A Test of Strength

A Test of Strength
Date of Scene:	15 January 2013
Location:	Bare Desert, Fluorgis
Synopsis:	Hati drops in on Reize to follow up on her test of his strength. Of course, things don't ever go according to plan.
Cast of Characters:	Reize Seatlan, Hati, Emi Dennou

---

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Fluorgis has been seeing the bleakness as of late. With the Heartless arising more than usual, it puts the adventures at ill-ease. Tensions has risen, all of them steadfast to make sure that the wonderful city does not fall into the darkness.

Nevertheless, it is still the place that sees daylight. The people are still doing their daily activities: vendors are selling goods and the city is brustling with life. Not too much danger so far.

Nevertheless, at the small bridgeway is Reize, who is staring down towards the city to see the people passby. It's relaxing to see the people still doing what they can. "I hope we are able to continue like this."

Hati has posed:
For all that Hati may be distantly aligned with the Shadow Lords, thus far the wolf has had nothing to do with the Heartless picking at the defenses of Fluorgis. In fact, she's been far more occupied with her own confusions as of late - her memories, her brother, her wayward companion who seemed intent on getting herself killed. Of these, it's her search for her missing brother that brought her into the city in the first place, but Faruja's words that drew her to tracking a familiar scent.

It isn't the first time that Hati has followed Reize, but this time it isn't for quite so dark a reason. The boy had not only offered to rise to her challenge, but the mouse had also pointed her towards his 'good heart' as well. These are both things that spark her curiousity. So, the wolf is perched upon one of the rooftops, looking the part of the hunter stalking her prey. She waits for him to go right under the archway, and then leaps.

Oh, she's not aiming to actually land on the boy-adventurer, but right in front of him to surprise him. "Do you think things really will continue that way?" The wolf smirks. "Last I heard, the city's defenses were tested to their limits in the last attack. Soon, they'll be overrun."

Emi Dennou has posed:
ZA DARKNUSS

Despite the dire straits Fluorgis may be in, Imi continues to smile. She always does, a lot, it's something she enjoys doing and even when there's nothing worth smiling about, Imi finds a way to keep those lips twisted upward. And as such, when she sees Reize with a young lady by his side. She squeaks out an 'oh!' and covers her mouth, stopping just short of 'I do declare!' Who is this mysterious young wolf lady? What is her relation to Reize? And come to think of it, don't they know a wolf man? That friend of Avira's? MAYBE THEY'RE RELATED!

No no, Imi chastizes herself. Just because they're both wolf people doesn't mean they're related. Getting a bit ahead of yourself there. She hangs back and acts nonchalant.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
After a moment, Reize decides to head towards the city proper. He leaves the bridgeway and decides to turn around and go down the stairs. Leaving the area, he begins crossing the archway. Once he slips through the darkened archway, he emerges from the shadows to a new light.

This will take him towards the center of the city.

At least, until Hati descends in front of him.

Her abrupt appearance causes the boy to flinch and yelp, taking a few steps away. "Whoa!" And with that, he collapses on his butt. "Atatatatataaa....." He winces, rubbing the back of his head. He looks up towards Hati, frowning, "Ooooi! What's with the surprises!" Blink, "Oh! Hati! It's been a while!"

Her comment, however, gains a frown as he pulls himself up. "...We won't be overran. Fluorgis will continue to thrive. The Shard Seekers make sure of it. Many of us already lost our homes once." And he finally witnessed Manhattan's fall.

They won't lose another home.

Hati has posed:
The wolf's ears tick back just a hair at the sight of the boy falling onto his butt, and without really thinking about it, she offers a hand out towards him. "I warned you to be ready next time I found you. Did you forget?" Her head tilts, the faintest of smirks showing on her features. "I'd warned you that you hadn't escaped the notice of those in power, and that worse things than me would be coming soon enough." The wolf looks up, as if encompassing everything that had happened recently in that scope.

Her ear twitches, the only sign that she notices Imi at all. Her eyes are focused more on Reize. "Will they? I was just at your headquarters. One of your members is missing. The other looks like he's gotten the nasty end of a barbeque." The girl doesn't have a vested interest in the safety and security of the city, or anyone who dwells here, nor in it's destruction. "Are you really strong enough to protect them?"

