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[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 1,488 words

-----I'm Godless----- u n d e r n e a t h your cover.
-----Search for -----pleasure search for pain
-----In this ----- world I Am----forever
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u n d y i n g
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〈 `ADARA/strike]

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It came to her in a dream last night. The past, not of her reality but the time she'd spent Underground. Just how long had it been? She couldn't quite fathom. For as it stood whether this was a dream or reality, either way she occupied the space between and she only cared to occupy the space wherein she was close to those she cared about. If that meant staying in a state of dreaming, dead to her own reality, she wouldn't hesitate. Her clarity in her convictions was resolute.

She could still recall her first encounters. Fiends that could remove their heads, rock herding enormities which seemed ferocious but were nothing but docile, an array of finely lavish and beautiful creatures. None more so than, she paused, a small sharp inhalation of air, a hitch in her breath, just the thought caused her to rock slightly, almost stagger. The immensity of that meeting still lingered about her. She could hear their words swirling about her, riding on the very wind it would seem.

As if on cue, the very air seemed to reverberate about her, a small but distinct pop could be heard, as though someone had shot a cap-gun.

"Did you forget?" Jareth practically hovered where he had sprung into being, not unlike Aphrodite ascending from the watery depths. Not that Adara was making that comparison, though she was sure Jareth would, he was just vain enough to take anything and run with it. Adara took a deep breath, she wasn't sure if this would be considered a betrayal or not. After all, she knew how Valeria felt, she knew Sylixus' intent as well. What she didn't know was what Jareth was thinking or his plans, she meant to find out. She did after-all owe Sylixus a debt of loyality, if that's what you wanted to call it.

"You're in the center of a very shall we say delicate power struggle that's about to turn into something more carnal, I fear. You didn't forget that critical detail, did you?" Jareth had moved closer, invading Adara's bubble, or the area of space that the society she'd been raised in allotted her. She recalled that fae were not privy to human social constructs and so she didn't take Jareth's invasion of personal space too seriously, after all he probably didn't know what he was doing. Probably, she told herself again.

"I'm not the only one at the center of it." Adara reminded the Goblin king, rather matter of factly. He seemed to lose his air of superiority, deflated when those words were taken in. But instead of replying he merely flicked his wrist, a small wisp of finely grained glitter frittered away and Jareth held in his palm, a crystal - nothing more. The would-be king toyed with crystal for a moment or so before Adara cleared her throat and he seemed to come back to the present. "What's the crystal for?" she asked, knowing she wouldn't get a straight answer. "Not what, but who." Jareth replied as he tossed the crystal into the air and Adara lunged for it, only to have it disappear just before it could fall into her cupped hands.

Jareth laughed, mocking and jubilant, his laughter seemed to be imbued with a childlike glee. Something that Adara considered eerie considering the circumstances that were about to come to fruition in no less than thirteen hours. Jareth leaned forward, his face mere inches away. "Give my brother my regards." Jareth cooed as he pressed a gloved finger to Adara's lips, effectively silencing her before he leaned in and whispered the following. "As for Valeria, she knows where to find me. I'll be waiting. "

Before Adara was able to retort, she had to close her eyes to the hurricane force winds that whipped up around her, and she instantly knew where she was by the smell. What's more, for the second being, she seemed to be suspended ten feet in the air just above the bog. " Well, this can't end well." she told herself just before she felt the air begin to rush, and she opened her mouth, letting out a shrill but small and confined scream.

All Adara could hope for now, was a miracle.

Jareth had taken measures to ensure Didymus and Ludo wouldn't be within the area adjacent to or anywhere near the bog. He watched from his crystal as he waited for the impact but when no splash came, he already knew his oversight. But the crystal showed something entirely, unexpected. The girl had indeed fallen into the bag but the water around her stood, frozen upright around her. "Kheelan," Jareth grumbled the name as he remembered his brother's water abilities. But more than that, the audacity that one had, being so deep within his territory. Jareth was half-way considering ignoring the thirteen hours he'd promised his brother's, he was just that annoyed that his fun had been ruined. After all, he hadn't intended to let her fall in.

Now look at the mess, the girl was covered in mud but that was Kheelan's problem now. So, in due haste, Jareth had a goblin equipped and ready with 'evidence' albeit partly forged which was to be delivered to Sylixus. So that Jareth turn this chain of events to his advantage, hopefully while the girl was still unconscious so she couldn't counteract or discredit his story.

So, to be sure. He needed to find the other girl and entrance and entrap them within their own private wonderland, locked away, and kept away from their handlers, or whatever they preferred to think of his brother's as.


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'Am I that easy to forget?' Kheelan wondered as he thought back on all the mistakes he'd made. His army was currently amassing behind his banner and yet all he could think about, all he seemed to obsess over was Valeria. That was until a scream cut across the water, sending ripples out, he thought before he leaped into action. A calculated move but he arrived in time to at least spare the girl the fate of the bog's namesake, stench; eternally. He himself was immune to the would-be torturous affront to the olfactory sense, which made the bog nothing more than a small puddle to him. Nothing near as nefarious as his brother's oubliette's.

Still, while he may have spared her the smell, he hadn't been able to spare her the fall. He gingerly lifted her unconscious form and placed her underneath the shade of a tree. Fresh water seemed to drip from his fingertips until a small bulbous blob of water sloshed about in the palm of his hand. He took a small sip of the water, not bothering to swallow, as he lowered himself over the girl's body, pressing his lips to her own. But much to his disappointment, the water dribbled out the side of her lips, she really did seem to be unconscious, he didn't dare to think anything beyond that. She swallowed, excess water traveled down his palette and he inched away, knowing he needed to leave now before ....


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There were flickers and small flashes of fuzzy light dancing before her line of vision and then, white hot light. She shielded her eyes with the back of her palm, this time willing herself not to close her eyes, the memory of the wind and Jareth's trick still fresh in her mind.

Soon enough the light dimmed and her eyes adjusted to the room.
The room seemed to be lined with mirrors, and duplicates swept across the elaborate ivory polished floor in whirls of bright glittering sequins, finely polished pearls and shimmering satin. A vague memory at the base of her skull but it was ignored when she beheld the image the mirror held up in contrast to her line of sight. The person in this mirror wasn't a girl but a woman. Adorned in a simple tar black dress that held tight to her waist and flared out in an exaggerated crinkled base that did nothing to hide anything beyond this woman's thighs, if barely that. Bare shoulders were awash with lace-like latticework of pinprick diamonds and shimmering glass shards thinner than toothpicks that when reflected created a disco-ball effect on her skin. Adara moved closer to the mirror that contained this creature, pressing her hand up against the cool reflective surface.

"Don't you recognize your own reflection?" a familiar voice asked, Adara turned and smiled, while Jareth in turn smiled from outside the illusionary cage where he currently possessed Adara, now he needed only to convince the other's to go in after her.

So then it would be problem solved, and he'd have another dream for his collection. One which, if properly tended to, he was sure he would prize above all the other's. He turned away from Adara's crystal, and gazed into another, biding his time.

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[Demoness_Alethiras]

Replying Post - - 2,316 words

-----I'm Godless----- u n d e r n e a t h your cover.
-----Search for -----pleasure search for pain
-----In this ----- world I Am----forever
-----
u n d y i n g
-----

----- ▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆-
------------------ ▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆▆-

〈 `ADARA/strike]

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"It is enough that you called for me," Jareth stated, as he shed his cloak of darkened night and stepped deeper into the inky blackness of the space he occupied with Valeria. In the distance, flickering until, with a sudden staggering burst, a distant vast but all too close shimmering array of lights lit up the space. It was as though a million stars had come to life at Jareth's command. Jareth revolved around Valeria, inching closer with each pass, it was as though he were thinking of coiling around her like a snake. He was after all, not above using the creatures in his tricks, although he did not liken himself to one, he merely know that the majority of humans had a disdain or outright fear of them.

A growing pressure seemed to press down on the room, as though perhaps the lights above might burst again, with a great cosmic wave that may or may not harm anyone in their paths. But the weight and immensity of the room was in Jareth's realm, and was used to the foreboding, almost crushing pressure. After-all, it was the same pressure his own father had bared for his own sake, as they said, heavy lies the crown, how little they knew. A fleeting, wistful, if not sad smile crossed his lips as he thought of his brother's. But they were not before him now. Valeria was.

"Tell me, do I come across as obedient, subservient?" The question was seemingly out of nowhere but he had a point. He would not allow her to answer, as he leveled a reply to his own query. "I am nothing, if not generous. However, child ... do not make the mistake of believing that I have come her for your sake or because of your whim. " He took a step closer, then another, until he had a firm hold of Valeria's attention, despite the still dim dusk of the room that was awash with tension.

