Lord and Lady | Ashley

The young man with the ebony hair and the ivory suit plotted down the hallway, sweeping down through the old, expansive hallways and spacious corridors. His bright crimson scarf - ludicrously disproportionate to the rest of his body as it was - bobbed along gently behind him, fluttering gently in the faint indoor zephyr. There was much to be done, in truth, and he was more than a little eager to get to it.

"We're almost there, Ashley," he said, glancing upwards and addressing the young lady perched atop his shoulders like a pale china doll.

Their relative size was noteworthy, if not outright mind-boggling: he a tall, gangly fellow with about as much muscle mass as a fish finger and she a dainty little sprout of a young lady. If nothing else, the peculiar little tableau made the size of his scarf seem almost redundant in comparison.

Still, he was a knight errant - at least in spirit - and this was his duty to her as such. To protect the weak, to give hope to the disillusioned, to help all those who were in need of his help: that was his calling, his passion, his mission. Even if it just meant giving his partner a piggyback to the dojo for some much-needed training.

He crossed over the hallway, gently edging his way around his fellow students, his journey punctuating with loud verbal apologies and staggering attempts to not drop his most precious and valuable cargo. At last, he nudged open the door and stepped inside, leather boots clattering with a soft timber tap across the varnished wooden floor.

"Here we are, just as promised," he declared fondly, crouching down so as to let the little girl vacate herself from her precarious position atop his shoulderblades, "Shall we get started, then?"

"Y-y-yeah!" The petite girl practically yelled back at the man carrying her on his shoulders. She tried to hide her already tomato red face from his glance by looking away. This was incredibly embarrassing for the young lady. She regretted not having her hat to hide her face from the students. Some were laughing. Others were talking about this situation. And rare others ignored the ordeal. Her tiny hands rested on the ebony hair of the male. If she hadn't done so from the start, she might have lost balance, or even caused August to lose balance as well. Ashley really had no other option other than looking at the ground ahead of them at this point.

Once in the dojo, Ashley quickly got off from August's shoulders once she had the occasion. She coughed a few times. Her voice was still muzzled by her embarrassment. The blue haired girl looked around the dojo. Even though it has been at least a year since she has been at the DWMA, she did not spend a whole lot of time going around the school. Even attending classes turned up to be a chore for the sickly girl.

"Huh." Ashley let out, clearly disappointed with what she was looking at. "Not much of a place, but I suppose it'll do.[/font]" She stated as she slowly turned around to face her partner. "Yes, let's. Take out your hand.[/font]" With a nod, the girl's body began glowing white. Petals detached from her form and gathered into the shape of an ebony hilt with a pure white tassel attached. The hilt would fall down to the ground if August would not move his hand from where it was, that is, if he didn't have it stretched out like she had instructed.

Fortunately for all parties involved, August's awareness of his partner's corporeal well-being was, as ever, absolute. He stretched his arm out and grabbed ahold of the small, shimmering black hilt. His long, thin fingers instinctively wrapped around the tiny weapon and his grip tightened ever so softly.

He stepped towards the centre of the room. They had arrived at a rather opportune occasion - there were a few regulars milling about here and there, but it was largely empty at this time of day. He had - in a rare moment of tactical shrewdness - planned it just so they would be able to make use of the facilities without being disturbed by external subjectivity.

His free hand was spread outwards, his fingers being flexed eagerly, his head tilted backwards with a sharp jolt to flick a stray ebony bang out of the way of his round little face. Once he had performed a few customary stretches as a handy warm-up exercise, he glanced down at the hilt of his partner's weapon form and gave a sunny smile.

"What shall we practice first, my friend?" he asked, gripping the hilt with a gentle firmness, "Some training moves? Or some sparring techniques? Or perhaps some mental discipline for mind, body and soul?"

As soon as the weapon was grabbed; the comforting feeling rushed in the dark abyss surrounding the glowing figure. Eyes closed as she idly floated in the pitch black space. The petite figure was taking in deep breaths, slowly trying to feel her partner's wavelength.

