Kill Your Friend.

[04:53] He looks around him. This really isn't the place to talk about this, unfortunately. Perhaps somewhere...quieter.

"Did I show you where I live now? Nice place," he says conversationally.
(Jericho)
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[04:53] Dairou says, "<Ohhh jerky!>"
[04:54] Asphira tilts her head at that. Rather than remain out of the loop, she'd go with it.

"No, never. Would you mind showing me?"
(Asphira)
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[04:55] A shrug - as if he had all the time in the world. Leisurely, he strides out, with a sort of strange cadence, that seemed both urgent and unenthused at the same time. Sauntering away with those long legs of his until they were outta sight.

"Only since you asked."
(Jericho)
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[04:56] Jericho says, "It's temporary - Cicero's cousin's room, while he's away, until my room is ready."
[04:56] Jericho says, "Mine's empty for now."
[04:56] The place they ended up at once was relatively familiar to her. She knew it well enough.
(Asphira)
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[04:56] Jericho says, "Nice, what the nobility can afford. Too bad I don't care for most of it."
[04:56] Asphira says, "It's pretty lavish."
[04:56] Jericho asks, "I know, right? Isn't it fucking terrible?"
[04:57] Asphira says, "It's nice, but it seems wasteful."
[04:57] Jericho says, "Nothing like the grass at your back and the stars over head."
[04:57] Asphira says, "..."
[04:57] Jericho says, "Nothing nice about it."
[04:57] Asphira says, "That's a bit-"
[04:57] Asphira says, "Nevermind."
[04:57] Jericho says, "..."
[04:57] Jericho asks, "A bit..?"
[04:57] Asphira says, "Look, most people at least like to have a roof over their heads. It's practical."
[04:58] Jericho says, "And most people don't talk to the knight that guarded their friend's dead father's cell."
[05:03] His voice's edge takes on a tone that is razor sharp. Accusatory. Predatory. Jericho isn't a beast of reason - Asphira likely didn't know that. Lion did. Akira might not even, actually, seeing as the side of him that was sweet and gentle was directed at his brother nearly all the time, his dearest, most beloved brother, who he cared deeply for.

The boy's head takes in all that he sees in this room, the decoration, the lavish expenses, the mirrors and shelves. It means nothing to him. He doesn't appreciate any of it. He, of course, cherishes the sentiment that his good friend cared for him deeply - but this was far from how he cared for that sentiment to be expressed.

Ungrateful? Yes. Honest? Also yes.

"Berrios Falstaff is on what we call 'the list.' If you're in any way affiliated with him, you may find members of my family looking at you in a different light. I, personally, intend to kill him, once I can get hold of a disguise, so that I don't harm Cicero's reputation. I'm his bodyguard, so I have to play a role now - "

It was in the assassin's code. His father had taught him the code. The code was not to be questioned. Even when contradictory to his nature. His father was dead.

The code was all he had left.

"Although, I will say, Akira probably doesn't see things this way." His fingers drum on the table. A light chuckle. "Hard as he acts now...he's never had an assassin's heart."

A pregnant pause.

"I do."
(Jericho)
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[05:05] Jericho says, "Squires carry steel. I can't stand that smell. A disgusting fucking smell. "
[05:07] Jericho says, "Pigs in metal girdles, squealing to their masters for an ounce more coin, enacting false justice. You should never want that for yourself. No one should. Dickless dogs, the lot of them."
[05:09] It was a heavy thing to be told. In receiving this information, Asphira felt as if a weight had been placed on her shoulders. However, Jericho was someone she had known much longer than the individual who wished to take her under his wing. There was no comparing the two in her eyes.

"That's fine, Jericho. I just..." Her voice falters and she shakes her head, a solemn look befalling the girl.

"I just want to be able to protect you guys through whatever means necessary. Even if people may think less of me for it, I want to take whatever route will best help me fulfill my goals. I don't want to be a pretentious, prideful warrior who rejects their own sense of self to abide by what they're told is 'justice'. That isn't my objective here," she explains.

"If one of you gets into trouble? I want to be in a position where it's easier to do something about it. I want to be able to help instead of feeling useless. Not everything can be solved your way and not everything can be solved mine, but if we have options? There's less room for error and less of a risk than you, Akira, or anyone else will have to suffer senselessly."
(Asphira)
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[05:22] There's a lot that he takes from that, almost immediately.

It bothers him pretty immensely, in many ways, that she thought they even needed to be protected. It isn't her intent - her intent is harmless. Her motives, pure. But they aren't motives or intentions that Jericho is able to respect. Not the Jericho that was raised by boars. Not the Jericho that was raised by an assassin. Not Jericho.

"Akira, Yami, our brothers, sisters, cousins, we were taught a code. Raised by that code. We never got any preferential or special treatment - for our spots in lessons, we had to fight. We were told when we were children what failing an assassination entailed. It entails death. Coming at your opponent with intent to kill and losing is almost certainly the end of your life. It was like that in the wild, too - the predator can wind up the prey if he goes into the fight unprepared."

There's a sort of calm, casual confidence he emits when he speaks like this. Whether he were wrong, or he were right, you'd be able to feel the conviction in his heart - he had been forged this way, and would serve his purpose until his edge dulled.

"Of course, we never killed one another. But I've had to fight each of my family for my place. For my father's love. I know the stakes of losing. I know how to win. Every breath you exhale stating you want to protect us, to save us, is an insult to everything we are. You insult our honor each and every claim you've made that you want to save us."

