Mass Confusion! [Angeal]

[Maximus Tyros]

Letting out a small whimper as consciousness returned to him, Max pried his eyes open. He was laying face down on some grass, and some blades had made their way into his mouth. Spitting it out, he slowly pushed himself up to his knees and shook his head, trying to get through the fogginess. The movement brought a fresh wave of pain and dizziness to his head, and he dropped his forehead onto the grass tiredly. What happened to me? Green eyes roamed the area after he had found the strength to sit back up again. He felt like he had been drugged with something.

Where...am I? The beautiful scenery was unfamiliar to Max, and he furrowed his brow as he tried to place where he was. There had been a great many locations he hadn't had time to visit yet on Ivalice, but he would have remembered hearing about something so...extraordinary. There was a small pool of water nearby that had steam rising from it. It looked incredible. Maybe he would visit it once he figured a few more things out. There were tall plants all around...and they were glowing!

"Hello?" he called out tentatively, wincing at the raspy quality of his voice. He cleared his throat and tried once more. "Is anybody there?" Max coughed into his hand and stood up shakily as he continued to look around. "Where am I?" he whispered to himself. The area seemed safe to him. Should I risk the hot spring? Unsure as to what his course of action should be, he inhaled deeply before letting it out in a confused sigh.

The teenager made his way over to the spring and bent over to touch it with his hand to judge the temperature. The movement made him dizzy, and he ended up dropping back down to his knees. Maybe I can just put my feet in and go from there. Max pushed himself backwards to land on his rear with a thump, and pulled his boots and socks off before rolling up his pant legs. Sticking both legs into the hot water he let out another sigh, this time of relief. That feels incredible! He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, simply enjoying the warmth of the spring.

[Angeal Hewley]

Angeal landed by the entrance of this new place. He knew that he was no longer in Gaia. He just never seen anything like this before. This new environment seemed so.... alive. He took off his glove and felt the hard rock underneath his palm. It felt so different than the rocks outside of Midgar.

"Everything looks so healthy, nothing like that wasteland." Angeal muttered as he went along. The heat from what seem to be hot springs made Angeal uncomfortable. Well more specifically his wings felt so sticky thanks to the heat and steam that emitted from the hot springs. He looked around and saw the flowers started.... to glow?

Angeal was confused on how could flowers glow like that, and at the same time he felt so relaxed by the sight. It is a bit different from the monsters he hand to fight on the way. This new environment seem so much feral, so much wilder than his world. Of course Angeal was already conditioned to fight anything in his way but if he had to compare both environments side to side, then this place is more dangerous.

"Is anybody there?"

Angeal heard a voice coming from deeper in the caverns. At least he had finally found someone in this place , maybe they could tell him where he was or to be more exact how did he get here when he was suppose to be, well dead. He still haven't been able to put away the wing like before, he wasn't sure it it was a permanent thing or just something that would go away in time.

However, now that he thought about it. How would this person react to his wings? Will that person fear him, look at him like the monster he was? He walks and saw a young man with his feet in the warm waters. Angeal raised an eyebrow and looked at the young man, almost without a care in the world. "Excuse me, do you know where I am?" He let out before he could fully think about it. He hoped that the young man didn't freak out or anything, not until he got some answers.

[Maximus Tyros]

Hearing the voice from behind him was unexpected, and Max let out a yelp as he jumped high in the air. He ended up sliding further into the hot spring, with the bottom of his pants getting wet as it came halfway up his thighs. As he turned to see who was behind him, he reached for his bow that he had laid beside him. He froze in his movements as he saw the man standing there, and assumed that he wasn't a threat. After all, he had snuck up on Max so well that if he had wanted to, he could have killed him without any backlash.

The realization that he had been so unprepared caused a flush to rise to Max's cheeks. "Um...pardon?" It wasn't that he hadn't heard the question, just that he had been wondering the same thing himself. "I'm afraid I...don't..." As he took a closer look at the man, he noticed something he had never seen before. He had a wing protruding from his back. Opening his mouth to say something more, he tilted his head in innocent confusion. Unfortunately nothing came to mind, and he ended up sitting there, half in the water, staring like a gaping fish at the stranger.

