Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lacey said something under her breath to Elijah but only walked after Antanacio. His name, she had trouble pronouncing so she decided she'd call him Tony, if she ever had to directly call him by his name. But she doubted she'd see him after tonight. Did she want to? Probably not. But then again...she had no friends...maybe having at least ONE wasn't too bad. Anyways, something about him made her intrigued...some sort of power hiding inside him tall body waiting to come out.

The other guy had some of it too, but she didn't care really. When he had the power he'd probably accidentally kill somebody or just use it to annoy people. So maybe not bothering to wonder about that was a good idea. If she did, she'd have to stick around him more, and she wouldn't handle that well. He may end up making her break. ((Hahaha...poor Eli...XD She'll warm up...eventually!))

Once they had gotten to the apartment, after a NICE silent walk, though the others seemed a bit more uncomfortable, she liked it...silence was nice. Her eyes studied the small home critically and she walked in towards the living room, making a face at the clutter. She wasn't a person who liked clutter, but the fact there were so many things made her a bit envious...where had he gotten everything? Idly she wondered if he had anatomy books or some sort of anatomy things. When Elijah sat down she looked to the spot beside him.

She didn't sit down. Instead she wandered to a pile of magazines and shifted through them, glancing at the titles before finding an extremely old Natural Geographic about the human body. She blew off the dust and sat down on the floor. Quietly she took off her coat and let it hang on a chair, along with her hat. Her gold and white hair fell neatly around her face and spiked in the back. After shoving her glasses into the coat pocket she began to take off her leather gloves. What was revealed were normal fingers...though they were of different colors. Finally she opened up the magazine just as Tony called out from the kitchen.

"You said lamb." She said to mostly herself and noticed Elijah looking at her. She stared back at him for a few minutes with a blank expression before looking away. "Steak. Okay." She replied to Tony and lifted the magazine to black her face from Elijah's view and flipped the pages before finding the article on the human body. She knew all it said...but reading again never hurt anyone, especially these days when all they had to do was let their brains rot.

Literally.

((Hahaha I feel so bad for Elijah. XD I may put in another character in there for some other company...we'll see. Maybe later.))

((lolololololz))

Lacey was used to people not enjoying her actions. In fact, she was expecting him to have said something an hour ago. Or either of them really. When he came up to her it just made things a bit more enjoyable. She had gotten him angry. Perhaps that's what made her do the things she did, to see some emotion from people that she herself refused to show.

As Elijah pushed the article down she looked straight at him and listened silently. "Sure. I look forward to it." She replied smartly and pushed the article back to her face. When he left she stood up and made her way to the couch. Not only was she amused, but she had stolen his spot. "Kinda bumpy..." she thought to herself and moved around, trying to find a comfortable position. Afterwards she went back to reading the article.

Suddenly her phone rang. The music was a high pitched tone that only the most acute hearing could hear, or children and teens. Carefully she retrieved the phone and brought it to her ears. "What?" Came her terse greeting.

"Why aren't you home? I'm worried about you, Ms. Stone." A sweet, bubbly voice announced over the other side of the phone...on speaker. She had forgotten to turn it off. Lacey lurched it away since it was right next to her ear and she took a heavy breath, too lazy to turn it off. "Is the work giving you more trouble tonight? I cleaned the whole house while you were gone, and I cut my finger off." The way she said it sounded so nonchalant and carefree. "At first blood gushed out but I put a towel around it and it slowed down."

"Yeah." Lacey mumbled and put her nose back in the article, one hand holding it up while the other held the phone in front of her.

"But don't worry! I'm sure I'll be fine! I always am. I hurt myself a lot don't I?" The girl giggled cutely and a few noises were heard in the back ground. The phone was put down and a heavy thunk was overheard before the girl returned. "They're acting up again...what should I do? It's kinda hard to settle them down while I'm trying to find my finger..."

"They're locked up." It sounded like it could be a question.

"Yes. Yes they are."

"Then leave them. Find your finger and put it in ice. When I get home I'll sew it on."

"When are you getting home? I'm awfully lonely. I mean...no one but them are here..."

"I'll be back when I get back."

"But Ms. Stone, where are you?"

"On a date." She replied, somewhat joking and the girl gasped loudly and then giggled excitedly.

"Oh boy! Ms. Stone! What if you get married? Will I get to babysit?"

"Good Bye." Lacey shut the phone and put it away.

