[IC] Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahOrion had sent Cera home. No need to put her in harms way. He was wondering the streets, following Wolf's all-too-strong scent when he saw it. A body half-eaten. Any ghoul within five miles would have come to finish the remains, but they hadn't. Why? He took mental photos and moved on. The scent was getting stronger by the block.

"Blankface." A voice said. Orion turned to see a woman behind him. She was short, and dark complected. Her hair was like a black waterfall, and she had features that only mixed ethnicity could hold. Hispanic? Italian? Probably. Her ghoul eyes were rimmed at the pupils with bright blue. He had never see that before. She was dressed quite casually, but her royalty was undeniable.

"My Queen. A pleasure to see you after all this time. Things have changed?" His tone was pleasant, but his face was weary. There was no telling what horrible things she had gotten into.

"I'll put this plainly.." she began.

****

Torn, broken, and bleeding from too many places, Orion hobbled up the steps and through the door of the warded safe zone the next morning. He collapsed onto the floor. The bones of his right forearm, lodging into the floor under his weight. They had been protruding from where they had originally been. Blood trickled from his mouth, pooling around his face. He only managed to say one word before passing out.

"Cera."

[shylarah]

@TheMinorFall

This much could be said for the employees of the Upstairs: when a problem arose, they worked swiftly. By the time Orion came to, his surroundings were entirely different. Instead of the dark colors and vivid lights of the restaurant, a clean and clinical room greeted him. Someone he couldn't see shoved something that smelled a lot like flesh into his good hand. "Eat that," a lady told him. His broken arm was reset and securely bound so the bones would not shift as it healed, though not with a traditional cast. His various injuries were stitched and bandaged -- and hurting less than might be expected.

"I'd advise against trying to move around much, at least until your regenerative abilities kick in properly," a man in a lab coat told him, though he didn't come too close. He didn't seem particularly bothered by the fact that Orion was a ghoul and he was human, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to be cautious with the instincts of ghouls being what they were. "Illia, how are you holding up?" That question was directed to a woman standing in the far corner of the room. She had her eyes shut and her hands clasped in front of her chest as if in prayer, and a faint image of feathered wings spread from her shoulders. "Well enough, Doctor. I have endured worse." The response was serene.

"Just remember you're helping two, not one. I don't want you collapsing again."
"I will keep it in mind."

The doctor switched back to Orion. "Your blood levels indicate a recent feeding, yet your regenerative powers were impaired. Have you encountered anything that might cause this, as far as you know?"

((Not entirely sure what to have be the cause, or how easily it should be fixed. If Orion has a good sense of smell, Cera's nearby, but not in sight. And the meat is not human, but it's probably not anything he recognizes, either. Something strong, though.))

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahOrion awoke quite suddenly. His eyes snapped open black and red with veins trailing across his orbitals. The flesh in his hand smelled.. different, but that wasn't the scent that caught his attention. Cera was close. He could smell her, and what seemed to be a half-breed celestial. He tried to turn his head, but he was too weak. He couldn't move his arm either. With a labored breath he voiced her name again. This human wasn't going to feed him surely, but a vampire might be more inclined.

He took a moment to remember what happened. Had he been able to move, he would have shuddered. Ghouls weren't supposed to be that strong, and he hadn't prepared to use more than one kagune. He had walked in blind and now look where he was. As soon as he was healed, preparations needed to be made.

He drew a rather painful breath again and called out a little louder, "Cera!" He choked on the word, tried to cough and subsequently moved a little too much. A couple stitches popped, but nothing serious. When he was settled, he tried to even his breath. Even with a full stomach he had managed to get this badly injured. He would need backup next time.

He barely got a whisper out the third time he called for his new friend. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to wake. He wanted to eat. All at the same time, "Cera, please."

[shylarah]

@TheMinorFall

The doctor frowned, and an invisible presence next to Orion shifted. "If you would, Malie," he said, speaking in that direction. "Cera is nearby, and she may speak with you as soon as I can tell your regeneration has kicked in properly."
"If I lose a finger, I'm going to be very annoyed." It was the first woman's voice again, and the flesh was taken from his uncooperative fingers and -- carefully -- put where he might eat it without having to move around. The taste burned, and it kicked like a horse, but it did what it was supposed to. The doctor moved closer when it was gone, taking a quick look at his back, where his kagune would emerge. Satisfied that the immediate problem was dealt with, he looked at Orion. "Try not to go jumping up before you're sufficiently healed. You'd think a ghoul would be able to wait a few extra minutes, given how fast you all heal, but I tend to find you're among my most problematic patients." He nodded at the invisible woman, and the privacy curtain that divided the room in two fluttered, followed by the sound of a door opening. Cera entered and went to Orion's side, even as the doctor -- his nametag identified him as Maxwell Thomas -- looked at the quiet lady in the corner. "The painkillers should have kicked in by now, Illia. Go ahead and take Evin to a different room."

She opened her eyes and nodded confirmation, then walked past the privacy curtain that divided the room in two. Beyond her voice could be heard speaking to someone else, a man, and then there was the sound of a gurney being wheeled away. Cera looked at Dr. Thomas, then Orion. "So what the heck happened?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes. "I could have sworn we said tomorrow, and yet you show up first thing in the morning, looking like you got yourself worked over real good."

