Kaoru brightened up as he allowed her to fix his wing. She looked at the towel that she'd laid on the ground after it'd started burning up more. She had another one. She checked her other pouch and then started for his wind when he actually spoke to her. It had caught her off guard to be truthful. She didn't think he would speak unless spoken to. She turned her head and focus on his wind. The base of it was pretty bad. So it was acid, she could handle it. "I have the day off so I decided to come check this place out, never really had the time up until now." She wiped off his wing as gently as she could. When she was done she got some medical tape out. "Why are you in the Unknown?" She asked. She poured a bit of water above the wound so it wouldn't all fall directly on him. When she was done she dabbed the water off and started to wrap the wing with medical tape. She smiled to herself. You'd think I'm a medical ninja considering how well I'm handling this.

He'd seen her shocked expression. It was actually quite amusing. "I see," he said plainly when she told him that she'd simply had the day off. "Most people go to the park or the movies on their day off," he stated. Hell, she was probably gonna be taking care of him for a little while more, so why not start up some kind of conversation? Cross hated awkward silences, and did his best to avoid them. His large black wing twitched when the water was poured on it, and Cross's body seemed to tense at the same time. Any other place on his body wouldn't have hurted nearly as much. Any other place he could deal with the pain. One could say that Cross's wings were his greatest weakness. "Training," he told her when she asked why he was here. He thought it was a pretty legitimate excuse. Foolish, but legitimate. Anyone who wished for greater strength had probably came here to train. And those who had heard that part alone would've gone to train in the Unknown. Gone, but not come back.

Kaoru worked shock. He was talking to her! She couldn't get the thought out of her head. When the wing twitched she snapped out of it. She shrugged at his comment on normal days off. "Most people go to the training grounds when they wish to train," she countered. It was just a joke though, she hoped he didn't take it too seriously. She stepped back to examine the wing. She wondered how they worked, or if he had much control over them, they seemed to move on their own accord. Sitting back she set the towel down and looked at him curiously. What village was he from? She couldn't tell by his clothing, nor did she see a headband. Interesting indeed this man was. Kaoru was checking him over from a distance, trying to find anymore acid amongst his wings. "Anymore acid?" She asked when she could not find any from where she sat. She'd left the question very broad so it wasn't just directed to his winds, but all over.

Finally, Cross let a smirk come over his face when she said that most people went to the training grounds to train. Had he gone there, there'd have been no one willing to spar with him, he was sure of it. Besides, he'd found that most people at the training grounds are rather...uninteresting. He could kill them in one motion, put simply, so they rather bored him. That had been a touche moment, but he didn't say touche. Ever. "I'm not most people," he said with the same light smirk. When she asked if there was anymore acid, the smirk faded and he shrugged lightly, ignoring the sudden burning in his shoulder. "I don't think you have quite enough towels," he said. And though it didn't show on his face, he was actually making a light joke out of it.

Kaoru would have sworn him to be bipolar if she wasn't so open minded about things. Maybe he just had trust issues. She could understand that. After the whole Remus, Kinaga, Rumiko thing she'd had quite enough time to consider who and who not she was going to trust from now on. "Better to be unique than dull," she commented. She couldn't believe he was at least smirking instead of that look he'd been giving her since the time she'd stepped up. She looked back into the forest and then to Cross. She wasn't sure how to take that last comment.

Cross nodded when the girl...when Kaoru said that it was better to be unique than dull. He almost gave a smile at that. But Cross rarely smiled, a smirk was usually the best you could get out of him when he was amused. When she looked around and said nothing, his wings flapped heavily once, lifting him to his feet, but making sure not to hit the girl in any way. "While appreciate your help...I think it would be best if the both of us got clear of this place," he told her. The Unknown was not safe for someone in his condition, and he did not know if this woman could fight or not. While he did have some form of chivalry when it came to women, he would not risk his life for someone he just met. He was far from feeling fine, and it had taken a lot out of him to even flap his wings with that amount of strength one time. Even walking could be an issue for him at this point, though his legs weren't injured. His shoulders, his stomach, his broken arm, all of them would be a great hindrance to him should another threat have found him. This place was not likely to spare him even though he was a frequent visitor.

