Offtopic: This story is continued from [Strange Readings on a Strange Day].

zombzeh (10:41:38 PM): The gate itself was a metal device; a metal chamber that a Reaper could stand in, and once the Reaper was standing within and prepared for an uncomfortable and sickening trip, he or she could be transported to the designated location in an instant. Of course, they had been having trouble with these devices; the first instance of disaster had been Etsu Hikane's endeavor in Xexoria, which obviously didn't go well. Transporters failed more and more over time, and that inevitably put them in this position: using older technology that was much more reliable, but much less . . . technological. This one . . . this one worked much more like magic.

"All right. Enjoy the trip," Scott remarked as he pressed the sphere--and Eld would feel himself instantly dizzy.

Instantly ill. Immediately ready to vomit. Another problem with the magic based device was that it didn't keep the Reaper in Purgatory . . . Eld was lucky to have landing on his knees when no one was around.

As soon as the sick feeling went away--which wouldn't take too long--he'd be able to observe the scenery before him. This was unlike the green land he knew in Algeroth; it was like he was in a field of emerald, with a brilliant forest behind him, and one of a similar--yet darker--miles to the right. Due to hills, he'd not see the sea, but he'd certainly hear and smell it, perhaps the first time he had been so close to the ocean. Next to him, a brick road, leading ahead and onward for more than just a couple of miles, to a massively walled city of substantial size, large enough to fit half of a million people at maximum . . .

Of course, admiring his surroundings could only go so far, as heavy, cold rain wasn't often the most desired of sensations--of sound and feeling--and though it was only the early evening, the dark clouds above blocked out the sun entirely, giving the land an appearance of midnight--something Eld was quite accustomed to.

ZachKaiser (11:02:34 PM): "Urrrrgh," Eld groaned as he diverted all his attention to keeping his lunch down.

Another way of transitioning, another disorienting experience as he crossed the boundary between two worlds.

"I think those things are getting worse," Eld muttered when he felt he could open his mouth without his guts spilling out.

Slowly he climbed to his feet and took stock of his surroundings. It was impossible to tell the time of day because of the clouds that covered the sky that were also pouring rain down on him. Shivering, he pulled the hood of his jacket up, though that would only do so much good.

"That is a large city," he noted as began to head for the front entrance. "I don't suppose you can tell me where in the city it is?"

At the same time, he reached out with his own senses--he wasn't as good as Etsu, but he was trying to improve his non-visual senses--and sought out anything unusual...

zombzeh (11:21:08 PM): Are you all right, Master?

Although Kageko was usually asleep during the day and awake during the night--specifically to be with Eld while he slept--she was awake now. The entire Reaper situation actually gave her a bit of trouble, as she often needed to be awake when Eld was on duty, in case she was needed--but Eld was on duty during the daytime in Algeroth, and as her sleep schedule was geared for that particular land, she sometimes went a few days straight without much more than a couple of hours of sleep, often times sleeping at night, with Eld in the dark world with her.

The walls were massive, too large for anyone other than a contractor or architect to gauge a reasonable height. The brick road was fairly wide, too, large enough to allow for a massive amount of traffic, and there wasn't much--not at the moment, at least. Not tonight, in this kind of weather. The weather was just terrible, making it difficult for anyone to enjoy a nice trip to a market, and traveling merchants--who used this road daily, coming and going--often knew better than to sell on those kinds of days.

"Near the northern marketplace, it seems. If you keep on this road into the city, you should walk right into it--just keep on that road, 'less I tell you not to."

Within the city, it would have been a grandeur to gaze upon, had the storm not taken hold. Every building was chiseled perfectly and crafted out of glass and marble and a type of stone colored a brilliant rose, with an otherworldly type of architecture and design; traces of such a thing could not be seen in either Cizok, Algeroth, or Xexoria--it would be entirely new to Eldridge. Once in the city, he'd notice structures--homes--set on either side of the brick road that stretched up and down hills, with a dominating tower in the distance, closest to the rear city wall.

ZachKaiser (11:40:59 PM): Yeah, I'm fine. You have it lucky in some ways.

The problem with communicating with thoughts was that it meant he had no time to think things through. In truth, he figured Kageko had it harder than he did, being trapped almost all the time (disregarding the fact that she wasn't too fond of being outside her dark world if he wasn't nearby), but she did have the advantage in that she never seemed phased by switching worlds or anything of the sort.

"Okay," he muttered--fortunately, with the hood and high colar of the coat people wouldn't be able to see his lips moving when he spoke to Scott.

Not that there were that many people out right now anyway. Despite the weather, though, he wished he had more time to look around; the buildings were unlike anything he'd ever seen before. The entire city was, really. He was in awe, but he made sure to keep moving, lest he reprimanded.

zombzeh (11:50:03 PM): Would you like me to feel it, too, Master?

Kageko was entirely serious, too. She could feel the same as he felt, if she wanted--and if he wanted, mainly. The shade girl often did nothing without Eld's permission, and generally acted for Eld's sake alone. She didn't mind it if it was for him--like a servant devoted to a master. There was no ideal, just a person; a person that the servant would gladly give his or her life for with a smile, if need be. Or, in this case, take any amount of discomfort, just so he didn't feel alone in that category. Eld had a bit, though; there was a pretty hefty distanct to travel, during which he could converse with Kageko, if he wished. In many cases, she proved to be superior company to Scott Thompson.

