The small town was at least busy enough for the young redhead to enjoy her time alone this time around. Concord was out doing some shopping and organziing a possible place to have the wedding and as for Hans was doing something else. They had to spend a little time apart since LeeAnn felt they were too clingy. A healthy mini vacation to rethink her life and what it actually meant. Her long red cat tail and tall ears made her stand out even more as she wasn't already.

A neko and a kitsune getting married. An odd couple. She was trying to get used to the new change and gift the Neko Orcale gave her out of kindness and knew of her situation. She had to say it wasa good effective method to overcome a lot of her symptoms, but not fully. She wore a a basic knight suit, one that was given to her by her mother that used to be hers. It was more formal and less Rune Knight. The suit was more metal plated than the basic Rune Knight assigned suit. She had an eye patch over the black and red eye to keep from people thinking she would be a ghoul. Afterall, she could careless about the weather and how cold it was. The neko's thoughts were on the wedding and how her brother would be around her husband-to-be. She didn't like how he acted towards him. Both of them infact, Hikaru was an extremely stubborn man and he knew that. Why did her brother have to be so complicated.

The looks people were giving her were not as much of disgust like before but curiosity. The tail and ears perked up more than her black mark. Thank the gods! She grabbed a bottle of whiskey from her satchel and started drinking it. "Foul as ever! Blech!! Gods" she said as ever. The neko how people could drink this stuff, but it was the cheap stuff as well. Not as rich quality as the others. Hey she got it for free so why not? LeeAnn simply sat down in a remote spot away from people taking in the scenery as the whisky burn its way down her throat. Hopefully, she would just be alone to think.

Selena had only been in Baska a day or two. She had heard that this place was nice and quiet, a little town in the country side. However the loud jeering crowds that backed the cobbled streets were quite a strong contrast and made the little town seem more like a village with nothing but alcoholics. Although she ought to be annoyed she wasn't. She too had a good time ever since arriving . "Nah I won't stop them. They could be practicing for the tournament." Selena said to herself as she watched two men with their shirts off bear knuckle box. She wasn't on duty here, which she didn't mind too much. The main thing that got her was that there were people from dark guilds here and the local Rune Knights couldn't do anything. But even that was a very minor complaint. Selena had only recently found out her cousin was Alive after being presumably dead for over 5 years, but she was in a dark guild.

Selena shook her head as she entered a bar that did not seem like it was going to bust. She couldn't think about that stuff now, she had to focus. She had beaten Kon but the next round was going to be tougher than ever. "There's no need for that shit to be in your head now." Selena said. She was never really good at lying to herself. Although her mind was still on the many incidents that had happened, something broke her train of thought. When she looked up she seen a familiar sheen of red hair accompanied with a similar scent. Lee? Selena looked at the woman's head, and ears? It seemed this person was a Neko. Selena trailed away from the woman's head and noticed her armor. It was quite a formal one, almost like a knights. Selena approached the woman, and Lee's scent grew stronger. "What the hell happened to you?!" Selena asked as she sat opposite Lee. Her cobalt eyes were large like a deer in the headlights, her jaw to the floor. She had all the key features of a Neko, so Selena was sure this wasn't cosplay. She had her ears, some air around her lips. Selena would have scanned for a tail but her attention moved to Lee's eye patch. "Dear lo- Lee is that really You? Wh- Wh- Seriously what!" She repeated. Selena was completely dumbfounded, her jaw still on the floor.

LeeAnn's sharp hearing picked up someone behind her. There were a lot of people around, but something about a certain footsteps. The pace seemed familiar like she had encountered it before. Her left neko ear twitched out of curiosity. She sat in a open area in the grass as the early spring air nipped her skin. The wind brushed her face as the scents were new flowing to her nose. LeeAnn was still trying to get used to the whole idea of having cat ears and a tail. It was something she never thought that would happen to her. But hey, she was happy with it. It would help her improve with her abilities in combat and her illness.