((Hahaha...the mystery character. I figured I'd use her in some way...that and we needed another girl. D: You guys can guess who it is! You know her. XD ))

((LAME POSTS ARE SO AWESOME.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

... And I dunno who it is D: Who is it?! *feels dumb*))

Elijah gladly helped in the kitchen. He might have stumbled once, but otherwise went without incident. Apparently, he was capable when it came to anything that wasn't zombie related... or he had just gotten lucky.

When food was finally ready Elijah was quite glad. He was STARVING. His stomach had let him know several times, and loudly. He quickly and politely as he could placed himself at the table and waited.

Pugsley, at the smell of meat, clicked on his claws into the kitchen with his mostly demolished can crushed in his little jaws. His ears perked and twitched and he sat right by Elijah's feet and continued to chew.

At the question of their names Elijah glanced up and looked apologetic. "Oh. I'm sorry! I didn't... I must have not... Er. I'm Elijah... at least that's what I call myself." He said off handedly and then gestured a hand at his dead dog. "That's Pugsley... You know, like from the Adam's Family?" He smiled wondering if this man even knew what he was talking about and then sat back a little, running his hands through his hair. "Er... yes." He finished.

((...ummm... okaaayyy.... just so things are kinda kept interesting... whyyy the hell noooot... *types*))

Elijah always knew when he was near. It was rather hard not to know when he was near, given his situation. It felt like a chill at the nape of his neck that slowly spread goose bumps down the length of his arms. His fingers always were suddenly tinged with blue and any breath that came from his mouth was a frosty fog.

Seeing it then, the mist drifting from his mouth Elijah put a hand over it, burying it into the sleeve of his woolen jacket.

"Excuse me." He said in a tumble and jogged for the door without giving anyone a chance to stop him.

Pugsley was on his little mutt paws suddenly snarling at the opposite wall. His hackles jumped along his spine and his eyes gleamed in the dim light.


When Elijah finally made it outside he glared into the dawn that was slowly creeping. There was an edge of fear in the way he moved and he had every right to feel frightened.

"Boo." Was what he first said. He thought it was ironic and funny. He loved ironic and funny things.

Elijah gave a slight jump and turned quickly to glare, but he wasn't there.

"Up a little, mate."

Elijah tilted his head back and around and he was there floating upside down in his face. He choked and stumbled back, but otherwise held his ground. The man that Elijah seemed so unhappy to see grinned a deathly smile, a grinning skull with only so much flesh on it. His eyes glowed ghastly white and eerie in dark sockets.

"Long time no see, my friend... my bosom buddy, my favorite summon." The man twisted once and floated wraithlike to the ground. As his feet touched the earth his dark coat billowed and changed and a dark mist fled from his form. There was not colour to him with the exception of a length of red hair that floated from the back of his skull. "Just came to check up on you... you know how I worry about you, little friend." He smiled a horrible smirk with gnarled and yellowed teeth. They matched his exposed rib cage that glowed just the same as his deathly white eyes. Something stirred within him, there in the dark of his ribs.

Elijah sneered. "You never come unless you want something. What do you want, Declan?" He demanded and turned away. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Awww... don't be like that." Declan drifted to him and put a frozen hand to his shoulder. Elijah felt the chill through his three layers of clothing. "You know better than to call me by name. Didn't we go over this... um... what are you calling yourself these days...? Elijah?" He snorted and Elijah glared. "Yes... that's it. Elijah..." He laughed again in high cruel voice. "I thought we decided you call me "MASTER". It looks so much better on paper."

Elijah gave him a filthy look. "I haven't seen you in months."

"Been busy, Elijah." Declan had a way of saying his name that made it sound funny. There was a quirk to his jagged mouth and his eyes seemed amused. "Lot's of plans, you know."

"Busy? Plans?"

"Oh yes. LOADS of plans. It's going to get busy around here soon, Elijah... can you feel it?" Declan stared off into the distance. "It's going to get real interesting... I can't wait. Can you?" He ran a hand over his Elijah's face. He shuddered and jerked away. "I wish I could get rid of you, however... get a summon from the seventh circle who can actually hold his own. Pitiful and sad that it ended up being you.. but that'll change. You'll be who you were meant to be when the time comes... won't you, Eliiijah? Those marks on your back aren't LIES. You'll be feared... you along with me. I'll learn how to control you..." His grin grew wider, fiercer, more terrifying.

"You and me, Elijah."

Elijah shoved him away from himself and stepped back. Every breath he drew was a black frost. His lips were tinged blue as his fingers.