ZachKaiser (11:58:17 PM): Eld was glad Kageko couldn't actually see him roll his eyes. Did she really believe he'd want that?

No, I just wish I could avoid it myself, he lamented. Don't worry about it--it's not that big of a deal.

The problem with Kageko not feeling it was that he was getting the impression she was thinking it was a lot worse than it actually was for him--he was at least in part used to deal with transitions between two worlds, even jarring ones. And while that one made him ill, it still didn't top the disorientation of seeing into two worlds at more or less the same time.

Sorry I had to wake you. This could end up being nothing.

Eld wasn't sure how the sensors worked, but if they were anything like the rest of the technology at the Dirige compound having it malfunction wouldn't be terribly surprising.

zombzeh (12:07:19 AM): It is all right, Master, replied Kageko happily.

She was just happy that he asked anything of her. It was really a point of contention between them so long ago. Eldridge had problems seeing her as a servant (and still did, of course), but she became progessively unhappier when there wasn't anything she could do for him. Even the smallest tasks contented her, such as waking up and staying awake for a few hours. It wasn't anything special, but she was still serving Eld somehow--and that made her happy.

Master, are you still going to Etsu Hikane's room tonight?

The question was seemingly random, but she only sounded as if she were curious--that's all. Really . . .

ZachKaiser (12:15:25 AM): Her question caused Eld to cough, and once more made him glad that their conversations were inaudible to the man serving as Eld's support. Not that his relationship with Etsu was much of a secret, but there was something about having Kageko ask about it that still unnerved him. Kageko managed to convince him that his relationship with Etsu and his relationship with her were mutally exclusive--literally in two different worlds. At no point did one need to have impact on the other. Eld went along with it, but it still made him uneasy sometimes.

We'll see how today goes--and of course, that's assuming she's not on duty herself tonight.

zombzeh (12:32:48 AM): Oh.

That was it, for quite awhile, too. Kageko had gone silent for a few minutes, even. Indeed, their relationship had been an odd one, one that no other man in the world could boast having--not that Eld boasted about it; it was troubling to him sometimes, in fact. Fortunately, one girl was so low maintanence that she was content just doing things for him; he didn't need to do anything for her at all. He didn't need to kiss her, he didn't need to hug her, cuddle her, lay with her in a bed of shadows, or take her out, alone, and spend time with her--but he did. That was his choice; she never asked it of him.

Master, may I ask something of you . . .?

She never asked it of him--until today.

[/i]May I spend a day with you, Master? [/i]

It was . . . something she never did, actually. At best, they had three or four hours together at night, and they could talk every so often--and then, sometimes, Eld arranged it so she could "leave" the dark world, and experience the world around him. But there were usually people around, then, just so she could meet them, usually as a means of trying to make her less afraid of others.

ZachKaiser (12:47:59 AM): Eld was entirely surprised by Kageko actually asking something of him--it was virtually unprecedented. He had a hard enough time to get her to admit she wanted something when he asked directly, let alone making requests of her own volition. Being that she could hear his thoughts, Kageko would have to put up with several false starts and much unintelligible stammering before he finally managed to kick his brain back into gear.

I-I don't see why not.

He was actually kind of pleased--he felt guilty a lot for relying on her so much and then never being able to do anything for her, so being able to actually give her something she wanted would be a pleasant change.

Do you mean in my world or yours?

He sort of assumed she meant hers, as he didn't think she could remain out with him for an entire day, but he figured he'd clarify anyway.

zombzeh (1:18:27 AM): She couldn't remain in his world for an entire day, that was true--but she enjoyed it. When she was with him, that is. When there were others around, she felt uncomfortable, and though she didn't show it--or even suggest it in the least--she felt vastly awkward around Etsu Hikane. Nonetheless, in his world, every sensation felt real; if they walked through a field, she could feel the grass between her toes, and having never experienced that as a conscious being, she enjoyed it. She enjoyed feeling a breeze upon her skin (though it had scared her to near death when it first happened!), and she especially loved the way it felt to really be close to her Master, and feel his body heat. It was the same between them when in her world--but different, albeit on principle alone.

Both, if it would be no trouble . . .

She couldn't maintain in his world for more than a couple of hours before feeling too tired to go on, so it would have to be at the end of the day, so she could go to sleep shortly thereafter. There were more citizens, now; they were generally rushed because of the weather, but they were there, out, and about--enough that it was going to be difficult to examine each individual person.

"All right, the signal is close. Keep your eyes pealed; it's moving right towards you."

ZachKaiser (1:35:02 AM): It wouldn't.

Unfortunately, that would have to be the end of their conversation, as Scott voiced his observation just as his sixth sense began to kick at him and tell him something was amiss. "No kidding it's close..." he muttered, taking his focus off Kageko and training it on the road ahead of him. Particularly, he was looking for anyone moving towards him and focusing his senses on them, trying to determine what might be causing it the fluctuations he was feeling.

"It doesn't seem to be affecting normal people yet, but...hey Scott, I just thought of something you probably aren't going to like," he said, his eyes rapidly moving over the various people still. "If you wanted to lure a Reaper somewhere, but without alerting them to a threat, what would you do?"

It may have been on the paranoid side, but Eld had experience with people he'd never met before knowing what he was and attacking him for it, so in his case it was perfectly justified.

zombzeh (2:07:47 AM): "What?" Scott asked, a bit taken aback by this.

Again, Scott found himself silenced. That . . . actually made sense, and definitely not in a good way. Far from a good kind of sense, in fact. It was the worst sense that anyone had made all day.

