"[b]Hahaha![/b]" [i]A hearty guffaw came from the soaking wet man, his face bright with amusement. Clearly, he was either familiar with such situations, or had no idea of the severity and scope of the damage done.[/i] "[b]Hehehe...I apologize. I shouldn't laugh, I know, but I can't help it. This reminds me of my own youth, when my own sister would lock me in with the hounds. Depending on how mad she was with me, she'd give me my dinner in there.[/b]" [i]He left it up to the lad on whether that she was angrier giving him the food, or holding it.[/i] "[b]And just how have you angered your sister?[/b]"

“Well... she’s not my biological sister... we’re both kinda adopted... it’s complicated... but uh... she and I were fighting, and I... I said she wasn’t my sister... and she got upset and stormed off... and now I’m locked out in the rain.” [i]He said rather awkwardly.[/i]

"[b]Right...well, I suppose the decent thing to do would be to give her some time to herself, sit out hear, and listen to the natural music of the rain...[/b]" [i]The older man allowed a peaceful silence to envelop the two of them for a moment. The only noises were the verging sounds of rain falling onto different surfaces, the pitches differentiating in a way only provided by the wide range of surfaces provided by a city street. The man smiled kindly to the young man, then looked up into the sky, opening his mouth wide to catch the falling rain even as he squinted against it. Closing, he swallowed, the shuddered a bit.[/i] "[b]Cold.[/b]" [i]He said, breaking the little quiet.[/i] "[b]Cold and somewhat acidic. My stomach will punish me for that later, I am guessing...[/b]" [i]A grunt came from him as he returned his gaze to Miles.[/i] "[b]Decency is great and all...but you're a young lad, a ruffian, a real mischief maker, I can tell.[/b]" [i]Again the friendly and sympathetic smile.[/i] "[b]Do you think she knows we've been talking like this? That she knows I'm here? Because if not, I shall show you the way I always got out of my own exile to the outside.[/b]"

[i]Miles couldn’t help but grin. Mischief maker was a compliment he took in stride. He’d worked hard for that title.[/i] “No... I don’t think she knows we’re here. Probably can’t hear us over the rain.”

"[b]Alright. Back when I was your age, I learned to keep a coin handy on my persons, in the event that my own sister lost her patience with me that particular day. I'd either use one of the adults I was in good terms with, or I would pay an adult.[/b]" [i]The man turned and walked a bit away, setting the groceries below a canopy, out of the rain. Approaching Miles, he continued his explanation.[/i] "[b]The key was to find someone new each time, and to maintain a reputation of trouble-making outside of it. Lastly, it depends on not a small amount of trust.[/b]" [i]He moved to the door quickly, pounding on it with his left fist, the right hand grabbing Miles by his collar. The man gave the lad a wink before opening his mouth in a bellow.[/i] "[b]THIS [i]IS[/i] THE PLACE, YES?! EXCUSE ME, IS ANYONE HOME?! I SWEAR, KID, IF YOU'RE PULLING SOME TRICK, YOU'LL SEE THE INSIDE OF A JAIL CELL FASTER THAN YOU CAN SAY 'UMBRELLA'![/b]"

[i]There was no answer. No sound of anyone getting up, no movement from inside, no voice. Tara had heard the yell, she’d very clearly gotten the message, but she was one for grudges. If Miles got himself in trouble, it was his own problem, not hers. She remained on the couch, leaning against the throw pillows beneath her blanket. Miles’ expression went from a grin to a frown almost instantly once he realized she wasn’t coming to the door.[/i]

"[b]GRAAAWR! FINE, IF YOUR PEOPLE DON'T LOVE YOU ENOUGH TO PUNISH YOU, I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO DISCIPLINE YOU MYSELF![/b]" [i]Growled the large man. He let go of Miles' collar, then slammed his forearm into the wall, mouthing clearly and silently to the youth.[/i] [b]Play along.[/b] [i]With a rush of wind, the fist made from his right hand thudded heartily into his shoulder, producing a loud noise of impact that dominated the patter of the raindrops. With equally vicious blows, he began to strike himself all over, hitting flesh, leather, and sometimes missing and striking the wall brutally, causing the skin on his fist to begin to tear, a little blood welling up.[/i] "[b]D*MN IT, YOU LITTLE SH*T, STOP SQUIRMING![/b]"

[i]Miles nodded and did as told, playing along, grunting, coughing, sputtering, and gasping, though it made little difference. Inside, Tara heard it. Normally she’d have gone outside and chased whoever was after him away, but she wasn’t his sister. What did she care? If he ever got in, well then he could patch himself up. If he laid outside for the rest of the night, then he’d get in in the morning with a cold. Quite honestly, she didn’t care. After several minutes, Miles stopped, and gestures for the man to stop hurting himself. [/i] “She’s not gonna come.” [i]He said with a sigh.[/i]

"[b]Right, desperate times, desperate measures.[/b]" [i]Muttered the slightly frustrated man. Extending his arm to the side, hand opened wide, his brow furrowed. He hadn't had to call on it for some time, and so it was a second before a ball of white flame formed about an inch off of the skin of his palm. The flame elongated, forming a hilt, pommel, and blade of white flame before coalescing into a physical greatsword, ancient runes lining the flaming edge. As the flames dissipated, he motioned his free hand in a 'continue' motion, before raising the blade and stabbing it into the ground repeatedly.[/i] "[b]SPIT IN MY EYE, WILL YOU?! FINE! THEN WE'LL SEE HOW WELL YOU SPIT WHEN YOUR MOUTH IS PARCHED FROM THE FLAMES OF HELL![/b]" [i]He began to stab the ground repeatedly. The sociopathic and egomaniacal tendencies of the average citizen of Tatakai was well known, and so such a violent escalation of tempers and consequences was not outside the scope of possibility.[/i]