He did not touch her, he stayed holding her gaze before he relaxed his posture, his shoulders dropped, he relaxed. For as long as he had existed, he had longed for someone who was just a fraction of what she was. But now that she was here, he stood, her accuser, unwilling to believe that such a treasure could be real. What's more, if he had read her intentions, based on the steady thrumming of her heart, the slight tinge of blush at her cheeks. It seemed, upon looking like she wanted him. For what purpose he knew not but it felt, liberating to have someone accept him as he was. No role to play, he didn't have to be standing in stark opposition to her end goal. Because he was just that.

So why then was he pushing back? It was as though she were a great crashing tide and he was the shore, who could do nothing but ware away with each passing glance. He was vast, unyielding but she was constant, as constant as the waves.

"Two cannot share what was always meant to be separate." Of course, it was in his nature to spirit away any who should make a wish using the correct words but that was a condition of the Labyrinth, not his own. Humans had never shared the Underground for so long a time as she or the other without consequence or transformation. By the very nature of the place, to keep the balance, he knew he should and had every right to strip her of her humanity. Being a goblin wasn't all that bad after all and would she not get her wish in such a state? Being so close, this time he dared to touch, as he trailed the outline of her throat, working downwards, resting his hand on her collarbone.

The stars above came crashing down shattering down pieces of light that fizzled out as they hit the ground. In their place, above was a great chasm that showed the fiery outline of the now setting sun. Time was running out.

Jareth basked in the last rays of sunlight as it washed over him with a burning glow. He reached upward, now clasping down hard on Valeria's right shoulder with such a force, none could do anything but focus on it for fear anything more might shatter the bone. "Whatever outcome fate has in store for you, don't you ever forget. " He was vague on what it was she was meant not to forget. Looking back on everything that had led to this, he knew it was a forgone conclusion.

He knelt down picking up the crystal ball that Valeria had shunned and pressed it hard between his fingers. Blood dripped and dribbled down his arm but when he opened his palm, the crystal was now a deep ruby red, smaller, almost unrecognizable for what it had been, or truly was.

He set the stone against an intricately designed band of gold before he handed it Valeria. "Think of it as a symbol of the power you hold, over the denizens of this world and the next, your own. "

He smiled, glad to have certain context by which he had leverage. Valeria would be able to perceive this as the start of a happy-ending, and for Jareth, it would be the book-end to any lasting sentimentality he had for either of his brother's. More specifically, a point from which there would be no return between himself and Sylixus. It was best this way.


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The goblin's within the throne room stared at Jareth, they'd never seen him in such a placid mood, no hint of agitation or aggravation. It was truly a sight to behold, however, the serenity was soon shattered when a goblin came skittering into the room, and nearly fell into the pit before Jareth's throne, stopping short of it and falling flat on it's face.

"Majesty, the accord is broken!" the goblin croaked, as it stood, it's face smashed, or had it always looked like that? It was no matter to Jareth. The other goblin's in the room scurried, seeking shelter as they were sure that Jareth would work himself into a frenzy over this but no. " It seems someone is in a hurry to end their existence. So, Alea iacta est, now there is to be no return, save the victors. "

Jareth made no move to vacate his throne, he still sat languidly, his feet thrown over the side, as somewhere deep in the chamber's of his castle, he hoped Valeria would find her way to him. He'd left her in an oubliette that led straight to his royal chamber's but he'd also left her with nothing but his symbol and his ace in the hole, should Sylixus gain the upper-hand.

" Let the games begin! " Jareth announced as the space around him seemed to warp, and from the thin air he seemed to materialize a curve double-edged sword, pristine although it's hilt was caked with dry blood. He unsheathed the sword, holding it up to himself, his reflection cut in two as the sword reflected back more than the what would appear. It could cut apart any idea, any reality, a transparent rift that would allow for any reality that it's wielder may will it open. Beyond having both Valeria and Adara in his possession as bargaining chips, he wasn't beyond resetting everything should he be about to face defeat.

With his moves planned out so far in advance, he was ready for whatever either brother may throw at him.

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There was a dreary feeling to the echo that Adara couldn't quite make out. Whatever it had been though, it caused the room to shake, and shrink in on itself, Adara squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened up her eyes, every mirror had shattered, a great void emanated from each. Broken glass lay littered all about her feet, and there was an occasional clink as a shard of glass dripped down from above here and there. She dodged as best as she could but she couldn't dodge them all, and so soon enough she had a collection of small scratches, her arms had small etchings of would-be scars and her face was cut, as blood pricked at her lips. She wiped the blood away as best as she could but she couldn't pay it much attention as she heard a small chiming in the distance. It almost reminded her of wind chimes.

She no longer saw any whimsy in this place, now it was more like she was surrounded by death and decay. "What the hell is wrong with me? What is this hell?" she asked herself, willing herself to believe that this was nothing but a dream that had gone sour. Her good dream turned nightmare.

Soon enough she fixated on the next echo that shook and rattled the room. If she didn't know any better, it was as if the wind was howling her name. No that wasn't it. She must have read that in a book once. If anything, now it was as though a shadow crept along the edges of her mind with her, the last thing she had heard came back to her just then.

A void-less shadow with no discernible features beyond emptiness of form moved it's lips. Adara focused hard but she could only make out the following words, 'making a wish' - the present tense. A whole lot of help that was, she thought bitterly as the void continued to mouth the words over and over with her still only ever making out those three words.

She slumped to the floor and pulled her knees up against her chest as she began cry. A mixture of fear, self-pity and anger fueled her as she willed herself not to make any audible noise, she felt she was pitiful enough. It would only make herself feel worse if she was to bawl and sob. At least she felt she had a silent dignity by merely letting her tears wash over her nicked and blood stained features.


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A shared feeling of failure stuck and twisted deep in Kheelan's heart. He ignored it as he caught one of his guard taking advantage of his temporary fleeting mind to stifle a yawn. "You there!" he pointed to the man in question who pointed to himself in turn, making sure he was indeed addressing him. Kheelan nodded his assurance, "Congratulations, you've just volunteered to join the front line. "

A storm lay on the other side of the horizon and Kheelan felt a deep dread in the pit of his stomach as he imagined the various scenarios that might come out of this. Just for a minute he regretted involving those humans but he chalked it up to fate, even had he not chosen , then surely those two would have still managed to find their way in. For if memory served him right, humans were nothing if not ingenious at finding and getting themselves into trouble.

A relentless surge of troops continued to pour into his domain, he was both proud and a feared, how could so many pledge their allegiance to him, were they all unwavering? He doubted it. He'd have to watch his back.

Now, as he stood with his army ready, on the verge of war the eve of battle loomed large and what should he remember but the words that he'd left unsaid. So many questions, but he knew Valeria couldn't hear him anymore, or rather she chose not to and she would never call for him again. He couldn't take back the words he'd never said but, "If only you'd held on a little longer." he mused, as he almost wished she'd chosen differently but that wasn't his choice, and if he could change it, he knew it would still be wrong, even if he had the opportunity to. It seemed he'd be saddled with these regrets, with both Valeria, as well as the fresh failure he'd allotted himself with Adara.

"I wish, " Kheelan stopped but he stopped himself, anger surged through him. Someone had the power to fix this but they were the one to blame. His anger roared back to life, it could likely incinerate anyone within his line of sight. To hell with the rules, he'd catch the b*****d off-guard! " Make ready to move. We march on the Labyrinth with due haste!" he barked the orders as he donned his own armor, his heart lurched as he considered the damage that would be wrought but this was going to happen, it's not like they could fight or circumvent it.


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"I wish, " a sense of being watched washed over Adara but she couldn't quite fathom it. This can't be real, I don't want it to be, let it start over, she willed it but didn't finish the sentiment, she left the words hanging in the air.

The goblin's in Jareth's chambers leaned in, "Say it!" they shrieked in unison!
If this went right then, ... " I wish the Goblin King would take me away from this awful place." The goblin's in the chamber seemed to howl in triumph as Jareth beamed, a sickly sweet smile, smug and self-confident.

" And this dear brother, is check-mate." he announced, as he produced a crystal, ready to gloat and show Sylixus that he was only a fraction of a moment away from attaining both queens and destroying his ideas of kingship. But Jareth was nothing, if not sporting; when it suited his mood.

He hadn't gone to collect his winnings yet, it was his way of giving Sylixus a chance to break the rules but the window of opportunity was closing and if the girl didn't believe well, then he'd collect.

The crystal floated away, before long it found Sylixus and it showed him what he needed to see.

