Okay (Seishiyo and Blue)

( And so it begins )


Early morning light streamed in through the front-facing windows of the small city home, dancing its way through the fluttering curtains. An early summer breeze wafted in and chilled the room with its crisp feel. The previous night's rain left the world fresh and new, to the point it could almost trick a soul into thinking they were out in the countryside back in the US instead of a bustling Japanese city. These were the wandering, wistful thoughts of an old afflicted as he ebbed into consciousness at the crack of dawn.

Rabble's eyes vaguely followed the whisping curtains from where he lay sprawled across the couch, back propped against the armrest as if he'd fallen asleep sitting up and had just melted into the cushions. Probably what happened, he mentally noted as he rubbed his tired eyes and turned his face to the blank ceiling instead. How many hours did he get? It was only just dawn, so probably no more than two, and in how many nights? That thought brought him to rub his face with a tired moan and give a stretch, forcing himself to roll off the couch and onto his feet with the sluggish slow motions that his body seemed to drag through in the past few days. A pang of hunger stabbed into and twisted within his stomach, but he only gave a slight snarl of frustration as he migrated into the kitchen. He hadn't eaten well for an afflicted in a long while, but he felt he could hold off a while longer. It was even harder to let himself just go off when it was time now that he had a new squatter in his humble abode. He didn't honestly care whether or not people thought ill of him for what he had to do, but he didn't need the hassle, or at lat that's what he told himself... Point being, he didn't want to deal with it right now, so cramming normie food into his face it was. He usually made breakfast for Nova anyway. She was practically his adoptive sister and he didn't really trust her with a stove, considering her last few "experimental" attempts at cooking.Shuffling into the kitchen, finger combed through his haggard mess of hair and pulled it back into its usual arrangement, washed his hair, then got out his supplies.

He was already in the midst of cooking and the smell had filled the house by the time Nova stirred.

Half curled up and hidden away from the light of day was a tired overworked Olivia. She had been busy the past few days working on a few cases here and there that had many many time based leads to follow. Olivia was not one to make try and make to many sudden decisions however after hitting a wonderful lead to her top case that was Rabble's she took it upon herself to settle into his small home. Granted it was a hard sell at first but lucky for her Nova was eager to have her around.

The female stirred only when Nova started to move around. The smell of food had filled the house and she was so ready for it. However her current task of actually getting up was the first priority. Well sort of. The actual first priority was keeping her eyes open for more the a few seconds. She didn't want to fall asleep again but boy was it tempting. She stretched out as far as she could trying not to resettle in before rolling to the edge of the bed and sitting up. She gave a tired yawn and sorta sat there enjoying the smell that made its way thru the house. "Rabble is definitely up." She mused easily. She had remembered she had more stuff to share with him but wondered if he was even up to it. She wondered a lot about him as she was slowly getting to know him. The more she learned the more curious she became. However she knew she would never pester him about his life as she wanted it to be natural to him. Her thoughts seemed to be her usual scattered morning thoughts. It was when she nearly slid back into a laying down position that she realized she was getting nothing done.

"I need to stop sitting here." She mumbled lightly eyes practically shut. "Need more motivation for life today. Nova help." She tiredly pleaded. She did have lots to get done today but wow was she not much of a morning person.

Olivia had unwittingly signed her doom, unleashing unspeakable terror upon herself and inviting destruction whens he asked Nova for help getting up. That spry girl was nothing but pent up energy one hundred percent of the time. Her bright eyes were wide open in a moment, grinning ear to ear as she went from just barely stirring to full on leaping out of her small, twin-sized bed. She flew across the room and leapt full body across to land on Olivia's bed and sprawl partly over her new roommate. She had always wanted a roomie or a sister. Now she was convinced she'd have both in one! But that came with the unfortunate torture of a little sister.

Nova patted Olivia's face with a wide grin and eagerly chimed, "Up and at'em! Rabble's cooking, good lookin'~" Her peachy ginger hair was a frazzled mess of bedhead and she still had sleep eyes, but she was ready to tackle the day and, by golly, Olivia would be too. "We've got the day before us! Time's a wasting!" No one was happier than Nova to have Olivia move in with them. Of course, the only other contender was Rabble, who had honestly said no. Good thing Nova didn't listen! It was good for him, she was sure.

Rabble, meanwhile, was pretending like he didn't hear all the ruckus. He was a poor man, though, and could afford neither a big house's rent nor one with thick walls. He could hear every creak of the bed and every word. He raised one brow and got the slightest bemused smirk at Nova's eagerness, since no one was looking. Served Olivia right, he thought. That's what she got for moving in and rooming with Nova, of all people.

Poor tired Olivia didn't have morning brain to remember to open her eyes when she asked Nova for assistance. One moment she was half asleep and nearly slumped back into a sleeping position the next moment she found herself leap upon. A surprised yet tired yelp came from her as she stared her fellow roomie and sister in the eyes. She felt her face get patted and she couldn't help but to smile. Nova looked like a morning mess above her. "He is good lookin.... wait not what you meant..."She made a slight embarrassed face as reached up to messed with Nova's bedhead and laughed. She was trying to hide her strange slip up. "Nothing like a sister clock to wake you up in to morning am i right?" She said with a yawn.

She grinned and wrapped her arms around the female and pulled her down on to the bed. "Especially one with enough energy to fuel a power plant for days." She laughed feeling more awake than she had a few minutes ago. Which was good of course. "I do have lots to get done today. I wanna take a look thru one of my case files again and stop by my apartment to find something. Maybe swing by the store to get more snacks." She said listing None of that in order."Rabble stole my other ones." She said surprisingly not aggravated. She sounded rather amused. She continued pulling her mental todo list together now that she was able to function and let out a sort of refreshed sigh. "You should come with. It will be fun. Girls day out maybe?" She questioned curiously as she released her captive so they both could get up and get ready for the day.

Nova gave the biggest, most evil sister grin of giddy pleasure when Olivia gave her slip up. Oh that was NOT going to just cover up so easily. "Oh but he is, isn't he~?" Her teasing voice rose and fell like a song, "That gruff, mysterious angst is too attractive to resist~" She patted and play swatted at Olivia like a kitten playing with a larger cat as she sat up, but did, in fact, allow her to get up. She resisted the urge to keep her trapped and just mess with her for now. With a giggle she added, "But yes, I am the best of alarm clocks because I have no snooze button." She puffed up her chest as if proud, placing her hands to her little hips and smiling ear to ear.

It wasn't long before she'd already shot back up to her feet, pajamas in a ruffled mess as she pattered around Olivia to stand near the door, eager to start the day with some of those fluffy eggs. No morning was complete without breakfast, after all. Of course, she certainly wasn't going to miss out on the conversation either and chimed happily, "You'll soon learn that Rabble steals all the snacks in the house. He has a permanent case of the munchies." And the moment she mentioned an invitation, she gave an excited little squeak of delight. "Of course! We totally should! I've never, ever, NEVER had a girl to go shopping with on girl's days out!" Not a surprise, given her rather limited acquaintance pool and extremely intimidating protector.

Rabble was in the midst of serving out three plates of eggs and bacon when he heard the girl chatter rise louder. He nearly smacked a plate off the counter when he heard them talking about him because he wasn't paying a lick of attention to the task at hand and jerked upward, smacking a plate from below. Luckily for him, he caught it before it fell and saved the precious, precious cargo...and whatever he had of his dignity in this situation. Pinching the bridge of his nose and forcing back the flustered feeling in his face, he grumbled under his breath, "This is why you should only ever live with one girl in the house...."

~~~

Somewhere else, far off in the city, another man had just finished breakfast, but the situation was as polar opposite as it could be. He was a sweet-hearted boy and beamed like the sun itself. Because, that is, he was absolutely lovestruck.

Humming a soft tune and swaying through the kitchen, he placed the last delicate touch of a strawberry propped against its brother at the side of freshly made pancakes with strawberry syrup. Delicious~ He appraised his work with a winning smile, his speckled face the absolute spitting image of purity. He was becoming quite the chef, if he did say so himself. Maybe he was good for something after all~ Now only to present the prettier of two plates to the true judge of all that was right in the world, love and guide of his life.

He set the plate on a little tray with a glass of milk, just the amount she liked it at, and carried it on careful feet to the bedroom door of his apartment and ever so gently edged in to where his sweet girlfriend was sleeping soundly as she always was this time of day. Setting the tray perfectly at the side table and where he had learned from experience it would not be at risk of getting knocked into, he gently sat at the edge of the bed and brushed her hair from her face with a delicate touch.

"Linette," he breathed warmly, "I brought breakfast." As he did whenever she was home from work, but he tried to make his morning awakenings special each time. After all, it was the least he could do for the one who showed him life.

Olivia saw Nova's expression change when she made her blunder. "Don't you-" She started only to have Nova continue anyway. "Nova no shhh. T-That doesn't mean a thing. I just....you..." She stumbled as she swatted back at her now evil sister trying to quiet her down. A bright red blush plastered across her face because yes now /he/ was on her mind. "You may not have a snooze button but you do need a mute button in case of emergencies like this one." She said not wanting to leave her bed now but did so anyway. "Hmmm i need to start buying twice as much so i have extra. That or learn to hide them better." She laughed lightly as she got ready trying will her blush away. She watched Nova happily move around as she got ready and headed out the room door past Nova and smiled as the female explained not having a lot of girl time.

"That's understandable." She said simply at first. Rabble looked like a very intimidating man and had the personality to match it as well. They didn't seem the type of pair to have many around them. She realized she had went silent before she placed her arm around Nova's shoulder. "Then it's you and me against the world today." She said as they got closer to the their destination. "Besides i'm sure Rabble could use a break from giddy girls." She joked with Nova lightly. She walked in where Rabble was couldn't stop a faint blush from crossing her face after earlier conversation happened. 'Nova why??' She thought to herself as she let out a slow breath. "Morning Rabs." She said as she claimed a plate for her own. "You sleep okay?" She asked him curiously.

~~~~
Somewhere sleeping soundly under nice cozy blanket lay Linnette. She spent lots of time at her boyfriend's place away from the riff raff that was her actual house. Especially when she realized how valuable he was to her. Someone like that had to be kept an eye on so moving in was her best option. Lucky for her she had nothing to worry about.

Linnette stirred a few times but never actually woke up. Mostly because she knew who was around at any given time. Secondly she had been working a lot lately. After all work is never done for an information broker and when your house was full of very strange people its even more so. She was contented with staying they way she was till the afternoon however her rest was disturbed by her love stuck boyfriend. She felt his weight shift the bed slightly before she heard his sweet voice ring in her ears. Her eyes fluttered open as she greeted the happy man with a sweet smile."It's so nice to wake up to you i hope you know that. I don't know what my day would be like if i had to wake up without that smile of yours." She said as she stretched slightly before carefully sitting up. The scent of food filling the air just made her hungry. However she had priorities to .... renforce first.

She reached over and placed a gentle hand on his cheek letting a slight frown graced her lips as she glanced off to one side. "You know I had a bad dream before you woke me. You kicked me out during a rainstorm...." She paused and her hand fell to the bed and clenched the blanket lightly. "You said you didn't need me anymore and that you had better people to learn from. When i turned to tried to talk to you there was some other girl with you. She laughed and told me i was useless. Y-you shut the door then the world went dark and i-i was alone." She told him sounding completely honest and rather hurt. "Y-you wouldn't really get rid of me like that....w-would you?" She asked softly as her timid worried gaze slowly met his. One could almost see tears in her eyes as she waited for an answer.

Nova gave a wry giggle when she managed to further fluster her poor roomie, then a squeal as she was swatted at. She couldn't help the giggle fit that continued though. It was as amusing as it was unbelievable that she'd had such good fortune with this sister of hers. People normally didn't stick around Nova long on her own, but Rabble was usually a repellant to all allies and friends. She could see his true value, but others saw only what his life had made of him, an afflicted, a damaged soul. Olivia seemed to not only be unbothered by this for the most part, but also clearly had stronger feelings thanks he let on around him. Nova knew that it'd be a good thing for both of them but, selfishly, especially hoped so for her long-time companion. Besides, it was adorable and she wasn't about to let that opportunity pass her by! "I have no mute!" She shot back a reply as if her mind had been un-devidedly paying attention the whole time, though it certainly had not.

As she smoothed out her own mussed hair and shook out the bunched wrinkles in her pajamas, she gave a giddy smile at the further promise of time spent with Olivia. "I'm not sure the world can handle that much condensed AWESOME!" She gave her best warrior voice and flexed her 'massive' muscles to prove her point. Of course, she never could keep a straight face, so she was already in another spurt of laughter when she leaned back and swung the door open behind her, padding into he main room with Olivia.

Her gaze met Rabble's form instantly, his slightly haggard appearance telling her he'd had a late night again without a single word uttered. Rabble's own gaze lifted from what he was doing with his usual underlying attitude to dismissiveness. He, as always, presented a look as if he were telling them to buzz off, though he had clearly gone out of his way to prepare breakfast in expectance of them. Nova paid it no mind. She knew better.

His ghostly white eyes drifted to Olivia at her greeting. She'd taken a shining to the nickname Nova called him by and it felt strangely familiar. He was rather fond of that, but didn't quite know what he thought yet about being fond of it in the first place. Instead of politely returning her 'good morning,' he gave a huff and settled his used pan into the sink, announcing offhandedly, "I'm sure you smelled as much, but breakfast is ready if you want it."

Leaving the pan in the sink to cool, he took up his own plate, the largest as usual, and lifted it above Nova's immediately grubby hands trying to nab his extra bacon as he moved around them to allow them entry into his oh so gracious kingdom of the kitchen. He settled at the far end of the counter and leaned against the wall with his plate, casually observing. When Olivia asked how he slept, he simply applied, "Well enough."

"Liar," Nova was quick to retort with a puff of her cheeks.

And without missing a beat, he tagged on, "You were like a log, by the sound of it." Thin walls ladies, thin walls.

Nova seemed to entirely dismiss his teasing and merely continued with her train of thought. "But that does mean you actually slept. Small victories."

