[IC REBOOT] Calling All Creepsters! [PG-13]

[Lady Celeste]

RATED PG-13 for action/fantasy violence, mild depictions of occult practices and symbols, mild language, and possible sensuality/nudity.


https://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k622/jaerdaph/Just%20Add%20Heroes/batsignal.png (https://s1119.photobucket.com/user/jaerdaph/media/Just%20Add%20Heroes/batsignal.png.html)
Calling All Creepsters!

Throughout history, humankind has always found something to fear. From the mundane, instinctive fears of fire or the dark of night to the fear of death itself, these fears have manifested as stories of witches, vampires, zombies, and other creatures born of humanity's worst nightmares. More often than not, the more logical side of the human mind is more than happy to dismiss these stories as pure fiction meant to frighten small children, especially in modern times following the development of All Hallows' Eve - better known today as Halloween - into a widespread commercial holiday.

But that's not always true; these same creatures of the night are more real than most people would think. And yet, strange as it may seem, not all of them are as deserving of fear as one might expect. For every Count Dracula or Wolf-Man that terrorizes the world of men, there has occasionally been a good soul who seeks understanding rather than fear, but is doomed nonetheless to be shunned and feared (if not outright hated) by mankind.

That is about to change. This Halloween, the Draculas and Wolf-Men of the world are ready to finally reveal themselves to the world that never wanted them to be real, using mankind's own fears against them to in order to claim the night for themselves.

And by that same token, a handful of those few good souls will stand against them.

Some of them may want nothing more than to do the right thing, even if humanity may or may not accept or understand them afterwards.

Others may have somewhat less selfless motives, seeing this as their chance to finally gain the respect they crave.

Still others may have motives that fall somewhere in between.

Either way, Halloween may never be the same again.

Click on a spoiler box below to find information on each of the available factions in this RP, as well as accepted characters in each faction.

The Creepsters are a ragtag team of unlikely heroes brought together by the recent disappearance of the Ultra-Force and the subsequent spread of terror by the Legions of the Night. The only problem is that the Creepsters themselves are of the very same species as those responsible for this terror, making them no less shunned and feared than the Legions of the Night. But just the same, whether to stop the evil plans of the Legions or simply to gain the acceptance and respect of their human peers (or perhaps a little bit of both), the Creepsters must now work together to rescue the Ultra-Force before midnight on Halloween night, or the Legions' reign of terror will be unstoppable.

Name: Diana Marie Pendle

Species: Hereditary Witch

Age: 24

Alignment: Good, I guess. But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy a little mayhem on the side; you would too, if you had all this power and no rules.

Faction: Creepsters

Powers: See the word "hereditary" I wrote in the Species section? There's a big difference between a hereditary witch (I like to call 'em "'reds" for short) and a witch who throws random stuff into a bowl and chants gibberish for two hours straight in hopes that something'll happen. We 'reds have magic in the genes, but unless we happen to have a mentor handy, we usually end up having to figure out our magic on our own, and most of the time we don't even know what we are; even the Ultra-Force might have a 'red in their ranks and not even know it! The non-reds... most of them are just poseurs looking to make a quick buck after ready one too many Harry Potter books, but then again, sometimes their spells actually work, so make of that what you will.

Weapons: I don't go for all those fancy props some witches use. You know the ones: wands, magic walking sticks with jewels the size of baseballs... Me? I'd rather stick to a good old-fashioned fireball or whatever other spell might be useful. Not that I can't go hand-to-hand with someone if I have to; unarmed combat is a thing too, y'know. Sometimes I'll bring along a weapon depending on what I'm fighting, say if I need to stake a hungry vamp or pop some silver bullets into a werewolf... you get the idea.

Weaknesses: ...do I have to? *SIGH* Fine...
Long story short, we witches rely on magic A LOT. Different spells have different weaknesses, like water putting out the fire spell you got going, but the basic idea is the same: No Magic = BIG PROBLEM. Magic aside, we're pretty much the same as any regular human. I guess if I really wanted to, I could extend my lifespan like a few other witches I could name - *COUGH*Aradia!*COUGH* - but that kind of magic is pretty hard and usually requires making deals I'd really rather not get involved with.

Appearance: Here's what I would say is my closest real-world face claim:https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/thehungergamesrp/images/f/f9/Henley_gif.gif/revision/latest?cb=20151203014553
It's small, I know, so here's a bigger portrait I made myself at azaleasdolls.com:
https://i.imgur.com/OPlv4RY.png

Personality: As you probably noticed by now, I'm very much on the sassy side. See, we got the Ultra-Force and all the ordinary people on one side and all the crazy creepy-crawlies on the other, but witches are pretty much screwed socially. We're too "weird" for the normies, but we're also too "normal" for the weirdos; what's a witch to do? But I don't worry about it too much anymore; if I can't fit in either way, I may as well just do my own thing.
Now, that's not to say I don't have a good side. I do, and actually I prefer good over evil overall. I'm just not as stuck-up about it as the Ultra-Force can be sometimes, but I digress.

Brief Backstory: You all know the routine; I come from a long line of witches, grew into my powers when I was a kid, blah blah blah... I did grow into a bit of a rebel, though, so that's something I guess...
But here's where it gets interesting. I'm a member of the Legions of the Night! Yes, you heard that right! The higher-ups figured I could make a good spy since I can pass for normal so easily, and for a while it wasn't so bad. What can I say? I've always been a sucker for the underdogs, and I figured the Ultra-Force deserved to have their egos taken down a notch or two! At least, that's what I signed up for...
"But Diana", I hear you ask, "if you support the Legions' cause, why are you listed in the Creepsters section?" Well, I did support their cause at first, but our little victory at Ultra-HQ wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be. Kidnapping the city's most beloved superheroes really brought out the nastiness in me and my fellow Legionnaires, and some of us did some things I'm not even sure I can mention here without going too dark for the intended tone of this RP. That, and honestly, the Ultra-Force aren't as bad as I thought they were. Obviously there was some hostility on their end too, but what do you expect after kidnapping someone and preparing them for ritual slaughter? And despite that, they were even still trying to reach out to us, help us "see the error of our ways" so to speak. The other Legionnaires usually just laughed in their faces, but I have to admit, they really started to grow on me after a while. Put that together with how messed-up the Legions have been acting lately, and you can see why I finally decided I wanted out.
So far I've been able to keep my would-be turncoat status on the down-low, since none of us have gotten any orders since the kidnapping other than "guard the prisoners until midnight on Halloween". I can't stay under the radar forever, but if I can get some equally-terrifying heroes together before then, maybe there's still time to stop this before things really got out of hand.

Other Notes: I know it's stereotypical, but I do have a black cat named Baby. Isn't she a cutie? (https://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/width-constrained-728/public/87226-istock-174846251.jpg)


Nick Joaquin Santos

https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/ones2watch/artist_287_hero_img.jpg




Species: Were-Bear

Age: 25

Alignment: Neutral-Good, (But if you want just the one then Neutral)

Faction: Creepsters

Weapons: Nick's not exactly a pacifist, no. that wouldn't be the right way to word it. It's more, he can't really be bothered to carry weapons? If ever the need arises for him to fight and he can actually be bothered to do so, he'll rely pretty much almost exclusively on his shifting abilities. His condition makes him a pretty strong guy while still human too, so if his fist's can't sort it out either he sort of just gives up at that point. Basically, Nick will carry and use anything you give him, but otherwise, he's more a natural sort of guy.

Weaknesses: When the moon is full, Nick is obviously at his strongest. However, around three or four days before and after the Full Moon, our boy ain't at his peak. Nick always feels weaker around this time, is naturally more slow and frail. Now that's not to say he's completely useless during these few days, however he's vulnerable. And for a man like Nick, that's a dangerous position to be in.

Also, while Nick is in one of his more Grizzly forms, he is at his most powerful yes, but, there is such a thing as being drunk on power. It's hard to control the animal inside sometimes. If Nick allows the Bear to take over too much, to flaunt too much strength, his human reasoning begins to fade. Every-time he shifts, he risks the chance of losing his mortal conscience altogether truth be told.

Appearance: https://remezcla.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/nick-hakim_itzel--1150x584.jpg?x99819

https://blog.urbanoutfitters.com/files/07_Nick-Hakim_UO_02_12_2017_175.jpg

Nick's a hefty kind of dude. He's tall and big, but in a chunky not chubby way. Sturdy and stockily built. Despite his size, he has a kind enough face though. Although he sometimes has to shave nearly twice a day, so the state of his beard is often fluctuating (Apparently it's a feature of his condition). His Chilean heritage comes through in his appearance in distinct little ways here and there too. His tanned skin and thick dark curls for example (although the latter is often kept contained beneath some kind of hat for whatever reason). Altogether, he's an appealing enough looking guy. Attractive even. Maybe.

Personality: To be perfectly and utterly honest with you, Nick's a pretty chilled out kind of guy. It's rare that anything really riles or upsets him, that or he's incredibly good at hiding it if it does. The man barely reacts to anything with too much vigour (The word 'stoner', begins to come to mind). Instead he opts to glide through life on a blasé almost nonchalant wing of emotions. He'll laugh at your jokes, sure. But don't really expect him to get particularly hyped up or enthusiastic about anything unless it's increasingly important to him. All in all, Nick's a nice guy, sure. But maybe not the most passionate in the world...

Or is he.


Brief Backstory: Nicks Father comes from Chile originally. However due to various unfortunate circumstances, the man decided to immigrate to America and hopefully, to a better life. he had to take a rather long way round to getting there, and on his way found himself passing through the Andes Mountains. Alone, on foot and with no real proper climbing gear, the journey was full of dangers to say the least. So it didn't really help matters when a Gone feral Were-Bear encountered him. Nicks father was bitten and contaminated with the disease, but he luckily managed to escape. The transition the disease enforced was tough, especially in the mans current conditions and environments. But Nicks Father survived (The Santos' are a hardy bunch I'm told).

He made it to America and settled in the Bronx of New York. There he fell in love with a beautiful Peruvian girl, and two years later, boom. Nick came along. There was an uncertainty as to if Nick would gain his fathers condition. Yet luckily or unluckily, the disease passed on. His Father had only had to handle the disease as a adult, which Nick would argue is a much easier thing to do than to grow up with it. Childhood in a cramped place like the Bronx along with the addition of turning into, oh, you know, a bear or bear-like hybrid every now and then certainly wasn't the easiest thing to do in the word.

As Nick neared adolescence the condition became increasingly harder to both control and hide in the city. So the Santos' relocated to good Ol' Washington D.C. Although still a challenge, it was somewhat easier for Nick to deal with his shifts in D.C. And I suppose, the family was happy there. Well. As happy as they could be. As well as having to deal with his condition, Nick has grown up constantly handling the, at times, underlying yet always present casual racism a immigrant in America often has to face these days.

Growing up with these particular issues has given Nick a certain mindset. He wants to make the world better for minorities like himself, and in both senses of the term. He's tired of being the odd one out.

Other Notes: To Clarify the conditions and Workings of Nicks Were-Bear-ism.

During the night of a full Moon, Nick undergoes a change that on this particular night, is completely unstoppable. However, Nick can slightly control the form he possesses under said change. He either shifts into a sort of half-man half-bear hybrid, or (And this is often when the animal within grows too strong and desperate in nature which in turn can be caused or triggered by various emotional factors) he morphs into a full on Bear form, but with much more increased strength and vigour than that of a normal Grizzly. Nick can force a change at times where there isn't a full moon, but the action is ultimately a lot more draining.

https://dedpihto.narod.ru/games/Monsters1/lywerber.gif
This is a similar representation to Nicks more Half-Hybrid Bear form. Although he's managed to acquire pants that actually fit this form. His Mom was scolding him for ripping so many jeans otherwise...

https://www.wildcru.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/andean_bear_2.jpg
When in full Bear form, Nick resembles most that of an Andean Bear (as you might expect).

