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Xaxis glanced over at Iamel and Diacyn's little game of eat-the-pillow. It was a curious thing, really - the woodpecker had always been so laid-back and playful. Even in the most dire of situations, the guardian of explosions seemed in tune with playfulness and jokes. And Diacyn, oh so serious owl, surprisingly went along with it!

Xaxis didn't think he could ever be that goofy or silly. The serious raven, though he adored shinies and found little children to be an amusing form of entertainment, he'd never been one for games. Maybe it was because he felt like crap ninety-nine percent of the time - queasy, nauseous, sore, and in pain.

Still, part of Xaxis wondered if he started a play fight with the ever relaxed Savius.

. . . . part of him had the very strong suspicion that he'd be quick to loose.

Relaxed against the mesh of energy, he could almost taste the heat of battle, could hear the silence before the approaching war. Places where plague met death seemed to feel bruised from the history of punches and onslaught.

An interesting feeling, to say the very least.

War and plague - one usually on the heels of another.

Settling on the broad-shouldered teens lap, disease looked calmly about the room, eyeing a few of the other birds scattered and flopped in various places. His gaze lingered on Hylusis, and he couldn't help but scowl.

Her stubborness and inability to listen wasn't good. Hopefully, though, she'd be better beheaved.


For an indescribable moment, nothing happened in the closed room. A few of the children wondered if they might be stuck there forever. they very well could be, waiting, forever waiting, for some other form of chaos to resound.

As it was, just as Xaxis was beginning to forget his own warning, a man appeared.

He stood in the middle of the room, body language screaming professional. Unlike the forms of energy, he himself was quite solid and seemed not at all concerned about those flopped within his room. His hands rested politely behind his back, his attire that of a business man. A black suit, pinstriped silver, an ebony tie around his neck, and cuffllinks at his wrists. His hair was pink and black, spiked, while various piercings aline his caramel skin.

Green eyes peered mildly about him, studying the teens on the bed with an almost bored expression.

Wings laced his back, half-broken and decayed; small wings, wings that looked ever so familiar to the group.

The woodpecker knew this face, now changed, all too well.

"I see you've all taken it upon yourselve to be comfortable," he spoke. His words were polite enough, though there was something brisk, some emotion he was holding back. Almost as if he were restraining himself.

Green eyes drifted over the unfamiliar faces of the young ones. Well, weren't they darlings. . . . . Hmph.

"I see your numbers have grown. Isn't that nice." He chattered softly, making small talk with none in particular.

The children and birds looked up at the pink-haired man, some with fear, others with caution or interest. Still, he thought with displeasure, none seemed to recognize him for who he once was.

A pity his name had never been mentioned.
A shame those he once knew had to treat him so . . . poorly.

His gaze switched back and landed square on Iamel. His tormentor. His enemy.

"So," he crooned, "it seems you've come in search for something. Well, need I remind you, finders keepers, losers weepers. Don't think you'll be getting him back so easy. I quite like my new accessory."

Calm as ever, and not at all concerned by being outnumberd, Calytae waited.

An interesting afternoon was indeed ahead.

Trelanz leaned forward in his seat as this new being materialized before them all. The man's speech and the sudden eruption of emotion from the woodpecker made the trogan's lips part in a grin.

"Teh, this 'otta be good." He said quietly under his breath as he tossed the bloodied nail to the floor, striking it with a soft clang.

Savius studied Trelanz for a moment, his expression calmly neutral. Well then, the kid didn't like to share about himself, did he? Or had he really not understood the question. A rustling shrug, and the kestrel was about to clarify himself when...

Well.

This was a new development.

He heard the other speak. Heard Iamel speak. Heard Diacyn speak. He heard it all, but he barely reacted to it, because his own attention was drawn, transfixed, by the new arrival's wings.

Wings. He had Jer'ain preen him at least daily, perhaps the only element of personal care he allowed another to take over. And he did her hair in exchange. He preened the Raven as well. Indeed, he loved the feeling of those dark feathers under his fingers, and found it down right distressing when they fell into more than their usual mild disarray.

