[ BOSS ORP ] From The Ashes (THE FINALE P.76)

[musicaloner7]

hanging gallow

She's at a concerttttt, so we're gonna say Joachim's tagging along like planned!

iloveyouDIE

Pales

Once settled onto Muka's back, the demon gently hugged around his neck as instructed, roots tucked under her body, a few even coiling around his thick fluff. Ready to go, she gave a little gasp as they hoisted into the air, briefly hugging him more, but relaxing as they started going. It was quite the experience, flying! For a moment she was dazed by all the figures rushing past them, but soon fell into a determined search for Kettil. She peered past Muka's head, eyes darting about with great haste, before locking in on non-other than Kettil! "There!" she shouted, an arm releasing just slightly to point down to the reaper, "That's him~" she announced to the owl, quickly letting her arm lock around him again... as it didn't feel entirely comfortable not being fully secured.


Character Name: Ev
HP: 3o/3o
Target: none
Damage: ---
Effect: crippled from fire.
Number of People Currently Attacking Me: 0/3

Appearance

Ev, her height can vary due to her roots, but she's usually standing at 5'7.

 

[kuropeco]

For several moments Gale stood in the middle of the battlefield without saying a word, to either the other trainees or Jinhai. The dragon remained silent, but Gale could tell that he was just waiting for a chance to talk again.

He did not want to talk right now. He did not even want to think.

Why did I have to overhear that?

His mind seemed to want to shut down in on itself, all of his thoughts crazed and confused. He walked around absently for another few moments, trying to make sense of the conversation he had just heard, and Gale closed his eyes briefly, inhaling slowly.

Why?

The answer was not going to come anytime soon - for that, or for any of the other questions that were pressing in on his mind, threatening to suffocate him with their weight. Gale lifted his hands, pressing them against the sides of his head, his teeth clenched. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a familiar figure pass by - someone he did not know how to face anymore.

Gale dropped his hands and followed after her, and when he reached her he said nothing, instead just stepping forward and burying his face against her, his arms wrapped around her waist. It may have been a childish act, and it may have been considered pathetic, but right now he did not care in the slightest what anyone else thought.

He needed it - and her, whether he cared to admit it or not.

His face felt hot, but Gale just curled himself against Candace and let himself let it go.




[ HP: 50/50
Target: N/A
Damage: N/A
Charge: 2/3 0/2
Items: Runic chains x1, modified pendant ]

Quote:

APPEARANCE: Short blonde kid with short hair and carrying a giant sniper rifle that's probably as tall as he is.

He is NOT wearing his scarf, and he's pretty much beat up, bruised, bloodied, and dirtied. His coat is torn in several places, and there are burn marks around his collar and the front of his coat and shirt.

Eight

 

[medigel]

Mort squinted further when she didn't respond one way or the other, wondering if maybe her jaw had been dislocated as well. And then she jerked her head to look at something which . . . he also couldn't see. Frustrated, he attempted to piece together what pieces of his glasses he could, not minding the cuts on his fingers or the fact that they wouldn't stay in the frame. "Amrita?" he tried again, grunting softly as he discarded his glasses altogether. "H-Hello?"

He groped forward until eventually the ghoul's arm was found, but the second he touched it he recoiled back. The bird had swooped near them again, and for a second he though he heard a jumble of wailings that threatened to crawl into his skull - and Amrita had felt so unnaturally cold to the touch . . . Mort's brows knitted with concern, but he was tentative to touch her again while she stared blankly into nothing.


HP: 40/40
Attack Turns: 1/1
# of People Attacking Me: 0/3
(( Mort is 5'6", wearing jeans/sneakers/hoodie/graphic shirt/beanie sorta like from headshot ))

Enoh Love

 

[WE ARE HALLOWEEN]

The reason most of the students and trainees' hits were not colliding was because the phoenix was not a single creature. No, it was a collective, a container, a vessel for thousands of broken fragments, teeming, spilling around the edges, its wings curling to white, feathers dissolving again -

- As the world around them turned into thick white fog. They couldn't see: there was nothing to see, not even the ground underneath them.

Slowly, the mist began to condense, the white bleeding into blacks, dark greys, figures walking in the fog, bustling past the students. Figures in strange, garb, the clothing of the Four Clans, feathers and bones adorning their skin, thick fabrics, long hair, greyscaled intricate jewelry simply moving back and forth. One destination to the next, as if passing a crossroads.

"Excuse me."

A figure entirely in white, a small figure, contrasting against the masses of teeming greys, stood a little ways to the left. "Excuse me. Are you crossing as well?"

The figure was dragging them forwards now, one step at a time, steadily. It felt right, the voices whispering to them said it would be alright, it would be okay, it would be fine to come and walk together, to go look for home together.

Home. One last time.

