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 Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 5:48 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:07 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:08 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:12 pm
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♦Name:Audrey Barrett Hatch
♦Age: 16 ( 3/21/1396 )
♦Alliance: Fellowship of Mages
♦Nationality: Auvinian
♦Personality: Roaming the streets alone and fending for herself; Audrey has become a highly independent, resourceful young lass. Too proud and stubborn to accept any kind of charity, and thrilled at the idea of any type of challenge; she has developed an old habit into a life of thieving. She is quite capable of being social though, and does not mind the company of others. Friendship is entertaining and comforting, but her heavy lack of trust in anyone and her fear of becoming too emotionally attached to others keeps her from committing or truly opening up. When she does interact with others though, Audrey can be very spunky, fiery, and even somewhat brutal in her outright bluntness ((Though she generally means no harm by it)). Highly excitable, she can often get lost in her emotions and become extremely capricious. This frequently leads her to taking unnecessary risks and committing acts she may heavily regret later.
♦Appearance: Audrey's appearance is definitely not what would be expected of a young lady. In fact, if it weren't her girlish heart-shaped face, and the two long messy braids falling from her disheveled wheat hair, one may think that she was in fact a boy. Her skin is tinged with a permanent warmth from the sun of Auvinus, and a disarray of freckles gather beneath her faded jade eyes; a ring of gold circling the center like a reflection of the fields. Though hidden by layers of baggy clothing, her build is slight, a shadow of much healthier days.
♦History: Editing/Rewriting
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:17 pm
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Name: Peder
Item: Wolf's Tail
Gender: Male
Text Colour: #DA1900
Appearance: In size, Peder is just large enough to fit comfortably in a cupped hand; his height slightly taller than the average exito do to his canine legs. This however does not mean that he is still rather small, which frustrates him to no end. He is rather soft to the touch due to the amount of furs he wears, though his claws are rather sharp and have often caused scrapes and scratches while scurrying about his Grimm's shoulders. His clothes are otherwise rather makeshift, held together by belts and stitches of string and bandages. He however does proudly wear a rather well crafted mask (( which very well matches is accompanying tail and hood )) that he sometimes will pull over his face and reminisce of his wilder roots.
Personality: Peder is a brash thing. He heavily leans towards being impulsive and reckless, and, without thinking about the consequences, happily jumps on any task that might benefit his self. This, however, doesn't always lead him or his keeper into favorable situations. When failure strikes, he can’t help but choke on his pride when he tries to swallow defeat. If, through his mistakes, someone close to him is negatively affected in any way he will bull heatedly attempt to atone for his mishaps (though, not always with a smile upon his face).
When conversing with others, he is generally very bold and curt. He is unafraid to voice his opinions and forgoes formalities in favor of not wasting any of his gritty attitude. When confused, he has a tendency to become violently defensive or frustrated, even so much so that he might lose control. This does not mean he is always so off-putting though, his ostentatiousness and sense of humor often reflect in his natural playfulness, which he expresses with cruel pranks and jokes.
Peder can also gain very steadfast relationships with others after due periods of time. To these closer companions, he shows a greater amount of dedication and even some levels of affection (though he doesn't call it that). As if it were to test his ability, he proves himself by madly defending those which have earned their way into his inner circle. When these friends express an overwhelming emotion, like fear or sorrow, Peder's mood will often become distressed and his attempts at comforting others generally backfire or come out resentful, leaving him with poor tools for helping those he cares about.
Peder is a loose cannon, a free spirit, who, when paired with Audrey, often acts as an amplifier of chaos in her already twisted life rather than a stable, helpful companion.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:18 pm
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♦The cart began to stench. Among any of the stands of the market, this one seemed the most clean and pristine, it's wares hung and spread delicately to glisten beneath the morning sun and welcome customers to purchase their warmth. No one dared visit the booth though, even as it's furs appealed to passersby as the approaching winter winds breezed through the streets. This was because, with every hour, a particular item on the vender's table emitted a stronger and stronger reek as the sun rose into the autumn skies. It smelt like death, a heavy air of decay that repelled all potential buyers and even frightened some who wandered past.
The owner of the booth had already noticed this, and was well aware when she had set the tail out to be sold. The item was certainly undesirable; though beautiful in its pelt, it was disgusting in its aroma and concerning in its condition. She had to constantly replace a cloth around its base where blood seemed to slowly but steadily trickle out, even though the thing should have bled dry days ago. Still, she would desperately attempt to sell the thing. These were the last furs she would be able to offer to the people of the small Auvinian town. Her husband, a dedicated hunter, had recently grown ill, and after only a few days of trudging through the sickness, he had perished. Even as the chills and the fever hit him, he refused to cease his work, and attempted to continue about his daily tasks as if the headaches did not tear at his brain. His family watched as he struggled from a lengthy distance, fearful of the sickness that could easily reach them lest they be gravely careful. It had only taken a few days for the death to bring him to his sorry end.
