Crush these Killing Hands (Pain)

[Stitch]

Stitch slowly followed the girl, happy to tag along with her slow pace. His arms were still on fire with that incredibly odd sensation, and his back was throbbing with pain. He wasn't really bleeding that much, thank Priskil. The cuts had been fairly shallow, as the man hadn't gone about his task with that much enthusiasm. Stitch supposed he should be thankful. Even though his heart had been breaking for the bandit, even after all he had done... Those cuts had made him want to lash out at the thief again, and put him down for quite a long time. They had been light, but they had hurt. They had been agonizing. He had felt the pleasure surge through the man's Aura, and it had made him sick. He had held in his disgust though, and let the man have his way. He was able to spot an addict when he saw one. That man had somehow been an addict to the pain of others... and his addiction was much like a drug addiction. Stitch wasn't sure how that particular addiction had come about, but he had still felt pity for the man. He would keep the fellow in his prayers for quite awhile. The rain was a blessing, and as they plodded along, Stitch basked in it. The cold drops of liquid were a boon to his aching back and arms, and he was happy to let it wash away the blood and pain. He was surprised it didn't sizzle as soon as it touched his skin, with his body being as hot as he was feeling. He peered closely at Pain, and realized that she was caked in mud. It was slowly being washed away, but she was much dirtier than him. Her biggest wound had likely gotten mud in it too, and that was cause for concern. He wouldn't want it to get infected. How far did they have to go? Her wounds weren't really bleeding that badly, but they were still barely covered by hardly adequate bandages. He was starting to worry even more for her health, as they plodded along. She was putting on a brave show, but how badly was she hurting? Could he help her, in some way? Perhaps carry her? She would never accept the idea, he was fairly sure. It would definitely help them move a bit faster, if he could indeed manage to lift her with his damaged arms... But she would likely clock him if he tried. Right on cue, she spoke up about how he had clocked her earlier. He flushed a bright red, turning his face a bit to hide the sudden reddening of his cheeks. Her compliment only caused him to duck his head lower, and turn his cheeks redder. He had indeed over-reacted a bit with the punch, but he hadn't really had time to think it through. He was glad she was being gracious about it though. And good humored, at that. Smiling a bit, he lifted his head up, angling his head toward her. "Thank you, milady. This one appreciates the compliment, especially after this one hit you so hard. This one just didn't want you to feel what this one was feeling... It isn't a good feeling. And this one has already burdened you enough with his stories about it." They continued on in silence, Stitch nodding thankfully at the few words she spoke to try and break the awkward silence. When the walls had finally come into sight through the trees, Pain's stamina finally gave out. Stitch had figured it was going to happen. He had been able to see the pain and the exhaustion in her Aura, but hadn't said a single word. The pride that had been flowing through her bright colors had greatly outweighed everything else that was there. He simply stood watch over her, leaning against the same tree that she had slumped down against. They sat there in silence a few minutes longer, Stitch secretly thankful for the rest. His arms were killing him, at this point. The rest of his body felt okay, but his biceps and triceps were bothering him the most. They had stopped feeling as if they were infested with dozens of tiny worms, and now they were just buzzing. He needed to be careful with the Flux. It was starting to hurt more, each and every time he used it. He snapped out of his thoughts as Pain asked him the question he had been thinking of phrasing just minutes before, turning his head toward her, his face betraying his shock. He stared in simple silence for a few moments, not so sure he had heard right. He didn't even speak at first, unable to speak any kind of response before she suddenly tried to take her question back. Was she ashamed now? His arms? He glanced down at them, clenching his fists, testing out his strength. Yeah, he was definitely in no shape to carry her. He paused, cocking his head in thought, then glanced back up at her. Was she lecturing him? And her dog... Was that concern in her Aura? Her concern for herself was much lower than that of the dog. From her viewpoint, he might could understand. But from his? Stitch stooped low, suddenly grabbing at her wrist. "This one is fine, thank you. Milady should be more concerned for herself." Suddenly, as if to combat her mother tone, the blind man was assuming a father tone with her! "Grab the dog with your other arm, or tell him to follow. Or have him come to my other arm. This one will carry the both of you to the gates. And then take you to the healer." He bent lower, and jerked, roughly dragging her onto his shoulders in an improvised fireman's carry. He was going to put most of her weight on his shoulders, which would prevent too much damage to his arms. Even the simple act of dragging her rather light form were she needed to be was causing that particular arm to light up in agony. That arm was the one he hadn't even used that much. He continued speaking, cutting off any argument that may come from her. "And don't argue, or this one will clock you again. Then this one will simply drag you to the healer. Wouldn't you like to go about this task with some sort of dignity?" Stitch had a stern look on his face, and like that, he straightened. She was draped over his shoulders, and hopefully holding the dog. Or the dog would just follow. Or, Stitch would help her carry the dog if he had to. He wasn't sure he would be able to, if it came to that. This was already almost too much. As she was scooted onto his shoulders, she might hear the painful creaking that was echoing from his body. And his arms. His arms were looking particularly swollen. And his back. The cuts had started bleeding again. He quickly spoke, knowing she would notice them. "Pay this one's back no attention. This one noticed that the group attacked us before because of addiction. The one you fault had been in need of your pain. This one wanted the Lord to know that he could get it without violence. That some people in this world would be happy to help a man in need. Even with such needs as his." Stitch suddenly walked forward, crossing the wet ground in great strides. His body hurt, and his arm felt like it was threatening to simply explode, but he wouldn't think about it. He wouldn't acknowledge it. Not now. He had to get them to the gates, and then the Knights would help him from there. Don't think about the pain. Block it out. Simply walk. Walk back home.

