originally posted in:The New Dojo
[i]The knightess froze into place for a moment, deciding to turn to face the young woman whom had spoken.[/i]
[i]Of course, "Anne" was worried. "Anne" was terrified. Why wouldn't she be?[/i]
[i]Her best friend, the woman she loved, and the one whom she had left for a dying fire. It made her feel sick in her stomach, as if she could rip off her helmet and puke in her own self disgust. It was horrible, to her at least.[/i]
"...Thank you, my lady.." [i]She spoke once more, her voice muffled by the barbuta helmet upon her head. The elven man looked over, recognizing the expressions with both almost immediately before leaving. He even beckoned to the other woman to look away, bringing her into a conversation.[/i]
English
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The voice... the accent and tone that Vio could never forget, muffled by helmet or not. After all, she heard it every night when she closed her eyes; the voice of the one she loved. She wasn't even sure when they had parted, when Anri had gone Hollow–Vio only knew that she had, and she'd never see her or hear her voice ever again. But there it was, that voice. But Vio was an illusionist; she was certain that she was imagining things, that this was just her deluding herself again. [i]"... any time,"[/i] Vio replied, her voice ever so shaky. Her right arm seemed to lift up towards Annabelle, but then dropped. [i]"... so, I haven't seen you around, miss. Are you new here?"[/i]
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"...No." [i]That was all that sounded from the knightess' muffling helmet, as she gulped underneath the armor and finally, allowed the straight sword to slip into her decorated leather holster, the golden hilt leaving it as she spoke once more.[/i] "...I haven't seen the Dojo. For.. years. Circumstances in a different realm required my departure. Then everything.. everything went dark. I left my friends behind.. I left my lover behind.." [i]Anri finally looked up.[/i] "I left you behind. ...Forgive me." [i]The knightess fell silent once more, shaking her head. She longed for.. any sort of response from Vio. She refused to believe that the purple-haired girl would just.. forgive her, for Hollowing and leaving. No one else had.[/i]
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[i]"... Anri...?"[/i] Vio stumbled forwards towards the knight, her voice simply a soft, hoarse whisper. Her expression was full of sorrow–after Anri had left, Vio was sure that she'd never be back. She still thought that she had herself in an illusion. But just to be sure... Vio staggered forwards until she was an inch away from Anna, or Anri, lifting her hands up to the sides of the knight's helmet. And slowly, she lifted her helmet of her head....
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[i]The helmet wasn't attached to Anri's head, which allowed Vio to remove the helmet freely, sliding it off of the knightess' head cleanly.[/i] "Vio, I'm-" [i]She was Hollow.[/i] [i]Anri's face was, in the sense, the same. Round, a light pale color. Dirty blonde hair, and faint lime green eyes. The rest was.. changed. Mutilated. Her skin was rugged and cracked, veins shown through the skin as if they were popping. Her entire being seemed.. soulless. Anri had spoken of Hollowing before, not much though.[/i]
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[i]"Anri...."[/i] Vio's eyes widened as she saw the knight's Hollowed face, dropping the helmet in shock. Her fingers felt her dry, creased, cracked skin, and suddenly, tears would form in her deep violet eyes, slowly rolling down her cheeks, and hitting the ground of the dojo with soft thuds. [i]"Wh-why... you could've... brought me with you, or something...."[/i] She went silent, for Vio knew that it was no use. There really was nothing she could do about it, after all.
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"...And threaten your life...? If I had, and you died.. Vio, I wouldn't know what I'd do. I'd Hollow all the way.. I'd become a monster. ...It was your safety, and the preservation of a friend's name, that kept my sanity.." [i]Anri's right hand reached up, her fingers wrapping around Vio's palm as she held Vio's hand, soft leather meeting skin as Anri shook her head.[/i] "...Yuria didn't encourage my departure. But.. I had to see. If anything was worth saving. If Hollowing could be stopped."
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[i]"[/i]Can [i]it be stopped?"[/i] Vio asked, tears now steadily rolling down her face. [i]"Anri, you know that I'd do anything, absolutely anything, for you.... If it requires traveling to the end of the world, I'll do it. If it requires killing hundreds of thousands, I'll still do it. As long as you're safe and happy."[/i] Of course, Vio wasn't exaggerating, as it was true. She slowly wrapped her arms around the knight, pulling her into a hug.
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"...[i]It can[/i]." [i]Whether Vio could make that journey or not, was the question. And Anri was more terrified about that than anything else, for she knew that Vio would do it, as she rested her Hollowed chin upon the illusionist's shoulder before breaking away.[/i] "There is a place, where.. where Hollows can be cured. But it hasn't been entered for.. forever, I'd assume." [i]Original Dark Souls mini-plot. What more could you want?[/i]
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[i]"I'll go there,"[/i] Vio replied without the slightest bit of hesitation. [i]"Tell me where it is, and I'll go there."[/i] Her violet eyes gazed intently into Anri's green ones, yfjvijsuiivvociuw isisofoxoaks suaksjfiosiwkrnt sjsidiisksn s fjsjnefjodoakdnf rnzosnend d edknsnejsnd dndieknendidodododkejenejdiifkrme d f rkeododikek [insert filler detail]
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"...[i]In the forgotten realm, where the keeper's soul lies-[/i] [i]Where the Hollows are reborn, and the glimmer of light dies-[/i] [i]Where the Undead shall pay the ultimate price-[/i] [i]And thus they are cured, but never saved twice.[/i] [i]In the King's lost castle - overgrown, overtaken-[/i] [i]There lies a path, one once forsaken-[/i] [i]Where fire dies, and you return, reborn-[/i] [i]But the dark one awaits, her oaths unsworn.[/i] ...King Oceiro's forsaken castle is where we must go. And thus delve into a.. darker portion of what was once there. We need a team.. anything."