"You..." Pointing stupidly at the admittedly beautiful appendage, Max found himself still at a loss for words. It wasn't such a strange occurrence for him, but it didn't make it any easier for him to deal with. His blush deepened, and he eventually managed to pull himself out of the water. He frowned as his wet trousers clung to him. There was nothing more uncomfortable than staying in wet clothing. "I'm...sorry." he whispered in embarrassment. This man didn't need him pointing out the obvious. After all of the Viera he had met, he should have been used to seeing different...parts...on people. Just...not a hume.

Licking his lips nervously, he took a shaky breath and attempted to start again. "Um...I don't...exactly know...where we are." Max's stomach clenched at the helplessness he felt at his situation, and he found himself inwardly relieved that somebody else was in the same boat. Shifting awkwardly, he dropped his gaze to the ground. "I'm M-Max." he whispered. It was a start at least.

[Angeal Hewley]

"I'm afraid I...don't..."

Angeal looked at the young man who a yelped and jumped in the air when he turned around admit that he didn't know where this place was. It was strange but then again he didn't know if he was from this world or brought here like he was. "I see, so this means that you are lost like I am in this new place. It is troublesome really."

"You..."

Angeal felt his body shrink back in worry when the young man pointed at his wing. He was uncomfortable when the young man did that, Angeal was sure that he was the first man the young man had seen with such a thing. A wing that represented a lot of things, things that he lost because of his own doing. Things that he threw away when others believed in him, the monster that was reflected in the wings. He looked away slightly he didn't want the young man to think the wrong idea or something. Though he was sure that it was already way to late for that. "Yes? I assume that it is the first time you have see someone like me. A man with a monstrous wing on his back. I won't harm you if you're worried that I will behave like a monster.

Angeal gave the young man a hand as he pulled himself out of the water. The young man looked just like that, young. Right now he was worried not about himself but about the boy in front of him. As much as he was out here in the wilderness he did not seem like a fighter material. He actually felt bad for the young man if that was actually the case.

"Um...I don't...exactly know...where we are."

"Don't think too much about it, this means that you are lost like I am." Angeal stated, crossing his arms and looking around. "All we have to do is find a place to stay, maybe a town or a city. There has to be one somewhere right?" Angeal may had said that but he still had his doubts, he wasn't sure where he wasn't nor what could be dangerous in this place. He had to make sure that he didn't make a wrong move or else it will end horribly. "We need to find you a change a clothes as well, don't need you to get sick right now." There he was thinking like a SOLDIER again, seems that wont change. "We also need to find food if we don't find a way out of this jungle."

"I'm M-Max."

"My name is Angeal, it is nice to meet you Max." Angeal looked at the glowing flowers that were close by. "We'll get out of this together, its better to be with someone than alone in these types of situations."

[Maximus Tyros]

Max saw the effect his tactless gesture had on the winged man, and he dropped his eyes in shame. "I'm s-sorry." he whispered to his feet, but his head shot up in surprise when the man described his wing as 'monstrous'. That's not what I think at all! The wing was very beautiful, but as per usual the words got lodged in his throat when he made to speak. He didn't believe he would be harmed, as he had had the element of surprise and chose not to use it. Instead he simply accepted the help that was offered, and stood there dripping wet. He blushed once more under the scrutiny of the older man, and dropped his gaze back to his feet, shuffling awkwardly.

Thankfully the man broke the silence, admitting that he was lost and that they needed to find someplace to stay. We? Does that mean, he wants to travel with me? Max could only nod dumbly in response to the question about there being someplace around that could house them. The boy picked at his clothing, trying to stop it from clinging to him quite so much, and the movements must have caught the other man's attention as he commented on it. "Uh...yeah. I don't...want to get sick." he said quietly, and bravely raised his eyes to meet the other's. Food is a good idea too.

After learning that the other man's name was Angeal, Max felt marginally better about his situation. He didn't know why, but knowing names always made him feel a bit better. He offered Angeal a tentative smile, and wondered where they would go. Neither of them knew the area, but there had to at least be a cave or something nearby. "There...there has to be...something." That was helpful. Well done, Max. He already knows THAT. The Archadian went over to pick up his boots and socks, and winced as he squelched with each step he took. There was no point in putting his boots back on, since he was soaked through. His boots would take the longest to dry, so he needed to keep them as dry as he could. Turning back to Angeal, he shyly looked up at the man and opened his mouth to speak. Nothing came out, and he blushed once more before clearing his throat, trying to ignore the fact that his face was flaming red. "Um...where...should we start?"

