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Meep moved down the street quickly, humming softly to herself. Her plush was tucked under her arm, pressed safely against her side. She looked distracted as she opened the door to the Velvet shop, caught up thinking about one thing or another.

Naraka, meanwhile, is down in his basement home, pounding away at his pipeorgan. He's neglected it for so long, and on a hapless meandering through the maze of boxes, spied it, and decided to have a go for 'old time's sake.' He sings along to a particularly frightening and odd rendition of "Pinball Wizard."

The organ music filtering up from below was plenty to pull her from her thoughts. She rubbed her bare upper arms, chewing at her lip. It was really still a little too cold out for her to be wearing what she was, a torn black camisole that revealed her midriff. And it also exposed to view the raised, red scratches that ran down her back.

Somewhat amused and somewhat unsettled, but most definitely curious, she readjusted Toby under her arm and decided to see where the strange music was coming from. Spying a door, she rubbed the back of her neck and shrugged, figuring it couldn't hurt. She opened it tentatively and called out, "Hello?"

"He ain't got no distractions; can't hear those buzzers and bells," his voice comes floating up the stairs over the blasting rumble of the pipeorgan. Don't see lights a flashin', plays by sense of smell. Always has a replay, 'n' never tilts at all...

He thinks he hears a little peasy voice floating down from the shop above, and pauses, turning to see a pale light filtering in from the open door. "Who is it!?" He calls out, expecting LP or some other regular. "Come down if you want."

Rather than yelling down the stairs, and not entirely sure how to answer anyway, aside from something silly like 'Meep, but you don't know me,' she settled for simply taking the invitation and heading down.

Fiddling nervously with one of Toby's ears when she got to the bottom of the stairs, she peered hesitantly around for the basement's occupant. "Hello? Sorry if I'm, um..intruding or something, but I couldn't help hearing..."

Nar turns back to his instrument and fiddles with some of the nobs and adjustments on it. When he looks back, he's surprised to find it's not anybody he knows after all. He'd thought the voice a little odd, and not somebody's in any of his recollections, but then, he's been feeling a little off. She looks a little like LP, though, in her hair and dress and he narrows his eyes, wondering if she's the awful cousin he hears so much about. "Heellooooo," he drawls slowly, giving her quite the staring. "I er.. no, not really," he says, despite the fact that she rather is. "My beast is rather loud. I wonder sometimes that I don't get complaints from the streets. Ah... I'm Naraka. I live here." He sticks his hand out for her to shake in an obtuse manner.

She fidgeted a little under his stare. She returned it, but given the dim light, it didn't serve her all that well. He lived here? Under a toy shop? Well, there were stranger things. Shifting the plush to rest under her left arm, she took the proferred hand to shake. "I'm Meep. Some people call me Iden, though, doesn't really matter which." She shrugged just a little, mouth turning up in a shy smile.

"Hmph," he snorts, his cold hand giving hers a brief shake before withdrawing back to his side. "You ah.... you're not some kind of demon, are you?" he inquires suspiciously. "Don't know someone named 'LP' do you?" His fierce eyes glint an eerie red in the half-light of the basement. "I've had quite enough of demons to last me. If you are, I'd really prefer you not have some sort of fit, or threaten me, or any such thing."

That coolness of skin was something she was all too familiar with, and her eyes widened for a moment. She almost missed his question, so surprised was she. She flinched a little under his gaze, suddenly ill at ease. "No," she mumbled, "I'm human, thanks. And I don't know anyone named LP, either." From the sudden change in her demeanor, oddly almost submissive, she wasn't likely to be threatening him anytime soon, either.

He gives her a final looking over before he seems satisfied with her answer. "Well, that's good. You rather look like someone I know, and she's got some crazy cousin of hers trying to kill her or something. I really would rather not get tangled up with demons." He bears his long, pointed teeth in a kind of disgusted snear and then relaxes, running his hands through his hair. "So er.. I see you have a someone there. I can't say I remember you ever coming by here. You new?"

"Oh. I see." She swallowed hard, really trying not to look as nervous as she was. That fanged sneer of his didn't help. But he'd been nice, she really shouldn't be so distrustful..she just couldn't help it, though. "Oh, um, yeah. I've only been here a couple times before this.."

"That would be why I've never seen you," he replies a little brusquely. "I haven't been here... I've been away. I live here." He gives her a droll smile and a sleepy-eyed expression. "Don't worry, I won't bite."

"That'd be it, then." She wondered for a moment where he might have been away to, but it wasn't her place to ask, and embarassment quickly eclipsed her curiosity. Oh god, she's been that obvious, had she? Well, that was nothing new. She flushed a little and gave a sheepish grin, ducking her head. "Sorry," she muttered, "Been around Drac a little too long."

He gives her a funny stare. "Excuse me? You've been around whom? I don't really understand... "

"Drac. Vlad." She shrugged helplessly, not quite sure how to explain. "He's a vampire, lives with me. He's a bit of a p***k, really."

Nar makes a rather gruesome face and gives out an ugly laugh. "Oh, that's just fine. When will vampires learn to get their own damned aliases? If I hear of another vampire calling themselves 'Vlad' I think I'll just die. You live with a vampire? Are you sure it isn't just some goth kid who drinks blood?" he jokes, dryly.

She laughed at that, but her grin was a wry one. "Oh, it's his, all right" she managed once she'd stopped chuckling. "I've got ******** Vlad Tsepesh sleeping on my couch, crazy as it sounds."

Nar's funny grin falls from his face as he begins to frown. "Oh for ******** sake.... Listen, girl, I highly doubt that whoever you have 'sleeping on your' couch is THE Dracula. I think you're being fooled. Why in the world would Vlad want to sleep on YOUR couch!?"

"Look, I'm not stupid!" She bristled, though she'd rather expected some sort of reaction like this. "Trust me, he is. I woke him up, and now we're stuck with each other, alright? I'd really rather we weren't, but we are, and it ******** blows."

Naraka bristles right back, his fangs beared. "You are out of your mind! Woke him up HOW? God, I can't even believe I'm asking! Look, whoever it is you've got, I'm sure it's not Dracula. How do you even know? What proof do you have?"

She cringed a little, just stopping herself from stepping back. "Right, first I'm foolish and next I'm crazy! Jesus! 'Stupid girl,' 'little fool', you're starting to sound a bit like him!"

She shook her head, biting her lip. "Look, I got pulled into this..this 'Archeos' project, researching old artifacts. I got assigned a spearhead, from Bran Castle in Romania, so I researched it like I was supposed to. But..but what someone neglected to tell me is that it wasn't just an artifact, there was a..a ghost attached to it. And by paying attention to it, I woke it up. A couple weeks after I got it, I had some crazy-a** dream, and I woke up and he was there. Only he didn't stay a ghost for long. He's definitely very much alive again..or, well, as much as he ever was."

"As for proof, I haven't got any, I suppose." She shrugged. "There's just him, and that damn spear of his."

Nar stares at her, agast. Horrified. Of all the people she wouldn't want to have around, it would be that one. "Good ******** luck," he growls over his shoulder, turning back to his organ. If there's one person he ought to kick out of the shop for good, it's this one. Her, and her sadistic, blood sucking spear dweller. He doesn't say anything, though. Not for the moment.

"Thanks," she she returned sarcastically. "What, you believe me now?"

Then she shook her head again. She was being awful. "Hey, look, I'm sorry. For..whatever. Bothering you, I guess." She hugged her fluffy-tailed plush tightly, biting the inside of her cheek.

"No," he replies shortly. "I don't. But it doesn't sound good, whoever it is. I suggest you get rid of him as soon as you can." He ignores her appology. She really doesn't sound very appologetic, anyway.

"Yeah, I just happen to have another 15th-century Romanian vampire, who was buried under the altar in Bran Castle." She snorted. "You think I wouldn't have done something by now, if I could? What'm I supposed to do, try to steal his spear and do him in again or something?"

He rolls his eyes and bites his tongue. He didn't invite this b***h down to his home so she can make him sound like an idiot. And he's really not interested in her bragging about her 'Dracula'. If she really disliked him so much, she probably would have shut up about him by now. Or never mentioned him in the first place.