"First…[/font]" The weapon finally spoke. Her left arm rose in front of her, eyes still closed. As if Ashley was trying to feel something. "… my part.[/font]" Once she had spoken her words, a loud, deep breath could have been heard from the ebony hilt. A small, white light could be seen from the empty end of the hilt. "Brace yourself! This might take a toll on you.[/font]"

Without truly giving a moment for her partner to prepare himself, the light grew brighter, and eventually shot out of the hilt. The white beam spanned out like a fan. The energy was quite unstable, and it showed by how violently the branches were flittering about. A grunt, along with the painful muttering of the word "lower" resounded from the weapon. The chaotic energy began receding. The branches regressed into the trunk, and the tree itself began to shrink. The hazardous mess of energy compressed into a single, solid line.

For August, this ordeal would have felt like his energy was being sucked out all in one go. Until the blade was compressed completely, and stable, it would feel like his energy was being thrown out into the fin air. The forged beam would give off a slight feeling of loss, much more tolerable than the hectic mess the initial outburst was.

Not saying a single word, or opening her eyes, Ashley was still tinkering with her partner's wavelength. The white beam could be noticed growing smaller by an inch, then back to where it was, and then trying to become longer. As it tried to grow longer, the solidness of the blade broke; tiny snake-like vines began splitting out of the blade. Guh…[/font][/i] The vines gathered back into the blade on Ashley's mental command.

"That's about… two and a half feet.[/font]" The Weapon stated almost blandly. The girl opened her bright red eyes to look around. She was so focused on the making of the blade she had completely disregarded her own partner. "August! A-are you alright?![/font]"

August, in a word, imploded. He staggered back as the sheer unbribled force of his very essence being ripped out of him sent him in a brief tumult of spiritual turbulence, his oul undergoing such trauma as was scarcely experienced outside of a very fortunate young lady in a crowded maternity ward.

He stopped to catch his breath. His breath never came. Feet planted against the ground so as not to collapse into a crumpled heap, he retched and coughed and gagged and tried to focus on the world that was now spinning like a demented merry-go-round. The phosphorescent beam of light that emerged from the small black hilt was, to his jaded eyes, like something out of a giant mecha anime, seething and twisted and pulsating violently in his hands as he tried very hard to hold onto it for dear life. He grit is teeth, shut his eyes, braced himself...

And then it snapped back into place, receding back from whence it came and forming a long, thin shaft of brilliant white light. The shock was both relieving and maddening for August, as the initial starburst of titan concentration relapsed, and by that point he scarcely noticed the brief feeling of emptiness he experienced as the blade faded once more into the hilt.

Clutching his head and panting heavily, August wiped the sweat from his brow and gave an exasperated smile to the little girl whose soul was within the hilt.

"I am alright, Ashley," he said with shortness of breath that belied the exceptional punch to the soul he had just received, "Is this what they call Soul Resonance, then?"

Well, he could hardly deny that it was exciting.

Ashley stayed silent for a moment after August asked his question. She was far too worried about his health to immediately answer it. It pained her that she was the one who caused this harm to him. It wasn't an act committed on purpose, and adding the fact that she had not given him a proper warning only made her feel worse. However, she knew this was the burden her kind of weapon gave to the meister.

"No…[/font]" Ashley finally answered, sounding slightly down. "It'd be pretty stupid to say you didn't feel that… What just happened right now…[/font]" The petite figure took a deep breath as she turned around in the darkness. "What we get told often is that: Meisters and Weapons function like a guitar and an amp, right? Alone they make a tiny noise, but together create a much louder noise, right? Well… What I do… Is literally extracting some of your wavelength -your soul- to forge the blade, and use my own abilities to keep it stable… so…

The more you use me, the more exhausted you'll become on the long run. Unlike other Weapons, I take a toll on the Meister's soul.[/font]"

"I should have been more careful. I should have gone slowly. I should have… I'm sorry that I did such a horrible thing, August. If you want to take a break, feel free to. I wouldn't advise pushing yourself too hard with training. I really, really don't want you to end up dead exhausted because of me.[/font]"

Ashley felt like she was forgetting something. Something important she should mention to him. Then it hit her, and it hit hard.

