[ Free City, Truce - Fountain ]

A few tiny sparks of blue light decorate the surface of the fountain at Aura's approach, but the lights do not last for more than a split-second.

Variance tiredly lifts his head from its previous state of pathetic hanging, starting a long, suffering glance to the sudden intrusion of footsteps... It takes him exactly six seconds to come to his senses afterward.

Duran feigns a few swings with his sword, looking rather bored.

Aura narrows her eyes slightly at something unseen, deftly shaking her head as she slides to her knees against the same house, looking completely worn out. She hasn't seemed to have noticed anyone else, as of yet.

Variance openly gapes at the sight of Aura, trying desperately to find something to say, anything to break the proverbial ice. Nothing comes, and he's in no condition to notice any mocking sniggering that might result from his bewildered expression.

Duran leaves north.

Aura raises her head slightly, glancing sidelong at, again, something unseen. "No.. I'm okay. I'm just.. tired. Again. I should sleep.. but I need out of that damn Sanctuary.. for at least.. a little while.."

A tiny spark of green light illuminates the air a few feet in front of Aura's face, in an almost-obvious annoyed manner.

Variance takes a few hesitant steps towards her, unsure if he should interfere. The mere -sight- of her was enough to catch him off-guard, it's understandable that he would be this cautious of himself. Understandable to who is the bigger question, however.

Aura stays put for a silent moment, before raising her head in Variance's direction, and offering a tiny grin, defiant in all aspects of her current immobile state. "Hey, I was right. I figured.. at least one of you might be here.."

Aura looks down again, her grin remaining. "They didn't want me to leave, yet.. I'm still having trouble controlling myself, outside my home... but after almost a full week of only seeing the Sanctuary walls..."

Aura trails off, saying nothing further, looking only at her lap.

Variance takes the blatant cue and sprints a short distance to her side, kneeling a bit to offer her assistance to stand. "I understand what you're getting at, but from the looks of things, I'm not surprised they kept you there for so long."

Aura frowns, but grunts a bit audibly with the effort to raise herself back to her feet, taking the offer without much hesitance, hefting her weight more against Variance than her walker's aide. "Well, maybe... I don't think it'll hurt too much."

It's hard to walk, still, but I'm getting the hang of it... slowly. Having to learn how to do it all over again... it's really somewhat annoying..."

Duran sighs.

Aura spares a glance around, for a fraction of a moment. "This place seems a little busy... has it been a popular place to visit since I left?"

Duran shakes his sword as if it was broken.

Variance doesn't seem noticibly affected by the extra weight, standing firmly. He takes a quick scan of the surrounding area himself. "It's been a little more active of late, but it's nothing too out of the ordinary."

Aura winces slightly, the emerald inset within the middle of her choker glowing rather dimly. "I see. It didn't seem this active beforehand..."

Aura raises her head a bit defiantly, still leaning rather heavily upon Variance. "At this point.. I'm sure you and a couple others are wondering what I've been through, too.. and as much as I'd love to tell the story.. I don't really know if..."

"...I'd even make it partway through before collapsing from exhaustion. I've never felt this way before... it's so different, now..."

Variance continues supporting Aura, offering her a quick reassuring glance. "It's alright, there's no need to rush into things. I'm sure the others would understand your need to rest so long..."

Aura nods slightly. "I found.. something I'd never expected, in the few years I've been apart of this world... the Mana Holyland, and... the Tree of Mana... mother..." She winces again, raising her eyes towards the sky.

Duran eyes over towards Variance and Aura.

Aura sighs, closing her violet eyes. "I'll get my chance.. a few more days, and maybe I'll actually be able to support myself, outside the Sanctuary..."

Variance nods in agreeance, taking a quick look to said Sanctuary before regarding Aura again. "It may sound like a rather obvious question, but I don't suppose you need a hand getting back there?"

Aura goes to shake her head, still looking defiant as ever. "No, I shouldn't need.." She's cut short as her walking brand clatters to the cobblestones, apparently having fallen form her lack of grip on it, which merits another wince.

"... Well.. I guess... maybe it wouldn't hurt. But I can't rely on everyone to do everything.. for me.. all the time.." Aura's breathing seems to be a bit shallow at this point, her words slightly slurred.

Variance lowers himself just enough to retrieve the fallen brand and still keep his charge mostly standing, carefully bringing himself back up with a slight smirk. "I'd hardly call one meeting 'everything', but I know what you meant."

Aura shakes her head a little, further. "No.. the dryads.. its their power that even allows me to remain as alert as I am.. my mana power isn't.. stable, yet. I can't control it, outside the village.. so I use theirs.. but I wish I didn't.."

Aura doesn't seem to notice that what she's talking about may not even ring a bell to Variance. "But.. maybe I'd better get back.. I'm going to lose it, and then you're going to wind up having to carry me back, fully... and..."

Aura allows herself the faintest hint of a smirk. "Seikou might.. get.. jealous.."

Variance allows himself to exert a rather short laugh at the thought, starting to move towards the Sanctuary, though only as far as Aura allows. "Well, the jealousy might come after the nauseating worry, but you have a point."

Aura sighs softly, but doesn't say anything else, not really having -too- much of a choice in the matter on whether she follows or not, seeing as how the majority of her body weight is being supported by Variance as it is.

[Truce - Mana Sanctuary]

Variance keeps his slow, deliberate pace even as he enters the outer edge of the Sanctuary, continuing his practice of taking a few steps and glancing to make sure Aura was alright before going on.