He angrily jabs at a few keys, letting loose a serious of moaning, squawking sounds from his abused pipeorgan. "The fourteen hundreds isn't very long ago."

She looked down, scuffing at the floor with her foot. She really just wanted to be believed, not thought stupid or gullible. And she was scared.

"No, I suppose it's not," she agreed. What exactly that had to do with anything, she wasn't sure. Other than meaning that Drac wasn't terribly old for a vampire, maybe.

Naraka gets back to playing, something kind of slow and ominous, but it's too loud for him to htink properly, so he soon stops again. "There's really no way you can get rid of him? What about a vampire's ties to their homeland and all that stuff? What about... holy intervention?"

She chewed thoughtfully at her lip, shifting her weight from what foot to the other. "It's the spear he's tied to now, I think," she mused. Truth was, much as she hated him, there was something that had her not wanting to see anything happen to him. She furrowed her brow. "Holy intervention? Is any of that crap really true?"

Nar gives a little shrug. "I don't know. I've never had to deal with any of it. I really didn't spend a lot of time near Christianity during my vampirehood. And when I did, it was at a point that nobody tried to hex me or anything. Maybe some kind of magic caster. I don't know.... but if he's attached to the spear, why do you have to have anything to do with him? Why would he even want to stay?"

"I don't know if it'd do anything...he was always around Christianity before, so..." She shrugged, pulling idly at one of Toby's ears. "Neither of us is really sure what would happen to him if something happened to me. Maybe something would, maybe something wouldn't. I don't think he's too keen on finding out. Maybe he'll get sick of playing with me at some point and just go, but who knows when that'll happen?"

Nar snears unpleasantly. He doesn't like the sound of that at all, and knows full well what kind of disturbing cruelties vampires are capable of. But she seems alright. Perhaps it's no so bad as he suspects.

And anyway, he's getting rather tired of talking about other people's problems. For some reason, nobody ever seems at all interested in what he has to say, but expect him to listen to them. "Well good luck with that," he says again.

"Thank you," she murmurred. "And I'm sorry. I really am." She rather looked it, too. Though she left out what she was sorry for..everything, really. 'Bothering' him, as she'd said before. That about covered it.

Figuring she'd long since outlived her welcome, she turned to go, revealing to view the scratches on her back. "You're the first vampire I've met, you know, aside from him. I'm glad I was wrong about..about being afraid of you."

*Entering the shop slowly he looks around calmly, his eyes changing color as he studies the shop, looking at every corner and inspecting all the surroundings.
As calm as he is he slenters around, not caring that he makes sounds that others possibley could hear.*

Nar spies the marks, but it really is quite impolite to make comment. It does set his teeth on edge, though. If that's what her vampire's up to, it's best she get rid of him as soon as possible.

Ah, what the hell. He can't keep his mouth shut, whether he should or shouldn't. "Look.... if he's being vicious or abusive, I'll help you get rid of him."

She turned back around, flushing slightly. She'd actually quite forgotten about the scratches, for a time. It was rather normal by now. She bit her lip again, caught between wanting Drac gone and being afraid something would happen to him. He had her to where she wasn't so sure about anything anymore. "How?" she ventured, hesitantly.

"Well...." He frowns thoughtfully, crossing his arms. "I'm not really sure. But I could always find out. I've got some friends who'd be more likely to have a plan. If anything, I know of some people who can lock away all his powers." He sighs, rubbing his eyes. "Can I assume those can be attributed to him?"

*He takes the cap of his head to give his tiger like ears some air, instantly twitching and turning toward where sounds, voices are coming from.
He thinks it is from the shopkeeper itself or maybe their neighbours, who knows.
He's still not awake enough to pay enough attention to it, nor he is not interested in it.
As he continue's walking he suddenly trips over his shoelace and falls straight on his face, making alot of noise.*

"...Ouch.... well... now I'm f**king awake... stressed "

"That can be done?" She blinked, thinking again, distracted for a moment by the noise from upstairs. Oh, how he'd hate her for something like that. After a moment, she nodded. "Yes, those can."

Naraka feels irritated and upset at having these problems thrust apon him by someone he doesn't even known, and probably doesn't like him in the least, but he can't leave the problem alone. "Yes, it can be done. I had it done to myself, as a matter of fact. It wouldn't keep me from hurting someone, though," he adds grimly. "I think your best bet would be having him destroyed."

Nar looks up at the loud thump. Who the hell could that be? He stands, and heads upstairs, muttering, "God, what a time for someone to come crashing in. Who the hell now?" He whips open the basement door and glowers out to find someone else entirely new. "Hello? You alright?"

He'd had it done to himself? That was..unexpected. And some how oddly comforting. But she flinched visibly at his final suggestion, wrapping her arms around herself. Could she really do that to Drac? She was torn again, totally confused by conflicting emotions.

Not sure how to reply, and cut off by the disturbance anyway, she headed up when he did. It would hardly be polite to kick around in his basement when he wasn't about, after all. She was curious as to who might be around now, but mostly she was caught up in her thoughts.

*While slowly crouching back up his feet he looks straight at the man who suddenly appeared, though his face is as calm as normal, even looking a bit dorkish out of his eyes.*

"Ehm... yeah I suppose so... I'll live...
Ehm are you the shopkeeper by any chance?.."

*While keeping his eyes on the stranger he kneels down to make sure that his shoelace doesn't bother him again.
Thinking why someone actually bothered to care about his wellbeing, but none the less he appreciated it.*

Nar gives him a tired, but sympathetic look. "No, I'm not. I just live here. The shopkeeper's name is Iris, and I haven't seen her. I've been away for quite a long time. You can leave her a note, though, if you want."

Meep leaned lightly back against the wall, ignoring the twinge from her scratches, and looked on, taking a moment to look the newcomer over. She'd been looking for Iris herself, actually..and found something quite a bit more and different than what she'd been looking for.

Her thoughts swept her up again, though, and she said nothing. She didn't really have anything to add.

"Oh.. I see... thank you for telling... ehm would you know by the way a place to stay?..
I haven't seen any motels or hotels around here?.."

*He scratches behind his tiger like ear before smiling softly (and dorkish again) and stretching his arms, knacking the joints of his neck, fingers and arms.
Then his ears twitch and his eyes change color, noticing there is another person with the man.
Seeing its a woman his eyes turned back to normal and he smiled even more clumsy as he said hello before turning his attention back to the man.*

Nar shrugs. "Oh, everyone just stays here on the couches. It's a damned boarding house, I guess. Anyway, Iris doesn't care, so you can stay here. You'll have to feed yourself, though." He gives Meep an unpleasant look before he shuffles out into the room and begins to look idly around for nothing imparticular. It's just a nervous way of passing the time.

"Um, hi.." she returned the stranger's greeting faintly, fidgeting.

Catching Naraka's unpleasant look, she cringed, muttering a quick "Sorry." She could only guess what exactly it was for. Troubling him with her problems, no doubt. She certainly didn't stay here. She hugged her plush again, feeling awful.

*Although he was pleased to hear that he could stay here it seemed that the man is bothered by his presence.*

"Its nice that I can stay here, but you don't seem so like it, if it bothers you then I'll go again, for I have no intention to be a bother to others..."

*While he said that he still had that calm and friendly expression on his face.*

"No. This isn't my shop. The basement is my home. I'm annoyed for other reasons entirely. Don't worry about it; I'm sure Iris would want you to stay."

Nar shuffles around until he feels he's spent more than enough time being a host, or whatever he feels he is to his visitors. This wierd situation he's been flung into makes him feel extremely unhappy. And the only thing he can do to solve it is to confront it. He turns abruptly to the girl and says in an undertone, "Right. I suppose I'd best have a chat with this person of yours and see if he won't leave you alone. And if that doesn't work, we'll just go from there."

She flinched again. Undoubtedly she was the source of those 'other reasons' for being annoyed, and she felt horrible for it. She really didn't have any right to drag him into this, and here she had.

"If you're sure.." she replied softly. "If you don't want to, I..I hate to ask of you." But I don't know what else to do..

*He nodded to the man and smiled politely at the woman.*

"Thank you Mr.....?... may I know your name?.."

