"I absolutely do not approve."

Silence. Konahomaru did not respond. He simply sat in his quarters, the door closed, all by himself. No, not entirely alone. Nariwa was there with him, as always. The two were bound by their souls, each one benefiting from the other's strength. However, one could choose not to share his strength if he so desired. The other didnt have a choice.

"I realize that." replied Kona, in as calm a matter as possible. This was unsettling for him too, and, although he was infamous for a sharp intellect and a ability to judge unclouded by emotion... Now, now was a different matter. As it had been so for some time now. The land of Imythess was growing ever more peacefull. The forces of darkness had either retreated for some undetermined time, or, had altogether quit. Perhaps their leader had gone out from them. Who knew?

At any rate, it allowed time for Konahomaru to heal. Afterall, some time ago, he defeated his inner and outer demons, leaving him a free man. Regaining his human side, the emotion, the heart, compassion. Things that humans were most known for. And of course, the most famous of all human feelings, love. Or was it a false one? Perhaps he was being taken aback as some others were from time to time?

He knew not. "She will find out sooner or later, and then what will you do? What will he do, actually, is what I would be most worried about!"

"I beat her in combat once. I am sure I can beat him if I need to. And I wont, anyways. I dont want to fight him."

"He wont give you the choice."

More silence. A storm was brewing inside the celestial's heart. Every day he felt more pure, more... holy. It was strange, as if he was becoming divine. But then again, he had also reasoned it may be the human side of him growing haughty, power-hunger, now that it had tasted what it's potential really was.

For some reason, with this feeling, was the slight taint of corruption. It seemed comforting. To embrace those feelings, instincts. Like it was... just right.

"I am sorry..."

"I understand. If it happens, I won't curse you should you forsake me. However, mercy is at times the best option. A thing I have learned well, that perhaps you may lack."

Nariwa did not reply to Kona's snap. It was true, really. There was nothing to say back.

Kona lifted his head. She was approaching. Or was she simply nearby? On another floor? The Temple of Swords had all manner of secrets. Konahomaru had explored the majority of the temple that he could access, but he had run across dead-ends before. The two had such a close relationship, and, the fact that she had chosen him as her right hand man and freind. They could speak to each other without opening their mouths, and, oftentimes, Konahomaru suspected she could read his mind. Either way, it was bound to be layed bare.

Kona himself felt bare as well. All of his weapons were put away. Kona, seated on the end of his bed, which was in the corner of the room, glanced at the various cases. The one directly across held his Lightning Blade, still sparking and glowing from time to time, illuminating the case. The Force Blade, next to it, also glowed, but with a soft inviting tone. On a rack above them was his Katana, and in a chest under his bed were the two masterwork daggers. He was unarmed, and he always felt like a iota of dust when he was weaponless in Veronna's presence.

"Best of luck."

It was a calm day, the sky partly cloudy, and it was warm out as summer neared. Veronna stood looking out a window in her chambers, her gaze distant and unfocused as she stared at nothing. Ocar had Vaoulrah with him this day, leaving Veronna free to do what she wanted to. She had practiced early in the day, like how she started her days. She had been practicing more and more, preparing for a battle she had no knowledge about yet, but something urged her forward to get her body in best physical shape ever, so she could overcome any trials.

She blinked and her eyes became focused once more. She let out a sigh and turned, her right hand falling to her side, brushing the scimitar at her like she always did, do make sure it was still there. She walked by her bed and to the door that lead to the staircase. She knew Kona was in the temple, perhaps he would not mind some company.

She descended the stairs, her black knee high boots hitting each step softly, her scimitars making the only noise in the stairwell. Her hair was braided and wrapped into a bun so not to get in the way when she practice. She reached the second floor and opened the door, stepping out into the training floor. She looked around the large room, at the two large arenas on either side of the room. She did not see Kona so guessed he was in his room. She walked to where his room was located standing in front of the door. She wondered if she would be interrupting him if she were to knock on the door.

She hesitated, not sure if she should. He most likely knew she was near, so he might be coming out soon anyways. She would wait for a few minutes, and if he did not wish to talk then he did not have to come out of his room. She walked away from the door to one of the arenas, standing in the center of it, remembering when she was always in the arena, day and night, never taking a brake. She was out of shape in her eyes, though she was in much more better shape then almost any mortal. Her technique was loosing it's style and was becoming less effective in battle. She had to learn some new things, so she would be ready.

She drew both her scimitars in a quick movement, the dark blades shining. They were good blades, they had much character, and they had served her well for years and will continue to serve her until they were destroyed, or until she died. Her clothing was different this day, for she did not wear her normal dark red tunic, instead she wore a brown leather form fitting corset, mostly to give her support while practicing, the laces on the front and sides helped with adjusting it. Along with a pair of black pants that also fitted her form. She wore these so nothing would be in her way. Though her tunic was more comfortable, this outfit did not have nearly as much fabric as a tunic. Her arms were bare, which helped keep her cool when she was really practicing.

She did not swing her scimitars around, she instead just held them, their weight feeling good in her hands. She sheathed them, almost as quickly as she had unsheathed them. She waited, wondering if Kona wished to speak with her or not.

Veronna just stood there, waited. For what? Perhaps she simply waited a breif moment to see if Kona was willing to open the door or not. No words were really necessary at the moment. She walked away, her presence slowly growing less imposing. No doubt she would be in the arena. If she wasn't in her quarters, she was in the arena, training herself. Konahomaru looked across the room at his weapons, stood, and approached them. He had made his decision.