He emphatically rolled is eyes as if her concern was completely unwarranted and overbearing. He wished she was spared from worry.

~~~

The delicate flutter of Linette's eyelashes against her soft cheeks gave Isaac a gentle warmth to his cheeks. She was so beautiful without even trying. And the smile that bloomed across her face like a morning sunrise? To die for. Her warm, quiet voice soon met his ears with unexpected and, in his eyes, unwarranted praise. "My smile?" he retorted with a softness that only a deep love could bring to a voice. Tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and tenderly stroked the side of her face with his thumb, tracing her cheekbone. "My smile exists solely because yours does. It'll never fade, so long as you're happy." He had no idea how smooth he really was, for everything he said was dealt with the complete honestly of one too naive and innocent to lie as others would.

As she reached up and rested her hand against his cheek, he leaned slightly into her supple touch. He was so blessed to have h-

She frowned and his brow immediately pursed, worry tracing his eyes as they looked between hers, trying to read her distress. Had he done something wrong? She had been smiling beautifully only moments before. He retraced his steps in his mind and couldn't see any obvious mistake. Surely it was something important though, something he was missing.

And then she explained and his heart ached for her. His strong arms found their way ever so naturally and gently around her as he gave her a reassuring embrace. "I'd never do that to you. No man or woman alive could compare to you in my heart. You know that, don't you?" He loosened only to cradle her head in his work-worn hand and delicately lay a kiss on her forehead. Putting his brow to hers as if wishing only to convey his deepest thoughts to her, his warm, deep voice reassured, "I love you and you alone, Linette. So long as you'll have me, I'll never part from you." He wasn't like other people. He wasn't going to abandon her or believe those rumors. She was so insecure, so fragile, and yet no one seemed to see her true worth. Only he was so lucky, he was certain.

Olivia couldn't help but to laugh at the situation as a whole. Nova was active and happy which was always good. She had decided a bit prior to accept any embarrassment that came her way....if only because she couldn't fight the truth of it all. She had grown fond of the two housemates and she was more then happy to never leave them. Loosing them she decided would just be about the worst thing because she wouldn't have much to go back to. Whether they thought of her as such or not she considered them a family. She pulled herself from her thoughts when she heard Nova speak up. The response of not having a mute button amused her. “I see well then remind me to not slip up next time.” She said smiling back. Tho she didn't have much control over such slip ups as the more time she spent around Rabble the more easier it was to say things out loud rather then in her mind. There was a brief sigh before she heard Nova laughing which caught her up and made her laugh.

When they reached the kitchen and she got a better look at Rabble he seemed....tired again. She didn't know much about Rabble's life style or routines so it was hard together why he wasn't sleeping well. It worried her however she sorta learned not to ask to many questions at once. Hearing Rabble's huff before explaining breakfast made her give a half sigh. Expected. She did stake her claim on her plate of food. “Thanks.” She simply said in response. She watched as Nova started trying to get at Rabble's plate which made her giggle slightly. 'Like typical siblings' She thought with a smile. However Rabble's response to how he slept left her with a raised brow. Nova called him out and she nodded in agreement with the female well until she felt her cheeks flush at the thin walls comment. “Y-yeah thin walls.” She muttered lightly. However Nova was right small victories.

She causally ate her food before she looked over at Rabble and Nova “You two are so close to one another.” She commented easily “It's more apparent when you two are interacting because you act like sibling and less like a girl with a gruff bodyguard.” She said pointing her fork in there direction. “It's cute.” she added with a light smile.

~~~~
Linnette could only give a soft laugh when she heard his retort. She gave a slow nod as he brushed her hair aside and thumbed lightly at her cheek. Gosh he was smooth as butter and luckily for her all his. That face of his held no lie and he looked like he could do no wrong. He was by all account the perfect man in more ways then one.

As she placed her hand upon his cheek and frowned she noticed his gaze changed. Good. She figured he thought he had done something wrong at this point but that didn't stop her. She explained to him her dream and again he seemed to hang on her every word. She felt his arms wrap around her and she leaned into him as if to deepen the fact that she was scared. She heard his words which seemed so sincere and honest. When he kissed her forehead a small unnoticed smile formed on her face. “I-i believe you. Its just scary sometimes because you know how they talk about me.” Her voice sounding shaky. “I guess my fear is that one day they might convince you to leave me.” She told him before shaking her head.

“I didn't mean to make you worry I....i was just scared. I'd never get rid of you ever. Your to precious to me.” She told him as she looked at him. A few tears came to her eyes as she looked him. Reaching up she wiped at her eyes and smiled. “Sorry I didn't mean to.... to ruin this lovely morning. Honest. W-why don't we enjoy breakfast but...but can you stay with me this time....please?” She pleaded softly giving him a soft doe eyed look.

Rabble had a brief moment to be amused by Olivia's seeming discomfort at the thin walls comment before she brought up her thought on them being siblings. Honestly and truly, she wasn't wrong. He may have been ages older and may have become a twisted soul long before he met her, pure, new and naive, but she was family to him. How it came about was unexpected and tenuous, but she had grown to be his sister and there was no use denying it. She'd called him her brother long before he was able to admit his attachment himself, but his care for her was deeper than he thought he was even capable of anymore. She was likely the only thing that had kept his humanity, what little he had left in his eyes, from completely disappearing.

Instead of replying in such a thoughtful, intimate way, he used his foot to reach over across the space between their two stools and nudge Nova's leg, playing with just pushing at her enough to make her think she was going to fall. She squeaked and swatted at him, but he proceeded to say, "You're right on one front, Olivia. I'm not her guardian. She's my prisoner. There is no escape from this dungeon of horrors."

"AH! The TRUTH is REVEALED!" Nova immediately played along, earning a coveted and rare smirk from her rugged brother, which only served to spur her on with more fervor, "Now that you know, valiant knight, Olvia, you must save me from the clutches of my imprisonment and vanquish this foul beast!" She took a mouthful of eggs, made a contented hmm and added, "Despite his aptitude for cooking!"

Rabble snorted and a single laugh that sounded more along the lines of a scoff followed, but he just pushed her until she smacked at him again and appeased himself by inhaling a bit more of his food. "Well, I'm sure your frilly, prissy girl's day will free you from your imprisonment for the afternoon," He assured, only half going with the serious look by then. Nova flashed him an ear to ear grin that quirked the corners of his lips as if to reciprocate the gesture. He knew she was bursting at the seams with excitement and that couldn't help but rub off on his own mood, if only just a little. He was happy for her, in his own way. After all, she must have gotten bored of being cooped up and protected by his ugly mug by now anyway. She deserved better and that was what she was getting today, so he had to be glad for it in his own way.

"And i'm sure Olivia needs a break," he cut his own thoughts off as he gestured to their relatively recently added member, "She's got files upon files scattered throughout my house like land-mines. Right hazard, this one. Must have lost her mind by now, somewhere in all that mess."

~~~

"Shhh, shhh," Isaac's soft whisper of a voice tried to sooth her worries as he swore with an emotional immediacy and honestly that showed his deep trust and commitment, "I couldn't possibly listen to the nonsense they speak of you, i promise you that. They just don't know you like I do. They haven't had the honor." Ever so sweetly stroking her hair, he reminded her, "You're the one that found me and showed me life and, more importantly, showed me love. If anyone knows me, it's you, and you know they will never sway me." With a gentle smile as their eyes met, he motioned as if to help wipe away her tears and assured, "It was a trick of your dreams, dear, never to come true. Don't be scared."

Some might have become frustrated, chastised her for her lack of faith in them, but Isaac? No, he could only try to mend her, only see that it was he who needed to show her more clearly and more often his love and commitment. If he just kept pushing to be better to her, to be what she deserved, then she would finally feel at peace. He would help her by being everything he could be for her. Only then would her nightmares stop and only then would she have security.

When she began to apologize, he gently shook his head and corrected quietly, "You haven't ruined a thing. The day is still what you make of it." At her offer to share breakfast and her soft doe eyes, his heartstrings were pulled into hers and intertwined, woven into knots and tangles. She could have asked anything and he would have obliged. "Of course," he agreed with a ready but calm tone. Briefly rising and retrieving his own plate from just a few steps away, he returned and contentedly settled down into his side of the bed, but opted to leave his food on the side table in favor of holding her closely and protectively so that she could be comfortable and secure while she ate hers first.

Olivia noticed Rabble looking at her when she mentioned the thin walls things. She taken a personal note to keep her conversations low in the future not that she was uncomfortable...okay she was uncomfortable. It was that and the fact that if she did decided to talk about Rabble to Nova she would be heard. She pushed the thought from her mind as Rabble seemed to had gone silent to her sibling comment. Whether that meant she was right or he was annoyed she didn't know. Well till she noticed Nova slowly getting pushed backwards to the point she squeaked and got playful. She heard Rabble speak and raised a brow at first before she heard him finish talking.

At first there was silence and a small look of shock before she slowly brought her hand up and pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. A smile slowly forming on her fave. When Nova suddenly shouted is spooked her slightly and she looked up to see Rabble smirking. Yup that big brother feeling was rolling off him again as she looked at the interaction before her. She looked at Nova who was having all to much fun with this and giggled slightly. “I don't know Nova....your captors pretty hot...don't think that's a battle I’d win....” She mused half leaning against the counter till she realized what she said but couldn't find a cover so she simply cleared her throat and ignored her own words with some vain hope they where to busy playing to hear her.

“Me and Nova will have the best frilly prissy day enough so that by the time we get back you will feel the girlishness radiating off us before we get to the front door.” She half joked and half beamed with the same eagerness Nova had even if a blush was plastered across her face. 'I bet she can make watching paint dry fun.' she thought which in turn made her outwardly laugh slightly. “I'm guessing your gonna hang out here or go test run one of your bikes or something right?” She randomly said as she cleaned her plate and got up to wash it off. “Something manly to counter the female hormones in your home.” She said before randomly and jokingly thinking aloud. “Or maybe you secretly go to spas.” She said sounding amused. “Now wouldn't that be something....”

~~~~
Linnette seemed to wear an unnoticed half smile. Hearing his words that where so honest and pure her smile widened just a bit as she lay her head against him. “I-i so vary glad you see it that way.” She muttered lightly. “I know its a trick of my dreams but....but well everyone knows how real dreams can feel.” She told him lightly. “But....but I won't believe them. I promise I’ll try my best to push aside my worries. Even if I cant help it ill try.” She told him her eyes met his allowing him to wipe away what tears that had started to form in her eyes.

She loved her open book of a boyfriend because she knew he would never lie to her about anything. It made things easy. Him being so kind opened up a whole source of new options like staying at his place if she needed to get away from someone or needed to work away from the house. Keeping her life and house job a secret was also made easier because it allowed her to stay detached from everyone else. Looking at Isaac's she could see some sort of wheels turning in his head about there conversations. She felt at her normal ease knowing his thoughts where on her and her alone.

As she started to apologize she watched him shake his head. He was to sweet to even consider his morning greeting ruined. She gave him a slow nod in agreement with him. “I...your right I can't let this keep me down. It can only get better from here.” She said sound confident but not to much so. At her offer to share breakfast she watched her lovestruck man agree before collecting the food yet leaving his plate to hold her so she could be comfortable. It was a sweet move on his part.

She ate her food and seemed in thought. She was thinking about something she had been wanting to look into for a while. She poked at one of the stawberries with her fork and brought it to her lips always enjoying at least one of her favorites first. She looked at her plate and wondered if he knew any place where she could conduct this experiment of hers. “I have work to do today.” She started suddenly. “My dema wants me to test something but I don't know a good place to do it so no one gets hurt. I can't not do it tho.” She continued with slight hesitation. “It is a little more dangerous then some stuff I have been doing but we know I can't cross my dema. B-but don't worry if I find a good place to do this I wont be in any danger.” She said sounding reassuring for the most part. She picked up her milk and sipped away at it. “I'm always so busy. I should really spend more time with you. I feel like you get lonely when i'm out so much.” She muttered lightly as she rolled her final strawberry with her fork before eating it. “What do you say after...and if well you do mind....when I get done with this project we figure out something we can do together before I get another assignment?” she asked him with a soft smile.

Rabble's tiny smirk splayed ever so slightly into a devilish grin when it seemed Olivia was starting to agree with him. He wiggled Nova's seat back and forth, making her efforts to stay upright more of a challenge and eliciting several more giggles, as he took the last piece of bacon and munched on it casually. Aha, yes, Nova was to be denied aid from her valiant-

His sharp teeth snapped through the crispy bacon strip so quickly that it shot a large piece to the back of his throat and made him half choke when Olivia spoke up. He managed to restrain it to only a couple of coughs and to force back the wide-eyed shock that flashed across his face. Swallowing a few times and taking a drink, he made the deliberate choice to push Nova further so she wouldn't say anything and wouldn't have the chance to read his eyes.

Blasted woman. Blasted, blasted, stupid woman. He wasn't expecting that to come out of her mouth. Here and there he'd heard her say things to Nova or let things slip, so he knew there was something there and, yeah, he couldn't completely deny that he did have a certain..... eh.... interest, but it certainly wasn't anything that could go anywhere and she had no business looking at- or thinking of him that way. She was just... a naive girl. She didn't know what his life or world looked like. He knew that. It was deliberate on his part. He definitely, definitely wanted it that way. She'd seen this- his home, his relationship with Nova, how things were relaxed around there. She'd seen him in one very specific light other than his distanced and abrasive attitude when they'd first met. She had no idea of the darkest depths of what it meant to be truly involved in his life. If she did, he was sure she'd be smart enough to cut her losses and leave. She didn't really know /what/ he was, even though she was aware he was an afflicted.... So she didn't know what she was really thinking, he was sure.

Reasoning through it like that brought his darting mind and sped heart back to their somber, normal place and he immediately replied to Olivia's comment about emanating their femininity. As if nothing had gone through his head before, he replied in his usual, sarcastic dryness that sounded almost serious, "Well just don't bring home any glitter. Those buggers make an infestation faster than flees and are twice as hard to get rid of. Make sure you're not carrying those hitchhikers before you come in or you'll be the ones buying glitter repellant from the pest people."

