Eagleheart is convinced to at least maintain contact

[14:29] Eagleheart seems to be sitting right next to a sign reading "GET OUT OF MY GODDAMN LAWN", in the middle of apparent farm fields, whose crops grow to his left and right.

He seems to be sitting still, a faint cosmic shimmer visible covering his form, although not entirely exposed. There seems to be a brief breeze moving his cloak around as he sits, eyes closed. Blonde hair continues to move around, flailing in the faint winds.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, eyes still closed. A faint chime seems to echo around them, flowing amidst the plants to encompass the group. He tilts his head slightly to the side as soon as it reaches the teenagers.
(Eagleheart)
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[14:31] After venturing up the volcano with a small group, Mei Xiang was pleased to see Eagleheart and not any other unsavory creatures.

She was even more pleased to see that he wasn't injured, atleast visibly.

"To see ya, Eagleheart. You're always runnin' off somewhere, 'n the last talk we had didn't do anything to make me feel like you'd be safe on your own."
(Mei Xiang)
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[14:36] Taro lags behind a bit with Ringo and Nini as they arrive, gesturing to certain things and more than likely giving them some insight as to who they were making the trip to see.

Once they arrive, the youth is pleasantly surprised to see crops growing at the top of the volcano, along with an uninjured Eagleheart. A silent sigh allows some of the tension to melt away.

"What she said. Things didn't really end on the best of notes when you left, so we came to slap a bandage on whatever this is so we can all move forward. Together." A few steps bring him closer to the crops, which he squats down to examine from eye level. "Ringo, Nini. This is Mister Angelo. A master of the arcane and one of the best mentors around. He's also a friend."
(Taro Wvelven)
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[14:41] Nini had been silently taking in the scenery as she plodded after Ringo, and the others. As they arrive at destination, whatever tension exists went entirely unnoticed, however Nini Nani wasn't one to overstep her bounds. She's silent until addressed.

Sweeping into a bow towards the proclaimed Angelo, 'Eagleheart', she speaks up in brief! "Hello, Mister Angelo. Fancy meeting you! I'm Nini Nani!" she exclaims, as to ensure she and Ringo aren't mistakened!
(Nini Nani)
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[14:41] Sticking close to Taro and Nini as they traveled up to the volcano, Ringo's head would nod along as the man spoke; Showing them certain landmarks, and explaining the situation at hand.

Once they're at their destination, the blond-haired male would stick to the back next to his partner in crime-- staying mostly silent. Well, that is until he's introduced. That is. Stepping up a bit, he'd dip into a light bow. Even if Eagleheart wasn't looking at him, manners were still something he was trying to make a habit of.

"It's nice to meet you, Mister Angelo." Those eyes of his scanning the area, as he shifts around on the spot, "Mm.. S'like he said. I'm Ringo, a new recruit to the Fourfold."
(Ringo)
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[14:50] The man's stern posture seems to dismount itself as the two teenagers are introduced. Eyebrows perk up, lips pursing slightly into a frown. Irises finally appear, revealing silvery blue hues, marks of his blindness. Along with that, there seems to be small gatherings of black clots along veins, pursued by cosmic mana.

A hand rises and waves, made of pure mythril -- Apparently, trying to mimic his bones with the mythril, after all, the prosthetic had only recently been replaced with a different version, after turning to rust once.

"You brought kids?" He said, apprehensively. Of course they did. However, he continued, the same tone taking over his voice still. "You aren't to bring them around here, Mei. That's foolish. And... Nice to meet you, I suppose."

He let out a groan, and slowly rises to his feet, apparently using air itself as support.

" 'M fine. You got more to worry about than an old man trying to strike a difference, Shogun. I've got more people to help in other places now." He let out a sigh, turned towards them. The soothing chime seemed to still be present, although slightly modified -- It seemed rather stronger, but a faint blue energy seemed to accompany it, akin to the kindling of the stars.