Hati steps forward, doing her usual motion of stepping far too close to someone's personal space. She'd done this the last time that these two had crossed paths, to amusing results. This time, she leans in with a whisper. "I've come to test your strength, and your heart. You said you'd be ready. So tell me... which will you face? The girl, or the wolf." There is a seductive, near-purr quality to her voice as she speaks, a flash of fangs showing.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Imi assumes Hati knows she is there with her wolf powers and that Reize is oblivious to her presence with his Reize powers. Who is missing? Who is injured? Imi hadn't thought about that, but it doesn't matter--Hati is stepping forward /and they are about to start smooching!/ So Imi presumes. She leans forward despite herself, eyes wide. The romance, The scandal! Dear lord Reize, aren't you engaged?? But isn't that what makes the whole situation so delectable??????

She is starting to suspect Reize won't fall on her though. Blushing, she covers her cheeks 'demurely'.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
There is a moment of surprise when the woman's hand extends his way. Reize's eyes lift up towards Hati, tilting his head over. He extends his hand over to grasp her hand to get up to his feet. The boy puffs his cheeks and he mutters, "Oi, a lot of time has gone by, okay?!" He looks annoyed for a few moments, but then he frowns once she adds in about gaining the notice of those in ower. Hati is correct, however, given the attention of the Heartless focusing in on Fluorgis.

She was at his headquarters? The sad fact is that in reality, his place is not guarded at all. Some people been able to show up as they pleased. Some good, some bad. However, the true implications never came apparent until now. Describing the events that happened to his friends, well, Reize frowns.

"...I will protect them."

And when she leans forward to move very close, his eyes widen. "Wh--..." This again! The cheeks flushed once more, especially when she presses oh so close to the boy. As she provides him with those sweet words...

One can feel a heart beat. That seductive purr. Those teenage hormones. However, the steel will of the adventurer comes forth. "...Either or..." He gulps out. Okay, the wavering steel will, but still.

Hati has posed:
The wolf chuckles to herself, drawing a finger over the boy's ear, followed by a bit of warm breath. Oh, there is certainly a bit of scandal there in the way the wolf is leaned towards him, that feral grin on her features. This little trick had worked well enough on the mouse, but she isn't using it for quite the same reasons on Reize. "Don't worry. I'm not the one responsible for it. Besides... my brother told me that I could come and go as I please in your precious headquarters. Maybe you should take that up with him, if you can figure out where he's disappeared to."

She remains close, waiting for his answer. Of course, it isn't a real answer. "So be it." The wolf laughs as she steps back. "Meet me outside then. I'm not interested in causing a scene here in town." As if her leaning that close and looking as if she's about to snog the poor boy isn't a 'scene' enough. "Outside the city walls, at the edge of the desert."

Later...

The wolf lingers right where she said she would be, her arms folded over her chest. She doesn't seem to mind if anyone followed him, just so long as they do not interfere. "Are you ready?" She asks... and then starts to take off her clothes.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!!! The ear, the ear, now move in and--wait what? No, nooooo, NOOOOOOOOO! She's backing off :(. Well she did mention having a brother, Imi reflects, so maybe its the wolfman who helped them...? No! Imi, stop being so horrible! That could have been any noble werewolf man!!!

But outside...Imi does consider letting them be on their own for their secret rendevous. For like a second.

Of course she follows. Interfere?? She wouldn't dream of it. This is clearly master level Shard Seeker Shenanigans here.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
As her finger draws upon his ear, his eyes widen as the voice exhales a warm breath.

*DOINNNGG!!!*

It gets an elict attention from the antenna hair. The young boy body nearly trembles. Not out of fear. God, get it together Reize. Get it together. The young man exhales a sigh, sweating. It's kinda getting hot in here. Well, sure, it's the desert. But, that's beside the point.

"..Ri--right..."

And they were to meet outside. For some reason, Reize may need a bucket of cold water to help sooth this---

*SPLASH!*

Oh, there we go. From the top of the bridge is a woman dumping out the water that had been cooled for washing the clothes. A matronly, pudgey figure. She looks down and sees that the water got on the well-known boy. Gasp! "Oops! Sorry, child!"

Drip. Drip.

*****

And later, after drying off with the sun's heat, Reize finally arrives outside of the city walls at the edge of the desert. Reize nods towards Hati, "Ready!" But then, she starts stripping down. "Wh--wha what are you doing?!"

You know, another cold water moment would be good about now.