Nova, to his relief, had actually missed his earlier moment, only hearing the coughing. Either she was as good at hiding what she was thinking as he was, or she'd misinterpreted the cough as something else. With a smile, she agreed with Olvia, "He'd probably be working in the shop, as always. He's just not got a single social bone in his body! Such a hermit!... buuuut, it would be funny if he went to the spa." A certain glint came to her eye as she added pointedly, "It'd be super cute~"

"Oh but of course I go to the spa," he replied back without missing a beat, clearly equipped with enough sarcasm to last him through this verbal onslaught, "Get a manny-petty, seaweed rap, waxed, the whole nine yards. What else do you think I do all day to stay this fresh?" He specifically mentioned freshness because he knew they all looked like they'd just crawled out of bed and he specifically looked like he was a quarter the way to dead.

~~~

"I know sweet pea," he cooed softly when she reminded him how real dreams could be, "Don't worry. Everyone has those days." Honestly, he had trouble remembering many of his dreams, like they didn't know where to come from, like he hadn't enough to go on to make them real. Others were so vivid though, real, as if he were in a far off place with people he could know as easily as he could walk up to someone on the street. It was surreal, but yes, he definitely believed her without question. If she said her dreams were real enough to shake her, he believed her. She was just so nervous, such a flighty thing sometimes. He felt bad for how scared the world had her and just wished he could protect her in his arms from everything, no matter what it was or what it cost him to do so. She'd had enough.

When she seemed to agree and make up her mind to make the most of the day, he gave her a bright, reassuring smile that could light up a room. He just had the purest heart and it showed in the essence of everything that he did.

When he'd returned from getting his food and had settled in beside her, his mind was put more at ease that his efforts seemed to help. Linette appeared more comfortable. He let his eyes wander the room and trace the subtle details, the mixed touches of his and hers scattered throughout, the space of two people living in harmony as one. It was idilic, as far as he knew. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable by staring, so he allowed his eyes to wander, but he did steal a glance every here and there to check in on her, make sure she wasn't troubled and was enjoying herself. On one such brief check, though, he had to double take and then his ease was immediately put on hold, mind thrown into concern anew.He was about to ask what troubled her and had even parted his dark lips to do so when she began to explain her situation.

As if it were just something he knew from the top of his head, he had an answer as quickly as remembering his own name. "There's a place nearby," he found himself saying, mind working quicker than his mouth, so he had to play catch-up in his own head, forcing his thoughts to slow and sort themselves as he spoke clearly and earnestly, "You don't have to worry about your dema or being late to your task. There's a warehouse, an abandoned one that's huge over by the harbor. It's been modified and left for years, but it was used to keep a powerful phantom once for a troublesome shiniko, so it's definitely fortified and safe for whatever you need it to do." Such information sprung to his head so commonly and clearly that it didn't even register as strange to him that he had no idea where he'd learned it. It was a normal part of his existence and Linette never seemed to question it, so he didn't see anything strange in it either.

Furrowing his brow a little, he added, "I know your work is secret, but I hate for you to be in danger like that. If you ever need me or are allowed to let me be there for you, please let me know. I don't know what I'd do if anything were to happen to you..." especially if he could have done something.

Yet she quickly had moved to the next topic, blaming herself for not being around enough. He thumbed her arm where his hand was rested upon it and made a warm rumble in his chest like he was denying her concern. "A little loneliness never killed anyone, dear," he comforted without giving a second though to how utterly alone he felt in her absence sometimes, "I keep myself plenty busy. Don't worry."

The way she switched though, inviting the idea of spending time with him, had him renewed with brightness and enthusiasm, an excitement springing to life in his eyes. She had him played like a well tuned fiddle. "Of course! Yes, I'd love to spend time with you. Anything you want to do, just name it. I can always make time for you, my love."

Olivia smiled and blush ever so slightly when she glanced over at Rabble's devilish grin. She watched Nova and Rabble with a contented smile. They really did act like family and it was adorable in her opinion.

After her....'mishap' with words she took note of Rabbles sudden choking. She noted his shocked expression with a very timid and embarrassed look started mentally fumbling with her choice of words to say 'Stop thinking about it Rabble ignore everything.' She thought or rather pleadfully thought. She didn't mean it....well okay she did....but not out loud. A since of wanting to hide away from the world suddenly fueled her thoughts. However as much as she wanted to deny her interest in the afflicted she couldn't help but to internally telling herself that she was lying. She had grown fond of Rabble in many ways. It was in all in all a crush and to some degree an infatuation. Rabble was a handsome Devil and whether he accepted it or not had a good side to him. Yes she knew he was afflicted so that had to equate to there being a bad side which she admitted to herself she knew nothing about. However she saw what she saw and knew what she knew.

He had a kind heart behind that gruff nature of him. However she had to be honest with herself there was a certain attraction to the bad boy side of Rabble. That was another thought for another day tho. “I-...” She started before she fell silent. She instead rolled with her forced current distraction. She didn't seem to notice Rabble's internal struggle but did notice his silence at first but brushed it off when he spoke up thankfully saying nothing about what had just happened. She gave a bemused smirk as she raised her hand and said “I can give no real promise glitter wont happen.” She told him before adding “It be unwise to make a promise I wouldn't likely be able to keep” She said giving a sort of 'what can you do' kind of shrug. “However we will try not to bring the vibrant colors of the tiny flakes into your humble abode.” She laughed having half a mind to do just the opposite of what she just said.

Hearing Nova pipe in with her thoughts on what Rabble would likely be up to while they where gone made her nod in agreement before laughing at the hermit comment. The added comment about the spa also made her nod in agreement. What it was amusing to think of Rabble relaxing properly. Rabble's sudden voice in response made her glace over at him and raised a brow. She noted the sarcasm but did take stock of how they all must have looked.

She still bit her lip to stifle a laugh before she quickly said “Seems you missed one or two spa treatments. Better use today to schedule a longer session.” She quipped before she set her eyes on her next task which was giving her hair a bit of a brush however it somewhat tamed itself. “I just gotta gathers somethings and this den of wonders will be yours once more.” She said heading over to a table where she had half a dozen files scattered around while several messy piles stacked next to them. She was moving slowly yet reaching thru her mess with confidence as she gathered several of them and started adding them to a bag. “Don't bring to much Nova where gonna be out for a while.” She told the female. “We will likely be bring more back then what we left with.” She said before noting. “Rabs if you want something while where out tell Nova or write it down.” She said before falling silent as she fought with some of the stacks of files.

~~~~
Linnette seemed to give the male a half smile. “I know...of course you know. Everyone knows how dreams are.” She said sounding both relived and saddened at the same time. She had built of herself to interlace with Isaac's being since she discovered things about him. It made things easy for her in the long run and even better because of how....'new' he was to things in most ways.

She watched him light up when she told him she would not let her dreams bothered her. In truth she didn't even remember her actual dream however this was about her dream. It was about stability in what she had and her preservation of what she classified as hers. He was hers and no one elses. She offered a kind smile back before he got his own food and settled down to join her as she had asked or pleaded him to do. She took notice of how his eyes wandered about the room which she didn't mind. Her gaze stole a few glances around herself. She had practically moved in after a while of learning and understanding the male. His place was now just as much his as it was hers.

When she started to voice her concerns about her...mission she noticed Isaac's brief look of concern which made her inwardly laugh a bit. As he suddenly spoke she looked surprised if not very confused. “What are you....” She paused and let him continue his at first wild train of thought. The more she listened the more she seemed to light up. Such random burst of information always came from the male. She had learned to quickly stopped questioning it back when she first met him and understood who he was. She seemed to mull over the idea in her head thinking of the buildings likely structure. If it housed a phantom then it must have still be capable of doing the same once more. Good.

The sound of Isaac's voice cut thru her thought process much to her dismay however she didn't fault him for it or say anything against it. She merely caught up to his words and gave a half smile. “I appreciate the offer but I don't want you wrapped up in what I’m doing for my dema. I don't want people after you to...” She paused before she sighed and smiled a little wider as she booped his nose lightly. “But since you worry so much I promise I will come to you if I need help with something if it becomes to much for me to handle alone.” She told him. “For now you the information you have given me will be enough for now.” She said told him before switching subject on him.

She felt his thumb on her arm as the warm rumbled tone of his voice quickly shot down her concerns about the lonely status of the males life. Of course he would however she could see he had been thinking about it and it concerned her to some degree. When she offered that they should do something together and he lit up happily and got rather excited. He once again reminded her of a very happy dog which amused her again to some degree. She smiled. “Then its settled I will get this project sorted and finished up first chance I get and when I do you and I will spend some much needed quality time together. No missions and no work. I promise.” She told him.

“How about we start it miniorly by going to the harbor to check out that warehouse. Maybe there is more information you might be able to give me while where there. After that I will need to set up shop if it works out so I will have to send you back home....” She paused then said “I might have a few things for you to do before hand tho. We will see.” She told him as she stretched a final time. “I best get ready day's not gonna stop while I sit here and just plan things out.” She told him. “Even if I don't want to peel myself away from the handsome man before me.” She said in a cute tasteful voice before she set her empty tray on the stand and crawled out of bed to go get ready.

Rabble, too, was relieved that nothing more was said about Olivia's slip of the tongue. There was no need to address it. If they just waited, she'd be bringing some fling around his place in no time and he'd be telling her to get her own room like an old man before they knew it. He was just a phase. She'd have more, then eventually settle on someone suitable, maybe. Hopefully before she saw the harsher side of how things worked around there, that way they might actually not be on opposite sides of the life and death struggle when she eventually moved out with whatever man caught her fancy in the end.

"I don't make any promises either~" Nova's cheery voice put a stop to that train of thought for now, beaming, "In fact, i will go out of my way to find a glittery outfit to smuggle the infestation in. This place could use some glitter!"

If someone didn't know them better, the look Rabble gave her might actually be taken as a legitimate desire to murder the glowing girl. "You've made the house girly enough to be androgynous. I refuse to have my house become any more feminine."

"Our house~" her sing-pitched reply seemed indifferent to his death glare.

"I pay the bills, twerp."

She let out a bout of giggles as she hopped up from her seat, completely taking what he said as a playful tease. From the brief smirk, one could see it was. He leaned back in his stool and allowed her to clean up the plates, as usual. Taking his sweet free time to reply to Olivia. "Indeed. Maybe I should go get a full body soak or some mud bath or whatever it is people pay hundreds of dollars for at those nonsense spas," His faint smirk widened. The fact that everyone just rolled with it was amusing to him in some way, but the fact Olivia had to bite back her own amusement was the real kicker.

When Olivia mentioned that they were about to leave and he'd have his abode back, he watched Nova immediately scurry off to pack a backpack. "You squatter better get a move on then," he replied sarcastically, "I mean, if you don't get going, you won't be back in time before i have the locks changed to get rid of you pests for good."

His stomach wrenched and he could have sworn his body was screaming, but he remained unchanged.... All kidding aside, he knew what he should do today if he wanted it to stop, but he wasn't going to. He was aware he could push it further. He'd likely work in the garage to keep his mind off it, like Nova said. Keeping busy usually helped.

~~~

Isaac's brows pricked into an understanding position, but still worried when she told him that she would still not allow him to protect her. It wasn't so much anything that upset him on a personal level. He didn't take it as a slight against him or any sort of mistrust in him. He knew, in the deepest core of his being, that they had the utmost trust and respect for one another. So he wasn't angry, sad, or hurt, just...worried for her. The works he did was secret, but people targeted her for it because of the dema she worked for and for all the rumors people had maliciously spread about her. He could only hope that nothing happened to her, praying to whoever or whatever was out there each time she walked out that door that she would return the same way.

He'd be lost without her.

He got some relief that his information had helped, and reciprocated her smile. He got such random information, but it was sometimes helpful and she always seemed to appreciate it in one way or another, so he always inclined himself to speak it. The fact that it helped her now in such a big way did him some good. If he couldn't physically be there for her, at least he could help hold the ropes in whatever way he could.

It was then that she began to swear that they were going to spend time together. A giddiness like a kid going on a trip rose in him and he didn't bother to hide it. He was, as she surmised, an open book. He wasn't difficult to read and wore his emotions on his sleeve without shame. So, he immediately held his pinkie finger out towards hers and agreed, "It's a promise then." He briefly hooked his pinkie to hers and sealed the oh so high and binding promise of kindergartens past, present, and future. He knew it was silly and intended it as such, so he flashed her a bright smile before he finished off the last bits of his breakfast and set his plate aside with hers, both of which he'd be sure to clean up as always. He didn't immediately rise, though, as he always waited for her to be ready to get up before he would break away.

As if a reward for his good thinking, she then spoke up about giving him a way to help. Going to check the warhorse and running some errands? Now that was something he could do! "I'd be happy to help," he immediately agreed without hesitation, "Anything I can do. I am honored to be your obedient servant," he said playfully, giving a jesting bow. It was a joke, in a way, at least from his perspective, but he literally would act as a servant to her every desire. If she asked him to do something, he would go out of his way and bend over backward to do it. "I'll help you set up and then let you do what you need to do. Promise." He made sure to let her know that, since sometimes she worried that he stuck around and watched her work, even though he knew never to do such a thing. It was a violation of trust!

His quickly working mind that had stirred up a mass of things to do to help and things to pack was quieted to focus when she gave a stretch. That was a common signal she was going to rise, and he had done well to commit her non-verbal cues to heart, lest he miss something important and upset her. He gave a not and was about to rise too and scoot out of her way so she could get dressed, but he gave a small pause she called him her handsome man. No matter how many times she reiterated her love for him or gave small praises, it always got him. He blushed warmly and gave a sweet smile, placing a loving kiss on her cheek. "Nor I my stunning beauty," he praised her back, taking up both trays of food stacked on each other and departing from the room so that she could have privacy.

Olivia looked over at her cheery housemate and smiled when the female started to add to the glitter conversation. There was admittedly a very amused smile on her face upon hearing Nova's plan to smuggle glitter into the house mostly because of her own mini defiant thought of bringing in glitter as well. When Rabble gave Nova a murdery look she laughed. Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered not being used to it and would get a sense of worry every-time he did so. She asked Nova about it once and was told it was all in good fun. It nonetheless still took her awhile to finally accept that truth in the matter. Olivia did look around the room when Rabble mention the girly tones thrown into a house. She had to agree to some level it was hard to tell but she said nothing instead choosing to once again laugh at the back and forth of her two housemates.

She gave a mused smirk before giving a slight shrug. “Why waste the money. I could just throw you outside in the mud in your boxers then take your money and your would probably get the same effect as a spa.” She quipped again. “I say the best thing is the massages. Then again there not that hard to do....okay where is the logic in spas.” She half question yet half disapproved before shaking her head and snickering before musing. “I don't see you relaxing at a spa you would get to nervous about leaving the ladies in the garage unattended.” She said poking fun at his inability to spend so much time on the bikes in his shop.

By the time she had moved over to get somethings packed she heard Rabble speak once more. “She looked up and stuck out her tongue teasefully before saying “You would dare invoke the wrath of the happy bouncy child that is Nova. You and your home would be forced to accept the glittery retaliation.” She winked lightly before looking back down and zipping up her bag. Standing she slipped on a choker necklace and pulled her hair up and grabbing her jacket. She threw on her boots lacing them tightly before slipping her bag over her head and resting it on her shoulder.

Now she was just waiting for Nova. In the meantime giving a curious look to her afflicted friend “Rabs do you ride the bikes you make or do you just make them?” She ask inquisitively never actually seen him do so. She always seemed to pick a question or two before she left for extended periods of time. She figured he might at night or when she was not around however as far as she knew he only really made them and sold them. There was an almost thoughtful look in her gaze as she wondered what it would be like to go at such speeds at night in the cooled air. Shaking her head lightly she pulled herself from her thoughts to wait and see if Rabble would answer her.
~~~~
Linnette seemed to smile. She always had no trouble getting him to accept that he couldn't help her with certain things. She would have allowed him to help with a lot more if he wasn't so...himself. 'Sweet' her thoughts corrected. However it made things easy in the long run. He worried for her and she could play on that worry. Tho it made her curious at times as to how far she could push out of his comfort zone. The idea floated around in her head for a bit before she brushed it aside for more pressing thoughts. She had a place to conduct a very dangerous experiments. She just needed all the components in place.