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[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - - 1,000+ words

• 
  The small droning drip subsided when the water no longer rushed forth from the faucet. A rain shower in a can, Lina toted the small watering can with her, dosing each plant with just enough food to sate it, soil moistened and content, for at least another day. She went on like this until she had watered all the plants, using the appropriate amount of water for each, never once was she interrupted. It was a slow day at the shop. Some customer's had come in earlier that morning to pick up some orders but beyond that, the phone hadn't rung, no one had come in just to admire the sights or savor the smells the flowers produced. Now she sat behind the counter, drumming her fingers against the faux marble as she contemplated how best to spend her remaining hours at work. It wasn't as though she wanted to be swamped with work and orders but boredom was not a better alternative. Thinking, nothing came to mind. She'd already swept the floor, twice, reorganized the customer ledgers and washed the windows. She would only go so far above the call of duty for minimum wage after all.
  
  Moments felt like hours, seconds like days and the longer she sat there, it seemed the more irritable she became. Seeing as she was the only one on-duty today and the odds of the owner popping in weren't too high, she opted to break a rule. She hopped down off her stool and procured an old cd player circa 1997. It had seen better days, it's bright neon pink color was fading and cracked and most of the buttons which had once had a silver finish to them had been worn away to a dull off gray, the functions, lost to anyone who wasn't sure of the machine. Luckily Lina knew the functions like the back of her hand, she continued to dig around under the counter until she found the cd she was looking for.
  
  The room filled with music, and as it did, Lina opened up the cover that had once housed the cd that was now playing. The lyrics were written in two vastly different languages, neither of which she understood but the hard line drum beats and heavy use of synthesizers had always made this a favorite album of hers and beyond that, she had stolen it from her brother's collection without his knowing. Just out of curiosity. After all, who wouldn't take something whose cover-art was some weird robot that was dripping blood at the mouth and all splayed wires? The answer of course, is that anyone would have swiped the cd, she wasn't in the wrong here.
  
  
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  It was during a particularly hard and fast progression of synth cords that she heard the phone began to ring. "Crap," she mouthed as she yanked the power chord out of the wall and the music died, leaving a chasm of silence behind before Lina cleared her throat and answered the phone. "Uh-huh, right. Yes, I understand ma'am but those are all part of the same genus, of course they're going to look alike." she suppressed a sigh as the woman on the other end of the line continued to whine about her bouquet of daffodils and jonquils being nothing but hastily picked flowers from someone's garden. She was mentally stabbing this woman's voodoo doll even though, she had no idea what she looked like as she continued to drone on and Lina fought the urge to hang up on her. "Mhm, yes, I see. I'm sorry I can't do that without the manager's consent and she won't be in until tomorrow." Lina waited for some indignant remark, instead she heard dead air. That woman had just hung-up on her. Rude!
  
  Looking the number up on caller id, Lina added the number to a list and input it in the computer. She'd have it blocked by tomorrow but she didn't feel like dealing with that right now. As it stood her irritability was just about ready to boil over and since the shop was so dead, she figured some fresh air would do her well. She fished around before she found the sign she was looked for and plastered it to the front door where it would hardly be missed. 'On-Site, ring Bell for assistance,' the sign read as she locked the door and flipped the switch that made the sound for the doorbell audible.
  
  In the meantime, she headed out the back, leaving the door ajar. She dug around in her pockets before she procured a stick of gum and popped it her mouth and began to chew at it furiously, accidentally biting her tongue once or twice in the process before she lessened the pressure of her chewing. Soon enough, the air and the warmth of nature did enough to calm her nerves, and she was calm enough to return outside. But the longer she lingered outside, the more she wished she didn't have another three hours on shift. It was such a nice day after all.
  
  
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  The blue skies and the wind were beckoning to her and it summoned her, begged her to shirk her duties and she wasn't one to spite such whims. Sure, she may lose her job but honestly, it wasn't like she couldn't find another one, and if not well, there were always the less savory ways to make money.
  
  Her mood vastly improved, she nearly skipped down the street, nearly. Even in the best of moods, she'd never dare skip, that would make her look like a freak, and that was a stigma that lasted longer than unemployment; yes her mind was still lingering on if she'd made the right call. But she'd locked up, business had been slow, the decision made, she needed to own up to her choice. It was then that she remembered her forgotten cd .... now she had to go back.
  
  When she arrived who should be there but the owner, key in the door, likely only having arrived seconds before her. Lina cleared her throat and the young man, no more than ten years her senior turned to face her. He pointed to the closed sign, a scowl imprinted on his face, "Late lunch," she explained and he seemed to buy it. But all forgiveness was forgotten when the item she'd meant to hide was seen, in plain sight. "What's our rule about music Lina?" the man asked, patronizing in his tone. Lina grit her teeth as she replied, "It's not conducive to the environment of the shop." And with that, Lina watched the man pick the player up, holding it over her head and before she could even hold her hand out in protest or try to catch it, the machine was sent hurtling downwards, coming into contact and bouncing only once as it seemed to crack only on the base. Damn, that thing was sturdy.
  
  Lina looked at her boss and her boss back at her, point made. "The shop is doing summer hours now, close is at six. I'll be back later." and no sooner had he said that, he was gone.
  
  " Yeah, well ******** you too buddy." Lina griped as she went to inspect her property, that jerk hadn't needed to go that far. She opened the case and her heart sank a little when it was confirmed that yes, her brother's cd was cracked in two.
  

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post 1,000+ words.

↳
Ready, aim. Bastiaan held his weapon at the ready and then on his own mental note, he started. He slammed his prisoner's head back against the chair to which they were tied. A length of wire attached between two finely whittled pieces of rounded wood vibrated when Bastiaan snapped the device between his two balled fists. He slipped held it aloft in front of their face for a moment before he moved lower, pressing the wire to bare flesh. The garrote wire that was held aloft came into contact and soon enough it was pressed to their throat. Without another word, Bastiaan pulled back and after a moment or two, there was a low resounding but definite thud.

The lights flickered on and a mirror was illuminated at the other end of the room. Bastiaan ran his finger over the length of the wire, careful not to remove one of his own digits. He kicked the practice dummy which was now beheaded. It had served his purposes for the last two or so months but he'd woken up in quite the mood this morning, and he'd needed to take out on something. Better something inanimate than something living. Turning his back on the scene, he headed towards the mirror. Standing in front of it, he beheld his reflection, he didn't look too worse for wear but he didn't look healthy or 'good' either. He grimaced as he pressed his hand to the cool surface and the mirror swung open, a hidden door. Stepping into the dark corridor, he made his way along the length of it until he came to another door, light seeping out from beneath the base of it's standing.

Back in his kitchen he let the light of day wash over him as he contemplated going back to sleep. It was still early after all. He turned back to the open door, closing it with a resounding slam as he made no attempt to care that his loud rumblings within his house might wake up anyone who had come in late last night. But as it stood, part of his bad mood was due to his dry spell and lack of any substantial ... proclivity in that area of his life. He tossed his weapon on the kitchen counter and noted that there was now a small gash on his thumb that was oozing blood.

Tongue met skin and slid across the cut on his skin with a stuttered movement as it paced back and force, lapping up the liquid that seeped forth. It went on that for a minute or so before Bastiaan placed the entire digit in betwixt his teeth and then closed his lips around it. The blood tasted the same way everyone had ever described it, coppery and acrid. Soon enough, he dropped the finger away from his mouth and let his limbs go lax as he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, if ever so briefly.

It really wasn't worth it.

He trudged back towards his room and just let himself fall, face down into the sheets before he wrapped his arms around his pillow and snaked his legs around the other, rubbing up against it, no doubt wishing it weren't inanimate.

- Hours Later -

Bastiaan rolled over and nearly rolled off the bed when he heard the loud and constant ringing of his doorbell. 'Shut up, ' he thought but the sound was resilient and it just wouldn't let up. He groaned as he got to his feet and glanced at his floor for something to cover up. He picked up a pair of simple slate gray boxers from a neatly folded pile by his bed. He'd never bothered to buy the more expensive furniture like dressers, so his floor served as his closet and laundry basket most of the time. He slipped them on, adjusted them more maximum room and comfort and then headed out into the hallway. The doorbell was still going off. "I'm coming - knock that s**t off!" he bellowed as he didn't bother to see who was at the door, he just threw the door open. "WHAT!?]" he practically screamed at the poor set of girls, aged no more than seven who had cookies in tow.

He blinked once or twice. Seriously? Of all the things it could have been. They were selling Girl Scout Cookies and here he was, standing in front of them, in what was essentially the nude to what any other parent might say. s**t!

Both the children looked on the urge of tears. He had no option. He looked at the little wagon they'd towed with them that was about half-full. "I'll take the whole lot." he announced as the tears that were threatening dried up and the girl's beamed up at him and rattled off the amount that was due. He would have protested but seeing as he'd probably scared them, it was the least he could do. He handed them the money and didn't bother with the change as he simply uncerimoniously dumped all the cookies into his home, several times until their little wagon was empty.

