When Edith returned to work a few days after her “incident” in the woods with Kole she was visibly sullen. Whatever chipperness Kenna had instilled in her was washed out with yesterday’s laundry. Away from her new friend Edith couldn’t stop reliving the terrible event over and over in her mind. She couldn’t sleep. Normally she had a bed of her own in her Warehouse home’s loft, near the large windows that overlooked the city, but now she had taken to sneaking in beside America as he slept. She needed the comfort of her big brother more than ever to chase away her nightmares.
Every little bump in the night made her jump. She wouldn’t go outside by herself in the dark, and hadn’t been anywhere near the woods in days.
Pushing open the door, Edith barely noted when the bell above the door chimed her arrival. A figure behind the desk lowered a newspaper onto the counter to ask her a question, but she didn’t hear it until it was repeated in a louder, more concerned tone.
“Hey Edi, you feeling alright?”
Edith jumped when two hands landed on her shoulders and when she looked up Riff's orchid eyes stared into hers. Her boss wasn't normally one for asking personal questions. He gave her deliveries and asked very little of her. In fact, she was lucky. For a kid she was paid as much as a full time employee for just a few hours of work in a day, but she never really told her brother how much she got. Mr. Riff was nice, and told her not to so they wouldn't get in trouble with the big guys.
He picked her up and sat her on the edge of the mahogany counter. The young adult only stepped away for a moment, and that was only to flip the "open" sign to "closed" on the door. "Alright, spill."
So she did. She texted her feelings out to him and told him everything that had happened with her and Kole. About how Kenna had picked her up after everything went down. By the time it was over she was sitting cross legged ontop of the counter with Riff sitting on the stood behind it, feet crossed and stretched out beside her on the wood. In his fingers he twirled a pen that his extra mouths constantly tried to snap up.
He clicked his tongue. Riff made a grinding sound with his fangs, dropped his legs and leaned forward on to the counter. "Edi, you're a good kid, so I'm going to be honest with you." Riff leaned over onto his elbow. "Ditch him. Drop this Kole kid like a hot rock. Things are only going to get worse for him, and you too if you stay involved."
That was not what Edith wanted to hear at all! She puffed her cheeks and texted out "why?" oh her phone before holding it out for Riff to see.
Riff sighed and rolled his eyes. He should have known the stubborn brat wouldn't just take his advice. "Because if Kole was Pumpkaboo before that means he's a Gourgeist now. And Gourgeist don't have horns or a tail." He waited a moment to let that information sink in before digging in his desk drawer for a phone number. "I'm going to make some calls, but if my hunch is right then your friend took something that he shouldn't have."
What did he mean? Like a potion? She didn't know if Kole was into that sort of thing or not and that worried her. Maybe he had thought it was something else when he bought it? Edith bit her lower lip and lowered her head. Oh Kole...
Riff reached out to put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Why don't you sweep up in here? You can go home after that. I'm going to be leaving the shop anyway." He wouldn't baby her, she wouldn't take it anyway, but Riff did have work to do. Work she didn't need to know about.
Feeling defeated, Edith hopped down from the counter in search of the broom. Her mind whirled. Just what kind of potion had Kole taken?
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 7:06 pm
Child Stage - Reaction to Changes!
There had been a time in her life that Edith remembered being a Starly. She reminisced on that time in her life as she sat on top of the warehouse roof, legs curled beneath her as she watched the setting sun.
Her parents hadn’t been average. She never knew the actual pair that created her, as she had grown up in a flock. All of the hatchlings were taken care of as one by the Staravia adults. There had been only one mated pair; two Staraptors that watched over their winged domain. It had been a blissful life, fully of love and teachings. She learned to fly with them. Edith remembered soaring for the first time. Though, it hadn’t really been “soaring” so much as a quick float before falling to the ground.
Then came Rei.
Rei had been her first trainer. He was young; a spirited lad fresh out of the center with his trusty Totodile. She had bravely faced the challenge her presented and lost. At first it was hard knowing that she wouldn’t be returning, but it wasn’t the last time she would see her flock. They followed for a long while after that, seemingly stalking Rei to make sure he took care of her, and the Staraptors gave him their approval. She remembered being enveloped in large wings before seeing them fly away.
But Rei didn’t want a Starly. He wanted a trained Staraptor that could take down opponents with one precise move from dangerous heights. Edith didn’t match up. She tried and tried to learn moves under his rigorous pace, but while his Totodile evolved she did not.
So when a friend presented him with a trade he accepted. She escaped that one as soon as he let her out of the ball, but every time she tried to make it back home she was captured again and again and again. They weren’t all bad; some thought she had been abandoned and wanted to coddle her. But each story was the same. She was common. No good. She wasn’t rare, fast or special. And now she was alone.
A lonely Starly without a flock is easy pickings for nefarious Poke’mon. She would have fell to harm had it not been for America. He found her and took her in as his sister. She owed more than just her life to the Rufflet. Out of the twelve trainers she had had, the only one she let tame her was him.
Of course as she spend time around him she blossomed. Now that she felt free Edith became an opinionated little dare devil who constantly pushed herself to become stronger. It remained a sore spot with her that he could do things better than her, so she would always snap. They were equals!....Right?
Her transformation was filled with part glee and disappointment. She hadn’t been horrified to learn of her changes. At first she had thought she had evolved into a different Poke’mon, which meant that she was rare and had learned a special skill after all. Edith was floating on air for so long until she found out the same thing had happened to America and the light died. If he had done it then she wasn’t special. She was still a lame Starly that couldn’t stand being weak.
And to make matters worse America could talk. Any time she tried to speak she couldn’t and no matter what she did she couldn’t communicate with him like she did as a Poke’mon. So Edith adapted. She followed the humans she hated to learn how to read. She even got a job as a delivery girl with an older Poke’kid named Riff to pay for things that humans needed. And she flew everywhere. Her body was bigger, but so were her wings. For three months she didn’t let her feet touch the ground. The fire inside of her hadn’t died, but rather had been shoved into over drive, determined to make the best out of this life that had been given to her. And now that she saw on the roof, thinking about how her life had changed all she could do was smile. Things were bad, but “bad” wasn’t “bad”. She had a brother who loved her, friends that supported her, and whatever Kole was now.
Breathing heavily America found himself resting against every other tree on the way back home. The wounds from the fight still stung and he could feel the blood pooling up on certain places on his arms. I don't want to freak Edith out... Still his feet moved on the familiar path since it was too late to turn back. Where could he go? Passing out in the forest didn't seem like the best option just in case the stranger came back, but there wasn't anything open in town for him now.
Maybe he could just sneak in and grab some bandages before hiding in the corner somewhere. Or if he was lucky Edith would already be asleep and he could just take care of himself there. Clenching his teeth against the pain the rufflet pulled himself forward towards the familiar doors of the warehouse. Usually he would fly up into the warehouse through another opening, but for the rare time that it was the boy actually had to use a lower way inside.
At least these made it back safely. Untucking the pack from his shoudler America placed his mesenger bag on the ground. All that fighting...just because of some baked goods in his bag. Smirking at the ironies of it America found his head spinning once more as his beaten body connected with the floor.
There was a time in the evening where Riff had come back to the shop expecting to find a booming store, but had found Edith sleeping at the counter instead. When he woke her, she had left to finish a final delivery despite his insistence that she get rest. Edith had to keep up a normal routine; without it, she might cave in to the bad thoughts in her head.Kenna had been so nice to her after...the thing and between the litleo and Kyllian's stead fast friendship she was able to keep going. There were times where she wondered though...Was he okay? Was he eating good meals? Was he warm? ....Had he hurt anyone else?Edith shook her head. It was one of the reasons she couldn't talk about those things with her brother. He would only fuss over her, and try to fix it, but she wasn't sure anyone could fix Kole. Sighing, Edith flew in through a hole in the warehouse ceiling to seek out her little nest in the rafters when an odd sound captured her attention. It sounds like something is dying. When she looked around, and found it was the doors opening she had to wonder if it was rust, but more importantly...who was opening the door? Oh, her brother! Edith perked up. She left her things in her nest, shimmied out of her coat, and flew down to meet him. Even while she was gliding she felt something was off; and would have screamed if she were able when he fell down. The young child hit the ground running and dropped to his side, frantic hands reaching out to shake him while she took in America's body. Was that blood?! Edith shook and looked around. The only bandages she had were in her nest, so without a second thought she took off, flying as fast as possible and nearly toppling into a steel beam in the process. Bandages...bandages...got it! She even found a little tube of antibiotic stuff, which she brought back down with her. But what should she do now? She wasn't a nurse...