[Elhaym]

Pain nodded when Stitch spoke, apparently agreeing to carry her. She felt like a little girl, having to be carried... but the truth of the matter simply dominated any conceptions Pain had of her own toughness. She had made it this far on nothing but grit and pride, and now even that had washed away with the cold rain. Pain clutched Tanny tighter to her chest as Stitch hoisted her over his shoulder, holding her dog to her chest to keep him from falling. "Cocky bastard..." Pain said in response to Stitch's faux threats. She regretted speaking within seconds, as the burning sensation in her jaw flared and set in motion a waterfall of agony that seemed to crash through her entire body. Her jaw couldn't be broken, but it hurt like hell. Her speech was slurred and sounded drowsy. Her hip was on fire, and her right shin was still throbbing. As they walked, every bump that caused her leg to swing and make contact with a rogue tree branch, or even a tall bush kindled the same fiery pain that had scorched her when the wound was fresh. Not to mention... Her vision was jerking involuntarily around, and her neck was beginning to ache from holding her head up. Pain let her neck relax, her chin dipping down and her eyes falling on his backside... tracing the crimson lines that snaked across his drenched clothing. At that moment, he began to speak, to try and explain. Pain literally had to bite her tongue to keep herself from screaming at him. She didn't. Maybe she was too tired. Maybe she didn't want him to throw her down like a sack of potatoes and leave her there. Or maybe, she was coming to accept that though they had extremely different mindsets and morals, she couldn't blame Stitch for following his own path. Pain had her way. Stitch has his way. Neither was better, they were only different. Pain said nothing for a long while, simply trying to wrap her head around Stitch's way. It was very clear that they were trained differently. Stitch was very knowledgeable in the art of killing with precision. He moved his body like a straw in the wind when he fought, floating about his opponent before delivering a crushing blow. Pain, on the other hand, operated more like a blacksmith's hammer. She simply reached out, took hold of her opponent, and pounded. She would punch, kick and bludgeon her opponent until they threatened her no longer. Her method was decidedly simpler, and yet her shear aggression could win a fight when an unprepared opponent was subjected to her vicious assault. Different when they fought, different when they killed... but united in one strange aspect that defied their differences. They both didn't enjoy the killing. Too much thinking. Pain felt Stitch's pace slowing, and his repeated attempts to adjust her on his shoulder made her aware of his fatigue. Time to take his mind off it. "Hey, jackass... remember earlier... urgh, dammit, quit bouncing everywhere... gods. Yeah, remember earlier, when we were working out on that tree? Gurgh... dammit, quit bouncing everywhere!" Pain stuttered, constantly interrupted by the rough ride and it's effects on her battered body. Not that she wasn't grateful... "Anyway... yeah, you need to keep that up. Cause' your bony ass shoulder is about to rupture my liver dammit!" Pain said with a smirk Stitch couldn't see. She thought about giving him a good slap on the back, but decided that might be a little much. It didn't take long, and maybe her sore attempt at humor gave him the relief he needed. Soon, the castle gates were within view. The sight of the two stumbling onto the main road of Syliras didn't go unnoticed. Within seconds a mounted Knight was riding towards them, and several Knight's keeping watch with their bows atop the castle walls were yelling unintelligible things down below. A few seconds later, a quartet of Knight's in lighter leather armor were running towards them, hands resting on the sheathed longswords to steady them as they took flight. Pain couldn't see them, but she could hear the clanging of metal and the horses hooves, the shouted commands... ah, rescue. The sky was blotted gray and the rain was coming steadier. In a few moments, help would arrive for all three warriors. In Pain's eyes, Tanny had earned his stripes today. He had saved her life. And Stitch? Well, he just may have saved a piece of her soul.

