*Josiah and Virgo brought Shauni back to the inn only to find that Neo and Tsukasa has disapeared somewhere. The immediate concern, however, was Shauni.*

"I can't believe she doesn't remember us..." *David said sadly after the group had been briefed of the situation.* "Was whatever happened to her body the cause of the memory loss?"

"I could try to return her to normal, physically anyway, with my magic but knowing so little about her condition, I'm not sure if that would be a good idea. Her body might not be able to take it."

"If only we knew what happened to her... Problem is, she's the only one that knows and she has amnesia. Jeff, I'm not sure what happened between the two of you but you used to be really close. Can you think of something, anything, that might jog her memory?"

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My signature site. Because ripping off Silver's ideas is fun.

((... Uh oh. Awkward moment time.))

Jeff froze, maintaining a poker face to mask his embarrasment and fear.

"Well?" Josiah asked, more concerned than impatient.

After a few moments of accessing his situation, Jeff shook his head. "Even if I tried, I can't bring myself to risk it... I might wind up triggering something bad instead of good, and who knows the hell Shauni's been through?"

Ibun pushed Jeff.

"Just try, Jeff." the armored cat monster urged.

Jeff sighed and shook his head again.

At that moment, Demi-Shauni walked up to Jeff, the feather tufts over her ears twitching like cat's ears. Jeff backed up... Shauni stepped forward.

"... The others make me feel safe." Shauni spoke, a slight squawk in her voice as she tilted her head like a bird, "I don't know about you."

Drawing a deep breath, Jeff swallowed his uncertainty and asked, "What is the first feeling that comes to mind for you?"

((... I'm-a scared, Mario...))

Shauni looked deep into Jeff’s eyes, her eyes searching for an answer
“When…when I look at you….all I feel is loneliness…like I lost something important…” she spoke softly.

She turned away from his gaze, unable to stand the feelings any longer “You did something that…resulted in me being all alone…abandoned me when the going got tough”

She looked back at him, but her eyes never met his petrified stair.
”I want t be near you…but I’m frightened of you…because you hurt me before.”

She looked towards Josiah and Virgo “There’s something that springs to mind when I have this feeling…like I’ve lost something else…like a part of myself has gone.”

The harpy girl walked away and sat down, some of the feather around her face suddenly began to fall off “It’s like I’ve lost something…but its something I’ve pushed away on purpose…because it hurt me to much to have it around…”

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"BOW BEFORE THE SHAUNINESS THAT IS SHAUNI! "--Shadowman

"Shauni fell down a drainage ditch and died. That was the end of her pokemon journey. "--Shauni


Go to ROM the Comic

((OOC: Gomensasai. Was typing... I'll have this post filled in 6 to 7 hours. Arigatou. *sktters to work*))

((*MUCH LATER* Late... Late... *adding text*))

Jeff stood stock still, his mind in conflict.

As a general of the armies of Orca, Jeff knew better than to run. ... So why did he have this overpowering urge to hightail it out of this situation?

A coal furred paw landed on Jeff's shoulder. "Why are you hesitating?" Simeon asked, urging Jeff to face Shauni.

Jeff brushed Simeon's hand off his shoulder and walked away.

"I don't want to hurt her anymore..."

Everyone tensed, half expecting Shauni to fly out in a fit... Instead, Shauni started to cry.

Simeon grimaced.

"I'll talk with him..." the Aslanis spoke, setting Mahri on the ground.

Mahri glanced at Shauni. "Can I talk with her, Guardian Father?"

Simeon nodded with an approving smile and walked off after Jeff, with Ibun tailing behind.

-------

Jeff was hurling rocks at an icy cliffside outside of town as Simeon and Ibun arrived.

"Master Jeffrey." Simeon spoke up, stopping within ten feet of Jeff.

The human sighed. "Don't bother, Simeon. I know why you're here."

Ibun opened his mouth to say something, but Simeon signaled Ibun that he had it under control.

"Yes... and I know that you know." Simeon spoke, taking a step forward, "But still, we need to talk."

In response, Jeff threw a rock at Simeon. The lion-man caught it and dropped it into the snow.

Jeff just shook his head and turned his back to Simeon.

"... Alright. I'll admit it... I... I still love her."

Simeon and Ibun traded looks of discomfort at the statement.

"Then... what happened?" Ibun asked. "Why'd you leave?"

Jeff was quiet for a long time, as if he were thinking. Drawing a breath, Jeff whispered his answer.

