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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Nov 29, 2019 17:34:04 GMT -5
(( Of course, anytime! And I appreciate it, too. Sometimes it just helps to have someone new/different listen.
It makes a lot of sense to me. So far, I really like Xorros as a character, and I think he fits well to balance the other three out. I love the dynamic between the four of them. ))
The shackles crumbled around Romi, clattering to the ground and announcing her freedom. She had a hard time putting down her arms, bruised and battered as they were, and took a moment to close her eyes. It hurt so much worse to move than it did to stay still, but she knew that she couldn’t sit there and do nothing all night. “Would it have killed your dad to go a little easy on me? I can’t feel my face,” she grumbled, half joking, even through a noise that sounded startlingly close to a sob. After a moment, she forced herself up to her feet, wobbling a little and having to lean against the wall to keep her balance.
“I’m not squeamish,” she replied, though she wasn’t sure exactly how much violence should could take in a single night. “Do what you need to. I’m going to set up the banishing spell again and, hopefully, get it right this time.” Well, she estimated that she probably only had enough magic for one last attempt anyway, and stumbled after the demon on unsteady feet.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 29, 2019 19:41:07 GMT -5
(That it does, and I actually find it much better to talk to friends on here than I can in person. I've never been the best at trying to talk. Typing isn't much better, but it's much more comfortable.
Hopefully, I can keep their personalities diverse and not have them all bleed together as the plot progresses. XD)
Xorros watched her without a shred of emotion. If he felt sorry for the woman, he surely didn't show it. Why would he? She had made the decision to be there, trying to banish a demon. If she got hurt in the process, well, that was just part of the game. Sometimes the dice rolled in your favor, and sometimes you paid the price. "Suit yourself." There was no warning of danger, no concern that casting such a spell might just be the death of her if she couldn't maintain it. Again, it was no concern of his what happened to her. He had much more pressing matters to attend to.
(I'm not going to go an rp the brutality Xorros is going to inflict because A) I don't describe it too well, B.) I don't want to get in trouble with the mods, and C) I really can't think of good torment at the moment. XD So you can just have her describe her reactions to it and casting the spell if you want.)
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Nov 30, 2019 10:53:04 GMT -5
(( I totally get that. It’s still difficult like talking is, but sometimes it’s easier just because it’s not face to face.
I’m sure you’ll do fine! So far, they’re all very distinct. ))
Romi’s insistence that she wasn’t squeamish was pushed to the limits as she watched Xorros from a relatively safe distance. She really wasn’t, but some of the things he did, were just too much. Not that Urzilan didn’t deserve it, because he most certainly did, but even she had lines that she wouldn’t cross when it came to revenge. Still, she kept those thoughts to herself, and focused more on her work than anything else. Drew her symbols, used Urzilan’s hair instead of an object, and started the spell all over from the beginning. Each word made her tired, but much to her surprise, she didn’t slip up. Just kept speaking, quietly and to herself, eyes half-closed.
The air grew very still as she did so, as though the house’s drafts had been forcefully stopped, and it was silent. The ground didn’t shake, but there was a distinct difference to the spot where Urzilan lied. Darkening around his body, swirling and moving, until the portal became visible. An endless black void that Romi knew better than to stare at—whatever was on the other side wasn’t meant for her eyes. She finished the spell with a single, daunting word, in a language that no human spoke today.
The portal seemed to grab Urzilan with dark hands, dragging him in and refusing to let go, until the demon was barely in sight. Romi was too tired to feel satisfied that she had succeeded this time—she slumped over at her spot on the floor, cold and shivering. Sore, in pain, exhausted.
She thought that after the spell was over and done with, she would be able to get back to her car and call Aries to pick her up. Unfortunately, she just couldn’t handle all the pain and stress. Romi blacked out, right there and then, slipping into a sleep that was far from peaceful.
(( That’s okay! I kind of figured we would just sort of imply it/skip over the gritty details. ))
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 30, 2019 12:24:09 GMT -5
(Yeah, and you kind of have more time to figure out the right words you want to use.