He had been wandering over to a stump where the carcass of a once proud wolf lay cold, awaiting the graceful swing of a sharpened blade to hack away at the tougher tissues and bones of his build. The hunter held his tool firm in his grip, though his arms were sore and tired and his legs dragged him forward at a painful pace. The axe was clean and ready, shining metallic and crisp as it rattled in the man's shaky palms. Then, the movement grew to tremors. The man yielded as his muscles tensed then began to tremble, then as his body erupted into convulsing flutters, he suddenly fell forward. He dropped, falling straight to the dirt, his hatchet sandwiched between himself and the earth. It plunged into him, and after only a few more moments of writhing and gurgling, he grew still and silent. Later his wife would have to mournfully pull the tool from his gut, and after his body was pulled to the side, she finished his work with tears in her eyes, chopping the tail off the beast off in one bitter and sorrowful swing. It was the tail that now lay fuming before her, warding off more and more people as each minute passed.
Eventually, she grew tired, looking down upon it with vengeful and exhausted eyes and its blood began to resurface in spots along the scarf she had wrapped it with. No one would take the damn thing, and she knew it. So, she reached forward to take the item in her hand, lifting it up to observe it one last time before she would turn to lock it away within the trunk she had brought it in. Then, just as she was about to finish the deed, a man's voice called out to her and she could see a figure approaching in the corner of her eye, "Wait! "He reached the stand, placing his hands strong against the table, wheat hair falling in his face as he eyed the pelt in the woman's hand, a grin pulling at the edges of his lips as the scent of taint and death wafted over him, "Miss! How much for that tail you've got there...? I absolutely must have it."
---
♦The tail was raised up, held firmly in the grip of a girl who admired the way the late autumn sun shone so brilliantly against its fur. The bright orb was far head of her, reaching over to the flat expanse to the west as it spilled rich hues of warm colour across the sky. It was evening, and the fields would soon grow dark. The girl frowned; she would have to return home soon.
It had only been a few hours ago that she found the strange item in her father's desk and snuck out into the fields to have an intimate look at it. The fact that her father had returned from the market with such an unlikely purchase held her curiosity, and even further still the fact that he had tried to hide it. Thankfully, he had not noticed that Audrey was still home, otherwise she not have had the chance to steal the thing away for a short time. She was having a good time trying to decipher what exactly was so special about it, why he had chosen to bring the thing home, but the only odd thing about it was the way it never seemed to stop dripping red from its base. This was interesting, sure, but did not seem a good enough reason to catch Mr. Hatch's attention. She decided she liked it enough though. It was rugged, and reeked of the bravery of some valiant hunter. She let this thought distract her for a few more moments until the sun began its dip into the horizon, a warning for the Auvinian to hurry on her way home.
Audrey sighed, a bitter expression bogging her features as she pushed herself to her feet and turned to face the east. She would rather not return home, knowing a scolding was the least of what could await her if her father had noticed his item missing, but had known better than to push her luck with her parents any longer. So, she begrudgingly followed her shadow home, hoping her actions would reap little consequence. Obscuvians were fairly unforgiving in their means of discipline.
---
She froze. She was completely still, unwavering as her focus locked onto the scene before her; hands clenched tight to the tail as she pressed it to her chest, her body completely possessed with horror. Blood seemed to cover the entire floor, flowing out into a sickly lake in the center of the room. The crimson was like a brutal frame surrounding a body growing disgustingly pale, limp on the hardwood. Her mother. A shadow hovered over the corpse, a man's body hanging violently above the carnage, a ceremonial knife dripping rubies along its edge and onto his stable hands. Her father.
His head snapped to the side as his daughter swung open the door; the relatives' eyes catching each others' in a moment of grave recognition. Her stomach churned, replused.
"W-What is this...," she gasped, ripping her gaze away from her father’s face to dart about the room in a panicked confusion before resting upon his gleaming blade," Why do you have...?!"
"You found it," he muttered, awkwardly chuckling as he started to make his way over to his daughter, "Oh Audrey, girl, you've found it...!"
The child, upon hearing this, turned her attention back to Mr. Hatch's face in fearful distress only to find that he was no longer looking her in the face. His eyes had dropped her hands which still clung to the item she had stolen earlier. The tail.
