Together Again {Dante & Pure}

[Pure T0rture]

Dantes_river

The Strays
Bander, Shiro, Kuro, Niji, Kana, Kansei

&

The Urchins
Krystina, Skylar, Rissa, Lianna, Truth

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us now.

XXXXXLooking up from where he was arranging his weapons, Bander nodded and took the sword. "thanks, i was wondering what'd happened to it," he chuckled, pulling a hand through his hair. "hope my brothers didn't scare you off, they just show their love for each other in a weird way."

XXXXX"that's what friends are for. they share problems and support one another when its needed the most," Truth hummed, going through the same speach she'd used to win Deception over when they first met the Strays and the other Urchins. not that it'd been hard. "And sometimes it takes a bit of hell to appreciate the heaven, but that doesn't mean you need to be stuck there."

XXXXX "thank you for that. i hope she sees the brighter side of things soon." Kansei murmured, turning to look at the kids with a sigh. "its hard to admit that even Niji was effected by the dark in the world when she's always so cheerful, but she more then most of us, has seen the evils this world, and others, hold," she murmured, tucking her hands behind her back.

XXXXX Pausing, the child gave a pout. "...Etsuko..." she whispered, setting down the half eaten cookie. "it must have been the past because i haven't gone by my other name for at least five years..." she murmured, her tail wrapping itself around her midsection.

XXXXX"I like to know who i'm speaking with, that's all. isn't it polite or something to look at the person you're talking to?" she chuckled, resting her head on her hand. "Sky's... hard to explain. he's actually one of the strongest of us, but he doesn't like to fight. lately he's been using his magic to try and help his sister and shiro, but we're not sure it's working. i'll admit though, that as far as his emotions go, he's an open book. the kid doesn't know the meaning of a poker face."

'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

 

[Dantes_river]

Pure T0rture

The Ninjas
Ephraim, Shadowheart, Sheik, Trevor and Watari

The Additions
Deception, Kristoff and Rayne

When the days are cold
And the cards all fold
And the saints we see
Are all made of gold

When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all
And the blood’s run stale

I wanna hide the truth
I wanna shelter you
But with the beast inside
There’s nowhere we can hide.

No matter what we breed,
We still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.
This is my kingdom come.

When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It’s where my demons hide.
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
It’s where my demons hide.

At the curtain’s call,
It's the last of all,
When the lights fade out,
All the sinners crawl.

XXXXXShaking his head slightly as the charms separated from the sword to settle around Bander's bed, Watari laced his fingers together behind his back and rocked back on his heels slightly. "They were behaving as siblings do. Tyvinda said that's the way normal siblings behave and our family is abnormal because of the hourglass. Deception and Truth did it in their childhood whereas Tyvinda, Sheik and Sheila were either trying to kill each other or getting into arguments that became very violent with Uncle Leviticus and Aunt Serai," he hummed in a smooth tone before straightening himself back up. "What's it like to have siblings? I was an only child and asking Tyvinda or Sheik gets the automatic response of a snort and the words 'just be grateful you're an only child'."

XXXXXSmiling lightly to himself as he stood and pried Deception's death grip on his hand off, the blonde nodded slightly before motioning the trio back towards the door. "You two are so damn persuasive... Lead the way," he murmured before shoving his hands deep into his hoodie pockets. At Tyvinda taking up a position behind him as Deception practically skipped out the door, he could just tell that if his instinct to flee kicked in, he wasn't going to get far before he took him down to try calming him. It was an actual fatherly aura he was picking up from the Sheikah unlike his own father's presence which just made his slouch deepen that much more.

XXXXX"Posture. Do you want to have scoliosis?" the Sheikah sighed while tugging on the back of the boy's shirt collar and pushing his lowerback forwards with his other hand. Getting a snicker from Deception, she turned around with a grin. "I wouldn't slouch in front of him. He made me wear a back brace for a whole day when I was younger for slouching. If anyone touched it when he was taking a nap on the couch, he'd sit up immediately and say 'don't touch that. I'll take it off once she's learned not to slouch'. Of course he got scolded by mom, but somehow he got away with it. Our dad can hear practically anything from a mile away. Zombie apocalypse and he'd already have us sealed up in a bunker or some underground city no one even knew existed before the virus even got to our city." "You learned that back braces weren't fun, didn't you? I had good reasons for the things I did to punish misdeeds you kids caused. Remember the children of the pillowcases full of rocks, pine cones, sticks and acorns incident?" "Duh. I was a natural at being a leader, but you ruined it by intervening. Then you were radiating some kind of really dark aura when the boy's parents were yelling at you and mom about how we were out of control. Later that day, the entire neighborhood was in an uproar over how the very same boy was duct taped to a tree upside-down. After defending us, we returned inside the house and you were trying not to laugh while telling Ephraim he shouldn't have done that. I'm still shocked he stood up for us since he was always calling us stupid and juvenile and knocking over board games when he was losing before stomping off. He hated anything that normal kids enjoyed. He even set our dolls on fire while they hung from the tree in our backyard like they were pirates back during the 1700s. Ephraim was a depressing kid who hated anything fun and God forbid you asked why he did the things he did."

XXXXX"Hopefully she will," Sheik agreed with a slight nod though he was frowning at what he was picking up from the duo's conversation. Lip-reading them when they seemed to keep their voices so low was a little difficult, but he was getting it. "It wouldn't be surprising if she has. Many have seen the darkness of the world and many still smile although they've seen it. I would worry she's bottling the bad things up. Smiles are the best disguise for a shattered soul or someone simply not letting the bad out."

XXXXXNodding slightly, Rayne's chewing of his cookie turned into chewing on his lip. Their conversation had taken a dark turn and now he wasn't sure what to say. "So what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?" he finally asked in an attempt to change the topic.

XXXXX"A strong hippie?" Shayde questioned, his focus settling on that instead of polite behavior. He wasn't one to be a part of society after all so he didn't quite care for political correctness. "You need a different medic then if you're not seeing results. I have some remedies though your friend Shiro is going to get a boot to the head if he doesn't stop his bantering and rest. Should Sheik succeed in convincing a clan of assassins in releasing a member to us, we should have two more medics who could also take a look. If that fails, Sheik knows a few others who may be able to aid your friends. Trying is better than dying."

So they dug your grave
And the masquerade
Will come calling out
At the mess you made.

Don't wanna let you down,
But I am Hell bound.
Though this is all for you,
Don't wanna hide the truth.

No matter what we breed,
We still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.
This is my kingdom come.

When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It’s where my demons hide.
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
It’s where my demons hide.

They say it's what you make.
I say it's up to fate.
It's woven in my soul,
I need to let you go.

Your eyes, they shine so bright,
I wanna save that light.
I can't escape this now
Unless you show me how.