Damn the lights really wouldn't stop moving. Breathless America had just found himself laying on the cold ground powerless to move. But then when he thought he was finally going to give up and just rest in the dark movement happened. Ouch! It really hurt! Tears stinging his eyes the rufflet blinked several times as he slowly came back to consciousness, "E-edith." He winced as he tried moving his arms. He managed to move them across his chest before falling back down again.
"So-sorry." America offered a small smile, "I think I might need you to wrap me up." He looked around and sighed, "A-arms....can...you just wrap them up?" All those cuts from the claws had really gotten him. The pressure on his ribs from those flurry of punches burned as well. Were they bruised? Probably.
America gritted his teeth. Just because his arms were a bloody, stinging mess didn't mean he was out for the count. He just couldn't move them...but sleeping would fix that right? The rufflet hoped so, "I can't...move my arms well. So you'll have to do it for me." He flushed lightly, "Just wrap them up a bit...I should stop bleedin' then."
Edith couldn't stop shaking. Her wide eyes took in the sorry state of her brother, and she felt her eyes begin to burn, but she clamped down on them. Or as much as she could. They still came, though she did manage not to start sniffling. What she needed was a better place to put him. Dirt in wounds was bad, right? Edith looked around, held up a finger for him to wait (where would he go?), and went around a corner. When she came back she had a bucket of rainwater, a cloth, a pillow and a flat piece of cardboard. Edith spread the cardboard on the ground, and exhaled sharply. This next part was going to be...tricky. She tried to move it as close to America as possible, but still, she had to reach her arms under his torso to hoist him onto it. Edith didn't want to hurt him, really she didn't, but she had a feeling no matter what she did right now he would only feel pain. When she had him up onto it she propped his head with a pillow and sat back to collect herself.
Gritting his teeth America tried his best to endure through the pain of movement. He knew Edith was trying her best and all the rufflet wanted to do was reach out and hug her. I'm so sorry Edith. He was just so afraid...that if he hadn't come back here then he may have never seen his sister again. Drastic as it was the boy felt like it was true. He just hoped that somewhere out there that stranger was suffering double. He smiled. At least I protected our home.
His head was still spinning and he felt super dizzy, but the boy was stubborn. There was no way he would be passing out on her again. Not when she was already so upset by his state, "He-hey. It'll...be okay." He managed to raise up a hand to touch hers, "I just need some rest and care, okay?" Despite his violet eyes burning with pain the rufflet's words were sincere.
He was home and safe.
Edith wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and could hide a sniffle. She smiled through it though, trying her best to put up a good front for her brother in a haphazard natural light filtering through the cracked windows. The young girl leaned forward, smoothed the hair back from his face, and placed a kiss on his forehead. Her stupid, idiotic, stubborn, brave brother...She squeezed his hand and set to her work. Slowly, Edith dipped the cloth into the water pale and when it was soaked she wrung it out. Then, after a good minute of hesitation, she put it to the wounds on his arms. She meant to be gentle, but as she had no experience, her attempts were too light in some areas and too rough in others.
As she fumbled about America kept his jaw clenched. Occasionally a hiss of pain would leave his lips, but he'd just try to smile it right away. She really was trying her hardest after all. Wincing the boy finally spoke, "Alright, I think I'm cleaned up." He was finding his voice again which was good. Being out of the cold forest and in their home was doing him well. Plus the fact that his body was starting to get rest instead of running through the woods was a bonus. He still could barely move due to the intense pain, but at least he could think a bit.
"Just wrap my arms...." He hesitated at the suggestion, "Firmly, but not too tight." The rufflet grinned towards his sister, "Thanks." Frustration was building up in him at the thought of being stuck here for a few days. How was Edith supposed to get along by herself? America grimaced as he moved his bad leg a bit. Stupid b*****d ruining my night. Wincing the rufflet just laid his head back against and closed his eyes. His head was still spinning after all and he was afraid to push his luck.
Grimacing, Edith sat the cloth aside and fumbled around in the lackluster light for the antibiotic cream. When she found it, she applied the stuff with a little more care, as she'd actually had practice with this on herself from time to time. Every time she thought she had a handle on herself Edith's senses would catch onto a whiff of copper and she remembered the blood. I hope whoever, or whatever, did this to him got the worse end of it. Normally Edith wouldn't wish that on anyone, but this was her brother!When his wounds were good and treated she started the wrapping process. It was a lackluster affair, with a lot of double layering, but in the end they were stable. Not too tight, and not too loose. Maybe Riff would give her some time off to look after him. She sincerely hoped so; or maybe her boss could even come over? America might not like it, but Riff didn't do much during the day, so maybe...?
When he felt Edith finish bandaging his arms America sighed, "Thanks, Edith." Slowly he opened his eyes and peered at his sister. He could only imagine half the thoughts going through her head, but one he coudl guess on. "I'll be fine. Just come home when you want and kick me to make sure I'm still alive." Chuckling he ended up coughing a bit and the pain from his ribs made him hiss. Dammit!
Still though the rufflet frowned, "I was supposed to treat you tonight, not scare you." His gaze burned with the frustration. It took a moment for him to gather his breath and speak again as the pain of each word cut through his ribs, "But....my bag. For you." His gaze went from his sister to the corner where had managed to throw his bag before falling earlier.
Edith snorted, and shook her head. As if! She wasn't going to leave him here alone, and that she would put her foot down on. Someone had to be there to help him out.Frowning, Edith reached for America's shirt and didn't hesitate to pull it up. The bruises she saw made her gasp. Where else was he hurt?! Was anything on the inside busted? Maybe she should get Riff and take him to the hospital. Or Poke'center? Edith stood up and walked over to retrieve his bag. She didn't open it; rather, she brought it back to him to await further instruction.
"He-hey!" America flushed, "Edith!" Dammit. As she gasped at his bruises the rufflet sighed. Welp. So much for trying to hide that one. The arms he knew he couldn't hide, but at least his bruises he had been hoping to. The less Edith knew or saw the better. The last thing he wanted was for her to fuss over him.
"Alright. We've done all we can tonight." America sighed, "So how about just relaxing for now and letting me rest?" They could fight over it in the morning about what she could do for him. Hopefully by then he could walk again...the pain in his ankle made him doubt it would be graceful, but as long as he could hobble around a bit...it was better than nothing.
"But hey. Open it." He nodded towards his bag with a wince, "It's for you." Inside she would find all the bakery treats he had made off with today. Cookies, cake, even the loaf of bread should be in there. He was glad he picked up the bread at least....that plus the bag of apples he had gotten should be good food for while he was out. It wans't much, but it was better than nothing.
He could hope she would drop it all he wanted to, but America was in for it. Edith was stubborn when it came to her loved ones. She wasn't going to give up on him, even if she had to hover just to treat him! It caused her feathers to ruffle, giving her little frame a slightly fluffier appearance. She opened the bag, and instantly smiled. Even through all of that, he had still...Edith started crying again, but this round held more joy than the last. She picked up a cookie and took a big bite just to show him how much she thought of his work. It was the most delicious thing she'd ever had; and Edith wasn't sure it was because of the situation, or if it really did taste good. Pinching off a piece, Edith held it to her brothers lips. Might as well have something sweet with all the sourness of today.
Her reaction was worth it. Despite her protests of his stubborn refusal of help seeing his sister's smile lifted a load from his chest, "Don't eat too much you'll get si-" Immediately he opened his mouth to have a piece. Despite the pain of chewing it really was delicious. The rufflet smiled, "I'm glad."
He really was exhausted though. Yawning slightly America winced and laid back, "Now if you don't mind, nurse. I'm going to rest." It was easy enough to close his eyes and pass out knowing that Edith was right there. She was there and the stranger was gone...and the night was quiet again.
Surely now there would be peace for a while.
America could only hope.
Edith sat the bag to the side. She finished up the cookie as she got back up to close the warehouse door. It was so odd using it, but at least with it shut they had some protection. When she turned back and saw America lying there Edith knew what she wanted to do. She crawled down onto the cardboard beside him, and put her head close to his. Her wings pulled up over them, shielding as best they could despite their size. Somewhere out there was a vicious beast that would hurt the innocent, like her brother, but for now he was safe.Before she drifted off, another thought came to her;I hope Kole is safe too.
Painted Moose
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Painted Moose
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Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:45 pm
Child Stage - Entry Three!
There was a rush to Edith as she flew across the skies. She moved towards Kyllian's house as fast as she dared, which was enough to make her coat virtually worthless. The speed as which she moved made it impossible for the cold to take her, or perhaps she was just too numb to care.
What she saw sent up alarms. Outside of the modest home was a moving truck, and humans in strange uniforms carrying out Kyllian's furniture. She hovered for a long while, just watching them, before seeing Kyllian upstairs. She glided down and landed on the porch roof just next to the window. Edith rapped on the glass with a gloved hand.
