[h2][center]Geralt of Rivia & [color=BFBFBF]Zenkichi Hasegawa[/color][/center][/h2]
[center]Everdream Valley- Virgin Victory[/center]
[center]Lvl 13 Geralt (87/130) -> Lvl 13 (89/130) (+1 pending) [/center]
[center]Lvl 6 [color=BFBFBF]Zenkichi[/color] - (69/60) 7 Collab XP + 4 Collab XP +5 Collab XP -> Lvl 6 (77/60) (+1 pending)[/center]
[center]Word Count: 997 words[/center]

Zenkichi, Sandalphon, and Akane made great haste back to the Virgin Victory, the former two on careful lookout while their teenage charge did her best to stay calm despite the extreme caution and urgency her father was displaying. This was nothing like his usual demeanor, where he hardly ever tried to scold her, tell her she was wrong, or what to do like other parents did, too wrapped up in feeling sorry for himself. No, he was deadly serious right now, and to watch his head and eyes dart about like they were looking for a wild animal ready to attack at any moment unnerved her deeply. 

They made it back safely, without any random bolts of lightning trying to kill them, or mysterious figured shooting at them or any of the many strange and terrifying scenarios she'd been half-panicked about on the run back, and Akane sighed in half relief and half annoyance. "Well, we made it back safe. What freaked you out about that storm so much?"

Zenkichi sighed, catching his breath just a little and running his hand through his hair. [color=BFBFBF]"Sandalphon was right, that was not a normal storm. Given the guys who are after us right now...not taking any chances. People in this place have some really weird powers, and if somebody did that? Not sure I wanna fight him."[/color]

"Yeah, trust me, you don't." Geralt announced as greeting, looking between Akane, Zenkichi, and Sandalphon with a frown. "There's a Consul, who just told me to enjoy what little time we have left. As soon as he finishes his drink, he's coming. Halo, let the others know. I'll be checking my swords over while we wait." 

[color=BFBFBF]"Another Consul? Seriously? Guess they're getting serious now. Though, Shirogane did say they got chased by a storm, didn't they? Is it really just a coincidence that we have to deal with a third Consul in one day? Just my luck."[/color] Still, Zenkichi didn't seem quite as dismayed as his words made it seem. While Sandalphon got the word out to the others, prompting Midna to appear almost instantly, Zenkichi summoned and tested the new sword he'd just bought, finding it to be [i]extremely[/i] heavy, but somehow still manageable. He'd chalk it up to Persona nonsense, given that Valjean also let him cast magic. 

While Zenkichi tested his new weapon, Geralt gestured Akane further inside the Virgin Victory, the young girl following her curiously. "Wait...weren't you a grumpy old man with a horn this morning?" She asked, realizing from the tone of her voice who Geralt was. 

"I was. Like your father said, this world that Galeem created has many strange people in it, and when they die, we can...take some of their power for our own." Akane looked at Geralt like she was crazy, then horror settled in as memories from Midgar resurfaced. 

"You mean...fusing? Isn't that super illegal?" Geralt pulled out her steel sword, a rag, and her vial of Hanged Man's Venom, pouring a small amount of the deadly toxin into the rag as she sat down.

"In Midgar, it is. Most places don't seem too keen on it, given that it incentivizes killing folk." She methodically, quickly oiled her sword, Akane watching in confusion. "Where I come from, death is a common fact of life. Folk die every day. Starvation, murder, war. There are monsters who gather in places where many have died to feast on their corpses. I hunt those monsters. Some of those monsters look just like every other person on the street. People. I'm sure you're wondering why I'm telling you this."

"Uh....kinda...." Akane trailed off, a little worried by the fact that Geralt just implied she [i]killed people.[/i]

"Your father is a good man. Maybe misguided. Maybe foolish. But a good man. He tried to save an enemy of his, only for us to be tricked by an illusion into killing him. I wanted to warn you." Satisfied with her blade, now coated in the deadly toxin, she stood, and frowned. "We may have to kill the man chasing us. In all likelihood, we will. Stay inside. He's dangerous, more dangerous than any other man you've met in your life. More dangerous than any we hope you will ever meet. My daughter walked the same path as I do, for a while. It's a lonely one. Your father doesn't want the same for you. So stay inside with the others, and no matter what happens, until your father, I, or one of the other Seekers tells you it's safe, do not come out." The last four words delivered with a slow, dark voice that reminded her of a movie villain, made Akane nod. 

"Good. Hopefully we can get away. But they won't stop chasing us until either them or us are dead. I know you and your father have your problems. He means well. Cut him a little slack, would you?" Geralt tried to smile, but between her overly-stern resting face, the sword in her hand, and the knowledge that this woman in front of her was probably a [i]lot[/i] stronger than her dad, (as much as she hated to admit her dad was actually kind of badass), Akane could only gulp and give a tiny, scared nod. What had her dad gotten them into? Akane guessed she couldn't complain, given that he was actually trying to do something now, instead of just hide scared for her like last time, but...wasn't this overcompensating?

Sighing, Geralt left Akane behind and returned to where Zenkichi, and now a few others, were. "Akane should be okay. Tried to convince her we had this. Don't think it worked. We need to get going before he shows up. Looked mostly human, has some power over electricity. Not sure how much, but enough that he's comfortable performing parlor tricks." She didn't have much information on the Consul, so she couldn't give much, but they'd just have to make do.