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahAfter assuring the two that everything was in control, despite the insanity of their Seer. He told them about his unstable nature and that he himself had requested to be locked up. Too many people had died.

After that, he showed them to their rooms and gave them the rest of the day to relax.

****

Lya waited somewhat nervously outside Jareth's room. She felt silly for having a crush on him, especially with him being so close to that other girl. Would she be opposed to him being interested in a space fairing demon hunter? She bit her lip and considered returning to her own room, but her hand was already raised to knock. She winced and knocked, but it was a little soft. Could he hear that? She considered knocking again, but then if he had heard it she would seem overzealous if she rapped again. But then she would be standing there like a fool if he didnt hear it.

She waited in anticipation. If a couple minutes went by with no answer, she would take it as a sign and walk away.

****

Nunque gently reached out with his mind. He would give Big Sister a feeling, a pull toward Tsitua. His plan was to get her to trust their leader. He needed her to trust him. Her life would depend on it.

****

"Queen was there." Orion said softly, looking up at the light above him. "She was different though. She had some kind of power I wasn't prepared for. Then something hit me. I'm almost certain it was Wolf because she had to shout at him to let me live." He shifted his ghoulish gaze to Cera, "But I couldn't defend myself. I couldn't move. It was like Vampire compulsion, but much stronger. Had I been able to move, I could have beaten Wolf easily, but I couldn't."

He was perplexed. How could a ghoul possibly have an ability like that? It was definitely not natural. He had to have taken it from something, or someone. And those eyes. The blue in them. Orion had the feeling that the world of ghouls was about to be shaken, and as the blood warrior who brought all ghouls into the world, he was responsible.

He couldn't stay in that hotel. That zone was too hot. He wondered... "Cera, where do you live?" He asked. He had to make sure his new friend wasn't too close to the danger. He had grown fond of her in the short time of knowing her. With a little convincing, perhaps his leader might let her train with them. Probably not, but the thought was worth considering.

[shylarah]

"You can come in," the young man called from beyond the door. When the door opened, Jareth looked surprised, but he grinned. He was sitting on the bed, Amuné curled beside him with her head in his lap. The girl didn't react to the new arrival. "Oh hey, Lya. What's up? Don't mind her, she's just...troubled, I think." He frowned down at his friend and squeezed the hand she was holding. She'd not said anything since appearing in his doorway mere moments after he'd set his bag down, just walking up to him and silently demanding a hug. Whatever Amuné was thinking, she wasn't ready to share. "The people here seem okay. Little odd, maybe, but not bad at all."

Amuné stared blankly ahead. Her eyes were open, but she wasn't paying particular attention to what she could see. She was scared and upset, far more than she felt she should be under the circumstances. Like something awful had happened, and she just didn't know it yet. Was she overreacting? Had she made the right choice? The strange feeling in the hallway, what had caused it? And why was her power suddenly giving her trouble? Was it perhaps the other Seer? The interaction of one person's Sight with another was never certain, but she'd met a few others with the skill, and this...it felt different. Maybe it was because the man was unstable. Amuné didn't know, and for now she could do nothing but wait.

---

When Nunque reached out to her, the other Seer's mind hid behind the strongest shields she had. Something had threatened her, or might have threatened, or was going to, even if she didn't know what or why. Badly shaken without discernable reason and feeling like she needed to fend off an unknown threat, she'd poured additional power into her mental defences, the ones that had been so easily breached when he caught her by surprise in his vision. The walls were deceptively smooth, but abruptly bristled into a sharp and thorny mass, as if she sensed him looking. Not that she could keep him out -- Amuné wasn't that strong, not if he wanted in. But the chances of doing it without her noticing were not nearly so good. She'd devoted a great deal of attention over the years to learning how to defend herself, particularly her mind, and though she still studied methods and techniques, she had learned enough that the girl could no longer be considered easy pickings.

---

"I told you that you shouldn't go in without backup," the vampire grumbled. "Look at you. You look /awful/. I hear you're lucky you got to help." She poked his forehead with a finger. "Next time, wait. The least you could do is give yourself better odds." Cera toyed with her bracelet, looking intrigued. "Compulsion, huh? That's a pureblood trait, if it's vampiric. I can't do it, not more than a faint suggestion. But there's other perks to being half and half." She frowned. "There's other kinds that do similar things, but I've never heard of a ghoul with that kind of power. Not unless they were also using magic." She tapped painted nails against the side of the bed. "Oh, me? A duplex -- not far from here, actually. Why, you thinking of visiting, cutie~?"

@TheMinorFall

[TheMinorFall]

Lya turned a faint red when she saw Amuné on Jareth. It wasn't jealousy, she was embarrassed. She frozen, trying unsuccessfully not to let her eyes widen in surprise. She fidgeted with her hands for a moment before drawing a breath and opening her mouth to talk, but no words came out. She held there for a second before regaining her composure and relaxing. Looking down at the floor, Lya smiled at herself for being stupid.

"I was going to see if you wanted to come with me to see some cool stuff around here since you're not staying long..." she looked up at Amuné, then shifted her eyes to Jareth. "But um.. you're busy, so I.. uh, well I... guess I'll just go.."