When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It’s where my demons hide.
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
It's where my demons hide.

 

[Pure T0rture]

Dantes_river

The Strays
Bander, Shiro, Kuro, Niji, Kana, Kansei

&

The Urchins
Krystina, Skylar, Rissa, Lianna, Truth

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us now.

XXXXX"it's pretty nice, actually. i have someone i can rely on when i need to, and they make me feel like i belong. even more then my real family ever did," Bander hummed, his pale blue-grey eyes flickering briefly at the mentioning of his true family.

XXXXX"you bet your a** we are." Truth chuckled, sliding her hand into her twin's as they began home. "that boy still deserved what he got. although, come to think of it, he was really nice to us all after that. and Ephie is still pretty weird, but that just made him more part of our family then not. we're all pretty screwy." she hummed, poking Deception in the side.
XXXXX"you'd better not torment him like you did when we were tiny."

XXXXX "... we should get them both to bed soon, it's already really late," Kansei murmured, her tail flicking behind her as she checked the clock to confirm that it was already 1:30 in the morning.

XXXXX "i like adventuring.... i used to go exploring in the city for most of the day. i also like practicing with my toys. i've... tried to draw before as well, but i'm not very good...." the girl nodded, happily going along with the change of topic. "what about you?"

XXXXX"it was more a last minute solution for when things started gettign worse. and Shiro isn't dying, he's loosing his legs. it's... complicated, but due to something that happened in our past, his leg muscles are slowly eating away at themselves. we haven't found anything that'll slow or stop it yet, and the painkillers he needs are extremely expensive... so what most we can do is numb it with magic. and it's not always effective." Kana sighed, fidgeting with her fingers instead of looking at him.

'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

 

[Dantes_river]

Pure T0rture

The Ninjasxxxxxx&xxxxxxThe Additions
Ephraim, Shadowheart,xxxxxxDeception, Kristoff
Sheik, Trevor, WatarixxxxxxRayne

When the days are coldxxx
And the cards all fold
And the saints we seexxx
Are all made of gold...
When your dreams all failxxx
And the ones we hail
are the worst of allxxx
and the blood’s run stale...
I wanna hide the truth,xxx
I wanna shelter you,
But with the beast inside,xxx
There’s nowhere we can hide.
No matter what we breed,xxx
We still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.xxx
This is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat,xxx
Look into my eyes,
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,xxx
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
At the curtain’s call,xxx
It's the last of all.
When the lights fade out,xxx
All the sinners crawl...

XXXXXPerking up a bit, the ninja smiled at the other male for how he said that. "I knew a girl who was like that when I was younger. I can't remember her name or anything specific about her, but I just get the feeling she was the only one who actually made me feel like doing the best I could was all that was required of me and that I wasn't a big screw up. I didn't even know I had cousins until a couple years ago so she felt like the only family I had. I feel terrible about not remembering much about her after the kindness she showed me, but Sheik said it's not my fault and that I went through something very traumatic which is why I have amnesia. I guess for some of us, the friends we have are the ones who create the family environment we need when our family isn't exactly there for us," he hummed a bit softer, his gaze a bit sad. Shaking off the negativity, he held up a peace sign with his fingers to the auburn haired male. "I hope you'll eventually be able to see me as a friend and possibly family. You're all very sweet and fun from what I can tell. Life is hard and sometimes it gets you down, but that's when you need to stand your ground the most. True friends will always be there by your side all throughout the good and the bad. Like Linkin Park says, if you need a friend, there's a seat here alongside me. Alright?"

XXXXX"I will torment him if he deserves it, but he is otherwise free to go. It did make him seem more like a part of the family though instead of just some random kid dad brought home from work. Besides that, I think we were actually getting him to expand his interests and open up," Deception responded with a brief shrug that seemed to radiate the air of 'whatever will be, will be'. Giving her sister's hand a squeeze, she kept up her pace while glancing back every now and then to see if Tyvinda was bullying the younger male about how he stood and skulked about. From what she could tell, Mari was actually walking with a better posture than she was used to seeing him have. Perhaps her story scared him.

XXXXX"Y'all are very proactive as a family... It must be nice being reunited albeit I doubt y'all were expecting the family to expand like it did," Mari murmured a bit softer than before while trying to keep himself upright for the Sheikah who simply nodded slightly. "We weren't always. I mean, they were and I tried to be when I came home from work. Then we had a slight issue and now we're here. Their friends were an unexpected surprise, yes, but they're good people, you're a good person, and I'd like to get to know you all better. You all were there for them when I wasn't. I owe you all for that." "I've only been around your one daughter for about a year and that's only been like twice a month like a paycheck. She does most of the talking too." "Yeah. They were very chatty as kids so I don't doubt it. I loved it though and I know you've enjoyed it seeing as you haven't exactly mauled Deception yet. It'll take time to readjust and find all of the good in life, but once you do... Once you do, it'll be like exiting a really long and dark tunnel with the sun shining brightly down on you. I've found my path back to the light, now the rest of you have to find yours. That's just how it is."

XXXXX"I didn't want to make Trevor seem like a liar about giving them a cookie. I figured I'd help put them to bed once they were done eating a couple cookies. They're still children and they've gone through Hell ten times over so home baked goodies is like a ray of sunshine in their dark world... I don't intend to take that away from them," the blonde Sheikah responded, a soft snicker following the apparent change in topic the young duo hopped into to change the subject. It didn't help that Rayne was obviously socially awkward. It was almost like he'd never had a real conversation before so he was going on trial and error. "I think they're done from a loss of appetite though so perhaps we should take them to bed."

XXXXXSmiling lightly, Rayne tapped his middle finger twice with his middle finger before drawing a black sword with a set of different colored gems set into a strange pattern on the hilt from the counter so the girl could see it. "I enjoy exploring, taking a break from the timeline, practicing with my sword though I'm not that great at it and practicing my dark magic... Music is pretty relaxing and naps aren't exactly stressful," he responded before lightly scratching the side of his neck after his sword vanished into a black mist. "Art was a hobby, still is even, but I'd prefer just drawing random things that catch my interest whether it's real or not. I only got good at it because people were always pushing pencils and paper at me and if they couldn't tell what it was, they'd make me redraw it. It used to take me hours to draw pictures as detailed as the one I did of you, but I've gotten faster as I got better at it. I don't have to erase as much."

