[RP] Children of Aether

“You’re still not asking nicely, silly girl.” Poppy replied, still going on with her singing. Alyss was cringing with every time the needle carved into her leg, and then screaming as she pushed the needle deep into the muscle. Would she be able to pull the needle out of her leg when this was all said and done? Would she ever even get that chance? With no powers to defend herself with, there was little she could do… no, there was nothing she could do to stop the assault on her body.

Poppy went back to the cactus and plucked more spines. Not just one, but quite a few of them. When she turned around she looked over at Alyss and raised an eyebrow. Why had she done that? Had she came up with an idea to harm her even more? Alyss’ body felt as if it were on fire. The pain and fear was eating at her, harming her both physically and mentally. Poppy was back in front of her, toying with her just like a cat would do to a mouse it had caught. Her finger moved across her stomach as she was enjoying her catch.

“Now, where should I stick this one? Here… and here… and there!” The sharp pains returned as the first needle went deep into Alyss chest above her right breast. Her screams got progressively louder as each one went into her. The second one made contact with bone, and the scream was louder than any scream Alyss had ever let out in her life. That is… it was until the other two pierced through the palms of her hands. Alyss wasn’t even sure if that was her screaming anymore. It was so loud that it sounded as if it could have come from anywhere.

She only had one needle left… and she was frowning. “Oh, only one left. But, look! I have a whole cactus left! And when that is done, I can make another… and another… and another.” Her frown had transformed into a sickening grin. “How about I blind your eye for real? You shouldn’t like about things like that. Naughty girl. Maybe it’s time you told me the truth… or would you prefer that I make you tell me?”

With nothing Alyss could do, Poppy removed the bandage around Alyss’ eye. That was the final straw, Alyss had broken. She couldn’t even cover her eye as she started crying. Not only was she in pain, but the eye she had kept covered for all these years was uncovered. “Which one shall I choose? Left…” she said, moving the needle over to her left eye, almost touching her with it. “Or right,” she asked, moving the needle to her right eye.

“I-I do not want either gone… please? Please do not…” Alyss said pathetically in between sobs. She was covered in her own blood, her face was soaked in tears. She couldn’t help but remember how much her Father had loved her eyes. However, after his death, her Mother loathed her for them. She forced Alyss to cover it for years, claiming that it was ugly. Even after she killed her Mother, she still kept it covered out of self-conscious. Shuddering and crying, Alyss pleaded, “anything but my eyes, please…”
 
[OOC: I'd better not have Poppy actually blind her...xD]

Poppy lowered the needle, rewarding the girl with a pat on the head. "See? Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? Daddy always told me that being polite was its own reward. Don't you feel better now?" as she said this, she slowly quietened all of the girl's fear, calming her completely, and kissed her softly on the lips, fuelling her passion, her desire. She needed incentive to behave properly, after all. She lingered for a moment, allowing the full weight of her reward to penetrate the girl's mind, and then stepped away, leaving her with only the thought to dwell upon. She would do anything she was asked, but for one more moment of pleasure. Especially with the pain fresh in her mind.

"Isn't this fun, pretty thing? I've got so many other games we can play! Darts, and dress-up, and if you're a good girl, maybe we can play hide-and-seek!" she giggled, setting the cactus spine down and moving away, peering under the bed to make sure that Lily was still there - she had gone unusually quiet, with her eyes clamped shut, and was practically motionless - before moving back to her, biting her ear playfully before whispering into it;

"Do you understand now, pretty thing? Bad girls...they get punished. But good girls, they get rewarded. If you're nice to me, then I'll be nice to you, too." she smiled coyly, leaving the implications to the girl's mind. The girl had already hinted that she found her attractive, even without the pheromones which were even now raging in her body. She would see how it was. Poppy had rewarded her for being good. She had punished her for being bad. The reward far outweighed the punishment. She would do anything Poppy asked of her. And, if she didn't, then she'd be punished until she did. She would come around eventually. Poppy always got what she wanted, and if she didn't...well, it wouldn't be pleasant.

"So, pretty thing. Are you a good girl, or a bad girl?" Poppy asked, taking her chin in the cup of her hands, staring into her eyes. Different coloured eyes! Maybe she would be worth keeping, after all. Poppy had never had a toy with a feature like that, after all...of course, that would depend on her response. If she would not willingly give up her name, Poppy would have to kill her. There were, unfortunately, some things even desire could not do, unless she took the girl down now and gave her a full reward (and she hadn't been good enough for that) she may still hold on to that spark of self-preservation...foolish, since telling Poppy what she wanted to know was the only way for her to stay alive at this point, but people were like that sometimes...

...too bad for them.

--

Lily kept her eyes firmly shut (not that, from under the bed, she would have seen anything other than Poppy's feet unless she crawled closer, which was definetely not an option.) the whole time, listening to the other girl's screams of fear and pain, her crying and pleading. And Poppy...she was enjoying it. She could have killed the girl long before this; Lily suspected she could have killed her immediately when she entered the same room. She was toying with her. That very fact horrified her, causing her to retreat even further into herself as the screams continued. Was this the game that the Horned King had spoken to her about? Was this how she would meet her end, screaming in pain and fear as first her body, and then her soul, were both destroyed? What had she done to deserve an end like that?

The girl was as good as dead, and she was next, and there was nothing she could do about it...
 
[OOC: That would be nice, yes. :rofl: After this post… Do try not to permanently maim Alyss. :gonk: ]

She lowered the needle, much to Alyss’ relief. Losing an eye wouldn’t have been the most pleasant experience on the planet. Even though she was still captive and still in large amounts of pain, she was thankful to still have both of her eyes. Alyss was “rewarded” with a pat on the head. However, she knew it for what it really was: a degrading taunt. “See? Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Daddy always told me that being polite was its own reward. Don’t you feel better now?” Of course Alyss didn’t feel better at all. There were still needles going through her hands, and one in bone.

However, through the pain, Alyss felt Poppy messing with her head again. She wasn’t afraid anymore. It was odd how she could easily get into Alyss’ mind like that. There was a quick kiss on the lips, which was more than likely yet another attempt to fill Alyss’ mind with lust. Due to the pain, however, Alyss was well aware of what was going on. It’s quite hard to feel lust when you have needles buried in your skin. While the kiss was enjoyable… the pain far outweighed it. However… even with the pain, Alyss would be lying if she said that the illusion of pleasure didn’t tempt her.