That wasn't going to be a problem. What so ever.

She gave a small look of surprised when she felt his pinkie intertwine with hers. The childlike behavior and the mixture of his excitement granted him yet another smile. Tho she did shake her head slightly when she saw his bright smile. “Oh you.” She said with a light laugh. There was a small bit of amusement in the back of her mind when words obedient servant was said. He was a prize indeed and she wondered if he even understood that. She didn't mention it tho she just laughed and called him silly. Again that small sense of wonder of how far she could get him out of his comfort zone came back again. “I need to get some papers picked up and supplies. Once everything is set up however I will need a bit to let things run its coarse so I might stop by and have something to eat before heading back.” She told him. I'll call ahead and you can have something made and we can eat together.” She said giving him every opportunity to be with her so that when she left he would be thinking of her.

She knew she would have more for him to do elsewhere but for now the warehouse was at the forefront of her mind. She took note of the blush on his cheeks when she complimented him. When he kissed her cheek a small blushed formed on her face as well and reddened just a bit at the complement. She still couldn't control some aspects of how she responded to things but it just helped her cause so she didn't mentally get to annoyed at it. When he left she waited for a moment or to before sighing and shaking her head. Time somewhat wasted but worth it. She got herself together quickly. Getting dressed in her usual attired before packing away her mask and a couple of viles. It was time for things to get rolling. However she didn't leave the room right away. She simply waited for a few minutes all in the mean while started writing notes and letters to kick start her plans of attacks.

“Such a beautiful tragic day it will be.” she muttered with a small smirk as she stared out the room window.

Rabble only grinned that lopsided grin of his when Olivia declared he'd be better off just stripping down to his boxers and jumping in the mud. He had half a mind to bluff and challenge her to do it, since he was fairly certain it'd make her flustered and she'd be the one to chicken out first... Buuuut at the same time, his internal voice of caution kept that thought to himself. Instead he commented on the pointlessness of spas. "I think whoever invented them was quite brilliant, actually," he noted aloud, holding up one finger as if to make a point, "Whoever that was managed to get millions of people in the future to throw away countless hours and dollars to get rubbed with wet dirt and pounded on by strangers while laying naked on what i assume to be an uncomfortable bed. It's the most effective ponsy scheme to ever take flight." His sharp-toothed, cocky look sold the bit. Half of him got a kick out of seeing a good con. The other half found it just disgusting. As with many things, he was rather split on the matter, but he could find the amusement in at least joking around about it.

He did agree though, "I definitely wouldn't leave my garage to the likes of you two. Who knows what I'd come back to. Probably paint flowers on someone's custom bike and i'd have to spend the next couple days sand-blasting the whole paint job off and repainting the sucker, piece by piece." It was a hassle...and yes, it had happened before. Nova's snicker as she gathered up her things said so.

On the point of invoking glittery wrath, the ghostly gaze of the afflicted found his smaller housemate with a feigned sharpness like he was really considering offing her. "A glitter attack is the least of the attack. That little vermin'll bust in the window if the door's locked. She'd done it before," he accused, though playfully despite his demeanor.

"Hey hey now," Nova was quick to defend her case as she slipped on her boots and ran her fingers through her hair one more time, "That was back before we had a proper house. The door wasn't locked, it was boarded up, as were the windows, I remind you." She waggled a chastising finger at him as she stooped down, got her backpack, and slung it over her shoulder. "I bet ya' you'd still be living there or someplace like it if I hadn't needed actual food. It's the stove that got you to move."

"Pshh!" her brother just emphatically rolled his eyes and gave a dismissive hand wave. They both knew it was true, and Nova gave a bright laugh as she bounded over to Olivia, presenting herself with a little twirl to show off her outfit of choice and show she was ready to go.

The question of whether or not he actually rode bikes got a sort of amused yet confused look from Rabble. "Of course," he replied to her as if it were just part of his nature, "I wouldn't spend so much time working on them if I didn't like them." Ah, so there were a few things in life that he actually liked. "And besides that, I have to make sure they run right before I sell them to anyone." He did supposed Olivia had never been around for the test rides though. She'd probably seen and heard nothing more than him just revving the engines as a test to make sure the parts were working in the shop. He did often test them at night when he couldn't sleep or when people who would be less likely to recognize him, so it sort of made sense.

...He wondered what she was getting at. Was she trying to ask him to show her how? He almost offered to, but his lips never parted to say anything. Best not get her too entangled in his daily routine. The more time she spent directly around him, the more chance there was that she'd be exposed to unsavory situations... It didn't matter whether or not he'd like to show her.

~~~

When Linette explained the brief of what they were to be doing and what chores he could help with, Isaac eagerly agreed with a smile and a nod on his way to leave her in peace. He meant it when he said he'd do anything she asked. Joke or not, he was willing to be her servant if that's what she needed from him. What she needed now was a pair of extra hands and maybe a little muscle to fortify her warehouse location. Both of those he could handle and gladly would.

And when she laid out her plan for their time that they could spend together, he knew it would all be worth it. Most men would look at what they'd already done for the morning, realize the list of chores for the day and afternoon, then come to the conclusion they shouldn't have to cook dinner because they'd be exhausted. Fortunately for Linette, her man in waiting was not like most men. He was both as abounding in pent up energy as a puppy that hadn't been taken for a walk in weeks and as happy to do whatever pleased her as only he could be.

"I'd be delighted," He readily answered her from the doorway, giving a  slight bow as if a chef presenting his meal to a patron, "I'll be sure to whip up something truly magical to fit the occasion and company." His winning smile was the last thing he showed before he slipped off for good and she was left to her own devices.

He didn't hear her musings or even try to sneak a peep back inside. He was too respectful to do that. Instead, he did exactly as one could expect from him. He went to work diligently cleaning all the dishes and kitchen. After all, it shouldn't be left to Linette. She was far too busy. She was the one who worked. He didn't really have a job, so he considered himself the homemaker, in a way, the one who kept things in tip top shape and made her life easier wherever he could.

Olivia raised a brow at Rabble when he said whoever invented the spa's where brilliant. She glanced over at him. Not knowing what unsaid schemes the Afflicted had in mind before going on a tangent as to why the idea was brilliant. She listened in at first confused be then thinking it over. She then realized the afflicted strange enjoyment in the thought process. Tho she had to admit didn't know if that was the case or not when she met his gaze. It was sometimes hard to tell. However she knew they seemed to have fun poking at the idea. She had glanced down to adjust something when she heard his voice fill the air once more. She went to speak only to nearly choke trying to stifle a laugh when she heard Nova's snicker.

She seemed to try and mentally pull that idea together wondering how interesting that situation must have been. Glancing over at the little trouble maker herself. “I bet that kept him busy.” She mused allowed purposely. “Good one Nova.” She laughed lightly realizing the female was nearly ready to go so she moved closer to her exit and waited. Hearing the back and forth again she seemed give an inquisitive look before thinking about Rabble's life before Nova. She didn't or rather couldn't see it. Maybe because they seemed so tight nit.

She was still waiting for her answer about the bikes when she noticed Nova twirl. She gave the female a thumbs up. She did tell her to pack light. As Rabble spoke up about her question she listened intently only nodding here or there to let him know she was listening. She parted her lips to say something but instead remained silent. After her mishaps of the day she decided that was the world telling it was time to get out of the house. “Well off we go then Nova.” She said finally speaking up.

“Time of us gals to brew up a storm of femininity to bring home to the cave den.” She smirked as she linked arms with the female. “We will be back a little after lunch maybe dinner if we caught a movie.” She told him as she slipped out the door with her companion for the day.
~~
Linnette was as always ready to dish out 'orders' to Isaac as he graciously accepted them. Putting him to work in close proximity to her while working gave him a chance to be with her. Which she appreciated smiling back she said. “I don't doubt that. Your cooking is always magical.” She told him softly. Getting up after the male left she was able to write down her notes and was able prioritize plans. She eventually left her room to meet with Isaac. Well after she packed some things to the bottom of her bag for other reasons. Lucky for her privacy was her own when so she could and was able to get away with most random things she packed. If he asked her something he had seen while she packed she'd simply explain that it was the result of her work and that the less he knew the safer he would be. Oh the joys of luck.

~~~~ TIME SKIP~~~~
Oliva had been roaming around with Nova in a large open mall that held various clothing shops and places to eat. They had stopped there for snacks and this store had the more fun ones. However at one point or another she managed to pull Nova into a shop. She had been sitting in one of the stores looking at some simple shirts and pants. She was not really into the stuff in the window but the store oddly reminded her of somethings Rabble had worn or wore so the things inside drew her in. She seemed to stare silently as she sat there. It was a few doors she had done the same thing in never really buying anything. She had to make up for her indecisiveness with Nova over slushies.

Now sitting at a table she happened to be glancing at people walking around as they passively went about there day. She could pick out the odd Shiniko or two which amused her. It was like a little game. It was a few minutes before she glanced over at her companion. “Sorry again about that. I thought for sure i'd get something. I'm a little picky.” She said tho she was actually more...spaced out. Going silent for a moment drinking from her slushy she half asked trying to make it seem like any other conversation. “You guys don't seem to....” She paused choosing her words carefully “....have other people roaming around well other then customers. I mean yeah Rabble's a bit of a jerk but its not often. Am I the first person to stay with you guys?” She questioned realizing she couldn't ask the question she wanted to ask.

“I mean Rabble seems content with me around but gets a little fussy with other people. Wait is it because you asked that I stay there that he seems calm about it?” She quickly asked before realizing she was pelting her friend and sister with questions. She blushed a bit “S-sorry” She muttered meekly. “Just curious is all.” She added on.

~~~~~
Linnette was thrilled. Thrilled because she had a new play place. Thrilled because the place seemed in great condition minus some ware and tare that needed to be mended. She had Issac go over the place showing her everything there was before having him fix things up to keep it secure. It was oh so brilliant. She had left Isaac in charge of making sure everything worked fine before making sure to tell him to head home afterward. She on the other hand had to get things set in motion. Her first stop was the home of her first subject. Kovu. She had many curiosities about the shiniko especially now that he was no longer hidden within the forest. That dema who had taken him in had done her a huge favor.

It was no surprise that she was able to talk her way into getting the male to follow her. She had explained to him that she was friends with someone he knew. She told him that they where needing to meet with him about something important but his friend couldn't get away. She made a point to make sure it sounded both interesting and fun. Because she was a pathological liar she was about to do so with out the problems liars would have. Such as the elevated heart levels and nervous speech.

Getting the shiniko into the warehouse also proved to be an easy enough task as she had basically been leading around a blind dog. She had locked him withing an empty room after taking some precautions she knew would be needed so he wouldn’t get away. Things seemed to go smoothly until she realized she still needed to stop by her second subject. Leaving the shiniko behind she went off and made a quick round to Rabble's place and dropped off the note taking with her the old one that had seemed to have been dropped off. Linnette's Note simply read 'If you want them back go to where it all began. You know what I mean.' while the one left by someone else read 'Rabble made a stop home to drop some things off. Out to get a few last things we will be home soon.'

“Ah this is no longer needed. To bad he wont be here to greet you.” She chuckled lightly before she made her return to the warehouse. She had to do nothing but wait now. Making final preparations she soon found herself double checking her first subject making sure he was secure. “The fun will start soon enough.” She mused allowed half talking to Kovu. “I do keep my promises after all....mostly anyway. Don't worry I plan to keep this one. If only because subject two will be arriving shortly.” she added easily.

Nova hadn’t minded in the slightest with the indecisiveness. She had a grand old time popping into one store after the other. She was a scattered girl, to say the least, and energetic as an energizer bunny. She had all the time in the world to be flitting about and the energy to do it. Besides, she was equally indecisive for exactly the opposite reasons. She loved just about everything she saw, but never knew whether or not to buy a single thing. So she spent a lot of time looking at just about everything that caught her eye and trying to judge either way, only to end up getting neither most of the time. She only had so much to spend anyway, so she had to be considerate of what she got. Mostly though, her favorite part was trying to imagine Olivia wearing some of the more ambitious styles, sometimes trying in vain to convince her to try them on.

By the time they settled down at the table, she was as happy as a lark, sipping away at her slushy and playfully fidgeting with some millionth trinket she’d found for her room. She only had one small bag of clothes to show for all that effort, but the tiny, single dollar trinket was clearly the best find.

Looking up from that, legs swinging childishly under the table, she keyed into what Olivia was saying. The girl couldn’t help but let out an amused laugh when Rabble was called a jerk. She waited for Olivia to finish, then immediately insisted, “No, no, don’t be sorry. It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

She shifted in her chair to swing her legs more with a contented air before answering, “Yeah, no. You’re the only one that hangs out around our place besides the customers. People come and go to do deal with the bikes, but they’re not really friends, just sort of contacts. They don’t usually like to get real close.” She fingered her trinket, rocking it back and forth cheerily as she explained simply, “Y’see, he’s a jerk, sure, but he’s also an afflicted, which means more than it should. Shiniko don’t like him any more than demas do and phantoms aren’t much better. Afflicted aren’t fully either way, so both sides have a distaste for them already. I think that has a big part to do with it, but Rabble being who he is and so against being friendly with them doesn’t help, I’m sure.” She looked a little contemplative for a split second. “He sort of has a bad rep anyway. We were surprised when you wanted to hang around. Both of us.”

Her grin returned as she beamed, “As for you, yeah, he totally only put up with you sticking around cuz I asked, but that was just at first. If he didn’t like having you around, he still woulda’ kicked you out sooner or later. Don’t let his meanie butt act fool you. He’s softer than he looks on the inside.” She took pause to rub her chin like a philosopher before saying very thoughtfully, “Like undercooked toast. Crusty outside, fluffy inside.”