[Stitch]

Be thankful for every day you are given. The minute he told her about the cuts on his back, he could feel her body tense up. He braced himself, seeing what looked to be a healthy amount of rage swelling within her Aura, not quite sure if he could follow up on his threat of before if she decided to start struggling. Sure, he was probably in better shape... But for what she lacked in actual stamina, she was sure to make up in spunk and willpower. Or was it just spunk? Or perhaps just willpower fueled by anger? She seemed to have a lot of that. Praying that she wouldn't start hitting him, he just continued on, staggering down the hill and onto the path that led to Syliras. They had been walking for a few moments in silence now, and no blows had come from the girl. Thank the Gods. Perhaps she was feeling a bit generous today. She managed to rein in that anger of hers, and he let out a slight sigh of relief, making sure she didn't notice. He didn't want her to pick up on another thing she could get peeved at. He knew it was all in good fun, but still... She had a way of roughing him up that he couldn't appreciate right now. The lightest of taps from the girl might actually send him toppling over. Onwards he walked, just waiting to see how she would handle the situation. He was carrying her, he had let the bandit cut his back, and there had been an uncomfortable silence for about a minute now. Pain wouldn't let that stand, would she? Right on cue, the woman burst into a string of curses, curling Stitch's ears with the words she spewed. There was an odd amount of humor to her words, but it was obvious she was letting go of some stress as well. Stitch didn't really bother to answer, nor did he really listen to her pleas. He kept on plodding along at that same pace that he did, still jostling her about in a bit of a rough way. He tried to just ignore the pain blossoming in the various locales of his body, and just pretended like it was exercise. It was like a mobile form of weightlifting, perhaps! His own vain attempts at humor, combined with those of Pain, managed to bring a small smile to his face. How could he help himself? They were safe, and it appeared they had managed to gain a new piece of themselves, in a way. Pain had managed to save a piece of her soul, and Stitch had managed to cleanse a piece of his. It was small, but it was something. Maybe he would make a good protector after all. Maybe he could learn control, if he applied himself. The Knights swarmed out, and Stitch finally stopped moving. He just stood there, keeping Pain up on his shoulders, unable to go another step. They were here, he didn't have to. The smell of sweat and horses filled his nose, the sound of shouted commands rang in his ears, and the bright Auras of the Syliras Knights filled his vision. They crowded around the two of them, taking Pain from Stitch, and gingerly tending to her wounds while leading her back to the gates. Stitch managed to scoop up the dog, knowing that Pain would likely want him attended to as well. The rest of the world was fading into blackness as Stitch clung tightly to the dog, holding onto that warm piece of reality. He fought to stay awake, even as the Knights carried him to wherever they would. He was no longer in control of his body, and not having to put any effort into anything... It was a blessing. Their adventure was over, and they have survived. That in itself was a blessing.

[Nisaba]

Grade Complete: XP Award! Name: Stitch   XP Award Running- 4 XP Body Building- 2 XP Auristics- 3 XP Acrobatics- 2 XP Martial Arts- 3 XP Flux- 2 XP Stitch was a machine. There was a lot of detail in the distance he ran, the way running felt to him, and his perseverance. Since he hadn’t had any points in the skill previously, his amount of dedication and the way that he learned his limits earned four points in running. Body building seemed secondary in the thread- something that he learned about and will continue to apply in the future, but didn’t use as much this time, so he only got two points there. A lengthy or more detailed post will earn more points in the future, but if you think he should have gotten all his points in either running or body building this time, please just let me know. The detail in the auristics was fantastic, as well as the amount of times it was mentioned and the headache it produced. That did show that he was consistently using the skill and suffering for it, worth three points. Climbing the tree and hanging from a branch while working out got a few points in acrobatics because I didn’t think they quite fit into the body building section. If you think so, I can look at that part again, as well. The fight scene was intense, and his use of the flux and the aftereffects earned a couple points.   Lore Award Running Away from Troubles Ignoring Bodily Discomfort Cold Water is Healing- and COLD Anything You Can Do, I Can…Try to Do Facing Fears (Heights) Talking about Distressing Topics Protecting a Friend from Herself Being Generous to the One who Just Tried to Kill Us Fireman’s Lift Overexertion (severe) Additional Note Injuries- Stitch is going to be SORE for at least a week, to the point where he can’t/doesn’t want to move at all if possible. Physical tasks will be incredibly hard for him, and working out again is impossible during that time. He will need to eat, sleep, and rest his weary body- that is, unless you plan on severely injuring him to a point that can be life-threatening. At the healer, he was probably treated for the wounds on his back, so he will not have to worry about infection, as well as being looked at for potential fever and nausea, which are common symptoms of overexertion. It is likely that he will develop even more intense soreness a few days after the fight, which will make running the orphanage incredibly difficult. The gashes, as well, will probably take a week to heal to the point where they do not hurt and will not be pulled open, unless Stitch does not get the proper rest, in which case they may take longer. His back will need to be bandaged, of course, and he will probably need someone (Fentya?) to change the bandage at least once to check on the healing progress. Any extra pressure or rubbing against his back will most likely be uncomfortable for a while. Arm weakness as well as minor mental cloudiness will be present for at least a day or two in response to the reckless use of the Flux to such a concentrated area, though he may not even notice it since he will be resting as much of that time as possible.