When that was done he closed the door and looked at the mess that was now in his front room. "Great," he didn't even like sweets, now he needed to think who did so he could dump this on them and make it seem like an act of good will on his part. But who?

He kicked a box of cookies aside as he headed back into his room and pulled on a pair of jeans and simple s**t before he tugged on his favorite leather jacket and grabbed his sunglasses and his keys. Strolling back into the room, he bent down and picked up three boxes of thin mint cookies, he knew just who might appreciate them. And who knew, maybe a token of generosity would help him end his dry spell. One could only hope.

His socks and tennis shoes were next to the door, he tugged both on one handed as his other hand held his 'generous offering,' and with that soon enough he was locking up and out the door.


-----------------------


It was warmer outside than he'd anticipated so he shed his leather jacket pretty quick, he let it drag behind him carelessly as didn't bother with the effort to lift it high enough to keep it somewhat clean. And he wasn't about to tie it around his waist, that was something that only women and less masculine men did.

He unlocked his car and without checking the rear-view he peeled out onto the road, headed towards the main drag that led into Beacon Hills. He was going a good eighty miles per hour, his '69 Cobra Fastback as if it was nothing, if not inconspicious. Beyond that though, it was a little bit of a gamble to being going so fast headed into town. Not that he cared, he'd outrun the cops more than enough times in his life thus far. Plus, he had an agenda to attend to and someone to get in good with.

He slowed down in accordance with the posted speed limit, once in town, driving past the hospital on his way to the main-line shopping area. Along the way he passed the nature preserve, taking note of the abnormality of it as he passed, it was like a bad wave of ill begot had punched him right in the face, as though that were something anyone could actually feel or understand. But the point remained, there was some vibe but oh well, he drove on, turning this way and that until he came to the location he was looking for.

The boutique looked especially vibrant today, if that was a thing. He reached over into his passenger seat and picked up the cookies as he shut the door to the driver's side with his foot, it closed with a resounding SLAM!

#464F3F || #68785C || #8D914C || #F6CA71 || #EDE3B7


Quote:

OOC HERE

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - - 800+ words

Yusuke wiped the sweat from his brow as he observed the standings for the race that had just finished. His heartbeat ticked up a beat or two when he noticed his name was next to the number three. The blood in his veins simmered momentarily, threatening to boil before he read the names next to numbers one and two. Oh, no problem then. There was a thin line separating the top finishing competitors and he had it on good authority that the first two competitors were using performance enhancing drugs. A boldfaced lie, of course but Yusuke had a way of uncovering hidden truths. This wouldn't stand.

Click , click , pressing firmly but quickly on the top of his pen, he clicked it in rhythmic motion before finally putting pen to paper. Two new names were added to small notepad he had on his person. Various scribbles could be made out on the page, he'd never had the most legible writing but he could read it; with his face pressed closer to the page due to his poor vision. It didn't even cross his mind to think that perhaps he'd missed the winning touchdown because of his discounted or otherwise unknown vision problems. Furthermore, whose idea was it to have damnable American football as an option for this event!? The game barely utilized one's lower half beyond running and trying to be in the correct spot to catch the ball with ones hands. Truly, a mislabeled game but no matter.

He shielded his eyes against the sun as he let the warm rays soak into his skin. 'The hundred meter dash isn't for another thirty minutes. Now what?" he pondered as he dropped his gaze and looked forward, observing the various students engaged in different athletic endeavors. It was then that he noticed the veritable swarm of people; mostly girls with posters, stupidly cliched bandannas & ear-piercing screams of mock excitement watching some sport. While others still seemed to be on the move, shuffling past him quickly, eyes averted in downward reverence; or so he chose to believe. Just as the last of them was about to make safe passage, he grabbed a hold of one of their arms; his nails just a little too long dug into her flesh.

He couldn't help but smirk when the girl bit back a small squeal at being grabbed. "I don't really think that's the best use of your time. Or your peers. What makes you think your cheering and jeering will influence the outcome?!" Yusuke was irritated and he was taking it out on this girl, he didn't care. This was the best way to take out his aggression and pent up annoyances. His tight had tightened without his knowledge, blood slicked the girls arm in small ribbons and he realized if he continued on with this, it might not be in his best interests. If this plain-faced prattling being had a boyfriend, he'd no doubt be obliged to defend her honor and he couldn't be bothered with that.


No words of apology were exchanged as Yusuke now sat underneath the shade of a cherry blossom sipping gingerly at the meager remains of a water bottle he was too lazy to refill with water from the outside tap. He yawned stretching both arms high above his head, he no longer had any desire to run the hundred meter. In truth, he'd spent the majority of the day participating in various events and it was more than he could stand to do just one more. He was done.

Perhaps if either Souji or Miu begged him to he could be bothered to participate in one more event before he called it a day. Of course, they'd have to get down on their knees and grovel and well, only like-minded people tended to congregate or join his club. So he already knew there would be no posturing on his account today. Too bad, he liked the idea. Then again, it's not as though this event was placing them any higher in the running for that club room, so what effort he'd expended today - he'd done out of defense and preservation of his own pride.

Beyond that, it had been fun as he'd been winning up until the last competition. So when he thought about it, the sour taste of defeat clung to his palate and no drink could sate that, except for another victory. It seemed his tenacity would win out over his lazy-streak, today. So with that, he got to his feet and dusted away the grass that clung to his shorts before he set off at a brisk jog in an attempt to make it to the starting line before the gun signaled the race had started.

He took his mark with mere seconds to spare. The gun rang out signalling the start of the race and rather than pace himself, Yusuke shot ahead of everyone, finishing well ahead of everyone, first and victorious! A self-satisfied smile graced his lips momentarily and he let the endorphin's flood his brain and he ignored the grumblings of the other competitors. They never had a chance.

"Don't be sore losers. I'm sure you'll win some other event. So long as I'm not in it!" he declared in wanton gloating fashion.


▰ `ᴍᴏᴏᴅ ⋮ haughty
▰ `ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ⋮ track near the soccer field

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 800+ words

tab tab It had been a couple of hours since Caeus had arrived on campus, having opted to take the morning boat had turned out to be a mistake. The boredom was nearly crippling and he could only pester so many people before the disciplinary council caught wind of what he was doing to pass the time. Of course that didn't mean he was going to stop torturing the poor souls who just so happened to catch his eye, oh heavens no - where was the fun in that? But for the time being, he was taking a break beneath the shade of a tree. Tugging up a blade of grass every now and again, he'd made a bald patch of dirt in the short time he'd been there, continuing to tug at the finely manicured lawn.

tab tab He sized up anyone stupid enough to make eye contact with him, roosting under his tree, most broke eye contact quickly, others lingered, as if trying to assert their own dominance. When those few did that, he couldn't help but scoff because, really - posturing was one thing, he could talk just as big as anyone but he had some menial skill to back up his bark; even if truthfully no matter how skilled he was; or in this case wasn't - he'd always just be a big talker. All bark and well, a sizable but non-lethal bite. He raked his fingers across the dirt, only realizing when he turned his gaze that he hadn't dug up another blade of grass but a small clump of dirt filled with wriggling worms and other smaller creatures. He flicked it away and dusted his hands off.

tab tab He bowed out from underneath the tree, straightening his back and standing at full stature. For someone who was still in the throes of puberty, it was unlikely he'd grow any taller, considering his current height. In that same vein it made sense why he was messing with those smaller than himself, puberty tended to make assholes out of the nicest people for a year or two. The whole thing tended to be whether that aspect of their personality stuck or not. In Caeus' case it would be hard to say. It wasn't really so much that he was a jerk but that he was a little too free-spoken and didn't really seem to be the sort to think before he spoke, most would call it being blunt, he called it candor.

tab tab Dusting the dirt and grass from the rest of his body, he stretched his arms out over his head until he heard the satisfying POP he was listening for and lowered them down next to his side again. He cleared his throat, grumbling a bit before he set off, for where, he didn't really know.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


tab tab He hadn't covered much ground when he came across a littering of papers on the ground that people seemed to be side-stepping after a cursory glance. Curious he cut against the grain of the crowd and knelt down slightly to pick up a slightly trampled piece of paper. It was slightly brown from being trampled into the dirt one too many times and the writing; if there had been any was smeared. All he could make out was some sort of a blob, an animal? He squinted before he shrugged balling it up again and tossing it over his shoulder, Well that had been a whole load of nothing.

tab tab He was starting to get more and more restless and his growing irritation was owed in no small part to the hunger pains he was experiencing. As if on cue, his stomach growled with a great ferocity, so much so his face reddened if just for a second before the blush abated and he set off towards the dining hall.

tab tab "Woah!" the exclamation was an understatement when Caeus' saw just how decked out the dining hall was, it was just, damn! He could already smell the food but as it stood, there wasn't any currently out, so his hopes that he could just pile some food up à la carte had been dashed. He sighed, loudly and haughtily but for whose benefit, who could say, as he was currently the only one in the hall. He was slightly surprised, surely some other kid was either as hungry as him or seeking to drown his feeling in some pie!? Whatever." again, speaking for no one's benefit but his own, he crossed the hall and came to sit, his long legs stretching out beneath the table.

tab tab He'd just .... his thoughts were cut short when he heard a loud CRASH followed by clattering and various voices in the kitchen. 'Wonder what that could have been?' he mused silently to himself, stretching his legs out further as far as they could, and wiggling his toes.