*Looking questioning toward him.*

"I don't know if you care to know but my name is Roy Were-ForUniMare, Roy for short..."

*He looked greatfull at the man and looked smiling at the woman.*

"Roy," he says, turning to the other. "My name is Naraka. Chances are, you won't see me often, but you never know.. but, if you will excuse me, I am going out. I've got something to take care of." He looks back over to Meep, a stern, rather ill expression on his face. "Well... the sooner the better, as far as I'm concerned. You can come and get me when you want to go, if you intend for me to come with you. I'm going downstairs in the meantime." With that, he turns and heads back to his basement home.

She nodded gratefully, though she was still in knots about this whole thing. "Thank you."

Once Naraka had gone, she offered Roy a rather weak smile. "I'm Iden. Or Meep, whichever." She shrugged lightly.

*He nodded again while Naraka turned around to leave, Roy grinned silently in himself, thinking.*

~I'm going to enjoy my stay here... there are some interesting people around here... I like that Naraka fella already... he's intriguing... and that woman was rather shy... but she hides something... Oh well...~

*He looked at where Naraka stood before he left, still seeing the woman standing.
He returned the weak smile from the girl who called herself Iden or Meep with a big dorkish grin on his face.*

"Well I'm Roy as I said earlier... and I like Iden more if you don't mind.
Are you naraka's wife?.."

*His expression was again questioning, though a bit childish.*

"Like I said, whichever. Doesn't matter to me." She shrugged again, then blanched. "Naraka's..wife? Jesus, no! I only just met him, besides."

*He laughed amused by Iden's face expressions, seeing how shocked she was by his question.*

"My appologies Iden, I didn't know that... hahahhahahaha!"

*He couldn't help but laugh seeing the womans face, though he didn't want to insult her so he said quickly.*

"Sorry about that... ehm do you work here?.."

"It's okay." She blushed, giving a half-hearted chuckle. She wasn't exactly in a jovial mood tonight. "Nah, I don't work here, I just..drop by sometimes, I guess you'd say."

"I see, well I'm pleased to meet you Iden..."

*He raised his hand to shake hers.*

"Is it always so empty in here or am I just at a bad time here?.."

"Nice to meet you, too," she answered politely, if distractedly. She settled Toby against her left said before shaking Roy's hand. "I've never seen it terribly busy, but as yet I haven't been here very often."

"Well I am sure I'll meet more people as time passes and I would like to talk to Naraka again, I like him..."

*He smiled goofy, though mature.*

"He's nice.." She nodded slightly to go along with her rather weak assessment. And he was going very far out of his way to try and help her, even though she'd been rather awful. He probably thought really well of her. Hah, right.

She shook her head as though to clear, forming a small, apologetic smile. She just wasn't in any state for polite conversation now. "It was nice meeting you, but I should really be going, there's something I need to do.."

That said, she hurried out, slipping out the door.

*He nodded one last time before waving Iden goodbye and he walked toward the nearest couch and sat down.*

Shortly after midnight, and not a soul is stirring in the shop. Just as well, for now there's nobody around to see Naraka standing in the doorway, puzzling at how exactly he's going to get his new acquisition inside--a somewhat beat-up old piano is sitting out on the street, aggrivatingly large; too large for a very small doorway.

Naraka scratches his head, wondering how quickly he could repair a wall if he had to beat it down.

Iden slowed as she approached the shop, narrowing her eyes at the sight of the piano on the street. Err, there couldn't be a piano out on the street, could there? She rubbed her eyes and looked again, just to make sure. That was..definitely very weird. She was too busy being confused by the piano to really notice Naraka in the doorway.

Nar mutters a few rather unpleasant words to himself and wanders back onto the street. The piano seems to have gotten larger, just to spite him. "Well, you b*****d, looks like it's you who'll have to be dismantled," he mutters, rapping his knuckles on the top. It's at that point that he notices someone lurking down the street. He peers, and when he realizes it's Iden, waves. "Good evening. A little late for diurnal folk, don't you think?"

"Evening," she returned, wandering closer. She had Toby tucked under one arm, for once not getting squeezed or pulled on. "Not too late for one who just woke up not long ago." Iden grinned, eyeing the piano from up-close.

"Hmm," he snorts, giving her an odd look. "I guess it's morning, technically. Anyway, you ought to know there won't be very many people around here at such an hour. Well, except for me." He walks around and around the piano, seemingly trying to glower it into a smaller size.

She just shrugged off the look, watching him circle 'round the piano. "I've never been one for crowds, anyway. Besides, it's not like many people anywhere at this hour, doesn't really matter where I go."

"So you just wander the empty streets all night long? That's a little odd." He gives her a small smile to let her know he's just joshing her. "Well eh.... well, I'm afraid you've found someone... "

"And you spend your nights arguing in the street with pianos?" She grinned again, sticking her tongue out just a little. "Well, if you're here, it's hardly an empty street then, is it? And I'm not sure I'd call you a crowd."

"Yeah, go ahead and make fun of me..... it wouldn't be out here if it would fit in the door. I'm going to have to take the legs off and flip it onto its side and scoot it in. I think I have some kind of.... wheely something...." he continues muttering as he wanders inside, coming back out a minute or two later with a hammer and chisel. "Now... what's that about a crowd? No, I guess I'm not.... I'm sorry I missed you when you left last night. I'm afraid I wasn't feeling well at all. I hadn't slept for a while. I still have that tape."

"It's all right, nothing to worry about. You're feeling better, I hope?" She peered at him, worrying a little. "Oh, that's what it is? A tape?" She tilted her head, more curious than ever, and it wasn't even for her.

Nar stands, arms akimbo, seriously considering the best way to dismantle the beast. "Oh..... I think so. I don't know. are you?" His eyes flash red for a moment, caught in the light of the street lamp, as he glances over. "Yeah.... I had it around. I thought it would be funny. It's the old Dracula movie with Bela Lugosi. It entertained the hell out of me when I saw it, and I'm not even Dracula. I figured he'd think it silly... if he hasn't seen it already, that is," he mutters, getting back to the problem at hand.

"Yeah, I..I think I am, maybe." Her mouth turned up in a small, but bright, smile. Things were far from wonderful, but better was certainly something. When he revealed what the tape was, she chuckled. "Judging by what he thinks of vampire novels, he'll probably think it's hilarious."

"Does he really fill his head with that stuff? I have a tendency to stay away from it." He tips the piano over on it's side and begins to work the legs off, wedging the chisel inbetween the joints and giving it a soft *tap tap* to loosen it up without busting it all to pieces.

"Maybe?" he asks quietly. "I had a dream about you last night."

"I had them around," she admitted. "He read a couple of them for curiosity's sake, and out of amusement."

She watched him work at the piano with interest, falling into a lull for a moment. When next he spoke, it took a moment for the words to register, and now she was the one to give an odd look, softly curious. "You did?"

He continues to tap away with a dour look on his face, intent on his work. "I dreamed that you were lost somewhere in the darkness. An evil black was blotting out the sun with a perpetually cold rain. I was there; I wanted to help, but I couldn't get rid of the black cloud that hung over you. I was lamenting, when the great Lord Shiva approached me out of the shadow, swathed in a leopard skin and smudged with ash. I begged him to help me and he wouldn't, saying that what is, is what must be. I said, 'If I can't chase this thing away, then it is useless.' And he said to me, 'No, you may not have the strength to chase clouds out of the sky, or call the sun from her sleep, but you can be a light or a cloth.'"

He pauses, recalling. "I remember that he said, 'Even the lord Jesus could not save his bretheren in life.' What do you think?" He stays crouched on the ground, his arms wrapped around his knees in rest, eying her intently.

That wasn't what she'd been expecting at all, not that she really knew what she'd been expecting in the first place. That was..that was...oh lord, she didn't even know. She sat right down on the pavement, folding her legs beneath her. It was easier to think that way. She stared down in front of herself for what seemed a long while, chewing at her lip.