And yet, his eyes refused to accompany anything, besides sometimes simply moving around, perhaps to simply keep his eyes wet enough so they won't hurt. Standing in front of sea breeze has that effect, after all.

"It's a bit more complicated than that, though. I'm working on it. Always am."
(Eagleheart)
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[14:58] The Shogun's expression momentarily flicks to a scowl; the man was right, for these were indeed dangerous lands. Still, she felt she was lacking in maintaining her friendships. "Didn't wanna tell 'em no, 'n I wanted them to see my teacher." She holds her tongue.

"Well, the person who was my teacher, since I'm a scholar now, just like ya."

A glance is given to their surroundings.

"Anyway, that's the issue, Eagleheart, ya suddenly got this idea that you're just some 'old man' and that we don't care about ya anymore. You've helped us, sure, but that doesn't mean we'll just let ya up 'n walk away like you're nothin'. We've said it before, but we care about ya, Eagleheart, 'n we wanna help...

...somehow."
(Mei Xiang)
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[15:05] Taro continues to make his way around the area as Mei gives their reasoning for coming to such dangerous lands with their younger Fourfold members. He was acting as a lookout - now that they needed him to. Odds were that Angelo could detect those coming from a ways away.

Still, it gave him something to do while they attempted to chip away at the 'walls' that the Order magi had put up.

"Yep. Like you said, the Shogun has a lot of things to be focused on within Huang, so us traveling here should mean something. Let us help, already. Maybe a meditation session could be what you need?"

He makes the suggestion and leans back against a nearby rock, examining the mythril hand from afar.
(Taro Wvelven)
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[15:10] Ringo gives the man a little wave, only for his hand to rest idly by his side right after. With the talks of teachers, and people leaving, the young soldier-in-training didn't really have much to add.

But, it was interesting to see the Lady Shogun's teacher in the flesh. She was pretty darn strong, so this guy's probably even stronger! Shifting around a bit, he'd quick glance over towards Nini, and then back over towards the adults.
(Ringo)
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[15:10] Nini found herself slightly disappointed at Eagleheart's response to their presence. It couldn't have been unexpected though, what with the situation at hand. Her arms recede to her sides as she's silent again.
(Nini Nani)
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[15:24] A soft chuckle comes from the older man, head shaking slightly from side to side. "That's right. I'm not your teacher anymore. I didn't say you didn't care about me anymore, I said I wasn't needed." A sigh, before he returns to his sitting position, turning in place.

It was thoroughly practiced, every movement seemed absolutely calculated and precise, not a single fumble present. After all, he had several years to perfect his own meditation technique, but sitting still was the best one to do alone.

"I've tried meditating, and that's why I asked for the whip. It just wasn't working. I've developed... A bit better methods to purify myself, although not perfectly effective." He says, rising a single hand, mythril gauntlet rising from it to expose a hand covered in faint cosmic mana, mostly residual.

"Meditation is the least important part from all the things that I teach. Anyone can meditate. It merely soothes my mind... But sometimes, as you saw, pushing my problems away for a while doesn't work." He let out a sigh, the floating gauntlet quickly returning to his hand, strapping itself to him.

"I know you care, Mei. I just have few options to do anything." He spoke, pulling a rusty sword, gleaming under the starlight, from one of the many sheaths he kept under the cloak. It floated in the air.

"Thing is, I was corrupted back then, and I've always said corruption leaves a mark. I've wiped it clean out of my system mostly, but I still have the mark." He spoke, turning back onto the ocean. A deep breath, before he continued, at a hushed tone instead. "The assault on Gaiar was more than proof of that."
(Eagleheart)
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[15:33] "Well, atleast ya haven't gone 'n whipped yourself; I'm happy ya found some kind of way to help yourself, but- but how do we help, Eagleheart? I wanna help; I care, yeah, but I do... need ya around in a sense."

She frowns.

"...but I dunno what to do, 'n I don't like when my friends struggle, especially when I think I can do somethin' about it."
(Mei Xiang)
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[15:42] "So then.. you're going to stay up here? Alone? No one should be alone like this, Gramps."