Name: Emily Walker

Species: Zombie

Age: Yes? Possibly centuries? I can't remember

Alignment: Goodish I like to think.

Faction: Creepsters

Powers: She's not part of the Ultraforce, but she does have a power. The power of.... Being able to think! Be like a human! It may not seem like a superpower, but for a zombie, she might as well be a super powered individual.

Weapons: Teeth. The mainstay of any zombie arsenal. However since she can think for herself she can reasonably use any weapon. However if she is actually going out with intent of getting into a fight, she'd basically going to go in with kevlar and a gun. Usually a rifle so she can keep back and keep her body safe. And of course a helmet to protect her most important part: Her brain. Beyond that she's always going to have her medical bag on hand with plenty of sutering equipment in it.

Weaknesses: She is a zombie and undead.Therefore while she can push her body like humans can, she's not going to recover from the strain. At best she can replace the parts of her that get worn down (and she's done so in the past a lot) with fresh parts taken from a morge or graveyard... Or fresh bodies! Also she needs to eat meat reguarly. It doesn't HAVE to be human, but one can't deny how suculent and wonderful fresh.... human... flesh tastes.... Ripped right from the bones.... Sorry sorry. Basically she has the hunger and it can get bad if not sated. Finally, all that needs to be done to take her down is to destroy the brain.

Appearance: https://img00.deviantart.net/adb9/i/2017/280/7/c/anime_zombie_girl_nurse_dakimakura_pillow_by_penci ltales-dbptj4t.jpg
While shes isn't always in a nurse outfit, it is one of her favorite things to wear considering she spends a lot of her time on doctoring others back up on the down low. And doctoring on herself with all her replacement limbs!

Personality: Emily is... She's a cheerful one while also being a survivor. She didn't become a survivor by being a tough as nails person though. Even with her years of practice with guns and fighting for her life and such, she mainly survived by being a coward. She knows how easy a zombie can be killed when someone keeps calm with a gun or something more personal. So she tries her best to keep herself safe. When she goes out she's making sure she can blend in with her stitches hidden. Mainly she'll just stay in her building, enjoying the internet while working herself or doing some research.

Brief Backstory: A backstory on me? Well that will be kinda hard. I mean I think I've been around a few centuries. Yes yes I'm aware I'm a corpse so I can't really survive that long of a time without decaying away. Here's the thing though. Everything that makes up a zombie? In the brain. So when my time was nearing the end, I had me a thought.... Can you take a zombie brain and put it into another body? A fresh body? After several experiments I concluded that it can be done! The draw backs that I couldn't forsee when I had my friend place my brain into a new body was.... Well things are lost. Mainly memories. So each time I've done a brain transfer I tend to lose a bit of who I was. I had started keeping diaries on hand just in case, but with how long I've been around you can't keep track of everything.

Such as how I ended up in this city or who did my last transplant. I already had my identity ready so that was good. Been able to live a nice life in this city for a while. I was appraoched by those LEgion monsters at one point, but I didn't want to gen involved in their whole war against the living and such. Kept myself in the middle really, agreeing to patch up people they sent to me in trade of some money and human flesh (oh dear me just mentioning it has me drooling...). Uhhh well... Anyways I happened to be a fan of the Ultra Force. I mean their hearts were in the right place and all you know. Dear I'm hungry... But yeah, since they've dissapeared I've gone into hiding myself. I know what humans do when people start to disapear. Not to mention a group of well know people and with powers. A whole lotta crap is gonna come down and I don't want to be caught up in it.

Other Notes:

The Legions of the Night are not really a faction per se. The one thing that unites them in any sense of the word is their shared desire for power; their "leader" is rumored to have acquired a means for the creatures of the night to become powerful enough that they can finally come out of hiding and seize full control over the humans who fear them, and has invited kindred spirits from all across the globe to help realize this dream, and creatures of all sorts have flocked in droves to accept his invitation. United by this common goal, the Legions of the Night will not hesitate to destroy anything and anyone who stands in their way.

NO ACCEPTED PROFILES YET!

As the first legally authorized superhero team in America, the Ultra-Force has made a name for itself as an elite peacekeeping force since its formation. In contrast to the Creepsters, the Ultra-Force are highly trained, well-funded, and almost universally loved and respected by the human populace. Under their protection, humans felt as though they had nothing to fear; needless to say, this did not sit well with the creatures of the night, many of whom relied on fear to maintain any semblance of power in the human world.
More recently, however, the Ultra-Force has gone missing virtually overnight, and foul play is suspected. Without their heroes to protect them, the local human population has come to know fear for the first time in years, this time compounded even further by a widespread fear of whatever evil had managed to overpower their beloved protectors.

NO ACCEPTED PROFILES YET!

The Neutrals are... well, neutral. They could go either way, for or against one side or the other, or they may just not care at all. Whatever the case, they don't belong to any of the other factions, so that's really all there is to it!

Name: Ze’ev “Alpha” Okami
Species: Wolf / Were human / Caster (Ice Magic)
Age: 3
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Faction: Freelance, (Willing to work with anyone)
Powers: Not Ultra-Force
Weapons: Claws and Teeth
Weaknesses: Silver weaponry, Holy Artifacts, and Fire.
Appearance: Striking purple and gold eyes, long silver hair. Wolf ears and a tail (Hard to hide) 6’5 Lean build.
Personality: Ze’ev was raised to be a pack leader and such is calm, cool headed, reserved. He usual performs through action, never threatens, and only speaks when spoken to. He can be kind hearted but follows a very strict ruthless code.
Brief Backstory: Ze’ev was a wolf who traveled with his pack. One day they were attacked by a hungry were wolf. In a plea to save his pack family he offered his soul to some being, either a witch or a devil. He needed the power to face his enemy no matter the cost. The magic he was imbued with adapted the Lycanthrope in reverse. As a wolf who already embraced savagery giving him a cool intellect made him a formidable fighter. He killed the weakened werewolf but the cost of his curse was the rest of his packs life. Now he searches the world for this Demon or Witch who cursed him. Caring not whom he helps or hurts.
Other Notes: Please let me know if I need to change anything. I have no idea why I wanted to make a vengeful furry.

Name: Aradia
Species: Hereditary Witch/Soceress (interchangeable really)
Age: 324
Alignment: NEUTRAL
Faction: None
Powers:
Weapons: Spells and A rather sharp looking Spear/staff thing.
Weaknesses: Any sort of magic dampening spells/equipment, being silenced, or fire (but who isn’t weak to that?)
Appearance: https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/001/703/005/large/marie-magny-commission-dark-priestess-by-skyzocat-d935u3r.jpg?1451310901

And her staff
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/15/94/a6/1594a6224e4c80de3fc72e369aa9ad0b.png
Personality: Aradia appears to be a deeply mysterious and devious personage. Often speaking in riddles or simply just putting things very ominously or vague she can be frustrating to some. So long as you can put up with a bit of word play though it is not uncommon to win favor with the witch and convince her to get up to all manner of antics. She can be kind and warm at times and cold and cutting the next. Some have even described her as fickle as the weather. An apt description she would agree.
Brief Backstory: Aradia is a witch who has been around since the 17th century and seen many empires rise and fall. She seems to have mostly kept to herself during those times preferring to stay out of major events so as not to draw inquisitive eyes. Witches haven’t always been treated so kindly after all. Now her interest has been piqued. Humans and “monsters” living together? Could it work?
Other Notes:

[Lady Celeste]

https://i.imgur.com/Mff7amG.jpg
((MOOD SETTER))
(+ Secret Fanservice) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZAqs7yG3HQ)

October 24th
11:59 PM

Nothing like a late-night joyride to get a witch in the Halloween spirit...

Diana Pendle soared high above the skyscrapers, too high up to be clearly visible to any of the humans below. It was already well into the nighttime, and the garish lights and sounds below easily distracted away from Diana and kept her hidden.

And as it turned out, she wasn't the only one staying hidden...

A colony of bats flew past her toward one of the higher rooftops, followed by cackling old hags riding brooms not unlike Diana's. More bats and witches flew by as well, along with countless ghosts and ghouls who perched on the rooftops, just out of sight of the unsuspecting humans.

Diana frowned at the sight. Was something going on that she didn't know of? Steering downward, she landed on one of the skyscrapers and walked toward the crowd there, which was already starting to gather around the edge facing the many screens with all their brightly glowing ads and news broadcasts.

"What's all the fuss?" Diana asked the nearest ghoul. "I thought we were supposed to lay low until we get our next orders."

"You haven't heard?" The ghoul whispered in its trademark ethereal voice.

"They're about to make the announcement!" A vampire said excitedly.

"Oooh... I can't wait to see the looks on those humans' faces!" A plump old witch said, stifling a cackle.

Just then, all the lights in the city below went out. The humans were all visibly annoyed, but the creepy-crawlies on the rooftops were ecstatic.

"Shush... it's starting!" Said another ghoul.

The assembled creatures all fell silent, and right on cue, every electronic screen in the vicinity suddenly turned back on, instantly catching the humans' attention. But this time, every screen displayed exactly the same thing: the words 'LEGIONS OF THE NIGHT' in stylized bold red font against a pitch black backdrop, accompanied by a modulated voice that boomed ominously through every audio device.

"Our time is at hand, fellow children of the night. For too long have we all been ignored and shunned, but in seven days' time, that will finally come to an end. For centuries, we and those before us have depended on the fears of mortal men to maintain any level of respect, until the fools calling themselves the Ultra-Force saw fit to rob us of even that last measure of dignity. No more, I say! By the time you hear this message, the so-called Ultra-Force will no longer pose any threat to us, and on behalf of the Legions of the Night, I invite all our kin to join us on Halloween night, when these fools shall be sacrificed and our combined might strengthened, and then no mortal force will ever again dare to stand against us!"

The humans could only stare at their screens in shock, several of their faces already pale with horror as they heard the message and hurried to tell their friends. In contrast, the crowds of dark creatures on the rooftops exploded with joy and celebration; ghosts and ghouls shrieked with delight, witches let out their loudest and shrillest cackles, and vampires bared their fangs in wide grins.

"And to you miserable humans, you who have scoffed and laughed in the face of fear until now... Your precious heroes can no longer shield you against that which goes bump in the night. You are alone, just like we were. You are powerless, just like you have always been. So prepare to once again know the taste of fear."

The screens all turned dark, and the audio devices fell silent. And just like that, the creatures on the rooftops descended upon the city in a laughing frenzy, all the while countless werewolves, zombies, and various other dark creatures appeared amidst the crowds below.

Only Diana stayed behind, watching numbly as the attack began and the cackles and shrieks of the dark hordes mingled with the terrified screams of the humans.

And so it begins.

[Heson Shadowbane]

I had plenty of warning approaching this moment.... So why did I wait so long to escape? Oh man oh man oh man....

Emily let out a yelp when the lights cut off in the city, plunging it into the darkness. IT was dark enough that she even pulled off the shades she tended to wear. The eyes she had in her sockets were dilated to work best at night and with her... Well with her undeadness she couldn't really undilate them easily. It wasn't always bad at night, but the city always had it's lights shining. She didn't move at all, just looking around at the various humans that were already starting to panic which soon started to infect her, although the screens that came on with their announcement wasn't the reason.

