[PRP] You shouldn't be here (AJ/ Xiu)

[Meegane]

It was far from the clamour Halloween Town, the scene changed from miles and miles of smoldering golden brown sands to the quiet starry night. It extended with the only train whistling along the plain. Shapes of mountains undulating, moved by the strong winds blowing. It didn't allow anything to leave a trace, the desert was changing all the time.

Following the train, it arrived at a big oasis, inhabitants there had shaped it into somewhere livable. It was a city, wasn't very obvious, the main paths went like a spiral linking to the heart of the oasis. The train rail divided the city into two. Began from the station was shops and stores, leaving from the main path, there were buildings on each side, adorned by many many alleys between the closely packed residential structures. It was the night time where most stores closed and the streets were dark.

Noises could be heard from one of these dark alleys, and shadows reflected by the street lamps onto the cement wall, punching and kicking. It was normal for the residents there, troublesome kids fought on street at night like stray dogs or cats. All of them having a pair of spread wings and a tail head except one. The one that knocked out another winged boy on the ground had no wings, he wiped away the bloods from his mouth rudely that an area of his face was smeared. "Who's next huh?" The white hair boil asked, eliciting the others to go for him with an irritating smile.

"You shitty defective!" One of the winged creature lunged at him but he just blocked his momentum and swirled his leg to kick at his back to pin him on the ground. "It seems your mouth is your only talent unfortunately," he snorted, applying force on his foot. "Woo Woo who's barking loud?" The boil mocked at the loser.

Noticing there was someone else, the boil glared in displease. "Who's hiding there? Waiting for your chance huh?" He asked with heavy nasal stress. "I would tell you you get none."

Kaiyumi

So exciting to write about his background!

 

[Kaiyumi]

Xiu hated to go into her friends' dreams without permission--absolutely hated it. She didn't think that she had done it even once after her very first year of school, where she had made a promise to herself that she would only enter the dream of someone she was acquainted with if and only if they told her that it was okay.

And yet here she was.

She knew that it was wrong, but she tried to justify it to herself: something was very, very wrong with her friend. Even before the whole red mist thing, he had been acting out of sorts during that incident at the school--irritable, and oddly aggressive. The fact that he had mentioned a "she" puzzled her as well, especially the implication that it may have been someone in his life from before his time at Amity.

It didn't take her long to find AJ's dream--Xiu had found a nice, safe spot on the school campus to settle down at and had closed her eyes, searching through the dream threads until she found the one that belonged to the monster boil. From there, it had just been following the thread to his dream and conjuring herself up a cloak so that she could have a temporary disguise as she entered.

And upon actually arriving within the dream, Xiu found herself surprised. It was far more beautiful than she had expected it to be, and the baku allowed herself a minute or so to take in the ambiance of the place. Was that...a desert? And then there was a train, and--

The gradual shift in scenery eventually brought her to an alley. Ears perking at the noise, Xiu ducked behind a wall and tentatively peered out, reaching up to pull her hood down lower over her face. What she saw, however, caused her eyes to widen in surprise. Was that...AJ? ...Fighting in the middle of an alley? Thinking back to the gentle and docile boil who she had once baked with, seeing him like this now was completely unexpected.

Unfortunately, it appeared as if he had noticed her presence. After a moment of hesitation, Xiu stepped out of the shadows but was careful to keep her hood up to shield her face. "Just passing by," she told him casually, shrugging her shoulders, "Quite the fight you found yourself in, huh? How did that start?"

Meegane

SO EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT IT *U*

 

[Meegane]

It was AJ, but it also wasn't him. The boil scowled at Xiu's side was much younger, the white silver bang was long but his hair was more spiky, the bang was spat with bloods. His crimson eyes were twinkling, like those of beast lurking in the darkness. The boots tinted with blood moved to point at the stranger, the boil in the black fur hoodie smiled sarcastically, "Passing by. At this timing when everyone supposed to be sleeping?"

