Punishment time!

[Merc]

"Having a smack at me is not an adequate way to silence me. I listened to you while you spoke, you could have at least extended me the same courtesy," she softly pointed out, resting her chin in the palm of her hand as she gazed at the snow that was falling around them, "you don't think that the gesture itself is a bit demeaning?" She asked soon after, cupping her own chin in her hand as her fingers tapped at her cheek, listening to him as he requested another chance.

She was quiet for a few long moments, her green eyes sliding shut as her brows furrowed a little. To be honest, she was scared to make a decision either way, because either way she thought that she was just in for a world of hurt - all over again.

"Fine..." Riley answered, slowly reopening her eyes as she glanced in his direction, "I will give you another chance to change..."

[Yoichi Sugiyama]

"Thank you, Riley-chan..." He made a mental note of this entire event in his head so he wouldn't ever forget it though he still didn't move. He wasn't sure what Riley wanted right now...Weather it was to be held or be left alone...He let out a soft sigh as he closed his eyes, Opening them a bit a few moments later and staring at the ground "Riley...Can we...Just go back to how we used to be? Please? I miss the days when we'd just be with each other, Not doing anything except making sure the other knew that we loved them more..." He paused for a moment before looking up at her

"Riley-chan...Let's go on another vacation, Like before, Just the two of us, No missions, No worrying, Nothing...Except the two of us being together"

[Merc]

"Look around Yoichi, it is just the two of us," Riley pointed out, reclining a little where she was seated in order to allowed herself to stare at the sky. As the day wore on and night approached the air got colder, causing each of her exhales to become visible in the bitter, cold air. She resisted the urge to shiver, as she did not wish to seem weak, even if she was feeling a tad vulnerable at the moment.

Rather than try to solve this problem, she instead got to her feet, her dark hair blowing about in the chilly air, the sun setting in the background and the sky darkening - with the powdery snow still falling from the sky and pitching on her clothing, skin and hair.

"Besides, I brought you here for a reason, Yoichi. If I just wished to argue with you I could have done that at the guild," she pointed out, licking her lips as she did so, her green eyes finally moving to him and fixating on him, "if you are so eager to show off, then show me what you can do, Yoichi," she coaxed, leaning back a little where she stood, she brought her hands to her hips and waited for his response.

[Yoichi Sugiyama]

He nodded to her, Listening to what she said "I see..." He muttered to himself before standing up, He walked over to her slowly "I'm....sorry about before" He muttered, His voice trailing off a bit before he wandered past her a little ways. He raised his arms so they pointed away from him, His palms facing outwards as magic circles appeared in front of them, A much larger circle appearing a few feet in front of him and another appearing about 20 or so feet above in the sky "Dark Écriture" He began, The circles at his hands shrinking just slightly before expanding very quickly "Meteor"

As he said the last word, Starting in a slow descent, A large black meteor began to descend from the circle above, Rapidly gaining speed as it began to hurtle toward the ground. Though against Riley this would've been a fairly low level attack...It was probably pretty obvious the strain it put on Yoichi's body, Casting such a high level spell when he was only barely able to do so was pretty tough on him, But he wasn't going to stop just because of a little struggle.

As it hurtled toward the ground, Sweat beaded down from his body, The meteor quickly striking into the ground, Causing it to explode and send out sharp shards in various, Seemingly uncontrollable directions, Yoichi himself soon collapsing when the meteor struck the ground, Exhausted from not just this one, but the casting of such a spell not so long ago. Though strong, His body was still fraile and weak, And, most importantly, Human...He was only just able to use this spell without it failing completely on him, so it stood to reason that such a high spell would take such a great toll in return.

Mana
0/12

SPOILER: Click to show

Spell Name: Dark Écriture: Meteor
Type: Caster
Level: Intermediate
Range: Cast range: 10 meters Area of effect range: 30 meters
Description: Dark Écriture: Meteor summons down a gigantic meteor to a target location, Upon impact the meteor 'detonates' sending out sharp jagged shards, The number of shards depends on the level of the spell.
Intermediate: 15 shards in every direction
Drawback: Caster cannot control the trajectory of the shards, nor the path that they travel, thus it is possible for the shards to hit the caster or his allies. This spell has a two post cool down and can be used a maximum of three times per thread.

[Merc]

Riley arched a brow as he began to cast the spell away from her, which hadn't been entirely what he meant, but it allow her to grasp the fact that his perception of improvement seemed heavily based on learning a new spell - a more powerful one. Certainly, it came with improvements, and came passively at times, but having more powerful spells was only a part of the equation. As things were right now, him having to stop in order to cast the spell was problematic.

Was it a bad idea to do what she had been planning to do? Would he just turn around and misuse it? She watched as the spell slowly emerged from the circle, before crashing to the ground and sending debris in all directions. She dodged a piece that flew at her, looking towards Yoichi as he collapsed, she made her way to him, her expression softening a bit as she knelt down, petting his head slightly.