[OOC: Feel free to have Max follow wherever Angeal goes haha]

[Angeal Hewley]

"I'm s-sorry."

Angeal wasn't sure what Max was sorry about. It wasn't Max's fault that he was the way he was. Angeal had to try and reassure the kid that it was alright. That he there was no reason to feel fear or shame when it came to him. After all he was just a stranger, he won't have an innocent. "Dont worry about it kid, you didn't know that's all. Cheer up alright?"

Looking at max felt like he was looking at a mirror of the past. The kid reminded him of Zack, though Zack was more outspoken it was still similar. They both looked so young when the first met both of them. So he couldn't just turn his back on the kid, he needed to help him.

"Uh...yeah. I don't...want to get sick."

"Don't be nervous around me Max, I'm going to keep an eye on you. I want to keep you safe, especially in this foreign world. That is my duty as a SOLDIER, well an ex-SOLDIER." Angeal looked at their surroundings. There was still so much they needed to do but the first thing was to keep the kid warm. They couldn't travel with the kid's clothes soaked. So there needed to be a change of plan. Angeal needed to find shelter for the two of them. "However we should find shelter for the day, we need to dry your clothes first. So let us go then."

He motioned Max to follow him deeper into the area. There might be a way out or a cavern that they could use. His mind was wrapped around what was he going to feed himself and Max. This world was not the same at Gaia, so his SOLDIER training on what's edible or not. After a while Angeal turn to see how Max was doing, he had to remember that Max wasn't a SOLDIER, that probably he didn't have much military training, if at all. The boy was just a civilian and it was Angeal's duty to take care of him. "How are you holding up Max? Are your feet ok? Do you need to rest?"

These questions were generally the ones he would ask any civilian. He glanced to the side and saw an entrance to some sort of Cave. He pulled Max with him as he got closer to the entrance. He pulled out his large broadsword and held it in one hand while he looked at Max. "Stay here, if you are in trouble yell alright?"

Angeal then started to thread lightly inside this cavern, he needed to make sure that it was safe for them to stay the night. Then he would figure out what to eat and where to get a drink. These were the basics of the basic but it was a necessity.

(OOC: You may control Angeal as you wish if need be)

[Maximus Tyros]

Offering Angeal a shaky smile, Max marveled at the man's confidence. Even with a massive wing like that, which obviously bothered him, he was still very in-control of himself. Why can't I be like that? The boy wondered what the man meant by being an ex-soldier. He certainly looked like he was still one! As the older man set off through the unknown area, Max kept close to him. His pants were still clinging to his legs which was irritating, but at least his whole body wasn't soaked. And my bow is dry, which is the important thing!

The trek was quiet, which suited Max just fine. It looked like Angeal was focusing on his surroundings, which the Archadian appreciated. If he's a soldier, he'll know what to do. Squelching across the ground, Max did his best to keep up with the stranger's pace. It didn't take long before he got tired. After all, Angeal's legs were much longer and...well the man was probably in much better shape than he was. Max wasn't in poor physical shape, but he was no soldier. Still, he attempted to keep up without complaint, though it took its toll on him as he started to stumble a bit over the uneven ground.

Max's eyes were towards the ground as he walked, trying to navigate over the rough terrain without embarrassing himself too much more. He nearly went down to his knees, but caught himself just in time. Since his head was down, he didn't see when Angeal stopped and turned around, and he nearly crashed into the man. His face flaming, he glanced up when he was questioned on how he was doing, but he had to catch his breath first. Simply giving the man a nod that yes, he was alright, he attempted to get his breathing under control. "I'm..." That was as far as he got as he was pulled to one side. The movement was unexpected, and he let out a yelp of surprise.

Stumbling along after Angeal, he stopped at the opening of the cave and looked at the man in confusion. Stay here? That doesn't seem very safe. We should stick together. Though admittedly he would be fairly useless in such a tight area. Arrows didn't do well in confined spaces. "A...alright. If you say so." he said quietly, and watched as Angeal disappeared into the darkness. A small breeze had picked up, and he shivered lightly as the cool air blew over his wet pants. Good thing he found somewhere!