"You really will be as monstrous as me when the time comes." He said, pretending to look hurt. He rubbed his shoulder when he had been shoved. "You'll see... a human name won't bind you human forever, my dear Elijah."

((... HEHE. Anyway, I was going to have him leave... but I'll wait a post just in case, otherwise I'm done with him for now. YAAAAAAY... *scrambles off to do things* I SEE BATMAN TONIGHT, BITCHES.))

((LAWLZ. Declan is going to enjoy her quite a bit XD... Oh yeah.. he's like British... it seems cheesy now... but that's how he was and always will be D:<... I figure I should mention now. HAHA.))

Declan flickered his eyes on Lacey as she spoke. "Who's this, who's this?" He lilted, almost sang. He ambled towards her on light feet, the dark changing and moving with him. He was grinning like a demented jack-o-lantern. "What a pretty face, you have. So very pretty... a shame it's on so rotten a body. Oh dear, Elijah! Is she yours?" He turned to look at the man.

Elijah's arms were still crossed, his eyes narrowed.

"Come now, don't look so sour..." He smirked. "My love." He added and giggled gleefully. "How delightful! Gay jokes! Oh, those just tickle me some COLOUR of pink, DON'T they Elijah?"

Elijah remained silent.

"Come, my little one! Let us count the horror cliches... The rag doll look...? Honestly!" He touched her by a thread and with the tips of her fingers lightly shook her wrist. "How do you keep yourself together?" He laughed, a mad laugh, that sort of mad laughter that only one laughing at his own jokes could manage. "The glowing eye... Oh PLEASE. But oh irony of irony... I do love irony... you are pretty, aren't you? HA. An angel of death! Is this the part you're playing?"

He spun around her floated up and then around her. "It's sweet. I feel like I'm staring an open novel in the face. What a story." He rubbed at his chin. "I appreciate the mouth on her... flying s**t..." He looked truly ponderous. "That's a good one. I'll have to use it."

He then opened his eyes wide and gasped. "OH? I've interrupted DINNER? My boy!" He drifted over to Elijah. "Why didn't you SAY you were in the middle of dinner? I would rather not have you killed so soon..." He giggled, sniggered, hooted and then guffawed. "She wishes to kill you? She's funny. Oh I DO like her. Please don't leave this woman anytime soon. She's a RIOT." He looked to her and then giggled madly again as if at some secret joke. "Your little dog either... I do like to kick a DEAD DOG WHILE IT'S DOWN." Again he laughed wildly as anything.

Though, he stopped suddenly as it started.

"The sun is almost up. Go enjoy your meal, Elijah." His smirked at the name again. "I'll be by again." He bowed lightly to Lacey, mockingly. He was wild with laughter as he did it.

And as the sun began to hit the wasted earth, the rotten man vanished like so many particles of dust into its rays. His gnarled smile was the last to go, more frightening than any cheshire cat smile.

Elijah stared after him and then with a tired sigh he began to head inside. "He really is a wind bag for someone so devoid of lungs."

((...hahahahaha, he's REALLY fun to write for. Did I ever mention that? He is amazing to write for D: ))

Lacey watched at Declan with a strange look. She didn't appear so self assured or strong at that moment. When the rotting man moved towards her she felt a deadly chill run up her spine and she took a step back. "Rotten?" she repeated his words, eyebrows knitted into a scowl. The words he spoke made her stomach tighten. She wasn't sure why she was so disturbed by him. It wasn't like she hadn't seen someone as disgustingly ugly before, skin falling off, tissue eroding...

She realized when he touched her though. What frightened her the most was that she felt like she was looking in a mirror. Her whole body jerked involuntarily away from his touch and her eyes went wide, her heart thudding against her chest. She was going to say something bitter or reply in a snark comment but nothing came. "Rotten..." she muttered as he looked away.

As quickly as he had touched her, he had vanished. Elijah was saying something and she whirled around to yell at him, since the other man had gone...and she had no one to yell at. "What the FU-" but she bumped into Tony and she stumbled backwards, her weakened legs nearly sending her to the ground. If one looked hard enough there might have been a faint blush that crept across her cheeks when she looked up at the tall man. He was telling them something about fruit loops.

Cereal? COLD cereal...disgusting. "I want steak." She muttered, voice low and she walked into the apartment building once more. She wasn't going to admit it to anyone, but the reason she was determined to stay and eat that dinner was because...he had made it for her. Did she actually care about someone else's work or feelings? She herself wasn't sure. But she was also hungry too, so at least she could say that was the reason and not lie about it.

