#i cant get my foot in the door for psych

[devotioncrater]

i do ALLL the right steps and I STILL cannot get medicine.

i do not have enough antipsychotics. after 3 months of back-and-forth with the health insurance company, i finally get health insurance. i go to my primary care doctor. i get a psych referral from her. with this referral i wait one month for an introduction appt with a psychiatrist. i see the psych doctor. i get yet another referral for a specialized clinic. twice i attempt to go in person to the clinic to make an appt but both times cant make it before they close. their appt wait time is 6-12 weeks. this is already pushing it in the psychiatrist’s eyes bc he said there is a high risk i will have an episode before i see anyone from the clinic. but he refers me anyway. gives no meds due to regulations. tells me to finish the rest of my pills in the meantime. all 10 of them. and to call him in the event of an episode. of which i will not realize i am in. so instead of going in person, i call the clinic. the clinic says they are specialized and cant take me. i tell them i am specifically referred to go to them. they tell me no. they refer me to a normal hospital. i ask if i can come in person to show them my referral. they say i can but they still wont take me because i don’t live in the neighborhood. they tell me only the hospital can take me. i tell them i have been diagnosed with their specialty. they repeat their no and hang up. i have the biggest nosebleed of my life. i have 5 antipsychotic pills left

[daisybeewrites]

Academy Blues — Prologue

word count: 1.8k

warnings: not any for this chapter

ship: Dousy, background Fitzsimmons and Philinda

okay y’all.. here it is. the first installment of my first LONG TERM SERIES!!!!!! ahhhh i’m so excited. literally i cant wait to continue this and see where it takes me. i have an idea and a few different planning sheets, but honestly i have no idea where exactly this will end up. i love each and single one of you <3 thank you for reading!! this is also posted on Ao3, and linked in the masterlist.

Daisy hated the sound of the bells at The Academy. Screeching, awful, way too loud, the bells were the bane of her existence. They all wore standard-issue watches from the lab that monitored vitals and gave them reminders, and also told the time, for god’s sake! Fitz had even modified hers so that she could play snake on the tiny watch face! There was no need for the bells to be so excruciatingly disruptive. Though, Daisy guessed, there were many things more tortuous than bells ringing every hour and fifteen minutes.

Daisy slowed to a jog, cutting her morning run short. The bright side to being a third-year was that you chose your schedule, for the most part, and that meant Daisy had a free first period for four out of five days of classes. She usually spent this free period getting an extra hour in at the gym, boxing or sparring with Mack or Bobbi, two fourth years that had reluctantly taken her under their wings, or sleeping in. She reserved sleeping in for especially rough nights where visions of ashes and earthquakes and lightning returned time and time again, no matter how many deep breaths she took or sheep she counted.

But this morning was not one of those mornings. She had been up before sunrise, a little before her usual alarm and silently headed out of her dorm for a run. It was humid this time of year on most Virginia mornings, but never so hot that it made Daisy feel as if she was being smothered. The cooler air chilled her sweaty skin, her chest rising and falling as she jogged up the three flights of steps to the second years’ dorms. Down one long hallway, and she arrived at her room.

Daisy had been given her own room at the start of last year, complete with poly-adaptic-proto-whatever panels, which she had painted a pastel shade of purple, to compliment the greens of her cacti and the dark purples and blacks of everything else in her room. Even May had agreed that the stark white was too ”psych wing” for a bedroom. Daisy was grateful for the space, but considering the panels and the private room were only necessary since...

She shuddered. Grabbing her shower caddy, Daisy set off to the bathroom at the opposite end of the hall, hoping no one else was spending a free first period at the dorms.

Her shoulder-length waves were wet from bouncing against her neck, and starting to become annoying now that the sweat had dried and was starting to itch. Picking the white tiled shower furthest away from the door, Daisy quickly turned the water on, checked the temperature, pulled her sports bra and shorts off and hopped into the shower. Shampoo, condition, soap body, rinse. Checking her watch, Daisy found that she had showered in record time, less than three minutes. After spending another five just enjoying the hot water, she hopped out and changed into her class clothes.

Dark purple leggings, Coulson’s grey vintage SHIELD tee and a pair of white running sneakers she had “borrowed” from Jemma completed her look. Passing the mirrors, Daisy tried not to glance at herself. If her hair was messy or her undereye bags a bit too dark, she didn’t want to know. Instead, she headed back to her room to pack her bag for the day.

SHIELD-issued laptop, extra hard drives and a charger, Advanced CS 3: Ethical Hacking: Theory and Application, Advanced CS 4: Secrets of The Coding Languages, Physics notebook, an essay that was three days late on some boring book about international laws, and her sparring gear were all thrown into the black bag. She gave a second glance at the Russian notebooks Bobbi had loaned to her, promising that she’d learn without taking the class. Oh well, she still had all of this term to start. Plus, would she ever really need more than the dirty words?

One look at the alarm clock that sat on her dark hardwood night table showed that she still had almost forty-five minutes before she had to be in the computer lab. Sitting down on her bed, Daisy ran a hand over the grey blanket May had given her.

Daisy’s relationship with May and Coulson had been something of a problem with other students when she first got here. Some had been okay with the obvious paternal love Coulson showed for Daisy, showing her around and checking up on her, scheduling lunch dates and reminding her of tests. May was more subtle, texting her links to tai chi videos when she noticed Daisy getting too stressed or letting Daisy do her own thing if she saw that she was overwhelmed. Of course, none of the other students knew her family history, what she had gone through just to realize that May and Coulson were more her parents than her biological father and mother could ever be. She would see them later today—May during field training and Coulson in between lectures in the canteen.

Daisy walked over to her window to open her blinds, staring out at the campus she had grown to love. The large brick buildings scattered around acres of the Virginia countryside; green fields meant for physical activities like sparring or obstacle courses, or simply basking in the weather to study or chat; the dorms—red brick and concrete melded together to upgrade and expand the charming style of previously-built homes.

Grabbing a protein bar, Daisy headed to the canteen to make a green smoothie (and maybe snatch a cup of joe before she had to listen to an hour-long lecture on the reason SHIELD must cooperate with the UN’s stupid rules at 7:30 in the morning). Smelling the pines and morning dew surrounding her, she smiled slightly. Maybe this term wouldn’t be so bad.

———————————————————————

Daniel Sousa was a man of honor. He was a man of great strength. Agent Daniel Sousa, previously Officer Daniel Sousa in the US Army, was a man who could fix his damn alarm clock on his own.

Just, not today. Or the day before.

So, Agent Daniel Sousa was now hurrying his way to class at The SHIELD Academy, books in hand and gym bag slung over his shoulders. Catching a glance at himself in the shiny glass doors of the bio-chem building, he groaned. He hadn’t even brushed his hair. And, looking down, he discovered he was wearing two different shoes.

This is the college experience everyone raves about, he thought bitterly. You see, Daniel Sousa had enlisted to the army straight out of high school, forgoing university. He climbed the ranks impressively quickly, earning his place as second-in-command and reconnaissance scout in the 28th Infantry Regiment. Unfortunately, after only four years in the army, Sousa was injured in the field, losing his leg and almost his life.

He came back to the US a war hero, and yet, he felt he wasn't finished. So, when a recruiter named Peggy Carter knocked on his door claiming to be from SHIELD (“Wow, you guys are still a thing?”), he leapt at the chance to continue fighti-...doing good. The Academy wasn’t exactly what he had bargained for, though. Trying to earn his B.A. and training to be an agent at the same time was grueling, but nothing he couldn’t deal with.

No, six different one hour and fifteen minute long classes plus mandatory physical therapy every day wasn’t going to break him. Learning how to be a communications agent and re-starting field training and catching up on general college education was no problem. Pressuring himself to be the best, to break the limits, to get past all his weaknesses was just another miniscule feather to add to the pile.

Unless his stupid alarm clock broke. Then yes, Agent Daniel Sousa would fail, buckle under the weight and be left on the floor to die.

Maybe he was being a bit dramatic.

One bunny-slippered right foot and a sneakered left leg carried him forward, propelled by a quickly chugged orange Celsius and his sheer will not to be late.

Daniel heard the late bell ring out, understanding that, on his first day of class, he would be counted late. It wasn’t like him, not at all. Especially when his first class was a refresher course on field tactics and covert strategy, something in which he was already aces.

He let out a sigh, slowing as he rounded the corner into the comms building. At the Academy, most buildings were grouped into categories: the cafeteria, gym and pool, and student resource building all to the south; the gun range, obstacle course, and specialized gym to the east; bio-chem labs, tech labs, and smaller rooms for lectures to the west; the computer labs and comms buildings right smack in the middle; and dorms to the north.

He swiped a key card with his driver’s license picture and student ID, unlocking the sliding doors that led to the computer labs. It was quicker to short cut through them than to walk around the building to the entrance closest to communications classrooms.

It wasn’t because he knew a certain broody brunette spent her mornings in the lab.

No, it wasn’t, because she wasn’t in her usual seat in the corner, typing away.

He slowly walked through the rows of computers, searching for a familiar black backpack. Nothing was there.

“Hey, Sousa,” an accented female voice called behind him. He whipped around to see who it was, feeling just a twinge of disappointment when Elena, or, as most people knew her, Yo-Yo, was leaning against the door frame. Yo-Yo, a fourth year operations trainee, who was very close with Daisy.

“Hey, Yo-Yo. Good morning,” he called, “I’m running a bit late.”

Elena checked her nails casually, “Way to state the obvious. You were running faster than I could trying to get here before the bell.”

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. “Yeah…”

“Daisy’s running late today, too.”

Daniel looked around, pretending that hearing Daisy’s name didn’t make him want to smile. “Oh, of course. She’s usually here early.”

Elena nodded, chuckling a little at his response. She couldn’t tell if he was oblivious or just a bad liar. It was charming, really. “Right. See ya ‘round, Sousa!”

“See ya,” He replied. He thought he heard a quiet ‘Lovable nerds’ coming from the direction she left, but he couldn’t be sure.

And so, with a last look around the computer lab, Daniel set off to arrive late to May’s lecture.

———————————————————————

okay okay,,, what do y’all think?? like/reblog and let me know! it’s the best way to support writers and it only takes a second! stay tuned for more chapters!!

[eagehaunting]

Mystery March 2021 day 14: Conceal

Hahah ignore that I’m so late

I wanted to explore a bit of Arthur and Mysterys relationship lol. Takes place directly after the events of the first 3 pages of the msa comic!

The pink from Vivis eyes flicker out with the shake of her head. She smiles apologetically, “Sorry, Artie. What were you saying?”

Arthur’s shoulders sank as his eyes drift to the floor, anywhere but her face in hopes to avoid that dazed look, a pang stabbing him in the chest. “Nothing important... Lunch sounds good.”

“Great! What do you want to eat?” Vivi begins to ramble, leaning over the desk and bouncing on her toe. As much as Arthur wanted to focus on what she was saying, they became warbled in the backdrop of his guilt.

Only to be snapped out of it by a small, barely missable noise of her pooch stretching beside her, yawning.

The sharp, glistening teeth snapped him out of it before Vivi did.

And if her sudden switch in expression meant anything, his own didn’t have anything promising.

Her heel clicks, Arthur flinches, and Mystery’s eyes pop open to stare back in alarm.

Vivi swivels down, face pinched in concern or agitation. “Mystery can you he-“

“Vivi!” Arthur and her both snap to someone far behind Arthur. Standing in a corner, Chloe cowers back against a particularly peeved woman and a child with a quivering lip.”Ma’am, please back up.” Chloe hisses anxiously at the woman, before she waves again for Vivi, eyes upturned.

“Aw, Jeez. Mystery, please get to the back for a little bit.” Vivi grumbles, shuffling past Arthur. Not before lightly touching Arthur’s shoulder. Arthur could only hope that she didn’t feel the tension. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

Fumbling with his words, Arthur steps after her, “H-hey, it’s okay if Mystery...” Too late. Vivi is marching up to the scene and leaving him in the dust of whatever angst decided to poke and prod at him today. Steeling himself, Arthur sucks in his breath and turns back to the desk, just in time for the small dog to grab his pink squeaky bone and begin to trot away silently, even if the toy betrayed him.

“M-Mystery.”

The dog pauses, still for a moment, before glancing back at him.

Mystery looked less intimidating with the rubber spiked chew toy squeaking in his mouth. His tail wiggling slightly.

And of course, in typical fashion, all words escape Arthur for a few seconds too long, and Mystery starts to move again.

“Uh, wait. I wanted to talk to you. Y-you can stay in your bed until Vivi gets back. I’ll take the blame for you.”

Mystery sits there for a second, before he loops around. Prodding his worn blue bed, before sinking down, letting his bone drop. Saying nothing still- possibly because of the people inside- Mystery stares up at him. Signaling him to start.

Now, if only Arthur knew what exactly to say. A line of sweat drops down his cheek, and Arthur blows out a breath as he plops down on Vivi’s stool.

“W-well, how are you?” He starts. Mystery raises an eyebrow, nodding to the crowd of people and the woman beginning to yell at Vivi. Arthur coughs and nods. “Right. Cant talk now. Uh-“

Vivis distracted, and she seems to be getting slightly more heated as she crosses her arm. Chloe has fled, possibly getting Duet.

Nows his chance.

Bowing forward, Arthur leans close and whispers. “I’m going to look for Lewis, can you come with me and help?”

Squeak! Mystery jumps up, eyebrows pinched together in a way that Arthur couldn’t tell meant anger or concern. Mystery doesn’t drop his bone, instead skittering behind the desk and hiding from everyone. Shuffling onto his stomach, Mystery cranes his neck to look up at him.

“Arthur, I don’t think- you know why it’s not a good idea to ask me of all people.” Mystery hisses lowly.

“I mean yeah, makes sense,” Arthur shrugs, a bit frantically. “But you got a nose! And you can sniff him out. I can deal with the occasional panic- and being near each other will help me cope!”

“No, it will not, Arthur. You should know better than anyone, forcing yourself to spend too much time with particular people is the opposite of a good thing. It could damage your psyche more than help.”

“B-but it’s been working!” Arthur shoots back, gripping his knees tightly. “Every day we spend a bit more time together. I -I haven’t even been having nightmares about you anymore.”

“That doesn’t negate the fact that you may already be pushing yourself too far.”

Mystery hesitated before nudging Arthur’s foot, bringing attention to the constant shake Arthur didn’t remember it having.

And Arthur’s throat and brain locks up, mouth hanging open as he stares pathetically at the dog.

“Arthur.”

A jolt of electricity rockets through Arthur’s limbs, pushing him back and away from the suddenly familiar voice with a shout.

Vivi is standing there, eyebrows furrowed and arms crossed. The muahaha of the door signaling the mother had left, leaving Vivi annoyed and bitter...

With him.

Blinking tensely, Arthur moves off the stool and forces his best smile. Littered with cracks.

She tilts her head, “what did I tell you about taking it slow?”

Arthur deflates, frowning and averting his gaze. “... I shouldn’t make myself engage with Mystery to avoid worsening my already existing trauma.” He recites.

“That’s right,” Vivi continues, stepping around the desk and casting a glance to Mystery- whose now on his back, a sign of submission. “I know you’re trying really hard to work through everything. I get it. But you can’t force yourself between a rock and a hard place to make recovery happen. It takes time.”

How many times has he heard her say this? About twice in the last two weeks. It was increasingly obvious that it was getting hard to conceal her exhaustion over it. Arthur doesn’t say anything, and she sighs.

“Look, I’m sure you already know the ins and outs of your boundaries and stuff. So I’m not going to beat a dead horse, okay?”

He winces, but Arthur nods.

They did set up the boundaries so Mystery wouldn’t cause him any more panic attacks, but Arthur still had to do his part in it too.

Why did you have to tear his arm off like that, Mystery? This could have all been avoided. Arthur wants to say, but he keeps his mouth shut.

[ossy-p-art]

*kayae west voice* anotha one

DIMENTIO

TWO WEEKS

You feel less than good.

You kneel in front of the poor creature you had attacked; an innocent star sprite, dazed on the ground. You had injured it by simply whacking it with a branch as hard as you could. Admittedly it was pretty funny. Like hitting a baseball. Fortunately it didn’t soar very far; you had chased it into a secluded forest, away from prying eyes, before whacking the snot out of it.

You outstretch your hand and grab the little thing by the foot, lifting it up to your face. Awfully heavy little thing. Should be more than good enough.

You lightly lick your lips and pull up your mask.

You hear an unusual click as the bones in your jaw lengthen and unhinge. The chaos heart’s magic lets you manipulate your body in truly awful ways. Youve done this before, but it still gives you shivers. The heart grows cold in anticipation for more cosmic energy as you psyche yourself up.

In a grotesque, monster-like fashion, you easily slide the spite past your unhinged jaws and into your throat for the chaos heart to do whatever it pleases to it. In a fashion similar to a black hole, the sprite is suddenly dragged down with absolutely no hindrance. You didn’t even swallow. It was just gone in less than a second.

A chill runs through you.

You only do this on rare occasions. About three times in the past two weeks. Too many in a row would be telling. On the nights that you do treat yourself and the heart like this…it feels like you’ve taken a step in the right direction. The heart is more willing to sit patiently if it knows the longer it waits, the better the reward will be. You’ve formed a wordless alliance with the heart in this way, and thankfully this means it has stopped boring into your side.

On these hunting nights, you have to wear a blindfold and earplugs. If not, your body behaves strangely. You are subject to sudden thrashing and convulsions. You can navigate just fine without either sense- you can identify the imprints in space and time from every physical thing around you. You practically echolocate. Its a mystifying ability that the chaos heart gifted to you upon your transformation. The biggest problem, however, cannot be avoided.

You keel over slightly as you feel bile rise in your throat. You swallow it back down, irritated. Its like your body can tell when you’re doing these awful deeds and rejects them outright. The blindfold and earplugs do a decent job of keeping you calm and collected, but as soon as you can feel those sprites in your mouth, its a nightmare. You’d be fine with cutting up a sprite if it meant avoiding this, but unfortunately dead star sprites return to stardust immediately. A shame.

You clasp your hand over your mouth as you gag again. This kind of behavior really doesn’t suit a sophisticated individual such as yourself.

For the most part, you’ve been gathering sustenance for the chaos heart by other means- mainly normal power stars. They aren’t exactly appetizing, though…they taste metallic, and don’t sit well in your stomach. Pretty hard to discretely nab, too. Another alternative is ghosts and other spirits, but you think if you swallow one more boo this month something is going to come banging down your door to kill you.

Just a hunch.

You take slow breaths to try to calm your nerves. It seems impossible to keep your pulse steady lately.

“LAD WERE’VE YAE GONE OFF TEH?”

Your breath hitches in surprise as you catch wind of a familiar voice- one so loud you can hear it through your earplugs. You remove the plugs and pull away the blindfold.

You cant call out to the man yelling for you- your throat is in shambles. But you can knock a few times on a nearby tree to alert him.

“THAT YOU?”

O'Chunks comes through the brush and you give him a slight wave. He seems a little bothered, but still smiles lightly.

“Yae gotta stop wand'rin off like that, lad. Yer awf'ly far from tae gard'n. Thought yae were jus’ goin’ fer a short walk? Had me worried.”

He offers you a hand, and you place yours in his. It kind of shocks you how gently he carries your palm.

You never did this kind of thing before.

You were pretty worried at first that your old menagerie of ‘friends’ were going to pummel you the second they saw you. You know, the backstabber? The traitor? The fool? …They’ve all been surprisingly mild-mannered. You’ve been completely unable to speak from the damage done to your throat, but you’ve conveyed a few ideas via writing- most importantly the concept of redirecting the chaos heart’s violence.

Nastasia has been the most help thus far, navigating where power stars may be located to sate the chaos heart’s monstrous appetite. You really owe her a lot.

Mimi has been keeping a constant eye on you, practically babysitting you at any given time, keeping you captive in a small home she 'borrowed’ from some unlucky fellow. Normally you’d find annoyance in this, but for some reason, seeing her face brings you a distant feeling of comfort.

Unusual.

O'chunks sometimes arrives to carry you to and fro, as well as help you nab said power stars from any individual who may be guarding them… you haven’t told him about the star sprites yet. He may not like it.

Everyone is so… kind. You don’t know if a mass case of amnesia swept over everyone, but they’re all patient towards you. It feels…nice.

Your heart is warm.

You don’t know why they keep calling you 'Ell’. Maybe that was a side effect of the amnesia. Its not like you can correct them just yet.

LUIGI

TWO WEEKS

You walk while holding O'Chunks’ hand. You feel horrible. You don’t know whats wrong with you, but some kind of force, every so often, keeps driving you to go outside- to find innocent and tiny creatures of power- and to just-

You grab onto O'chunks’ arm suddenly and shudder. He pauses, looking you up and down with a worried expression. He bends down on one knee, and with a startlingly soft voice asks you if you need 'tae sit down.’

You shake your head no. You don’t want to be a bother.

You’ve been trying not to blame yourself for these things- its got to be the chaos heart manipulating you, or something. You don’t know what else it could be. The only bright side to these incidents is that after they’re over, your stomach doesn’t hurt at all- just feels cold.

O'Chunks seems slightly bothered with the silence, and decides to speak up.

“Er…yae know, Nastasia wan’s tae speak abou’ somethin’ with yae.”

You look up at him, trying not to come off as miserable.

Apparently hes not buying it.

“We’ve been hidin’ stuff from yae, don’ wanna put yae into a bad place.”

You give him a questioning look through your mask. You’ve BEEN in a bad place for two weeks now. Ever since you came to your senses in that broken castle.

“…We jus’ think yae should know. I cann’ do it alone.”

He squeezes your hand very lightly.

“…jus’ hope it doesn’ put yae in as bad of a state as yae were in tha’ cas'le.”

…you feel unsettled that whatever information he could offer to you would be that bad.

DIMENTIO

TWO WEEKS

You’re having a panic attack. Its not even yours.

Your conference with Nastasia went…pretty poorly, to say the least.

Your unwilling hand grabs tightly onto O'Chunk’s shirt as a part of you makes haste to form words you don’t even want to say.

“Gh- get-”

You cough. Its painful. You can taste the blood from wounds in your throat

“Get him- o-out-”

Your heart is going a million miles an hour. You feel like you’re damn well about to have a stroke.

Nastasia adjusts her glasses.

“We cant. If you let me finish my sentence-”

You go into a coughing fit, painting the inside of your mask with red.

Mimi quickly scampers over to you, putting a hand on your leg in sympathy before whipping her head at a sharp 90° angle to scowl at Nastasia.

“I knew they needed more time! But you didn’t listen, Nass!”

You fall to your knees, breathing heavily. Your mask slips off. You move your hand to pick it up, but a scream escapes you before your fingers can wrap around it.

“DH- DON’T MOVE ME!!”

The pain in your throat is horrible. Your vision is getting hazy from how disoriented you are. You’re losing focus.

You had suspected this. You didn’t need Nastasia to tell you. Apparently Luigi did, though. The man is as dense as a plank of wood that was raised by a family of hillbilly rocks. Its blatantly obvious in hindsight- moving against your own volition, Luigi missing, people being strangely nice to you… you kind of put the pieces together, thought 'well I’ve had worse done to me, and this may not even be true’ and put that thought on the back-burner to cope with later.

You put a lot of thoughts on the back-burner to cope with later. The metaphorical back-burner is pretty cluttered. Some thought-pots and concept-pans look like they might fall over at any second, but you keep that copper-ware well balanced in a precarious Jenga tower of undealt with emotions. Surely this is perfectly healthy and nothing bad could come of it.

Where were you? …Oh, yes, you’re about to faint.

You grab your chest and keel so your forehead is touching the floor. Your vision is fading to black from how quickly you are breathing.

You close your eyes as you take a slow breath in-

-and a deep exhale out.

You remain in a little panic-ball as you practice breathing. You’re shaking terribly against your will. This is humiliating.

A large hand strokes your back. O'Chunks.

“…I'tl be ok, lad. We won’ let anythin’ happen to yae.”

Words for Luigi.

Well. That explains the kindness they were showing you before.

You were finding a bit of joy in it, admittedly. It felt like you were all a crew again.

But it was only sympathy for him.

Well. That’ll go on the back-burner too.

[crue-sixx]

Title: Oracle

Fandom: The Dirt (CastxMadison)

Summary: Madison is a soldier with psychic powers.  She and another woman, Katie escape the Compound that they were forced to live in since childhood to find help for the younger prisoners, and split up.  Madison stumbles to New Orleans where the Dirt is currently being filmed.  There she meets a male with psychic powers-a rarity.

Note: All caps are telepathic messages

A/N: Happy birthday @crue-sixx!  Used her name with permission for this imagine!  (Katie is me)

Throughout history, there have been people with psychic abilities that vary in occurrence and strength.  Most people who have them don't even know they do and go their whole lives without so much as a peep from their abilities but others have used them to their advantage.  For a time they were called witches and hunted down and slaughtered in the name of various gods.  Some were seen as gods themselves, and they used their power to dominate the masses into unquestioned obedience.

However, when the witch hunts came around most of those with psychic abilities had died out-some cases entire bloodlines were snuffed out.  In the present day, roughly about 20% of the population  have psychic abilities, the most common among them being telekinesis or telepathic.  98% of those with abilities are women.  Some of the more uncommon abilities are an elemental power-fire. water, earth and air.  The rarest of abilities was precognition, those who possess this kind of power were once revered and called oracles.

In today's world, those with abilities are captured and exploited for the personal gain of people in power.  Madison and Katie were such psychic soldiers, Madison having telepathic powers and Katie with telekinesis.  They were sisters, biologically and mentally.  Katie was the older one, and after her birth the Ghost Division (a top secret organization that pulls off assassinations and influence the decisions made by politicians) kept a close eye on the family to see if they would produce another person with an ability.

When they did, baby Madison was whisked away in the night.  The retrieval unit left a trail of corpses in their wake, as was expected the mother and father put up a valiant effort to protect the child. From birth, Madison and Katie were pumped full of drugs in an attempt to make their abilities stronger, or even able to wield dual abilities.  They were separated for most of the day, having been put with other prisoners who shared their abilities.  The only time they were allowed contact was during mealtimes.

The Ghost Compound was a refurbished prison, with 24/7 audio/visual surveillance and everything automatic.  Like a smart house, everything could be remotely controlled from an outside source.  Even the rings on their fingers could be triggered at anytime.  The rings were more like shackles, if they were to try to take them off, then an electric shock would go off.  It was during lunch one day that it was found out what would happen if someone were to cut off their finger.

A young girl of about 12 had taken her steak knife and started to chop off the finger, but right before the blade hit the skin the ring let out a piercing scream and a second later the poor girl was convulsing on the floor with a pink foamy mixture of blood and saliva oozing from her mouth.  When she stopped convulsing, an announcement went over the intercom "That is what happens when you defy my authority.  Defiance equals death.  Remember that, my Beauties, and we'll get on just fine".  Madison and Katie just stared at the dead girl, who was now being taken away to the incinerator to be disposed of.