Hati has posed:
Luckily for the children in the audience, and perhaps unluckily for Reize, the actual 'strip tease' doesn't go very far. She slides her trenchcoat off, and then her boots, tossing them both to the side. The wolf's bare feet touch the warm sand, easily balancing even in the more unsteady turrain. When she starts to undo her jeans, what's revealed underneath is a set of pawprint boxer shorts which have been neatly modified for the purpose of her tail. "You can't imagine how many pairs of clothes I go through on a regular basis." The girl stands up again, in just that vest and shorts combo.

"Let's get started..." The girl's arms tremble, her teeth clenching. The expression on her face looks like pain. Her body bends, crouches double onto itself, tenses and spasms, and then... explodes into another form. Where Hadi had stood a moment before, there is now a six foot tall, burly looking wolf. The only thing this creature and the girl have in common are those mismatched eyes, her scars, and the bit of blue highlighting that lingers around the beast's face.

With a deep, rumbling chuckle, the wolf turns. There's probably a good reason why she'd gotten rid of the clothing, since what little she had been wearing is now shredded on the sand. There isn't much to see, as the androgenous creature stands there on two legs, teeth bared. "Show me the power of your heart, Reize. Show me your strength. Fight." She calls, the last word sounding almost like a bark. A moment later, she extends her head skyward and howls, darkness starting to radiate from around her like an aura.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Imi doesn't have a pail of water /but would she even if she did?/ of course not. Danger, danger high voltage, when we touch, when we kiss. That's the only song on this one's mind right now. It is a lot harder to hide in a desert, Imi sticks near the town's walls to have /some/ cover, but she continues to think this is all very sexy. Granted, Imi gets nearly all her information regarding making out from the shard seekers and intentional removal of clothing seems, really, to be against the spirit of things. She should slip on some sand and her bra should fly off, Imi thinks, that's the Shard Seeker way. But...even Imi has to admit...this isn't so bad either. Taking the clothes off in a 'who really cares?' sort of way because honestly who really--

Pawprint boxer shorts.

"squeeeeeeeeee, The Network is touched by the cuteness!" A faint shout that surely has nothing to do with this.

Imi turns and and clasps her hands over her mouth. Behave Imi! Behave! She looks around again and sees a six foot decidedly unsexy dark wolf beast.

Imi pouts faintly.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
First is the trenchcoat that is removed. The boy is sweatdropping for several moments, then he sucks in a breath. THe boy extends his hand out, "Wait, that isn't necessa---" And he blinks.

Pawprint boxer shorts!

"...Uhh..." He blinks for a few seconds. "Ahahahaha... hooo boy." A sweatdrop is drawn. But soon, the situation grows serious. This is when she begins to transform. As Hati once stood there, in her place is a large, burly wolf.

Now, the large wolf stands before him, beckoning him to battle. Upon signal, both boomerangs withdraw from his sides. He adopts a more defensive stance; both of the weapons held out in front of him before he sucks in a breath. "Ready! I'll show you my will!"

Taking off with a sprint, the boy charges towards the wolf. He adopts the more aggressive stance, both boomerangs shifted invertedly as he lunges into the position where the distance comes to a close. And when the distance becomes inevitably close, Reize lunges forward with sliding underneath the massive wolf to appear behind her, then he spins around to launch his right foot out towards her head for the first kick. Then, the other foot whips around forthe second kick.

Finally, his boomerang whips out overhead to slam it towards the back of her head. "Hyaaaa!"

Hati has posed:
The exclaimation of cute does draw the wolf's attention, although by that point, she's already mid-transformation and there really isn't much chance of going back. Hati tenses, dropping onto all fours as she faces off against the leader of the Shard Seekers. This could be any great epic battle, perhaps, but Hati isn't fighting for her life. This is a challenge, and the thrill of it is what brings a wicked looking smile to that muzzle, exposing those white teeth.

She lets him slip beneath her, turning quickly to follow his motion. He's smaller than her in this form, and she isn't nearly so quick. Still, she lashes out the moment that first blow comes at her, striking the first blow back, but not digging in with her claws. The second one, however, catches her neatly across the jaw, drawing a small 'oof' of air out of her.

Ears slicked, the wolf turns back with a growl. "You're quite quick." She muses, appraising his style of fighting as she turns. She looks more like a fiend on four legs rather than on two. It would be hard to imagine that this beast was ever something close to human. "Let's see if you're fast enough." With a flare of dark energy, the wolf pushes off with her hind legs, trying to pounce him down to the ground with those powerful forepaws, jaws snapping to catch hold of any exposed limbs.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Imi is back to being pretty quiet. There's not much adorable left to be comical with regards to it but even so, there will always be memories. And Legion does not forget. Part of their design not to, in fact! Not forgetting that image, however, is probably an abuse of that design.