"I think..I don't know what I think, I don't know anything," she remarked helplessly, still trying to grasp it. Lords, gods, saviours...she'd never really been religious, not since she was little. She shook it off; that wasn't the point. "I think..I think maybe he's right. Drac's not going, not for anyone, no matter what anyone might try to tell him. And I'm not going either. I got myself into it, and I can't get out. I..I don't want out." That was, perhaps, the worst part. Knowing that, admitting it. "But I don't want him to become everything, I need something to hold on to, so I can hold on to myself.."

Naraka fixes her with a pitying eye. This is what he'd feared more than anything, that she would resign herself to her horrible fate, drowning silently in misery. And doing it of her own free will. He rubs listlessly at his head and says dispairingly, "I had figured. Well, if that's the way you feel... all I can do is cast a little light. As much as I can manage. But mine is pretty weak. Listen, since this is what you've decided, I want to tell you something... Our suffering is caused by pain and greed and ignorance. It makes us cause pain to other and on and on it goes. The life of a vampire is a lonely one, and the world that we came from was not kind. It might sound a little crazy, but maybe if you tried to understand him a little better, if you'd just talk to him and leave all your caustic feelings behind for a while, you might open the door for him into a more peaceful place. I can't do it. I'm not the right kind of person. But maybe you can."

"I..I don't know. It's so hard to get him to talk about anything, to know anything about what he's really thinking or feeling. He hides it too well. All I know is the history, the stories, but I don't know what of it's true and what's not. I used to ask, but he'd just get annoyed, and after awhile I just stopped trying." She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to think. "I know he did horrible things, I know horrible things happened to him, but I don't know what they did, the result. All I can do is guess, and..I'm not so sure I'm any good at guessing. I'm not sure I can do it."

Nar starts tapping once again on his piano. He manages to whack off one leg, and gets to work on another. "Well... that's no fault of his own. It's his way of coping. It's how he has learned to survive. No child is born wicked. We're made that way by the evils of the world around us. And that is hard to reverse. But when you open up new possibilities, you offer them the chance to change. I'm not saying it's easy, but I am saying it's not impossible. Open up a new world to him. We don't need brutality or manipulation. Give him time. He'll learn."

He scratches his back with the claw side of the hammer and goes on, "I think I can sympathize. With him, I mean. I had horrible things happen to me, and in turn, did some horrible things myself. But nothing is written in stone. Somebody found me and brought me back from the brink. You see? I've been waiting for hundreds of years to be able to return the favor, but I'm not kind or clever enough.... but Iden, don't let him think he's just wearing you down, if you're nice to him. You don't deserve his abuse, no matter what he says. If he starts to bug you or get unbearable, just come to me; I'll take care of you."

"So maybe he wasn't born wicked, maybe things happened to make him that way, but he is. And what if he likes it, what if he doesn't want to change, even if he has the chance? Will he learn? Do I even have long enough, do I even have that time?" She was back to pulling on Toby's ears again while she asked her impossible questions.

It was comforting, though, to know that maybe it could be done, but it seemed so hard. She shook her head, pushing away the despair the difficulty brought with it. "But you are kind, and you are clever. Don't sell yourself so short."

"He never says I deserve it, not really, never gives a real reason, he just..does what he wants, because he can." She shifted positions, worrying at her lip, then shook her head again. "I..thank you. I need that, sometimes." Though it stung, in a way, to admit to needing taken care of.

"Yes... so he is... But I don't believe that anyone really likes to be wicked. Does he seem like a happy person? Maybe in some twisted way it brings him pleasure, but it doesn't make him happy. I know it's hard to escape ones nature. I've been fighting it for so long. As for time?" He sighs. "I don't know. But if you are going to keep him around, you may as well give it a shot. I think the best thing you can do is leave him alone when he starts to get unbearable. There's really nothing worse than lonliness, and I think he'd learn that you wouldn't stand up for ill behavior eventually. That is, if you don't. And I'm not clever enough, obviously, or I'd be able to outfox him. Beat him at his own game. And I'm not kind enough to break through his insistantly thorny exterior." He gives the pavement a spiteful whack. "You really shouldn't let him. I think you have more influence than you think."

"I can't tell if he's happy, or what he is. I don't know what he wants. As for his ill behaviour, it's not like there's much of anything I can really do to discourage it. I certainly can't stop him, if that's what he's set on. And I don't know if anyone can break through, I don't. It's no lack on your part." She ran a hand through her hair, twisting the ends with her fingers. "I don't know, maybe I've got some sort of something going for me." She managed a wry grin. "I'm still alive, after all."

Nar snorts irritably. "Don't say that. Sometimes being alive is far worse than anything else. Granted, you seem to be ok. Nobody should be owned, but better a master who doesn't regularly torment you. Look.. I know it's very hard to believe but dear, if someone could have tamed me, of all people, I'd bet life and love that there's a way to bring him back. It's just not something I'm capable of. But look, this isn't something anyone can do overnight. It takes time and patience. I'm only saying that you don't have to lay down and take it and hate him for it. Just... just come to me when he causes you trouble. I'm not exactly the cheeriest of people, but I'll try to keep you happy. I think you'd be surprised how well some reinforcement would work for you. He's like a bratty child." He snears, bearing his fangs.

By now, he's gotten all four legs off, and he begins to wrestle the rest of it into the door. It fits, but just barely, inciting all kinds of sailoresque mutterings from the surly vampire. Once it's in, as well as the legs, Nar comes wandering back out. "Listen, I need to go feed myself. I've been starving myelf over this for the past couple of days and it's making me a little stupid. You promise you'll come see me? Perhaps we can both try."

"Sometimes I'm not even sure I do hate him for it. I don't know, it always just seemed to encourage him, whatever I did to try and get him to stop. Since it wasn't getting me anywhere, I sort of stopped trying." She wrinkled her nose, partly disgusted with herself.

She flinched a little when he said he'd been starving himself over this. She really wished he hadn't been. "I promise I will." She nodded, pushing herself up off the ground.

Nar shakes his head. "Please don't lose hope in yourself. You don't deserve it; I can tell you that much." He gives out a heart-broken sigh. The situation seems pretty hopeless on his end.

"Oh... here," he says tonelessly. "I have this thing.. This.." He wanders back in and appears a moment later with the tape he'd promised. "I've got to go. Goodnight." He hands her the tape, gives her a pat on the shoulder, and heads off down the street.

"Thank you." And she didn't mean for the copy of 'Dracula,' either. "Goodnight, Naraka." She stood there for awhile longer, drumming her fingers on the tape and watching him go, before she turned and headed home.

Iden pulled open the door and shuffled into the shop with Toby tucked under her arm, peering around to see if there was anyone about.

-Shortly after Iden Yume entered the store with her velvet mouse Trea crawling about her shoulders. In her hands Yume held a small kit of pre-school water colors and some paper.-

Iden wasn't any stranger to singing at random, but as she plopped down onto the couch, she had to stifle a grin nonetheless. It was always somehow funny when someone else was doing that sort of thing. She did return the smile, raising her hand in a small wave, then let it fall as she peered at the stranger's companion.

She was about to say hello when someone else entered. After a moment of biting her cheek, she greeted both, albeit softly. "Aah, hello."

*LP smiled taking off her headphones and smiled sheepishly* allo. *she picked up willow sitting her on the desk* Hi yume, long time no see. *then she looked over to the new girl* I guess you've a velvet there. *she nodded to the plush with a smile* Tis great to have new owners.

*willow jumped from the desk to the nearest couch almost missing and then heads over to iden and sniffed at the plush.*

-Yume beamed at them both- Allo there! -she sets Trea on the floor and opens the water colors ontop of the paper, there is a container inside for water already. Trea goes to work dipping her paws or tail in and... creating... pictures-

She looked down at the plush in her lap and nodded, affirming, "Aah, yeah. I'm Iden.." She really was awful with introductions.

She let Willow sniff at Toby, not fearing any harm to him, and looked curiously to Yume and her painting mouse.

Hi I am Yume.. did I say that already? -She put her finger to her lip looking puzzled for a moment and then smiled again adressing Iden and Trea- this is my velvet mouse Trea. She was a plush too.

"She's very lovely." She smiled, fingering her mutt plush's ear. "This is Tobler," she added, resisting the urge to fidget, nervous though she was.

-Yume looked at the girl and Tobler- He is cute. Why are you tense?