Being alone again caused Max's attention to wander a bit. Spinning slowly in place, he looked around at the new area. He had missed much of the journey by intending to stay on his feet. The boy didn't even notice that he had started shivering, as he waited at the mouth of the cave. Sure is taking him a while. Actually it hadn't been that long but...it felt like a while with the chill that was running through him. Angeal was right, I can't afford to get sick. Poking his head inside the cave, he frowned when he couldn't see very far. If he ducked into the opening, he could at least get blocked from the breeze. He could feel his body shivering now, and it worried him slightly.

Crouching down inside the mouth of the cave, Max perched on his behind and pulled his knees up to his chest as he waited. He was careful not to touch his pants to the rest of his clothing aside from his sleeves, and he nestled back against the wall semi-comfortably. He didn't like the darkness of the cave, but he had to admit it was slightly warmer inside. Now all that's left is to wait for Angeal.

[Angeal Hewley]

Angeal went on in the cavern, he tighten his fists. He knew that his new sword wouldn't be able to do much considering that it was a small area. His materia was also out because even if he could use it freely as before it might cause the cavern to collaspe due to the magic. So that only left his fist as he only weapon. Which was fine with him, he prefered to fight with his fist than with his weapons. Especially when he had his old sword, anything to avoid it getting damaged.

As he ventured deeper into the cavern he was surprised that there wasn't any beasts in this cave. He had ran into a few before he met Max, they were similar to the ones back in Gaia and yet so much different. But so far there wasn't any sign that a beast has been around, yet. He couldnt let his guard down, for all he knew he would probably find a Zolom, knowing his luck. Angeal let his gloved hand touch the rocky walls, he wanted to feel the earth on his fingers. 'This is so different from Midgar, and yet I can't help but to like this place.'

Angeal saw something in the darknes, thanks to his soldier vision he was able to see through the darkness better than most. He could see that there was a way out, so it seemed. Angeal sprinted towards where the opening was and went though it. He wasn't expecting to find anything in this cavern. What he saw was an expansion of the cavern there were two bodies of water, one was a small stream which landed on a pond. While the other was a large area, Angeal figured that it was connected to the springs.

Angeal ran back to where Max was, the kid was probably freezing. It was one of those situations that he wished that he own a coat like Genesis. At least then he would be able to offer it to him, to keep him warm. However, he had none so he had to work with what he has. He saw the kid sitting near the cave entrance. He slowed down and crouch down next to him. "Max, are you feeling alright?" Angeal noticed that the kid was shivering. "I found a stream deeper in the cave, we can head there if you want. I also need to find us some wood and something to eat."

Angeal was at a loss of what to eat, he wasn't native to this world and neither was Max. He didn't know what was edible, he saw a couple of plants that could be edible, and some fruit trees close by. However it would be a gamble if he picked any of those. If he picks something posionous then he might be at risk of killing Max and himself.

"What do you want to do Max?" Angeal asked. He sat next to Max, he could feel the ground that the wing was touching. "Do you want to try to dry your clothes on their own before we find some firewood and food? Or do you want me to fetch those things?" Angeal placed his arm around Max's shoulder and brung him close. If the kid was cold then he would just give off some bodyheat. His mother and Zack used to say that he was like a furnace.

Angeal felt a little at peace with himself, he was the type that enjoyed to take care of others. And right now his main concern is Max, he could worry about his guilts and regrets later when the kid wasn't watching. "Whatever you decide I will abide, so dont you worry. "

[Maximus Tyros]

Hearing hurried footsteps approaching him, Max only turned his head to find Angeal quickly approaching. He didn't think of the fact that it could have been a monster, and he would have been in big trouble if it had been. Silently watching the older man drop down next to him, he listened as Angeal told him about what he found in the cave. His grip tightened around his wet knees as he wondered just what to say. Am I alright? I don't know. He would live, that was certain. But he was getting awfully cold sitting there. Drying his clothes sounded like the better option, but they needed supplies as well. I can't count on Angeal to do everything himself.

"I..." The teenager wasn't expecting the arm to slide around him, and he jumped at the first touch. But he was warm. He was completely conflicted about what he should do. Should he pull away? Claim he was alright? Or accept the fact that he needed help and allow Angeal to provide it? In his indecision, he simply sat there tensely for a few moments before the warmth did its job. He slowly started to relax against the warm body next to him, reveling in the warmth.