Maybe they'll stay their own entities. XD)
It was needless to say Xorros had a lot of pent up rage and energy, which just so happened to be displayed at Urzilan's expense. Each scream of pain, drop of blood, and well placed blow elated the demon, seeming to feed his hunger and only making him want more. While he personally hadn't the memories of the mistreatment and torture Urzilan inflicted on the human version of his body, he didn't really need much excuse to return the treatment tenfold. Finally being able to walk about own his own was like a high that just kept getting better. By the time Romi's spell took effect and began to drag Urzilan away to a place nothing wanted to be, the older demon was hardly recognizable and he gave nary a fight as the dark hands dragged him under.
Not a fool, Xorros backed away from the portal just to be safe, watching until the last traces of the demon were gone. A part of him wished for just a few more seconds, but alas, that was not to be. Instead, he turned towards the witch. Sure enough, she was passed out on the floor. Now what was he to do with her? He could leave her here. If she woke, she could leave on her own. If not, again, it wasn't anything to him. Still, there was a small amount of curiosity surrounding the girl, answers he would like to know. Perhaps if this girl was fine, she would tell him.
And there it was decided. Walking over to the injured girl, the young demon easily scooped her up into his arms. He then carried her up the stairs and towards the front door. He remembered she said her car was outside, however, when he opened the door, it couldn't be seen. Hissing at the bright light suddenly shining upon him, he debated just dropping her here and going on his own way. After all, he didn't have know where her car was. Quickly, he shut the door again and changed his strategy. Romi was placed on the living room sofa where Xorros searched her pockets for her phone. Finding it, he found a number that she had last tried to call. Some one by the name of Aries. The name had a familiar ring to it, but he didn't know why. Either way, he called the number.
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Nov 30, 2019 14:18:05 GMT -5
Aries picked up the phone on the third ring, voice rough and groggy, as though he had either just woken up or hadn’t yet been to bed. “Hey, sis. Need somethin’?” From the way he spoke and the fact that Xorros had called using Romi’s phone, he clearly was expecting his sister and not someone else. Of course, there was no reason for him to suspect that anyone else would be using her phone in the first place. While he had been very much aware of their plans to banish Urzilan tonight, he had not planned to intervene or offer much help in doing so. Didn’t mean he would be angry once he realized how badly injured his sister was, though.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 30, 2019 17:10:15 GMT -5
"Sis? Seems I've dialed a right number," Xorros spoke, not bothering to introduce himself or give the man any more information than he seemed he needed to know. "Your sister thought it'd be a pleasant idea to banish a demon, and ended up a little worse for wear. Currently, she's passed out and bleeding, so if you care much, I'd suggest you get here quick. Though I will say, that the only demon left is me, and I won't take kindly if you try anything to get rid of me when and if you get here. I had nothing to do with it."
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Nov 30, 2019 17:36:01 GMT -5
Aries was silent on the other end as he listened to Xorros speak and explain the situation, not even the sound of his breathing coming through on the other side. He waited a long time before replying, until the man was completely finished speaking, and his tone was less than pleased. “I’ll take your word for it that you’re innocent, because Andy likes you,” he mumbled, the sound of the phone being fumbled coming through in cracks. “So rest assured, I don’t plan to banish you. Better not disappear into the night before I get there, though. I’d like to hear the whole story from your point of view.”
With that, he hung up, and left Xorros alone. It didn’t take the warlock long to track them down through the phone call, nor did it take him long to get there with a bit of magic to help him along the way. He didn’t come alone, though, as Gil was hot on his heels as he opened the door to the house. Neither of them looked particularly happy to be there, even less so when they spotted Romi on the couch. Gil career a small medical kit and from the amount of blood that covered the young witch’s face, they were going to need it. His hands were gentle as he knelt down by the couch and shifted Romi’s head so that he could get a better look at the wound. It was deep and still bleeding, though only just.
“It’s bad,” he told Aries, without taking his eyes off the woman. Grabbed a wet cloth to start cleaning the blood away, bit by bit.
A muscle clenched in Aries’s jaw, but he didn’t yell or turn his anger on Xorros—who he barely batted an eye at, as he certainly wasn’t the first demon he had ever seen—and simply took a moment to calm himself down. “I’m assuming you’re not Winter,” he spoke to the demon. “Care to share your name? I still don’t plan to banish you, but I’d like to know what happened, if you can tell me.”
