The Desire

Long months passed since Sophia left the lab, focused on her research and practice, driven by her own desire towards power outmatching one that Alitraie possesed. As if maddened, the teen Ryozo barelly spent any of her time resting, only taking breaks for toilet and snacks before returning to lenghthy and often time consuming expreiments around blood itself, researching the basics behind its function, chemicals used in its creation and way to locate factors that differienated blood of one person from another ones.

The sercret lying behind her efforts was but a one feeling that she allowed to fuel her body, no longer digusted by it and the thoughts it gave out, slowly starting to enjoy its benefits and allow it to overwhelm it, not caring for rapidly growin depravity within her, focused on her end goal and desire to gain what she didn't have, power and perfect body, one that would others envy her own ones.
(Sophia Ryozo)
As side result of her extensive focus on her research and experiments quickly drained her resources, resulting with her having to abandon her progress and venture into Wychwood to gather more herbs and minerals she required to resume her experiments.
She walked into the woods with somewhat annoyed expression, angered that she had to waste her time on such tasks alone, angered by fact that despite putting all of her efforts into research the damned "Goddess" made no attempts of appriciating of the girls work towards general improvement of the Dawn forces.

She groaned quietly as she felt new wave of overwhelming, corrupting energy began to flow through her as result of her thoughts locking once more on the envy towards power the Fildegarde unrightfully possessed, one that only she, the Great Granddaughter of Grand Crusader truthfully was worthy to posses yet had it out of her reach.

There were many things she envied the others for, one of them being the bodies the others possesed, maturing and bloosoming while her own one remained small and fregile, and only way for her to possiblt change it lied within the blood itself and all of the research she had to put into it, to discover the culprit of her abnormality and seek out way to fix it.
(Sophia Ryozo)

Remaining silent, the white-haired individual sat against a tree in the middle of the woods. Peaceful.. Owl has been living here, for quite awhile, avoiding the civilization and it's conflict. Still, remaining alone was quite the difficult task. These woods were the nest of bandits, wild Okamis and Lesser Yokais. All these obstacles made the teenager stronger of course, but, he couldn't mess around. Owl, was looking around, he couldn't rest, he had to be careful.

However, the teenager couldn't fight it..


Hours passed, and, the woods were getting darker. The sun had to rest aswell, it seems. Owl would wake up, and realize he fell asleep. His quest for food, couldn't be done, it was too late. A sigh escaped his pale-lips, as he decided to stand-up. Wiping-off the fresh-grass from his black-outfit, the male, would decide to leave. But..

Hearing footsteps coming towards him, Owl, would stop. His emeralds-irises were staring at the direction of steps. He was frozen, and didn't know what to do. A mere Human like him, couldn't fight against a groupe of bandits, or Yokais. That's what he thought. Talking a hold on his dagger, Owl would point it towards the being coming towards him. He couldn't believe his eyes.

A red-aura was manifesting around the individual.. It had the smell of blood. A mask, was covering the person's face, Owl couldn't assume the being's gender. It was so dark. No-fear could be seen on the Human's face, but, he was here, inside him..

''I won't hesitate to stab you in the heart, if you make one step closer.'' He said, towards this person, with a monotone voice.

(Owl )
With bunch of lessers dealt with on her way, Sophia climbed the hill found deeply within the woods to gather most of the herbs she needed, starting from tangleroots and barkshrooms to poisonous snout cups. With years of experience and control over time and blood magic she managed to gather each without fear of poisonous juices and fumes or spores each of the herbs possessed.

With grace she gathered large quantities of each herb she needed, slowly proceeding north to head slowly towards the Asenas Bloom when someone got in her way, threatening with a dagger and cold words. The young Ryozo narrowed her eyes and sighed quietly from annoyance, clearly disliked when someone stopped or get in her way towards goals she had. Her form radiated wildly with depravity, indicating that something was wrong with her and her mind was becoming dangerously twisted.