The corner Xiu was was too dark to make herself visible to AJ, he lifted his leg for her but blocked by the body on the ground. He frowned and kicked it away, hands in pocket, he walked closer step-by-step like a black leopard. Then he came to an awkward pause. The boil's expression softened and a bit surprising while expecting something. "Is that you?" He asked, but it came out more like a hopeful sigh. The tone she used, the petite figure and the same place he met her the first time, just too many coincidences that he had the hope up. His heart was throbbing too fast to be suppressed, does she come back for him? AJ felt the need to clean his face or hide the bodies, instead, he did nothing but heading forward.

Then, he tensed up again realized the creepson wasn't her, he turned his back on Xiu. "Being curious in this city can cause you trouble you don't want to get into. And - that's none of your business." He hissed, the barrier he put up was too obvious to feel, he was rejecting the baku, the stranger with body language. "Unless you want to fight me too?" Only creeple like them would wander in alleys like that, they were beast hunger to release their violence through fighting.

"I would tell my parents to expel you from the school......" A body didn't fully passed out stuttered in pain before a stone hit his face and he went down again. "Shut up jerk." He resumed his pose after throwing the said stone.

Kaiyumi

Describe Xiu's disguise a bit? OWO

 

[Kaiyumi]

Xiu lifted her brows in surprise when she realized just what this dream must have been about. AJ's past, huh? At the very least, he was clearly dreaming of himself at a time where he was younger, and long before she had ever met him at Amityville. The violence and bloodlust in the boil shook her a little, but the baku forced herself to stand strong. Even if something were to happen, she would just have to stay calm--the dream world was her domain, and she wasn't about to let either of them be harmed in here,

"Couldn't sleep," she answered with an easy shrug of her shoulders, "So I thought I'd take a walk but ended up wandering into...this." The ghoul gestured towards the ground, but was careful not to let her cloak open up too much lest it reveal the familiar outfit underneath.

She let out a noise of interest when AJ seemed to mistaken her for someone else, but the moment had come and gone so quickly that she wasn't sure what to make of it. Tucking that tidbit away, she shook her head and remained standing where she was. "Do you want to fight me?" she asked, her voice surprisingly soft, "Because I'm not sure what it'd achieve other than one of us slumped on the ground with the rest of them."

Was this really how the boil had been living before?! Thinking again to the one that she knew, Xiu could hardly believe it.

Meegane

adsfkalsdf her disguise right now is weak because she hasn't used the artifact yet! She's just...Xiu, but wearing a long brown cloak with a hood to hide herself from AJ to make sure that she doesn't like, surprise him and wake him from his dream if he sees her face

 

[Meegane]

It was indeed AJ's past. At the night he went to infirmary to treat with his arm, he recalled a lot of memories of his past. Andrew said he didn't be looking at the past, but he had no idea how much the boil had influenced by it. A demon grew up in love and care, his ignorance had deeply hurt the monster. He always envy the creatures having wings, he was supposed to have a pair when he born as a dragon but he didn't receive the gift.

Crimson eyes squinting, he asked, "Are you a new comer? Tourist? Creeple live here won't get lost that easily." Even though the whole city looked like a giant maze, residents knew well which path would lead to the place they wanted. The monster's voice had changed slightly nicer once he realize she was a ghoul. He chuckled at himself noticing that, her influence had deep rooted in him even after she left. How pathetic.

AJ shrugged, brought himself onto the balustrade nearby, hands remained in pockets. "Only if you want too. It's a mutual thing after all." He couldn't help staring at Xiu, looked away and stared at her again like a grumpy teenager. He wanted to ask if the stranger was related to her but he didn't wish to be disappointed once again. The thought agitated in his mind, bringingg a frown appeared between his eyebrows. "They deserve that 'cos they couldn't control their mouths." He cracked a wicked smile. "As for you -" he took a glance at Xiu, "I've nothing to do with you, but if you wanna fight, I won't say no."

His legs straightened, only had the heels of his feet touching the ground and waited for her answer. He'd got punched on his face, it was suggested by him wiping away the bloods gushing down from the corner of his mouth and then hissed. Maybe he wait too long and maybe it was that she was a ghoul, he gave the answer of her question grudgingly. "It's a proof of who's stronger - winged creatures like them or wingless creature like me." He jabbed a thumb at the losers who still laid on the ground and then himself, with a proud smug lopsided grin.