"Your poor misguided mother must have stolen it from my desk when I wasn't looking... You know how greedy she can be," he cooed, a twisted smile of relief pulling at the corners of his mouth. He dropped his knife as he continued forward, the metal hitting the wood with an unsettling metallic twang as his hand reached out warmly to the girl. "She wouldn't tell me where she had hidden it... But you, darling, you brought it back to me." Audrey's stomach lurched again, her heart racing as her father took each step. He had killed her mother for this tail she held, a simple trinket. She could feel as the item's blood began to trickle down her knuckles as she grasped the thing even tighter.
"Give it here, Honey," the man beseeched her as he extended a bloodied hand to hers, his voice calm and warm. When she failed to twitch a finger in response, her defiance struck a chord and his facade began to dissolve. She stared back at him, full of terrified disdain.
"Give me the tail, Audrey," he said, the man's patience already beginning to slip, "Don't be difficult, like your mother."
The girl flinched, anxiety tearing at her chest as she caught sight of the body in an ocean of red in the corner of her eye laying disturbingly silent upon the floor. Audrey gridded her teeth in crippling distress as she fought back the tears that threatened to brim her lids.
She released her death hold on the tail and regrettably offered it out to her father. He quickly tore it from her hands, and once he ran his fingers through the tainted item's fur, he relaxed his shoulders, content.
"Good girl, Audrey. You won't touch this again will you? This tail is very important to the House of Obscuvos. A tool of the god himself even...," he explained, but his excuses could not hinder her thinking now. She was already too filled with loathing.
"Now, why don't you come in...? Head off to your room, you need your rest. We have a big day ahead of us," he continued, turning his head so that his gaze could land endearingly upon his wife.
"I'll clean up the mess."
---
"Get back here," came an enraged call from not too far behind, a companion to the sound of heavy footsteps following behind Audrey as she sprinted her way through the dark and disorienting fields. The girl had made too much noise as she attempted to exit the home that bitter autumn night, and though she had so cleverly managed to pull together a more suitable ensemble for a get-away, as well as pull what money she could from her father's jacket, and even delicately tug the silky tail from his bedside table without detection, he had managed to catch her as she slipped through the front door. She had hoped to flee into the early hours of the night with the item, unwilling to let him keep the thing, without much trouble, but of course life couldn’t be as simple.
So she ran, her legs straining to keep up speed and striving to cover more distance with each step as her father's threats motivated her from behind. She pressed onward, running and running, her panic growing as the footsteps that hunting her grew closer, and just as she attempted to push herself further forward her foot got caught. Her toe dug into a dry patch of soil and the girl violently crashed to the earth. She scrambled upon impact, her adrenaline pushing her to regain her footing, to keep running, but before she could get up a figure moved in above her.
"Give it back," he spat, bending his knees to crouch as his arm jolted forward to plunge his knife into her. Audrey gasped as the blade swung toward her torso, and instinctively rolled out of the way before the weapon could deal her a fatal blow. The knife did manage to catch her through, dragging across her side with a long, uneven slice. The pain hit her in an instant, and she shrieked as she felt the icy metal cut into her.
"Give it back to me, Audrey," The father repeated, furious and desperate as he turned to attack her again, retracting his weapon before extending his arm to lash out at her once more. Now on her back, the child reacted immediately, attempting to defend herself by kicking her legs out toward her aggressor and in a spur of luck managed to smash one foot into the wrist of his armed hand, his grip slipping from the unexpected impact causing the knife to be tossed to the side. Mr. Hatch took no time trying to retrieve the thing. He let the splintering pain in his arm fuel his rage and he loomed forward, pinning the girl to the dirt. "Where is it?!"
Audrey writhed beneath his grip for a few terrifying moments, offering him no information other than grunts of pain and distress. Then, before he could scream into her face once more she whipped her head to the side, sinking her teeth into the man's arm and clenching her jaw against his flesh until the taste of salt soaked into her mouth. The father cried out, recoiling his arm and grip on the girl, pulling away from her as her teeth ripped back from his limb. He dug his nails into his palm as more pain piled upon the previous and his other hand reached to press in upon the fresh wound.
This moment was a pocket of time, one that Audrey refused to let pass her by. In the first moment she was released, she climbed to her feet as quickly as she could, and closed the distance between herself and the object that shone brilliantly among the wheat and dirt. She grabbed it, picked it up and held it firmly in her hand. She turned the point to the man just feet away from her. It wasn't his knife anymore. Then, she lunged, a brutal, hasty attack that began an onslaught. She dug the blade into him just about everywhere it would sink, ripping and tearing at tendon and skin and sinew. In her blind terror she had forgotten all else but her fear and anger, and by slicing this man apart she could eliminate those wretched feelings. So she continued, dragging and twisting her blade as her father's body grew slick and reflective under what light the moon poured over the flatland. She continued until her biceps ached and her hands shook. She continued until she was absolutely sure that his heart would never produce another pathetic jump or his lungs another sputter. She continued until her mind began to slow, until she realized what she was doing, what she had done. Only then, did she stop, silent and thoughtful above her messy victory as she wrapped her arms tenderly around her wounded torso.