"Eld--Eld, get the hell out of there."

But . . . that option wasn't available. As the flickering yellow on his screen became area encompassing, Eld would find every body in motion slowing, except his own. Rushing citizens slowed until they came to a direct stop, airborn in mid run. A vast and encompassing field of azure spread, slowing these movements as it became its own veritable field--its own half-sphere placed within Emain Macha. At that moment, even calling to Scott would do no good.

"Good call," declared the hooded figure straight ahead, the short male figure that moved just as Eld did, clad in a hooded jacket, hood up, features hidden . . .

ZachKaiser (2:27:37 AM): "I think...it's a little late for that," he responded to Scott, not knowing that he would neither hear him nor be able to respond, as every body he could see slowed to a halt--save one, a hooded figure that heard him and responded.

Eld's preliminary assessment of the situation was not good--anyone who could stop time for everybody around him wasn't someone to be trifled with. He only hoped that the fact that he was still in motion meant that it didn't work on him, as opposed to the unfortunately more logical conclusion that they were simply exempting him from the effect. Out of recognition of the danger of the situation, he placed a hand on the pole of his scythe, but did not draw it just yet.

"I don't suppose that you called someone out here just to talk," he said, loud enough to ensure the man knew he was talking to him and not to his support still.

Really, though, the best he could hope for at this point was that the man was just targetting Reapers in general and not him specifically.

zombzeh (2:55:28 AM): Master . . . what--what happened?

Kageko couldn't tell--but now she was worried . . . intensely worried. She, like Etsu, worried about Eldridge when he was in potential danger. Coincidentally, when her own powers were released, she and Eld shared each other's pain, but it was never her own pain that worried her--it was Eld's.

"I did, actually," replied the young man.

He didn't approach, though. From this distance, it was simple to discern height, and potential age. He was five feet and four inches tall, around Eld's height, if not shorter. As such, his age could only be assumed--possibly sixteen, younger, or older in an unlikely scenario. Age didn't matter in this sort of situation, though--whatever his age, he could do something extraordinary, and that type of danger was worth taking seriously.

"Since you're a Reaper, you can tell me something. I'm looking for a particular Reaper. Short black hair, short stature, thin--carries around a scythe much like that. Goes by Eldridge Tsukimono. Have you heard of him?"

Though coincidence could easily be ruled out, it wasn't impossible. What Reaper wasn't imagined with a scythe?

ZachKaiser (3:05:37 AM): I have no idea.

He knew it was being done with spiritual power--which was why his senses and the Dirige's sensors were picking it up--but he'd never heard of someone stopping time at all, much less on such a massive scale. As the man replied to him, he felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Of course he was looking for him. He didn't know why, but apparently everyone with any knowledge of spiritual powers and Reapers knew who he was. He was glad at least that his hood was up, as apparently the man didn't recognize him. Maybe, just maybe, he could get away from here. He no longer cared what the man was doing or how strong he was; no one ever sought him out specifically for reasons he liked. "I've heard of him, but I don't know him," he lied, something he did much more convincingly when he was talking to someone he didn't know or particularly care about.

"Why? Want me to give him a message?"

His only consolation was that if the man called him out to Ulster of all places, it probably didn't have anything to do with his friends and family back in Hillcrest.

zombzeh (3:18:27 AM): That was . . . disappointing.

"Well, hell. I figured all Reapers would know who he is. He fought in the arena quite a few times; I saw a couple of his fights, I was impressed. It only took a little bit of research to find a name; turns out they have rosters in the arena."

Indeed, Eld had fought quite a few battles in the area--enough to be noticed, it seemed. A lot of Reapers did it, though, and a lot of them learned eachothers names. Those that fought well enough, like Eld had--excepting a few losses--started to attain some renown. It was a bit of a double edge sword, here, but the training effectiveness was superior to all other options, so when it was available, the Reapers took it.

"You sure you don't know him? Or--what, are you that new?"

ZachKaiser (3:34:28 AM): He was getting more confused as he talked to the young man. For one, he almost sounded like he was a fan of his or something, which was a bewildering concept. And if he first saw him at the arena, then he definitely didn't call him out here to talk about his fate, or that of his friends, and while the man was obviously dangerous from the power he displayed, he didn't seem sociopathic. Which was a step in the right direction.

"Yeah, I'm fairly new." This wasn't a lie, which made the man's question actually kind of funny if he were to think about it.

"Hmm . . ." the youth hummed in thought.

This presented a problem to him. Namely, someone that knew what was going on. Eld couldn't communicate with Scott; it was strictly impossible, and with time seemingly stopped all around them, he wasn't going to be communicating with anyone other than the hooded youth and Kageko. He was effectively cut off . . . and that could result in trouble, all things considered, especially if there was no escape in general . . .

Trouble for Eld, of course.

"I suppose I'll take the easy route and wait at his place," the youth stated with a shrug of his shoulders, "He's bound to come back home sometime. In the meantime, though, I'm going to have to silence you. No hard feelings--really. I just can't have you telling your buddies about me."

ZachKaiser (12:14:35 AM): Things could never just be easy. Granted, he should have known that someone who would so go through the trouble of luring a Reaper out into the middle of a city, only to freeze all the citizens around just to ask for him wouldn't want him for anything good. Just because he wasn't babbling about his fate or anything didn't mean he wasn't hostile, or crazy, or psychotic, but he sort of hoped it was something like "tell him I'd like a match." Fighting in the arena wasn't his favorite passtime, but with no real risk of death it certainly beat work.