Turning to a larger wooden chest, at the end of the bed, Kona opened it. Inside was his jacket and a pair of pants, benath them his old outfit. The leather jacket, white with golden trim, was more reflectant upon his holiness. Long, with two tails, it was designed to allow free movement of the legs while still covering them. There were no clearly visible seems and no buttons, but hooks on the inside of the jacket. At the bottom of the chest was his old, dark blue jacket. Worn, what he had came to Imythess wearing. Straps and buckles of all sorts covered it, holding it together in some places.

Konahomaru grabbed the white and gold one. It wasn't so much of a choice as it was a decision. Adjusting the jacket as he turned and walked to his weapons, Kona stopped in front of each on and equipped it accordingly. The Lightning Blade on his back, the Force Blade at his right, the Katana at his left, and each dagger on each wrist. It seemed in excess to be carrying that much weaponry, but truth be told, the katana was more of a disposable weapon.

Konahomaru left his room, went down the corridors, and arrived at the arena entrance. There was Veronna, in a different outfit than he was used to. Form-fitting, clearly designed to be lightweight but also strong and flexible. Kona added it to his list of observations as he calculated any moves necessary in case they were to spar.

"Veronna. Did you need something?" asked Konahomaru. Trying to play dumb. He wasn't good at it. Of course she wanted something, if even only a quick spar. Why bother asking? Kona silently chided himself. This was unusual. Must be part of being human...

Veronna stood for a little longer until she felt Kona moving around, knowing he was going to be coming soon. She was not sure if she had any intentions of sparring with him or not this day. She was not sure if she was ready to face her chosen again. Not until she knew she would win no matter what. Last time they had dueled ended with her on the ground and bleeding in several places. She would not loose again. She still liked Kona, but ever since then she had been pushing herself, knowing she had gotten rusty since after her pregnancy. She did not regret having a child, but it had changed her. She had gotten more protective of those around her, especially her family and friends.

As Kona entered the arena, Veronna turned to see him in his white and gold jacket. She knew he wore it to show his holiness, but she had been sensing something was changing within Kona, ever since he had come back from killing the demon mage he hated so much. She had not mentioned this to him, but saw no need too yet, for she knew he had to figure some things out himself.

She raised an eyebrow at him when he asked if she needed something, able to tell he was trying to play dumb. She was going to ask him the same thing actually, for she could tell there was something he was hiding, but she would not try and read his thoughts, for she believed it was an invasion of privacy.

"No, there is nothing I really need. It's just so quiet here when Ocar and Vaoulrah are out. I was just seeing if there was anything you wished to talk about, for it has been awhile since we actually last talked." Whether Kona had anything to say or not, she had quite of bit to talk about, things that she was very concerned about and needed someone to talk to. She talked with Ocar almost every day, but she did not like to discuss a few things with him because she did not want to worry him, for then he would try to convince her to help her out. No, she needed someone who would not become so protective to talk with, and Kona seemed like a good candidate.

"No, there is nothing I really need. It's just so quiet here when Ocar and Vaoulrah are out. I was just seeing if there was anything you wished to talk about, for it has been awhile since we actually last talked."

Konahomaru's thought processes froze for a moment. Did she know? No, she was straight to the point whenever she wanted to speak. Never did waltz around for a few eons before saying the words that needed to be heard. She just wanted to talk. About something. Chances were, it was something she did not feel comfortable talking to anyone else about. The two warriors had a freindship like that, both confidants. It was a good thing.

It had been a long time since they had just talked. It felt good to talk sometimes, too. There were only a small number of things on Kona's mind that he could speak of at the moment, none of which he was sure he wanted Veronna to hear. The celestial took a light breath, and opened his mouth to speak.

"Being a partial human... is difficult."

There, he had said it. It was hard. And now that he had admitted it, he felt better. "I have been feeling things, thinking things lately that I dont like. Nariwa is growing concerned over my soul. It seems that after I acheived my revenge, I now have nothing else to do..." he paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts together.

"I trained my whole life for war. Killing things. And now, I don't want to hurt anyone anymore, but I wan't to protect. It has been that way for some time now, but, because I want to protect so many things, I am afraid to do... or say... certain things..."

Konahomaru stopped, and then stared at the ground idle, like a confused child. After a few minutes, he looked back up, and saw that Veronna was still listening. "Thats all I can think of..."

Veronna watched Kona, sensing something in him, something she could tell he was hiding, but nothing more. When he began talking Veronna was slightly surprised, suspecting he would not have anything to say, like normally. Then he said being partially human was difficult. She could not help but let a smile pull on the corner of her lips, knowing how he felt. Then he went on and said Nariwa was concerned for Kona's soul. Which was understandable for a celestial, but as Kona had said, he was part human.

The smile which had been on her face was now gone as he said he longer wished to kill things any more, instead protect. She knew how he felt, she went through times wondering why did she find such pleasures in killing. She also felt sad, for him, since he did not wish to fight anymore, and there were battle to be fought in the very near future.

She stared at him awhile longer after he had finished talking as he stared at the floor, until he stated he had nothing else to say. She stared at him for a few moments longer, feeling slightly bad for about what she was going to say.

"Throughout our lives, we are faced with decisions that will effect those around us, for some of us, it will effect things on a much larger scale." She was staring at him firmly, her red eyes showing much emotion, but also holding a fire within them. "Some of these decisions will result in battles, and than, we must choose if we want to fight those battles or stay in our safe little corners, left to watch."

She stepped close to Kona, placing a hand on his shoulder and staring straight into his eyes, "To protect those you hold dear, sometimes you must fight, whether you want to or not. And sometimes, it's best to give into your emotions, let them guide you through some of the trickery parts of life, even when at times, they seem to be leading you in a different direction then you had first intended." She let her arm fall back to her side, watching him still. She then turned away, knowing he probably wanted her to tell him he did not have to fight much longer. But then that would be a lie, for there was battle ahead, wars, that would effect everyone on the planet, and the only option will be to fight.