He looks at her, dead serious.

"If I lose, I should die, and I would never forgive you for saving me," he says, with total finality.

Rigid as stone.
(Jericho)
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[05:26] It was a lot to take in. More than anything else, Asphira wanted to help them. She had witnessed their pain first hand and had felt unbearably guilty that she hadn't been able to do more. And, now that she finally had the chance to do something, she was being told something that she had formerly been unaware of.

Just how well did she truly know the people she valued?

"Then... what am I supposed to do? I want to be able to fight alongside you all- to help you however I can. Even if it's not me saving you, I just want to be able to do something- anything," she explains, her eyes shutting tightly.

"Perhaps what I'm doing is selfish and unnecessary, but I'm doing it because I feel it's right. No matter what I become, whether it be a filthy knight or anything else, I'm certain my feelings won't change.".
(Asphira)
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[05:34] And then, he does something she may not have expected.

His arms actually wrap around Asphira, the same as they had Lion, Akira, and Cicero. He embraces her, the way a lion only could one of his pack. His eyes are closed. He doesn't say anything.

As with Cicero, Jericho is able to project a message without speaking it. Able to tell Asphira the truth of things without coming outright and saying them with his mouth. His very will is imparted without a syllable being uttered from his throat - his directive obvious without a written word.

Shh, he says, without saying it out loud. It's all gonna be okay.

And he rocks her from side to side, as well, in one of those tight, caring embraces, his eyes shut as hers are. A peaceful, serene moment - one that could never be had near prying eyes. One that could never be had in the midst of that busy park.

It tells her to shut the fuck up and enjoy the moment.
(Jericho)
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[05:37]
{LOAD GAME}

[05:48] Sure enough, there was no way Asphira could've predicted what came next. Her frantic search for a solution comes to a screeching halt when the blonde pulls her into his arms and she's left stunned. Though used to comforting others, it wasn't often she found herself in need of it. She hadn't even realized it herself until it was happening.

The girl draws in a deep breath and closes her eyes, relaxing within his grasp and calming through the steady rocking.

She knew what she had to do and how she'd do it. Regardless of what some thought of her for it, she'd play by the rules for the time being. Asphira, though generally kind hearted, wasn't averse to deceiving and using others in order to protect the things that genuinely mattered to her. She was more determined now than ever to be able to do something for them and she'd stop at nothing to see it through till the end.
(Asphira)
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[05:51]
{LOAD GAME}

[06:03] "When I was younger, new to the city, that particular knight informed me that the lower class didn't belong in the presence of the nobility. 'Berry' wasn't a good man then, but I suppose people change," he drawls, letting her go at last. "Be careful, and if you go with that choice..."

There's a tea pot that's been simmering to boil for a while now, as well as cups. He lets go of her to get up and pour the both of them a cup, then seats them infront of the two of them. The lad runs a hand through his hair. What time was it? He'd been talking to her about this for what felt like so long, now..

"I ain't gonna lie and say I won't look at you differently, but you're free to do whatever the hell you want. In the en', nobody actually follows through on their word anyway, so no one's gonna stop you, or kill you, even if they talk," he says dismissively. "...Well, no one but me, anyway."

He sips his tea, then flinches, as it's too hot. After blowing on it, he takes another sip, smiles, and tilts his head at her in a charming sort of way, even though he'd just...threatened her again?

"I don't know if I could bring myself to kill you, though, so you'd be fine. I'd probably just knock you out or smoething!"

Wasn't that better?
(Jericho)
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[06:15] "Really? He told me he's from Sudbury himself. That's... rather ironic." A little too ironic in fact. For someone who seemed so dead set on protecting people equally, she found it to be an amusing fact about him.

Asphira sits around thinking about this among a few other things after Jericho had gotten up to pour tea. With a filled cup soon placed before her, she carefully takes it in hand to sip the scalding liquid. Somehow it was bearable for her through the heat.

"Hm. I'm not sure if I'd make much of a proper knight, but if there's some benefit to it? I'll find it and make it worth my time. That's the best way to live in my experience." She sets the cup down and lifts a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn. His threats, though unnerving, didn't make her feel unsafe around him. Especially not when he corrected himself soon after.

"I don't think I'd ever have the heart to hurt you, so if ever such a day were to come? Well, know you'd have an easy time," she confesses.
(Asphira)
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[06:31] * You have been awarded 4 Roleplay Points! *
[06:44] "The dog at the foot of the table begging for scraps is the first one to turn on the mutts in the street," he said dismissively. It only made sense that he'd be one of the first people to talk down on others from where he was from - he had a new home to try to belong to, after all. And that was probably the best way.

"Get out of here. You don't got a key to get in and out," Jericho explains, standing straight up and grabbing her by the hand. He'd help guide her throughout the manor, as she never at any point had told him she'd been here before - how the hell was he supposed to know, mindreading?

"Shoo. An' don't go getting into any trouble," he says lazily.
(Jericho)
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[06:51] It was an interesting saying that, in context, made perfect sense. She realized suddenly however that she had stayed a little longer than anticipated, a fact that causes her to groan. Luckily they happened to be on the same page in that regard.

Without much more time to think, Asphira finds herself being guided out from the building like a lost sheep. "Fine, fine- good night."

It was about time for her to head out anyhow. With everything said and done, the soon to be squire departs to sleep.
(Asphira)