“Isn’t this fun, pretty thin? I’ve got so many other games we can play! Darts, and dress-up, and if you’re a good girl, maybe we can play hide-and-seek!” As she spoke, she set the cactus spine down and moved away, looking under the bed. Lily was probably more scared than Alyss had been. While Alyss was the one screaming, Lily was the one that had to listen to it. Poppy moved back over to her and bit her ear. Once she was done, she started to whisper in it, ensuring that Lily couldn’t hear. “Do you understand now, pretty thing? Bad girls… they get punished. But good girls, they get rewarded. If you’re nice to me, then I’ll be nice to you, too.”

Alyss wanted her… but she also knew it wasn’t real. The emotions she was feeling were being fabricated by Poppy… her enemy. The emotions were overwhelming… but Alyss cold use of logic, and the pains in her body were enough to remind her that Poppy was only trying to fool her. Without a doubt in her mind, Alyss knew that once Poppy got what she wanted, she would either kill her, or control her. If Poppy had her way in the matter… everyone would be doomed.

She could either play along, risk losing herself again… or use the last moment of clarity brought on by pain to stand up to her. “So, pretty thing. Are you a good girl, or a bad girl?” She asked, grabbing Alyss by the chin and staring directly into her eyes. If she told her that she was good, she could take a chance at freedom at the risk of losing herself completely… if she chose bad, there would be more pain, but Alyss would die with her head held high. She would be a woman that her Father would have been proud of.

Thinking about it, Alyss remembered a play called “The Crucible”. Which was, ironically enough, a book about the Salem Witch Trials that took place in Puritan America and in that book was a character by the name of Giles Corey. He was on trial for protecting what they believed were witches. In all reality, he was only protecting his own wife who had been accused. They tied him to the ground and set boulders onto his chest to make him talk… he was crushed and he died. But, what Alyss’ Father pointed out to her was that he died standing up for what he believed in. He died with his head held high…

Alyss smiled, both of her eyes wide open as she forced herself to regain control. “In the words of Patrick Henry: ‘Give me liberty, or give me death’.” Alyss spat, fueled by rage and pain she spit at Poppy. “You are pathetic.” She was certain she was going to die… But at least she wouldn’t go out begging. “Non omnis moriar," she finished, closing her eyes and preparing for the worst.
 
[OOC: I was planning on having Lily warp her away now anyway. xD
Also, for the record, Lily lives in Camden, so she's a bit of way away from everyone else currently in the RP. Although taxis are convenient things. xD]

Oh. She was focusing on the pain, ignoring everything else. That was a shame, wasn't it? People did that sometimes, focusing on one feeling at the expense of everything else. That was cheating, and Poppy didn't like cheaters. The last person that had done that had been a man, a Knight...Poppy had made him suffer for it, giving him so much pain that his mind shattered, shortly before she broke him. She would do the same now for this girl.

Poppy said nothing, picking up the cactus, setting it between the girl's legs. She looked up, smiled and offered her a wave with her free hand, and then forced it grow, anchoring it to her legs - the resulting scream was the loudest yet, as hundreds of needles pierced her flesh all at once, sinking in so deep that they might have actually gone through her - and then forced it to grow upwards, into her, destroying her from the inside out...

...or, she would have. Moments after the girl screamed, the entire room went black. Poppy could no longer see her or anything else, and the cactus had vanished from her hands. Before she even had time to sigh, she found herself being knocked forward, sprawling, into a bed of roses.

She looked around, blinking stupidly in the sunlight. It took her a moment to realise where she was: The Regent's Park.

Gasps of shock and delighted catcalls greeted her. Poppy stood up, wondering what the fuss was about, before realising that she was still naked. For the first time in years, anger flooded through her.

"Cheaters!" she screamed, roses rising up around her. Funny, they weren't laughing now. With incandescent rage, Poppy sent her flowers towards every person in the area, thorns shredding skin, splattering the emerald green grass with gore, which was quickly absorbed as she used it for energy to fuel her plants, and her anger. Wonderful things, plants. They'd take anything and use it.

...oh, don't kill that one, over there. Not yet. Just tie her up. She needed some new clothes, after all. In fact, perhaps it was time she went for a new look entirely...

Considerate, of Lily to transport her into the middle of a garden. From here, Poppy could expand, build a garden of her own, so that when the others sought to confront her - and no doubt they would - she would be able to make them all pay, whether there were ten or twenty, regardless of their elements.

She was going to pay. They were all going to pay.

--

Lily's fear subsided as the girl stopped screaming, enough for her to open one eye. They were talking about something, although she couldn't hear what. Then the girl started screaming again, louder than before, and Lily found that she could no longer shut her eyes and block out such a sound.

Please...please make her go away!

Shadows swarmed out from under the bed, over the scenery. The girl's cries continued, yet Poppy's feet had vanished. Lily stared. Had she done that? Or was this another trick? After a few tense minutes, she crawled, slowly, out from under her bed. Shadows swarmed over her and she flinched, recoiling instinctively, yet they did not touch her skin, as they had before. No, they seemed to be...waiting. Waiting for what?

The girl was a mess. She was covered in blood, she had been crucified ...and...was that cactus actually inside her? Lily shuddered, the sight bringing back memories of her own rape. The shadows left her, swarming over the cactus, and for a moment Lily was alarmed that they were going to pick up where the girl left off. Instead, it was quite the opposite. The shadows blanketed the cactus and, when they were finished, it had vanished.

...were they responding to her thoughts. Was it really that simple? Lily frowned, realising the girl could scarcely breathe with a tree branch tied around her neck, and mentally tried to send the shadows in, to break the branch much as they had removed the cactus. It worked. She gasped, taking a step backwards. Was that working, or was it another coincidence?

She needed a weapon. There was a witch tied to a tree in her bedroom, and Lily needed to be able to defend herself, in case she decided to attack her...she didn't know what she could do. Once again, the shadows provided, coalescing around her open hand to create a sword, quite tangible, yet lighter than any sword Lily had ever held...not that she had actually ever held a sword before.

She gripped it tightly in both hands, unwilling to come any closer. She had wanted Poppy gone simply because she couldn't stand the girl's screaming, and she was certain that she was next. But, now that she was gone...what was she supposed to do about this one? She couldn't let her go - she'd just do to her what Poppy was going to do. But she couldn't just leave her tied to the tree...she'd probably bleed out. Should she kill her, and take her powers for her own? She couldn't really do that, either...she was a human being still, wasn't she? Lily wasn't a murderer, and she didn't really want any more power anyway...she didn't even want the one she had. Assuming, of course, that she really could control these shadows.

