DragonOC

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

Dropping her arms to her sides, still gripping the knife tightly, she stared up at the unfamiliar face of the reaper. She had no idea how Death managed to summon this beautiful creature, but she wanted to kiss it for saving her ass. She gasped for air, her lungs and back aching from the impact, the lingering smoke burning as she inhaled. Her head throbbed, the adrenaline fading to pain.

Kaia turned her head to look at Death as he spoke, allowing herself a moment longer to recover on her cool kitchen floor between the drawers of cutlery laying about. A single rune decorated Death's hand after the summoning, but it seemed to cause some discomfort. She wondered why it was lingering, considering the ancient suppression magic ingrained in Death's mortal body. She exhaled, her throat dry from the now dissipating smoke.

Kaia shot up to sit when Death made for the laptop, breathlessly bidding him to stop, but it was too late. Her father frowned deeply at the show of disrespect, his face soon hardening again. Kaia scrambled to get to the laptop as Death and reaper strolled off down the hall. She stood, bent over the chair to reposition the laptop, avoiding looking at the image of her father. "I'm sorry for the delay," she mumbled, her relief to still be alive quickly fading. "Who is that utterly disrespectful hooligan?" His voice came stern and coarse. "I hope to high heavens he's not the partner you chose for yourself! A complete disappointment." "What? No," Kaia quickly responded, "He's, well... he's Death. The Death. The reason I need your help."

Her father proceeded to scold her for the manners, or lack thereof, of her "new friend". Kaia got in only a word here and there, most of them being "yes, father" or "I'm sorry", barely granted enough time to answer the bombardment of questions her father throws at her. Continuing, he moved on to scolding her for her irresponsibility, being discovered by a HellHound, the mess in her kitchen, her smoldering couch, and throwing her life on the line for what he now decided to be a stranger. This continued on for a good ten minutes before she could manage to get the entire story across. Her father demanded to see the symbols, clearly not believing that she discovered the reason for the past week's strange occurences and lack of deaths. She held her notebook up to the camera and, for the first time, her father grew silent. His eyes lingered on his screen before he started typing away at speed. A notification pops up on Kaia's screen. "Bring it, him, whatever, through immediately. The flight leaves in four hours." Just like that, the call ends.

She slumped down in the chair, just staring at the screen, remembering why she doesn't speak with her father much. She was only brought back to the moment with the sound of a knock on the front door. Cautiously, she made her way back, knife clutched in hand. Peering through the window next to the door, she frowned at the lack of a curtain, seeing it in shreds on the floor. Pizza. Her shoulders relaxed slightly as she opened the door. Her hair must've looked quite crazy for the deliveryboy to look at her the way he did. She thanked him, took the boxes, and quickly locked the door again, afraid that even an open door could invite another unwanted guest. She slid the boxes onto the counter, picked up Death's jar, and waited for his return.

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

With Death's mood seeming to darken at Kaia's comment, she wondered if she might've pushed too far. Perhaps it wasn't her place to make jokes with Death, but she felt she had to do something to lift her own spirits. She was dreading a response from her father, desperate for a distraction until then.

Death left for the front door. She let out a tired sigh, rubbing her forehead. "Think, Kaia. Think." What more could she do? There had to be another god they could reach out to in the meantime. There had to be another way to buy more time while they figured out how to set Death free. To bring back balance. She was tired. She slid down with her back against the wall, head in her hands, thoughts racing.

If there were at least some way to guide the reapers. A way to signal to them that someone's time had come to an end... Then, like a thought being coaxed from her subconscious, an idea hit her. "Atropos!" She jumped up, "We could ask her!" The unalterable goddess of fate! Of course! She cuts the strings of fate to indicate when a life comes to an end. If they could convince her to show the reapers the strings she cuts, the reapers could find the correct souls to take! She had to pitch this to Death immediately! Kaia felt the tang of hope.

Until Death came barreling back through the door. Did he just say HellHound? She patted her pocket, feeling the jar against her leg. No. She must've misheard. No simple-minded creature should be able to find them with the protection in place. A wave of orange lit up the end of the hallway. A flash of heat hit her at the same time as the realization. HellHound! She turned the corner, the breath of fire engulfing the rug and couch. Kaia noticed the spell jar she gave Death standing perfectly untouched on the floor and made a mental note to scold Death. If they survived this. She ran past into the kitchen, ripping drawers open. She rummaged through the drawers first before tipping them over to the floor, "Where is it? Where is it?!"

A rumbling growl came from the large dog as it attempted to bite at Death, jaws snapping shut, barely missing by a hair. The beast tried retreating only to slam forward again, gaining an inch further into the home, pushing Death just far enough out of reach. "Keep it there!" Kaia shouted, tipping the final drawer onto the counter.

