Conflict Continuum
Digression
Conflicts
Conflicted Rules
CC High Council
Fox glanced around a bit confused as she followed Aailyah through the halls. She'd never been to this side of town but that was because this was where the humans lived, which meant this was where the police lived. Biting her bottom lip she shook her head as she grabbed ahold of Aailyah's free hand and clung to her. She'd never been out in the city without Benny, she was entirely out of her element and frightened beyond belief.
Aaliyah smiled as Fox clung to her hand, wouldn't that just cause some whispers. She handed her companion a drink before pulling her over to the open space in the middle of the room where several young people were dancing. "Relax, just let go for a bit." she said as she began to dance. Her gaze drifted over Fox's shoulder to where a young man sat on a couch with a couple girls, watching the make-shift dance floor. She smiled sweetly at the man and winked, shifting to dance just a little closer to Fox.
Fox eagerly took the drink and took a large chug of it. Noticing that Aaliyah grew closer to her she blushed softly but went along with it and began swaying her hips. She ran a hand through her long hair, shimmying slightly, holding her arm in the air as she danced around sexily.
Taking advantage of the low lights, loud music, and that woman's distracted flirting, fingers barely brushed Fox's arm, an accidental bump, just before a piece of paper was slid into her hand. The giver, whoever it was, was gone as quickly as he, or she, had come, lost in the sea of dancers gyrating to the beat.
Aaliyah caught a strange movement next to Fox as they danced. Her smile stayed carefree, but her eyes grew a little sharper, subtly searching for answers.
As something brushed against her and slid into her hand,
Fox stopped, a chill running up her spine. Looking down at her hand she saw the note there and frowned. Unfolding it she looked down at the beautiful scrollwork until the words finally registered in her mind. Whoever this person had been, they knew who she was. No longer feeling safe she shook her head. Glancing around she began panicking. Dash... Benny... Anyone... She did what she told the guys she would never do unless she felt it was truly nessecary. She sent a silent plea into all their minds. Deep down she hoped it was Dash or the boys who came because she didn't think she'd be able to handle Benny at this very moment.
Seeing Fox's panic,
Aaliyah grabbed her shoulders, looking her in the eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked, still dancing, trying not to draw the wrong kind of attention to the two of them.
Stepping from the shadows of the underground,
Elvira frowned at the damp darkness of her surroundings. She stepped slowly onwards until she came to the place where the various creatures inhabited and lowered her hood so they good see her face clearly. It was if sound had been muted within the area as all chatter stopped suddenly when their eyes fell on Elvira. There eyes widened at the sight of the shade but no one ran due to the fear that was now rooting them to the ground. Elvira smiled the most charming smile she could manage then cleared her throat to speak. "Good evening underground dwellers. I need some help from you.." She said turning on the spot to look at them all. "I have heard word of a revolution..an
d I want in. But unfortunately I do not know where to go or who to ask..so what I want from you's is to start spreading the word that I am here and offering my help. I am hoping that will attract the right person..now go, the quicker I find them the quicker i'll be gone." She made a motion as if to shoo some of the people away and they quickly turned on their heels and ran on to spread the word that a shade was underground. Elvira smirked, proud of her plan then turned and wandered slowly to inspect the jewellery stall of a frightened looking elf.
"That was quite the spectacular entrance," an even voice told Quinn as a blond haired young man stepped up beside her, pretending to browse the wares as well. He seemed to young to be so calm around a shade, and yet he did not tremble in the slightest. Honey eyes shifted slightly, looking at her out of the corner of their sockets. "I would expect you to have quite the mob following you after that. An entourage for the lady?" He raised an eyebrow, his expression otherwise unmoved."
"Lady is not what most would call me young man...Demon yes, Lady no." Elvira replied and had to keep herself from grinning. She could smell him, she knew what he was. She let her fingers run delicately over a few of the necklaces and she pretended to consider a purchase before finally turning to face her new companion. "You do not fear me? I admire that..it gets tiresome when people run from you all the time. Now do tell me..what is your name?"