Kyllian opened the window, and ushered Edith inside. What she saw was no better than what she was looking at outside. His bed was broken down, with the mattress propped on a wall and the bed rails gone. Carpets were being scrubbed a few rooms down by more humans in strange uniforms. They didn't look like movers to her, but she couldn't put her finger on why they unnerved her...
"It's something, isn't it? How big this place is once ya move out all'a my junk." Kyllian laughed, but even to him it was fake. Something had broken in him; something that Edith hadn't noticed until then. Maybe that was why they had bonded so much in the weeks following Kole's "departure". It had been the final straw for Edith, but she suspected it was only another set back for him. Every time Kyllian moved foreward the sins of his past took a bigger chunk from him until he stood as tall and proud as a tower with no support.
Edith reached out to put a hand on his arm, and went in easy when he turned it into a hug. Kyllian squeezed her tight. In moments like this he could remember what it was like to have dreams. His goals had always been to create a safe place for both him and his friends to stay. Only one had allowed him to support them, and even now Kyllian had been abandoned. His soul ached for a purpose; a reason to keep moving every day. He had poured himself into his work, and what had that shown? A pile of...of junk. Useless creations that could no more bring him the comfort he needed than they could bring back his friends. Chloe had gone off to pursue her own goals, and Kole was grown. Into what, he didn't know, but grown never the less.
They didn't need him.
He had failed.
Edith tried to pull herself away, but Kyllian held strong. It wasn't until a few men came in to take the mattress that he let her go. She removed her phone from her pocket and texted out, "What's happening?" before showing it to him.
"Isn't it obvious?" He snickered, and reached up to ruffle her hair. "I'm movin' back...home. Got some things I left behind and I need to fix 'em. Being a good boys hard." Kyllian walked out into the hall and moved down to the other bedrooms. She noticed that the one with the pink doorknob had been opened, and all of it's contents removed. What she hadn't realized was the work he had put into it. All of the walls were a soft pink except for one; it's was lilac with darker purple trees branching up the sides. The limbs spelled out 'Chloe' in the center where they joined. Edith stopped to look at the empty room. There were nails in the walls, and indention's on the carpet. At one point this room had had furniture, and pictures; now it was just an empty promise.
She raced to catch up with the Tyrunt. He had moved on to the other bedroom; the one she knew had belonged to Kole. His room had been emptied as well, with the exception of a little wrapped box that sat near the window. Kyllian crossed the room to get it. "I don't know when ye'r gonna see ...if you'll ever want ta see 'im, but ye'r into deliveries, yeah? Maybe you can sneak this to 'im sometime." He held the present out for Edith to take. Kyllian was trying to smile, but there were so many more emotions threatening to burst out that Edith didn't know which to trust. "Doubt I'll be seein' 'im again."
His hands were shaking just enough to let her know that whatever was happening had him frightened. She had only seem him rattled twice in their friendship; the first when he had been on the ferris wheel and again after she found him holed up in the house after Kole left. Edith put the present under her arm and texted out again, "What's going on? What aren't you telling me? Where are you going?"
"Kyllian, we're all good here." A burly human stuck his head in through the doorway, and his eyes traveled to Edith. At the sight of her wings and strange appearance his eyes glinted. The sight disturbed Edith. "Whose your friend? Is she coming too?"
"No, she was just leaving." Kyllian stated sternly. The man held up his hands and walked away, leaving Kyllian to bristle alone. "Look, Edith, whatever happens do not come after me. No matter who asks you didn't see me, got it?" The way he said it said what she saw on his face; he didn't expect anyone to ask after him. It broke her heart.
"I can't keep that promise." She typed. "I want to know you'll be safe."
"I will," He nodded and for once he was deceptive enough to convince her. She had seen the bandages on his arms, the bruises under his eyes...wherever he was going had to be better than getting in so many street fights here. He told her about them every time she asked about the bandages, but she had never seen any cuts or broken ribs. "No one is goin' ta hurt me. If I'm lucky, this won't be the last time I get ta see you."
Kyllian reached out to hug her once more before ushering her to the window. "You should leave; now. I'm gettin' ready ta go myself and I don't want'cha to wait around be yer'self."
Edith nodded gravely. As she stepped out of Kole's window, which faced the woods, she could still see the strange humans milling about the yard. Now she noticed that they were murmuring, and glancing at her every few seconds. It unnerved her. She didn't want to leave Kyllian alone with them, but what choice did she have? Looking back at her friend, she clutched the present to her chest and took off.
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 4:46 pm
Teen Stage - Reaction to Changes!
She had seen it sitting on the shelf long before building up the courage to take it. Riff had promised to research the potion that Kole had taken, and he had found out it was a Demon’s Blood Potion. A rare one, to be sure, but he had accomplished little more than that. She had been advised to leave it be. To forget.
Edith couldn’t let it go. She stuffed the potion into her bag, and snuck out of Riff’s shop using the back door. It was a simple thing to do; he trusted her far too much. The potion was to be given to a customer, but she…She needed it more than anyone else ever would!
She took to the skies, flying for only a short distance, before landing safely on top of a nearby shop building. Up this far she wouldn’t be noticed…Edith reached for her bag and pulled out the potion. The contents were a thick, heady red that moved like sludge within the glass container. It made her sick to look at.
America would yell. Riff would scold. Kyllian would break it. But no one was here now to stop her.
Edith stuck out her tongue and wriggled the cork out of the bottle. It wasn’t a typical container; something old, almost ancient, with some strange writing she couldn’t read on the side. This was definitely a Demon’s Blood potion. It had to be! What else could look so wrong? She swirled the contents around a few times and looked up to the full moon. Would it be worth it? As it was, Edith couldn’t do much more than cry when things got bad. She couldn’t look to her friends and her brother to fix everything. Kyllian didn’t need her. America was strong, but he had been hurt. If she was stronger she could have stopped it. And Kole…everyone, including herself, had written him off. Edith felt a flutter in her chest when she looked at the potion once more. With this she wouldn’t be able to save him; she knew that. But at least she would be able to understand him. He was special to her, and she wasn’t willing to let him go like that. He attacked me. Reminding herself didn’t make matters any better, but it was the facts.
Kole was different. He had attacked her, and would likely do it again. So, she had to be strong enough to fight back and get through to him. Somewhere inside of him was the same Kole she had become so close to. Edith just needed to drag him out.
Steeling her resolve, Edith tossed back the potion, and gagged as soon as its contents hit her throat. At first it was just a nasty taste like bad meat. Slowly, as it worked its way into her she felt burning. A burning cramp that centered in her gut that spread its way across her with growing intensity. Edith stumbled back, dropping the glass container onto the roof, and tripped over her own feet. She tried to scream, but the air was silent around her. Her hands found her throat, and she clawed at it, almost as if she could push the potion back out of her. Only when she brought blood did she feel release. The act of digging, tearing calmed the nerves long enough for the pain of dying to be momentarily forgotten.
When it returned Edith had lost enough blood from her wounds that she didn’t mind it. Her vision swam, and the last that she saw was the mocking moon that foretold a future mired in blood.
“God damn it!” Edith felt hands on her. Pushing, shoving, pulling – it was all too much. She groaned and tried to roll away from them, but felt those same hands pulling her back. Her mouth was coaxed open so that a cool liquid could enter. At first she choked. It was so unexpected that she didn’t know how to handle it, but Edith found herself drinking vigorously shortly after. She hadn’t had any idea how dehydrated she was until that moment.
The cramping that had kept her paralyzed for so long slowly ebbed away until she felt good enough to pull away from the liquid. She sighed, and reached a hand up to rub her eyes as the hands helped her to sit up.
When she opened her eyes Edith found that she was stretched on the couch in Riff’s break room, and naked save for the man’s coat over her body. She pulled it to her in a flurry, cheeks burning red. But this…this wasn’t her body, was it? She ran a hand along her bare calf. Shapely, slender, petite enough to still be small, but a woman’s body. And longer hair, she noticed with an irritated huff. The matted strands fell around her ears. She would have to see about shaving it again.
“Feeling better, princess?”
Edith turned to see Riff entering with two mugs in his hands. Only one had steam coming from the top, but she thought nothing of it. Riff preferred cold coffee. So when he handed her the cold cup she raised her brows. Keeping her arms close to her body, Edith took the cup in both hands and looked at the contents. She had expected cold coffee. What she saw was enough to make her ‘scream’ and dump the cups contents on her lap.
Riff’s tan duster quickly darkened as the blood spread. He groaned. “Really? I just bought that one.” He sat back casually on an old stood, sipping his own drink as if this were all a minor inconvenience. “Look, if you do that every time, then you’re going to starve to death, kid.”
Edith kept one hand over her chest, clutching the now stained coat tight, and waved the other in the air. Every time?! Her wings flared behind her and knocked over a coat rack which was enough to spook her into standing. The mug hit the tiled floor with a loud shatter, and Edith jumped away from the shattered glass.