OOC: THE FINAL BOSS ROUND 2: ???/??? HP

gaia_crown [ NON ATTACK PHASE: ] Your student/ Hunter is at a strange crossroads it seems, (read the prompt above). Someone is asking you to follow them home. You feel strange, a sense of unknown nostalgia as you remember a memory, something that beckons to you, something that makes you feel belong (this memory is different depending on the student or Hunter). It could be something as simple as a happy memory, or a moment where they felt accepted/ accomplished. They relive the memory over and over again, and follow the footsteps forward....

gaia_crown [ GENERAL RP FLASHBACK RULES ]: As long as you have another player's permission you can include them in your memory/flashback

gaia_crown [ GMING the NPCS ]: The fogged figures do not talk, not any more than what is revealed above but the smallest white figure continues to push your character forward.

gaia_crown [ POINTS TALLY ]: If you manage to make your post a solo (over 600 words, not 800), then you can take home + 3 FOUR CLANS POINTS. Make sure to link to your post when redeeming them in the usual place.

 

[LP]

Willow's tail flickered. "It would...." Willow answered pausing cringing when she heard the voices. "They're like Red was..." Her ice blue eyes watched the phoenix. What could they do?

Her eyes shifted towards the heirs. Wondering if they knew how to end this. How to... maybe save them? Her ears twitched with each Help US. Willow's eyes closed. "I hope this isn't why the horsemen kill all the humans and Halloween...." She muttered standing up and shaking her fur out.

"Red took a lot of beating. A lot... I don't think she was nearly as big. Unless there's a way to save them but I think... once insanity has tainted them... it's impossible."

She was about to continue the thought when suddenly, she noticed, the fog. "... oh s**t....." she muttered. Truly worried about the fog, Bul had mentioned it, it drives them crazy. ". . . Fog."

Willow looked around nervously hoping this wasn't the same fog that Bul spoke about. Suddenly she noticed figures walking in it. Her eyes widened as she watched. It was teeming with horsemen, mishmashed here and there.

Willow wasn't sure there was a way out of the fog. Suddenly, "Excuse me are you crossing as well?" The tigress looked to see a small white figure. "Uh.... not... that I uh...." She paused thinking, was she? No longer was the hunters around that the tigress noticed or the other Halloweeners. "... I don't know."

There was something oddly blissful about this fog, it wasn't scary... It was almost like... home...

---------

"Mama, Mama...." Cried the younger tigress as she pranced around. "Look what I caught!!" Willow had caught her first meal. All on her own. She was grinned up to her mother, a larger Tiger, still orange in age. Bare hints of color changes around her stripes and white points.

"Ahhh.... that's my little ghoul." The older tiger churred, "You'll grow up to be a great huntress and make us all proud."

Willow's tiny tail flickered as she picked up the animal, which was almost as large as her. "Do you think they'll let me go to Amity and learn?"

The elder tiger paused looking at her little one, "Well if that's what you want, I don't think they'll stop you. Now eat your lunch....."

It was nothing short of Bliss for the tiny Byakko, her playground and home. It was a happier time for the child, no need to be shy around anyone. Just her and her mother and nothing but fun, nothing to fight, and no worries.
-----

Willow was following the fog, one foot at a time. It was surreal, like she'd never left home. Her mother was proud of her, and she didn't have to fight hunters. Worry about who was dying because of what. There was no need to fight, there was no need to train, and it was what she wanted to do; not something she needed to do. No revenge and not having lost anyone, no death of the horsemen, no loss of Red. It was a simpler time then, a more... pleasant time. Willow churred while lost in her blissful dream, no longer worried about the nightmares with the hunters plaguing her, no worries about what was going to happen to the horsemen anymore.

((611 words))
--------

(( OOC:
Character Name: Willow
HP: 40/40 ))

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

Aleister was busy panicking until he almost ran into Syd and the tiger and froze. "Syd..... that t-tiger..." He said.

He paused when fog started to roll in. There was a frown as he saw figures walking. "AHHH.... Syd?" He called, but it seemed he couldn't find her. Aleister started to worry about this, as he looked around, standing still.

He paused when he heard a voice, "Excuse me, are you crossing as well?" Aleister froze looking at the little white figure.

"No? I have no reason to." He answered as he found himself pushed forward. He looked at the little figure. "I-i don't think you understand, I'm not crossing over." He sad, "I'm not done yet...."

As he was pushed forward he started feeling a like there was something familiar about this....

------

"But... mama they're monsters!" He protested as he stood there holding a gameboy and a pokemon cartridge.

"they're not real." His mother answered sounding tired. As she shook her head and walked off, "Play it, a lot of kids your age enjoy this game."

Aleister was staring at the game and the console before finally opening them both and sliding the game into the slot. Trying to turn it on... pausing, oh wait.... he forgot to put the batteries in the console. Turning over and putting the batteries into the back, and turning it on again. He listened to the song that it played as it started up.

