Mirages and Nightmares

The return to the Guildhall was a long one-- and oddly now Indra and Tailong came along with the company of a new ally. An unlikely one. Sworn to be his apprentice, Kage the Exceed had agreed to journey along with the Lightning Dragon Slayer. Despite their rocky meeting, the young Exceed ninja-admirer begged to be Indra's apprentice to learn how to be a ninja. Though Indra had some reserves at the idea, especially since he wasn't technically a 'ninja', he couldn't deny the cat's earnest to seek a mentor. He saw a little bit of himself when he was younger. Just as eager and ambitious in his will to grow stronger.

So Indra agreed to let the Exceed return to the guild hall. They arrived at the Red Dragon Inn, where Kage in his little form hopped up and down excitedly at the new sights and bar... of course, the true scene of the guild was not in the Red Dragon Inn-- but beyond the portal hidden. He would show him sooner or later. For the moment, Indra needed rest as he sat at one of the tables and roguishly kicked his feet up on the table.

He had not gotten much sleep of late. Partly from the fact, he would shamelessly seek out carnal pleasures with women most of the time, but he also hated to sleep as he was plagued by visions of his past. Even then as his eyes drifted, he semi-dreamt going out of visions of his past. The monastery where he was raised, the students and teachers he trained with, his desire to grow stronger, his masters scolding him for his lack of restraint. It all swept back every now and again. A guilty conscious trying to move on from his decisions.

"Master? Raijin Sensei?" the light voice asked him.

Indra rose from his nap lightly to look at the top of the table, seeing his new Exceed partner standing on the table near his feet. The little black Exceed with tiger stripes and dressed like a miniature ninja. His tail twitched happily as he looked to Indra. "What's up, whiskers?" he teased.

The name made Kage fold his ears lightly but he kept firm with his eager face. "When can we start training? I want to learn new ninjutsu and how to fight better. Oh-oh! Maybe transformation techniques." The little cat quickly began to dart around the table, as if trying to be sneaky.

Indra contained a laugh-- even he was no skilled ninja in those arts. IN technicality, he was a monk first but the martial arts between the two were similar. "I appreciate your eagerness, furball. For now, I need to rest a bit. It's been a long journey..." he said, the memory of his little adventure with the guild master being a wearing adventure. "Honestly, I am still not sure why you would want to learn from me. You know I'm not very stealthy. "

"But your strong, and your magic is so amazing. I wish I could use lightning like you. And I hear some ninjas can use all kind of techniques like yours as well," Kage went on like a little ninja fan. If he wasn't so cunning and sneaky when they first met, Indra would of assumed he was just that. A fan, but it seemed that Kage did dedicate effort to truly try to master what he could. How could he say no?

It was then that a certain mouthy dragon crawled up Indra's shoulder and sat there. "You poor tiger. I should warn you, you could do so much better for a teacher than this pervy lightning eater here," Tailong quipped in a teasing tone.

"No one asked you, Gecko..." Indra grumbled as he leaned back in his chair, the legs tipping up lightly in his roguish leasure.

"Dragon! DRAGON! Not Gecko! I hate Gecko!" Tailong shouted in Indra's ear, but he TRIED to block it out. Which was pretty much impossible for a Dragon Slayer with a developed sense of hearing.

Those watching would find it amusing that Indra, such a big and tough looking warrior would be hanging out with two miniature animals like that, which made him look more approachable.

Still in the back of Indra's mind, he wondered if he had the right to teach Kage anything. After what he did to his old monastery, was he able to really teach the little Exceed anything of value?

***

While the guild hall continued to become rowdy and filled with the merriment of both the dragon slayer and other members of Sabertooth's own enjoyments... a presence had entered the "Ace of Spades". A stranger, clad in head to toe in black -- a cloak worn over his form and red clouds decorated around it. A straw hat was worn over his head to hide his identity as he strolled into town and along the dirt road. He clearly appeared to be a foreigner, not from Fiore. Few noticed him on the streets, but he passed by them without any real issue. He appeared almost serene, almost like a ghost among the crowd unbothered by anyone or anything.