"I wish I knew the answer to that question myself." He walked over to a nearby rock and plunked himself down. "She and I grew close when things were going bad. ... When the prospect of a world in peace came, I started to wonder how we'd react to each other." Jeff shook his head, "I had lost a part of myself when I had died... When Shauni and I merged with our Shadow Souls, something about her changed that made me think twice about what I was doing. I had long since decided to join Amhal's army before Bowen started making things harder for us, and it became my excuse... Besides, I didn't want her to worry about me when I would be called to serve, or for her to cry if ever war took my life."

The human general shook his head. "Looking back now, I wish I didn't leave. I meant to protect her, but now look at her..."

Simeon sat down next to Jeff. "Then make things right with her." the Aslanis suggested, "Tell her the truth... if she forgives you, heal together. If she doesn't, at least you tried to make things right. You did, after all, promise to come back for her."

Jeff winced at the reminder. "... I don't know if I can even face her now... I just walked off."

"You'll never know if the opportunity is still there if you just sit and worry, Master Jeffrey." Simeon spoke as he was standing up, "If it'll help any, I'll go with you." the lion-man grinned, helping Jeff stand on his feet. "Just loosen up a little. You've taken big chances before... and I still remember when you had a sense of humour."

((... Okay-dokay. It's go-go time. ^^))

More feathers began to fall away from Shauni’s face and the back of her head. It was clear to anyone watching the crying harpy that her human hair remained under the thick flayer of feathers that was quickly thinning. Her brown bangs, once held away from her face by feathers, fell over her crying face. This returned some of her human look to her visage.

Shauni didn’t even sense Mahri come towards her. She was to busy weeping, morning the lose of something she couldn’t even remember losing.

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"BOW BEFORE THE SHAUNINESS THAT IS SHAUNI! "--Shadowman

"Shauni fell down a drainage ditch and died. That was the end of her pokemon journey. "--Shauni


Go to ROM the Comic

*Josiah and Virgo sat off to the side, whispering quietly at Mahri went over to Shauni.*

"Why is their relationship so complicated?"

"A lot of things have happened to both of them. You were here for some of it but a lot happened before we met. Doesn't help that they both seem to have a knack for getting possessed. They both have a lot of things they need to work though now. Can't do much except hope for the best."

"I'm glad it's not like that with us."

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Neo, Tsuekasa, and Metalmorph arrived back at the in. Metalmorph looked worn out and so did Tsuekasa to an extent. Metalmorph had explained to Neo what they had found of Shauni in her Harpy Form. When the walked in a diffrent picture was there. It was Shauni but alot of her feathers had fallen off showing her human form. And she was crying. Neo noticed that Jeff and Simon were missing from the room while Mahri was over by Shauni. Josiah and Virgo were off to the side talking to themselfs.

"Um, so what's been going on recently?"

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"Well, seeing everyone didn't help Shauni recover her memory although seeing Jeff did seem to trigger some emotions... All in all, it wasn't exactly a happy meeting." *He sighed.* "I think everyone needs some rest, especially Shauni. We should call it a night and get going in the morning. I suppose we should try and find that revolver Pedr mentioned and after that we can continue on our path. Virgo, get a room for Shauni and stay with her tonight, ok? I'm sure she could use a friend, even if she doesn't remember you."

((Unless someone has something they want to happen during the night, I suggest we jump ahead to the morning and start looking for that gun.))

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Opal looked over her new card as her and Silver set up a base camp outside the town.
"Geeze I feel tired." Opal yawned.

"I'll say. We defeated a sin, your Ram went to its last stage, you got a shiny card..." he started to make the fire.

"Yeah...but how to explain me being...urp...sick?" She covered her mouth.

Silver shrugged and a flame exploded in his face and died down. He smeared the charcoal off of his face and coughed. "Fire's ready!"

Opal smiled as she layed down. "Awesome...

(Eh, there's something for Silver and Opal. Nothing big incase Silver wants to do something)

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That night Neo spent sleeping on the floor. "That's what I get for helping? I love her but her personality can be a pain sometimes.", Neo thought. He could hear snoring sounds from Metamoprh who got his spot in bed instead. Neo was half tempted to put him in his card but didn't want to anger Tsuekasa. He hoped that this was all worth it. Neo looked at Metalmorphs card. "He really needs some new attacks. Though the Morph in on it'self is one of the best. Too bad it's like a one time per battle thing."