He was looking at it, curiously. A Yellow game boy and pokemon yellow. He paused as he read the screens, and finally got a chance to pick his pokemon. "Pikchu?" He looked at it screen as he accepted the pokemon.

He started playing it and chuckling, "Mama! Mama! Look I got a bagde!" He smiled holding up the game with both hands so his mother could see.

"Good job." She smiled as she patted him on the head. Watching him run off.

"You sure that's not going to give him more nightmares?" Asked his father as he looked up from the paper. "You know those things give him nightmares and his imagination makes him swear he sees them."

"I thought maybe it'd make him realize they're okay if he won't stop seeing them." She answered rolling her eyes as she walked off.

------

Aleister had long since stopped fighting the white figure that was pushing him forward as he was remembering his first pokemon game. Even pookie was unimportant as he sunk into his memory.

------------------------
(( OOC:
Character Name: Aleister
HP: 40/40
Charge: 2/3 | 0/2
Items: Charge Packet))

Ice Queen

 

[Nio Love]

Robert was standing in the back just watching. He attacked once and was now just waiting for the chance to go in again. Things were just insane; people were yelling, people were standing around talking.

Robert growled and cried out into the air. "WHAT THE ******** AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?" And then he fell to his knees. "Why are people talking instead of roasting this ********' turkey?!"  

[Bittiface]

Otto breathed in sharply. A white fog spread all around him, thickening and the sounds of battle dying off. Figures of the four clans began moving through as grayscale, this way and that. A figure in white appeared, beckoning him, promising home was close.
No.. he'd been in this situation before. That strange occurrence during the mission to the Convention. He needed to fight it! Tenya seemed adamant not to lose her partner again like she almost had then. Otto tried to fight the girl, pulling and tugging his hand away, but to no avail.

Rather than panic, something made Otto feel calmer. That feeling of nostalgia. It was becoming too enticing to ignore. Wonderful things.. The scent of his girlfriend's hair.. the soft singing of someone he didn't know lulling him to sleep at night. Warmth.. acceptance..

No.. he wanted to fight this. He didn't want what happened back at the convention to happen again.

Tenya.. help me fight this..

<>

Despite his best efforts, that alluring nostalgia washed over him. Go home.. let's go home...

The scent.. the scent of her shampoo. Kimberly, the girl he sat next to in class. Kimberly, the girl he skipped class with. Otto always had trouble making friends. He was impatient, awkward. Kim was a loner, but somehow the two found themselves in each others company. Detention together, make up tests. After running into each other during a few cases of hooky, it became clear they might have a little in common.

A moment on a hill behind the school, blocked from view by trees. Another afternoon of skipping classes with this girl. She was funny. She smelled so nice. Otto really liked this girl. While he didn't much smile for anyone, he smiled for her. Maybe she would like him too. Maybe..

They'd fallen into a silent moment after laughing about something or other. Otto quietly built up his resolve, letting the cool autumn air calm his nerves. "Kim?" He asked as he leaned closer, hoping to get her to turn her head.
"Hm?" Kim did turn, expecting Otto to say something, like ask for the rest of her lunch. Otto leaned in, softly holding her cheek in his hand as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
He was nervous as Hell, but it felt right. They were only supposed to be buddies, but something compelled Otto to strive for something beyond that.

Please like me too.

He pulled away slowly, searching her eyes for some kind of answer. She stared back, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. A big grin soon spread across her face, eyes twinkling happily. "I was waiting for that, tiger." She said cheekily, leaning forward and pressing a long kiss to his lips too.

Such joy. Such acceptance. Never had Otto felt like he belonged like he did that day, wrapped in her embrace.

Home...

Home.....

---

Siobhan blinked. When did it get so foggy? These figures.. they had been the horsemen. What was she seeing?

Siobhan more than readily took the girl in white's hand. Home. Amity? Or perhaps...

She could hear him. Akubi. He was calling to her. Time to play again. Time to have fun. Him and his Auntie.. they would take care of her. They accepted her, warts and all. They loved her.. right?  