Kaiyumi

Got it! A brat indeed~
If she asked more, he will talk more. He wasn't the type easily share about himself.

 

[Kaiyumi]

Even if she was more comfortable and experienced with dealing with dreams now, Xiu still made sure to remain careful with what she said and did. This situation in particular was making her feel unusually tense, and the baku had to take a quiet, deep breath before answering in the most easygoing and confident voice she could manage.

"Traveler. I was just passing through town when I ended up getting a little lost and..." she made a vague gesture to indicate their current surroundings. It seemed convincing enough of an excuse to her, if not a rather boring one, but Xiu would rather pick a safe answer over an exciting one right now.

"Well if you're asking my opinion, I'd rather we not fight. I like to spend my evenings in peace rather than brawling it out with a stranger in an alleyway." She carefully stepped over one of the fallen figures on the ground, the grimace on her face hidden from view thanks to her cloak. Upon being told his reason for fighting, however, the ghoul suddenly froze. Winged creatures versus wingless creatures?

Being completely in the dark as to AJ's species and what being born wingless meant to him, the baku shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand. Why would you need to prove your dominance against someone who has wings?"

Meegane

B) you bet Xiu will pry for more info laksfashjdf

 

[Meegane]

In the city, there was nobody would be that interested in him, everyone knew he was a big trouble and avoided him. The expectant thought resurfaced, AJ had a great urge to ask the ghoul. Every time she talked, he could recall slice of memories with her.

"Hey kid. You are soaked in blood" A woman's voice. "Not your business, go away." He replied. Giggles were heard. "You know, I like grumpy scareling like you, that's just adverse effect if you want me to go away." He didn't made a reply, he closed his eyes and let the rain hit his body. "I watched the whole thing. You know why you get so much injuries? You only know how to strike, but not any defending or dodging skills. Kid, techniques are important if you want to win every single fight, wanna to become stronger?" He really wanted to become stronger, more powerful that he could prove himself to others. He nodded, wanted to listen to what the woman would say when his stomach roared. The woman burst into laughter when his face turned like a red octopus. "Well, before we start, I guess we have to go to the restaurant." She offered her hand to him, who was sitting on the floor, inviting him to join her umbrella. Her hand was warm.

Hearing her reason, he mocked in chuckles. "Then you'd be careful, this city is like a maze." He raised his head for the stars, too far away for him to catch without a pair of wings. "The stars are beautiful right? Without wings, I can only watch them from this distance." He replied Xiu's question, an arm reached out and he closed one eye to catch a star, picked between two fingers. "You're an outsider, there's why you don't understand." He dropped his arm with his words turning flat. "We, amphisbaena, is a type of winged serpent dragon. Living in deserted area like this, we travel by flight. However, like human world, there were minorities. For our species, it means 'born without wings'."

AJ smirked ironically. "My family was one of the - 'minorities". Traveller, do you have a name? Anyway, you know what creeple will do to that group of existence?" He gave her a side glance, asking her the question he already had the answer.

Kaiyumi

Pry as much as you can, then the real one will be so embarrassed in front of Xiu if he remembered biggrin

 

[Kaiyumi]

"I'll keep that in mind," she promised, tilting her head back to gaze at the sky at the mention of stars. Humming thoughtfully, she clasped her hands behind her back. "That's true about being able to see the stars closer with wings...but at the same time, those of us on the ground get to see more stars. I'm sure it's beautiful up there, but it's just as lovely being able to see more of the sky down here as well, wouldn't you agree?"

Xiu smiled even though he probably wouldn't be able to make it out. The ghoul was finding that she was learning a lot about AJ that she had never known, however. Judging off of his countenance at school alone, she never would have guessed that his lack of wings to be something that bothered him. It did make sense now though--if your species generally possessed a certain feature, it would be hard not to feel like an outcast if you just so happened to not have it.

"My name?" she echoed, frowning as the gears in her mind began to turn quickly. In the end, the first thing that came to mind was the name that Roch had given her natural form way back. She never imagined that she would be using it again and under these circumstances. "I'm Aria. And...I might have a guess. The answer probably isn't to welcome it with acceptance, I wager."

