Cyriel

Back again. It was almost ironic - she felt that she had spent the majority of the tiring day with her back against one wall or another. However, it was a small comfort, and she was minutely grateful at the moment. A few seconds later, and the wall was the only thing holding Ann upright. Her eyes on Alexandria's back, she gasped as the skeletal wings tore flesh as they erupted; her demonic form was revealed. The twin points of pain shot into Ann's back, making her arch backwards, her voice silenced in excrucciation. Like metal bolts forced into her skin, the burning sensation fanned out around her shoulder blades and neck, flickering outwards as it stretched down the length of her back. A few hot tears escaped unnoticed, fluid trails down her cheeks that she couldn't brush away; she was frozen in shock, fire crossing her body. Gasping, Ann leaned her head against the wall again, supporting herself by hanging on to the cool length of white plaster. Mr. Bailey - no - Uriel, turned to her then; luckily, her back was turned, and she didn't meet his gaze. Azrael still stood, silent before the other Arc Angel. Uriel broke the silence, gesturing with a glance towards the quietly panting form by the wall, "It's interesting, Azrael, whom you choose to associate with. The Arc Angel of Death, given the power to take life from unworthy souls, and yet, this illegitimate half-breed is still alive. She's required to die. Why haven't you killed [I]her[/I] yet?" Ann froze at the intonation in his voice; slowly she turned, facing the two Angels that stood silently in the hall. Perfect stillness. Her eyes betrayed her, showing clearly the depth of her infinite fear, only human in nature. Pain once again flared in her palms, and Ann closed her hands tightly into fists. Alexandria broke the stillness, moving back towards her, and it was only then that Ann noticed that Lenfear had disappeared. "Alexandria-" she started, but stopped, her voice silenced. The demon had raised her hand, cautioning Ann to beware of breaking the absence of sound. Her eyes were on the two Arc Angels again, and Ann followed her gaze. And she realized, Uriel [I]scared[/I] her. It was an entirely different feeling, and entirely unpleasant.

Gray eyes opened, looked upon the world. Misty, mysterious, at once kind and beautiful, light and clear. No trace of the shadow that haunted her soul. No trace of the compulsion that drove her. No trace...of the cold snow that entrapped her heart. She was centered on one thought, and one thought only. [I]No...make that...two.[/I] A smile flickered on her fair expression, and one would expect the season to sing of perfect harmony. But...it wasn't harmony. It was too perfect, unnatural, something created out of context with the world. Light danced around her, through her, courting her with silent levity. Her smile threw shadow upon it, and it drew back. No, she wasn't natural. [I]This world...cannot accept me, just as I cannot accept rest. For, I seek perfection. And perfection only. Then we shall be a trio, a match of three. I'm coming, darlings...wait for me...[/I] And she rose, her spirit a silver light seeking the currents of the air, high wind brushing her across the seas. Towards an ancient house in New England... OOC: mwa ha ha! :devil: Don't worry, I'll introduce her formally soon enough. :smirk:

Once again, Ann could only look on at the exchange. The two seemed utterly beside themselves, locked in a world of their own making by their beautiful, demonic gazes. A tinge of discomfort passed through Ann's body; their words seemed so...personal, so intimate. She felt she had no right to witness the caress of words that they exchanged. They had a seal that none could hope to trespass. [I]...Except...Mordecry[/I], she thought, the name a strange, inhuman taste that flowed silently through her thoughts. But the echo of his name in her mind shot more pain up her body, a convulsion she could not ignore. Fire again, just as when she had met Alexandria's gaze, but this time greater. She thought she could smell her skin burning, blistering, but to the touch it was cool. The twin points centered on the delicate rift between her shoulder blades again, and blood fell to the floor as she bit her lip, refusing to cry out. For some reason...Ann felt that giving voice to her pain would be dangerous...especially in front of Alexandria and Azrael. Both looked up as the droplets of blood fell to the floor, tiny scarlet dots that stopped almost immediately. Ann didn't notice, but her head rose when she heard a different sound... Her voice was barely audible again, but she knew that both of the beings could hear her, "...footsteps..." Neither of them stirred, and Ann suddenly felt that she was entirely out of place, her breathing far too loud, her pulse a beat that one could pick out of silence. Perfect silence, interrupted only by her human breath, and nearing footsteps. Azrael's voice came, cold and clear as a winter night, "Leave." One word. Alexandria said nothing. His voice compelled her, and Ann felt it; she couldn't disobey him. Her feet picked themselves up off the ground, and she turned her back to them, walking away as the burning sensation roiled. She walked quickly, doors to either side ignored as she made her way down the hall. Footsteps stopped. She stopped. Looked up...and found herself looking directly at Mr. Bailey. But his eyes were not on her; instead, they looked past her, and she felt the flicker of fear start to glimmer inside of her. Ann knew; he was going to die. [I]Just...accept...it. Arc Angel of Death. He will kill the man.[/I] But even so, even though she knew there was nothing she could do to protect him, her hand still hovered, trembling. Reaching out... But Ann froze. Behind her, Azrael stirred, lifting himself off the ground with infinite grace. His wings cut through the air, a perfectly silent melody that harmonized with death. [I]And only death.[/I] She closed her eyes, not wanting to see, but forced herself to open them again; forcing herself to accept what she could not change. The pain grew brighter.

Hmm...pets... Most people refer to my house as a zoo, although I think it's nothing like it. Just because we used to have a large number of animals... [U]Current:[/U] Mimi Sashimi Kim - my cat. MY cat. Which is kind of odd, because instead of a cat, she acts more like a dog. She comes when you call her, although she doesn't do any tricks. Wait...she [I]does[/I]! When we take out frozen anchovies for her to eat, she rolls over on her back. And she's always waiting for us when we get home, ready to beg for anchovies. And she's scared of squirrels. Dhankohng - means "peanut" in Korean, and she's a little dwarf hamster. But I never call her her name anyway; I call her Hameestah. Oh, and she had a litter a couple weeks after I got her, but they all died. Dude - I inherited this dwarf hamster from my cousin when he moved out, and he's fat, lazy, and sleeps alot. And he has something growing on his stomach. And I'm trying to figure out if he's [I]really[/I] a male or not. Hamtori - a golden, short-hair hamster. Shy, and extremely annoying when you want to pet him, because he runs into his little plastic tubes where you can't reach. D*** hamster. But he's very pretty. We got him only recently. Hobbes - fullgrown female leopard gecko. She's ... big.. And healthy, and laid two clutches of eggs, the last one only yesterday. Two of them hatched, and the others we're waiting on. Nacho - the male leopard gecko, and one they call a carrot top or something...he's like bright orange and yellow. Very...cheesy.. No, [I]dangerously[/I] cheezy. ;) Calvin - one of the adolescent male leopard geckos, but not from Hobbes. We were actually planning on raising him to breed with Hobbes, but that was before we got Nacho. So...we're gonna sell him soon, to make room for the babies. Pretty obvious where the names came from, eh? I love that comic. Multitudes of fish. Don't even ask. My brother is obsessed. Oh! But we have three baby puffer fish! And they're absolutely adorable. Don't puff up yet, though.