She had lived long enough to understand how humans worked. Panicked humans won't care for the people around them. A riot would be the quickest reaction that they would turn to. Emily picked up her bag and hugged it to herself and started to shuffle backwards. ~Don't worry Emily. You planned for something like this. Just need to get back to the basement of your building...Should I risk a bit of a run? No, a jogging. I might need my muscles later.~

With a nod of her head she turned away and started to going back to her apartment complex at the pace of a slow jog. The fastest she could safely go even as the Legion began to descend upon the city. She tuned out the screams as she kept to side alleys and streets to avoid the worst of the mobs. The only time she stopped was when she came across some zombies chowing down upon a fresh kill. She could feel the throbbing in her brain. The call in her very soul to join into the feast. She almost gave in if it wasn't for a hand splatting at her feet. With a quickness she grabbed the severed limb and snapped a finger off to shove into her mouth while the rest of the hand went into a pocket. With the hunger satisfied she finished her fleeing to her apartment, although instead of going up to her room, she went down into the basement. To the place she lovingly called her lab even if it wasn't really a lab.

[kowai]

Yuu was smiling for once. The swarm of shrieking, cackling monsters crashing down upon an unsuspecting city was like a scene from a horror movie. It was actually entertaining.

Still, Yuu hadn't bothered to jump down like the others - he never was one for crowds. Rather, he sat on the edge of one tall building, his long legs dangling off the side and back of his feet tapping against the brick in rhythm as he swung them back and forth. Sitting alone in the dark he looked almost like a little boy, if it weren't for the fact he was six feet tall and smoking a cigarette. Smoking was a habit he had picked up recently. It gave him a reason to leave the apartment and browse the convenience stores. More importantly, he thought it made him look cool. Which, for some reason, after centuries of meaningless existence, he still cared about.

Yuu took a final puff of his cigarette before flicking it off the building, down into the chaos. He lazily pulled himself up from his spot and started walking along the edge of the building, hands tucked into the pockets of his overcoat, eyes still gazing over the city streets. He wondered how this would effect him. It certainly was an intriguing prospect, the idea that he could simply eat whenever he wished without the need for skulking about in the shadows and creeping through morgues and quietly digging up graves. It would be a lot easier now. It could certainly make for some interesting interactions, as well. He would no longer have to hide what he was. He could walk up to any human and say it, if he so wished, "I'm a jikininki." Yuu scoffed. Hell, Westerners would never know what a jikininki was. They'd probably laugh at it. It sounded strange in English. He could imagine it now, constantly explaining what a jikininki was, constantly telling his life story to giggling humans. He frowned. Tedious.

Well, either way, he could eat easier now. That was the most important thing. Humans could just think he was a zombie, if they so wished, even if it did seem a bit discourteous to his homeland. "And what has Japan ever done for me?" Yuu murmured to himself. Like he gave a damn about courtesy, especially not to the land or to the people that had cursed him. He sighed, coming to a stop at the corner of the building and pulling another cigarette out of his coat pocket, placing it in his mouth. He decided he would jump down after the chaos had subsided a bit and grab one of the corpses those zombies had left behind. It had been a few days since his last meal and the hunger was growing. Soon it would start to effect his mind - and he hated that.

Wait. His eyes flashed in mild surprise. Was that a woman over there? What was a human doing on top of a skyscraper? Yuu scanned her over as he lit the cigarette. A broom. Ah. Witch. He nodded to himself, breathed out a cloud of smoke.

Still, what was a witch doing here, alone, rather than reveling in the destruction with her Legions? The question was interesting enough that he lept from the edge, landing (not very gracefully) onto the fire escape of the next building over. The building she stood upon. He meandered up the iron stairway until he came to the top. There, Yuu simply stood and watched the witch; waiting to see what she would do, waiting to get an answer to why she stayed behind. She was only a few yards away from him. He might have looked a bit creepy just standing there, gazing upon her from the shadows. But - here's a shocker - Yuu didn't really care. He just hoped she'd be interesting.

[Kortaga]

Song: Devil Trigger, Casey Edwards

11:57

The sounds of his feet could only be heard by those with exceptional hearing. What would honestly give him away more so than his stealthy movements was the music coming through his headphones. It was fascinating to him that sounds that did not exist could be heard inside his head. At first he thought he was going crazy but it turned out…humans…listened to this for…fun? ‘The darkest of night falls around my soul; And the hunter within loses control.’ He glanced down and looked at his hand. Around it he held the bloodied pocket watch of a family he had killed when he first turned…his fingers were not designed to remove the picture inside and it bothered him. He saw the short stick was high and the other was almost as high. He shook his head. Late for humans…

As he glanced up at the night sky he could smell others like him. Too many then there should be in this town. He moved by garbage and people who were sneaking away. Other than his clawed hands and his sharp wolf eyes all the other would think him..normal. ‘Gotta let it out, gotta let it out; Gotta let it out, gotta let it out’ His watched clicked and he felt the atmosphere change. It was time for his kind to move. He left the hood up to cover his ears but he decided he did not need to feel uncomfortable anymore…he lifted the back of his hoodie to allow his long silvery tail to come out. It swished eager to get moving.

‘All this rage that's inside me; Hold it fast, they've been dancing on this’ At first he heard the screaming and the sounds of delight from spooks in the area. Full chaos had erupted. It felt lovely to him…he had met a few of his people telling them that their time was at hand…

‘All of these thoughts running through my head; I'm on fire, veins burning red!’ He turned a corner and smelled the thick iron in the air…blood. A group of five to seven ghouls or zombies…dead walkers were around a group of humans. They looked to him as if he was their hope. The begged for help and he simply watched as the ghouls made their way through the family.

When the ghouls were part of the way through one noticed him and asked, “Do you…ssslllluuurrrp…wanna turn friend?” Ze’ev walked over and simply said, “Do you…work for a witch?” The ghoul nodded happily. Lyncanthropes, ghouls, zombies there was a pecking order in the night world. Strength meant everything. At the thought of him finding the witch he grinned an evil grin. As he pulled out the headphones all he heard was, ‘Pull my Devil Trigger!’

The ghoul had no time to react his claws had extended and sliced clean through the ghouls throat. A dark ugly infected blood oozed out of it and it fell to a loud bang as it hit a garbage can. The other six ghouls looked over and immediately launched towards him. Ze’ev pooled his mana and quickly shot out two icicle spears which embedded and killed the ghouls as they struggled in vain against the wall. The other two made sluggish attacks against him. Ghouls were slower but quite powerful…avoiding them was the best. He spun lashing out with his legs against one’s head and the others back. Shifting his weight he jumped off of the back of one and lashed out with his claws taking two more ghouls down with a few swift slashes. One of the few final ghouls managed to get behind him and bite him on the should. “GGGrrr….” He reached and flipped the ghoul up and over some blood pooling off of his shoulder. As he slammed the ghoul down he bit into its neck and tore. The blood covering his mouth and the front of his hoodie. Dead ripped flesh clinging to him.

The last ghoul looked at escape and he called out, “Bring your witch master! Now!” The ghoul ran off. Though it was not long before he returned with a castor…


12:27

The stench of gore and blood had taken over him for a moment. “She…was not the one…”

He sat on the corpses of summoned dead. The witches body lay before him. Her head in one hand, a broke broom, and in his other the witches wand. He started to pick his teeth with it and looked about the battlefield. He alone was live here. Bodies of undead and human alike. He was unsure but most likely he had killed humans as well. Not that it bothered him. His hood was down revealing his wolf ears. He was resting…he had used a little too much mana in his casting. He looked and saw melting pools of ice, one particularly large on that shot up along a building. The witch had been stronger than he thought.

After picking his teeth with the wand he held it up to the moon and howled a bloody victory howl. He saw it as a minor victory. He would not stop killing them until he found the one that did this to him. He saw a small child’s body on the floor and he thought of his sisters cub…the only way he could cope was revenge.

He just noticed he had somehow ran and chased until he was in…what a small play area for children outside…it was a park but little did he know that. With the corpses around the wobbly thing he sat on as a throne he watched and waited until he felt combat ready again.

Popping a headphone into his ear and keeping the other out for security he found he was quite a few song more forward. as he listed he closed his eyes. 'Red like roses fills my dreams and...'

[AliceMalice15]

Most would not have noticed the unusually large raven perched atop a nearby lamp post as they milled about their busy evenings. Too many parties, bars, and events to get to, to notice one odd bird perched on a lonely street lamp. She would be insignificant amongst all the hustle and bustle. It was incredible how imperceptive humans could be when they believed themselves to be safe. She could feel the forces of the Legion amassing on the roof tops though.

Her black feathers ruffled in a light breeze that was blowing through the buildings. It was almost time. They’d move soon. She’d have to move on. A shame they couldn’t see the folly in their ideals. Flapping her wings the raven flew to the nearby rooftops only to find another sat atop the building as well. A witch. Was she Legion?

Hopping over to the girl the raven cocked her head and spoke.

“Are you with the Legion,” she cawed, “or merely a witness? Do you enjoy bloodshed? Or simply wish to chronicle the outcome?”

Aradia had been around the Legion many times during her long life. She didn’t recognize the girl though, a new recruit? That was when the elder witch picked up on a more familiar presence. Yuu, she had seen the jikininki on many occasions, but had yet to have dealings with him. He was older, that she knew. Old enough he may have some insights that could prove useful. Had he come to similar philosophies as she? Had he let his mind fade to the years? Always interesting to find out. She’d speak to him after if she got a chance.

[Lady Celeste]

The raven’s question was a somewhat welcome break from the chaos going on down below, so Diana gladly obliged in spite of the circumstances. However, Diana first spared a glance toward Yuu. The Japanese ghoul had already acquired a reputation for being fickle in his loyalty to the Legions... but even so, could she really risk saying the wrong thing in front of a Legionnaire?

“I’ve done some work for the Legions.” Diana said, knowing better than to leak any confidential details. “But this isn’t what I signed up for.” She left it at that for now. Despite Yuu’s reputation, one of the few things the Legion didn’t tolerate was betrayal. Yuu was more or less safe in that regard, mainly because he didn’t care enough one way or the other, but Diana was not about to bring the Legion’s suspicions on herself by saying too much too soon. Besides, who was to say their feathered friend wasn’t testing them, waiting to see if they would make a mistake? The higher-ups had become much more paranoid ever since the big night, so Diana certainly wouldn’t put it past them to try something like that.

[BumblingBee]

'ON THE LAST DAY OF THE
PILGRIMAGE THEY GATHER
FOR RENEWAL IN A RITUAL
OF SIX PARTS'

The trek had been deep, and the woods went deeper still. He'd been squinting through the sunlight, sweat rolling down the back of his neck as he waded through the row upon row of trees. Nick just smoked a joint while the Witches did their thing. In the crisp waters of that woodland stream, they cleansed and purified their bodies. Ridding themselves of all impurity. Sinking and submerging endlessly. Just throwing each others bodies into the waters over, and over, and over again. He was sat apart and away from them, but water still soaked and stained his clothes.

It was sunset when they finished at the river. Twilight when they took him to the mark. His shape lay outlined in salt, ash and sand. They had told him it was to be a 'Transmuting of Evil energies'. Honestly, these days, he couldn't tell who what or where those energies ended up being sent to. But he went with them nonetheless. They always seemed to feel better afterwards too, so that was something he supposed.

It was thick blood. Thick warm blood that dribbled and oozed down from the corners of the mouth. It dripped and dribbled, painting lines all over the face, threatening to swallow it whole at times. Always from the mouth too. Never the nose. He tasted the copper of it, felt the crunch of marrow under both tooth and foot, and he heard them. He heard all of them.

Nick wandered out of the woods a few hours before the dawn. Large blotches of blood were stained into his white vest, some trailing down his arm. Where it had dried and cracked in places made it look like he'd been burned in places. He'd been clean shaven that morning, but the clotted remains of the ritual had now worked their way into his stubble. He was barefooted, and his stagger was lolling and clumsy. Twice he nearly fell over altogether. The fool was grinning like a idiot. Toothy smile spreading ear to ear. Cigarette in one hand, the other held ungainly upwards for supposed balance. He drew to a wobbly halt a few paces out of the Forests clutches.