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((Before Neo's post))

Shauni only nodded at the words the innocent Mahri spoke to her, just as Jeff, Ibun, and Simeon returned from their little confrontation. The little Inari'in, seeing that her Guardian Father had returned, ran to Simeon and leaped into his arms, chattering away about something only the Aslanis could understand.

Having already decided to ask Simeon what Mahri was talking about to both Simeon and Shauni in the morning, Josiah called the group into the newly rebuilt inn to rest for the night.

------

((After Neo's post))

Jeff was sleepless.

He tossed and turned on the bedroll he was given for the night, as the events of the day turned over and over in his mind. All the replaying and analyzing finally forced Jeff to get up and take a walk outside.

Jeff did admit to having a moderate drink every now and then with a few buddies, and he did pick up a bit of smoking from a few of the Orcan soldiers he worked alongside with. As a general, Jeff never did drink or smoke in public, of course, as to maintain a good image to his subordinates, and he pretty much never did drink and smoke at the same time.

Tonight, however, was one of his few exceptions... The day had twisted up all his emotions into a knot, and his time as an Orcan general made him introverted to the point of not talking to anyone about his deepest pains. A mix of scotch and tobacco was his only escape that still had a chance of him waking up breathing when the sun rose.

So, Jeff sat on a rock near an overlook of the glacial gorges of Shiloh, a bottle of weak rum in one hand and a lit, hand-rolled cigarette in the other, and his head swimming in deep contemplation... and memories.

And that's how she found Jeff.

Shauni was unable to sleep, too, and on a lark, followed the torn up Jeff as he wandered the town picking up his 'supplies'.

"You... you seem more hurt than me." she spoke in a timid tone.

The demi-harpie's sudden presence caused Jeff to stiffen in shock. He wasn't expecting a shadow, and slowly turned his head to see Shauni approaching him.

"You're hurting, but you don't want to show it." Shauni stood just behind Jeff's shoulder.

Jeff made a ragged sigh and lowered his head so he would not make eye contact with Shauni. "... I can't bring myself to talk about it either..."

Shauni, not satisfied with Jeff's cold response, walked in front of the forlorn general and crouched a little, forcing eye contact.

"You don't need to."

"Then what to you want?" Jeff whispered, turning his head to hide a grimace of sadness and frustration.

"Answers." was the innocent reply.

Fearing he would cause another breakdown, Jeff shook his head. "I'm sorry... that's something I cannot give you."

Shauni angled her position so she was eye to eye with Jeff again. "I know... It is because you, too, seek answers."

This statement got Jeff's attention. It was true, after all... Shauni wasn't the only thing keeping him awake. It was also the voices that echoed in his head, pleading for him to remember who they were, and how un-composed he had been handling his current situation. One would think being a general would make him hard to rattle. Ashamed, Jeff lowered his head again.

"Who told you that?"

"The little fox girl told me." Shauni spoke, "She told me that I would not be alone in my search for my identity... and that you will be key in helping me. I didn't understand just how, but now I know you have something of your own to seek."

Carefully, Shauni pried the rum and the cigarette from Jeff's hands and helped him up to standing. "We will find what we seek, together. I'm sure of it."

"... and in time, maybe we will both find what hurt us both so much and finally heal..."

Jeff smiled faintly at the sliver of hope Shauni shared with him.

"... Maybe."

-------

Simeon and Mahri watched the scene play out on the shining edge of the Archangel, the sacred sword hovering in silence. Pleased that her message got through to Shauni, Mahri grinned at Simeon in childish triumph, clutching two little figurines in her hands-- a tin soldier and a silver figurine of a girl...

------

((And now we return to our regularly scheduled role-play. *gets shot*))

((Gomenasai. TT;; ))

Virgo watched from a distance as Jeff and Shauni talked. While she wasn't sure of everything that had pulled them apart, she hoped that they could work through it somehow.

***

In the morning...

After saying fairwell to the villagers, the gamers headed off in search of the Yuki Revolver.

Virgo walked with Shauni, ready to help her or, if need be restrain her if he dark side manifested itself again.

Josiah, meanwhile, moved next to Simeon. "I'd appreciate your thoughts on this side quest. But what I'd really like to know if how much you've been manipulating things and what your purpose is in doing so. I think your itentions are good, if I didn't then we would be having a much different conversation, but good intentions don't always make for good results."

