"Alright then. You may have guessed this isn't just any job, so I won't beat around the bush. Neko, tell me what you know about the Vanguard."
Kiga planted on the bed, again with no real movement registering. It wasn't anything very special, it was just his uncompromising balance and lightness on his feet. To anyone else though, some things about Kiga seemed very strange, like when he ran along walls.
::She nodded and sat up a little more as she replied with a smirk.
-I'm assuming you mean aside from your fashion choices and now old form of communication...
OBVIOUSLY I know Uncle is...
WAS...your leader. I know you and Aunt Kiko are members. The kids too..
I have seen a few others about town and such, but the hoods...well, you know...
And to put it as simply as I can think of...you're kind of like the Sentinels of the world, instead of just the town. And you hold to a more subjective idea of what's right and wrong than the strict code they do.
(Excuse me for drab posts, but I thought it better to keep things rolling rather than go on hiatus whilst ill.)
Kiga grinned and leaned on Neko, in a manner that really didn't shift her. It was his way of being familiar and whilst they hadn't grown up together, Kiga hoped it didn't cross any boundaries with her.
"It's complicated and it isn't, because there is no hard and fast rule. You see, Gray's father was one of few Vanguard elders, a long time ago when he was a boy. Well that all fell apart back then and it was Gray's calling in life to once again see that the Vanguard helped the people and the world at large. It's his drive that has made it happen, his passion for justice and what's right that has made that a reality. It's been a hard journey and I studied under Gray long before it. To watch it grow and to try and follow in his footsteps... that has been challenging because at times, I know he's questioned his path.
You told me once that the Sentinels couldn't always do the right thing, because they were bound by their rules, the law. And the law is needed, it is invaluable, as are the Sentinels. Not because it's infallible, but because it's an expectation of the people and because it's clearly defined. Yes, Wistvale tolerates more than most places, but what it tolerates it regulates, which is confusing in and of itself.
So the Vanguard don't have rules. We have a philosophy. We believe in natural order, in an ever shifting balance that mirrors the changing of the seasons and the way of the wilds. We believe that all living things have a right to life free of repression, duress, abuse and undue harm and what's more, we believe those who do not hold such values, have less right to them... to an extent. There's a big gap between ignorance and malice.
You see, the world will change and the seasons will shift, but people often alter things in the extreme and at times, at the expense of the world around them. There's always a better way and the Vanguard strives to educate and protect in that regard. We defend those who cannot defend themselves, we provide for those who cannot provide for themselves and we speak on behalf of those.... well you get the picture. And I don't just mean other people. I mean land, animals, all of it. All actions have a cost and that must be acknowledged.
Sure, I would love to see the world work in harmony, but we're not capable of that. So in the meantime, the Vanguard looks to sort the extremes, to represent the natural order and to hopefully, act in the best interest of all those who want the same.
We ask one thing of ourselves.
Know all and then act."
Kiga scratched at his head, knowing that his mouth had just run off without him. He wasn't certain whether he'd made a great deal of sense. He knew one thing though - people weren't brought around to think like the Vanguard and have their values. They weren't changed. They simply were, or they were not.
::She smiled as he leaned on her, not the least uncomfortable with the act. Once she accepted someone as family, it was done. And with all the good and bad that meant.
She listened carefully to her cousin speak in greater detail of the origins of the modern Vanguard. Things she never knew and had never asked. The Grayell she knew was a private person, and she had chosen to respect that by giving him his space and allowing him to come to her when he chose to. Should he have ever wanted to confide in her. Perhaps that was a mistake on her part. Perhaps she should have been more proactive. But whats done is done and she could not change the past.
And while she was lost in this thought, the conversation had shifted with her having missed the transition. She actually thought he was talking about her for a moment, so closely did what he say match her own thoughts. If was a few moments before she realized he was not talking about her, but about the Vanguard.
Her reply was a nod, as she continued to hold her tongue. To be honest, she had always wanted to be accepted into their fold. It was always something that the rest of her family shared, but she had no part of. She was trying not to get her hopes up...::
Kiga smiled, she seemed responsive which made explaining so much in so little a time much easier for him.
"The difficulty is in detaching ones self from emotion at times and doing what has to be done. It's never really a 'greater good' thing, it's more an unbiased, logical look at the issue."
::She suddenly found something interesting in the pattern of the blanket covering her. She cast her eyes down and began to pick at it.
Here it comes...
'You care too much.'
'You're not a good fit.'
'Your heart...'