Raising both arms, he threw a triumphant "WOOOOOOOOOOOO!", into the air, before carrying on his way.

He forgot entirely the whole day it took him to reach the city once more.

Those Wicca Witches were crazy man.



The divide between the somewhat Magical-esque Bear-Boy Nick, and the somewhat less carnivorous Human Nick, was a strange one. And it often had him conflicted

Luckily for him, and his Papi he supposed, he could easily pass as just a pure-blooded plain old human. Unless you had prior knowledge, or were a species that could detect it otherwise, there's no way you could know from just a glance that he was what he was. And this was a ability that Nick both relished and took advantage of. Because for a lot of the time, he enjoyed being just a plain old boring human. Maybe even, sometimes anyway, he liked it more than the Bear things?

Ugh. He still didn't know. The choice of his identity felt like a cough that would last forever. No matter how distracted he was, despite what he did to improve or repress, it would always be there. Tickling and nagging at the back of his throat. Occasionally erupting in a hack of raspy doubts and fears. People liked the human Nick. He had good friends, was a part of a solid clique of like-minded individuals. Human Nick had a home, a steady(ish) job that would get him by until better things came along.

Nobody ran from Human Nick (Usually). Nobody tried to hunt and shoot human Nick (Usually). Nobody openly screamed in the street at the sight of Human Nic- ...Oh. Well nobody apart from this lady it seemed. The woman's shrill shrieks heaved him out from his stupor and dragged his consciousness back to reality with a painful thud. He blinked, trying to push the daze away from his eyes. She was pointing an indignant finger at him, more specifically his bloodstained shirt.

Shit. He'd forgotten about that. Still hadn't changed out of it yet. She scrambled and ran from him. He was about to do something, apologise maybe, or make a quick getaway, I don't know, something. But then his ears caught up with his eyes. And suddenly everybody was screaming. Absolutely everybody. And not just at him. It was chaos. All of it. Everywhere he looked. Everywhere he turned. What the fuck was going on. People were being killed. Murdered right in the streets. In the open. Right before his eyes.

All of them being horrifically killed. And all of them killed by people like him. It was all so much. All so completely and utterly fucking messed up. What the hell was happening. There was blood everywhere. Not just on him anymore. Nick was not ok with this. Not one bit. A man tripped and fell next to him, desperately scuttering and scrambling back to his feet. But before the motion coordinated with his limbs, some weird goblin hybrid like thing lunged at him. The man collapsed to the ground, the air physically knocked out of him.

Nick didn't even need the time to think. He swung forwards, grabbing the creature by it's scruff. The, with a hard and heavy tug, he struck the creature against the brick wall by his side. The action had been unsettling-ly easy for the man. No harder than lifting a pebble up off the ground. And with a action so simple, the monster fell with an ugly thump to the floor, motionless. Dead or unconscious , Nick didn't wait to know.

He strode forwards. Onwards and away from this absolute carnage. The world was turning mad before his very eyes. And honestly. He had no idea what the fuck he wanted to do about it. A child screamed in complete terror. He strained his head round to catch the noise, feet changing course instinctively. Fingernails clawed and scratched at the earth, the child desperately trying to get away. Some impish looking thing, he guessed of vampiric origin was draining the child. Ivory fangs sunk into its back, red already pooling through the fabric of the kids shirt.

His hands locked around the monster and they pulled back as hard as they could. Yet despite his rather increased strength, the creature remained locked in, hissing violently in protest of the attempted removal. It must have been locked in with some sort of stupid magic or something. Dammit. The child just kept on screaming. Nick felt like doing so too honestly. The knot in his brow furrowed furiously as he kept on pulling and pulling. The man cried out in anguish,

"FOR GODS SAKE, SOMEONE HELP ME IT'S A FUCKING CHILD HERE!"

[Lady Celeste]

"FOR GODS SAKE, SOMEONE HELP ME IT'S A FUCKING CHILD HERE!"

At those words, Diana completely forgot about the raven and took up her broom again. A child? Were they seriously attacking a child?!

Taking to the air once more, Diana flew over the edge and spiraled down to get a closer look. Sure enough, there was the child, being gradually drained by some kind of vampire/imp hybrid, even as a man tried in vain to pry the creature off. How could the higher-ups have allowed this? That there were creatures out there for which animal instinct was the only moral code was simply a fact of life, but those creatures were always kept on the bottom of the hierarchy for a reason. But now, in all this frenzy, none of the other Legionnaires even cared enough to keep them in line, and a few were even encouraging them!

The Legions' goal was to scare the humans, not massacre them all in cold blood... at least, that's what Diana had always thought. Either way, it was time to set the record straight.

Taking a white-handled knife from her belt, Diana made a small cut in her hand and slowly approached the monster, all the while holding up the wound to let the scent of the blood reach the vampire's nostrils faster.

Human blood was the standard diet of every vampire-like being, but witch blood had that extra magical kick that few vamps could resist. The imp-vamp's animal instinct kicked in as soon as it smelled the witch's blood, and let go of the child to go searching for the more desirable prey.

But Diana was ready for this, and snared the imp-vamp in a telekinetic grip before closing the gap between them, letting her wound bleed into its eager mouth.

“You like that?” Diana said, as if talking to a pet. The imp-vamp became much more docile as it hungrily lapped up the drops of witch blood, and Diana spared only a quick glance at the would-be hero, continuing to hold the beast in place until the child could be taken to safety.

None of this constituted any real betrayal in the Legions’ eyes, and Diana would explain as much if need be, but there would be no rest for her after this either way.

[AliceMalice15]

Aradia had begun to open her beak to continue her line of questioning when the younger witch raced off in to the chaos below. Squawking inelegantly as the girl blew past her on her broom Aradia ruffled her feathers indignantly and took flight after her. Upon landing behind the girl Aradia’s form seemed to stretch up and reform in to her true human form pale limbs becoming covered in a form fitting black dress with feather details that matched the raven she had just transformed from. Watching quietly she stayed back as the young girl lured the feral imp-vampire. It was an act of decency she had never seen amongst the ranks of the legion. It was possible certainly that they simply were few and far between, but it solidified her thoughts on the girl. She was young and perhaps a little naive, but her strong sense of justice and common decency made her malleable and not strongly allied to the Legion. A dangerous position if she didn’t have allies. Stepping from the shadows Aradia allowed her lips to twitch up in to a mysterious smile.

“Uri,” it was almost a flat statement, but one could hear the magic buzzing as it left the elder witches mouth. Within moments the vampiric creature began shrieking and burning from the inside out.

“You should have known your place pathetic creature,” Aradia murmured as the thing burned, “the other humans may be fair game, but children? Even the most depraved monstrosity knows children are off limits. I hope Satan himself has more mercy on you than I, for I would see you continue to burn for an eternity or two.”

The monster let out a final shriek as the fire that blazed in it’s body burned it to ash in just a few minutes. A decent display of her power without exposing too much of her knowledge or age. Turing her gaze to the child her expression softened and her voice brimmed with power once more.

“Obliviscaris omnia quae vidi,” she spoke the words quietly letting the magic do it’s work, “et caro patitur te ad sanandum. You are safe now child. No tears.”

Turning to the young witch and what she could tell was some sort of were-creature, she held her hand out for the child who in an almost trance like state began to walk toward her. Would they attempt to stop her? Would they care? Would the question her motives? Likely the child’s parents were dead. She could take him should they have no other course of action. Nothing nefarious of course, that had never been her MO. No she’d raise the child until they were strong enough to go it alone.

“How noble of you both,” she says never once glancing down toward the child, “especially one of you being a legionary yourself......are you one as well boy? Or simply a heroic bystander? I smell blood on you that is not your own, but I don’t sense malice from you.......why are you here?”

[Heson Shadowbane]

Emily had gone up stairs to where her apartment was at, gathering up supplies she didn't have down in her little 'lab' area in the basement. Raw meats from the freezer, changes of clothes, extra computer and laptop for netflix and chill, and the pistol she kept stowed away in a drawer amongst some other things like toothpaste and perfume. She was ready to just barricade herself down in the basement. Let all this chaos blow over. Maybe pop out a few times to scrounge for left over fleshy bits. For now though, it was all making sure she was all tucked away safely. Just to ignore everything going on around her hidey hole. Even if someone was crying out for help. That it was a child being attacked. Yes just... Ignore it....

Which is why Emily was cursing herself as she walked over to the door, pistol in hand as she pushed it open just a bit. She didn't even have to bother risking it like she just did. People has already came to fix the problem that happened.... Like some witches... Distracting the creature with blood before setting it ablaze. She just stood there, watching this happen. "Oh fuck... Legionaires..." She continued to stare at the group, still looking quite like a human herself at the moment. Except for the bloody pocket where she had the hand stuffed and some blood near her mouth from shoving the finger into it. Not to mention she didn't smell living and she was someone the Legion knew about

They'd probably eventually turn to her and instead of offering her services to help the child like the self made doctor she was,she just stepped back into her apartment building. "The Walker Clinic is closed please try again later." And with that she closed the door and turned the lock before she turned and ran down towards the basement stairs with her bag of stuff next to the door forgotten. She didn't want to be drawn into this if she could help it.

[Kortaga]

Ze’ev had been licking his wounds for a few minutes. Due to his outburst he had thankfully been left alone for a bit. He needed a longer time to heal, he had been stupid and sprinted during a long distance run. What he really needed to do was to find medicine or someone who could heal. If he could at least get stitched up he could continue the hunt for more witches.

It was not until he heard someone yell about a child that he stood up. He took his headphones off and walked carefully towards where the person had yelled. To be honest it was probably a stupid idea to scream for help and draw in more enemies. Oh well…

Ze’ev made his way through a few alleyways until he came up to seeing a young man who smelled funny but also had blood on him. A small child...well that solves that. A witch with a demon...he felt his blood boil. He could barely hold back his malice towards her until he took a few breaths.

He calmed himself. Breath...easy...surprise her...you can take her.

Another one appeared out of the shadows and Ze’ev backpedaled immediately. Even at full power...two was asking a lot of him...the other burned the creature and Ze’ev realised one could use one of his minor weaknesses against him. This was not something he could handle at all in his current state.

He waited in the shadows but figured it was already too late. He reeked of all sorts of blood and even then...he had witches blood on his hoodie. Maybe they would not notice?

They began to question the man with weird smell. Well he was in a terrible position...he did not look injured though. Maybe...if they worked together...he shook his head. Still too much of a stretch.

One person whom he had not noticed...damn his bloodlust...came out and mentioned that the clinic was close...was she stupid…? Wait clinic...weren’t those the things humans went to to heal? He smiled to himself. He needed a friend right now did he not?

Ze’ev decided to step out of the shadows and come more so over to where the guy was. While Ze’ev was trying to even the odds imagining a standoff. Maybe the man would feel more comfortable if he thought he had someone on his side?

Ze’ev lowered his hoodie to show his wolf ears and he swished his tail...maybe a little bit too excited. “Hello friend...I heard you howl. Is this child in danger?” He kept his eyes on the witches but attempted everything in his power to lower his bloodlust. He was a reverse Lycanthrope afterall. He could never fully get rid of it. Also he was injured a bit maybe that would lower hostility?

[BumblingBee]

An ivory blade cut through equally pale skin as easily as butter. Blood. Why was it always blood with these sort of things. How come it was never... I don't know, Bone Marrow, or, muscle fibres or tears or something, whatever. Mind you, he couldn't talk much he supposed. A hand awkwardly rubbed against the cracked and dried blood in his beard, the movement uncomfortable and lumbering.

The woman spoke sweet nothings to the creature. As if it were a lap-dog or a pet kitten. That thing had literally just been trying to murder a random innocent child, and here she was talking to it as if it was the sweetest little angel on gods given earth. What the hell was wrong with everyone that night.

