt..holding it out to him. "It goes around your chest and is fashioned to hold a blade like mine. I would put it around you myself since you seem to have seen nothing like it before, but I am unable to."

He glanced down to her left side..but didn't let himself stare too long. He took the belt from her..and worked it around himself as best he could, buckling it securely. He tugged his coat down, straightening it. Denise made last moment adjustments.

"You are correct to assume that I only have one arm, Toby. My other was lost in those events that followed your attempted execution," she said, stepping back from him. She looked him up and down, then tilted her head. "It is the jacket. Your outfit seems a touch awkward, but I shall hold my tongue on such matters. You may take the sword closest to the door. It doesn't matter to me if you choose to bring it back or not."

He blinked..then snorted. He didn't think..that she thought he would survive. It wasn't a very cheerful send off. He turned..took the specified sword..and shoved it into the sheath on his back. It felt weird..to do. Ever since the first time he'd seen Lisa do it..he'd wanted to be able to look that..cool. Now that he did..he didn't really feel like it..

He bit his lips..pulled the door open, turned his head to look at Denise. Something barreled into his ankles, yipped..tried to jump up his leg a few times..then hid under the bed. He blinked.

"I wish you luck, Toby... I shall confess that I would very much like to see your return. If only to pick up your animal." He couldn't tell if she was kidding..because her face didn't change. Something about her eyes was different though..

He nudged the door and made sure that it stayed open..then turned and stepped to pull her into a tight, but very quick, hug. She rolled her shoulders in his grip, grumbled. He felt her hand on his chest, pushing at him.

"Thanks..Denise.." He felt the spot where her left arm should have been..then pulled away from her..and tugged the door shut after him, closing it on her scowl.

She'd said..northwest. He had no idea which direction that was..but he remembered which way she had looked. He sprinted in that way, hiding the vial under his collar.

As he broke into the trees, started weaving through them, he realized he didn't know..whether to be hopeful or not worried..