Heartless in the Rain

[Oathkeeper Emi]

They'll put me in the loony bin if I tell!
--

Caroline nodded eagerly. "Yes, we should be going now,[/color]" she said, with a smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked at Ain. "There are a few more things we need to get.[/color]"

She said we to avoid saying I and making herself seem selfish. "I think you have the sugar and spices I need but you don't have any eggs or milk. Or butter. How am I supposed to cook anything without butter?[/color]"

She laughed to herself and followed behind Ain, swinging the bag of apples back and forth. She was glad to be leaving, honestly, but couldn't help but look over her shoulder as they walked away. Her mood turned melancholy for a moment as she looked back down to her hand. What would Mama say about this? she asked herself. What would Daddy say? How would Becky and Rae react if I told them what I did, what I've seen? Maybe I shouldn't tell anyone... they'll think I'm crazy and send me away, I'll bet.

She had stopped in her tracks and had to run a few steps to catch up. Out of nowhere, she blurted out "Mr. Ain, do you think I'm going crazy?[/color]"

[Ain_Soph_Aur]

Always a step behind...

"Alright, let's look around before we leave." he stated dully to the idea of looking around the streets, though it didn't seem that way- he was quite excited to walk the streets some more.

As they looked around the many winding streets for a place that would sell dairy products, he really had no idea where they would put up shop in a place like this. Ain however was used to physical activity, and walked quickly through the streets without ever slowing down or taking a break. It occurred to him that they could have easily asked Elaine where they could get some, it was too late to go back now.

Ain stopped when Caroline spoke once more, her words seemed pretty strange but he knew the answer to the question. The girl was not crazy. His long hair hid his eyes as he looked down on Caroline sternly, it had already been a long day and too much time was wasted just wandering around. "Being crazy is just a question of what is expected to be normal, a person's mind views things differently based on your perception of what is normal and not. It's the point of view, Caroline." he stated seriously, blinking once he adjusted his jackets collar. The topic was something he thought about himself for a while. "From where I am standing, I see the twisted worlds and you-- I see a normal girl. The question about whether you are going crazy, that is something for you to decide after you mature a little bit more."

Turning away he saw something at the corner of his eye, it was a dairy cart on the other side of a alleyway. Strangely however he saw no people in the surrounding area, it didn't matter though. They found what they needed. "Over there." he said quietly as pointed down the alleyway at the vacant dairy stand. At that moment a man came stumbling down the alleyway and fell down- with a glow to his chest his heart floated upward and the man disappeared into darkness. At this moment about 3 Shadow Heartless appeared causing Ain to run ahead and extend his blade from his gauntlet. "Too late."

[Oathkeeper Emi]

I'll take care of this...
--

Caroline wrung the bag in her hands while she listened to Ain's answer. When I mature a little bit more? she thought, a bit confused. But I'm already twenty-one years old! How much more maturing do I need to do? Of course, she didn't quite understand what he was saying. His entire explanation was a little over her head, but if he insisted she was normal... she would believe him. Maybe not out of trust, but she was hearing what she wanted to hear.

When he pointed to the abandoned dairy cart, she looked up and smiled. "Oh, good, they'll have what we need,[/color]" she started, but she was cut off by the appearance of the Shadow Heartless. She shrieked and backpedaled. "Not again![/color]" she screamed. A thought hit her. Should she try hitting those things again? They were much smaller than the ones in the cathedral. Surely, if she could defeat one of the larger ones in a single hit... she dropped the apples at her feet. Ain was already running forward to attack them, so he wasn't paying much attention. She took a split second to once again examine her hands, turning them both palm up. Whatever it was... now was the time to use it.

"Ain, move![/color]" she yelled, running over. She didn't want him to be hurt in the attack, especially given the damage he had sustained back at the church. But there was no time to make sure; either he moved, or he didn't. She planted her white high heels firmly into the cobblestone street and drew her hand back. She smacked the closest Shadow, sending it flying into the other two and all three of them into a wall. They exploded into a dark mist on impact.