She really couldn't say if she felt any remorse.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:18 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:20 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:20 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:22 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:23 pm
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♦Seasonal Plague Prompt Entry♦
♦Prompt: Wolf Tail - Anhelo
The past few months have been peaceful and calm (as calm as they can be while a rampant plague ravages the land, at any rate) and you and your Keeper have spent a lot of relaxing time together. They ask you to step out to fetch something for them and upon your return, you notice the door is broken. What do you do when you find your Keeper injured and whatever or whoever did it is still in the house?
♦ Responce:
The door to the old crippled house swung open, its hinges creaking as the young girl on the other side forced it open with a less than enthusiastic kick. That was about all it took to get into the place, a good old kick to the cracked and fading doorway. Audrey was glad of this, for today, she was in no mood to deal with any extra labor. A kick was all she was willing to muster up this afternoon. While she was exhausted for running about bell chime after bell chime, she was more prominently frustrated at the fact that many of the pockets she filched through were running dry. She stood at the entrance and gave a large and exaggerated sigh, staring unhappily into the dank room," We're going to have to find a new place soon, you know,” her voice echoed off the walls, “We've already been 'er for what... A few weeks? That must be a recor--- HEY!"
It was then that the girl's distasteful thought was cut short by her Plague's playful shove through the door-frame. She gave an unexpected lunge forward before she was able to catch herself and pause mid-stumble to turn and scoff at him. He gave her a challenging grin, but on this particular occasion, his Grimm was not up for his usual games. She was tired, and on-edge. So, instead, she flashed a glare at her partner before turning to scowl as she stomped her way over to her favorite corner. Peder followed after, a Cheshire smirk playing upon his features as he watched Audrey slump up against a wall and slide apathetically to the floor, her scowl still thoroughly intact. His face twisted into a disapproving frown.
"What's so wrong with this place...," he ventured, scanning the already familiar room with criticizing eyes," ... Other than it falling apart? You know? While it's homely, I definitely prefer it over some other s**t-holes we've had to stay the night in. It's a lot more comfortable here than in any of the other grimy nooks and crannies you've forced us to sleep in before."
It was true. The place was far more impressive than the smaller and murkier alleyways and various abstract hideouts she had picked for them to rest in when Peder was still able to fit into a single one of her calloused palms, but it still wasn't a spectacular place. In fact it was far from that. The shelter was small, barren, and its air stood stagnate and fuming of decay. It was a plagued home after all. One could not expect much more from a house boarded up and left to rot along with whoever was unfortunate enough to be trapped inside. Audrey didn’t care too much about the smell though, since the stench had been staining her hands for such a long time now. In his early days, Peder had practically reeked of the scent, all throughout his various forms: attached to her belt as nothing but a dismembered tail, and roaming free throughout her pockets, sleeves, scarf, and collar as a much more active Excitos. It wasn't until just recently that he could stand looming beside her. It had been around a month before today that the fellow had so significantly grown. It was about that time that the two had found the dying building, and discovered its contents void of life. For the cost of a few nasty splinters and copious amounts of complaining and bickering between the Grimm and her Plague, four walls and a ceiling were well worth it. Returning to the same home over and over again, however, was making the girl grow anxious.
"It isn't really that anything's wrong with the place," she retorted, her voice defensive, hitting awkward notes of urgency," It's just... It's begin'n to give me the skeevies. Bein' around the same place for too long! People start noticin' you more. You know...? Recognizing us." As she said this, Audrey shifted uncomfortably to shove her hands into her depressingly empty pockets before looking up to Peder who stared back down at her incredulously. The Grimm furrowed her brows," Don't look at me like that...! You know how it is! I've told you how people can get." Her eyes stayed stubbornly locked on him for a few dragging moments until a light in the corner of her vision pulled her gaze toward it. The door was still open.
"Yeah, yeah, I understand," he cooed, rolling his eyes at her sudden approach to cautiousness. His mind skimmed over the dozens of poor choices he had seen her make in the past, whether he influenced them or not, and found her wariness a strange break of character. Then again... they had never stayed in one area for more than a few days.
His train of thought was broken as he noticed Audrey's focus shift to the threshold behind him. The Anhelo's eyes turned away from his keeper's face to the entry way curiously. "Oh... I left the door open. Sorry, Sorry, your majesty," he chuckled a factitious apology as he redirected his attention to the Grimm, but before he could continue his sarcastic act with a few jabs at the girl his expression fell from amused to confused, "...What's that face for?"
Audrey had now returned her concentration to Peder and offered him a devious grin.