Hello again! :D No, not going to BNYC (although that'd probably be cool), but I'm going to Triennium in Indiana. Wheee!! :p

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]Can machines feel? A question to contemplate in the dark; hiding from inquisitive eyes. ?Over six billion electrical sensors on the outermost grafted ?skin,? nerve fluid and gel running through their finely tuned ?organs,? and electrical systems wired to work as ?nerves.? Their ?bodies? could be considered even more complex than ours, as they?re sometimes organically combined with new technology. The complexity of their extensive programming rivals the maze of the human brain. So?why is this question so debated? Merely because they have been made, constructed by our hands, is it possible that they feel no emotion?[/COLOR] ?Machines have no feelings!? ?Pieces of metal can?t feel!? ?They?re not natural ? it?s their programming!? [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]Programming... Yes, their bones are constructed, made in a factory where metals are poured into molds. Their joints are not connected with tendons, but with finely oiled springs and screws. Their flesh is bio-chemically grown, their muscles attached with fine wires and metals and false tissue. Their thoughts are programmed into them, by humans who deem what is necessary and what is not. They are assembled in massive factories for our delight, our purpose, our insanity, our cruelty.[/COLOR] ?What are you saying?? ?Are you saying we?re wrong?? ?We built them! They should work for us! They wouldn?t even exist if it weren?t for us!? [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]Yes?their existence is wholly because of our ambitions and dreams, our quest to make our lives perfect, relaxing; the epitome of luxury.[/COLOR] ?They?re just machines.? ?They?re robots ? they have no natural purpose, so we give them one.? ?Why these questions? This is just how it is.? [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]?But?if we constructed them, if we selected their programming, if we molded them into images of ourselves? Is not the fault ours, then, that they revolt? This war?is on our hands, is it not? Humankind is dying, because humankind developed the tool of their own destruction.[/COLOR] ?No!? ?They [I]chose[/I] to revolt, and now we?re fighting for our lives!? ?They were developed to help us!? [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]Yes?to help us, but now they kill us. You say that we programmed them, chose their roles in our lives. How, then, are we not responsible? You say they chose to revolt? That suggests that they have the ability to make decisions of their own choosing, which goes entirely against what you?ve been saying: that they are ?just machines.? And that choice?was not even of their own making. We forced them to it, did we not? We brushed away the first chance for friendship; we denied them basic rights that any being - .[/COLOR] ?They?re not human!? ?And we didn?t force anything on them!? ?Like you said, they made their own choices ? don?t force the blame where it isn?t due.? [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]So?because they?re not human, they don?t deserve rights? Just because they weren?t brought into the world with natural flesh, or from a womb, you would deny them happiness and freedom? Even animals are protected by our laws, and yet we spare nothing for these slaves that are submitted without mercy to our will. And this is better than allowing them a chance to live?[/COLOR] ?They?re not alive, so it doesn?t matter.? ?Like we said, we made them ? they?re like computers. They?re robots. Machines. They don?t matter.? ?Yes, just machines. What does it matter if they don?t have rights? It?s not like they care anyway ? they don?t feel anything.? [COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]And back, once again, to the subject of feeling, the debate of emotion, the controversy that subjugates these constructions of mankind. Yet, light a fire to our skin, and we will burn, as will they. Skin will blister, peel, melt, while nerve endings scream in agony before blackening and dying in peaceful oblivion. Their flesh burns as well, and we have programmed them to feel pain, giving them reflexes to pull away from danger. Is this not what we do in our stead? Perhaps they aren?t as vulnerable as we are; their bodies do not catch biological diseases which ravage our population, their minds do not age or whither, their memories never fade, and time seems to have no lasting effect. But?they can become rusted, their programming outdated, the insides of their bodies dusty and rotten. Even if their memories are there, collected and categorized in a vast database, our memory of them may fade, as we move on in our living turmoil. And as we forget them?they lose their value, their usefulness, their purpose, and then?their lives. Does it make a difference, then, that we die in beds or battlefields, while they are destroyed in junkyards? If their bodies are taken apart, and recycled into new machines? Is it such a difference? Is the span between human and machine so great that their annihilation cannot in part be called death? For?is it not relative to each species? And if you will not consider them in part human, what about as a different species? A new evolution of man [I]through[/I] the hands of man, for that is what they are. They are our children, even if we choose to deny it. Unacknowledged, subject to slavery and human whim, illegitimate, unwanted. We constructed their births, we mapped out their lives, we choose their deaths. They [B]burn[/B]. [I]Our children[/I] burn. And we lit the conflagration that now consumes the world. How can you say? that they? don?t? [B]feel[/B]?[/COLOR]

The being was beautiful, stunning, and yet...made her flinch. Ann drew away immediately, as Azrael's eyes alighted upon Alexandria. The delicate confidence of age graced her young form, and her appearance threw off Ann's judgement. [I]Who is this?[/I] Her hands tingled again, turning into a prickle that ran up and down her arms. She could only watch, frozen in silence, as Azrael slowly touched the ground, lowering his arms. His eyes were still on Alexandria's now still form, and Ann barely stopped a shudder. He had changed. No, he hadn't, but...somehow, he was not the same to her. This new presence, this demonic sorceress, made him...different. Still staring, Ann tried to make her form smaller, instinctively curling her body into itself. The wall was cold against her back, but gave a small comfort; something solid that she knew, even if it was just a wall, and offered no protection. She closed her eyes, trying not to see Alexandria; something about the beautiful woman only reminded Ann of chaos. [I]Her...eyes...speak of destruction. And only of destruction.[/I] As if Alexandria could hear the girl's thoughts, Ann found her eyes drawn open by the threatening feeling of being watched - by Alexandria. She clenched her teeth as she met the eyes of the cold creature, trying not to gasp as she felt pain go through her blood like fire. Lancing up through her arms to her whole body, until it focused entirely on two pinpoints just above her shoulder blades. It [I]burned.[/I] And suddenly, she had to ask, unable to keep silent any longer, a compulsion stronger than fear and pain urging her voice to find power as she spoke. She choked on her first words, but managed to find her voice, "Azrael..." [I]Death[/I] she thought at the same time. [I]Fallen.[/I] He turned to her, entirely menacing, his wings flowing out gracefully in clean blades of reflecting silver. The sheen hurt her eyes. Ann closed her eyes, but could still see the glare. "Azrael... What..blood?" She didn't know why she asked, but waited for an answer.

As Patrick led the way, Briseis couldn't help but notice the goosebumps on her skin. It was an odd feeling; the faint, sweet taste of pie still lingered on her tongue, mixing in with the eerie sense the house seemed to confine. She felt slightly sick, but said nothing. However, after a few wrong turns, she had to open her mouth, "Are you sure you know the way? After all, we've been wandering again for about ten minutes." "Hey, of course I know the way! I was just there, seriously. Just...let me get my bearings again. See! Here it is!" He opened a thick oak door, paneled with knarled and knotty wood, with sworls of design carved tediously into the grain. Briseis was impressed, and followed Patrick into the interior. It was quite dark, and the windows didn't help; they were covered with thick curtains which seemed as if they were stiff with age. "Is there a light in here?" she asked, her hand groping a wall. Patrick hit a switch, and there was a faint buzzing as the ancient lamps flickered to life, revealing the contents of the undisturbed room. They could only gaze on in wonder - thousands of volumes and ancient tomes graced the shelves, all covered with thick layers of dust. Cabinets showed their priceless contents through their glass doors, some of the more valuable books kept safe from invading air particles. Briseis felt as if she had been plucked out of the real world, and placed into one of fantasy; this library rivaled anything she had seen in the movies. She was the first to move, walking hesitantly over the once-rich rugs that lined the wood floor. Dust rose at the tread of her light footsteps, and she paused before reaching for a shelf. Her finger lightly brushed away some of the dust, and gold lettering appeared on a cracking leather bind. Her voice came barely above a whisper, "...This...is...amazing." Patrick said nothing, only coming to join her as they both started gently dusting off the shelves nearest the door. Taking a book off the shelf, he handled the pages carefully as he opened it, "Wow...some of these books aren't even printed - they're wrote out by hand." "What? Let me see." Briseis reached for it, her fingers alighting upon the timeworn pages, thin as rice paper. "Wow, I don't believe this. How old can these be? They must have been in here for ages." Another book opened before him, he smiled, "Hey, look, it's in Latin." She glanced over, scanning the page, mouthing the words, but then shook her head, "I can't read it. Never learned Latin." OOC: Hmm...show some of your skills here ;)