~~~~

Isaac had been more than happy to help his beloved out. He enjoyed showing her around and getting the small praises that she allotted for his knowledge. He only gave the information half a thought of question as to where he found it before promptly deciding it didn’t matter. So long as it was helpful, he would be content to simply have it. No need stirring up something that he didn’t need to remember. After all, Linette said that sometimes things were better left in the past. She would know best, anyhow. She knew her past very well and seemed not to like much of it, poor girl. He spent his day fixing up the place to her specifications then was dismissed to go home, then set to work cooking a lavish meal for her visit later on.

Kovu, the sweet boy, was an easy target. Blind and still very new to the area, he had little information about his own house or friends. Who they knew and where they would be at any given time was as much of a mystery to him as his own surroundings were much of the time. Thus, when Linette came and played the messenger flawlessly, without hint of deception, he gratefully thanked her for being so kind as to retrieve him. He was rather touched by the consideration of his friends to send for him, even though it must have been such an inconvenience since he couldn’t very well find his own way. He made sure to thank Linette for her trouble as he followed along and to make good company…That is, until he felt something strange around his wrists and heard a door slam and lock behind him. It hadn’t taken long for him to come to the realization that these things around his wrists were cuffs that covered his hands but remained just out of reach of his fingertips, nullifying his power by preventing touch. He couldn’t break out with his abilities if his hands could not touch anything. He was trapped and could neither feel nor see to find his way out or attempt a half decent escape. His panicked efforts when his captor left, spurred on by his nightmarish paranoia come true, left his shoulders, knees, and feet bruised and cut from trying to break through the door, but the effort was fruitless. He was trapped, well and truly…and helpless.

It wasn’t long before Linette had left and returned, having done her drop-off, but her return was unexpected nonetheless and startled him. He had immediately gotten to his bleeding feet and prepared himself for the worst, to fight to the death if need be… Yet she didn’t even come into his cell- or room- or…whatever this space was. She just came to his door or nearby it, muffled by what sounded and felt like metal walls, and began to speak. What she was saying didn’t…make sense. She was likely unhinged in some way or was planning something very terrible. He knew locking him up was not the only thing she was up to. That’d be pointless. Yet he couldn’t escape on his own. He had to try the only thing left to him, to try and talk to her, appeal to her humanity and reason. It was all he could do.

“I don’t know what you want me for…but if I’ve harmed you in some way, I’m truly sorry,” He started, calm, steady, but not asserting in tone, “Whatever it is you’re thinking, it doesn’t have to be this way. No one has to be harmed.” Especially not this subject two she was referring to. He didn’t know who it was, but suspected someone being tormented for his own shortcomings. “If you just let me go, I promise no harm will come to you and I will do my best to make amends for whatever pains I have caused you.” He leaned his back against the door to take some pressure off his aching soles. “There can be a peaceful resolution. It’s not too late. Please.”

~~~

Rabble, meanwhile, had spent his day in the garage, as predicted. He was trying to ignore his gnawing hunger for as long as possible and thus was blasting every thought out of his head by use of extremely loud music and focused, mind-numbing work. He had tuned several bikes he was in the process of constructing, had finished off one custom job, and had finally finished a repair job on a bike he’d sold to a customer a long while back. Shiv, of house Akinaten, took very good care of his ride, but it was damaged badly during some mission that he would not specify. After getting some guff about not being careful enough, Rabble had agreed to repair his old brain child for a fair price a few days back. Oil smeared on his face and hands, sweat on his brow from working in the hot shop all day with nothing but a box fan to cool him, hair pulled back in a frazzled mess from the heat, he finally rolled out from under that extra job and wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve. He was well worn out from all the physical work he’d put in, but he was almost disappointed that there was nothing left to do for the day. He’d worked extra long hours, but he knew that he had to stop sooner or later. The girls would be home by now, likely, and would probably come pester him to make dinner, if only to get him to come out of the shop. With a slightly amused scoff and smirk to himself, he rose to his feet. They really were such pains, weren’t they?

He hauled his tired hide up the steps from the workshop and into the small home that rested on the second floor, making sure to clean up first. He spotted a paper on the table in passing but, assuming it was a note letting him know the girls had just popped out for a moment more, he made a mental note to check that before he got into the cooking and headed off to clean up first. He stopped by the bathroom, washed off the day’s work, and changed into some clothes that didn’t smell like an oily garage full of gasoline. Stopping by the table, only then did he pick up the note to check over and see just what those girls were up to.

The subtle, contented smile on his face dropped.

His heart stopped.

Time stopped.

Everything. Just. Stopped.

Eyes going over the same lines two or three times as everything began to slowly pick up and build, he could feel his heart racing, whirring in his chest. Fear and anger boiling as one, he knew exactly what this note referred to and knew only one group of people that would know to send him there. His mind went into a torrent of fury enough to kill a man with a thought, but fear gripped his chest like a tangle of thorns wrapping around his body at where he knew he had to go…. Yet he did /have/ to go. There was not even a moment in his mind when it wasn’t an option. He didn’t stop for anything. Just dropped the note back down and ran as fast as he could. There was no telling what untold horrors could be happening right now. It wasn’t them that should be endangered. This was HIS problem. This was HIS past. He was going to tear that worm limb from limb if he so much has had laid a single finger on either of them! He would not lose them and he WOULD NOT let them suffer!

He didn’t have to pause for a moment. He knew exactly the place. Slowing his pace and standing before it, the sinking feeling of dread and buried terror started to rise up to choke him again. His nostrils flared angrily and a murderous determination burned in his eyes as he refused to let it halt him. He roughly shoved the doors open with a loud, metallic squeal of the hinges, stepping into the darkened warehouse. It was exactly as he left it.

“Alright you snake, I’m here!” He bellowed, eyes cutting through the darkness like a hot knife through butter. If he saw so much as a hair move, he would be on to it. If so much as a mouse breathed, he’d hear it. He was on the death march. Nothing returned to him but the echo of sound…. Ides always had been a sneaky little thing though. He snarled hostilely, “We don’t have to pretend this is some clever disguise. I know it’s a trap and I don’t care. Let them go. I’m here! Just take me!”

Nothing.


His snarl reverberated through the walls, sounding as if his enormous feral form were already present. A heavy snort though his nose dryly rustled the air as he looked back down from the familiar viewing area among the seating that had burned its way into his memory. Instead, his eyes fell on the conspicuously opened cage door, a single beam of light from a boarded up window falling across the center of the concrete floor inside. Right in its spotlight, a sharp, broken, rusted piece of bent metal lay imbedded into the ground.

Images, sounds, sights, smells roared through his head with a wave of pain. His body ached, face and back throbbing hotly and teeth gritting. He walked towards it. This was cruel…but definitely seemed like something Ides would do. He didn’t have a smart reply, the fear choking out his voice as he stepped past the threshold. The closer he got, the louder and more vivid the memories became, the more real the distant, distorted screech of a phantom became in his ears, his own bloodied cry cutting through his mind and raking across his psyche.

“STOP PLAYING! I’M HERE ALREADY!” he demanded, eyes leveling against the gate that he knew would slam behind him. He was playing right into a trap. He knew it. He knew they knew it. That’s what they wanted. But it was the only way. All he could do now was wait.

Olivia was having fun with Nova despite the randomness of the trip itself. It was girl time. Time meant to go out have fun and just hang around. Even if most of the trip had no rhyme or reason Olivia noticed Nova was still enjoying herself which she could help but to smile about. It was nice having someone to hang out with. During there shopping escapades she noticed Nova having problems picking out anything as well. Ha they had something in common. When Nova tried to get her to try more ambitious styles she shyly turned the female down. There was no way that was happening. In the end Olivia ended up with a few extra pairs of shirts and pants. She even bought more under clothing and made Nova buy somethings as well.

When they settled at the table she watched Nova happily sipping away. She to was drinking away enjoying the company. She had a sister and friend rolled into one and they where hanging out something she had never had a chance to do as long as she was a shiniko. She was thankful it was with someone so adorable and energetic.

As they sat there and she had spoken up she heard Nova start to answer her so she turned her gaze to give the female her attention. She gave a shy smile when the female laughed when she called Rabble a jerk. However she was glad her questions where not a bother. She listened intently nodding to let Nova know she was listening. “I suppose that makes sense.” She muttered softly. She thought about Nova's words even when the shiniko kept speaking to her. Where afflicted really had it tough. A frown slowly formed on her face and she listened. Nodding again she simply said. “I truthfully don't know much about afflicted. Rabble is the first one I have met.” She said honestly before letting the girl continue.

She gave a curious look to Nova but then just sort of smiled. “How can I not. I felt like if I left I would be missing out on something.” She admitted once again before she noticed the female beaming. Olivia gave a cheerful laugh at the female's words but nodding at the analogy. “Rabble is certainly different. A good different.” She told Nova. “I know this may sound err odd but I feel like I want to know more about Rabble. He seems to have an air of mystery I want to get to understand.” She said her gaze had shifted to looking over the stores before she slumped over as a thought crossed her mind. She laid there for a more a moment or two before sitting up and looking at Nova. “I can't be the only on interested in him tho right?” She questioned the female her voice hinting at there was more meaning behind her words. Realizing that probably sounded more forward then it might have been she added “I mean who wouldn't want to crack the mystery behind those eyes of his.” She said softly sounding thoughtful.

~~~~
Linnette was all to happy to have such infinite information at the simply ask of a question. She was a information broker and a damned good one. However with Isaac at her side she had become more then just good. Looking around she gave a final inspection and final praise after Isaac had successfully got the place back to good condition. She would have to remember to give the male a bit more praise when she got home. It seemed he liked being useful so at one point or another she wanted to test his limits and loyalty to her. For now however she had one project to work on.

She had gone out and retrieved subject 1 as she was calling him. Things seemed to work out with ease as he didn't seem to pick up anything was wrong until he she bound him up and locked him in a room. She knew how the shiniko's powers work so she made preparations for him. When she left and came back she had stopped in a room beside his. She was eagerly awaiting subject 2. However she heard male in the other room start to speak. She raised a brow and stood closer to the door. She listened carefully only to realize what he was trying to do.

“Oh how sweet your trying to talk your way out of this situation. So politely I might add.” She said simply. She stood there for a while and remained silent before saying. “Your going to help me with some tests. If I find out what I need everyone will get out of this alive. Maybe” She mused. “Please sit tight. Subject 2 will be arriving in no time.” She said simply. “Shame I have no where I can put you for keeps. However I don't need your new dema finding out and coming to find me. Behave a no one gets hurt badly. Don't and I will make sure no one but myself walks away from this place alive.” She said still sounding sweet and innocent. “It has to be this way otherwise I would have made a different option. You have to understand if I don't do this my dema wont forgive me and I will have everything taken from me.” She said sounding truthful yet saddened.

“I'm sorry but....but so long as I'm being watched so I can't undo what I’m doing just please cooperate and I will make sure this goes as safely as possible. Just put up with me for a little while.” She begged lightly before she moved away from the door and moving back to the observation window a small grin formed on her face. The easier she could make this for herself the better.

It had been a while before she perked up. The sound of metal screeching let her know subject 2 had arrived. She backed into the shadow of the observation room and watched quietly. Listening how the male yelled she figured he thought it was a plan that belonged to someone else. She smirked from her spot and simply remained quiet. Wondering how long it would take for things to play out. As the Afflicted approached the cage she moved slightly closer to the thick glass if only to get a better look. 'At least subject 2 is competent to know he is on the losing end.' She thought simply 'Just a bit further you know what you have to do.' She thought staring down/

Backing up slowly when she noticed him looking her way she knew she would have to be careful. When he finally walked into the cage she reached over and pressed a button that shut the cage door with a loud bang before all the lights flickered on. “Welcome subject 2.” She said leaving the observation room knowing it was safe to do so. “I hope you don't mind but there not here to join us....right now.” She said smiling. For now its just me,you and subject 1.” She told him lightly.

“You might as well settle down in there this will be a long process.” She said lightly. “Please behave else I will have to get the other two involved. Yes I did my homework on you subject 2. You will get to know subject 1 for a while.” She said simply before stating. “I won't be here for a while as I need to be the gracious host and provide you with substance of your own.” She told the male simply. She walked back to the observation room and went to the door where Kovu was and simply said. “Please stay quiet no matter what. If he figures out your here you or him wont get out of this alive because a fight might happen and I wont be able to get to you.” She told him simply but sounding a little hesitant before she walked off.

She stood back near the cage but not close enough to be grabbed and smiled. She knew she would have to give time for the powers to work but she didn't know how much time so she was going to have to stick around for the effect to start to kick in. She would then have to go back to Isaac for food with him then collect fodder. Work never seemed to end. “How are you feeling? Cozy I hope.” She said as a rhetorical question. “Don’t worry you will be out in no time.” She mused easily.

“You probably don’t know much about afflicted because afflicted are really rare,” Nova offered to her sister as an explanation for her earlier comment, “I mean, it makes sense that you haven’t met any before them. They can be really strong, but they don’t usually last long. And even then, they aren’t often made. Afflicted have to start turning but stop before they’re phantoms, so it’s not common at all.” She spoke so casually about it that one would almost forget the weight of what she was discussing, the moment a soul is so darkened and tortured by corruption that it’s overtaken and turned into something else entirely, spoke as if talking about a rare breed of animals just being born. She was more comfortable and familiar with it than most.

Nova grinned when Olivia mentioned she felt like she’d miss out on something if she wasn’t there, agreeing easily, “Oh you would. People don’t know what they’re even missing, I swear.” She was glad Olivia hadn’t learned much about afflicted, honestly. It meant she was more open minded and gave Rabble an honest chance. When they moved on to mentioning that she wanted to understand him, Nova’s smile widened but looked sweeter rather than just her usual doofiness. “I know what you mean. It’s not odd at all. It was part of what first kept me around him even though I felt scared. I just…. felt like he didn’t want to hurt me and like there was more to him than what he was showing me. I wanted to know what I was missing, so I stayed and I’m glad I did.”