Of course, that wasn't going to happen. If he intended to "silence" him, he didn't want to speak with Eldridge Tsukimono for anything good. But there was no way he was going to be able to keep his identity secret if a fight started...and he couldn't risk someone dangerous like this going to Hillcrest looking for him.

"Either you're very lucky, or I'm very unlucky." With one hand he drew his scythe, and with the other he pushed back his hood, letting the man finally see his face. "So tell me...why would someone go through this must trouble over me. Because I honestly don't get it."

He wasn't going to attack yet, but he did start to gather his Qi--he doubted he'd get to leave without fighting this man.

zombzeh (12:30:09 AM): Beneath the hood, the young man grinned. For a moment there, Eld really had him convinced that he was not, in fact, Eldridge Tsukimono. Unfortunately, that meant that he'd have to kill him in order to keep him quiet. What if the real Eld had found out about this? Well . . . it was a bit too late, now. What started as a hunt for information ended up in luck going his way.

"Well, that's a relief. I didn't want to waste my time with another Reaper looking for you," he declared as he started forward, taking slow, rhythmic steps towards Eld--but they were at such a distance that it mattered little. Unless he had a form of long distance attack, he wasn't going to be drawing Eld into combat anytime in the near future.

"Well, you're not going to believe it when I tell you," he began, "But I'm here to steal your girlfriend. Of course, it requires beating you to a pulp, first . . ."

ZachKaiser (12:44:14 AM): "...What?"

He was right--Eld didn't believe it. It was just as ludicrous as someone calling him out because of his "fate," but ludicrous in the other direction.

"How do you plan on stealing her? She's not here. And I really don't think she's going to fall for you if you beat me--quite the opposite."

Maybe, just maybe he could avoid fighting him if he could convince him just how silly that was. If there was one thing his fight with Shin Shiden proved, it was that Etsu was only to get upset with anyone who hurt him, regardless of how reversible the damage was.

"Can't we just talk this out? I mean, I'm sure there are other girls out there for you."

zombzeh (1:00:37 AM): The youth shook his head. "Nope. I'm taking her from you today."

Now, this could have been done through many different means, but all of them were entirely against everyone's wills but his own. He could beat Eld to a pulp and use him as bait, force Etsu to leave Eld for him or else he kills Eld, or something along those lines. None of these were generally acceptible ways to get a woman, but some guys had problems like that. Whatever the case, the youth broke into motion immediately after his declaration, kicking forward off of the ground and breaking into a run, all of his momentum aimed straight for Eldridge Tsukimono. He was unarmed, it seemed, but if he had encountered other Reapers before, there was a good chance that he had something up his sleeves . . .

ZachKaiser (1:12:13 AM): Just once, I wish someone would seek me out for a reason other than to kill or maim me. Preferrably someone sane.

His thoughts weren't directed specifically at Kageko, but she would hear them nonetheless. While the young man seemed ready to fight here and now, that posed a problem to Eld; there were too many people around, and while they were frozen that didn't necessarily mean they'd be immune to attack, and his powers could cause a bit of collateral damage when he used them. So rather than meet the boy's charge with an attack of his own, he leaped onto a nearby rooftop, and made his way for the nearest exit--whether it was a gate or a wall he could go over.

"Since you know my name, I don't suppose you'd be polite enough to give me yours?" he asked as he ran.

Maybe if he was lucky, he could escape the zone that was halting everything and contact Scott, too.

zombzeh (1:23:21 AM): Master, I do not want to harm you . . . Kageko remarked to Eld's thought.

She didn't think much on her own, for herself that is, and relied generally on Eld for guidance. But a thought came to her mind, and while Eld couldn't hear her thoughts like she could his, he could experience sudden wavers in her emotions. Whenever she was uneasy, he felt a slight fraction of it. They were syncronized, for all intents and purposes, both mentally and emotionally. It was the only way they could fair well as partners. Kageko had to wonder, though: what if Eld lost Etsu? Would she be a sufficient replacement? Or would that be all she'd become--a replacement for Etsu Hikane?

The youth came to an abrupt stop once he reached Eld's former location. A grin flashed across his lips as he skid to a stop, a gust of wind from the force of his stop knocking back his hood. The boy couldn't have been older than fourteen, but he flashed the toothy grin of a real menace to society. He had short hair--short enough that he hadn't even a trace of bangs--of dark brown color and a thin, youthful face, virtually untouched by facial hair. Despite his appearance, it didn't make him any less of a threat. He was likely Etsu's age, after all.

"Jericho, Lelan Jericho."

Introduction presented, he was back at it, and displayed his own physical feat: he could clear that jump, too, and if Eld didn't relocate, he was going to find a boot planted square in his face . . .

I didn't--

Eld's thought was interrupted as the boy--Jericho, he seemed to go by--aimed a flying kick at his head. Credit had to be given to the boy, if he could keep up with a Reaper. Fortunately, the fact that it was an airborne attack meant Eld was much less restricted in his response.

As the boy came down, he aimed a blast of spiritual energy straight at him. It was a smaller one, and getting hit with it wasn't going to hurt so much as it was going to send him off course and possibly spiraling through the air, but he didn't stick around to see what happened. Having no illusions that such an attack was going to finish the fight, he broke into a run towards the edge of the city, hoping to get away from the population so he could fight without his hands tied, so to speak.