She felt so dumb standing there, rambling like a schoolgirl. She was a princess! Even the great Tsitukaiza Sealious hadn't done this to her! She turned, conspicuously disappointed as she bit her lip and hesitantly walked back toward her own room where she could beat her head against the wall and call herself an idiot a couple times.

****

Nunque met a wall of mental defense that spiked upon his arrival. Physically he popped his neck so loud that the metal door faintly reverberated the sound. He withdrew his prod and giggled girlishly. "Oh, Big Sister. You're a tricky one aren't you?"

This was Nunque's stomping ground, though. While his mind was unhinged and unstable, his powers as a mental chakra user were superb. He formed a three-layered prod. The first layer was a sense of worry that anyone in Big Sister's position would possess. To keep his focus, he began to gnaw on his left index finger. The second layer was a cloaking layer of his own design. It would hide beneath the sense of worry, but it was thick enough to cover the third layer. The third layer had two feelings. One was assurance that everything was okay and that she would be safe. The other was that pull towar the leader. He mixed them into an over sense that giving Tsitua a chance was at least worth the trouble of traveling up and aboard this craft.

He marveled at his brilliant design. It was a noble gesture to be applied with slightly deceitful means. These means we're a necessary evil, however, and soon enough Big Sister would See that, but not until Nunque was sure she was ready.

The three-layered prod would take a simple approach. Her spiked defense would attack the negative influence, allowing the hidden one to pass through. He pushed his prod gingerly into Big Sister's mind, almost hoping it wouldn't work just for funnzies. That wasn't likely, but he had chosen her for a reason.

Blood was blotting his white scrub pants as it dropped from his near-mangled finger.

****

Orion breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't in their territory, for now. "Yes, I'll come see you soon, but I have to go for now." He stood, allowing the pushed-out stitches to fall to the floor. He looked to the others around him, "Thank you all. The Circle is in your debt. I'm in your debt. If you ever need us, simply pray for us. We'll come."

With that, he left. He made his way out of the city, to an adjacent farmland on the outskirts.

Leader, we have a problem. Send Cain.

@shylarah so I have a problem. I meant to write this in such a way that Orion ended up at the train station with them, but I messed that up because I was fixed on Nunque's vision. Sooo I may have to do some editing around, or maybe you can just forgive me for being a dummy and pretend he was never on the subway train? ... .-. *derp*]

[shylarah]

The young man was shocked that Lya seemed...embarrassed? Maybe she felt like she was intruding? "Uh, not right now, sorry." His heart gave an unpleasant lurch at her disappointment. "It sounds interesting though, so...um, maybe later?" Jareth found himself hoping that he sounded awkward, instead of ambivalent.

---

The instant Nunque's probe made contact, the jagged barrier reacted. His lure was attacked, even as he shoved it deeper. But that wasn't all. Instead of trying to force it away, vines shot out to grab it, yanking it close and trying to ensnare the man's mind as well. The best defense was a proper offense, and the probe's outer layer was shredded in an instant. The cloak was skillfully done, and it protected the cargo inside, but the way Amuné's barriers snapped the probe into pieces and hacked at even those, it was hard to tell just how much had reached her. And for the moment, there was no time to worry about it, because the writhing vines studded with long and vicious thorns were wrapping around the thought he'd used to send it, trying to pin it down and follow it back to him so the younger Seer could launch an attack of her own. His sense of the future could show what would happen, if she caught him well enough to mount a proper offensive. There would be no request to leave, there would be no warning shot. She would abandon all but the most basic of defenses in a moment and devote herself to destroying him, letting herself get hurt in the process. A reckless and foolish tactic when it was one's mind at stake, pointing at underlying fear and desperation. Nor would she stop, not until she found herself unable to continue, be it due to impregnable defenses, loss of her target, or injury to herself so severe that she could no longer attack. Only a miracle would convince the girl that he meant no harm.

---

"Well alright. You be careful, cutie." Cera's tone as she watched Orion get to his feet was concerned instead of flirty. "And next time you go, take someone with you. Several someones." She watched him leave with a faint frown.

Dr. Thomas was not in sight when he left the room, but the one he'd called Illia was, sitting in a chair in the hallway with her head tilted back to lean against the wall, the faint wings she'd exhibited before nowhere to be seen. Now that he could get a proper look at her, it seemed like she was in considerable pain herself. She opened her eyes and gave the ghoul a gentle smile at his thanks. "I shall tell Evintarin and the doctor of your words, but you owe me nothing, and Evin would agree, were he not currently sleeping. Fare you well." She tilted her head back again as he headed off.

@TheMinorFall

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahVines wrapped around his mind, embedding thorns into his consciousness. His mind would have faded if he were a normal person, but Amuné would soon find that her attack was futile. He was, after all, part demon.

What is she doing now?

She attacked us.

Why?

She feels threatened, dummy.

Don't call me a dummy.

Seriously, why do you keep poking her?

She needs to understand.

You can't expect someone to just let you invade them.

Quiet! It's my turn today, not yours!

The conversation he was having with himself echoed through the vines and into Amune's mind. She would see the corruption in him. All the pain and suffering of being both demon and humanoid the mind was too chaotic. It shuddered and writhed, shaking off mental vines too weak to ensnare a demonic mind. One of Nunque's minds severed the link and put up a mental wall of diamond. The rational personality had experienced its fill of its counterpart's shenanigans.