If this was how it felt to depend on someone, it wasn't so bad. Max was still pretty nervous, but it was tolerable right now. "You're warm." was all he said for the moment as he relaxed even further against Angeal. No...I have to decide what to do. Focus, Max! The body heat was making him sleepy, and focusing was getting harder and harder to do. His shivers died down a bit more and he dropped his head tiredly on the muscular shoulder that supported him. "Should probably...get dry." he mumbled, but still didn't move.

Get up! Don't make Angeal do everything! Letting out a small sigh, he squirmed a bit as he tried to sit up. Eventually making it back upright, he reluctantly pulled away from the warmth in order to get to his feet. The chill hit him again, and he let out another shiver that he ignored. Max rubbed his arms once he was on his feet and offered Angeal a very hesitant smile. "We can go now...if you want..." But what about the supplies? He would just go along with whatever Angeal decided in the end, whether it was the best choice of action or not. Though since he was a soldier, he would likely make the appropriate choice anyway. He just didn't want to fully rely on the man (though that was kind of what he was doing now anyway).

"I c-can help...if you want. Y-you...decide."

[OOC: Feel free to move him a bit to go along with your next post He's pretty pliable right now haha]

[Angeal Hewley]

Angeal wondered if he had gone too far with how close he was. Sure he was trying to provide warmth for Max so that he wouldn't get sick. But with how he felt Max tense under him, the kid might be thinking something that he shouldn't. However, right now Max was cold and he was basically a walking furnance. He placed his hand on Max's hair and started to lightly ruffle it. "Don't worry kid, you're safe with me. I'm not going to hurt you, I swear by my honor that I wont."

Angeal wasn't sure how long was her there with Max, but during the course of of time he could feel Max slowly relax next to him. He could feel that he was no longer shivering, which was a good thing. He could feel that some of that tense feeling in the air died down. Angeal would have to make sure not to scare the kid in the future.

"You're warm."

"Thank you, my mother and my friends always said that I was a walking furnace." Angeal chuckled, he needed to smile through this. He needed to stay strong for Max. Right now he was the oldest of the two, he needed to stay together and get them both through this. So that he could return Max home, to where he would be better off. Angeal was sure of it. "Just stay close to me if you get cold. I don't mind, especially if its to warm you up."

"Should probably...get dry."

Angeal could feel the kid fully relax, his hearing could pick up his breathing, which was getting heavier. He was falling asleep and Angeal didn't mind, the kid must have gone through a lot. He was scared of being in a foreign world. He needed this comfort and Angeal didn't mind giving it to him. It was strange but acceptable exchange, it made Angeal that he could see help someone. However the feeling was short lived when Max wiggled out of his arm and stood up. He caught the slight shiver that Max gave but decided not to point it out. He looked back up at the kid's eyes.

"We can go now...if you want..."

"Alright, follow me." Angeal stood up and began to walk to the deeper end of the cavern. He made a mental checklist of what he needed to get for both of them. Food, firewood were the top priorities on his list. Angeal glanced back at Max from time to time, just to see if h was alright. Max was not a soldier and Angeal had to remind himself from time to time. "Were almost there Max, at least we have a stream in which we can drink water. We can rest, it seems that there are no monsters as of yet. At least I didn't see any."

"I c-can help...if you want. Y-you...decide."

Angeal could hear in Max's voice the kid's nervousness. He let out a small sigh as they finally arrived at the place that Angeal found not too long ago. He wasn't that intimidating, at least he didn't think. Back in ShinRa recruits were afraid of him because he their superior officer. But this, it didn't made much sense to him. "You don't need to be nervous Max, I am here to protect you. And right now, well you are still wet and you could get sick if you follow me in getting stuff. So I think its best if I go and get some firewood and something to eat. There has to be something here right?"

Angeal might have said that but he was still lost as to what were they going to eat. Mushrooms would be a no, also berries because some are extremely poisonous. So that means he would need to look for s large fruit similar to what he is familiar. "Just sit tight and I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise by my honor I wont leave you behind."