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 800+ Words

To say that she was delighted about the looming event that was to occur later tonight was a falsehood. Amalia wasn't looking forward to the masquerade, if anything, she was dreading it. It only served as a reminder of the past, the way things used to be, except now it was a mirror-image. The same but drastically different. Merely thinking of the revelry and grandiose of her younger years made her feel the quaint sting of melancholy. It was though someone had a firm grip on her heart and was wringing and crushing it within their palms. Really, why any of her siblings cared any for this masque was beyond her. True, they weren't as embittered as she was but she wouldn't have guessed they were so vapid, no that wasn't a fair assessment to levy against all of them. She was merely thinking of Adelaide.

She listened as the acting troupe waned on and on about the festivities to come. Curling and uncurling her toes in anticipation and agitation, she continued to listen to them prattle on from the west wing, her presence well enough hidden but not unnoticeable. A small crack, as she exerted too much pressure, a warm pooling sensation traveled up her leg but she paid it no mind as her sister's words echoed in her mind. No one need know, just how, ... she stopped herself short, damn the pain in her toe was really more than she'd first thought, she pushed the pain behind the curtain of her mind, as she turned on her heel, intent on outing her sister's harebrained scheme to cooler heads.

She glanced to and fro before she exited the shadows, bounding up the stairs that led out the stage-door, taking great care to shut it with the softest touch before she headed down the hall in search of either Francisco or Curio. As she knew full well that Willy would be just as jaded and insist that it was Adelaide who was in the right, and it was obvious that Andre would take up for her too, thick as thieves those two were. Like-minded too, in some rather distressing areas but usually Amalia didn't make it her business to meddle. It was only when rash actions were involved that she became involved, she thought this was one of those times.

So she continued on, each step advancing her further but producing no results in terms of help, and the more she thought about it, the more it seemed like the universe was conspiring against her. 'As if.' she thought but still, it was odd that she hadn't run into anyone as of yet. Normally she would come into contact with any number of actors stealing away, embracing each other in perceived solitude, or some nestled away knight or maid. Where were they today? Was everyone so abuzz and enamored with this damnable masquerade? Was she just the odd one out? Maybe she was overreacting and this was her way of stopping and thinking before she rushed to action. Her footfalls stopped and she stopped short of another turn down yet another empty hallway. Nobody needed to know, that's what her sister had said.

The girl was ditzy and whimsical but she wasn't stupid and surely she would take precautions.
So in good faith, Amalia would keep her sister's outspoken desires to herself and take it upon herself that she should have a decent, no a 'good' time at the event. Even if it meant Amalia would be miserable as she kept watch, it was a small sacrifice.

That in mind, she headed for her room, she wasn't about to enter the lion's den without any fangs to speak of. Her gear was safely hidden away elsewhere, still she did have a Cinquedea dagger that she' d won off some wen foul-mouthed merchant a week or so ago in a rather lively game of dice. She'd arm herself with that, tuck it beneath the frills and tresses and ensure her family's safety from a distance.

But of course, their was one problem. She entered her room and choked slightly on the dust that permeated the air that had settled and refused to lift from the room. She exhaled, blowing out her frustrations like a straight line wind, effective and destructive - as the dust motes whirred about in disarray. "How does she intend on garnering access, when we have no manner of finery? Not even Willy's best costume would grant her admittance. Would it?" she wondered aloud as she tapped her foot on the floor, once - nothing, twice - again, thrice - a hollow thump. She knelt down and lifted the wooden board, producing her dagger and twirling it betwixt her fingers, with some manner of skill.

Glancing out her bedroom window, through the grime and looming clouds, she could only muse that, "time will tell." As with that she held her weapon closer to her person and slipped it within the confines of her clothing before taking care as she lay down upon her bed, closing her eyes. If only this weren't reality but alas, she knew she opened her eyes, time would have conspired to move her closer to those damnable lot.

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 684 words

✻ █ SO HERE'S MY HEART ▬ ° AND HERE'S MY MOUTH ◥┊》
XX__________( ★ ) tab tab AND I CAN'T HELP IF THINGS COME OUT ╯✴
__________________ccc█x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x█x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x
'Cause there are words I want to shout tab 'Cause there are words I want to shout tab 'Cause there are words I want to shout
'Cause there are words I want to shout tab 'Cause there are words I want to shout tab 'Cause there are words I want to shout
______________☛ ░ ❛ BUT MAYBE I'LL STAY LOW



The waves ebbed, only to come crashing back into the shore each time with the same monotonous zeal. Blue eyes watched the deep blue of the ocean with waning interest, as the light whoosh of pencil on paper jotted down yet another measurement. Three feet, one of the bigger waves, still nothing worth writing about. Yakana placed his thumbnail near his mouth, ready to chew at the tip before the breeze carried the remnants of conversation to his attention. From the little bit that he'd been able to hear, it sounded like the same banal stuff and yet if he was considering going to check it out, then damn - - was he bored.

His hidden oasis within the confines of one of the many dunes that littered the beach was soon enough behind him, as he walked gingerly across the hot sand, his sandals in hand. If he weren't pursuing some thought so intently he probably would have stopped to put said sandals on but oh well. He passed one or two family members on his way back to the house but rather than engage in any conversation, he trudged on. It didn't take him long to come to the steps that led back up to the house. He paused, standing there, suddenly the thought he'd had didn't seem like such a good idea anymore. And besides that, he didn't really want to perturb or otherwise anger that person by asking for any sort of favor. Curling and uncurling his toes, Yakana had managed to dampen his mood.

Much like the dark skies that he often chased after, he felt a sort of turbulence growing in the pit of his stomach. Well, since he was there, he walked up the steps, breezing by both Hiroyuki and Miki. He headed back inside, the sudden blast of artificial coolness made him feel that much worse as he rounded a corner and made a beeline for the room that had been deemed 'his' for the duration of this 'vacation.'

His phone was where he'd left it on the nightstand by the bed. As if on cue, the small device jiggled in place as it vibrated. Yakana lifted it, punched in the code to unlock and began to read the slew of texts. As he read more texts came in, a combination of letters, numbers and emojis both nothing close to a fully structured sentence. He smiled, from the looks of it somehow his father had gained access to his caretakers phone. As he read the garbled messages, the turbulent feeling in his stomach, waned. 'Things could be worse, ' he told himself as he pocketed his phone and grabbed his wallet. But still, the thought he'd had about natural hot-spring and it's healing abilities lingered - surely it wouldn't, couldn't hurt to allow his father some time there, ...with him. 'Surely, you're mistaken about their leniency.' he told himself as he pulled the door closed behind him after exiting the room.

He retraced his path, only this time stopping by the kitchen to grab a bottled water before heading out the front door, sans shoes; as he still carried them with him - he'd put them on when he made it to the main road.

His phone continued to buzz in his pocket as he jogged down the road, waving at each driver that passed; though he knew none of them. It was just a courtesy, manners that had been instilled into him by his father at a young age. It continued on like that for about fifteen minutes before his destination came into view. The bathhouse which was the gateway to the hot springs. His pace quickened as he headed closer until .... "Damn, .... so crowded!" he seemed to protest, having no one in range who could possibly agree or otherwise. Still though, he'd come this far and with any luck he'd be the only Sohma taking advantage of the facilities whilst the others were busy frolicking on the beach. Hopefully. He crossed his fingers, in an act of mock superstition as he walked through the front doors of the establishment.




where ;; bathhouse / hot-springs tab tab with ;; - - - tab tab mood ;; ambivalent

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Replying Post - 1,140+ words

✻ █ SO HERE'S MY HEART ▬ ° AND HERE'S MY MOUTH ◥┊》
XX__________( ★ ) tab tab AND I CAN'T HELP IF THINGS COME OUT ╯✴
__________________ccc█x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x█x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x██x
'Cause there are words I want to shout tab 'Cause there are words I want to shout tab 'Cause there are words I want to shout
'Cause there are words I want to shout tab 'Cause there are words I want to shout tab 'Cause there are words I want to shout
______________☛ ░ ❛ BUT MAYBE I'LL STAY LOW



Although the place was crowded, Yakana found he was oddly at peace with his surroundings. He placed his belongings in a locker, locked it and wrapped the bungee-chord with the key around his wrist before he walked out into the open air. He glanced around searching for the optimal location where he wouldn't be bumping against anyone but no such place was presenting itself. He glanced downward, he could feel the strangers eyes on his body and suddenly he felt he'd rather be at the beach but rather than admit defeat, he lifted his gaze again strolling forward confidently in that same instant. His body slid into the water like an oil slick, it pooled around him up to his shoulders sloshing about before he leaned back against the makeshift rocks that held the waters of the spring in check.