She seemed very deep in thought before Olivia spoke up again. That was what pushed every other thought out of her head as a wide, wry grin spread over her features, instantly transforming her into a troll. “Oh don’t you worry~” her voice caressed, “No one’s ever shown that kind of interest in him. Long as I’ve known him, he’s never so much as tried for a girl. He’s always telling me-“ she threw her voice into her best Rabble impersonation, curt and deep, “ ‘Nova, it’s a bad idea. Drop it.’ or ‘That’s insane. No one’s that stupid.’ “ Her grin persisted and she waggled a finger at Olivia as if telling her a very important lesson. “I don’t think he thinks he could get one, but you and I both know that’s very wrong.” Her face was basically glowing, “Those dark, brooding, /mysterious/ eyes of his are aaaaaall yours to crack, my dearie.” Her wink really sold the bit.

~~~

Kovu was quiet as he leaned close to the wall and listened for any response. It was a moment before the woman spoke up. From the tone of her voice, he could tell immediately that she wasn’t going to do as he asked and his heart sunk. She was calling him ‘subject 1’. What did that mean? It meant she wasn’t going to sell him or off him, but it was probably worse. What sort of tests was she going to run? Was she passing him off to some mad dema that would tear him apart? He’d heard of such. Nothing about this could be good. He didn’t even tell anyone where he was going. What if-

She spoke up again and he could swear she sounded like a serpent spitting planning to strike. It set a cold feeling in his bones… Her threats did give him pause, but he was settled firmly in mind that he would have to escape as soon as he possibly figure out how. He had to wait for her to leave, but he’d figure it out warn his house- But….what if that endangered them?

Before he could sort that out, even, she switched tones, sounding….sad…. What? He leaned closer to the wall and listened to her, trying to search her for deception. When he detected none, confusion gripped his heart and his brow pursed. She was…being forced to…. “I-….I understand,” He quietly replied, “So long as you can promise no harm will come to anyone else, I’ll cooperate. Please don’t put yourself into any unnecessary danger and…when this is over, I- I’ll help you to the best of my abilities to get away from that dema…Alright? Just- make sure no one gets hurt.”

Down below, Rabble’s entry shut him up quick. The squealing of metal silencing him with a startle. He could only listen as things began to fall into place for his captor.

The afflicted down within the cage was not surprised when the bars slammed behind him, a low snarl passing his curling lip as he cast his eyes venomously towards the observation room, where he knew the controls were. He only bore his teeth more when an unfamiliar voice greeted him from there. She must have been connected to Ides somehow to know to get him here, of all places, though. Thus, he held her in the same state of burning hatred without question. She was involved in the threat against Olivia and Nova and she was under the influence of Ides.

When she stated that those he desired were not there, he bristled and came sharply towards the bars, glaring up at her as she slowly descended the stairway. “Wherever you have them, let them go,” he challengingly hissed through bared fangs, ghostly eyes boring through her. He had no reason to believe they were not simply moved to another location of hidden away to be held against him, so he was acting under that pretense. “I came. You have no need for them now.”

She persisted though, saying that she she’d done her homework him, to which he snarled, “No freakin’ kidding. You’re one of /his/. Of course you would.” Gripping the bars so tight his knuckles were white, his claws started to tip his fingers. “You can tell your puppet master that I will find his sorry ass and /skin/ him alive for touching them.”

As she came closer and stood just out of reach, he didn’t bother to lunge. It was quite clear in his eyes that he would the moment she stepped an inch closer to him though. Soon as she was in reach, he’d have snapped her neck. That murderous look only intensified when she asked him how he was feeling. It was pointedly close to exactly the way Ides had said it all those years ago, only further bringing back the memories of that day and convincing him further that she was in league with that rat. “You’ll join him, sweetheart,” He seethed, wicked smile parting his lips, the devil himself showing in his twisted face.

Olivia gave Nova a curious look at the mention of afflicted being really rare. She listened closely to the information having realized Nova was more knowledgeable about such things. Well all things considered. She was not really caught up with what she was in a way. Despite being around so long she spent most of her time with her hands stuck in the human world. So she spent little time getting stuck in fights and dealing with shiniko based stuff. What little she did know if she shared would show she was naïve about the world she was supposed to be in. She didn't question things tho and instead decided to stop letting her mind wander and pay attention to her sis who was speaking again.

"See this is why I have to stay. Besides I got a pretty sweet sister out of the deal." She said easily before she noticed Nova smiling and she smiled back.  She nodded in  understanding of Nova's similarity in staying with Rabble. "He doesn't show that side of himself to anyone I easily can guess. He tries to put up this…this weird wall but I feel like no matter how tall he builds it I want to keep scaling it until I can see what's on the other side." She said thoughtfully as her gaze shifted to watch people move about in the mall. After a moment of pause and asking more questions she seemed to visible settle when Nova told her no ones showed such interest in Rabble before which she couldn't believe. She had to give a small laugh when Nova started to impersonate Rabble but she found the fact that he never tried also interesting to her. She raised a brow when Nova wiggled her finger at her. She expected some fact or something but she found herself nodding when Nova pointed out they both knew Rabble could get whoever he wanted if he tried.

However the agreeing stopped hill when Nova started point things out and tease. She turned bright red and stammered "I-I didn't say…. I-I was just…" Her hands moving around trying get her hands to explain what she clearly couldn't express. "I…I was just asking because I was curious. After all Imma detective ya know. Curiosity is in my nature." She said definitively but clearly was not selling it at all. She puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms as she looked away. "I don't have to defend myself." She said before adding "I little sisters need to keep there noses out of big sisters stuff." She said before giving a little smile as she glanced over at Nova. She laughed a bit before also adding "I'll keep your wisdom in mind. For now how about we head back. Don't want to get locked out." She said half joking as she started grabbing her things.

~~~~
Linnette felt like she had more control then anyone person should have. She had a contained experiment that by  all accounts should have gone wrong considering the fire she was playing with. She now also had the shiniko she had taken hostage to believe she was doing all of this because she was in danger of being hurt by her dema. She expressed that she would try and keep things as safe as possible and even told him she would let him go as soon as she got the opportunity to do so. Now she had a her first test subject trapped in a cage right in front of her. She looked unfazed by him and instead seemed intrigued by what he was. A rare thing to see by all accounts. An afflicted. She had always wanted to test on those who played that fine line of being a shiniko and a phantom. She let him spout his threats and simply said. "My dema has no strings to pull I do this of my own will and curiosity. Tho I'm sure she will find this information interesting none the less." She said before she added. "This he you keep referring to must be the one called Ides. I don't work for such a useless fool. However think as you please. You will see your friends again soon enough. I just need to get you ready." She said simply. Now be a good boy and stay. I will get you a treat for being so good." She smirked as she walked off to do final checks.

~~~ TIME SKIP ~~~
It had been a few hours by the time Olivia and Nova got back she was already tired but she got everything she needed done. Well accept getting to her apartment. She didn't bring her keys with her so she couldn't have stopped by anyway. However she did drop of money to pay for it because she didn't want them to move her things. She decided she would move them when she got the chance to. For now she kept them there. She took Nova home telling her that she would be able to see it for herself. When they got home she noticed a note on the door. Pulling it off she opened the door and set her things down and looked it over the note. "Hey Nova." She said as she sat down and looked over the note. "I found this notes on the door but it’s not in Rabbles handwriting." She said reading the note attached to it. One referred to them while the other said 'If you want him back go to the old warehouse at the docks. You will know which.' She read getting worried. "Warehouse." She said aloud worry clear in her voice before looking at Nova when the female walked in the door to join her. She held out the note and gave it to Nova and walked over to her desk and sifted thru her paperwork tossing papers aside before she ran to the room and pulled out something from a bag then ran back into the living room. "Nova were leaving now." She said heading for the door.

~~~
Linnette had returned from her break with Issac. As promised she spent a while with him before returning back to the warehouse. She told him she would be back later but had things she had to check on. She didn't return to the warehouse alone tho. No she had been in and out of the warehouse dragging people back to the warehouse. Each tied up around the room some tied to the outside of the cage. One or two where tied to the cage and several where littered about crying out in pain and wishing to be let go. They had broken legs and severed limbs. She was creating a feast for her special guest. "Isnt this wonderful." She mused out loud as she tied a few children against the cage in a standing position. Oh how they cried. The one she threw into the cage was huddled in a corner begging to be let out over and over. The child was missing a leg oh how helpless it child was. When she had gotten things set up stood by the cage and smiled. "Oh come now Rabble I'm being so gracious and you haven't even touched your meal." She said with a soft sweet smile. "Come now I worked so hard. You could at least indulge me." She said over the child screaming that they wanted there mommy. "Just look how helpless it is. Listen to them all cry and beg to be let go or mercy. There going to die either way wont you end there suffering?" She questioned as she watched the child in the cage fall over limp. Slowly dying from blood loss. "End its suffering. Be there angel of death." She purred softly as she stood near the cage watching eagerly before the child screamed again.

"Oh please dear Rabble." She smiled as she walked over to someone else who was also dying. She threw them at the cage and smirked. She wondered how far along the afflicted was to loss of sanity or if he had already lost it and was trying to hold back. "Rabble..." she whispered softly. "Oh Rabble..." she repeated over and over her voice in a sing song voice as she walked around the cage in circles. "Rabble..." She continued with no intent to stop right away.

She clearly was having fun.

Nova was eager to one day see Olivia’s place, but she was also ready to be home. In a way, she was glad that her sis hadn’t brought the keys. That’d mean another stop and, for once, the little ball of energy was tuckered out. As they approached the door, she hiked up her backpack and spotted a note left for them to read. Rabble must have been out. A small frown crept onto her face and her brow pursed with worry for a moment, but she quickly hid it in a smile as she trotted up the steps to Olivia. She knew he was stretching himself thin and that he was probably hunting. She didn’t like to think of him that way, but he was a predator and he had to eat, even if he denied himself much of the time. Mmm,… she’d have to just take his mind off of it when he got home, she decided firmly. She’d try to cook! Maybe that’d help~

Things certainly changed when Olivia spoke though. Not his handwriting… That was never good and worry started to creep up in her as she shifted and set her bag down, holding her hand out to take the note as she came up the last few steps. Warehouse?! Her pace increased and her face twisted with a knowing fear that said that meant something more than what it appeared. She had to read it at least four or five times before she could believe it. Everything came to a halt in her mind, screeching and colliding into one cluster of horror. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her skin felt chilled by the immediate fear of it. The warehouse.

Olivia disappeared into the house quickly, leaving Nova just staring in horror at that simple word. It wasn’t for a long moment after that her eyes went up frantically. Shoot! By then Olivia was coming and racing back out, declaring their search party officially active.

“Olivia- Olivia wait!” She sounded actually scared, truly scared, which was something that normally never showed. She was difficult to phase, but this had her. Racing behind and catching up beside Olivia, still clutching the note, she didn’t refuse to come, but immediately started trying to explain the situation, “I- I know you want to go after him. I do too! But- but it’s-“ How could she say this without speaking the secrets she’d sworn to keep? “It /has/ to be a trap. The only people that would know that place- They’re not going to stick to their word. We go, they’re not giving him back. He may not even be there!”

She had lagged behind a bit due to her smaller stature and strides, so she had to bound to catch up again, note crunching in her hand as she came up alongside her sister again, passing her by just a few strides and walking backwards to talk to her, look her in the eye with deep, rattled concern, “I’m not saying we leave him but-…” Her eyes went down to the note, then returned to her, “You don’t understand... This place- it’s- He’d never want us to go there… He’d never want-“ She spun on her heel, still headed in the same direction as Olivia, knowing exactly where they were going without needing to even ask. “I’m just saying- we have to think and we have to be very, very careful…And that he’s not going to be…in a good place if we find him…”