“Stop! Just. Stop.” Riff sat his mug down, and stood up. He held his hands out for peace. “Edith, I’m going to need you to just chill for a minute, okay? Breath.” As if to show her, he motioned as well as breathed in deep through his nose and out his mouth a few times. “There are some things we need to discuss.”
His tone gave her pause. She had rarely seen Riff annoyed, but he was borderline pissed. The more she freaked out the more upset he became, and she could see the false calm he had been wearing chipping away. Edith tried the breathing, and sat down in a rolling desk chair. The back was hard plastic, and felt cold against her bare skin. It was enough to make her shiver, but because of his coat she didn’t worry about him seeing things he shouldn’t…
Riff ignored the broken glass for the moment, and instead began to pace. “First, congrats on growing. Seems you evolved too.” He motioned to her vaguely, and went on, “More importantly, you stole from me and I don’t like that.”
How had he found out so fast?! It couldn’t have been that long ago that she had left with the potion. And for him to have come across her, so far up…Just what kind of man was Riff? The longer he talk thought the more Edith became drawn to the bloodied coat. She kept it close, and despite her revulsion at the sight, the smell….It was intoxicating. It was like having chocolate cake after having it waved in your face for days. Edith knew that Riff was saying more things, but she tuned him out.
Small hands brought the cloth up to her nose. Her eyes rolled back with a deep sigh just by smelling it. All she needed was a taste…Just a little one…
“God damn it, Edith, stop sucking on the ******** coat and listen to me.” Edith snapped out of it quickly, but she didn’t lower the coat. She chewed on the area as a Houndour might a toy. Suckling, trying to suck out what she could from the fibers while her cheeks burned. This was so…wrong, but it soothed a tick inside of her. A hunger that couldn’t be satisfied.
“Do you know how hard it is to get a Type Vampire potion in his area? You’ll be working for weeks with no pay just to help me find another one.” He growled, and was surprised when Edith growled back.
When she realized what she had done, Edith sat back, and lowered her head. The information sank in slowly. She hadn’t…she hadn’t taken a Demon’s Blood potion…she wasn’t any closer to figuring out what had really happened to Kole and now she was some OTHER kind of freak. Edith clutched the cloth in her fists as tears threatened to fall.
Riff sighed. “Look…I’ve got some clothes for you in the back. I’m not sure if they’ll fit, but it’s better than nothing. After that…well, you ******** up your supper, so you’ll need to hunt. And you can’t go back home. Not for a while until you get this figured out.” That was enough to break her heart, and Riff saw. “You’re a Type Vampire. That means you’ll feel on those of your same Type, and your brother just happens to be one of them. You don’t want to hurt him do you?” She shook her head fervently. “Thought not. We’ll figure something out.”
In the end Riff showed up with female clothes, and left her alone to change. They were oddly warm and smelled of perfume, but Edith wouldn’t ask questions. She was too deep in s**t to care about details like that. She hesitantly reached up to touch her fangs. They were real, not some Halloween gag, and now she had to deal with them.
Riff thought it was best if she stayed in his cabin for a while. It was remote, but not too far out of the city that she wouldn’t be able to eat if she flew…The thought made her stomach flip. It would be better than hurting America, but how could she attack anyone? Edith had never been in a real fight. Would she be able to do it?
She felt the ache of hunger rise up within her, and knew she wouldn’t have a choice. In order to protect her brother she needed to distance herself from him, at least for now. In order to help Kole she still needed to research. And in order to live she would need to feed.
Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2015 12:09 pm
Teen Stage - Edith sees Kole again. Is she ready? (RP)
A little cabin sat nestled in the forest just North of town. It was far enough away to make the journey tiring on foot, annoying by car, but perfect for its flying resident. From the outside it looked nearly abandoned; the flowers that had once been planted in the window boxes were long since dead, their crinkled corpses hanging over the edge. The wood was sturdy, if not worn in certain areas and the windows had a fine film of grime covering the glass.
However, within the story was different. Most of the cabin had been swept clean of dirt and cobwebs, with sheets still hanging on the line in the late evening. A warm fire kept the space toasty, and even passed its comfort to the solitary bedroom near the back of the cabin.
As the sun worked its way down from the sky, Kole was rising up from his cave. He peeked out of his shelter, and put a hand to his stomach. He'd eaten his last sandwich that morning before going to sleep, so all he had left was what he'd found in the woods; which, in the winter, didn't amount to much. He really didn't want to go back to town, but... what else could he do?
Something was different this time around though. As he walked, he would sometimes pass an old cabin that looked like it had long been out of use. He'd done a little rummaging there when he'd first come to the woods, but otherwise left it alone. A light caught his eye in the distance, brow knitting when he looked up to find the source. The cabin? He could see it in the distance; a little light filtering through the crud-covered windows. Someone was actually there? That wasn't good! Maybe if he just ignored it, the inhabitants wouldn't bother him? He bit his lip, debating the risk of going over to see who was there. He'd chosen this area because it was empty...
Finally, he headed closer to the cabin, watching for movement in or around the building. He had to warn them that the woods were dangerous... Maybe just not mention that he was why they were dangerous? He took a deep breath when he reached the cabin, and gave the door a few firm knocks.
Edith perked at the sound of a knock at the door. It was so unusual that she instantly panicked, since there had been hikers that had stopped by a few days ago for a rest, but it did strike her as odd. Wasn’t it a little late for visitors…? She finished towel drying her hair, and picked up her bloodied shirt to put it in the pile with the rest. Edith reached for a clean dress, and padded to the door as she slipped it over her head, puffing out her wings through the slats.
Before she opened the door she reached up to rub her fangs. Hopefully they were clean enough; she hadn’t had a chance to brush them yet. Edith had only been home a short time, after all! Reaching for the pad of paper and pen she kept near the door, she reached to turn the handle.
What she saw was enough to make her drop her supplies instantly. Edith’s jaw dropped. Kole?! Here? Now?! Her heart sped up while a myriad of emotions tore through her.
He went over it in his head a bunch of times. He was just going to warn whoever was here about the danger in the woods, and then he'd go. No lingering, no chatting, no killing or maiming or torturing.....
Admittedly, Kole flinched when he saw the young woman who answered the door. She was rather reminiscent of someone so special from his past... It was painful to look at her. Aside from all that though, she seemed quite shocked by his presence. Was he really so frightening to look at? Was it obvious what a monster he was? How dare she judge him so quickly!! Stupid, self-righteous-!
He cleared his throat, digging his nails into his palms to keep his head clear. He knew he was scary. She should be afraid. His hair decided to wave in greeting for him, and he shook his head to calm the arms back down. "I'm pretty sure you're new here, so I wanted to let you know this area of the woods is dangerous. I don't know why you're in this crummy little shack, but it's not worth fixing up. You should go somewhere else." He looked down at the writing supplies, resisting the urge to bend and pick them up for the girl.
Unconsciously Edith waved back at his hair as if in a daze. Did he..Did he not know who she was? Surely she hadn’t changed that much, had she? Edith rubbed her hands together and looked at them, thinking about how different she must be herself for Kole not to know who she was.
She held up a finger, and bent down to pick up the pad and pen. After scratching out a few words, she held it up for him to see. Can’t go anywhere else. Taking a deep breath, she also wrote out, I’m Edith. before looking back up to him. Edith wanted to cry. There was so much terror in her, so much fear just by seeing him, but wasn’t the biggest part of that fear that she would lose him again? Fear of failing to help him? Or was it all fear of getting hurt again?
It hurt just standing there. He had started to back away when the gesture to wait came. Despite his head telling him to keep going, his legs locked. She was picking up the paper.... She was writing on it.... He almost couldn't focus on the words he was being shown. Can't go anywhere else? See? It wasn't Edith. She would surely have places to go. "Well, too bad. Find someplace else." Why was she writing things out like Edith did? Well, Edith couldn't be the only one who was mute. Maybe it was a bird thing? Maybe it-
His denials were snuffed by the next words shown to him. The words were louder than anyone had ever yelled, and they pierced right into his belly. Edith! This young woman was Edith?! Edith was here! At first, the sudden joy of seeing Edith alive and looking well caught him up. A smile rose, and he reached a hand toward her. He wanted to touch her face, pet her hair, hug her, anything! But he saw the long nails of his hand, and the red markings on his skin, and quickly yanked his hand back. And.... on Edith's face... fear. "Damn it, Edith! Get away from here!" he snarled, forcing his legs into motion to back away from her. The realization that Edith was right there, so close... He was terrified of her, and for her. Of all the places, why did she have to come here?