Dash only smirked, glad the shop keep was too scared to sell him out. "As if I would give you the pleasure, Ms Shade. Or the power. Nonetheless, it is a pleasure to meet you, regardless what others make you think. Shall we walk? I know you know I'm who you seek." He motioned away from the stall and started walking, making sure there was space between their sides. He did not want her touching him. He had never met a shade in person, but he knew well enough not to give information away for free, or to touch it. Unless she bled, he was well aware of his disadvantage. Only once they were out of the chamber and in one of the dank tunnels did he speak again. "I complement you on your grandeur," he admitted. "It's been a while since I've been able to silence a room so quickly or completely."
"Why thank you..its something that comes with the territory of being a shade I suppose, being able to render people incapable of speech due to the pure fear I fill them with." Elvira responded as she walked slowly, hands clasped behind her back. "It can be quite bothersome though when you wish to gain information from someone. But then I guess I don't really need to talk to people nicely to get what I want..I can just take it from them." She glanced at Dash and smiled lightly. Which is exactly what I shall do to you boy if you do not co-operate.. She had to stop herself chuckling at this thought. "So do you live in this charming underground haven?" she asked casually.
"As if I would give you the pleasure," Dash repeated, watching her closely out of the corner of his eye as they walked. Best to always stay on alert, on your guard. Do your best to overestimate your enemy, especially one so dangerous. Nonetheless, to humor her game, he gave her a little smile, the expression forever innocent on his young face, despite the horrors he had seen. "What information might you be seeking?" he asked politely, almost as if offering to help her. Of course, he doubted he would. There was no way a shade would have pure intentions.
"Oh nothing in particular.." Elvira lied with a simple shrug of her shoulders. "But i'm sure you understand that in this day and age unfortunately not everyone can be trusted, so when I plan to work with someone I like to know as much about them as possible. Even us shades like to stay safe.." She glanced at Dash and grinned. "So tell me about yourself..your interests, fears, family and ones you hold dear..just things like that."
"I once heard a story," Dash replied, seemingly ignoring her inquiry. "Of a human who met a shade. He said the shade must be the devil, with hair made of blood and eyes of hell fire, and always trying to trick him into wicked deals and selling his soul." He paused and smirked at Elvira. "Of course, it's only a story. No human would survive meeting a Shade." He mused on this woman only a split second longer before his eyes widened an almost imperceptible fraction as he tried to hide his surprise. Fox had just screamed for help in his head. He couldn't leave this newcomer unattended. Surely Benny would take care of her? But he should be with her... so if she was still screaming for more help- He had to go. He had to help. "If you truly want to work with anyone in this city, it's going to take more than prying secrets out of the inhabitants," he finally said seriously, every hint of his smile gone. "Though I doubt that is anywhere near your true intentions. I do not know what you want, Ms Demon," he replied, a slight joke in using the word she said people call her. "But you have my attention. I must go- Do not destroy this safe haven below our city- or the city- and I will talk with you more very soon," he promised. Perhaps against his better judgement, he did bow to her, both a sign of respect and an ingrained habit of politeness, then locked eyes with hers as he stepped back into a dark alcove and disappeared, hurrying as fast as he could through the bitter cold in hopes he would not be followed.
Elviras expression darkened when he suddenly announced that he had to leave and she had to stop herself lunging on him then and there and retrieving the information by force. But a small glimmer of hope came over her when he bowed before her. Stupid boy. she thought as she unknowingly delved into his mind searching for his memories. When she found them she watched Dash's life in reverse. Walking with her through the tunnels, meeting her at the stall, appearing in the underground and then suddenly he was in an apartment. She could feel his emotions, the happiness caused by something she just couldn't see. Holding her breath, her excitment grew as he moved to look at whatever was causing this happiness and then Dash suddenly straightened up from his bow and Elvira had to quickly exit his mind. So close!!! she raged silently, angry that she had been possibly seconds away from gathering the information Rafe had wanted. Once Dash had gone she slammed her fist against the wall, causing a dangerous looking crack to quickly spread across it and she screamed a loud and terrifying scream that echoed through the tunnels. After a moment or two, she took a breath and carefully fixed her hair. "No matter, I am one step closer to my goal. I shall return later and seek out the missing pieces of the puzzle." She said calmly then disappeared into thin air.