Nova could only try in vain to keep all the thoughts of exactly how and where and how badly her dear brother would be destroyed inside and out. Those vile people- they were the only ones who would be so cruel as to send him back there…

~~~

Rabble had suffered greatly in the time since Linette had left him there. Kovu, stashed away and convinced that he needed only to remain silent for everyone to have the best chances of survival in this situation, had done exactly as he was told. He was practically invisible there, without a trace, but his ability’s negative effects didn’t disappear so easily. His ability’s drawback was driving the already strained afflicted below to the utter brink. First, he became agitated and began to pace. Next, his collective began to stir, become louder, then get into an absolute frenzy. His skin itched and his hunger churned violently, muscles twitching and claws ticking together. He had immediately started trying to escape as soon as the woman was gone, but nothing had worked and his intelligent attempts to unscrew or pull things apart had fallen into a disjointed mix of clawing and slamming against the metallic and concrete walls. He was deteriorating, violently tearing apart inside. By the time she returned, he was primed and ready.

The first person’s screams reached Kovu quickly and he immediately shot up, going to the closest wall and listening through. Pain, there was such pain in the voice that it sent a chill down his bones and an ache in his heart. What was happening? Had there been more like him? More that hadn’t cooperated? What- Another soul began to scream, then another. He pounded on the door, calling out with a mixture of growing anger and terror, “You said you wouldn’t hurt anyone!” He strained against his restraints but they wouldn’t budge. Neither would the door when he slammed his full weight into the metallic, armored surface. His shoulder started to give before the door did, leaving him to cry out desperately, “Don’t do this! Let them go!!”

Each new soul was a torture to Rabble’s already frayed and starving mind below. At first, he paced at the far end of the cage, internally screaming at his collective and outwardly snarling, spitting vile insults and threats at any chance he got. He was furious, and a few times lunged as if to attack, even getting close to the bars, but the soul and the blood near there would grip and tear at his very being, getting him dangerously close to falling prey to her trap, and he would pull away sharply, returning to pacing. Her trap was itself a deterrent, fueled by his own fear of losing his grip and falling for it. As she added them all around the circular cage, he was driven to the center, surrounded at all sides by the stench of blood, the sounds of suffering, and the sight of helpless prey dangling dangerously close to his grasp…completely defenseless…

His stomach lurched and tore at itself, ripping that hellish, unspeakable pain through his entire body with every moment. He couldn’t have possibly cared less about appearances at that moment and had slowly fallen to his knees, gripping his head as if he could somehow crush the voices and drilling, cracking pain from his own skull. His curses had slurred as she went, then gone silent as he gritted his teeth and tried to bite back everything that was consuming him. He was internalizing…but it could only work so loud. The cacophony of voices all around him and the entire environment engulfing him was completely overwhelming. The beast inside- or rather the beast that was him, tore him up and down, turned him inside out, pounded to escape, shredding with its claws until he could barely think through the pain in his head. The screeching inside and out didn’t help.

His captor’s taunting voice joined them and the afflicted tried to cover his ears, shoulders hunching and muscles tensing even more. “SHUT UP!” He bellowed, but he could hardly hear his own voice. His was drown out in his mind and in the warehouse, but hers was so…so clear… Like his mind was choosing to let it in, choosing to side against him! CHOoSinG THIS!!! His fangs bore, revealing long, oversized teeth and a parting lip that seemed to be peeling back into something inhuman. “SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” He kept repeating to her until his voice strangled up into an unseemly guttural scream, which in turn morphed into a monstrous snarl as he doubled over and nearly had his face pressed into the concrete floor, his wild mess of hair framing his contorted and tight face.

Then the small thread of sanity snapped.

One too many callings of his name, one to many breaths, one too many drops of blood, one too many cries of pain and fear- whatever it was, it broke his restraint. With a twisted, screeching roar, the man seemed to tear away from existence and was consumed by a frothing, hulking monster. A second set of arms broke out from him as he grew to horrifying size, long, thick fur coating his flesh and skeleton elongating into a crooked stature. White eyes burned out with a feral loss of consciousness as every bit of humanity was thrown back into the darkness, grappled and torn back by a million hungry souls.

The beast wasted no time, gave no hesitation. It lunged forward and dove into a pinned child of all things, biting down over its entire body with its massive jaws, then crunching down. The squeal cut off with a sickening abruptness, but the creature was as unfazed as it was unsatisfied. With a terrible speed, it whipped around like a serpent and tore open another soul with its giant claws, disemboweling them with a single blow. They were dead as well, the soul absorbing into his collective. Another, and another, each falling, being torn apart by claw and fang, twisted apart in the hand-like paws, smashed into a bloody paste on the wall by the frenzied beast. With each kill it just seemed driven further and further into this state, losing more of itself to the passion of the hunt. Rearing up like a lion on its hind legs, it even swatted the higher shiniko down from where they were suspended, listening to them crack against the ground as the sound of the metal doors opening squealed nearby. Unaffected, the feral creature still dove down hard on the helpless, injured person, begging for their life, and drove his front teeth into the entire frontal half of their body, tearing back and twisting his head back and forth frantically, shedding the shiniko into a gory mess like a wild animal tearing back any old hunk of meat.

Olivia kept up her quick pace. Heart racing and her mind full of many conclusions and questions. She heard Nova speaking or rather shouting at her to wait. However she felt the need to keep going despite the small bit of hesitance in her breathing. Nova never really sounded scared at something they were going out to do. She thought maybe the being scared was akin to the situation at hand. Rabble was missing or rather taken or so she was assuming. She only continued in silence as Nova began to state or try and state her concerns. “But what if it isn't a trap and he is out trapped or worse.” She half tried to counter back. By the way Nova spoke she could tell the female knew more then she lead on. It was times like this that she wished she knew more. Mostly because it would help in situations like this instead of running in blind.

She must have been moving faster then she thought she was because she noticed Nova's struggle to keep up with her. When the female caught back up to her then passed in front of her then started waking backwards Olivia slowed down a bit. “That's just is Nova its because I don't understand is the reason I'm charging into something I don't understand. I know it makes no sense but I cant....” She paused trying to find the right words to use. She could only sigh because she couldn't find a way to explain herself. When Nova also lost her words she noticed the female turn and continue on. Like she knew where they were going.

She listened quietly to Nova's words and nodded. “We should at least get there and figure out whats going on. Best case scenario is he is a live and breathing despite being beaten up if at all. Worst case....” She seemed to think about what would be the worst case for them. She then realized there were a lot of things and she decided to leave that thought alone. “I'll be careful Nova. We will both be careful.” She tried to reassure the female.

She was unsure if she was convinced at all by her own statement but she choose to think she did. It helped. Tho Nova's words seemed to linger in her mind. Who would go after Rabble so easily? Then again who wouldn't. He was an afflicted. They were rare and as Nova said they were not well received. Still the way the female spoke it was like the people involved had more of a quarry with Rabble. There was also the problem concerning his state of mind. Had this been done before? Just how bad was this going to be. She knew situations like this usually involved some sort of negotiation or deal of some sort.

Whatever the case there was to much to think about and so little time to figure it all out. She understood that getting there would be easy. Figuring out what to do afterwards would be the hard part. Overall she knew they had to at least hurry so with that final thought to herself she picked up her pace.

~~~~
Linnette was rather pleased at the state she had found Rabble in by the time she returned with her little...gifts. There was no doubt about it she would have very fun information to pass off to her dema soon enough. Either it mattered or not to her dema she didn't care the information was useful. She didn't know the extent of the power her test subject held but she aimed to find out. However first and foremost was getting the things squared away with said shiniko and dealing with the aftermath of her other subject. She could hear the muffled yelling of the shiniko she held captive. Silly man still had no clue. Oh well she will mend that problem in a little while. For now.....for now she had a new thing to... play with.

She was watching Rabble withing his current new home. The man or rather creature was sitting in the dead center of the cage. Were else could he go she had it surrounded. Laced with the bodies of those who cried desperately for freedom or mercy. She could tell the afflicted was at the edge of whatever mercy granted him control over himself however she knew it would be breaking soon enough. “Rabble” She cooed softly when she watched him go down to his knees head resting on the floor clutching his head. “Oh Rabble no need to fight it.” She said softly. “It will only hurt more. Its okay to let go.” her voice sickeningly sweet sounding. She continued to taunt him and mess with him even when he demanded her to shut up. “Oh Rabble all you have to do is listen to me and it will all be over.” She cooed once more. “Just let it go Rabble. Let it out. Let the beast free. Let. It. Free.” She whispered just loud enough over the other pitiful noises in the room.

She continued to call his name with a sing song voice as she danced around the outside of the cage until it happened. She heard a twisted screeching roar. With delight she watched as she watched the afflicted go from man to twisted beast. The power and hunger, the clear hunting instinct and the lack of self control where on fully display as the afflicted began to tare into the...gifts she provided for him. She was curious about what drove his decisions to attack in the order he did. If there even was a reason. The child, the man, the women, the human , the shiniko. No matter what it as he attacked and killed them all. She wondered if it was the captive shiniko's power that drove Rabble crazy enough to hunger or if hunger was just a side effect. Many question no answers but many opportunities to find out.

She clapped at the wonderful display then in an almost charmed voice said.“Now don't you feel a little better.” She got just close enough to the cage before smiling. “Don't slow down just yet the fun has only begun. You will be having visitors soon. Doesn't that sound like fun?” She question tho she of course was not looking for an answer. There was a moment where she wondered if she should bring more gifts in to keep her creature satisfied. However she revoked the thought deciding that she still had to deal with the shiniko first. So getting rid of the afflicted would be crucial if she didn't want the shiniko do end up dead. Especially if he deemed useful. So far the answer was yes. To what extent she didn't really know just yet. For now she found herself wandering around in waiting. She had started walking back up to the observation room but something else caught her attention.

The sound of the doors to the warehouse screeched open. By the sound she figured whoever it was was trying to be quiet about it. She watched as Olivia then Nova stepped into the building and stop. “Oh how fun.” Linnette smiled as she watched from afar.

Olivia had walked in to the dark warehouse a few feet in before stopping in her tracks. “Oh no...” her voice low and in disbelief. “Nova don't... don't look.” she mumbled lowly. She watched as the helpless shiniko begged for mercy the sight was enough to nearly make her loose the contents of her stomach. Hearing the shiniko scream again she mustered up enough to yell at Rabble to try and get him to stop. However her voice cracked and she choked slightly when she watched the shiniko get torn to bits with a frantic shake. Blood splattered enough to reach both her and Nova. She stood there in silence and horror. Was this was Nova meant by not in a good place when they found him.

“This is...”She whispered softly. She got that he was an afflicted. She understood with phantoms this was probably needed. So did afflicted. However how... how did...how could anyone just do something like this. Rabble was caged like an animal which scared her because he looked like a caged monster. She could feel her hear pounding against her chest as if trying to leap out. Her mind was trying to work over everything that was going on.

Linnette walked out into view standing just out of reach of her caged subject and gave easy smile. “You really decided to show up. How nice. You must really care for this creature.” She mused easily as she looked over at the afflicted. “Rabble.” her voice was in that happy sing song voice again. “Rabble. Its time to say hello.” She told him as she help up a remote button and backed up. She rather not be in the line of sight when she let the afflicted loose. “Remember play nice.” she said to no one in particular before the door to the cage began to unlock and open.

“Have fun.”

As the door to the cage opened she made her way quickly back up to the observation room. She now had to cover her tracks with the shiniko held captive. Lucky for her deceit was in her nature.

Approaching the warehouse was probably among the most nerve wrecking things Nova could think of in recent memory. Looking at it now, nothing much had changed. It held the same aura of suffering and age that it had before. She could remember clearly the first time Rabble had shown her this decrepit place, how he’d walked inside with that darkness looming over his mind and told her what had happened there… How his emotions played on his normally strong features when he told her. She’d known then it was truth, had known how and why he’d ended up the way he did. Just looking at it now, she could feel this was where they’d find him…And she knew how he must have been suffering to be there. The closer they got, the more she felt that she could not even deny herself the truth. She could hear it, feel the fear it inspired in her. The weight of heavy paws on concrete and jostling metal shook her to the core, even at a distance. It meant he was alive…but it sounded uneasy, frenzied.

When they drew close enough and the door and pulled it open, the screech of rusted hinges and wheels scraping together cemented bitter nostalgia in among her fears, not only for Rabble, but for their safety as well. The moment the door was open, the stench of blood hit her smack in the face, a faint, metallic tang to the air. Her stomach curled in knots and heart sank, blood running cold. She reached out to grab Olivia’s arm frantically, wanting to pull her away before she caught on, but it was too late. By the time she reached the hurried woman, she heard that low, shocked voice tell her not to look. However, it was nothing she hadn’t seen before. She wanted to tell /Olivia/ not to look, for her sake and for Rabble’s. She wanted to tell her to turn away, to forget what she’d seen, to leave this to Nova, that she’d somehow figure this out on her own… Anything to keep her from this. She’d never look at them the same. She’d never /be/ the same, Nova feared. Mostly though, she knew how much Rabble had wrestled with himself and avoided bringing her into this, avoided even so much as warning her. She understood why, but it was over. She was now a witness. The girl’s parted lips fell silent, however, breath stolen by the severity of the sight.

As her eyes adjusted quickly, she was met with that familiar, massive cage she’d seen before, her brother’s all too familiar form thrashing about inside, but this time the space was bathed in blood and strewn with body parts…and bits of flesh that once were identifiable but now certainly were not. What belonged to who was pointless to even try to find out. It was as if these people had been glass ornaments, dropped from a high shelf and shattered on the floor everywhere. More aptly, they were mauled, shredded, destroyed beyond humanity in a fit of blind aggression and hunger, but that was a far less safe way to envision it. She knew the hard truth. She didn’t need reminded of it.

The shiniko screaming as Rabble swatted it down from high, then again before the attack, left Nova to reach out. She took several steps quickly forward, rushing up beside Olivia, voice beginning to lift loudly but breaking off as the feral beast that was her brother descended upon his prey. She slowed beside her sister as they were splattered with blood, stopped in her tracks. Her vision shook as she registered what that thick spray was that had splattered across her skin. A still warm drop trailed down her brow, pooled beside her eye, and started to trail down her cheek as the world stood still. It wasn’t until an unfamiliar voice spoke that her shock twisted into aggression to rival her fear.

Eyes shooting to the source, her face twisted with confusion amongst her instant hatred. Before she’d even thought it, she found herself saying aloud, “You’re not one of them…” Though it got lost under her furious breath. She immediately took a step back, one arm out to guard Olivia. Her eyes flared bright yellow, teeth gritting. Whoever this was, they’d done this. They were a true monster. ‘Why!?’ She wanted to demand. Why had she done this!? What had Rabble done to deserve this!? He never chose this! He tried to protect people from /this/!! Who would want to do this!? Why couldn’t the world leave him alone!? Her blood boiled and writhed inside her, but she knew better by now than to speak up towards them. They always thought they had a reason, everyone who blindly hated him, everyone who harmed him.

That hot blood immediately froze over like a glacier had smothered her entire body and crushed her bones to dust beneath its weight when she saw the other shiniko hold up a remote, however. Remote- The cage….  Narrowed eyes widening, they turned to the afflicted, who immediately slammed the bars trying to get to the voice, as if too blinded by whatever drove him to even consider the bars or their battering effect on his body. The metal bent terribly, warping where he struck but holding firm as a reverberating crack like thunder deafened the room from his strike. A wild, mindless snarling escaped the creature as it shoved away to try again, claws gouging the cage walls. As it backed up, though, dark fur dripping blood where it went, it stopped short of another attempt. The screech of gears grinding brought a bristle of agitation and a swift as lightning snap of his body towards the sound, huge form whipping around with all six heavy limbs bracing against the concrete….now dead center aligned with Nova and Olivia as the door slowly started to inch open. A bloodstained maw and gaping, wide mouth lined with massive teeth showed the evidence of its misdeeds, bent in a deadly snarl. Soulless, blinded white eyes bathed in a sea of darkness pinned on them, pupils widening and then shrinking in, focusing on them like a rabid animal identifying prey as audible ragged breaths huffed from massive lungs. The breaths themselves felt like they shook the air, but the eyes were like empty white pits that entrapped and sealed the fates of all they locked onto. Their ability struck fear, but knowing them was enough. That was the look of a beast of hell. A reaper. Her brother.

“O-Olivia…” Nova’s voice struggled to find purchase, her hands trembling up into her shoulders as she began to back up, eyes locked onto Rabble like an incoming train she couldn’t turn away from. Her shanking hands found Olivia quickly, starting to shove her back. At first her pushes were weak, stunned muscles locking up, but she soon was shoving hard enough to move the taller woman back. “R-run…” Her voice squeaked with a tenseness, but immediately ramped up, “R-run- Run. Run! Run!” The weight of the creature shifted on its massive haunches, tail sweeping behind it as a guttural sound escaped and it was clear it was about to pounce, the doors opening just wide enough it might get through. “OLIVIA RUN!!!” Nova finally broke her gaze free from her entranced state to turn on her heel, just as the creature launched forward. She almost violently shoved her sister, forcibly turning her as best she could and driving her towards the door.

Behind her, the creature’s head shot through the opening, enormous jaws snapping wildly and one set of claws scrabbling the concrete as its massive shoulders slammed against the parted gateway. The entire building felt as if it shook as Nova managed to start running alongside Oilvia, hand grabbing onto her sister’s wrist so hard she her knuckles were pressed white. Her legs pushed her as fast as they could, dragging Olivia if she had to, mind in a panic as she heard Rabble’s guttural roar of rage, claws scrabbling back and shoulders slamming again. This time, just as the two girls were passing through the doorway to the warehouse, she heard the horrific tearing of metal, the cage hinges being broken, followed by the echoing crash of that door having been launched forward across the floor. Her heart lurched, eyes flicking over her shoulder immediately. The sight of the afflicted propelling itself forward towards them sent an overdose of adrenaline exploding across her brain as sucked in a ragged breath. His form moved like greased lightning, considering his size, everything he had pushing him with the sole intent to catch and devour them.