I didn't mean you, Kageko. I meant people like this kid, and that Sergei guy. You didn't really seek me out anyway--you were kind of stuck with me. There was a bit of humor "audible" in his thought, in that he knew Kageko didn't see it that way--which was good, because she really hadn't ended up with a choice.

I like being with you . . . Kageko whispered, feeling as if that thought had to be vented.

Really, she didn't think of it as if she was stuck with Eld. Granted, she didn't even dilute herself into believing that she had a choice in the matter, but Kageko didn't often consider the notion of "choice" to be all that great of a thing, anyways. She wanted to serve Eld, and that was really all--it was her choice to enjoy it or not, and she did. And it went without saying that she greatly appreciated him--enough that she wanted to spend time with him, not of his volition, but of her own desire to be near him.

No one would be as kind to me as you are, Master.

Lelan let out a grunt and a cough as he was propelled away from Eldridge, into the air and nearly across the street, touching the ground not even once. He broke from it, though--from that uncontrolled ascent to an absolute dominance of his form, as he swiped his right arm out at Eldridge . . .

It wasn't the swiping of his arm that would tip Eld off to potential danger, but the rattle of chains. In an instant, a vast and tough reinforced chain burst from his coat sleeve, and Eld would find it attached to his own arm, wrapped about tightly, as Lelan Jericho landed on his feet, albeit with bent knees and his body close to the ground. His grin was all the same, though.

"Sorry 'bout that. Considering all the fights I've seen you in, I shoulda expected that!"

Unfortunately, Eld no longer had time to split his attention by talking with Kageko--he had to give the fight his full focus. His left arm was wrapped in a chain that he couldn't avoid, and his right held his scythe in a now-tight grip. He fought with a chained weapon often, so he knew what they could do, and the last thing he wanted was to become a victim of one of his own favorite tactics--trying to disarm the opponent.

He also knew that if one wasn't careful, the chains could be used against the user, so he waited on the rooftop. This left Jericho with three options: attack from long distance, try and pull Eld down to his level, or try and jump back up to him. Eld braced himself in case it was the first or second option--but if he chose the third, his airborne opponent would be at a disadvantage, one Eld wouldn't fail to pounce on.

"Can we stop this? I'd prefer it if no one got hurt," he called out. While the boy was annoying and probably dangerous, he wasn't an Ame Voleur--which meant Eld didn't feel obligated to really fight him. "Or, if you want to fight that badly, I'd be happy to meet you in the arena." At least there, they didn't have to worry about damage.

zombzeh: "Sorry, not interested," replied Lelan. "It's too . . . impersonal, you know? A place where you can fight and not die--not even lose anything. What kind of wuss clings to that? Where there are no stakes--it's just pointless. Just a game."

Now, Kageko understood that Eld needed to concentrate on the fight, and though she felt a drive to converse with him, she refrained, and decided that she would until it was absolutely necessary--such as anything regarding combat. If Eld were in trouble, and didn't sense it . . .

M-Master, watch out!

But even Kageko's senses were a bit late on that one, as Lelan Jericho pulled his arm back, and in an instant, the chain began to recoil, boasting a strength that Eld hadn't the chance to counter, not without warning much more advanced than this. If Lelan was successful, he'd drag Eld to the ground, just a couple of feet in front of him, and off of his feet . . .

ZachKaiser: "I guess...I'm...that kind of wuss," he replied through gritted teeth, his feet digging into the roof he was on in an effort to resist getting pulled to street level.

But Jericho wasn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve, though Eld's weren't quite so literal. Just when it seemed as though he'd be pulled from his higher perch, he suddenly gave a mighty tug--a single moment's burst of strength that far exceeded what his wiry frame should have been capable of putting out. If his opponent was lucky, the worst it would do would be to launch him forward--otherwise, the force of the pull could easily dislocate his shoulder and render the entire arm ineffective. Eld wasn't just going to end the move there, though--not intending to let the boy pull another aerial recovery, he'd swing the chain, intending to use his own weapon to slam him into the ground with the momentum his pull.

zombzeh: "Nhh--oh yeah! I--hahaha!" Though he strained enough to not speak, Lelan laughed all the same.

This was . . . fantastic! Really, there was a certain admiration for Eldridge Tsukimono. Lelan Jericho had watched several of his . . . rougher fights. Win or lose, it was all the same, there. He fought harder than most anyone else Lelan had seen in the arena. Commendable, really. Experiencing some of these moves was just like . . . well, it was surely entertaining, to say the least! It was just too bad that he had to cut it a bit short.

"I remember this one!" he shouted as his body came to a stop.

Lelan Jericho's chain extended a bit once pulled on, but halted slowly, and without causing him any injury, pulled him onward. It was just momentum, at that moment, as Eld's fairly infamous bursts of strength didn't last for much more than a burst, and as of Eld's last arena match, he wore himself out if he used them too much in too short of a time--enough that permanent damage to his body was something to be concerned with . . . outside of the arena, that is. Jericho's feet touched down upon the side of the structure on which Eld stood, his knees bending as he let momentum drag him to the point that he stood on the very side of the building, and once momentum couldn't be trusted to keep him up, he reached with his free hand, and with a slight tug, pulled himself into a sommersault--getting up fluidly to stand directly before Eld, face to face. They were still attached to eachother, for now, so there was no separating from this spot, not as long as he had the chain practically taught between them . . .