Just then, a pleasant, silly tone started up from her laptop, making Kaia's head snap up, "Are you fucking serious? Now it's important enough to talk?!" She pushed half of the drawer's contents onto the floor in frustration, sorting through what remains on the counter. Then she finds it; a normal looking steak knife. The only real differentiating features are the engravings in the blade and wooden handle itself.

Kaia gripped the knife, turning towards Death and the Hound, realizing what needed to happen next. "Shit..." her voice came as a faint whisper, her hands starting to tremble. Again, the beast crashed into the door, pushing in up to its shoulders. One more push, and the guardian off hell will make short work of her. Her body froze, refusing to move forward or back. Her heart thumped loudly in her ears. The rush of blood making her dizzy. She stared into the burning eyes of the HellHound, seeing her soul eternally ablaze.

The silly tone started up again, snapping Kaia back to the room. She glanced at the laptop, then screamed, "Oh, fuck you!" She ran forward at the same time the beast broke past Death and the door, lunging itself into the air. This is how I die? A hopeless casualty in a selfish endeavor? A foolish madwoman taking on a HellHound? Fuck... this is going to hurt.

The next moment, Kaia finds her world falling back. Of course she would slip on a spoon. The Hound landed on her with a yelp, knocking the wind from her lungs. It struggled a few seconds on top of her, then went limp, body rapidly cooling. Her eyes moved down, the knife had somehow found its way into the beast's heart. She'd laugh had she any breath to laugh with. The fires disappeared into a smoke, the beast's body crumbling away.

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

Kaia found herself interested when Death started explaining about the gods. She had wondered if there was some kind of complex hierarchical structure, but she couldn't bring herself to see Zues, the god that embodies horniness and lust, as a ruler over other gods. She shivered at the thought.

Getting a speech from Death about sucking it up? Kaia sighs, "Very well. I will reach out to him." She takes a seat at her laptop and starts typing away, reading and rereading the email before she clicks on the dreaded SEND button. She already regrets it, leaning back in her chair as she contemplated the situation.

Then, Death's stomach rumbled. He exclaimed in such a helpless fashion, Kaia almost felt sorry for him. She burst out in laughter, the tension she's been holding pushed to the back of her mind. She hadn't even considered food since this all started, much less the other requirements and demands of a mortal body. "I'll order pizza. Not the healthiest option and might lead me to an early grave, but you won't be able to take me there now," she joked as she picked up her phone.

Finishing the call, she stands, motioning for Death to follow her, "Time for a quick tour." She walks him through the apartment, "Grab the guest bedroom when you're tired. There's some books, if you'd be interested in reading. Here's the bathroom, there's some towels in the cupboard. Be careful with the warm water, it is HOT, so start with bits at a time when you want to shower. I'll bring you some more clothes, too. There's the toilet..." She looks at him, "Need an explanation on how to use, or can I trust you to keep things clean?"

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

"Just add a sugar. I like it simple and strong," Lucy spoke, standing behind the hunter. She allows her eyes to drift over the room. Plain. Simple. All one would need when in a pickle.

She takes her cup, thanking him before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. The black coffee fills her nose as she brings it to her lips. She sips slowly, savoring the taste of a much needed coffee, just taking a moment to exist.

Letting out a sigh, she lowers the cup, "Come on, then. Do your detective interrogation. I'm surprised you've held out this long."

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

Lucy noticed the hunter stiffen as her ID passed along to the reception. She wondered for a moment if there was something she had missed, then remembered her middle name on her ID and almost started laughing. She didn't think of her middle name often, but that was probably more of a giveaway than anything else. She grew curious over the thoughts and questions he might be having.

She couldn't help but smile upon receiving her ID back, "Thank you, Adam."

Reaching the room, she places the two bottles on the dresser. Lucy grabs the clothes and, without a word, steps into the bathroom, opening the shower. She lets the hot water rush over her for some time, considering her next move. Thinking of the reason she wiggled her way into that cult in the first place. It would be easier if she could find someone to work with who she'd be able to tell the entire story to, but not a hunter. That's just stupid. She'll just manage with what she has. The smell of coffee moving through the hotel room brings her thoughts back to the present. She dries and dresses.

Stepping out of the bathroom, still drying her onyx black hair, she speaks, "Damn, that smells delicious. Can I ask a cup?"
She hangs the towel and stretches, clearly more comfortable in these clothes.

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

Lilith would, without a doubt, absolutely demolish this little circle of demons. Now she was quite the role model. Fierce and swift. Smart and strong. The core of impulse, yet extraordinarily graceful. Well, that's a thought for another day.