Of course the younger inmates were terrified and kept eating as if nothing happened.  Madison locked eyes with Katie and sent a telepathic message- CANT KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS.  Katie nodded, her being unable to send a message back.  She then extended her fingers on the hand the ring was on and with her other hand she motioned to a knife.  Madison gulped, knowing full well what her sister meant.

They were planning an escape for sometime now, and the events at lunch just made them more aware as to the importance of their situation.  Madison would send telepathic messages to Katie, and she'd just shake or nod her head- the walls had eyes and ears.  Any spoken or written word would be their downfall.  Katie had made the camera in her cell burst so recording couldn't be completed.  They had to act fast, since that would surely sound the alarm.

They met in the recreation yard, Madison able to get away with the pretense of getting sick in the bathroom-the only places in the whole compound that didn't have audio or visual recording.  She had gotten a tape recorder and set it on play, the sounds of vomiting echoing through the cells.  They each had an axe that used by a fireman to cut through burning wood to save people's lives.

Katie held out the hand that had a ring on it and with only a moment of hesitation,  Madison swung the axe and the thing came off.  Katie let out a scream of pain, and Madison held out her own hand, and Katie cut it off as well.  Blood was getting everywhere, so Katie tore her shirt to make temporary bandages for the both of them. 

"I'm going to lift us over the wall" Katie said, the blood loss already getting to her.  She pulled Madison close to her and they lifted up and over, landing on their knees.

"Katie" Madison said "stick to the plan...you go one way and I'll go another..." she helped her older sister up and touched their foreheads together.  WE HAVE TO GET HELP FOR THE OTHERS.  GOOD LUCK, SIS.  LOVE YOU.

"I love you too" Katie kissed Madison's forehead and ran off in one direction.  Madison wasn't worried about Katie at all-she was a tough woman who knew how to use her abilities to protect herself.

Madison went off in the opposite direction, the alarms from the compound could be heard for miles.  She had to slow down, her loss of blood  getting to her.  She was able to make it to New Orleans when she just couldn't keep moving anymore.  She plopped down next to a dumpster in an alley and drifted off to sleep, her mind opening and sending psychic SOS signals in hopes that someone would be able to hear them.

Filming had wrapped up for the day, and they all were dog tired.  Daniel and Douglas were leading the way to the bar that was next door to where they lived for the duration of filming when Daniel felt a tickle in his head.  He ignored it at first, but soon became more invested when the tickle turned into words.

HELP ME.

He looked around confused, Coleson and Iwan giving him funny looks.  "Did you lose somethin'?" Coleson asked.

"I don't think so..." Daniel said, but as he walked nearer to the source he heard the voice in his head louder.

DANGER.  HELP ME.

He turned into the alley and was surprised to see a young woman covered in dirt and leaves slumped against the wall, her hand wrapped up in a bloody bandage. The others followed him and Douglas exclaimed "Bloody Hell!  Is she alive?!"

Daniel reached down and felt a very weak pulse and without hesitation he lifted her up and said "Yeah, but just barely..." the hospital was a five minute walk, but he made it there in less than three minutes, shouting that he needed help for his friend.  A nurse quickly got her into an operating room, while the recording technician talked to Daniel.

"Sir how is this woman related to you?"

"She's not" he answered "I just found her like that" he suddenly had so much nervous energy that he tapped his foot while sitting.

"So you don't even know her name?"

MADISON L/N.  His head twitched.

"Madison L/N" he said confidently, but surprised at himself.

"Right, and how about her medical history?"

He said all the relevant information as you were subconsciously feeding it to him directly in his mind.  When the tech asked about insurance policies for you, you sent a message to her. 

INSURANCE IS NOT NEEDED.

"Insurance is not needed" the tech repeated out loud, and shook her head.  She suddenly felt tired and excused herself to get a cup of coffee.  He was directed to her room and she had been cleaned up and a proper bandage had been applied to her stump.

"Madison" he brushed her hair from her eyes "How do I know so much about you?"  you couldn't even send a telepathic message to him, the drugs the hospital had given you had completely blocked your ability to reach into people's minds had kicked in, sending you into a dreamless sleep.

Over the next few days, he'd called every few hours or so while he was filming to check on her, and was dismayed when the staff had told him she hadn't woken up yet. They had replaced the blood she lost, and her body naturally helped the healing process.  It was the middle of the next week that she finally woke up, the first person she saw was a rather strapping young man with a stubbly beard.  "Madison?" he asked in a thick Australian accent.

"Yeah" she responded and sat up "Who're you?" she was still groggy from the drugs so she couldn't just pull his name from his memory, not that she wanted to do that anyway.  She used her ability sparingly and when she had to.

"I'm Daniel Webber" he said as he sat himself closer to her "I'm an actor from Australia in New Orleans for a film I'm working on" he put a gentle hand on her good one and asked "How do I know so much about you?  I've never even met you before..."

She contemplated telling him the truth, but it sounded so farfetched that she'd probably end up in the psych ward. and the Ghost Division could easily find and recapture her there.  "You wouldn't believe me if I told you" she looked up at him, those big doe eyes catching him off guard and making his heart skip a beat.  In that same moment, it seemed that he had left his body and was in a totally different scene-he was on a beach and a small gathering of his friends and as he turned to face a person coming up to him, he was back in his body at the hospital.

"Daniel?" she asked "Are you okay?" she was shaking him lightly, him being cold to the touch.

He blinked and color came back to his skin "What the fuck was that?"

"What was what?" she asked him confused "You went catatonic for a full minute there!"

"It felt like an out of body experience" his whole body shook, as if his mind was getting re-acclimated to the physical shell.

Her eyes widened as she said "You're a pre-cog..."  a person with the precognition ability was a very rare sight.  A male pre-cog was rarer still.  These were among the beings that people in ancient times thought of as gods.

"A what?" he asked dumbfounded.

"Erm" she started "We can go into that a different time" you looked up into the hallway and saw two guards from the Compound ask the charge nurse something at the desk.  She could tell they were from the Compound by the caged bird tattoos on their hands.  "We gotta get out of here..." she jumped from the bed and looked them right in the eye.

She grabbed Daniel's hand and bolted from the room, the rest of the patients and staff in a panic when the guards drew their weapons and began firing.  She threw him behind a desk for cover as she tried to reach into their minds and have them shoot each other, but the drugs were still in her system.  "What the Hell is happening, Madison?!" he shouted over the bullets hitting the wall behind them.

"I'm a psychic with telepathic abilities that ra.n away from a government facility and these men are here to take me back" she said quickly, he didn't believe her at the time but accepted the explanation for the time being.  Just then, the elevator pinged, and Douglas, Coleson and Iwan stepped out into the hallway.  They had heard Madison had been showing signs of waking up, so they bought her a bouquet of flowers.  They walked right into a war zone and the vase that Iwan was carrying had dropped to the floor, shattering.

They all ducked for cover, they all demanding an explanation.  She rolled her eyes and relayed what she had just said, them not believing her either but accepting it just like Daniel.  The adrenaline had purged the drugs from her body and she sent a message to each guard simultaneously.

SHOOT EACH OTHER.

The gaurds turned and shot each other in the leg.  Madison went over to one of them and asked "Where's my sister?"

He spat in her face and snarled "I'm not talking!"

She sighed and invaded his thoughts.  He gasped as he felt her pull the memory from his mind.  He didn't know where Katie was, she looked over to the other guard and did the same to him-nobody knew where she was.  She were both relieved and concerned.  She couldn't let the higher command know where she was so she completely wiped their minds, leaving them living vegetables.

The four men stared at you in shocked amazement.  "Time to go" she said as she left the battlefield.  "You could stay if you want, but I'm calling deuces" you turned to run, but Daniel grabbed her arm.

"Please don't run off!" the other three looked at him like he had just committed a murder.

"Since they know I'm in the city, they'll keep coming after me, and that puts you and your loved ones in danger" she took her arm back "I am NOT willing to risk innocent lives..."

"Then please stay with-" he was about to say 'me' but quickly changed it to "us".  The others protested that it was dangerous to let such a person like her live with them, her even joining in.  He pleaded "Please..." he felt like he had to protect her.

They all threw up their hands in defeat and she not so graciously accepted his offer.  She would have to stay cooped up in his room with him.  "So I basically traded one prison for another" she pouted, to which his heart skipped another beat.

"Very well" he sighed contentedly "You can sleep in my bed, while I take the floor..."

"We can share the bed" she said "It must be uncomfortable on the floor" Coleson, Iwan and Douglas giggled while seeing Daniel blush.

"It would be ungentlemanly of me to share a bed with a lady that I'm not in a romantic relationship with..."

She didn't want to displace him from his sleeping area but he was insistant so she reluctantly agreed with "So long as you don't try anything funny..."

A few more peaceful weeks passed, without so much as a word from or about Katie, and Madison was getting worried.  One day after filming, Daniel came into his room and she felt a somber air about him.  "You okay?" she asked, gently touching his shoulder.

"Yeah" he gave a sad smile "Just filmed the Skylar bits today..." she had known about the little girl who had died from various publications, and from what Daniel had told her about the actress portraying her she dominated that role.

"I see" she touched her forehead with his and sent a calming message to him.  YOU DID GOOD, SLEEP NOW.  His eyes grew tired and he laid down on the bed.  She turned to sleep on the floor when he objected.

"Come sleep in the bed with me" he asked her "Just until I get a sound sleep going?" he sounded like a frightened child and in some ways he was.  He had had more visions of the future, and she had slowly been teaching him how to make them stop so they wouldn't interrupt anything important.

She awkwardly cuddled into his arm, her stump brushing the skin on his chest. After a moment of silence he sleepily asked "Hey Mads?"

"Yes?" she answered

"Wanna date me?"

She looked at him "Date?  Like romantically?" she had never had such experience with dating or relationships.  She didn't know the first thing about dating.

"Yea you goof" he laughed "I want to take you out sometime.  Can't keep you locked up here like Rapunzel forever" he closed the gap between them and she could smell his cologne- a smokey wood scent.  She loved it.

"Where do you want to take me?" she asked, but he was softly snoring.  She smiled and kissed his cheek "Sweet dreams, Daniel" she settled into the crook of his arm and fell asleep as well.

Over the next few weeks, she had tried to reach out to Katie, but she got no response still.  Her and Daniel were now officially boyfriend/girlfriend and they were taking things slow.  It was on a Tuesday that Katie showed up from out of nowhere.  "Katie!" she flung her arms around her sister and sent WERE YOU ABLE TO FIND HELP?

"No" Katie replied "I tried the local authorities in Baton Rouge, but they thought I was crazy and locked me up in a mental ward.  Some guards from the Compound came and tried to take me back, but they ended up with various sharp objects in their bodies" she smiled at Madison.

Daniel was excited to meet Madison's sister, she had told him so much about her with so much regard.  "Hello!  I'm Daneil, Mads' boyfriend!"

Katie raised an eyebrow at Madison "Boyfriend?  Has he been treating you well?"

"More than well" she answered "he's a pre-cog" Katie stared at him and had so many questions it wasn't even funny.

"So hearing your voice in his head triggered his ability?" she asked.

"Yes" Daniel answered "Madison's been teaching me how to control it.  She has me imagine a lockbox, and if I keep it closed I can't see what the future holds" he squeezed her hand for reassurance, her returning the gesture.

"So you guys were attacked here too?" Katie asked, not being able to resist the chance to hear the story.  After the story was told, Daniel pulled Katie aside and asked.

"Are they going to keep coming after Madison?  And you?"

"Until they have us back" she answered honestly "or we're dead."

He was almost about to cry at that, he took a moment to collect himself and asked "Is there anything I can do to help you two?"

"Since you're a pre-cog, you can stick close to her and can see an attack before it happens" Katie suggested "Your visions are only POSSIBLE outcomes,  they can be changed" he thought a moment and asked a very important question.

"Hey, ask my sister" Katie smiled at him.

Madison came in their bedroom later that evening, rose petals making a path to the bed.  She giggled, her loving that sensation that she never got to experience as a child.  "Daniel?  What is all this?"

"Mads" he gulped, he was nervous and down on one knee "I've loved you since the first time I heard you in my head...and since I know you better I want to keep you safe...will you be my wife?" he showed a silver band with a diamond on it.  She looked at the thing with awe.

"Are you sure?  I've explained that with me around it'll be dangerous..." he stood up and shushed her with a finger. 

"I know what the dangers are" he softly kissed her, his stubble tickling her "I accept them, just as I accept you and your sister.  I want to keep you safe, and if it means that I have to give my own life to save you...so be it..."

Madison was breath taken, only her sister had shown this much concern when they were growing up.  On more than one occasion, Katie had taken punishments at the Compound for the stupid things  she did.  "Yes, Daniel" she finally said "I'll marry you..."

It was a small beach affair, Katie helping Madison into a bridal gown.  The men managed to get some rental tuxes last minute and they had raided the bar of all their booze.  They had "borrowed" a priest to officiate, despite not having filling out the forms needed to make the marriage legal.  Jeff Tremaine had walked Madison down the aisle, while Katie stayed in the back on alert.  Thankfully nothing out of the ordinary happened.

The vows were said, the rings placed on the fingers and the new Mr. and Mrs. Webber were introduced.  The reception almost everyone got hammered, save for the bride and groom.  Even Katie eased up and was using her telekinesis to make people fly.  The newlyweds stayed sober because they wanted to be able to be in control of their love making later.

When they finally had some alone time, he pulled his new wife into the honeymoon suite of the hotel they booked.  He kissed her gently at first, but grew hungrier with his kisses.  He undid the dress in the back and she let it fall to the ground.  She was totally nude in front of him, this being their first time together.  "Fuck..." he sighed, his erection growing at the mere sight of her.

After their love making they were sticky and glistening with sweat.  They both were panting when he asked "What the fuck was that?"

"What?" she groaned into his clavicle, planting a soft kiss on it.

"I've had sex before, great sex but what we just did I've never felt anything like that before.  It was like I was feeling your pleasure as well as my own..."

She giggled "Sorry, that was me.  I can't control my ability when I can't concentrate.  You made me feel so good, that I just let go" he played with her hair out of affection.

"Does that mean its always going to be like that when we make love?" he looked down at her.

"Only if you want me to" she answered.

"If it brings me closer to you, then I want it like that all the time" he cuddled with her "I love you, Madison" and interlocked his fingers with hers.

"I love you too, Daniel" she returned the feeling.

"What about them trying to take you and Katie?" he turned serious.

"Bring 'em on" she said boldly "We can take 'em" with that they turned out the light and slipped into a peaceful sleep.

[unsettlingshortstories]

The Furnished Room

O. Henry (1904)

Restless, shifting, fugacious as time itself is a certain vast bulk of the population of the red brick district of the lower West Side. Homeless, they have a hundred homes. They flit from furnished room to furnished room, transients forever - transients in abode, transients in heart and mind. They sing "Home, Sweet Home" in ragtime; they carry their lares et penates in a bandbox; their vine is entwined about a picture hat; a rubber plant is their fig tree.

    Hence the houses of this district, having had a thousand dwellers, should have a thousand tales to tell, mostly dull ones, no doubt; but it would be strange if there could not be found a ghost or two in the wake of all these vagrant guests.

    One evening after dark a young man prowled among these crumbling red mansions, ringing their bells. At the twelfth he rested his lean hand baggage upon the step and wiped the dust from his hatband and forehead. The bell sounded faint and far away in some remote, hollow depths.

    To the door of this, the twelfth house whose bell he had rung, came a housekeeper who made him think of an unwholesome, surfeited worm that had eaten its nut to a hollow shell and now sought to fill the vacancy with edible lodgers.

    He asked if there was a room to let.

    "Come in," said the housekeeper. Her voice came from her throat; her throat seemed lined with fur. "I have the third-floor-back, vacant since a week back. Should you wish to look at it?"

    The young man followed her up the stairs. A faint light from no particular source mitigated the shadows of the halls. They trod noiselessly upon a stair carpet that its own loom would have forsworn. It seemed to have become vegetable; to have degenerated in that rank, sunless air to lush lichen or spreading moss that grew in patches to the staircase and was viscid under the foot like organic matter. At each turn of the stairs were vacant niches in the wall. Perhaps plants had once been set within them. If so, they had died in that foul and tainted air. It may be that statues of the saints had stood there, but it was not difficult to conceive that imps and devils had dragged them forth in the darkness and down to the unholy depths of some furnished pit below.

    "This is the room," said the housekeeper, from her furry throat. "It's a nice room. It ain't often vacant. I had some most elegant people in it last summer - no trouble at all, and paid in advance to the minute. The water's at the end of the hall. Sprowls and Mooney kept it three months. They done a vaudeville sketch. Miss B'retta Sprowls - you may have heard of her - oh, that was just the stage names - right there over the dresser is where the marriage certificate hung, framed. The gas is here, and you see there is plenty of closet room. It's a room everybody likes. It never stays idle long."

    "Do you have many theatrical people rooming here?" asked the young man.

    "They comes and goes. A good proportion of my lodgers is connected with the theaters. Yes, sir, this is the theatrical district. Actor people never stays long anywhere. I get my share. Yes, they comes and they goes."

    He engaged the room, paying for a week in advance. He was tired, he said, and would take possession at once. He counted out the money. The room had been made ready, she said, even to towels and water. As the housekeeper moved away he put, for the thousandth time, the question that he carried at the end of his tongue.

    "A young girl - Miss Vashner - Miss Eloise Vashner - do you remember such a one among your lodgers? She would be singing on the stage, most likely. A fair girl, of medium height and slender, with reddish gold hair and a dark mole near her left eyebrow."

    "No, I don't remember the name. Them stage people has names they change as often as their rooms. No, I don't call that one to mind."

    No. Always no. Five months of ceaseless interrogation and the inevitable negative. So much time spent by day in questioning managers, agents, schools and choruses; by night among the audiences of theaters from all-star casts down to music halls so low that he dreaded to find what he most hoped for. He who had loved her best had tried to find her. He was sure that since her disappearance from home this great, water-girt city held her somewhere, but it was like a monstrous quicksand, shifting its particles constantly, with no foundation, its upper granules of today buried tomorrow in ooze and slime.

    The furnished room received its latest guest with a first glow of pseudo hospitality, a hectic, haggard, perfunctory welcome like the specious smile of a demirep. The sophistical comfort came in reflected gleams from the decayed furniture, the ragged brocade upholstery of a couch and two chairs, a foot-wide cheap pier glass between the two windows, from one or two gilt picture frames and a brass bedstead in a corner.

    The guest reclined, inert, upon a chair, while the room, confused in speech as though it were an apartment in Babel, tried to discourse to him of its divers tenantry.

    A polychromatic rug like some brilliant-fowered, rectangular, tropical islet lay surrounded by a billowy sea of soiled matting. Upon the gay-papered wall were those pictures that pursue the homeless one from house to house - The Huguenot Lovers, The First Quarrel, The Wedding Breakfast, Psyche at the Fountain. The mantel's chastely severe outline was ingloriously veiled behind some pert drapery drawn rakishly askew like the sashes of the Amazonian ballet. Upon it was some desolate flotsam cast aside by the room's marooned when a lucky sail had borne them to a fresh port - a trifling vase or two, pictures of actresses, a medicine bottle, some stray cards out of a deck. One by one, as the characters of a cryptograph became explicit, the little signs left by the furnished room's procession of guests developed a significance. The threadbare space in the rug in front of the dresser told that lovely women had marched in the throng. The tiny fingerprints on the wall spoke of little prisoners trying to feel their way to sun and air. A splattered stain, raying like the shadow of a bursting bomb, witnessed where a hurled glass or bottle had splintered with its contents against the wall. Across the pier glass had been scrawled with a diamond in staggering letters the name Marie. It seemed that the succession of dwellers in the furnished room had turned in fury - perhaps tempted beyond forbearance by its garish coldness - and wreaked upon it their passions. The furniture was chipped and bruised; the couch, distorted by bursting springs, seemed a horrible monster that had been slain during the stress of some grotesque convulsion. Some more potent upheaval had cloven a great slice from the marble mantel. Each plank in the floor owned its particular cant and shriek as from a separate and individual agony. It seemed incredible that all this malice and injury had been wrought upon the room by those who had called it for a time their home; and yet it may have been the cheated home instinct surviving blindly, the resentful rage at false household gods that had kindled their wrath. A hut that is our own we can sweep and adorn and cherish.

    The young tenant in the chair allowed these thoughts to file, softshod; through his mind, while there drifted into the room furnished sounds and furnished scents. He heard in one room a tittering and incontinent, slack laughter; in others the monologue of a scold, the rattling of dice, a lullaby, and one crying dully; above him a banjo tinkled with spirit. Doors banged somewhere; the elevated trains roared intermittently; a cat yowled miserably upon a back fence. And he breathed the breath of the house - a dank savor rather than a smell - a cold, musty effluvium as from underground vaults mingled with the reeking exhalations of linoleum and mildewed and rotten woodwork.

    Then suddenly, as he rested there, the room was filled with the strong, sweet odor of mignonette. It came as upon a single buffet of wind with such sureness and fragrance and emphasis that it almost seemed a living visitant. And the man cried aloud, "What, dear?" as if he had been called, and sprang up and faced about. The rich odor clung to him and wrapped him around. He reached out his arms for it, all his senses for the time confused and commingled. How could one be peremptorily called by an odor? Surely it must have been a sound. But was it not the sound that had touched, that had caressed him?

    "She has been in this room," he cried, and he sprang to wrest from it a token, for he knew he would recognize the smallest thing that had belonged to her or that she had touched. This enveloping scent of mignonette, the odor that she had loved and made her own - whence came it?

    The room had been but carelessly set in order. Scattered upon the flimsy dresser scarf were half a dozen hairpins - those discreet, indistinguishable friends of womankind, feminine of gender, infinite of mood and uncommunicative of tense. These he ignored, conscious of their triumphant lack of identity. Ransacking the drawers of the dresser he came upon a discarded, tiny, ragged handkerchief. He pressed it to his face. It was racy and insolent with heliotrope; he hurled it to the floor. In another drawer he found odd buttons, a theater program, a pawnbroker's card, two lost marshmallows, a book on the divination of dreams. In the last was a woman's black satin hair bow, which halted him, poised between ice and fire. But the black satin hair bow also is femininity's demure, impersonal common ornament and tells no tales.

    And then he traversed the room like a hound on the scent, skimming the walls, considering the corners of the bulging matting on his hands and knees, rummaging mantel and tables, the curtains and hangings, the drunken cabinet in the corner, for a visible sign, unable to perceive that she was there beside, around, against, within, above him, clinging to him, wooing him, calling him so poignantly through the finer senses that even his grosser ones became cognizant of the call. Once again he answered loudly, "Yes, dear!" and turned, wild-eyed, to gaze on vacancy, for he could not yet discern form and color and love and outstretched arms in the odor of mignonette. Oh, God! Whence that odor, and since when have odors had a voice to call! Thus he groped.

    He burrowed in crevices and corners, and found corks and cigarettes. These he passed in passive contempt. But once he found in a fold of the matting a half-smoked cigar, and this he ground beneath his heel with a green and trenchant oath. He sifted the room, from end to end. He found dreary and ignoble small records of many a peripatetic tenant; but of her whom he sought, and who may have lodged there, and whose spirit seemed to hover there, he found no trace.

    And then he thought of the housekeeper.

    He ran from the haunted room downstairs and to a door that showed a crack of light. She came out to his knock. He smothered his excitement as best he could.

    "Will you tell me, madam," he besought her, "who occupied the room I have before I came"

    "Yes, sir. I can tell you again. Twas Sprowls and Mooney, as I said. Miss B'retta Sprowls it was in the theaters, but Missis Mooney she was. My house is well known for respectability. The marriage certificate hung, framed, on a nail over--"

    "What kind of a lady was Miss Sprowls - in looks, I mean?"

    "Why, black-haired, sir, short, and stout, with a comical face. They left a week ago Tuesday."

    "And before they occupied it?"

    "Why, there was a single gentleman connected with the draying business. He left owing me a week. Before him was Missis Crowder and her two children, that stayed four months; and back of them was old Mr. Doyle, whose sons paid for him. He kept the room six months. That goes back a year, sir, and further I do not remember."

    He thanked her and crept back to his room. The room was dead. The essence that had vivified it was gone. The perfume of mignonette had departed. In its place was the old, stale odor of moldy house furniture, of atmosphere in storage.

    The ebbing of his hope drained his faith. He sat staring at the yellow, singing gaslight. Soon he walked to the bed and began to tear the sheets into strips. With the blade of his knife he drove them tightly into every crevice around windows and door. When all was snug and taut he turned out the light, turned the gas full on again and laid himself gratefully upon the bed.

It was Mrs. McCool's night to go with the can for beer. So she fetched it and sat with Mrs. Purdy in one of those subterranean retreats where housekeepers forgather and the worm dieth seldom.

    "I rented out my third-floor-back this evening," said Mrs. Purdy, across a fine circle of foam. "A young man took it. He went up to bed two hours ago."

    "Now, did ye, Mrs. Purdy, ma'am?" said Mrs. McCool, with intense admiration. "You do be a wonder for rentin' rooms of that kind. And did ye tell him, then?" she concluded in a husky whisper laden with mystery.

    "Rooms," said Mrs. Purdy, in her furriest tones, "are furnished for to rent. I did not tell him, Mrs. McCool."

    "'Tis right ye are, ma'am; 'tis by renting rooms we kape alive. Ye have the rale sense for business, ma'am. There be many people will rayjict the rentin' of a room if they be tould a suicide has been after dyin' in the bed of it."

    "As you say, we has our living to be making," remarked Mrs. Purdy. "Yis, ma'am; 'tis true. 'Tis just one wake ago this day I helped ye lay out the third-floor-back. A pretty slip of a colleen she was to be killin' herself wid the gas - a swate little face she had, Mrs. Purdy, ma'am."

    "She'd a-been called handsome, as you say," said Mrs. Purdy, assenting but critical, "but for that mole she had a-growin' by her left eyebrow. Do fill up your glass again, Mrs. McCool."

[jeffersonhq]

Application for Sebastian Clarington-Smythe; Accepted

Congratulations Becky! Please submit your account within 24 hours or the role will be reopened. Welcome to Allentown!

Application

OOC:

Name: Becky

Age: 21

Timezone: Central

Activity Level: 7 -I’m in college full time as well as working part time. I try to be on often, at least once a day.

Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers (you can also use they/them/theirs and if referring to me as my character, he/him/his is perfectly fine and I don’t mind being called by my character’s name)

IC:

Character Name: Sebastian Smythe

Job: Firefighter

Bio:

Sebastian knew Hunter throughout high school, where they became pretty good friends. Sebastian and Hunter were practically inseparable after they figured out their differences and Sebastian gave up his position for captain to make him happy. Of course, Sebastian told himself it was because Hunter was a better fit, but he knew that wasn’t completely true. Sebastian never told anyone, not even Hunter, it was because he wanted a better chance to get with him.

            Sebastian had the biggest crush on Hunter throughout high school and only did it get worse when they became roommates. Of course, Sebastian made sure there was no way Hunter could know a thing. So thus began the parade of men Sebastian brought in and out of their room. Sebastian probably slept with over one hundred guys in the time he and Hunter roomed together, of course, all in his room and occasionally in Hunter’s bed, all with the hopes of Hunter walking in a becoming jealous, which never really worked.

            Sebastian spent most of his time in high school perfecting his singing and was planning on going to school with Hunter for a career in music but Sebastian’s transcripts weren’t nearly as good as Hunter’s. Apparently his two years of whoring  around Westerville to make his best friend jealous had an effect on his grades. So Sebastian settled for the local college for a degree in music and Hunter went off to pursue his dreams elsewhere. Sebastian and Hunter kept in touch for a while until their friendship faded away and they stopped talking for no real reason. Sebastian was heartbroken at the loss of his best friend and the man he believed to be “the one” but he just never knew what to say to Hunter; especially when he didn’t know what Hunter would say to him. Sebastian continued his promiscuous lifestyle and soon began to forget about the reason he started sleeping around and began to do it because he was good at it and he liked it.

After a semester at the local college, Sebastian was sure music was not for him. Sebastian was distracting himself from doing his homework one night when he discovered the new Fire Science program starting at his college. Knowing he couldn’t imagine working in the music industry for the rest of his life, Sebastian applied for the Fire Science program. His grades were atrocious, and his parents were pretty pissed when the found out what Sebastian had been doing for the last two and a half years of his life, “going into burning buildings, putting out fires in a dirty yellow coat is disgusting and dangerous,” His mother complained. His father rolled his eyes and laughed, “Son, you’re a slut and disgrace, and you’re not going to be a fire fighter. Just drop out and I’ll get you’re a job at my company, maybe you can get your mess of a life together.” His parents were right. Obviously a 1.9 GPA wasn’t going to get Sebastian into fire school. Sebastian was not accepted into the fire program but he wasn’t going to give up. Sebastian moved out of his parent’s house, causing his father to cut him off completely. He took a semester and the summer off school and got a full time job. Sebastian worked his ass off until he could afford another year of college. He had no idea what he would do to pay for the second year of his two-year program, but he was going to get into the program. He took the entrance exam, since he didn’t qualify with his grades, and passed with flying colors. So in the fall, Sebastian started the fire science program. And he loved it. Sebastian even earned a full ride scholarship for the second year of the program. His parents were proud of him finally, but Sebastian rolled his eyes and laughed. They weren’t invited to his graduation ceremony.

Sebastian began his career as a firefighter with a low-paying, part-time job in the Westerville department. It was hard work and most of the time he was sent to wash the fire trucks or fetch food for the full-timers. For the first full year of his first job, Sebastian hadn’t stepped foot in a burning building and was considering quitting. The day Sebastian was sent to work on engine 3, the truck that notoriously broke down nearly every time it was taken out, he had had enough. Sebastian dropped his wrench on the ground and grumbled. Fuck this job, he didn’t work his ass off to be the valedictorian of his graduating class to work on a broken truck. Suddenly, the lights flashed and the bells rang. Everyone sprang up and rushed to put on their gear. A fire at the local Wal-Mart, the biggest one they’ve had all year. Sebastian stayed put, like always, he knew he wouldn’t be allowed to go.

“Smythe, get your ass moving!” He heard his boss yell and Sebastian mouth dropped open in shock. He sat for about two seconds before realizing it; He was finally going to get to do what he worked so hard for! Sebastian geared up faster than he’d ever had in practice and was even on the truck before some of his fellow firefighters. The fire was huge, most of the store had been burned to a crisp before they’d finished and at least two people had died and five had gone to the emergency room. By the end, Sebastian was spent and covered in ash and soot, but the smile couldn’t leave his face, despite the deaths and injuries. His boss clapped him on the shoulder and said he’d done well. Sebastian never had to sit out another fire again.

Hunter visited that summer and Sebastian was sitting in the lounge at the station when his dad called. Hunter had stopped by the house looking for Sebastian, who hadn’t lived there for the past three years. Sebastian sighed, rubbed his eyes, and told him to send him to his apartment; he was just leaving the station. When he arrived at his apartment, he noticed a taller, leaner, Hunter leaning against the door and Sebastian practically stopped breathing. “Hunt?” He breathed, dropping his duffel on the ground. Hunter’s eyes locked onto Sebastian and before he knew it, Hunter had pushed him against the door to his apartment, pressing their lips passionately together. Sebastian stumbled to unlock the door, both men slipping inside and the rest of the night, is history.

Sebastian couldn’t let Hunter slip away again, so just 10 months later, he proposed; another night in their history book. And their wedding day was pretty amazing too. Sebastian’s parents had since apologized for the way they treated their son, and had been nothing but supportive of Sebastian and Hunter’s marriage, and their decision to have children.

But, ever since that fateful night Hunter had came back, Sebastian had been fighting an uphill battle with Hunter’s father. He hated Sebastian and no matter what he did, his father made those comments Hunter wouldn’t believe if Sebastian told him. So he kept his pure hatred of his husband’s father to himself, wishing he could get some support from his husband.

The day Sebastian had ended up in the hospital from second degree burns and smoke inhalation was the day Hunter’s father came to him with a…proposition, “divorce my son. I’ve got about 2 million dollars saved up, if you’d move to back to Ohio and - ” The older Clarington wasn’t able to finish his thought as Sebastian, hooked up to a breathing machine and two of his limbs wrapped in bandages, lunged at the old fucker, nearly knocking Hunter’s father, and himself, out in his rage. When the nurse found Hunter straddling the older man, attempting to punch his lights out, Sebastian was dragged back into his bed and his husband was called. Sebastian was required to stay in the hospital longer, for both his blisters that were torn open in the altercation, and a psych evaluation. Neither man told Hunter what had happened; the only thing Hunter knew was that Sebastian attacked his father and clearly was not happy with his husband. Two weeks after the event, Sebastian still has no idea how to tell the love of his life that his father wants to pay him off to divorce him.

Quote: “You don’t have to be the best, just the best you can be."   -What Sebastian tells his kids on a daily basis (enter moans and eye rolls but they all know he’s right)

Twitter:

@smythington004: So you all stop asking, 004 is my identification number so if you’re in a fire, ya’ll know whose saving yo’ ass. #TheSmexiestFiremanSmythe

@smythington004: Note to self dont tackle your father in law. Day 9 no sex fuck my husband. wait cant do that cuz he wont put out!  >:( #SoFuckinHorny

@smythington004: found my kids on twitter. Oh this will be fun. @madison @Bryson Hi kids!

(And I would just like it to be known that Sebastian doesn’t care if Hunter sees his tweets and yes, he realizes his husband is probably pretty pissed but I like to think Sebastian can charm his way out of anything when it comes to Hunter)

Birthday: May 22

Para Sample: RFP

[slitherfromeden]

dear :( you never have to tell me you're okay if you aren't. i'm sorry. this must be so scary to experience. i don't know what i can say to make it less scary, and i wish i could give you a hug. just, talk to me about it if that feels grounding and let me know how i can help you feel better, like lmk if you need distraction or if you need to talk or anything? i love you, i'm sorry you're going through this. many, many hugs

like. i didnt feel like i was lying. i think it was more that,, i’d tricked myself into thinking i was okay, not realising that like. that’s ineffective. i’d been so disconnected from reality that i think like,,, maybe i didn’t even realise because i’ve been losing hours and forgetting things like crazy and it’s just. i feel brain dead. i feel dead. part of me thinks that i died and i’m a ghost because i just feel dead. but at the same time extremely anxious. i’m so scared. every time someone takes a step, every time a door closes, every voice i hear, every siren in the distance. it all makes me so anxious and i’ve been having panic attacks like never before and like. i just wanna die hasdhf. i dont see how else this is gonna end. i’m so cold and so. it’s so scary. i’ve tried grounding in so many ways but i feel like i’m 5 foot away from myself. just. it’s so indescribable. that word looks dumb. indescribable. but i checked and the spelling is right. huh. idk i just. i think i need face to face therapy. but obviously,,,, that is not possible rn. and i don’t know when it will be. scotland is on lockdown for at least another 3 weeks. even then idk when the nhs will start normal appointments again. i haven’t seen my psychiatrist since,,,, october so i think i’ve been anticipating her arrival or at least like,,, have her say something to my psych but. nothing that i’m aware of. i’ve been showering so much because i feel so dirty all the time and i feel like bugs are crawling all over me. i’ve showered 4 times today alone. and it’s a full body clean in the shower for 30+ minutes every time which is just plain bad for the environment but i can’t not. it’s just. spiralling. idk when,,, the next attempt is gonna be but. if i had to guess,,,, within the next two weeks. i dont see how i’m getting out of this cause tbh,,, i havent really left this low point since january. i’ve either just been slightly better but still worse than i should be, or reckless. and like. i cant.

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS GAIDEN 25; Soul and Maka with Mami

SOUL AND MAKA WITH MAMI TOMOE

-some years ago- Maka: *bouncing in one place* "Okay, I'm psyched, I'm stoked, I'm excited, I got this, I got this..." soul: so, what are we looking for exactly? Maka: "You heard Lord Death's order: we're hunting a dangerous killer!" soul: I got that part, so....what does this fucker look like? Maka: *sighs* "As Lord Death explained, the target is the Mad Butcher. As far as we know, they tend to use a clever and may look...like a butcher?" ^^; soul: wow, _that's_ descriptive. Maka: -_-# "The killer has not yet been identified physically because they escape quickly. And my Soul Perception is..." *scratches her cheek* "...underdeveloped." soul: that's not the only thing, I see. *CHOP* Maka: -\\\\\-### soul: OW! WHAT DID I DO?! Maka: "You know exactly what you--" *LOUD SCREAM three or four blocks away* Maka: "!!!" soul: think we found it. Maka: "Transform." *holds out her hand* soul: *scythe mode* Maka: *grabs the scythe and takes off running* "At this speed, we'll be able to corner them!" *leaps off one roof to another* butcher: *SCREEEECH* soul: there! Maka: "Let's do this!" *leaps off the roof, holding Soul, aiming at the Butcher* -the butcher loses an arm and screams, charging- Maka: *spins, swinging the scythe at the Butcher's legs* butcher: *ROAR* soul: one more should do- -TIRO FINALE!- -the butcher is blasted away, a red soul floating above it- Maka + soul: WHAT THE FUCK?! Maka: ._. "...That wasn't us..." mami: oh? I didn't think anyone else was here, my mistake. ^^; soul: di- DID SHE JUST FUCKIN KILL-STEAL US?! mami: hmm? oh, you're mr albarn's daughter, right? it's nice to finally meet you after all this time.  ^^ Maka: "...'Mr. Albarn'?" mami: the death scythe? he's a good friend. ^^ Maka: *stares at her* "Oh. Um..." *backs up a bit* "That's...surprising. Especially given what a giant perv-ball he is." mami: ? soul: *changes back* WHAT THE HELL?! WE TOTALLY HAD THAT!! D8< mami: oh, the butcher? my apologies. *hands them the soul* here. soul: grk- YOU GOT SOME NERVE- Maka: -_-# *holding Soul by the neck like a dog owner holding their pet* "Down, boy." *looks at Mami* "What's your name?" mami: mami tomoe, a pleasure. ^^ soul: *grumbles* Maka: "...Thank you for the offer, Mami. But we want to earn our souls on our own." *pulls Soul along* "Good to meet you. Let's go, Soul." soul: *growling and walks off with maka* fuckin a-hole, goddamn kill-stealin' us like that *mutter mutter* mami:..... ~ mami: so that's what happened, sir. lord death: hmm. I see. while it's unfortunate on their part, you didn't know they were already fighting the enemy, so I suppose it cant be helped. we still appreciate it all the same, miss tomoe. mami: *curtsey* thank you, sir. Spirit: "...Was Maka well?" mami: she seemed rather pleasant. her partner on the other hand...didn't seem to appreciate it... Spirit: ^^; "That's because Maka is the most charming perfect child to ever exist--" *death glare* "And her partner is a demonic spawn of Satan that has been sent to spread havoc wherever he goes..." mami: I...see.... ^^; Spirit: "...I'm sorry Maka was a bit stubborn. That kind of dedication is something she picked up from my wi--" …………. “N-nevermind…” mami: ?? so, what is our next mission? Spirit: "R-Right..." *hands her a folder* "Maybe this one won't have someone interfering..." -one year before Y1- Maka: "That takes care of him..." *holds her scythe up to the red soul* soul: *nom* got it! tomoe should be inside, lets go. -inside- mami: *rifle out, searching the area* ... Crona: "You shouldn't be here..." mami: !!! *turns to face them* Crona: "I thought the doors only open to the inside..." mami: um....hello? Crona: *looking away* "There's someone here..." mami: ?? *steps forwards* Crona: *blood blasts from their wrist* mami: !!!!!!! *The blood is black...and is forming the shape of...a sword?!* mami: *aims her rifle* ???: "Let's just gobble up this pig!" mami: ?!?! *a mouth forms on the sword, and it lets out a scream* mami: !!!!! Crona: *rushes at Mami, clutching Ragnarok* mami: !!!! *blocks with her rifle* Crona: *swings again* -BANG- Crona: *eyes widen...looks up at Mami* mami: ... ?!! w-wha- *Did the bullet hit? There's a hole...No...It's filling with the black blood!* Crona: "My blood..." mami: what..even are... Crona: "I don't know...how to talk to girls...But sh-she asked me to eat the souls...Eat the souls...Eat..." mami: w-who is 'she'? Crona: "I can't--" Ragnarok: "Wouldn't you like to know?!" *a fist swings out of the sword* mami: ~regale~ -gold ribbons tie up the fist- Ragnarok: "?!! What's this girly crap..." mami: I don't want to hurt you, but if you keep harming people, I wont have any choice but to- *SWING* mami: !!!! Crona: *swinging Ragnarok, giggling* -outside- Maka: "That way!" soul: right! (the hell is tomoe doing in there?) Maka: *approaches the door, reaches for the handle--and freezes* soul: maka? whats up? Maka: "..." *hardens her eyes* "We're going in." *pushes the doors in* mami: !!! soul: what the hell? Maka: "!!! They have...two souls?" soul: ?!?! mami: ?! Maka: "Soul!" *holds out her hand* soul: don't need to tell me twice! *about to transform* *SLICE* soul: !!!!- *collapse as he screams* mami: !!!!!!!!!!! Maka: "...Soul!" Crona: "..." soul: s-shit! fucking shit! Maka: *cradles Soul* "Soul...No...Stay with me!" Crona: "She said to kill..." *raises their sword over Maka and Soul* Maka: *holds Soul, ready for the hit* mami: !!!! ~regale~ -gold ribbons bind chrona~ soul: I-I'm not dead, maka, I'm in a s-shit ton of pain, but not dead. Maka: "We'll get you help...We just--" Crona: *lets the Black Blood seep--and slides out of the ribbons* "..." *holds out their cut wrist--and a needle comes out, heading for Mami* mami: !!! *ribbon shield* Crona: *rushing towards Mami, pulls back Ragnarok--* *CRACK* *Wood splinters fly past Maka's head--along with a foot* Maka: "?!!!" *The foot slams into Crona's chest, knocking them back* mami: ah- soul: w-what t-the hell? *The door swings open* Stein: "...Huh. They open inward." soul: hey doc. can you please call all of the ambulances? Stein: "Funny..." soul: doc please mami: *ribbon barrier to protect them* Spirit: *grabs Soul's shirt, slicing it open* "Get to work." Stein: *removes thread and antiseptic from his pocket, with a first-aid kit* "I'll get to work." Crona: *slashing at the ribbons* -BANG BANG SLICE- Stein: "This is going to hurt...You need something to bite down?" soul: I-I'm goo- ACK! f-fuckin shit! Maka: *holds his hand* soul: t-thanks. heh. *trying to smile through the pain* Maka: *wipes her eyes* -later- Crona: *outside, collapsed* mami:.....we should take them back with us.... soul: seriously, tomoe? Maka: "Didn't you see what they did? They could kill again--" mami: but soul isn't dead, right? soul:...t-true... Maka: "..." *sighs* "And they aren't on Lord Death's list...Who's carrying them?" mami: I'm not sure. we'll likely have to interrogate them. Stein: "Spirit, grab them." Spirit: *eyeroll, before picking up Crona* Crona: "M-M..." mami: ?? Crona: "Mo-Moth..." mami: !!.....its ok. *pats their shoulder* Crona: *shudders, recoils in sleep*

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 11

while medusa and noah are making prepperations, our DWMA crew head to the city in the sky, and uncover some truth about stocking’s origins.

once again, shoutout to @soul-dwelling for making this RP possible!