<3 <3 <3.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
There is a good feeling of throwing the wolf girl of while she has the size advantage over him. His eyes lift up to assess her height. With her towering frame making him look like a dwarf, he gulps.

She's scarier up close.

However, he will continue strong.

When she lashes out towards his initial foot aiming for her Reize winces as the claw tears against his body. Thankfully, her claws do not dig in. This gave him time for the second kick as well as the boomerang smash.

After he impact, Reize lands back on the ground, looking back up towards the massive wolf. Perhaps it would had been more of a battle of quick-fighter VS quick-fighter. Nevertheless, Reize will have to use her size to his advantage.

There is an advantage of being able to see magic, thanks to his pendant. One of those is witnessing when it comes out and using it to figure out the intent. THe moment that bleeding of dark energy manifests, Reize is already on the move to get close to Hati. As she attempts to pounce at him, Reize springs off of the ground and he slaps both of his arms towards her shoulders to spring off of her, the jaws snapping at nothing but air.

"Whoa! That was close!"

He quickly spin around to whip his foot towards her head, then he attempts to use the other leg to spring himself to a distance from Hati. "Take---this!" A boomerang flicks out of his hand, ricocheting fom the sandy ground to smack towards her head and possibly ricochet off of her to the sand once more.

Hati has posed:
If Reize had chosen to face the girl, he certainly would have faced a different sort of battle. In that more human-like form, she's almost the same size as the boy, himself. The choice had always been a matter between quick and agile, and large and powerful. Since he hadn't made that choice, she had given him the more fierce of those two, since it would serve as a better test of his courage.

While her jaws may catch on nothing but air, Hati quickly follows his movements, rising up onto her back legs. The wolf ducks back from the boomerang aimed at her head, letting it strike against the fur of her shoulder. If it hurts, she doesn't show it really, just growling as she prowls forward. Her tail lashes behind her. "What is it that makes you strong?" She asks him then, still growling beneath the strange tones of her voice. "I doubt you're the type to spout love poetry like your mouse friend." She chuckles deeply. "So what is it?"

This is part of the reason that she'd come to challenge. Figuring out what it is that gives these people their strength. Positive emotions are still a foreign thing that she's only started to touch upon, but there is loyalty and respect here between him and those who call themselves Shard Seekers. It's something that she can understand, but how they can follow a mere boy... Is he really more than what he seems?

Lashing out a hand, Hati tries to catch hold of a passing arm, using the force of his own movement in an attempt to toss the boy skyward. Succeed or fail, she leaps up, aiming another of those heavy, powerful pounces in his direction, trying to catch and force him hard into the sandy ground.

Emi Dennou has posed:
MOUSE LOVE POETRY??? This is pretty unreal. She must be talking about Faruja. If Umi and Omi are the arms, Ami and Imi are the legs and naturally Imi tends to worry for Ami. And this is no exception. Still, she starts fanning herself as Hati tries to pounce Reize to hte ground. Oh my.

The power of social links, that's what Will more or less said. Will Reize say similar?

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Shifting his stance upon entry, Reize is sucking in a breath and he begins to draw himself over to his more guarded fighting stance. He can react better in this, given that the aggressive form puts him at risk. He will not be foolhardy in this fight.

"...I don't know," Reize answers her while she asks him a question, "...It's something that you'll have to ask my friend." A faint smile is given, "They know more than I do." There is something of her question that does ping him. Why is everyone following him? He is just a simple boy, just wanting to be an adventurer. Why is it the everyone has accepted him as the leader? ... Why is it that he /has/ to be the leader?

He's not going to abandon his friends. Even if it is a burden, it is one that is taken gladly.

It is the that Hati comes to strike back. Reize's stance is ready to counter. In fact, he moves to intercept her attempts with a backflip and the whip of his leg. "Hyaaaaaa----howagh?!" This puts him in a bad position. Caugt by the passing arm, the boy's force is used against him as she tosses him skyward. "Gaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"

And when she leaps up, those heavy pounces move over to the boy and he is caught and rended. Pounced to the ground, Reize's eyes look up at her with a shocked gaze. This... is not a comfortable position. Well, in fact, it may be a good thing that she's in her werewolf form, a lot easier for Reize to decide on his next tactic. "I am not fan of sticking around, so..."

