Siobhan and the old man both flinched when the crack of the gunshot filled the open air, echoing briefly into the distance.

[color=crimson]"Well done, ya maggot,"[/color] Her eyes darted to Kailani in mild irritation, though she nevertheless smiled when the other girl expressed her enthusiasm at having obtained what was surely something new and fascinating for her. It was easy to forget that she came from an island that had been cut off from the outside world for no telling how long. For her, just about [i]everything[/i] would be a new discovery, a new adventure!

It made the halfbreed just a little jealous.

"What in the hells is her problem?!" The old man rubbed his ears, seeming to have been briefly shocked out of his melancholy by the sudden discharge of his weapon.

Returning her full attention to the geezer still sitting on the blackened floor, Siobhan offered him a light shrug of her shoulders. [color=crimson]"She's an odd one, but I'd appreciate ya answerin' her question."[/color]

The old man shifted his ever suspicious eyes between the two girls for a moment, but ultimately sighed in resignation. Slumping forward even further, he raised a hand to gesture at the devastated town. "Blackwell. The King of Batotoi wouldn't pay his 'tax', so he unleashed a damn [i]monster[/i] on this town to make him reconsider."

[color=crimson]"Monster?"[/color] Siobhan cocked her head to the side. [color=crimson]"What kind of monster?"[/color]

Releasing a bitter chuckle at her words, the man's dark eyes flickered up at her. "It was that demon swordsman, Mushuro Takeuchi! He wiped our defenses out before we could even really know what was happening...but I served in the Marines for nearly twenty years, and I got a good look at him: a pale-faced God of Death he was, just like in the posters that've been going around."

Siobhan's eyes seemed to instantly light up like a pair of emerald suns, her hands lancing out to seize the old man by the scruff of his shirt as she brought him up to eye level. [color=crimson]"Seriously?! Where did he go after?!"[/color]

Maybe this trip [i]wasn't[/i] such a waste after all.

"W-what in-" The old man stammered at her enthusiastic response. "W-why would you ever want to know where he went, 'less it was to stay away from him?! He wiped out this whole town, and would cut you to ribbons in a heartbeat if he caught sight of you!"

Siobhan shook her head frantically. [color=crimson]"I need to know, cause that's my future swordsman!"[/color]

The old man stared at her like she was insane for what seemed like half a minute before releasing a heavy sigh. "Whatever, girl. It's your life."