He frowns a bit, earth magic rising up beneath him to form a short pillar that he sits on. Two more rise up near him for Ringo and Nini to sit upon as well.

"At least let me stay here with ya' sometimes. It'd make everyone feel better."
(Taro Wvelven)
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[15:45] Giving Taro a quick nod of his head, he'd take a seat on the pillar, a hand reaching up to scratch the side of his head.

"-- Yeah. We can come too, if you want." A long, awkward pause, "So you're not lonely, y'know?"

It's the best he could do, at the moment. While he didn't really know the man, having someone sit up here. Alone, on a volcano just didn't seem right.
(Ringo)
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[15:47] Nini is suddenly prodded at by the earthen pillar. Sitting down, she inclines a quick nod to Taro. Her hands clasp about the edge of the pillar as her legs idly kick at air.

Nini couldn't help but feel a bit of pity. Having to recover from one of the world's foul forces is something she'd never want to face. The sadness and sentiment she felt is kept to herself as she offers Ringo a glance while he spoke.
(Nini Nani)
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[15:57] "I'm always around here." He said, not even turning towards them. Another deep breath, a shining cosmic shimmer running through his body, apparently a work to overload his mana circuitry.

"I'll need someone to help me on a bit of a project. I was thinking Tiff..." He trailed off, rusty sword moving around the air, closer to his hand. He grabbed it, and slowly started to polish its blade.

"I just need a purpose, Mei. I ain't teaching anyone in Huangzhou, and the corruption took a bit of the best of me. I'm becoming aggressive, brash, and..." A sigh, the man's eyes closed, blade now resting against his thighs.

He kept silent for a while, before turning towards Mei, a slight forced smile present upon his face. "I'll manage, yes? I had some...Ideas, which I believe you could help, too. I might need a tattoo." He spoke, a pouch gleaming with cosmic energy floating in the air, before quickly strapping itself back onto his belt.

"If anything, I'll still be around here, alive and well. I've never disappointed you in that part, did I?" The smile waned the moment he looked away, however, he nodded in agreeance to something else.

"Some company doesn't seem all bad, but you see... No houses around here. Just this field which I have no idea who planted, and I sometimes don't even stay here. Still got Sa and Shezmu as students, after all..." He trailed off, perhaps holding to himself a few other side projects that he had.

"Life's a bit boring, but I feel like I'm back to my youth. Back at the time I roamed around because I had to." Was it all just a middle age crisis, intensified by the corruption? More than likely, yes.

But the cosmic shimmer that emanated from his mana circuits made it obvious that there were gold linings in this, after all, as dim as they were.

Mostly, the corruption was still having its own psychological effects, after all.
(Eagleheart)
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[16:02] The young woman nods her head.

"You're... always around, but that doesn't mean I can stop worryin'. These parts have been gettin' more 'n more dangerous, especially after we took down Gaiar, but-" Her eyes light up at the mention of her being able to potentially help.

"I'd love to help ya whenever I can, Eagleheart; I understand that ya need a purpose, though. It's not like there's totally nothin' to do, right? We can always go on more hunts. I'm also plannin' to clear out some of the demons roamin' around in the general area, so..."

She manages a smile, but it quickly fades into a neutral expression, it bordering more on a frown than anything else.
(Mei Xiang)
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[16:04] Eagleheart says, "... Have there been any attacks? If not, that means I've managed to scare a few."
[16:09] "A couple, as of late. But overall, the demons know to stay away from us. Thanks, if y'had somethin' to do with that."

He offers a smile to match Mei's own, hands patting his thighs as he pulls his legs in. He glances over to Ringo and Nini for a moment to make sure they were alright, then shuts his own eyes, doing what he can to control his breathing. It seemed as though Eagleheart had something in mind with Mei, so for the time being.. he would simply meditate and listen.

Mostly the former.

"Same here, if I can. I've only fought one demon before the war, but I plan on wiping out as many as possible."
(Taro Wvelven)
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[16:14] "Same, I wanna wipe 'em all out."