His hand quickly snap to the pouch, procuring his bag of tricks. Then, Reize flings his right hand out, splaying the contents from the bag of tricks over at her face. The other hand reaches to an object to his side..

The Hookshot. This, Hati may likely recognize, given the crafter in question. The hookshot is sprayed over to one of the cactus around. Reize seeks to slip out of the pinned position to consider his next tactic.

Hati has posed:
There is a split second while she has him down that the wolf breathes heavily in his face. Luckily, the girl doesn't have the whole 'dog breath' thing that her brother might. She doesn't survive on a diet of bacon alone. It might look as if she's about to bite him, but instead the wolf just takes in a breath of his scent. It's for this reason alone that the contents of his pouch end up just hitting against closed eyes, drawing a growl from her as he escapes from beneath her paws. It's not something that goes unscathed, though, as the darkness that surrounds her seems to cling to him even as he hookshots away.

"You do not look like an alpha, and yet you lead. They follow." Hati turns to face him, shaking her head to clear her vision and get rid of whatever lingers in her fur. She drops back onto four legs, following after him. If she wanted to, the wolf could easily just chase him down, but she's giving him time to talk, to prepare, to use strategy. "My brother follows you, and he was meant to be the greatest alpha of them all." Her ears slick, tongue lashing across pale teeth. "Is it really your heart that draws them? Your trust?" She rumbles another dark laugh. "Both Skoll and Faruja said that you would give anyone a second chance. Even a monster."

And a monster is exactly what is coming towards him at the moment, fangs and claws and teeth. Yet, underneath the monster is the same girl who had met him in the alleyway. The one who had seemed confused and lost. Of course, it is very hard to see that person beneath the ball of fury that is coming his way. This time, she charges in head-first, trying to latch on with her teeth. It isn't meant to hurt outright, but she does snap her head upward, trying to toss him skyward again, using the boy as a ragdoll.

Emi Dennou has posed:
LOTS OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION IS RELEASED. Reize gives everybody second chances? Not too surprising, but also not especially--in Imi's opinion--unique even if they'd admit it's hardly common. No what is important from this exchange is that they learn that Skoll IS Hati's brother.

"The noble wolf...!" Imi whispers to herself. "The Network was right, they are family..." Though really Hati seems more Alpha than Skoll did, maybe they haven't seen Skoll's SUPER ALPHA form?!?! That might be it.

Of course she's not talking like a Shard Seeker, except maybe Priel. And that dark energy--well alliance is not especially important. What's important is...is that noble wolves must surely be noble!

Imi steps out from behind her cover and into view.

She smiles broadly. Right. at. Hati. Her eyes sparkle, her hands clasp together in front of her.

She :Ds. She :Ds so hard.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Once the hook attaches to a cactus, Reize is flung over towards the large plant. However, he immediately loosens the grip of the hookshot as he gets to an appropriate distance from Hati while avoiding getting close to the plant.

It's a good thing too, given that the plant turns around to reveal..

A Cactaur.

"GAH!" Reize yelps, immediately rolling away from the likely spines and needles aiming for him. He rolls to his feet and he sprints to distance himself from the creature. "Whew." He wipes a brow, then h looks towards Hati. A frown draws, "...The strong generally leads the pack, don't they?" He considers about the wolf kind. The boy has had his fair share of wolves at the forest in his town. "You're right, I'm not exactly an alpha." He lifts his shoulders with a shrug, his eyes locked at the massive wolf. "...Your brother..." Skoll... A smile is given, "He's a good guy." He brightens, "I like him." As they both mention about a monster, Reize looks over towards the charging girl as she lunges his way.

As the ball of fury charges in head first, Reize this time moves over to spring off of the ground, his feet pressing over her shoulder which wil likely lift him into the air. Her attempts to use him as a ragdoll manages to fail in regards that he already distanced himself. Instead, he reaches over for her tail, attempting to use it to whip himself back onto the ground.

"Knight's Vow #10: Never forget that everyone is a person deep inside, even those that may not seem so."

And he skids across the sand. There is a look of tranquility forming. That energy is a tranquil presence that immediately swells up around him. A brief glow emanates from the boy, and then it explodes.

"This is my will!"

Overlimit achieved, Reize can feel the well of energy invigorating him. The pendant that glimmers around his neck undergoes a bright emerald glow. And then, the boy disappears just as quickly as he appears.