[i]That drew Tara’s attention. Fear and anger both manifested themselves in her as she ran upstairs to grab her rifle. She’d not moved that fast in a long time, but it was reflex, years of experience in surviving alone. Retrieving the gun and bolting back down stairs and chambering a round in the rifle, she opened the door and raised it to shoot. Tara stood in nothing but her sweatpants and hoodie, the look only a family member would have when another was in danger on her face. Upon realizing that Miles was not in danger, however, it faded, more into one of confusion, then into one of anger. Letting the rifle fall to her side, she grabbed him by the throat immediately and slammed him up against the wall, completely ignoring the man.[/i] “Don’t f*cking scare me like that!” [i]She shouted, glaring at him angrily.[/i]

"[b]HAHAHAHAHAHA![/b]" [i]The older man couldn't help the hearty burst of laughter that erupted from his chest. The physical force of his laugh pushed him back against the wall, his hands clutching his stomach as the laughter continued. Sliding to the floor, tears of amusement began to well up at the corners of his eyes. The greatsword burned away into millions of flames, dispersing into the wind.[/i] "[b]What'd I tell you, son?! It works every time, without fail![/b]" [i]Slowly, the laughter receded from him as he calmed down, eyes losing focus as his memory overwhelmed him, bringing him back to a far distant past, with long gone family.[/i]

[i]Tara dropped Miles at the sound of the man’s laugh, and turned to him. As he was slumped on the ground, she slammed him in the jaw hard with the buttstock of her rifle. She then went to kick him in the chest, and only after she did it did she realize that doing it without her boots on was a lot more painful. Ignoring the pain for the moment, she went off on him as Miles slunk back into the house.[/i] “Piece of shit... I could’ve shot you... I should still shoot you...” [i]She growled, clearly more than pissed off. The woman was protective of the boy, that was certain.[/i]

[i]The man grunted twice, to each impact, drawn painfully back to the present. He chuckled still as he stood, looming over the two with his massive figure. With a groan, the humor and levity physically drained from his face, leaving behind only experience and the face of one who had no patience for such things as this familial squabble.[/i] "[b]But, would that have saved him?[/b]" [i]The old man inquired, his face a patronizing squint to the woman. His eyes went up to Miles, and he spoke again, the previous friendliness and amicability gone.[/i] "[b]I didn't tell you the whole of my story, or why I [i]stopped[/i] this practice. One evening, when my own foster-sister was particularly livid, she used her usual tactic and locked me out, with my dinner. After fighting off the dogs, escaping with only a few scrapes and bites to my persons, and a lack of dinner, I went about the usual business. "I found a stranger, someone new to the town, and I decided he would be my scapegoat for the night. I made my usual bargain, he agreed, and I paid the man with the gold coin I'd kept in my shoe. As I turned to lead him back to the door, I was struck behind the head, hard. "The man was a thief and a ruffian, having assaulted and even killed numerous people in the sorry excuse of his life, and I had no idea. He stole me away, and demanded ransom, claiming he'd cut a piece of me off for every day the money was not payed.[/b]" [i]Glowering, he patted his legs.[/i] "[b]Now, I am left with seven toes, and a lack a small number of my back teeth. It was a few weeks before they found him, and in the meantime, he'd done to me things I couldn't begin to describe to you. And the entire time, my sister had been going insane. "Blaming herself, she had broken her own spirit, and it was never the same, even after I returned. Our relationship before had been good, the normal relationship between sibling not from the same parentage. After that, though...well, you can guess the bitterness on either side for the other.[/b]" [i]He eyed the two of them in sequence, keeping their gaze to him all the while he told his story.[/i] "[b]That place...it was nowhere near as dangerous as this one. My sister? I loved her, and I lost her, even there. "Do. Not. Make my choices. Here, at Tatakai, division is poison. If you are not insane, you cannot live here alone. You're going to face Hell, and you must face it together, or lose each other and all you hold dear. Family is what is most important, because, in the end?[/b]" [i]The eyes melted, going from cold experience to tender sympathy once more.[/i] "[b]Your family is going to be the only thing that is there when all else fails you, and without it, there is only an abyss of despair so great as to be worse than death.[/b]"

“I was fine once on my own and so was he. Now piss off.” [i]She fired a warning shot past the man’s head, the sound deafening in the rainy, empty street. Miles had seen it all from the doorway where he was currently standing, and an expression of concern had enveloped his face.[/i] “Tara stop! He’s not going to hurt you or me.” [i]He said after she fired.[/i] “Shut up! I’m done with your shit for today and I’m not taking his, parables or otherwise. I’m f*ckin’ done!” [i]Tara shot back sharply. She had a temper. A very familiar temper.[/i]

[i]A sardonic grin crossed his face, and the air around them began to grow humid, the temperature rising rapidly as white fire began to lick at the outline of the stranger. The air grew clouded with mist, the air becoming heavy as more rain evaporated into water vapor.[/i] "[b]Child, if you could survive ever so easily on your own, why did you care when his life was apparently threatened? Why such anger, such fire in you? I don't know who told you you would be safe here with only a rifle and your angry confidence, but they are either ignorant or stupid.[/b]" [i]As fog began to obscure his whole figure, the man swiveled to look to Miles, fixing on this with those fiery blue eyes.[/i] "[b]Young man, if ever you should need shelter, or aid, my doors are as open to you as they are to all. Simply seek the Church on the Mountain, and you'll find me quickly enough. "You need not believe to seek.[/b]" [i]With that, the white outline that had become the only identifier of the man's presence flickered out, and the fog concealed all evidence he'd ever existed in the first place. Cold rain began to fall through, creating streaks of vacant air in the newly formed ground cloud.[/i]