"You're a big boy now, right, Peder! Y' say what? I'll make you an offer," she enthused, hazel eyes sparking, "Why don't you go out on your own? And I'll relax and hold down fort? If you scout the area and make sure it's all safe, then we can stay here for a few more nights. No gutters in between findin' a new place hmm?"
"What?" the plague questioned, his voice giving a jump. He gave a skeptical raise of an eyebrow, "No! You lazy little...! Why would I go run around town all over again looking for 'threats' while you get to sit around here and stare at the paint as it peels off the walls? And I doubt you'd really go through with that dea--"
"Oh, Well, I understand if 'yer too scared to go out n' all," she interrupted, her words an obvious challenge. She managed to look away from him for a moment, as if disappointed, then turned her gaze right back up; blatant delight leaking across her expression as she pressed onward in her harassment," I guess it's just too early to expect you to do things on your own... I understand! It's a big world out there. Plus it's about to get dark. Forbid you get lost. I guess we'll just have to head out t'night! Or maybe we can stay here just one last time since you like it so much... Let's just hope n'body noticed we're here and decides to brutally atta---"
"Fine! Fine," Peder barked, his pride stinging from the girl's accusations," I'll go make sure the big nasty scary world doesn't try to come after you; since I know you're just oh so terrified of it and all...! Does that make you feel better, little Audrey?" He looked down at her attempting to remain cool, but obviously flustered as his cheeks burned into a faint hue of red. He knew she teased him just to strike a cord, to get him riled up, and, unfortunately, he couldn’t help letting her win.
Audrey's features ignited as she accepted her victory, his insults failing to phase her.
"That's the spirit, Peder! I really do appreciate it too, y' know," she exclaimed, scrambling to push herself to her feet before jogging the short distance to where the Plague stood. Taking one of his hands that had originally been placed defiantly on his hip, she gave it a hearty shake. "It's a deal then. It'll be a good experience for you too!” she purred, “I promise everythin'll go just fine. You don't have to go out for too long... 'jus sniff around a bit and make sure there aren't any shady characters about alrigh'? Well... besides us that is."
Peder let the girl take his hand and seal his fate. He would be venturing alone tonight. He had to admit, though, that she was valid in her assumptions. This would be an invaluable experience for him. Never before had he been allowed to freely roam about on his own, to speak openly to others, to stare down, rather than up. He could get out without a leash. Perhaps this could be a good idea.
There was another aspect to this, though. The Grimm's jokes even seemed to play upon an embarrassing truth. Deep down there was a pool of fear curdling in Peder's stomach. He had not traveled alone since gaining a consciousness, and he still understood very little of how to carry himself. Audrey and he had encountered many mishaps and scrimmages during their time together, but how he was supposed to approach them in a body still somewhat foreign to him brought about a sense of uncertainty. But he was willing to push those anxieties out of his thoughts for such an opportunity as tonight would bring. He wanted a roof, and, even more now, he wanted a taste of independence.
"Yeah, alright," he said, tugging his hand away from his Keeper's grip to bestow upon her a endearing noogie and a rustle of her hair, "I'll go scare off the bad guys."
"Hey," Audrey piped, swatting at the hand boring into her head, "That hurts!" His hand recoiled. He'd forgotten that his hands were less than human.
Peder gave a chuckle and a shrug of his shoulders as his Grimm grumbled and rubbed the crown of her skull, "Oops!"
"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled, sticking out her tongue before giving him a smirk, as if accepting the comment as an apology, "Now get outta here! Make sure the coast is clear, then hurry back, a'right?"
Peder signaled a lazy salute as he turned to exit the building and, without with nothing more than a "See yah", he shut the door behind him and stepped into a sloppy yet confident stroll down the alley. Audrey watched as he left, her shoulders slumping as she exhaled with relief once the Plague was out of the room. She pivoted her feet to return to her spot up against the corner of the den, but as her body shifted, her knees gave a startling and unexpected buckle. The girl fumbled to the floor, dust fuming from where she had landed, and a chorus of curses flowed out from under her breath. She was more exhausted than expected... They couldn't leave tonight even if she wanted to, and, with every moment longer within the too familiar walls, she felt her fingers jerk and grow tense with anticipation. She desperately wanted to leave, but her gut would just have to twist for one more night.
Pushing her hands beneath her weight, she pulled herself up to sit before looking about the silence pooling in around her. She neglected to wipe the dirt from her cheek as she considered her situation. She was fine. She would be fine…just as always. Then, just as she began to convince herself of her safety, her stomach lurched. There was a sound. Her head snapped, wide-eyed as the familiar creaking of door hinges echoed across the dead space.