She tried to push the thoughts away, but they continued to pester her. She moved her head to make her hair fall across her face like a curtain to hide herself.::
Kiga noticed her nervousness and whilst is illustrated Neko's insecurities, he chose to not comment on them. He'd already thought the matter through, this wasn't an interview.
"So. I need someone in Wistvale who can oversee the area. I have assets here, but none with your level of skill and familiarity. I also don't know of anyone who has lived our code so completely, without being one of us. I can't say it will be easy, you can't simply drop out of being a public person and don a blue hood."
Kiga was smiling at Neko, should she look up at him.
::Perhaps her feelings were a weakness. Her friends and her family. Being her friend or considered family by her meant she would do anything for that person. Give up anything to bring them even a touch of happiness. She opened herself up to those she considered close completely. And there was danger in that.
She could take a thousand beatings like the one she received from Piper, but nothing can hurt you like family can.
So she had steeled herself for the worst. Expecting to hear the usual excuses. Things she had been told by any number of people in the past, but much worse should they come from her cousin now.
Only they didn't come...
She looked up through the curtain of hair and stared at him bewildered. As if she was unable to believe what she was hearing.
She made a familiar rolling gesture with her hand that Kiga would know was her asking for him to repeat.
However, once he got far enough for her to confirm what she thought she heard, she didn't give him time to finish and instead sat up with a bolt and wrapped her arms around him tightly.
Kiga laughed then and wound his arms around her as well, squeezing her just as tightly. He placed one large, affectionate kiss on her cheek and laughed again, before wrestling free and shaking his head.
"You're too much fun, Neko. I know you won't, I don't think you could. So, I will organize to get you some new gear and have it here shortly. Do you have any questions for me?"
Kiga gave her a reassuring smile and leaned on her again, which was actually quite to his liking. He had no one that he be at ease around as even with the children, he had to forever be an example.
"Of course you will. You and I will be working together and you'll have the means to contact me any time, should you need assistance. You'll also have those 'assets' I mentioned at your disposal, thought they're quite autonomous, as most of us are.
As for Gray - I can't imagine we won't see him again. Even if we have to visit him. He hasn't told me what's keeping him busy but you can just bet that he is busy, he can't help himself. I guess that's kind of tragic in a way."
Kiga thought on that a moment and then rose from the bed, stretching out his legs and bouncing a little.
"Right. You're on the mend and I have to return to 'HQ' (Kiga pulled a funny face when he said this) and make sure things are all in order. I'll see your gear supplied and I imagine Ramir will be around soon enough.
::She nodded as she wiped tears away from the corners of her eyes. They were not entirely out of sadness tho, and she was glad to hear that they would see each other again sometime.
-Be careful, Cousin. I don't want to have to come track you down if you get in trouble.-
"Ahuh. Curiosity and cats and etcetera, etcetera..."
Kiga shot Neko one last look before he took his leave from the home, the two, surprisinly spry children in tow. Their bird calls faded into the now night, leaving Neko to think amidst the sounds of the wind through the trees, the running stream a stone's throw away and the glow of the fireflies.
(I think we can leave it there You can expect your gear tomorrow and Ramir and Neko will no doubt catch up soon enough. If you'd like to handle any rewards, they can go to my Ramir account
(Oh, and welcome to the Vanguard. It's been a long time coming.)
::She finally broke through the trees to the clearing where she had built her own training area so many months ago. She staggered to a stop, breathless from the run. She had pushed herself to make that last leg and now needed a breather herself.
She walked over to the makeshift table that was here and leaned against it as she caught her breath and waited for Ramir.::
((In case you need it again, since its been awhile.))
::The area Neko had chosen for her training area was a clearing in the edge of the woods just north of Wistvale, but out of sight of its walls. It was obviously hand done by someone who had seen a dojo before and was trying to imitate it with the natural elements they had found along with a few bits of salvage from the town itself. There was a plank nailed to a fallen log to serve as a table. Currently it had Neko's items laid out upon it in a neat row.
There was a small sparring ring that had been cleared of grass and plants and ringed in loose stones. The earth tamped flat from the few times she had been here already. To one side there was an array of branches planted in the ground that were just big enough around to stand on on one foot and closely spaced to force someone to weave in and out to get through. Good for practicing agility.
There was also the larger log Neko was just standing in front of that had many broken branches sticking out and she seemd to have been using it like a practice dummy. The shattered limbs symbolizing the arms of a foe.
From closer to the tree line there hung a couple burlap sacks stuffed full with odds and ends to give them weight and clumsy bullseyes painted on them for ranged target practice. To another side by the trees was a small shaded area made by a ragged blanket strung in the trees.::