XXXXX"I could respond, but you would probably get mad at me if I did. Well I could try numbing it in my own way... And the shadows said it could still be fixed. They won't explain what that means, but they said as long as it's still just broken, it can be fixed. You just need the right glue. I'm guessing that means something like a medic of sorts that can regenerate at a rapid pace... Which we could have here if Sheik can convince his family to send him our way," Shayde retorted rather quickly although his fiery gaze showed a brief glimpse of his more thoughtful nature. Giving a slight shrug, he leaned back against the wall in a comfortable position. It was rather comfortable for him at the very least. "I can't promise anything much less anything being permanent, but it's a theory. If that doesn't work, well, I could always cut his legs off and replace them. It's not like I need permission and keeping him comatose and numb from the pain wouldn't be difficult. Believe me though, Miss Kana, I don't waste my time on people who are a lost cause... Ah. He's being a social butterfly which is why it's taking him so long with his little charms. Watari's such a child... You misinterpreted me by the way. I just meant that doing something is better than nothing. You've been doing something, yes, but not everything."

So they dug your grave
xxxAnd the masquerade
Will come calling out
xxxAt the mess you made.
Don't wanna let you down,
xxxBut I am Hell bound.
Though this is all for you,
xxxDon't wanna hide the truth.
No matter what we breed,
xxxWe still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.
xxxThis is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat
xxxLook into my eyes.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,
xxxIt’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
They say it's what you make.
xxxI say it's up to fate.
It's woven in my soul,
xxxI need to let you go.
Your eyes, they shine so bright,
xxxI wanna save that light.
I can't escape this now
xxxUnless you show me how.

 

[Pure T0rture]

Dantes_river

The Strays
Bander, Shiro, Kuro, Niji, Kana, Kansei

&

The Urchins
Krystina, Skylar, Rissa, Lianna, Truth

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us now.

XXXXX"well, we may not make the perfect family, but we've done our best to stick together. and having the others around certainly has changed our views on life. especially the dangerous duo. those two are scary good at making people see the light in the world." Bander chuckled, setting his sword in its place before he stood. "and thank you. i hope we can become good friends as well." he hummed, scratching at the base of his ears while looking around awkwardly.

XXXXX Turning so she could talk to Mari some more, the redhead gave him a smile and continued walking backwards. "when all you've got is your twin sister, you get very protective very fast. but it might be a family trait, 'cause i've seen him get crazy when one of the neighbor kids pushed me and i skinned my knee." she hummed, smirking at her father.
xxxxx "besides that, despite only talking to deception you've apparently helped us out a ton in the past year or so with all of your information. it's been quite the blessing for us to know all those little details." she added, giving a little hop before she turned back around to walk normally.

XXXXX "where will rayne sleep? in a room by himself? most of us are pairing up, so there should be a few extra rooms still. Niji will probably end up either with me or Bander," Kansei murmured, watching the kids still.

XXXXXBlinking at the sword, the girl gave him a smile"i could help you with your sword if you want me to," she offered, her right ear perking up as she looked at him. it would be so much fun getting to play with someone her age!

XXXXX"unless you know someone who can alter his genetic code, i don't think there's much we can do, right now, besides numb the pain," Kana drawled, tapping her fingers lightly on the bed. "but you're right, something is better then nothing. and we've done whatever was available to us," she added, looking to the floor.

'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

 

[Dantes_river]

Pure T0rture

The Ninjasxxxxxx&xxxxxxThe Additions
Ephraim, Shadowheart,xxxxxxxxxxxDeception, Kristoff
Sheik, Trevor, WatarixxxxxxxxxxxxxxRayne

When the days are coldxxx
And the cards all fold
And the saints we seexxx
Are all made of gold...
When your dreams all failxxx
And the ones we hail
are the worst of allxxx
and the blood’s run stale...
I wanna hide the truth,xxx
I wanna shelter you,
But with the beast inside,xxx
There’s nowhere we can hide.
No matter what we breed,xxx
We still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.xxx
This is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat,xxx
Look into my eyes,
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,xxx
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
At the curtain’s call,xxx
It's the last of all.
When the lights fade out,xxx
All the sinners crawl...

xxxxxGiving a slight hop, Watari flashed a smile while seeming to forget he was wearing a mask only to point towards the door with his thumb. "I uh... Made things a bit weird so I'm just gonna finish putting up my charms. Let me know if you need anything," he hummed a little nervously before stepping back out into the hallway. So he just needed to do Kana's room now. That was good. Hopefully Shayde wasn't bullying anyone.

xxxxx"Good to know my information went to good use. I'm glad I could help. To be honest, I've only seen families like this one from afar, but never experienced having one like it. I'll also apologize in advance to seeming bipolar if not just straight up mood swingy. They've just become reflexive responses," Mari responded while starting to feel very shy all of a sudden. He hadn't felt so timid since he was super little. Being timid was a weakness though so he'd better not express much of it openly. Maybe he was just on the borderline of his multiple personalities?

xxxxx"Oh puh-lease. I didn't go nuts. If I'd gone nuts, the kid would've been strung up in a tree like a piñata," Tyvinda snorted though he realized he was just denying that he had gone a little overboard. What kind of dad would take someone else's kid and traumatize them by shoving the kid to where he practically flipped and then catch him before his face ate concrete by perhaps an inch? People raised like he was, that would seem normal. The rest of the world saw it as abnormal and just entirely unacceptable. "It's a genetic trait though. Y'all definitely got that from me. Ooh. We're here."

xxxxx"Good question. Mm... Sh- I know you're not- Would you-? Ugh... I'll figure something out, Kansei. Shadowheart's being difficult as per usual. Trevor's back with the girls," Sheik responded, his eyes narrowing at the shadows for some unspoken voice he was obviously arguing with. Why couldn't the shadow user just behave for once? God forbid anyone should ask him to share a room with someone else. Sighing lightly, the blonde peeled himself off the wall and stretched. Where to put the kid now... Considering his healing rate and species... "I'll be sure to discuss other resources for others in the house with Trevor. I might just have to put him in my closet for now..."

xxxxx"Sounds like a plan. I'd appreciate the help with swordplay," Rayne responded with a light smile before glancing off towards the front door where Trevor, Truth, Deception and Mari were now entering the house. Closing his sketchpad up and sliding it off the counter, he shifted in his seat so he could face both Niji and the doorway better. "Hey, Niji? Is... Is one of the older girls in your group a vampire? Just out of curiosity..."

xxxxx"I'd like to think I'm not wrong about this. You have more options now though and these guys have more connections across the many different realms than you all have. Like I stated before, I can't promise anything much less anything being fixed permanently, but I'm not completely negative about things," Shayde smiled lightly in the gloom before a knock echoed through the room. At having Watari step inside the room with his ultra positive aura, the gloom seemed to dissipate and the dark haired male dressed just as darkly as his hair passed by him without a word. What was odd was the lack of sleeves to his shirt making itself noticeable, not to mention the jagged black markings on his shoulder almost like a tattoo that seemed to shift it's pattern by itself, having been hidden by the darkness of the room when it was clearly lighter than the way he was dressed.