Rubbing her hands even harder, her skin started to feel raw as she tried to rid herself of the feeling. The familiar tingle seemed to stir in her blood; she bit her lip, clenching her teeth as well. [I]No, not this... Don't..panic. Just stay calm...[/I] Ann's breathing became more labored, and she began to feel heady, winded... Suddenly, she gasped - it was as if a sudden dark, yet bright, wave had come crashing down upon her head. Coughing, she fell to the ground, her hands forgotten as the feeling now came in a hurricane, flooding and breaking upon her. A name came to mind, unbidden, never heard, but something that hidden blood remembered for the ages... [I]Azrael...[/I] Her head snapped up; her hands clenched into white fists. And she knew. [I]Mr. Bailey...had Azrael's blood...on his hands. His hands touched Azrael's blood.[/I] Struggling to her feet, she felt another wave, this time lighter, but just as dark. All around her, beings seemed to light up in the corners of her vision; she was aware of them, but they rushed past her mind. Ann was focused on only one thing, this dark, bright aura that seemed to blind, and yet invite her at the same time. She ran. As quickly as possible, not knowing which direction, and not consciously thinking about her goal - she merely ran, her mind crying for her to go faster, run faster, fly faster. She knew Mr. Bailey was going to Azrael. And she knew...that he would die. And instead of Azrael's blood on his hands...Mr. Bailey's blood would be spilled this time. She knew. And so she ran, her feet heavy as she tried to force air into her screaming lungs. But it was nothing compared to the burning sensation in her blood, her hands...where the echo of Azrael's blood remained. A building came into sight, bright glass windows mirrorring the image of the sky. And Azrael was there; she knew. And she prayed, if hoping and begging were praying, but she didn't know what for. The glass doors turned with her, allowing her passage into the cool interior, professional and formal. Ann stopped for a moment, seeing her reflection in the glass. [I]Wings...?[/I] She blinked, and it was gone. Shaking her head, she found herself between two men, obviously security guards. But before they could ask, a bright light went off, swirling colors of red in a euphoria of sirens. Screams penetrated the muffled silence with an eerie clarity, and chaos burst. Ann looked up; blood seemed to start to dot the white ceiling and walls, falling in a hesitant, crimson shower onto the tile floor. And again, blood called, ringing in her ears... [I][B]Azrael.[/B][/I]

Pressing the doorbell lightly, the ringing tones could be heard inside the large mansion. Ann waited patiently, her hands back in her pockets as she waited. [I]It's this time of the month again...and I think it's worse than our little red friend.[/I] Footsteps accompanied her thoughts, and her hands grew cold as the door opened. The butler held it open, his eyes deeming to look at the floor instead of her face. She walked in, and immediately she felt the tension. The marble floor was cold, and she felt the discomfort of hidden eyes watching her. [I]Why they just can't send me the money in the mail, I don't know... It'd make this so much more pleasant.[/I] Instead, she followed the silent butler along a length of rich hallway, pleasantly garlanded with fresh flowers. A door was opened to a study, richly accomodated with paneled walls of dark polished wood, furniture matching the atmosphere. And it made her utterly more tense - she almost jumped as another set of footsteps walked in, hard and cold to her ear. "Well, you've already arrived, it seems..." Looking up, Ann found herself looking at her aunt and uncle, their dark hair matching hers, but their cold gaze far different. She said nothing; remaining silent was often the quickest way to escape. Her aunt held up an envelope, "Here it is. Take it and get out." [I]She's is a good mood today,[/i] Ann thought darkly. But it was better than being lectured on how utterly useless she was, and how disgraceful she was to the family, not to mention how her parents had utterly abandoned her... She took the envelope, taking care not to present any other contact. She murmured a thanks, executed a small bow, and left the room. The butler was waiting, ready to escort her to the door. [I]Probably to make sure that I don't steal anything.[/I] Not that there was anything she wanted - everything here only reminded her of cold detachment. But it wasn't as if she needed a guide; she had walked the same hallway to the same room every month, for the last eight years. As she met the marble floor again, she stopped, startled. Others were in the entrance hall, speaking and laughing loudly. Business suits clothed all, and they were shaking hands as men stepped out the door. Ann recognized some of her cousins, and another of her uncles. Surprisingly, the ancient patriarch of the family was there as well. What was this? Some important business meeting? "Thank you so much for having us, Mr. Lee." "Yes, it was quite enjoyable." "Of course, Mr. Bailey. Please come back anytime." "We hope to hear from you soon." Suddenly, one of the men noticed her entrance. She tried to shrink back, but it was too late. "Who is that?" Her uncle turned, and then his eyes narrowed, "Oh, she's only - " "Please, introduce us." Eyes narrowed once again, and this time it was most of her male relatives present. "Ann, come here." She walked, obeying the tone of command, and then bowed slightly. "This is one of our nieces, Ann. Ann, this is Mr. Bailey." He held out his hand, and she shook it, hesitating. Upon touching his skin, she froze, her eyes widening slightly. [I]...This...what...is...this...?[/I] He let go, smiling, and the feeling was lost. But not forgotten. Never forgotten - it was far too familiar for comfort. Mr. Bailey followed the other men out the door, leaving her at the wrath of her relatives... Ten minutes later, hard voices wringing in her ears, she was free, walking down the street. Thinking about the feeling... She shuddered. What had he touched? Because whatever it was, the feeling was still sticking to his skin, and she had felt it. She could [I]sense[/I] it; her blood held it in concrete memory. And it was not pleasant... She rubbed her hands together, trying to rid herself of it. It didn't leave. Instead, it seemed to burrow deeper into her memory... OOC: The Mr. Bailey is from your posts, Annie. Hope it's ok... Just had to connect, somehow.

[B]Name:[/B] Furie Kakashi [B]Age:[/B] 17 [B]Race:[/B] Human (Japanese/Korean) [B]Description (Mundane):[/B] see attachment [B]Description (True):[/B] She has the same appearance, except that her eyes turn to liquid-gold, and a twisting design of a deep crimson color seems to spread and cover her body. [B]Occupation:[/B] Student at a private school / Member of the Shadow Walkers [B]Bizarre/Supernatural powers:[/B] She has heightened senses, which aid her in combat, and she is extremely skilled in all forms of combat, being the protege of the leader of the Shadow Walkers. Furie also has the ability to, at contact with her skin, freeze anyone for a moment, paralyzing them. This lasts not very long, especially if their spirit is strong. Those with strong minds and spirits usually only stop for a fraction of a second or two, but still long enough for Furie to end their lives with the blade of her dark katana. Also, they only freeze if she wills it, so it's still safe to normally come into contact with her. [B]Weapons/Possessions:[/B] An ancient katana graces her hand, and its blade is a dark black metal, smelling strongly of blood, with odd designs traced in the blade that match the design on her skin in her true form. She also holds a few shurikens and throwing stars. [B]Background:[/B] Both parents were killed by the Shadowkind soon after she was born. Thus, Furie was raised wholly by the Shadow Walkers, coming under the wing of one of the leaders. She started training before she could even walk, holding her first blade at the age of two. From there, she quickly rose in skill and power, becoming one of the most valued among the Shadow Walkers. Furie was never allowed to forget that the Shadowkind killed her parents, and so she is always ready to hunt and dispatch them. [B]Misc. Information:[/B]