Kaoru held back a surprised gasp when he suddenly flapped his wings and got up. That was pretty cool. Her mind exited child mode when he said he appreciated her help. Was he seriously planning on leaving? He was still injured! Did he even have a place to go? She stopped thinking in overdrive as he continued by tell her they should get out of the Unknown. Kaoru stood up, making sure to grab the water and towel, despite it's half burned fabric. She wasn't sure what was in this forest, but from the way he spoke, she figured it was nothing good. She didn't want to fight today either, not when he was this badly injured. She looked to him as she started to walk, keeping pace next to him. "That creature must have put up quite the fight."

Cross walked as best as he could in his condition, pushing his body to hold up, at least until they left this deadly place. While he did not care for this girl, he would not put her in harm's way because he was injured. He would not risk his life for her, but he would not put her in harm's way for his sake either. Though he was a cold individual, Cross would not be cruel. He took no joy in doing such things. At least, not all the time. As he walked, his gaze finally left her as he looked in front of himself as he walked forward. The first time since she'd come along that he'd taken her out of his line of vision. "Had I been able to get closer to it, I would've had no problem, but it's defensive odor made anything within twenty feet rot. It wasn't very smart, but it was dangerous nonetheless," he told her. He hoped that she understood he was giving her a warning. This place was dangerous, not to go wandering about unless you wanted to get into a fight. Unless you were prepared to come face to face with something that could very well be the death of you.

Kaoru's focus was on the ground. She'd noticed that he'd finally stopped looking at her as if she was going to pounce at any given moment. Why was he so cautious? She'd helped him. "That explains the stench," she mumbled. "And seeing you I'm sure it was dangerous." Kaoru shrugged and moved along. "Anyway, you don't look like you're from any of the villages that I've been to, are you from outside the vallies?" She asked.

Cross nodded at her mumbling about the stench. He said nothing about that last comment though, about it being dangerous simply from the way he looked. A weak ninja could've taken on a weak creature and come out looking like Cross. She didn't know how strong he was, therefor that was no measure at all. At least not a correct measure. He glanced at her as she asked if he was from outside the Valley's, then gave a nod. "Yes." He refused, however, to say which village he was from. He no longer resided there, as he was looked down upon for his doings. Instead he had his own place between the Rogue Forest and the Unknown. His home was quite close to the Magma actually, not far at all from the gates. He lived right in between the borders of the Snow Valley and the Magma Valley. He'd picked that spot for a reason, aside from it's proximity to everything: the weather. Despite being a cold guy, Cross was a man of simple pleasures. The weather between the Magma and the Snow was perfect. It had no great extremes in the summer and winter, and it rarely snowed. It was his own, perfect little paradise.

Kaoru wasn't sure what to ask next. That last answer was no bland...Kaoru decided to go with silence. Maybe he would speak or something. If not that was fine by her. She looked up at the sky, but her view was blocked by the trees. "I wish I could see the sun, this place is so dark and gloomy without it." That's when something came to mind. She knew what to ask. "Have you heard of Silence?" She asked.

Cross looked at her when she said that she wished she could see the sun. "Perhaps this place is dark for a reason. It's dangerous here. Look at the Unknown compared to the Valley's. They're not nearly as dangerous, so they get the luxury of seeing the sun," he stated simply. All dangerous creatures loom in the darkness, growing their horror where they cannot be seen... He looked in front of him for only a moment as she asked of Silence. "Yes. He's supposed to be the being that rules over the Unknown, grants any wish," he said. "Why?"

