Afternoon Hike

Vacation. There was a word Ami hadn't heard in a long time. So when her commander ordered her to take a rather large paid vacation, she was shocked (to say the least). 6 months of paid vacation. She'd never heard of such a thing. But her commander was as serious as ever, and so she had no choice. She packed her bags and took the first flight out of Tokyo. Now, here she was, in the middle of this mountain.

Yes, that's right.....a mountain. It was a random idea she'd had, and she was going to go through with it. She had started very early that morning, and now here it was, mid afternoon, and she was only halfway up. Ami sighed as she found a small ledge big enough to rest on. She pulled out her canteen and sat down, dangling her legs over the edge.

This wasn't really a bad idea...but she hated being away from her job already. Sure, she'd done so much there already, and she wasn't about to back out on an order....but she loved her work. In fact, even now, she kept her cell phone on, just in case they needed her. Speaking of which.....she pulled out the small device and looked at its screen. No bars. Oh sure....even if they wanted to call her, she would be unable to receive the call. She sighed again. "Oh well....guess i'm just stuck on this vacation no matter what."

He finishes off a cup of coffee inside his small cabin at the base of the mountain. Random files and folders lay scattered across his desk, filled with photos, newspaper clippings, wrap sheets, and background reports. "This is such a mess...I gotta clean this place up." He breathes a sigh from his parted lips and runs a hand through his hair swiftly, his eyes passing through his cabin and passing by the window to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a woman alongside the mountain.

"Who...is that?" He grabs his overcoat and flings it on smoothly, more than half-way out the cabin already. His curiousity had already swept over him as he heads toward her position. "I wonder if she is alright..." He reaches the base of the mountain and looks up to see her legs dangling over the edge. He paused for a moment before his lips parted. "Don't be startled miss...I saw you from afar and I was wondering if you were okay up there. Don't be frightened, I'll be up in a second miss..." His initial assumptions lead him into action as strength gathered in his calf muscles and he begun to leap effortlessly up the rock formation to the ledge where she sits. "Don't worry...I'll get you down from here..."

Ami nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a man's voice coming from below her. She immediately drew her legs up and peered over the edge just in time to see a young man vaulting himself, seemingly effortlessly, towards her position. He looked rather muscular, and was very fast, which led her to the assumption that he had probably spent years hiking mountains. Then his final words reached her.

"Don't worry...I'll get you down from here...."

That made her giggle as she called back down. "Down? Why on earth would you help me get down, when my goal is at the top?" She giggled again, and decided to wait for him where she was. Though, as a defensive measure, she did swing her backpack in front of her, like a barrier. Inside contained food, water, some survival tools, and her own duel disk. It was a standard Academy Issued disk, decorated with blue for Obelisk Rank, and donned with her graduation marks. On the life point counter were two gold symbols crossed over each other. One was a lightning bolt, symbolizing her first place feat from a tournament long ago. The other was a gold diploma, symbolizing her having graduated with honors. This was the only disk she'd ever used, and until it broke, it would be the only one she'd ever need. Hidden with her duel disk was her trusted deck of cards. The power of a phoenix lay within that deck, as well as power from an old friend who had recently found its way back to her. She wasn't one to fight if she didn't have to, but when she did fight, she never held back.

He lands on the ledge next to the young woman, and he can tell that she is startled. He watches her cover her front with her backpack and chuckles slightly. "It seems I did startle you. I apologize miss..." He notices the glimpse of a some machinery in her pack. He had never seen something like that before and began to assume it was a weapon of some kind. "I must have gotten the wrong impression. Not used to seeing many people actually hike around here these days, especially so close to the Valley of Mist...but it's admirable." He lets off a sigh and looks up the mountain, wondering her approximate distance. His gentle, yet quiet eyes takes in her features as she was quite attractive, but he knew not to judge a book by its cover. "Well...if you're okay here, I'll leave you be. It will be nightfall soon, so you may wanna make your way up and set up camp for yourself soon." He shakes his head and points down the mountain and to the gravel path. "If things get rough for you...my cabin is just down that road. There is food and shelter there, but I believe you can take care of yourself fully on your own miss..." His mind was still curious about the machinery in her bag, but his instincts disallowed him to pursue the subject. He crouched near the edge of the ledge slightly. "Well...I'll be going. May the Spirits of the Mist watch over you miss..."

He looked like he was about to jump....and Ami instinctively reached out to grab his elbow. It was all instinct, as she'd worked several suicide cases, in that she had to stop others from jumping off skyscrapers or something. She blushed slightly at her reaction.