[Boozver]

…Long-long ago, as if in another life (though it is an open-ended question whether faes can live through several lives or not), Wylfenne was happy…

Can one recover forgetting from the past, when common sense dictates that the forgotten is by its very nature irrecoverable? Can we get back our memories that were lost? It seemed like in this fog, milky white and alive, breathing as if it were your long-lost companion, it was possible to revive that you though long buried in your memories. Wylfenne thought as if they were dragged through the whole of their lifetime into a short memory – one they had long banished because it never helped them to be real, but made longing for denouncing the world and being lost forever in their fantasies. The day when they first participated in the Wild Hunt. Their honour and their home. Suddenly all the smallest details of it became real again; the fae made a breath and could smell the sweat of the horses, the teasing thick odour of decaying flowers their kinsmen framed the path. The air was filled with sounds: quiet jingling of swords and bells, yelling of the Elders, signs and giggles and coquetry of the female faes who were not participating in the Hunt but seeing them off; musicians tuning their instruments with unmelodious wailing and hissing curses, the impatience of the horses…. Wylfenne should have been left at home due to their age, but this time the Elders were benevolent and let them go with their kin. So, carefully roped to the back of one of the riders, unsmiling dark minion of their father, they were anxious and excited about their first ride. ‘Where are we going?’, they kept asking impatiently, but they never received any answer, until one of the Elders, probably both irritated and amused with their eagerness, turned back and hissed dryly: ‘This is the essence of our being. Probably, one day we find the true path’.

Now Wylfenne wondered how they could ever forget that moment. That minion who carried them had long dissipated, wounded on some other occasion, many others had fallen, and many other had sprung to life, the Elders were long gone substituted by their sons and daughters, but the ritual was still there, for never that mysterious as it had been on the very first time when the little fay felt the strangeness and majesty of the procession they could not understand in full.

The wind had blown the magic fog into tatters, and here and there Wylfenne could see creatures of all sorts and sized dodging in and out. All different and all alike, as if some whimsical hand had sewn various unmatched parts into similar patterns. Their kin was quite humanoid, but others were not, and the little fae watched in amusement those who were taller than the mountains with bird claws and wings, walking slowly behind their black stallions, and those that looked like giant grasshoppers in royal dress, and yet those who had no faces but burning eyes, and yet those all covered with long black thorns as if they were giant hedgehogs with fierce smiles, and many others that were as ancient as the time itself. They felt proud to be part of that solemn procession, to be accepted as an equal by those majestic and awful creatures. They had no more questions; no more emotions, only the longing to follow this powerful call towards something they do not know.

Here, in this fog in another life and in another island Wylfenne felt they were called again, called to join the great and ever-repeating exodus of their kin, the insane procession where they are both the Hunters and the Hunted, and that which was Fear itself.

[words - 627]  

[demon_pachabel]

The fog washed over all of them. The clan wanted them all to go home, now didn't they? A place both close and yet so hard to grasp in his fingers right then. His hand continued to hold Cym's even as he was beckoned, and a strange voice seemed to wash over his mind...


“Invictus!” The woman’s tone was sharp, yet gentle with him and the young horseman looked up from what he was doing. He’d been caught knee deep in the koi pond again, both of his eyes wide like saucers as he looked towards the bridge she stood on. She was beautiful – Tall, pale, with white hair, jade horns, and wings that almost reminded him of some sort of tropical bird. Simply beautiful and in that moment, upset with him.

“Invictus, you were supposed to go see his Imperial Majesty! What are you doing out here?” she chided, moving to the edge of one of the many islands that floated about between the ponds as she scooped the child up, pulling at his clothing and half wringing it. He was soaked, completely soaked from the knees down. He hadn’t even taken his shoes off. Invictus didn’t look up at her as she investigated the damage, frowning. “M’sorry, Momma…” he whimpered, sounding about ready to cry. His mother used her free hand, tucking it under her son’s chin to push it up to look at her.

“Why are you sorry, Invictus? We will only need to get you changed and then we will go see his Imperial Majesty.” She assured, but Invictus’s little hands grabbed at her shoulders as he buried his face into one of them, shaking his head as tears welled up in his eyes. No! No no no! His posture said it all – he didn’t want to go see the head of the clan. As if understanding this, his mother took her to sit to one side on a bench with her, cradling the young boy in her lap.

For a long moment, neither of them said anything as the woman carefully pulled his soaked shoes off and then wiggled his toes playfully. “Invictus. Why do you not want to go see him? He is a very important man. You should be happy to know he sets time aside so you two may see each other.” She sounded confident that whatever her son’s problem was, she could get to the bottom of it relatively easily. Invictus shook his head. “But he doesn’t like me.” He sniffled, nose already beginning to run. She wiped his nose with her sleeve, not worrying too much at the state of her clothing. It could be cleaned, it was a small price to pay for the ease of her child’s mind.

“That’s not true, Invictus.” Brushing a hand over his hair, she continued, “that’s not true at all. Your father loves you just as much as I do.” Invictus looked at her as she said this and shook his head. “No he doesn’t! He just sits there and draws his stupid ink drawings and looks at me funny when I don’t hold the brush right!” he fussed, tears starting to stream down his cheeks. “He hates me! He wants a better oldest son that doesn’t make him make his stupid face.” Invictus made a point to amplify which face this was by putting on his biggest child frown and squinting his eyes.

