The 1st Tale of Cuscino

[Ai-Chinatsu]

Ai did not sleep. She was exhausted, but she couldn't sleep. She kept her eyes closed and tried to tune out the rest of the world. She was suddenly disturbed by the knock at the door.

Opening one eye, she looked up to see if Shadow was still there.

[Shadow]

Shadow was already at the door opening it and planting himself at the frame staring at the stranger at the door. Shadow looked the stranger up and down, scanning for threat or danger but saw none.

"Close your eye and try to go to sleep," Shadow said to Ai without even turning around. "What can I do for you stranger?" Shadow asked in a deep and dangerous voice.

[CassinoChips]

Luca could feel the masked figure's scrutiny on him. Couldn't blame him though. Luca wouldn't trust some random stranger coming up to his door either. But the guy didn't immediately slam the door in his face, so that was a start. The crack of thunder overhead was also a form of encouragement for Luca.

"Yeah, hey, sorry to bother you like this, but in case you haven't noticed there's a wicked storm coming out of the east. So if it's not an inconvenience, would it be possible for me to wait it out in here and not out in the middle of the plains? I promise I'll stay out of the way and be gone as soon as the weather clears."

[Shadow]

Without a word Shadow steps aside. "Leave the girl be" Shadow said in a deep voice. "You got a name traveler? Or should I just conitue to call you stranger?" Shadow said continuing to watch his every movement and twitch ready to strike at any moment.

[Ai-Chinatsu]

Ai opened both eyes and kept her head tucked between her arms, hoping that just in case the stranger was really looking for her, she could hide herself.

[CassinoChips]

Taking a step into the hut, Luca answered the question. "Call me what you will. My name is Luca. Luca Dhamon." Not wanting to give the hooded man a reason to attack him, he slowly eased himself into the corner of the hut, and down onto a small, three-legged stool. Then he remembered what else the owner of the hut had said. Something about girl.

What girl? Luca thought. Taking quick stock of the hut, he spotted a huddled mass on a bed that could pass for a human female in a pinch. Upon further review, he thought he recognized the girl. Sort of. Maybe. Hey... isn't that...? No... Yes it is... It couldn't be all the way out here... But it has to be, with those.... But how did she...? And why didn't they....? Maybe it's just a girl who happens to look like her.... How crazy is this?

Luca realized he had been staring at the girl, just seconds after the hooded man, who looked like he could handle himself in a fight, had told him not to. So Luca rubbed his cheek quickly and looked away, listening to the thunder rumble across the plains. "So... um... do both of you live here?"

[Darth Chocobo]

Standing outside the hut, camflauged by the spell he cast on himself, the whole set of events he had been watching almost from the begining has become even more compeling as he whispers to himself..."Hmm, this is most intruiging, but she does dot need my help...not yet!" A passer by of the hut hears what could only be described as a beastly version of a chocobo's call, deep & vicious, but the source was no where to be seen, so he quickly departs as he hears it again...

"Waaaaaark !!!"

[Ai-Chinatsu]

It's impossible to sleep now. Ai's eyelids were heavy, but the possibility of sleep was out of the question. She slowly looked up to see who else was in the house. She noticed another man soaking wet, simply staring at her. Oh God, he recognizes me.
She sat up alittle bit and focused her attention on the floor, oblivious to the thunder and lightning.

[Darth Chocobo]

The hellish weather reminds him of the legend of the Red Wings of Barron, hard, quick & cold, he liked it bearing down on him, it filled him with memories of the vengence he took on the 26 trainees that dared the attempt to catch & enslave him, he left one alive (if you could call it that!) to tell the tale. He can sense the feelings of the girl, but should he help her...she's human, "Hell No...Wark!", but she's practically a child......Hmm...

Waaaaaark...damn!

[Ai-Chinatsu]

Ai began to feel more uneasy than she had before. She could feel the core of her soul shivering. She began to become more in-touch with reality, which would result in a complete loss of safety.