The Mana-Verse

[Phi]

"What do you mean left out?" Sakura asked.

Pema leaned her back against the wall and receded to the floor.

"I don't know, it's just that sometimes... I feel out of place. I want to participate and understand some of the problems you guys go through, but I'm not really sure if I can understand them completely. Even with Mr. Riagan, maybe... I'm not grasping his side of things as clearly as I should. The truth is, I just want what's best for everyone. For everyone to be happy and get along. Hurting our friends to prove a point, I just can't accept, but... there seems to be more to it. More than I'm capable of seeing..."

"... Or you can see it, but you're resisting not to. You don't give yourself enough credit, Pema. Something of which I've told you, time and time again," Salem spoke up.

Pema stared at him, then glanced at the floor, "I just don't know... Sometimes, I wonder what's right and what's wrong. Can we really be happy or are those days gone...?"

She sighed, burying her head in her sleeves.

[Sakura Leic]

"The thing is Pema the Truth is often very Grey, it's neither Black or White, or Right or Wrong." Sakura sighed "The Truth hurts but in order to advance you must see and accept things.

For example, while I think that Riagan's anger blinds him at times he does know more than I do about certain things.  And as much as it may be hard for you to hear.....I had no problem with the way he handled Doll Master."

[Fxeni]

(Can fxeni run into Sakura?)

(I guess so? He was heading back to where you guys are anyways, but yeah)

[Phi]

Pema blinked at Sakura's remark, "You can't seriously believe that, can you?"

"Pema..." Salem said quietly.

She shook her head and stood up from the ground, "Is this who we are? What we've become? If we continue in this way, we'll... we'll be no different from the villains!"

"I'll stop you right there. You know that's not true!" Salem spoke firmly.

Her eyes drifted to Salem, "... How long before people are scared of us? Because of the violent actions we take?"

"It's not that simple..." He stated, an edge to his voice.

She stepped closer to Sakura and looked into her eyes, "Of all people, I thought you would feel the same, Ms. Sakura..." She spoke softly.

The sad truth was, Pema did understand, to a degree. However, something like this was hard to accept. This wasn't how she was raised. She was told to find the light. Keep everyone together.

But at what cost? That much, she never recieved an answer for... until now. And the truth was ugly. Terrifying. When the time comes, would she be ready?

[Quickman]

Meanwhile, the Professor remained in the mead hall, where the barmaid flirted with him, but he wasn't interested.

[Phi]

( )

[Sakura Leic]

(Could use Fxeni right about now.)

"The fact of the matter is if Doll Master didn't die she could have went on to hurt more people like she already had.  Some people can't be saved or helped, she was willing to destroy the world because it was 'boring', she treats people as playthings, she was ready to kill me because of a simple observation. She sent children against us, and she took pleasure in hurting people.  Do you honestly think that we had a choice?

Not to mention.......if Riagan didn't kill her Daddy would have......" Sakura continued. 

Meanwhile, the Professor remained in the mead hall, where the barmaid flirted with him, but he wasn't interested.

(Brilliant.)

[Fxeni]

"Calien would have died, yes. Who knows who else would've died too," Fxeni interjected as he walked down the hall. "The fact of the matter is if we're going to help Aya, we're going to have to do things that are not to our liking. We're going to have to pick up the pace as well. It may be outside of our comfort zone, but it needs to be done."

Fxeni started to continue towards the Mead Hall.

[Sakura Leic]

"Yeah, I think the Smith should be done with the armor by tomorrow." Sakura told him "What's the soonest time we can make way for the North?"

[Fxeni]

"As soon as that armour is done. We'll have a few days on the airship to make whatever other clothing we'll need with the materials the dwarves give us. I'm going to go speak with the king to make sure everything is in place bright and early tomorrow," Fxeni said as he looked over his shoulder.

"Oh, and Pema... we'll start with the training on the way there, if it still interests you."

[Sakura Leic]

"I think I'll have Daddy teach me about making Potions and Gossip Charms until he's done with the clothes.  I might smell like Mushrooms but it'll be helpful to the team." Sakura nodded.

[Phi]

Pema looked at both Fxeni and Sakura.

Her arms grew weak and she rubbed her forehead wearily, then finally, rested her eyes on Salem, "... Do you think Mom knew, Salem?"

"Knew what?" Salem asked.

Her breathing was soft as her mouth curled into a faint smile, her eyes watering, "What I'd have to do, eventually? Not just as a Runemaster, but as someone who wants to protect others. I think maybe... she wanted me to find the light within others, so I wouldn't lose my own. She knew that I'd have to make tough decisions. Decisions that I might not go through with if I hadn't found hope."

She lifted her head, gazing at the two, "There's still good in this world. I've traveled far and wide, made so many amazing friends... I found something worth fighting for. The risk... is worth it."

