{~*Corner Sweets*~}

[Mordred]

"Yes, that is me now. I was consumed with so much anger and need for vengeance, I had to do something! So I joined. First, for five years, I was a servant. It was a living hell. I did all the nasty jobs that none of the brethren would do. Slowly, I gained my place. And I learned fast. It only took me roughly twenty years... Yes I see the shock on your face... it's been that long since I have been... 'here'."
Rex took another long drink, "I'm on leave right now. I'm not sure if I'm returning. I left to finally finish my quest of finding out what happened so long ago. There was a darkness in this town which I plan on finding."
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath... "I can't let you heal me. My wounds help me strengthen myself. I lost my focus for a moment and my carelessness needs to be felt. If I ever allow myself to take shortcuts, I will lose my edge. But thank you... I don't take your offer lightly. I remember how draining it was to heal."
Looking around, Rex stretched his arms out... "It's amazing to me how unchanged all this is... and you! You are exactly the same as I remember. Everything else has changed in tiny proportions... but you are... just as you were. How, do you know?"

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

She looked uncomfortable, "I really think that you should at least get the wound bound up. There is a darkness here, that is true. That is what first brought me here. I was too young when Ryu destroyed my clan but now I am stronger." She blushed when  he noticed that she was unchanged. "I hoped that by keeping myself as I was when you left, you would one day find me and remember. I missed you but mostly I hated you because you didn't even say goodbye." She looked away and then back, a mask of politeness on her face. "Please let me help you in some way, any way." She pleaded, "I now fight as a free-lancer for whomever pays." She lifted up her sleeve revealed a crimson design of a heart with a sword and the symbol of healing flanking it. "Let me help you." Her eyes looking up and locking with his, determination in them.

[Mordred]

"Oh you... you never took no for an answer." Rex smiled, remembering... "And that is why I left with no word, for I knew you'd either come with me or somehow chain me back so I couldn't go."
Rex started to expose his wound, which was on the right side of his torso, then realized where they were.
"Hmm, maybe this isn't the right place. Can you heal through material?" Also, he simply didn't want her to see it. He knew it was bad, for he lost a lot of blood. Coffee, like always, was the only thing keeping him conscious.
Closing his eyes and hoping whatever Aoi ministrated on him didn't increase the pain, he grimaced, nodding towards her crimson heart.. "How did you get wrapped up with that group? I met a few in my years of training... in fact my last teacher had that very same design."

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

Aoi smiled, "I would have come with you, Rex. How could you think that I would hold you back?" She pushed his shirt up, ignoring their settings. She was going to scold him later for being careless. "I'm going to put an ointment on it and then I am going to put some bandages on it, okay?" She said as she pulled out a small bottle of salve and starts to gently apply it, using magic to wipe away the blood. "My teacher's name was Melara and she died after I finished my training. When I left the court, I went looking for you. I followed your trail, doing whatever work I could find and not all of it legal. One day I stumbled into one of their safe houses after a particularly bad run-in with a gang. They took me in and I finished off my training. I realized that Ryu was more important so I came here, to rid this place of the darkness." She prattled on as she tended his wound, absently ripping the hem off her skirt to act as a bandage. "There," she said putting the final knot in. "All better. You need more blood but I don't know how you take it, from victims or normal replenishment."

[Mordred]

Stretching to the side, Rex realized Aoi had improved her healing skills. "Wow, I think tomorrow I'll have totally forgotten I even had a wound." Hmm, blood... sadly the one thing Rex hated admitting was he was squeamish about blood. Not in the act of drawing it from his opponents or.. those his clients have paid for. "I have to tell you, I don't take money for any job. I do have... ethics. Usually I am more of a bounty hunter type assassin. Those that have turned their back on the laws of decency. Occasionally I have done jobs for free, if the subject is vile enough. I consider it a service to humanity and hopefully to future generations."
Apart... from his brother. For that one night long ago when he laid sprawled on the walkway outside this very shop, while being kicked by his older brother... he never forgot that moment.
"And so now, two friends who grew up together... now appear to be more likely to be... fath-... ok... a brother with his much younger sister."
Stretching again... "Yes, your work is very skillfull"... "I would hate to meet you in battle, I think, with those adept hands of yours."

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

Aoi smiled, "You need the blood Rex." Saying so, she slit her wrist and let some trickle into a cup she conjured up. "Drink it, you will be stronger." she sighed, shaking her head. "I can't find any reputable place to take me in. I have lost most of my morals working to get where I am." She sat primly across the table from him. "One day, we should train again together." she promised, "Now drink it, it will be stronger than normal human blood."

[anon]

Ally sighed, a frown on her lips. "Well I hope she's okay and oh-my-Heavens!" Her voice moved up by a few decibels. Her face paled at the sight of blood from Aoi's wrist. "What on earth are you doing?" The usual serene air about the woman was gone. Instead, her eyes, wide and glassy was staring at the liquid, her lips white.