"Very good, Yoichi," she assured, using her magic to reduce the weight of gravity on his body, she hoisted him up, bringing him over to the stump that she had been seated on and propping him there. With that, she went back to the vegetables and such that she had been peeling earlier, "I know how proud you feel learning a new spell, but until you build up your stamina more try not to use it too much, okay?" Her soft voice asked, as she sat down, using her magic to bring closer a pot of water as she continued to work.

"It's good to push your limits, but pushing them too much could permanently hurt you, so yeah..." She murmured, finishing off what she was doing before tossing the vegetables into the pot of water and drawing forth a bit of magma beneath the surface of the ground - not enough to melt the pot, but enough to act like a heating element.

[Yoichi Sugiyama]

He had trouble trying to stay straight up on the stump, Getting up shakily as he began to walk towards the tent, Listening to what she was saying, "I'm going to lay down for a bit..." He muttered softly, Slipping into the tent and collapsing. Resting his head down on the pillow. The biggest problem at the moment with that spell aside from it draining so much out of him, Was that Yoichi had never actually finished the spell entirely, He hadn't perfected it yet, It was a spell he had tried to make himself and as such it took quite a while just to get that much.

Though Riley had a point, He probably shouldn't use it too much until he got his stamina up, Mostly because of the fact that it drained him not only mentally, But physically as well...Now, With most spells, They didn't drain you physically, However, If one were to cast a spell and just barely be able to survive mentally...Often times it drained your physical strength as well. In this case, It required Yoichi to hold one specific position for the entire duration of the spell. Now, Of course, Right there he didn't have to worry too much with Riley around, In an actual combat situation....One wouldn't be able to do that with that much ease...Since it left you so very exposed, Someone would easily be able to sneak up behind you, Cut off an arm...A leg...Or even your head if they were fast enough.

Either way, Yoichi was too exhausted to really do much, His previous attempt had actually backfired on him, Because the area he had used it in was so small, the meteor was far too large to fit and as a result, It never actually finished. So while it hadn't drained him as much as now, It was still rather draining before. However, As one might expect, Since it was finished this time to the end....The chances of Yoichi regaining his strength quickly was pretty much null and void. Yoichi remained awake for all of about 0.2 seconds after his head hit the pillow.

Mana
5/12

[Merc]

Riley watched him as he ambled off, giving only a soft nod in response. For a moment she stared after him, but eventually moved to sit on the stump and continue with her work, frowning a little to herself as she did so. A minute or so passed, and she went to check on him, discovering that he was asleep - which was probably for the best.

As such, she continued to cook, thinking that a warm meal would help him regain his strength when he woke up, she proceeded to prepare the soup that she had started, reclining a little on the stump as she would occasionally throw in ingredients or stir the hearty soup.

When it had finished, she simply sat back, keep an eye to it to make sure it did not get cold or burn, she would wait for him to wake before bothering to eat, though she did gather up everything she needed from a backpack that sat alongside the stump.

[Yoichi Sugiyama]

He didn't wake for about 5 or 10 minutes after the meal was finished, A soft groan could be heard from inside the tent, followed by some shuffling before he appeared, Yawning and stretching as he sniffed the air with a smile "Well now.." He muttered as he rubbed his eyes, Waddling over to her and sitting down in front of her, His back gently leaning against the stump as he looked up at her "What's for dinner?"

It was odd...if one thought about it...Only a small time before the two seemed to be at each others throats, Yoichi especially, However...Everything seemed as though none of that had happened, The two had seemed to be as they were before, A cute couple that merely loved each other and were now spending a night together out in the wilds like they had so long ago. At this point, Yoichi was thinking to himself, Reflecting on everything that had happened, About when he had first seen her after so long.

'No more...No more recklessness....No more suffering....No more pain...Never again, Will I harm another person unless I am forced too...Never again will I ever lay a hand on Riley like I had done before....' That, Was his silent vow..A vow he would never break no matter what, Never again would he ever harm Riley in any way shape or form.

[Merc]

Riley lifted her head slightly to peer over her shoulder as she heard him moving about. He still seemed a bit tired and such, but that much was to be expected, and he would surely recover from it in no time at all. Hopefully the food would make him feel better still, and she had made the most nutritious food that she could think of.

As he came over and sat down by her, she stood up, which may have seemed a bit abrupt or like she was still mad, but her intentions soon became clear as she readied a bowl and spoon from the backpack and poured him some of the steamy soup. "I tried to think of something filling and full of nutrients that I could make out here, and soup seemed the best way to go," she pointed out, handing it over to him.

"I remember you liked steak, so I made beef vegetable soup," she absently added, serving herself before sitting down on the stump once more and taking a sip, noting that she was rather hungry, and that the soup seemed to warm her very core. After a few spoonfuls, she turned her attention to Yoichi, as it was the first time she had ever cooked for him.

"Is it okay?" She wondered, tilting her head a bit.

[Yoichi Sugiyama]

He watched her as she moved and poured him a bowl before serving herself, Waiting for her to sit back down behind him before starting on the soup himself. When she asked if it was good he smiled and nodded to her "Yes it's delicious" He told her smiling, Chewing a little on some of the potatoes that she had added, Finishing his bowl within just a few more minutes and taking a bit more for himself, Offering to refill her bowl if she wished as well.