She heard a woman's voice that struck her with a question. What the hell happened to you? A simple calm glance to see Selena standing there with her jaw dropped to the floor and speechless. A smirk came on her lips seeing the reaction was priceless. Trying to hold back her laughter, she looked down as then looked back up as she would sit down across from her in the grass. Her red tail laid gently in the grass curled around her. "I stole a cat' ears and tail and sewen them on"
she said sarcastically. Shaking her head, Selena's words just made LeeAnn burst out into laughter she couldn't hold it back much longer. It was priceless. After a while, she regained her composure with a smile on her face for once. "I'm sorry, you are just...your reaction was priceless!! BAHAHAHAHA...okay...I'm fine, I'm fine" she repeated. She wiped a tear from her eye and looked at her. "I'm became a Neko. A gift from the Neko Orcale, herself. Knew of my situation and I proved myself worthy of the gift so, here I am" she said.

Selena gave Lee a quick glare after her sarcastic comment, quickly followed with a slap across her head. "not funny. Explain. Now. Please." Selena asked as her expression turned murderous as Lee began to laugh. A small vein was growing on Selena's head along with the rage in her stomach. Although Selena's rage was quelled soon and turned into curiosity. Her stern face turned to that of a confused yet curious child. Selena waited for Lee to finish explaining before talking. She also took a moment to think of what to say rather than acting rash and worried, since Lee obviously thought that was funny.

"You realize that raises more questions then it answers right." Selena said, as she pouted slightly giving Lee an overall exasperated look. "Kay, first of all how did the Neko Oracle know of your situation? I mean judging from your eye patch you are hiding it very well. And secondly what makes you worthy, no offence." Selena said, the whole co-captain thing beginning to boil at the back of her mind. But maybe there was an actual reason now."Suppose the most important question is though, why?" Selena would ask once Lee had explained her other questions.

The redhead only came to see the lightened mood was quickly put out with seriousness. It was always like that with Selena. She took off her metal armor one piece at a time only leaving her black tank top and a pair of tight jeans with boots and eyepatch. Her engagement ring and tattoo of the Nakamura house symbol that was on the back of her neck. LeeAnn stood up showing tons of scars, burns, scratches, and stitches that were still either healing or now heal and was permanent. Her only eye showing looked at Selena with a dark look that made her think of her tough life. "I save her the daughter's life and almost cost me my own. It wasn't a pretty battle and put me in the hospital for quite some time. She visited me and knew of my illness because she knew someone else who had it a long time ago. The Orcale had said a theory that could be different races are affected by it differently. Humans get the worst of it. So, she said becoming a Neko would help with the diet issue and my mood" she said. Standing there for a little bit, she let Selena soak in these facts. It shown on her face that she wasn't lying and the complete seriousness of the situation she didn't find funny.

"Why she did what she did. I really don't know, but I think she did it out of kindness and not pity. I originally did go to her for answers because rumor said she could know a thing or two about my illness. I was wondering if she knew of a cure, but she didn't. There are some things I just dont understand. She didn't completely tell me everything, but one thing stuck out. She did say look in my family for the answer. Makes me wonder" she replied. LeeAnn left things for Selena to put the pieces together. She looked at her scars and sighed.

"In the hospital, the doctors couldn't believe how many scars I have. This is only a small fraction I have. Been to the hospital so many times around Fiore most know my name by now, I get into the rough parts of town to find answers where my mother could be. Nothing illegal, but the rough patches of towns" she said. She had probably seen more of fiore than her brother and wore more scars on her than most rune knights around her rank. It amazed some of how many she had. Though, LeeAnn did not brag about her war stories because it was no one's business. If anyone pryed into her personal life, they would hear from her. She has left a few people with a missing limb or two because of it. Really, it was not something she was proud of, but it was to protect herself from clowns trying to mess things up. She was kidnapped due to a family mess or something. Her mother has become more of a mystery than she really had thought. There was almost no trace of the woman anywhere, not even in her past, but her diary.