ZachKaiser: This guy seems a little unhinged.

Of course, he'd have to be, with his motive for fighting him in the first place, but even so it was a bit much. Given that he wasn't an Ame Voleur, if at all possible he would like to subdue the man without seriously injuring him--though with the ability to cause disturbances on the scale he could, he'd make himself a target for the very same beings Eld was supposed to hunt down. So rather than meet him at such close range, Eld instead focused for a moment and faded into the gray of Purgatory.

Or, at least, he tried to. It didn't work, which was what he was afraid of--whatever caused the break in his communication with Scott was also preventing him from entering the transitory world, though it seemed at least he could still draw power from it. So it was onto plan B, enacted just as Jericho was pulling himself up. He hiked up his grip on his scythe, holding it just over half-way up the pole. This allowed him to wield it in closer range, as if it were his smaller sickle, and he used it to strike at Jericho's arms--or more specifically, his sleeves, not with the intent to cut skin (though that was still a likely outcome) but in order to expose whatever it was that let him control the chains without using his hands, be it magical or mechanical. The arm wrapped in the chain he held back to defend himself in case he pressed the attack.

zombzeh: But . . . he seems dangerous, Master. Please be careful . . .

Kageko was worried, now. The guy seemed crazy, yes; there was no doubt about that--but no matter how crazy he was, he could move, and he could move quickly. There was a lot to be said about that. People that had skill and knew how to use that skill were dangerous, and Kageko didn't want her Master to be hurt--in any way, be it from Lelan Jericho or from other Reapers, because the most unfortunate fact in a Reaper's life was this: if it wasn't an Ame Voleur, they couldn't kill it. Hurt it, yes, maim it, possibly, but if it died because of them, they were in serious trouble. It greatly restricted what a Reaper could and could not do in these types of situations, and in the end, the only thing they could do was restrain themselves.

The blade cut through cloth easily, but stopped before it could sink into flesh. It struck metal, but in the form of a chain. Something about that metal piece on his forearm stopped the blade in its tracks, and before Eld could get the chance to see what it was, Lelan swiped his free hand across the wooden pole of the scythe. Quickly, he braced himself, planting his feet, and grabbed with his other hand.

"Have a nice trip!" shouted Lelan as the chain uncoiled from around Eld's arm--

--and Eld would find himself thrown off of the ledge, instigated by Lelan Jericho spinning where he stood, himself braced, both hands tight on Eld's weapon--where Eld had only one--and by spinning with the brunt of the pole against Eld's body, it would be simple to both disarm and throw him off of the top of the house. Thankfully for him, it wasn't that long of a drop, and even if he didn't have the powers of a Reaper, he'd survive. Unfortunately, it was too soon after Eld's last burst of strength--he wasn't going to overpower Lelan this time.

With his position and relative power, Eld couldn't resist the sudden swing--however, there was still one small flaw in Jericho's plan: he didn't actually do anything to make Eld let go of his scythe, especially as upon feeling his hand freed he quickly put it on his weapon as well to maintain a grip.

Not that this put him in a much better position. Rather than being tossed to the street below, he was left dangling over it. He wasn't worried about falling--if he could jump that high, falling that far wasn't going to phase him at all--but there were other reasons he didn't want to let go.

I know he's dangerous, but he's not an Ame Voleur, so I have to avoid hurting him as much as I can. Deciding he could maintain his grip with only one hand, he leveled the other at Lelan, palm out. "Please, stop this. I don't want to have to hurt you."

Given that he'd shown knowledge of how he fought, he also knew that extending hand meant that Eld was getting ready to blast him with another burst of Qi. He hoped Lelan would let go of the weapon, then--if he made any other moves, he'd be forced to loose his attack, which would probably be just as bad for him as for his opponent.

Eld was holding onto the weapon with one hand--that wasn't good. In the end, it seemed like he hadn't been thrown off of the building, contrary to Lelan's original plan. It wasn't disappointing, though. Certainly, it went against the goal of knocking Eld off of the building, but it added to the excitement. Jericho was in this half for the fight, now--and the other half, presumably, for Etsu Hikane, if any sense could even be made out of that goal. For all Eld knew, it could very well have just been an excuse to fight him outside of the arena. After all, Lelan had expressed a lack of preference for fights when there was nothing on the line.

And when one descended into this sort of conflict, putting money on the line ceased to matter. One only became excited about a challenge when it was a life on the line--his life, preferably.

The chain slung about the polearm, gripping it tight--a third act of leverage, as he held it with both hands and the chain. He certainly wasn't letting go, but he was going to make for damn sure that Eld would. He didn't know how this was going to end, but with Eld's head wide open for attack, he threw out a kick for Eld's face. In the best case scenario, he'd succeed and throw the man off of the room after all. In the worst case scenario, Eld counted, and tossed Lelan away . . . with Eld's weapon.

When Lelan wrapped a chain around his scythe, Eld let out a small growl of frustration. He'd been hoping to, if he didn't let go, blast him and make him let go, but now that wasn't going to work, since the blade was near his end. He was going to have to improvise.

Fortunately, improvising was something he was fairly good at--when he first learned to fight, he hadn't learned technique so much as guts. He moved when Lelan kicked, letting go of the scythe for the moment and instead grabbing onto his leg with both arms and pulling.

With Lelan's arms already holding onto the scythe, and now with his leg extended, there was no chance that he could maintain his balance. Eld knew he was going to drop, but he was going to pull his opponent down with him.

zombzeh: M-Master, w-wait!