****

Lya was out of earshot already. Headed toward her room when she happened to look in the door window of Nunque's room. He was standing, eyes rolled back, facing toward the newcomers. She sprinted back to that room, glaring at Amuné.

"What did you do?!" she shouted at the girl, her anger manifesting as radiant chakra around her.

[shylarah]

Amuné heard the words, but most of them slid past without registering. Panic filled her and radiated outwards, though her years of training and practice allowed her to maintain enough focus for combat. But the pain, the corruption, these connected, and they drove her to greater efforts. Whoever wanted in her mind, the wrongness clinging to them made it all the more important that she not grant them access.

-

Next to Jareth, the girl tensed, and a faint, high-pitched whine escaped her. Pain and terror twisted her face as her hands pressed against her head. "getoutgetoutgetout" It was a whispered litany, but though he looked around, he saw no visible cause. He could only assume it was something she sensed, or Saw, and the young man rested his hand on her hair.

Then Lya barged in, shouting. "I didn't do anything!" he cried, mistaking her words as directed at him.

-

Though she tried to gain purchase on the thoughts behind the attack, they repelled her attempts and slipped from her grasp. Amuné waited, cautiously stretching her senses outward to find out if they were truly gone or merely pretending. But a surge of power nearby demanded her attention and she folded herself back up and dropped into her body without bothering to be careful. Jareth was there. Jareth didn't fight, and he didn't have magic. He was there because of her, and she had to keep him safe.

-

The Seer rolled to her feet, drawing her knife in the process. She was disoriented from the rapid switch from mind to body, and her physical senses would take a moment to catch up. But she could feel Jareth, the solid, grounded presence with a faint hint of metal, and the other source of energy was bright and angry beyond, so she tried to move between them, relying on muscle memory to put knife in her hand and, if possible, defend for that vital moment. Something stopped her. Jareth was the only one close, but something held her, kept her from moving.

He'd caught her as she stood, one arm wrapping around the girl's shoulders, the other circling her waist. Lya was angry, yes, but she was defensive, and whatever his friend was picking up, she didn't seem properly aware of her surroundings. "Amuné, please. Whatever it is, it's not here right now." Jareth's voice was firm. He'd seen it before a few times, enough that he knew she would sort herself out soon enough. And indeed, her eyes cleared as she blinked, then looked around rapidly. "In my head, where is he? I felt it -- where, it was--" Her gaze fastened on Lya, then moved away. The woman was angry but not attacking, and while hers was the flare of energy that had made her rush back, thinking she had to fight, she was not yet a threat. It took a moment longer before the girl connected the two and lowered her weapon, with a soft word to Jareth, who nodded and let her go. She looked at Lya, uncertain but expectant.

@TheMinorFall

[shylarah]

But the other woman said nothing at first, and took long enough about it that the frightened anger the Seer was holding back caught up with her properly. "If you have nothing to say, then move," she snapped, brushing past Lya and out the door. Following a gut instinct that suddenly seemed a bit stronger, Amuné made her way to where Tsitua was, stalking into the room with a quiet rage. "How dare you," she said, her voice shaking. Was it anger or fear that made her tremble so? "You claim to serve those who want peace, to wish to keep me safe and provide me with shelter. Yet when I gamble on you, I am brought here, only to be attacked?" Her voice intensified, but she did not shout, each word snapping out like a whip. "Corruption stains your crew, oh brave but injured leader. See to your troops -- or they will surely see to you."

((@TheMinorFall how's that~?))

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarah"Not here any more? So then Nunque.." Lya slapped her hands to her mouth, "I'm so sorry.." she said "I just thought-" she was too late, Amuné was already out the door. She was more worried about what Jareth would think of her. She looked at him apologizing with her features.

****

Tsitua was sitting in the meditation room. It was silent as he sat cross-legged, surrounded by candles and incense that all had demon and angel blood infused in them. He barely reacted at all when Amuné showed up.

"You mean to tell me that an mentally unstable demon-spawned Seer with thousands of years of mental training and honing invaded the mind of a teenage girl without our consent?" He said all-too-obviously. He gave her the look a parent gives to a toddler throwing a fit. He retracted the look and went back to his meditation, "Nunque is like a child, Amuné. He's prodding you to see what he can get into. It's likely he already looked into Jareth's mind and found nothing of value. Your mind, however, is much more fun for him. The more you defend yourself, the more invasive and aggressive he becomes." He gave her a serious look, "How do you think Eric went blind?" He asked.

He let a silent moment fall, then scooted over on his mat. "Sit, meditate with me. I will open my mind to you, so that I can teach you how to effectively evade mental attacks. Before you sit, however, would you pour me a few fingers from that bottle?" He pointed to a whiskey bottle on the only piece of furniture in the room, a folding table. Next to it was a glass made of cut sapphire. The liquid within the bottle was the color of blood, but held a malty clove aroma.

****

Lya received an update from Tsitua after a moment. She breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Jareth, then down at the floor. "You must think I'm a real jerk after that..." she said heavy heartedly. "I uh... I just saw our guy acting weird... and I got defensive.. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions." She bit her lip lightly and fiddled with her fingers. Her embarrassment was plenty. She figured there was no way he'd even want to look at her after that. The thought brought tears to well up. What was wrong with her? Could she not just be cool and calm? Why did everything have to be so awkward when she tried to be close to someone?