And this one, this Kin, his wings were ruined.

Jer'ain would say that all kin were godly, better than humans. Smarter, purer, kinder. And she'd say she learned it from Savius.

Savius, however, didn't believe any of it. To him, it was simply that kin were kin. Even an enemy soldier was more of a comrade than a civilian.

And while he had never known this one well, never met his humanoid form, they had all known each other, once, a long time ago.

"Brother, why are we against each other?" He asked the kin (once-kin), his tone touched by that edge of... something like empathy. Something like love. Even so, his energy was darkening, growing denser. He was not blind to the possibility of conflict here. But he wanted a reason. A reason those wings were so sadly ruined.

The heron had found humor and made to reply, but he found the time has passed for that as a heaviness fell upon the company - a stranger in their midst who spoke freely of such things. Hedidn't recognize him in the least, but the others feared not the conversation that was invetiable between them. Especially as it involved the very person they sought, and his tones came gently in regard to the matter.

Pardon, but if you are so sure of that occurring - than would you care to come off your high horse and enlighten those who are not so fortunate in that knowledge?

(( crappy just waking up post XP ))

Well, there was no more he could say, not really. Or, anyway, Iamel was giving voice to his questions, if not in quite the way he might have voiced them himself. He didn't like this confrontation, he felt as if he was spinning in circles, somehow. His belief system did not allow for family leaving. Fine, he had left them as Kin. Did that make him any less a part of their shared experiances. Loving the rooftop, the wind, and Shanuh.

They all had that right? Even he had to have that, it was there. It was in his anger, somehow, though he wasn't even sure how.

"We didn't leave you brother." He murmured, quietly. "If you are gone from us, it is not because we wanted it."

Yes, brother. He would use the word, despite Calytae's denial of it. Family was not as easily thrown off as the once Hummingbird might want it to be.

Hearing the Heron, he glanced over toward him, and made a gesture indicating that he should make his way to the bed. Indeed, they all should be grouped together, in this.

The boy with a shock of pink hair stared at those before him - war, ice, explosion, plague, infection, dismemberment - they all looked at him as if . . . what? As if he were evil? Malicious? Cruel? As if he were a threat? As if he were the enemy.

A shame that they thought as much. A shame they had to make such assumptions.

He listened to the tall, half-way elegant woodpecker in all his hot fuss. His broken stubs of wings fluttered every now and then, twitching a bit. Hmph. Who did Iamel think he was anyway? Why so much anger and hostility? It was his temper that would get him in trouble if he weren't careful.

Others weren't as forgiving as he.

The male stayed quiet as he allowed his hollow gaze to drift over each Guardian individual. Some were huddeled together, children and birds, others taking residence on the bed, allowing the tall ones to speak. They were the oldest, the wisest. . .they would know what to do next, wouldn't they?

The heron first. His gaze sharpened, like a razor, studying this . . . thing. Off his high horse?? With a question phrased like that, any response Calytae debated giving was ignored. The heron could ******** himself for all he cared.

Amusing how they were so quick to judge.

A little smile, though it looked more like a sneer and he passed over the bird. And Iamel . . .? What of the woodpecker. Cadence? Cadence. . . . So, he truly wanted to know, did he? Well, he'd find out soon enough. And Savius? The raptor was at least keeping his cool . . . perhaps he'd be spared further down the road.

Perhaps, perhaps. . . .

Plague was as good as nothing, saying nothing, doing nothing, being the pretty, little, sickly subserviant. How quaint!

And ice . . . . well . . . ******** ice too. The moron obviously didn't have much of a brain besides spitting out anger and rehashing the obvious.

But to each their own. The humingbird didn't much like owls anyway.

Standing straight before the group, he waited a moment, and then allowed the silence to drag a moment longer. Energy was practically buzzing in each of their ears, some foreign magic tickling at their senses. It was similar to their own and yet . . . not. Not at all! It was pure, it was raw, it was . . . . different.

Unexplainably so.