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My signature site. Because ripping off Silver's ideas is fun.

((Gomenasai... I have left an explanation of my inactivity in the ROM:OOC thread... ><;; ))

Simeon had a wry grin on his face, the kind of grin a child would have after being found during a game of hide and seek.

"So... you're finally catching on..." Simeon spoke softly, picking up his pace so both he and Josiah were far enough ahead of the group so they would not hear. "But it was not me." The lion-man looked over his shoulder at Mahri as the little fox-girl skipped along, trying to talk to Ivy or Ibun about simple things that only a child would find facinating. "I'm sure you recall what I told you about Mahri, Master Josiah?"

Josiah gave Simeon a sideways look. "She's figured it out?"

Simeon's wry expression softened into a more wistful one. "Not quite... She's really only playing with her toys, but I think she is becoming aware of the coincidences between her playtime imagination and what's going on now." The lionman fingered the hilt of the Archangel. "Being a child, her imagination always turns to the positive. I'm sure she won't make things too hard for us..." He glanced at Mahri again with a grin and a wave, "Besides, I have to protect her..." Simeon looked Josiah in the eye, "She's also an incarnation of one of the Virtues..."

The human blinked. "Which one?"

Simeon sighed. "I really don't know yet. With that kind of power, I'm sure she is one of the more powerful virtues..."

He's hiding something. Josiah thought, It's definite that Simeon's not telling me everything about that little girl. "Well... keep her in check, Simeon. I'm hoping that you don't make any suggestions to her that would cause trouble."

"I assure you, Master Josiah, I don't want to suggest anything. Otherwise, I may very well wind up putting Mahri in more danger... As her Guardian, I cannot do that."

Not much for assurance, but that will do for now. "Changing the subject, recall anything about the Yuki Revolver?"

Simeon took a deep sigh. "I can't say that I was there when the gun was split and scattered. I'm sure that there are cavern tunnels that we'll need to explore in order for us to retrieve the barrel, the chamber, and the handle... and I'm very sure the gun will be very picky about its weilder." The lion-man pointed to the dragon etched on his solid metal spear. "Aerobreaker, the Aesper of Peace, weilder of the Yuki Revolver. Legends say the weapon would refuse to function properly when wielded by anyone other than Aerobreaker..."

"I am sure the Aesper weapons will be aware of the state of this world, and will wish to be discovered to lend us their assistance; so we will not the find the parts. The parts will find us..." Simeon said with a grin. The grin then dissolved into an expression of thought. "The trick will be putting the Revolver back together, young master. Pedr did say that the weapon would only become whole in the hands of it's chosen wielder..."

((Ran out of brains... Keep in mind the Yuki Revolver isn't the only Aesper weapon, and Simeon knows three of the seven Aespers personally. Yes, the Aspers will help us find the weapons, and yes, Simeon does know more than he's telling. *scoots* And I'm wholly aware that I am as subtle as a pack of orange elephants.))

Although he hand't gotten quite as many answers from Simeon as he would have liked, Josiah decided to focus on the task at hand. After a time, the group reached the caverns where the pieces of the Yuki Revolver were supposed to be hidden. After summoning some monsters to light their way they headed inside. But they hadn't gone far before the passage split off into several tunnels, all leading in seperate directions.

"Not that I wasn't expecting this but it's still going to be a pain to search this entire area."

"It would go a lot faster if we split up. We could search much faster in groups of two or three."

"I'm all for speed but on the other hand there is safety in numbers and we don't know what kind of monsters or traps could be waiting in this place."

"Sometimes you worry too much. I'm sure it's nothing any of us couldn't handle." Virgo replied.

"You're probably right." he conceded. "Do the rest of you want to split up or stay together?"

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My signature site. Because ripping off Silver's ideas is fun.

MEANWHILE IN THE LOCATION WHERE SIDE CHARACTERS THAT HARDLY HAVE ANY TWISTS IN THERE LIVES AND LIKE TO TRY TO BE AS NORMAL AS POSSIBLE IN THE WORLD OF ORCA.....

Opal looked at Silver. "Silver...there's something I gotta tell you...." She looked at him

"If it's about who stole the cookies from the cookie jar, I already found out that it was..." But Opal cut him off.

"...I'm pregnent."

(HAH! Something to add to your non-ending story of twists! And yes - Silver and I have been planning this near the beginning of ROM4. Just something to add as a post since we hardly do that anymore)

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