She looked at the mountains and the breathtaking view of the countryside. A few birds flew over their heads cawing out to each other. It was more crowded due to the tournament. There lied few moments of silence to let things sink it. "I originally signed up for the tournament because I wanted to get away. Crocus was starting to get to me with work. No Hans. No work. Just me and my secretary, Concord. I need some time away from people. They have been...making me tick the wrong way" she said. Her tail swished back and forth a little out of frustration thinking about how big of a problem her brother was being at the moment. They both were stubborn and prideful, but she was starting to see why her father had such a hard time with raising her.

"Humans themselves are constant change like small habits can make a person more unique. I have changed so much within the last few weeks its weird. Have you noticed any changes and just wonder if you are really you" she asked Selena. LeeAnn was looking at the sky calmly in her theory mood just sitting there in wonders about the world.

As Lee began to undress Selena was about to comment on the fact that public nudity was against the law and how she was half a second from arresting kon for something similar, but before she knew it she had her hands clapped over her face, her eyes wider than they had ever been. Selena trailed the scars, bruises and blemishes that Lee had shown her. She looked like she was dragged through a lawn mower. Selena would have said something but she realized her hands were still suffocating her. Selena removed them as she listened to Lee as to why she had gotten the oracle to change her race. Selena was surprised to hear all of it. Since Lee was quite strong it seemed hard to believe that she nearly died. Still more niggling thoughts began to bubble beyond the surface of Selena's still shocked face. As Selena listened one question kept popping up. Who else has she told. Selena's mind immediately fell on Hikaru. Although they were siblings, Lee had neglected to tell Hikaru a lot of what was wrong with her already. But Selena decided to ignore that for now.
"I took part in the tournament too. I beat Kon too so at least we know who is at least 4th strongest in the group." Selena said with a smile. After Lee had asked her question then Selena looked at the mountains also. "Dunno. I find myself being, i dunno nicer, and it just doesn't feel like me. Maybe I'm over thinking things but lately that's the kinda vibe I've been getting lately." she admitted. It then came to the point where Selena had to ask. "So who have you told? Or is this gonna be on the down low again?" Selena asked still looking at the mountains.

LeeAnn was not surprised by Selena's reaction. Scars and bruises were splotched all over her like bug bites. It was amazing how much she had collected. Selena was the only other person besides Hans and Concord who knew. She always wore long sleeves and long pants to hide these sort of things. People would question her about what had happened and she hated that attention of sympathy and pity or at least pity. Sympathy was a bit different to her since it was more of a relation to that person. In all this sea of people in Fiore, there would be one person...one person who could relate to some degree of her pain. They were a collect of scars she had gotten over the years even before she became a Rune Knight. That wretched place. No light. No sound but her breathing and thoughts echoing for someone to hear her. Quickly, she shivered at the thought. Her eye looked back at Selena still in shock. "Please, dont feel sorry for me. I don't want pity. I just want a friend" she replied.

Selena seemed to relax a little, but she could see there was some worry. LeeAnn laughed a little. "I saw that. Poor Kon. I can say easily you have surpassed me, but I just had filthy luck against Rowan. My body gave out plus with me just getting out of the hospital kinda well...does that to ya. I am cheering you, my brother, and Rowan on. Either way, you are a good fighter" she said. Once she asked the question, Selena seemed to look at the mountains that surrounded Baska while thinking. She said she realized she had become nicer. LeeAnn was great at observing behavior after doing it tons of times with people at bars and reading on first impressions. "You have. I can read a person quite well and its probably because you have become more comfortable. A team will do that. My brother has always been super independent. Sure I have, but he will never accept a team. I was quite shocked when he wanted to form a team. He has...been more willing to change his ways just a bit. He's getting even a bit friendlier especially with a few people" she smiled. She looked back at her with a smile. Last time at the bar, the two of them were getting all buddy-buddy due to the alcohol. The booze does bring the truth out of people she had noticed. Its was things like this she was thankful for the immunity to the drinks. "I am sure someone can make him realize having people in his life can change a person. Maybe...just maybe soon he could see what I see with Hans. Someone who you can just lean on and feel safe, someone you can call yours and feel happy" she replied. She was actually for this. Honestly, she wanted her brother to get a girlfriend or someone to see what it feels like to have someone you cannot live without. Family was different. She could never understand her brother's ways of thinking no matter how hard she tried.

