The girl with the mysterious Gift (For Nene)
 

A grim steel gray sky blots out the sun over a small town as a young adventuring warrior of twenty-five named Takashi readies to leave the inn and set back out into the world to continue adventuring for money and recognition. He was ready to mount his black stallion Kurogane when he suddenly heard a commotion and investigates.

As he turned the corner, a young girl about the age of ten came into view. Her long, curly golden blonde hair was mostly hidden under a hat made out of rags sewn hastily together. Her dress had definitely seen better days; she had been a wealthy child until she was abandoned and left to fend for herself on the streets. From living on the streets, her beautiful dress had been torn to shreds and now lay on her as rags.
"Either COUGH IT UP or y'don't get it," a shopkeeper growled, holding his hands out for the child to return the stolen foods or hand over some cash.
"But I don't have any money," the girl replied, shaking her head and looking down with disappointment sewn on her features. The man advanced on her, intending to take back what was his instead of just being generous and letting her have it. The girl backed away, screaming at the man to get away, and in that moment, a gust of wind shoved the shopkeeper and bystanders off their feet.
The child looked around, panicked as passerbys whispered among one another, their judging eyes all set on her. Some of them just stared, shocked. She wanted to run, but her legs felt like jelly, but she was hungry and needed this food. She needed to run if she wanted to eat.

He watches the events unfold. He bobs his eyes when he sees the girl unleashed a gust of wind. He knew trouble was going to fall before her if he did not intervene. "Hey what's going on here!" and sure enough the guards show up. Takashi jumps in and grabs her hand. "Well little girl you've certainly caused a bit of trouble here. Come on!" he takes her arm as gentle as he could then whistles for his faithful steed. In no time the horse comes dashing in. Takashi mounts up and lifts the girl on and kicks Kurogane and they speed off out of town.

As her arm was grabbed, she dropped a lot of the stolen food, and she followed without argue. The guards chased after them for a short time before giving up and just letting them escape; if he hadn't intervened, it was likely the young girl would have been punished by the guards. The girl kept looking over her shoulder and looking down at the food that she had stolen, "A-Ah, um," she started, voice sweet and soft, "Who are you?"

He looks back at her and smiles. "The name's Takashi and I'm an adventurer." he introduces. They make it out of the town when he slowed Kurogane down. "Alright I think we're safe. So tell me who you are?" he asked.

The little girl twirled her hair around her finger, biting her lip a little anxiously, "My name is Terra," she introduced herself timidly. She counted on her fingers and managed a smile, "I'm ten years old." she looked over her shoulder again back in the direction of the town, afraid that they may have been followed. "Um... Takashi. Takashi, where are we going?"

"Well we're not going back their or else they'll capture us. We're going to the next town but for tonight we're camping out in the forest." he explained as they continue down the dirt path that lead into the forest. "Ever camped out before?" he asked.

Terra looked down at her dress and nodded subtly, "I kinda... live outside, so, I guess you can call that camping out." she replied in a hushed voice, shrugging her little shoulders. She knew it was a bad idea to go back; she was in big trouble, and she had nobody there to care for her in addition.

He nods. "Well living in the wilderness is no different from living on the street... aside from the risk of getting caught by guards and the lack of people." he chuckles. "So tell me... how did you use the wind like that?" he asked.

"Um, I... I don't know," Terra said honestly, "I just got really scared and it gets windy when I get scared or mad." she looked away, her bottom lip quivering as she remembered her life before being abandoned. "It's actually why mommy and daddy didn't want me anymore. They said so." Terra whispered.

He frowned when she said that. "I see... that's very sad... no matter what a parent should love and care for their child... well now you've got me. I'll take care of you. You've got a great gift." he said.

Terra looked at Takashi as if he'd grown a second head. She was surprised by this. "R-Really? Do you really mean it?" she went over all of the positives in her head - no more living on the street, no more stealing food, no more being cold at night without a blanket, and no more nasty colds from being exposed to the elements... She would be safe now. It was almost too good to be true. "But why?"

He chuckles. "Well... adventuring solo tends to get a little lonely and I could use the company. Plus there was no way I was going to let a cute little girl like you to get whipped by those nasty guards. Think of me as your big brother." he winked.

Terra giggled at the compliment, "You really mean it?" she twirled her hair idly with a smile, "I won't be lonely now either, 'cause you're here, even though you're kind of a stranger and I wasn't supposed to talk to strangers." she became wary of Takashi, unsure if she was making the right decision to let him take her with him. She knew next to nothing about him.

He chuckles "Well I'm glad your parents taught you that before they abandoned you... I understand if you're wary of me and you have every right to. But I'll tell you about me for starters: I grew up in the far eastern lands, trained since five years of age to become a fierce warrior. When I came of age I was forced to leave the village and make a name for myself. Either we join an army or become mercenaries. I chose to be an adventurer seeking fame and glory." he explained proudly.

Terra listened, raising an eyebrow as she thought a lot of what he was telling her was weird. "You must be super old now, what kind of adventures do you have? Old people adventures?" she seemed slightly distracted as she combed her hands through her dirtied hair and scratched at her scalp; some parts of her hair were crusted and it looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks. Her scalp was dry and itched, but she was mostly used to the annoyance now.