She stared at the girl, at a loss for words. What am I supposed to do now?
 
[OOC: Talk about sticking it where the sun doesn’t shine… :gonk: Also, happy Friday the 13th. :grin:]

Alyss was still conscious… how she was conscious could never be explained. Anyone else would have passed out or died. And yet, here Alyss was… alive, not kicking, in extraordinary amounts of pain, and awake. The entirety of the inside of her legs was on fire. There would have been needles everywhere if Lily had not removed them with her shadows. Even though they were gone, Alyss still felt the pain of them… the pain of having needles forced inside of her.

Had that been her screaming or Lily screaming back there, Alyss didn’t know, nor did she care. She just wanted off of this damned tree. With Poppy gone it should have been easy to force herself out, but Alyss was all out of strength. She was effectively broken. As soon as Lily removed the branch at her neck, Alyss head slumped down as she looked towards the ground.

It was odd... Alyss had just been effectively forced upon by a cactus. It was a phrase she never thought she would find herself saying. Yet, she wasn't sad or crying like people were in the movies or books. It hurt too much to feel sad, and she had little to no regrets. She had stood up for what she believed in... She won. Lily was safe, Alyss was more or less safe, and Poppy was gone. It was a victory... a shallow one. It had cost Alyss a lot, but she was content with it.

Lily stood somewhat near Alyss with a sword. Alyss didn’t care where it came from… she didn’t care if she killed at her. It would be faster and less painful than the way Poppy no doubt wanted to do it. However, if Lily wanted to kill her, she would have done it by now. That sword wasn’t for killing her; it was in case Alyss tried to attack. “I mean you no harm,” Alyss said. Her voice was as broken as her body. It was hardly a whisper. “I knew you were good… that is why I- I… was tr-“ Alyss was interrupted by a slight coughing fit. “I was trying to save you… from her… from this.”

Alyss tried looking up, only to find that it was far more difficult than it should have been. Keeping her head down, Alyss continued. “My name is Alyss… if you do not mind, could you please let me down?” She needed to dress her wounds, change her clothes, and find Heath… or rest. She didn’t much care which.
 
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[OOC: She asked for it :tehe: And Happy Friday 13th indeed :yay:]

Lily jumped as the girl spoke to her. How could she still be conscious, after all that? It was a miracle that the police weren't barging in here right now, her screams had been enough to wake the dead. She narrowed her eyes when her breath gave out, and her head slumped. Was that an act? Was she even now regaining her powers? If she drew her power from electricity, she couldn't be: there were no power lines in the wall the tree was anchored to. If she was truly powerless, Lily wanted her to stay that way...at least until she had the opportunity to get as far away as possible.

"Liar. You don't even know me. You're a witch, you're evil. You work with Knights to eliminate the rest of us, so you can have all the power for yourself! You tracked me down and chased me! You and your friends tried to kill me!" She was getting more hysterical by the second, as what she said made all too much sense. Save her? More like stop the girl from taking her power, so she could have it for herself.

Poppy had said as much that this girl was a liar...but...she was a liar too, wasn't she? She had pretended to be Lily's friend...or maybe it was she who was trying to save Lily from this girl. But...then why had she been enjoying it so much? It wasn't so much the torture that scared Lily - she had endured far, far worse - it was that Poppy had enjoyed it that scared her so much.

"No." Lily's voice shook, and she brought the sword up, the point wavering, "No, I can't trust you! As soon as I let you down, you'll use your powers on me! I don't want to die-" Lily's voice broke into a sob, and she fought to control herself. "Why did you have to do this? I don't want any of you in my life! I just want to be left alone..."

Shadows raced around her, as intangible as Lily's thoughts. Kill her, end it here...no, I'm not a murderer...I can't just leave her hanging there, bleeding to death...I can't let her down, she'll kill me...

She looked around the room, horrified at the extent of the damage the tree had done. It was practically a part of the house now...if she tried to hack away at it, she'd probably bring the entire house down. But she could probably let the girl down, if she so chose. One thing was for certain - she wasn't getting down without help. She was practically fused to the tree; its entire structure was built up around her.

"I hate you all." she whispered, more to herself than anything else. What had she done to deserve this?
 
[OOC: May the Force be with you this Friday the 13th. :ahmed:]

Normally, Alyss would have yelled and called someone stupid for reacting in such a manner. However, in her condition she was unable to do either. Besides, Lily was tricked, lied to, and thrust into this against her will. She was going to have to speak to her calmly. Hopefully Alyss could make her see logic in this situation. While she was in pain, tired, and broken, Lily was hysterical. “Please, calm down,” Alyss whispered. “I am in no position to hurt you. I do not have any charge at all.” She had to find a way to explain just how powerless she was.

“Think of my powers as… a battery. At full charge, I can do things, while when I am empty, I can do nothing.” She thought about it for a second… all in all, it was a complete accurate description. “Besides… I am not like our power hungry friend. Power is something I care little for. I am content with what I have.” In all reality, she was. Alyss used her powers so rarely for combat. The most she ever did was give a quick charge to cell phones and manipulate people for free stuff every now and then.

Shadows danced around the room again. Still speaking quietly and calmly, she tried to explain the situation to Lily the best she could. “Heath, the Knight, and I were working together. He is not the type to kill us for no reason… or at least I do not think he is.” It was the truth. When working with Heath, she didn’t get one harmful vibe from him. “I helped him keep a situation mostly under control after Poppy killed two innocent people in an alleyway. After all was said and done, he protected myself and another Witch from harm from the other Knights… I believe I can trust him, that is all.”

Speaking was taking its own toll on Alyss as she was getting more tired by the second. Combined with the blood loss, she was getting ready to pass out. “If you want to kill me, I understand. But if not… please let me down. I must warn Heath… I am- I am so tired…”
 
[OOC: Just in case you were wondering, neither Lily or Alyss would lose their powers. I just need a way to get past Lily's paranoia...not to mention I had an idea for a later point in the Ar Pee, which I'll PM to you if you're interested~]

Lily considered the girl's - Alyss, she had called herself - words carefully. What she said made a certain amount of sense, but...why was she being so co-operative? She was trying to lure her into a false sense of security, so she could call her Knight friend here. She had already admitted that she wanted to see him. She didn't believe for a minute that he was honourable. All Knights were evil. It was as simple as that. Alyss was slowly passing out. It was clear that she was in a lot of pain...she might even die in front of Lily, and she didn't want that to happen. She wasn't cruel.