xxxxx"Sheik's not going to be happy... Uh sorry. Hello. I just wanted to put up some charms if you don't mind. I've already put some up for your friends and family, and it's mostly just a precaution. I'd hate for something bad to happen to you since we brought you here," the dark haired Sheikah frowned slightly as he watched the shadow user walk off down the hallway. Realizing he'd been coming into the room for a reason, his attention snapped back to Kana while he gave a slight wave with his overly peppy and friendly aura. Wait a second... Ugh. Ephraim had been through here and was hiding his wounds again. The boy just didn't understand the presence he left behind. Shayde just left a frigid presence behind him which faded faster than most should. "Sorry about Ephraim passing through here and Shadowheart's apparent intrusion. Ephraim thinks he can hide injuries from Trevor, something nigh near impossible with his sharp eyes, and I hope Shadowheart wasn't too overbearing. He doesn't really interact with people much unless it's absolutely necessary or he just wants to pick on them. Neither seems to understand privacy unless it's their own."

XXXXXTaking a brief moment in his little walk to stop by Shiro's room without a sound, Shayde slapped Kuro upside the head before crouching down beside the other's bed. Still remaining rather quiet, he slowly passed his hand over Shiro's legs though his gaze was focused on his own shadow. "Agreed. Tell me if you feel a tingle, boy. It should still be able to be felt through any magic your feathery friend uses on you," he finally stated as a few glittery blue moths flitted out of his hand and made a few loops around the bedridden male before simply turning into blue dust that vanished before it landed on either Shiro or the bed. Raising a brow at Shiro, he awaited the male to respond to whether he felt anything or not.

So they dug your grave
xxxAnd the masquerade
Will come calling out
xxxAt the mess you made.
Don't wanna let you down,
xxxBut I am Hell bound.
Though this is all for you,
xxxDon't wanna hide the truth.
No matter what we breed,
xxxWe still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.
xxxThis is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat
xxxLook into my eyes.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,
xxxIt’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
They say it's what you make.
xxxI say it's up to fate.
It's woven in my soul,
xxxI need to let you go.
Your eyes, they shine so bright,
xxxI wanna save that light.
I can't escape this now
xxxUnless you show me how.

 

[Pure T0rture]

Dantes_river

The Strays
Bander, Shiro, Kuro, Niji, Kana, Kansei

&

The Urchins
Krystina, Skylar, Rissa, Lianna, Truth

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us now.

XXXXXwaving him off, Bander soon slipped out himself to visit Shiro, pulling the cogarette from Kuro's mouth as he walked by. "I keep telling you not to smoke indoors, brat."

XXXXX smiling as she stepped through the door, Truth gave her sister's hand a squeeze and pulled her further inside. "We're actually home," she breathed, her face practically aglow with how happy she was to be home.

XXXXX "Niji could sleep with me and Rayne could sleep with Bander? Just until things are figured out?" she offered, knowing the wolf had a soft spot for children.

XXXXXThe neko gave a shrug, still sipping on her milk"not as far as I know. But Krystina hasn't been herself for a while now, and she's got a funny smell to her. I think it might just be because she's sick, but then again, it's not a sick smell I've smelled on her before," she murmured, showing the true nature behind her childish behavior.

XXXXX"thank you. I'm sure very one appreciates the extra protection, even if they don't say so." she hummed, standing now so she could pick up her sword from the floor. "sorry, I'm not too used to having a room to myself. I didn't even have my own room when we were stuck in Ab- um... Never mind... I started babbling." she started, catching herself and nearly slapping a hand over her mouth.

xxxxxGlancing to the door when Shayde entered, Bander took a step back only to pull Kuro with him after the boy had been smacked upside the head again.

xxxxxRaising an eyebrow as the boy didn't even bother to ask permission, Shiro gave a frown and pulled himself up again. "Yeah I can feel it, but only just. What in the nine hells are you even doing?"

'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

 

[Dantes_river]

Pure T0rture

The Ninjasxxxxxxxxx&xxxxxxThe Additions
Ephraim, Shadowheart,xxxxxxxxxxxDeception, Kristoff
Sheik, Trevor, WatarixxxxxxxxxxxxxxRayne

When the days are coldxxx
And the cards all fold
And the saints we seexxx
Are all made of gold...
When your dreams all failxxx
And the ones we hail
are the worst of allxxx
and the blood’s run stale...
I wanna hide the truth,xxx
I wanna shelter you,
But with the beast inside,xxx
There’s nowhere we can hide.
No matter what we breed,xxx
We still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.xxx
This is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat,xxx
Look into my eyes,
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,xxx
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
At the curtain’s call,xxx
It's the last of all.
When the lights fade out,xxx
All the sinners crawl...

xxxxx"Lay back down. I was examining your condition. The moths are capable of numbing pain and the tingling sensation means it's getting through. I don't need your permission to do something out of what kindness remains in my heart," Shayde retorted sharply before letting a few more moths flit about around Shiro before bursting into glittery dust. Standing back up, his fiery eyed gaze settled on Kuro as soon as he turned around. Opening up his freehand yet keeping his thumb folded in, he smiled behind his mask. "Do ask if you need a cigarette break. I don't mind escorting you outside for one, but I do mind you smoking in the house. Try it again and I will personally dismember you. Glad we had this discussion. Mr. Shiro, don't hesitate in asking for something to numb the pain. I have various remedies to help though none that are permanent. I intend to speak with Sheik about some of his contacts that are in the medical field about a more permanent solution. Whether you accept the help or not is not my problem. Have a pleasant night." And with that said, he headed right on out the door without so much as thinking twice. Perhaps Sheik would be glad he used a proper farewell for the night. Then again, the fact that he'd not only threatened two people but also spoke in such a dark and hostile tone would probably get the Sheikah ranting his lectures of how hostility wasn't always the answer. God, he hated those lectures.

xxxxx"I noticed. I also noticed that someone removed any pictures of mom off the walls. No wonder you didn't recognize this place as home," Deception murmured in a tone that was less overly excited about returning home. Sure, she was happy to be back home and be able to have her bed to sleep on. It just felt like something was missing still. Nothing could replace it though. Their family had been broken apart and would never be the same. "Yeah... Ephraim took them down and put them in a box in the attic at some point. I can't quite recall when though. He believed it would just depress me seeing your mother. I will say he did pick some really nice artwork to take up the wall space though." "Agreed... These pictures look so realistic. Is this your girls as children?" "It is. It was their birthday party and the first one Ephraim ever attended. It actually looks like the picture we actually took of the party. He didn't want to be in the picture which is why the girls are pinning him between them."