Kaoru shrugged. "No reason, just asking." She didn't want to seem like a nuisance for asking him so many questions. Falling silent she thought about what he'd said. She wondered if Silence was some dark creature that lived in the Unknown, surely there had to be some good to equal it all out. She pondered the question in her mind a bit more before leaving it be.

After that Cross was pretty much silent. The entrance to the Unknown was in sight and he was walking as if nothing at all was wrong with him. But that was only because he was pushing his body to do so. After they’d exited the Unknown, Cross silently took out a knife, without much motion, hiding it against his arm from Kaoru. No, he hadn’t sensed danger. He was about to make a point. His left arm hung uselessly by his side as he walked, and seemingly out of nowhere, Cross moved behind Kaoru, the knife at her throat, his black wings wrapping around them like some kind of cocoon, forcing her back against him as he held the knife. His wings allowed no light to be filtered into the space that the two were entrapped in, so there was nothing but darkness around them. Darkness, and Cross’s voice.

“As I’ve told you, I appreciate your help.” A pause. “But see, I no longer need you. I’m not human like you think, in fact, I just needed you to get me out of the Unknown. I’ve been stuck there for the longest time, you see,” he spoke quietly into her ear, and though he couldn’t hold her there with his left arm, he had no fears of her trying to escape, because if she did, the knife would’ve cut her throat. Of course, he wasn’t actually going to harm her. But she didn’t know that.

“I needed a human to escort me out, and you so easily fell for my little rouse. All I needed to do was seem injured, and I knew some foolish kind-hearted soul would come to my aid...” he said, his voice low in her ear, but not nearly as intimidating as usual. In fact, it was almost sensual. “And now that you’ve helped me, I can do as I please, and since I no longer need you...” He let a silence fill the gap, implying the obvious. “Any last words or requests...?” he asked. He’d wait for her response to all this before actually letting her go. Perhaps play it out a little more before hand, should she ask any questions.

Kaoru hadn't seen the knife. Hadn't dreamed that he'd turn against her after all she'd done for him, even if it wasn't a lot. When he suddenly moved she blinked before darkness closed in on her. Panic was clear on her face and in her quickened breathing. "What-" She didn't finish as she felt the kunai against her neck. She held back from swallowing. She'd been in these types of situations before. She was trained for this. Going still she listened to him speak in her ear. Kind of creepy. He was right, she was foolish, but she couldn't help but help him, believing he was injured. It kind of made her mad to know she'd fallen for such a cheap trick. She knew what would come next, he'd kill her if she didn't act. She had to think quick. She'd kick his wing, elbow him in the stomach, dunk under his knife, turn around, kick him where it counted and put some distance between the two of them. "No." She said when questioned if she had any last words. This would not be the end of her, not today.

Cross couldn't say that he was surprised at her calmness. Nothing surprised him. When she said no, he spun the knife on his finger before taking it from her neck then turning and walking away as his wings folded behind his back once more. "What would you have done if that had truly been the case?" he asked, not looking at her as he placed the knife back in it's holder. "Naivety holds no place in this world," he told her. "Next time think before you help a stranger." His voice was different from what it had been before, where before it was a calm, light whisper, now it was cold and devoid of feeling. If she hated him, so be it. She'd use this lesson sometime in the future, and it would save her life. That was all that counted. He looked down as he walked, holding his left arm as it started aching something fierce. He was the Fallen Angel type. He helped those around him through coldness and would forever fly alone. Or so he thought.

Kaoru waited for him to strike but it never came. When he let her go she stepped away from him. Kaoru was not at all happy about this. "I would have gotten out," she said in a low voice. "You're injured, that much is clear, I am trained for situations such as that." She turned her back on him and started to walk away. So she had been taught a lesson, didn't mean she would stop being who she was. Then she stopped and sighed. "What are you, friend or foe?" She asked, her head bowed lightly in what looked like defeat but it really her just thinking. She didn't want to leave him alone like this. What if someone less friendly came by and attacked him.