Sunlight blasted over the two girls as they escaped onto the street and Nova immediately drove them across into an alley, hearing the warehouse doorframe rammed against behind them. The pounding of heavy limbs gained quickly and she could almost anticipate the stabbing pain of claws spearing through her back at any moment. Dodging between two parked cars, she made a desperate attempt to slow him down. She had to buy time. There was no room to breathe- none to plan ahead- none to think. She needed to just buy second after second as long as she could on instinct and memory alone, hoping beyond hope that some salvation would present itself. Mortal terror was enough to propel her forward. She hadn’t even yet considered anything else. She knew, if he had either one of them, they’d both be dead before the minute was up. In a brilliant stroke of luck, that salvation presented itself in the form of a narrow alley not far from them, her eyes locking onto it with frantic hope. Just a little further! He wouldn’t fit!

Having lurched herself and Olivia between the two cars, she kept barreling forward, outpaced by the shadow that blanketed over like an omen of death. She nearly checked over her shoulder to see how close, but the crunch of car bodies as they were thrown through the air and blasted out to either side of her told enough. The two cars tumbled and slammed into the buildings ahead, one alarm going off wildly to add to the chaotic, panicked environment.  She knew by that, her attempt to slow him down was for naught. He was practically right on top of them and a hissing low rumble in his throat in her ear confirmed it. They weren’t going to make it.

Planting her foot, she twisted her whole weight and strength onto swinging Olivia forward, practically throwing the other girl ahead of her. As soon as their hands had parted, she whipped her frame around, energy cracking off of her in sheets to face the beast. It was like a tidal wave compared to her, rising with its serpentine form to lunge at her, snarl breaking across the air, massive jaws splayed to come snap her in two. “Sorry Rabs,” she wheezed quickly.  As it came crashing down at her, she unleashed everything she had, a torrent of wind and blasting blades of energy practically exploding from her frame, directed through her hands right at his open mouth.

With a shriek of surprise and fury, the left side of the afflicted’s face was engulfed in yellow-lit razor blades. They went tearing down his flesh and inside of his mouth, shredding everything it touched and just avoiding the eye by a hair.. Black blood sprayed violently in all directions as he twisted away from the source, jaws narrowly missing her as they snapped them shut to protect themselves on instinct. The left eye screwed shut, though its full momentum still plowed forward. It’s enraged wail morphed into a wail, but it didn’t miss a step. Catching itself on its second set of forelegs, it curved its momentum into a swing with its right arm, clawed paw striking square across Nova’s side and shoulder. All the air left her body in a sharp, short, pained cry.

The girl was thrown like a rag doll through the air, crumpling upon impulse and tumbling helplessly. Her body whirled through space until she was abruptly struck on against the wall of the nearest building, a few paces from the very alley she had wanted to reach. As her form splayed then fell, she landed heavily on her side, coughing and wheezing for the air that had been jettisoned from her body. She struggled helplessly to breathe as the beast shook off her desperate attack, blood steaming black from his face, mouth, and down his neck to his shoulder.

This was....different. No different was eating a an unexpected food. This was.... This was nothing she was expecting. Ever. She was... scared? Maybe. She couldn't tell. She could feel her heart pounding her chest. She didn't know what to do let alone what to say. What could she say. He was …. a caged monster. A light breath left her as she stood there. No it was still Rabble. Just because it was something unexpected it was still Rabble. Right? The screaming drowned out her own thought slowly wanting to say something or try and figure out what to do.

Then a voice caught her attention. It was female. Looking around she noticed the female standing near a viewing platform. She gritted her teeth and glared. Her eyes burning with hatred for this total stranger. A game. That's what it was to the female holding the button. Wait button. Something about that made her remember she was standing right in front of a caged angry and likely still very hungry Afflicted. She didn't really pay attention to much else because once Rabble slammed into the cage that was slowly opening she froze. “No...” She muttered to lightly under her breath to be heard.

Olivia could have sworn she heard her name and something about running. Run? Why? She felt something or rather some one pushing her. That someone was Nova. She snapped out of it just long enough to start running just before the creature launched forward.

Scared. Scared was definitely on the top of her emotional list. She could hear him behind them. So close it was almost nearly impossible to not look to see just how close to death they where. However she was currently distracted by trying to figure out what they should do. They couldn't run forever no matter the form they took. She could fly but she wouldn't be able to carry Nova there forms where to small. “Dammit...” She muttered as the sound of crushed and broken cars being flung behind them. Was this how they really how things where going to-

The sounds behind her sent a shiver down her spine a tear or two in her eyes. She wasn't to-

Olivia soon found herself thrust forward by Nova. She kept going only to realize she could only hear her own foot steps. “No...” She breathed as she stopped and turned just in time to see Nova unleash a razor bladed flurry. It was a moment of pure aw due to the use of power. However that was quickly snuffed out when she watched helplessly as Nova was struck. “NOVA!” She screamed out as she ran to the female who had just smacked into a building.

“No no no no....” she repeated as she quickly halted and threw herself next to the female. “Nova you stu-” She cut herself off and glanced at the alley way. There only hope for now. “Nova hold on I've got you.” She said carefully scooting arm under the female before pulling her up as best she could. Taking a second to see where Rabble was she moved as quickly as she could and started to pull both herself and Nova into the thin alley way.

She really hoped it would be enough because they had no way out. Well they had one but she really didn't want to leave Nova alone in her current condition. Still if she had to run Rabble the other way to keep Nova safe she would. For now. For now she found herself pulling Nova as close as possible to her while keeping as far back in the small alleyway as possible. She slid into a seated position her eyes never leaving there one way in and out of there current problem. “Nova... are you okay?” She questioned the female softly as she reached around in her pockets to try and find something that would help.

~~~~~
Back at the warehouse Linnette had watched as Rabble tore out after the silly shiniko who fell for what was obviously a trap. Looking thru the door of the viewing room to the locked door on the other side she gave a little sigh. “Only one more loose end to tie up here.” She smiled easily. She quietly made her way back down the stairs to the mess of bodies on the ground. She put her hands on the bloody bars of the cage. She wiped a bit on her arms and around her hands as if she had been holding someone who was bleeding to death.

With that she smiled then let out a long horrified scream then a loud 'what have you done?' and a 'You monster.' She waited a moment before screaming wait then running up the stairs to the viewing area. She didn't stop until she slammed her herself carefully into the door as if she was thrown. She let out whine quiet 'sob'. It was silent again for long time before she quietly knocked on the door. “P-please tell me your still alive in there.” Her voice sounding tired and broken. “You have to be. I can't... If your gone to-” She listened then said. “Please if you can hear me says something.... I can't live knowing- I'm... i'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I could only save two of you. The others …. I... couldn't.... the phantom... I.... please.” She said hitting the door once then leaning against it. “Please...” She whispered just loud enough to be heard.

The world seemed to not just spin but roll and twist and bend around all at once. It was as if physics were jeering at her. Nova’s sight went in and out a few times, black creeping and reaching in the corners of her vision until they constricted so tight she was afraid she’d lose it completely, only then letting off with the rasp of a tight breath. Of course, then she’d choke again and it’d start all over. The muffled sounds that approached became more clear the closer they came, somehow egging her on to keep trying to breathe. She knew why she had to get up. She knew the urgency. Yet, despite knowing, her body wouldn’t cooperate. All she could think was that she was lucky her assailant was too out of it to remember his own power. If she was trapped in her fears right now, it would only get worse.

Choking on air, suffocating in her own lungs, she tried and failed to form words, to tell Olivia any sort of response…not that she knew whether to beg for help or for her to run anyway. It was relief and fear for her sister that struck her with the feeling of arms under her own. She was being dragged to safety, but that cost valuable time. She tried in vain to focus her vision enough to know if they were safe or not, but her head rolled back, leaning against Olivia and staring up at her for a long moment. She looked so afraid…so in shock. She supposed she was the first time too, but it wasn’t this severe. She couldn’t imagine what was going through Olivia’s head right now.

It wasn’t until after she’d been dragged into the alley that her lungs finally managed to suck in a good breath of air, relief pouring over her tensed muscles and across her brain. It was like the feeling of eating for the first time after having starved for days and she gulped at the air hungrily, breaths heaving in and out in shaking rasps. She reached out her arms and braced against the walls of the alley to sit up on her own when Olivia settled her down, trying to catch her breath. She offered her sister a wary but grateful little smile, the kind that is well aware of the end of days but politely shines anyway.

“I’ll live,” she answered with concerning simplicity for her. Resting one hand over her side, she winced at a breath that tried to suck in a little too deep. Everything hurt, but she didn’t feel anything was ruptured, from what she could tell, so she’d likely survive. Likely. It did come as a real shock to her system though. Checking over her shoulder, she could see that they were in a dead end alley. Good. One entrance meant he couldn’t come in the back way. Now, next order of business…

Twisting her weight carefully, she leaned herself back against the alley wall, briefly looking over at the entrance to make sure he wasn’t there. He would be soon, she was sure, but not at the moment. He gaze immediately cast to Olivia, deep worry mixed in with the fear and pain. She glanced her sister up and down as her panting, heaving lungs rocked her small frame that seemed so delicate now. Eventually, her gaze settled on her face, studying the smallest expressions. “How are you?”

It was pointless to ask if she was alright, she knew. She wasn’t. Not after this. Not during this. She wouldn’t be for a while, assuming they even survived.

Meanwhile, outside of the alleyway, the hulking beast shook its mighty head again, blood splattering everywhere as it tried to literally shake off the pulsing agony in its face and throat. It snarled and spat, pawing at its maw, only to trail black, steaming blood back to where it stepped. It bristled, as if understanding what happened, reared back, and let out a piercing roar as the two girls disappeared into the alley. It was a beast, a single-focused beast with the drive of a thousand screaming hellfires in its guts to lash it forward. An alley would not deter it.

Without hesitation, it planted two clawed hands on a small suv in its way, crunching the car beneath it as it vaulted over and landed by the alley with a skid, claws grinding against the pavement. Its agile move left it staring those gastly white eyes straight down the alleyway at its prey. It didn’t take a moment to think before it lunged forward, jaws first, and slammed its injured face against the side of the narrow passage. Blood and a dusting of fur sprayed forward from the impulsive strike, but it was far from reaching them, despite the short distance of safety the two had. Nova let out a startled sound as her attention whipped back to the phantom at hand, pushing herself further back away from the snapping jaws and putrid blood spray.

“O-Olivia, we might want-“ The beast yanked its head back and, like a clever animal, turned its body to the side and thrust its longer arm into the space. /That/ fit. “might want to mOVE BACK!” Nova finished with a scream as she scrambled to her feet and backed up against the far end of the alley, claws narrowly missing her. Even at the furthest reaches, she could only just barely keep out of the reach of those long, gnarled, blood-soaked claws. The constant, guttural rumbling of the snarls rattled her bones as she pressed back as flat as she could against that wall, one arm pressing over Olivia like a seat belt almost, wanting to hold her back.

“R-Rabs…” She knew he probably wouldn’t hear her…not like this, but- but she had a foolish, tiny hope that maybe, just maybe he was listening in there right now. She had to try. “Rabs- Brother… Please. You don’t want this. I- I know you. You didn’t mean for this. You don’t mean for this- To hurt me… To hurt Olivia-“ She immediately corrected, using his shortened little name for her “You don’t want to hurt Liv and you don’t want to hurt me. Please. Just- for me- try to get control of yourself.”

For the briefest of moments, it seemed to be working, he retracted his claws, peering into the alley. There was a glimmer of a smile of disbelief on Nova’s face, but that was immediately shattered when she could see he was only sizing up the alley, twisting his shoulder to fit more of it in there and jamming his claws back in, this time mere inches from them but still just barely out of reach. A frustrated roar deafened the air as he pulled back and slammed his weight against the solid walls repeatedly, trying for just a half foot more reach, trying to kill them the moment he could get his hands on them. He wasn’t listening. Rationale wasn’t in the driver’s seat.

~ ~ ~

The blind host from Gau’s, the cursed shiniko, Kovu sat in that room, hands bound behind his back and encased so he couldn’t escape, knees drawn up to his chest self-protectively. Situations like this would be terrifying for anyone. He was trapped in a room, hearing phantom shrieks and death screams from men, women, and children alike. He had no idea what was going on, but he knew it was related to his power. There was a phantom. Of course it was related to his power. He buried his face in his knees, shoulders shaking. Anyone would be afraid… But it was worse for him. He could only hear and feel the cold, sterile room. His blindness made him vulnerable in that he couldn’t see anything…leaving his head to fill in the blanks… Again.

Death and fear sounded the same anywhere and from anyone. It was just like listening to his dema slaughtering those who’d crossed him all over again. And, yet again, it was his fault…or at least related to him. Gau had killed for his sake, killed people that had come for him. Now this phantom was killing because of him… It was the same. Those poor souls were in so much pain, so much fear, then silenced, because of his existence.

Cursed.

He really was cursed.

He should have never left the woods.

The slam of a body against the door to wherever he was being kept gave Kovu a jolt, sending him clumsily scrambling to his feet, backed still into a corner. There was a chilling silence… No phantom, no screams. Everyone was dead and it had moved on to kill more. That was the only answer to this silence. The knowledge clawed up his chest and settled cold fingers around his throat, strangling his voice with choking pressure. He could hardly breathe, each lungful shuttering and fighting him. He felt a pensiveness to the silence, like every passing moment that there was a quiet, death was creeping in on him. Like a horror movie, he expected the utter silence to be broken with a deafening crunch of metal and crumbling walls as the phantom burst deafeningly through the walls and tore him to shreds. Or perhaps he’d be stuck here forever, trapped, starved, suffering for what he’d brought on these people. Either way, he felt like he surrounded in danger, in death. He was going to die- …He was panicing, but that revelation didn’t stop the attack. His shaking knees drove him to lean against the wall, unable to catch his paniced breaths.

It wasn’t until he heard desperate begging at the door that he finally snapped his head up and reoriented himself, the haze of anxiety and danger clouding his senses. S-someone was alive. Someone… He inched closer, trying to speak but stammering quietly, words catching on empty lungs and tense, shaking lips. He couldn’t speak until he leaned on the door and slid down, crouching on his knees and managing a shaky “I-I’m here…”

She…was a victim too, it seemed. Disgust at himself for having doubted her swirled in his guts and made him want to puke.