It was awhile before he spoke again "Riley...." He muttered softly "Do....You think I'll ever be able to become something different? From what I am now?" He asked, His voice having gotten much lower while he spoke.

[Merc]

She smiled a little as he assured her that it was good, soon finishing her own soup and declining a refill as she was feeling rather full and satisfied. She allowed herself to recline a little on the stump, exhaling heavily and feeling a bit lazy all of a sudden.

As he spoke up, she sat upright a little more so, peering down at him and resting her hands in her lap as she licked her lips, the darkness surrounding them aside the shimmering of the fire, and a protective ring of lava that glowed around the entire campsite, likely to keep monsters and such away, and also to provided additional warmth, as their was very little snow within the ring as compared to outside of it.

"I've mentioned my brother to you, but I've not told you much about him," she remarked, which seemed a bit random until she continued, "you see, both of us were bred to become assassins, and they tried to raise us to be emotionless, so that we would not hesitate to kill when commanded. Obviously it didn't work for me, but my brother..." Her voice trailed off for a few moments as she gazed at the stars.

"Felt no joy, no sadness, no anger, no excitement... Nothing," she remarked, voice sounding a little sad, "he did not lust for blood, but he could not feel regret, nor compassion, so he was a bit of a monster in that respect... He was so brainwashed by our parents and the guild that he was not aware that he could have any fate but this..." She shook her head, biting her lip a bit, "not until after something happened. I'm not sure what it was, but it must have been big, because he left the guild and eventually found me." She chuckled a bit suddenly, looking down at Yoichi, "he was very confused, like a lost puppy, he had no idea what to do with himself, but he came to realize that he didn't have to continue on that path, and though he felt nothing still, he no longer took contracts on people, he tried to make an honest living, in spite of his love of money and the fact that he was paid a lot more back then..."

"I know he's done many terrible things, but to this day he has stayed on the straight and narrow. He even joined Fairy Tail, and I think he has a girlfriend now. She's very cute and I know she's helped to open him up a lot, so I'm very grateful to her," she smiled gently, tilting her head to the side a bit as she did so.

"Sorry that I kinda rambled off there, but I think that if someone as detached as him can change, then so can you if you really try," she paused a moment, "or have someone to try for..."

[Yoichi Sugiyama]

Yoichi listened to her 'ramblings' as she put it, Listening also to what she said afterwards and smiled, Looking down at his own ring before his eyes shifted backwards to her hands and stared at her ring. He set the bowl down and leaned back, Tilting his head back as he rested it on her hands and smiled up at her. One hand reaching up and gently touching her cheek "Know what...Your right, and I do have someone to change for" He said softly, Expecting her to ask who that was he spoke before she would probably have the chance too "Riley-chan...I swear to you, I'll change because I have you..."

[Merc]

Riley's green eyes stared down at him as he tipped his head back onto her hands, and she tilted her head a bit, watching his hand come towards her to gently and caress along her cheek. She smiled a little at him and nuzzled at his hand. Her own hand shifted to pet his hair slightly.

"I'm glad to hear that, Yoichi," she softly assured, closing her eyes for a few moments as she did so, her fingers lightly running along his hair, "I'd have been sad if you had said otherwise," she pointed out, chuckling a little as she did so.

Leaning down, she kissed his lips softly, smiling gently at him and nuzzling their noses together for a moment, "Lets stay up here for a few days," she murmured, sitting upright as she did so, "we can train a bit, I'll teach you a few things and maybe we can increase your stamina a bit," she suggested, smiling at him.

[Yoichi Sugiyama]

He smiled at her suggestion and nodded, Blinking a little as she sat up. His hand dropped down to his lap as his eyes closed and he nuzzled into her a little before yawning softly "I think that'd be a wonderful idea Riley" He mused softly. He slowly stood up, Resting his hand on her shoulder "I'm going to bed for the night..." He muttered softly, Rubbing his eyes as he went back into the tent and laid down, A soft sigh escaping his lips as he closed his eyes and laid one hand on the spot next to him where he assumed Riley would be going to sleep at.

He wasn't exactly afraid of anything out here with Riley around so he hoped she would join him before he fell asleep rather then after, Or at least come in to lay down with him until he did fall asleep.

[Merc]

Riley watched him as he got up and dismissed himself, her eyes following him for a moment, until she finally nodded, and rolled her shoulders a little as she peered around. She rose as well, but rather than going to the tent she began to gather things up, and wash the dishes in a nearby lake that was frozen over - but she could easily thaw.

After she had cleaned up their little campsite, she strolled around a little, scanning the perimeter with an unblinking gaze, before giving a low, sharp whistle. There was a fluttering of wings and feathers from a tree above, and a barn owl promptly perched upon her shoulder.

"Please watch over us as we sleep, Atlas," she requested, to which the bird bobbed its head, flapping it's wings and landing on a branch above their makeshift tent, where he perched.

Smiling a bit, she made her way to the tent and flopped down aside Yoichi. While he had slept a great deal since he exhausted his magic the first time, she had been awake the entire time, and was now feeling the wear on her body as she settled into the ground, making a mental note to obtain a blanket of some manner as she looked to Yoichi and settled down for the night.