Angeal turned on his heel and took off, he needed to find something to eat and firewood by the end of the day. Or else both Max and himself would starve. As he came out of the cavern he threw his hand in front of the entrance and concentrated. He needed to place all his concentration. The materia had to work. A light blue and green screen appeared at the door. It wasn't the most efficient way to use a spell but at least it would keep monsters from entering. "I need to get moving, I can't let the kid wait for me too long." Angeal started to head back from where he met Max, intent on finding some supplies.

[Maximus Tyros]

Angeal's offer rang in Max's ears, and he gave a tentative smile as he followed after the older man. He's being so nice to me. Max wasn't big on physical contact, but he had to admit that the warmth Angeal possessed had been extremely beneficial to his chilled body. He followed a couple of steps behind the soldier, determined to not slow the man down any longer. He latched onto the front of his jacket as he walked, mainly to give his hands something to do. It was fairly dark in the cave, but he could still see at least somewhat. It was difficult though, which was another reason he stayed close to the soldier. He already seems to be comfortable here. Angeal checked on him occassionally, and even offered him some verbal support to which he could only nod to.

Eventually, they came to an opening in the cave, and Max looked at Angeal as them an let out a sigh. His head tipped curiously, but he couldn't help the flinch that hit him when the older man commented on his nervousness. I can't help it! It wasn't that he distrusted the soldier, he just wasn't good with people. But articulating that was a whole other story, and not very likely to happen. At least not yet. Instead, all he said was a very quiet, "Alright." in agreement. He would stay put and wait for Angeal to get back.

"I'm sorry." he whispered guiltily after the man was out of sight. Looking around, Max let out a sigh of his own as he could hardly see anything. There was a small amount of light trickling in from somewhere, and he could see water reflecting it close by. Shuffling carefully over towards the edge of the stream, he crouched down next to it and used the cool water to wipe down his face. Shaking his hands off to get rid of the excess water, he then wiped them on his jacket to get them fully dried off. Gently touching his hand to his pants, he found them not quite as wet and cold as they had been before. They were starting to stiffen up though, the more they dried.

Looking around as best he could, Max decided that the best choice of action would be to stay by the water. Taking a seat on the hard ground, the boy brought his knees to his chest as he mimicked his earlier pose while he waited for Angeal to return. It's pretty creepy in here. It was a little scary not to be able to see anything around him, but the darkness brought forth his drowziness once more. "Don't be long...Angeal." he mumbled to himself as he rested his head on his knees. I can't fall asleep. There might be something else in here. However, in no time at all, he was fast asleep.

[Angeal Hewley]

Angeal continued on his way back towards the caverns. He had been gone for a couple of hours he estimated. In the course of the time he was able to find food. Most of the time was used in observing the beasts that roamed around. He had to pay close attention of what the animals ate and what did they stay away. Luckily some of these fruits looked like the ones from back home. In a makeshift sack he made with some vines he found. Waved them together like a net and he had himself a sack.

Angeal loaded the sac with fruits that looked like what he knew. fruits that looked like apples, grapes, pineapples, and oranges. He wasn't sure if that's what they were called in this world but that is the closest thing he could come up with. In his other arm he carried the firewood he found on the way back. This should be enough for the night. They could go and find more food later. At least now they had something to keep themselves alive.

"What a strange world, there are so many trees so much wildlife. Its so rich and beautiful." Angeal was a man of the earth, he enjoyed the nature as how it was, which is why he kept plants in his apartment back in ShinRa. However, now Angeal needed to keep his head clear and make sure that Max would be taken care off, at least until they got into some sort of city or town. The kid was his responsibility and Angeal will make sure that nothing happens to him.

He arrived to the cave that they found, Angeal saw that the barrier he placed was still in effect, it was draining him little by little, but as long as nothing Dangerous doesn't come by then they will be fine. Angeal passed through the barrier and kept going, his vision was quickly getting accustomed to the darkness that the cave offered. After a bit more he arrived at the area where he left Max.

"Max I came back, are you holding up alright?" he called out. He set the firewood and the sack of fruits close to the stream of water. He looked around and saw Max in his earlier position, fast asleep. Angeal let out a small smile before he got to work. He took some of the firewood and some flint. he then took two stones and started to strike them together. The sparks could be seen through the darkness. Soon, the flint caught itself on fire and started to spread through the firewood. The fire started to light up part of the cave. "He fell asleep again." He took out a piece of fruit and placed it close to where Ma was so that he would be able to find it when he wakes up.