"I don't know if you managed to see it-- the unstable energy. That… was what would happen again if I pushed your soul too far. Your limit, the length I can hold it, look at it-[/font]" The Weapon paused for a moment, making sure that August would have checked. "Two and a half feet. That's your limit. Any longer and the blade won't cut. The blade won't be looking like a blade. And the blade would create that leeching effect that you've felt. It's funny. I can't see it, but I can feel it…[/font]"

Now Ashley was beginning to doubt herself. Did she cause that reaction on purpose? Was it an accident? Was it to show him the bad sides of this weapon? Maybe it was necessary to show him this. After all of this: Would he still be glad to have her by his side?

"I can't go any longer, but I can go shorter if needed. And if you wish to conserve some energy, I can ultimately, say, "turn off", in a way…

If you really want to continue with this: then, may I suggest trying to swing around the sword? Y'know, like attacking the air or something? I'm… not really sure what to do at this point.[/font]"

August nodded as his dear companion regaled to his the exact specifications of her weapon form's abilities. Well, it certainly wasn't practical. It was akin to having a car that only worked if it stayed at a certain speed, lest the petrol tank explode. Fortunately, the young man was about as practical in his actions as a chocolate teapot and therefore such matters were of no concern to him at all.

He allowed his fingers to wrap a little more tightly around the hilt. It was a vague, abstract gesture, more to let himself know he was there for her than anything else, but he could feel a twinge of sadness in her voice.

He couldn't allow her to be sad. No, he could never allow that. The hero never let the innocent ones cry. There would be no tears, not if he was there, not if he could help it.

He looked at the weapon in his hand and smiled.

"Ashley, there is something I had in mind. Something I want to try out. Of course, I...I am going to need your help for it."

Ashley felt the grip around her form tighten slightly. She closed her eyes and leaned backwards, head looking upwards… or would be if she knew just exactly in what direction she was facing. Her glowing figure was simply floating about. She did not know if she was upright, up-side-down, lying down, or anything. It was confusing at times, but somehow it never bothered her.

August's gesture and his words were just enough to reassure the young lady. To hear something along the lines that would seem hopeful to continue the training, or partnership, was just enough to cheer her up.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. What do you need, August?[/font]" Ashley replied in her usual tone. She began wondering what August could possibly want to try out other than swinging a big glowing blade around. "Just in case… August please do not try to cut or stab yourself. I don't know if that would work, and I don't want to have to help you get to the infirmary. Actually I don't think I could at all.[/font]" Ashley joked coldly.

She did not really know this person at all. For all she knew: He was a sweetheart, kind, and a tad too strong on the "being helpful" side. But they matched together, and that was the only matter for her right now. "But what did you need, August?[/font]"

August, never one for milling about and trying to make sense of his words before he spoke them, at least in cases such as these, spoke clearly and eagerly.

"There is a certain something which I have been pondering on for quite some time," he said, eyes twinkling with radiant glee, his pearly white teeth glinting like distant stars in the dim glow of the wooden training grounds; he took a step forward distractedly, giving the blunt hilt a few experimental swings through the air as his partner duly proposed.

His stride was confident, his repose magnificent, at least in his own eyes. He wanted so dearly to be a hero - and that required he train in something that all the best heroes had beneath their proverbial shiny silver belt.

"Tell me, my friend. Have you ever heard the phrase, 'To err is human; to forgive, divine'?"

Ashley tried assessing August's talent with a blade as he swung her around. Truth be told: She couldn't tell if he was good, or as talented as children fighting with toy swords. Well, hopefully it was better than said children having mock battles.

What August told her made the Weapon tilt her head to the side in confusion. The way it sounded, the phrase that August said, was making no sense to the girl. More importantly, what the heck was an "err"?

"Uhm… No August, I've never heard of that phrase before… but could you get on with what you were thinking about for a while?" She asked slightly in a rude manner. Yet she wanted to sound far from that. Ashley reflected on her words and decided to leave it at that. Dragging on with anything right now, as much as she, and maybe August as well, wanted to train, she was still sapping his strength away without him noticing. Although she did warn him about that.

August smiled, oblivious to her ire, and nodded solemnly. Her question was a legitimate one. He would have to explain further to her exactly what he meant by his statement.