Sweat formed almost instantaneously on his brow after being in the sweltering water for more than a moment or two when combined with the outside air temperature. His vision was a haze, blurred and it wasn't helped by the dizzying movements playing behind his eyelids whenever he tried to close his eyes and gain some clarity. He shook his head, berating himself, he hated humidity what had possessed him to come here!? He opened his eyes again, the haze still hung over him like a film but one thing was sure, he knew why he'd trekked out here, there was no secret, even to his own mind. Surrounded by strangers, he felt a kind of normalcy. More than that, it brought him a small modicum of joy. He felt like getting this far away, even if it was only a few miles was a small victory for himself.

"Hey! Could you scoot over a bit kid?" a slightly older fellow, no more than ten years his senior asked, as his jostled him a bit, as though that would incline him to move quicker. Yakana knit his brow together and glowered at the man in annoyance before standing up and walking through the water towards the other end of the pool. The guy looked a little taken aback but he didn't seem to care as his friend slid down next to him, handing him a sake. Waves of annoyance still rolled off of Yakana as he sunk back down into the water. His expression was still dour until he felt flesh on flesh. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt tepid hands on his back. He couldn't even utter a curse before the person began to explain themselves.

"Sorry about that. But you looked stressed, so...' their voice trailed off and Yakana's slumped, slightly, less tensed when he saw a young man, no older than fourteen standing behind him. Whew. If he'd ...well, no harm no foul he told himself. " Are you this touchy with any given person or am I just lucky?" Yakana asked, thinly veiled barbed sarcasm dripped off the word 'sarcasm.' The young man didn't pick up on the tone when he replied. "I should say so, I work here as a masseur. Oh wait ... did you think?' the younger man laughed patting him on the back in the process jostling and rocking Yakana in the process, damn - - he was stronger than he looked.
That time it was Yakana's turn to stare blankly, as the reference flew right over his head. There was an awkward silence before the young man spoke again. "Here," he handed Yakana about five lamented pieces of paper with the word 'free' printed on them in bold crimson red letters. "Those are good for any services here, including massages. Accept them as my apology, I shouldn't have assumed. But do me a favor, and relax man, and if you've got time come see me. I can tell you're carrying a lot of stress in those shoulders, and that ain't healthy. But anyways, those are yours to keep. Bye!" Yakana just stared blankly as he watched the guy disappear just as he'd appeared, like he was there in a flash. Almost like as though he could teleport. Oh well, he stared down at the vouchers and began to read the fine print, squinting his eyes as he did so.

"Only good from 3pm to 6pm on Thursdays and Mondays, figures." he mused as he searched for a place to store the things, only to remember that under the thin guise of the water, he was naked.


--------------------------------------------------------


It had hardly been an hour and he'd paid for a day pass, plus now he had those free vouchers but now suddenly he couldn't help but feel lonely without a familiar face nearby. It was stupid and the thought alone was antagonizing. What did that say about his aspirations in terms of travel? Sure, everyone always enjoyed coming home after a vacation but if he was going to leave for good one day, then chances were he wouldn't have much of a home to come back to. One day sooner, rather than later both his father and the God would be dead. On the one hand, one prospect filled him with a soul-shattering despair, whereas, when it came to the other certainty, he could only feel a stab of wanton insouciance. He was positively sure of one thing, one day he'd probably be able to appreciate how Arashi had felt.

In his own mind, Yakana already referred to the God in the past-tense because although he didn't think anyone deserved a fate as cruel as his, the ram couldn't help but wish or think despicable thoughts when it came to that person's fate. Merely dwelling on his own thoughts about such a subject was like swallowing a pill of discontent. Quick acting and bitter.

Yakana had quickly decided against returning to the happy family outing as soon as he'd slid into a spot at the bar. His hair was still damp but half the patrons at the bar were wrapped up in simple towels that left nothing to the imagination; clearly they all intended on getting back in the hot-spring. There he sat, the odd one out, gingerly sipping his sake in his ripped and holy jean-shorts, simple white cotton tee and his jet-black platform sandals that added a sometimes needed two inches to his stature. He took a final gulp and tapped his fingers on the bar, indicating he required another drink. Despite being out of the water, his face was still flushed; he'd always been a sort of lightweight when it came to liquor and this was already his third sake.

At the rate he was going, he was going to be sickly drunk but he didn't really care. If it was a reason not to go back to the beach-house, he'd sit here drowning his liver, the consequences be damned.





where ;; hot-spring tab tab with ;; - - - tab tab mood ;; drab

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 950+ words

• 
  
  Lina hummed along to the radio as she squinted at her computer monitor, trying her best to following the cooking instructions. In the wee hours of the morning, she'd come across a recipe for a 'Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Cake.' She spent a lot of time browsing pinterest, a lot of her pins were baking related, despite her B average cooking and baking skills. It wasn't that she was ... bad per say but well, she was a cashier at the bakery for a reason. Speaking of which. She glanced at the clock on her monitor again and muttered a curse to herself as she glanced at the timer on her oven. The contents inside still lacked fifteen minutes of being done and as it stood she was already going to be late for work. She just hoped someone else would cover for her if not well, she'd deal with that when and if it came to that.
  
  The sink was overflowing with dirty dishes, she busied herself with cleaning as she watched the timer. Of course, the more times she looked, she swore, it was as though time was purposefully crawling slower than an inebriated turtle. She dried off the last spatula and set it out on a towel to air dry before going to stand in front of the oven. Two minutes left, and it was about twenty minutes past noon now. Another eternity later and the oven blared for a good three or so seconds once or twice to indicate the time was up. In her rush, Lina nearly forgot to put on an oven mitt before reaching in to the oven to retrieve her concoction.
  
  Another few minutes and Lina had her dessert stuffed into her tiny fridge, just barely able to close the door, she tossed out a yogurt cup or two to ensure the door would close. She breathed a sigh of relief, as she headed over to the sink, ran her hand under the running water washing her hands, which was good considering she'd somehow missed some peppermint that had clung to her knuckles. She didn't even bother to look at the clock as she pulled on a pair of gloves, wrapped a scarf tightly around her neck and pulled her socks and boots on as she locked the door behind her.
  
  The radio blared on the other side of the door but she was already late enough, she couldn't unlock the door just to turn off her silly radio. She just shook her head as she glanced forward, noticing that it was snowing, if ever so slightly. A small wind was blowing but it was just enough to cause her to shiver and quicken the pace as she all but jogged along the sidewalk.
  
  Her '91 Chevrolet Caprice was currently in the shop because she'd finally scraped together enough money to repaint it. She'd bought it two years ago and it was a baby blue color, she'd never been fond of the color and she'd wanted to paint it jet black. But paint jobs were expensive and she'd only just gotten her tax return and a bit of extra Christmas money from her folks that had given her just enough for her much wanted renovation for her little car that could.
  
  The only problem was that paint jobs usually took time and that meant time that Lina was without transportation. Which now meant she had a three mile walk ahead of her to make it to the bakery, by which time she'd no doubt be more than an hour late.
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------
  
  Lina took great care in trying not to ring the little bell that signaled a customer when she entered the bakery. A small chime was still heard but it was barely audible. She looked around, thankful that the place didn't seem too busy for it being around the lunch hour. Perhaps the lunch rush had already come? The thought alone made her frown, that meant someone else had, had to deal with them and do their job on top of it. She'd have to apologize to whomever had done her job for her in the interim. Walking around the counter and grabbing her apron which had the bakery's logo emblazoned on it she tied it around her waist as she went to clock in at her station behind the cash register.
  
  A wafting aroma met her nostrils, as she noted that the same person who'd clocked in to cover her seemed to be busy - back to baking. She didn't want to disturb them so instead she merely waited, watching the light snow fall behind the glass that separated the outside from the inside within the bakery.
  