She only shrugged at his comment, and then turned to the door, "Yeah...but he's not coming back for another two hours. I doubt we really want to wait that long to eat, neh?" She tried the handle as Patrick had, but it didn't budge. Cursing silently, she frowned as she turned, "Do you think Brock could've put the lock on the wrong side? I'm sure he's dense enough." Lacie looked positively shocked, and she put her hand to her neck, "You mean Tyler? Of course not! He's actually quite an interesting man - don't you know that? I mean, you're the kid related to him and all." Briseis's brows went up, "You call him 'Tyler?'" She put her hand to her forehead, and looked down. Her hair hid her expression as she tried not to smirk, or worse, burst out in cynical laughter. Indignant now, Lacie put her hands on her hips, "Well, that [I]is[/I] his name, you know. Jeez, what's wrong with you? Fine then, he's your uncle and all - what do [I]you[/I] call him?" In control of herself again, Briseis looked up at the blonde, "Me? I don't call him anything. Actually, I probably won't even speak with him for the extent of my stay. But please, by all means, call him 'Tyler.' I'm sure it's better than anything that I'd say." Leaving Lacie's mouth wide open, Briseis walked over to the door, and made ready to walk out. Except the door was still stuck, ruining her grand exit. "Oh d***." The words flew out of her mouth, and she kicked the door. Patrick couldn't help himself; he burst out laughing, trying to stop himself as she turned to him, glaring. "Hahaha - sorry - hahaha..." Holding his stomach, he covered his mouth as well, trying not to let the laughter escape. Waiting impatiently, and somewhat annoyed, Briseis watched. "...Right...well, since there's no way out down here, I guess I'll leave you guys now." She walked back up the stairs, wandering around the halls. Patrick came quickly after her, "Ack! Wait for me - there's no telling what the hag will do if you leave me there with her." Lacie, thankfully, did not follow, and they were left to their wanderings. "So, what are you going to do?" She shrugged again, "Well, I'm not going to be stuck in here. Too boring, and besides, I'm still hungry. I bet that uncle of mine will forget about us in the house and all - we'd probably starve to death before he got back here." "You're kidding, right?" She shrugged again. The silence stretched as they walked. "Dang, this place is so weird. How do you even find your way around here?" Suddenly, she and Patrick spun around. An odd creaking sound came from around the corner of the hallway. Her heart beat faster, and she felt her hands grow cold. She swallowed, and took a small step forward, keeping close to the wall. Patrick was right beside her, and they both moved closer. A sliding noise...then footsteps...faster. They quickly came closer, and her mouth got dry. And then, a dark form hurdled around the corner, and Briseis's fist shot out, connecting with a crack! "Ooph! *******! What the h***???" A male voice quickly emerged as he held his jaw, which was bruising over. He looked about eighteen, tall, and of Asian descent. Briseis cringed, "Oh *******, sorry about that. Are you ok?" "D***! What the ******* is wrong with you??" His eyes were angry as he looked the two over, rubbing his aching jaw. "Sorry, I really didn't mean to. Kind of...a reflex, I guess. It's just..I don't know. Sorry." Briseis ran her fingers through her hair nervously. The guy only sighed in frustration, and then nodded, "Yeah, it's ok. I guess this place can creep you out a little. I'm guessing you two are the new ones?" Patrick nodded, starting introduction, "Yeah, I'm Patrick, and this is Briseis." "Briseis? Like, lover of Achilles and all?" Briseis's expression told that she had heard it millions of times, and her fist tightened again. "Riiight, ok. Calm down, sheesh. I'm Steven. You guys met Lacie yet?"

Can I still join? [B]Name:[/B] Ann Sang Lee [B]Age:[/B] 18 [B]Gender:[/B] Female [B]Species:[/B] Angel/Human Half-breed [B]Appearance:[/B] see attachment [B]Side:[/B] Undetermined [U][B]Powers:[/B][/U] [B]True Sight[/B] - Ann, with her mixed blood, has the ability to see angels, demons, spirits, and things not of this world. She sees through lies and non-truths, and nothing is hidden from her. [B]Release[/B] - For those spirits whose souls are for some reason trapped in this world, and unable to take the path to Heaven or Hell, Ann's touch can bring release from the mortal world, freeing the soul to traverse the road of spirits to the beyond. [B]Repent[/B] - Humans of unclear conscience seem to be drawn to Ann, and under her gaze or touch, they let go of all worldly sins. She seems to be able to clear their minds and bodies of troubles and illness, and children naturally quiet in her presence. [B]Wings[/B] - Although she does not have wings, when her angelic blood rises, Ann seems to have the shadows of wings surrounding her. This echo takes shape when the spiritual side of her soul is called, and her eyes also seem to bleed brown into bright green. So although not concrete, her wings still shadow her, and she is able to use the feathers to calm, comfort, or exorcise spirits. [B]Personality:[/B] Usually quite solitary, her voice is barely heard. To people who know her, she's a mystery, as she never seems to open up and really express herself. Her true feelings she will always mask - either that, or she's extremely apathetic, not really having an opinion of what's happening around her. She merely accepts things as they are, and continues, accomodating whatever needs to be done. She seems to have a strange phobia of churches, and will not go within a block of one; this also includes a fear of really almost any mention of religious beings. It's also extremely difficult to surprise Ann, as she's seen many paranormal things... But as for everything else around her, she has no questions, but also no reason for her existence. No purpose, but no will to make her own way in life. [B]Biography:[/B] Alone for the whole of her life, Ann has never known her parents, who disappeared soon after she was born, abandoning her to the care of relatives. Luckily, the kindness of an ancient uncle cared for her, and when he passed away, his will turned over everything of his estate to Ann. Therefore, she gets a sort of monthly allowance which she lives on. Her other relatives dislike her for this reason, and she is even more dissuaded from trying to grow close with the rest of her "family." She has her own apartment alone, which she has lived in for the last eight years, in a solitary lifestyle. Although she graduated from high school, that was the extent of her education, as her uncle's will would be more than enough to take care of her whole life. Thus, she really had no reason to continue any sort of education, and doesn't hold a job. She is held in contempt by her relatives, but only sees them once a month anyway, to collect her allowance from the will. Also, Ann was always seen as odd by her extended family, as she seemed to attract all sorts of odd people to herself. Bums would just stop in the street to hold her hand, or criminals would come to sob at her feet. After a time, she got used to this, and also realized that she was able to see spirits of sorts. They, also, seemed drawn to her, and then soon after would disappear. She accepted this, not thinking it anything really special, as she grew up with it. However, in her freshman year of high school, all that changed. While attending a morning service in a chapel that she visited sometimes, light seemed to brighten and explode in the church. Feathers of bright radiance flew around, and angels seemed to fill the air. People were in awe, silent, afraid, and Ann could only stare. But...then, they drew their shining blades, and hurdled towards her. Ann has no memory of how she escaped; the memory is repressed. All she knows is that she now avoids churches at all costs, shuddering at the sight of them. Any mention of God or angels makes her flinch, and she has a fear of heavenly beings. How ironic, then, that she is the result of a forbidden union between an angel and a mortal human. She is unaware of her parentage, but still avoids the subject; there is still an unhealed wound from the knowledge that she was abandoned. There have been a few other attempts on her forbidden life, and each time she escapes, unharmbed, but also unable to remember how she escaped. Around certain beings, such as demons, although Ann is not able to name them as such, her aura seems to change the more time she is exposed to them.