Angeal looked behind him to the larger body of water. He glanced back at Max and figured that he would be fine. He took a few steps until he was at the edge of the water, he touched it with his hand and could feel the heat coming from it. It almost felt like some sort of hot springs. 'Its has been a while...'

Angeal started to take off his clothing, he figured that a small dip in this springs would not be that bad. Besides if anything tried to surprise him then he would just have to overpower them. Once he was out of his clothes he took a few steps into the water. He wasn't sure how deep the water would go, but he kept his wing spread out. He continued until he was waist deep. He started to wash himself, trying to get rid of the dirt. Though he stopped at the scar he had on his stomach. It was a vertical scar that was a reminder of what happened at the end of his first life.

Angeal kept himself in silence, letting the warm waters relax him.

[Maximus Tyros]

Max dreamt as he slept. His dreams were all over the place, combining past memories with fictional events. His current dream started out in the water, completely submerged as he attempted to swim away from an aquatic monster. He was completely out of his element, and the monster definitely had the upper hand. The salt water was burning his eyes as he turned his head to see how far away it was, with his arms and legs working hard to get him through the water. I need air. Kicking even harder to reach the surface, his fingertips brushed the edge of the water before he felt something wrap around his ankle, and yanked back down.

A bubbled cry escaped his mouth before he clamped it shut again, and squeezed his eyes shut as he strained to keep it closed. The urge to breathe was overwhelming him, and he struggled against the grip on his ankle. It was a serpent-like creature, similar to a water snake of some sort. All of a sudden his was moving up again, towards the surface, and he gasped for air as he broke through the water in between harsh coughs. Max was hanging upside down by his ankle as the creature stared at him, its mouth opening slowly showing larger than average fangs. It let out a nasty hiss as its head moved closer, and the teenager whimpered a bit in fear as he tried to pull free from the tail's grip. It was no use though, as the head of the snake suddenly lunged forward. "Nooooooo!"

Max jerked awake with a gasp (thankful that it wasn't the scream he used in his dream), and pitched sideways as he fell off balance. He put his hand out to stop himself from falling, and ended up crushing one of the fruits that had been placed next to him. There was also light in the cave now, where before there had been none. "A-Angeal?" The Archadian's hand was sticky from the fruit juice, and he made a face as he stared at it. Where is he? It didn't take long to locate the older man, as the light from the fire illuminated the cave enough to see the majority of it.

"When...when did you get back?" he questioned softly as he stood up and moved over to the water's edge. He didn't mean to stare, but the beautiful wing was completely unfurled. The man is trying to BATHE. Don't stare. Embarrassed at his observation (not at the fact that he was bathing, but that Max had been staring at him while he was bathing), he dropped his eyes to his hands as he rubbed them together trying to rid the stickiness from them. I should clean myself up too. Once his hands were clean, he shrugged out of his thick coat and plunged it into the water. It was covered in dirt and some animal blood, but with some good scrubbing it came clean. He shook it out slightly before turning and placing it as close to the fire as he could without fear of it catching a stray flame. He did the same with his shirt and pants, before quickly getting into the water.

Letting out a relieved sigh as the warmth hit him, he submerged all the way to his neck and simply stayed crouched that way, bobbing occassionally as he regained his balance in the water. His eyes strayed back to Angeal curiously, or rather to the man's wing, before they darted back to the crackling fire. "Um...An-Angeal? Can I...ask you a question?" Max was already uncomfortable with starting the conversation, but he had been curious about it since he had first seen it. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Angeal's face instead of the wing. "What...does it feel like? It looks...soft..." His eyes shifted back to the wing with fascination before returning to Angeal. "Does it...hurt?"

[Angeal Hewley]

Angeal let his body relax in the water, being in the hot spring was a good idea. His muscles get getting less tense and he was letting everything melt away, even if it was for a few minutes. He scooped up some water and splashed his face. Angeal knew he was over thinking things, he couldn't help it. Coming back from the dead was supposed to be impossible. Yet here he was, taking a bath in the hot springs.

'Where do we go from here, neither of us have any idea where the next city might be.' Angeal thought as he splashed his hair, getting it all wet. He thought back on what he was going to do with Max. Angeal had to keep in mind that he wasn't alone right now, that he had someone that needed him. And, if he was honest with himself, he liked having someone who needed him. It made him feel that he could still help and save people rather than just destroy them. 'We will need to pick a direction and go from there I guess.'

