Variance - Betrayal

Seikou is knocked to the floor -again-, this time a little damaged, at least in comparison with what the Air Blast did. "Better..."

Variance stands his ground, doing a bit of panting from the sudden mental exertion caused mainly by casting things out of his innate elemental alignment, not bothering to brush a few stray platinum locks from his vision. /Come on, snap out of it...!/

Seikou sighs and shakes his head. "You're still hoping, aren't you...? There's something you don't understand... He deleted the antivirus program. There is no hope."

"...Deleted...?" Variance echoes to himself, once determined scowl turning to a stare of disbelief. If... if that's true, then... He expels the thought from his mind, previous experiences leading to much more favorable hopes...

You say 'But there's still a chance, as slim as it may be! They aren't called DNA -Souls- for nothing! He can still fight you off!'

Seikou smirks and climbs to his feet. "You were talking to him just a few minutes ago... But I took over again with ease... I have control now..."

Variance keeps his gaze locked firmly on Seikou's clouded pools of crimson, a forceful wind rising as he prepares another mana-based assault. "Then I'll just have to give it back to him, won't I?"

Seikou raises an eyebrow, but chrages and attempts to slash before the spell is complete...

Variance again throws himself to one side(...we'll say his left), mildly cursing as the black blade bites at his arm just before he can fully escape its grasp. Normally, this wouldn't be so bad, if not for his losing his focus and dropping a good amount of his gathered power.

Seikou grins and stabs again while Vari is unfocused...

A startled, half-choked cry of pain rips through the air in Variance's immediate vicinity, followed by a grunt of effort as he attempts to shove Seikou back and hopefully release the beam of energy from his lacerated shoulder.

Seikou is pushed back, but skids to an easy stop... He pauses for a moment, then girns. "Tell you what, Variance... I'll give you one straight shot with whatever attack you choose.. but if you're not strong enough to kill me, you die. Sound good enough to you?"

Variance pauses for a moment, gripping his newly-wounded shoulder in a sadly vain effort to slow the river of scarlet flowing from it(which says nothing for the exit wound).

You say '...Fine.'

Seikou smirks and extends his arms wide...

Variance straightens, seeming to ignore his injury for the moment. Again, a dim aura of light surrounds him, this time joined by a somewhat brighter outline of a lavender hue. His hands raise in a time-perfected motion, synchronized exactly with his quiet, arcane chanting...

The area around him seems to darken momentarily, but is quickly banished as his arms lock before him and two distinctive words pierce the once deafening silence. At Variance's command, a stream of silver-white light forms and heads for its intended target, the heat of such intense light immediately dash away any lingering tears. /Forgive me.../

Seikou is struck directly in the chest and Seikou falls to the ground. "Thank... you... Vari-sama..." he whispers, and his eyes close, Seikou once -again- unconcious...

Variance lets his arms fall to the will of gravity, taking a few steps before allowing himself to collapse to the same will. He stares intently at the fallen Hunter, almost subconsciously barking orders to the remaining medics to help...

BREAK TIME

A pair of tiny hands suddenly seem to pat at your cheek, an invisible entity accompanying them that remains oddly undetectable.

...

...

The invisible hands remove themselves from your cheek, but not before a tiny, female voice whispers in your ear, in an equally-tiny voice. "Reploid-man... you okay? No hurt?"

Variance whips around himself, eyes wide and alert, then suddenly grips his still-healing shoulder again.

Variance says 'What.. Who's there?!'

The tiny voice gasps, a tiny body felt pressing itself against the side of your face. "No yell, scream.. no want hurt. Only concern, okay?"

A sudden green pulse flickers near Variance's shoulder.

Variance looks to his shoulder, still quite startled, but even more so now. /That light... It's the same one.../

Variance says '...Who... what are you?'

The tiny voice giggles softly, still planted firmly against the side of your face. "We only see good, friend of Aura.. want talk, if can. Trust? Come out city, so no have hide."

The green light pulses once more, slightly brighter than before.

The constant sound of running water from the fountain seems a little more amplified as Variance pauses, then nods and starts walking almost subconsciously southbound...

LOCATION: Guardia - A Dirt Road

Variance stops again, both waiting for the voice to rise again and wonder if he's seeing things at the same time...

"Here good! Just as no have be 'round lots people, 'cause we scare easy. No like big hustle, bustle, big noise. Big people." The voice sounds pleased with herself, before finally pulling away from your cheek.

Variance nods slowly in complacent understanding, belying his look of utter confusion. "Why are you appearing to me so suddenly?"

Another green flash, and a tiny little figure in the shape of a palm-tree-like structure materializes upon your shoulder, wide green eyes looking up at you in a discerning manner. "We like you. You see us, but we no feel threat from you. Not feel same way for lots people. Trust rare, rare!"