It was hard to not laugh at simply how adorable it looked to his mother as she smiled before wrapping her arms around him and cradling him against her chest. “Sweetheart. He makes that face at everybody.” She laughed as she said this. “I can tell you I have seen that look on his face a few times too.” She sighed, relieved that this was all he was worried about. “He does like you, I promise.”

Invictus again looked up at her, his eyebrows knitted. “If he likes me so much, why does he need more kids?” he huffed.

There was a long silence as she digested this statement before she laughed. “He likes you enough to have had you as his first choice, Invictus.” She hummed, picking up the young horseman in her arms as she began to carry him. “Now, if I clean you up to go see him again, are you going to go back into the Koi pond, Invictus?” she asked, giving him a rather matter of fact look. Invictus braided a lock of her hair, nitpicking it to attempt something almost immaculate with the trivial chore.

“If I keep going in the Koi pond will I not have to see him?” he asked back, looking up at the woman who carried him. She sighed. “Yes, you will have to go see him, Invictus. You shouldn’t keep him waiting like that. Did you know when you didn’t show he had an attendant sent to our home to see if you had even left?” Invictus seemed to shrink a bit from shame. “….No…..” he answered, his voice small.

“It worried me sick to know I’d sent you out to the Imperial Palace just for you to have vanished between our door and his. Do you know how long you were missing?” She asked again, looking at the child in her arms. Invictus again seemed to shrink. “No…” he answered again. She wasn’t smiling at this moment. “I was looking for you for an hour.” A whole hour? Wow! His father was going to be angry if he ever showed up. Then he’d make the squinty eyed look at him again.

Never the less, it had been home with the two of them. Invictus had fussed a bit as he was changed into a clean robe and his mother combed his striped hair back into submission. It hadn’t taken nearly as long as it could have, however, and instead of sending him back out on his own again, the Horsewoman took the little boy’s hand in hers and began to walk back towards the Palace with him.

“Now. What is the first thing you are going to tell your father when you see him?” she asked, Invictus squeezing down on her hand as they walked along towards the large building that was not so far away from his own home. “That I’m sorry for making him wait.” He answered. She made a small ‘ah ah’ noise. “No. Apologize to him for that after you apologize to him for making him worry.” She corrected. “It would have done both of us no good for you to have vanished after how long it took to finally have you, Invictus.”

The horseman looked up at his mother, eyes wide. “Did you wait a long time, Momma?” he asked. She smiled. “Yes. But you were worth it, little boy.” She brushed her hand over the top of his head fondly.

Once they got to the gates of the palace, however, she let go of him, bending down to kiss her son on the forehead. “Now. Go in there and don’t have me looking in ponds for you again, alright?” she smiled. Invictus took a deep breath and nodded back at her. “Okay, Momma.” He still seemed nervous, and ultimately she had to walk him into the palace as well before he was able to make the rest of the trip up to see his father on his own.

She would be waiting for him when he was escorted home - but not that day. She would not be there now.

There were only his girls.

And they were there with him. He already had what he needed to hold onto most.  

[bobaTJ]

If there was ever any more reason to not attack the phoenix, this was it. Taryn watched as the world disappeared, dissolving in greys and blacks as the great bird swirled around the students and the Hunters. They were all... together here. Something odd was going on, and Taryn could feel it moving in her chest, something that wasn't meant to be there in this situation. Where there should have been rage and confrontation, there was only warmth. Even with the enemy all around her, she could only watch the events that transpired. Clansmen and -women parted to walk around her, dressed in greys and looking very solemn. The chimera could not help but feel that there was some sadness here... but it was amongst finality and comfort. It took her a moment to realize that all of these people were dead. This wasn't a run-of-the-mill dissipation and respawn, these being who had had families, lives, morals and stories, were all gone with a finality that normal Halloweeners could not understand.

Slowly, Taryn's brow furrowed and her eyes stung. It had only been two weeks studying within the Clans, and already she felt a connection with them. Was it one-sided? Probably, but the clansmen had come to fight with them, and that meant something at least. Now? Everything was gone. Every inkling that ever existed of history, of culture... no, no. The students had learned in their time, each another clan, and she had to imagine that there would be others as passionate about keeping them alive as the remaining clansmen. ...'alive'. Although those who remained would be key, the students had learned from them, skills and life lessons that they could not possibly have learned in the same way anywhere else. What of the Heirs? Would they remain at Amityville, or move on to better things?

"Excuse me."

The ghoul's gaze turned down to the...child? The small white-robed being that stood before her. Her eyes were wet and running, but she blinked to clear her vision. There was still that warmth within it all.

"Excuse me. Are you crossing as well?"

Without waiting for a response, the clans-ghoul or clans-boil took Taryn by the arm and began to drag her with it. The ghoul burst into tears suddenly, honest chest-heaving sobs punctuating... laughter? A grin. It had been an awful event, but everything would be okay now. All she had to do was... cross.