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Nov 30, 2019 18:07:57 GMT -5
"I don't know about me personally. I've never meet her before," Xorros clarified. He had little time to say much else as he was ordered to stay put. A part of him wanted to leave just to spite him, but decided that the evening sun wasn't worth it. So, he tossed the phone onto the couch beside the girl. It was then he noticed the black streaks his hand had left on the back of it. Looking to the girl, she had similar blotches on her clothes. He had forgotten that he was pretty much drenched in gore. Oh well, nothing he could do about it.
In no time it seemed were two men walking through the door and into the living room. Both tall, intimidating figures, and both giving Xorros not an ounce of worry. After all, he hadn't done anything wrong. He watched in silence as the familiar too his spot by the couch and began cleaning up the girl. It was easy to tell which one was her brother by the hair alone. The accents in which they spoke were also an indicator. "He I am not," the demon spoke. "I am Xorros. Truth be told, I don't know what happened to your sister. She was like that when I arrived. You'll have to ask the other one for that information. All I know is she finished the banishing spell and passed out."
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 2, 2019 20:22:50 GMT -5
“Xorros,” Aries repeated and nodded his head, as if committing the name to memory. He didn’t seem particularly bothered by the fact that the man was clearly a demon or that he didn’t seem to know exactly what had happened. “Pleasure to meet you, then. Aries is the name. And that is my familiar, Gil.” Who, at the moment, was reasonably occupied tending to his sister’s wounds. For now, he stayed away—healing was Gil’s specialty, not his own. He was thankful to have such a dear partner, one who balanced him out so well. As much as he worried over his sister’s well being, it was better to leave it to someone who knew what they were doing.
At least the banishing has been partially successful. He didn’t see any other demons around, at least, which was a good sign.
“It’s strange to see a demon such as yourself. Haven’t seen one like you in a while,” Aries commented as he leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest. “Well, I guess that’s not strictly true. But the only one I know is a familiar, which I imagine you have no interest in. That’s a pretty serious commitment, anyway.”
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 2, 2019 21:48:57 GMT -5
Aries’s gaze slipped away to his familiar and Romi every now and then, but aside from that, he seemed to show very little concern for what was happening on the other side of the room. It was less because he didn’t care and more out of a practiced sense of calm. He had lived through many bad situations and knew well by now that panic helped no one. Besides, he placed his life and all of his trust into Gil’s hands without a single doubt.
“I’m speaking of classes. Think of subspecies, if you will. Demon is a very broad term. Shapeshifters, like Gil, are a class of demons. As are creatures like the fae and dragons. Vampires, werewolves and my own kind, on the other hand, are a subspecies of humans. You are a part of a class as well—though I can’t quite remember the name. There aren’t very many and given that you’re not full-blooded, you don’t have all the same traits, but some are there,” he listed off on one hand, his eyes thoughtful as he took the sight of Xorros in. There was no malice there, only a mild interest. “Well, truthfully, I’m not sure if I should say that you’re part of that class. There aren’t many half-demons running around and I can’t say whether or not they would fall into quite the same categories.”
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 13, 2019 20:43:47 GMT -5
(( Sorry for taking so long, I should be more active now! ))
“Categories are boring, anyway,” Aries hummed thoughtfully and tilted his head to the side, arms crossed over his chest as he looked over Xorros. Strange to see such a nonchalant demon in his presence—most were vicious for no good reason, even at a time like this, when they weren’t being actively provoked. “It’s not a matter of being broken. It’s a matter of being labeled by my kind. We hold the records of all the supernatural—it’s our job to keep track of the different species that walk this earth. They’re just too old-fashioned to understand that half-blooded creatures count as well.”
Lately, he would say with confidence that the council had been slacking in their duties and being much too harsh in others. Then again, he had no room to complain, given that they didn’t trust him in the first place. He was no respectable warlock, not these days.
