To The Teahouse!

Stopping short of leaving hearing Noah's voice. He turned slowly toward him and laughed hie eyes delving into hie eys seeming to drink in them. "Oh? I see the results of such protection..." Looking over at Caste his eyes pointing out her bandaging. "I see a female whom' protection failed her. Will next time see her demise or worse?" Looking to the owner he listened to her words and watched as she left swiftly. "I must apologize to her. It seems I have been a bit rash with my words." Laughing lightly he turned to Noah again. "Baby her and pain follows. Can you really claim you can protect her so easily and remain true to it? I fso your a fool. And fool's get their charges killed everyday. Alas though I have forgotten my place and my sharp tongue has shown itself again." Bows to Caste. "Forgive me lady Caste. I have begun an unfortunate disagreement between me and your protector. I only voice concern. Mayhap your protector might think on that instead of being blind to the truth." His eyes lay on Caste. "Learn to be stronger. Perhaps one day your roles may switch."

Noah sat down beside Caste, and watched Taru as she manuevered about. She had a quick, pleasant manner about her. He could even describe her as graceful. A part of him admitted that Taru is as capable as he heard, and indeed quite charming. He rested both elbows on the edge of the table, and placed his fingertips together.

This would be one of the few womens he find capable and not so much a failure. Though how did someone as young as she gather such a wealth of information and wisdom? That he did not know, but Noah was curious indeed. Her words rang sense to his ears, and he slowly brought his fingertips apart.

Then he heard Dark, and his eyes flicked over towards the man. Noah felt his temper boiling furiously, indeed. His jaw was once more taut with tension, and the tinge of blue appeared in his eyes. Noah wouldn't realy hit a woman, though he wouldn't hesitate to crush a man's skull into the dirt. He was silent though, and lowered his hand slowly, curling it around the cup, feeling the heat on his palm. Lifting it to his lips, he sniffed. Noah liked the scent it gave off. Then he took a sip.

Caste shifted uncomfortably, it was so tense in here. Even the pretty happy decor of the Tea Shop could not easily erase the uneasiness. As usual, Caste's first though was to run. It was how she handled unpleasant things, by just not handling them at all. She liked to duck out, and let it resolve it's self if it could. She hated fighting, especially when she feared she was the cause of it. Caste's eyes shifted to Noah's face guilty, and she sighed loudly.

Slumping over, Caste rested her forehead against the arm laying on the table. Very slowly, and gently at possibly as not to be dected by Noah, Caste began to jerk her other arm against the restraining bandages. Pain seared up her arm, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. When she'd controlled herself a bit, she started jerking again, but it was nearly impossible to get her arm out of the bandages. She'd have to go find some scissors later that night and cut her arm free.

Caste stopped jerking her arm, and her eyes stared blanky at the mug of tea infront her. She could barely see a reflection of herself in the cup, and stuck her tongue out at it. She didn't like what she saw. Skin too pale, her eyes had a dead look in them, her hair was a mess, and she was wearing Noah's way too large shirt.

Seeing no response besides a few small anger induced ones Dark threw a few silver coins on his table and turned towards the door.
"If ever you want a lesson in defense Caste. Seek me at the inn tonight after dark. I shall be honored to asist you where others lack to do so." He opened the door and walked out in the light leaving no chance for a response.

(note: over my next few posts, i will be using a NPC that i will control. His actions will be Olive and his Diolog with be Dark Red. After i have finished i will return to using Elrith...)

*A being in Black plate armor was stiting at a table in the corner, his face hidden by the shadow that over cast his upper body. He was also wearing a Red cape and on the table infrpont of him, sat a Black full hells a single large horn jutting up to the ceiling from it. He drummed his fingers on the table as he watched the three ppl bicker. Finaly standing and placing the helm on, he walked over past them, bumping into the back of Caste's chair as he headed to the Bar...*

Noah sipped the tea, and savored the taste in his mouth. He liked the taste, aswell. Indeed, this is a very peculiar, and rather pleasant little tea shop. He hasn't had tea in so many years, and yet he found the taste to this one agreeable. He glanced briefly to Caste, and blinked. What in the world is she doing?

"After we finish, I will take you back to change. It shouldn't be that hard to find some fitting cothing for you." Hopefully there are clothing stores around. Noah finished his tea and ignored the stranger who walked in, though he watched the personage through the corners of his eyes. Who is that?