Oh christ there was another one now.

She was older. Nick could tell, even though she didn't look it. He didn't know how he could tell that she was mind you, but there was just that presence about her. Her magic confirmed his guess though. Her words fuzzed and crackled the air around him. All the hairs on his arms stood up on end and his skin prickled all over. Nick feebly tried to hide the shiver that shot through him. These ladies weren't like his Wicca pals from before. These gals meant business.

Then the Imp burned. It skin melted and fizzled away, the sizzling sounds scratching and crackling through the air around them. It suddenly smelt very much of burnt pork. God. Why was it always death with these people.

On his worse nights, when he couldn't tell the Bear from the Boy, the monster from the man it was the death and the violence that always eventually floated him down to a steady reality (despite how grotesque that might sound). For it was moments like this, that reminded him oh so much of what he absolutely hated about Magicals. Nothing could ever just be... good, with these people. Someone always ended up dead, or hurt, or something altogether much worse. Nobody ever escaped from magic in an ok state. Someway or the other, you always came out worse.

I mean, good lord! This woman was actually rambling about Satan and shit. Nick had been a Catholic since he was at least six weeks old and even he had never verbally talked about Satan the way this broad was going on. God, these people... always so dramatic with everything.

The older Witch approached the child, and once again Nick's instinct flared up before his mind could contest with it. For every step she took towards the child, Nick did too. But instinct works both ways. It made him step forwards yes, but it held him back too. This Witch was something different. Something strange and unknown. And despite all his efforts. Nick could not quiet the voice inside him that was afraid of that. However, when that child started to walk towards her, all hypnotised and trance-like and stuff, oh hell no.

Nick walked briskly forwards. Arms pulled the child back. Back to him and normality. Back to him and a average life. Not to a world of this. He stared the witch down, something he hadn't dared do up until then. There'd been a silent state of self preservation within him that honestly, he hadn't fully been aware of. But now it was gone. He wasn't going to let her take this kid. A quiet moment dragged on for a small eternity, and he just kept staring at her, brows furrowing into a small knot.

Then, he picked the child up into his arms.

"Fuck off."

He shook his head slowly.

"You're not having him,"

He had to pause a minute. Take a breath, steady himself.

"He's nothing to do with any, of this. I won't let him be involved with it. I will not stand here and let that happen."

He was honestly pretty surprised by his own confidence. Nick was no monster. No. He would never allow himself. But he'd never declared himself a saint either. So all this, would-be-hero and saving people business was a surprising change of pace for him. It was stressful as shit though, that was for sure.

Dammit. That pesky blood on his shirt had got him into shit again. His eyes finally darted down and away, averting the Witch's gaze. With his free hand he clumsily tried to cover the stain with his over shirt. Shaking hands too stumbling too button the thing properly. Nick didn't move for a moment or so. His uneasy breaths the only sound to break the rigid silence that rested between them all.

Then, slowly, he raised his head. He almost had to force his eyes to return her gaze once more. But he managed it. Looking the older witch dead straight in the eye, he slowly lifted his hand, and as purposefully as he could, simply said,

"Fuck all y'all."

And he was gone.

Without a second thought. Without a second glance. Nick turned on his heel, and strode swiftly away from them all. His only intention was to get himself way from them, and the child away from harm. So caught up in this intent was he, that he walked smack bang into someone else.

God. Everyone really was crawling out of the woodwork tonight huh.

The action startled him and he jumped. Claws had to be mentally held back. He didn't wanna accidentally impale the child after he'd just gone out of his way to save it. The scent washed over him them. Familiar abut new all at the same time. So much alike, but still completely different? It was almost overwhelming. He had to steady himself to stop from faltering completely.

This guy was a Were, like him. A were like him, but somehow not. Oh my god. Look at those ears, and that tail! Maybe Nick was luckier than he thought. What was this guy though. A different species maybe? Of bear? No no. He would have recognised that. Maybe he was a-

Oh.

He knew that smell.

Bewildered curiosity swiftly changed to clear animosity. Whoever this guy was. Whatever he was. He'd just been killing and murdering like the rest of them. And he thought Nick was like him, had approached him like a member of the pack. Nick just shook his head slowly. He spat on the ground, mumbled "Fuck it," Under his breath, and then stormed past the fellow Were.


Fuck him.
Fuck those Witches.
Fuck this night.
Fuck all of it.

[AliceMalice15]

Aradia’s eyes shimmered with mirth as she watched the were take the child. Would he even know how to care for a child with his own condition clearly weighing on his mind already? No matter, her magic was already working to heal up any scrapes, bruises, puncture wounds, or any form of physical harm to the child. By the time the two of them were away the child would have forgotten everything that happened and have no clear mark of anything having happened at all. As the second were arrived on scene her silvery eyes flicked over to it and paused but only for a brief moment as the first were decided to continue his tirade. He believed she wished to embroil the child in the world of magic? Not a legionary then. He would know that she tended to stay out of their world had he been. Giving a soft shrug she called after him.

“Have it your way,” she sighed, “the child may be in better hands with you anyway. If you should require help however I do offer you my assistance free of any strings. You’ll know where to find me should you need it.”

Turning her gaze back to the new were she let her gaze linger a bit longer. Clearly this creature was not the same as the man who just left.

“As for you,” Aradia purred, “pray tell....what are you? You’re not like most of your kind. You seem....backwards? Not in a bad way mind you. Just the reverse of normal. Is that right?”

She could feel the ill magic rolling off of the creature almost like oil- no, not oil blood. It was not unlike some magics she had performed herself in the name of trial and error. Much like she would never allow herself to perform again. Those types of magic were dangerous even for someone as well versed as her. They only lead to more damage than good and required a great sacrifice both to the one performing and the one being performed on. Whatever it was. It was wrong.

“Whatever made you,” she said very quietly, “must have taken so much from you......I truly am sorry for what you’ve suffered.”

[Kortaga]

The man had come and running away quickly ran straight into him. He had flinched slightly from the impact. While he might have avoided or dodged consider he had been holding a child he almost thought the man was going to pawn him off to him or something telling them to escape. Curiosity turned to animosity and he stomped past him. Honestly, he was not entirely used to this but at the same time it happened often. Ever since the incident he did not really fit in anywhere but at the same point he also was outwardly aggressive. He did not do himself favors but others did not do him any either. It felt very similar to when he was a full wolf and he sort of enjoyed things this way. The only thing he was missing was a tight knit group to grow and protect. He smirked at that thought…he was a being of vengeance now, better not to drag anyone with him.

When he was addressed by one of the magic castors his eyes narrowed slightly and his silvery tail swished back and forth. He turned his left ear a bit to hear from another direction. He was nervous about being ambushed and with all sorts of blood from witch to human on him he would probably need to smooth things over. He did not want to lose tabs on the two in front of him but he also did not want to confront them directly while he was tired and low on magic power. He was playing quite the dangerous game…

Her voice was soft but full of wonder as to what he was. Normally people did not ask. Normally it was a scream or an attack. She did not seem to be taking as a hostile threat. Was it because he was slightly injured or…was it because she was so powerful he was not a threat. He needed to figure things out. Right now would be the time for such things. “Cursed from wolf to Lycan…the moon does not affect me as much but still in some ways. So I am new to…humanity…” His tail swished more aggressively at the humaniy comment. He was not normal…he should be a wolf and while he could take on that form…other wolves knew he was different. He could not migrate into either humanity nor the wolves. He was officially a being of the night who was trying to hunt down other beings of night. He really made enemies everywhere he goes.

The fact that she mentioned that she was sorry something took much from him…how did she know? He felt his teeth clench a bit…

Is she really the one? He could not sense magic or tell anything, well not until she casted a similar spell. She could tell by looking at him his situation. Once again either she knew or she could find the one. A light suddenly clicked in his head. He could use her to find the one…it would be both riskier and not as risky. For some reason he never thought to seek aid from a witch to find a witch. His mind…was not as fast as a humans. He cursed his primitive thoughts.

“Your thanks are not needed, but the consideration is…wait…how you say.” He put a claw to his lips and looked off at a distant memory of a town he went to.

“Thank you…is what I believe I am to say and I do mean it.”

He shifted a bit and said, “You are offering assistance with no strings attached…I know it was for the child but might that also come to lonely hurt one such as myself?”

He needed to push this one’s kindness. She may ask something of him but if they make it to bartering terms…maybe he can get what he needs. He gave a soft smile…whether it actually came across as nice or a wolfs grin…he was unsure. He had not perfected human expressions so well.

[ｒａｂｂｉｔ]

Disgusting parasite. Not that she was one to talk, but at least Lavinia was no coward. Rage boiled in her as she watched the little undead doctor close her doors to the scene outside. If she’d had the courage, the zombie could have helped the injured, the wounded, provided shelter in what most considered protected or at least taboo place to attack.

Lavinia had found herself amidst the insanity as it descended on the city; she’d been walking home from another excellent performance of Hamilton when the words had displayed themselves across so many screens. The tension she’d felt in the night had made sense, then, and the darkness fell. And all the creatures like her in so many ways and unlike her in so many more unleashed their pent-up fury.

It was a good thing she’d visited the blood bank earlier that day. Otherwise, the scent of fresh human blood that now tainted the night air may have urged her hunger to overcome her carefully earned composure, but for now, she was fine.

Some foolish half-turned were charged her from the darkness of an alley and she tore its lower jaw off while she cast it an indignant, insulted little look.

“In the future it may better serve you to use your sense of smell before choosing your prey,” she offered, her tone calm but still holding the slight tone of someone who has just been insulted. Her svelt figure then dissolved into mist and she moved through the streets silently and unnoticed that way. Many who she thought to save were beyond it and the several times she tried she seemed to startle the mortals more than she’d meant to.

“Go home,” she urged them. “Or find shelter in someone’s home. Many of these things cannot do you harm there – those that can are easier to kill than the ones who must stay outside.”

They’d fled with her words ringing in their ears and she slipped into the mist again.

That was how she’d come upon the scene with the child, the weres, the witches. Lavinia, too, had heard the man’s call about helping the child but she hadn’t been as quick to respond as the witches. Instead, her form came together high above them on one of the fire escapes; she gripped the cold railing with her hands and watched. She may have been the only one to see the little zombie open the door of the apartments, pistol in hand, and her vision blurred with rage at the exhibited cowardice. Her eyes cleared and focused, finding the street address marked on the building and making a mental note.

One of the two witches, the one who’d arrived on the heels of the first, spoke their spell aloud and turned the vampire-imp to ash with one word. It sent a chill down her spine. She imagined it’d take significantly more power to do such a thing to someone such as herself, but all the same, Lavinia didn’t like it. The were moving toward the child at the same time the witch did was an interesting little display, but the were protectively taking the child in his arms made her swell with pride. She didn’t know him, she didn’t know the witch, but weres were known for being close knit and good with child-rearing and it amused Lavinia to see him so boldly defying the intent of the witch.

At the sound of a scream in the other direction, Lavinia turned her head so quickly that it made her Gibson Girl coif tremble and just like that she was off again, mist in the night air. Her feet touched ground again as four paws. Her ashy blond coat was thick, coarse and her heckles were up as she bared fang at the trio of ghouls who’d cornered a mother and her baby – they seemed to have fled their home by their appearance and Lavinia broke the ghoul’s advance on them.

They paused, looking from one to the other and Lavinia took the advantage and lunged at the one on the left. Her wolf may have been mistaken as a hybrid or husky by the common, untrained eye, but she was unmistakably deadly in her movements. The first ghoul fell and she planted her four paws on it’s chest as she leapt into the air at the second, bouncing off it and knocking it to the ground as she changed direction toward the one that’d appeared to be the leader, knocking it back too and pinning it to the floor under her.

“You will cease,” she growled, though the words were garbled in the wolf’s mouth.

