Helping Out

[gain]

Aeris had been travelling for a while, retracing the steps she and AVALANCHE had taken when they were all together, however Aeris was spending more time in North Coral than she had intended. The kids here were full of life and energy Aeris was enjoying playing with them. At the moment though she was taking a break from it all in a little concrete block/house, a family had allowed her to stay for a while until Aeris decided to leave.

In her own curtained off room sitting on a wooden chair Aeris was writting a message for the family, she planned on leaving tonight without them knowing, but it was rude of her not to leave any mention, so the note was slowly turning into a letter.

Outside in the town the villigers were scavenging in some junk and wreckage of a train. Aeris stepped outside and realised it was dark, stepping down a metal ramp she said goodbye to people as she went by them. Just as she left Aeris heard some gun fire in the distance, it sounded like the old Mako Reactor, she didn't hesitate and headed along the old and busted tracks.

Aeris reached the Reactor and hid behind an old cart, peeping out she saw some SOLDERs shooting at someone but she couldn't see who.

[Deleted]

What a mess Rain thought to himself as he dodged yet another bullet shot at him by the ShinRa's soldiers. He only walked past the Mako reactor as they noticed him and started to attack. Rain believed that they were looking for a target practice, rather than that the area was so well secured and forbidden. Rolling sideways again, his hood fell from his head and his face was revealed. Hiding behind a few barrels, he took out two throwing knives from his belt pocket. Rain hasn't drawn his katana yet, and he doubted that he'll use it in this battle. Looking up at the dark and starry sky, a slight smirk appeared on his face. His expertise was fighting in the dark, using the environment to attack silently.

If it hadn't been for that shot which passed threw the barrel and right next to his ear, Rain would've kept staring at the sky. Quickly rising to his feet and facing his opponents, he threw the two knives at the closest one of the four. Then, without waiting to see if his attack has connected at all, he jumped to take cover behind an old cart. The following groan of pain indicated that his knives hit their target.

Rain needed to get them off his back for just a moment, so he will be able to conceal himself. While the four of them was all on his tail, it was impossible to do so. Sighing, Rain took out another knife and waited for the right timing.

[gain]

Seeing them attacking a man Aeris stood up and took out her pole, pointing it towards one of the soldiers she cast a fire spell, making him run around trying desperately to put out the flames. Some soldiers turned and opened fire on Aeris, ducking back down she laughed to herself and cast barrier on herself.

Standing back up Aeris fired a bolt on three more soldiers before ducking again.

[Deleted]

Suddenly, the soldiers stopped shooting at the cart he was hiding behind. They kept shooting, however, in another direction. Looking behind his cover, Rain caught a rather strange sight. One of the soldiers was in flames as the other three were shooting at another cart. He wasn't alone there; the soldiers were shooting at someone else. Probably the one who has set the other soldier on fire. After a moment, that person showed himself. It was a girl, approximately at Rain's age. As she shot bolt at the remaining soldiers, Rain got out of his cover, and threw the knife at one of them.

Then, he got closer to the girl as he rolled to take cover again, this time behind another barrel. Taking out another knife, he wasted no time as he got up and threw it at one of the soldiers, as he called towards the girl. "Who are you?" He asked. Rain wasn't used to this scenario. No one has ever helped him, and he himself never helped a person in his life.

[gain]

Aeris saw the boy hiding, a bullet wizzed past her head, in a reaction she put up a wall spell, "Aeris! We'll talk more after these men have gone!" She shouted over the gun fire, smiling. This was ammusing since she was talking to someone she didn't know in the middle of a fight. Closing her eyes she prayed and made a barrier for Rain, hoping this will give the melee fighter a better chance.

[Deleted]

Rain let out a sigh. This situation was a bit odd for him. He was fighting four, now three, ShinRa soldiers for no apparent reason, only to be helped by an unknown girl named Aeris, yet for no apparent reason again. On one hand, he was thankful, as much as he could, since he never experienced that feeling, for Aeris, even though he could've take down the soldiers without much effort himself. And on the other, he wasn't the most social person, and tried to avoid talking to people as much as could. Now, should he finish the remaining soldiers, he will have to talk to Aeris, a thing he didn't want to do, or should he leave her on her own right now, another thing that he didn't want to do, since she had helped him. There was no way out of this situation, even though he tried hard to find one.

Lost in his thoughts, Rain almost forgot that he's a middle of a fight, and one of the soldiers has also remembered that he was there, as a bullet passed right next to him. He rose again from behind his cover, and threw one of his knives at the soldier, whose shot seemed to have stopped a few foot before Rain. Crouching again and going into cover, Rain understood what has happened. Aeris has cast a protective spell on him. She protected him.

Why?

Suddenly, something unknown has fueled Rain from within. Without any warning he stood up and took out his katana, as he kicked the cart he was covering behind at one of the soldiers. Then, dodging the barrage of bullets with no seen effort, he got closer to one of the soldiers, as he slashed his katana at him. A smile appeared on Rain's face in the rain of blood and screams of pain.

Within himself, Rain admitted that he likes to hurt people…

OOC- Terribly sorry to made you wait so long..

