h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*this garden seems to be eternally in the part of day just before the sun fully sets; there are streaks of reds, golds, oranges, yellows and bronze in the sky which is still faintly blue in some parts*

*the garden is wild and yet it has grown in a way which seems comfortable and safe, there are trees and flowers of all descriptions and a sweet scent fills the air around*

*the climate is warm with a gentle, but refreshing breeze blowing*

*there is a small stone path amongst the vines and grass, it is obscured from view at times but always re-emerges, it leads to a huge oak tree on which hangs a home-made swing and, just further along, a wooden bench in a sheltered copse of trees*

*running water can be heard deeper into the garden and a stream becomes a clear lake at the foot of a sycamore tree; there is a small pier and three wooden rowing boats tethered*

*Sota enters the garden slowly, leading himura by the hand*

*himura being led by sota follows into the garden* "what is this place sota?"

It is a place very dear to me, you are the first mortal to set eyes on it...it is a private place and we are safe here

*she leads him to the bench and sits*

*sits beside sota, her beauty amplified by the beauty of the garden, shocks of colour reflecting in her obsidian eyes*

Do you know what I am himura?

"an angel?" *himura realises how childlike he sounded as he utters the words too late to grab them back*

A fallen angel

*pain fills her eyes as she continues*

I was cast away when I killed a fellow angel; he had seduced a mortal woman and impregnated her. Out of shame and fear he killed the young mortal girl to hide his crime, I was angry...I have never been that angry but I saw red and I..I killed him

*she stops and steadies herself*

I regret my actions every day. I thought life was unbearable, I am cut off from those I care about, the Power we angels can use now has a taint for me which both sickens and destroys me.

*she smiles through the tears which are now running down her face*

But now...I have fallen in love

*sees sotas tears and holds her to him an dkisses the top of her head* "i...dont know what to say"

Tell me what you feel....please

"helpless and weak, and erm..well.. i love you too, since you healed my wounds after my battle with mar-tak..." *himura looks at the floor and falls silent, a tear rolls down his cheek, he knows that one day he will have to leave her to find the fiend*

Why are you crying?

*takes a deep breath and wipes his eyes* "no reason m...sota"

*she kisses him softly on the lips*

Please don't cry

*himura grabs sotas hand and kisses it* "you no doubt know all about my past and therefore must know why one day i must leave."

No, I don't know why you must leave

*her obsidean eyes fill with tears*

Tell me

10 years ago when i was 8 years old, a group of dunmer, dark elves led by the elder mar-tak, came ripping through my country, nihonjin, going from village to village, decimating and pillaging all they see and slaughtering everyone, one morning they came to my village, and in front of my eyes ripped my family to shreds my brother my sisters my father and mother all gone in an instant, i hid behind a screen door, untill they left, when i was sure the coast was clear i came out... i buried my family and swore on their graves that i would kill him, then with nothing left but my fathers sword and started my journey, a few days passed and i was stopped half starved by a travelling ronin in need of a pupil, he trained me for 9 years before banishing me for my hot headedness i wanted to hunt the bastard who killed my family down he wanted me to stay saying i was not ready...and i guess i wasnt.
*himura tells his story with nary a pause and when he's finished he realises he is crying again, he scalds himself for being so weak*

*wipes the tears from his face*

I will help you to find him

"r..really?.... NO you cant you might get hurt.. or worse"

*himura stands at NO to try and get his point across*

*takes his hand, her hand is cold as death to the touch*

It takes a lot to hurt me....I think, I believe...only you leaving me now could truly hurt me