Caste jumped, banging her injured arm on the table, as the man bumped her chair. She wimmed, and smacked her head back down on the table. The offer of new clothes kept her from getting too upset though. She set up with watery eyes, and tried to blink them away, while she looked up at Noah. "Master Noah..." Caste said softly. "Thank you!" She slipped her arm around him again giving him another quick hug. Then her eyes darted over toward the man who had bumped into her chair, he was now approaching the counter.

Caste moved back into her chair, her eyes darting back every so often to Noah's face. She wondered what reaction he would give her, for her latest actions. She needed a good laugh right now. She picked up her cup of tea and sipped it, then sighed as the warm liquid flowed down her throat. It was so good! Caste turned her eyes over to Taru and grinned, showing her apperciation for the owner's delicious tea. Caste leaned back in her chair, her eyes still on the newest stranger in the tea shop. "I wonder who he is. He didn't even apologize for hitting my chair." Caste mumble softly to Noah.

Noah blinked, and turned to the stranger. His hand lifted, and rested against the back of Caste's chair. Noah thought for a moment, then answered for Caste, "I don't know where Elrith is. Last I saw him, he was knocked out at the hospital. That Karasu lady stuck a needle in his neck."

Noah made a face for a split second at the thought of Karasu. That woman still makes him mad. Shaking the thought away, Noah kept his eyes on the stranger as his hand rested on Caste's back.

Caste perked an eyebrow at the stranger, and frowned. "H-How do you know my name?" Caste asked him, instantly tense. When Noah spoke, and placed his hand on her back, she relaxed again. "Acutally, Elrith went to get us rooms at the Inn Master Noah, I told him to go on ahead to be--" Caste stopped talking and glanced at the stranger.

Maybe it wasn't the best idea to tell an odd looking stranger, who some how knew you name, where your defesneless sleeping friend was at. Caste bit her lip, and looked at Noah, the look insintuating 'uh-oh'. Caste scooted back toward Noah a bit, and angled her head up twoard the stranger again. "Who are you?" She asked him, in confusion and wonder.

Noah eyed the man intensely, then a realization dawned on him, "Omega?" Noah turned in his chair and felt his body go rigid with tension. Could this be Omega? It made sense. Omega was there when Elrith flew at them, but why would he come to them now, and seem almost friendly?

If not Omega, who could this be? Noah's dark eyelashes batted together as he blinked once, allowing his body to relax, ever so slightly to allow him more flexibility in movement.

Caste sensed Noah get stiff, as she was. She had heard that name before. The one who had thrown Elrith at her. Caste watched him remove the helmet, and couldn't help but notice he wasn't a bad looking guy. Still, she narrowed eyes as she stared at him, "Elrith didn't almost hit me, you threw him at me." Caste voice was cold, and she continued to look up into his peircingly strange eyes.

Caste's other hand clenched into a fist, and she pulled it on the table. Her fingers slid under the large shirt, and she began picking at the bandaging, ripping off a piece of it, as she started to unbandage her arm. She felt useless, stupid, and weak with her arm wrapped up. She should have been more careful, she didn't blame Noah for stabbing her. It was her own fault that she hadn't protected herself from Jak's Demon.

Noah reached over and curled his digits around Caste's arm, stopping her. He peered briefly into her eyes, and waited for her to stop before he turned back to Omega with a look of utter indifference. Noah was at his best now, calm and composed, his quick-wits working as fast as ever.

"Will I need to relay a message to Elrith?"

Caste was still ripping at the bandages til Noah put a restraining hand on her arm. Her fingers twitched, and she jerked gently on her arm wondering if he'd release her if she asked nicely. "Not like it matters, I lost my medicine, I'll probably die of infection anyway." Caste mumbled, she was in a slightly bad mood. She was tired for one, which made her very cranky. The large man infront of her, that had nearly hurt her earlier, was not helping things either.

Eyeing the bandages, Caste was tempted to chew through them. 'Heck, I'm not that felxable.' She thought to herself. The thought made her giggle, which was very out of place in the present moment. She glanced around her, her cheeks flushing with embarassment.