Later, Selena asked her a question that wiped the smile off her face. A dark look came into her eye. Looking at the sky, she hoped the answer would come raining down at her and just smack her right in the face. The redhead gazed a while thinking of a reply. The slate was blank. "To be honest, I am never one to reveal about my past or myself because its no one business. I told you because I trust you. Becoming Neko is nothing worth hiding, obviosuly, but the scars are different. They are a collection, not just from that fight. I have them since I was thirteen when...I was kidnapped for four years. Again, something no one else know. That place was...dark and painful" she said. She lifted the back of her shirt showing a large 'X' formation on ehr back from that place. There were some fade scars that looked to be healed, but most of them looked to be lashed from a whip or claws. She pointed to it. "That one was from that place. My memories of it are suppressed. Though, I do remember they were 'doing medical research on me' but it gave them a reason to torture an innocent. This is something no one knows but my fiance, my father, and Concord. I want to Hikaru, but I feel like he will think of me as pathetic and useless. My heart cannot let me tell him because I am afraid what he might say. I seek his approval for everything I do" she said. LeeAnn looked back at Selena with a look of anxiety just by thinking about it. She sat down next to her. "Perhaps this is all in my head, I dont know anymore. Selena...to be honest you and Konstantin are the only people I fully trust outside of Hans. I love Hikaru, but I dont trust him with this knowledge. The council knows. What do you think I should do? I'm sorry if I sound pathetic" she said.

"Oh please." Selena said with a slight smile "You realize we first met cause you took pity on me!" Selena said, remembering her first encounter with Lee. she had given her some tissues and a nose sniffer thing as she had inhaled too much pollen. Selena tried to act serious but her lasting grin would remove any harshness from it. Lee then went on to say poor kon and how she had lost to rowan because of her illness. Good excuse thought Selena but it probably was true. At the mention of Hikaru, Selena fixed her hair, even though Lee had only mentioned him, Selena now knew better than to tempt fate. Again Lee mentioned Hikaru but subtly added that he was getting to like Selena. Selena's face would have turned pink but she was controlling her feelings rather well now. Beside she wanted to keep something from Lee, something about her and Hikaru. Lee then went slightly more dark. Selena did not look at her, but she could feel it. She then began to talk to Selena about her dark past and showed more scars. She also said how she wasn't sure she could tell Hikaru and mentioned how she only trusted Selena and Kon. Selena thought for a moment before looking back at Lee. "No offence but that's kinda dumb. As soon as he sees you he will figure it out. There is no need to be so worried. He is your brother he loves you. So just relax and tell him. the sooner the better. My opinion anyway." Selena said. "Beside, being a neko may give you an edge over him. Me however..." Selena said with a devilish smile She had manifested water at the tip of her finger. She knew nekos were petrified of water and lee was a fire mage, so super duper weak to her.

LeeAnn blinked at her comment. Now that she took time to think about it, she didn' remember that to be honest, but stay silent. Only a small smile shown on her lips in response. Her ears only with sideways giving a fact she was kinda uneasy about the subject of pity. The view was something she could not take her eyes off from. Though, Selena's reaction to what she mentioned her brother did catch her eye. The slayer's cheeks did turn a little pink from the mention of him. Her assumptions were right. There was something going on between them. To be honest, she could read that expression like a book. People always seem to give something away and it was her specialty to read their behaviors. They weren't always right, but she had a good lead most of the time. It took practice such as speech classes from her mother, body language studies from bars, reading about it and tips from her father. She was daddy's favorite out of her three siblings.