-elsewhere- medusa: *smirking* Noah: (his wrists and ankles pinned by her arrows) "Hmph...I'm not saying that wasn't good...but not as much fun as when I get to touch..." medusa: too bad... that was one hell of an orgasm though... that you didnt cause~ Noah: (biting his lip, trying to hold back) "I could tell: your sounds were...enthusiastic." medusa: *griiins* Noah: (stares at her body) "I think you traded up in bodies, too...Those tits..." medusa: what about them? Noah: (smirks) "You proud of them? 'Cause you should be." medusa: oh i am. and with big sis gone, i'm the most endowed gorgon sister.) Noah: (licks his lips) "Put your hands on them..." medusa: heh...nope~ Noah: (frowns) "Fine...If we aren't going to play, then I'll have you get back to work..." medusa: just remember i still have you pinned. Noah: "And so long as I am pinned..." (nods to the Book of Enoch) "...that book is useless to you." medusa: hmm..... *she rubs her foot against his shaft* Noah: (biting his lip) "God..." (moans with pleasure) medusa: if i could, i'd love to skin you alive. Noah: (smiles) "And what would you do with my skin?" medusa: i'd set it on fire. Noah: (chuckles) "I've come back from worse...What would you do with my skinless body?" (arches his hips a bit towards her foot) medusa: i might grind the bones for potions and feed the meats to passing strays. Noah: (laughs) " 'Feed passing strays'? No, the only one I feed is you..." (looks at his hardening penis) medusa:..... *she steps on him* Noah: "Arg!" (pained, but trying to keep a smile) "You cunt..." medusa: *smirks* you're welcome~ Noah: "You know what I would do to you? I'd show you just how flexible you are..." medusa: sure.... i think i remember the prison guards taking some girl to the psyche ward... i think she was your servant... is this correct? Noah: (chuckles) "Yes...Break some bones, break her mind." medusa: you probably used her body up too... like that girl and your old servant, Ilise. Noah: (inhales) "Her blood...God, that smell was delicious..." medusa: blood or blood ink? Noah: (smirks) "I need something to jog my memory..." medusa: *she bites her lip till it bleeds and kisses him* Noah: (swallows her blood, licking at the cut) "Blood ink...is not as good as the real thing..." medusa: heh... Noah: (tries to slip his tongue past her lips...) medusa: *she backs up* uh-uh-uh~ not so fast~ Noah: "Please...Just a bit of fun..." medusa: only if you beg~ Noah: (frowns) "Please...Lady Medusa?" Noah: "I am not fit to lick your toes..." medusa: what was that? i cant hear you~ Noah: (louder) "I am a worm, here at your feet, desiring only one thing: to pleasure you. And I am not even fit to do that." medusa: tch- that's better~ -elsewhere- Patty: (resting her feet in the pool) liz: hey sis. Patty: (smiles) "Hey, Sis! Some wedding shindig that was, huh?" liz: yeah it sure was. Patty: (rubs her face) "Just wish I didn't get elbowed in the face like that...Some conga line..." liz: *hugs her* Patty: (returns the hug) "How 'bout you? You like the dancing and the feasting?" liz: yeah. i'm glad wes got to make it. Patty: :3 "Liz..." liz: ??? Patty: "You going to take him out before he flies to his next gig?" liz: well, he did invite me to dinner at this french restaurant that opened up... Patty: *poke poke* "Go!" liz: well, he's in town for the next 3 days. he invited me out for tomorrow... Patty: (seizes Liz by the shoulder) "We get you a new outfit, get your hair done, and you get a great date with a hottie!" (puts her face against hers) "But you need sleep for all of that prep!" -the next day- Patty: (humming happily) -at the restaurant.- liz: wes! great to see you! Wes: "Liz! It's great to see you, too..." (holds out his arms) liz: *she hugs him* Wes: (smiles, then pulls back) "Love your hair." liz: *blush* thanks. Wes: (pulls out the chair for her to sit) liz: this is a really fancy place. Wes: (nods, as he pushes her chair in) "I was pleased with the reviews--and how amenable they were to get us a reservation." liz: yeah... so where is your next gig? Wes: "Back to London." liz: ah. Wes: "Looking forward to it: packed house. And congratulations again on becoming a college student!" liz: yeah. hard to believe... Wes: (smiles) "You deserve it...So..." (pulls out from under the table a small, gift wrapped box) liz: ?? Wes: "I bought you this, to commemorate your entrance into college...Would you mind opening it?" liz: *she opens the box* --It's a fountain pen-- liz: aw wes. this is so nice of you. *she smiles* Wes: "Something to help you with writing notes...It-It writes clearly, minimal pressure, and it came with a lifetime supply of ink..." (blushes a bit) "My parents got me one when I left college..." liz: *she blushes* Wes: *clear throat* "Um, so...W-Would you like to order?" liz: i think the steak. Wes: (nods) "I think I'll have the same." -at another table.- Spirit: (smiling stupidly) cathrine: mmmh~ the food here is delicious~! Spirit: "Yes, that's what brought me here...and of course you." cathrine: aww~ *she cuts some food* say 'aaaaah~' Spirit: (blushes but opens his mouth) "Aaaah..." --At the bar, watching-- Kami (in disguise): ("Well, I lost my appetite...") --Back at Spirit and Cathrine's table-- cathrine: hehe~ thanks for bringing my magazine for me. Spirit: "Anything for you. Typical of the post office to screw that up." cathrine: yeah, its so hard to get good help these days. *she holds his hand* Spirit: (smiles, lightly rubbing along her hand) "I've enjoyed spending time with you, Cathrine." cathrine: do you think..... *looks around* the bathrooms are spacious here? Spirit: (blushes, gulps) "One way to find out..." cathrine: well come on then~ -she leads him by his tie- Spirit: "O-Okay..." Kami: (watching o_o "Are you kidding me?!") -the music is turned up to drown out the screams- Kami: (spots Cathrine's jacket...) "Hmm..." (walks by...and drops a tracker on it, and goes back to the bar) --Inside the bathroom-- [2 lewd] Spirit: (panting) "That was great." cathrine: ahhh~ damn that felt amazing... Spirit: (smiles) "So, was that 'dessert'? Or did you want one off of the menu?" cathrine: well, we should go back out now.. maybe we can finish up at your place~? Spirit: "S-Sure...Unless you wanted to go back to your place..." cathrine: yeah, but my place i such a mess right now. Spirit: (kisses along her neck as she straightens herself) "If it is already a mess, then it won't be a problem if we make it a bigger mess...But if you are set on it, sure, my place is fine..." cathrine: aww~ *smooch* Spirit: (smiles) "You'll love my bedroom...large bed, satin sheets..." cathrine: ooh~ Spirit: (gooses her as they exit) -in another stall, the occupant is horrified- cathrine: ooh~! Spirit: "Heh heh..." --Back at another table-- Wes: "That was an excellent meal." liz: yeah, it was really good. -at another table- nygus: sid? are you alright? Sid: "F-Fine..." (whispers) "I had eyes on a target." nygus: any updates? Sid: "...They are going back to Spirit's residence. We are not going to get a chance to find her HQ." nygus: darn... Sid: "Just have to hope that magazine Stein and Valentine rigged up works: if she brings it to her home, we can track her. And its bug will let us see and hear..." (shudders) "I think I've heard enough..." nygus:... ?? Sid: "N-Nothing..." (notices someone at the bar) "Hmm..." nygus: ..... *shrugs* Kami: (keeping her back to Sid and Nygus...) -cathrine and spirit have left- -elsewhere- Spirit: "Here we are!" Kami: (down the block, looking at her tracker..."To your place, Spirit? Yuck.") cathrine: you have such a nice place. *she looks at some pictures, some of spirit, others of maka and kami* Spirit: (notices the photos) "Thanks..." (points) "My ex-wife...our Maka." cathrine: *looks at maka* such a sweet girl... its awful what happened to her... Spirit: "..." *sniffs* cathrine: *she hugs him* Spirit: (cries a bit, then calms down) "Thank you...I wish Maka could have met you..." cathrine: ....... Spirit: "..." (kisses her cheek) cathrine: *she smiles* Spirit: (pulls down her jacket a bit, kissing her shoulder) cathrine: ahhh~ Spirit: (removes her jacket, tossing it behind him onto a chair...knocking the tracker off of it so it lands under the chair)) cathrine: spirit you naughty boy~ Spirit: (wraps his arms around her waist) "Will I be punished?" cathrine: actually, i like-em a lil naughty~ Kami: T_T ("I hate this job...") -in what is totally a delivery truck- nygus: O_O Spirit: (smirks) "Oh..." (tugs on the collar to her shirt, kissing at the top of her cleavage) cathrine: *she moans softly* Sid: -_- "I was never the kind of man to be turned on by this...and I'm still not that kind of zombie..." (shudders) nygus: why...just....why? Spirit: (grips along the bottom of her shirt, pulling it up as he gets on his knees to kiss her belly) Sid: "We're being punished. That's the only answer." cathrine: ohhh~ Spirit: (licks along her belly button) cathrine: hehe~ that tickles~! Spirit: (continues licking, as his fingers unbutton her pants) cathrine: ahhh~ Spirit: "Ooh...Very sexy..." (he coaxes her out of her pants, then picks her up, bridal style) cathrine: ah! haha~ Spirit: (brings her into his bedroom, and shuts the door...) -10 minutes later- nygus: O_____________________O Kami: "...I hate this fucking job." Sid: "...Jeez." cathine: AHHHHHHH~!! Spirit: "God, yes!" nygus: i feel violated. sid: "Be grateful they didn't bring the magazine in--or we'd be seeing it..." (shudders) Kami: "..." (facepalm) "Jeez...My ex-husband and some hot witch boinking. FML." cathrine: ah~ right there~! fuck me, daddy, fuck me! Kami: o_o Sid: o_o Spirit: "Take it, baby! Take it!" nygus: *she vomits into a can* Sid: (pats her back) "Stein is going to have to pay us so much over-time..." Kami: "...Well, I see Spirit's bedroom talk hasn't changed. And here's the part where he says--" Spirit: "You naughty little girl! Papa spank!" Kami: "Yep. Predictable." nygus: TURN IT OFF FOR THE LOVE OF GOD TURN IT OFF!! Sid: "Go lie down..." (puts in headphones) "I'll listen...to make sure this witch doesn't kill him...Not before I punch him in the gut." Kami: "..." (fans herself a little) "Man..." cathrine: AHHH~! OH YES~! GIVE IT TO ME BABY! Kami: "..." (shakes her head) Spirit: (panting, grunting) "You like that? You like that?" (loud sound of a spanking) Kami: o\\\\\o "..." cathrine: AHH~! Spirit: "Who's a naughty girl?" cathrine: me~ im such a dirty little slut~! Spirit: "Yes, you are..." (his hands reach her breasts as he continues...) "Take it, you little slut...Take it!" Kami: (shakes her head) "This is torture. This is torture. This is torture..." nygus: TT~TT i've seen horrible things in my life. lacerations. severed limbs, burns... but this is by far the worst of it all... Sid: "It's like hearing two constipated sloths killing each other." nygus: gen you better not pass out on us! Gen: "...I hate life. I want to die..." nygus: .... Spirit: "You naughty minx..." (sounds of more spanking) cathrine: ahhhh~n! Spirit: "Oh God...Oh God! Kami!" Kami: o_o Spirit: "..." Sid: :0 cathrine: ?? uh... *she starts chuckling* aww, did you mess up? Spirit: "...Y-Yeah...Sorry...Um...I-I'm still good...A-Are you?" cathrine: yeah... you gonna finish or what? Kami: (covers her mouth, reaches for the garbage can in her hotel room, vomits) nygus: NOOOOOOO!!!!! Spirit: "Oh...S-Sure...Um..." (half-hearted spank heard, along with bedsprings squeaking) cathrine: ahhhh~ Spirit: (panting) "Cum for me, Cathrine. Cathrine. Cum for me, Cathrine..." cathrine: ahhhh~ harder baby~ Spirit: (bedsprings heard squeaking faster, another loud spank) cathrine: AH THATS GOOD~ Spirit: "Oh, God!" (spank, spank, spank, spank) cathrine: YES~ YES~!! Spirit: "Cathrine! Cathrine! CaaaaaaaaAAAAAAARTHIIIIIIIIIINE!!!!" cathrine: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spirit: (panting, sounds of loud kissing heard) -BANG BANG- Kami: (collapsed on the floor, the headphones still on, moaning) "I. Hate. This. Job...And when I next see Lord Death, I'm slapping him." neighbor: SHUT THE FUCK UP IM TRYING TO WRITE IN HERE ASSHOLE!! Spirit: (panting, sighs...laughs a bit as he pulls out of Cathrine) "Ignore them..." (kisses her lips) "Jerk." nygus: *crying* Sid: (pats her shoulder) "It's okay...It's over..." Spirit: "Up for Round 2?" Sid: o_o nygus: *SCREAMS AND FAINTS* Sid: "Nygus! Where the hell are the smelling salts?!" Spirit: (sounds of him kissing Cathrine) "God, you were amazing..." -elsewhere- Wes: (smiles) "That was a great dinner, Liz. Thanks for tonight." liz: no problem. Wes: "...Liz?" liz: hmm? Wes: "..." (approaches her, leans his head towards her) liz: we- Wes: (kisses...her cheek) liz: o///////////////o Wes: (pulls back, looks at her, while blushing) "..." liz: ah..... Wes: "Th-Thank you again...M-May I walk you home?" liz: yeah. Wes: "Okay..." (brushes his hand along hers, waiting to see--) liz: .////. liz: *she holds his hand a bit* Wes: (blushes more, then smiles as they walk...he gently squeezes her hand) -elsewhere- stocking: *layin next to kid on the couch* Kid: "Stocking? What are you thinking about?" stocking: you wanted to talk to me about something? Kid: (hugs her) "We...will have our mission to find the Sky Sage, soon." stocking: yeah.... Kid: "...Is there anything I can do to help you?" stocking: *she holds him* ............. Kid: (holds her, stroking her hair) "It's going to be okay." stocking:........... i think liz is back. Kid: (pops up over the couch) "Oh, Liz. Welcome." liz: hey kid, stocking. Kid: "How was your evening?" liz: pretty good. the music got a bit loud, but great none-the-less. Kid: "Hmm...That's unfortunate. How is Wes?" liz: pretty good. he gave me a fountain pen as a collage gift. Kid: (smiles) "That was kind of him." (smirks) "So, you didn't see fit to bring him home to let us speak with him?" liz: he had to get back to his hotel room. Kid: (nods) "Well, if you see him again, pass along my hello." liz: can do. -elsewhere- soul: MAKA!!........... *panting*........ soul:.....dammit...... Black Star: *yawn* "Dude, it's late...Come on..." (points to the kitchen, where Tsubaki left some cookies) "I'll get the milk." soul: thanks.... Black Star: "...You see your brother yet?" soul:....... Black Star: "You'd better. He's flying out soon, right?" soul:............ Black Star: "...Okay. I'm not going to make you...But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you mope inside this apartment, either. You run into him, you'll have to talk with him, man." soul: yeah.... Black Star: "...Okay." (munches on a cookie) -elsewhere- lord death: *rubbing yumi's stomach* Yumi: (smiles) "They have been kicking so much..." lord death: *he smiles* hey sweetie, daddy's here~ *kisses her stomach* Yumi: (something between a moan and a murmur) lord death: hehe~ cuties~ Yumi: "Look who's talking..." (pats his head) lord death: *purrs* Yumi: (giggles) "You silly..." -elsewhere- Kana: (holding flowers) eternal feather: those are really pretty, kana. Kana: (blushes) "You're welcome. How are you?" eternal feather: a lot better now. Kana: (nods) "Who else visited in the hospital?" eternal feather: tsugumi, anya, and meme....h-hiro visited too. Kana: "...Oh. You are still sexually attracted to him." eternal feather: w-what?! Kana: "Or romantically attracted. Whatever is more appropriate to say. I really don't know. But the stammering and your blushing suggests you have strong feelings for him." eternal feather: ./////. Kana: "Perhaps you should engage in ritualistic activities undertaken by persons attracted to each other: sharing meals, walking together through arboreal locations, shopping together..." eternal feather: hmmm... .////. Kana: "...Maybe start small. See whether you can study together." (walks up to her, hugs her) "Not even Tarot can predict what will happen." eternal feather:...thanks.... -hospital- justin: *reading* Giriko: "Jeez, this is one hell of a pain! Not even a good pain--like a bad pain!" gopher: *humph* serves you right... kirika: *playing neko atsume on her phone* Giriko: "I'm sorry! Jeez! How many times do I have to say it?!" (cringes) "Ah! How am I still alive after that guy twisted me like a fucking balloon animal?!" kirika: immortality maybe?.... he did blast you with lazers..... and throw you around like a doll. Giriko: "Man, I went down like a bitch..." kirika: it was pretty fucked up. gopher: wow... i want to be strong like that someday... Giriko: "Tch. Puttin' it mildly..." (looks at Gopher) "You'll need muscles first, squirt." gopher: *^* Giriko: "Kirika, you brought me what I asked for during my extended hospital stay?" kirika: got it right here. *she pulls it out of her bag* Giriko: (salivating) "Oh, yeah! Thank you!" gopher: ?? Giriko: "Ha ha ha...The nurses here won't let me have cigarettes. They say it harms the other patients..." (pulls out cigarettes...then stops) "Where's the lighter?" nurse: and just what do you think you're doing with those, mr? Giriko: (stares) "Smoking. What the fuck does it look like I'm doing?" -SMACK- Giriko: "Ow! How am I supposed to get better if everyone keeps hitting me?!" nurse: you can have these back _after_ you've been discharged. Giriko: "Dick!" Giriko: "Kirika! Stop that nurse!" kirika: well that sucks... kirika: i'd love too, but alas, i have to go to school. i know, its a travesty. -later- justin: *reading still...* Giriko: (grumbles) "Hey, Priest--I got to take a leak. Empty my bedpan." -after that- Giriko: "Ahh...What a relief..." justin:............ Giriko: "What the heck you reading anyway, Priest?" -it appears to be great expectations- Giriko: "Who's the author?" (read the author...then starts giggling) justin: ....... Giriko: " 'Dickens'...So, what's the book about?" justin:............ Giriko: "...That good a book, huh?" (lies back in bed) "Maybe you should try some audio books instead of loud music all the time." justin:...... Giriko: "Hmph..." ("Come conversationalist..." *yawns* Starts to fall asleep) -you seem to be in a foggy area.- Giriko: (smacks his mouth a bit...) "Huh...How did I wake up here?" (then he realizes something) "Hey...This is familiar..." -a figure is standing in the distance- Giriko: "...Hey?! Where the fuck am I?" (marches up to the figure) spider witch?: ............... Giriko: (eyes widen) "No way..." spider witch?: ........... *she looks at you, sadly* Giriko: "Arachne? How are you here?" (moves towards her, then gets down on a knee) "I..." arachne?:....... *lightly extends a hand* Giriko: (takes it) "I don't know how you are here...I thought you had died..." (looks up at her) arachne?: ............. *she leans in closer* Giriko: (stands up a bit, looking at her face...It seems...off...) "...You do something with your face?" arachne?: *she leans in to kiss him* Giriko: (gulps, closes his eyes, leans in...) -before your lips touch, you wake up- Giriko: "Ah!" (sits up--and screams, clutches his chest) "Ah!" justin: ?? are you alright? Giriko: "...Oh, now you hear me?!" (grumbles) "Fine. Just a bad dream." justin: would you like to talk about it? Giriko: "...I saw Arachne." justin: oh. *he nods* Giriko: "Yeah..." (lies back down) "Just a stupid dream." justin: ............... you laid her to rest, did you not? Giriko: "Yeah...She's dead. Not coming back." (turns his head away) Giriko: "...Just dead." justin:.... would you like to see her? Giriko: "..." (nods) "Soon as I get out of here..." justin: ok. Giriko: "...I'll get some sleep...Um, unless there was something else to talk about..." justin: *he smiles* get some rest for now. Giriko: (blushing a bit) "Yeah, thanks..." (closes his eyes, nods off) -later- Patty: (staring at Liz) liz: hmm? Patty: (clutches Liz's chin) liz: what? Patty: "So...how was last night? You look like you are glowing..." liz: it went really well. Patty: (nods) "That's good...Wes still a hottie?" liz: as you put it, yeah. Patty: (smiles) "You gonna see him again before he flies off?" Patty: ("I knew the makeover would help Big Sis...") liz: probably. Patty: :3 "Should I wait up for you?" liz: ?? Patty: "Will you be out late with Wes? Like until, say, the next morning?" liz: *bluush* patti! Patty: "Ha ha ha! Just teasing you!" (serious) "But if he hurts you, I'm gonna put him in the hospital." liz: *sweatdrop* Patty: (kisses Liz's cheek) "So, what's on the agenda today?" liz: *shrugs* not sure yet. i might check in on kid. Kid: (pops up behind Liz) "You called?" liz: ah! you ok? Kid: (frowns) "Yes. But you seem rather jumpy...especially when we are a week away from a mission." liz: yeah... Kid: (looking down) "Arcadia..." (shakes a little) liz:.....? Kid: "...I am worried for Stocking." liz: i know... Kid: "...Sigh...Well, today, we are focusing on weapons training. This mission to Arcadia will be peaceful, but we have no idea what threats await us, so I want us to be prepared." liz: alright then. Kid: "So, you haven't arranged a date for tonight?" liz: i might visit him at his place. Patty: (eyebrow wiggle) Kid: (smirk) liz: you goddamn horndogs! Kid and Patty: (giggling) liz: *rolls eyes* Kid: "Okay...Patty, bring your sister along to the training room: we'll be working here in the Mansion today. Then you'll need to get Liz ready for her date." liz: right then. Patty: " 'Kay!" --In the training room-- Kid: (focusing on his breath...) "Okay...I'm close to resonating with you both...Please transform..." liz: alright. *she changes into gun form* Patty: "Ready!" (changes into gun form as well) Kid: (armed with both Thompsons, but still breathing...) "Focus, Liz...Patty, focus..." liz: *breaths. focusing* Patty: (matches their breath) Kid: "...Computer...begin." Kid: (keeps his eyes closed--as slots in the walls open, throwing eight bladed circles directly at Kid simultaneously) -BANG BANG- Kid: (still with eyes closed, but drawing upon what Liz and Patty senses, dodges the blades and fires, either shattering the blades or letting those blades knock against each other, destroying themselves) -4 maid mannequins appear and begin attacking- Kid: (fires at the mannequins while dodging their attacks, still with eyes closed) -the opponents are defeated- Kid: (sighs, opens his eyes) "Hmmm...Still three seconds too slow..." liz: that was pretty good kid! Patty: "Yeah! You blew up those mannequins real good!" (resumes human form, picks up a mannequin's head and plays with it like a puppet) " 'Help me! I can't get a-head!'" liz: ugh.... *she changes back as well* Kid: (chuckles at Patty, messing up her hair) "Okay. Two more rounds, then we'll call it a day. Go rehydrate first." liz: alright. -after training- Kid: (panting) "Woo! Okay...That was a lot better. G-Good work, Liz, Patty." liz: careful you dont pass out there Kid: (laughs) "I won't..." (stretches) "Let's stop here. I'm going to shower." liz: *she nods* -some time later- Patty: (studying Liz) "You all ready?" liz: yeah. i'm going to be bringing soul as well. Patty: (quiet) "Oh..." (hugs Liz) "You are a good person." liz: *she smiles* -later- -knock knock knock- Wes: (looks through peephole--and smiles. "Well, that's a pleasant surprise..." Opens the door.) "Hello." soul: *grumbles* liz: hey wes. Wes: "Hi, Liz...Hey, Soul..." soul:.............. liz: mind if we come in? Wes: "No! Come in!" (nervous laugh..."I'll just have to make sure they don't go into the bedroom...") soul: *turns on the TV* liz: nice place you got here. Wes: (smiles at Liz) "Thanks! I wanted a place where I could practice without bothering other guests...Plenty of room, privacy..." (looks at Soul) "And...they were kind enough to give me a room with a, um..." (he points to where there is a piano in the living room) soul:.......... *turns up the TV volume+slumps* Wes: (frowns sadly, sighs, slumps back against the couch as well...They look like twins) liz: *she chuckles* soul: what? Wes: "???" soul:............. Wes: (looks over at Soul...then realizes. Smiles) "We really are a pair..." soul: *huffs* Wes: "...How have you been, Soul?" soul: ...................... Wes: "...I...heard that you were a great Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet." soul:...yeah..... Wes: "...You always have been great on stage." (looks at Liz) "You should've seen him in an elementary school production of 'The Princess and the Pea.'" soul: o/////o *covers his face in a pillow and screams* Wes: (smiles at Soul) "Come on--is it any less embarrassing then when I played Peter Pan in the third grade?" liz: *snickers* soul: ............... Wes: (smiles at Soul) "Remember when my tights ripped?" (laughs) "I was suspended in the air with my butt in the air?" soul: ......................... Wes: (pokes Soul's shoulder) "I remember how much you were laughing afterwards...You didn't let me forget for a month." soul: *grumbles* Wes: (smirks) "Right?" (tickles his arm) soul: whatever.... Wes: (frowns) "..." (leans against the couch again, just watching TV silently...glances at Liz) liz: *sigh* want any pizza? Wes: (smiles) "Sure. You want to try room service?" soul: .......... liz: sounds good! Wes: "Soul? Is pizza good?" soul:...... *shrugs* eh.... liz: i'll take that as a yes. -later- soul............ Wes: "What did you think of the pizza, Soul?" soul: ........not bad. Wes: (smiles) "Liz?" liz: this is really good! Wes: (smiles wider) "Great." (blushes a bit, clears his throat) "S-Soul? This is a pretty awesome hotel. They have, um, a pool...if you wanted to go there. I mean, after our food goes down." soul: im good..... Wes: "Well, we could walk around there...or check out the balcony. I heard it has the second-best view of Death City..." liz: and the best? Wes: "I heard it's the Academy itself...since it is so tall, pretty much in the center of town..." liz: ah. Wes: "...So...back to watching TV? We could order a movie, get some popcorn..." liz: sounds good. soul: ............... Wes: "How about you pick the movie, Soul?" soul: ............ *shrugs* i dont care, get f*cking bambi for all i care. Wes: "..." -they got bambi- soul:.......................................... Wes: "..." (glancing at Liz) liz: ^^; Wes: "...I used to cry when Bambi's mom got shot..." soul:............. *he curls up* liz:.......... *she holds wes' hand* Wes: (holds Liz's hand, puts an arm around Soul) soul: *grumbling* Wes: (sniffs a little, patting Soul's back) soul:........... *silent, slumps over, not saying anything* Wes: (still holding Liz's hand) "..." -bang- soul: *he flinches* Wes: *he flinches* liz: *wince* Wes: "..." (sniffs loudly, then sobs) liz: Q~Q soul:............ *he gets up and locks himself in the bathroom* Wes: (hands over his face, crying) -after the movie- Wes: (passes around the tissues) liz: soul? you ok in there? soul: i'm fine liz! Wes: (knocks on the door) "Soul? We're here whenever you want to come out..." soul: i said im _fine!_ Wes: (backs away, looks at Liz) "Maybe Bambi was a bad choice..." liz: soul........... soul: ................... liz: if this is about what arthur said the other day- soul: I'M FINE! Wes: "???" Wes: (whispers) "Arthur?" liz: some weird kid with a knight complex at our school... -she explains what happened- Wes: "...God, I'm an idiot." liz: you're not an idiot wes... *she hugs him* Wes: "I-I know so little about what he has gone through..." (shakes his head) "I can't be around him all the time...It makes me think..." (sigh) "Maybe I should stop." liz: wes..... *she rubs his back.* Wes: "Maybe...I should stop touring...and stay." liz: ......... soul: havent i burdened you enough? Wes: o_o (realizing he is hugging Liz, lets go slowly to see Soul) " 'Burden'? No..." soul: oh no, dont let _my_ problems get in the way of your _rich and fabulous_ lifestyle! Wes: (frowns) "Soul, I-I have a career. You have a life here. And I'm sorry that--that I haven't been in your life. I want to be. I thought things were fine...but obviously they aren't. And no career is worth...is worth losing family." (balls his hands into fists) "I want to move to Death City." liz: but... what about your show in london? Wes: (smiles) "I guess that's my finale for a bit: wrap that up, move here." liz: for now, i guess that will work. soul: tch-, you probably already ratted me out to your parents. Wes: (solemn, shakes his head) "I haven't said anything to _our_ parents...I leave that to you." soul: maybe when i die, thanks. Wes: (smirks) "Maybe..." (serious) "Is it okay if I moved here?" liz: i think so. Wes: "Soul? Is it okay with you?" soul:...........(thinking: as if those assholes even care that im gone....) Wes: "Soul? I want to be here for you...I think I should be here, physically. We don't...I mean, I wouldn't be moving in with you or anything...unless you wanted. D-Do you want me _not_ to move to Death City?" soul: ............................................ liz: maybe just to keep an eye on him. Wes: ^_^; "I...suppose that's one way of putting it...Soul? Can I move here to Death City?" soul: what do i care?..not like _my_ opinion matters............ Wes: (hugs Soul) "Thanks, Little Bro! I promise I won't be a nuisance! I'll give you your space--" (picks up Soul by his armpits) "But now we can hang out together more often!" soul:............................... joooooy..... -_-; Wes: (sets Soul down) "Let's celebrate! How about wine?" soul: i cant drink! Wes: (bemused) "You can in France..." soul: this isnt france. Wes: (smiles) "Okay...No wine--water, then. Liz? Can I get you some water?" liz: sure Wes: (smiles as he goes to the kitchen to get bottles of water) -later- Wes: "G-Good night, Soul..." --INITIATE: Awkward sibling hug-- soul:.......... *mumbling* Wes: (blushing at Liz) "L-Liz..." liz: see you around. *she smiles* Wes: (nods, smiles) "S-See you..." (slowly shuts the door) -at gallows manor- Patty: (pacing the floor) Patty: "ELLEN!" ellen: ?? Patty: "HAS BIG SIS GOTTEN HOME SAFELY YET?!" -knock knock- liz: im ba- Patty: *glomp* *CRASH!* liz: ack! Patty: "Sis! You're back!" (rubbing her cheek against hers) liz: yes...yes i am.... *squish squish* uhhhh.... Patty: "...What? I'm clingy." -later- Patty: (grumbling) liz: what have we learned? Patty: (mumbles) "Don't grope your sister..." liz: good. Patty: "...You're just angry because Wes hasn't squeezed them yet." liz: O///////////////////////O Patty: "...Or did he?" liz: THAT DIDNT HAPPEN!! Patty: "Well, we can't have that!" (pulls out Liz's cell phone) liz: PATTI WA- Patty: *SEND!* liz: patti what did you do?! Patty: "Hee hee hee..." --At Wes's hotel-- Wes: o_o [text from liz cell: PLEASE IGNORE WHATEVER PATTI JUST SENT YOU!] Wes: [text] ha ha--i figured. don't worry: i already forgot whatever she sent Wes: o_o; "Oh, I'm not forgetting that image any time soon..." [text from liz cell: oh thank god ^^; ] Wes: [well, i'm glad you got home safely. get some sleep. see you before i fly to london?] [text from liz cell: sure. coffee at deathbucks? *coffee emoji*] Wes: [sure! 11 am?] [text from liz cell: sounds good. :) ] Wes: [great! see you then! night!] -the next morning- Wes: "Liz! Hey!" liz: hey wes. *waves* Wes: (approaches) "How are you?" liz: doing good, you? Wes: (nods) "Okay. A little nervous--about the move." liz: have you found a place to stay? Wes: (smiles) "Surprisingly, yes! Last night, my management team made a list, I checked them out super-early this morning, and I signed today!" liz: thats wonderful! where are you staying at? Wes: "It's a historic building here in Death City, about the size of a mansion. Pretty cheap, too." (laughs) "It's funny--one reason I was able to get the place so quickly and for so little money is because people think it is haunted!" liz: O_______O Wes: (still laughing, then slowly stops) "Liz? You okay?" liz: im alright... Wes: "...Okay." *clears throat* "Um, so...Oh! Looks like the cashier is about ready for us. What would you like to drink and eat?" liz: sure. -elsewhere- Yumi: "..." lord death: how are you feeling? *pats her back* Yumi: "...I am going to be glad when this pregnancy is over..." (eyeglasses shine) "Morning sickness is awful." lord death: there, there, sweetie. Yumi: (groans) "Death? Please get me some ginger ale..." lord death: right away, lovey~ -elsewhere- Anya: (drops the scoops of ice cream into the bowls for Tsugumi, Meme, Ao, and Mio) "And which toppings?" mio: i cant have nuts so... ao: matcha if you have any. tsugumi: whipped cream and a strawberry! Meme: "Chocolate and a cherry, please!" --Anya completes the toppings-- Anya: "Well, dig in! Meme and Mio, go slowly, or you'll get headaches again." Meme: (frowns) "It was one time..." mio: *numnum*..... not bad. Anya: (takes a spoonful) "Hmm...Tsugumi, how has your day been?" tsugumi: pretty well. saorin sent me a post card from okinawa. Anya: "Oh..." (frowns) "How kind of her." -at the hospital- Giriko: (stretching) "Ah, that feels better." justin: how are you? Giriko: (smirking) "Long and loose and full of juice! I'm ready to get out of here and cause some havoc!" justin: *spray bottles* easy there. you just got out of the hospital..... besides, didnt you want to visit her? Giriko: (shrieking like a cat as he tries to avoid the water...then serious) "Y-Yeah...I do." justin: where did you say she was? Giriko: "...I buried her near where she was...killed." justin: near baba yaga's castle....correct? *his tone is somber* Giriko: "Yeah...Just need to pack some things, first." justin: very well. -after picking up his stuff at the raven's talon inn- Giriko: "Ready!" (he is carrying a sloppy knapsack, while munching on a bad of chips) -one plane trip later, justin takes the dune buggy to the outskirts of the ruins of baba yaga's castle- justin:................. Giriko: "...Motherfucker..." justin:..... that poor girl.....taken before her time......i can only pray that she has found peace in the afterlife... Giriko: (leans to the marker he left...) "When I was growing up in Loew, I learned stonework..." (puts his hand along the grave marker he carved from the ruins, with an intricate spider design at its top) "I still suck at it." justin: i think it's quite nice.... -he examines a plaque- ['Here lies the beautiful Arachne Gorgon, the one woman i ever truly loved. May her soul rest in peace.'] ........ Giriko: (blushing...) "Could you give me a minute?" justin: take as much time as you need. Giriko: (waits until Justin leaves, looks at the tombstone) "Hey...How you doing?" -silence- Giriko: "...Yeah, I figured." (opens from his knapsack, pulling out a bottle of wine) "It ain't blood, but it's the best I could find..." (pops it, removes two glasses, pours some into both, holds one up to her) "To you." -no reply- Giriko: (sips slowly from his glass, sets his down, then takes hers) "And for you..." (pours some wine onto her grave) -nothing...- Giriko: (finishes pouring, then sets the glass to the side of her grave...He leans against one edge of the tombstone) "I'm...okay. Death City isn't as shitty as I thought. Needs more hookers, though." justin:.................. Giriko: "But...not everyone in that city is an asshole." (laughs a little) "I think you'd be impressed with me. I'm mentoring people. Me, a mentor? It's fucked up, right?" justin: *he smiles a bit* Giriko: "They're pretty chill kids. You'd like Kirika--mean, dark streak in her." (sips on his wine) "That Gopher kid is a little bitch. But...he's oddly defensive. Who knows--if I got him away from that Eibon guy, I could maybe make him more of a kickass dude." -silence- Giriko: "...Is this what you wanted for me? To be Death's whipping boy?" (puts a hand along her grave) "I...still have a shit ton of bloodlust. I want to kill...but maybe I'm just getting old and mellow...I don't know. But I know that without you, something is missing..." justin: ............. Giriko: "...I miss you, Arachne...I miss your face, your smile, your voice, those large tits of yours..." justin: .......... ^-^; Giriko: "I miss all of you, Arachne..." (kisses her tombstone) "I love you. I always will." (leaves the bottle and glasses, packs up his other materials, walks away) justin: are you...alright? Giriko: "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be? I got...closure..." (cries a bit) "Yeah..." justin:....... *hugs* its alright. Giriko: o_o "Ooooooooh...kay. We're hugging." (blushing) "Um...If you, like, don't let go of me, I'm going to totally cut you to ribbons....Seriously." justin: *he lets go* if you ever need anything, dont be afraid to ask. ok? Giriko: (grunts, clenches his teeth) "Fine...Can we get going?" justin: of course. Giriko: "Cool." (slings his knapsack into Justin's vehicle) -elsewhere- Kid: "I almost done packing...Just a few more days..." stocking: yeah... Kid: "...Stocking...This is a good thing..." stocking: *she nods* i know but....i'm scared... of what i'm going to find there.... Kid: "...Answers?" stocking:.... kid..... you know what i am....right? Kid: "...Stocking Pheles. The child of an angel and a demon. The woman I love. A beautiful soul who...is one of the most loyal people I know." stocking: right... born from the blood of heaven and hell.... thats something that.... is rather frowned upon by other angels, from what i know. as the books may tell you, angels and demons dont really like each other.... like... at all... Kid: "And you think that once you enter, these angels will know your demon identity...and despise you." stocking: i just know it.... Kid: "..." (holds her hand) "I already asked the DWMA to assign additional security." stocking:..... Kid: "...It won't come to that. But better safe than sorry..." (holds her hand) "No matter what, I will always love you." stocking:.... *she hugs him* Kid: (pats her back, silently holds her) -soon- Patty: (shoves more items into her backpack) "Come on...FIT IN THERE!" liz: you ok? Patty: "Well, if we are going to Arcadia, I want to be ready for the trip." (points to the backpack--which is full of toys and angel food snack-cakes) "And I can't fit it all into my backpack!" -later- Kid: "All packed, Liz?" liz: yep. so where is the airship? Kid: "It's at the Flight Weapons Practice Center--parked there for the sake of having space..." ((That spot where Kim and Maka were practicing flying in the manga)) stocking:..... Kid: (looks to Stocking) "Ready?" stocking: y-yeah.... Kid: "...Stocking? Should...I mean, when we get there, would you rather stay in the Airship until...I talk with the residents first?" stocking:.... i have to face this eventually so.... Kid: (nods) "Okay...Well...Let's get to the Practice Center, then..." -they board the airship- Patty: (straps herself into her seat) -soon, the airship takes off- Black Star: (covering his mouth) "Not again..." -after a few hours, the glowstone at the front begins flashing- Kid: "...We're approaching...To think, we are coming to Arcadia." tsubaki: so it really exists... Patty: "Oooooh...I wonder how it stays in the sky...Maybe they tie seagulls to threads and fly that place around..." stocking: according to eibon's notes, it remains levitated from the blessing of the ancient grigori. Kid: "A blessing?" stocking: its believed the arcadian angels are decended from the ancient grigori, the attendants and warriors of a being called 'freya'. Kid: "This Freya...Are they on Arcadia?" stocking: i doubt it. freya and the grigori exist on another plane of existance. Kid: (nods) "I wonder what Arcadia knows about the DWMA..." stocking: *shrugs* Kid: "..." (holds her hand) "Let's approach, carefully." -a grandeur city in the sky is seen.- Black Star: (pale...but looks impressed) "Wow..." stocking: ............ tsubaki: its beautiful. Patty: "Like a shiny piece of jewelry hanging up in the sky..." (snaps a pic with her phone) soul: to think this is actually a real place... Kid: "..." (rests a hand on Stocking's shoulder) stocking:....i'm ready... Kid: (nods) "Let's message the city...We don't want them to think we are a threat approaching--" -arcadian guards surround the airship- stocking: too late. Kid: "...Well, that's bad." (to the Guards) "We are from the DWMA. We are here to meet with the Sky Sage to help us contain the Book of Enoch." guard: sky sage? that's a laugh! the sage has been long since dead, and her harp is kept safe. as if we'd allow some outsiders to have their hands on it! head of guard: however, there is something aboard your ship. something that should not exist. hand over the half-blood and we wont have to execute you. stocking: !!!! Kid: "Hmm...Interesting proposal. Here's mine: no, Stocking Pheles stays with us, you permit us the use of this Harp, and you agree to help us contain the Book of Enoch." (smirks) "I am a Shinigami. My friends are the best of the DWMA. No one is going to die today. But I cannot promise you and your peers will not suffer injuries. Now, how about we sit down and talk?" guard:.... commander Lethair, what say you? ???: wait. we shall grant them audience. Lethair: !! your grace? Kid: "???" (whispers to Stocking, blushing) "I-I didn't think I was _that_ persuasive..." stocking: *shrugs* ???? 2: queen Teila, you could not possibl- Teila: we will hear them out. however, before you do so, you must face a trial of strength. stocking:....very well. Kid: "What kind of trial?" Teila: a trial by combat of course~ -Arcadian court field- Kid: "What do you know about Arcadian combat trials?" judge: in the solar corner, step forths the heavenly prosecution; lady Veldt Azmaria. stocking: not a fucking thing. Veldt: thank you. judge: in the lunar corner, our intruders, as well as the half blood scourge. Kid: "Her name is Stocking Pheles, you erroneous bigot!" (to Stocking) "Will this be one-on-one battle? Or are you allowed a partner?" Veldt: for my champion, i choose the head of the arcadian guard, Lethair Castel. judge: and your champion, outsiders? Kid: (looks to Stocking) "I think I should fight...What should I expect from an Arcadian guard?" Lethair: *she removes her neckbow, which changes into a scythe* stocking: that... Kid: "...Very well. I will arm myself with my demon weapon partners, the twin pistols Liz and Patty Thompson." -so the battle begins- Kid: (aims Liz and Patty) "Non-fatal shots to start--we don't know how much power we will have to use on her." liz: got it. Patty: " 'Kay!" Kid: (proceeds to fire shots at Lethair) -Lethair dodges a few and slices some with the scythe, charging at kid- Kid: (tries to dodge, shoving Patty towards Lethair in an attempt to blast directly into her torso) lethair: !!!! Kid: "Fire..." *Blast blast blast into Lethair* lethair: !!! *she evaporates into an egg* guard: COMMANDER! guard 2: GET HER TO A HEATER! Veldt: *JAW DROP* stocking: owned. Kid: o_O "I didn't think that would happen!" (stares at Patty) "I said low-powered shots!" Patty: "I-I-I did do low-powered shots! Did we kill her?!" stocking: angels dont die...they apparently turn into eggs....??? what the fuck?! Veldt: you dont even know our defense mechanisms, typical for a half-blood. stocking: up yours. Kid: "...At least I kept my promise that no one will die..." (glares at Patty) Patty: (reverts to human form, sticks out her tongue) "Just firing your soul wavelength, you jerk!" liz: easy now. --Liz has to stand between Kid and Patty-- judge: the first round is won by the outsiders. Kid: (still glaring at Patty, but speaking to Veldt) "We have won this battle. We desire to begin negotiations with you to contain the Book of Enoch. Will you help us?" Veldt: after two more rounds... if you survive. -the next champion was Ribona Atra- Ribona: my weapon, Helvetica, grant me your strength! *it was a hairband that became a spear* Kid: (groans) "Still fighting?" (sighs) "Let's make this quick..." Patty: "No! Why should I fight when you were mean to me?!" Kid: "What?! Patty, transform, before this opponent attacks us!" Patty: (crosses her arms, pouts) "Nope!" tsubaki: we'll handle this, right black*star? Black Star: (smirks) "Oh, yeah! I kick to fight an angel!" Ribona: ahuhuhu~ dont take me lightly now~<3 Black Star: "??? Um...Tsubaki, transform!" tsubaki: right! *chain scythe mode* Black Star: "Let's go!" (he dashes towards Ribona, waiting to swing the chain scythe at Ribona to ensnare her) -the battle continues until...- Black Star: (coughs up blood) "Damn it..." (laughs a little) "One sharp spear you got..." Ribona: auhuhu~ Helvetica is the strongest there is~<3 Black Star: "...Oh, you think so, huh?" (gets back up...) "We'll see...Tsubaki! Smoke Bomb!" -smoke bomb!- Ribona: eh? Black Star: --blasts through the smoke, his fist coming to Ribona's face-- -PAWNCH- Ribona: ahh! -the blade slices through her outfit, exposing her breasts and panties- Ribona: NOOOOOO~<3! Black Star: "Ha ha ha! I win! I pass through the smoke, silent but deadly!" tsubaki: *sweatdrop* Black Star: "That you best Arcadia people got?! Bring on the next challenger!" Kid: (frowns) "I could've defeated her..." judge: and now for the final trial! Veldt: i shall take the stand and face you myself! stocking: as will i. Kid: "Are you sure?" stocking: *she nods* veldt: *brandishing a riding crop* i look forward to defeating you and eliminating you, half blood. stocking: heh. go shove it up your ass. Kid: "Be safe..." angel: WOOT! stocking: i will. Kid: (holding his hands, watching, worrying) stocking: *she attacks with her blades* -the battle goes on until stocking gets knocked into a wall, wounding her- stocking: *cough* uhh.... Kid: "Stocking!" Black Star: "Get up, girl!" Veldt: now that she's down.... GUARDS! EXECUTE HER AT ONCE! stocking: !!! Kid: (clenching his teeth) "Never!" guards: *begin to approach her, weapons drawn* Kid: "Liz! Patty!" liz: ?? right. Patty: "Yeah!" (transforms into Kid's hand) stocking: *struggling to get up* Kid: (charging his soul wavelength as he rushes to the floor, sliding in between Stocking and the guards...) "Death...Cannon..." Veldt: ?? *she jumps back onto the platform* soul: what the hell are you doing?! --The Death Cannon blast causes a large explosion, knocking back guards-- Kid: (teeth clenched) "Not enough...Patty! Liz! Again! Fire!" -several eggs and wounded guards are left- Kid: (glares at Veldt...and aims...) Veldt: !!!!! stocking: kii...iid.... Kid: (eyes widen, turns) "Stocking!" (leans down) Kid: "Oh, God..." stocking: dont worry...i-i'll be fine....heh...hehe.... ow... Kid: (helps her up) "Lean on me..." stocking: *she does so, stumbling a bit* Kid: (glares at Veldt) "This is what you do to one of your own?" Veldt: she is not one of us. Kid: "Yes, she is. And she is one of us as well..." veldt: she is the spawn of a demon king and that traitor, Felisia! Kid: "Felisia?" veldt: once a member of the royal guard, she betrayed her people by having the child of a demon. she was cast out as punishment, but stole the holy garments she was armed with, with her. Kid: "What was she to do: have herself and her child executed, deprived of life simply because you say so? Life is not something to steal--not when it cannot be returned!" stocking: y-you know what? i'm glad she was exiled. that way i didnt have to grow up surrounded by insufferable, racist, ASSHATS! veldt: !!!!!!!! *yellow diamond pissed face* Kid: "..." (chuckles) " 'Asshats.'" stocking: and one more thing..... *inhales* -she then spews out the biggest swear storm she's made to that point* Teila:................*snickering* Kid: o_o ("Oh my God...That was so hot...") Patty: "Sis, what's a $@#%@$^?" liz: i'll tell you when you're older. Veldt: *JAWDROP* how....how DARE YOU! soul: dude.... your girlfriend is nuts. Kid: "I know..." (sighs, smiles stupidly) "Isn't she great?" soul: suuure... Kid: "*Ahem* We have satisfied your terms of combat. You have seen that we pose a threat to you. I think you would agree that we are much better as your allies than you enemies. Help us." Teila: i see you have trained well. and to be quite frank, i havent had a good laugh like that in a while. so please, do follow me. Veldt: your grace you cant- teila: *smiles+scary aura* oh i apologize, did i fucking stutter? Veldt: !!!!! teila:....thought so~ Kid: o_O liz: i think i might like this queen. -Teila's chamber- -some tea and cakes are given- teila: so now that you know a bit of your mother, what else did you need? Kid: (looks to Stocking) "...Is there more you would like to learn?" stocking: i think i know a good amount.... *eating cake* this cake is delicious~! Kid: (smiles) Kid: "Yes...It is..." (eats some) teila: you mentioned something about the sage's harp? Black Star and Patty: (finish their slices) "More, please!" Kid: (frowning at Black Star and Patty) "Yes...We have been seeking the Sky Sage, to help us contain the Book of Enoch. We would require the Harp." teila: i can give you the harp. but the sage is long gone.... perhaps....the instrument will awaken when it find the new sage..... Kid: "...Would you be willing to let us have the harp, until we can locate this Sage?" teila: it will awaken if you bring it to them, so do take it. Kid: (bows) "We are honored for this gift." teila: you are free to come back whenever you need, even if my guards say otherwise. lethair: *glaaaare* ribona: *covering chest+glaaaaare* veldt: *glaaaaaaaaare* Kid: (smiles at Stocking) stocking: *she smiles* Kid: "Thank you." (bows to Teila) -and so- Kid: "We need to get you medical attention..." stocking: i can heal kid, i'll be fine Kid: "..." (holds her hand) "I am sorry..." stocking: its fine kid. i'm here, we have the harp, and i got some answers... Kid: "And you were almost killed." stocking: kid...... Kid: (hugs her) stocking:........... Kid: "If anything had happened to you...Stocking, I can't lose you." stocking:............ *she hugs him* Kid: "Stocking...Are you...I mean, with learning about your mother..." stocking:...i-i'm ok.... Kid: "..." (holds her hand) -they arrived back- eibon: i take it things went well? Kid: (nods) "We have the harp." Patty: (holding the harp--and plays its strings) gopher: wow... -when he approches, it glows- gopher: ??? uhhh... Kid: "...Seriously?" -it cuts out- gopher: aww... D: Kid: "Eibon?" eibon: well, it reacted to a grigori soul.... however... it seems it was not your lucky day my child. Kid: "...Who else has a grigori soul? Could that be our Sky Sage?" soul: the only other person with a soul like that was......was her.... Kid: "..." (downcast eyes) Patty: (looking at the harp..."An angel's harp...") -later- Kid: "Let's go home and get some rest. We only have a few weeks of summer left, and I think we all could use some sleep." soul: ok. stocking: can i stay at your place tonight? Black Star: "See ya, Kid." (pats Soul on the back) Kid: (nods) "Of course." -the next morning- lord death: we're hooooome~! Kid: (smiles) "Father! Welcome home!" (looks to Yumi) "How was the honeymoon?" Yumi: -_- lord death: pretty well, though yumi did have morning sickness... *kisses her forehead* Yumi: (groans) "I cannot wait to deliver this child. They are kicking so much every day, my ankles are swollen, my back aches..." (shakes her head) "Sorry. I should not complain..." ("No one ever let me complain growing up...") -some of the maids have been working on moving yumi's things out of her apartment and into gallow's manor- Yumi: "Thank you, Ellen." lord death: there, there. why dont we look through these boxes then? Yumi: "Okay..." -there was a vibrator in one of the boxes- kirika: ew. Yumi: o\\\\o "Th-That's private!" maid: s-sorry! Patty: "Oh, hey! Sis has that same model!" liz: PATTI!!!!!! Kid: ("...I shouldn't mention that Stocking does, too...") Yumi: "CAN WE MOVE ON?!" Kid: "...Mother? Please calm down...Think of the baby..." Yumi: (squeezes Death's hand...hard) lord death: right. *whispers* when the baby is born, i think we can use it~ *wink* kirika: OH MY GOD! Yumi: o\\\\\\\\o (punches Death in the face) Yumi: "...Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" lord death: i sorta deserved that just now.... (thinking: she really packs a punch... thats kinda hot.) i forgive you~ -later- Kid: "Well, that's the last box, Mother." Yumi: (lying down on the couch in Death's lap, smiling) "Thank you, Kid." maid: we just have to work on getting your furniture out now.... Patty: "On it!" (lifts up an entire couch with one arm) "Where you want it?" -later, elsewhere- Crona: "Oh, h-hello, Iris..." iris: hmm? oh, did you need something? *she smiles* Crona: "I-I-I was...I mean, I felt...I..." (sighs) "I wanted to get a gift for Mami." iris: oh? well, i havent spoken with her often, so i'm not sure what she likes... i guess flowers maybe? Crona: (nods) "That would be nice...I'm not sure which kind...What do you get for someone who is...maybe...more than a friend?" iris:......... *blushes as the steam lifts her habit off her head by a few inches* e-ehhh?! Crona: (freaks out) "I-I-I-I just meant hypothetically! I mean, if you had someone who was more than a friend, what would you buy?!" (cowers) "Stop having steam explode up!" Ragnarok: (emerges) "Jeez, what a bunch of wimps." iris: *ahem* well... i-i'm not really a romance expert...m-maybe maki could help you? she's much better at this than i am! maki: ya? Crona: "AHHHH!" (hides behind Iris) maki: you ok? Ragnarok: "Ignore them--they're jumpy because they want to know what kind of flowers you should get someone you have the hots for! Any recommendations?" maki: oho~ well, roses are definitely a classic, or if you like, add the person's favorite flowers to the bouquet to make it extra special. Crona: "O-Oh...Okay...I'm not sure what Mami's favorite flowers are...I could find out..." Ragnarok: "Hee hee hee...Thanks, Maki! You aren't some scary ogre like everyone says!" maki: *glaaare* iris: ^^; Crona: "...Um...Iris! Let's get some flowers now! Before Ragnarok says anything else!" -later, elsewhere- Arthur: (checking himself in the mirror) shinra: if you keep checking, bloody mary is gonna come out and slap you. Arthur: "You didn't almost break your nose...Man. That scar is still on my forehead." shinra: dude, just put some make up on it or something. Arthur: "Hmm. Makeup is for girls." shinra: *glares* Arthur: "...No. Don't tell me you wear makeup." shinra: just to cover up blemishes! there's some guys at school that to it too! Arthur: "..." (laughing, slapping his knee) "This is too rich!" shinra:.... !!! *smiles* -that night, he was gonna have maki sneak in and give arthur a makeover- Arthur: "Zzzz..." maki: *smirks* -the next day at school- Arthur: "HAVEN'T I SUFFERED ENOUGH INDIGNITIES?!" shinra: i dont know, do you mr 'i forgot i'm righthanded'? Arthur: "Oh, why don't you walk in on Iris bathing again?!" Patty: (spots Arthur) "!!!" shinra: like you got thrown in jail for attacking lizards? tamaki: wow..... Arthur: "Those dragons were simply disguised like lizards, and you know it!" Anya: "?!" Patty: "...Arthur? You look much, MUCH hotter with that makeup!" gwen: so hot! morgan: *SQUEAL* Arthur: o\\\\o "R-Really?" (smiling) "You think?" kim: it looks weird. i can help you make it look better. i think you're more of a pastels kind of guy. Arthur: "Oh...Well, if you ladies insist. How about we go somewhere more private to fix me up..." -elsewhere- Wes: (in London) [texts Liz: i wrap up my london performances sunday night, then i should be in death city monday morning] [text from liz cell: that's great!] Wes: [red-eye flight: i know i'm going to be exhausted. but it's worth it--to be there for soul] [text from liz cell: yeah.] Wes: [so, college girl, how has this week been?] [Thompson2Gun: pretty intense mission. but it went pretty well.] [ClassicalGuy: *nods* but everyone's safe, right?] [Thompson2Gun: more or less, yeah. all in one piece.] [ClassicalGuy: okay...you're okay? soul's okay?] [Thompson2Gun: seems like it.] Wes: (sighs) "Then why hasn't Soul written back?" [ClassicalGuy: thanks for letting me know. i'll ask soul more when i get back to death city] -the next day- Kid: "Zzz..." stocking:..... -the phone buzzes- Kid: "Hmmm..." (swings his hand around, trying to reach the phone) -there's a text- Kid: "Wha--?" [ChronoGear: i take it the mission went well?] Kid: *Yawn* [DeathGod42: yes, thank you. we retrieved the harp. but we still cannot locate the sage.] [ChronoGear: hmm. and stocking?] Kid: (looks at Stocking) [DeathGod42: hanging in there] [ChronoGear: ah. it'd be best to keep her mental state from dropping...] [DeathGod42: thank you.] Kid: (lightly strokes his hand over Stocking's hair) stocking: ............. *sleeping* -at school- Patty: "Man...that harp is one sweet instrument...If only we could find that Sky Sage." liz: yeah... eibon's gonna keep an eye on it for now. Patty: "But wouldn't it be cool playing that in the school orchestra? Me on the harp, Zubaidah on that ocarina. We tie Soul to a chair and force him to play the piano." soul: ............................................. liz: maybe we should just talk about other stuff right now. Patty: "..." (sad eyes) Patty: "...Some weather we have, huh?" soul: i guess.... Patty: "..." (hugs Soul) soul: ?! Patty: "...You look like you needed a hug..." soul: ........... -at lunch- Kid: "...Stocking?" stocking: yeah? Kid: "How are you feeling?" stocking: i'm fine. *she smiles* Kid: (smiles) "Okay." (stirs his fork through his salad..."I think I'll ask her about an appointment...and something else...") -at another table- [SpringBird12: hey anya~ how're you feeling?] [InAnotherCastle31: I am well, thank you. And you?] [SpringBird12: we're doing good. we hope you feel better soon. < )) [BlueStarAo: hello.] [YuriFan94: hey.] [InAnotherCastl31: Oh. Hello.] Anya: "They are making too big a deal out of this..." mio: sempai, arent you gonna say something? Meme: "...Oh! Sorry, I was distracted." tsugumi: ^^; [ForgetMeNot24: how's it hanging?] Anya: (spits up drink) tsugumi: ?? [InAnotherCastle31: I. Am. Fine. Thank. You. >:( ] [SpringBird12: well, we'll bring your assignments back for you.] [InAnotherCastle31: Thank you. Could someone please pick up some items for me at the grocery?] Meme: "Mio, you have an...interesting screen name." mio: .