A wide smile came across his face as soon as soon as Eldridge let go of the scythe. Naturally, he didn't expect his opponent to drop down and grab his leg in the process, but it was worth it in the end. At first, he tried to maintain his stance, trying to keep Eld from dragging him down, but in the end, he could not. That was when . . .

"Attaccare il mondo," Lelan Jericho began as he started to slip, "Sarrevous!" The sleeve of his shirt broke--snapped, tore in every place, as metal clambered its way up his arm inch per millisecond, expanding itself, spreading dramatically, clasping--chain after chain, strung out from each jagged chunk of steel. There had to be a dozen of them, maybe more, and while Eld fell to the ground, Lelan Jericho remained aloft--no, strung up by his shoulder, chains bursting from his shoulder and into the structures around them, lodged in via twisted steel blades as anchors and hooks on each end . . .

ZachKaiser: Eld tumbled to the ground, not able to land quite as gracefully as his opponent had earlier, but still avoiding any serious harm and getting back on his feet quickly.

That's...a Gaiasoul?!

It was then he realized he'd made a grave mistake regarding Lelan Jericho's motives. He thought by "girlfriend" he was referring to Etsu Hikane, his actual girlfriend. But he also indicated his only knowledge of Eld came from what he'd witnessed at the Arena and was able to find out from his name, which meant that there was no way he could have known about their relationship. Perhaps because of his own mental blocks regarding their relationship, he was unable to discern until now what he really intended to take away from him: Kageko.

With a sudden growl, Eld leaped into the air once more, rebounding off the wall of a nearby building before jumping at--or rather, past--Lelan. His attempt was to grab his scythe once more. The pole being smooth, if he pulled it from the end which the blade was on, he could slip it out from the chains which bound it, and his jump from the wall put him at an angle where he could hopefully pull it away without his momentum stopping...

zombzeh: The chains moved. Eld was airborne just a fraction of a second before Lelan's body crept closer to the ground, the chains straining and whining against the orifices they had created. Just before Eld could touch the polearm, Lelan was flung upwards, the chains having pushed up suddenly and with excessive force, launching him into the air much quicker than Eld himself could manage. At best, he'd bump past Eld and knock him out of the air, but the action occurred so quickly, Eld hadn't the chance to get his hand upon the weapon.

Lelan Jericho returned to the street seconds later, a stray chain, short, snagging the peak of a three story home, allowing him to lower himself to the ground gracefully. He had put more than enough distance between himself and Eld. The scythe was slung over his shoulder, a victorious smirk upon his lips.

"Let me fully introduce myself, this time!" Lelan declared, "Lelan Jericho, Collector! I told you--we were playing this with high stakes, and now I've got your girlfriend. Looks like I won, huh?"

In an arena fight, all valuables were returned to the person, weapons included, regardless of what the weapon was. If Lelan had fought Eld in the arena, he'd have not been able to snag Kageko from him.

Master--wh-what's happening . . .?

ZachKaiser: Missing his target by mere seconds, he landed lightly in the street and turned to watch his opponent do the same.

In other circumstances Eld would have immediately objected to the assertion that Kageko was his girlfriend, but that was furthest from his mind at the moment. He narrowed his eyes at Jericho, for the first time seeming to take him for more than just a nuisance.

"You haven't won anything yet!"

He charged, his only choice at that distance since he couldn't use his Qi without harming the frozen pedestrians in the market. But he gathered it anyway--he still couldn't kill Lelan, as he wasn't an Ame Voleur, but he had less qualms about hurting him now.

Kageko! I'm coming!

He doubted Lelan would simply stand still, though--he'd either have to avoid whatever he threw at him, or play catch up if he tried to escape.

zombzeh: "Aw, come on. Now isn't the time to be a sore loser," Lelan declared with a sigh.

As Eld progressed forward, he'd find two chains darting past him, one on each side of him, dashing past until striking the street, kicking up brick and dust as they anchored in. This left Eld nowhere to move, just a single space--that could collapse.

Another chain flew overhead, restricting any potential jump, before finally, the two by his sides constricted, snapping into each other as if they had muscles of their own, and with little area to move, Eld would likely find it inevitable: one way or another, these chains were going to constrict around him.

M-Master!! Kageko was panicking. She could feel it--that she was being held by someone other than her master.

ZachKaiser: As much as it pained him, Eld put Kageko's cries from his mind. He understood the situation, and what it meant if Lelan were to get away while holding his scythe, which is why he needed all his focus to get it back.

As Lelan attempted to box him in, he let out a grunt of exertion, sending a blast of spirit energy at him--or more specifically, at his feet, so that even if he dodged it, he didn't risk hitting anyone nearby. It would burst when it hit the ground (or his feet), but only for a few feet around him. It wasn't intended to be a serious attack so much as it was intended to give him something else to think about while Eld grabbed the chain on is right and pulled himself so he slid under it and was outside the ensnaring lines.

He continued his charge--reckless though it was, as he stood a much better chance at a long range fight, especially without a weapon. He needed to get close, though, so he could retrieve Kageko...

zombzeh: Leland saw as Eld drew back his hand, and with the chains anchored into the street before him, he lurched himself to the side, throwing himself into a shadow--a shadow . . . a man, inanimate it seemed. It was raining, and many people didn't go to the market on these kinds of days, but some did, and with so many citizens in the city, there were quite a few scattered about in the street, and Leland had accidentally tossed himself into a full cadre.