Silence accompanied her swift flight - silence and guilt. Her cloak shadowed and pooled around her as she fled from the field of battle, from Green Eyes and Xairiel, from God, from her dead. [I]Her[/I] dead. [I]...oh, that I had never led them out of Heaven... That they were still there, even in sin...but at least they would be alive...[/I] Tears dropped, silver crystal against the perfect curve of her cheek. She flew on, and was relieved when nothing followed. [I]Dykei[/I] almost dropped from her dead grip, but she quickly sheathed its crystal blade, still pure and untainted by evil blood. She felt exhaustion overtake her; rage and fury drained her of the the frenzied energy that had possessed her. She dropped to the sidewalk, in the midst of a blustering downtown. She passed through the crowds unnoticed, unseen, her cloak still shadowing her presence from mortal eyes. Gliding on tired, silent feet, she walked without purpose, and without direction. She didn't feel the snow beneath her feet - the cold didn't affect her, and her mind chose not to acknowledge anything that did. Children played at the park, and their innocent, bright laughter drew her, her dark eyes taking in the to-and-fro of the swings. Sariyel sat, sinking into the snow, gathering the white powder in her hands. The coolness melted away the pent up rage, but there was still more. She crushed the snow in her pale hands, until it formed a hard crystal, and still she crushed it. She was tired... And grief attacked her while the laughter of children was alive in her other ear. She pushed the guilt away, but it was there, lurking in the corner of her mind, ready to ambush her as she weakened in mind. [I]God...you took them from me. They were mine!!! Why did you take them???[/I] Tears coursed her cheeks again, and she sat, head bowed, waiting the hours until her silver tears melted away with the snow still clutched in her hands. She sat...watching the passing of the day with dark, unseeing eyes. The children eventually left with their doting parents, and their laughter was a faint memory, an echo that brought the faces of the fallen to her mind. Her head drooped, her hair pooling about her in the snow. Something brushed her cheek, and she looked up, startled. [I]Feathers? No...[/I] She realized that snow was falling again, large delicate flakes that fell from a darkening sky. The streets were almost empty, only a random car passing by now and then. Everywhere, colored lights flicked on, and voices penetrated the muffled snowfall. "It's almost Christmas," she whispered, and then winced. The thought of holy beings cracked the tentative shield that she was trying to erect. And suddenly...she was exhausted, tired of being an angel. Hesitating, she waited only a moment before she changed her form beneath the cloak...and then let it, too, fold away. No bright light pierced the dark; no holy radiance shone from her - she was...in all form, another human. An angel in disguise. Sariyel still sat in the snow, her bare feet curled under her as she wrapped her arms around her knees. She leaned against the brick wall of the park, closing her eyes. Her breath became slow, unhurried, calm. Cold numbed her to her feelings, and she welcomed it. She didn't notice the footsteps that stopped in front of her still form. "What's wrong with you? It's the middle of winter!" A voice jerked her out of her peaceful reverie, and a hand yanked her up violently. She opened her eyes, surprised, and found herself staring into the face of a human. He was looking at her with a mixed expression of anger, worry, and puzzlement. His hand fully encircled her thin wrist, and he immediately let go, angry brown eyes brushing up and down her form. She realized that she was wearing only thin white shorts and t-shirt - no wonder this stranger had stopped. He took off his heavy coat, draping it around her, "Are you an idiot? Jeez, you'll freeze like this! Why the h*** are you wearing that right now?" His words put her in a state of shock, and surprisingly she felt warmth exuding from his coat. It was then that Sariyel noticed she was shivering. [I]I'm...cold...? Is this...what it's like...[/I] She looked up again, realizing that in her disguise, she had diminished her stature, and that he was a good five inches taller than her. His expression was unreadable - too many mixes, too much emotion for her to be clear, especially with her light hidden. And she was tired. Sariyel didn't realize how tired she really was, or how weak this human form could be. Dazed, she felt her balance slip, and fell without a sound. But she didn't hit the ground, even though the light snow would have cushioned her fall. The human caught her, arms circling around her thin form. As she faded, she heard him snort in false frustration, and he muttered to himself as he swung her over his shoulder. "...d*** bums... Why the h*** do I always get myself mixed up in this *******.... Stupid kid lying in the snow...I should leave her to die..."

Leaning her forehead against the glass, she felt her skin grow cooler against the smooth surface. Tyler Brock, his hands on the steering wheel, cleared his throat in irritation beside her - no doubt there would be a mark left on the window. Briseis didn't move, only smiling slightly as she watched the lines on the road continue to pass by in spaced blocks of yellow. As they turned a corner, she finally lifted her head, turning her attention to the new surroundings that they had entered. The noise of the busy street subsided as they drove deeper into the quiet, shady neighborhood. Buildings of the old Victorian era spoke of established wealth, and green ivy only reminded her of the color and smell of money. It was old, almost feeble; Briseis could see that this area, although well-established and rich, was slowly sinking, far past its zenith in life. "Not far now," Tyler Brock said shortly, his tone showing his own impatience. She, in return, said nothing - what did she have to say? She only watched as more houses passed, the cracked sidewalks lined with tall, old trees that clogged the gutters of the streets with their broad, fallen leaves. Suddenly, she sat a little straighter, her interest piqued. The monuments and stones of a cemetery passed by slowly, all enclosed within an old, crumbling stone wall. The steeple of a small, ancient church was visible through the thick growth of the trees, and she held her eyes on it until they passed. She slumped back into her seat again, and her uncle cleared his throat again. Another small smile, but she didn't look at him, only brushing the window with her finger. A few irritated, silent minutes later, the car slowed, and then pulled into a cobblestone driveway. Large oaks covered the poorly tended lawn with shadow, hiding the manor from view. The driveway was long; she was surprised at the expanse - compared to all the others, this was the largest on the block. But finally the car stopped, and Tyler Brock turned off the transmission, opening his door. Briseis stepped out also, looking up automatically at the ivy-covered brick. It commanded her attention from the start, and she stared at it in silence until her uncle coughed. She turned to see him waiting with her bags, and she quickly took them from him. He didn't protest. As he led the way up the steps to the massive set of oak doors, Briseis tried to take in the shady, tangled surroundings, noting the various paths and iron gates that seemed to be scattered throughout. As she walked in, the interior of the mansion made her eyes go wide; she put her hand to her mouth to make sure it wasn't hanging open. Fine, rich woodwork spanned the ceiling and walls, accompanied by a crystal chandelier that had a fine layer of dust on it. The inside smelled strongly of sterilization and cleaning solution - her uncle had not been the owner very long - but it couldn't completely mask the scent of dust and years of mold that moisture had wreaked. For the time being, the mold was gone, but the slight odor remained - all in all, it was obviously a very, very, [I]very[/I] old house. "Your room's upstairs with the others," Brock said, leading the way. His stout form led her down a hallway to a flight of stairs, and she hastened to follow him, her bags slapping against her legs. She hesitated, and then broke the silence, "The others?" They came to another hallway, and he motioned impatiently, "Yes, the other boarders. Your parents should have told you about this. And this is where the only other rooms are, and I'm sure you don't want to room with your uncle. Adolescents like you obviously dislike adults such as I, correct?" He didn't wait for an answer, only motioning her down the hall after him. It was dimly lit, and she tripped on a rug, but recovered quickly. He didn't even notice. She glance critically at her uncle. [I]Am I really related to this dude? He called me...an 'adolescent.' What the heck happened to teenager? And if he knows my parents at all, he of all people should know that they wouldn't tell me anything.[/I] But she had no time to nitpick about her parents; Tyler Brock had started to speak again. "Lacie Golden, Steven Thielges, Patrick Beam," he said, pointing to three other doors. It took her a moment to realize that he had named the other boarders. Opening a door, he ushered her inside, "This is your room. If you need anything, call...in about two hours. I have to go out again." She turned, and he was already gone, the door left open. [I]Wow...I cannot believe that I'm going to be living here. And who in their right mind would send other kids here? Maybe their parents are high. I know mine are.[/I] Easing her bag off of her shoulder, she sat down with a sigh on the bed. And stood up again. Walking out into the hall, she was slightly uneasy... It was very quiet. [I]So...four rooms occupied, me included.[/I] Walking down the hall, she saw two more rooms, empty, and a bathroom. [I]We're all sharing a bathroom?? This is bound to get interesting...[/I] OOC: Wow, that was long. I guess I got a little carried away. -_-;;

Good so far! Everything looks as it should be... :) My main char: [B]Name:[/B] Briseis Leigh Thomas a.k.a. Breise (pronounced BRY-see) [B]Age:[/B] 16 [B]Gender:[/B] Female [B]Appearance:[/B] see attachment [B]Bio:[/B] For the moment, Briseis is living in the Crowell House because Tyler Brock is her distant uncle, and she is attending school nearby. Unemployed for the moment, she's the coffee-house type, dark, casual, and everything else. As for her "Uncle Brock," according to her, he and other persons of authority are non-existent.