"Hah I'm only twenty five young lady." he chuckled. Soon they reach what he feels is a good spot to the camp. An open area with a stream. "Ah perfect this will do nicely." he said as he dismounted. He helps Terra down next. "Now how about you go wash in the stream while I set up camp. I promise not to look." he suggested rubbing her head.

"That's still pretty old to me, 'cause I'm still kind of little." Terra smiled, making a funny face at him and giggling. She looked to the stream, hoping it wasn't cold, but knowing that it might prove to be a relief to her itchy head. "Kay, I'll go do that," she rushed to the stream, washing up and trying to wash the dirt off of her dress without having to take it off. She wished that she had been able to keep her pretty dresses, but she only had this one left.

He sees her go in to the stream with her dress on and blinked. "Well I guess your dress had to be cleaned anyway." he said as he begins setting up camp. By the time she came back he'll have had a fire going and a sleeping bag set up. "Terra now that your dress is soaked you're going to have to take it off and let it dry over night by the fire." he said then hands her a blanket. "You'll have to cover yourself with this tonight." he said.

"But I don't wanna take it off," Terra said in a whiny tone, "Cause if I do I'll get dirty again." she crossed her arms, worried that creepy-crawlies would get her even with a blanket protecting her. Even after living on the streets for so long, she still had a bit of her personality from a leisurely life.

"Terra you'll catch a cold if you wear wet clothes. Please do not argue with me and do as I say. I promise I'll take good care of your dress" he tries to assure her.

"Really?" Terra asked without thinking about it first, "I don't believe you." she said stubbornly, crossing her arms and poked her bottom lip out in a pout.

Takashi sighed "Trust me... it's going to get very cold out here once the sun goes down and you are going to freeze yourself whether I build a fire or not. I've been out hear all my life and I know my stuff." he asked. "If you don't do as I say you will not survive out here."

"..." Terra was quiet for a moment, looking down at her dampened dress, "...Well... Okay..." she slipped off her dress and grabbed the blanket, still pouting from having to take it off. She just didn't like to be dirty.

He carefully takes the dress from her "Thank you Terra." He takes her little dress and makes a rack out of sticks and hang it as close to the fire as he could. "There... now warm yourself while I go catch us something to eat." he said as he strips himself down to his underwear then wades into the river. Having done this since he was little, he had no trouble in catches several fish from the river. He comes back with four decently sized ones. "Take a look at these beauties. Makes your mouth water doesn't?" he chuckles as he impales them onto sticks and sticks them slanted over the fire.

Terra stared with her mouth slightly agape. It was the most food she had seen since before she was abandoned. Her stomach growled; she was ready to eat and was getting impatient, but she tried not to let her impatience show. "Is it almost done?"

He sits next to her as the fish cooked. "Heh I bet you're hungry. Here" he takes out a loaf of sweet bread he bought from the store and breaks off a piece for her. "here this should tie you over till they're done." he assured her wrapping an arm around her.

Terra graciously took the sweet bread, eating it slowly to enjoy it, "Thank you," she said sweetly, tears coming to her eyes. She wasn't used to people being so nice to her.

He smile's seeing her tears knowing what they were for. "It's my pleasure." he said gently scooping her up and sits her on his lap and wraps her in his arms. "You know we warriors may ruthless in battle but a lot of us have a soft spot. Mine is for sweet and innocent children like you and pains to know that you were abandoned so young just because you're gifted. I may not know a whole lot about magic but I'll do what I can to help you control your power." he promised her.

Terra was surprised by the embrace, but she very soon melted into his arms and accepting the comfort. She looked at him with wide, curious eyes, "wh-what? you really mean it...?"

He nods with affirmation. "Yes I swear on my honor I will help control your powers and care for you as if you were my little sister." he said. He looked to see if the fish were done and it was. "Alright dinner time." he takes the skewered fish and gives her one before partaking.

"But it only happens when I'm angry or scared," said Terra, scratching her head, "How can I control it? It doesn't happen that much."

"Hmm I see. Well you need to learn control your emotions. This is something we are trained to do. If we succumb to anger, we fight recklessly and potentially harm ourselves or others. If we succumb to fear, we either cower and flee or flail about wildly. It is crucial that we control these emotions. I can help you with that." he assured her. "But right now be at ease and enjoy your meal."

"Kay..." Terra munched on her fish, still teary-eyed from the man's kindness. She had a second chance, but she was getting nervous. "What if they're looking for me?" she asked, frightened that if she went to sleep, the 'meanies' would find them.

"Don't worry I will protect you with my life. I swear on honor I will not let any harm come to you." he promised yet again hugging her close but gentle still. "When you are finished with your dinner we shall lay down to sleep for we've got a long and busy day ahead of us."

"Okay," Terra finished her fish, satisfied and ready to sleep. She was exhausted from the day, and she was happy that she didn't have to sleep alone tonight.

Takashi pulls out a blanket and rolled out a sleeping mat. "Here you can sleep on this. I'll stand watch over the fire and keep it going through the night." he said.