Meegane

 

[Meegane]

He laughed brightly for the first time for what she said, "They can see both views, but I can only see one - this view." The boil squinted at the traveler in disbelief, had no idea why she needed to think for her name, his eyes dimmed a little bit when he thought of the possibility she didn't want to tell him.

AJ was about to hop over the balustrade and left the place through the path above when she gave him the answer. "Aria, you're quite clever." Hearing her name had made his mood better, then his voice was full of wrath. "Amphisbaena, we. are. species full of pride. They talked about the wings all the time. It has been an unspoken rule that the one having prettier wings would get more respect in the clan. You can then infer how the life of the minorities would be?"

He didn't continue but changed the topic. "My parents, have what you called inferior complex. The Winged blamed nearly all the things on us. Bro, my partner is a little greedy eater, so whenever food is missing, I would be the first one to be accused for." He hopped down where he were sitting and sauntered. "My parents, even I didn't do those things would apologize to those arrogant winged. Yes, the parents that spoiled these little jerks and indirectly encourage them to swarm me." He kicked the body, gritting his teeth and ignore the resulted groan from whoever.

Xiu would notice the tail head look smaller and shorter, and it had fallen asleep when the boil gestured to it. Its mouth munching with a delightful curve in sleep. "I don't know if I can call them my mom and dad though. Aria, guess where they are now?" There was another question as he hopped onto the balustrade again. This time, he walked along it.

Maybe she was just a traveler that would leave in a few days and he won't see her again. Maybe he still think she was related to her. Maybe he need a listener besides the stars or the stray cats. The boil had talked about something he never tell anybody.

Kaiyumi

Winged amphisbaena for reference!

 

[Kaiyumi]

She seemed pleased that she had been able to make him laugh, even if he still argued against the point. As someone who was not only a normal baku but also a well-off demoness, Xiu felt that she didn't have much place to talk about minorities and prejudice. Just because she thought conflict between and within species was unneeded didn't mean that it didn't exactly exist, and she was sad to hear that AJ had been on the receiving end of such prejudice.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, her voice solemn and sympathetic, "You...you've lived a hard life, haven't you?" As much as she disagreed with beating up people in an alley at the middle of the night, Xiu hadn't gone through what he had--she had never been thrown out as a scapegoat to other baku, and even though her parents were harsh, she knew that they'd always make the effort to defend and protect her when it came down to it.

At the question as to where his parents were now, the ghoul shook her head. ""I...I don't know. Where are they?" she asked, feeling dread creep on her. She hoped that the answer wasn't that they had died or abandoned him, because that would be a lot to take.

Still, she had a feeling that she wasn't going to like his answer either way.

Meegane

omggg so cool *___*

 

[Meegane]

He looked at her sympathy with an aloof expression and then sneered. "You're a kind person, don't you? Don't sympathize with me, you only make me feel like a poor thing. I don't need your benignity either, if you have to leave, don't leave anything behind, Aria." His tone was rejective and dry, but who don't need warmth and care? AJ just don't want the cheap love, like a coin a random passer-by toss to a beggar on street or foods one give to a stray cat. They didn't know it cause damage, the thoughtless just-a-whim kind act, the fake hope they impart on the subject.

One time was already enough for him, he didn't wish to experience it for a second time. The boil thus pushed Xiu away from approaching his heart before he felt for her. Yet, he was so vulnerable to kindness, when the creeple surrounded him held a polar attitude. AJ looked at the baku, a stranger that he only knew for a while. "They are not in this city, they left in the early morning, traveled through the train to a nearby evergreen forest, a place well known for recreation. They'll stay there for a week to celebrate my sister's birthday."

His voice was flat and plain, like a record played by a machine. There wasn't any excitement or emotions within. "As for me, I will find someone to fight until I get exhausted and slump into the bed of the empty house." Still there was no undulating in his voice. It was a matter of fact for the boil.

"How's your family is like, Aria?" He told her so much, it wasn't too much to ask back. However, AJ was unconscious of knowing one person better meant he is closing the distance instead of pushing.

