The Witness of the Secrets

The Witness of the Secrets
Date of Scene:	16 January 2013
Location:	Traverse Town - District 1
Synopsis:	It was just an ordinary day in Traverse Town. The amnesiac boy, Sanel, wanted to enjoy the day. However, to a devout templar, the boy brings back horrible memories.
Cast of Characters:	Faruja Senra, Sanel

---

Sanel has posed:
It's a wonderful wintry day at Traverse Town. It's snowy. Snow has fallen over the ntire region, promising lots of wonderful snow. Although it is rather cold, this gives plenty of the child refugees plenty of fun time. Although Manhattan is lost in thedarknes, those that are in Traverse Town are able to put their worries aside.

Business, of course booms. The toy factoy, the hotel, an the chapel re about. Despite of it being eternal night, it is pretty colorful.

One little boy is wandering about, watching the other children play. In his hand is a small squirrel, who looks pretty dizzied. It tried running from the boy, but it was unable to escape. So, instead, it just relented and deigned itself to its fate. Nevertheless, the blue-haired boy with the oversized coat has been pretty gentle.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Despite the chill, this winter wonderland out in Traverse Town has quite endeared itself to Faruja. After all of the dire happenings in the world as of late, the ratling has certainly needed a distraction. Burmecia was a land of eternal rain, it's climate varying little, and so this would be the first time the Templar's ever seen full-on snow-fort-making levels of white stuff.

The laughter of children heralds the rat's presence as he flees from a most fiercesome opponent! Snowballs are launched out of little hands and plastic toy swords assault him as a gaggle of children try to swat or peg the Templar with their weapons of choice, even as he makes light leaps. But not so many that they can't get a good few hits in! One particularly well aimed snowball hits the robed-and-robed-again rat as he starts to land. Right in the face! Mmmph!

This leads to tripping over a bump of snow, tumbling slightly until he lands at the feet of the blue-haired boy. A small mob of children cheer, shouting about downing the 'Snow Mouse King'. More swats, and plenty of more snowballs to the face. Sanel might want to help him up after the children lose interest, bragging of their conquest.

Sanel has posed:
Sanel had watched the interaction through the entire time with rapt interest. A smile beams and he tilts his head over, watching the ongoing war. It is refreshing to hear the laughter of children. It is refreshing to see people happy! Seeing people happy makes the boy happy.

Finally letting go of the squirrel, who gratefully flees from the boy, the young blue-haired child is approaching the downed Snow Mouse King. With the children fleeing of losing interest, Sanel looms over Faruja.

His head tilts down so Faruja can see the face of the child with a beaming smile.

"Snow Mouse King need a hand?"

A gentle hand extends out his way.

The voice sounds a bit off. Yet, the face of the boy and his attire is unmistakeable.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja perks an ear as he dusts off his face enough to actually see. "That...that would be most appreciated. My, my, my, never underestimate the vigor of young child...YOU!" The Burmecian recoils in brief horror, the memory of dead children and a family he'd learned all too late had been sheltering Heretics. The smell of blood comes back to him all too readily.

His eye narrows, and Faruja stands. Clearing his throat, he tosses the 'boy' a salute. "My apologies, 'Azure Hound', you gave me quite a fright. A pleasure to see a fellow member of the Faithful." His gaze sweeps the boy. A chill runs down him. Something was off here. That voice, that smile...was this some sort of disguise?

Sanel has posed:
The look of horror confuses Sanel, who quickly stumbles back, "Ahh...!" Then he trips backwads, "Eeep!"

But soon, he gets up to his feet with a giggle. The next statement confuses the boy. "Azure Hound...?"

Blink.

"Who is Azure Hound?" He boy looks up towards Faruja, tilting his head out of curiosity. THe boy squints, frowning towards Faruja, but a giggle stiffles forth. "Snow Mouse King is silly! Sanel is Sanel." Despite of the chilling smile, here is the sincerity. "...Faithful?" He frowns, pouting. "Snow Mouse King is silly and confusing."

...It has been months ago since the first encounter, hasn't it?

******

Those months ago would seem like days now, since the presence of the boy manages to bring back the dreadful memories. A day that the burmecian was a squire, newly within the Church of Glabados.

The family, poor and in need of help, were tended to. The good deed that Faruja has done, bringing them supplies and food in the missionary work.

...However...

The day he came back, he found not only the house, but the /entire village/ covered in ice. It was abnormal, given that it was a warm day. The entire village became an eerie winter wonderland.

And he would find the bodies of a family on the ground. Children, men, and women. Thin wires stray from all around.

At the center of it all is a boy in a large oversized coat with his back turned. His body is covered in blood.