She scrunched her nose, "Back already, ya little pansy?" she called, and to her voice came the answer of heavy shuffling. Her hands clawed into the hardwood. A cloak stood at the threshold, ominous and unwelcome.
"W-Who the hell are you?"
---
The Plague had been wandering for at least ten minutes; thoroughly content with his task. Nothing too exciting had happened as of yet. He just meandered about the area; the only highlight of the journey being the amusing expressions put forth by the citizens when he chose to flash an intimidating grin. Other than those few humorous moments, the trip was beginning to feel completely pointless. There were no signs of real threats, no devious looking characters, nor any signs of dangers lurking about the darkening alleyways Peder had already passed through. There wasn't even any trouble to get into. Shops were closing, and people were heading to their homes. The street would soon be empty, completely lacking of entertainment, before the sun would disappear over the horizon of brick.
The boredom of this adventure began to test his patience and his mood began to steadily sink with the more terrain he covered. It was total bullshit, he thought, he was supposed to be living it up, right? Enjoying himself! Who knew scouting by one's self could be so utterly boring. He wouldn't go as far as to say that he was lonely, but…frustrated, discontent, and unsatisfied seemed to hit the mark quite well. The Anhelo was just about to abandon his duty, turn back, and give Audrey an earful of complaints about how the district was so calm it actually pained him to have ventured about without any hint of excitement, when he came to a realization.
Couldn't he stir something up himself...? He could conjure some entertainment, couldn't he? Surely he could harass someone into a rioting argument before they could manage to get into the shelter of their home! He could toss a rock at a window or kick in a door. Something! He was getting restless with the streets emptying and the sound of cobblestone's echoes disappearing with the feet of exiting citizens. Perhaps... he could mug someone. It couldn't be too hard could it? He could bluff...show a little bite and growl. Audrey had been complaining about a lack of cash recently, hadn't she? Perhaps this was a solution to her whining. Any of these wimpy little townspeople would surely be shaking in their boots if he attempted to give them a good startle. He wouldn't need to lay a single finger on them! He didn't know how to fight, sure, but he could certainly persuade them he had the ability to rip one to shreds. This could be much more fun than riffling through pockets as his keeper usually did. He was fascinated with the thought, thrilled even, to strike enough fear into another that they would offer up their pockets without all the effort of sneaking about and stealing.
Peder chuckled to himself, wondering if he should go through with the experiment. His eyes began to scan the road more intently, and his enthusiasm reignited. He just needed to find a safe enough victim, before they could scurry into one of the surrounding houses. He perked all his senses, and just as he thought that he had sighted a possible candidate, the man stopped dead in his tracks. The Plague inhaled, breathing in the thick autumn air with an eerie aura of purpose and, as he let his lungs expel their contents, his mind quickly shifted priority. He smelt it. Dark and heavy, a musky smell that he couldn’t ignore. A cloak, shuffling. The unmistakable redolent of porcelain. His nose wrinkled with disgust, and his eyes widened with recognition.
Obscuvian.
Suddenly, Peder pivoted his heels, turning before throwing himself forward into a mad dash, leaving his old intentions for the evening behind him in the dust. There was a revolting cultist stench infecting his space, an indecent s**t entering his territory.
There was an enemy reaching for his door.
---
"Don't you remember me, Hatch girl," a voice came echoing through the room, muffled and distorted by a thick mask, "I guess it's been an awfully long time." The man continued forward, beginning his way into the house as Audrey scrambled to pull herself further into her corner. Her gaze locked dead set on the Obscuvian face venturing toward her; her heart reaching incredible speeds with each step he took closer.
"Get the hell out of here," she snarled, panic and anger building up within her tired body as she struggled to pull her feet beneath her, "I don't know who the hell you think you are! Just get the hell out of here!"
The cloak stopped in his tracks, hovering in disgust before watching as the girl clambered to stand up against the wall, her hands gripping at the brick and her expression dripping with venom.
"Don't you dare speak to me like that, child," he retorted, his volume increasing and his tone shifting to a violent hiss. He started forward once more, but now at a greater pace and with heavier stride. A hand reached out from his garbs and steadily reached up for his face." Didn't your parents teach you any respect? And to think I'd come here to observe your well being, you foul mouthed thing! I had hoped for better from the Hatch family," the cultist scolded. His words grew from ashamed to amused as he spoke to the Grimm, moving ever closer as she stood shaking and defiant across from him, "Perhaps, being unworthy that you were, you've already begun to be consumed?" He chuckled, his fingers grasping his guise before beginning to pull it away.
"No," Audrey screamed, her adrenaline reaching its peak, and her arm suddenly lashed forward. There was the sound of splintering porcelain, and a yowl of pain erupted from the mask's fresh crevasses. The heavy block hit the floor with a dull thud and the Grimm stared at the man wide eyed, as he recoiled forward and blood began to ooze through the cracks of the bird's face. She had pulled a loose brick from the wall, and in her panic smashed it into the foundation of her fear. The man gripped at his head, leaking forth brilliant reds that dripped vengefully to the hardwood.