Grade Complete: XP Award! Name: Pain   XP Award Running- 1 XP Animal Husbandry- 3 XP Body Building- 3 XP Acrobatics- 2 XP Teaching- 2 XP Unarmed Combat- 4 XP Intimidation- 1 XP Observation- 1 XP As far as skills are concerned, I only gave Pain one point in running because it was only briefly mentioned a couple of times. Most of her points were given to body building because of the intensity of the work out she chose to pursue, partially including the running through waves part. If I should have given more points to body building and taken running off, please just let me know. She received a couple points in teaching because of the way she took Stitch under her wing and showed him the moves she uses, explaining some and leading by example. Unarmed combat was very detailed and complex; and Pain seemed to learn a lot about evading opponents, as well as her limits and her ability to fight through agony. She received one point in intimidation because of the threats and anger she hurled at her attacker while she was causing him extreme pain, though I don’t think it was a conscious attempt at scaring him- more like a side-effect of her rage. Observation got a point because of the emotions, energy levels, etc she was picking up from Stitch’s gestures and attitude.   Lore Award Quality Time with a Pet Wanting to Help Someone Befriending a ‘Freak’ Escaping Hurt and Anxiety with Exercise Discussing the Weather Did You Know Crossbow Bolts Through the Hip Hurt? Trapped Battle Frenzy Relying on Someone Else Additional Note Injuries- Pain will certainly be in a lot of pain for a while- or, at least, incredibly uncomfortable. Since she was still able to put weight on both sides of her body, her hip wound will not require any sort of surgery or have permanent damage. The mud in the wound will probably cause redness, swelling, and a fever, which she would have to deal with for a few days, but she was taken to a healer in time to prevent serious damage or infection. She would probably be irritated to hear that she will have to keep it bandaged for about a week, changing the bandage twice a day, and she will not be able to do anything strenuous during this time in order to let it heal. It will, of course, also hurt to walk or move around too much. The gash in the shin is similar. Bandaged for a couple of days, and it would probably hurt enough to make her want to favor the leg, but it should heal cleanly with minimal scarring (depending on how deep it was). Her hand should be fine, even if it was cut (which I’m not sure about). The (minor) sprained/bruised jaw will have other effects, such as bruising and swelling on the side of the face that was hit. She will have difficulty speaking for a few days because of the injury, and eating will be painful. Foods that do not require any/much chewing will be recommended, as well as little verbal communication. The healers most likely checked to make sure her jaw was not broken or dislocated- seeing that her jaw closed all the way. Her teeth, of course, will also be sore for a little while, maybe even loose, though she was lucky enough not to lose any. If she is able to put something cool on her face and apply sufficient pressure, she will be back to normal, at the soonest, in two to three weeks. Tanny will, of course, be sore for a few days. Since he was flung from the attacker’s leg, I doubt he was close enough to have had the kick connect forcefully enough to cause serious damage.

Wow. There was a LOT going on in that thread. I saw two people get to know each other and start to understand each other’s ways of thinking, training and sharing techniques, a big lovely fight scene with twists, and working together to survive both during and after the danger. It was a real pleasure to read that scene, even if my laptop thinks Pain’s picture is too large to I had to guess on a few of the words at the end of lines. If I had to say anything negative, it would be that I want to see more. Every separate scene to this thread was great, but I felt like I couldn’t give them the attention they deserved because there was so much going on. That happens in real life too, though, so kudos on the authentic portrayal.