“Frankly, I dislike our system. It’s old, outdated and inaccurate,” he sighed, then glanced over to the couch where Romi lay unconscious. Then, he slid his gaze back to Xorros. “I believe it’s up to the younger generations to change that. Our council needs new laws, new regulations. Of course, they’ll never listen to me. I’m not welcomed among the council workers.”
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Dec 16, 2019 19:06:44 GMT -5
(It's okay! I hope things have been well for you! ^^ )
"I wasn't talking about a broken bloodline or a case of being mislabeled," Xorros replied. He was more referring the the broken mind of his human counterpart. As far as he knew, his portion of the mind was just fine. The demon shrugged his shoulders as Aries continued to explain the current state of the witch and wizard political system, more or less zoning out after a few words. "Your rules and customs are the least of my concerns, and truthfully, I don't care. Run yourselves into the ground or build it better, it's no place of mine to be involved with. My actual concern is burning this place to the ground, but I feel as if you might like me to wait until you three have left the premise before I do. Your sister banished my father much to soon, and I still feel like causing havoc.
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 16, 2019 19:58:29 GMT -5
(( They have been! I hope they’ve been good for you, too. ))
Aries tilted his head to the side in consideration, letting out a quiet hum of thought. “Hm, I suppose that wouldn’t be an unreasonable thing to do. So long as you don’t wreck havoc, as you say, to the rest of this neighborhood.” He understood why the man would want to, demon or not—this must have been a place of bad memories, of negative energy associated with hurt and turmoil. At least for the other alters, not so much Xorros himself, who seemed mostly sound. Well, as put together as a demon in his situation could be. “Humans won’t pay much mind to a single house being destroyed in a single night, but they were certainly notice if you went rampaging around, and then I would have to come back and deal with it.”
For the first time since arriving, he heard the sound of Romi stirring awake—a low, pained noise that could have been comparable to a run over animal. He turned his head toward the couch to see that she was not quite ready to be up and about, but she was vaguely conscious. Blinking bleary, pain-dulled eyes at him and wincing as she ran a hand over the side of her bandaged face.
Gil scowled, more so at Xorros than anyone else. “It would be unwise of you to run amok, causing chaos, Xorros the Demon. Be careful what you choose to destroy,” warned the familiar, as he stood up from the floor to ease Romi up and into his arms. She didn’t so much protest being picked up as she did the pain that came with it.
“Wait,” the groggy witch said, causing Gil to freeze in his tracks. She waved her hand clumsily in Xorros’s direction. She couldn’t quite remember the events leading up to now. Not clearly, anyhow. The details were there, but they were blurred and jumbled. “You okay, Xorros? Did he hurt you?”
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Dec 16, 2019 20:26:13 GMT -5
(Things have been up and down for me, but I'm doing okay. I actually just got back from a trip to Disney World with my sister. ^^ )
Xorros decided then that he tolerated Aries. The man seemed to be just as uninterested in his doings than he did the warlock's. Of course, there was that pesky limitation he set about not destorying the whole neighborhood, but he could see the reason. Besides, he was weaker than he should have been. Most of his energy had been spent on his dealings with Urzilan, so even if he had wanted to, he doubted he would have been able to do much.
At Gil's voice, the demon looked towards the second man, who had been too focused on tending to the witch to take part in the conversation. Now he was holding her in his arms and scowling in his direction. "And why should I heed the advice of a demon who allowed himself to be bound to a warlock?" he asked about the same time Romi spoke up. His eyes flickered to her bandaged face, offering her a dark grin. "It was not I whom received the injuries tonight, witch," he informed her. "The other one, not so much. The silver still runs through his blood. I doubt he'll be up and about once I'm through here, but that's not really my place of concern either."
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 21, 2019 22:39:09 GMT -5
(( I’m glad you’re at least doing okay. And Disney World! That sounds like fun. I hope you had a good time! ))
Gil didn’t rise to the jab at his societal status and gave the other demon a bored, bland look over his shoulder. “Because it is this bound demon who knows that the council is not the only power in this world that should be feared. There are many out there who would not hesitate to hunt down and kill a reckless demon such as yourself. I warn you as one demon to another.”