"Allow me to clarify, my friend. The phrase is an old adage to the power of compassion over violence; a testament to the true strength it takes to lay down one's arms and say that enough is enough. To that end, I have considered long and hard about this ancient slogan and come to a sudden realisation. It is not enough simply to slay one's enemies: bloodshed will only beget bloodshed, after all. I wish to create a skill wherein all of the lost souls whom are felled by my blade know that, even in death, they are forgiven."

He thrust the hilt outwards, pointing it at the sky like a proud hero, and beamed at his young partner.

"My dearest Ashley, would you be willing to train with me in this art? It would mean the world to me to learn such ways of the world with you at my side, M'Lady!"

Ashley closed her eyes as she listened to August explain himself. She silently listened to every word that came out of the young man's mouth. The girl was far too focused on trying to understand what August wanted to be surprised by the heroic stance he took. The white beam retracted itself back into the hilt in a flash.

"So... You want to make the final strike similar to a pardon? Kind of letting them at peace in death?" Ashley asked, sounding a little confused still. "I-- August? Isn't the goal for us meisters and weapons to hunt down these enemies? Y'know, like if they were heretics so to speak? You really want to let them at peace as you strike them down? She tossed more questions at her partner, keeping that curious tone.

And then a thought hit her.

"You say bloodshed... begets? Well, bloodshed to more bloodshed. However, have you thought that-- well-- umm...... we're not targeting an organized group like the mafia, or a super-hidden criminal organization... but umm... single targets? It's not like people care for them anymore, so killing them wouldn't bring more conflict, but resolve it?

Ah! I-I'm not-- I don't mean that the idea is bad, but I just want to know why you'd want something like that... umm..."

Ashley realized that her curiosity was starting to sound like a lecture, or something similar. It really was not a bad idea. The girl started rubbing her arm nervously. She had lost her words and simply waited for her partner to say something.

August laughed. As was his custom, it was completely devoid of any sort of malice or irony or scorn; that was inconceivable for one such as himself, and yet naive and all as he was, he nodded sagely at Ashley's discussion of his intentions.

"A fair point indeed, M'lady," he mused, casually twirling the hilt around in his hand as he pondered upon it, "And yet, is that not the point of our entire existence? A heretic is only one who disobeys the order that one believes to be sacred; and, at least to me, there is no order more sacred than the order that is granted to followers of justice!"

The hilt slipped out of his grasp. With a slight squeal, he hurried to grab it before it hit the floor, then sighed and gave his partner a shy smirk.

"Er. Yes. Well..."

He coughed and glanced sideways, attempting to hide his blushing visage from his staring accomplice.

"At any rate," he continued, his tone suitably hurried, "I just...I just think it's a nice idea, alright? I...I don't think it's right to just kill somebody...I mean, I've never killed anybody before in all of my life...I bet that sounds really selfish to you, doesn't it, Ashley?"

One thing that was great about being a Weapon was that Ashley had tilted her head as her partner talked. He was talking in such a manner that confused her. He was talking normally the other day, and now this...

Not to mention the expression of shock when she was nearly dropped on the ground, and the "Do I look like I'm a toy?" glare she gave to her partner afterwards.

"And do you think I've killed someone before?" She retorted in an annoyed tone to his question. "And yes, selfish. Quite...

But... I think I could try something. I can't promise anything, though... Nor will we know if it works until field testing." Ashley added, sounding neutral this time.

What now? Ashley had absolutely no idea on how to even begin. Asking her August for ideas would possibly end up with a half-understanding of what he spoke right now; at the exception of that last bit where he spoke normally. "Hmmm..."

August sighed and gave the hilt of his partner's sword persona a playful smile.

"Well, no use crying over spilled milk, hm? At it is, you're right. We have no way of testing this out until we put into into practice on the battlefield!"

He shuddered slightly at the statement he made himself; the battlefield. He was not used to death - quite the opposite, as it happens - but he nonetheless realised he had a commitment that he was devoted to all the same.

"Maybe we would seek advice elsewhere, M'Lady? I understand if your...um...actions have left you a little strained. There will be other opportunities for training. And there are plenty of other students and teachers and even alumni around the city who might be able to help us out! Would...that be reasonable, Ashley?"