xxxxxTapping his fingers against his leg briefly, Rayne nodded slightly. "I see... Well it's fine either way. I was just curious is all so don't let it bother you that I asked," he murmured softly before flashing the girl a shy smile. Picking up his glass, he downed it all in one sitting before setting it back down on the counter, his tongue running over his lips rather quickly. Shifting his gaze towards Sheik and Kansei he gave a slight raise of his hand as his acknowledgement of them still sitting so near. In all truth, he didn't like people hovering but he knew it was all in good faith. He didn't need to be a Seer to see that. Suddenly stiffening up a bit, he dropped like a rock from his chair, his sketchpad an pencil hitting the floor.

xxxxx"Y-yeah. If Bander doesn't mind that is. Sorry. I got lost in thought for a second there," Sheik responded with a brief smile. At seeing the boy stiffening slightly, he moved swiftly into the kitchen and caught him before he hit the ground. Shifting him in his arms while crouching slightly, the Sheikah lightly slapped him in the face to get him to respond. When he didn't so much as twitch, he just picked the boy up entirely. "Kansei, I'm taking him upstairs. I don't think he's going to be up for the rest of the night. Niji, you should head to bed with Kansei when you're done here. Just leave your dishes on the counter and I'll take care of them."

xxxxxCarrying the boy out of the room, he padded swiftly upstairs, Trevor taking notice with a softly muttered curse word, and almost bumped straight into Shayde. Raising an eyebrow at each other, Shayde simply pointed towards Sheik's room before heading over to it and leaving Sheik to finish what he was doing. Tapping his foot on the doorframe, the Sheikah poked his head into the room Shiro, Kuro and Bander were in. "Bander, is it alright if Rayne sleeps in your room for the night until I can figure out a better sleeping arrangement for him? He shouldn't be any trouble," he questioned, his words coming out relatively quickly.

xxxxx"It's no problem and I don't expect any thank you's or appreciation for doing it. Charms, stealth and aerial strikes are my best skills. I do these things because I want to not because I have to. I don't quite understand it really, but there's a part of me, a little voice in my head if you prefer, that says I don't want others to end up like how I did. I can't even tell you what happened to me and Sheik and Trevor refuse to talk about it," Watari responded softly as he made his quick hand motions and let the three symbols take up their position around the room. Lightly rubbing the side of his neck, he smiled under his mask at the female while readjusting his feet. "Don't apologize either. It's fine that you're unused to it. It took me a while to adapt to the English language and the idea that I had cousins who just found me wandering around. I'd never met them before and even if I had, I doubt I'd remember it. Just give it time and patience. Patience is key so just try keeping that in mind. Hm? Sheik's aura has distorted itself... That's odd for him."

So they dug your grave
xxxAnd the masquerade
Will come calling out
xxxAt the mess you made.
Don't wanna let you down,
xxxBut I am Hell bound.
Though this is all for you,
xxxDon't wanna hide the truth.
No matter what we breed,
xxxWe still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.
xxxThis is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat
xxxLook into my eyes.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,
xxxIt’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
They say it's what you make.
xxxI say it's up to fate.
It's woven in my soul,
xxxI need to let you go.
Your eyes, they shine so bright,
xxxI wanna save that light.
I can't escape this now
xxxUnless you show me how.

 

[Pure T0rture]

Dantes_river

The Strays
Bander, Shiro, Kuro, Niji, Kana, Kansei

&

The Urchins
Krystina, Skylar, Rissa, Lianna, Truth

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us now.

XXXXX"it wasn't the first time we'd done it, and it probably won't be the last, knowing him. then again, part of me wonders if he didn't let us do that." Truth smirked, hand on her hip as she too looked at the picture in question.

XXXXXFrowning as her new friend just collapsed into Sheik's arms, the kitten slid from her seat to pick up the pencil and drawing pad before turning to Kansei. "he'll probably want these when he wakes up. he seems pretty attached to them.." she mumbled, looking from the objects in her hands to the panther.

XXXXX"in that case, let's go bring them to him before we get you settled in for bed, okay?" the panther hummed, scooping the kitten into her arms and carrying her upstairs, spotting Sheik just down the hall.

XXXXX"his aura? i wonder what could've happened..." the girl murmured, striding past him to poke her head out into the hall. "oh... it's rayne...." she frowned, leaning slightly on the door frame as she watched him. why did he bother her so much after only just meeting him? it didn't make much sense at all.

XXXXX"...what's with all the noise...? some of us were already sleeping, you know..." Rissa grumbled from the room next to Krystina's, both her and Lianna poking their heads out of the darkened doorway.

'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

 

[Dantes_river]

Pure T0rture

The Ninjasxxxxxxxxx&xxxxxxThe Additions
Ephraim, Shadowheart,xxxxxxxxxxxDeception, Kristoff
Sheik, Trevor, WatarixxxxxxxxxxxxxxRayne

When the days are coldxxx
And the cards all fold
And the saints we seexxx
Are all made of gold...
When your dreams all failxxx
And the ones we hail
are the worst of allxxx
and the blood’s run stale...
I wanna hide the truth,xxx
I wanna shelter you,
But with the beast inside,xxx
There’s nowhere we can hide.
No matter what we breed,xxx
We still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.xxx
This is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat,xxx
Look into my eyes,
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,xxx
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
At the curtain’s call,xxx
It's the last of all.
When the lights fade out,xxx
All the sinners crawl...

xxxxx"Oh yes. He let y'all do a lot of crap to him 'cause I told him he had to restrain himself around you two. He was taught to kill people, including kids his age, not play Go Fish with 'em. If he'd've been free to do as he liked, you two would've had your necks broken years ago 'cause he would've done as he was taught instead of just sitting there with a scowl as you two clung to him," Tyvinda snickered while lightly touching the frame of the picture. Such good memories came with that scowl and icing on the boy's nose, his daughters deliberately clinging to either side of him with their arms interlocked so he couldn't retreat backwards. Much like the light smile on Tyvinda's face, Mari smiled while patting both girls on the back gently. "You must've broken him down like you did me with that hardheaded demeanor. He must really care for y'all seeing as he still seems to lurk about and protect you from the shadows."

xxxxx"But of course. Our will is so strong that it brings even the strongest of men crawling to lick our boots," Deception snorted while giving Truth's hand a squeeze. As much as they bickered, they always did best together. At hearing Tyvinda's cursing under his breath, she raised an eyebrow at him. "What's up, old man?" "Hm? Oh... The boy, Rayne I believe was his name, zonked out and Sheik has an idea why. If it's true, this isn't exactly the best of news. Ephie, I need you to find the young man he was searching for when he got to this city." "Abandoned train station outside of the city. This one fears thunderstorms it seems and a medical condition. It's odd to hear of a vampire Seer... Genetic modifications?" "Perhaps. Can you try tracking their route to the source?" "I suppose, but I suggest leaving the one where he is for now. A thunderstorm's rolling in."