Lucy could see a moment of consideration on Adam's face after hearing her name. She knows exactly who she was named for, and she liked that. Now, telling a hunter her name, she'd, admittedly, have enjoyed a stronger reaction, but this Adam fellow seemed rather apathetic.

She listened to his rules, "You're right. It just sounds more cultish than anything. At the very least, I won't be around that stink of the demons anymore." It's like their scent was stuck to their souls. Oh, how grateful she was she didn't inherit the stink. "It's fair to have rules. And, I suppose, I couldn't ask for a lifeline much better than you."

Adam wraps the towel around her and she immediately feels a bit better. Like her body was her own again. She felt strange putting any trust in a hunter, but she didn't have much of a choice at the moment. She has to obey, and maybe, just maybe, he'll be able to get her where she wants to be. "Thanks," she spoke quietly.

Following him to the office, she looked about. Stepping inside, she places the bottles on a small table to the side. "Right, ID." She stuffed her hand into the only place she could keep anything in this useless outfit; her bra. She basically only had her ID and some money on her. She sighed as she produced her ID from beneath her clothes, giving it a courtesy wipe on the towel before holding it out.

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

Name: Lucy Silva
Age: 19
Race: half demon
Gender: female
Abilities: good self defense. Gymnastics. Still discovering her demonic abilities.
Appearance: long jet black hair often tied up in a messy bun. Dark brown, almost black eyes. Slender, but curvy with an average height and tan skin. She prefers a jean with any top and is most comfortable in a pair of combat boots. She suppresses her demonic features (a pair of horns, soot-like markings over her arms and legs, turning her nails black and sharp)
Personality: enjoys pushing limits. Tends to tease and make jokes when comfortable. Has little patience for demons

Of Light and Shadow - Craw/DOC

Noting his expression, she couldn't help but feel that strange sense of excitement. She clenched her jaw against a smile, trying to figure out exactly why this excitement was. Could it be this dangerous situation? Running from a dangerous man next to another dangerous man. Could it be because she was so close to a hunter? Someone who has, no doubt, killed plenty. Killing does not come easy for most. But killing demons seemed a logical thing for most humans. Especially those involved with the church. Was it that she was telling only half-truths to someone who'd surely not hesitate to remove her from the picture? Or was it simply due to this sudden leap into the curious unknown?

"As far as I understood, Rainolf was still only looking to hire him. I'm not aware of a deal or agreement having been made yet." She looks out the window, the darkness of the night obscured by the storm, rain hammering down all around. "That said, I don't know if Cain's drive is the money or the thrill."

She almost rolls her eyes at his comment, leaning her head against the window, the cold of the glass strangely calming, "The irony of the name is not lost on me. And I don't think even these demons want Lilith to be free. I can only imagine their fear of her."

They pulled up to a motel. It looked like a typical place married men would take their hookers for five minutes of "fun", and parolees would come to "medicate" their headaches. She follows him out of the car, the chill of the night immediately taking the little heat her body managed to work up during the ride here. Her hair was still wet and her useless clothes stuck to her skin. She grabs the two bottles under an arm again, considering chugging the one to warm up from the inside.

Adam? She scoffed, this had to be some elaborately planned story or something. Biblical names were becoming all the more popular in recent years, with the increase in demonic worship opposing the church and all that. Unnecessary. "Lucy."

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

Picking up her lukewarm coffee, she sipped with a frown. She really was no fan of cold coffee. She eyed the other mug, it seemed Death wasn't a fan at all. She couldn't really blame him, coffee wasn't for everyone. Kaia sat down on the edge of the couch, her eyes scanning over the runes in the carpet. "He has my blood because I used it to set you free. I didn't have time to outsource blood to alter those runes around the cage. I realize now how immensely stupid I was, but I couldn't not free you." She felt as though she was trying to convince herself. "But if he's half as intelligent as I expect, he'd know the bloodmagic he used had to be altered to set you free. The only way to do that is with more blood. I mean, if I was in his position, I'd use that blood for more than simply finding the one who set my prisoner free." The more she speaks, the more uncomfortable she becomes with the situation, "I'd use it to curse the owner." The concern came through vividly across Kaia's face. She felt all she could do is hope that the magician saw more worth in finding them and that her protection spells were strong enough.

"I don't wa-" she stops herself, reconsidering her words, "My father is a difficult person. I'm not certain he will help. He's a busy man and quite particular as to what he gives his time and attention to. I can ask one of the help to send me access codes to the family's digital library instead. That might aid my decoding efforts." She'd prefer to avoid involving her father, she realized. Hell, she might even choose struggling and failing over asking his aid. She hoped Death would somehow forget of that as an option.