As he walked forward, he spied the Red Dragon Inn in the distance. "So he is near, hm?" he said to himself in a deep voice. His head shifted up from his straw hat to see. From the hidden space of his face-- he revealed to have eerie red eyes. The look was unnerving to anyone who would see it, clearly intimidating despite the calm demeanor the man had. His eyes looked forward with a resolution and drive in him like a flame that burned silently.

His target was near, and he would achieve his mission. He had followed the rumors of his target, ordered out by his superiors from Midi. He was to track down the 'fugitive' and serve the justice their land believed in. The man 'that stole the lightning' they called him from where he grew up. Now it fell to him to track him down and see that justice was served. Though he had reserved feelings about his task, he sought to rectify it by confronting him.

After all, the target and he had history...

WC: 1045

Indra watched in content as Kage looked around, interested in the place. "Well, when you do get the chance, I am looking forward to it. In fact, this place seems like a lot of fun. We could go on some really cool missions together, huh?" the little tiger said, trying to hide his excitement with a cool composure.

Indra just smirked. "Well, it beats ripping off tourists to make a living, cat. But yeah. You're probably a lot less useless than chatterbox over here."

"Oh keep it up, sparky! I could eat you whole if I wanted!"

Indra laughed at the sheer idea of Tailong being any kind of threat when he was almost 'spineless' as a tiny dragon. However, their conversation was distracted by a woman's voice. Indra turned to glance at her-- naturally interested and he wasn't disappointed. The white haired woman had a fine features, beautiful face with a stern expression. However, she appeared more mature than Luna was and with a sexier figure. He wanted to smirk, but he soon sensed the strength behind her aura. Her magic was something else...

"Besides an impulsive brat and some of the 'legal guild rules' -- its not bad," Indra replied.

"Oh, your one to talk," Tailong quipped-- till Indra gave him a light wave and sent the little dragon flying into the air.

"So, who are you exactly? I don't think we met-- or shared a drink for that matter," he asked.

Kage was quick to warm up to the woman as the little Exceed tiger hopped down from the table to give a small bow to her. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Kage. Is there a chance I can join this guild too?" the little cat asked.

As they would socialize, Indra would try to get a good wiff of her. She smelled like roses and a smokey aroma. However there was something else that got his attention. It could of came from her as well. A hint of rain-- no waterfall mist and the slight trait of...

... Cherry Blossoms.

Indra quickly jolted from his chair in alarm. His eyes went wide with alarm. That scent-- he knew that familiar scent. THought as a Dragon Slayer, it was far sharper and noticeable than he had sensed before, but that was a scent of Midi-- the scent of the mountains where he was raised. If others didn't know better, it would of been shown as an act of fear how he acted.

"Huh? Sensei, what's wrong?" Kage said, seeing the intense reaction Indra had.

His fists tigthened as he glanced around the tavern. This feeling... It can't be. They followed me all the way here? . If there was fear, it turned to anger as he glared around to try and find the source...

... till a voice spoke out.

"Hello, Indra. I do hope you remember me," a voice said with a casual tone.

Alarmed and hearing the voice as clear as a bell, Indra turned to the entrance of the Inn.

Standing in the doorway was a black and red cloaked man with the straw hat. The one who had entered the Ace of Spades. The draft outside brushed his cloak with the red clouds about as he slowly reached up to take off his hat. He soon revealed to have an even cropped black hair and a fair sharp face. His eyes-- those same steely eyes were as red as a flower's bloom-- and glared at Indra with intent.

Indra stepped out from behind the table and snarled at the person. "Y-You?!" Indra shouted, the entire tavern growing concerned as many conversations stopped. "What the hell are YOU doing here?"

Despite the unnerved appearance Indra had, the stranger was as cool as ice. As resolute as a wall-- as if the exit out was blocked if Indra wanted to escape. However, running wasn't on Indra's mind, but the fact that this person was here worried him.

"I would think it is obvious... Traitor." he said with a hint of edge in his voice.

That was all that was said as Indra let loose a roar-- and fired a blast of lightning right for him to strike him where he stood!