She cracked one eye open. Yes. She had, in fact, closed her eyes during the entire thing. Now, she opened both eyes and jumped up and down. "Yay! I did it! Look, they're gone... oh. That man...[/color]"

She turned around. Whoever the man was, the one who collapsed in front of them... he was gone now. Caroline frowned. "Where did he go?[/color]"

--
Battle Report:
Caroline used [Why, I Never...!]
3 posts until next use.
1 uses left.

[Ain_Soph_Aur]

I wonder what that pie tastes like, I'm getting kind of hungry.

Ain ran ahead ready to quickly to cut them down, just as he was about to attack he heard Caroline yell from behind him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her running forward and out of instinct rather then fighting skill he side stepped just in time to see the blond girl slap the heartless the same as before and destroying all of them as a result. She was progressing rather quickly, to destroy 4 heartless on the first day was amazing to say the least, she was indeed amazing. Looking back at Caroline he nodded in approval and retracted his blade back into his gauntlet.

Walking over to the dairy cart, he saw no one around. The man must have been selling stuff at the cart until the heartless attacked and now he was gone. Looking back, he half sighed. "When a Heartless steal your heart, your body disappears. Maybe for good." he stated quietly, as he bagged the ingredients they needed and despite no shopkeeper left the money for them. "I have no idea where they go."

Stepping next to Caroline he looked down at her with his normal emotionless face, and stood there unmoving. He decided not to dwell on the heartless and hoped that Caroline would do the same. "We got what we need, we should head back before we find anymore surprises." he said quietly.

[Oathkeeper Emi]

I think I'm coming down with something...
--

Caroline nodded quickly. That sounded like a great idea to her and Ain had gotten everything they needed from the cart. The walk back to the ship was without incident, but unfortunately, Caroline was very quickly beginning to feel ill. It must have been the fact they were out in the rain paired with her weak body. By the time they finally made it back, she was shaking, achy and had a terrible headache.

She didn't have time to be sick, though. Bed time would be here soon and that dreadful bedroom still wasn't clean or even livable. She had a pie to bake. She couldn't be sick. She dragged herself into the kitchen with all of the ingredients she needed and got to work, turning aside every few minutes to sneeze or cough so that she didn't contaminate the food. She pulled her hair back, wondering why she was so hot all of a sudden.

I probably have a fever, she thought, but shook her head.

It had been a while since she was sick. A few weeks at least. If she was at home, she would probably be in bed right now with one of her sisters insisting on her having soup and hot tea.

[Ain_Soph_Aur]

Damn, If it is not one thing, It's another.

When Ain got back he immediately returned to the deck to configure the navigation systems, after a few key presses a rather long looking loading screen appeared and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. It wouldn't be ready until a little after midnight which was much longer then he had thought, he had hoped to leave before sundown but that plan was now shot. Returning back to the common room he headed into the kitchen to check on Caroline and the food she was making, in the process he saw her sneezing and coughing away while trying to cook something. Was she sick and he didn't notice?

"Caroline, take it easy." he stated bluntly, his eyes unblinking as he walked in and placed his left ungloved hand on her forehead to check her temperature. She was burning up and all she could think of was cooking something, why would she. "Your burning up."

Ain removed his hand and looked at her sickly form from beyond the dark strands of hair that obstructed his vision, his eyes unblinking he waited to hear a reply from her. Standing tall, he unzipped his collar on his jacket to about his shoulder and waited patiently. He knew that walking in the cold rain must have been the cause and he was the one dragging Caroline through it all, so her being sick was likely his own fault. "You should lie down and get some rest." he stated, as hungry as he was he wasn't going to allow her to cook if she was sick like that.