His glib reaction to her predicament burned. She hadn’t expected much else, but Edith had to turn her eyes away from him as her hands clenched on the notepad. She wasn’t going to cry-she wasn’t! That’s not why she took the potion, and it sure as hell wasn’t why she was living in the woods alone.
When he finally got it she dared to hope. Maybe..maybe Kole wouldn’t check out. That smile was enough to bring a smile out of her, and just for a moment the world was becoming a brighter place. She should have known better, but the rejection hit her like a punch in the gut. On instinct she clutched the notepad to her chest. What should she do? Kole obviously didn’t want her anywhere near him. He had even snarled at her! But...
He wasn’t the only one with fangs.
She tossed the notepad aside and moved forward to grab his hand with hers, a look of fierce, desperate determination on her face.
So much pain... Seeing her made his new, empty life ring out even more hollowly than usual. Kole was reminded of how alone he was. But, not only that... she had smiled at him. Brief, fleeting, but a smile. He missed her so much. He missed the life he'd once had. A life with friends. He hadn't been there when she'd grown. How long had it been? He wanted to ask her how she was doing, why she was staying out here, if she'd seen Kyllian lately, and if the tyrunt had grown as well. He wanted to know. He was too dangerous though! Too much of a loose cannon. It'd been hard enough to leave it all behind...
For a split second, the moment he felt his hand grabbed, he wanted to cry. He wanted to die. He wanted it to end. This was cruel, how her warm touch was so real... But after that split second, he turned a hard gaze on her. "Did I say you could touch me?!" he snapped, digging his nails into her hand.
Edith flinched, but she never let go. If anything she just held on tighter, and tugged him closer to her. What she lacked in physical strength she made up for with the backward propulsion of her wings. Permission? She needed permission now just to touch him?! Edith was so frustrated that she wanted to scream. How long did he think he could run away from them; from her?
When he was close enough for her to reach out with her other hand, she made a move…to punch him in the face. Edith felt her chest swell with hidden anger. She had never known just how angry she was at him for leaving like he did until he tried to do it for the second time. Fear wasn’t an option for her anymore, and it damn well wasn’t one for him!
She felt blood coming from her wrist, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was knocking some sense into this jerk!
Feeling himself being tugged around, his own anger flared. She was just some kid from his past. She was afraid of him. Was she crazy? One second, standing so close, he wanted to embrace her and never let go. The next second, his free hand twitched with the urge to tighten around her stubborn little neck. He opened his mouth to shoot out some other threat, but something slammed into his jaw instead. He blinked in confusion, looking down at the fist that had hit him. The punch had enough force behind it to split his lip when hard knuckles connected with the soft flesh, but he didn't feel much pain. Not physically, anyway.
When the shock passed, his tongue flicked out to check his lip, and he grinned along with a dark chuckle. "Do you really want to do this again? I can see you're a big girl now and all that, but another fight? I don't think it would end well."
Feeling the cold wind pick up, Edith became aware of just how cold it was outside. She was bare foot on the packed ground that served as a walkway in front of the cabin, and still damp from her bath. If she thought she could convince him to come inside to talk then she would have tried. Instead Edith’s wings flared behind her as her black eyes steeled themselves. They were strong, fierce, but also..reddening. Watery. She shook out her fist without letting go of his hand.
The look on her face said Try me, and to answer him she pulled back her lips to snarl at him. She felt her fangs on her lower lip. His soul was split; one part dark, the other light. It was a shot in the dark to find the good side of him behind this grinning monster. She wasn’t as afraid as she had been; as she should be. If anything she felt challenged. He wanted a fight? If that was what had to happen then so be it!
He couldn't help but to be impressed with Edith's determination, as foolish as it was. Why was she trying so hard? She'd never been a fighter before. Well, he hadn't either... "Hey, I left so we wouldn't have to do this again. You really want it so badly?"
Oddly enough, it wasn't her determination or her expression that caught Kole's attention, but her teeth. When he saw the sharp fangs glistening as Edith bared them, it was like a switch had been flicked in his mind, and a different kind of fear rose. "Edith, why do you have fangs?" She hadn't had fangs when they'd been kids. He knew she hadn't. He hadn't been able to pay enough attention to notice them in her smile earlier... He was wracking his brain, trying to remember what Edith's evolution would be. They didn't have fangs either, did they? He had a cold rock in his gut, thinking about how he'd gotten features that didn't belong. "You didn't..."
You left because you tried hurt me. You left because you were too scared to fix it. At the time it was what she had wanted, but it clearly wasn’t what either of them needed. Couldn’t he see that? If he’d stop being so damn stubborn she could help him! Or she was going to break him trying.
She couldn’t help but to snarl once more before straightening her face into an uneasy frown. Her mouth closed around her fangs as if she were ashamed of them. In truth, she couldn’t make up her mind about it. On one hand it gave her the advantage she needed, but it also damned her in the process. She squeezed his hand, and turned her gaze away from him for the first time since they’d come outside. What, was he going to yell at her now? She knew it was stupid! But she…she just wanted…
Edith loosened her fist and grabbed his hand with both of hers before looking back up to him. If he still wanted to fight then she would, but she mouthed the word she really wanted; Stay. Just once, maybe just this once, he would give in.
Of course, he didn't know that Edith had found out about the potion he'd taken. He didn't know she'd spent so much time doing her own digging around, trying to learn what had happened to him. He figured he'd just been forgotten. But this... Had she taken it willingly? Had it been forced on her? It wasn't the same thing he'd had, was it?
His eyes widened slightly when she grabbed more securely onto him, gaze resting on her bloodied wrist. He looked up to snarl at her again, to try scaring her away, but the word that he could imagine he was hearing her saying stopped his heart. Stay? His chest hurt, and he shook his head. He couldn't... Look what he'd done to her wrist already! "Just tell me.... how did you get the fangs? What happened?"
She was afraid again. Afraid that he would reject, would run again, but for now he did as she asked. Edith wanted to tell him everything; to spill it all out like she used to in the days when things made sense. If she let go to get the notepad he would leave. If she didn’t he would leave. Edith tugged on his arm, nudging him back to the cabin.
Her wrist hurt. The pain was starting to get to her, and it made her agitated. The hunger was coming back, and that bothered her. She had just fed! Why was it coming back so soon? Surely she hadn’t lost that much…She pulled, moving them back to the cabin. If he would stay just to listen to her, then maybe she could get him to stay for good and then she could feed again.
Kole stiffened when he got another tug on his arm. His eyes flicked to the cabin, only to feel the grip of fear again. If he went inside, he might not be able to make himself leave. If he didn't leave, he would only hurt Edith again. Of that, he was certain. He'd been so ready to hurt her just moments ago... He shook his head more forcefully, trying to brace rubbery legs against her pull. "Edith, you know I can't... Just tell me what happened to you."
The longer he dragged his feet the more itchy hers became. She couldn’t just tell him. She needed her tools, something to write with, something to tell him, but it was too far for her to grab. Edith huffed irritably, and scrunched her mouth to the side. This boy was going to be the death of her.
She let go of his hand, but only for the time it took to grab her notepad and the pen. Wanted to help. Kept researching. Asked. Learned about Demon’s Blood. It was then that she hesitated and looked at him. Would he hate her for doing what she did? Edith bit her bottom lip, then suckled on it when it brought blood. This…was tricky. Should she…? How could she not, after begging him to be so honest with her?
Found potion. Drank, then changed. Wrong Potion. Type Vampire. Wrong. WRONG. She underlined the second word boldly, angrily. Got it wrong. Should have asked. Couldn’t help. Couldn’t protect. Wrong. When she was done she handed him the notepad, and brought her bloodied wrist to her mouth to staunch the blood by licking it. That in turn led to her suckling from her own wrist. It didn’t bring the satisfaction she wanted, but it helped.
He should have just run when his hand was free. Damn it all, why wasn't he running? He just stood like a stump.... He needed to know what had happened. If someone had forced her to take something like he had.... there would be hell to pay. He watched her writing, his hair wrapping around his neck like a scarf against a sudden chill. She looked so nervous, but not necessarily of him. More of... what she was writing.
He reached out to take the notepad, frowning when he saw his hand trembling. He swallowed dryly, almost afraid to look at the paper. He read through quickly, then once more. And then again. And then a fourth time, the chill of the wind reaching into his bones. She'd learned about the potion... And, to learn more, had tried taking it herself... but had taken the wrong kind... Vampire. Edith was a vampire type now, because she'd wanted to help him...
"You fool," he murmured, lowering his gaze until his chin nearly rested on his chest. "You left to protect her, but you just caused her more pain. You hurt them when you're there, and you hurt them when you're not there..." He started to chuckle sharply, and then laughed, throwing his head back with mirth. "Can't be free~ You've heard your own song, you idiot." His head tipped back forward, dark gaze locking onto Edith. "Stupid, stupid, stupid girl... Why did you think becoming like me would help? Do you want everyone to hate you, too?"