She lowered the sword, allowing it to dissipate back into the insubstantial shadows that had formed it. Concentrating, straining, she directed her shadows towards the girl...and failed. Letting out a small cry of frustration, she sank to the floor. Then, an idea hit her:

...what if I just...wish for it?

She closed her eyes, trying again, calmly this time. Shadows swarmed around Alyss' body, entering the wounds, destroying the cactus spines left in her by Poppy, leaving a clean wound, and then settled over her skin, acting as a bandage of sorts. A mass of shadows covered Alyss' motionless, crucified form. Lily was still undecided about letting her go free, but she wouldn't just leave her there in agony. Hopefully she had been as gentle as possible, and the wounds weren't quite as painful as they had been. Physically, she should be fine. Psychologically...Lily wasn't so sure. She knew all about how damaging such experiences could be.

"Better? I think you'll heal naturally, if I keep the shadows on you for a few moments...I always heal quickly when I cut myself, anyway." Lily said, trying to keep her voice calm. She studied the girl for a moment, allowing her to get her breath back, and then spoke again;

"I'll let you down," Lily said, confident now that she had the power to do so, although her voice shook, "But first, I want a bond. Between us. On our True Names, never to harm one another. Never to betray one another. I want a reason to trust you...and I'll give you a reason to trust me, too." she added, her voice almost pleading. She wasn't the one who had tried to kill anyone here, but she realised trust went both ways, and neither of them knew much about one another. Short of an extended conversation - which she wasn't willing to risk - this was the best way to find out.

Lily didn't really want such a bond between the two of them, but what other choice did she have? If she was immune to Alyss' powers, then she might actually be able to trust her. Of course, it worked both ways, and it would leave Lily extremely vulnerable - although if Alyss ever betrayed her, she would answer for it as well, but that was scant comfort - but if this girl was what she claimed to be, what did it matter? They might even be able to be friends...Lily had never had a friend before.

"You're being nice to me...but so was Poppy." she said quietly, trying to make her understand. In truth, Lily didn't know who to trust. All she had were words, and words weren't good enough anymore. What was she even doing here still? She should just transport herself away - assuming the shadows responded to her wish - and leave the girl to it. She would recover in time. She wouldn't be able to escape the tree, not without help, but someone would find her eventually...but what if they didn't? Lily would be indirectly responsible for her death, which would be slow and painful; dehydration and starvation. She didn't want that.

Lily realised the simple truth, right then: she was in this now, whether she liked it or not. She just needed to figure out who to trust.
 
[OOC: Always interested. Shoot me the Pee Emm anytime. :grin:]

Lily must have taken some of the things Alyss had said to heart as she lowered her sword. She even went a step further and made in vanish back from the shadows from wince it came. Alyss smiled as she did this. It had meant that she had been correct in thinking that she was good… she was trustworthy. Shadows had started to form around Alyss. She didn’t know what Lily was doing, but she didn’t seem too pleased when whatever it was didn’t work. Just like Alyss did when she first started using her powers, Lily seemed to have a problem with controlling them.

However, Lily was much more successful the second time. Those same shadows swarmed and danced around Alyss. As they did, the cactus spines that once rested in Alyss’ flesh were being destroyed, and the wounds they left on her pale skin were slowly closing. Though the pain was still there, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it once was. Alyss was finally able to lift her head without it crashing down. “Better? I think you’ll heal naturally, if I keep the shadows on you for a few moments… I always heal quickly when I cut myself, anyway.”

It was wondrous. One minute, Alyss was filled with holes, and the next she found them all closing. “I’ll let you down,” she said. Alyss smiled somewhat as she said it, but realized that she still had more to say. “But first, I want a bond. [OOC: JAMES BOND] Between us. On our True Names, never to harm one another. Never to betray one another. I want a reason to trust you… and I’ll give you a reason to trust me, too.” It was more of a plea than a demand.

How… logical, thought Alyss. It really was. What better way of getting an idea of trust than making both sides completely vulnerable to each other? They would both be immune to each other’s powers and extremely vulnerable. It would also include that they both look out for one another. “You’re being nice to me… but so was Poppy.”

Part of Alyss felt guilty. If she hadn’t gave chase after her, she wouldn’t have been forced into this in this fashion. She probably would have gone out peacefully, perhaps even happily. Either way, she would have been involved… but Alyss couldn’t help but feel guilty for putting her in a vulnerable situation. Looking Lily dead in the eyes, Alyss began. “Very well…” her voice gave away the fact that she wasn’t very comfortable about it. However, if Alyss wanted off the wall, a fighting chance against Poppy, and the possibility of a friend in a sea of cutthroats, she didn’t have a choice. “I will tell you my name, in fact… I will even tell you the silly story that goes along with it once we are done.”

Pausing only for a brief couple of seconds, she continued. “At the same time, on the count of three…”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Three: Natulcien.”
 
[OOC: Yes, The Horned King speaks in improvised smallcaps :mokken:]

To Lily's shock - and delight - Alyss accepted almost immediately. Her tone revealed that she wasn't happy about it, yet she saw the neccessity for it. Yet why had she accepted it so easily? She didn't seem like the trusting type...

"One."

...wait, was this such a good idea after all? What happened if the girl gave her a fake name? Lily would end up her slave for all eternity!

"Two."

There was no way she could trust her to tell her the truth...but if she couldn't trust her regardless, why was she going through with this in the first place? She was running the same risks as Lily with this...although Lily would never betray anyone, not even someone who abused her, but she didn't know that...

"Three: Natulcien."

"Nereia." Lily barely managed to get the word out as a sudden rush of energy filled her very being, sending her gasping to the floor. She had never felt such a sensation before! It was very similar to how she had felt around Poppy, only...purer, somehow. Neither joy, nor sadness, yet a profound feeling of security. Security she had not known since her mother died. Since she had acquired her powers as a witch. Since she had realised that she had no true friends, and that nobody cared about her, perhaps not even her father, who she hardly ever saw.

Flashes of Alyss' life played themselves before her. She saw a great pain and sadness - equal, perhaps, to her own - and her eyes filled with tears as she watched, yet comprehended little more than the emotions. This girl, much like Lily, had suffered a great deal, only she kept all of her anger and pain bottled up inside her...she was strong. Much stronger than Lily, who had given into fear, and let it dominate her ever since her mother died. They were opposites, yet exactly the same.

