Twilit Moon and Wayward Wind (Plot Thread 3.1)

[Kevin Uruhane]

Eli was there when the Saints were freed? Kevin listened in, suddenly realizing Alessia was right, there was a reason for why Eli was knowing things. He then turned and headed into town, he needed to look at something...

[King Roxa Hiaten]

Roxa looked across at Kouichi "You both get on so well though..." he muttered "I had always just assumed you had known one another since birth..." he saw the blatant emotion in Kouichi, the way he slouched, the movement of his tail "I'm sorry." he said gently "You always seem like such a positive person, I never assumed that there was more behind it."

[Kurai Horo]

"I see..." Kurai muttered as he watched the spitting image of Eli sit and talk to one of the guys he'd been on the boat with "We don't have time for such petty disputes however" he told Vash firmly "We're not the only ones here and of that I am sure." Still, he sighed "I wish I just had my fathers job, being a royal spy and assassin for Ariadelvento must be so much easier than having to put up with all of this"

He pulled his book out "May as well start the next chapter..."

[Kouichi - Yami No Kuro Raion]

He smiled.

"Hey, it's not a problem. I... don't really talk about what happened, much. And Kouji and I... we really do get along really well."

He laughed. "Actually, you'd never know it, but I"m really the older twin. Kouji's just really protective of me. See... my parents got divorced, back when Kouji and I were just babies. They told Kouji that Mom died, and... well, I never learned about him until Gramma died when we were eleven. I followed him a lot, trying to get up the courage to talk to him... but before I could, he was called off to... another place. I tried to follow them and almost died; my spirit was drawn through to the other side by a creature known as Kerubi."

His tail curled around his knees, and he looked down at the snow.

"Kerubi convinced me to follow him, turned me against my family and Kouji, and gave me a... a Spirit of Darkness. It turned me into a warrior called Dusk, and I lost everything... even the fact that I was human, underneath it all, as well as knowledge of what I'd come there to find."

He shrugged.

"I guess it's pretty obvious that, at least in this section, I'm not set up to exactly be the hero of the story."

[King Roxa Hiaten]

Roxa nodded, this time it was his turn to understand "It's horrible losing control to something inside of you, you never know what it's going to do and you can't find out what it has done until you're back in control" he looked across at Eli and Alessia "He'dve killed him..." he muttered with a shake of his head "She's all I have left and he'd happily killed him and deliberately torn us apart for his own little game"

He sighed "Well, what can we do huh? Sometimes we just get thrown the hardball and we have to take the swing eh? Listen, thanks Kouichi, you're a good person"

[Kouichi - Yami No Kuro Raion]

He smiled.

"Thanks, Roxa. The thing is... sometimes, even though in the end, the Spirit was purified, and we defeated Kerubi.... I feel him in there. Like Dusk... never really lef..."

He shook his head, his smile becoming brighter. "I'm glad I could help, though. Remember - we're all stronger than we think, even people like me and you."

[Alessia]

After deciding that they'd join up with Eli she decided that Roxa had cooled off enough and she'd go talk to him. She approached Roxa, noticing a young man was talking to him (someone she recognized, but didn't exactly know his name), she stood silently for a moment.

"Roxa," She said getting his attention, she wouldn't say anything else. Still disappointed in actions she wanted to see his attitude, and would he take responsibility for his mistake.

[King Roxa Hiaten]

Roxa nodded at Kouichi before standing up, his back to Alessia "I looked just like him didn't I?" he asked shaking his head "I could see it in your face, the hate, the fear..." he turned to face her, looking more sad than anything else "For a brief moment there, you were scared of me, you hated me"

He took a few cautious steps forwards, not quite sure why she was even talking to him in the first place "Do you remember what I said all those years ago in Ignis? When you warned me of how Duo became like he is? I told you to raise an army and kill me." he looked her in the eye "I'm not a bad person for my actions today!" he said, voice heavy with emotion "I discover my mother sired a forced family with a bandit and I offer to just let the boy walk away, I had Ave quite literally begging me to let him lose and destroy him but that time it was I that walked away"

He took one more tentative step closer "When it was all said and done it was me who kept my cool, I never made the first move and I never once wanted to fight the boy" he looked over at Eli before looking down at his feet "Family's family... He muttered "Somewhere down the line I'm that kids great uncle, and I always respect family bonds"

[Kouichi - Yami No Kuro Raion]

"Family bonds, huh?"

Kouichi turned to find Kouji standing behind him; he'd taken a step back when Alessia appeared, deciding to give the two their space.

"Yeah," he replied, walking over. "Kinda spooky how similar it is to what happened to us, seven years ago." Something must have shown on his face, because Kouji took his shoulder.

"Kouichi, that wasn't your fault; it never was."

"Kouji..." He sighed. "I know that. I understand. But..." He looked back toward Roxa. "It's just... I dunno. It feels like I should be able to... use that, to help people." He smiled, turning back towards Kouji. "And I can. It's just.... sometimes, the memories..."

"I know. I know, Kouichi." He chuckled. "Alright, nii-san, let's get back to the others. Pretty cold out here, and unlike you, I don't have fur."

"H-hey! I do not have fur!"

They grinned, laughed, walked off together, back towards the rest of the group.

[Andy Jammer]

"So Eli and Roxa are related..." he frowned, "Crossed my mind but...I guess I discarded it cause they look like twins but..."

He shook his head, "Man, things just keep getting more complicated."

He looked around and dusted some of the snow off his coat, finding Seth he walked to him.

"We should get a move on soon, we can't waste too much time here."

[Seth Dezari]

Seth nodded, "Agreed, but lets give everyone an extra five or so minutes. Then we'll get everyone moving, sides, I need a drink."

He then walked past Andy into the barroom, intending to get that drink like he wanted.

[Alessia]

"Roxa... I was shocked, and a little disappointed, but I never, even for one second 'hated' you. Even if you decided that everything around you needed to die, I would never 'hate' you." She closed her eyes, taking his hands, "I understand your anger and frustration with it, but you can't blame someone for something that happened so long ago."

She opened her eyes, smiling at him, "You're right, Eli is family. And despite how he came to be, he's that last of your blood family. Please don't throw this rare chance away to be close to an actual family member."

[Enizo]

After Enzio witnessed everything that happened outside, he decided it would be best to get a drink.

How did he get here? Well he certainly wasn't following his inspiration, Roxa, for the past month in secret.

"What would you like?" the bartender asked as Enizo sat down, next to Seth.

"Milk... wait, make is chocolate milk." Enzio smirked, looking at Seth who sat next to him, "Pretty weird group you're traveling with."

[Seth Dezari]

"I know you've been following us since Crepusculum port," Seth said as he sat down, pretending to be looking through the menu for a drink.

[Enizo]

"Damn," Enzio sighed, "Well, I guess there is no hiding who I am then..."

Jumping up from his chair and onto the table, his brown cloak flew off him, wind blowing his hair in a dramatic way, "I am Enzio! Guardian of the weak, Hero of the world! I AM AN ALLUROM GUARDIAN!!!"