[gain]

Aeris stood up slowly, watching Rain slash apart all the SOLDIERs it made her remember Cloud's Omnislash; exsessive but fun to watch at the same time no matter how bloody and gross it ended, but not wanting everyone to die Aeris trapped the final SOLDIER in ice so he couold thaw out later, looking at the bloody scene Aeris walked calmly to Rain.
"So this is who I was talking to."
Aeris said with with a smile.

[Deleted]

Just when Rain was about to finish off the last of the soldiers, Aeris has trapped him in ice. Luckily for this one, a few more seconds and it would've ended for him. Aeris, apparently, was more merciful than him. With an almost silent grunt, Rain has taken out a small and stained handkerchief from one of his pockets and cleaned the blood off his katana in a few quick motions. Then, he put it back in its place and turned to look at the girl who helped him, even though he hasn't asked for help, Aeris.

If it was up to him, Rain would've leave immediately, but since he was a man of respect, he wasn't going to abandon someone who risked his life for him, even though this sort of act was almost alienated to him. He looked at the girl with a faceless expression for a few moments before he started talking. "Why?" was the only thing that came out of his mouth, as his face still bared no expression. He knew it was rude, but living in the wilderness doesn't teach you many manners.

[gain]

As Rain cleaned off his blade Aeris was reminded of Cid, someone who acted like nothing had just happened after a pretty violent event, strangely enough though it didn't make Aeris feel any safer than before, this man was still a killer.
Then he asked her 'why', something that hadn't occured to Aeris before, usually she just helped people because she could, what was the point in having the power to fight if she wasn't going to use it.
"Why not? I helped for the same reason you killed them."

[Deleted]

Strange perspective Rain thought to himself as a faint smirk appeared on his face. He looked around him at the bloody scene and sighed. "I killed them in order to save myself" He then stated in a cold and somewhat hoarse voice. "There are two things" Rain continued as he took out one of his throwing knife and passed it between his fingers, a habit that he accustomed himself to, "that motivate people to act. The first is their life, the second is profit. Your act was driven by neither, a thing which is not ordinary for an average human being. Now you understand my curiosity".

Rain stopped talking as suddenly as he started, and turned to look at the frozen ShinRa soldier, the ice slowly melting as drips of water drop to the ground one by one. There was still time until he will be able to free himself completely, and even then, he won't be able to act properly, especially attacking. He apposed no real threat, so Rain didn't have to rush things. His gaze turned to Aeris again, and held there for a while before Rain started talking again. "I assume that you're against-" He threw his knife at her feet, yet missed intentionally as it plunged into the ground, "-killing?".

[gain]

Aeris was confused it was if this man didn't know the concept of human feelings, sure Cloud had been a little strange when she had first met him but not to the extent to almost being robotic in his analysis, further more she didn't understand his curiousity at all, even Sephiroth understood feelings, granted that most of them vengeful and cruel but it was better than nothing.
"Yes I am against it, although sometimes it cannot be avoided."
Aeris said calmy, not flinching as the knife went into the floor, she could never understand the need to showoff, it was not the thing that was dominent in her head.
"So who are you?"

[Deleted]

"Who am I…?" Rain repeated her question, yet didn't answer it. Instead, he looked up at the sky, watching the clouds pass by over their heads. "My name, you mean?" He continued, his gaze still facing upwards, "What's there to a name? Just a silly idea of humans, trying to differentiate one another… And why's that? Of course, because they know that they are all the same. All to be born and all to perish… All with the same thoughts and goals in life". He sighed and looked at her again, "Look at the clouds. Every one has a unique shape, to differ from the others, yet they are all clouds, and all are moving in the same direction, with no control over their course…"

Rain shook his head and walked a few steps away, then sat down at the turned cart he kicked moments ago. "Rain" He said simply, as if the question was just asked, then turned to look at the sky again, his face bared no expression, as always.

[gain]

"Well you're dark aren't you 'Rain'?"
Aeris said, not feeling at all depressed or annoyed at what he had said about the human race because; A - it was mainly true and B - It just didn't annoy her at all, funny because Aeris liked being human and was pretty sure alot of people were the same.
"Then you're not human? Judging by you're attitude you are either a REALLY depressed human or an immortal, so which is it?"

[Deleted]

"Dark?" Rain stated, somewhat surprised, as he took a look at his hand, "I'd say I'm rather pale. Perhaps it's just a point of view" He concluded with a shrug. Then, he laughed. It was a normal laugh, but a rather mechanical one, and even though it was almost impossible, his face still remained expressionless. "Immortal?" He repeated her words again, "Why would anyone want to be immortal? What's the purpose in living without dying? It's like a race with no finish line". After a short pause of another cold laugh he continued, "No, no, I'm just as much as human and mortal as you are, but I'm just being realistic, unlike most of the other people". Rain gave her an inquiring look, "Are you still stuck in wonderland?" He rose to his feet, "Or are you not like the others?". Rain tilted his head a bit; as if something very peculiar has been placed in front of him and got his curiosity.

[gain]

Laughing at the sound of his mechanical laugh Aeris remembered it was rude to laugh because someone else was different.
"Wonderland? No I just really like this planet and the humans and beasts that live on it, as for not being the same it's not that big a difference, Ancients aren't around as much as we used to I guess."
Aeris looked down at the ground, feeling really cold, how could someone show happiness in one action but nothing in another? Rain was strange.