___________. [InAnotherCastle31: I could use some cookies, ice cream, another ice pack, a few magazines. More soup. Some apples. Actually, get me a lot of food.] [InAnotherCastle31: Oh, and if you see your relative, Ao: KILL HIM.] [BlueStarAo: what did akane-kun do?] [InAnotherCastle31: No! Black Star! The incompetent, obnoxious, loudmouth who sprained my ankle! KILL HIM! Then bring him back to life--and keep killing him!] Anya: (red faced and steaming mad) -later- Black Star: "All I'm saying is that it's not my fault this school is attracting so many weak-ass students." soul: ............. kyouko: well they're trying to become stronger, physically _and_ mentally. Black Star: "Just show up strong from the beginning! I started out as the toughest student here--and I only got tougher!" kyouko: buh- YOU WERE A BABY! Black Star: "A strong baby! I was the strongest baby in the entire Academy!" kyouko: *rolls her eyes* soul: *he chuckles as he imagines a baby bench-pressing their crib* Black Star: (smiles..."Good--Soul laughing is a good sign...") Kid: (overhearing) "Black Star, I have to agree with you. You are still the strongest baby in the entire Academy." Black Star: "Thanks!" Kid: "..." (counting down on his fingers...Five, four, three...) Black Star: o_o "HEY!" stocking: *chuckles+laughs, snorting a bit* kirika: at least he's a strong baby, unlike you, kid! Kid: (smiling at Stocking, then glaring at Kirika) "I have bested Black Star in every duel we have had. Seeing as you could never defeat Black Star in a duel, Kirika, that makes you just a baby." kirika: get fucked. stocking: i think i can accomplish that~ Kid: o_O Kid: "Stocking?!" soul:............dude....... my statement still stands. stocking: *she kisses kid on the lips for a moment* i love you, kiddo~<3 Kid: "I-I-I love you, too..." (glares at Soul) stocking: hehe~ Kid: "..." (wraps his arms around her, kisses her forehead) soul: *rolls eyes* Black Star: (weeping) "That's beautiful, man...Such love..." (tugs on Soul's shirt, blows his nose into it) soul: DUDE!! Black Star: (bawling, hugging Soul) Kid: o_o; "Maybe...We should go home..." stocking: yeah... Kid: "Take care, all...Soul, Black Star." soul: see ya. Black Star: *sniff* "Later, lovebirds..." tsubaki: hehe~ Black Star: "Come on, Tsubaki--I wanted to get some more ingredients for dinner tonight. Soul, I'm going to need you to knead the dough..." soul: ok. Black Star: "I'll show you the great pizza I make! All the toppings, too! What you want on yours, Tsubaki?" tsubaki: i'll have pepper. Black Star: "I'm putting on all the meat! Soul?" soul: pepperoni i guess. Black Star: "Cool...You'll love it, Soul! Ever since we got an actual kitchen in the apartment, we can make all kinds of food! Tasty, too!" tsubaki: *she smiles* --In the kitchen-- Black Star: (smirks at Soul) "Hey, Soul?" soul: yeah? Black Star: (throws flour into Soul's face) soul: gah! dude! Black Star: "Ha ha ha!" soul: hey.... Black Star: "???" soul: antique RECOIL! -FLOUR'D- Black Star: *cough cough* "Hey!" (tosses another handful of flour at Soul) tsubaki: come on you two, dont waste the flour. Black Star: "...Soul? You thinking what I'm thinking?" soul: dude. tsubaki: T_T Black Star: "Fire!" --Flour'd-- tsubaki: .............. -they were punished.- soul: *naked apron mode* .......... Black Star: *naked apron mode* "Nice cheeks..." (butt slap) soul: why. tsubaki: *apron and fully clothed* Black Star: "For the lolz!" (looks at Tsubaki) "So, we're ready to put the pizza into the stove..." (picks up the tray, turns...with his backside to Tsubaki as he bends over to load the pizza into the oven) -later- Black Star: "Hmmm...Tasty!" tsubaki: indeed~ soul: .......(thinking: what is this, a reverse harem?) Black Star: "I think naked cooking improves the taste..." (winks at Tsubaki) "Something to think about..." tsubaki:............ -TSUBAKI CHOP- Black Star: "Ow! Hey! I just cooked you a meal naked!" -elsewhere- Anya: (grumbling) "Stupid Black Star..." tsugumi: anya, mail call! Anya: (smiles) "Tsugumi! Thank you." -you receive the letters- Anya: "Hmmm...Letter from parents: that can wait...What's this...'Secret admirer'?!" tsugumi: OOOOOHHHH READ IT! Anya: o\\\o "Um... 'Dear Anastasia'--Oh, for crying out loud, they use _that_ name?" tsugumi: OwO Anya: " 'I am too shy to approach you by name, but please know that I have nothing but the most sincere respect, admiration, and love for you.' o\\\\o Um..." tsugumi: *SQUEALS* Anya: "Stop that! Um...'You are passionate in combat, graceful in battle, a proud defender of her friends, unwilling to compromise when your honor is on the line...' This can't be real..." tsugumi: i'm so jealous! Anya: "Good--you can have them!" (tosses the letter, crosses her arms) tsugumi: *sighs and continues reading* Anya: "...Not that I care...but what else does it say?" tsugumi: hmm... Meme: (looks over Tsugumi's shoulder) "Oh, this person has it bad...'I will be forever yours. All you have to do is say: "Yes. Yes, I will be yours." I will wait for you at the Crâne Enflammé Friday at 6:00 PM. I will wear a red shirt and have a red rose set at our table. If you refuse, then please know I will always love you. I am here for you, Anastasia, my love. Your secret admirer.' Man...I want to see who this is!" ao: hmmm... Anya: (points to her ankle) "Then you can tell my Secret Admirer that I can't make it, on account of this!" Meme: (looks to Tsugumi) "You thinking what I'm thinking?" tsugumi: > : 3 Anya: "...What are you planning?" mio: 0-0 Meme: "We get you a nice wheelchair, a lovely new dress, and get your hair done up!" Anya: "What?! That's crazy! Tsugumi, tell her that's crazy!" -and so- Anya: "...I hate you all." tsugumi: here we are Anya: "You can't make me do this!" (tries to get out of the wheelchair--and winces) "Owie!" tsugumi: i see a rose from here!! clay: *grumbles* i'm gonna kill you for this akane... --Elsewhere-- Akane: "Nygus, you ever feel deep satisfaction that you helped a friend?" nygus: why do you ask? Akane: (smug) "I think by the end of tonight, Clay will be thanking me." -back with the others- clay: ./////.;;;;; Anya: "You?!" clay: (thinking: OH GOD) IT WAS AKANE'S IDEA! Anya: "What?! So you didn't mean to send that letter?! It wasn't real!" (almost crying from embarrassment) "Tsugumi, take me home!" clay: w-wait! we should probably have dinner. i want to make it up to you. Anya: "Why should I?! You embarrassed me and--" (then sees the food in the restaurant...and her stomach growls) "...Fine." (wheels herself to the table) "And I'm ordering the most expensive food." clay: *sighs* fair enough. Meme: (her stomach growls) "Um..." -elsewhere- Patty: (lying in Liz's lap) "You feeling okay?" liz: yeah...you? Patty: (shrugs) "Is college going to be okay for us?" liz: i'm sure it will. Patty: (smiles) "So Wes is really moving here?" liz: seems like it. Patty: "He find a place?" liz: yeah. Patty: (smirks) "Looking forward to visiting it?" liz: *she nods* (thinking: hopefully it isnt haunted!) Patty: "Maybe stay overnight~" liz: 7/////7;;; Patty: (sits up, nuzzles against her) "I hope you get to hang out with him...He seems upstanding and caring." liz: yeah.... *she smiles* Patty: "...I wish I had that..." liz: i'm sure you'll find someone, patti. Patty: (nods) "Okay...*yawns*" (falls asleep on her lap) -the next morning, spirit's apartment- cathrine: zzzz Spirit: (smiles, as he wakes...kisses along her back...) cathrine: mmmmmmn~ Spirit: (wraps his arms around her waist) "How did you sleep?" cathrine: pretty good. (thinking: no thanks to you talking about your ex in your sleep you idiot.) Spirit: (smiles) "Same..." (kisses her shoulder) "How would you like to spend this morning?" cathrine: shower sex? Spirit: (purrs) "So dirty, so clean...I love it..." -and so- Kami: (at the cafe across the street from Spirit's apartment, with headphones on to listen in the room. "I keep trying to follow her from Spirit's apartment to wherever she is...and nothing. I keep missing her.") cathrine: *moaning* Kami: (chokes on her coffee) Waiter: "Are you okay miss?" Kami: (blushing) "F-Fine!" cathrine: oh yes~ just like that~ Spirit: (rubbing body wash along her breasts) "Get you clean, dirty girl." cathrine: ahhh~ Spirit: (he continues to massage her breasts while he stands behind, his penis rubs along her thigh) cathrine: oh baby~ you're so hard~ Spirit: (whispers in her left ear) "I have you to thank..." (bites gently along her ear) "You want it in you?" cathrine: oh you know it~ Spirit: (removes his right hand from her breast, as he holds his shaft and rubs the tip along her slit) cathrine: oooh that feels so good~ Spirit: "I'm so glad..." (removes his left hand from her breast to spread her lips, as he eases the tip into her...) Kami: ("I'm so sick..." slides the cinnamon bun on her plate away from her) -elsewhere- medusa: *panting* fuck... Noah: (smirks) "A problem?" medusa: i'm fine. my ass hurts but i'm fine. Noah: (laughs--then slaps her bottom) medusa: *winces* screw you. *annoyed* Noah: "Tell you what: next time, I'll eat you out." medusa: *rolls eyes* back to training? Noah: "Yes. Speaking of cunning linguists, you are not one: your pronunciation of the runes is torturous." medusa: *glares* Noah: "We don't have time for you to learn a language--not conventionally. Fortunately for me, I have an unconventional way to get those language skills into that beautiful brain of yours." medusa: oh really? Noah: "Yes. I can implant the language directly into your mind." (stands before her) "Is that acceptable?" medusa: ..........i dont have a choice, do i you shit? Noah: "No." (cups his hand over her forehead and one along the back of her head) "There will be some discomfort. Are you ready?" medusa: *humph* very well. Noah: (smiles) "Good...Oh, and when I said 'some discomfort'--" medusa: ?? Noah: (smirks) "I meant 'pain.'" medusa: !!!!!!! *she screams out in pain* Noah: (smiles madly as the runes appear across her body, across her eyes, filling her brain with a new way of speaking, reading, thinking...Eventually, the runes fade away from her body, and the pain stops...) medusa: *she falls to her knees and coughs* ah....shit.... Noah: (leans down...picks her up, bridal style) "You must lie down...You'll need ice for your head, and a lot of sleep..." (looks serious) "Good work." medusa: *pouts* <up yours.> Noah: (lays her down on a bed) "I'll be back with ice. Don't go anywhere." medusa: *she stares up* ........................... (thinking: if he brings back ice, i'm going to be shocked...) Noah: (he returns--with ice) medusa:...................alright what the fuck? Noah: "We are on a schedule: the longer it takes you to recover, the slower our progress." (stares at her) "Do not mistake this for kindness: it is simply expediency." medusa: *she smiles* fuck you too, honey~ Noah: (smiles back) "I will...Later." (serious) "But seriously: that was impressive. No witch has ever survived that process, not to mention no human..." medusa: i could have died? how lovely. Noah: "I knew you could handle it. You are far too strong to die like that, Medusa Gorgon." medusa: *smirks* Noah: "...Well. I'll let you sleep. Unless there is something else you need." -elsewhere- Anya: "..." tsugumi: how do you feel? Anya: (death glare at Tsugumi) tsugumi: Q.Q !!! -at the raven's talon inn- Giriko: *yawn* (looks at the clock) "11:45 AM? Man, that's too early to wake up..." -knock knock- Giriko: (calling from his bed) "Yeah, what?!" ???: ....... -knock knock- Giriko: "Grrr..." (approaches the door, throws it open) "What?!" -a hooded figure stands there, she's a bit shorter than you- Giriko: "Uh...Did I drunk dial you or something?" ???: ........... *she enters and sits down on the bed* ............ it's....... been a while.......... -her voice is familiar- Giriko: "Hey, what the fuck?! I didn't say you could come in!" ???: .............. Giriko: "...What? Look, do I know you or something? Appearances to the contrary, I don't often have people swinging on into my room." ???:.............. Giriko: "...Say something! Who are you?!" ???: ...... *the hooded figure doesnt speak* Giriko: "...Fuck this." (marches forward, grabs her hood, and yanks it back) -the figure has dark hair, and blue eyes.....she seems familiar- Giriko: "..." (then his eyes widen) "N-No..." ????: ........... *her expression seems ashamed* Giriko: "Arachne?" arachne:......*she nods* Giriko: "..." (falls back on the floor, looking up at her on the bed) "H-How?!" arachne: ........medusa.... she destroyed my old body.........i had to escape.......pitiful, arent i? Giriko: "...No, not really...I mean, 'she who runs away,' right?" arachne:........ i had to hide away.... find a new body..... i couldnt show my face again... Giriko: (shakes his head) "No..." (he approaches and rests a hand on the bed next to her leg) "You have nothing to be ashamed of...But...this body..." -it looks no different from her original body- Giriko: "Where did this body come from?" arachne:...... some passerby... she didnt survive.... Giriko: (shocked...then a grin curls along his mouth) "Crafty..." arachne:.............. you've been lonely.... havent you? Giriko: "...I...have met people...who have been company..." (reaches for her hand) "But no one could ever replace you..." arachne:..... *she holds his hand* Giriko: "I missed you so much...my lady..." arachne:.... *sad smile* i dont deserve such formalities... Giriko: "Arachne..." (draws her chin to look into his eyes) "You deserve everything...You deserve the world." arachne:......... Giriko: (smiles wickedly) "So why don't we get it for you?" arachne: *weak smile* still the same as always.... but.... all i really want is to just live my life in peace... my kingdom... my old body.... our child.... they're all gone.... Giriko: "..." (frowns...pulls her in for a hug) arachne:......... Giriko: "Arachne...You are here. That is all I can ask for. Just...don't leave me." arachne:..... *she hugs back* to be honest.... i missed you. Giriko: (strokes a hand along her hair) "I missed you so much..." arachne: *she strokes his face* i was afraid... you would hate me for abandoning you... Giriko: (holds her hand over his face) "I...think I understand. Arachne, just--just be in this moment with me. Please?" arachne: of course.... i have nowhere else to go.... Giriko: "...You have here...You have me..." (closes his eyes, and kisses her lips) arachne: *she kisses back, leaning down* Giriko: (guides her down onto the bed, supporting her lower back as he does, still kissing her) arachne: mmmm.... Giriko: (continues to kiss, unbuttoning the cloak's clasp at her neck) -yep, her body is practically the same as it was- Giriko: (slides the cloak off of her) "Nice body..." arachne: *she chuckles and pulls him close to her* Giriko: (kisses her neck) arachne: ahh.. Giriko: (strokes a hand along the dress's neckline...) arachne: *blush* Giriko: (pulls back) "S-Sorry." arachne: *she chuckles* since when did you get cold feet~? Giriko: "...A lot has changed..." (cups a hand over her breast...) arachne: so i can tell... Giriko: "..." (draws his fingers along the straps to her dress... -the next morning- Giriko: "Zzz..." arachne: *sleeping* Giriko: (in his sleep, turns over and swings his arm over her, then drawing her towards him) arachne: mmm.... Giriko: (moans) "Arachne..." arachne: *she snuggles into him* Giriko: "I'm so happy you are here." -elsewhere- Wes: "Zzzzzz..." (asleep in his haunted mansion, having arrived at his new home at 6:00 AM) -silence- Wes: (turns in bed...) -elsewhere- pandora: that witch is learning... Mad!Kid: (smiles) "Yes...learning how to release us...among other things..." pandora: ?? Mad!Kid: (smirks) "She knows the language of this book now...Imagine what she can do with that knowledge." pandora: say.... she melted that demon blade into the black blood and infused it to the child, correct? Mad!Kid: (smiles) "Crona..." pandora: since i was also melted into the blood.... when we escape, i will act as your blood. Mad!Kid: (frowns) "...There is no other way." pandora: so we have an agreement? Mad!Kid: "...Yes." pandora: and soon, you will have that girl back. Mad!Kid: (smiles, sliding a hand over his chest) "Good..." pandora: i can sense you have more lacerations from last time... Mad!Kid: "Is that a problem?" pandora: no, just curious is all. Mad!Kid: "...What do I have to do to have your blood enter me?" pandora: i have my ways. Mad!Kid: "???" -elsewhere- Kid: (stretching) stocking: zzzzz.... Kid: "..." ("She looks so peaceful...I have an idea...") --Later-- Kid: "Stocking? Are you awake?" stocking: *mutters* Kid: "I have a surprise for you..." stocking: *her eyes open* ?? --Kid has prepared breakfast in bed-- stocking: ooh~! Kid: (smiles) "I hope you like it..." stocking: aw kid~! Kid: (smiles, as he slices a piece of the chocolate-chip waffle and holds it on a fork to her mouth) stocking: aaaaaaaaaah~! Kid: (puts the fork into her mouth) stocking: *nom* mm... mmmmmmmmm~!! Kid: (smiles) "How is it?" stocking: its so yummy~! Kid: (gets into bed with her) "Not as yummy as you..." (kisses her cheek) stocking: oh you~.... -later- stocking: liz told me you wanted to ask me something? Kid: (freezes) "Y-Yes...I-I-I'm just...Not sure..." (sighs) "I will ask, and if you say no, it is fine. I will support whatever decision to make." stocking: ok. Kid: "Stocking...I want to consider how to move our relationship forward...and I would like you...to move in with me." stocking: *she blushes* kid.... i'd love to. Kid: "Is that a yes?" stocking: sure. bills are being a dick so... Kid: (kisses her) stocking: *she smooches him* so, there's plenty of spare rooms, right? Kid: (nods) stocking: i'll have to let my dad know. Kid: "Okay...Will he be okay with this?" stocking: i'll have to ask. -at school- Kid: (stupid grin on his face) soul: hey, you alright? Kid: "Yeah...Isn't today great?" (he is doodling pictures of Stocking and hearts on his notebook paper) soul: uhhh... yeah....sure... Kid: (sighs...as hearts start floating around his head) Patty: "Sis...Kiddo is scaring me..." liz: *she chuckles* (thinking: its just like when stocking first came to the academy.) Patty: "Shouldn't he be focusing on his studies? What if the teacher says something?" liz: *whistles* earth to kiddo. Kid: "Hmm...Oh, hello Lizzie. How you doin'?" liz: O____________O Patty: "...'Lizzie'?" Kid: "Isn't today wonderful?" (spins in his chair, giggling) "Everything is wonderful, happy, and full of kittens and puppies!" kirika: .__________.;;;;;;;;; gopher: Q^Q HE'S SCARING ME! Patty: "Quick! We need asymmetry! Stat!" kirika: *she tears his sleeve off* Kid: o_o "...Kirika...What...did...you...do?!" kirika: >:3 Kid: "..." --The DWMA has an "earthquake"-- -later- Patty: "So, what's the damage?" nurse: well, he should be better by tomorrow. some of the students suggested having him quarantined. Patty: "Quarantined? That still sounds pretty bad..." nurse: he'll be fine. Patty: "...Can we see him?" --Sounds of groaning and "Stupid Kirika!"-- -inside- liz: you ok? Kid: "Hmph. I was all happy, then asymmetry had to get in the way..." -knocks- stocking: you ok kid? Kid: (surprised, then smile) "Much better now." stocking: well good news, looks like i'll be gallow's manor's new resident. Kid: (gasps...) --Another earthquake throughout the DWMA--with a loud "Squee!"-- stocking: *she puts a compress to his head* Kid: (panting) "So happy..." stocking: hehe~ Kid: "When will you be ready to move?" stocking: if there's a room available, as soon as i can. Kid: (nods) "Your room will be ready tomorrow afternoon...Stocking? Did you want your own room...or to share one with me?" -she'd be getting her own room, though she'd be sleeping with kid more often than not- Kid: (nods) "Then tomorrow afternoon, your room is ready." stocking: awesome! *she kisses him* Kid: (blushing) "Um...I-I can send our maids to your apartment..." stocking: no need, my dad's sending some of his staff. Kid: "Good." (holds her hand) "I'm happy." stocking: i'm happy too~ Kid: (holds her hand) "I will see you when I get home." -after she's moved her things into her new room- Kid: (stares at Honekoneko, smiles) "I'm glad you brought him with you." stocking: her, actually. Kid: (blushing) "S-sorry." stocking: its ok. *she nuzzles him* i think it looks nice in here. Kid: (nods, smiles) "Yes...You know what else looks nice here?" stocking: what~? Kid: (strokes a hand along her cheek) "I'm looking at her." stocking: you sly dog~ *she smooches him* Kid: (kisses back, then holds her in a hug) "Welcome home." -some time passes- Yumi: o_o lord death: yumi? is everything ok? Yumi: "Yes...Just amazed how much the little one is kicking." lord death: *he smiles* she's going to be adorable~ Yumi: "She's certainly energetic." -elsewhere- Akane: (frowning at Clay) clay: .//////.;;; Akane: "I do not see why you blame me. I thought you said Anya enjoyed the date." clay: w-well yeah, but....*hides his face* Akane: "??? What's wrong?" clay: i feel so embarassed! my poor wallet too... Akane: (smirks) "At least you made an impression on her." -elsewhere- Stein: "Nygus, are you okay? You look a little ill." nygus: i've been better. Sid: "The only information we have gathered is that Cathrine seems to spend her time at Spirit's. Every time we track her, she evades us. However, there is something else odd..." Stein: "???" Sid: (pulls out a photograph, showing a blue-eyed black-hair woman) "This woman is outside Spirit's apartment. She may be an associate of Cathrine's." Stein: "..." (smirks) nygus: ?? Stein: "We are looking at a trainwreck here. Sid, Nygus--that's Kami." nygus:....... what? Stein: (pulls out a photograph of Kami, puts them side by side) "Same face, different eye color and hair color. Not easy to tell from a distance." (blinks) "Don't ask why I keep a photo of Kami in my desk drawer." nygus: memories of old times? Stein: "Something like that. And keeping tabs on people who left the Academy. Well, I didn't call in Kami, so which one of you did?" nygus: it wasnt us? Sid: (shakes his head) Stein: "...Then who? Kami is not the jealous type, so who brought her in?" -elsewhere- Kami: [texts Kim: no luck locating the target. she just keeps going back to his apt] kim: ugh... [TanuCutie: have you tried talking to her?] [WanderingWarrior: i can't so long as spirit is with her--WHICH IS ALL THE TIME. what does she do for a hobby? maybe i could find her there] [TanuCutie: idk.] [WanderingWarrior: hmmm...maybe she needs to get a free coupon to a new gym or spa] [TanuCutie: maybe?] -elsewhere- *Loud knocking on Gallows Mansion* stocking: ??? Wes: "GHOSTS!" liz: ?!?!?! Wes: (runs past Stocking, holds Liz by the shoulders) "Liz! I have ghosts in my house!" liz: *faints* Wes: D: "Liz!" Patty: "...Give her mouth to mouth!" stocking:..... ghosts you say? where are they? Wes: (blushing from Patty's remark, as he fans liz) "My house. I was asleep, and then I heard someone playing the piano downstairs! I thought maybe Soul had visited, but no one was there! And then--then--*Boom* There were ghosts everywhere, playing music. It was...It was..." Patty: "???" Wes: (wide smile) "It was so cool!" liz: Q~Q Wes: "Can you believe I have ghosts in my house?" (holding Liz) "I never realized Death City could be so much fun! Isn't it great?" liz: TT~TT Wes: "You should hear them perform! I'm having a housewarming party next weekend!" liz: Q~~~~~Q Patty: "Yay! A ghost band performing at a housewarming party!" (whispers to Liz "Opposites attract...") liz: whaaaaa.... you're so meeeeean! Wes: "Liz? Are you okay? Are you afraid of ghosts?" liz: *she cries and nods* Wes: "Oh...Liz, I'm sorry." (hands her a handkerchief) liz: Q~Q Wes: "...They really are nice ghosts. But if you are afraid of them, I'll cancel the housewarming party." liz:....... -she ended up going anyway- Wes: (playing his violin with the ghosts) liz: *inhales* you can do this liz... Patty: (clapping along to the music) Kid: o_o "I never took Wes for someone who _enjoys_ the supernatural aspects of Death City." stocking: *she enjoys some tea* Patty: (smiles at Soul) "Pretty trippy, huh?" soul:.......................... Patty: (frowns sadly) --Wes concludes his song, bows to the audience and to the ghosts-- -elsewhere- Anya: (slowly walking on her sprained ankle) tsugumi: how are you? Anya: "Better. At least I can walk now. How are you?" tsugumi: doing well. Anya: (nods...) "More letter from your childhood friends?" tsugumi: not recently, just some notes and a few things i ordered online. Anya: "Oh...What did you order?" -elsewhere- Hiro: (at the bookstore) "Hmm..." hime: *reading* Hiro: (pulls a book from the shelf: "Building Confidence") hime: *she's just reading pride and prejudice for a school assignment* Hiro: (reads: "To build confidence, you first have to own who you are and what you desire in life. So, what do you want?") "What do I want? Man, I don't even know why I came to this school..." [didnt you want to become stronger to help people?] Hiro: (looks at his arm muscle) "Some strength. I'm at a school where I'm the weakest meister here. Even NOT students have killed witches. What have I ever done to help others?" -later- Kid: (adjusting a portrait in the Mansion) "I thought Wes's party was a lot of fun." liz: y-yeah... Kid: "...I am surprised he takes to ghosts so easily..." liz: .___. Kid: "...Liz? Are you going to be okay?' liz: i-i'll try my best. Kid: "...This may be good for you." (smiles) "I never thought I could get over certain symmetry and...other problems years ago. But people change other people, I hope for the better." liz: ....... Kid: "Maybe you and Wes should go out somewhere other than his mansion. Have any plans with him?" liz: well, maybe we could see a movie together? Kid: (nods) "That would be good." (smirks) "Just make sure it is not a horror film." liz: ok. Patty: (holds up Liz's phone) "Better call Lover Boy for your date..." -later- Wes: (wearing a dress shirt unbuttoned at the top with jeans and an expensive watch) soul:................ Wes: "Looking forward to this?" liz: yeah. soul:...whatever... Wes: (sad smile at Soul) "This film has really good reviews. And the theater is next to a really good burger and shake shop." soul:.....*nod* Wes: (smiles at Liz) "How has your week been?" liz: pretty well....i guess you're housemates arent... so bad. Wes: (smiles) "They grow on you..." (holds her hand) soul: ugh... Wes: (looks to Soul) "Soul, would you like a jam session with the ghosts? We could use a piano accompaniment." soul: i think i'll pass. Wes: (nudges him) "It could be fun." soul: i said i'll pass. Wes: "...Okay." (approaches the ticket booth) "Three, please, for 'Road Rage.'" clerk: alright. -after the movie- Wes: "Hmmm...The plot was kind of dull." liz: at least the special effects were decent. Wes: (nods) "A few funny one liners..." (walks between Liz and Soul) "What did you think, Soul?" soul:....eh.... *stirs his milkshake with his straw* Wes: "..." (looks downward) liz:... look, there's a jukebox here Wes: (looks up) "Oh! Um...Any requests?" soul:............ Wes: "Maybe jazz?" liz: sure. Wes: (picks a song) soul:........... Wes: (tapping his finger on the table in time with the music) -the food arrived- Wes: "Ah! Thank you!" Wes: (looking at the fries, rings, and burger he ordered) "Mother and father never let us eat like this." soul:................................... Wes: (chuckles) "Didn't get food like this as kids...And after this meal, I'll be at the gym all next week." -elsewhere- Kid: (with photo album open) "Here is me with my mother--my birth mother." stocking: i can see a resemblance. Kid: (smiles at one of Death and his mother together) "Thank you." -there are photos of the death scythes on the day they became death scythes- Kid: (chuckles) "Look how young Mother was." (points at a picture of Yumi) -justin, age 13, looked rather sickly- Kid: "Justin had overworked himself...and was still getting away from the past." stocking: ......... Kid: (looks sadly at a photograph of Spirit and Kami) "..." -there are photographs of other students as well, including sid- Kid: (laughs at Sid's picture) "Look at bony he was." stocking: it's almost kind of adorable. -other pictures include zubaidah, who wore a sweater and long skirt, marie, joe, dengu, and others- Kid: (looking at the photograph of Joe) "I miss him..." stocking:...... even as a kid, mr dinga was really tall. Kid: (small laugh) "Yes...Father has been so good about photographing his...'family'." -there are other photos.