The ghoul looked up at her, confused and it seemed distracted by its friend’s blood dripping off her snout. Slowly, she moved off it and circled around to her spot between them and the woman and baby. The two ghouls gathered themselves and then looked to their friend’s carcass, chittered at each other, and then drug it away. The wolf glanced back at the woman and then padded behind a dumpster to reclaim her human form.

“You need to go home,” she told her as she came around the dumpster; she lifted the hem of her skirt as she stepped over the trail of blood leading away from the scene.

“I-I can’t. It’s not safe,” the woman said and the babe in her arms screamed. Lavinia winced but moved closer, looking to the mother for a moment who gave her a pleading look.

“Quiet, little one,” she stroked her cool fingers across the babe’s forehead and it looked up at her with teary eyes, quick to fall under her gentle suggestion. “You can cry again when it is safe but now you put yourself and your mother in danger.”

It wasn’t as much Lavinia’s words as the intent behind her gaze, but the mother seemed all right with it, somehow. In fact, though a coping tactic it may have been, she even quipped, “Wow, do you do babysitting?”

Lavinia cast her a smile but other shrieks in the night pulled them back to the situation at hand.

“Do you have anywhere to go nearby? A friend, neighbor?”

“I don’t know who I can trust.”

“A church, then,” Lavinia decided and there was one close by, she knew – she actively avoided it, usually.

Lavinia and the woman moved quickly, so quickly that one turn down the street met her with the sight of a man carrying a child – both of whom she recognized from not too much earlier. Her heart lighted and she tugged on the mother’s hand gently as they came up behind him; Lavinia reached a hand out to catch Nick’s shoulder lightly and garner his attention.

“Sir?”

[Lady Celeste]

And just like that, tonight had officially gone from bad to downright messed up. Diana had the imp-vamp secure long enough to get the kid out of the way, but an elder witch whom Diana didn’t recognize was having none of it, and the imp-vamp was now literally toast. That suited Diana just fine; she would’ve been more than happy to do the same if not for the Legions’ strict house rules on other Legionnaires’ minions. No, what really irked her was the would-be hero’s complete lack of gratitude. No thank-you, no nod of acknowledgement... just a blunt ‘fuck-you’ before taking off. The kid would still be a human chew toy without their help, and that was the thanks they got?!

Still, despite her better judgment, Diana knew a novice like him wouldn’t last much longer now that the Legions were out hunting. So now that everyone was going their own way, she sealed up the cut to her hand and cleaned it off, then took to her broom and flew off again, maintaining as much altitude as possible to keep hidden while still staying close enough to ground level to keep an eye out for the hero.

Whether or not anyone followed was of little concern to her. She wasn’t breaking any rules by tailing the hero, and the only one who might be interested enough to follow her - Yuu - might even be willing to let her slide anyway just to see how this turns out.

Either way, it was going to be a looong night.

[AliceMalice15]

Aradia chuckled lightly as the hybrid, for he was more that than a true were, attempted to figure out human semantics. She could understand where it would get confusing. Human languages had only gotten more and more complex in the last few hundred years. When he asked for her assistance her eyebrows peaked curiously.

“The offer may stand depending on the request,” she purred, “I certainly can’t give too much away for free, but should terms be required, I can be trusted to be fair.”

Flicking her eyes toward the younger witch as she fled she said nothing but grimaced at the girls back. So much for respecting one’s elders. Not even so much as a thank you. Shrugging she returned her gaze to the hybrid once more. The bloody aura that surrounded him seemed to almost seep from his pores and it almost made her own skin crawl as it reached out and brushed against her own aura. She could remember the amount of cleansing it had taken to rid her aura of such ill magics. It wasn’t easy, but at the very least it wasn’t too painful.

“Well then,” she sighed, “what would you have of me then? And what shall I call you? If we are to be business partners it’s best we have some name to use.”

Her eyes roamed the hybrid’s form and she couldn’t help but think it somehow familiar, but not quite placeable. Peculiar, in all her long years she had never forgotten a face. Brushing it off in her mind she returned to musing over the hybrid’s aura again. It was certainly larger than what the ritual required to make him would need, but that could be easily explained by the deaths of a few magic using creatures. They would likely have caused a certain overwhelming burst of energy or power. It would be interesting to see first hand.

[ｒａｂｂｉｔ]

Nick was not an elegant man on his best of days. So weaving through a crowd of this sheer size, while also trying to keep hold of a hysterical child was no mean achievement for him. Most of the other fellow Magicals were leaving him alone, but he was becoming increasingly aware that it was rather tricky to look threatening and imposing with a small infant tucked into your chest. The man routinely cooed soft nothings at the kid, trying his hardest to think of a place where it would be safe. He was no parent. Hell, his sister wasn’t even that younger than him really. Nick had no clue whatsoever as to what to do truth be told.

Instinct and natural aggression had forced him into taking the child into his custody. But now that those feelings had dampered, Nick was left with an unknowing confusion that made everything quite a bit trickier. Every now and then he’d attempt to stop what he guessed were mortals and fob the kid onto them but none of them were really having it. God he didn't want this kid anymore. He wanted to run, run to the woods again or go check on his family or just, something. Something that wasn’t here. Something far, far away.

These thoughts of something else had managed to distract him. The man was well away within his own head. So much so that he didn’t notice that, a) the child was now bawling loudly, or b) there was now a woman approaching him quite rapidly from behind. She caught up to him, touched his shoulder and Nick’s spirit nearly left his body. He truly leapt out of his skin, child catapulted into the air while Nick, after three lanking lolloping strides, crashed into the ground.

Lavinia screamed. It was as much at the man jumping and tumbling forward as it was that the child was now airborne. She darted forward, faster than nature would typically allow any mortal, and caught the boy. The blond quickly looked down at the man she was now standing over - long, ivory velvet skirt pulled tight against her legs with her stance, one foot near his head the other in the empty space below the crook of his armpit.

“I didn’t mean to scare you!” Her brow was knit in concern and she hurriedly stepped away, the mother with her babe in her arms coming to her side as she placed the child on the ground. The mother took his hand in hers and spoke softly to him to quiet him. The young woman extended her hand to the man on the ground in a gesture, hoping to assist him with getting up.

Woah. This gal was fast. For a moment or two, Nick just kinda lay there, staring. Not quite knowing what else to do with himself, or how to really react to what had just happened exactly. I mean just… Wow. She was cute.

He gave his head a little shake, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand while he used to other to accept the notion of help speedy gonzales had offered him. God he hoped his palms weren’t sweaty. The man was still shaky on his feet. Wobbling too and fro for a moment before fully regaining his composure.

“Ummm. Thank you, Miss? Mada- Ma’am…?”

Nick didn't really get called Sir very often, so he figured Ma’am was about the best thing to say back. God he hoped she didn’t find that offensive. Nick tried to focus on something, but he was finding it difficult. The Mortal woman looked flustered. Out of breath and trembling. He frowned softly,

“Are you guys ok? Do you need help? Cause I can help if you need it?”

The mother nodded a little but her eyes were raking the shadows and their surroundings, worried something else was going to manifest and attack them.

“I was taking them to the church - the safest place I could think of until dawn…” Lavinia’s eyes drifted down the street in the direction of the church. It was eerily quiet where they stood on the city street, though she could hear things in the distance.

Nick scoffed and batted himself on the head. Lavinia hid a smile at his gentle self-flagellation. Of course, the church! Why hadn’t he thought of that? If there’s one thing evil Magicals can’t stand, it’s gratuitous god-mongering.

Nick nodded his head as he stepped forward. With a silent gesture, he offered to carry the child once more. The woman looked like she needed to conserve what energy she could truth be told. The mother let him and Lavinia watched him. Turning to face the other, he offered his free hand to her, along with a genuine, perhaps a little subdued,grin.

“I’m Nick. I might come across as a little grizzly, but don’t worry. I don’t bite.”

Lavinia blinked at Nick’s offered hand and then registered what he’d meant with it and she slipped her hand into his, shaking a little too eagerly as she said, “Yes of course! I am Lavinia.”

https://i.imgur.com/ik27Z6e.jpgTogether they started toward the church. It wasn’t too long before she could spy the bell tower peeking over the roofs.

He almost did something when she hesitated. But then she slipped his hand into his and it was like being punched in the chest. He doubled over a little, hopefully unnoticeably. Ok this was, weird. He’d been standing next to her for at least five minutes or so now. Literally a inch or so away, and yet all that time, there’d been absolutely nothing. And yet, when she touched him. The scent had come rushing over him all at once, almost like a tsunami or something. She smelt like a dog. A wolf. She was… a wolf?

Nick gave his head a shake, trying to throw the feeling off of him. God. Couldn’t get a break tonight, that was for sure. She’d told him her name, but through the smells and the confusion, things got muddled. Nick was at the rear of their little group, yet he needed something clarifying. But god could he remember her name right.

“Latinio- La-lavinda… Vin-Vinnie..?”

His voice was laced with uncertainty.

She heard him stumble over her name and she turned to walk backward and look at him, the fabric of her ivory skirt in hand as she went.

“La-vin-ee-ah,” she watched his face as he struggled with it but then gave a little twitch of her shoulder. No one in all her years had given her a nickname.

“Vinnie works,” she told him. Her eyes then darted away from him as her eats picked up the clamor of something that sounded rather large nearby. Her eyes then moved over to the mother and then to Nick as she quickened her pace and said, “Let’s hurry.”

It wasn’t too long before the red doors to the old church greeted them. A few steps lead from the city’s sidewalk up to the doors and she gently ushered the mother and babe up them.

“You’ll look after him, too?” Lavinia watched as Nick put the child down and he darted up the stairs toward the church. The mother nodded and held her baby a little tighter.

“Yes, we’ll see what we can do in the morning, I suppose, though if every night is going to be like this…” She shivered and then turned to go inside the church. Just before she opened the door, she turned back to Nick and Lavinia and cast them a smile.

“I’m not sure what you are or what is going to come of any of us now, but… Thank you,” she told them and then went inside.

Lavinia turned to Nick with a little smile which then shifted to a soft look of concern. She said, “I saw, you know. What you did for that child. It was no small thing, standing up to Legionaries in that way.”

Was she blushing? She’d bowed her head to look at the palms of her hands as she spoke, but color tinted the uppermost parts of her cheeks. Maybe it was the cold.

“You may not have made friends of them,” she reminded him and her green eyes darted up to meet his, brow furrowing just a little.

Nick waved to his original kid as he disappeared into the church. The kid didn’t wave back, but that was ok. He smiled back at Vinnie too, in an equally shy-unsure fashion. And that’s when she gave him… a compliment?

He shuffled from foot to foot awkwardly, a hand rubbing at the back of his neck. She was wrong though. Well, he thought so anyway. It was a small thing, just helping that kid. He could have walked away just as easily. But then again, he didn’t, he supposed. Ugh. I don't know. It was a weird thing to think back on for him. Despite it only happening a few minutes ago, the whole scene felt fuzzy and blurry to him. He couldn’t quite remember it properly, things had happened so quickly.

She had a point with that last bit though. Nick scoffed.

“Pfft. Yeah… you got that one right.”

He sighed, hand fidgeting routinely at his side. He shrugged and grinned lazily at Lavinia,

“My lady beckons me,”

With a heavy effort, Nick slouched down onto the ground, and perched upon one of the church steps. He hunched over on himself in an attempt to shelter his lighter from the breeze that whistled through the air. His words came out as a mumble when he spoke, pushed past his cig awkwardly,

“So if you don’t mind me asking, What are you exactly? Because if you’ll pardon me Miss,”

He glanced at her over his shoulder, a smug cheeky grin failing to hide itself on his face,

“You smell, well, weird.”