She bit into the soft flesh of her wrist on reflex when he started to laugh. It was a sinisterly dark sound that didn’t suit the Kole she knew, but this wasn’t that boy that had bought her sandwiches and laughed in the rain. This was a man she was struggling to decipher. The sharp bite had hurt more than it should have, and forced her to draw her wrist away. It left a bloodied stain on her chin, puckering her lips up with color in the chilled moonlight.
At first she assumed he was talking to her. She was a fool. A big, bloody fool. But then…was he talking to her or himself? Was this the other side of him taking over? Concern seized her. She’d just brought him back! What little she’d had of him wasn’t enough; she didn’t want that to go away so soon!
She took the notepad once more. Can’t save you. Couldn’t protect you. Wanted to understand. Her hands were trembling now. Whether it was the chill, her own fears or the growing agitation building in her blood, Edith couldn’t seem to stand still. She needed it. That little taste hadn’t been enough to sooth it, and although she was no longer bleeding the craving didn’t go away. It never really did. I don’t hate you. Can’t hate you. Wanted to make you not lonely.
His grin remaining in place, Kole reached to take the paper again, his hand still once again. He read the note, brow cocking."Well, you're right about most of this, but this whole wanting to understand thing..." He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "That's just crazy, stupid girl. You gotta be some kind of nuts to willingly take something that you think is going to turn you into what I am." He laughed again, shaking his head with amusement. "You even took the wrong potion! Vampire? That's worse than me, isn't it? How does it feel, feasting on your own type, hmm?" He reached out and ran a finger along Edith's bloody chin. "See, I hurt others when I want to. You'll be hurting others because you'll have to. Such strange times, these are." Oh, yes. This was a thoroughly amusing predicament.
Stupid girl. Edith hung her head low and exhaled on a shaky breath. Maybe she was. If she had been smarter then she would have just given up a long time ago. To have him touch her chin…it disgusted her. The gliding scrap of his nail along her flesh brought out shudders. She couldn’t say they were all entirely out of revulsion and that’s what truly made her stomach roll. What he said didn’t sit right with her, though. Kole had trapped himself. Instead of trying to goad her, to make her feel the fear she knew he wanted, she stood a little straighter.
Edith wrote once more. You’re right. I don’t have a choice, but you do. What you do is on your head. She felt vile enough because of what she had done, but she never chose to hurt someone unless it was absolutely necessary. Kole did it out of a sick fetish to see others suffer.
Turning his hand this way and that to look at the blood shimmering in the dim light, he was surprised to sense the resolve again in Edith's posture. He took the notebook, and burst out laughing again, tossing the paper back at her with a flick of his wrist. "Well, you're sort of right. You do still have a choice, deary. You could choose to save everyone else and let yourself die~"
That switch flipped again, and he looked at Edith in horror. "N-n-no! I didn't mean it!" How could he suggest such a thing? Even tease about such a thing? He felt his hair poking his back, encouraging him to do something. Swallowing hard, he took a step away. "Don't you see? I can't be here.. I'll just keep hurting you!"
Edith allowed the notepad to fall. It wasn’t as if words were doing her much use at this point anyway. She reached up to cup her head with her hand and rubbed the area near her temple. This was giving her a massive migraine. One that was only so sure to grow, no doubt. She tried not to let his words get to her, but she could only hold out so long before his attacks poked holes in her defenses. Maybe she should just…? No!
She reached out to snatch his hand again; this time it was more of an effort to keep him calm than to help him. Talking to Kole was like walking over shattered glass. Some steps were smooth, others so sharp you didn’t know you were bleeding until you were near death. She couldn’t stop shaking. And when she looked at him, Edith had no more words. She was solid in her resolve, but exhausted. His leaving, her brothers attack, Kyllian’s sudden departure, the potion, her growth, the isolation, this…She didn’t care anymore if he hurt her. Edith just needed him to be there.
He didn't get it... Kole's head was spinning as he fought to keep the darkness down. He had to leave! His heart thudded hard inside his chest, almost painfully. If he were of a weaker body, it would surely break right through his ribs! And why not? He was the one who deserved it, not Edith. Never Edith.
When she took his hand again, he felt the heat rise in his eyes, and his breath was shallow and quick. Nothing good would come of this. He would only cause her more pain. If only he'd watched the cabin more before approaching it... "Please... You have to make me go... I don't know if I can let go again..."
When Edith looked at him she gave a little sad, softened smile. Maybe she had become just as cracked as he, but in a different way. She walked towards him, and before he could put up a resistance she moved her hands to place them around his waist. With all of her might she hugged him, and buried her face against his chest. Surely if she let go he would run away. It’s what he wanted, so why couldn’t she just listen? Everything about him said run, but there was something still there…Maybe she was just delusional, but she just didn’t give a damn anymore.
If he went, she would go with him. Edith couldn’t stop from crying now. All of her frustration and sorrow came out at once. She gripped his shirt with her hands, and prayed that the warmth she felt from him was real.
Kole kept shaking his head. 'Don't, Edith.... Stop looking at me like that... I don't deserve your smiles...' He couldn't send the words to his lips though, hearing them only in his mind. His chest seemed to burst when she accepted him so fully. To feel someone embrace him once again, and not just anyone... He'd hurt her, frightened her, and now she was hugging him? The tears slid down his face, and he squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't... Unfortunately, his arms were quickly wrapping around Edith, hugging her firmly. His head tipped to bury his face in her hair, his jaw jammed tight to keep from speaking again. What else could he say? She knew he was dangerous, and yet here she was...
He'd missed her so much...
When she felt his arms on her she assumed the worst. He was going to push her away, maybe dig his nails into her…the hug was so surprising that Edith gasped. She tried to turn up to see him, but she felt his head on her own, and couldn’t help smiling. Edith hugged him all the tighter, lowering her wings into a casual position as her entire body seemed to relax. She rubbed her hands soothingly along his back. This wasn’t going to be the end; not by a long shot. There were still so many things wrong about it all, but damn it, she wanted this moment to last forever.
She wasn’t frightened of him, but rather frightened for him. Having him so close, hugging her back, was the greatest gift she could have ever received. After a while she tilted her head to look at him. Even through tears she laughed a little and smiled, reaching up to cup his cheek to wipe away his own tears with the pad of her thumb.
While Edith’s body relaxed, Kole’s tensed and shook. He hadn’t dared to imagine that he might get anything like this again. The warmth radiating off of her chased the darkness into a corner, for however brief a time. He could go from hugging her to crushing her in a matter of seconds... and wouldn’t that be fun? ....He was going to make himself sick.
Feeling her shift, he reluctantly straightened up to look back at her. She was smiling... She was looking right at him, and smiling... As she touched his face, he clenched his teeth tighter. His hands had done such horrible things... “I’m so sorry, Edith... For everything. ..It’s not safe for you, letting me stay. You know this.”
She knew somewhere inside of her that it was too good to last. She felt him tense beneath her hand, and a sigh slipped out. Edith shook her head with a stern little frown. What was done was done; neither one of them could change anything now. If he dwelled on it he would just get agitated again, and she would go mad. Edith was already half way there as it was.
Moving her hand, she tapped her fangs and shrugged. “Safe” was up for debate now. If he fought her, she would fight him back. She was a big girl! But…she also didn’t want to make him stay. It’s what she wanted, but if Kole didn’t feel the same way then it would only bother him. This had to be his decision.
He couldn't help it... One hand rose to brush the back of his fingers along her cheek, making sure to keep his claws from touching her. He couldn't even begin to describe how good it was to see her again, and to see a smile on her face rather than fear. He looked at the fangs she pointed out, and just felt sad. She'd done this to try understanding him... To try helping him...
"Maybe... I could visit sometimes? ...I can't not see you again."
The feel of his hand on her cheek was enough to make her heart skip a beat. It thumped as if she had just finished a race, but Edith hadn't gone anywhere at all. If she wasn't scared of him or exercising then why...?
Edith's smile only grew and she nodded her head. That would make her very happy indeed! He made it sound so finite; almost as if he didn't do it then something bad would happen, which was a welcome change from Kole trying to flee. Feeling her stomach cramp once more, Edith placed a hand on it out of reflex with a little embarrassed grin. Then she pointed to him and made a motion as if to eat a sandwich. Had he eaten, she wondered? She didn't have much real food, but she could whip something up for him.
He was flooded with warmth from her smile. He didn’t deserve it at all, yet there it was... How much longer would he be able to see it...?
His brow rose, and then knit slightly. “I... was on my way to get something to eat...” He looked at the cabin, and back to Edith. “Do you... eat regular food anymore?” He blushed slightly, eyes shifting away. “You were... sucking on your wrist earlier...” He held her hand up, giving the broken skin a concerned look. “You should wrap that.”