- stocking: .... !!!!!!! Kid: (blushing) stocking: k-kid?! what is this?! -there is a picture of lord death, mephisto, a 12 year old stocking and kid, at a party. the young kid is sleeping- Kid: "I-I-I don't know! St-Stocking? Did we--Did our fathers bring us to the same party?!" stocking: i think so... but i dont remember this.... [-excuse me.... did you want to play tea party?-] [???: !! no way! that doll is disgusting!] [-the girl runs away crying-] Kid: "...Stocking? Do you remember a boy at a party calling Honeneko 'disgusting'?" stocking: *thinks* a little bit.... i dont think i remember his face... Kid: "Did the boy have _three white lines_ in his hair?" stocking: *she looks at the date* ..... this... this was the first real party i attended and... i remember he wore a white shirt and brown shorts. Kid: (puts his head in his hands) "Oh, God, I made a fool of myself...I'm so sorry..." stocking: *looks closer....the young kid wears the same attire as the boy described* !!....kid... Kid: "I'm sorry! I was young! I was rude!" stocking: kid..... *she takes his hand* Kid: "...Yes?" stocking: *she brushes his cheek* its ok... i forgive you. Kid: "Th-Thank you...Stocking? How would things have been different if I had accepted your tea party when we first met?" stocking: *she shrugs* maybe we would have been closer? who knows... but i'm happy with where things are now. Kid: (nods) "As am I...I am happy for this moment with you, right here, right now." stocking: mmm.... you know, its not too late for that tea party~ Kid: (smiles) "I would like that." -and so- Kid: "Would you like some more tea, ma'am?" stocking: why of course~ Kid: "Happily! And perhaps another slice of cake for my sweet?" stocking: yes please~ Kid: (slices cake and serves it to her on a plate) stocking: mmm~ Kid: (smiles) "I wish I had known that little girl back then...but I am happy to know now the woman that she has become." stocking: hehe~ Kid: (holds up teacup to her) "To the future." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: (sips) "Heh. Stocking? Do you think our children will enjoy tea parties?" (blushes) "I mean, if we were to have children?" stocking: i'm certain of it. Kid: (smiles, nods) "I'm happy to hear that..." (holds her hand) "You would--will--be an excellent mother." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: (moves to sit beside her, letting his head rest on her shoulder) stocking: hehe~ *she kisses his forehead* Kid: (purrs as he hugs her) stocking: hehe cutie~ Kid: (kisses her cheek) "Cuter cutie." stocking: hmmhmm~<3 Kid: "..." (kisses lightly on her lips) stocking: mmmmm~<3 Kid: (whispers in her ear) "Do you know what is one good part of being an adult and not a child any more?" stocking: what is that~? Kid: (smirks) "Experience. I think we've gotten quite good at this..." (kisses her lips lightly) "...among other things." stocking: oho~? Kid: "Care to take our...party into private quarters?" stocking: i would love that~ -the next morning- Kid: "smiles in his sleep) stocking: mmmm~<3 Kid: *yawns* (sees Stocking) "Good morning, beautiful." stocking: you too, good looking~ Kid: (kisses her lips) "You were amazing last night." stocking: only for you, babe~ Kid: (strokes a hand along her face) "Only for you...Stocking, thank you. When I...I mean, when it was my first time, I am so happy it was with you..." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: (pulls her in for a hug) "I love you." stocking: i love you too kid. Kid: (purrs...) "I wish I could lie here for hours with you..." stocking: me too... but alas, we have school. Kid: (pouts) "Darn..." (smirks) "Race you to the shower?" -at school- soul: so when do we start college? Patti: "The end of August. I CAN'T WAIT! I'm going to rush for a sorority!" liz: ........... Kid: "Patty, we have no sororities at the DWMA--and we won't, not so long as I live and breathe." tsubaki: do you think we'll have new teachers? Kid: "Well, there will be a substitute for Mother when she is on maternity leave. But she will be back to work soon after...I don't know who our other new teachers will be..." soul: i think there might be some older folks there... i heard one chick's grandma took the program because she learned she was a weapon earlier this year. Kid: "Yes, college attracts students from various ages and backgrounds, including advanced, younger students." Black Star: "Huh...So there will be, like, badass grandparents in our classes? Sweet!" Patty: "Heh heh heh...The old farts probably turn into, like, canes and adult diapers or something..." liz: we should do something special for this. Kid: "Well, we had the pool party. What were you thinking, Liz?" liz: maybe a roadtrip? Patty: "Oh! Let's go to Paris!" Kid: "...We are not driving through the ocean. Again." liz: i was thinking salt lake city. Black Star: "That could be fun. I always wanted to see a city made out of salt." tsubaki: *sweatdrop* Kid: "And who knows which stops there will be on the way between here and Salt Lake--" Patty: "VEGAS! LET'S GO TO VEGAS!" stocking: that sounds awesome! Kid: "...Las Vegas? Really?" soul: ....... Patty: "I'm going to play the slots and craps!" stocking: i wonder if i can get a bunnygirl costume? Kid: (coughs, blushes) liz: ............ soul: ....................... Patty: "...That's hot." tsubaki: oh.... Kid: "..." (collapses) -later- Kid: "I'm okay...I can handle classes...Just...focus...Which class am I in now?" liz: gym. Kid: "Oh...Well, I'll go change..." --After changing into gym attire-- Patty: "With summer weather, I guess we're not indoors...What are we doing today? Run laps?" -baseball- Kid: "Well, since I will obsess over any other position I take, I'll be the catcher." Patty: (chuckles) " 'Catcher.'" Black Star: "Who's on whose team?" -EAT VS NOT, with a few ALT on both teams- Patty: "Stocking, which position will you take? (On the field, not in bed, sweetie...)" stocking: i think i'll take up as batter. Patty: "I'll be pitcher!" Black Star: "Third baseman!" soul: 2nd base? Kid: "Tsubaki?" -after gym- Black Star: (ice on his groin) Anya: (smirking) tsugumi: stocking's pretty strong with that bat. Black Star: (higher pitch) "My balls aren't..." Kid: "Yes, Stocking is very powerful." -elsewhere- Kami: ("Damn it...No leads on Cathrine and her location...I need another strategy to get near her.") -there's a department store, cathrine decides to go inside it- Kami: (smiles. "Bingo..." Enters to see where Cathrine goes) cathrine: *she examines the perfumes and lingere sections* Kami: (nears the lingerie..."Well, here goes...") "Excuse me, miss?" cathrine: hmm? can i help you? Kami: "I saw you over at the perfume section and...Well, this is embarrassing but...I don't know what is fashionable anymore in perfume. I was wondering which ones you were looking at." cathrine: well there's a few new ones out. Hibana has a new perfume called 'Brilliant Blossoms' out. as well as some others. Kami: (smiles) "Oh, I love Hibana's scents! Is Brilliant any good?" cathrine: from what i can tell, it smells like lillies and oranges. Kami: (pouts) "Hmmm...Maybe that would be good...Oh, I'm so indecisive about these things...Tell me, miss: what scents do you like to wear?" cathrine: i'm more of a Moonlight Dream Company kinda girl myself~ Kami: (smiles) "Oh, those are so good. You try that scent they have, Cereus Jasmine?" cathrine: it smells nice. my personal would be Sea Salt Waves. Kami: "Hmmm...I'll try that out, then--thank you!" (shakes Cathrine's hand) cathrine: er, no problem. Kami: (waves, turns to look through lingerie) -later- Kami: (puts on sunglasses..."I had coated my hand with a new substance DWMA CIA had developed: once on a person, it doesn't come off for days, no matter how many times you wash. It's transparent, scentless, and with these sunglasses, it leaves an air trail that will lead me to wherever Cathrine is hiding...Just have to wait and see.") Kami: (holds shopping bag--"And I got some new underwear, too.") -a few days later, elsewhere- Spirit: (whistling) kim: hey mr a. *waves* Spirit: (finger pistols at Kim) "Hey, Kim! How's it goin'?" kim: erm, pretty good. how about you? Spirit: (giggling) "I'm great! And I have some biiiiiiig news." kim: oh? Spirit: (pulls out a box from his shirt, flipping it open to reveal a pricey necklace) "Bam! Bling!" kim: wow... that's fancy. Spirit: "And expensive, too! But only the best for my Cathrine! And that's not the only surprise I have..." kim: oh? (thinking: OH JESUS FUCK GOD NO!!!) Spirit: "I am going to ask Cathrine to move in with me!" kim: oh? thats....won-der-ful! Spirit: (smiles widely) "I know, right?!" (sighs happily) "She is so great: her laugh, her style, her--" (blushes) "Um, well..." (stern) "I better get back to work, and you had best get to class." kim: ok. sure thing sir. Spirit: (keeps walking, then shudders with glee) kim:...*she shudders too, but with disgust* Jacqueline: "Oh, Kim, there you are." kim: .............. Jacqueline: "You okay? You look ill." -kim explains everything that just happened- Jacqueline: "...Gross." kim: it could have been worse..... he could have told me he planned on marrying her! Jacqueline: "True. But if something doesn't happen soon, he could be on his way...Have you heard from Mrs. Albarn?" kim: just a quick text yesterday. Jacqueline: "No progress?" -kim then explains what kami told her about the new tracking substance- Jacqueline: "Hmm...I hope that leads her to wherever Cathrine is hiding. Because if she moves in with Spirit, then it will be harder to find her location." -some time passes- Kami: [texts Kim: hey narrowed down her location--to a five-block radius. not good enough] [TanuCutie: i think i may have a plan. Salon 23. She goes there a lot from what i can tell. collect some of the hair if you can.] [WanderingWarrior: okay. she already knows my face so have to hope she treats this as coincidental] -maybe a second disguise?- Kami: "Hmm...I could change my hair and eyes again...but my nose and mouth would be the same...I guess I can try prosthetics." -or maybe a facial mask? like doctor's wear?- Kami: "...I guess this mask will have to do. Just hope she doesn't take it off my face. But just to be safe, I'll do some minor prosthetic work, different contacts..." --At Salon 23-- Kami: (with mask over face, waiting for Cathrine's arrival) -she arrived and just had a little bit trimmed and washed- Kami: (bows, disguising her voice, as she deposits some of Cathrine's hair into a plastic bag lined in her pocket) "Thank you for your visit." -later- Kami: [texting: "meet me at 51 stix road, apt 4B] [WanderingWarrior: i got the sample] -and so- kim: i brought the DNA tracker. Kami: (smiles) "Good work." (hands her the baggie of hair) "And I was thorough..." (hands separate baggies with some nail and skin samples) "What a thorough spa treatment..." kim: gross.... *she puts it into the analyzer* Kami: (waits for results) Kami: "How expensive was the DNA tracker?" kim: i have my methods~ Kami: (smirks) "I'm sure you do...So, how much longer does it take?" -ding- Kami: "Huh. What did it find?" -there is a pink dot going to an apartment in the more darker area of town- Kami: "Good work! Okay, we need evidence to confirm Cathrine is a witch and, if we are lucky, find out what she is trying to do. How should we proceed? Someone needs to stay behind in case this plan goes bad. Should we get the DWMA officially involved or go on our own?" kim: we should contact stein. Kami: (nods) "Give him a call." -and so- Stein: "Wish I could say I was surprised that you got Kami involved, Kim." kim: hehe~ Stein: "I'll get DWMA undercover officers and a SWAT team in the area. What's the address?" kim: 711 Arkham Street. Stein: "Understood. While those officers survey the area, I'll meet with you and Kami at your apartment. What is the address?" -later- Stein: "Kami...I like you better blonde." kim: 3.....2....1.... Kami: "Stein...I'd like you better in jail." kim: oooh shit! --Stein and Kami do that electric eye-contact glare at each other-- Kami: (slides the intelligence to Stein) "You show me yours..." nygus: alright, lets settle down now. Stein: (slides his intelligence to her...) "Hmm...Really, her perfume preferences are really relevant, Kami?" Kami: (reading his) "Really, Stein, you couldn't find her address with a magazine subscription? Gee, color me surprised." Sid: -_-; "Can you two act like adults, please? Kim, tell us what plan you had in mind." -later- cathrine: *having just got out of the shower* Kami: (in catsuit with a mask, looking through binoculars) "Got visual...She is out of the shower. Looks like she is heading out." Kami: "What's the next move, Nygus?" nygus: we send in the distraction. Kami: "Roger: send them in..." -knock knock- cathrine: hmm~? Stein: (listening to the audio on the "distraction" "They better not screw this up...") -she answers- cathrine: may i help you? Akane: (smiles) "Good evening, ma'am." cathrine: did you need something? Akane: "I'm sorry to bother you, but I live two floors below you, and I have been checking with neighbors on the other floors about the darndest thing..." Kami: (gestures to the infiltration team) cathrine: and what's that? Akane: "I keep getting power glitches in my apartment at the weirdest times. Sometimes I lose power for five minutes in the morning, then 20 minutes when I get home from work, then up to two hours at night!" (laughs) "It's the weirdest thing. Oh! And on weekends, it's worse--" Kami: (slides open the window...) cathrine: really now? i havent been having problems like that. Akane: "Seriously? Man, that is weird! It's such a predictable schedule! I talked to someone upstairs with the same problem but their schedule was different! It was seven minutes in the morning, 15 minutes after work, and up to 5 hours at night!" (slaps his knee) "Just weird, right! Oh, and weekends, I can barely get any work done! See, I still have to do paperwork all day Saturday--" Kami: (spots something under the couch... "Great hiding place, Cathrine...") cathrine: *faking a smile* (thinking: just get to the fucking point you idiot!) Kami: (reads through the files...and slips away one paper for Kim Diehl's real identity..."Typical...So, what, her plan is to reveal witches?" Then she find something else: a witches' array on the wall. "Just need to snap that pic, and we got her...") Akane: "See, I do computer coding for a Las Vegas company, and we are looking to expand here in Death City! Golly, this is really a wonderful city, isn't it? I tell you, my sister Naomi--wonderful girl, Naomi, but man, she is not a cook at all! Anyway, Naomi told me how just lovely Death City was! I didn't believe her because I thought, 'A city named after dying? That doesn't sound fun in the least!' But everyone here is just so nice--" Kami: (pulls out phone...silent pictures taken of the array..."Now...just have to send...") Stein: (phone vibrates...the array is received) "We got her. Nygus, we move in." cathrine: yeah... my boyfriend actually works under lord death himself. Akane: "Well don't that beat all!" (in his earpiece, Sid: "We got her, Akane: keep her talking...") "What's he do for him? He one of them demon weapons?" cathrine: oh yeah. he's just the sweetest guy. Akane: "Neat! Say, is he handy with electrical problems?" Stein: "Nygus, what's the first move?" cathrine: i'll have to ask. nygus: make sure all exits are secure. Stein: (calling to Sid and others) "Block the exits at street level, at the roof. Make sure snipers are positioned at all sides in case of a window escape. Akane, keep her blocked at the front door. Kami, keep her blocked inside. We begin at Nygus's word..." Akane: "But you're sure your electricity is fine? Maybe you could help me: come downstairs to check my place, and you'll see--no power at all!" cathrine: i'm indecent though! i just got done showering and- Akane: (takes her hand) "It'll only take a second, ma'am! It's real important, or else I won't get my work done!" cathrine: *she pulls back* nygus: now! Stein: "Nygus?" Akane: (pulls her back, holding his arm under her neck, a knife held to her throat) "Stand down, now. Or you are dead." cathrine: !!!?? --Akane's other arm is over her waist to hold-- Kami: (slides the file folder into her knapsack, as she hides to serve as backup for Akane) cathrine: what are you- Akane: "The DWMA has this building surrounded on all sides. All exits are blocked. You are under arrest for theft and under suspicion of being a rogue witch. Surrender now, or you will be executed." cathrine: but i'm innocent! i was framed! Akane: (listening to Stein's evidence in his earpiece) "Which is why you have documents hidden under your desk stolen from the DWMA, and a witch's array on your apartment's wall?" cathrine: please, you have to believe me... *see looks up with sad eyes, almost a bit alluring* Akane: (presses the blade to her neck) "Let's go..." (dragging her out of the room, as DWMA troops march down the hall and towards the room...) cathrine:.....*she smirks and drops the towel* oh no~! Akane: "...Nice try." (drags her out of the room...but troops stop dead in their tracks) cathrine: oh no~ dont look~<3 Akane: (frog-marching her) "I said that was not going to work..." (pushing her naked down the hall...but among the DWMA troops, their eyes are transfixed...and starting to glow pink...) cathrine: eek~! DWMA Troop: (clutches Akane by the shoulder) Akane: "?!" DWMA Troop (female): "Lady Cathrine said let go!" (slugs Akane in the face, causing him to lose his grip on the knife and on Cathrine) Kami: (hears the attack) "What the hell?" (running to the entrance to see what is happening) cathrine: sorry huns, but this lady needs to go now~ *she summons a broom and flies off Trooper: ugh... wha.... what just happened? Kami: "No, you don't!" (runs after Cathrine...and jumps out the window after her...) Akane: "Kami! Stop!" cathrine: *she winks, and a large heart projectile knocks her into the wall* Kami: (eyes widened--then she is slammed against the wall) *cough* (blood comes up, as she then falls face first) "Fuck..." Jacqueline: (watching from afar) "Kim!" (transforms into lantern form) kim: HEY BITCH! cathrine: *she growls and lands in a residential area, taking a young student hostage* Jacqueline: "Shit! Kim, what do we do?" student: *scared* w-wha?! Jacqueline: "Put down that student!" Stein: "Shit! We have snipers trained, but that student and Kim are too close! We can't get a shot!" cathrine: *she drags her to a security guard, who's microphone she's charmed out of him* the following is a message to all witch residents. reveal yourselves now or i'll hunt you all down myself~ Stein: "?!" Jacqueline: "Kim..." kim: .......... over my dead body you whore! cathrine: well, looks like little kimmy decided to come play some more. Jacqueline: "Kim, be careful...What is she planning?" Sid: (arrives with some troops) "Cathrine! Release the hostage now! If you want someone, I offer a DWMA officer in substitution!" cathrine: how cute. you want to save a witch? student: w-what Sid: "???" cathrine: *she smirks* ever heard of something called 'witch killer'? Sid: (aims weapon at Cathrine) "You release that student, now!" cathrine: you'd kill someone with knowledge on all the witches? even the unfound rouges~? Sid: "You have a funny way to negotiate...You have intelligence? Fine. Surrender yourself to DWMA custody, and no harm will come to you." cathrine: surrender? AS IF~! Sid: "Then what is it that you want? How else do we get your information if you are not here to confirm it?" Jacqueline: "Kim...Are they actually going to let her walk away free?" kim: if you wont surrender, then i'll just MAKE YOU! *she attacks at cathrine* KINUTA TEAL! I CHALLENGE YOU TO THE DEATH! Jacqueline: "!!!" Sid: "?!" -the battle lasts for a while until...- ???: HALLOWEEN BOMB! kinuta: ??? *BWOOM* WHAT THE FUCK?! Sid: "What now?" kinuta: the hell?! blair: dont mind me, just a passing stray~ Stein: "Get these bystanders back, now! This is going to get out of hand..." -soon, kinuta is defeated- kinuta: ugh... fuck.. kim: jackie.....why dont we make you a deathscythe today? Jacqueline: "Kim...I-I don't think we can do that...It just does not feel right." kim: AFTER HOW SHE TREATED ME MY WHOLE LIFE?! HOW SHE MADE ME FEEL USELESS AND UNWANTED?! AFTER HOW SHE TORTURED AND ABUSED ME?! I CANT THINK OF SOMEONE BETTER TO- Jacqueline: "Kim! You would kill your own mother?!" kim: WHAT MOTHER WOULD TREAT HER OWN CHILD AS TRASH?!?!?! *panting* Jacqueline: "...You would stoop down to her level? Give her what she wants?" kinuta: heh... i knew you wouldnt do it... you're pathetic! once a weakling always a weakling! ???: "Cathrine..." kinuta: ??? Spirit: (smiling) "Hey, babe." kinuta:...... *she starts chuckling* i was wondering when you would show up.... Spirit: (smiling--and slugs Cathrine in the face) kinuta: ?!?!? WHAT THE FUCK ASSHOLE?! Spirit: (seizes her head, slams it to the floor, holding his blade to her neck) "Never. Talk. To your child. Like that. Ever." (slices lightly along her neck, drawing just a bit of blood...) kinuta:....... *she starts to laugh* Jacqueline: "...Kim. Let's get her to DWMA custody. Now." Stein: "...Spirit. We have the anti-magic handcuffs. Let's get this over with." kinuta: you'd kill the one you loved so much? *she laughs more* here i thought you were just some lovesick idiot! wanna know something? i never even loved you! I FAKED IT! EEEEVERY LAST SECOND OF IT! Spirit: "...No. I'm not killing you." (picks her up, shoves her towards Stein, who slaps the handcuffs onto her) "Still need you for what you know." (other guards slap the ankle-cuffs and neck cuff onto Kinuta) "We're done here." (turns to walk towards Kim and Jacqueline) nygus: i'm actually not surprised by that. Spirit: T_T (whispering) "Nygus, stop ruining my badass moment..." kinuta: AW COME ON! I WANTED TO SEE THE LOOK ON YOUR STUPID FACE AS YOUR HEART BREAKS INTO LITTLE PIECES! I BET IT LOOKED HILARIOUS! *she still laughs* Spirit: (hands balled into fists, still turned away, walking away...) kinuta: I'VE HAD BETTER SEX WITH OTHER GUYS ANYWAY! ???: (slaps duct tape over Kinuta's mouth) kinuta: ?!?!? Kami: (smiles) "Thanks for the perfume recommendation." (slaps the side of her face, as if affectionately--but much, much harder, leaving a red mark) blair: ?? oh hi kami~ Kami: (serious) "Hello, Blair." Spirit: (tenses up, looks behind) "K-Kami?" blair: thats a new look for you. mizune: *in the croud* *starts recording* Kami: "Thanks. Don't get used to it." Spirit: "..." (afraid to walk towards Kami) nygus:......3........2..........1...... Spirit: "KaaaaaaAAAAAAAAMIIIIII!" Spirit: (leaps towards Kami...) *POW* Kami: "..." Spirit: (book slammed into his head, his chin hitting the street) eruka: ok even _i_ felt that. Jacqueline: D: kim: denied. Kami: (winces) "Nygus...Get me to the hospital..." nygus: r-right.... mizune: so that was your ex, huh? Spirit: (slight twitch...) Kami: "Shut up. Get me bandages and drugs. Lots of drugs." mizune: that sucks. *she rolls him over* Spirit: T_T "I hate everything..." mizune: *snaps some pics* Jacqueline: "Kim..." kim:....i'll go to the nurse too... Jacqueline: "..." (helps her up, walking her to the ambulance) "Let's get to the infirmary.." -later- Kami: (stretching) "Witches...They punch like babies." (winces as she touches her nose) "Ow..." Spirit: "Kami..." Kami: (looks up) "Spirit." Spirit: "...You look...good." Kami: (sighs) "Still a terrible liar..." (pats a seat next to her...) Spirit: (sits...silence for a while...then he pulls something out of his wallet) Kami: "What's that?" Spirit: (opens a slip of paper, crosses something off) "A bucket list..." Kami: "...Oh. What are you marking off?" ("Probably, 'Defend a child against her abusive parent,' or 'Have an actual badass moment'...") Spirit: (smiles widely) "Have sex with a witch!" Kami: "..." --The DWMA has an earthquake, as a man is thrown out a window-- Spirit: (falling) "Worth it..." *BOOM* mizune: wow.... *kneels down and snaps another pic* Kami: (fuming red) "Fucking. Hell." Spirit: x___x mizune: oi, you alright there? Spirit: (dazed) "Why, thank you! You are very kind...all three of you..." (he is seeing triple) mizune: .................. *she pulls something out of her bag, a HP up* down the hatch. Spirit: (HP+100) (shakes his head) "...I am now alone again." (fetal position) mizune:..... i was about to make a delivery to chupa*cabra's. part time job. wanna come with? Spirit: "...Okay. Maybe Chupa*Cabra's can overcome my loneliness..." Kami: (watches from the window, still glaring, still red-faced...and hot tears...) "Damn it..." -and so- Stein: "Nygus, anything you get out of our 'guest,' Kinuta?" nygus: just the basic things. Stein: "Well, that's less helpful. She's likely holding out...Why would she risk her life to steal this information from the Academy?" nygus: who knows. -at chupas- Spirit: (downs his drink) lisa: i still cant believe cathrine was a rogue witch. Spirit: "...Y-Yeah...God, I'm dumb." arisa: well, she is skilled at charm magic, maybe it was that? Spirit: (shakes his head) "No...I spent days away from her, and what I felt...and what I felt when I was with her, like _really_ with her...That was real..." (sets down his glass) "I'm an idiot." arisa:..... Spirit: "I'm cursed. I screwed up with Kami...and I sleep with an abusive mother...If Maka were here...she'd hate me more than ever." lisa: ........... blair: *she hugs him* Spirit: "..." (just lets Blair hug him, silently) blair:.... i can tell right now you cant be left alone.... why dont you spend the night at my place? i'm sure nagisa would like someone to play with. *she smiles* Spirit: "..." (nods) -elsewhere- marie: *holding christa* *Knock knock* marie: yes? Stein: "It's me..." marie: ah! *she opens the door* come on in. christa: *she looks at him* Stein: "Hello, Marie." (stares at Christa) "Hello, Christa." (back to Marie) "How are you?" marie: doing good. christa's been growing well, too. Stein: "Yes, she does look healthy. Remarkable skin..." (looks at Marie) "I say that as a physician, not out of my obsession." marie: ^^; Stein: (tentatively passes a hand along Christa's hair...) christa: bwuaba? -her head has some blonde strands of hair on it. the fit amount for a girl around her age- Stein: "..." (looks at Marie) "Sorry. I just needed to get out of the office for a bit. Could I brew you some tea?" marie: sure. Stein: (nods, leaves to brew tea) -later, elsewhere- Kid: (shakes his head) "Unbelievable...What was Spirit thinking?" liz: he didnt know. so we cant hold it against him... we're just glad kim caught onto it. Kid: "I know...It just seems like he attracts trouble." liz: maybe, but he means well from what i can see. mami: he does his best... *sad smile* i actually owe my life to him. Kid: "???" mami: remember the car crash i was in? the one that took my parents? mr albarn found me and pulled me out of thr wreckage... he saved my life. Kid: "..." (nods) "Maybe there is a reason he attracts trouble..." mami: ........... (thinking: i only wish maka and i had gotten closer....) Kid: "...To help...*Sighs* I'll call him." Kid: "I think you should do likewise, Mami." -elsewhere- Jacqueline: "Kim..." kim:...............*she looks up* Jacqueline: "..." (hugs her) kim: ................... *hugs back* Jacqueline: "I'm sorry what you have gone through." kim: ..... i guess i can relate to chrona in that aspect...hehe... Jacqueline: (pulls back, crying a bit) "Yeah..." kim:............ Jacqueline: (cries more, covering her face) -the next morning, elsewhere- Spirit: (snoring) blair: *making breakfast* Spirit: (rolls over--and falls on the floor) "Ow!" nagisa: *she goes over and tries to help her up* Spirit: (groans) "Thanks, Nagisa...I guess I don't land on my feet..." nagisa: *she hands him a pillow* Spirit: (smiles) "Thanks. Is it time to wake up?" nagisa: *she nods* miss blair's making pancakes! Spirit: (smiles) "Okay..." (sits up, stands, stretches) "Let's get going, little lady." nagisa: *she smiles* Spirit: (picks her up and sets her into her chair) "Morning, Blair." blair: morning~ Spirit: (stares at the table, smiling...but his eyes are sad) blair:.... *she gives him a gentle peck on the cheek* Spirit: (blushes, bites his lip a little and keeps looking down) -later- Spirit: (walking through the hallway of the Academy..."I wish I could call in sick...but I used up those sick days...") marie: hey spirit. *she waves* Spirit: (half-hearted wave) "Hey." marie:...... how are you? Spirit: "..." (shrugs) "I'm an idiot." marie: is this because of....y-you know... Spirit: "Cathrine? Or whatever she's calling herself?" (nods) marie: Kinuta Teal, the raccoon witch. Spirit: "Yeah...And a real mother of the year." marie:..... Spirit: (scratches the back of his neck) "Forget it. My own stupid fault. H-How's Christa?" marie: she's doing very well. stein came over the other day. watching them together was just too cute! Spirit: (sad smile) "I imagine. Who thought Stein was daddy-like?" marie: you'd be surprised. Spirit: "A pleasant surprise, compared to all the others..." marie: *she nods* Spirit: "...I have to go see Lord Death. How 'bout you?" marie: i'll go with you. Spirit: (smiles) "Thanks..." --And so they arrive in the Death Room-- Spirit: "Hey...Lord Death..." lord death: howdy spirit! whats up? Spirit: "...Uh...The usual..." (clears his throat) "I was here to submit a revision to my initial report about the Witch Kinuta Teal." lord death: ah, well lets see what you got. Spirit: "...Sir, the only reason Kinuta Teal was able to access those confidential DWMA documents and go undetected for so long was because of me." lord death: ...... *he listens* Spirit: "Months ago, I was approached by Kinuta Teal, under the alias of Cathrine. She had approached me, feigning romantic or sexual interest in me. I fell for her ploy, and she used this distraction as an opportunity to get close to the DWMA, including entering the building as my Plus-1 to your and Azusa's wedding." lord death: i see. Spirit: "...It was my ignorance that allowed her the entry she needed to find the documents, steal them, evade the DWMA for weeks, and threaten the safety of our allies, our students, and our charges." (stands up straighter and looks at Death) "I take full responsibility for what could have become a tragedy, and already has resulted in injuries to bystanders and this witch's daughter." lord death: i understand. thats quite noble of you to do so. This rogue is considered a master.. or rather 'mistress' of trickery and deceit. but if you do insist on a punishment.... i'm putting you on toilet cleaning duty for the rest of the month. Spirit: o_o "I thought I was going to be removed from the DWMA--but toilet duty...Um, sure..." (whispers to Marie) "Please don't smash toilets this month..." lord death: and know this includes the bathroom where....*ahem* the 'big brown' happened... marie: THAT'S A BIT CRUEL DONT YOU THINK? Spirit: o_o; "The...Big...Brown? What is...?" marie: you seriously dont remember? well....lets say the less you know about that the better. Spirit: "..." (cries) "Th-Thank you for not firing me...Please let me have an oxygen tank..." lord death: oh trust me, you're gonna need a hazmat suit in there. Spirit: T_T "Thanks..." -elsewhere- Patty: "And that's why I hate using the bathrooms here!" stocking: *HORRIFIED* Kid: "YOU ARE NEVER TO TELL. THAT STORY. EVER. AGAIN." liz: i cant believe auntie would even tell you that! Patty: "What? We're like BFFs!" -later, elsewhere- Kami: (packs her bag, checks her ID, checks that she has her airplane ticket) "Okay...I guess that's everything..." Kami: (walks downstairs, leaves her key with the apartment's landlord, but finds someone waiting in front of the apartment building...) kim: so i guess you're heading to parts unknown, huh? Spirit: (hiding around the corner, sweating) Kami: "Yeah..." (rubs the back of her neck) "Look, sorry, I'm not someone who says goodbyes anymore. I figure I either will see someone later...or I'll lose them anyway." (Her black hair remains, but she has removed the blue contact lenses) kim: ah.... did you visit....y-you know.... Kami: "...Yes." (swings backpack over her shoulder) "I did." kim: .......well... best of luck. Kami: "..." (sets down the backpack...hugs Kim) kim: !!..... *hugs as well* thanks for everything.. Kami: (pats her back) "Hang in there, Kim. Don't let anyone give you shit." kim: can do. Kami: (pulls back) "Keep an eye on Maka. And that idiot." kim: of course. Kami: (looks askance) "Especially because he's not very good at hiding his soul wavelength." --A squeak of surprise emanates from around the corner-- kim: 7___7;; Kami: (smirks) "Well, here's my taxi. Later." kim: see ya. Spirit: (watches from around the corner, as Kami gets in the taxi...and it drives away...) kim: you gonna be ok? Spirit: (walks up to her) "Yeah. You?" kim: survivin.... Spirit: "Yeah...You eat dinner yet?" kim: not yet. Spirit: "Call up Jacqueline--I'm buying." kim: where to? Spirit: (smiles) "Wherever you and Jacqueline want, kiddo." kim: i could go for some pizza. Spirit: "I know a good place around the corner. And the garlic knots are delicious!" -later, elsewhere- Arthur: "So, they captured a witch?" shinra: sounds like it. Arthur: "Damn. I was hoping I could bring in a witch. Imagine what that would do for my credibility." shinra: *sweatdrop* Arthur: "The knight slaying the witch...It's like something out of ancient lore." maki:................ Arthur: *sigh* "I guess I'll have to go slay another dragon...Excuse me..." maki: *sweatdrop* iris:.......... *she covers her left cheek with her hand* ......... Arthur: (looks at Iris) "You okay?" iris: um, yeah. i-i'm alright... shinra:..... *traces a finger over the scar* damn.... she sure did a number on you.... Arthur: "..." iris:........ Arthur: "Maybe...You should have a healer look at that." iris:...maybe.... Arthur: "..." -elsewhere- Kid: (washing dishes after dinner with Death, Yumi, Liz, Patty, and Stocking) kirika: *finishing her milkshake* Kid: (frowns at Kirika) "I could use your help finishing the dishes." -later- stocking: it tasted delicious, kid! Kid: (smiles) "I'm glad. And thank you for joining Mother and Father for dinner." stocking: no problem. *she smiles* Kid: "You and Father seemed to have a good conversation." stocking: oh? Kid: (nods) "Particularly your discussion with him about baby names." stocking: ah. Kid: "Given how many books Father and Mother have read for baby names...I'm scared that they will pick one that will curse that child for all eternity." stocking: i'm sure they'll find a name... thats coming from a girl called 'stocking' haha! Kid: (smiles) "You make a name like 'Stocking' beautiful." stocking: hehe~ Kid: "Well, dishes are cleaned and stored. And we have the night ahead of us." stocking: movie night? Kid: (smiles) "Sounds great. Which genre?" stocking: im down for whatever. Kid: "How about something with a little romance, and a whole lot of action?" stocking: sure. maybe after that we could watch the new movie i got. Kid: "New movie?" stocking: tadaah~ *it was a horror movie Kid: "Oh, neat!" Kid: "I'll get the popcorn--anything else to bring?" stocking: pajamas? Kid: "Oh, yes. :3 " -and so- Kid: (holding her hand as they watch...) stocking: wow, creepy. Kid: "The nooses..." stocking: yeah.... *she holds his hand* Kid: "Eep!" (sees the fetuses) "So glad Mother and Father aren't watching this..." stocking: yikes.... Kid: (slight squeeze on her hand) "Quite scary." stocking: yeah... Kid: "..." (the mutilated animals and the rituals...) (shudders) stocking: what is this, some weird kishin worship? Kid: (grows pale from fear) "Not creepy enough..." stocking: yeah, not enough eyes either, haha. Kid: (nervous laugh) "Yeah..." -the movie continues- Kid: (leans against Stocking, to be held by her) stocking: *stroking his head* Kid: "I'm glad this is only fiction...even though it is nowhere near as scary as real-life." stocking: .............. --Feeding stolen embryos happens...-- Kid: o_O "So glad Yumi is not watching..." stocking: gross! Kid: "Indeed..." (holds onto Stocking) stocking: ..... --The ending occurs--with self-immolation-- Kid: D: stocking: someone get the brigade in there. Kid: (nods) "Such a sad, scary film..." stocking: yeah.... want to watch something happier? Kid: (nods) "Any recommendation?" -they watched something a little more lighthearted- -Something akin to Ouran--complete with a similar theme song- -later- Kid: (blushing smile of happiness) "That was adorable!" stocking: yeah. *she smiles* Kid: (kisses her cheek) "Thank you. Although the film was frightening, I enjoyed it. And that show was charming." stocking: hehe~ Kid: (rests his head on her shoulder) "Tired?" stocking: yeah. Kid: "...Stocking? There are so many things I want to do...and I look forward to doing them with you." stocking: i do too. Kid: (smiles) "Remind me to tell you something I'd like to do...*Yawn* when we are less tired." stocking: yeah.. night kiddo.... Kid: (kiss) "Good night..." -next morning, elsewhere- Spirit: *yawns* lady: thanks for letting me spend the night. Spirit: o\\\o ("What happened last night?!") "Sure, no problem." lady: *she smiles* you offering breakfast or...? Spirit: ("Oh God oh God oh God I brought another witch home--Lord Death is going to fire me! I'm dead! I'm dead!) (smiles) "Sure! And, just to let you know, I am a great cook..." lady: nice! Spirit: (relaxing a little) "You like spicy food?" lady: is it bacon? Spirit: "I was thinking an omelette with a side of bacon." lady: sure! Spirit: (pulls up his boxers and puts on a shirt) "I'll get the meal going...if you want to shower while I cook? Plenty of hot water, good shampoo..." -later- Spirit: (finishes his meal) "So..." lady: ya? Spirit: "...How was the meal?" lady: pretty good. Spirit: (smiles) "Thanks..." (takes her plate and his, putting them in the sink and rinsing a bit...) "Sleep okay? How was the bed?" lady: not bad. Spirit: (slowly remembering some details...) "That's good..." (finishes washing the dishes) "Um...I enjoyed last night." lady: well, you looked like you shouldnt be left by yourself, so... Spirit: "...Yeah. I hit a bit of a rough patch." lady: well, i should be heading out, i have to take my sisters to school. Spirit: "Oh, okay. Well, have a good day. And thanks." lady: you too. Spirit: (awkward staring at her and the door...) lady:.... you alright? Spirit: "Yeah...I just..." (sighs) "Can I be honest? Do you even know my name?" lady: Spirit Albarn, right? Spirit: "...Yeah. And your name?" lady: just call me Mizune. Spirit: ( o_o "I SLEPT WITH ANOTHER WITCH?!") (smiles outwardly) "Good to know. Well, see you around." mizune: *waves* Spirit: (waves) -later, elsewhere- Black Star: (exits the apartment with Tsubaki) "Hurry up! We got to get going!" tsubaki: *following* Black Star: "Can't wait for these dull classes to end--AND THEN THE COLLEGE CLASSES KICK IN!" tsubaki: excited, are we? Black Star: (smiles) "Just never thought I'd be a college guy! I get to go after every idiot who ever said I'd never get there, and shove it in their face!" tsubaki: ^^; Black Star: "How 'bout you? How do you feel about college?" tsubaki: a bit excited, but also a little nervous. Black Star: (smiles) "You'll be awesome! No problems there!" Black Star: (pats her head) "With your big old brain..." tsubaki: hehe~ (thinking: he's gotten taller over the years...) Black Star: "??? Tsubaki? Something wrong?" tsubaki: hmm? nothing, just thinking. Black Star: (nods) "Well, off to class! Race ya!" (runs ahead) -at school- Kid: (taps a finger at the catalog) "How about this class, Stocking? 'Advanced Team Battle'?" stocking: sounds good. Patty: "Oooh!" (pushes Kid and Stocking aside to point at a page) "Advanced Drawing, too!" -later- Black Star: "Come on, Soul! We can start our own frat!" soul: *chuckles* Black Star: "We rent an entire building, we recruit people, we do what frats do: charity work, get drunk, regret getting arrested." soul: *rolls eyes* sure man. Black Star: "So, Liz, you ladies going to start a sorority?" liz: wellll...- Patty: (smiles) "Well?" liz: i'll consider it~ tsubaki: doesnt the girls dorm count? Patty: "Yeah, but they don't have the Greek letters and enough pranks." -later- Jacqueline: "It was kind of Mr. Albarn to pay for our pizza...but he seemed so sad when he left for Chupa Cabra's." kim: yeah... i mean, he did just get his heart smashed to pieces. Jacqueline: "Yeah...It makes me half-wish we had just told him to begin with..." kim: ............ Jacqueline: "...Kim? Have you thought about...seeing her? In her cell?" kim: ................. Jacqueline: "...Just a thought..." -later, elsewhere- Yumi: "Ellen, please move the crib just a half-meter to the left." ellen: would this work? Yumi: "Yes, thank you. I think this makes the baby's room perfect." (looks at her stomach) "Does it please you, Little One?" Yumi: (looks to Death) "I also have to speak with you." -no vocal response, but it appears the baby likes it.- lord death: what is it? Yumi: "I will be on maternity leave following the baby's birth. However, I am concerned with the recent news...and Spirit's indiscretion with the witch. I expect that, once my leave concludes, I get back to work--gradually." lord death: *he nods* i understand. Yumi: (nods) "Good. I am your Death Scythe as well as the mother of our child." (pats her stomach) "This one is the most important person in my life. But I also have to do my best to fulfill my obligations." (looks to him) "And my promises to you." lord death: of course. Yumi: (sighs) "I'll be glad when this pregnancy is over. Ankles, back pain...among other things I'm missing." lord death:............. o////////o Yumi: (smirks) "Along with alcohol." Yumi: (winces, feeling another kick) "Next time, though: protection." lord death: o///////////////////o Yumi: (kisses Death's cheek) "What do you think of the baby's room? Is it missing anything?" lord death: other than the baby? Yumi: (smirks) "Cute. But I can't help but feel like something else is off. Color? Furniture?" (adjusts the mobile over the crib) "Is this thing positioned correctly? It looks off-balance." -elsewhere- Noah: "Nice." Noah: "You are improving at the spell." medusa: told you i'd get the hang of it. Noah: "Notice any side effects? Headaches? Neck tension? Nosebleeds? Aneurysms?" medusa: a huge headache, and he's talking to me now. Noah: "..." (flips through the Book, shows her the page) "Here, practice this spell. It will quicken the speed and sharpness of your Vector Plate." medusa: alright ten. -she says something in runic- --The Vector Plate is now paper thin, yet able to hold up Medusa's weight-- Noah: (chuckles) "Very sturdy Plate. Can even hold you up--despite your new weight..." medusa: hmm. medusa: *snarls* you callin me fat? Noah: "You were practically starving in that prison. Now you are at least looking healthy." (smirks) "Don't mind having more of you..." medusa: *aims a vector arrow inches from him* Noah: (smiles) "Really, now: we should be making sure your Arrows are faster and sharper. If you are going to attack me, use the new Vector Arrow spell I already taught you." -elsewhere- Kid: (looking out of a window at the Mansion's pool) stocking: *she's taking a quick swim* Kid: (smiles, closes the curtains, makes sure the door is locked, changes into his trunks, and comes down to the pool) "Hello." stocking: *she smirks* enjoying the view~? Kid: (smiles) "Yes." (dips a toe into the pool, sighs with relief, and descends the steps in the shallow end and swims towards her) stocking: hehe~ Kid: (swims under the water...) stocking: *shaking her rear* Kid: ("Dat ass...") (swims up, clutches her cheeks) stocking: kya~! Kid: (emerges out from under the water, inhales, still squeezing her butt) "So perfect~" stocking: *she leans against him, rubbing her rear end against his trunks* Kid: (smiles, puts his arms around her waist) "Last night, do you know what I was thinking?" stocking: what~? Kid: (whispers in her ear) "Skinny dipping..." stocking: it is sunset...mind helping me~? Kid: "Top or bottom?" stocking: surprise me~ Kid: (kisses along her shoulder, as he unties her bikini bottom) stocking: mmmm kiiid~ Kid: (turns her around) "Your turn..." stocking: *she inhales and holds her breath as she goes under, pulling down his trunks and flicking the tip, causing the length to bounce a bit* Kid: o\\\\o "Wow." stocking: *she resurfaces and presses her chest against him* Kid: (hugs her, as his hands go behind her to her top...) "I asked the maids and staff to take this evening off...Father and Mother decided to enjoy a night out of the house and stay at a fancy Death City hotel...Liz was kind enough to take Patty and Kirika out all night..." (unties her top) stocking: *she grins* Kid: (pulls the top up and off of her, flinging it behind him) stocking: *she shows her breasts to him before pulling him in for a kiss* Kid: (wraps his arms around her, returning the kiss...feeling the water pass along their naked bodies) stocking: this feels nice. Kid: "So free...natural..." stocking: *grinds against him slightly* Kid: (moans a bit...his fingers slide along her back, massaging her back blades) -elsewhere- medusa: so what do you plan on doing to me tonight all bound up like this? Noah: (pacing back and forth, rubbing a finger along the enchanted rope holding her) "What do you think?" medusa: one of your deprived fetishes? -the rope is black smooth, like thick cord- Noah: (smirks) "A bit...But that comes later. Medusa, you realize that you are one of the few witches who cannot transform into an animal?" medusa: i can!.... sometimes. Noah: "No, you planted your soul inside of one of your snakes...The Book of Enoch gives you that lesson on transformation..." (he curls his fingers around her neck) "And if you want to get out of these ropes, you will have to get back to your roots, learn to fully transform into a snake." (he holds up the pages) "Read, slip out of the ropes..." medusa: ...... very well. -after a while, she manages to escape- Noah: (smirks) "A bit too well..." (pulls from the ropes her clothes) medusa: keeping my clothes is another stor-w-wha?! Noah: (chuckles) "You learned to transform your body--not your clothes." (tilts his head) "Hmm...That weight on you has improved your appearance." medusa: *she flips him off* my body's back to normal... 7////7 my chest though.... Noah: "What about your chest?" medusa: *stares* seems they've grown.... i blame you for this. Noah: (smiles) "I thought you were proud to be the most endowed of the Gorgons..." (snaps his fingers, and his clothes fly off of him, like bits of paper) medusa: ........... (thinking: that would have been arachne.... but she's gone.... so i guess he's right.... since shaula's just a pancake.) Noah: (approaches her, letting his hand rest on her) "Now you need to learn how you can manipulate your clothes...LIKE THIS." medusa: ?! --The bits of his clothes re-make themselves as the rope again, which wrap around Medusa's limbs, waist, and breasts-- medusa: .///////. !!!! Noah: "You deserve a reward, Medusa..." (his mouth opens, licking along her breast) medusa: *she bites her lip* Noah: "I do like them bigger..." (massages one breast) "I had to make the rope looser this time to hold such girth." (smiles) "Don't you think your breasts are beautiful?" medusa:...they're nice.... a lot better than shaula's. Noah: "Not what I asked." (holds her chin) "There is only you here, Medusa. Do you not think your body is beautiful?" medusa: i know i'm good looking. Noah: (smiles) "Good...Because I need you to learn how you can manipulate your clothes around you..." (slides a finger along her slit) medusa: aahh! ngh.. Noah: "Your clothes have to be like your body..." (strokes the back of his hand against her face) "Feel them, know them." (spreads her lips) "Every crease and fold..." medusa: *blush* Noah: "I want you to imagine your clothes, Medusa..." (with one hand, sliding a finger into her) "Try to feel them as an extension of your body..." (with his other hand, takes her outfit, and strokes it along her belly) medusa: *sighs and closes her eyes* Noah: "Good...Feel this outfit as like skin..." (slides a second finger into her, timing the pace of them in her) "Associate it with what is most inside of you..." medusa: ahh.... --The outfit glows a bit-- Noah: (smirks) "Good...Now let's see whether you feel that clothing like yourself..." (brings the outfit to his mouth...and licks it) medusa: nngh~ Noah: (smiles...) "Excellent...That is all for today's lesson. Tomorrow, we practice in-clothing transformation." (tosses the outfit back--which rights itself and sits atop a mannequin that emerges behind him) "Now, we can play...What do you want to do, Lady?" medusa: what, not even gonna finish~? ruude. Noah: (smirks) "Oh, we're not finished...That's why I was asking where you want me..." (removes his fingers from inside her, as he puts his hands to her sides, massaging her hips) medusa: those ropes were pretty kinky.... but i wasnt turned on in the least~ Noah: (snaps his fingers--and the ropes tighten) medusa: *wince* Noah: (takes a breast in his hand, massage it) "Hmm...Look bigger now. Turned on yet?" medusa: 7///7 Noah: (smirks) "That blush is a yes..." (leans to her face, licks) -elsewhere- Kid: (purr) stocking: ah.... that felt amazing.... Kid: (smiles) "And I thought being with you in a hot tub, or a hot spring, was good..." (kisses her cheek) stocking: hehe mocha: *mrow?* Kid: (blinks, looks up, smiles) "Hello, Mocha." mocha: nyaan~ Kid: (pats on the bed to have Mocha leap into it) mocha: *she curls up and lays between them* Kid: (pets Mocha, smiles at Stocking) "This is great..." stocking: hehe~ cute. Kid: "...Mind if I snap a pic?" stocking: go ahead. Kid: (holds up the phone with Stocking in the shot with Mocha) "Smile!" stocking: *she waves mocha's paw* Kid: *snap* (smiles and shows the pic on his phone) stocking: awww. Kid: "Let's get one of all three of us..." stocking: cheese~ Kid: (smiles) "Cheese!" *snap* (Holds the phone for both of them to see the picture) "You have such a beautiful smile..." stocking: hehe~ are you going to be posting these? Kid: (smiles) "Would you mind if I did?" stocking: i wouldnt mind at all. Kid: "Then yes." (kisses her cheek) -elsewhere- soul: looks like kid updated his soulbook page. Black Star: "Really? What with?" soul: *he checks* look. *hes shows the pic* Black Star: (frowns) "Great...He's a cat person now." soul: *he checks the post* Kid: [Mocha has joined us for a photo] soul: mocha, huh? [Soul_Cool_25: cute cat you got there.] DeathGod42: [Thanks!] [TaMeowKi: so cute!! <3] [RoundTableKnight: Typical cat girl...] [TaMeowKi: > : P] [NumbahOneWarrior: CAT FIGHT lolz] stocking: hehe... *she looks through some of his other posts* Kid: "???" stocking: *she gets to one*...... *she snickers* Kid: (pouting) "What's so funny?" stocking: remember this~? Kid: "???" Kid: o\\\o "Why did I post that...?!" stocking: hehe~ Kid: (blushing, but starts smiling) "Remember the bunny suit?" stocking: yeah. Kid: (holds her hand) "I...like that memory." stocking: hehe~ Kid: "Because you were there...by my side..." (kisses her cheek) stocking: *she smiles* Kid: (holds her hand, as he pets Mocha) "Thank you." -later- Kid: Zzzz... lord death: *he tucks kid in* Kid: (smiles in his sleep) Yumi: (brushes his hair out of his face) stocking: dont worry, he wasnt too much trouble, hehe~ Yumi: "Thank you, Stocking." stocking: no problem. Yumi: "We all better get some sleep. Good night, Stocking." stocking: night. Kid: Zzzz... -the next morning- Kid: *yawn* "Hmm...Good sleep. I better get downstairs for breakfast..." stocking: morning~ Kid: "St-Stocking?" (falls out of bed) "S-Sorry...I thought--I fell asleep--and you are here and--and--and...I'm confused." stocking: well, i live here now, remember~? Kid: (blushing) "Yes...I thought...I was...worried you weren't going to share a bed with me..." (solemn) "I would like you by my side every night...but I also want you to sleep in your own bed whenever you want..." stocking: hehe~ you cutie. Kid: (smile) "You shower yet?" stocking: yeah. Kid: "Then I'll get showered and dress. See you downstairs for breakfast?" -at school- Patty: (in a toga) liz:......................... Kid: "What the hell?" Black Star: (also in a toga) "We're starting a gender-neutral Greek Life Club!" (frowns) "Because the school won't let us start a frat or a sorority." (slaps a sticker on Kid's forehead: "Hades") "Lord of the Underworld!" Kid: -_-; "This sticker better come off with soap and water..." ("At least he put it on symmetrically.") stocking: if you're hades, then i guess that makes me Persephone, huh~? Patty: (flipping through her sticker book) "I don't have that sticker--too many letters..." Kid: (smiles) "I would like that..." soul: *chuckles* Black Star: (holds up a toga) "Want to join, Soul?" soul:.... sure, why not? liz: oh my god. Black Star: "Sweet! You can put on your toga or the Greek Life sticker--which you prefer!" Patty: (pushing Liz towards the bathroom) "You don't get that choice, though! You're getting an awesome toga!" -later, at lunch- Kid: "Surprised the Greek Life club has members...How many weeks you think before Black Star and Patty get bored with it?" liz: *shrugs* Patty: "Until the joke gets old--and then we remember we did that thing." (smirks) "Like how we all remember Stocking in that bunny suit~" stocking: ^^; Black Star: "It'll be awesome! I already know our first charity community project: we're gonna spruce up the park by painting a badass painting in my honor!" Patty: -_- "Or, a mural just to look nice and pretty rather than short and arrogant." Black Star: > : ( -later- Kid: "How many more classes today?" liz: about... 2 i think. Kid: "What's up first?" liz: looks like history. Kid: (nods) "Maybe that will help us find a lead on the next Sage." liz: maybe. just two more to go, right? Kid: "The Sky remains unknown..." liz: .............. yeah. Patty: "Who's the last Sage to find after the Sky one?" liz: just the mountain and forest sages. Kid: "Hmm..." (opens a geography book) "I wonder which mountain is the one to visit..." -Valcona Mountain; a large mountain mine that is said to be home of a sage.- Kid: "Hmm...I guess Valcona is the next stop. I wonder whether this will be before or after our road trip..." liz: after, most likely. Kid: (nods) "Tell me, have you found us a vehicle for this trip?" liz: not yet. stocking: maybe my dad can lend one of his vehicles. Kid: "How many seats does it have?" Patty: "Is it an RV?!" stocking: it's got plenty of room. it can fit in a whole family and more in there. Kid: (smiles) "Very resourceful." soul: thank you, franny foreshadowing. Kid: "???" Black Star: "What's up your butt, Soul?" soul: nothing... -later- Patty: "Last class of the day! What is it?" (smirks at Stocking) "Math?" -sex ed- stocking: .................. Kid: o\\\\o Black Star: : D Patty: "Yay!" Patty: "It's not math, but it is about multiplyin!" -and so- Black Star: "...Dude..." Patty: (writing notes, drawing diagrams) stocking:.... *taking notes* Kid: o\\\\o Patty: (elbows him, whispers) "Take notes!" Black Star: (glances at Tsubaki--and blushes) tsubaki: .//////. liz: hmmm... Patty: (smiles at Soul) soul:........... *looking at the door* Patty: (pouts...goes back to diagraming) Kid: (whispers to Stocking) "Is there going to be a pop quiz on this?" -after school, where do you wish to go?- Patty: "I say we get ice cream! After all those condom demonstrations, I want a banana split!" liz:................. Kid: .\\\\. Patty: "...I guess a 'banana split' would be kinda painful, huh, Kiddo?" Kid: o_o kirika: >;3 Kid: "..." (grows a bit faint, falling into Stocking's chest) stocking:..... *pats his head* Patty: "Oh, Kid's getting two cups now... :3 " liz: *chop* Patty: T_T "Owie..." Kid: "L-Let's just make the ice cream run...I'm hungry..." (pulls himself off of Stocking, but puts an arm around her to lean on) stocking: hehe~ --At the Ice Cream Parlor-- Kid: "What would you like, Stocking?" -a megadecker sundae- Patty: "OoooooOOOOOooo...I'll have one of those, only a quarter-size of it." Kid: "A small gelato, please. Lemon." -later- Kid: (pats Stocking's mouth with a napkin) "Tasty?" stocking: *she nods and smiles* ~<3 Patty: (pats tummy) "Tasty! How were yours, Sis and Kirika?" kirika: not bad. liz: pretty tasty.. Kid: (sighs) "What next? Time to return home?" kirika: i got training to do today. so i'm gonna head out. soul: i have work. Black Star: "Gotta make dinner." Kid: "I guess this is where we separate. Well, until tomorrow. I'll see you at home, Kirika." tsubaki: *she nods* -later- Kid: (blushing) stocking: what is it? Kid: "...Can we speak in private?" stocking: sure. -in stocking's room- Kid: "...I thought today was very informative." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: "But...Stocking, we have been monogamous for so long, and we have used protection." stocking: yeah. Kid: "But sometimes...I wonder what it would feel like _not_ using a condom...But I don't want to when there is still the chance that I could...you know." stocking: yeah, i understand.