He reappears in front of Hati, a single boomerang lashing out towards her stomach. It's an initial strike, mostly used as a 'feeler' rather than a powerful strike. But should that feeler make a successful impact...

He will blink out and blink back from behind with a spinning kick towards her back to send her stumbling---blink out and back, to the front to come forth twith a double boomerang to her chest. Each blinking will include kicks from all sides before velocity builds. As Reize starts spiraling around her, a whirlwind forms in place. And this time, strikes of unknown kinds come from each side.

Until he emerges from the whirlwind.

"STORM'S EYE!"

The foot whips out to smack Hati across the face.

But that is not all.

The pendant becomes as radiant as a star.

As the boy brings his right hand to the side, there is a hidden fountain of magic exploding from the boy as he levitates off of the ground. Suspended in the air, the scarf whips across the magical wind, his right hand moves across to the left side while a glittering tarot blinks into existence. As the tarot sprarkles, it radiates a light as the body undergoes heavy sparkling. The glittering light surrounds the boy, and then he brings his hand to the sky.

That glittering tarot shaped card breaks away, shattering into magical fragments.

And the star becomes its brightest.

Three fiery orbs spiral around the boy, all of them have formed an eye positioned like a triangle around him.

"EXTENDED! Flickering flames, burn..."

A deafening scream erupts from the boy as the power fills inside of him. That magical essence beacons a beacon as the flames shoot down towards the spiraling whirlwind.... Which will likely explode with Hati inside.

Hati has posed:
Though her attempts to grab him might fail, Hati manages to avoid coming in range of the pissed off cactaur. She turns to face him... only to see the form of a girl smiling brilliantly at her. In that moment, all the fierceness of the wolf melts and she tilts her head, ears flopping in a way that could only be considered... cute. Alas, the distraction doesn't hold for long, because Reize slams a boomerang into her stomach.

The wolf turns, growling just in time to be struck again, and again, barely able to follow the speed of the boy's movements. It doesn't take a fool to recognise that he's reached the pinacle of his strength, and the wolf lowers her head, growling her defiance. Her eyes snap to the crystal, watching it's reaction. Is /this/ the source of his strength... his power?

She doesn't have time to consider it, because something even worse is coming at her. The power of Reize's will is strong, but so is Hati's. Something within the crystal reacts. A small bit of that power gets diverted, landing with a sparkling glow near the wolf's feet. Hati barely has time to look at it before it takes shape. Stepping from the bit of energy, a ghostly form of a white wolf appears.

Reize had heard it once, somewhere ... a wish to find the White Wolf. Hati's wish. It stands before her as the force of that attak comes, and while the ghost of a wish cannot protect her from it entirely, it seems to divert some of it away, causing the sand around them to harden into glass. Blasted backwards, Hati sprawls on the ground, wolf form knocked flat. With a whimper, she struggles to get up, eyes not on Reize, but on the wolf. It lingers only for a moment, and then ... vanishes.

Hati closes her eyes tightly, "What... what did you do?" She asks, confused. The wolf pushes to her feet, growling. "Bring it back." Uh oh. She doens't really understand the power within his pendant, or why it had shown her that dearest wish of her heart. All the wolf knows is that she had seen the wolf... and now it's gone. "Bring it BACK!" She roars, and then charges towards him, using what strength she has to try to win this fight, to force him to use whatever power he has to bring the White Wolf to her.

Emi Dennou has posed:
EEE THOSE EARS. Okay maybe super wolf form isn't sexy but it's still adorable so it's okay. White Wolf? Yeah, Imi doesn't get it even if she does see a vision--why would that be important? Beyond her! Imi isn't even aware of Vampire the Masquerade or Changeling either!

But she does step forward, still smiling brilliantly as a desert sun. "Reize... REIZE!" She shouts. "GIVE HER A HUG! SHOW HER THAT IT IS NOT THE OUTSIDE THAT COUNTS, BUT...WHAT'S INSIDE! The Network suggests despite barely comprehending the situation!"

She did mention something about monsters and whatnot right? Clearly this is what the purpose of the test is. He has to give Hati a hug or something? Okay maybe she just wants it to get back to flirtations and innuendo. It's hard to say.

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Panting, the power is rather exhausting. As Reize lands on his feet, he practically falls onto his feet and nearly drops to both knees. He pants and he clutches onto his chest. Afterwards, he looks up to see Hati sprawled up and looking over at something...