"Whatever the case maybe, I am thankful for my big brother. I just what's best for him' she finished as Selena was blushing. When she did go dark, she saw that Selena was paying attention. Her comment to it was more about the Neko. LeeAnn's ears flatten a little out of frustration. "No no no! Not being neko, the illness, how I was tortured, and the stuff inbetween. Being a Neko has nothing to do with it" she replied. When Selena finished saying it gives her more of an advanced to her. Water formed around her finger making the red heads eye widen and her tail puff up. Quickly, Lee fled faster than you could say "elephant". She stood thirty meters away from her. "You better not! I-I dont like water!!! I WILL BE WWWAAYYY OVER HERE" she cried out of fear.

Selena laughed at Lee's reaction, her other response flying over her head as she looked at Lee ran. After a moment of torturing Lee, Selena realized what she said. At once Selena's face dropped as the impact of the words hit her. Selena stopped at once, her water dissolving into nothingness as she went to Lee. "You mean to say-" she began her voice going serious "That you Still haven't told him about your illness! What the actual hell Lee! When are you gonna tell him? When he's on his death bed?!" Selena said in outrage. He thought Lee would have told him after their last meet in crocus, since she basically showed them all how she could drink the strongest beer like water, while the rest were getting tipsy as the smell. "Ugh sorry." Selena said before Lee could retaliate. She did not want another fight. "You can see why I'd - or anyone would be annoyed, like how many years have you had it? Yeah sure you only got the courage to tell people, but you told me first before you told him. Imagine if he found that out, or just found out about your illness." She said slightly exasperated. Sighing heavily she tilted her head slightly at Lee. "So when are you gonna tell him?" she then asked her.

The young redhead eased as the water dissolved from Selena's grasp into nothing but mana or water vapor. Whatever it turned into. She couldn't tell. LeeAnn started walked towards her. She noticed how she was starting to become slight irritated with something. The tension in her voice rung loudly. It pierced her ears as she jumped and looked a little caught off guard. She held a facial look on her face remained of a surprise. It came out of no where with the sudden mood change. Selena was furious that she hadn't told her brother about the illness. Easier said than done. This was her older sibling. The person she sought to look perfect for. The very person that wanted to have the spotless image she show that she had nothing wrong with her and if she did he would disown her much like her eldest brother. Her ears folded back with a wide eye as the other was covered with the eyepatch.

She blinked a little as time eased. Standing up straight, she took a deep sigh looking out into the distance thinking of how many times she has rehearsed this in the mirror. Selena apologized for her sudden shouting, which LeeAnn didn't seem to register yet. A delied reaction she had. Her only response was looking down at her boots then at Selena. She did have a point. He should of been the first to know and not the rest of the team. Kon was the first to know out of all of them. She just stared at her for a few moments after she finishe, not knowing what to say. Selena then asked with a slight tilt of her head when she was going to ask him. Slowly, LeeAnn sat down in the grass and laid back sat up at Selena. "Tomorrow" she replied. LeeAnn only stared at her trying to pull something together as a reply. Finally it came. "It's easier said than done. Sure, it was hard for me to tell people on the team, but telling a brother whom you look as a godly figure is even harder for me. I have another brother, one older than both Hikaru and I, a dark mage. He's...a disappointment to my father. I...dont want Hikaru to think of me that way. For as long as I could remember, I looked up to him. You could ask my father. I was very fond of Hikaru like how Hans is of me. Very. Hikaru was the golden child, he excelled more than me. Which is to be expected of someone older than you. Though.." she paused thinking. She knew for a fact her father knew of the illness. The reaction she had forgotten but he eventually gotten used to the fact she was being forced as a cannibal. Though, that was not anymore since becoming a neko. Now, it was more mice or deer meat she was eating and sometimes grass to help digest it.