Cross didn't stop walking when she complained that she would have gotten out of it, that she was trained for situations like that. So, she was trained to be betrayed? Unlikely. He was caught off his guard however, when she asked whether he was friend or foe. He stopped walking and turned to look at her, his face blank. "Neither." It'd be better if she disregarded him completely. He was nothing but a phantom, and he wanted to remain that way. Well, he didn't want to, but it was, in bluntest terms, his destiny. "You should return to your home," he told her, not using her name, for fear it might strike some kind of emotion into her that would make her want to stay. He was fine on his own. He would not die. It wasn't that he couldn't, but for the time being, death just seemed...out of the question.

Kaoru sighed. Neither. What kind of answer was that. No matter, she wouldn't push it. "I'm not done here," she told him. She had reason to go home. "And besides, I don't believe I can leave when you're injured as badly as you are. I'm going to take a wild guess and say there's no one who'll help you. And trying to fix your arm alone is pointless." Kaoru's stubbornness was kicking in. "You've done me a favor, let me at least return it and I'll leave you alone forever."

Cross's gaze stayed on her as she refused to go home, but instead insisted on helping him. He almost sighed. "That's what hospitals are for," he said when she told him trying to fix his arm alone was pointless. He then let out a low sigh as she said that he'd done her a favor and to let her repay him. It wasn't a favor. How anyone could have seen it as such was beyond him. He turned and started walking once more. "Do as you wish," he said. But the least he wanted to do was get away from the Unknown for now. Sure, most creatures couldn't venture outside it, but some could. And though they were usually the less dangerous creatures, Cross didn't want to take his chances.

Kaoru shook her head at his comment. "Like you would really go to a hospital." She mumbled and followed after him. Though she was going to help him as best she could. Keeping up next to him she stayed quiet for a moment before giving a light whistle. She wanted to make sure Kami was not still flying around the Unknown as he waited for her. "Where all are you injured?" She asked.

Cross didn't hear her mumblings, but he wasn't stupid, nor was he as stubborn as he seemed. He did not dislike hospitals, not all that much. He would indeed go to one if he was injured. Not like this girl knew that. He nearly stopped walking as he heard a whistle, but instead simply looked at Kaoru, his face blank, but suspicion running through his mind. Who had she been calling to? His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked back in front of him, but this time, he kept her in sight out of the corner of his eye once more. "Shoulders, abdomen, back, and left arm," he named off at her question, without anymore explanation. He hadn't even said which was more seriously wounded. Whatever acid had been left on his arm and shoulders had already soaked into his bloodstream and was causing the rest of his body pain as well, though he would not say it. He also left out that his lungs were still burning though he was no longer coughing. Being in such a close proximity to the creature had really done a number on him.

Kaoru saw Cross look at her. She figured that he was thinking she was calling in back or something. She was starting to wonder if he was a wanted man. When Kami came flying down she smiled and took the dragon-like creature into her arms. "Hello there," she said patting his head. "How are you even walking with all that?" She asked Cross as Kami crawled up onto her shoulder.

Cross blinked as he saw a white dragon fly over to Kaoru and landed on her shoulder. It looked much like a few of the creatures he'd seen in the Unknown, only smaller. "Not easily," he answered when she asked how he was even walking. He couldn't stop glancing at the small creature. Most animals tended to take a liking to him, and this little winged creature was intriguing. What was the harm in taking a chance? Using his right hand of course, he held it out to the dragon, but not too closely to Kaoru, his palm face up.

Kaoru blinked as he held out his palm. What was he doing? When Kami suddenly jumped off her shoulder and glided into Cross's palm she felt a sense of amusement wash over her. He got along better with her guardian than he did with her. That was something to smile about. "Well, I'll start when we get to a quiet place. I'm not medical ninja, but I can help relieve some of the pain. She wasn't dumb, she knew he was in pain. That much was clear, even if he wasn't exactly showing it.