Faruja Senra has posed:
The squinting, giggling boy is given a long scowl. Though it had been some months ago, it's still all too fresh; one of the many horrors he'd seen that had swiftly hardened the Burmecian since being brought into the Church's service. The sight of corpses, of men, women, and children struck down. Those horrible cutting wires everywhere, and the unnatural ice that had covered the entire village. Blood. Blood everywhere. He'd never been more frightened in his life, excepting maybe for Burmecia's fall.

Faruja steels himself, his trembling slowly stopping. 'Know your place'. Somehow, those words still stung. Even moreso now that he's worked with the Inquisition, and knows its ways. A dark, horrible urge to snuff out the life of the boy rises up. The ratling takes a step closer, then stops. The boy had just been rooting out evil. But had it /truly/ swept up the entire village? No, he was just a weapon, much like the Templar himself. And they needed every member of the Church in these dark times, no matter how violent. Besides, would he have done less in Sanel's shoes?

"If this is some manner of jest, I do not find it at all approp..." Faruja starts, knowing well his place by now. An equal, if not more so. Despite the lingering horror, his logical mind finally catches up with his emotions. "...Young Ser. What is your name?" There's too much honesty in the boy's eyes. This doesn't feel like he's faking it.

Sanel has posed:
The boy's cheerful smile that is greeted with Faruja, different than the one before....

*****

The blood-soaked boy carried a chilly demeanor, the emotion sucked out of him. Not a person, but a weapon. A weapon of the Church. A weapon of the Inquisitors. Winter Dusk was a name that few people of the Church were privy to. However, his place was unmistaken: The right hand and boot of Inquisitor Sagrath.

That chilly-demeanored boy passed by the paralyzed burmecian. No smile, no wit. Only...

"They were heretics. Heretics and their taint are to be purged. Remember your place, squire."

******

The dog of the Inquisitor...

... is just a mere smiling boy. He tilts his head over with curiosity. His cheeks puff with annoyance. "Sanel is Sanel." The boy reaches over, a hand seeking to give the mouse a bop to the head.

...Unfortunately, with Sanel's strength and the fact that he can't control it, it may feel like a mallet to the cranium.

Faruja Senra has posed:
The childish, playful words that come out of the mouth of Sanel are not the ones he remembers. These are warm, ones of the children he'd been playing with. Not the icey, freezing lack of emotion that had so terrified him even more than the carnage that the boy had wrought upon the village.

Evidence mounts further, as Sanel reaches over to bop him. One doesn't last long as a Templar without gaining a good sense of survival, and danger. The fuzz on his tail rises, as well as his neckfur. As that hand comes down, he raises his own arms. That 'bonk' impacts with his limbs. A horrible cracking sound can be heard as bones break. Biting down on his tongue, blood leaks from his muzzle, as he stifles a scream. The precise, mass havok caused by the Inquisitor's dog is a world's away from the uncontrolled gesture of the boy.

Arms fall to his side, and the rat struggles not to drop to his knees. "...You...do you remember me, Ser Sanel?" Oh Faram, this hurts!

Sanel has posed:
Grumble. Grumble.

"Sanel is Sanel. Pay attention, Snow Mouse King." The boy does not like having to say things more than he already has. However, he winces when he looks at the mouse impacting the ground. He looks over to him with a tearful gaze.

"Ahh, is Snow Mouse King okay? Sanel is sorry. Sanel did not mean to hurt Snow Mouse King like that." The boy offers his hand over, he squints for a bit, peering at the mouse.

"...Sanel never seen Snow Mouse King bef---...."

And yet, another squirrel pounces over, heading deeper into the town.

"Squirrel!"

His attention has fallen from Faruja, the boy runs through the snow in his effort to chase after the sprinting little rodent.

"Come back, Mr. Squirrel!"

Faruja Senra has posed:
Somehow, despite being the one with the broken arms, Faruja finds himself feeling bad upon seeing that tearful face. Faram-help him, but a certain Glorious Leader and Protagonist has made him soft! It lasts all of five seconds, when he has to cast a Curaga spell to make his arms usable again. With much mumbled words the censors quickly fill over with *beeps*, Faruja sighs.

"Yes. I am fine now. Much worse has befallen me prior to this."

Red eye burrowing into Sanel's uncovered one, the rat looks for signs of untruth. Nothing. Either the boy's an excellent liar, or he's telling the truth. Also, squirrel!

"W...wait, Ser Sanel! Do not disturb the poor beast! 'Tis a wild thing, meant to roam freely! If you mean to hunt the poor thing, then at least do it mercifully!" He calls out, leaping after the dog of the Inquisition.