Chiming in after Taro, Ringo would shift a bit to sit cross-legged on the stone pillar, his own eyes coming to a close as he'd try out the meditation thing his teacher had told him about. Plus, the young man didn't really have much to add to the conversation. He didn't have the experience, or the knowledge on most of the subjects.

But being around these kind of talks should hopefully help with that!
(Ringo)
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[16:14] Nini clenches her hand. The feeling of rightness had blossomed within her, that they would be picking up on the right path by seeking out the demons.

"That's what I'm here for too," she mentions offhandedly.

As she watched Eagleheart, Nini had begun to wonder just how powerful that man was. The one who had trained their own Lady Shogun. He was still a hardly-known figure to her.
(Nini Nani)
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[16:24] As soon as they continued to speak, however, Eagleheart continued to simply stand sitting amidst the crops. He shrugs some, but his head turns towards Mei.

A short sigh, and he stands up, walking towards his apprentice, mythril prosthetic leg clanking slightly as he walked, obviously also replaced due to rusting entirely, but his mythril prosthetic is put on her shoulder.

A soft squeeze afterwards, however. "So you mean I should go back to Huangzhou, Mei?" He said, a small smile present upon his face. Perhaps simply the joy of being wanted somewhere, which he felt that lacked -- Much to counteract the words that were spoken within the depths of his mind that intensified during the curse's time.

"I'd love to, but there's a reason why I left even after founding it. We get comfortable. We stop leaving, we stop bringing the fight to them..." He said, smiling some, a small pat coming to her back.

"You can help me, Taro, but..." He turns towards the two teenagers, smile still present, although seemingly only remaining due to politeness or sheer custom of doing such.

"You two, specially, should train first. That also works for you, Taro." He spoke, briefly, before turning to return towards his own meditation spot.

"Mei has seen how I act. I'm surprised she only figured I was crazy now, instead of the time I nearly took her to the vampire city." A short laughter, as he sits down. "By Kraus, fun times. Everyone thought I was the Commander."

A short sigh, merely motivated by him missing these past times where things were somewhat different. Where he knew where he was needed, and answered the call nonetheless. His calm voice once again ensued, obviously more tranquil than the one they found at first. "Now... Trust me, Mei. Last thing I want is for you and Tiff to suffer. I'm just doing this because-- Well, I've told you just now, yes?"
(Eagleheart)
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[16:38] When the man approached and set a hand on her shoulder, she happily returned his smile with her own. She was half-tempted to let out a quiet laugh, but the wasn't that happy, plus something still needed to be done.

Some of his words echo in her head.

They do get comfortable; she has gotten comfortable. Thoughts of taking the fights to demons were slowly getting swapped out with dealing with home matters, though this isn't to say they weren't important; maintain the settlement was just as important as taking the fight to their enemies, but she definitely noticed herself getting a bit more lax as time went on.

Her train of thought is interrupted when Eagleheart mentions vampires.

"Hey! I... thought ya had a plan; I trust ya, too, so that's why I didn't complain. But... alright, Eagleheart, I trust ya. Just for now until it all gets better. Until then, 'n even after ya come back, I'll be in Huangzhou gettin' things together, helpin' the younger people like them get strong enough to fight the bad stuff in the world."
(Mei Xiang)
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[17:03] Taro's eyes remain closed for the time being as he does what he can to visualize what had been mentioned in his last trip to the volcano. With a few slips here and there, he had been meditating and studying both the arcane and the spiritual since then religiously. There were two paths laid out before him, and he wanted to make sure that he chose the right one.

If nothing else, he was relieved that the 'gang' was back together. That, along with the promise of a prosperous future, was enough to put a smile on his face.

"Phew. You had me worried there, Angelo.."
(Taro Wvelven)
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[17:07] Mei Xiang says, "...if anything, we're gonna go ahead back, now."
[17:07] Eagleheart says, "Of course."
[17:07] Eagleheart says, "I'll be here."