"Yes, sometimes, that requires sacrifice. But that sacrifice doesn't have to be your soul. You're a good person, Pema; anyone can see that. You're not alone here and you can't allow the choices you make darken your heart," Salem spoke, "Your mother was a wise woman, that much I can certainly attest to."

Pema nodded and placed a hand over her heart, "Mom..." She smiled warmly, then stood from the floor. She brushed off the dirt from her dress and bowed, "I'm sorry, Ms. Sakura. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"As soon as that armour is done. We'll have a few days on the airship to make whatever other clothing we'll need with the materials the dwarves give us. I'm going to go speak with the king to make sure everything is in place bright and early tomorrow," Fxeni said as he looked over his shoulder.

"Oh, and Pema... we'll start with the training on the way there, if it still interests you."

Pema nodded, "Yeah, definitely!"

[Fxeni]

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Fxeni said with a slight smile. He looked at Pema and nodded at her, then continued making his way to the Mead Hall.

Once there, he approached the king, who was busy conversing with a barmaid.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if it would be possible to have all the supplies ready by dawn. The faster we get to our destination, the better," Fxeni asks him with a smile.

[Sakura Leic]

"It's okay Pema, I'm just glad we have an understanding." Sakura smiled "You're a brave person, just like a certain Bunny Man a good friend of my Dad met long ago.  Although apparently he thought himself a coward but he was still a very brave man....who was dressed as a Bunny."

[Blue Valkyrie]

The whole argument left a bad taste in Aya's mouth and she made her way back to the airship where her bunk was, lying on her bed she felt a chill down her spine as Mask Master approached the mask back in Skull Cove; she sat up and glanced around--things were going to get worse before they got better she thought to herself.

[Phi]

"Umm, why was he wearing a Bunny suit?" Pema tilted her head.

[Quickman]

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Fxeni said with a slight smile. He looked at Pema and nodded at her, then continued making his way to the Mead Hall.

Once there, he approached the king, who was busy conversing with a barmaid.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if it would be possible to have all the supplies ready by dawn. The faster we get to our destination, the better," Fxeni asks him with a smile.

"Of course!  Of course!  I'll have our quartermaster resupply your stores as soon as possible.  My son will be supplied for the journey, and he can get you the maps your requested.  Do you have a cartographer?" The King shooed the barmaid away and sent a member of his entourage to go and hurry the quartermaster.

[Fxeni]

"I think I know someone who would probably be quite good at handling that," Fxeni said as he looked over at the Prof. "Hey Prof! Would you have a moment?"

[Quickman]

The Professor looked up from mulling over his drink. "Yes?  If, if it's, if it's to demonstrate m-my weakness to iron... I, I respectfully decline to participate."

[Phi]

(Pema is going to cuddle him so hard, one of these days.)

[Sakura Leic]

"Because he had to keep his face hidden I guess, he had to do a lot of hard things things people close to him didn't like, but he had to do it.

Some of his actions were weird too, that friend of my Dad I was talking about?  The Bunny Man set up a shop in his house, without his permission, but he had his reasons.  If he didn't do that then my Dad's friend couldn't have done the things he did to save my Dad's home, and he saved my Dad's friend's life twice before that.  Though....they still don't know what happened to his pots......they went missing...." Sakura said with a bit of confusion in herself.

[spoiler]Seriously for those who have A Link Between World look at Link's house after Ravio makes his Shop.  THE POTS ARE MISSING![/spoiler]

[Fxeni]

The Professor looked up from mulling over his drink. "Yes?  If, if it's, if it's to demonstrate m-my weakness to iron... I, I respectfully decline to participate."

"That's... understandable. It's certainly not that though. Do you think you'd be up to being our cartographer? All the notes I've seen you take have been very detailed, and I'm sure it would suit you greatly," Fxeni called back, trying to avoid the whole iron discussion.

[Quickman]

The Professor nodded. "Yes, yes, I could do that.  Until, until we learned, until we learned of a destination, I was trying to determine the p-possible location of the shards.  My, my initial guess was... somewhat close, as, as, as I had seen one shoot toward the north."

[Phi]

"Because he had to keep his face hidden I guess, he had to do a lot of hard things things people close to him didn't like, but he had to do it.

Some of his actions were weird too, that friend of my Dad I was talking about?  The Bunny Man set up a shop in his house, without his permission, but he had his reasons.  If he didn't do that then my Dad's friend couldn't have done the things he did to save my Dad's home, and he saved my Dad's friend's life twice before that.  Though....they still don't know what happened to his pots......they went missing...." Sakura said with a bit of confusion in herself.

[spoiler]Seriously for those who have A Link Between World look at Link's house after Ravio makes his Shop.  THE POTS ARE MISSING![/spoiler]

"Hm, that sounds... really confusing..." Pema admitted.

[Sakura Leic]

"The entire story is confusing, seriously if I told it to you right now you might not even believe me." Sakura admitted.  "Anyway want to head back to the Mead Hall, I suddenly got my appetite back."