And then she asks him over what he did, "...Eh?" She saw something through his pendant, didn't she? There was a wish. And the fact that she is pulling herself up to her feet with a glare, Reize's eyes widen, "Uhh... Wh---Wait!" She is charging at him. Those claws mean business too. Reize is attempting to bring his body back to avoid the incoming claws.

Reize gets head on with those ferocious claws. The boy is already grabbed and he is given one hell of a beating. And Reize is smacked pretty hard like a ragdoll. "Ooof!" He groans, rolling against his stomach in pain. "...Your wish... you saw it, didn't you...?" He grimaces.

Hati has posed:
As much as she might be filled with that bestial fury, Hati is holding back. She doesn't rake him with those claws, nor do the blows seek anything that would make for permanent damage. Oh, they're likely to hurt like heck, and leave some nice bruises if he doesn't find a good healer soon enough, but these aren't meant to be lethal. In the end, she just grabs at his clothes, growling. "Bring it back." She demands again, but somewhere within her, she knows that he's done. If she pushes matters more, all she'll end up with is an unconscious boy and no answers.

Her eyes search him, look to the crystal, then back to Reize. Then his words seem to reach her ears. "My... wish?" She blinks, and in that moment, everything breaks. She's still holding onto his clothing when her form shifts back. The wolf gives away to the girl, looking at him with those intense, mismatched eyes. She kneels next to him, quite naked, but not seeming to care. For our audience at home, her tail and the position of her arms cover anything too revealing, although perhaps Reize might get more of a view than our onlookers.

The hardness in her tone and in her features ebbs away, and all the girl has left is a whimper. "Please... where is it? Where can I find it? If you know, you have to tell me." She draws her head in close to his, trying to press her forehead in against the boy. It's a wolfish gesture, not a human one. "Please."

Yep, there is Reize, beaten and sprawled, and a naked girl is pleading with him. What a day.

Emi Dennou has posed:
It occurs to Imi at this point that Reize can reveal the wishes of other people, though frankly it had to be spelled out--it's not something she would typically anticipate. She wonders, briefly, what her own wish is and maybe wondering that is part of the reason why one has yet to show up.

"What a dangerous artifact, The Network analyzes with some concern." Imi knows that much though. Despite her fascination with romance and one may even say 'shipping', Imi is totally unconcerned with nakedness. She continues her approach. "Are you two alright?" She asks. "The Network offers clothes if it is neccessary."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Hati's whimper for her wish is not lost on Reize. In the end, people desire to have their wishes fulfilled. Some of those wishes are more important than others. If there is one person who understands that more than anything else, it should be Reize, who has the burden of the pendant. There are people whose wishes need to be fulfilled. In the end, the pendant can return to being a shooting star and process onward.

Reize is completely beaten. He is hurt. Howeer, there is still that paternal, nurturing side of him. She is hurt inside. So, the only thing that the boy can do...

Is just hug her close.

"...I don't know where it is. But..." He coughs, offering her a smile, despite of his beaten look. "...I'll help you find your wish. Your wish... is like someone else's wish, seeking the Golden Wolf." He just remains sprawled, but that heartfelt hug is given.

He is a bit too delirous to realize that she is naked, thankfully.

The boy looks over towards Imi, giving a low laugh. "Oh hey, Imi... how did you get here...?" His head is spinning a bit, it feels like he is upside down and everything will not stop spinning.

Emi Dennou has posed:
Yes! HUGS! How scandalous!!!

"Oh I was here the whole time, saw everything." Imi says lazily. There's an emphasis on the word everything.

Hati has posed:
Not long ago, Hati would have reeled back from someone trying to get this close to her. Without her memories, there were no moments of kindness for her to understand. Now, Skoll had brought those back within her, and rather than drawing back from it, the touch brings back a whole other barrage of past events. Snuggling into her brother's side as their mother told stories, being pulled close by their mom when father had been cruel to her...

Even with the heat of the desert, the wolf-girl shivers in a way that has nothing to do with her lack of clothes. "They're part of the same story." Her voice is quieter, without it's usual pretense. This is not the girl who stalked his footsteps, or the one who had challenged, but someone else underneath it all. It's impossible to explain to someone how the story of the Wolves had become part of who she is - part of who Skoll is.