Kaiyumi

Yuppppp beautiful white like bird but dragon!

 

[Kaiyumi]

"Feeling for someone's plight isn't something that you can turn on or off," Xiu blinked, simultaneously somehow surprised and yet not surprised by AJ's irritated response, "I apologize if it bothers you, though." She knew that some people didn't like pity or sympathy, but even if she were to try suppressing it, the feelings wouldn't fade. Perhaps she would just have to be more conscious of not letting it show on her features.

She was relieved to hear that his parents were in fact okay, but it must have been terribly sad to be left alone. Was this literally how AJ had been forced to spend most of his life? The thought made the ghoul's heart twist, and she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"I see," Xiu replied, simple and quiet. She wasn't sure what else to say about the revelation; it was just too sad to think that while his family was off celebrating, he was here picking fights just so that he had something to do.

Xiu perked up in surprise when he directed a question towards her, having assumed that he held no curiosity towards her. The fact that he was asking about her threw her off a little, but she recovered quickly enough. "My family? Um...my parents were--are--always pretty stiff and cold. They were super strict about what I could and couldn't do, and since I used to be so timid, I would always listen to them. My mindset back then was that so long as I didn't upset my parents, it didn't really matter whether or not I was happy with what I was doing."

"But I have a really great uncle who encourages and supports me," she continued with a growing smile, "And I eventually made friends who are practically family to me now. So it was kind of rocky in the beginning, but things got better as time went on and as I changed and let myself be a little more...confident, I guess."

Meegane

So cool *___*

 

[Meegane]

"I say don't apologize! Don't apologize if you did nothing wrong." He uncontrollably snapped at Xiu, riled at how she resembles his parents who never belief him and apologized for everything not done by him. He told them he didn't do it, he told them no need to say sorry about it, they never pay attention. AJ seemed to be startled, he had his eyes widened, looked at the baku and turned his head away. "I can't control your sympathy, but at least don't let the other feel it."

It was supposed to be sauntering, but the winged kids ganged up against him and taunted him for the lack of wings. He initially ignored them, but they got more ridiculous. When they teased his parents, he found it unforgivable and decked the person who said that. Like a small fire burn quickly, it developed into a fight with him versus the gang. AJ didn't regret that because they needed a lesson. Defect or misfit, all those annoying words from the nasty laughter and mocking.

He raised one leg to rest his arm on, chuckled. "You've a hard time also, that doesn't sound a happy life." The wicked smile disappeared. "I used to be a good boy, I followed their wishes, I did the things I don't enjoy doing just to exchange a glance. In the end, they never really spend a second to look at me. They only cared about my sister." Feeling he talked too much, he shut up.

The boil stared at the sweet smile of Xiu he barely made out under the shadow of her cloak, how fortunate it was to have a person like her Uncle in life. He - "I had someone like that once but she left." He looked down, at the reflection of his inside the puddle. Xiu would see unclear scenes of a female with the young AJ, quick, blurred and just a peek. "Aria, I'm in a mood to talk with her, would you take the chance to hear?"

Kaiyumi

 

[Kaiyumi]

"I apologized because I offended you," Xiu explained quietly, her tone calm and even, "But you're right. I'll be certain not to make it so evident next time if it makes you--and others--feel more comfortable...though I don't think it's always a bad thing to know that people worry about you." Maybe that sounded weird coming from someone he assumed to be a stranger, but from Xiu's point of view, she had known him for some time.

Her expression tightened when he explained his own family life to her, her lips pressing into a thin line. How terribly sad and lonely. How did it feel to have your parents choose your sibling over you? Xiu could only imagine the pain, but AJ had lived through it himself. Her heart ached a little, but before she could say anything, her interest was suddenly piqued at the mention of someone else who had been in the boil's life.

"She"? Could it be the woman that AJ seemed to have been referencing during that whole wrath incident?

Her gaze flickered to the puddle upon seeing it shift, just barely managing to catch the tail end of the short scene. Glancing back up at her friend, she gave a small nod. "If ...if you're comfortable with it, I would."