Edith tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brow. Did she eat regular food...? She had been a vampire for a while now, but she couldn't really remember eating anything normal since then. She shrugged her shoulders. She could try! The worst that could happen would mean that she could eat all the cake she wanted without gaining weight. That she liked. Edith looked at her wrist and nodded. Tapping her lower lip, she held up a finger. Edith pointed to her wrist, made a wrapping motion, then to her feet like she was getting shoes, and then shrugged as if getting into a coat. Then she pointed to him, back to her, and made walking motions with her fingers. They could go to town together, if he wanted...Then it dawned on her. He would eat regular food, but she would still have to hunt. Edith put a hand on her stomach and her wings deflated behind her. Would he even want to be around her after that? Maybe she should just stay home...
He patiently waited as Edith acted out her request. Go to town together? He lit up at the idea, but the delight fell with Edith’s posture. She would eventually need to eat one her own kind... and he doubted anyone in town would serve what she needed.
With something he hadn’t felt in a long time, he reached out again to pull Edith close. “If you find something to eat on the way there, you can go after it. Do what you need to...” If she could accept him as he was.. No. He could never turn her away. Not again. Not for something like this.
Edith squeaked when she was pulled close, and blinked in awe. Her fangs peeped around her upper lip as she gaped at him, but quickly she smiled. If he meant it...then her world became infinitely brighter. She would try to be on her best behavior, even if it was hard to resist. Riff had said the freshly 'turned' tended to over indulge. She only hoped she could hold out...
Rising up to her tip toes, Edith kissed his cheek and bounced back down on her heel with a smile. She was so thankful to have her friend back in her life. Things were rocky, and nothing was decided, but...how could she not feel happy about this?!
She turned on her heel to go back inside of the cabin to get ready.
Kole wasn’t worried about Edith. He was concerned about himself... Would seeing or knowing about Edith’s hunt bring out the side he didn’t like?
Thankfully, Edith was right there to pull him out of those kinds of thoughts. His eyes widened, and his cheeks heated up, a hand rising to touch his cheek. His heart fluttered... feeling as much pain as he was joy. She was growing up... she was beautiful... but whatever crush he may have had as a child would have to remain a thing of the past. He couldn’t put her through that. Allowing himself to return as her friend was bad enough.
He felt the pain growing, and he caught himself before it could get too far. He just wanted to enjoy whatever time he had left with her today. He took a few deep breaths, and looked up at the deepening sky while he waited for Edith. Just for tonight... maybe he could feel happy again...
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:10 pm
Teen Stage - Run, Martin, Run! (RP)
Martin Peabody had a case, again and Martin while ever eager to be of help had been waved away by both his trainer, and his best friend. They had work to do, and John was busy with something else. Which left Martin on his own. He was steadily growing used to this whole being on his own thing.
He shoved his hands deeper into the pocket of the coat John had gotten him, glad he had proper fitting clothing when he'd started to grow out of the previously gotten new clothes, Peabody had protested but John waved it off and got him some things. He was more than a little thankful to Benedict's trainer for the help with stuff his own couldn't be bothered to even pretend to care about.
Tonight though, there was a slight drizzle coming down, and Martin was shuffling along aimlessly. He didn't want to sit home alone after eating the food that was there...it was so boring on his own. Stifling. So he'd written a note and stepped out. It'd been pleasant then but that had been hours ago. Now...well now he was a little chilly and looking for somewhere he could hide away from the cold for a few minutes. He'd already rummaged his pockets looking for loose change to buy something hot to eat or drink with no luck.
Blowing a drop of water off the end of his nose, Martin's eyes scanned the nearly empty streets looking for a deep doorway, a covered store front, something he could stand under for a moment.
Edith Edith pulled the hood of her sweatshirt down over her eyes to stave off the growing rain. Her wings hung wet and damp behind her, clenched as close to her person as possible through the slats she had cut in the hoodie. Every few seconds the young teen would twitch, and roll her head as the ache came upon her.
It had been hours since she had left the cabin. After making sure there was a warm pot of soup left by the fire for Kole, should he actually show up, she had gone out for a quick snack. That snack had turned into supper and then borderline starving the longer she stayed out without finding anything. Was it the rain? Edith had seen a few humans and Poke’mon along the way, though none could have possibly sated her appetite.
Until she smelled it.
She could only describe it as finally smelling a cheeseburger after walking through a desert for weeks. It had pulled Edith along the streets in an unconscious hunt. The longer she followed the scent the more her predatory side came out. By the time she saw it was a child she had already hunkered down behind a postal box, biting her lip with her fangs in anticipation. He’s just a boy! Edith licked her lips and looked on mournfully. Ever so slowly she moved out to follow him once again, this time her mind reeling. Was she…? Could she…?
Martin It was growing darker, lights were flicking on along the street save of course the portion he was wandering, the bulbs above dead as could be, not even a hint of a flicker or the promise of a hum of a light trying. They were in need of repair. Still, he didn't let the dark bother him at all, he was merely wandering...and was glad when he finally found a mostly drizzle free spot he could stop.
Standing there under the slight over hang he had found himself under he pulled his hood off his head for a moment and wiped a hand over his face to get the water off it. Maybe it was about time to head back home. He was feeling colder now, and he figured the others would be home soon. Maybe. He didn't have a watch on him to see the time, so he wasn't sure. He was so absorbed in drying his face up he didn't realize the fact he was in a bit of danger.
Edith Her veins were singing the song of the Damned. Edith put her hand up to her ear to try to block it, but the closer she got to the little lillipup the more she craved. He was a pudgy little thing; surely he had enough to spare and then some.
Edith moved in closer, starting at as casual a walk as she could manage. She grasped her elbow with her opposite hand, rubbing the vein there with her thumb to calm it. There was so much white noise in her head that the quiet street seemed to vibrate. Edith knew she had an allure to those of the type she could feast on, but would it work on a child..? Would he be so caught up in looking at her that he would forget? The thought only vaguely touched her mind when she was right upon him. The next breath she took brought his scent in as strong as if the cheeseburger had multiplied and she was swimming in them.
Reaching out, Edith snatched his arm, but hesitated. No! No he’s just a boy! But it wasn’t like he was an infant...
Martin He'd dried his face and stuffed his hands back into his pockets to keep his hands warm while he attempted to stay dry for a couple minutes before he'd make a dash for it and head home. Though he did hope that the weather would let up quickly so he'd have a dryer walk back.
As he'd began to pull a hand out of his pocket to don his hood again he felt his arm being grabbed at and he blinked in surprise and looked up to see who it was, and smiled at the girl standing there. "Well hello! Are you okay?" he figured maybe she was lost and wanted directions. "Do you need any help?" he was a friendly, out going child, who wasn't seeing anything wrong in this situation as he stared up at the Staravia teen with a bright smile waiting for her to speak.
Edith Edith tilted her head up to look at the boy. His smile twisted like a snake in her gut. It writhed, undulating against what was left of her soul, sinking it’s venom in until the last of her resolve broke.
She nodded and tightened her grip on his arm so that she could pull him into her arms. Edith held him like that for a moment, seemingly content in the hug before her hands started to pull back the cloth of his coat and push back his collar. She couldn’t see it, but a primal surge built up in Edith the moment her senses told her it was there. Right there! All she had to die was take it...take it from a happy child..If he fought her it would have been so much easier.
Martin He was surprised by the hug, but he did get so little of this sort of thing at home that his own arms curled around the teen and he hugged her back happily for a moment. Sure she was a stranger but if this is all she needed, he didn't see the harm. That and she was kinda pretty in a way that he didn't understand with his child brain. But he didn't push her away as she hugged.
Nor did he try to stop her when she began to push his hood back, though he was more than a little curious as to what she was doing at this point. He lifted his head up in confusion to ask her what she was doing and was once more struck by how pretty she was and any sort of question he might have had died on his tongue before it fully formed.
Edith If he had pushed her back then that would have been the end of it. She could have attacked without mercy, but his embrace...It was too much! Pulling her head back for a moment Edith smiled sweetly to the boy. She reached up wit her free hand, stroking his hair like the good little boy he was.
Such a sweet child. He really was too kind for his own good. Using her hand in his hair as leverage, she pulled the head away to expose his throat. Without a moments notice, Edith pounced on the exposed vein and sunk her teeth in deep.
Martin He couldn’t help but wag his tail a little as his hair was stroked, a low rumble in his chest in delight. He really was an affectionate boy, had been as a pokemon as well, so it really was no surprise it’d carried over into this newer body.
Martin was just thinking how nice she was really, when he felt something sharp at his neck and began to whimper softly, his fingers tightening in her shirt in despair. What was she doing!? Why did it sort of hurt…his heart pounded frantically a few moments, before his eyes closed with a soft sniffle coming from him, not even fighting at this point. He was rooted in spot in fear at this point!