xxxxx"Apologies. It's all under control. Go on back to sleep," Sheik responded while slightly waving his fingers as if a slight shooing motion. Entering the room Bander had claimed as his, the Sheikah placed Rayne on the bed before pulling his hourglass necklace out from under his shirt. Muttering softly to himself, he held the hourglass up to eye level before peering through the glass at the sleeping boy. "It's changing... It's not supposed to be doing that..." he mumbled before tucking the necklace back into his shirt. Either this boy was flitting around through the fabrics of space and time or something was seriously off.

xxxxx"Mm. Stay put and I'll see," Watari murmured softly before padding quickly down the hall just so he could poke his head into the room Sheik had gone into. Hearing what he said, he pulled back and started back towards Kana, a slight frown taking up residence beneath his mask. "It's the boy's timeline... Sheik has the ability to see timelines for people unless they're directly involved with his own life such as a lover or they carry the ability of a Seer. The hourglass can briefly counteract the latter, but according to what he was saying to himself, the boy's timeline isn't any specifically set time. Instead of seeing three days, for example, it's flipping between days, years, minutes and seconds. Unless the boy's flitting about between the fabric of space and time with a solid body existing in the present, something extremely difficult to accomplish, something's wrong. Once he reawakens, Sheik will check it again to see if it's just because he fell asleep. Some Seers have prices to pay such as exhaustion if they push themselves too hard though so it's possible he could've just passed out because of that. Until we know the full story, I can only give you theories and tell you what Sheik was saying."

xxxxxSmiling lightly at how the girl was focused on the whereabouts of his cousin, he couldn't help but to chuckle softly. "He bothers you, doesn't he? Sheik has that kind of effect on people. Sometimes it is helpful, other times not so much. He says that I counteract his flaws with communication as I am, and I quote, 'a social butterfly that allows people in for any help that may be needed'. Well, I'm hoping we can become friends and such over time. Do ask if you need anything. Sheik's and my room is just a couple doors down from yours and directly across from the second door reading 'Enter and die'. I don't get why Ephie and Shadowheart put those up considering we give privacy here..."

So they dug your grave
xxxAnd the masquerade
Will come calling out
xxxAt the mess you made.
Don't wanna let you down,
xxxBut I am Hell bound.
Though this is all for you,
xxxDon't wanna hide the truth.
No matter what we breed,
xxxWe still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.
xxxThis is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat
xxxLook into my eyes.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,
xxxIt’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
They say it's what you make.
xxxI say it's up to fate.
It's woven in my soul,
xxxI need to let you go.
Your eyes, they shine so bright,
xxxI wanna save that light.
I can't escape this now
xxxUnless you show me how.

 

[Pure T0rture]

Dantes_river

The Strays
Bander, Shiro, Kuro, Niji, Kana, Kansei

&

The Urchins
Krystina, Skylar, Rissa, Lianna, Truth

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us now.

XXXXXpractically twitching when she heard ephraim mention genetic midfications, Truth gave a low sigh and shook her head. "i certainly hope that's not the case. there are far too many who've suffered such things lately." she drawled, glancing at Kansei as she passed with Niji in her arms. far too many of her friends had been hurt because of the ignorance of humans.
Turning to look at her dad, she gave him a smile. "so, i guess since everyone is heading to bed, we should, too, right? formalities can wait until tomorrow over breakfast, can't they?" she asked, glancing at her sister for a moment before looking back to her dad.

xxxxxGiving a small grunt as she and Lianna reentered their room, Rissa couldn't help but glance down at her pendant and the unfamiliar silver glow it was giving off. brushing it off as old magic reacting to the new people around her, she simply followed the fairy to bed.

XXXXXFollowing Sheik into Bander's room with the wolf himself right behind her, Kansei gave a smile and set the kitten down. "we thought it might be best if he had his things for when he wakes up." she chimed, watching as Niji wandered over and set the items on the bedside table.

xxxxxTurning to sheik, the kitten gave him a smile as she popped up next to him. "you fidget with that thing almost as much as Rissa plays with her necklace! but hers is just a pretty charm passed down in her family. not an hourglass or anything special like that," she drawled, a yawn keeping her from mentioning that the magical glow they gave off was sort of similar, if only just to her. Wandering back to Kansei, the duo quickly exited the room, heading to one of the last two open doors.

xxxxx Looking at the boy in his bed, Bander gave a low chuckle. "i suppose i'll sleep on the floor, tonight. don't want to disturb the poor kid." he drawled, giving a sigh as he stretched his hands above his head, ignoring the way his nails were already turning into claws. he preferred sleeping in his other form anyways. less hassle to sleep with a tail like that.

XXXXXGiving the faintest of nods, Kana's lips lifted in a smirk. "hope the kid's okay, wouldn't want anyone else to get sick around here," she drawled, pulling a hand through her ponytail before she heard him talking about sheik as if he'd read her mind. "no, it's not that he bothers me. i just don't get why he's so persistent about that particular topic. it's annoying to say the least." she snorted, shaking her head.
xxxxx "i'm hoping we'll all get along as well. have a good night, watari."

'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

 

[Dantes_river]

Pure T0rture

The Ninjasxxxxxxxxx&xxxxxxThe Additions
Ephraim, Shadowheart,xxxxxxxxxxxDeception, Kristoff
Sheik, Trevor, WatarixxxxxxxxxxxxxxRayne

When the days are coldxxx
And the cards all fold
And the saints we seexxx
Are all made of gold...
When your dreams all failxxx
And the ones we hail
are the worst of allxxx
and the blood’s run stale...
I wanna hide the truth,xxx
I wanna shelter you,
But with the beast inside,xxx
There’s nowhere we can hide.
No matter what we breed,xxx
We still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.xxx
This is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat,xxx
Look into my eyes,
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,xxx
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
At the curtain’s call,xxx
It's the last of all.
When the lights fade out,xxx
All the sinners crawl...

xxxxxGiving a slight nod, Tyvinda placed a kiss on both of his daughters' heads though Deception muttered a 'yuck' at it. "That would be correct. This has been quite the eventful night. I left your room be, girls, so it might be a little... Childish for you right now, but just say the word and it can be changed. Good night for now though. I can't wait to meet everyone properly over breakfast. Mari, you can pick a room from upstairs to rest in. Watari will put up some charms in your room for protection as is in his nature so don't be surprised if a black-and-white haired ninja knocks and enters," the Sheikah hummed, excitement and cheer obvious with hints of anxiety laced behind it. The blonde teen just nodded slightly before giving the trio a brief wave of the hand as his way of saying good night and heading upstairs. Kid must be nervous about meeting the rest of the group.