Aah, damn. Caught her with that one. She tugged thoughtfully on Toby's tail, lifting her shoulders in a shrug. "I just, umm..get that way, sometimes."

-She smirked a bit and looked down to Trea who was busy making nonsense marks on the paper and having a blast. She then looked to Iden- Would you mind if I sat by you? I understand being nervous, I get that way sometimes but not as much anymore.

"It's fine, I don't mind." She smiled, shifting a little. It was a bit unnerving with someone around who seemed to be rather good at reading her.

The basement door opens, and Naraka comes wandering up looking red of eye and rather ill. He blinks stupidly in the bright light of the midafternoon sun and drowsily assesses the room. "Hello," he raspily greets the current patrons of the store. He gives Iden a glance, and then goes over to his pile of piano left in the corner, with the intention of reassembling it.

Iden was a bit surprised to see Naraka come walking up into the sunlight, being used to Vlad and his inability to tolerate it. She was worried by the look of him, though. Maybe it was being in the sun that made him look so ill? "Aah, afternoon.." she ventured, not quite able to keep the concern out of her voice.

Nar gives her a nod, trying to be friendly and not sullen and grim like he feels. Seeing her funny look, he explains, "I really couldn't sleep, so I decided I might as well be useful and put my piano back together." He blinks at the sunny window, squinting. "It looks nice out."

"Oh, I see." She tilted her head, wondering if there had been anything in particular keeping him awake, but decided maybe it was better not to know. "I thought that vampires couldn't, aah..take being in the sun?" She can't help but ask. Here she'd thought 'Blade' was complete and utter nonsense, like most any vampire movie. Not that it stopped her from liking it, but that was beside the point.

Feeling as though he really can't do two things at once this afternoon, he turns himself around and says, "No, most vampires can't. All the ones I've ever met. But I made a trade off. I am not as strong, not as fast. My eyes can't see in the pitch black like they used to. I can't turn into a wolf or mist, or a bat. I can't float or dissolve completely into shadow. I can't ressurect the dead. But, I can walk in the sun without burning into a crisp. It still irritates, and after a few hours in the bright sun I go blind and get sick and dizzy, but I don't roast in a matter of minutes as I would ordinarily. I have two days at the most."

*LP shakes her head vilovently seeing nara and then yume and iden she chuckled and scartched hte back of her neck.* ^^; must've zoned out.... hi nara ^^ *she caught the words roast* Ohhhh are we haveing a cook out? *all of what he said hit her* Ohhhh wait.... nevermind >.>; sorry

*willow bats at the dog softly and pur-moews wanting to play, but seeing it doesn't move she noses at the iden's hand.*

Her mouth shaped into a silent 'o' as she considered his answer, which was somewhat more elaborate than she'd expected. It seemed like one hell of a trade, but..well, not burning up would certainly have its own advantages. He'd have time to get himself somewhere out of the sun, at least. Trying to stifle her curiosity at least a little, not wanting to pester him to death with a dozen questions, she let herself think for a moment longer so that when she opened her mouth they wouldn't just come pouring out. But she could get them into one. "Oh, I see. Could you really do all those things?"

But then, her hand nosed, she noticed Willow again, and she idly gave the tiger a gentle scritch behind the ear. Toby, plush that he was, simply listed to one side at the batting.

Nar snorts at LP. "I doubt you'd really want me for a cookout." He then turns back to Iden with a small smile. "Well, yes, and probably more. My vampiric family was enormously influencial in the many provinces now known as Romania around the... tenth or eleventh century and back. We were recognized by our silver hair and red eyes, a trait that all of us developed at the point of our turning. I really wouldn't be surprised if your er... friend has heard of us. I was never really considered part of that Aristocratic crowd, though, so I'm really not too knowledgable on my history. Irronically, I learned a lot of it from a friend of mine down in Guatemala. He researches vampires as a hobby to keep himself sane. Anyway, we were pretty standard when it comes to the Slavakian vampires. We had a lot of animal forms, but I had a tendency to take only one, and that was my wolf form... mist sometimes."

He frowns, thinking, wondering how to explain. "I think some of the things we did were taught, but because I was more like a pet or a plaything and not one of them, I was never taught those things. Like our ties to the undead. I'm supposed to be able to influence the dead somehow, but I never learned. I really don't want to anyway."

*LP watchs him slightly pouting* well I said sorry. *she shurged it off and puts on her head phones once again and turns the cd to a different song more upbeat. Watching the two sorta wondering why nara was so hard to get along with sometimes. She brushed some of her hair outa her eyes and watched the two looking to see what yume was up to.*

*Willow saw nara and jumped from the couch iden was sitting on to warp around his leg trying to get some attion from him. So she was a bit of an attion hog, oh well.

She listened intently, always interested in most any sort of history, and here she'd been presented with a sort that was entirely unfamiliar. She really didn't even know much of anything about the general history of the time he'd mentioned. Most of what she knew was later, the most she could really place was that was about when the Hungarians had started trying to get their hands on those provinces, and that they'd managed to occupy Transylvania. Beyond that, what she knew of even the regular sort of history was pretty much nothing. She tapped a finger to her lips, thinking on it. "Oh," she repeated. "I never realized there were vampire..families."

But at the mention of what he'd been, she turned pensive, really not sure what at all to say, if anything. But that did explain something, at least, giving her something of the reason he wanted so to help her. Since she didn't know anything to say to that, she passed over it for his mention of the dead, musing quietly to herself, "'All the dead that he can come nigh to are for him at command..'"

"Yes, well, some vampires, especially the more modern sort, don't consider themselves as being of a particular vampiric lineage. One of the interesting parts of my family was that we could breed and produce dunpier, and also other full vampires. I suppose that's why the tradition of family was so strong for us. There were more vampires around back then, too. Now we're all scattered around, so it seems. Globalization broke them all up. My family is all but extinct anyway. It's irronic that I, the lowly creature, would have been the last to survive." He gives out a sardonic, barking laugh.

"What's that you're saying?"

*watching the two she feels slightly left out and rahter lost just by catching some of what they had to say because she had her music low enough to atleast notic if they said something to her. She looked at willow and then walked towards the window leaning on it looking out. She watch the clouds go by.*

"Dunpier?" It sounded familiar, or at least had a familiar sound to it. She wracked her brain, trying to dredge up what she could remember from the bits of things she'd looked into. Finally, she hit on what she thought might be it. It was worth a shot, anyway. "Is that the same as dhampir?" She formed a wry grin. "I suppose there is something to it.."

"Aah, sorry. I was thinking out loud. It was just a bit from 'Dracula,' is all." She had an almost sheepish look, a bit embarrassed to admit to reading that sort of thing.

She glanced over at LP, realizing she'd sort of been left hanging, but not knowing what to say.

Nar shrugs a little. "Yeah, I think so. the halfbreeds. I'm used to Chac's pronunciation and spelling. I think it's French? Anyway, I never did deal much with that sort of thing. It wasn't something I had to worry about. Like I said, everything about my family and my kind of vampirehood were completely lost to me. All I knew was what came most naturally, like changing shape and hiding in the dark. All the things that were useful to a feral beast. I've learned all this recently. Anyway... yes, we could have children. But any of the vampires I've come across these days can't, so I think it's a fairly rare trait."

He makes no comment on her admittance, but does give her a rather funny look. He follows her gaze to LP, and says, "Hey you. How's your arm?"

*Looking up she shurgs softly taking off her head phones again stopping the song it was on.* Okay I suppose... *she still looked at the sky*

"Sounds like they're the same." Then something occurred to her, and Iden furrowed her brow, thinking. "Drac had kids," she noted, partly to herself. "I'm not sure from when, though, if it was before he became a vampire or something.."

She didn't take much notice of the funny look, rather having expected it. Absently, she wondered what had been wrong with LP's arm, but it wasn't any of her business to ask.

"Oh. That's not very surprising. Children were very popular back then for one reason or another." He sighs, wishing he didn't have to think about that particularly unpleasant person. Or imagine what sort of fate his children befell. "I don't know anything about him or his vampiric family. I was way out of the country by then, and I haven't returned to Romania until very very recently. I can't help you."