No, don't cross. 'Crossing' sounds like 'dying', why would you go with them?

The swelling in her chest felt like her first day as a Knob. She had stepped through the entry hall to Amityville and just felt... right. For the first time in her life, she had felt as if she belonged, like she was herself. Her childhood had been a time of uncertainty, of expectations, and then she had been free. She had nearly cried then too, her heart full of pride accomplishment. Sure, she had needed to wade through trash-filled caves to get there, and that had very little to do with academics or skill, but she had gotten there. All of her hard work had paid off, she had friends and a purpose, she had reached a level of comfort in herself, perhaps even a self-love that she had never had before. t had been new, and amazing, and this felt just a little like that. Would she cross over into another plane of existence? Would she belong there as well as she'd felt she belonged at Amityville? It certainly felt like it would go that way.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Taryn laughed, snuffling once. Whoever this was, where ever they were headed, she felt ready. She wanted to go.
 

[Eight]

Junko didn't want to be here. She wanted to go home...wait. No. She didn't even want to go home. Riley. Riley was gone. The ghoul who she placed on the highest pedestal, who to her was living perfection, was gone. In that moment she had wanted to die. Not dissipate. Die. She didn't want to exist any longer, she wanted to curl up and let the hunters have their way with her. Just as long as she didn't exist any longer in a world where she had had to witness the strongest ghoul she had ever known be destroyed; ripped apart, brought back and destroyed. She couldn't handle it. She had manage to make it through a lot, such as seeing Riley break because Malodore had been weaponized in their Trial of Death, but she couldn't handle actually seeing her...gone.

Riley was gone.

And then the islands and all the horsemen on them were gone as well, destroyed and obviously never to return. To see Invictus and Aisa, to see Caelius kill Invictus..she couldn't do it. On the one hand Invictus had returned, so at least she had him. She couldn't do this. Junko had somehow managed to stay out of everyone's way, sitting on the ground with her hair curtained lifelessly around her. Glowing green eyes were turned down toward the ground, her expression totally devoid of all expression and emotion.

She didn't notice the fog. She didn't notice the fighting. Junko barely even registered that she was being lead somewhere. It wasn't until she heard a voice that she peered up through her hair, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of the very mindflayer she had witnessed perish standing before her.

It's a wonder you are so bright and cheerful despite this calamity. It says something about your strength of character. She held the cloth she'd sewn on both sides up, for inspection. How is that looking so far?

Junko just stared dumbly. What? She looked down at what was in Riley's hands, her eyes watering. A burlap sack being cut and sewn into the shape of Oogie Boogie. It was crude but it was a beginner's work. Her mouth felt dry.

Oh Jack. "You..think I'm strong?" The words came out of their own volition. She didn't even think twice about them. "Th...thank you.." Her voice was soft, hoarse. Junko could barely get the words out. Riley's eyes arched into small crescents and Junko's chest constricted; she was smiling.

You're welcome. It does sound like a heavy burden, after all. It should not be surprising that you are thought of as strong. Not many could do what you do and maintain such a cheerful persona.

Riley knew from the beginning that she was strong. "Most futakuchi-onna are broken by their...affliction. Junko replied in that same soft voice, her tone wavering as a painful lump formed in her throat. "They submit and give in. I..I don't want to do that." Her voice cracked. "Idon'twanttogivein."

Do not submit. Never submit, Junko. You have a chance at a long, and frightening life. All you have to do is keep your control tight in your grasp. It is what us illithid do every day. If you manage it, I will always have great respect for you.

Tears streamed down Junko's face as she choked out a sob, but she was smiling. Riley had always believed in her. Always. She had always reminded her she was strong, and capable, and smart, and always encouraged her to do what she wanted to do. If Riley could do it, so could do it..she could do.

She wouldn't submit.

It's a wonder you are so bright and cheerful despite this calamity. It says something about your strength of character. She held the cloth she'd sewn on both sides up, for inspection. How is that looking so far?

Junko paused a moment, just staring at Riley. She smiled, more tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Riley."

It's a wonder you are so bright and cheerful despite this calamity. It says something about your strength of character.

A laugh escaped her, choked through a sob. "You think I'm strong? Really?! Thank you! Thank you so much!" The mindflayer's eyes showed her smile again.

You're welcome. It does sound like a heavy burden, after all. It should not be surprising that you are thought of as strong. Not many could do what you do and maintain such a cheerful persona.

"Thank you, Riley. Thank you." She sobbed out, lifting her head and pushing her hair out of her face. "Thank you so much!"  

[Inu-Mitsu]

Candace was mad, the loud shriek was a good indicator. Mitsu’s ears folded back as she got into stance ready for whatever fight was about to happen. However, the Hunter had something else in mind and instead stormed off with an ominous threat. I’ll deal with you later.