Lily called upon her shadows, directing them to eat through the branches binding Alyss, catching her - with great difficulty, becaus Alyss was nearly a foot taller than she was - and setting her down onto the floor gently.

"Lie down for a moment. I'll get you some clothes; mine are all too small, but mum was about the same size as you are," Lily marvelled at how she instinctively knew that, "I'll get you a new eyepatch, as well...plus something to eat."

She paused, breathless, then offered Alyss a small smile. How much did she know about Lily in return? There was no reason to assume that she didn't know just about everything, although the images were probably as jumbled up as the ones Lily had seen. They'd have to discuss it...assuming they stayed together, anyway. Assuming Alyss wanted anything to do with Lily after she had recovered. She wasn't the type of person to have friends either, after all. Why should Lily be any different?

"Wow! This is-"

THIS IS MOST IRREGULAR.

Lily jumped as a new voice, little more than a whisper, resounded in her mind. It was a voice that she knew, albeit with passing familiarity. She turned, the fear in her stomach suddenly returning, as she found herself face to face with the Horned King.

He had...changed. The last time he had visited Poppy, he had been little more than a skeletal figure, wrapped in a shredded cloak, the horns from which he took his name framing his head like a crown. Those horns were gone, although the cloak still remained. Yet he seemed to be more...solid, not quite as blurry. She could see his hands now, as well - clawed, black steel gauntlets, darker than even his cloak. She shuddered despite herself. If anything, he was more ominous now than he had been before.

WHEN ONE OF MY CHOSEN FALLS, I ARRIVE, TO CONGRADULATE THE VICTOR. YET, THERE HAS BEEN NO FALL. RATHER, THERE HAS BEEN A...MERGE. THIS IS MOST IRREGULAR.

Lily tried to get a feeling from him - something, anything - yet she could sense nothing, not from his stance, nor his words, which were without tone or any sort of emotion, in her head. He was simply...inhuman. She crouched protectively over Alyss, shadows swarming around her, although she knew how foolish it would be to try anything. This was the one who had given her her powers. He was a GOD. She stood absolutely no chance in the face of his power. She could do little but await his judgement...
 
[OOC: I'm lazy, and I didn't put it into small caps. :sad3:]





“Nereia,” she said. Before Alyss even had a chance to think anything of it, a surge of energy had filled the room. It probably would have knocked her to the ground much like it had done to Lily if she hadn’t been fastened to the wall by a tree. The feeling that was reeling through Alyss’ mind was odd. Everything about it seemed like it pulsated good… almost as if it were the definition of what was right and just.

It was then that Alyss was viewing something. It was short bursts of flashes that played out in her head like memories. However, they didn’t belong to Alyss… Much like herself, Lily had experienced great pain. Lily had been raped as she watched her Mother having the same done to her and then killed. From the reaction, Lily had been close with her Mother… very close. Completely unlike Alyss in that aspect. No wonder Lily was so full of fear… who wouldn’t be?

Those familiar shadows were back around Alyss. Lily must have been removing the roots that bound her. Her theory was correct as she fell and those same shadows went to catch her. She was placed on the floor rather gently, which Alyss greatly appreciated. “Lie down for a moment. I’ll get you some clothes; mine are all too small, but mum was about the same size as you are.” It was amazing how she knew that from such a brief connection. She wondered if it would work both ways… “I’ll get you a new eyepatch as well… plus something to eat.”

It was nice to be treated so well after she had just experienced the oddest form of torture she had ever heard of. Lily had smiled, and Alyss returned it. She wanted to say “thank you” but was having the hardest time talking. She was half-conscious as she simply laid there. “Wow! This is-“ Lily started, but was interrupted by a familiar voice. “THIS IS MOST IRREGULAR.”

Alyss recognized that voice instantly. It was the voice of the Horned King. The God that had put her in this game and given her the powers that she had… it was the man that had given her the tools to set herself free. Alyss necked popped as she turned to face him. He no longer looked the same. The Horned King no longer had horns. He wore the same cloak, and more of him was visible. She could see his hands… his clawed hands dressed in black gauntlets that were even darker than kid cloak. If Alyss had the energy, she would have shivered in his presence.

“WHEN ONE OF MY CHOSEN FALLS, I ARRIVE, TO CONGRADULATE THE VICTOR. YET, THERE HAS BEEN NO FALL. RATHER, THERE HAS BEEN A MERGE. THIS IS MOST IRREGULAR.”

Lily crouched over Alyss to protect her, seeing as how Alyss was incapable. Her shadows were at her back, swarming and ready to attack. Lifting her arm, she went to tug at Lily’s leg. “No, even if we were both at full power, we would not stand a chance.”
 
[OOC: The Horned King no longer had horns. <- I laughed so hard, and I'm not entirely sure why. xD
Keeping this brief, because Gods don't chat. They talk, and people listen.]

STAY YOUR HAND, NEREIA, AND BE SILENT.

The imperative was absolute. The shadows seemed to scatter and flee as she sat down meekly on the floor beside Alyss, taking her hand for some small measure of comfort, unable to do anything else. She could not disobey him.

THIS IS MOST IRREGULAR. He said, for the third time now. YOU HAVE FORCED ME INTO A MOST DIFFICULT SITUATION. THIS IS NOT HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED. YOU HAVE BROKEN RULES IMPLICIT WITHIN THE GAME. YOU FORCE ME TO...REASSESS MATTERS.

He had not taken a single step forward...but then, he didn't need to. It was as Alyss had impled...his power was absolute. What need did a God have to do anything that a human would do? He could strike them down from over there just as easily, and there was little they could do about it. Any action would be futile, and they all knew it. Still, Lily would at least try to reason with him...with immense difficulty, she forced herself to speak;

"Please, my Lord...this was my doing. Allow me-"

THE AGREEMENT WAS MUTUAL.

Lily flinched, her voice dying again, although there was no anger in his voice. Indeed, there was still nothing in his voice, and that was more unnerving than his appearance here, now. Such...inhuman calm. It frightened her more than Poppy ever could.

YOU MISUNDERSTAND ME, NEREIA. He said then, as if reading her mind - which, she realised then, he no doubt could - I AM NOT HERE TO KILL EITHER OF YOU. TO DO SO WOULD UPSET THE BALANCE FURTHER. YOU ARE STILL PLAYERS, AND THE GAME MUST GO ON. NO...