  She was just about to make herself a cup of hot cocoa when the same little bell she'd taken great pains to keep quit rang out loudly as a group of three people shuffled into the establishment, their eyes gazing upward at the board which displayed the bakery's goods. " Hello folks! Welcome! I can take your orders whenever you're ready." she said in a chipper voice, slightly louder to indicate she was in fact at her station as she waited patiently to see what these folks might want. Perhaps a hot cocoa, ... a peppermint pretzel, while she mused on their orders, the Christmas music in the background switched over to one of her more beloved songs, she swayed slightly to the beat but refrained from dancing, as that was no doubt ... unprofessional.
  
  Still while she waited, she sang the words under her breath, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.Toys in every store. But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be on your own front door."
  

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 770+ words

x

Itaru poured himself another cup of sake as he made a list of chores for the day. He'd dole them up evenly, provided nobody shirked their duties, if so then of course they'd be made to take on more work. One final stroke of the brush and .... "Done." he proclaimed to himself as he exited his room and went to pin the chore chart in the most obvious place - the kitchen.

While he was there he grabbed an apple, polishing it he looked at his image reflecting due from the refraction's of sunlight that were hitting the fruit at just the right angles. A quick bite and he was done, a great hole was there and he was gone. Another few bites and he soon chucked the core in the trash and headed outside. He stretched his arms outward, his wings instinctively mimicked in a similar fashion. The sun shone brightly overhead as he continued to stretch out his extremities.

After the proper exercises he lifted off, feet leaving the ground as he caught an updraft and was soon soaring high in the sky. Drifting this way and that he paid little attention to his spot in the sky. It wasn't like he was high enough to get sucked into a jet engine and human sight was too limited and their minds too hollow to believe what they might think they say. It wasn't until a single ray of sunshine seemed to point back towards the shrine that he bothered to dip lower in the sky, still lingering.


~ A few Hours Later ~


"Tadaima" he got a few words of acknowledgement from some of the attendants, as he nodded in turn he appraised the progress that had been made while he was out. The shrine was nearly resplendent but it was missing the brightness and cheer of his goddess, that's what made the shrine so bright and brilliant.

Despite the hustle and bustle inside the shrine and out, he couldn't help but feel a bit dejected that he'd yet to see his goddess or his compatriot familiar, they hadn't gone off somewhere and left him out, had they? Surely not. He couldn't let his mind cloud over, no, he needed to keep his mind clear and sunny. As he'd once been told, a person's mood first began with their state of mind.

"Itaru-sama .... Itaru-sama!" it took a few times before Itaru noticed someone had been calling out his name for the past minute. A young ebony-haired boy ... man ... he really couldn't tel how old some humans were - stood in front of him, the chore chart held out in one hand, a pen in the other. "We need you to evaluate the work for today, .... please. That is, if you have the time. I can come back later. " the kid was just short of stuttering what was his deal? Whatever. "Fine, fine - let's get this over and done with. " he followed after the boy and scribbled notes as he went. Some of them were legit, things like 'replace warped floorboard' while others were just to make him look busy, so some notes said things like 'how did some human kid get a job as an attendant and when ... this is the first time i've seen him.'

Soon enough the assessment was over and Itaru had thanked everyone for their hard work and diligence. Everyone dispersed to enjoy what was left of the day, everyone that was except that kid. "What's with you? And what's more - why are you here? I mean, ... you're human, right? " No those weren't the right questions, "What's your name?

" My name is Hanazaki Kusa, I'm here because I was hired as a gardener and asked to also take on some duties as an attendant for the shrine. Oh and yes, I'm human, I hope that's not a problem. " the kid was pretty to the point and this time he didn't mince his words. "Well Kusa ... I have an errand for you. " truthfully he didn't but the human had yet to prove himself to him and he didn't know who'd hired him so he considered this a test.

Itaru handed an intricately decorated and ornate hand mirror. "Deliver that gift to the newest acting god, or don't bother coming back. " he purposefully didn't mention that the newest acting god was in fact a goddess and that her shrine was more than two days away by foot - a good twelve hours for even Itaru.

He watched the boy scurry off, and being all but assured he'd not be seeing him again, he went off to preen and wait for his own goddess to return.

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 640+ words

x

He reached his hands up towards the sky, fingers grasping until he heard the satisfying crunch as each vertebrae realigned. Yawning, he rubbed under his eyes as he curled and uncurled his toes before finally deciding that yes, he really did need to get up. He didn't have a job scheduled for today but he would surely be reprimanded if he slept in.

He didn't even bother looking at the clock because he knew it was a reasonable hour, despite how unreasonable it felt to him; Ameshi wasn't really a morning person never had been. The last time he'd seen a sunrise he'd seen it because he'd stayed up stargazing the the moon had given way to the unrelenting rays of the sun. Moving about his abode, he headed to the kitchen, still and dark - he could see the dust particles floating in the air thanks to the sunlight filtering through the closed blinds. Steeling himself, he pulled back the blinds and squinted as the sunlight came spilling into the room. He stood at the window, it really was quite beautiful today, it would be a shame to let the day go to waste.


-------------------------------------------------------------


A slow reverberating clink echoed on the wind as Ameshi let his spoon come to rest inside his now empty cereal bowl. He traced his finger around the rim of his glass of milk before downing the rest of it in a single gulp. Rather than using the napkin at his side, he wiped the excess liquid away from his lips with the back of his hand before smacking his lips after he'd made sure to lick away all traces of the milk.

The day was still full of possibilities but Ameshi wanted nothing more than to sit outside and enjoy the warmth of the day, perhaps he should visit Nagisa? A picnic sounded lovely and he knew that the little one would be up for just about anything plus her bubbly attitude always seemed to put him in an ever better mood. Or maybe, ah - ah that was it! Ameshi couldn't help but smile as he clapped his hands together, as though he were congratulating himself for having such a good idea. "Everyone loves theme parks!" he exclaimed as he gathered up his dishes and tossed them into the sink as he darted back inside, not bothering to close the door.


------------------------------------------------------------


Ameshi hadn't really thought his brilliant plan through. He had forgotten that most of the others had school or work, and so he was left, waiting. He felt so stupid, of course the kids had school. Sighing he continued to walk across that was until a certain feline caught his eye. "Ah! " he gasped happily as he made great haste and in no time was standing in front of Michiko. Smile illuminating as he looked at her expectantly, almost more like a baby owl with all the fidgeting and craning of the neck he was doing. "Ne, Mi-chi wanna go out?" he asked, not really specifying that he meant he wanted to go to the theme park. While waiting for her answer, he sat down but continued to fidget a bit as he rocked from side to side while he continued to watch her, expectant and impatient all at once. He'd already moved on in his train of thought, if she said no he'd ask Keiichi-san, and honestly as he continued to think on it, he'd probably invite him regardless, God knew the guy could use a day of fun - something a little more upbeat, less bleak and dreary than being stuck within these damnable walls.

Leaning forward Ameshi took the strawberries out of Michiko's fruit pile. "I thought you were allergic" he commented as he began to nibble at one, it's juices dribbling down his chin as he continued on, popping another one into his mouth.

tab tab | location ; estate garden ( koi pond ) tab | company ; Michiko tab | outfit ; [ casual ]

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Replying Post - 740+ words

x

Ameshi went quiet, he heard a light rustling in the bushes, ... no ... the wind didn't tend to giggle. He shifted slightly, ready to intercept. It's all in the timing, or so he found, and so he waited. As if on cue, a voice, small so that it matched it's owner called out. Why she'd announce her attack before she'd made contact he'd never know. " I wouldn't call it sneak anything Isa-chii. Calling out sort of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? " He just shook his head, why was he explaining this? ... it wasn't like she was going to take any of this to heart, it was in her nature.

Starting down at the little ball of energy that was now squarely between both himself and Michiko he was tempted to nudge her a little closer and let her go for a dip in the pond. But no, that would be mean; if not decidedly funny. But he liked Nagisa, so he wouldn't dare to do that to her, not unless he was ready to face the wrath of her other protectors; besides that, he'd end up regretting it himself. She really was a bright ray of sunshine and he appreciated having someone like that around to brighten his days. She wasn't a blight on his day or life like the elders or the God.

"So scared. " he mouthed wordlessly in response to her query, of course not true but oh well. As she continued to babble on he impulsively chewed his lip a little when she called him a kitty, again. His forehead wrinkled if just ever so slightly in annoyance before took a cleansing breath, ... it wasn't that big a deal; he told himself in a mantra for a moment or so.

He looked from Michiko and then back to Nagisa, an idea had formed since the younger had appeared, a marvelous idea if he did say so himself. " Isa-chii, do you wanna go out with me? It would seem I can't convince Mi-chi to go with me, so perhaps you could?" truth was Michiko had never given him a response, he probably hadn't given her enough time but he was restless. He needed out today, it was too nice a day to pass up. Besides, playing hooky today wouldn't really hurt Nagisa and if she were to get in trouble, he'd of course take up for her and take all the blame.