OOC: Just one thing - I don't think Sariyel is quite the cursing type...after all, she wants to bring back grace to Heaven and all. :) IC: [I]Yes...our power lies in our light... It is the bright radiance of truth, and it will not fail us now.[/I] Her dark eyes narrowed, and Sariyel brought a graceful hand to lightly touch the clear jewel on her brow. A light seemed to glimmer there for a few brief seconds, a holy warmth, and then was extinguished as she drew her hand away. A smile played at her lips, and her confidence exuded from her being. The other angels with her sensed the change, and immediately they found themselves more determined to bring down the masses of seething arachnoids. Sariyel held out a graceful arm, holding out [I]Dykei[/I] in challenge. Glancing quickly between her and Joelle, Green Eyes kept watch on both as he tried to distinguish Joelle's true form. And...he realized that some of the spiders were also illusion. He tried to shout warning, but it was too late - Sariyel swept her arm down, hurdling towards the black masses with the rest of her angels behind her. The jewel brightened, and the white fire flickered around the crystal blade. She was lost to his gaze as he met the wrath of the numerous Joelles, which were now laughing, and preparing to attack him in force. Sariyel didn't notice as Green Eyes was quickly trapped in by the Joelle forms in the sky. Her view was centered on the spiders, which were hissing and screaming excitedly as she approached. She knew, in reality, that there were far too many to defeat, even with her angels. [I]It matters not... I shall perish if I must, if I perish in keeping faith. I will not live and let the dark consume this world...death is a far better realm, if that is where I end.[/I] They swept like a bright tidal wave upon the mountains of spiders, which seemed to roil around them on all sides. White fire flashed as the angels descended, spending their holy wrath upon the dark things that covered the ground with poison. Sariyel failed to notice that the majority of real spiders centered their attack upon her, while the illusionary distracted the others in her flock. Slowly...she started to become separated from the rest. A golden head came up, his light shining brighter than the rest as he looked for the graceful lady he served. "Sariyel!" Karliel's voice rose above the screeching cacophany of combat. She locked her dark eyes with him, only then noticing that she was quite alone. Looking at him for a second longer, his eyes widened as she merely smiled and turned her back to him, her hair gliding in a dark river behind her. [I]Dykei's[/I] crystal blade flowed through the bodies of the spiders, coming out clean, but blood spattered the ground in hissing streams, and seemed to attack her cloak. The shadowy cloak however, repelled the blood, keeping the poison at bay. Suddenly, one of the other angels cried out in warning, and Karliel turned back to the battle - Too late, a spider rose up before him, sinking shimmering fangs into his flesh. He cried out automatically, but stopped... [I]No pain...nothing...[/I] The spider fell away, still smiling evilly, and then... Karliel cried out again, "They're illusions! We're battling illusions!" And he looked to Sariyel once again in a panic, and realized...she was surrounded by real bodies. The majority of the real spiders were gathered around her bright light, hungering for a taste of purity. And slowly...they were gaining an advantage - she was being overpowered by brute force. "No! Sariyel!" Karliel leapt up, the others following him, as he led the way to their graceful lady. Sariyel didn't raise her head, only gripping [I]Dykei[/I] tighter in her white hands, as the white light washed over her. [I]I...will not fail.[/I] Everywhere she turned, her blade met the fangs of the vicious creatures, and they gathered around her as she swung her clear blade. A tunnel seemed to grow from the ground, black masses of crawling bodies as they surrounded her. And as Karliel and the others flew closer, he dropped his sword. His eyes were focused intently on the mass that hid Sariyel from view. But her light was still visible, still glimmering as pure and faithful through the darkness that surrounded and rioted about her. He closed his eyes... [I]Lady... Sariyel, we serve you...continue your cause, and hold to your faith. May courage and purity never forsake you.[/I] His eyes were golden as he opened them, and he raised a hand, throwing off his cloak of shadows. Light pierced the sky, and the other angels followed, light pouring through the gray sky as their glory was fully unveiled. Their wings erupted in showers of radiant white, and they hurdled towards the growing mountain of spiders. The blinding light pierced through the black bodies, and Sariyel immediately looked up, her eyes wide and mirroring the light, "No!" But too late - she felt the bodies of the spiders wiped away by the furious light of the angels, and the ones remaining moved as one to surround the bright beings hurdling towards them. They attacked with fury and brutality, but were no match against the pure light of the uncovered angels. As she ran, the jewel on her brow brightened, the light glowing as it matched the fading spirits of the angels. "No! No! Stop!" Her voice grew hoarse as she ran towards them, her blade uncovered as she attempted to reach them in time. Tears fell unbidden, but she was unaware of them. And...she knew she was too late, as the last of the spiders seemed to die and fade away, even as they hissed victoriously in their swift conquer. She stopped immediately, stilling into perfect silence as she looked upon the remains. The light in the jewel faded slowly, leaving the gray to fold over everything once again. But even cloud cover could not hide the bodies of the angels, fair even when their light was extinguished. Her dark eyes widened, growing silver as she held [I]Dykei[/I] in stillness. Karliel's fair hair was still gold, and ruffled slightly in the light breeze. White feathers began to fall to the ground, brighter in purity than the stained snow. She felt the soft kiss of the feathers as they fell in number, the white flowing past her unseeing eyes. [I]No...they...can't...[/I] But the reality that they had fallen was confirmed - their radiant bodies faded away, taken in by the cold landscape. She didn't move. Didn't breathe. Didn't see. Didn't hear Joelle and Green Eyes clashing above her... Only saw the bright pinions of their wings still falling around her in a field of white sorrow...

OOC: lol, Kate Beckinsale Her eyes grew cold, and held a mirror-like quality more than ever - clear silver pools that showed completely to her soul, and yet had no measure of depth at all. [I]Dykei's[/I] crystal blade came up in silence, refracting the gentle light that had started to flow from the jewel on it's handle. Sariyel looked through the blade at the winged demon, examining Joelle in a calm, calculating fashion. A slow smirk touched her expression, "...Disgusting." She didn't even deem to give Joelle a glance as the leathery wings propelled her powerfully into the air. Turning to Green Eyes again, Sariyel's voice was cool, "Everything in the Lord's time? He seems content to watch His realm fall into disrepair. And tell me, shall I stand here with the power of grace at my hands, and watch our sins make this world suffer?" Anger glowed in her eyes, slow to awaken, but bright and beautiful when it did. Her words lingered in the air - they were bittersweet, pure, rain-like in quality as they faded on the snow. Green Eyes didn't watch as she departed, her shadowy cloak murmuring her perfectly silent movements. He didn't need to - he could still taste her words in her shadow that didn't exist, that should have stretched out on the ground as she leapt up into the air, unfolding her wings. The rest of the angels followed her, their own weapons drawn, their dark cloaks moving about them in waves as they took to flight. Joelle waited for them in the air, her fangs glinting cold white as she smiled. It was like winter on her face, and she chuckled, "Ah, we've heard of you in the Hells, Miss Angelic. So, you're so wrapped in your own sense of justice, that you've deserted your high and mighty God? How...fun." She smiled, chilling the air around her. Sariyel only narrowed her clear eyes, and then pointed her blade..