LP looks at the two watching them, she was slightly interested by the mentions of romania but she wasn't includeing in the matter she looked for willow, whom had by now made her way to the toyshelves again and found a place to nap. She walked towards the door.* not that anyone cares but I'll be back in a little bit. gunan let willow nap *she nodded to the tiger and opened the door stepping out.*

"Someone had to inherit. Only one of his ever did, though, I think." She shrugged, tapping absently at the sole of her shoe. "It's all right, it's not all that important anyway, in the long run. I'm only curious."

She bit her lip, inwardly cringing at LP's comment when she stepped out. Ohh, Iden needed to learn when to shut her mouth and not be so curious.

"Well....." He frowns, wondering what exactly is unimportant and whether she really wants to hear him talk about vampires or not. "I don't know," he concludes hopelessly, shrugging his shoulders.

"LP, don't be silly," he growls after her. "Just because we get to talking about something doesn't mean we want you around?"

*she pauses and looks at nara* Geeez, I know that but still... forget it. I'll be back in a sec. I.... have... I have to er... find someone. *she nodded slightly.*

-Yume looked around to spot who had come in to play. She had stepped outside for a moment to get a bit of fresh air. Trea was still in the room playing with paints on a now...colorful, paper-

"I just, well..it would be nice to know, but don't fret over not knowing, yourself." She tugged at one of Toby's ears once again. "It's not the end of things if I don't find out."

Hearing LP, her shoulders sagged. Here she'd been talking at Naraka this whole time, and it was probably what was driving LP off. "Sorry," she mumbled, looking down.

Not your fault *LP called at whom ever said the sorry and let the door close. She walked towards the hustle and bustle of the street and then ducked into an allyway.*

*Willow heard the door slam after LP's voice and jumped looking around. Sighing she shook her head and looked at the others with a sigh she mrowled jumping off the shelf she was on and moved over to iden. Nuzzling her to say sorry for LP's behavoir.*

He sighs and answers a little sullenly, "No, I don't know anything about Vlad, if that's why you were so curious." He turns himself around and begins to fit the pieces of his piano back together.

"Not specifically, I'm just..curious in general, I guess." She shrugged, adding in a mutter, "I just like knowing things." She hadn't meant to cause him any sort of frustration.

She petted Willow absently, worrying at her lip. "S'alright, there."

Nar looks back over his shoulder, his face appologetic. "I kind of got the impression that you were asking because you might like to know a little bit about me. If you want to know about vampires, I have a friend who is just obsessed with them. I can ask him things. If you want to know about Vlad, he might know a thing or two. Hell, he might even have a thing or two that belonged to him. But I can only tell you about my own personal experiences."

He jumps when Yume shouts at him. "good god, girl, what is it!?!"

-She blinked and blushed sheepishly- I was happy to see you and was going to pounce and hug you. -She frowne d a little bit- Then i remembered how that went over the first time I did it to you.

"About you, and about vampires, anything you'd want to tell me." She smiled a little. "I can ramble on about the hsitory, the stories, things I've found in books, but not everything's in books, and with what is, who knows what of it's true, or exaggerated?"

She flinched at the sudden bit of shouting, giving Willow another scritch. Things were crazy today, apparently.

-Trea looked to Yume from her startled position, boy she had no sense sometimes. She twitched her nose a bit and laid her ears back concentrating on Yume-

He considers this and says, "Well..... I can tell you a few general things about vampires that I know. But mostly it would just be personal stories. If you don't think I'm being egocentric by telling you, I wouldn't mind, but you see, I really have not a lot of other information."

He glances at Yume. "Oh, go ahead, if you must. I'm in no condition to resist."

-She gave him a soft smile and bowed her head for a second before looking up to start talking. Though when she did, it was soft as a whisper even though to her she sounded normal- Actually, I don't really need to. I think for once, I'll actually wait.

"If..if you don't mind, I really would like to know." She didn't want to be prying at him to tell her things he'd rather not.

She ran a hand down Willow's back, smiling at the tiger.

"Well.... no, I don't really mind. I uh..." He glances over at Yume. "I don't know how much everyone else would like to hear about it, though. And now I'm a little lost. I don't know where to begin. What kind of things would you like to know?"

-She closed her eyes and imitated a 3nodding as best she could look then picked up Trea and sat on the couch.-

I, um.." She shifted when Willow decided to occupy her lap, wiggling a foot that had, by this point, gone completely asleep, and considered. She had a feeling 'everything' wasn't going to cut it as an answer, but specific things had flown right out of her head, now that he asked. "I just..I don't know. I don't even know enough to know what to ask." She grinned sheepishly, knowing that probably wasn't the sort of thing he wanted to hear, then cast a glance over at Yume. "Anything you're, umm..comfortable with?"

I tried to ask him the everything question once too and I don't recall us getting very far. -Her voice still no louder then before-

Nar fixes them both with a somewhat pitiful glance. "You're both making this rather hard on me. If you don't give me something to talk about, I'm just going to start telling you everything about my life, and that might just disturb you. Are you sure you want to know everything I'm willing to tell?"

*LP appered back at the door shoving a small box into her pocket and seemingly put out something on the side walked and steped back into the shop pulling her hair back out of her face, before entering back into the toyshop cracking her neck. Once inside she leaned on the wall beside the door watching everyone. She slipped a ninja star back into her pocket.* hello again... *she muttered softly sounding kinda mellow.*

*Willow's head perked up and then she layed it back down watching nara.*

-Yume tried to say "I am" but it only came out as a squeak-

"I can't help it," she murmurred in response to Yume. "There's too much to think of. What'm I supposed to do, ask something horrible and inane like 'what's it like,' or something?"

She bit the inside of her cheek, stroking a finger down the back of Willow's ear. Did she want to know everything, even with the way he made it sound? Whether or not she'd come to regret, well.. "Yes."

She looked up when LP re-entered, nodding. "Hey."

Naraka sighs a little, and says, alright then. "Let me collect myself for a moment, and figure out how I'd like to start. Starting is always the hardest part."

*Looking at nara and then to the other two* Cant' be that hard. Every story I ever heard started out with once apon a time.... *she said in the most serious voice, her face still held a mellow look, as she watched them.* So should I have brought popcorn for this?

*She nodded to Iden* Seems willow found a good napping place.

Iden nodded slowly, running her fingers through Willow's fur. Not only had she roped Nar into talking about himself, he'd ended up with something of an audience to tell everything to. She doubted that helped much.

She smiled over at LP. "Good to know I'm a comfortable...err, a comfortable something, anyway."

Naraka waves his hand in the air. "Alright, alright. I don't need suggestions. Hold on..." He comes wandering over and has a seat on the floor in front of them. He gazes around at the three, wondering how well this will go down. "Alright, but you all have to promise that you're not going to make fun of me or... or hold any of this against me. Alright? And..... wait, do I smell smoke?" He wrinkles up he bridge of his nose. "Who's been smoking?"

-Yume looks down at Trea, then to Iden and Willow- Well we have all been here. -She casts her glance to LP then back at Nara- I asked you this quesion myself long ago so I have no place to hold anything against you nor to make fun of you.

*LP looked at nara and mutteed almost inabulty* bad habbit.... *she scratchs the back of her neck and drops her gaze down to the floor slightly. She was pondering if now would be a good time to leave.*

"I promise," she said softly, simply, meaning it. Then, at the sudden switch to his asking who'd been smoking, she blinked. She hadn't smelled anything, but well..she didn't have the benefit of any sort of enhanced senses. Not that smoking bothered her particularly. She shrugged inwardly, and went back to petting Willow.

Naraka fixes LP with an implacable stare before he decides to begin, "Well He says slowly, " I don't remember much of my human life, if anything at all. Maybe sometimes I'll smell something that seems familiar but very far away, or I'll see the sky looking so blue, and I'll remember a time when I could look at it without my eyes stinging. But actual memories, I don't have. I don't remember any family, although, I figure I had one. I am only vaguely certain of where I lived, mostly based off of where I was kept as a vampire. Romania, southern, eastern Romania, I think. Maybe near the sea. I'm not certain, but I've always loved the sea."