His cowled gaze shifted to Alyss' form, and then back to her. A rustling of his gauntlet - the one she could see, anyway - before it disappeared back into the folds of his cloak.

...I SHALL ALLOW THIS. I DID NOT, AFTER ALL, EXPRESSELY FORBID IT. A small pause, and Lily could have sworn she detected amusement coming from him, as though his own carelessness amused him. YOU HAVE SHARED YOUR ESSENCES, THUS, YOU HAVE ALSO SHARED YOUR ELEMENTS. YOU, NEREIA, SHALL FIND YOURSELF IMBUED WITH THE POWER OF LIGHTNING. YOU, NATULCIEN, HAVE LIKEWISE RECEIVED THE POWER OF DARKNESS. HOWEVER. YOU HAVE RECEIVED BUT FRAGMENTS OF THESE ELEMENTS, AND SHALL NOT RECEIVE THE FULL BALANCE OF THE ELEMENT UNTIL ONE OF YOU PERISHES. YOU HAVE NOT YET EARNED THE RIGHT FOR A SECOND ELEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY.

"So...you're not going to kill us?" Lily asked, baffled, regaining use of her voice again.

WAS THAT NOT CLEAR?

"No! I mean, yes! I mean...I didn't expect this, at all." Lily shook her head, relief flooding through her. They were going to live after all!

BE WARNED, NEREIA, NATULCIEN. I SHALL NOT PERMIT THIS A SECOND TIME, FROM YOU OR YOUR SISTERS. SOME THINGS ARE NOT TO BE TAMPERED WITH, AND THE POWERS YOU WIELD IS ONE SUCH THING.

The Horned King turned away, his form fading before Lily's eyes, becoming more transparent by the second. She thought to call out, to question him, even to accuse him, yet her voice was stuck in her throat.

UNTIL NEXT WE MEET, BE WELL, MY CHOSEN.

Silence. Suddenly, Lily became aware that she had things to be doing. She stood up again, letting go of Alyss' hand.

"Well, that was...unexpected." she didn't feel particularly afraid. No, she felt...free. For the first time in years. It was a good feeling, and she didn't want to lose it. "I didn't really understand all that stuff he said about sharing essences, but...I guess we can figure it out later. For now, you need cleaning up."
 
[OOC: Must… sleep. :gonk:]

Shared power… but not full power… Alyss liked that. It was a logical decision by a being that defied logic. The paradox of it was astounding. Lily could now use at least half of Alyss’ power, and she could do the same with hers. She wasn’t quite sure how it would work, but one thing was certain: together, Lily and Alyss could make one hell of a team. However, this was implying either one of them wanted to continue fighting.

Not being very sure about Lily, Alyss just wanted to sleep for a year. Even now as she rested on the floor her eyes continued to force themselves closed. In fact, she didn’t even hear too much of what the Horned King had said… but she had gotten the cliff notes. It seemed he was going to make an exception for them. Alyss smiled… for it meant she had broken the rules of the game. Hopefully, even if it was just for a little while, the Horned King saw how ridiculous it was to force them all to fight like this.

As he left, Lily stood up and released Alyss’ hand. “Well, that was… unexpected.” For the first time since Alyss had met Lily, she looked… happy. “I didn’t really understand all the stuff he said about sharing essences, but… I guess we can figure it out later. For now, you need cleaning up.” Alyss tried to get a good view of herself as she finished speaking, but found that she still couldn’t move too much. She was still helpless.

Being helpless was something Alyss had felt before… and something she didn’t like. Alyss rolled over on her side in an attempt to get to her hands and knees. She promptly failed. As soon as she got on her hands she collapsed. The holes that the spines made may have been gone… but the pain they caused was still there, and it was enough to continue to weaken her.

“I suppose,” Alyss said. “That we can cross that bridge when we get to it. As for now… a cleaning up would be very nice, please?”
 
[OOC: Diar, if you want an excuse to post, I'll have Heath sense Tristana in my next post~]

"I'll be back in a moment." Lily rose, pushing the door open - dislogding a few branches from the miniature tree in the process - and dashing across the landing into the bathroom, picking up the emergency medical kit her father kept in the medicinal cabinet and opening it, rummaging through it for bandages and antiseptic cream. She brushed against her father's spare electric razor as she placed the kit back. At the contact, a surprising (but not overly unpleasant) tingle ran through her finger.

"Oh!" she jumped in surprise as she felt energy filling her. Was this what the Horned King had meant by shared power? Was this going to happen every time she came into contact with something that ran off batteries, or electricity in general? Well...perhaps Alyss could show her how to control these new powers. Although she wasn't sure how much help she would be in showing her how to control her newfound powers, in turn...she was still learning, after all. She had only had her powers for three months, and up until recently, she had been afraid of using them...no, she was still afraid of using them.

She sighed and, with the bandages and a small pot of cream in hand, returned to her bedroom, where Alyss still lay, motionless, on the floor. She'd dress her wounds first, then see about finding her new clothes, and then get something to eat for both of them. Then maybe they could...talk. Until Alyss got her strength back, and then...well, what?

She walks out of my life forever, like all my other 'friends' have...

Lily lifted Alyss' head gently as she wrapped the bandage over her eye, tying it in place just above her ear, saying nothing. She knew that was what Alyss would want done first...but it was a shame. Her father wasn't the only one who thought her eyes were beautiful, but it was her choice, and once she regained enough sense, she would be extremely uncomfortable with having it exposed. She then set to rubbing the antiseptic cream into her wounds - she doubted they would get infected, but Lily had always been the cautious type - and bandaging them up. There was little she could do for where Poppy had stuck the cactus (certainly, she wasn't going to do anything without permission) but she had warped Poppy away before she'd had the chance to do any extensive damage, so she hoped it would be alright.

Thanks to her shadows, and Alyss' enhanced healing abilities (that, she assumed, all witches had) the wounds weren't as bad as they had been, but they were still going to leave scars. Lily couldn't help but wince when she came to the "Poppy" carved into Alyss' thigh. Like some sort of...label. But then, she had been going on about "toys"...was that really all she saw people as? The thought disturbed Lily and, with great difficulty, she put Poppy out of her mind. She was gone, and if she came back, Lily would just send her away again. Maybe she could even focus her powers the next time and dump her at the bottom of the ocean...

"So...Alyss." Lily thought it would be better if she used the girl's chosen name, instead of her True Name...others wouldn't be able to hear it if she did speak it aloud, but she didn't want to take any chances, "What...did you see?"