"W-wait!" She stammered nervously. "You're just going to take off....just like that? And not even tell me your name?"

Something about him intrigued her....perhaps it was the fact that he could scale a mountain in mere seconds. Or perhaps it was his charming, chivalric approach. Or perhaps.....it was his mention of the Spirits of the Mist. Whatever it was....she was curious. It was a seemingly bad habit that always seemed to cause her trouble...but oh well.

He nearly jumps from her soft touch to his elbow and he looks at her softly. "Hey, it's alright. I'm not going to fall or anything." He saw that she looked worried, so he stepped back from the ledge to ease her anxiousness. He let out a small sigh as he perched himself on the edge of the ledge. He closed his eyes briefly as he heard her soft voice go through his ear about his name.

"My name...? Didn't think you'd care to know...but they call me Dauragon." He looks up at the sky, seeing the clouds coming in. "You really should reach your destination and set up camp...it can get dangerous out here at nightfall miss..." He stands up briskly and extends his hand, in an offer to help her to her feet.

"If you so choose...I can help you along your way and see to it that you are alright before I depart from your company." He points up the mountain and looks at her quietly. "It's up to you miss..."

"Dauragon, huh?" She grasped his hand firmly and pulled herself up. She then did a bit of a bounce and dusted off her jumpsuit pants, then bowed slightly in Japanese courtesy. "My name is Ami....Suzishima, Ami." She smiled at him and slung her bag over her shoulder. He didn't seem so dangerous, really. Mysterious, maybe. Dangerous? No.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Dauragon, but I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I'm not called the best at my job for no reason." Ami moved some hair behind her left ear and smiled, a kind of playful smile, but more could have been hidden behind that. She wasn't lying when she said she was the best. As a field medic, her skills were unsurpassed. As a morgue assistant, she could very well have been in charge of the morgue. She'd solved a couple cases herself just through dead bodies. And when it came to catching criminals? Well, she had her ways of roping them in, that was for sure.

She hefted her bag on her shoulder, signalling that the key was in there. "I have the Flame of Nephthys to protect me." She left out the other friend she kept in there.....he would only come up if he was called for. And besides, she didn't want to scare off this mysterious, new man. "But.....you are welcome to join me in my climb if you wish." She beamed at him with a glint of hope in her eyes. She wanted to learn more about him, and so silently she hoped he would agree. Whatever he decided though, she was still going to climb at her own pace until she reached the top.

He thinks for a moment to her offer. Pondering about how many cases he has to work, and whether or not he should be wasting time. His eyes fall on her form as a warm breeze begins to blow. He hears a soft whisper into his ear from the mountain air.

"Stay with her..."

His attention was grabbed by the passing breeze. The Spirits of the Mist must have spoken their will to him. He looks down and shakes his head, knowing the wheels of Fate are beginning to turn again.

"Alright...I will accompany you Miss Ami. I will follow your pace as we climb this, so are we ready to go...?"

She had a familiar...presence about her. The spirits had taken a liking to her and wished for her protection. He felt the same old feeling of being a pawn again, but this was the road he has chosen to follow. "Also...just Dauragon is fine. No formalities with me is required." His mind then recalls her mentioning of a "Nephthys" and he begins to become curious. An curious expression overtakes his brow.

"Excuse my rudeness but...what is that thing in your bag? And what is a Nephthys...?"

Ami smiled and reached into her bag, pulling out the decorated duel disk. She slipped it onto her left forearm and then pulled a card off the top of the deck. She pressed a small button and a card pushed away from the rest of the deck, and she took it in her delicate fingers. "No one really knows who Nephthys is," she began, as if about to tell some ancient tale. "All that is known is that she was an Egyptian goddess."

She flipped the card so that Dauragon could see its face. On the face was a majestic bird, covered in flames. Its text read it to be the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys. "She was revered in ancient times, but her power remains today. Her very flames of power protect me to this day....they have ever since i was a little girl."

She pulled out another card, Hand of Nephthys, and showed it to him. "I consider myself a Guardian of Nephthys. I don't worship the goddess....but i still revere and respect the power that protects me." She turned the cards and pressed them to her heart, closing her eyes, almost as if in prayer. "My friend has never let me down when i needed her most. And though the flame may be put out for a time....like a phoenix....it will always rebirth...just as majestic as ever, just as powerful as ever. A phoenix and her flame can never be truly destroyed."