[Oathkeeper Emi]

Maybe you're right...
--

Caroline was nearly done with her pie. She was just putting it into the oven when Ain walked in and noticed her dismal health. She put up with his checking her temperature but when he insisted she go to bed, she laughed nervously and waved him away. "Oh, I'm fine,[/color]" she said, partly because she knew there was work to do and partly because she wanted to avoid sleeping in that bedroom until it was clean. And honestly, she was just too tired and sick to even begin thinking about the work that needed to be done to that room. And so, she sat down at the table and put her head down. After a few seconds of rest though, she was back up, cleaning up the mess she had made in the kitchen.

"I'm fine, promise,[/color]" she insisted again. She sneezed. "Just a little cold.[/color]"

Suddenly though, she started feeling a little dizzy and leaned against the sink. Maybe she should go lie down, but there was food in the oven and it would burn if she left it alone. She pushed her hair out of her face and sighed, unsure of what to do with herself.

"I'll go sit down now,[/color]" she said, and collapsed back into the kitchen chair.

[Ain_Soph_Aur]

Now that I think about it, I really know nothing about cooking pies...

Ain glanced over at the oven then back at Caroline, he watched her carefully while she rested but she looked worse rather then better. Who was she trying to kid in this situation, Ain or herself. A person's health comes first and despite her insistence that she was just fine, he just didn't buy it. When she stood back up even that didn't last very long. Caroline was barely able to stand let alone ready to cook a pie and now he had to make a choice to stop her for her own good. Bending over he looked at her carefully, it was a easy decision to make at least for him. "Enough, Caroline. I will finish up." he stated as he took her by the arm and pulled her up.

With one motion he pulled his arms under her legs and lifted her off the ground. Without saying a word, without even a blink he carried Caroline out of the kitchen and walked down the hallway. When he passed the guest room he almost stopped but instead kept going to his own room, and quickly dropped her on his bed. "Get to sleep, I will take care of the pie." he stated rather bluntly, not much caring for her opinion on the subject.

He was a tad too forceful but he felt that she would have said no otherwise and worked on the pie until she passed out. He wasn't going to have any of that on his ship damn it, and now he was going to finish cooking the pie. Umm, how do I do that again? XD

[Oathkeeper Emi]

But... but...!
--

This was not good. Caroline tried to protest, but wouldn't have even been strong enough to resist had she been healthy. So, she definitely couldn't get out of it now. She pouted and whined though, and pouted and whined well. She glared at Ain the entire way down the hall. She gave a little scream when he dumped her onto the bed.

"But I don't wanna,[/color]" she said weakly, not even strong enough to move from the place he'd dropped her. She just gave him a very ineffective Look™ and then... "Wait, you don't know how to...[/color]"

But he was already gone and she could barely move. She relaxed into the sheets. Well... this was kind of nice. At least she got to sleep in his room again and not that awful closet with spiders and suspicious puddles. And at least she didn't have to walk. Aww... now she kind of felt bad for glaring at him and being whiny.

She would apologize later if he didn't burn the ship down trying to take care of the darn pie... she thought about getting up to go give him directions but only managed to kick her shoes off and curl up under the blankets. Ooooh, she felt awful. She coughed and tried to go to sleep, too exhausted to struggle anymore.

[Ain_Soph_Aur]

The strongest enemy that I ever faced...

After a while, Ain sat down in the kitchen chair in a huff as his adventure in cooking ended at long last. He was never good at cooking. Everything he ever made turned out as dark as charcoal and tasted like the backside of a heartless on a rainy day. This day however he just had to finish cooking as everything was just about done and he didn't want to ruin the efforts of his travel companion's cooking in the least. Dirty, and slightly burnt he sat there the results not yet confirmed.

I hope it turned out, not for myself but for Caroline.

Ain turned his head to see the pie cooling on the table with steam rising, and it looked delicious. It wasn't his cooking, he just had to not ruin it for it was Caroline's work and though his own effort was great he pulled it off. It was difficult ordeal but now it was over, the events that transpired in the kitchen will never be told. EVER. Falling backwards he fell to the wood floor with a thud and fell into a deep sleep, his long hair covering his sleeping face he dreamed awkwardly for his serious self.

Not given a chance to even try a piece of that pie...