For some reason, asking the question was incredibly difficult, and she felt herself blushing, unable to meet the girl's eye, focusing instead on bandaging her leg.

--

Heath did not stay very long in Poppy's apartment. Long enough to check for dead bodies, or potential clues as to where she may have gone...or been going. However, asides from seed - a lot of seeds - there was little that was out of the ordinary. She had been living a perfectly normal life. Quite a healthy life, in fact, as there was not a single morsel of junk food in the house.

Heath left the building quickly, pausing outside as he considered his options. Should he attempt track down Alyss and the other witch by himself, or try to find Crimson and Ardis? The impulsive side of Heath wanted to track down Alyss; she was his responsibility. Yet to do so alone...what if he found Poppy first? What if she had killed Alyss and took her powers? That would not end well.

Most importantly of all, how did the other witch factor into all this? She had seemed...terrified. Had Poppy somehow picked her up off the street? How had she even known about her in the first place? There were far too many questions, and Heath had no answers for any of them. He suspected the only one who did was Poppy herself, and she wasn't talking.

He set off down the street, sword sheathed, yet still questing, hoping for a sign of Alyss, or the other witch. He hoped Alyss would have the foresight to lower the barrier all witches subconsciously raised around themselves, so he could locate her.

If she's still alive, anyway...
 
[OOC: FUCK YEAH, SLEEP! :yay:]

Lily left Alyss on the floor for what the latter thought was an eternity. After going through what she had just gone though, being alone was the last thing Alyss wanted. This, for her, was extremely odd considering that for most of her life, being alone was the only thing she wanted. Alyss laughed for a bit as she realized that the first time she started getting close to people it ended with her being tortured with a giant cactus.

Still, Alyss had done the right thing, and she didn’t give in. If she had died right then and there, which she probably should have, Alyss was positive she would have died a woman her Father would have been proud of. However, the way the torture had ended bothered her… it ate at her more than anything in her life. Having the cactus thrust inside of her like that was… inhumane, it hurt more than anything Alyss had ever felt in her life. Yet, she wasn’t sad or depressed.

No, it was quite the opposite. Alyss was angry about it. She hated Poppy, loathed her, and for the first time in her life she wanted another human (if one could call her that) being dead. Even that wouldn’t have been enough… no, not at all. Alyss wanted more, she wanted Poppy to feel the pain that she had felt, and she wanted to torture Poppy so badly that she wished for death. If she ever got her hands on that lunatic, she was going to ensure that when she was done no one could recognize her. In fact, she would be lucky to still have a face by the time Alyss was done.

It was then that Lily returned with some bandages and a small pot of something in her hands. She lifted Alyss’ head and replaced her eye patch. Her right eye was how it should have been; covered and out of sight. After she was done with that, Lily rubbed whatever was in the small pot over her wounds. From the look and smell of it, it must have been some sort of antiseptic cream. The coolness of it felt like a dream in Alyss current state.

Lily went along almost every single wound. The ones she didn’t get were the ones where Poppy decided it would be funny to stick a cactus at... Alyss would get those later herself. No one was ever going to touch her there again, lest they feel like losing a hand. The silence was broken in an instant by a question… a seemingly innocent one at at. “So… Alyss. What… did you see?”

Now… there was an awkward conversation starter. Alyss had to speak cautiously. Even she felt uncomfortable speaking about it. From the way she saw things, it was almost as if she were actually there watching the scene unfold. For her, it felt almost as real as it must have felt for Lily. “I… I saw…”, she didn’t want to just come out and say it. “I saw what happened… in that alleyway when you were fourteen.” It was odd how she knew how old she was when it happened. It also felt as if she had trespassed on Lily’s thoughts. “I am sorry,” Alyss said, she also not being able to look Lily in the eye as she said it.

However, now she was curious about what Lily saw. “Well, what did you see?”
 
Lily flinched, shuffling away, busying herself with wrapping what was left of the bandages. She had hoped Alyss wouldn't see that. Her apology stung even more. She hated being spoken to like that...as though she were something to be pitied, something less than human. That Alyss couldn't even meet her eyes only confirmed it.

"Me?" she had expected the question, but now that it had arrived, she wasn't quite sure how to answer it, "Well...I'm not entirely sure. Flashes...thoughts, and feelings. The images were...confused. I think I saw...your father. Your mother. You've...never had a real friend, either." she finished, coming to a sudden realisation: they were exactly the same. Alyss was what Lily could become in a few years. Their lives, their experiences, were different, yet the thoughts and feelings beneath them were almost identical. Lily had seen...herself. She wondered if Alyss felt that, as well.

Suddenly, she felt terrible. She had invaded this girl's person space, and all for her own selfish needs. She should have trusted her. Once again, she had made the wrong decision. She had let her fear control her...again.

She needed to get away from Alyss, before she did any more damage. "I'm sorry I forced you into this. I'll stay with you until you get your strength back, and then I'll leave. Daddy won't mind; he never notices me anyway, and I've always wanted to travel..."

She stood up again, turning away so that Alyss wouldn't see the tears in her eyes, and left the room again, to get some food. She still had some pizza left over from yesterday which should still be edible, as well as some chocolate Alyss could have...she needed it more than Lily did. At the moment, Lily only really wanted a strong coffee.

I've made a mess of things...again.
 
Alyss knew almost instantly that she had screwed up. She couldn’t be blunt with Lily like she could everyone else. Lily was much more fragile and far too nice for that. By all means, she deserved much better than Alyss being rude and blunt all day. For the first time in her life she felt like protecting someone other than herself. As far as it went, she wasn’t sure if she liked that or not yet. However, she was sure it was leaning more towards like.

“I’m sorry I forced you into this. I’ll stay with you until you get your strength back, and then I’ll leave. Daddy won’t mind; he never notices me anyway, and I’ve always wanted to travel…” Lily said, as she got up and left. It was obvious that she was upset. I am… such an idiot, Alyss thought. She had to fix this, she had to get Lily to see that she wasn’t the one to blame.

Looking around, she noticed her bag had made it over here. It was going to hurt, but she had to force herself over to it. Progress was slow as she turned herself over, and slowly crawled to the bag and withdrew her tiny knife. She progressed even slower towards the nearest electrical outlet. Alyss’ body was practically screaming at her to stop, but in a few minutes, she was going to stop that completely. As she made it to the nearest electrical socket, she put the knife inside and started recharging her powers.