Edith She could smell the fear coming off of him in waves. It drew her in like a moth to the flame. Edith held tight, her fangs sinking deeper as she drew the blood from him. More, more, more!
The burning was finally starting to ease and the claws that dug into her stomach were releasing. Her own clawed hand dug into his shoulder, tearing through the cloth of his collar to get a better grip. Her bite was sloppy; a novice trick that was less about technique and more about ripping flesh.
Martin The pain in his shoulder as he felt her fingers dig in was nothing compared to the pain he felt in his throat, as he felt the burn of tearing flesh and there was a whimper from him, words coming out almost strangled given the crushing feeling against his throat.
“P…please…do…n’t….kill me….” The words were a quiet plead, all he could do. He was well aware he wasn’t strong enough to fend the teen off, or to get free. He had the niggling feeling if he tried, he’d be sorry. Though he was pretty sure he was going to be sorry anyhow.
Edith Edith's hand instinctively went from his head to his mouth. She covered his pleas as she pushed him up against the side of the building. There was nothing holding her back down. The Staravia drank with reckless abandon, ignoring the blood that slid from her own lips down his shirt and onto her own clothes.
When she had enough to see the world as it was and not through crimson lenses, Edith began to slow. She felt warm flesh in her arms and it was enough to get her to drop the boy in an instant. Martin's blood coated her mouth, sliding down her chest like a scarlet waterfall. She wanted more, so much more...but the boy! Her face was a mixture of horror and menacing hunger before she hid it behind her hands. The same hands that had clawed into him, had left a bloodied mark on his face...She shrieked into them. Without the use of functioning vocal cords the sound was hollow and piercing. Why couldn't she make it stop?!
Martin To say he felt light headed was putting it mildly. That he felt like he might die of fright, also an understatement. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve what was happening just then, but he figured it was something due to when he’d changed and caused so many problems for his trainer…or maybe it was constantly pestering Benedict. His eyes slid out of focus as he felt her hand on his mouth, silencing his weak words, and instead focused on a mental image of his best friend…that was almost certain in this moment of strange lucid clarity…only tolerated him because he had to not because he wanted to. It about broke the Lillypup’s will to fight and live when he realized that.
So lost in his dark thoughts, his growing despair that he didn’t realize a moment she’d stopped…that she’d let him go. He slid down against the building limply, staring up at her with wide eyes, the eyes of a frightened, confused child and there was a gurgled “Why…..?” he weakly raised a hand to his throat and felt the warm stickiness coating it, and cringed. This was it then was it? He was going to die? Martin felt certain of it.
There was a noise not far off, someone bringing trash out into the alley just a short distance off. Maybe…he could get help. But then he thought back to Benedict…and Peabody…and that brief moment of self preservation died as quickly as it sparked up and he slumped against the wall silently. He was too weak to call out…to move. At least it had stopped raining.
Edith Why...?
Why had she hurt him, or why was she letting him go? It didn't matter; what was done was done and she was soiled. When Edith lowered her hands she saw the face of a broken child, and hitched her breath. This was it, then? If he was just going to die here, then wouldn't it be better not to waste...
Edith tore her gaze away from him to the direction of the noise. She needed something to bring their attention to the boy. Something to get them to come over, and take her away; to save him! But what...? She pounced on the balls of her bare feet and looked around. Finally, her eyes landed on his shoes, which Edith stripped off of him. She made her way down to the lip of the alley, and waited until their backs were turned to her before she chucked one of the shoes. The other she made sure to coat with blood she had rubbed off from her cloth.
Edith turned back to Martin one last time, and fled.
Martin He was barely aware of her gaze on him, but he was sure he was staring at his cause of death right here. At least she’s pretty… a small voice in his head said. Though it made no sense to him. Why did it matter if she were pretty?
His eyes closed, unable to keep them open any longer and he merely waited. So it was a surprise when he felt his shoes being taken, but there was a grim smile on his face. Maybe she needed them, and its not like he’d have any use anymore, right?
The shoe thrown at the back of the person in the alley had it’s desired effect and the man turned around to see what hit him, swearing some and began to head towards Martin, since the shoe had come from that way. He could just make out a small shape against the wall and frowned as he came upon a smaller, blood coated shoe. Seeing Martin, and the state he was in had the man simultaneously whipping out his cell phone and kneeling down to call for help while he did what he could for the boy. He’d not seen Edith anywhere, and Martin’s incoherent whispers made no sense. Attacked? There was no one around!
Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:51 pm
Teen Stage - Acceptance
Working with Riff wasn’t as light as it had been when she was younger. He expected more of her now, and in all honesty, Edith was grateful for it. She maintained the shop with Riff during the day, running errands when it was needed of her, and during the night she made “special” runs. Sometimes her boss had deliveries to make and pick up that weren’t exactly on the squeaky clean side of things. At first it had bothered her. What if she got caught? And wasn’t smuggling illegal potions a bad thing? Sometimes it wasn’t even positions; just information written on a piece of edible paper. It made her wonder what else he was doing behind her back.
Seeing Kole though…that made it all worth it. Her heart still fluttered wildly thinking about that chaotic night. Someday he wouldn’t be so upset with her choice, and now that he was coming down to see her more she could finally work on building back the bond they had. It had bothered the Staravia to no end. Still, it wasn’t as if things had magically gone back to the way they were. Kole was still broken, Kyllian was gone, she was a vampire…Edith clutched her broom handle and paused in her chores. The shop was empty so it was easier to take a shaky breath and collect herself. That poor little boy. He was going to be scared for life over something she did. The sad thing was that Edith couldn’t say she wouldn’t do it again. His blood had just tasted so good…like a magical curative that took away all of her pain. In that one moment she had the world in her hands, and as soon as she was full it all came crashing down.
What would America think of you? America?! Arceus above, what if he ever caught her during a feeding? She had made sure to go far, far away from him, but still…Her sweet big brother would just die. Maybe even literally, if she was feeling pekish and that terrified her. At least around Kole and Riff she was safe to be herself. Around her brother she would change...
The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt him. Edith balled up her fist and nodded with a smile. If she stayed away then he would be safe! It wasn’t going to be easy, but this was something she could control. Her Rufflet would stay snug back in the old warehouse, and Edith…well, she would make him blankets. All of the knitted blankets, scarfs, and sweaters he would ever need. And she would split the food she had growing in her garden between him and Kole, since she wasn’t going to be able to eat it. All she had to do was get Riff to be her go between. America had never actually met Riff, so it would be perfect!
She missed her little nest. It had been high in the warehouse’s rafters, but the perfect place for a little bird to sleep. As a Starly she couldn’t stand to be alone, but up there she had been able to see America at all times, so it had been nice…now she didn’t want to go back to her cabin unless she knew Kole would be there. It was just too quiet. The only bonus was that the space was hers and it was far away from humans. The commute to the city was long, especially when she was feeling hungry, but to be free to sleep without wondering when a trainer was going to toss her in a Poke’ball…there was no better feeling in the world.
Edith hated humans. If she could feed from them then she would have been happy to take their blood. Each one was greedier than the last, and now that she was “pretty” they seemed to pay more attention to her. It unnerved Edith. Their leering gazes…it made her feel like she was under glass. Every time one put their hands on her it sent shockwaves through her. Little passes touches to her shoulders, sometimes a hug that lasted too long, and then always with the handshakes…If another one touched her she was going to wring their neck.
Edith gasped and dropped her broom. No, no she wouldn’t! Humans were bad, but they didn’t deserve to die over a handshake. Get it together. Riff wasn’t much better, but at least with him she knew when he was up to no good. There was a secret agenda with the man that included her, but he would never say what it was. Maybe he shared her hatred, and planned to move the shop to the woods? Hardly, but it was a possibility.
How she wished she could just feed from bagged blood. It would mean less time she had to spend in the city, and even less time she had to hurt others. Riff was strictly against it; he said she wouldn’t get the nutrients she needed, and would just go into a frenzy. It had been enough to scare her away from the subject, but still, she had to wonder. Would it hurt to just try…? He made her learn how to fight, for her benefit of course, and had even taught her how to pick locks. She failed to see how that was going to make her a better huntress, but Riff was older, so he had to know more.
She didn’t mind, really. The fighting kept her spry and it was fun kicking the tar out of the little dummies he had in the back of the shop. They all had the faces of their most annoying customers and Riff would imitate their voices as she punched them.
“Hey Edi, why don’t you come in the back and help me with inventory?” Riff called.
Setting her broom to the side, the Staravia wiped her hands off on a rag near the counter and wandered back to help Riff out.
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 1:09 pm
Teen Stage - In which America becomes a cheeseburger (sort of! - RP)
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