"I'll, um... leave you alone now." She wasn't even sure why exactly she was so upset, but she had to hold her hand over her face as she turned and walked out to keep from bursting into tears. It was probably over-dramatic of her to walk out like that too, but she had begun believing she would never be attracted to anyone again before he had arrived on that train.

[shylarah]

"If that was a concern, then why the hell am I here?" she demanded, eyes narrowing. "Were you hoping to have him play with my mind, let him undo everything I've worked so hard to rebuild? Perhaps you find it amusing?" Dirty fingers digging into her mind, ripping her thoughts apart with a touch so cold it burned. "Or maybe my privacy doesn't matter, as long as it's your hands I'm in and not someone else's." She couldn't attach the right meaning to Tsitua's words, couldn't fully grasp what he was saying. The stains they left behind, seeping into her, unravelling the threads that tied her to reality. Nor could she steady herself, even carefully measured breathing did nothing to calm the restless energy that filled her, telling her this was not a safe place, that she had to run, run, run, get as far away as she could from the ones that sought to invade her thoughts. She could feel it happening all over again, the ones with the cold minds peeling away layers as the fire they pumped into her veins consumed her from the inside. Amuné tried to slow her heartbeat, regain a steady grip on the paranoia that would love to consume her if she let it, on the familiar patterns that let her be some sort of whole. She strode to the table and poured the requested drink, then moved to hold it out to the seated man. But she did not sit, instead pacing like a caged tiger. "Maybe you do think it is for the best, but let me tell you this. While I would not rather give myself over to the Kabuto than stay here, I am not entirely sure that finding an airlock would not be preferable to remaining one more minute near him." She closed her eyes for a moment as she moved, back and forth, taking a breath even deeper than the seven in, seven out she'd been taught for meditation. She wasn't going to let someone take her away from herself. Her grip was weakened, not broken. Five steps and turn, five steps and turn. She didn't need to look to feel it. A punching bag would be better, or one of her sparring partners with the pads to target, to engage every muscle in controlled strikes until she settled enough that she didn't have to keep moving, but this would have to be enough.

If Coodaudu was watching her, the unsteady halo of energy she'd exhibited since Nunque's assault slowly steadied as she paced, bit by bit gathered up and redirected into a pattern that, while apparently automatic, was deliberately constructed. If not interrupted, it was several minutes before the girl finally came to a stop with a sigh and turned to look at Tsitua. "I may have overreacted," she acknowledged, sounding calmer. "But I wasn't kidding about the last. If this is going to be a regular occurance, I will not stay."

---

Jareth started to get to his feet, but never finished the movement. Instead he rubbed his face with a sigh. "No, I understand," he told the woman, his smile lopsided and not quite reaching his eyes. "I would have done the same. We're unknown variables, it's natural to look to us first, rather than the ones you've been working with for a long time." As Lya turned to go, he slid to his feet, moving to the doorway. She seemed upset. "Hey, um...well, since she's gone to cool off...maybe now might be a time you could show me those things you'd mentioned...? I mean, if you still want to?"

@TheMinorFall

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahTsitua took the glass and set it in front of him to be consumed later. He was focusing on Amune's chakra heart. He could "see" the chakras of others by using his own, even reaching out and connecting to them at times. There was a vague barrier, probably mimicking her mental defenses without her knowing, and behind that was a rather chaotic chakra flow. It began to settle as she paced, but the hybrid could tell what different patterns meant. She wanted to fight, to hit something. He wasn't sure if it was rage or some calming technique, but there was fight in her. He liked that.

"Did you know that a powerful Seer can explore a multitude of options for any given outcome. They can literally See all possible outcomes in an instant. Some Seers can even see with such detail and distance in time that they can turn the tide of an entire war with a single action. My point here is that everything Nunque does is for a reason. He may be crazy, but he's not stupid. He probed you for a reason, hell, he had me bring you here for a reason." He stood up and knocked his drink back. "You recognized me back there. When I first approached you. You have Seen me at some point, and so you are reluctant to trust me because you can't possibly know if I am worthy of that trust. Am I wrong?" He didn't give her time to answer, he knew the answer. Tilting his head forward and giving her a serious, almost dark look. "I have a rage demon aboard as part of my crew. I have an angel, three perceptive chakra users, a mathematical genius, and I personally have taken on Kabuto alone and won." He let that sink in, "If we were planning something, we would have done it already, and there's nothing that you could have done about it. You are aboard this ship because somewhere in that defensive heart of yours, you know that we will help you. You know that whatever Nunque did could not be stopped by anyone. And I know that when you passed by his room you suddenly felt strange. Did you not get a sudden bad feeling coupled with vague visions of terrible things that didn't happen? And how could I, a half-demon possibly know what you are experiencing?" Tears began to stream down his face from a deep rooted pain, she looked so much like her, "Because my daughter had the same power as you."

When a Seer encounters a person capable of opening their mind, a simple touch could give them insight. Tsitua could connect through chakra, eliminating the need for touch. The idea was that he would allow her to see things in a completely non-invasive way. He was using this tactic because Nunque had been sending him vibes without his knowledge. The vibes were so subtle that they were completely undetectable.