"Anyway, when I was very young, for I've kept the body since my turning, I was captured by one of the vampires who lived there. I am not certain of how influencial she was, or really anything about her. I never even knew her name. To me, she was simply "Mistress". She had captured me because her last plaything had died, completely and utterly broken by her ill abuse. That's what she did, you see, she entertained herself through pain. I don't know what it was that made her so angry and hurtful. Perhaps someone used her for the same thing. Perhaps she had been tortured by men in the past, women have never been very well respected as human beings, but she loathed me for being male, and tried to do everything she could to hurt me for it. Well, she liked me because I was unusually tall. My whole family was. I don't know exactly how it happened ( I don't remember anything about my being turned) but I can't imagine it was good at all."

He pauses to take a breath and scratches at his neck. "Well, so she took me as hers. I doubt you'd like to hear exactly what she did to me, but it was very bad. I probably don't have anything of the original me left, but perhaps parts of my head and neck. Everything else has been removed in some form or another, and has grown back in the manner of a vampire's body. She wanted for me to hate her, so she could hate me back all that much more, and I'm afraid I fell for it. When you regularly have your skin cut off your body, and shrapnel poured down your throat, and...... other things... well, you get to hating in a hurry. I got wild and feral. I was no longer a human being but a beast. I would try to disappear into my own head, leave my body, but she could always call me back. I wonder if she wanted to break me, but I was not going to give in to her. I always had my teeth bared, and was punished for it, but I wouldn't give in. I would have killed her, had I ever been able to get a hold of her. She was too clever for that, though, and had ways of controlling me.

She would turn me loose sometimes to ravage the countryside. I was an unholy terror. The gypsy people called me 'Enedral', 'Blood', among many other names. I committed horrible atrocities, hardly aware. I was just angry and hurt and violent beyond what is natural in animal or man. I couldn't think anymore. It was a bad time. But I finally managed to escape, after how many years, I can't say. Probably hundreds. My sense of time got a little scewed."

-Yuem sat stroking Trea. She felt sad for what that woman had done to him though she also recalled this part of his story. She had heard a bit of it after all. Though she felt bad at how easily forgotten. She then began to think about how much he had changed to be sitting there with 3 women telling them about his life without hating them. Thanks Nara she thought quietly-

Nar looks out the window, uncertain if he can meet the eyes of his three listeners. "I wanted just for it to stop. I admit, I was cowardly. After so long, any end would have been good. If only she had killed me accidentally. But she didn't. She was so careful. I was her favorite, I guess. And I was tough. Well, I couldn't kill myself, and she wouldn't, but I did manage to escape one day. The events are fuzzy. She dabbled a lot in some sort of arts. Sorcery and vampiracy aren't all that far apart. Both involve an unnatural kind of energy. Some say we're kept walking and talking with 'magic'. I'm not sure how a vampire is a vampire, but anyway, I'm getting offtrack.. um.. she liked to dabble, and I... I caught her at it one day and ruined it. I am not sure how. I managed to break free of my bonds, I suppose. Well, the next bit will be horribly confusing. Her... spell, or whatever it was, did something to me. I wasn't where I thought I was. I was taken to another place. And I don't remember any of that. I've been made to lately, and I get the feeling that I will have to remember more in the future. I went to a castle, and I stayed there for I'm not sure how long. Somehow I managed to come back."

He sighs a little, "Well, I spent so much time as a bitter, vengeful creature, that's what I had become. I took it out on anyone I could find, mostly women in ah.... in a variety of disturbing ways.... I must have thought them responsible, somehow. I had to take my revenge on them. I was the unholy terror of the area. I spent most of my time in the shape of an enormous, black wolf, and I was a terror. A ghost, a demon, the devil himself. I was called all sorts of things, but I didn't care. I wasn't human anymore. I wasn't anything. I didn't belong to anyone, and that's all that mattered."

"I began to travel east eventually. Something called me, I think. My destiny. I came across the desert, how, I really don't know. I had a cloak that protected me from the sun, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to survive the journey. I was still susceptable to the sun then. I came eventually into India, and that's where my life changed. That's where I learned love."

He gives out a little cough and goes on, closing his eyes, for the sun has begun to hurt them. "I forget exactly how we met. I have forgotten so many things. But everything after has been so important, so stark, I doubt I shall ever forget. Her name was Anala. I found her, or she found me, in the forests of India. Sometimes I feel like I'm there again, I dream of it so often. The smells, the call of peacocks in the dead of night.... the reflection of the moon on deep, sylvan pools. It was like a dream, even then. Her and everything. She tamed me, calmed me. And I grew to love her like never I had before. I thought that such things were for people, but not myself. She taught me otherwise. It took years, though, for me to become less savage and fearful. I ran away from her often when she first approached, and there were a few times that I thought I might kill her out of sudden fright or anger. She had a friend named Nandin. He had been her lover for many years, and together, they took me in."

" For a lot of people, I guess it was just a really wierd relationship. Her and her consort taking me in and teaching me love, Nandin as much as she. They were both very gentle, particularly Nandin, whom I learned to like very quickly. My relationships with male people have always been very.... odd. I don't like competition or a lot of male traits, so I don't generally get along with male people, but Nandin was very different. They both taught me to love together. But it was Anala that I grew adorantly IN love with. I loved them both, but she was the object of my romantic love."

He takes a deep breath. "Well, of course, that couldn't go on. Human people die. I had the choice of turning her, both of them, into a vampire, but I couldn't. I knew how hurtful it was to a person, especially after they taught me faith, and the workings of the world. To stop a person's progress through the wheel of life and death is one of the most cruel things you can do to someone. So, when the plague came apon their village, I let them go. Nandin went first, Anala shortly after. Watching her die was one of the most hurtful things I've ever had to experience. I had the power to stop it and keep her forever, but I could do her no such cruelty. So I watched as she slipped away. She was burned. I never stayed to watch the burning. I went into the forests, my hair cut for her. I have never worn long hair since."

-Yume seemed to feel her heart swell at the imagery and feelings his words brought to her. She felt her eyes cloud up a small bit as she thought of what he had lost. Then thinking his pain must be so much worse by carrying the memories all these long years. Trea curled up on Yume's lap, listening but not fully inderstanding.-

"I traveled the forests in misery for.. for years, I think. I felt so lost and so sick. She had given me life by sharing hers and now all that was gone. On her deathbed, she promised that when she was reborn, she would find me, and we would live in happiness once more. That was the only thing that kept me from burning myself up in the sun's light in apathy. She was a steadfast devotee of Shiva, and always talked about the mountains with love and awe. I was drawn there, to those white mountains whose snows are supposed to purify all evil. I had it in my head to find and talk to this Shiva. Beg him to find her, for I'd grown so horribly lonely waiting for her. I didn't meet him, for all my searching, but I did run into the buddhists. They took me in and explained the wheel to me and how I had come to the bottom because of my own actions, and that, if I should hope to rise up, I would have to do so of my own making. That's where I got this."

He unbuttons his shirt and tosses it to the side, turning around so they can see the huge, black and white tattoo sprawled across his back-- a large wheel with six parts, and dozens of tiny figures and places and sections. "It was a spell, although, that makes it sound rather cheap. It locked away many of my powers in exchange for a piece of my humanity. Since then, I have been able to walk in the sun, though not for long, and my bloodlust is far less than an ordinary vampire's. I don't thirst constantly, or need to feed every night." He turns himself back around. "I came down from the mountains forever changed, though it was Anala, really, and Nandin who had changed me the most. I roamed the woods for a while... I did a lot of.. just drifting around, waiting for her. Looking. She never came. Eventually I took to the sea. I sailed for many years. Anala had taught me music, and I have adored it ever since. I made my way, sometimes, with the promise of music. It has kept me a part of human society, I think. Well, I had many adventures on the high seas, and saw many places. So much useless drifting. I met so many people, but none of them were Anala. I took many lovers, but didn't love any of them in the same way."