Still, Hati leans her head in against Reize, eyes closed. That is, at least until Imi mentions clothes. The wolf pulls back then, shifting easily onto the balls of her feet and then up into a standing position. She's got a fair share of bruises and burns of her own from this fight. "Skoll is missing, Reize." She states this outright. "I'm going to check with VALKYRIE to see if any of them have seen him. If any of your people see him... I need to know. Do you understand?" Skoll is family - and while she doesn't have anyone to really call a friend, he is part of her pack.

With that, Hati walks over to retrieve her coat, slipping it to return herself to some measure of modesty, even if her bare legs are quite ivisible beneath it. "I understand now why they follow you, but you have a lot to learn." The wolf states, "Next time, you face me as a human, and none of that magic. If you call out the wolf again, mistake or no... I can't promise your safety." The wolf turns towards Imi then, looking at her with that same confused look the wolf had given, except this time in human form.

"I should go." She states, already drawing inward again. The vulnerable girl that was there seconds ago is already gone.

Emi Dennou has posed:
"Ah but before you do--I wanted to tell you that we had met your brother, The Network saw him approximately a week ago. Networking is our responsibility here, so informing you that we had seen him then and that he was in good health at the time is part of our responsibility. Unfortunately, we have not seen him since and we do not know when the last time you saw him. But we hope this information helps. It was in the outskirts of Traverse Town, you could say he helped save our lives. If you have further need of assistance, The Network would be happy to assist you as well. Please consider us at your disposal." She bows her head and adds to Reize, "Do you need help returning?"

Reize Seatlan has posed:
There is only so much that the boy can do. However, in his delirous state, there is not much more that can be done. Imi mentions about seeing everything. It doesn't register for now. Wait until he wakes up from his beaten state and he'll give an appropriate reaction.

"The same story..." Then the other wolf... who could that be? But while Hati leans against the boy, he only keeps a hold to embrace her.But once Imi asks about the clothes, he does release the wolf as she pulls away. Skoll is missing. That is enough to snap him out of his state of stupor. "W---what?"

The boy narrows his eyes, realizing that he needs to find his teammates. The boy looks up to her, "Yea... I will let you know." And yet, she tells him of not using the pendant in the fight. "Heh, will keep that in mind.."

Blink.

"...Wait, were you just...." The wolfgirl's nakedness registers onto Reize again. Now that his senses are back, his cheeks are flushed. Then, he looks over towards The Network. "What do you mean you saw everything?! Nothing happened!" He winces, resisting the urge to flail.

And when the girl speaks, Reize smiles, "Yeah, Imi, I could use the help."

Hati has posed:
The way that the girl speaks is confusing at first, drawing one ear down and the other up in a clear sign of confusion. "Network?" Blink. None the less, her information is useful. The last time that she had seen him is right around the last time she had seen him as well. "He does that sometimes. My brother, that is." she lets out a breath, rubbing at a bruise on her chest. Those boomerangs hurt, damnit. "He was supposed to meet me a few days ago, but he never showed. It's not like him."

She doesn't bother answering Reize's question about her state of dress. The bits of shredded fabric still lingering on the sands are clear enough signs of that. Tossing her boots over one shoulder, Hati regards the boy with those same, curious, wary eyes. "My apologies if I went a bit rough on you. I wasn't expecting..." She wasn't expecting to have her destiny waggled in front of her, only to find out that it is still out of reach. How did his pendant know about it, though? Clearly he knew about Skoll's Golden Wolf, though. "I was distracted."

She starts to walk off, but not towards the city. Instead, she's moving further towards the desert. "Next time, you'd best be ready." She'd been nice about things this time, but what sort of penalty lies in wait for the adventurer if he lets her get the drop on him again? You'll just have to tune in next time to find out.

Emi Dennou has posed:
"Something obviously happened." Imi says, either intentionally or unintentionally misunderstanding Reize's meaning. A few days ago--that's eerily close to when they last saw him. Which means...is there something in common? Something they missed? Imi makes a few guesses as to what might have happened but all of these are likely super incorrect. "We are the Network...but we will keep our eyes and ears open. We will tell Reize if we find anything." Since finding Hati may be a lot more difficult for them. In any event, they're detectives, MISSING PERSON CASES are part of their duty as anything else is even if it's unofficial ... say do they actually get paid for their jobs? Maybe they'll ask Mercade about that some day.

She moves to help Reize up and get him moving along. "We saw her removing her clothing in front of you, playing with your ear, getting very up close and personal, pouncing you...testing your stamina."

Reize Seatlan has posed:
Reize's look after Emi's comment: DX. Poor Reize