Hikari smirked at this girls proposition. "Yea, i know it was foolish, i've done more stupid things in the past though." ((that went wrong)) she relaxed when kioko said she was an exile herself. "I thought that woman was a little odd myself." she also removed a liquid from her bag, only hers, was her flask of vodka. she took a swig of it then replaced the lid.

She glanced at the abandoned town then at kioko. "you come here often?" she asked returning the flask to her bag. She Gazed up at the sun again then shook her head to continue facing kioko.

Kioko sat down cross legged on the desert sands to continue talking with the Elemental girl.  "This town?  I'm just pas.sing though here, you see.  I don't have a set destination; I just tend to wander from place to place.  Safer that way, I'm sure you understand."  She gave Hikari what she hoped was a charming smile.

"Actually, that's part of why I decided to talk with you.  You know how dangerous it is for a young girl to be traveling alone, especially an exiled one like you and me.  How about traveling with me for a bit?  It's easier to fight off bounty hunters when you have help, and besides, I've been bored by myself.  Not to mention that woman back in the bar who knows what you are now.  So, what do you say?  No safer company for an exile than another exile, after all." 

Hikari sat down agiain so she was level with kioko. "Not a bad idea." hikari said taking everything into consideration. "Unlike you though, i have a destination, im headed for the walled city. heard of it?" she asked inquisitively. "You must of buy now? its full of Exiles, and bounty hunters alike." then she fell backward into the sand with her arms out wide. "Sure, its dangerous, but like you said, no safer company for an exile than another." 

Hikari sat up again and removed the dagger from the scabbard. Its was an Imperial Roman gladiator dagger. Overall, it was a 15 inches, with an 8 1/2 inch double sided blade. it had a pewter gold handle and scabbard, with the demon pentacle engraved on the blade. it had been pased down the Akuma family for generations, either to the first born, or the first female. Hikari loved it, because it was the last thing she had of her mothers.

Aaron got up and thanked the two strange people and headed on out of the bar. He saw two girls talking nearby but didn't give them more than a glance. They didn't look like bounty hunters to him. They were probably just exiles like himself, he didn't care to find out though. He was never great at taking chances like that after he became an exile.

He didn't know where he was to go, he heard of a place that a lot of exiles go to. What was it called? Something about a wall. . .

"Everyone's heard of the walled city, but I've never been there personally.  I've been traveling by myself up till now, so it didn't seem like a good idea to hang around a place full of bounty hunters, ya know?  But since we're teaming up I guess it'll be okay."  Kioko gestured toward the weapon in Hikaris' hands.  "That's a pretty nice weapon.  Is there a story behind it?"

From the corner of her eye she saw someone stumbling out of the bar.  Turning her head, Kioko saw that it was the young man who had been pas.sed out in the booth.  He appeared to be standing in place, thinking about something.   "Hunh.  That guy still doesn't look like he's recovered."  She turned back to the other girl.  "Think we should see if he's alright?"

"This?" she said, as she returned it to her scabbard. "its a family air-loom, it was my mothers..." she trailed off, then snapped her head upwards to see where kioko was gesturing to. Hikari stood up to look at the stumbling boy, then looked down at kioko. "yea, i think your right. i think we should go see him." she said with caution. he was one of the males sitting with the cloaked woman. she wasn't sure at first, but a bounty hunter wouldn't let them self get that battered.

((dead head)) 

((Guys, just go ahead and post when you bump, it'll save time))

Kioko nodded at Hikaris' reply, then stood up slowly, dusting sand off her clothes.  The boy wasn't paying attention to them, probably thinking they weren't a danger to him.  She smirked to herself.  Usually when someone as.sumed that about Kioko it ended badly for them.  Especially when that person looked as though they were still about to fall over.

Low enough that he couldn't hear, she said to the fire Elemental, "He doesn't look like a threat, but keep your guard up."  Waving at the man, she greeted him cheerily.  "Hello there!  Are you sure you should be out in the heat so soon?  You don't look like you've fully recovered yet."  She tried to appear sympathetic to the stranger.  With luck, she would be able to learn more about the people he had been sitting with, especially the woman.

"Why dont you go sit in the shade, you seem unstable." sugested Hikari. she pointed over to a run down building. it cast a long shadow along the ground and had an upright barrel next to it. "you could sit on that there." she continued. 

Hikari tried her best not to sound pushy, but at the same time, considerate. the look from him up close seemed much less threatening than when they saw him from a distance. But, as Kioko said, she was not letting her guard down.

((short post, sorry))  

((I'm just going to randomly find everyone now like Mychelle told me too o3o))

Ribunny was running through the desert.  She wasn't really sure why she was running, but she felt like somewhere she needed to be was close.  She jumped over a rock that was in her way and shapeshifted into a mountain lion in mid air, landing on all four paws.  She was now able to run faster.  Her sensitive ears pricked, she heard voices, she narrowed her eyes and realized she people.  Is that a mirage?  She wondered I am prone to hallucinations...  She shook her head, I'll go closer to find out.  She skidded to a halt, closing her eyes so the sand that she made stir up didn't go into her eyes.  She went into a crouching position, her fur blending into the sand around her, and crept closer.

Kioko was about to reply to the boys' insistence that he was fine when she heard something in the desert behind them.  Looking back at Hikari and the man, she decided her new ally would be fine alone for a moment.  Whoever he was, the fire Elemental would more than likely be able to handle him, with her power and that wicked looking dagger she carried around.

Leaving them for a moment, Kioko walked a few yards into the desert sands, looking for who or whatever was watching them. 

Kioko sprung away from the wild animal, drawing her katana as she did so.  The animals claws caught the edge of her cloak, tearing a large hole in the hem.  She swore out loud, preparing herself for a fierce battle.  "What the hell is a mountain lion doing in the desert?!"  She yelled to no one. 

Kioko had been expecting a fight to the death with a wild animal, possibly being injured or, if she were unlucky, maimed a bit.  She wasn't expecting the mountian lion she was currently facing down (in a desert) to rush forward, then suddenly change it's mind, shake its' head (how did a wild animal shake its' head anyway?), then look at her like it didn't know what it was doing.  It just didn't make sense... Unless...

"Crap," Kioko said, sheathing her sword.  "You're a Shapeshifter, aren't you?" 

Ribunny's eyes widened.  She took a few more steps back, not knowing if she could trust Kioko.  She sighed and nodded slowly, deciding that she could spring away if Kioko was someone that wanted to kill her.

((Sorry that was short, I'm a little brain dead. ;.;))