When she to the apartment, she slid back into her sit and began eating again, shoveling the food into her nearly empty stomach. After all that, and she was still starving.

((Lolz. What's this Lacey? You want to make people feel proud of their food cooking skills? YOU SO NICE. XD lolz. I get to see Batman tooooday. Though I had to wake up at 7:30 because my friends wanted me at their house at 8:30...which why I am up at this UNGODLY hour. D: ))

As Atanacio climbed back to his room, he heard Elijah murmur he would leave. The giant shook his head quietly, but he doubted the other man saw it. He wasn't entirely sure what to say to either of them, but he had to figure it out. He knew that this was too big to just let go. No one could have seen that thing and thought otherwise.

In his apartment, he hung back a moment while Elijah was greeted by his pooch. Atanacio crouched down to re-stack some of the papers the hyperactive animal had sent flying, and took the moment to collect his thoughts. These two had shown up in his life all a sudden, destroying zombies and conversing with liches and caring for undead puppies. They didn't get along, but whatever this pair was up to was something far beyond what he had ever thought about, and the feeling in his gut--literally and figuratively-- told him he had to know the truth.

He blinked out of his thoughts, and heard Elijah sitting down with a quip at Lacey. Atanacio stood to his full height--head nearly brushing the ceiling, and strode over to the table. "No fighting in my house," he insisted, firm and flat. He sat down, not looking at his food, and watched the other two expectantly.

"Well," he decided aloud, "it's pretty clear you two have something going on that I'm not familiar with. You can leave here when you're done eating, if you want, and we'll never cross paths again. That's fine. It's not like I got a say in anything you're up to. But some sort of ultrazombie just showed up in front of my apartment, and I think I have a right to know why." He crossed his arms. "In the midst of a zombie apocalypse, I think it's only fair."

((Two weird, zombish people show up at the same time? It's easy to assume they're some sort of partners.))

((LAAAWLZ. I know she didn't... I made her do that cos I thought it was funny *laughs*

... that and I didn't know what all else for him to say. So, I just made it like she talked over him. IS THAT OKAY? IT SHOULD BE.

Elijah gave Lacey a look, though whether it was an irritated look, or just a look in general, he himself wasn't too sure. Though, he was sure somewhere he felt kind of sorry for Lacey. He'd learned never to take Declan's words seriously, Lacey didn't have the same luxury.

"We're not fighting!" Elijah tacked on just as she finished her own say on the matter of their fight. He craned his neck back to look Atanacio in the face. He then put his chin in his palm and sighed, slowly. His ears were flushed a little. After a moment and more in his polite tone of voice he said: "I'll behave as long as she does."

And then Elijah got very quiet at his next words. He rubbed at the back of his neck and avoided Atanacio's eyes. "She doesn't know me." He agreed with her. "And she doesn't know him either."

When Lacey began a phone conversation Elijah finally met the taller man's gaze. He pushed his food aside, forgotten. "His name is Declan." He said the name in a way that suggested it should be formerly known from a different time. "He was one of the finest necromancers of his day; before the infection. Very smart, very young... and also very foolish." He paused as if trying to bring the bits of the story together in his mind. "He had a partner, a friend who worked very close with him in dark magic, but in working with him, he lost him to death. He played the game and lost. It's dangerous work, necromancy: upset the balance and you will fall, and fall big."

Elijah glanced away and then back again. He licked his lips to continue. "Losing his partner was hard on him. He was young, he had been like a brother to him. Death used him to lure Declan into limbo and trap him there... but Death didn't know just how smart he was. He used his magic, "strings of fate", to return him to the human world." He looked to Atanacio to see if he might have still been listening and if he was following. "He was already pretty mad then... when the infection hit and his mind began to go... there's nothing left of him now. Not a bit of human left in him... no compassion, no sadness, just insanity."

Elijah didn't really want to mention anything besides that... so he did it very quickly and in one breath. "AndI'mkindof a summon fromthesevenethcircleofhell that he's planning touseforIdon'tknowwhat. But I'm sealed in a human form for now, andeverythingshouldbealright." He flashed a smile.

And then Lacey was going to leave. He was grateful for the distraction. "Ah well then... she has compliments in her somewhere... must not be too many of them what with the space in which they have live among all her insults." He started to watch her go and then thought off handedly that Declan sure would miss having someone as funny as her to mess with.

((hahha, it's kinda sad that Elijah ended up changing a bit... AHHHH well, that's what happens when they actually interact with other characters.))