A slight, barely visible smile touched Sariyel's expression. "...First target?" It was only then that Green Eyes noticed that they had joined the other group of shrouded angels, and he turned to see Sariyel's shadowy cloak shimmer as she drew her weapon. The clear, crystal blade of [I]Dykei[/I] emerged in her delicate hands, and it radiated a gentle light. She touched the clear jewel on the hommel, before she turned around, her dark eyes as clear as a cold desert night. The rest of the angels also drew forth their weapons, different shades of light adorning each, but still invisible to the mortal eye behind the mysticism of the cloaks. Her voice rang, "Champion of Heaven, I believe that our first adversary has come." She stood with her back towards him, and slowly, gracefully, challenged with the crystal blade, holding it out in a straight line in front of her. No shadow fell from her, and her footsteps did not mar the undisturbed snow. But the light darkened, and the flock of birds that had stayed in their midst slowly fluttered down to the ground, feathers falling away. The black feathers littered the ground as they fell faster, and soon all that could be heard was the cacophany of hissing from the demons that slipped around the tree. The great oak tree seemed to gray, and she could see the life flow away in small tendrils, absorbed by the inky darkness of the demons that slid around it. Their bodies were small, impish, their forearms longer and tapering into slender, deadly claws. Their faces were...marred, invisible, changing and malleable at once. Only their globe-like ruby eyes were visible, and they radiated a disturbing image of containers of blood. Slipping around the tree, in a pack, hissing and whimpering as they wound themselves around each other, gauging the angels that stood in silence. Green Eyes came to stand beside Sariyel's still form, "...even lesser minions of Hell have occupied the city. It shows much for the power of evil that has taken root here. But...why are you still? Your hand does not lift its blade, even though they are easily defeated." He looked at her face, but could read nothing; only the clarity of her eyes shown through the shadows she had gathered around her. Sariyel looked at the slithering mass, her eyes mirroring their reflections. She paused before she spoke in her quiet, barely audible voice, "...It speaks much, doesn't it? For even when these pitiful abominations are slain and thrown back into the Lake of Fire, Satan will punish them, but still accept them. And yet...the Lord has exiled us just as he exiled Adam and Eve, casting them forever out of Eden. And...He doesn't even see fit to punish those heavenly beings who have fallen to corruptness, staining Heaven with their taint of human sin." She turned to look at him, her dark gaze magnetic and clear. "And this...is the God you serve?" With that, she was gone, perfect silence accompanying her fierce flight of attack. The hissed screams of the demons were the only sounds heard as the others followed in her path of death.

Sariyel watched through her dark eyes as Viridans Oculus, once known as Melancus, descended from the sky, landing without a sound on the snow some distance away. [I]Melancus...has not been seen for some time...[/I] Her soul felt sad - he, too, had lost his entrance to Heaven. [I]Melancus...is his name no longer... He has lost that being. But...looking at his eyes, his new name suits him.[/I] She spoke softly, but all heard her in the silence, "So...what brings such a one as you into our midst? And...perhaps you can also speak of what brings [I]Gabriel[/I] down to the mortal realm twice in one day." He stayed still for a moment, watching her cloaked spirit, and then slowly started to walk towards them. All of the other figures watched, silent and still, staring at his nearing form. One of the other angels started to move, but Sariyel gently held out a hand, and the golden-haired youth bowed and departed, along with the others watching. They moved off, drawing their blades in the process...and the scent of demons seemed to grow nearer. "What news does one such as you bring to the likes of us, outcasts and rebels of Heaven?" Her voice was somber, tainted with a sliver of regret, bitterness, and sorrow. Still, none of these could hide the musical tones of angelic voices in her words. A mere human, upon hearing her voice alone, would feel an uplifting spirit, and joy for the rest of his days on Earth. "I speak not of news, but of an alliance." She looked at him for a moment, her dark eyes betraying nothing, but then she turned away, and started to walk. "Come... What of this alliance?"

Veil clenched her jaw - the last blow from Hentaro had drawn a bit of blood. [I]I'm...not going to lose...even if it's just training. If I lose in training, how can I win in a battle?[/I] Crouching, she propelled herself into the air again, the small bells on her tunic chiming with her momentum. She whipped her glaive towards Hentaro, who deflected it by slapping the flat part, sending it spinning in her hand. She let her fingers slide around the handle, and spun in another movement, smooth and graceful as a dancer. Even if her mind faltered, her body didn't - somehow, as if by pure instinct, she knew which way to turn, where to move. Her eyes didn't even follow his movements. Instead, it was as if she didn't even need her sight - every one of her other senses were perfectly attuned to his body. He slipped past her gliding blade again, sweeping under and moving into a twirling kick. Veil caught his foot with her own, and both pushed away from each other. Standing a little distance apart, they watched each other, both of them breathing heavily. Then Hentaro stood straight, smiled, and beckoned to her. Veil couldn't help but smile herself - Hentaro was always so...happy? Cheerful? No...but...he made her smile. His calm outward appearance completely hid the dangerous skills that he wielded so well...and she was glad that she could at least keep up with him for a bit. Shaking her head, she narrowed her eyes, and then hurdled forward again. Her glaive was held parallel to her outstretched arm, and swept diagonally across her body. Anticipating another head-on attack, Hentaro was mildly surprised when her glaive hit the ground heavily, but he quickly readjusted himself. Tipping herself up onto the staff of her weapon, Veil swung over and around, using her inertia to fling herself at a high speed around the handle. Her bells chimed, and she felt her foot connect barely with Hentaro's knee. Using the chance, she hooked her foot behind his leg, flipping him off balance. Hentaro quickly regained his stance, using the momentum from her attack to flip himself up into the air, ready to catch her off guard. Veil, expecting Hentaro to be on the ground recovering, was surprised to see the space empty. And then she looked up, just in time to see Hentaro's feet coming down on her head. Lightning fast, Veil brought her arms up, catching his shins by locking her wrists across her forehead. She twisted at the same time she launched him off, and he spun through the air again, landing softly on the ground. Picking up her glaive again, she watched him again, catching her breath as she waited.