He sighs, "I came to America and traveled west, along with so many others. I played the piano there. I met someone I took up with... That was back in the eighteen hundreds. I picked up this thing because I've been feeling nastalgic. At this point, I have pictures, but left them elsewhere. Well, I did a lot of moving around after my friend died, then picked up with some young people in the 1960's. Those were good times. The world was always changing, but it seemed that I found some people who really cared, at that point. I grew very attached, but the one I loved most died in childbirth and after that, I just shut down.. it's always like that. I'm alright for a while, because I meet some people that I learn to love, and then they die, and I get kind of lost. I traveled the country, but I didn't care much about anything. Ever since India, I have just been waiting. I found this place, and Iris's uncle let me stay. When he died, I decided it was time just to sleep and sleep and try to forget. Iris woke me up... and.. here I am. That's the story of my life. Some things have happened recently. I thought I'd found Anala at long last, but I was wrong. I have realized, at long last, that she's never coming back. It hit me very hard, but I think I'm getting better.... I am rediscovering what had happened at that castle.. I've fallen in love again. And that's it. That's my life story."

-Yuem tried to let everything sink in and be quite, though that only lasted a short time- So, you love again, now?

*LP looked at nara lofting a brow slightly and then looks towards willow whom looked back at her, and with a nod from LP willow got up and sleepily made her way over to be picked up by her owner.* I think you know your own history better than I know mine nara. *she yawns* I think I oughta get a going. Willow's tried... always is after storys....

With Willow now gone from her lap, Iden was right back to tugging at Toby while she thought, letting everything sink in and settle itself in her head, though thinking didn't quite begin to touch on what was going on her mind. And she was having enough trouble trying to sort everything out, without trying to think of something to say on top of it, some way to respond. Caught up in her mind as she was, she didn't quite have a sense of how long she'd been quiet, and she just..looked far-away and distant, even a little lost.

Nar watches LP go without a word, too tired to tell her off for being so insensitive. He rubs his head and looks back over to Yume, addressing her question at last. "Yes... I have. I thought for a while that it was Anala come back for me but she's not.... Anala isn't coming back."

-Yume stood up slowly gathering Trea into her hands since she was asleep. She then walked over to the paints and paper, gathering them into her pocket.- hey Nar, I'm glad you were able to talk to us tonight. -She looked down and then back up, her eyes a bit cloudy- And thanks, it means a lot to know you don't hate women still.

It's several hours to sunset, and the deep, golden light of late evening is streaming in heavy slants through the southern window, and falling in odd, scewed, plush-shaped patterns on the floor. Despite the lurid brightness, Naraka is awake and sitting at his piano, rockin' out to some old saloon song from days gone by.

Iden opened the shop door to be greeted by Naraka's music-making and grinned, wandering quietly in with Toby under her arm. She opted not to say anything for the moment, just in case he wasn't wanting to be interrupted.

Nar notices the door open and glances back, giving her a grin. He finishes up his piece with a flourish and spins himself around to see her. "Iden, you come at the oddest hours. Hello. How are you? I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd come up here and play. I've been thinking more and more on someone I used to know and it prompted me to go out and get this." He motions to the piano.

"I just sort of keep weird hours, is all," she replied, grinning. "Mm, I'm alright. And you, aside from unable to sleep? Oh, have you?" She tilted her head, curious.

"Well, I can't shake my finger at your for that. I do the same thing. I've been alright, I guess. Maybe a little.... lost. I've been thinking alot." He turns himself back around and begins to plunk away a new, softer tune. Background music. "Yes, you reminded me of her somehow. Maybe Vlad. I used to know a girl in Boston, and then later, in Nevada and Wyoming, who I took up with off and on. Her name was Clara, and she was a fireball of a woman. She took care of me, and gave me a place to stay and helped me move all my things over from India and other places, and in return I provided favors of an adult nature. We had a very odd, love/hate relationship. We fought a lot. I never really knew what she thought of me."

Iden perched on the arm of the closest couch, listening. She certainly wasn't expecting the mention of what he'd done for Clara in return. She scratched the back of her head and blinked. "Oh, I do? Ugh, I'm certainly familiar with the fighting a lot. Drac and I have been going at it since day one." She wrinkled her nose. "She took care of you?"

"I kind of figured as much..." He frowns a little to himself. "That's why it reminded me of her. We were both very thorny, and had the habit of pricking each other either intentionally or no. She gave me a place to stay and keep all my things. At that point I'd become very lonely, and just wanted someone to be around, even if I didn't get on with them so well. I could hold my own, though, as well as her, so the situation worked out after a fashion."

"I can understand that, just wanting someone near." She fluffed at Toby's tail a bit. "I think most of the time, we mean to do it when we upset each other, Drac and me. We learned pretty early how to aggravate each other. I do alright when all we're doing is arguing, anyway..but it doesn't often stay that way, with him not a ghost anymore. He never got in the habit of sticking his hand through me or anything, at least. One of the other Archeos ghosts liked to do that."

Naraka cringers. "Well.... I don't know what to say.. It never came to brutality with us. Maybe a little physical competition." He runs his hand nervously through his hair. "I wish I had something clever to tell you, but I feel like I'd just be repeating myself."

"It's alright." She offered him a soft smile, regretting saying that. She hadn't meant to make him nervous. "It doesn't often, really. He just..starts talking at me, usually. Or just gets hold of me, or something."

Nar gazes quellingly over his shoulder. He really can only imagine the worst and it's deeply troubling. "Maybe it's.... no, I don't know. I'm sorry. I don't know." He shakes his head and begins to plunk again, albiet not in a very lively way. "Prehaps we ought to get ourselves out of this stuffy shop. It'll be dark soon. Would you like to go out somewhere? Maybe to the park or out of town to the hills and the woods."

"Maybe it's what?" She narrrowed her eyes curiously, then slid slowly off the arm of the couch. "I guess so. That would be nice, if you'd like."

"I was only going to give some possible reasons and try to quantify the matter. I just... didn't think it would do any good, and after the other day, I don't want to torture you with such heavy talk every time we happen across each other. I wouldn't be fulfilling my role and obligation to you if that were the case." He slides off the bench and straightens his silky shirt. "Where would you like to go? The sea is only an hour's drive. I find it is calming and pleasant. But perhaps not so far? I do't think I'm in the mood to deal with crowds today. I'd rather keep out of the city, if that's quite alright with you."

"You've got me curious, now. And it really doesn't torture me. Well, it's alright, though." Curious though she was, she didn't want to force him into saying. "Umm..anywhere's fine, really. I'm more than alright with keeping out of the city..I don't know that I ever like crowds."

"Oh, I was going to say that maybe it's a response to his situation. When a very feral creature finds themselves trapped, after a fashion, it tends to make them aggrivated and violent. I mean, perhaps he needs a different outlet for his negative energies. Perhaps he would feel better if there were something more familar around. Being thrust into such a helpless situation is very bewildering, and he's probably taking it out on you because it's the only control he has." Nar rubs his hand over his neck, puzzling, and begins to meander out the door. "Where is it you live, by the way? You said it was something strange."

"I don't know. That does make a certain amount of sense." She followed after him, biting her cheek while she thought about his question. "It's, err...ohh lord, I don't even know how to explain it right. I don't even know if I can."

Frowning, she fished around in her pocket for a moment, drawing out a necklace..it was an ankh, hung upside-down on a silver chain. "We can go, if you want. But I'm warning you now, I've got a whole mess of weird animals. And there's Drac, of course."

"To your house?" He raises his eyebrows. "No, I didn't mean we had to go, if you don't want me there. I was only wondering. Has Vlad been back to Romania since you picked him up? If not, I'd like to take him there. Maybe it would please him and give him something familar."

"I don't mind. Why wouldn't I want you there? It's just a bit crazy, is all." She shrugged, swinging the necklace, then shook her head. "No, he hasn't. I don't think he has, anyway, though he does disappear every now and then."

"I don't know." He shrugs a little. "Perhaps it would be some kind of trouble? I am a little curious to know where it is you live. I don't know if I can take another round from Vlad, though. I guess I should learn to deal with it." He puts his hands on his hips and pauses in his walking. "I have a way of getting there very quickly, without any trouble, but I wonder if he has a similar way? I guess I'll have to ask."

"Nah, it's really not much trouble, as long as you don't mind weird." She paused when he did, tilting her head. "If you'd rather not deal with him tonight, though, that's alright. A special way of getting there, huh? Well, I don't know all the things he can do, by any means."