Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was well passed the time the sun had set but the world of white still left the school rather well lit. A thick layer of snow covered as far as the eye could see and more was still coming, slowly drifting from the sky to gather on the ground. Dinner was commencing in the dining hall of the cafeteria, a holiday meal for the students to celebrate the end of classes and the beginning of their short vacation. The atmosphere was warm an inviting, but there was one student who just couldn't seem to join in on the holiday spirit despite how much she wanted to.

Sitting outside on a bench not far from the cafeteria, Mitsu stared at something in her hands. A ring it looked like, black with a design laid out in silver around the band. Turning the object over and over in her palm she looked to be in complete dismay.

Earlier when she had been in the science room, Suto had told her for the holidays she would be excused from coming. It was like heaven had smiled down on her. But just as soon as that look of relief had settled in on her face Suto had smiled that cruel smile he often did when he knew he was about to do something devastating.

He had asked a simple question. 'What do you want for Christmas, Mitsu?' His smile grew all the more as he stepped behind her pulling an object from his pocket and holding it down for her to look. It was the ring, her brother's ring. 'What do you want most?' He had chuckled handing her the ring before he left. A bit of a jab since he had been angry he hadn't been the one to truly break her. There had been a light of resistance in her eyes for the longest time. It was like nothing, despite what he did, would completely pull her down into hell....but that all changed on Halloween. After that she was no better than a lifeless puppet.

And now Mitsu sat out in the falling snow, the passed couple of months finally weighing down on her mind. She had done her best to hold it together and her friends had been very supportive, but nothing really helped the hurt. Slowly she felt her mind had been falling apart and now she wasn't sure how much of herself was really left. There was a daily battle being fought and any more she barely won. That coupled with the lingering thoughts of Halloween had her mind stretched to the breaking point. She felt horrible for what she had done to Desmond, even though she knew she shouldn't, but thoughts of the vampire would not fade. He was still there in the shadows of her mind, visiting her dreams and reminding her that she had once been happy. A rather taunting thought.

The cherry on top of the whole situation was her brother though. While her friends were there for her, her brother had always been a main source of support. He was the only family she had left....and now he was gone.

Hearing the snow crunch under someone's feet, Mitsu glanced up slightly to see Riyo heading toward her. Scooting to the side of the bench, Mitsu gave Riyo enough room to sit down, not really minding the company. At least not until Riyo asked her question. Mitsu couldn't explain why other than the fact that her mind was in turmoil, but Riyo's words echoed through her head blending with the sound of Suto's voice.

The mad scientist quickly clouded her thoughts, the cruel smile taunting her as the memory of earlier flooded back. Tears began to gather in her wide crimson eyes as the ring in her hands slipped from her grasp falling into the snow at her feet. Clutching her head as her mind slipped away into darkness, the last thing she remembered was trying to warn Riyo, but nothing more than a struggled sound escaped her throat.

Yelping almost like she was in pain, Mitsu doubled over holding her head, eyes going dull and lifeless. Then suddenly she was still her breathing even and deep.

Before Riyo's hand even had a chance to touch her, Mitsu's lashed out to grab her wrist rather roughly. Turning her head up so that her dull eyes could look at the girl it was apparently it wasn't Riyo that Mitsu saw. As her hallow expression shifted she started to growl, her lips drawing back to bare her teeth. The only image she saw was Suto, though normally fear kept her from attacking him personally. At the moment, that fear was not present.

Pushing away from her seat Mitsu's other hand balled into a fist striking out at Riyo's face. Using the grip she already had on her wrist she tried to pull the feline forward to make the attack that much more effective. She couldn't help but see that cruel smile Suto always had...and she wanted to get rid of it.

Mitsu didn't even seem to acknowledge her name once it was called, the only thing that registered was her fist had made contact and she drew it back ready to throw another. Just as she was about to strike Riyo slapped her across the face which only seemed to anger the wolf girl more as her head jerked to the side. Growling and snarling like a feral animal, Mitsu turned back to the feline as Riyo made an attempt to pull her wrist free.

Trying to keep her in place, Mitsu dug her claws into her wrist, her other hand drawing back to throw another punch. Not even hearing Riyo's pleas, Mitsu struck out again as she took a step forward, her eyes a lit with anger and rage. It didn't seem like anything was going to stop her at the moment.

Mitsu didn't seem to notice the pain in her wrist as the black ooze wrapped around her arm. Instead she was about to draw back for a third punch until Riyo's fist made contact with her stomach. The air fleeted from her lungs as she doubled over, the fist she had going slack as she reached up to hold onto Riyo's arm.

With a cough as she drew in a breath, Mitsu turned her blank eyes up toward Riyo and for a moment there seemed like there was a bit of recognition in her eyes. At least before she started to smile. As her lips drew back into a wide toothy grin her claws tried to dig into the girl's arm to hold her in place. Before she waited to see if she had her secured or not, Mitsu drew up a knee to hit Riyo in the gut as a returned favor.