The partially unraveled state combined with Tsitua's open mind flashed non-invasive visions across Amune's Sight of Zeela, his Daughter. She and Amuné looked very much alike in a lot of ways to the trained eye.

One vision held steady, being that it held great emotional trauma. Zeela had been overcome by her Sight and was becoming corrupted after capture by Kabuto. She was covered in black, organic matter that adhered her to a stone wall covered in captivity runes. "There's noting I can do..." Lya said in the vision, "She's going to suffer like this forever.." her voice was Kaiden with dark reality.

"No." Tsitua choked out in the vision. His entire being overcome with sadness and pain. The emotions wouldn't be forced onto Amuné, due to the nature of the vision, but they would be clear to her, and partially shared to her if her sense of empathy was strong. "I won't let her suffer like this for eternity." He continued in the vision. Amuné was see through his eyes and witness all of the emotional turmoil of a father who had to do what he did. She would see through his eyes as he stepped forward in the vision, and chopped his daughter's head off with an angelic blade.

With that, Tsitua closed his mind. His face was a mess of tears and an expression of old pain. He wiped his face with an arm. "Believe what you want. Hate me, fear me, I don't care. I will not let that happen to you." His act of wiping his tears away was futile as they were replaced immediately. He returned to his mat, face buried in one hand.

****

Lya spun around, surprised by his kind understanding. Her body moved on its own gently burying her face against his chest and gripping the front of his shirt. She looked up at him with relief and joy in her eyes, "Okay!"

A five minute walk through the ship brought them back to the hangar where Valkyrie was welding on a different part of the bike from before. Her coveralls caught molten metal, but it simply rolled off like water on waterproofed material.

She flipped her welding mask up and smiled a huge, almost childish smile. "Oh my gosh he's so cute!" She nearly shouted. She kicked the power switch on the welder, peeled off her mask and leapt over her work to hug him playfully. Lya stood aside, arms crossed and silently fuming.

[shylarah]

She knew he and his team were stronger than she could taken on, possibly even with support from the group that had saved her all those years ago. But the fact that he hadn't so far only meant he might be playing a longer game. And yet...

Something Tsitua did resonated with her Sight, and the young woman slowly reached out to tap into it. Someone who seemed a lot like her...his daughter? A Seer, with her sense of reality shattered. Amuné shuddered. She knew that feeling, she'd come so close to losing herself to it. It still threatened at times. Pain both remembered and shared brought silent tears to her eyes.

When the vision was over, the girl remained silent for a long moment. "I believe you," she said at last, feeling like an intruder. "And speaking from the position of someone who knows how she felt...I believe your daughter would thank you." She looked at the ground, weighing her choices for another long, silent moment. Amuné decided to make the leap.

"It was a long time ago, now. My father did not handle Mom's death well. Whether it was his knowing decision or if he was taken advantage of, I do not know, and it doesn't matter. A group called the Ring of Shadows acquired me. I was what, three? Four? My memory of what followed is...fragmented at best." The words came slowly, softly, the endings bitten short as if parting with each each one was an effort. "I wasn't the only one they'd found, nor even the only Seer. It was...." She trailed off. "There are no words. Agony barely begins to cover it. Had my powers been different, I would have been brainwashed and trained to fight for them. As a Seer, my value lay in visions. They had a drug that lowered my control, my ability to shut things out. My barriers...there were telepaths that had been twisted so they were little more than slaves, sent to fish through my thoughts and report whatever might be useful." Even remembering it hurt. Amuné shuddered, hugging herself as if it would help her stay together. The pattern rippled, strands breaking and coming loose, and the world wavered around her. She stopped to take a deep breath, strengthen her inner stability. "The other Seer tried to protect me. The Ring knew enough to know I was more vulnerable, being so young, but in the end they really weren't very cautious. Madness claimed her, and still they drugged her, drew what they could from her mind. Until she just...burned out. I barely knew reality from vision by then. It all just blurred together.

"After their actions were uncovered, the facility captured and those of us who survived rescued, recovery was...slow. I spent most of a year on the border of sanity and madness." She turned away, bowing her head. "They came very close to breaking my mind, leaving me unable to tell past and future from present, unable to separate myself from those in my visions. Some days I still have trouble. I learned techniques to help me stay grounded and keep it all straight. It works well enough, usually, and the times I lose track I can find one of my anchors and weave it again. But it's...terrifying," she confessed, sounding reluctant. Despite her reticence, it was a relief to be able to share this with someone who might be able to comprehend some of it. "I worry that one day I won't be able to find a place to start, and that will be the end." Slowly the girl turned back to Tsitua, arms still wrapped around her chest. "I don't react well to people who want to invade my thoughts. Even those who approach politely give me trouble. I don't...I can't trust other people in my head. It's hard enough to trust myself." Grey eyes watched him, seeking understanding.

---
The woman moved close and then she buried her face inJareth's shirt. For the space of a heartbeat Jareth was frozen, too shocked to move. He slowly wrapped an arm around her, gently, as if she might turn out to be an illusion if he pressed too hard.

Lya lead the way to the hanger, where they had entered the facility. The lady working on the bike leaped up and gave him a hug. He took a step back, but she grabbed him all the same, squealing and calling him cute. A hot bush rose in his cheeks and he looked over at Lya with a pleading expression. "Um...it's nice to meet you?" What he really wanted to meet was the bike she'd been working on. "That doesn't look like the motorcycles I've seen..."