On the other hand, Romi showed much more kindness with her next words. “It’s my place of concern,” she croaked, voice still rough from pain and sleep. Still, there was no denying that the fire in her eyes was nothing short of protective. She reached out her hand for Xorros nonetheless, despite being unable to stand, and continued to speak. “And you’re also my concern.” Even though he had just told her that he hadn’t been injured, she searched him for injuries anyway, though of course she found none. “If you’re going to stay here and burn the place down, then I’ll help you do it.”
Aries made a noise comparable to choking and shot a sharp look at her. Gil was the one who spoke, though. “Oh, no, you're not. Not with those injuries, young lady. You need rest—”
“I need to help my new friend,” she interrupted, patting Gil on the arm in a failed attempt to get him to put her down. If anything, he just held onto her tighter. “Demon or not, Xorros is my friend. Even if he doesn’t like me. Sorry, Xorros. You’re stuck with me.”
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Dec 21, 2019 23:24:03 GMT -5
(I had an amazing time! It was nice to just get away for a couple of days and relax. ^^ )
Xorros stared at the witch for a moment before laughter over took him. It was not the kind one might give to know he had a friend willing to help him, but rather one of amusement. "Stay or leave, it makes little difference to me, witch," the demon told her. He turned and waved a hand in the air. A sphere of flame appeared above his fingers. Looking back at the three, a wicked grin spread over his face. "One way or another, this place is being lit. I've been starved for far too long, and I've had but a taste of what I have been missing. There's no guarantee I'll be able to control myself or what comes next. Let your Council throw their threats. I have business to attend to."
And with that, he threw the fire down the hall. For a moment, it seemed to bounce off the hardwood floor harmlessly. It rolled to the base of the stairs where it came to a halt. A second later, the sphere exploded, engulfing the portion of the house in flames.
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 21, 2019 23:53:03 GMT -5
(( That’s awesome! It’s always good to get away for a while and just relax. ))
Romi watched the ball of fire bounce off the wooden walls like a magical bouncy ball, until it rolled to the base of the staircase and exploded in a puff of smoke and flames. The wood caught fire as easily as kindling, engulfed by fire that spread swiftly across the stairs and walls. It didn’t scare her like it should have. In fact, she found the sight to be somewhat beautiful. Fire was always like that with her. Beautiful, but dangerous. It was the kind of magic she had never quite been able to master well enough to use on a larger scale.
“We’re leaving,” Aries said and motioned for Gil to follow.
“I’m staying,” Romi said, wiggling to break free of Gil’s grasp. It took a moment of him glaring at her and a heavy sigh for him to finally put her on her feet. She couldn’t stand very well and she had to lean on him for support, but rather than exit the building, she limped her way over to Xorros instead. Her arms and face were bandaged and there was no possible way that they wouldn’t scar. The thought didn’t bother her too much right now. Thoughtfully, she looked up at Xorros and said, “You know, I’ve always like fire magic. It’s pretty and dangerous. It takes a lot of finesse to use. You’re good at it.”
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Dec 22, 2019 0:13:06 GMT -5
(I kinda didn't want to come back home, lol. Sadly, you can only hide from responsibility for so long.)
"Save your words for the ones who care, witch," Xorros told her, eyes never leaving the flames. There was power in the chaotic patterns the fire made, a power that tempted and pulled at him. While Romi might believe he was burning the house for crimes committed to his human form, the demon was doing it because of the rush, the hunger it sedated, the fascination of the destruction.
Along the walls and floor, flames snaked their way around them, consuming all. The roar of the flames grew louder, as did the heat. It was a few fast spreading blaze, one aided by the fact it was not just an ordinary fire, but one fueled by supernatural command. Smoke thickened the air, yet Xorros stood in the midst of it all, unphased and reveling in the energy surging about.
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 22, 2019 1:38:58 GMT -5
(( Oof, I feel that. ))
“Harsh,” Romi replies, but there was no real bite to it. She didn’t care one way or another if he appreciated what she had to say. After all, he hardly knew her. Really, she was more concerned about what he might do, since he essentially shared the same body as the three boys she did care a lot about. Winter could handle himself, but he was likely going to be badly injured, and Derek and Sam wouldn’t know what was going on if they came to and didn’t know why they felt sick or in pain. She couldn’t risk leaving them alone like that. So, she would stay.
