Definitely not trying to share these

[heartofalion]

Leon was out and about. He didn't pay attention to much to his surroundings, because going to the Coliseum to fight for him was just 'another day at the office'. So he kept his eyes straight ahead and kept moving. There was a fight lined up and he fully intended to lay the person out flat.

As he walked towards his destination, Leon could feel the fire inside of him rolling around and he couldn't wait to use it.

But as he continued, a lone veined leaf got stuck inside of the fluff of his jacket and he pulled it out to look at the offender that dared snag itself in the white lining.

And that's when the memories came out when he looked at it quizzically.

Comments

[skyward_eyes]

Me? I'm high ranked in combat levels, but I understand my limits.

[heartofalion]

[He nodded.]

If you can't take them solo, then that means they gotta be pretty tough.

[skyward_eyes]

[Nida had to laugh at that.]

They are, but I was not a monster hunting specialist, so I'm not really the best way to gauge how strong they are.

[heartofalion]

Monster hunting specialist.

[He shook his head.]

That's quite the place you come from.

[skyward_eyes]

[Nida offers a chuckle in response.]

Mercs got to specialize to not step on the toes of other mercs.

[heartofalion]

[He's trying to figure this all out, really.]

So you guys had a hierarchy then?

[skyward_eyes]

I mean, yes. There were ranks. But that doesn’t mean there was a hierarchy in all sorts of ways. We were an organization together, and we tied talents together when needed. I could do other things, but I was primarily trained in information acquisitions.

[That’s the polite way of saying ‘spying when it came to it’.]

[heartofalion]

[That description of how things were set up had him move his head to the side as he pondered what he was hearing.]

Too bad that information gathering wouldn't be useful here since those that brought us here aren't even sure of things themselves.

[skyward_eyes]

Exactly. Little to no use for an old intel man like myself. So I content myself with guard duties. I can still help people. And sharp eyes are good for noticing pick pockets.

[heartofalion]

[The pick pocket comment got him to smile.]

So that's what you do here? You're a guard?

[skyward_eyes]

Yep. Man of my skills doesn't have a lot less he can do.

[heartofalion]

[Leon nodded.]

How did you get into that?

[skyward_eyes]

[Oh boy, now there was a story.]

I'm an orphan. Which doesn't seem like it's an answer to the question, but it really is.

[heartofalion]

Leon shook his head. "If that's the answer you want to give, that's fine."

He's not going to push someone.

[skyward_eyes]

"I mean, that's the real explanation. Orphans in my world, there were so many of us after the wars. And the Gardens took us in. The Gardens train mercenaries. Not everyone goes into that field, sticks to it, but we're all combat trained, and a lot of us are deeply loyal."

[heartofalion]

Leon blinked a few times. "So this garden takes you in, but trains you to be a warrior. That's the price of their kindness?"

Maybe it wasn't as he was picturing it, but it sure sounded like it. Take orphans who don't have a home or family, but then give them one in exchange for fighting for this new family with their lives.

[skyward_eyes]

"Most people find that problematic," he says with a smile. "They think we're sorta evil for it. And then pay to have us deal with their problems."

[heartofalion]

Leon's not sold on the idea even if in some ways it made sense. So he gave Nida a sort of dubious look.

"Sounds like a cycle of something."

[skyward_eyes]

"Yes, there is always that potential," Nida answered with a smile. "Though when it comes to it, the Gardens have only been around since I was a child. We'll see how it goes."

[heartofalion]

Hearing about this whole thing was giving him a headache. Still, the comment had him puzzled.

"So this system hasn't been around a long time?"

[skyward_eyes]

"Nope. Basically it was started by a pair of orphanage owners because of a time loop."

Yep, time loops. Stable time loops. He hates those so much.

[heartofalion]

"Time loop." Leon echoed softly with an odd expression.

"What does one of those have to do with it?"

[skyward_eyes]

"Oh, everything. Apparently most of my lifetime has been part of a relatively stable time loop. Things happened because someone told a person in the past that they would happen," Nida said. IT was a mess.

[heartofalion]

Leon was more than sure he'd receive a headache at some point soon with trying to figure this out.

"And you said this happened recently."

[skyward_eyes]

Oh yes, it was such a headache. Nida tried not to remember too much.

"Technically it's been happening since I was a child, and won't close for at least another century? Perhaps even longer?"