Few seconds later, she was storming across the shop, napkin in hand and pressed against Aoi's wrist, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. The sweet scent of chocolate mixed with the heady smell of blood wafted about them. "There is only one lunatic allowed in this shop, and that's me." She muttered darkly as she applied more pressure.

[Mordred]

Lifting the cup, Rex nearly fell back in his chair. As white as he was from his loss of blood, he lost a few extra shades of color at the idea of drinking blood. "Honestly... don't you think coffee will be sufficient? Or ok, I know that's silly.... how about if I have a very rare steak?", even that being difficult to fathom.
(and yet, a voice in his head... which could only be that from perhaps an alternate universe... or another realm where he was a very different creature, nearly laughed at his revulsion... fool, you have no idea what kind of creature you are)
Angry at that phantom voice in his head, Rex chugged down the blood... choking and sputtering... but he did get it all down.
"Thank you... I think", smiling weakly. Looking down, his coffee cup was full again. How, how, how do they do that?
"Aoi, you said stronger than normal human blood? I admit, there is something else about me that isn't normal... something I'm still trying to get a grip on. But you, how or why is your blood different?"

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

Aoi had fazed out forgetting to heal her own wound. "Sorry Ally. I didn't think about it, thanks." She smiled sheepishly. Turning back to face Rex, "I...we...I was formally adopted into the Celestial Clan and given the abilities of vampires and angels. My blood is more potent and has small amounts of healing power." She said hesitantly. Something must have happened, something bad for him to forget the blood-letting adoption. She applied more pressure on her wound, took two deep breaths and then healed herself. Shaking just slightly, she smiled at Ally and Rex, removing the cloth. "See, all better." She said cheerily.

[Mordred]

Amazed at the work Aoi did, and at her ease of dealing with blood, Rex smiled broadly at her, feeling his strength returning rapidly. The odd thing was, he lost his ability to alter his speed while feeling so week. But now...
Ohh, I'll have to experiment with this later, he thought. I feel as though I could go much faster, suddenly.
"I see your eyes follow me when I shift in speed.... I haven't ever seen anybody do that before. Your movements slow but your eyes... they keep focus, don't they?"
One thing Rex forgot to mention was... when healed, he usually gets sapped of energy soon after. With a loud thump, his head was on the table. Just barely missing his cup of coffee, he was out cold, sleeping like a giant baby.
And here, sadly... it is never possible to wake him until he recovers... he is out for hours.

[anon]

Ally pressed a hand to the heart drumming in her chest, trying to even out her breath and ignore the crimson splatter. Her chaotic thoughts were interrupted by a loud, hollow thud. She blinked and stared at Rex before nudging him with an index finger. She arched an eyebrow at Aoi. "Okay. I didn't do that."

[orangeredsun]

A lot had gone on in the store and Benjamin wasn't so sure about it. His cup had gone empty and was about to leave when he saw the lady who wanted to sketch him. Though he wasn't so fast to speak with her and by the time he had figured out what to say, she was already in a conversation with the chef that had the strangest of concoctions. Benjamin stood and started cleaning up his table, putting the cup where the dirty ones seemed to go and wondered if he should speak with her or just go.

[Wistful Dream]

Everyone else seemed occupied with others so Vi took the moment to smile over at the man, grateful that he had actually waited. She slipped out from behind the counter, smoothing down her skirt, the petticoats beneath it rustling as she approached him with a gamine grin quirked on her lips. "Hi there, sorry I vanished, still open to being sketched? It wouldn't take over long.." She turned and leaned over the counter to snag her sketchbook and her pencil pouch.

[Mordred]

Rex suddenly came to. Lifting his head, rubbing the red mark on his forehead, he looked around embarrassed. It was slightly darker outside. Scratching the top of his head, he looked over at Vi, shrugging with a grin, "What can I say? I guess I can't hold my coffee!" But then, speaking of that black fluid he always thinks of as the true gold, he noticed there was a full cup there at his hand.
I have no idea what just happened, he thought. I know there was someone else here. I know, he thought as he touched his side where he believed it to be sore but wasn't, earlier there was something strange. Good, but strange.
Then it all came back, flooding inside his head. Ah yes.. it was good. Very good.
Taking off his coat, to fling over his shoulder, Rex moved in the slowest possible speed towards and out the front door.
"Thannnnnk...... youuuuu..... againnnnnnnn... forrrrrr.....", in a slow, drawn out, very deep sounding, warped voice.
"Theeeeee..... wonnnnnnnderrrrrrrrfullllllll..... coffeeeeeeeee".... as he moved in super slow motion out the door.
Why is everybody moving so fast, he pondered?
Oh well, it's a good evening for a slow stroll.