"You disgusting little s**t," he roared, rearing his face back up into view. Audrey hitched her breathing as the mask refused to fall. Full of rage, it continued to stare soullessly at her with bloody wounds. " How dare you!" Then, he lurched forward, his hands reaching out with bitter intent as he closed the distance between himself and the girl. Audrey was not fast enough, and the Obscuvian quickly grasped the girl by the neck with bloodied palms. The Grimm floundered, flailing her arms about in an attempt to claw at the man's arms and back but failed to do more than increase the cultist's anger. He held her firmly against the wall, his beak scrapping cringingly against the brick each time he shifted his posture. He continued to hold his grip around her throat as she struggled against him. "You've forgotten your respect, Audrey! Remember your lessons, little one! Don't you ever act so foolishly towards your elders! Your superiors! I will help you remember that."
---
"What the ******** is this?"
Suddenly, there was a thud against the door frame as Peder rammed against the house to stop himself mid-dash. The cloaked man, surprised and distracted, turned his broken face to the Anhelo who stood panting and furious at the doorway. He loosened his grip on the Grimm for a split second, thus allowing her to the opportunity to rip herself from his hold and push him away as she dropped to the floor gasping and choking for air. The Plague watched as the girl hit the ground, before raising his attention to the man once more, he pulled back his upper lip and furrowed his brows in disgust.
"Who the ******** are you?? What the hell do you think you're doing," he spat, pulling himself through the threshold as his eyes locked onto the bloodied cultist.
" He--," Audrey exclaimed, coughing and spitting as she tried to explain her perspective to the Plague," This b*****d's trying to kill me!"
"What?? That's just...!" The man defended, at a loss as to how his situation had suddenly turned so sour, "I'm teaching the damn brat a lesson! A lesson!"
"She doesn't need your twisted lessons, you son of a b***h," Peder retorted, slowly closing the gap between himself and the enemy. He moved forward, attempting to mask his cautiousness with his more obvious anger, "Now get the hell out of here!"
The cultist shifted his stance indecisively, looking back and forth between the fallen girl and her more dangerous friend, his vision blurry and confused through the broken mask and his own flowing blood. He grimaced below his disguise and turned his full attention back to Peder who had stopped about ten feet short of the man; stiff and unwavering. This was odd. The cultist noticed this, and to test the waters took a slow and careful step forward. Peder flinched. He saw it, through even his deluded vision and obscured perspective, his opponent, the Plague, was scared. A smile crept across the Obscuvian's hidden lips. He then shifted once more, to stand upright and confident, pulling his hands free from his robes and in front of himself. He was taking the offensive. Peder noticed this, and his ruse began to peel away. An undertone of panic spilled across his glare. If this guy were to attack him... he had no technique... no knowledge of how to toss this body about in a fight of any kind. He ground his teeth in frustration and urgent thought, searching for a solution to this distressing and embarrassing situation. Then, as he reached back into the depths of his instinct he found an answer. Imprinting... He was always better at learning by doing. Peder shifted his weight, pulling his stance up right, proud, pulling his hands in front of himself.
"Make a move," The plague beckoned, his voice taunting and challenging. His hands were shaking.
Then it began. Every movement was like a delayed mirror. The man would slither and dodge and Peder would follow him as if in some new and aggressive dance. Jab. Jab. Punch. Punch. Pivot. Pivot. It continued like this for some few minutes, both parties sharing a good deal of wins and losses in this timing game. Peder's skill growing with his anger, and the man's mask crumbling the more he exerted himself. The Anhelo's abilities were still not up to par though, he was only a student, and as the Obscuvian, his teacher, made an unexpected lunge forward. His fist pounded into Peder's gut. He tumbled backwards a few steps, grasping his torso as he gnashed his teeth and snarled in pain. He looked back up to the man, his face almost completely relieved, bloody and devious. It was then that he reached back within his black robes, and with a quick flick of his wrist presented forth a gleaming blade. Audrey, still up against the far wall of the room watched, her eyes growing large and disturbed as the cultist equipped the weapon. No. Not this again.
"Just kill him Peder," She choked, her voice strained and cracking with volume and emotion," Just ******** kill him! Do it now!"