Noah placed his hands together, threading his fingers together slowly. He took his time and fixed his gaze intensely on Omaga, "He was in a battle." Noah turned his head and seemed as if he was staring at the wall, though he was looking at Caste with a look that commanded silence from her. Perhaps it was best that he handled this. He would explain to her later on it after Omaga left. That was ultimately the best route to take.

"Why do you ask?" Noah thought it fair that though Omaga asked questions, he could ask some of his own.

*Omaga looked Noah in the eye and smiled. He seemed to have know that answer all along.*

"Yes, to protect Miss Caste here i think wasnt it. Against thwe Demon... I must say it was a surprise for me. i have tryed countless times to make him change, but he never did. I suppose you know why he refused to go to his 6th form, dont you Sir Noah?"

*Omaga smirked, as though he already knew the answer. But in his eyes was a new look one of "i pitty those who have no clue of the future." this look was very odd indead. His eyes were also narrower as he looked for the nearest ear, at the same time, we mde sure to create a barrier to hide thir conversations for the wandering ears of the shop, save for those who he was speaking to. He wanted no interuptions to his conversation. He stood up and wlked to the counter, turning around and leaning on it. looking at therfew left still able to hear him. he moved bakto the table and sat down, satisfied with what he had done to keep this private.*

"I fear for the future if Elrith should make a wrong choose, and it will be to you to stop him from such..."

*Omaga was being cryptic, and his voice was now shallow and cold, he was becoming rather serious...*
(caste isnt back yet i dont think, so i just am going to keep posting...)

Noah's hand was firm, curled around the upper-arm of Caste's. He had his eyes focused deeply on the man, Omaga. Noah's face remained an expressionless mask, betraying nothing of what he thought or felt. There was a moment ofsilence, as if Noah didn't hear Omaga, before he spoke, "Why don't you tell me." His words did not sound like a question. It was a firm statement, lacking in any emotions. Noah remained stoic, and he would turn to release his hand from Caste.

His eyes locked on Caste's, and the dark depths of them burned into hers.

Caste turned and looked up at Noah, as his long fingers wrapped around her arm. He was staring at Omaga now, and Caste tugged on her arm. What was he doing? When he let her arm go, she began picking at the bandages again. She glanced up at Naoh for help, to find him staring back at her. His eyes were too intense, and she stood up from her chair and headed back over to the counter. She looked at Taru, then pulled up her shirt to show her the bandages again.

"Would you mind helping me? I think my arm is better now?" Caste shot a look at Omaga who was right beside her, then looked back at Taru. She couldn't get the bandages off, which she thought was pretty pathetic. Caste looked over at Noah, then looked down and sighed. Maybe one day, she'd stop being such an embarassment to him.

Upon returning from the back room, Taru finds the constituents to be slightly different and that girl Caste trying to find a way out of her situation. Taru strides around the counter, smiling brightly acting like nothing was going on, and lays her hand gently on Caste's arm.

"Hey, girl, come with me. I have the cutest blouse in the back. We are about the same size, I bet it would look beautiful?"

She wraps her arm around Caste's waist and gives her a slight hug. "Trust me, when a girl looks good, she feels good! You like silk?"

Noah glanced over to Taru, and a grateful look flashed across his features. He waited for Caste to leave first, raising a finger to Omaga, as if for the man to pause his speech for a moment. Perhaps it was best that Caste leave first. He doubted that she would be able to stay calm if she heard all that Omaga had to say.

Noah used his spare time whilst waiting for Caste to move to eye Taru curiously. She seemed to know what she was doing. Charming, indeed. Not that Noah would ever admit it to anyone but himself. Perhaps Caste would learn a thing or two from Taru about staying calm or making tea. That would be grand, indeed.

Caste glances up at Taru and smiles. She wraps her arm around the girl's shoulder and nods. "Thank you, I need a new shirt. I don't think I look all that great in boy's clothes." Caste laughed, and walked with her into the back. She cast a Noah a quick glance, and mouth the words, 'I'll miss you.' Caste giggled, sorry she wouldn't be able to see what wacky reaction he gave to that as she stepped into the back with Taru.

It felt nice to have someone to talk to like this. Sure, Noah and the rest of them cared, but only about her being alive. Taru was entergetic and nice, she talked alot, and Caste liked her alot already. "I'm glad, to meet you Taru." Caste said in a serious manner, gazing up at the older girl.