" What do you say Isa-chii wanna go with me to the theme park today? Surely that's better than school, right? ... I'll buy you cotton candy. " it was cheating a little bit but he knew he could sweeten the deal with candy and snacks. All thoughts of consequences had fled Ameshi's mind, in this state he was much like a child himself, he didn't stop to think. He stood and held his hand out for Nagisa to take. If she took it, she accepted, if not ... well of course he'd be disappointed but he'd find trouble on his own - it wasn't like it was hard to find. He was briefly reminded of Keiichi, after all it would take more than one person to be able to corral Nagisa but he surely wouldn't approve of her skipping school or worse he'd inform Nori, ... ugh! Rethinking his previous pros, he decided the dragon was a liability and it wouldn't be near as much fun as it could ... would be with just himself and his little lamb. 'Sorry Keiichi-san' he thought.

Shuffling his feet a bit, he looked up at the sky, shielding his eyes against the sun with the back of his arm. They were burning precious daylight it was just barely Spring so the days weren't yet long and leisurely. "Let's go. " he didn't address either Michiko or Nagisa, ... it was an open invitation. With that he turned, the best way out of the compound was a good distance away hidden away behind the tendrils of the willows that dipped into the family Hot Springs. It required quick footwork but he was confident Nagisa had that and besides ... it wasn't a secret. It was a known out but he'd figured out the schedule and it should be free of guards sometime within the next twenty minutes.

Hence time was a bit of a factor, they wouldn't have to rush but he couldn't dally. In the moment he halfway wished he was sick or overwhelmed then he could transform, ... as a tiger he was much, much faster.

tab tab | location ; estate garden ( koi pond ) tab | company ; Michiko & Nagisa tab | outfit ; [ casual ]

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 800+ words

[ original post found here ]

______________________
______________________

The stars were already beginning to dot the sky as Rhiannon approached the manor she currently called home. She'd spent the better part of the day in the village listening to the stories the villagers told her, enjoying them immensely although she'd heard many of them twofold or more in the small amount of time she'd been here. It was one story in particular that was the reason she hadn't just stayed at an inn in the village for the night. The same story the locals seemed to love best, one that seemed to detail a rather fanciful but horrifying abduction, something to do with some sort of creature. What was it again? It was such a popular story Rhiannon had started to tune it out whenever someone set about telling it again.

Trudging onward she moved on, her legs working a bit harder as she climbed the hill that led to the manor. The gentle whir of crickets and the loud chorus of frogs were at their crescendo, happily singing in the woods that outlined the manicured lawn that spread out before her. Soon enough, the hill leveled out and the outline of light could be made from the inside of the house. Stopping momentarily Rhiannon considered if she was ready to retire for the evening or not. It wasn't yet an unreasonable hour. She would be able to delay her arrival by an hour, no more.

Peeling off from the path before her, she walked the perimeter of the estate, sticking close to the woods as she went, watching where she stepped with the help of the moonlight.

Soon enough she came to stand at the precipice, now mere feet away from the lake below. She walked closer before coming to sit, her feet dangling over the edge. Laying back, she stared up at the sky, the moon halved but still as bright as ever. Closing her eyes, she listened as not even the nightly chorus of animals seemed to carry as far as the cliff. Not even the shallow sounds of the waves reached her as her mind emptied and she allowed herself to relax. It was interesting how she seemed more at ease, and since coming to live at Hallow Hill Manor she'd realized she'd begun to heal and open back up. She wasn't sure what it was about this place but it had a sort of tranquility that eased her.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Squeezing her eyes shut more tightly she stirred and groaned a bit before she wearily opened her eyes. It took her a good measure of time before she remembered where she was and wait how long had she been asleep? She'd only closed her eyes for a second and yet the position of the moon had changed in the sky. She stood, running a hand through her hair in hopes of getting any grass that may have settled before she turned back towards home, moving at a good sprint hoping it wasn't too late.

She stopped short of the door, thinking that perhaps she shouldn't return home empty-handed. She needed some excuse in case whatever hour it was considered 'late' by her uncle. Scanning the area she soon came upon a small bramble that was growing no more than a stone's throw away. She headed over and inspected the plant, it looked to be a blackberry bush and it was rife with the fruit. Pleased with her discovery, Rhiannon greedily plucked every last berry and held them within the folds of her skirts as she made her way back to the front door and managed to open the door but not without losing a handful of berries which fell to the floor.

Rather than kneel down and pick them up, she went to the kitchen first, depositing the other berries on the counter before she returned to the main foyer to pick up the remaining berries and close the door.

Despite knowing it was probably highly unsanitary she discreetly popped two of the berries in her mouth and began to chew. The juices from the fruit gushed outward, pooling over her tongue and cause her to pucker slightly at the sweetly sour taste for a moment. Instinctively licking her lips, she found herself eating the rest of the fruit she'd gathered up that she'd dropped. Surely these were in prime season as they were quite delicious.

Wiping the outline of her lower lip with her index finger she looked as the finger came back stained an oxblood red. She glanced down at her skirts and noticed they were stained too. Shrugging she figured she'd best find either her uncle or her brother, inform them she was home and turn in for the evening.

After all, it was quite odd that no one seemed to greet her at the door. Perhaps they were busy with other work? Still though, ... she hadn't even run into Lucy as of yet. Peculiar. But she merely shrugged it off again as she headed to her room to change for the evening.

[Demoness_Alethiras]

Opening Post - 600+ words

[ original post found here ]

goldhflvy gs (☆) WASHI BŌAGE !!
bloop

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇:╳ ♛ x◢ ▇▇
cindo
__________「 tab VICE tab I CAPTAINxxxx」 tab ▭ ▭ ▭

Breathing heavily Kagari stretched his fingers upwards an instant before they touched the ball. He was all but sure the play was dead, that was until he felt pressure pushing back against the tips of his fingers. Wide-eyed he looked at the team captain. No way!? Where had he come from? Gritting his teeth, Kagari pushed back jousting with the team captain. In his peripheral vision he saw his ace staring slack-jawed. 'Thanks for the help.' he thought sarcastically as he turned his attention back just in time to see the ball drop.

"I thought the whole idea of keeping your eye on the ball was fundamental. Guess I gave you newbies too much credit." Kagari balked a bit at the comment but he didn't let it show on his face. However, if anyone were observant enough, they'd realize he systematically curling his toes; his none to subtle tell that he was more than a little miffed by the comment.

Rotating positions, he was silently thankful to be in the back court, if just for the time being. He glanced at the score, his team was down 20 to 24, they'd already defending their last rallies - by some miracle but now here it was match point again. Maybe it wasn't so great that he was in the back court. Dammit! This was their last set too, if they lost here they'd be responsible for buying the winning teams lunch this entire week. No - No - Kagari wasn't about to lose, not here, not now!

Thankfully Yamato was serving, however right when Kagari was sure they might rally back ... he heard the whistle and he knew before it was said the mistake their setter had made. The other team had returned and rather than letting the ace return the volley another middle blocker had accidentally touched the ball not once ... but twice. A rookie mistake. Kagari hung his head in defeat as he watched the score change - 20 to 25. Game, Set & Match.

"Beef curry & melon bread, bring it to the roof during lunch, alright champ?" Kagari just nodded as both team came together, whole again. Some took the bet in good nature, asking what the other wanted. In the meantime Kagari took the opportunity to hydrate. He downed almost the entirety of what was left in his water bottle before he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He turned and looked up at Yamato. "Hey man, no sore feelings right - I mean this is just practice. And the captain is just trying to toughen you guys up a little." Yamato tried to ruffle Kagari's hair but he slapped his hand away before he could. He was mad at himself more than those on his team. There were other things on his mind. Chief among them being the persistent question of why he'd been chosen as vice-captain.

Sure he'd done well enough in middle school and jr. high but he wasn't nearly as good as some of his upperclassman. More than that, he could tell nearly all of them resented him for the position he held, the only exception seemed to be Yamato.

Sighing Kagari playfully and lightly punched Yamato in his stomach. " I know that, I just really wanted to win is all. " Before Yamato could retort Kagari tossed his now empty water bottle into his bag and zipped it up. The clock read 8:05 - they'd gone five minutes over and everyone else had realized as he saw everyone quickly gathering their stuff. "See you later." he called as he was already dashing out the door.

It took him five minutes to change into his uniform, he was still lightly dampened with sweat but as far as he could tell he didn't stink. The outside air was cool comparatively as he crossed the courtyard towards the main building. Once inside he meshed with his fellow students as he was pushed this way and that as he fought against the flow to get to the stairs so he could get to his classroom.

▉°LOCATION xxxxmain building ▉°COMPANY xxxxYamato - no one ▉°THOUGHTS tab We were doing so well why'd we have to lose!?