"A-Angeal?" Angeal glanced back at the sound of his name. It looked like Max woke up from his sleep. Angeal continued to wash himself, keeping his back towards Max's direction. He didn't want Max to see his scar, it might scare the kid as far as Angeal knows. He could hear the kid's footsteps getting closer to the springs. "When...when did you get back?"

"It hasn't been long since I came back." Angeal just stood there, watching the waters for a moment before he glanced back. "Well you were sleeping so I thought I could get in the springs for a bit. Are you alright?" Angeal was always concern for the kid, he couldn't help it at times. "Are you going to get in, the water is great and its nice to get cleaned up."

"Um...An-Angeal? Can I...ask you a question?"

Angeal heard when Mex got into the springs, he was still a bit away from him. He glanced around before setting his eyes on Max, he was thankful for his SOLDIER vision, it meant that he could see a bit clearer than a normal person. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Max's head poking out of the water. He really wished that Max wasn't so nervous around him at times. Angeal figured that it would take a while before he was comfortable with him. "What is it?"

"What...does it feel like? It looks...soft..."

"What does what feel like?" Angeal was confused until he followed Max's gaze to the thing he was looking at. He saw that the kid was looking at him wing. Angeal didn't really know what to tell him, he couldn't tell the kid that he despised the thing. That it held a reminder of what he was, a monster. It was strange that Max asked, then again most people would be curious about it. "Well... it feels just like it would an arm or a leg. It is just part of me. "

"Does it...hurt?"

"Not really," Angel shook his head. "Well if you tug at it or if you pull out several feathers at a time I'm going to feel that. Though its a pain at times. For instance I cant dive into the water because it would make it heavier than it should"

Angeal looked at the camp fire. felt that a few more minutes before he got out and ate something. Before he did he looked at Max. "So what was your world like?" He asked. "Is it any different from this one?"

[Maximus Tyros]

Max didn't quite know how to answer Angeal's question. He was alright, but he was so lost and confused that it didn't feel alright. But he wasn't about to complain. Not after everything Angeal had done for him. So he stayed silent as he entered the water. Angeal was clearly confused by his question, and Max winced as he realized that though it was lighter, it was still dark. And he had simply called the wing an 'it'. Stupid. A few moments of silence followed Angeal's question in return, but Max couldn't bring himself to correct his mistake. But thankfully, he figured out what the teen had been talking about, and gave a rather nonchalant answer. But...it must feel differently.

He was glad to hear that it didn't hurt him, though. His lips twitched in the briefest of smiles before he dropped lower into the water so it came up over his mouth. I'll remember not to pull on it. If he ever got that close, that is. Angeal turned the question on him and it caused Max to tilt his head in thought. The movement brought his head deeper into the water, and he jerked back as it brought back memories of his dream. Max inhaled as he did so, and choked on some of the water as he came up spluttering and wiping his face. Coughing a few more times to clear his throat, he felt his face heating up in embarrassment.

Trying to put the episode behind him, he glanced over at Angeal. "U-um...my world?" A few more coughs escaped him, and he decided his best choice was to stand up straight to avoid a similar occurrence. "I...I come from...Ivalice. It's...it was..." How can I explain it? Looking away, over towards the fire, he let out a sigh. I can't describe all of Ivalice. "It was...it had all kinds of different...places. All with different scenery. Forests, mountains, deserts, you name it. Different countries...different cultures. I haven't seen it all, but...I wanted to." It was the most he had said in one fell swoop, and he felt his face heat up in embarrassment again. He had barely even faltered, too!

"I...is it different? I think...it is. It must be." Max was feeling overwhelmed again, and he glanced over at Angeal. "Um...what...about yours? Your world...I mean." The teen managed to look at Angeal for longer than a few seconds, before dropping his eyes back to the water. This is silly...talking across the whole spring. Dropping deeper into the water again, he slowly crept closer to the ex-SOLDIER. He stopped a couple of feet away, but it was more out of respect than fear. The man was bathing after all. Max started to srub at his own body to clean himself as his clothing continued to dry by the fire as he waited for Angeal to tell him about his world.