She watched the ghoul walk off far from relaxing as her eyes drifted back over head at the phoenix hearing the pleas and screams for help. Her hand came up to cover her mouth seeing the various beings all pulled together and fused into one. The lycan had seen nothing like it before and hoped to see nothing like it again. It sent chills down to the very core of her being, a different kind of fear welling up. That, the insanity, had infected Riley and Red. How long before it infected the rest of them?

Her hand moved from Shun’s sleeve toward his hand but before she could grip it the scene before her went white. A dense fog had descended upon them and Mitsu couldn’t see an inch passed her face. Desperately she scanned for anyone her hand grasping for Shun remembering where he had been last.

When the fog began to fade and figures began to emerge, Mitsu stood almost baffled, looking out over a new area. A crossroads.

"Excuse me. Are you crossing as well?"

The figure was dressed in dark thick robes like she had seen the Death Clan wear. Staring at the figure almost awkwardly she couldn’t help but feel…welcomed? It was an odd sensation, the promise of home. Mitsu could remember briefly from her childhood the sensation of being part of a family and having a home. The sight of her father there smiling at her as he lifted her into the air spinning her around before tossing her up and catching her again. Her mother giving her father a disapproving look before taking Mitsu into her arms and cradling her close. Even her brother was there, happy, content and alive.

The draw was almost too much, wondering if at the end of this road that was what she would find. A happy family not lost but just waiting for her to join them once again. Mitsu almost took a step until she realized that memory was so distant that it couldn’t be real. She wasn’t devoid of happiness however, no. As that happy thought faded from her mind another one quickly took its place. A thought much stronger than the last one could ever hoped to be.

It was hard to focus on one thought there were so many but they all involved one person. Her hand continued to roam until it finally found the person she was after, her eyes turning up to look at Shun. Through the hardships, the pain, and the anguish they had only grown closer. From the time he had saved her from a tree almost a year ago, to taking her to get a new phone when her’s had been water logged, to Prom when they had danced, and to the festival when they had played games. She had watched her reaper struggle and grow stronger throughout the year remembering their exams and the field trip to the Haunted House. It was there they had kissed for the first time and even in the chaos of the moment, the stress of everything that had been going on, it had been one of the happiest moments of her life. She had found someone, not just a friend but something more. In him she had found a friend, a companion, a teacher, a trainer, a pack mate, and a lover. She was bond to him like no one else and would follow him to the ends of their world and beyond.

It was strange to realize she had only known Shun for less than a year. Their time together had seemed like so much more. It felt like they had been together so much longer and out of instinct her hand reached for the pendant that dangled from around her neck, her fingers lightly tracing the orchid flower. A gift she would always treasure.

With her other hand tightly gripping her reaper’s she only confirmed with him first that he was ready to go. There was nothing in this world or the next that would make her leave without him. Whatever laid ahead they would face it together.  

[DarkHeartedSorrows]

Fog. Figures. Rikki watched them walking with purpose. They were familiar and not. Faces he couldn't make out. He found himself dodging out of their way as they barely registered they were there. But one did see him. One talked to him.

Excuse me, are you crossing as well?

Crossing? He didn't understand. Where was he supposed to be crossing to? The figure was enticing though. He found himself being pulled, and for probably the first time in his life, he didn't mind. There was a soft mantra in the back of his head, barely audible. Home. Home. Come home. Going home. Home. It was among the most comforting sounds he'd ever heard. Like a warm blanket on a cold night, lulling him forward and further into whatever dreamscape he was traversing. The feeling was home.

He found himself thinking about that. That feeling was everything he knew of home. Not of the home his parents resided in. That wasn't home. He'd never consider it home. But neither was home - true home - his dorm. Home didn't reside in a structure for him. He began to remember - the memory faded in like the soft ripples of flowing water. It started with laughter. Not his. An old friend's. His best friend's.

Tellervo came into focus. He was tall and lanky, but handsome in a way Rikki never thought he could live up to. His black hair was far shorter than Rikki's had ever been, and he had eyes like Tapio's. Such pure white irises on a black sclera. The boy, about fifteen at this time, had a smile plastered to his face. His arms were outstretched, free of the staining that covered Rikki's own.

"Brother!" Rikki was just a child of five. He ran clumsily for Tellervo, giving a high-pitched, tinkling laugh that filled the air and sang of all the love he had for his idol. The two met in a spinning embrace that ended with them both rolling in the grass. The laughter didn't stop. It kept coming, rolling out from deep in their cores until it was too painful to breathe anymore. And then they just laid in the grass, talking until the sky got dark and the stars sparkled bright.

They talked about things that never really mattered. Even now, reliving the memory, Rikki couldn't remember what they had said. He just remembered the feeling. The warmth. The acceptance of knowing his big brother was there for him. That was home. There on that grass, under those stars, right next to the one person in the world that hadn't judged him or expected him to be any more than he could be. Home couldn't have been any more perfect.