One of her hands moved to the side, with her hand moving weirdly just as sparks began to appear around her hand, jumping back and forth around her arm as she spoke.  "Idle threats towards someone who tries to walk past to gather herbs...listen to me idiot, move yourself before I decide to roast you with my power, I got little time and patience..." the girl spoke with oddly childish, though serious voice, making it clear that Owl looked at possibly eight years old child.
(Sophia Ryozo)
Owl's irises were locking on her.

It didn't feel good at all. He could smell the blood, emiting from her aura. Her odd behavior. His instinct was telling him to leave this place, but he couldn't, or didn't want to.
The individual standing infront Owl, was quite strange but unique. Somehow, he knew he couldn't survive against this person if he had to fight. ''Fine then.'' He said with a cold-tone, placing the dagger under his black-coat.
The weapon he had, was quite strange aswell. It wasn't a dagger, but it was more looking like a Rapier. Well.. If the blade wasn't broken. The hilt of was golden, and had a red-stone in the middle of it. You could tell it was old.

Owl, would move aside, and rest his back against the tree. Crossing his arms. His irises were still staring at Sophia. She was hostile.. Well, Owl did point his blade at her afterall.

''Gathering herbs, when it's about to get dark. Indeed. You are holding somekind of power. Be careful, little girl.'' He said, with his usual-cold tone.
His irises were piercing through Sophia's. You couldn't tell if he decided to mock her, or, if he was being serious.

(Owl )
Another that thought she was a little girl, it angered her, her eyes narrowed themselves at Owl as she snorted loudly and soon responded with clear growl  "Don't make the sight deceive you...I am much older than I look...my body isn't developing right so keep your comments to yourself..." she said while trying to sound older.


Her fists tightened from clear anger, oh how she desired to be looking like the others, tall and more like a proper woman and not child, forced to remain in such pathetic size, she envied the others being taller and well developed and she appeared like toddler, resulting with no one taking her seriously. She grlowled loudly before shaking her head and soon trying to make her way up north.
(Sophia Ryozo)
Owl would remain silent for a moment, staring at the female for a moment. The white-haired was tall, and couldn't understand Sophia's concern about her size.
''I apologize. But. Your size isn't the matter, I'm afraid. I was refering to your manners.'' He said, still resting against that tree.

''There is nothing wrong about being a midget.'' He then added, looking at the teenager, leading herself towards the North.

Owl could be cold, and was not afraid to run straight-it. His 'fear' towards the Blood Woman was gone. ''As I said earlier, little 'Princess', be careful in the woods. You would be a delightful little snack, for the big Bears and Yokais around.''




(Owl )
Sophia shrugged and made her turn towards south, sighing loudly as her entire body began to send lighting all around, inidcating that she was angry, soon snapping her finger and forcing nearest lesser yokais to instantly crash to the ground, convulsing from the shock they were struck with.

She looked towards Owl and snorted  "Don't underestimate me, I capable of killing things much larger than me and for you...I see issue with being a midget, I want to look like normal woman...but thats impossible....I envy all of the women who look tall and well shaped..." she said and tried to take her leave.
(Sophia Ryozo)
Interesting.

The Yokais were on the ground, not being able to move. Is that the woman's power? Owl was not intending to hold back the female, even, if it has been awhile he didn't see another 'Humanoid Form'. A faint smile drew on his features, the first one, since quite awhile now.
But. It desepeared, a sigh escaping his lips after Sophia's statement.

''You want to look like a normal woman? I find it sad. Unique individuals wish to be normal, and the 'normal' want to be unique. Well. Disapointing. You aren't much different than the others afterall.''

Owl, was aware of the woman's power. But, it seems he didn't care about it. Or, is he a mad person? He would approach her, and kneel.
''I apologize, I have been rude. I am Owl.'' He said, facing the fresh-grass. The teenager didn't look depraved, nor powerful. His 'inner' aura, his mana-circuit was almost mute. Well, he wasn't much powerful than a peasant. However, he was looking different than the average Humans. Not 'unique', he didn't have something more than them, just different.


(Owl )
Sophia Ryozo: Sophia Ryozo....
Sophia Ryozo: I am done in the forest...