OOC: I agree - lets keep silent about the part of the Princess's guardian thing, not to mention the Princess, although Lucifer and Ralience of course know. And question: why would Lucifer all of a sudden just pledge his loyalty to the Prince? As far as I know, he really has no reason to... IC: Sare smiled briefly as Kyirii allowed Ralience to pass. [I]Thank goodness...at least he's willing to accept her for the time being.[/I] As Ralience spoke quietly to Kuro, Kyirii joined them, listening as they conversed in low voices. Looking around the small hospital room, Sare saw that Lucifer had withdrawn to small window, glancing out periodically. His face was grim. Silently, she walked over to him, nudging him gently with her hand. "Are you alright?" He turned, a little startled, but the grim look fading from his expression. He nodded, "Yes, I'm fine. You?" Looking over at the other three who were still speaking, Sare didn't notice Lucifer's gaze. "...hmm... I suppose I'm a little worried. I don't really understand what's happening... Everyone else seems like they know so much more. They seem so capable, whatever it is that they're going to do. So...yes, I suppose I'm a little worried." Her eyes seemed to cloud over, gazing into the distance. Lucifer's low voice interrupted her thoughts, "Don't worry Sare. Nothing will happen to you." Looking up, Sare locked eyes momentarily with him, and then understood slightly. [I]He...won't let anything happen to me.[/I] A slight blush crept up her cheeks, and she tore her gaze away, looking down at the floor again. [I]...It's..odd, but I feel...safe. I feel safe with him, just like with Ralience...[/I] She didn't dare to look at him again, keeping her gaze down, but inside she smiled, the feeling warming her. But suddenly, a thought touched her mind. "Lucifer, did you call Kuro the Prince?" she asked quietly. Her face was a bit troubled, confused. Slowly, he nodded, a sinking feeling in his chest as he answered, "...Yes, Sare, he is the Prince." But he watched in surprise as Sare's face suddenly turned pale, and she started to tremble. Her eyes went to the bed where Kuro was still seated, speaking to Kyirii and Ralience. [I]Prince...Kuro... He's..the prince?[/I] Sare bit her lip, stepping back until she was supported by the wall. Her hands were trembling slightly, and she didn't see that Lucifer had noticed, and was watching her reaction. [I]Dark dreams...the night...the prince... Blood...overwhelming. And pain. No, it's excrucciating... Go away...please go away.... GO AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME![/I] She went absolutely still, a barrage of memories coming to her, flooding her senses with the scent of death and blood, the dreams of night attacking her now. Lucifer grabbed her arms, shaking her slightly, "Sare, what's wrong?" Ralience turned as well, sensing that something was not right. Sare jerked, coming back to reality, but her expression was still terrified. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong." She shook her head rapidly, and brushed Lucifer's hands away with her still-trembling fingers. She was cold as ice, and still deathly pale. Nevertheless, Lucifer let her go, and Ralience walked over quickly, putting her own hands on Sare's shoulders. Surprise flitted through her eyes as she felt how cold Sare's body was, but she spoke in a reassuring voice, "Sare..are you alright?" Sare clenched her teeth, her eyes clouded again with tension. She shook her head slightly, "Um...Ralience, could I talk with you outside?" Ralience complied immediately, excusing them from the hospital room as she walked with Sare out the door, "We'll be right back. Please continue." Turning, she saw that Sare was already far down the hall, and running out of the doors. "Sare! Wait!" She caught up easily, and caught Sare by her arm. "Sare, what's wrong? What happened?" Sare wrenched away, strengthened by the panic she felt. She covered her face with her hands, still cold even in the warm sunlight. "Don't let him get near me... Don't let him hurt me... Please don't let him come close... make him go away..." Her voice sank into a whisper as she continued to beg Ralience. "Sare, please, what happened? I won't let anything happen to you. Who is he? Who do you not want near? Was it Lucifer? Did he do something?" Sare shook her head violently, "No! Not Lucifer... Don't let [I]him[/I] get near me! Please? Please don't let him hurt me..." "Sare, tell me who it is." Her voice was grim, and she felt ready to kill whoever had frightened her Princess so. Sare swallowed, and her voice was barely audible, "...Kuro, the Prince..." Her breath was still sporadic, as she tried to brush away the fear that still assaulted her. Her chest heaving, she started to crouch down on the ground, hugging her arms close to protect herself. Even the memory of the pain was unbearable. Ralience immediately drew Sare close, "Princess, no one will hurt you. Shush, quiet...don't worry, no one will hurt you. I'm here, I'll protect you...." She continued to croon softly, and felt Sare start to relax, her body not as stiff as she felt protected in the circle of Ralience's warmth. But inside, Ralience wondered... [I]The Prince? She's afraid of Kuro? What...happened? If he hurt her...[/I] Her eyes narrowed, but Sare didn't notice. Inside the hospital room, Kuro and Kyirii were still waiting. Lucifer was still by the window, and he felt a slight foreboding. He watched as Ralience finally calmed Sare, and still felt a bit of unease. And understanding dawned on him. [I]Sare...is afraid of the Prince.[/I] Looking up at Ralience, Sare said in a quiet voice, "Can we leave? Will you take me away? Now. I have to leave now." She threw a worried glance at Kuro's room again, but didn't see Lucifer watching them from the window.

She watched as Edel seemed to fly by her, exposing himself completely to her view. "Ah, a mistake, Errant Knight." Opening with her laser cannons, she rammed Edel's ship with quick blasts, jarring him in his seat. She was just about to lock onto his ship again, but then noticed something on her screen. "Cyd?" she breathed, watching the fed ship grow more distant. But even with it speeding even further away from the small battle, her sensors spied Cyd's ship in the ports. Immediately, Ariadne slammed her hands on the controls, twisting her ship completely around. Edel, she knew, would be turning also, ready to face her with weapons blazing - only to find the space she had occupied empty. She accelerated more, speeding after the fed ship, curious at what Cyd was up to. Glancing back, she saw that Edel had noticed her absence, and was pursuing her in flight. [I]Ah..so, he's one that doesn't give up his prey so easily...[/I] Ariadne smiled again - it was nice having a little excitement now and then, and he had certainly survived up to this point. But she merely sped up, her thrusters brightening like twin lights in a black sky. It was the only view of her ship that was actually visible. She spoke quietly into the mic, and laughed quietly. "Catch me if you can, Sir Edel."

Well, this thread actually came about after reading Animal Face-Off by Unborn Lord Xion. It got me thinking for some reason about my brother and odd happenings with a squirrel. Has anyone ever caught squirrel before? Well, my little bro did, and that was a first for me. He's 10 at the moment, and it's amazing to me how many interesting activities he seems to get himself into. Well, progressing onto the tale... Basically, he had just gotten off the bus from school, and was walking home. Now, you have to understand that the squirrels around our area are...big. Very big. BIG. For heaven's sakes, they're as big as some of the crows, and even my cat is afraid of them. Anyways, he saw one, and I guess he ran after it. The squirrel then proceeded to climb one of the trees in our front yard. The problem? It was one of the scrawniest trees I've ever seen, and why any squirrel would ever pick that tree to climb up and escape the clutches of a child, I have no idea. So my brother had treed the poor fat squirrel, and then basically shook the scrawny tree as much as he could. And...it worked, surprisingly. Who'd ever have guessed you could shake a squirrel out of a tree? It fell on him, and he basically tucked his shirt over it, and struggled to the front door, while the squirrel was viciously trying to scratch him and get out. And he rang the doorbell, yelling at us to hurry up and open the door so he could come inside with his trapped squirrel. Now I ask you this: why would you bring a wild squirrel into the house? It's a good thing it escaped before we opened the door. I still can't believe it happened - I've never heard of anyone catching a squirrel with their bare hands, much less a 10-year old boy. But yeah...so, has anyone else had weird experiences with animals? Any good stories? Do share. :wigout:

"Hey, Ami, yeah, we made it fine. You still got Fuji and the others with you? Yeah, ok. Meet us here. Sounds good - see you soon." Hanging up, Cortiga returned the cell phone to her pocket, and then looked around. Jim had seemingly disappeared, and she could hear him in one of the adjoining rooms moving things around. Exploring on her own the large, spacious floor plan, Cortiga turned up in the spotless kitchen. Seeing a basket of fruit on one of the counters, she grabbed two apples, washing them quickly under running water from the faucet. She bit into one, tossing the other with her hand as she walked back to Jim. She found him bringing blankets down to the couches in one of the living rooms. "Hey, catch," she called, as she threw an apple at him. He barely caught it in time to keep it from smashing into his head. At his slightly shocked glance, she shrugged, "Hey, you caught it, right? So it's all good. If you hadn't caught it, then yes, there might have been a problem with me throwing it directly at your skull." She laughed, and then winked, finishing the rest of her apple. Picking up a couple blankets, she tossed them over to Jim. "So...your parents are out alot because of work, eh? What do they do, anyway?" she asked, as she batted some pillows.