The chains recoiled, untangling quickly and drawing back in a fraction of a second. Eld still had some distance to clear, but when Leland Jericho allowed the metal to diminish back to a mere gauntlet, and with his free hand--his other holding the scythe over his shoulder--he pulled the hood up over his face, it would be a clear sign that Eld was running out of time. Or, rather, time was running out of them.

Eld was twelve feet away when the feet of the citizens began to move again, and a young girl raced past Tsukimono, followed in toe by her worried mother. They were all coming back from the market, and they couldn't see the color around them--and how the world started to move again.

"It's not that time stopped," Jericho remarked, "It's that we were moving outside of time--faster than light, you could say." It was becoming harder to hear him, though; the rain touched them again, and the color finally went away. The only sign that remained were scuffs in buildings and in the streets, and Jericho's torn sleeve.

"Go home, Reaper."

ZachKaiser: "Not without her!"

Though he took note of the changes, the fact that time was returning to its normal flow did not bother him. Currently, he was only running, which may be somewhat disruptive but not terribly attention drawing--people ran when in a hurry.

Granted, if he reached him, starting a fight would certainly create a fuss, but he wasn't worried--no town guard, no matter how well trained, could touch him if he didn't want them to. Literally. With the azure field down, there was nothing stopping him from dodging into Purgatory once he needed to get away.

More importantly, to him this was a case of kidnapping, not of theft, and some disruption to the lives of the locals was perfectly justified so long as he didn't do them any harm.

He kept his locked on Lelan, watching his every move lest he try to slip away, but that wouldn't be much of an issue. There wasn't enough of a crowd that the young man could lose himself in it.

"Sorry, you got no choice," declared Lelan as he stepped back a few steps, before breaking into a run.

Ulster was well guarded and extremely well protected. It just so happened that Lelan had one particular power that the capital city of Ulster was not fortified against, but that was essentially all. Eld, here in the living world, would find that even Qi didn't work well now that they were subject to the defenses of the city again.

Lelan didn't stop until he was in a much more crowded place: the market, at which point he turned abruptly to face Eld, the scythe over his shoulder still, distance between it and Eld maintained--even if he had to use his other arm to shove Eld away if he got too close. It seemed to be the best way to go, at the moment--do something minor to keep the distance between them while putting himself into a situation filled with people, many more than any Reaper would be comfortable with.

Strangely enough, no one really seemed all that put off by the scythe. Ulster was a country where soldiers and guards used swords twice that size, zweihandlers. Someone with a large farming tool over his shoulder didn't even get small children to feel intimidated.

"You're still following me?"

It took a lot of willpower to not simply deck him as hard as he could and try and take the scythe back, but Eld managed it. There were too many people too close, though, and fighting here even without powers would be a bit risky.

"Of course I am! I'm not letting you have her. I'll keep following you until you give her back."

Or until I can take her from you, he did not say aloud. Lelan might not be an Ame Voleur, but Eld had far fewer qualms with fighting him seriously than with letting him walk off with Kageko. He'd never be able to forgive himself if he lost her like that.

He tried to remain calm, and reminded him that it was on Lelan's head to lose him, not the other way around. And as soon as he retrieved her, he could enter Purgatory and lose him and anyone else who objected with him taking her back.

Here in a city in Ulster, though, especially the capital city of this magic driven nation, there was a bit of a problem . . .

"I guess I gotta resort to plan B, then," Lelan stated with a shrug. He glanced to the right, glanced to the left.

There were so many people here, it was so hard to keep track of them all. How did they do it in Ulster? If one of these people disappeared, did they notice? It was something that Lelan thought about frequently. Just how did law enforcement work here? If people had actually seen their scuffle, would city guards be all over it instantly, or would they have taken their dear old time? It was a theory he didn't mind giving a good test!

"GUARDS," Lelan shouted as loud as he possibly could. "GUARDS! SOMEONE! HELP ME! I'M BEING ACCOSTED!"

Here in Ulster, though, Emain Macha much more than any other city, there was a bit of a problem . . .

. . . in this nation of magic, and city of extensive capabilities . . .

Not even Qi functioned.

As the thick clothed, six foot six tall guards approached in twos with a quick pace, Eld would find himself incapable of escape. He couldn't shift into Purgatory--he couldn't put out the Qi necessary, not in this city . . .

"This man STOLE my scythe, and it practically KILLED me to get it back! See?! Look at this!" Unlike Eld, Lelan was actually a bit scuffed up.

Unless he found a way to avoid it, the two masked guards would grab Eld's shoulder roughly, paying no heed to the potential necessity of gentleness with their job. This was a matter of theft and assault! It was a serious issue, and had be to approached seriously! And unfortunately for Eld, he had absolutely no proof that Lelan Jericho was lying.

Eld felt his temper flare as soon as Lelan yelled for the guards, but he took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm. Lelan was lying, and surely the security in the city would be able to see through his ruse.

"He's lying," he stated. "He actually stole it from me, and I've been trying to convince him to give it back to me--it's supposed to go in the holster on my back, see?" It was built specifically for that scythe--and given that it was handmade, it was unlikely anything else would fit in it.

Eld's faith in the justice system of a foreign land was probably a bit naive, as he figured that would be all it took to get the guards on his side--or at least, he figured that they wouldn't let Lelan go either until they figured out who was telling the truth. After all, he'd never had any trouble convincing others before.