Smile still in place Mitsu let go of Riyo's wrist now that her's was free to do so and grabbed hold of the girl's jacket. Drawing back her other hand she balled it into a fist again with every intention of throwing another punch....until she saw those tears. As her vision settled back in around her Riyo's face finally became clear and that smile Mitsu held quickly faded away.

Realizing she wasn't imaging Riyo there, bleeding and in pain, Mitsu suddenly looked horrified and even more so when she realized the position she was in. Slowly lowering her now shaky fist she let go of Riyo's jacket, wide scared eyes looking at the blood that was covering her hands. What....what had she done? "Ri-" She took a step back unsure if she should stay close. What if she snapped again?

"I...I'm so sorry. So sorry." She breathed now starting to panic. What should she do? Clutching her head the tears started to gather in her eyes a new, dripping down her face as she continued to take in what she had done. She had....attacked her friend....her best friend. As if Riyo hadn't gone through enough she had betrayed her as well. The thought came crashing down on her like a ton of bricks and there was no solution to make it better. "Riyo, I'm so sorry." She continued to choke out, backing up a bit more.

With a sigh Klyde made his way to the cafeteria for his dreaded helping of bottle sewage. It was even more depressing to drink now, not that fresh blood made him feel any better. Nothing seemed to ease the unsettling feeling he had inflicted on his own mind not even the sweets he loved so much. Everything just seemed so dull and pointless now.

About to open the door to step inside a scent caught his attention. In the dead of winter where there wasn't much to hinder the smell, the scent of fresh blood was almost overwhelming to his keen nose. Eyes drifting around he left the door in search of the source of the smell until he finally settled on two people in the midst of the falling snow. It didn't take him any time to realize that the blonde was Riyo and it looked like she was bleeding. What had happened? And was that....Mitsu? "Riyo...hey. Hey!" He yelled out as he rushed over, his breathing coming to a stop.

If possible Mitsu's eyes grew even wider when a voice rang out through the dead of night. Conflicted with fear and panic, Mitsu almost immediately moved having a hard time turning away from Riyo, before she bolted off toward town.

Klyde watched Mitsu run off but his concern was not her. She didn't appear to be injured. Coming to a stop beside Riyo, his eyes were wide with what almost appeared to be fear as he spotted all the blood. How strange for a vampire to fear what it craves.

Kneeling down beside Riyo he heard her utter a few words, barely making them out as he placed a hand on her shoulder. He needed to move her, get her to help. There was nothing he could do for her here....except watch her bleed. "Riyo..." He said softly, trying to sound soothing as he reached out to wrap an arm around her shoulder and then under her knees to lift her. He prayed to whatever god there was they she wouldn't fight him, it didn't look like she had the time to spare.

It didn't take Mitsu very long at all to reach town, her legs having taken her as quickly as they could. Her mind was racing with what she should do as she drew up the hood of her long coat and pulled it in tightly around her face to hide her tears from the public eye. Her movements were still frantic and scared as she rushed along the sidewalk her mind only coming up with one solution to make sure this would never happen again.

From all the blood she saw....she could have very well killed Riyo...and instead of staying she had ran with her tail tucked between her legs. She was a horrible friend....a horrible monster...and she just couldn't bare it anymore.

Turning to see if she had been followed, Mitsu backed into an alleyway, her breathing coming in hard and fast from the long run she had to get here. What she didn't know was that a predator lurked in the shadows.

It seemed she was going to let him pick her up and Klyde was only partially relieved he was able to lift her without trouble into his arms, though it looked as though the fight had been sucked right out of her. Cringing a bit as he heard her cry out he tried to whisper an apology but kept it brief to conserve his air. She probably didn't want to hear it anyway, but now that he had her...where did he go?

In a short of panic he circled in place looking at the school that was dark from within. It was well passed the time the staff would normally reside within its wall and he had no idea where to find Atticus in his off hours. In a rush to get something done, Klyde held Riyo close hoping the action wouldn't hurt her more. "Bare with me." He said softly before he took off in a run, his legs carrying him at an inhuman pace toward town.

Mitsu let out a muffled cry as a hand came up to cover her mouth, an arm grasping her around her middle. She was frozen in place for a moment, her eyes going wide hearing a familiar voice. As she was forced into the brick wall, Mitsu brought up her hands to brace herself against it, trying to grasp it with her fingers. His words only brought more tears to her eyes as she began to shake, her hands clutching at nothing as they tried to find purchase on the brick.

Cruel world? Mitsu supposed it was and she wanted no part of it anymore. While she was terrified of what might happen....it was also relieving. The rest of her friends would be safe this way after all. The looming thought that she might attack them at the drop of a hat wouldn't haunt her. She didn't want to lose what she had left...not at her own hands.