It faded out and then back in again. Back to the laughter. The embrace. The talking. Over and over, until Rikki's heart hurt so bad in longing and loneliness and so much love that he didn't know if he could handle it anymore. It felt like there was nothing in the world that could ease the intense hurt that made him feel like a million pounds were weighing down on him.

"Please," he cried out, tears streaming down his face. "Please." He didn't know what he cried out for. Perhaps he just wanted the figures to take this pain away. To take back this bittersweet memory that made him hurt so much. But it was possible that he was asking them for his brother back. They made this happen. If they did that, could they give him his brother? The real thing? The tears streamed, hot and agonizing.

"Please!" He sobbed.  

[demon_pachabel]

Oh god no, not this again, she wasn’t going back to that room! That room with Grandma and the shadow and -

There was a room. It was a familiar room. Simple, but it smelled like him.

“Marcus. MarcusMarcusMarcus.” Cass suddenly leaned back across the moon hunter’s lap, looking up at him with a bright grin on her face. “We should spar.” She suddenly said, practically wiggling. Marcus scratched the side of his head. “Right now?” Cass nodded and then proceeded to activate her best puppy-face. Puppy dog eyes. Those would work well, right?

Right?

They had worked exactly as intended and thus had ruined the opportunity for a perfectly good cuddle. Ever since that haunted house thing, though, Nicodemus had been increasingly quiet in her head and it had worried her. She needed to just keep him active and sparring with Marcus would be good for both of them. It was the rationale she had, anyways, as she headed out to the training fields with the boy.


"Hey, I appreciate you doing this with me. I'll make it up to you with whatever you want when this is done." She said across the way to Marcus, who seemed to both be disappointed that cuddles had ended, but also rather OK with the idea she was going to make it up to him.
“It’s okay, I’ll just make you hang out with me later tonight. Cuddle, make out, the usual.” Marcus had replied, taking a moment to consult with the voice in his head before he put him his guard. “All right Cass, come at me.”

And she had. It had been a relatively alright exchange too. She’d hit hard, he’d hit her just as hard back, they exchanged some playful banter. It made it seem like they couldn’t have died as recently as they almost had, and it made her feel productive. She felt the burn against how capable Marcus was as a swordsman especially. She’d need to work hard to catch up.

It was only when her attacks began to falter the exchange had gotten interesting:

"Damn! You hit me so hard you threw my game off!" She laughed. You sure it’s not just my devious charm and dashing good looks?” He went to strike he missed, and smiled. "Or maybe your good looks keep distracting me." She grinned back at him as she missed again, "Well, that'd explain a lot." she chimed back, "It must be like a magnet thing going on, we're both just so hot our attacks repel each other. So if you could just stop being so damn attractive for a minute so I could hit you, that'd probably help."

Marcus’s next swing hit her. "Sorry, Cass, I can't help it. Every time I see you, I know I have got to look my best. After all, a pretty woman needs a handsome man doesn't she?" He smirked. "How else can I seduce you?" She could feel her face burning as she swung back at him, a small pout on her face. “You’re just saying that!”

"Am not." He chuckled, "A cute girl always keeps me on my toes, and when that girl is my girlfriend of course I have got to be my best.” He stepped in, closing the space between the two of them. “Because that's what I want you to be Cass. My girlfriend."

There had been a faint static in her head as she’d processed that statement. He wanted.. her to be his girlfriend? A strong attractive guy like him? An older guy? She’d tried to throw the conversation off. It wasn’t a good time. It was making her lose her ability to stay focused. “We should have this discussion another time if we’re going to finish this fight!”

"Why not now? It's not like we don't have time.We can start off slow. Go on dates, stop acting like we're not sure if we want to date." The grin became sly. "Maybe have a good round of making out. Make it official you know? That way I can stop worrying about other guys trying to pick you up." It was hard to take seriously when he was swinging Desidero at her like that.

"You mean dates that aren't just cuddling in your room with a good movie?" she answered, "I mean, if those count then we're technically already dating." Marcus grinned back at her. "Sort of but nothing was official. I want the guys to know you're my girl. Its a sort of male pride thing." It was then he stepped in, his attack put aside as he pulled her in for a kiss, his lips brushing over hers in a way she had grown increasingly familiar with since that first kiss. It was a rather long one too, but he’d eventually pulled away from her to resume the fight again.

Which was a shame, really. She’d been enjoying that kiss. Even still, Marcus had finished off the spar with another one. Quiet words had been exchanged and the pair had wandered off the training fields together arm in arm. It was exciting. ‘Official’ was exciting to her. She’d enjoyed it.

She still enjoyed it.

That room where being next to Marcus brought her to so much ease.