xxxxx"C'mon, princess. I'm exhausted and I think we're all going to be thrilled at having a hot shower," Deception yawned while tugging her twin's arm to get her moving towards their old room. She wasn't lying. Everyone was probably exhausted and just wanted to sleep. It was weird being back here, but at least they knew how comfy and warm the beds were.

xxxxxBlinking at Niji's words, the blonde Sheikah gave a slight nod. "Yeah. It's become a habit I suppose and I'm sure he'd be grateful for you bringing his stuff up. Good night, Niji-chan," Sheik murmured softly while standing up as Niji returned to Kansei. Shifting his gaze back towards Bander just as the blue of his eyes flicked over to a red-orange, he smiled apologetically. "Sorry about this, Bander. This was an unexpected turn of events. I'll see about making you a pallet real quick so you aren't uncomfortable." "Already done. Sheik, I have better things to do than waiting on you to just to give you bad news from the Nightengale Pack and Sareila Clan." "What? Those friggin'- There's a pallet for you courtesy of Shadowheart. I gotta go discuss personal matters with him. Do let me know when he wakes up." Giving a slight bow, the Sheikah quickly slipped out the door and down the hall to his room.

xxxxx"Agreed. Perhaps he'll explain why once you get to know each other better or perhaps I'll tell you his persistence in said topic should we cross paths tomorrow. Pleasant dreams, Kana," Watari hummed back in response. Giving a light wave, he stepped out of the girl's room and started towards where he'd felt a new presence come upstairs. Catching sight of the twins on the stairs, he gave them a wave as a greeting. Once he'd finished with his charms, he'd be heading off to bed himself. Hopefully Sheik and Shayde would be done discussing the bad news by then.

So they dug your grave
xxxAnd the masquerade
Will come calling out
xxxAt the mess you made.
Don't wanna let you down,
xxxBut I am Hell bound.
Though this is all for you,
xxxDon't wanna hide the truth.
No matter what we breed,
xxxWe still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.
xxxThis is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat
xxxLook into my eyes.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,
xxxIt’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
They say it's what you make.
xxxI say it's up to fate.
It's woven in my soul,
xxxI need to let you go.
Your eyes, they shine so bright,
xxxI wanna save that light.
I can't escape this now
xxxUnless you show me how.

 

[Pure T0rture]

Dantes_river

The Strays
Bander, Shiro, Kuro, Niji, Kana, Kansei

&

The Urchins
Krystina, Skylar, Rissa, Lianna, Truth

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us now.

XXXXXNodding in agreement, Truth gave her father a quick goodnight before she allowed her sister to pull her up the stairs, waving at their cousin when they passed him. once the door to their room was in sight, though, the teen passed her sister and quickly entered her room. "a hot bath sounds wonderful. i can't wait to smell like something other then rainwater for once." she hummed, flopping on to the bright pink comforter that sat on her bed.

xxxxx"thank you, both. and goodnight. we'll talk more in the morning." Bander replied, the whites of his eyes turning a milky grey as his pupils disappeared completely. Once sheik left the room, the teen gave a sigh and slid his sweatshirt and pants off, setting them to the side before he shifted into the monstrous wolf-like form he'd been given, padding over to the pallet that had been made for him and curling up. closing his eyes, the beast kept one ear towards Rayne as he drifted off.

XXXXX"good night." Kana called after him, turning back into her room where she slid off the baggy sweatshirt she'd been using to keep warm, leaving her in a t-shirt and an old pair of jeans.

Soon enough, snores could be heard echoing from the various rooms the teens had occupied, many of them having their first good sleep in ages.

'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

 

[Dantes_river]

Pure T0rture

The Ninjasxxxxxxxxx&xxxxxxThe Additions
Ephraim, Shadowheart,xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDeception, Kristoff
Sheik, Trevor, WatarixxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxRayne

When the days are coldxxx
And the cards all fold
And the saints we seexxx
Are all made of gold...
When your dreams all failxxx
And the ones we hail
are the worst of allxxx
and the blood’s run stale...
I wanna hide the truth,xxx
I wanna shelter you,
But with the beast inside,xxx
There’s nowhere we can hide.
No matter what we breed,xxx
We still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.xxx
This is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat,xxx
Look into my eyes,
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,xxx
It’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.xxx
It’s where my demons hide.
At the curtain’s call,xxx
It's the last of all.
When the lights fade out,xxx
All the sinners crawl...

xxxxxDropping onto her purple bed, Deception let out a tired sigh. "That what we're calling it? I just called it playing in the rain," the dark haired girl teased while setting her sunglasses on her bedside table. It'd been forever since she felt comfortable in a bed. Kicking off her shoes by using the sides of her feet, she crawled under the blankets and snuggled in. "Oh yeah. This is ten times better than those ratty old mattresses. We can start taking hot baths tomorrow seeing as there's more than one tub here. For now, I just wanna sleep. Night, princess."

xxxxxHaving gone upstairs and hearing the snores, Tyvinda smiled lightly while starting towards his own room. Stopping briefly at his girls' room, he took a moment to sigh in relief. They were alright and they were finally home. Sheik, if not Ephraim, would probably tell them of how he'd completely shut down after retirement. He didn't want them to feel guilty for his going into shock so perhaps he could keep them quiet about it. At hearing Watari's bedroom door close, he whispered a good night to the twins before yawning and going into his own room, the door cracked open as he used to have it when the girls were small.

xxxxxAfter a brief report from Shayde, Sheik sighed at knowing his night was entirely ruined and the duo vanished from his room. How long he'd be gone wasn't exactly set in stone, but he'd send Shayde to check in every now and then. He had to visit two different clans almost no one knew of and try convincing them to release a couple of gentlemen into his care. At least he wouldn't have to put up with Miss Argumentative in the morning.

xxxxxAs the night passed by without incident, the morning was met with Tyvinda's cheer of making breakfast for everyone. Humming whilst cooking up the meal, his smile only grew wider as Watari joined him to help. The tune they were humming, however, would sound foreign to anyone outside of the Sheikah. In fact, he used to sing the actual song to his girls when they were still infants to put them to sleep. "Sheik not up yet?" "He's not here actually. i can only assume that his requests were denied and he's trying to convince them otherwise." "Makes sense."

xxxxxUpstairs, Rayne's eyes opened though it took him several minutes to realize where he was. Frick. He'd passed out again. It wouldn't be hard to explain, but talking about himself wasn't something he particularly enjoyed doing. It was then he could hear the wind picking up outside as rain pounded against the side of the house. As a flash came from the window, he automatically sat up followed shortly by a loud boom of thunder. It saddened him that he couldn't be there for the boy who'd helped him to escape in the first place, but getting visions of him was rare and he was usually long gone by the time he got to the location he'd seen him in. Picking up his sketchpad, he flipped through the pages until he found the picture of a boy sitting on the top of a building with a hand over his mouth as if coughing. He needed Rayne for thunderstorms like this one though he never explained why he was so terrified of them. At least it was dreary outside so being awake now wasn't such a chore.