Aura lifts her head a little, smiling slightly as she moves to step off of Variance's assistance, more or less onto her own two feet, without her aid. A thin green outline seems to envelope her form as she steps into the Sanctuary interior, her eyes raising towards the Goddess' statue in the background. "There.. I think maybe.. I'll be okay from here.."

Variance stands fully, merely standing and staring for a moment or two at the outline about Aura's person. Reality comes crashing back not long after his little trance, as does the fact that he's still holding her brand. He approaches her again, offering the brand and possibly looking a bit embarrassed.

You say 'I'm pretty certain this is yours... Almost forgot I had it.'

Aura turns slightly, still smiling considerably as she accepts her aid back, with a nod. "I'm sure I'll need it again... I should sleep soon. But soon.. once I have more control over myself.. I won't have to be so reliant..."

Aura watches Variance quietly for only a moment, the emerald in her choker glowing in ominous unison with the thin aura about her body before she turns again, taking small, gentle steps towards the statue. "Maybe then..."

"... I'll finally be able to take care of myself..."

Variance offers nothing in the way of a possible reply, not that there was any sort of question posed. He simply watches her with profound curiosity, both about the light about her and what she might be speaking of.

(Some time later...)

Variance walks in from the northern end of the square, his expression of dazed confusion fading in an instant as he catches sight of Seikou.

Seikou is sitting on a bench, looking rather depressed. His gaze is lowered, and he glances only momentarily at Variance before returning his attention to the ground.

Variance takes a seat on a bench of his own, perpendicular to that of Seikou. His conscience begins nagging at him to tell Seikou what just happened, but something seems to be getting in the way of following through.

Seikou looks up again for a moment and he speaks, rather quietly. "...I'm sorry..."

Variance looks blank for a second or two before the reason for the apology registers, after which he lets out a short, tired sigh and shakes his head dismissively. "It would have been revealed eventually, no one's at fault."

Seikou says 'Still... What do I do now? I'm designed for combat, and I really can't think of anything else I do well...'

"Well..." Variance's gaze flits to the sky for some amount of time in consideration. "There's always the 'Good Samaritan' route, but with that also comes the possibility of being misunderstood..."

You say 'But to be honest, I don't have any other solid ideas other than that. Maybe something will come up in time...'

Seikou sighs. "I just... I don't want the fact I'm infected stop me from saving lives..."

Variance brings his far-seeking gaze back to earth, another sigh escaping him. "It's as I said, something's bound to happen in time. How much time, I don't know, but one shouldn't be expectant in only a night's passing."

Seikou nods, looking a touch less depressed. "You're probably right. Everything will be for the best in the end..."

Variance regards Seikou for a moment, noting his gradual lightening of spirit... And once again, his conscience starts prodding at him to tell him about what had passed not a half-hour before.

Variance remains silent for another stretch of time before he finally crumbles under the pressure of his shoulder-angel's pestering. "Aura... She came out of the sanctuary not too long ago."

Seikou immeditaley looks alert. "She did?! Where is she now?!'

You say 'She's back there now -- it wasn't much longer after I saw her that she nearly collapsed. But she's fine now, and I'm sure she'll be able to stay out longer soon.'

Seikou looks worried. "She collapsed? What's wrong with her? Does she have a virus?"

Variance shakes his head in reply. "No, it's nothing like that. She's just... tired. It'll pass." His conscience again blurts out obscenities at his further withholding of information, but Variance's willpower recovers quickly enough to find it off.

Seikou still looks worried, but nods. "K... I just hope I can see her soon..."

Variance nods in agreeance, again remaining silent. Thankfully, his conscience has been shut up by Logic, and this time his silence is merely his typical Deep Thought state of being.

Seikou sighs and prepares to stand. "Well, I should head back to Ba-" He then pauses for a moment before sitting again. "...Nevermind..."

Variance looks off to the distant west, expression turning somewhat forlorn and regretful. "It's going to take some getting used to..."

Seikou looks rather angry, as well as still depressed. "Signas shouldn't have done this to us! I mean, I can clearly fight the Virus off, and you -never- went fully Maverick! It's not FAIR!"

Variance sighs once again, returning his gaze to some indeterminate area at the base of the fountain. "He had no choice, he had to follow protocol. Any Hunter with any detectable amount of the Virus can't be allowed to remain within the sanctity of the base and its organization."

Variance huffs indignantly, something he's not really known for. "Politics at their finest."

Seikou closes his eyes. "It's all my fault."

You say 'You shouldn't take the blame all on yourself... We all had our part in it; no one can truly say it was all their doing.'

Seikou nods again. "...Alright..." The then looks up and manages a smile. "And I just decided. I'm not going to stop being a Hunter. Even if it does make me a renegade, I can't let the Mavericks win."

Variance meets Seikou's gaze and his renewed confidence, perhaps a little perplexed. His own concurring assurance masks it, however. "It's good to hear, but how exactly are you going to do that?"

Seikou shrugs. "The same way I did before. Go on patrols, stop Mavericks. Perhaps I'll be a touch more active, but otherwise the only difference will be the fact Signas doesn't control it..."

Variance crosses his arms, settling into his more normal habits, looking somewhat thoughtful. "Sounds easy enough... Perhaps a little less organized, but it could work."

(omgcutoff. T_T)