The story of the Phoenix peeked his curiosity a bit. It sounded a lot like some of the legends spoken by the People of the Mist. He's heard a lot of tales of wisdom and history the past 4 years within their village hidden away in the Mist Valley.

"It seems you definitely have a strong bond with it. It will always aid you I presume..." He looks over the machine on her arm that was holding her deck in place and realized it must be one of those "Duel Disks".

"Well...we should get moving shouldn't we? Plenty of time for more tales at the top.." He looks up for a second, then back down and grasps his dog-tags, as if to pray with them. The voice from the wind telling him to stay with her still crept in his thoughts.

He turns and looks at her quietly. "So..we going at your speed...or mine....?"

"Alright." She slipped the cards back into her deck and then moved the disk from her wrist and back into her backpack. Casting a soft smile at him, she put on her gloves and grabbed rock once more.

The air became noticeably cooler as they climbed, and it didn't help once the sun started setting. Even so, Ami did not understand why they had to reach the top by dark. Sure, mountains could be dangerous...but she'd never heard of any mountain being so dangerous at night. She paused in her climb and looked beside her. Dauragon was slowly climbing, but he looked bored, and she couldn't tell if he was agitated or just lost in thought. Now she felt embarrassed that he was having to follow her at her own pace...she hoped he wouldn't hold it against her. Perhaps some conversation might help pass time more quickly.

"So, Dauragon.....what exactly is it that....makes these mountains....so.....dangerous?" She had to pause whenever she'd make a move forward, straining her muscles to propel her body upwards. That, and the colder and thinner air didn't make it any easier for her to breath.

He watched her pushing herself forward up the mountain and decided not to offer assistance out of respect for her.

"This place can become dangerous from wild animals, and...certain malignant spirits that sometimes wonder these lands. They don't usually affect me, so I believe we should be okay. We are almost to the summit so it's just a little further."

About 3 hours pass, as they reach the peaceful summit of the mountain range. Night has fallen, and the moon's glow is ever bright. He looks up at it and sighs and bit, before turning to Ami.

"Well, we made it Ami. I hope it is too your satisfaction...Do you intend on setting up a camp here? Or will you want to make your way down?"

Ami was out of breath and happy to finally have a break. A soon as they reached the top, she plopped down on her back and moaned softly. All her muscles were screaming from all the strenuous work she'd put them through. "I am going to be sooooo sore tomorrow!" She smiled over at him, but then her eyes grew wide. "oh....my...." she sounded breathless, as if she'd just been punched in the gut.

In actuallity, she'd really just looked at the moon for the first time tonight. It was huge! And bright.....and beautiful....she'd never seen anything like it! "Does it look like that every night?" His question about camp was forgotten due to the distraction of the moon above them, but she'd get to that later

He smiles slightly to her, hearing her question about the moon as he looks up. "Yes...the moon always looks like this here. Every night, the night sky makes it look so grand and majestic...I forget sometimes that it is truly a sight to behold..." He takes in a breath and sighs, then walks over to the edge of the summit. He closes his eyes, letting the cool evening breeze blow through him.

"I'll start a fire for us..." He walks over to a large tree that holds a large camping pack strung up in it. He pulls himself up the tree, loosens it and pulls it down. He opens up and pulls out the assembly kit for a tent.

"This is my equipment I leave up here for when I wanna sleep up here on some nights. The tent is pretty spacious and should be comfortable enough for you..."

He pulls out a lighter from the camping pack, and grabs a few dead branches laying around the tree. He places them close to Ami, and starts a small fire with them.

"Here...this should keep you warm for now."

Thirty minutes pass as he completes the assembly of his tent for her, rather large and in its size and jet black in color. He didn't really notice the size until now, noticing it could actually fit 4 people comfortably.

"Alright...camp is prepared Ami. Don't worry about using my things...it's not a big deal. Make yourself comfortable. I'm sure you're probably hungry..."

Ami had watched him as he put up the tent, wanting to offer her help...but he didn't seem to want or need any....so she just kept quiet. The sounds of night began to fill her ears as bugs and birds made their good night calls. Up here in the cold atmosphere, Ami was actually quite surprised at the number of bugs she could detect with her ears....she had thought maybe there wouldn't be any up here. Not that it bothered her. When you work with the dead....there's not a whole lot that scares you or grosses you out anymore.

"Thank you, Dauragon....you really didn't have to, though." She turned and sat cross-legged, facing the fire as he finished. "So do you live out here? All by yourself?"