[orangeredsun]

"Yes, of course," he said with a smile. The only reason he was lingering was because of the request. Wait until his family hears about this one. Would he have to pay for the sketch or would he not even get it? She was an artist so it might be kept or just used as practice. Since it mattered not to him how it went, he did not question it. Right now that is. But he did have one question.

"Shall I sit down or where would you like to do this? I admit I am a bit embarrassed if I am stared upon by too many people," he smiled a little, feeling a little redness on his cheeks. Hopefully his beard was able to hide it.

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

Aoi was about to warn him about the energy drain when his head hit the table. She shrugged, "It's nothing to worry about Ally. He just needs to recharge." She smiled, left money for his coffee and waltzed out the door, happily humming to herself.

A few hours later she came back, wondering if he was awake yet. She really shouldn't have left him like that but she had to look into something. His question about her movements being slow but her eyes tracking him had made her wonder. She was better now, having exercised. Time to hunt up Rex. She walked back into Corner Sweets, laughing as she entered. She loved being here and just letting the world swirl around her.

[Lilias]

Rose pushed the door as if it weighed a ton. The warmth inside the shop was welcome after the drizzle outside. She hadn't been back in a few days, weighed down by study. Only once that was done had she realised how tired and depressed she felt. Perhaps the place would manage to cheer her up. She found the corner table again, out of the way of most traffic. No flute with her today - she hadn't touched it for some time, in fact.

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

Aoi smiled at Rose when she walked in. "Hey, Rose. How have you been?" she asked walking over to Rose. She noted that Rose had no flute but didn't think anything of it.

[Mordred]

Rex walked the streets a bit. The morning fog had an eeriness to it that seemed to keep most indoors. Yet he loved the giant blanket which seemed to cover this little world, keeping it snug and warm.
Sadly the wind kicked up and soon along with a sudden crowd of people doing their normal morning activities, vision was restored to more than 5 feet ahead.
Feeling more alive than he had in recent times, yet with a peace that was almost startling to someone always watching over their shoulder, Rex opened the door to Corner Sweets... craving coffee yet also hearing that little voice from inside crying out for some sweets.
Ahh, taking a deep breath as he walked in, time to wake up fully. Yesterday, he suddenly realized, was a strange one. One secret he kept to himself... how coffee woke up his memories as well... seemed to be knocking on his conscience as he noticed one familiar face in particular.
He smiled towards the two lovely inhabitants... then sat. Wow, he thought/remembered... a cup of coffee just how I like it.

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

Aoi looked up as the door opened. It was Rex, he came back. She twirled her fingers, thinking about yesterday and everything that had happened. It was so strange, the way they seemed to just reconnect after all these years. Maybe she should let herself age from now on. She would decide that later, right now she needed to check on her patient. Leaving Rose she walked over to Rex. "Good morning Rex. How is your wound doing today?" She asked in the healer's no-nonsense tone with teasing sparks in her eyes.

[Lilias]

Rose simply shrugged at Aoi's question. She didn't know how to answer, really. No point in dwelling on misery, especially with others. Thankfully, the other woman's attention was soon diverted by the newcomer. Rose sighed, folded her arms on the table and rested her chin on them.

[Mordred]

Rex was nursing his coffee, it filling him in ways he was certain nobody else could ever understand.... when his eyes drifted up. Ahh, who is this lovely creature, he wondered as she walked up to him with a concerned smile. He smiled back, his brow furrowed... Hmm, there is something about her.
But then, as always, those friendly little memories... like little bubbles popping away in his head releasing images and conversations... started to enlighten him.
"Aoi... ", he sighed in happiness. "It's been a long time since I fell from your roof! How I let you talk me into that, I'll never know." Putting his coffee down, seeing the back of his hand, he then got hit by more memories... not all, but enough to add to his confusion which he tried to hide so well. "But your patient is doing quite well. I feel better today than I can recall in recent times. How are you this morning?"
Something was nagging at his thoughts... something which happened yesterday but wasn't being kind enough to let him in on the strange details.

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

Aoi looked a little concerned that his memory wasn't too well. She laughed when he mentioned the roof incident. "Like you always said, I don't take no for an answer." She sat down across from him. "Is your wound healing properly? Is my blood speeding up the process?" She was worried that her blood was causing this strange memory lapse.

[Mordred]

Each moment revealed more memories. Ah yes... the healing. Her blood! "I feel... wonderful! You mentioned to me your blood was different, more I think by the feeling I have today."
But how will it mix with his? He never thought of his blood as being different but... "Hmm, I have to tell you something. It's not going to make any sense, apart from why I appear so much older than you. Older than I should be after only a few years."

[XxUnDeAdMiStReSsXx]

Aoi looked curious, something was definitely up. "I just assumed that time traveled differently on Earth than at court and I stopped my own aging remember? But what is it? What is on your mind?" She felt that something was happening, something big. There was something to Rex and to the darkness they both hunted.