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahThe hybrid listened to every word she said with the utmost concentration. He clung to every sentence as she spoke, sensing the chakra fluctuations as she spoke. It explained a lot.

He took a step closer and wrapped her in an embrace, but only for a moment. He was alway warm, but the fire in him heightened slightly when he held her. A sense of comfort came with the gesture. "I won't ever let anyone do that to you again." He said, releasing her. Was he talking to Amuné, or Zeela? Part of him wasn't sure.

The long, understanding silence was broken by sequential vibrations that grew until the candle flames were visibly wavering. A hulking figure ducked into the meditation room. He stood around twelve feet tall, and had to weigh a few thousand pounds with all the dense muscle that he had. It was Marcus, the only other member who had been on the team as long as Tsitua had. He wore a respirator over his face that was mostly hidden by his shoulder length, white hair. His eyes were not unlike ghoul eyes, except with snake like pupils surrounded by gold irises.

"Sep a'cümn. Bárek noc da?" It ask in its natural snarl of a tone. It was more beastly than anything else.

"Yes. See that he's punished." Tsitua replied.

The beast, Marcus, looked to little Amuné, "Azch tu üm. Qe Nunque des."

"He says sorry for his son, the one who invaded you." Tsitua translated. Marcus ducked out with a grunt and disappeared down the hallway.

Refocused, the hybrid cleared his throat and walked out, beckoning Amuné to follow with a gesture of his hand.

****

Valkyrie released Jareth, "Oh! This old thing? I built it this morning out of some leftover parts from a destroyed skiff we found recently. It has a fifth generation chakra converter engine, maghold seat and cargo panels, maghold wheels, a simple onboard AI, and a few extra toys just for funnzies." She said casually as she peeled down the top portion of her coveralls and tied them around her waist to reveal a black sports bra and oil-blotched skin. She was slightly darker than Lya in complexion and more lean. She wasn't as gifted in the chest either, but her curves complimented her body type. She had a more angular, yet still feminine face with dark lipstick and thick eyeliner. She seemed more interested in presenting her creation than Jareth, however, and that put Lya at a certain level of ease.

[shylarah]

The Seer accepted the hug without moving, but her gaze was focused somewhere else. This time it was a memory, Kel struggling against the straps that held her to the bed, short hair plastered to her forehead with sweat as wild laughter spilled from her lips. And then the awful, empty expression of a body that no longer held a living mind. Amuné forced her attention back to the present, falling into the easy rhythm of breathing that she'd learned for meditation but used frequently.

"Don't make promises you can't guarantee." It was sweet he wanted to protect her, but she knew better than to believe. "Hope is a dangerous thing," she added softly. She didn't like it. It made things hurt all the worse.

The sound of heavy steps approaching interrupted the moment, and Amuné found herself looking up at a giant of a man. "Marcus," she concluded, glancing at Tsitua for confirmation. The apology got a wry twist of a smile. "I appreciate the gesture, but it is hardly your fault," she said. His words echoed strangely in her ears, as if there was a second, far softer voice speaking under them, though it was not clear enough to make out. When Tsitua waved for her to follow him she fell in at his side and slightly behind. "...I will try to trust you." For a moment she focused on the fire that surrounded him. "I can't promise, and I don't know how well I'll manage, but...I'll do what I can."

---

"This morning? Man, you work fast. Whoa, whoa, back up!" Jareth held up his hands. "Chakra...that's weea -- erm, otaku talk for like magic, right? Maghold'd be what, magnetic? ...AI /what/?! You guys have artificial intelligence?" This he had to see. Lya was completely forgotten as he moved over to take a better look at the craft. He had little interest in women when presented with a new piece of machinery. "May I?" he asked, wanting permission before he touched it. "Sounds like you've got some real advanced stuff here. I'd love to take a proper look."

@TheMinorFall

[TheMinorFall]

Cain landed with the force of a feather, despite the speed with which he was falling. He had a way of using his shadow chakras with such precision that it was almost concerning. Orion approached him and gave him an update of everything he had learned in the last few hours.

"Understood. Your orders?" The robotic man voiced through a voice changing speaker hidden within his face plate. It made him sound even more mechanical, serving the purpose of keeping his identity a mystery to all who didn't work with him.

"Find Wolf, but don't engage. I want to see the light leave his eyes for myself. Find out where they're working and how the hell Queen can do what she does." Orion responded. He was amazed by his own tone. There was such confidence and authority. He smiled at himself. Tsitua was rubbing off on him after all.

Cain said nothing in return. He simply began moving toward the city. That was his indication of understanding and confirming. The man wasted no time on formalities. Orion admired that part of him.

The ghoul also made his way back, faster though. He returned to the Upstairs, but didn't go in. Not yet. Instead he went to where he could be seen from the balcony and waited. Cera would likely notice his scent, or hear his footsteps with her undead senses. He was counting on that.