It was then that something erupted within him. Fueled by rage, fear, and pain he tapped into the rawest of his instincts. He seized the opportunity, unleashing the pure chaotic drive within himself. He catapulted forward, fists up and ready, planting one straight into his opponent's jaw, his knuckles to the bone creating such a beautiful click. The cultist lashed out against him, not expecting the sudden outburst, slicing at the Plague's back and arm as he fell back from the blow. Peder was unphased and continued forward, one impact after another into the man's already bloodied face. The enemy attempted to pull away from the Anhelo's beatings but there was never a gap in which to escape. He just kept pounding fist after fist into the man's skull, eventually knocking him off his balance and watching as he crashed to the floor.
"Let me teach you a lesson, you Obscuvian piece of s**t," he spat, grinning as he lifted a foot to smash into the man's chest, grinding into his ribcage with as much force as he could put forward until the bones produced a delicious crack. The man released a scream of pain, and Peder happily gave his chest another hearty stomp. Another gorgeous crack. It was then that the cultist swung his arm up, still gripping his blade tight with a slick and bloody palm, and plunged the knife into Peder's standing leg in a desperate attempt to hinder the attacker's brutality. He gasped, the pain ripping up his calf as he staggered back and away from his victim. He grunted, ripping the weapon from his flesh with a violent tug before turning his glare back to the man gasping on the floor. That was it. He quickly made his way back over to the cultist's struggling form and buckled his knees to pin his arms down beneath his weight and wasted no time. Using the hilt of the knife he smashed the handle into the man's cartilage, his nose producing a symphony of pops and cracks.
The keeper watched, a fair distance from the carnage, ears catching every snap of bone as if a tally of her safety. Over and over, she observed as her Plague rasped the hilt against the man as he sputtered and gurgled in pain. Then, Peder suddenly paused. The room fell nearly silent as he halted his attack, the only sound filling the space being the harmonic uneven breathing of the Plague and Keeper. The man had stopped moving completely, and his grunts discontinued. Was it done...? There was only one way to be sure. Peder grimaced, turning the blade in his hand to brandish it above his victim's motionless body.
"Wait," Audrey ordered, the only noise she had made since her Anhelo had begun the beatings, "Wait a minute!"
The man flinched, grasping the knife tighter in his grip, but unsteadily refusing to let his arm plunge the thing downward. He turned his attention up to Audrey who was now scrambling to crawl over to him, an uneasy look of recognition in her eyes.
"What is it," he demanded, his arms shaking with adrenaline. The blood splattered across his face was growing displeasingly cold, "You told me to kill him! Let me end the piece of s**t right here and no--" But his retort was cut short as his Keeper finally hovered over the man's face, her expression grave and pale. She looked as if she were going to throw up. "W-what is it??!"
"…Alexander," she gasped, her hands reaching up to grasp her messy hair in distress. She had hit an epiphany. Over the moments she had witnessed the stranger fall to his impending defeat, her mind had been slowly drawing up a conclusion of the most disturbing kind: Familiar. It all felt so familiar. Not just the scenario, but the man himself... his voice, his mannerisms, but it had only been then that she had decided upon it for sure. Even though maimed and bloody, his nose smashed in and porcelain slicing his cheeks, she could recognize this man. The recognition alone had brought about such a wave of unwelcome nostalgia that it made her grow nauseous as she stared down at him. "Uncle Alexander..."
"Un...cle," Peder repeated after her, his brow furrowing in confusion as he looked back and forth between the stranger and the girl, "This man is your uncle?!"
Audrey remained focused on the man's face. It was certainly her uncle. Alexander Pavel, brother to her late mother. She hovered for only a moment longer before wrinkling her face in disgust.
"My uncle Alexander," she hissed, dropping her hands from her head to push them against her knees as she made a shaky assent to stand.
"Your family? This ******** is your family?" Peder snapped, obviously frustrated in trying to comprehend the situation. For some time, Audrey was silent, staring at the now still body. Then she spoke.
"Family is all s**t," she announced, and Peder jolted when the girl unexpectedly punted the man's head and it whipped violently to the side, "I told you..."
The Plague stared up at her in disbelief, his anger only growing as his understanding of the event became more skewed.
"Then... Why did...How the hell--"
But once again he was interrupted as Audrey looked down at him, her face portraying an uncharacteristic amount of deep sorrow that even her more surfaced anger had a hard time masking.
"Put down the knife and get off of him, Peder. He's either gone or not worth the effort... Let's just get the hell out of here," she ordered, turning to slink over to a nook by the westward wall that contained their few possessions, beginning to pack it all in her pockets and a dusty old leather satchel.
The Angelo tossed the knife bitterly to the side and watched her as she began to gather up their things, confused and overcome by a rare moment of speechlessness before looking back down to the bleeding mass below him. He glared down vengefully at mess, observing the ruby liquid as spilled out from the long lost uncle's skull. Thanks to him, Peder would have to sleep in the gutter tonight.
Family really was s**t.
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:26 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:27 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:31 pm
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