She got up from laying down in the meadow and sat up. The sky was still clear with clouds dotting the skyscape. Her tail twitched a little at the very tip. "Though, I want him to see I...am like him. I want to be like my big brother. Strong. Not afraid of what people think of you. Loyal. Most of all, confident. I want to match his level. I probably never will, but I could try. I want to be worthy in his eyes and if not I am afriad of being disowned" she finished.

Selena noticed she made slightly uncomfortable as she spoke. Selena grabbed her left arm with her right hand, squeezing it a little trying to punish herself for over steeping her boundaries. Lee however said that she would tell Hikaru tomorrow. When Lee would look up she would see Selena wearing a relieved smile. Lee then went on to explain more about her relation ship with Hikaru and her other brother. Selena tried to mask a laugh with a cough but failed. She related too much with the idea of a relation being in a dark guild.  "Sorry, didn't mean to laugh. Just I can relate to having a relation with someone in a dark guild. Long story. I'll tell you some other time maybe." Selena said quickly changing the subject.  "But,I do see why you told me first. Thought it would make things easier? Right?" Selena asked. She was fairly certain that she was right.  "Well anyway, regardless he's your brother, he'd understand. Heck if a bitch like me can understand surely your own blood would?" she said giving lee a playful punch in the shoulder.  "Besides, he has to understand it's hard to not. And what ever you do not compare yourself to him. That can only lead to disasters. Maybe use him as a point to reach but don't compare yourself to him, cause your friends love you for who you are." Selena said, the last sentence a little exasperated. She did not like the lovey dovey stuff but Lee seemed like she needed it.  "Now since you want to be as good as your brother, how about we start right now?" Selena asked, a malevolent grin on her face.  "So put your armor back on! We gonna train!"

Selena looked to be trying to not be mean, but LeeAnn was not like how Kon was with her problems. Konstantin was a bit more sensitive with them like when Hans made a comment about your would rather have a little chaos in your life than total order, meaning it towards LeeAnn. It caused her cousin to flip out and just make things worse between the two of them especially on LeeAnn. She was the type to want things perfect. Perfectionist was the best word for that trait. She looked to trying to not laugh, but it really didn't bother her. At least she could understand where she was coming from. Somewhat.

She mentioned how a bitch like her could understand so why not her brother? Perhaps she was right. LeeAnn took a while to think about it. He would love her regardless. She never did anything illegal. Probably destroy a few buildings here and there, but that was normal behavior for defending the people of Fiore. They knew it was how she was. The last sentence Selena had said really did give her a shock as her ears perked up. Then she felt stupid for feeling like this "I suppose you're right. Why am I so blind to everything? I guess I just strive to be too perfect sometimes. I think I need to find who I really am. I lost myself a long time ago and masked it with someone else who I dont like. Someone a bit too sad and depressed and any at the world. My journey starts now" she said. She looked at the sky as she started standing up. Selena looked to be ready to fight. So she put on her armor and gave the water mage a warning look. "Hand to hand ONLY! NO WATER!!! OR ELSE" she hissed a warning.

"You' only starting now?" Selena said unable to hide her grin. "Better hurry to catch up." Selena then said. At the mention of training Lee went insane again. She said she only wanted hand to hand. Selena frowned noticeably now. "You'll never get over your fear of water unless you are thrown into it! So really I'd be doing you a favor by using my water magic, but don't worry i won't go all out." Selena said her grin back and winking at Lee. Selena had enough hand to hand at the tournament and she wanted to shake things up. Besides, Lee had a clear advantage with her claws in hand to hand while Selena only had her elegant hands. "So do you have the balls Nakamura?" Selena taunted.

LeeAnn knew she was not going to budge with the water. No water. She hated people who didn't agree with such terms. Her ears flattened as she just stood there looking at Selena. Slowly, she backed away as she said if she had balls calling her by her last name. LeeAnn looked a little hesitant. An alarm went off in her mind as she had her tail fuzzed up. "On...second thought I hear my laundry calling.BYE" she said as she stormed off. She ran as fast as she could to gain disance away from selena back to her hotel room.

-Exit-