"First, if you'll let me speak," he softly began, any and all anger being pressed to the side. He wasn't here to fight, not really. This was supposed to be a business meeting and they were doing absolutely nothing for their cause. "I did not kidnap Shanuh, hard as that may be to believe," he allowed green eyes to burn in to Iamel, hoping to scorch that thought in to his brain. "He came of his own choice, thank you," A shrug of his shoulder and an almost affectionate smile laced his features.

"What wouldn't he do to save one of his precious darlings. . . . " there was genuine sincerity behind the faux compassion.

As quick as the fondness had appeared, it vanished and was replaced by his cold, business-like demeanor.

"As for brotherhood," he started, glancing at Savius and holding his gaze firm. "I understand you rejected me not, and I did not leave willingly." A cold burn of bitterness seemed to tug at the throats of each of the guardians, their emotions magnetized to Calytae's own. It was a strange feeling, a crazy sensation, an emptiness, a loss, a . . . . regret. "Someone's choice decided my fate, as these things do happen. Take a look at me, all of you. . . this could very well be you if the Master and your true selves but come to an agreement. Enjoy your freedom, loves. . . because it's not truly yours to decide."

If only they knew. . .

"As for Cadence," for a brief moment, a sign of childhood innocence, of illustrious wonder, of a perfect joy renewed lighted his features. For just a moment, he was his self, a delightful guardian of accidents. . . "As for she," his voice dropped to a mere whisper, and his features fell in sorrow, "Her choice was her undoing. Ask Shanuh if you must, as he and JoJo accompanied her to her final fate."

And that was that.

A flutter of wings, and the man shifted his position, glancing back at the group. "I know why you came - you would like our beloved Suicide back. But, you see, we're not finished with him yet so I'm afraid you will not be getting him or the others back. Not yet at least. . . ."

A shrug of his shoulders and then a pause. . . A delicate quirk of a brow and a charming smile. "Unless, of course, you'd care to bargain?"

Nothing in life came for free or without sacrifice. . .
Not even Death.

Cadence was dead.

....Cadence was dead? But.. he had liked Cadence. The hummingbird had adored the easily flustered, young girl. Cadence had...been afraid...but willing.

Iamel waved his hand abruptly when the Heron spoke of bargining, pushing himself up away from the bed once more. His footsteps were measured, his intent more curiousity then malice. And so he approached the older Kin, red eyes narrowed just slightly and his hand rose, to touch flesh, if he could.

To touch something.

"Cadence..." He breathed out, voice a soft tendril of it's usual violent loudness, "Left, didn't she, Calytae? She couldn't take whatever it was and she left?"

A hairs breathe. Time to anger the hummingbird. But by the time the breath was over, he was speaking again, fingers moving up to touch the others hair. Again. If he could. This solid figure in a world of energy and crazy things was odd in himself

"Shiniee left too. He stood up one day, looked at me looking at him, and walked straight out the door. Not a word or a hug or even a grin. He just left. He came back eventually but... for that while, I was alone. No one knew, really. ...I know how it is to be abandoned, Calytae." Another pause, "And this offer has nothing to do with bargining. Would you like a hug?"

From observing with a distant expression, Savius now sat up, looking once again engaged in the situation. He watched the exchange between Iamel and the hummingbird, almost, but not quite smiling. Ahh, but his brother could be kind, when the situation called for it. He almost enived Iamel his... what...? Nevermind.

Trouble brewing as the Cardinal arrived, and Savius winced with the echo of pain. Each arrival just made things more ******** unpleasent, and while Savius did feel some kindness for his distant kin, enough that he had no desire to fight them, he could only streach that kindness so far. Shanuh was of greater value, and the no longer Kin did not seem to feel the same care in exchange.

They had left the family table, and he didn't quite know what to do with that fact.

A glance from Calytae to Siahndi and back again, and he couldn't even say what he was looking for. They had kinness to each other at least. Perhaps they found that a comfort.

"Do we get to pick the life? One of us? A mortal?" He asked, sounding tired. They were playing this, like a game, and he couldn't understand their joy in tormenting those they should still see as brethren. "And what of the others?"

Shanuh was not the only one they'd come looking for.