Meegane

 

[Meegane]

"Offended is too much, I'm just - it triggered some bad memories." He felt difficult to explain with words. "It's not they worry about you is bad, it's what it results in can be bad to the subject." It was hard to tell when he kept it so vague. Aria was just a stranger, and he wasn't going to cut open his chest to let her see his heart. He reminded himself she had to leave.

He laughed but shortly resumed, "If I offer, then it only means I wish to share." Since she would be leaving, he convinced himself it was alright to tell about her. The AJ in the dream had no idea how someone in the reality was going to know about his secret, maybe he just miss her too much that he want someone else to know about the moments they spent.

"She was a winged, but not our species." AJ began to talk, eyes softened much during his reminiscence. "She wore oriental attires, just enough to cover her body with a layered front open coat secured outside. She's charming and powerful, always seen with a confident smile." As he described the female, she seemed to be standing afar. Hair pinned up in elegant swirls and adorned with sophisticated accessories, her wear barely covered her petite lithe bodice, the enticing thighs exposed are decorated with a tattoo. The fine waist wrapped up by obi, yet, the inner set was much of modern style: a black bra top with minimal oriental touch, hot pants that just enough to swaddle the hips. When Xiu noticed her, she seemed to return a smile.

When the boil continued and distracted the baku, the female would disappear from where she was. "I don't know what she is or her name. She told me to call her 'shishou', a word meaning master in a foreign language. I refused to call her sister and call her aunt, I got decked and she decided for me." He shrugged, face twitched for a moment as if remember how painful that punch was.

He looked up at the clear starry sky again. "It was a rainy day when I met her, I won the fight but was also black and blue. She held a paper parasol, evaded the puddle and came to me." He could remember very clearly as if it burn in his mind the pair of heels stopped in front of him, panning up, through the lean shanks - supple thighs - graceful tattoo to the bodice with nice curves and finally the confident face wearing a mocking grin. "The soft hands reached out for me were warm and firm, she really brought me to eat, a great feast. However, after the meal, I ran away, she didn't chase after me. The next night when I was fighting again, she appeared and dismissed the fight, offered herself as my opponent instead. It was the shortest record of my many lose outs, just one punch and I was down." He chuckled at the pitiful self in the past.

"That was the deal I lost, I had to listen to her orders. She was a bossy bully type master. She'd used her fist against your head if she was angry, she would stretch your face when she wanted you smile. More, she'd switched the eye-screams if she suddenly loved the flavour you pick, you got no say." AJ didn't notice, but he had a small likable smile on his face.

The image shifted, though it felt like watching through a thick frost glass layer, Xiu would see what happened to the two - the petite woman wore oriental mix-style clothing and a younger white hair boil. They shared a pizza, they sparred for practice, they sat at the outside of the city and she told what she saw in the human world. They hung out like good friends and there was smiles on the boil's face, bright and charming. Just a whim and she would teach him dancing, he blushed while she forced him to put his arm around her waist and their bodies closely touching each other.

She was like a sweet mother when she hugged him; a strict father when she taught him combat skills. Sometimes, she can be a friend and listen to his stories and shared her adventures in return. He had a good time with her.

"Then, one day, she told me she had to leave." The cold voice of the boil brought Xiu back from the short memory trip. "She's an adventurer and traveler, she never stay at one place too long. She told me she had made an exception for me because she loved me-"

"Why Shishou? Why leaving so suddenly?" He asked. "I have something urgent to do, boil. I have been in this place for more than 6 months, it's time to move." She explained. He didn't want her to go, but as a boil, he felt bad to speak it out or beg her to stay. Xiu would hear the conversation when AJ paused and his emotions at the past. It was the first time someone cared about him. Why she had to leave? His fists were holding tight but he didn't say anything. After she's gone, he would be alone again, no one would cheer him up, entertain him or tease him. They would just scold him, fight with him or evade him. He felt bad, when he imagined he would come back to his previous life. He had to admit that he was sad, but he won't cry out.

"I didn't ask her to stay. Aria-" He paused for quite a long time. "-you feel like her to me."

Kaiyumi