Her eyes fall to the jar in Death's hands, "Two nights from now there will be a full moon. I can perform a ritual to reach out to Thoth. If I weave some of the energy you gave me throughout, I'm certain it will draw the attention of any god. Considering Thoth is a god of wisdom and magic, we should have luck in piqueing his curiosity enough. At least, that's what I'm hoping."

She downed her disappointing coffee, getting to her feet again. Bringing a notebook and pen closer, she started replicating the runes into the paper, taking extra care of their spacings and placement. She didn't want to accidentally cast a spell with these runes she knew absolutely nothing about. Not a single one of them looked familiar to her. She scribbled a few additional notes down in the back, wondering how long this world will remain deathless.

Death's little predicament- BunniesOfDoom x DragonOC

The runes were older than she thought. Kaia had hoped that a god on Death's side would be able to decipher them or, in the very least, give her a way to do so herself fast. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. It was never that easy. Nox was nice enough to capture the runes into the carpet. That would save Kaia from asking Death for another demonstration or five to copy them down. The two doltish reapers were also free again, which was good. She wondered how long it would take for the magician to realize his carpet was gone. He'll be so focused on losing Death, it might take a while for him to notice. Kaia listened as Nox spoke.

Hermes. The messenger god. She might've been in a more favorable position had she gone into journalism. Travel is also one of the many things she always put off. She sighed as the next thought crossed her mind; she's officially a thief now. Just maybe that would earn ten seconds with the god. No. That's way too farfetched. It's like playing fetch with a stray dog and expecting Gula to appear and give you her thanks. Although, since he can move so easily between the worlds, maybe he'd be curious enough to show up? Death goes missing and is found in a mortal body alongside a mortal after being trapped by a different mortal. Hermes is sometimes seen as a psychopomp, after all. On the other hand, it might not be an excellent idea to put too much trust in him. He's no idiot and might even be aiding under the table at a chance of enforcing that title of his.

Thoth, however... he might be the good choice. There's a full moon in two nights. That should make reaching out somewhat easier. And Kaia's always had a passion for broadening her knowledge, so that might give her some additional points. Also, the fact that Thoth is a god of reckoning, he should understand the importance of freeing Death and having him return to his throne. Unless his idea for reckoning is "fuck around and find out", then he might not be of much help. She's barely just met Death and her entire world feels upside down. She's a mortal! What is she doing standing next to the Death. There's no time to think about that now.

Athena is completely out. There's no way Kaia would have enough knowledge or experience to think she'd be able to out-strategize the literal godess of wisdom and war. She was nowhere near that stupidly arrogant. It felt a bit confusing, though. Athena was said to be an advocate for peace, unlike Ares. Is it possible there was a different reason for Athena to go after Death's throne? But who was she to speculate on the motives of gods?

Kaia's shoulders suddenly felt a lot heavier, "Please, dissolving is not on my to-do list for today." She gladly accepted the charm, removing her necklace to slide it on next to the stone, hoping she wouldn't need to use it. She thanked Nox with a weary smile. Was it too late to reconsider the dissolving part? Then, everything went dark again. That sickening spinning sensation overwhelmed Kaia's senses. She was not build to withstand the drawbacks of travel like this. She again changed her mind on the dissolving. She had a feeling it would be a slow and painful way to go out.

Home. How she wished she could go sleep. Pretend that it was just a dream, and she hadn't unintentionally involved herself in the business of gods. And Death. She dropped the rug in the center of the living room. It rolled itself out as she passed by to the kitchen. This was going to be a long night. Wordlessly, she made coffee. She didn't know if Death would want coffee, much less if he actually drank it. Regardless, she made two cups. If he didn't want it, she decided she'd just drink it, too. She put a cup in front of him, slumping down next to him, eyes on the carpet.

After a sip, Kaia speaks, "How I see it, is we have five choices. Hermes could be a pain in the ass and we don't know his position. Thoth, we'd need to convince him to leave his studies to aid us. Athena's motives are unclear and we might fall into a trap with her. Doing it myself could take fuck knows how long. And then there's my father..." She scrunches her nose, "He's a language professor, but it would take almost a week to get to him. Then he'd need time to decode this rug, too. He'd have a faster time at it, I'll admit, but I guarantee you won't hear the end of it."

Part of her would rather face Athena than her father. She hasn't seen him in a while and would prefer to remain out of his sight. "Fuck!" She jumps up, "We need to hide ourselves! Stupid!" Kaia rummages through her things, hastily grabbing ingredients to preform a spell. She ends up with two small jars, enfused with magic and encased in the spell. She stuffs one into her own pocket and the other into Death's hands, relaxing as she does. "That man has my blood and who knows what of yours. Keep this on you at all times. It will hide you from his eyes should he attempt to locate or scry." She looked Death up and down, leaving the room, returning with a t-shirt, "No shirt, no service. Put that on."