Xorros seemed to bask in the burning chaos around him, like a cat bathing in sunlight. It was clear that he fed on the pure destructive nature of it. As much as she wanted to get to know him personally and be his friend, he obviously had no intentions of getting to know her. If she knew demons, though, they all loved one thing more than anything else.
Chaos.
“You know, whether or not you like me, we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other,” she called over the sound of the crackling wood and fire. Aries and Gil were looking on disapprovingly from the doorway, but neither of them made a move to stop her from doing what she wanted to. “They all mean a lot to me—the others. You don’t know me and I don’t know you, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find common ground. You want to run wild and I want to keep my friends safe. So. How about we make a deal, then, Xorros? I’ve heard that demons really do like to make contracts.”
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 22, 2019 14:12:45 GMT -5
“I don’t want your servitude. Familiars are made through a long, complicated process that can take months to complete. Not a simple bargain,” she replied, well aware that Xorros was not the type of demon who would want to be permanently partnered up with her. He seemed to like his freedom too much. She offered him a single hand, palm up. “I want you to keep them safe, Xorros. You have the most power out of the group and the most control over that power. If a time comes where they need to fight, I want you to be the one to do it. In return, I’ll keep the council off your back so you can do what you want within reason.”
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Dec 22, 2019 20:07:48 GMT -5
Xorros just stared at her for a moment, turning her words over in his mind. Up until now, he had never fronted. He both didn't know how nor had a reason to. While he knew of the other alters, only one did he have any contact with, and that wasn't an everyday kind of interaction. He knew vaguely of the roles they had, but never had he thought of putting himself into one of those roles. What she was asking was for him to become a protector over people he hardly knew. The demon was just about to point that out when a noise stopped him.
Above the roar of the fire, the sound of splitting timber could be heard. Xorros glance upwards, studying the walls which was covered in the flames. A visible crack had split the ceiling, as visible as it could be through the dark smoke gathered, running the course of the hall and down one wall. The longer he watched, he could tell the wooden structure of the house was being to break. Another sound if timber giving way, followed by a portion of the roof crashing down feet in front of them. While he wasn't bothered by the fire, he still backed away from the wreckage. As he did, he could feel a different kind of chaos rising. Up until now, he had been ignoring the other alters that were always present no matter how far they retreated into the Inside. He could feel the other three scrambling about, pushing their way closer to the front, even if they didn't mean to. It was nothing but pain, confusion, and fear radiating off of them, and there was barely any order. The demon tried to push them back, cast them from him so they wouldn't distract him. Yet it wasn't working. Growling, he called forth the fie to engulf his hands, as if ready to fight to remain in control of the body, hoping the flames would keep him stable. However, he was not used to being in control, and was no match for the mass panic he had helped bring to the Inside. The flames flared up about him, but in the end, he lost the battle. A minute later, the fire he had conjured about his person died, revealing Xorros no more but the human body he was bound to.
Almost immediately, the body collapsed to the floor as if nothing more than a rag doll. If the boy made any noise at all, the sounds were lost in the burning of the house. There was also no signs of him trying to rise or move at all.
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 22, 2019 20:43:19 GMT -5
Whether due to the stress of the situation or the panic of being so close to the fire, it seemed like Xorros was struggling to stay in control. Slowly but surely, Romi was growing used to the telltale signs of their switches. The way they would sometimes stop and go silent, like they were too busy sorting out what was in their own minds to speak out loud. She wondered if all of them were storming to the front all at once or if it was only one of them. It came as no surprise when their body collapsed like a boneless ragdoll amidst all the flames, lifeless and worryingly still.
Romi was in no condition to be moving around as she pleased, but that didn’t stop her from crouching down to throw one of his arms over her shoulders and standing up. It didn’t hurt so much as it made her dizzy and she was thankful when Gil moved over to help her. He took him from her, easily throwing him over his shoulder, as he made his way out of the house. The cracking and creaking of the wood was deafening as the group stepped out onto the lawn, leaving behind an inferno of red and orange over their shoulders. The police and fire department were bound to show up at any second, so it was as good a time as any to make their exit.