****

Tsitua guided Amuné into one of the rooms in the training wing. It was a dimly lit space lined on all sides with black, sound dampening material. One corner held a multitude of sitting cushions, from which the hybrid took one for each of them. He set them down a meter apart and sat down, gesturing to the other. "This is a focus room. It's purpose is to help untrained recruits to tap into their dormant chakras. See as you've already tapped into yours, we will try and see how well you can control them. I'm going to allow the demon within me to come forward enough to use as a tool. I know you've been eyeing him since you met me, so here's a rare chance to meet him." He said hesitantly.

****

Valkyrie put her hands on her hips, overjoyed at allowing a fellow engineer to bask in the glow of her work, even if it was the equivalent of an artist's doodle.

"Go ahead, take a look, but if you think that's cool, you should see what my brother is working on."

Lya sighed. Clearly Jareth's attention was easily diverted by something she had no affinity for. It was attractive, though, seeing him marvel at the tech before him. Now that she knew his passion, she liked seeing him experience such joy.
@shylarah

[shylarah]

But it was not Cera but instead another ghoul, dressed in the attire of an Upstairs employee, who burst out onto the balcony and vaulted over the railing. He landed solidly, grinning like an idiot. "You're him! You're you -- I mean--" The young man seemed positively giddy, and reached out to pump Orion's hand with considerable enthusiasm. "Ohmigosh Ican'teven Cera said you'd shown up and the mask but /WOW/." His nametag identified him as Bart -- the fan that the vampire had mentioned. He wasn't speaking loudly, but there was a singular intensity to his words. "I can't tell you how honored I am! Especially that you gave me your old mask, I mean -- no words!"

---

"He's been eyeing me right back," Amuné said, focusing on the blue flames again. Was it really watching her, whenever she was near, or was it just paranoia? She settled on the cushion, crossing her legs and resting her hands lightly on her knees. She'd calmed considerably by then, and it wouldn't be an issue to meditate, or even enter a trance now. The young woman wasn't completely sure what Tsitua had in mind, so she would let him provide instruction, but as she waited she let her thoughts settle, becoming the still pool that would transmit the ripples of whatever disturbed it. Her senses spread outwards, and it occurred to her that part of why she was so uneasy was because there were so few people nearby, in comparison to on earth. She'd never been without that constant pressure, and with it gone things felt...empty. Her control was excellent, with nothing to challenge her. Indeed, she'd practiced tirelessly to become so. The threshold of what Amuné could withstand before being overwhelmed was what might be expected from a trained Seer. It was the blind panic of someone tampering with her thoughts that had had sent her spinning earlier.

---

"I'd love to. Who's your brother?" Jareth's voice was slightly muffled, speaking as he was almost directly into a piece of metal. Valkyrie had no sooner given him permission than he was taking a look at the engine, careful not to mishandle anything but giving it a thorough examination. "Man, this looks like nothing I've ever seen before," he commented, not entirely sure what all the parts did. Probably because it was magic or something. "I didn't know you could use magic to run things...."

@TheMinorFall

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahValkyrie giggled, amused by his lack of understanding of what was such a simple science to her. "Magic? No, it draws from the ambient energy around it. We call this energy chakra. See, chakra is the energy within all things on a metaphysical level. It's the force that holds atoms together, and the force exerted when they split that causes the explosion. An atomic explosion is the uncontrolled chakra of an atom being released with no direction. We are able to direct that energy and control its flow. Once you can do that, you simply focus your chakra in your hands and allow the ketsumite within the handlebars to absorb and direct it to the engine where it's collected and redirected into a chamber that changes the metaphysical energy into plasma by infusing them into living matter; the synthesized nerve cells that make up the network that electrical wires would make up in a normal piece of machinery. This enormous amount of electricity is directed into a simple but powerful electronic motor that does the rest." She was pointing out the parts as she went. "There are two maghold emitters in the seat and wheels.The first one is what I call 'negative' maghold. It provides a push that keeps the seat and wheels off the rig. The second maghold keeps them close, thus eliminating the need for shock absorbers and providing a ridiculously smooth ride. There's another set of magholds that replace the need for axles that are hooked up to the AI. She tracks the activation of the accelerator and brakes and creates powerful, alternating magnetic fields that turn the wheels and also provide brakes. She's also able to brake or accelerate for you if needed. The bike can literally drive itself for you."

She finished her explanation with a scratch of her head. "Only problem is I need to find a way to contain the magnetic acceleration fields or they'll attract any ferrous metals within fifty meters." She added with a frustrated sigh.

****

"Whatever happens, just know he won't hurt you. He's a good demon." Tsitua said with a smile. He had, in fact, trained Coodaudu on how to act, knowing the demon didn't want to be evil.

"I'll need a moment, I'm not as efficient at this as you may be. In the mean time, focus only on us. There are chakra blockers in this room so you won't be able to feel the others unless you're on my level, but likewise, they can't mess with you. You are safe here." He added, getting into his meditation posture.

****

Orion nearly impaled the other ghoul when he landed. He retracted his kagune so fast the boy likely hadn't noticed the act at all. Great, a fanboy. He thought with a mental sigh. "That mask is a symbol of someone I once was." He said, reminiscent of his past. "I understand your excitement, but do not idolize Blankface. He was a criminal. My name is Orion." He placed a hand on the ghoul's shoulder. Now that he knew what he was, the boy seemed like a distant, young relative. Like a cousin, or perhaps a nephew. "Know me by my true name, not the one branded by the CCG." He added, giving Bart a thoughtful look.