Existential dread gripped Lavinia’s core. The embarrassment rooted with such a blunt statement and the adorable way he’d asked what she was was beyond what she could keep her calm about. If she’d had a soul, it probably would have fled her body. Instead, blush from below the chiffon collar of her blouse flooded up her porcelain throat and face and she turned her face just slightly away in an effort to hide it. It wasn’t often one caught her off her guard like this; perhaps it was the chaos of the night or perhaps it was him.

“S-smell… Weird…” She whispered, stammering in her soft accent, though the words were heavy with trepidation.

Perhaps, she considered, the were at the beginning of the attack this evening was confused by her scent as well. Was something wrong with her? Was is someonething she ate? Lavinia always acquired sustenance from the blood bank, so how could something have been tainted? She pushed the thoughts aside for now. It took a few moments to collect herself, but finally the blond ran a few fingers through her hair, pushing back some stray strands, and turned back to him.

“I am vampire,” she said, though it wasn’t a bold statement. It was the same way someone else might say, “I am late” or “I am Canadian” or “I wear glasses.”

… Ok. Had anticipated a reaction. Still didn’t expect the one he got, but hey ho, what the heck. Nick felt bad honestly. He’d asked what he thought was a simple question. Clearly she was a magical, and hopefully she’d figured out he was too (I mean he practically spelled it out for her in that pick up line… Oh god. Maybe that was a bad opener in hindsight). So he was just making conversation. The question was a casual one in his opinion. Yet here she was, redder than a herring.

He stumbled up to his feet, rising quicker than he thought he was going to. Oh. Ohhh. OH!

“A vampire?!”

He wasn’t even trying to hide his emotions anymore at this point honestly. He took a single step back. Just the one. You could see the thoughts ticking over in his head. Eyes practically glazed over in concentration. And then finally. After a decent minute of silent consideration. Nick spoke,

“Woah,” And then that stupid idiot grinned. “I’ve never met a Vampire before… Woah. Oh wait! How old are you?”

She was afraid he was going to turn away from her as he had the witches. The step back didn’t help and then he finally spoke. And asked her how old she was. Her mouth dropped open in what her mother would have called a very undignified manner and if she could have turned a deeper shade of red in the process of blushing she would have, but she was at capacity.

“One! Does not! Ask a lady! Her age!” She snapped at him pointedly. She huffed, “Rude!”

Nicks eyes widened, and he shrank back in obvious unease. He’d gone from taking long lazy drags from his cig, to puff puff puffing away at it faster than a steam engine. Eyes darted hither and thither and what he really wanted to say came out as an incomprehensible mumble and barrage of murmured apologies.

“I’m-i’m so so so-sorry. Oh god. I um- I’m sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that- to say that at all! Actually. I er…”

He coughed, though it sounded forced.

“I um. I never really liked Buffy I guess so er… you’re safe from me at least,”

That last part had been an attempt at humour, although he didn’t know how well placed the joke was in hindsight and consideration of their current situation.

“Buffy…?” It took a moment for the modern pop culture reference to sink in but it did eventually and she sputtered a giggle.

“With the way that show treated the supernatural, none of us should have liked it,” she said and then looked up to the church and it’s heavy red doors and the bell tower that rose into the night. She looked contemplative and then her eyes drifted back to Nick.

“You’re were, right? A, um,” she thought back a moment. “Grizzly?”

He sighed and then forced a grin on to his face.

“Yup. That’s me. A brutish bear.”

She blinked and furrowed her brow a little, but said nothing.

He took a very, very long drag. So long in fact it finished the cigarette. Stubbing it into the brick wall of the church, a clear sooty mark now scraped into the brickwork. Sighing, he pushed himself away slowly from the building and began to casually saunter back down the path towards the street. It still sounded pretty hellish out there. He looked to the girl,

“What are you going to do now? Do you have like ummm, family...still? Here? Or.. I dunno, friends or something, I dunno?”

He felt awkward asking her anything. She must have been so smart, I mean, she certainly looked it. And there he was, asking her childish questions like this.

It was something of a reflex that she fell into step beside him. She gave her head a gentle shake at his question and peered down at her hands, one hand’s fingers laced together with the other’s as she walked.

“No, nothing like that,” she said. “I’m on my own here. There are few of my kind that live the way I do, so that in and of itself is isolating.”

Vinnie put her palms together and glanced at him curiously as she said, “You?”

For a moment or two, he didn’t answer her question. Nick was just looking at her, thinking to himself. This woman must have gone through so much of her life alone, and he had blundered asking a question like that. He shook his head, both in response to her query and to rid himself of distractions.

“Nah. They’re all back in Washington. ‘Cept for Paz- my sister. She’s somewhere in Wisconsin last I heard.”

Suddenly his paced slowed, only by a half-step or so, as a thought dawned on his. A slow lazy grin spread across his face, and playfully, he gave her shoulder a small shove.

“Maybe we’ll have to just band together and make a pack of our own. Stick together, form a team, I dunno,” Nick said.

The blond furrowed her brow thoughtfully at the proposition, it’s underlying implications missed by her all together and she slowly started to nod.

“You know, that’s not a terrible idea. We don’t have Ultra-Force - that’s why the Legionaries have grown as bold to attack like this,” she gestured into the night in a little motion and continued, “There’s safety in numbers, that’s a concept as old as time.”

The gears were moving on this subject, that much was clear, her hands pressing her palms together now, the ivory and blue ruffles of her blouse sleeves along her wrists bouncing softly with her movement and the strides she took while walking. An amused little expression came across her features before she smiled and asked,

“Do you have a cave we’re going back to, or…?”

Nick proceeded to then walk into a lamppost. It was rather fair to say, that that particular comment had indeed, caught him off guard. He swore and cursed, raising his hands to cover what he had no doubt would become a lovely little bump on his forehead. Crap, she was still right there. He was meant to be a deadly predator, a vicious hunter, killer of men. And she’d just seen him walk into a lamppost. Nick laughed awkwardly, hopefully that would break the tension nicely.

“HAHAHA. I MEAN. HAHA. WOAH. LAMPS AM I RIGHT?”

He looked at her for a solid minute. She held his gaze. Her mouth hung open, astonished.

“Tell no-one. Please.”

She’d raised her hands in surprise and they hung in the air cautiously - she didn’t want to grab him, for fear of his reaction to that.

“Are you ok?” She breathed the words, taking a slow step a little bit closer to him.

He looked down at her.

“Yeah. I think I’ll live,”

His smile turned small, and just a little bit shy.

“Um, I have a room that I’m renting from a friend, we’ll hide out there for a bit? Maybe just, ride this wave out until it all calms down for a bit?”

“How millennial of you,” Vinnie teased and nodded, and they were off. She subtly made sure he didn’t walk into any more lamp posts and they kept a keen eye out as they went; the city was still teaming with Legionnaires; of that, she was sure.

[Heson Shadowbane]

Emily had been hiding in the basement for what seemed forever. She was nervously chewing upon the hand she had, having expected people to bust down the doors to come after her. After the long wait and hearing nothing breaking down the doors she finally decided to go back up the steps to the empty lobby. No one had busted inside or undid the lock on the door. So with a timid stepping she made her way over to the door and unlocked it, feeling the unlocked building would draw less suspicion, and then made her way back to her dropped baggage.

She began to drag it back to her basement as she chewed away upon another finger. If she could get fat, she would've gotten worried that she was munching away instead of saving the food for later. Down the steps she began to pull the bag, nervous glances going up to the lobby doors as she hoped that no one would come in. She didn't want to have to break into a run to get away.

[Kortaga]

Ze’ev watched as the one witch took off to do who knows what. She did not even say a word. Maybe those two were on…turf wars? No…bad relations…right. As such he noticed that things seemed to have gotten much more quiet around here. He was tempted…he was hurt but maybe if he surprised her…he banished the thought. No it would at least be wiser to heal first, plus if she would help him…maybe this would go more quickly. His pack mentality started to kick in as well. The more people he surrounded himself with the stronger he would be. No one had accepted him as more than something that did not belong and while she would probably be using him as much as he her…well there was benefits.

He reached up to crack his neck and walked casually over to the lady witch before him. He did not get to close after all they did not know each other but he also did not feel like screaming everything. He felt his wounds leak a little which meant he would need to tend them sooner rather than later but it was not the worst experience in the world. She asked him what he really wanted and a name. Names were something he was never really quite certain about. As an animal turned man it seemed weird to him. As for his purpose well maybe he should not tell her outright. He tempered his bloodlust so he come off more…delicate?

“I am attempting to find the one who made me as I am…I have found it difficult to meet with someone on talking terms…I would like to seek assistance in this front.” He shifted a little. He knew he was not speaking terribly well or clear but for someone who only picked up language by hearing it…he did pretty well he thought. “My name is Ze’ev as I have been called…I suppose.”

He gave a small bow to the one before him…he had seen this done as a greeting on a little electric box in a window and figured that was the best thing to follow. “What is yours…What do you want?”

He had certainly not intended to be crude but the way it came off might be taken in such way. Conversation would be a side effect of spending time with this witch. Something he needed if he wanted to blend in more. “Should we move to a more private location?” He once again looked over at the pharmacy…he knew that was a place he could get patched up…

[AliceMalice15]

Aradia’s lips turned up in a wide smile as she giggled at her new companion. His speech was so formal it just made her feel more endeared to the creature. He was certainly doing well for a creature who had previously never used human languages. It was rather.....cute if not a little crude, but it would suffice.

“It won’t be very easy you know,” she said crossing her arms and raising a well manicured eyebrow, “you’re absolutely covered in all sorts of magically charged um....I suppose ill will would be the best description of what I can see. I take it communing with most of my kind has only earned you new battle scars and a general distrust of us. A pity. You are clearly worthy of more note than just a few low level spells flung carelessly over a shoulder. Not many can boast such a clear kill count.”

Perhaps this creature could be of use to her, and she certainly felt bad about his current position. It was cruel to give an animal such faculties and leaving them to fend for themselves. The least his creator could have done was stick around and teach him a language and how to operate in his new form.....and then he bowed. Aradia pressed her lips together and gently closed her eyes at the motion. It was comical seeing such an antiquated show of respect even with a creature who clearly had no real concept of human greetings and customs. Where had he learned such a thing?

“Please dear you don’t have to bow to me,” she chuckled, “it’s a rather outdated tradition actually. Where did you learn such a thing? We may move to a more intimate setting if you like. I must say though I’m sure you’ve been aptly named for what you once were, you have certainly adapted to your surroundings in a much more formal and respectful manner than most would wolf or no. You may call me Aradia as most do. Though I suppose I’d likely answer to most anything you might call me. I’ve been around long enough to have been called nearly everything. As for what I wish of you.....well I haven’t quite decided yet. You seem the useful sort. Why don’t I just call it a favor for now and should I think of something you can repay me then? A favor for a favor sort of thing. Fair enough?”

Holding out a slender manicured hand she smiled letting the sincerity of her words be displayed in her expression. She spoke true, but any who had knowledge knew that owing a witch a favor could truly have any meaning. Everything from a simple token to ones own soul could be on the table. It truly depended on the whim of the witch. Fortunately this wolf had found a friend in Aradia anyone else might have steered him toward his demise.....

[AliceMalice15]

Sorry!

[Kortaga]

As he spoke the witch in front of him gave a satisfied smile like whatever he was saying was funny. He must breath and resist. Now was not the time for him to fly off the handle, not so soon, not when he was close to getting some much needed assistance. He thought about it and smiles were not only menacing but also they could be good, maybe this was a positive sign. He certainly did not feel any ill will form her. At least not yet anyway. He would need to vigilant.