“Is he okay, Gil?” She asked as she turned her head to take in the man’s features. Whoever was fronting right now, she hoped they would be okay. Especially if it was Winter. She couldn’t see any visible injuries, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t hurt.
Gil only gave her a shrug as he deposited the man into the backseat of her car. “He’s breathing.”
Romi couldn’t argue with that. She crouched by the open car door and flitted about, checking for any signs of damage that she might have missed. The only spot she could find was a small bruise where she assumed the needle had gone into. “Hey, can you hear me? Winter? I’m going to take you back to my dorm and try to help you, okay?” There was no guarantee that he would answer even if he could, but she thought that on the chance that he was somewhat conscious, it would make him feel better to know where he was being taken and why.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Dec 22, 2019 21:16:07 GMT -5
It was hard to say who was fronting when the alters themselves didn't even know. Everyone was crowded together, yet no one could take hold of the body. It was strange and certainly not helping the confusion of the situation. The entire trip to Romi's car was one that would not be remembered later on. Even when they were safely at her car, it was the best of times. Their eyes would open, but would not focus. The blank stare that always accompanied their disassociation remained. Faint voices could be heard, but the words were lost. "Stop.." the boy croaked, a plea more to end the chaos in his head than to the people on the Outside. Whether it was Derek or Winter to make the request, it was hard to say. Their voice was too strained and weak to be distinct.
The body was a little worse for wear, if at first glance revealed nothing too alarming. Dried blood caked his nose and upper lip from when he had been tripped and hit his face against the stairs. There was a sizable bump on the back of his head where he was thrown against the wall, but otherwise it was fine. The bruise she found happened to be on his right arm, perhaps caused by some minor blow. It was his left arm that held the damage. When Winter left Romi's dorm that morning, he had had the sense to wear his light jacket. It hide his arm well enough, but after the injection had been ripped slightly in his vain attempts to free himself of the pain. The small tear was enough to give sight to a sliver of black color that should have been pale skin. The same black color was peeking out just past both the hem of his sleeve and the collar of his shirt. A couple of ribs were cracked as well, which could only be indicated by the shallow breaths being taken.
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 22, 2019 21:53:33 GMT -5
(( Poor boys, I feel so bad for them. But alas, suffering is a part of character development lol ))
Romi was concerned about the lack of response she was getting. Normally someone would have taken over by now, from what she had gathered switches didn’t take quite this long. All she received was a quiet, pained stop, one that confused her. She assumed he meant to stop the physical pain he was in and not the mental turmoil of so many alters fighting each other to be in control all at the same time. On closer inspection, she realized he was more beaten up than she had first assumed—maybe her head was too cloudy to have properly noticed the dried blood on his face or the lump forming on the back of his head. She tried to force the dizziness away, but that was impossible after being manhandled by a demon and given painkillers by Gil.
Rather than waste time trying to talk, she clumsily collapsed into the passenger seat and rested her head on the cool glass of the window. Gil took it upon himself to be the one to drive her car, with Aries following close behind in his own. She spent the entire ride back to her dorm glancing back at her friend periodically and biting her lip in worry. As uncomfortable as she was, she couldn’t imagine what he must be going through. All she could be glad for was that Gil and her brother were there to help carry him up the stairs to her room and that no one showed up to question their actions.
With her friend in the safety of her room, lying across her sofa, Romi groggily sorted through jars of spices and ingredients. She knew she had a potion to help somewhere in the crowded mess that was her shelves. At last, she found what she was looking for, and headed back over to the couch. “Hey, sweetheart. I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m going to give you some medicine, okay? It should make you feel better,” she murmured as she held the tiny vial of a pale blue liquid. A draught of healing—used to speed up the body’s natural healing process and reduce both pain and inflammation. She only had one dose of it, as it was difficult to make without a proper space to brew, but she had no qualms about giving it to him. “If you can, I need you to drink this. If not, I’ll have Gil tilt your head back for me.”
Maybe she didn’t necessarily need to talk him through it, but it felt wrong not to. If he was at all conscious, she wanted him to know what was going on.