If she stayed that way for about five minutes, she could mess with her own head again… in theory anyway. She would turn off her reception to pain completely, and by default end up doing the same for touch. Of course, this meant that when she turned them back on, her body was going to ache all over and the pain would be next to unbearable. However, that was getting off light compared to the guilt she was feeling over making Lily upset.

Typically, Alyss was driven by logic. It wasn’t often that she did things on impulse. But this felt like the right thing to do, so she was going to have to deal with it. Getting enough charge, she placed her hand to her head and started playing around with it. Just like before, but not with emotion. After her first time doing it, this time was somewhat simple. In just a few seconds, all that pain that she felt was gone. It still took her sometime to get to her feet.

She was still moving slower than she was accustomed to, but at least there was progress. Alyss made sure to place her knife back into her bag so that Lily wouldn’t see it. She was high strung enough as it was, Alyss didn’t want to scare her. As she entered the room Lily was in, she noticed Lily standing there, obviously still sad. “It is not your fault, you know? If anything, it was mine… it was Poppy’s as well.” Alyss said, placing her hand gently on Lily’s shoulder. In all reality, as she could feel nothing at the moment, she wasn’t sure if was gentle or not.

“You do not have to be alone anymore… because like it or not, you are stuck with me.” Alyss said, smiling. “Now, what is there to eat? I am starving.”
 
Lily went into the kitchen, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. Of course, she should have known that even letting someone see into her soul wouldn't be enough...if anything, it would drive them even further away. Lily was weak, and pathetic. She knew as much, and she could see people's disdain when they looked at her. She was just an inconvenience; a little girl that would never grow up...

Alyss settled a hand on her shoulder, startling her. How had she managed to stand? She had probably used her powers...electric signals? That sounded useful. Lily wondered if it worked for emotions. It might be nice, not to feel anything. She would have to ask...perhaps she could get stronger, if she had no emotions.

She gave Alyss a small, sad smile when she had finished talking, but said nothing in response. She was sure the girl would abandon her...Lily always made people feel guilty for her own shortcomings. It was a failing of hers. It was nice of her to say those things, though. She almost believed her...but Alyss wasn't the sort of person to be tied down to another, and they both knew it. They had been forced together due to a need to trust and, now that need was gone, they would gradually drift apart. It always happened that way...

She began rummaging around in the cupboards when Alyss said she was hungry, doing a mental inventory of her food supply. The results weren't encouraging.

"Well...I have half a cold pizza in the fridge, as well as some milk, and I think there should be some bread around here somewhere. I had a Twix, but I can't seem to find it at the moment..." Lily pulled the milk carton out of the fridge, unscewed the lid, and sniffed. Definetely not. She held it out at arm's length as she placed it in the bin, where it thudded with an ominous sort of finality. Looked like the coffee was out, then...although, the mood Lily was in, she was about ready to just shovel handfuls of the stuff into her mouth. She gave Alyss an apologetic smile.

"Daddy doesn't come home very often anymore, and I usually eat out, because I work night shifts, and sitting in an empty house is depressing." Lily realised then, with a start, that it was the middle of the afternoon. She should just now be thinking about getting up. And what was she going to do about work? Her life was irrevocably altered as a result of all this...

"There are some apples in the bowl on the counter, but after today I don't think I'll ever eat anything organic again..." she sighed, realising how much that would affect her diet. But, until she could be absolutely certain Poppy wasn't going to come after her - and she had a feeling she would, given how Lily had robbed her of her prize - she wouldn't feel safe, knowing that all of a sudden she could find herself with a tree in her stomach...

"What are you going to do next, Alyss? You'll go after Poppy, won't you? You're stronger than she is now, so you'd be able to defeat her." Even as she said that, Lily wasn't entirely certain. Poppy frightened her, far more than Alyss had. She had no form of restraint, no morals, at all. One thing she knew for certain: she wanted no part of any of it. If she never saw another witch or knight, so much the better.
 
[OOC: I almost feel legitimately bad for Lily. :sad3:]

Alyss sat down at the table and instantly undid the rewiring she did of her own brain. The pain kicked back in like a mule. Of course, it was going to hurt, but it was for the best. She grunted just a bit, but not loud enough for Lily to notice. She could tell that even after she spoke to her, she wasn’t making Lily feel any better. Alyss was terrible at this kind of thing, she always had been. She wanted to help Lily out, to make her feel better about the whole situation, but Alyss didn’t have the slightest clue as to where to start.

Even after being able to see Lily’s memories, and feel her emotions, she still found herself completely, and utterly clueless. It wasn’t that Alyss didn’t want to attempt to make friends, it was that she really didn’t know how. However, if one practiced enough, they could pull anything off. Alyss made a vow that she wasn’t going to give up, not on this. She showed a legitimate trust in Lily, just as she had done with her. One little screw up on Alyss’ part wasn’t going to ruin that… not now.

Always being the type to jump into situations head on, Alyss was capable of doing just about anything. Yet here she was, completely confused on how to start up a conversation. “Yes… I probably will go after Poppy… eventually. As of now, I would only get myself killed. However…” Alyss paused for a minute. “A part of me just wants to run. She cannot win if she cannot find us… Let the others deal with them. They did not have to go through what we just did.”

Truthfully, Alyss was also somewhat scared of Poppy. Even if Alyss did have the advantage, it was obvious that when it came to terrain, no matter what it was Poppy could manage. The way she caught Alyss off guard and reacted was amazing... deadly, but amazing. “I would have died if it were not for you, thank you. I mean that… Without you there, I do not wish to think what could have happened to me.”

Alyss smiled again, and actually managed a slight laugh, “I will never look at a cactus the same way again, that is for sure.” She looked over at Poppy again, the smile still on her face. “So, what about you? What would you like to do?” Alyss knew she would probably want to leave. “You can always stay at my place. It is a mess, and filled with books, but you are more than welcome. That, and Poppy does not know where it is. As far as I know, we would be completely safe there."
 
Tristana walked down the street, yawning to herself as she moved. Those beds had been so grotesquely uncomfortable that she had found it hard to stay asleep for long before the rusty springs protruding through the mattress had stirred her back to consciousness.

Moving on, she made her way over to an alleyway, getting out a lighter and a packet of cigarettes, lighting one up, placing it between her lips, and inhaling it deeply, enjoying the strong feeling of smoke and chemicals flowing into her lungs.

Her anger dimmed for now, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the brief moment of relaxation she had before she had to go back home and back to work.

OOC: Just setting up any interaction anybody wants to have with her.
 
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