As she spoke she mentioned something maybe he should take as a point of benefit. Did she compliment him…pity him…or look down on him? He was terrible at reading a non-hostile mood. He shifted on his feet nervously. He was starting to feel tired though if it was of him not attacking her or fatigue he was unsure. He thought about how aggressive he had been and took another breath. No dark thoughts…no more hunting…no more fighting. He needed to be calm…and it had been a long time since he felt like that. He stood up more straight, maybe dignified. He rolled his shoulders to loosen them up. He was trying to…look natural, though it may do the opposite.

He approached her as if nothing mattered. Yes this was good he seemed in control. He took her hand and he thought about doing that thing with the mouth and the hand he had seen but…she told him such things were unnecessary. He shook her hand, gripped tightly and knew it without needing any notion for her…he also needed to learn control. He relaxed it and said, “If you help me…any favor I can grant I shall.” That was a formal contract with a witch. He felt this was similar to the last time he did this and it bite back hard. Trust was not easily learned…but he needed to give it here. After all what more could she take from him that he really cared about. His revenge was all that drove him at this point. Afterward was irrelevant.

He let go of her smooth hand and said, “I learned my speech and manners from…the…hum….well one was from the light boxes in the windows. Secondarily from the voices that come out of the those large steel boxes people get in and out of. Most would not speak with one such as myself so I had to learn through watching and mimicry.”

He felt no shame and did not wear it. He stood close to this women which was closer than he had ever been while not attacked. “Ararrr…Aradya…” He shook his head once like an actual dog and then said, “No…Aradia…Aradia…” He moved his mouth a bit like the word was stuck but once he got it he looked back at her and nodded as if it meant anything. “I know that building over there has things that people use to recover should we go there or another such location you are more familiar with…I am injured to a degree and it is hard to hunt with all this blood on me.”

Hunt was probably not being used well to describe what he meant but Aradia would most likely see through it.

[AliceMalice15]

Aradia smiled once again as she listened to the hybrid, no Ze’ev, and he spoke her name the word sounding foreign in his mouth. When he spoke of patching off and cleaning off all the blood on his person Aradia’s eyes instinctively traveled about his person once again and her smile dimmed slightly.

“You have no idea,” she mused quietly, “hm?-ah yes that would not be a bad idea. I could use some refreshing as well and see what I can do about what wounds you may have. I’ve been told I would have made an extraordinary healer had I focused my skills solely on that rather than engaging in multiple studies at once, but excellence will do. Those light boxes though, I believe by that you mean what is called a television or tv for short. Wonderful little contraptions. It’s like little moving artworks or memories. And the metal, um boxes you said right? I believe you mean cars....well vehicles anyway. They come in all shapes and sizes and are actually a wonderfully quick and easy way to transport oneself across quite the expanse not nearly as quick and as far as an airplane could get you mind you, but certainly works getting from town to town rather well. Listen to me blather though. Shall we retire to the clinic you spoke of then?”

Offering Ze’ev her arm, Aradia smiled disarmingly. His newness to everything reminded her of her own discoveries of new technology through the years. It was incredible the things these humans had come up with, and they just kept going!

She self-boasted a lot, either she was quite good or she was bluffing, either way it did not matter to Ze’ev. She gave him the names of two different things. Kars and tele…thingies which tv was just easier so he would stick with that. She mentioned the clinic which was exactly what he was thinking. He had been to a similar looking place once before and it had what he needed. Those people had been nice to him. He felt himself grimace at the fact that the humans attacked them for harboring a werewolf which he guessed is what he was. The only thing he really knew for certain was basics and that someone like Aradia had turned him into this at the cost of his family. If she was the means to his revenge then he would follow.

Aradia offered him her arm which at first caused him to be on edge. He looked at it for a moment like it was a bizarre animal. Then he remembered the light b…err tv. There were quite a few scenes of humans walking around and holding arm in arm. He figured it was the correct thing to do in human culture and the matter being that he figured this was a mutual trust thing. He would be close enough to hurt her but if he did he imagined she would hurt him in some kind of trap. If she wanted to hurt him at all she could so going with it really was the best option.

Locking arms with her felt very weird, it was already not normal to walk on two legs but to then be attached to another made it hard for him to gauge his steps. His awkwardness showed on his face but he simply said, “I think there was someone in the building, unsure if friendly or not.” He paused his speech for a moment and followed up with, “Thank you for explaining those things, it is refreshing to find a safe place to learn. Without a pack…it has been difficult.”

He was not remorseful, he was well past grief. He was ready to take the first proper steps to his revenge.

“My dear,” Aradia chuckled, “when you’re as old as I am not many can afford to consider themselves enemies. The undead creature, or at least from what I could smell that’s what she was, seemed rather harmless, if not a bit skittish.....not to say that I find her kind or her scent repugnant- gross, it’s simply to say that they do have a particular scent of rot about them. Heavens you’d think with my age I’d have learned better ways of passing on information without seeming to hold undue prejudice. Ah, but English is still young.....Listen to me ramble. I’m happy to help Ze’ev. If nothing else I highly enjoy passing on my knowledge to others.....you know whoever gave you the notion to call yourself Ze’ev must have had a grand sense of humor....”

Shaking her head Aradia began to stroll off toward the clinic knowing Ze’ev would likely follow suit or be encouraged to do so by the tug it would give him due to her own momentum.

He listened to Aradia speak again. She spoke a lot and she moved her words about in very interesting ways. Ze’ev was hoping he would be able to copy some it by the end of their exchange. “I know not what my name means but whomever planted the thought into my mind when making me said it would fit.” As they moved over to the door he broke away from her and attempt to put his ear next to the door. He was trying to listen for the little one that had been moving in and out. He did not hear very much on this end but he was certain they could be as still as death from the way she spoke about them.

Naturally he tried the handle but it would not open. Ze’ev looked annoyed but simply turned back to his new…partner? “Door is locked…should I smash it in?” He said in more of an exchange tone. He was certain there were other ways he could go about it. He was full of tact and not a meat head. The question was more so directed as do you have an alternate solution. “I could always try and find another avenue with which to enter as well?”

He could simply use magic as well but the less she knew about his Ice based magical gift the better for now until he trusted her more. She might already know but a chance at surprise was the key to wary allies.

Aradia barely glanced at the door as she waved in it’s direction muttering a small unlocking spell and it swung open. As she stepped through her eyes quietly moved back and forth examining the foyer of the building they had entered.

“The meaning behind you name dear,” she said as she stepped further in to the building, “is rather literal to your nature. It’s the word in the Hebrew language that means wolf. Most won’t get the irony in you being named as such, but you live for a few hundred years and even the little ironies struggle to escape you. Hmmmm I suspect our little undead nurse practitioner is either working out of some sort of basement or out of her own living quarters, the former being the most likely. A nice quiet basement would make for a better place to store lots of medical supplies without the justice department becoming involved.”

Looking about she located a promising looking door with an “employees only” sign on it. Gesturing for Ze’ev to follow she walked up to the door and tried it....

[Heson Shadowbane]

Emily heard the talking at the door and cursed as she drug her bag faster down to the basement. "I didn't want to deal with this. Legion's gone full on crazy, city is in chaos, need to plan out a way to escape this place... I should go north. The cold will keep me preserved better as much as I'd like to go to a beach or something..." She left her bag inside by the door and continued into her makeshift lab/clinic. The first thing she had grabbed was a motor cycle helmet off a desk that she put on right away.

Already she could hear the steps going down towards her basement and she grabbed herself the pistol off the desk and held it carefully in her hands as she pointed it at the door. She waited for it to start opening and laid her finger upon the trigger. "I am armed and I will shoot! Everyone just stay relaxed and no one gets hurt. I haven't lived this long to get blasted by a riot!"

[AliceMalice15]

Finding the basement door unlocked Aradia passed nonchalantly down the narrow stairway to the second metal door into the basement. Rather traditional for these types of buildings. Spotting the bag by the doorway she looked over what contents she could see poking out and raised an eyebrow. Well, the undead girl certainly wasn’t missing the opportunity to profit from this based on the pooling blood stain on the bags bottom.

"I am armed and I will shoot,” came the young undead’s voice from the other side of the door, “Everyone just stay relaxed and no one gets hurt. I haven't lived this long to get blasted by a riot!"

Aradia smiled in amusement and crossed her arms over her chest. The girl had spunk.

“I suppose there’s no point in knocking then,” Aradia chuckled, “might my companion and I enter your clinic? We’re not legion and we’ve simply come to borrow some supplies and safe haven. We’re more than happy to pay as well if you require it. Truly you have nothing to fear from us.”

Preparing a sort of gelatinous field of energy in front of the doorway Aradia ensured that neither herself nor Ze’ev would be harmed should the undead girl decide to fire upon them. No the bullets would simply slow and suspend in the air for a few moments as if stuck in jello. A rather comical, but effective way of protecting oneself from projectiles.

[Heson Shadowbane]

Emily would let out a sigh that almost sounded like a moan. "Thank divines, whatever they are. The living are so prone to panic and mayhem." She lowered her gun, but the safety was kept off. "You should've let me know of your plans. At least the day. I could've had a proper clinic set up." And I could've been out of the city and country... She gave a sigh and shook her head, trying to keep her thoughts from surfacing. Some of the Legion were known for getting into people's heads. "Well don't just stand in the doorway come on in already. You're here for some sort of medical attention right?"

She snapped a finger out of the front pocket of her dress, crunching down on it nervously. She was eating too much, it was going to ruin her hunger. But when stress was high like it was right now.... She shook her head again, chewing upon the bone and flesh in her mouth like it was nothing as she made her way over to the locker where she had her equipment. "So tell me what I'm working on? Gun? Stab? Slice? Burn? Holy Fire burns?" The gun remained in her hand as she searched and she had forgotten she was still wearing the protective motorcycle helmet over her head. It made for quite the strange site.

[Kortaga]

Ze’ev had never even considered using his magic in a way that was not outright violent. The ease at which the door simply opened to her command was astounding to him. She truly was a master of her craft. Even if this was a basic spell it meant a world of trouble for Ze’ev if he crossed her. She could think…Ze’ev was too direct. He needed to learn more…

She changed topics very quickly, going from talking about his name, to storing medical supplies to something called a “Justice Department”. Most of these things went over his head. He had no idea what Hebrew was…what irony was…he simply nodded and the only thing he could mention was simply, “If I am a wolf…then it makes sense…to be called wolf…why humans…have so many names…for the same thing. It bothers me.” Truly from the eyes of an animal it made little sense to him. Why overly complicate language. He and his pack got along fine with grunts, howls, yelps, and such. As a matter of fact Empathy was the main driving ability. He just…felt separated. Annoyed as he was he needed to make sure his relationship with the people would go well.

The sudden noise when she reached for the door surprised Ze’ev considering his hearing was so well and he still did not pick up on the occupant. She must truly be capable of being still as death for him to not move for such a long period. Aradia did the talking which was good. Ze’ev felt a need to say try it. He felt at times he questioned these primal urges. Sometimes they felt right and other times they did not.

Ze’ev was hesitant when they were told everything was fine and to come in. Once Aradia gave him to go ahead he stepped in. From the few light box projections he was this person…was not a medical official…

She had a metal thunderstruck in her hand and Ze’ev had a hard time keeping himself in check. The metal thunder had been a horrible thing when it showed up near his packs. “I dislike the tool…it does not heal…” Ze’ev was defensive and protective. Aradia seemed very clam and as such he attempted to relax, making very obvious motions.

He took off his hoodie, he was not wearing anything under that. While he had some fur on his shoulders back and stomach he for the most part had human anatomy much like how his face minus the ears, fangs, and eyes were human. Upon taking off the hoodie he would show off his battle wounds. Most he licked clean which was not the most sanitary. Multiple cuts and stabs, the occasional burn, something that may or may not be inflected.

He had a natural healing property that was very weak but that meant very little if he did not heal property. Most of his injuries and even old wounds were the cause of him not caring for himself on his revenge mission. He then began to start working on his pants…