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Dec 22, 2019 22:17:03 GMT -5
(What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. XD Xorros should totally bring some kind of suffering to Romi. Either by him doing something to her, unintentional or not, or him putting something into motion that doesn't concern her and then she ends up getting caught in the cross fire. I think it would be interesting to have some kind of negative reactions would spark from that.)
Normally shifts didn't take too long, but the body had taken a lot during for one day, and just couldn't keep up with the mental acrobatics going on. For the first half of the drive, it almost appeared as if they had gone unconscious. Perhaps they had, no one knew, but whatever happened helped, if only a little. When they reached the dorm, their eyes were opened and seemed to be able to recognize a few things. The first things they spotted was Romi's face. At least, they assumed it was Romi. The left side of her face was bandaged, making her look much different. "Romi?" Her name was forced out through gritted teeth, but this time it was clear that it was Winter. He wasn't in perfect control; the others were all still too close. Everyone was sharing the conscious space, but only one could actually talk or act at a time. Next thing he knew, Gil was lifting him out of the car. Still shaken and having little control over the situation, it wasn't hard for Sam to take over at the sight of the man. Oddly enough, Sam had taken to Gil, bonding with him and deeming him a safe person to trust. "Gil," Sam cried, tears welling in his eyes as his body started to shake. "i-it hurts..."
And so Sam stayed, very dissociated, all the way to Romi's dorm. Even if he tried to focus on what was around him, the pain resignating throughout his body kept getting to him. He was able to pull himself free of the tangle of conversation Derek and Winter were trying to have with him when Romi appeared before his face with some kind of blue drink. "W-what is it?" the boy asked. "Is it yucky?"
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Dec 22, 2019 23:08:35 GMT -5
(( Ooo that would be a neat idea. I can just see the amount of chaos and negativity that would cause as a result. Especially since she’s worried about Xorros running around getting the others into trouble or worse. She’s convinced he’ll get them hurt since they all “technically” share the same body. ))
Sam.
Romi recognized that pained, confused voice as Sam’s. His reactions to the world around him were what set him apart from the others and she was happy that she was finally starting to be able to tell them apart without having to ask who was fronting. She was on her way to comfort the boy when Gil beat her to it, wiping away the tears from Sam’s eyes with his hands and crouching down by the side of the couch. “Sh, I know it hurts,” he whispered.
If the circumstances weren’t so stressful, she might have been happy that he was coming out of his shell a little. Even Aries looked surprised, though he kept to himself in the far corner to watch the scene in silence. His eyes were trained entirely on Gil, watching his familiar with keen interest.
“No, it isn’t yucky at all,” Gil cooed in a voice that Romi hadn’t heard in years, not since she was a tiny baby, when he used to hold her high on his shoulders and sing her lullabies in a language she didn’t understand. It was a tone that was both quiet and soft, as though he were trying to soothe Sam’s pain through his words alone. One hand threaded itself through the man’s hair and brushed the messy strands away. He was so gentle that it nearly broke Romi’s heart—he was always such a grumpy, unfriendly man that she had never seen this soft side of his with someone outside of their family. “I’ve taken it before. Tastes like peppermint and it’s a little sweet. Kind of like a candy cane. You’ll feel better once you take it, it’ll make all the pain go away. I promise.”
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Dec 23, 2019 0:01:23 GMT -5
(I feel like it's going to be Xorros who takes the longest to warm up to Romi, and thus he's more careless and unconcerned if she's hurt. Perhaps he might do something to betray her trust, or at the very least put a dent in it. It might also put some animosity between the alters which we could use if ever in need of some drama, XD.)
Sam stilled a bit under the gentle petting, though he couldn't stop the tears. It helped take his mind off the jumbled mess inside his head. Winter was there, wanting to pull away, to get them somewhere safe. Derek, to, wanted to speak to Romi. He must have seen the bandages on her face. Yet the pain and terror he and the others had felt did a number on them. The soft voice of the big man was helping somewhat. Forcing tired and tear blurred eyes on the vial before him, the boy hesitated. Winter always told him not to drink just anything, but if it could help take the pain away, it had to be good, right? Gil even said he had taken it before, so it had to be fine. "I like candy canes," he murmured, using his right hand to shakily reach for the vial.
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