xxxxxSitting atop the dresser in the room Kuro and Shiro had claimed as their own, Ephraim was eying the duo carefully. At least there was a few rooms in the building without females in it. He could feel it from the one, the negative energy that is. It was different from the one he'd picked from the boy as he slept like the dead, no pun intended. They still felt similar with something though, something that wasn't supposed to be there. The other held the same air much like others in this new group though the scent of tobacco hovering around him was pretty distracting. It was like meeting with Absolem only with less dizzying effects. Glancing at his bandaged fingertips, he narrowed his eyes at them. Stupid interrogators always tried the same methods for some reason then screwed up big time by touching his mask. He could still feel his muscles trying to loosen themselves back up after having mauled the latest idiots. They were still sore too. If Tyvinda had been in the business still, they wouldn't have as many opportunities as they'd had since he'd retired. He didn't want Tyvinda to worry about him though so he was avoiding him knowing he was here right now.

xxxxxToo bad the deteriorating male wasn't awake so he could finish the herbal tea Shayde had requested he give him. He'd ask the other one to give a cup to the girl once she woke so he didn't have to approach her. What made it worse was how Deception was down the hall. The very thought sent shivers down his spine. That girl had traumatized him for several lifetimes. If he ever approached a girl of his own accord, it was apparent that hell had frozen over and the sky was filled with flying pigs. You'd think they'd wake up to the smell of food, he snickered in his head while leaning back against the wall and beginning a thorough inspection of the new group's blades. They were well taken care of considering their owners weren't in the best of health. Perhaps he should sharpen them for the group... Eh.

xxxxx"Hey, Trevor? Is it alright for me to sharpen their blades?" he asked curiously as he picked up the .9mm Beretta. Cautiously removing the magazine, replacing it, and checking to see if a bullet was loaded in it. What in the world was a guy his age doing with a gun that had no ammunition in it? Maybe he'd send it to a certain demon sniper with a love for guns. "Ask permission from them when they wake up... And a male to ask the girls for you. I heard that by the way. Where'd you get a gun from? .9mm Beretta, right?" "Oh you know how interrogators are. But yeah, it's a Beretta. Moron wasted an entire clip trying to hit me. I was checking for ammunition for the one guy you picked up. Unless I rob the police or a store, the only way he's getting ammo is through Clive. The brotherhood's against me touching anything anything that isn't paper, pens, knives or a blowpipe with darts." "Take some cash from my safe and get him a few boxes from the store then. He seems to feel at ease with keeping it near and something tells me that guns and hand-to-hand combatives are his strengths. He's not us, but you get my point. Like most children, he needs guidance and seeing as he's obviously been hopping around the Underground, stability isn't something he's had in life. Stability and safety are crucial in their lives much like health and happiness. By the way, I hope you don't mind going to a traditional Japanese bathhouse from the brotherhood this evening when you get home. I figure it's a better way for everyone to take a hot bath seeing as it'd take a bit of time for everyone to get one here. Besides that, it'd be a nice place for them to relax seeing as the owners promised it to me for the night." "It could help with the two not quite so healthy too. Fine... I can drag everyone there too without stressing anyone out much less allowing the outsiders know all of our hideouts. Just don't get all bossy about what they're allowed to do and not allowed to do like you did me. I felt like I was in a straitjacket while locked in a coffin with your daughters. I'm still trying to track where the boys escaped from too. It appears the one is younger than the Seer though and has found a small cabinet he's curled up in as the storm rages on. I've been keeping an eye on him, even tried speaking with him, but something's traumatized him to the point he won't leave the closet. You're against using force so I'm waiting for him to calm down before trying again. Talk at ya when I get home."

So they dug your grave
xxxAnd the masquerade
Will come calling out
xxxAt the mess you made.
Don't wanna let you down,
xxxBut I am Hell bound.
Though this is all for you,
xxxDon't wanna hide the truth.
No matter what we breed,
xxxWe still are made of greed.
This is my kingdom come.
xxxThis is my kingdom come.
When you feel my heat
xxxLook into my eyes.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
Don’t get too close,
xxxIt’s dark inside.
It’s where my demons hide.
xxxIt’s where my demons hide.
They say it's what you make.
xxxI say it's up to fate.
It's woven in my soul,
xxxI need to let you go.
Your eyes, they shine so bright,
xxxI wanna save that light.
I can't escape this now
xxxUnless you show me how.

 

[Pure T0rture]

Dantes_river

The Strays
Bander, Shiro, Kuro, Niji, Kana, Kansei

&

The Urchins
Krystina, Skylar, Rissa, Lianna, Truth

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us now.

XXXXXEar twitching at the sound of Rayne waking up, one pale grey-blue eye peeled open to gaze at the child in the bed. After a few moments of watching him look around, the beast slowly heaved himself from the ground, taking the time to stretch out each muscle in his body. Padding over to the bed, Bander did his best not to scare the boy in his current form as he placed one large paw on the bed as if to ask if the child were alright.

XXXXXStirring from his sleep at the feeling of being watched, Shiro gave a frown and pulled a knife from his pillow, tossing it in the direction of the supposed intruder; a motion that awoke his brother. "who in the hells are you," he grumbled, pushing himself up and causing the rumpled sleeves of his navy undershirt to fall back down his arms.
XXXXX"hm? the f*ck are you doing, watching us sleep?" the darker haired neko grumbled, holding another knife in hand as he watched the masked boy carefully. "wait.... you're the kid that Deception told us about, aren't you? is this some weird family trait or what?"

XXXXXGiving a happy sigh as she slipped down the stairs with Lianna in tow, Rissa followed her nose to the kitchen. Letting her chocolaty gaze fall upon the feast Trevor and Watari were making, the blonde gave a small wave to them both before rocking back and forth on her bandaged heels. "mind if we help? it's been a while since we got to cook a proper meal." she chimed, placing her hands on her hips as she'd opted to forgo the sweatshirt for the day, leaving her in a tank top and a pair of leggings, her hands bandaged from the knuckles to the wrists with athletic tape as if she were preparing for a fight.

XXXXXNodding her agreement, the ever silent ravenete gave them both a smile, tucking a strand of purple hair behind one pointed ear before pulling the rest of her nearly knee-length duo-toned hair over the other shoulder. The teen seemed as eager to help as her friend, holding wads of her tattered green dress in her hands as she watched Trevor with glimmering emerald pools.

'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.