One of the few people who could blend near perfectly with the human inhabitants, Quinn walked through the streets like someone with no interest in anything. He looked, keeping his eyes peeled, for any signs of the club that had been spoken of. His face twitched as he passed someone he could sense powers from. Curse his heritage. Passing by, he followed his senses to the nearest hub of power he could find. A building, the closed sign out, sat on a street that had a number of creatures walking up and down. Quinn debated waiting, but instead he walked around to try to find a way in, and found himself down an alley, unsure of where exactly he was walking to.
"Looking for someone?" a dark voice greeted Quinn in the back alley of the club. Benny was in no mood for stalkers, or other nuisances. He had only meant to check for such problems before going in to apologize to Fox. Even now his heart was screaming to forget about it, to move on, find Fox, but he wasn't going to let anyone be a threat to their home. He would deal with this, then find Fox. So he had to do this quickly. He was already walking toward the.. man? Girl? Person in the alley. "Or might you be lost?"
Alarms bells went off in Quinn's mind as he spotted the man moving closer. His eyes got a bit wider as he was asked questions in a less than friendly manner. "I'm sorry. I was...I was told I could find..." He paused and looked away, knowing it would make him appear more nervous than he was right then, not that he wasn't nervous. "I shouldn't have come here," he said just loud enough for the other man to hear him.
"Probably not," Benny replied acidly, stopping just a short distance from him. "But judging by the fact you haven't turned tail and run, I doubt your guilt. For the moment. Why are you here?" Sunny eyes had turned cold as he watched the other man- woman?- he still wasn't sure. He wanted this over quickly, but if it was a human, or worse, undercover cop, he couldn't afford to give away what he was. Not yet anyway, not unless he was prepared to kill him. Which, although he was, it would bring unwanted attention.
"I was looking for...someone." Quinn didn't know exactly what to say, his nerves making his voice waver in between pitches. "I don't even know if this is the right place. I mean, really, I didn't get a name or an address, just..." Now his hand was shaking as he reached up to fiddle with the string of his hoodie. "And this is my first time in the city. First time trying to find someone who can help. First time dealing with..." He trailed off, playing up the helplessness he was feeling, playing up his wavering voice, his eyebrows puckering as he stared at the concrete on the ground. "With these particular...abilities..."
Benny was giving him a skeptical look, still drunk with the need to find Fox and having difficulty fighting it off and maintaining focus on the newcomer. He was lethal with her, but without her, the world was fuzzy around the edges, as if to say 'why are you looking here? this is not her'. "What-" The world 'abilities' cut off sharply as his mind exploded with Fox's call for help. His head shot up and he was instantly more alert at something neither of them could see. He was torn, wanting to protect their home from... whoever, or whatever, the hell this was (what creature was uncomfortable with powers? and if it was a human, why was it seeking them out except to bring them misery?) and wanting to go to Fox. A dark part of his mind replayed her hand striking his cheek and he subconsciously reached up to touch his face which had long since lost the stinging pink. No... she wouldn't want him. Dash would go, and he trusted his brother. At least, while he dealt with this... thing. It couldn't take too long, and then he would go to her, no excuses. He dropped his hand, the anger back in his eyes as he stared Quinn down. "You better explain a lot faster," he warned. He really didn't want to waste time on this but he had no other choice without raising suspicions.
"I'm Emory. Most recently born...created...er...whatever Deiciden." Quinn chose to give his second name to these people, comfortable using either, but since Rafe used Quinn, he would have these people use Emory. "I know you lot don't particularly like my kind, but I have nowhere else to go." His pathetic expression was compounded by his defensively hunched in shoulders and his arms wrapping around his stomach. "I was told there was a woman here, a fae, who would look past my unfortunate birthright and help me. Perhaps my information is incorrect."
Benny did not drop his skepticism. If this person before him was not lying, then it could be a very real threat. But why wasn't it acting like one? Could it really be lost and confused? Scared? Something told him no, but his good nature urged him to give it the benefit of a doubt. "I don't know what that is," he lied firmly in reference to what Emory had called himself. "Nor do I know of this... fae of which you speak. Get out of here before I'm forced to report you to the police. Take any manhole in the street and walk around, you'll find more of your kind." Although he sneered his face to hide his sympathies, Benny hoped he was giving enough of a clue to where Emory could find support. Sure, if he was honest Benny would have let him meet Fox, but as it was, he was too distracted to make that judgement. "If I see you again, I swear to you, I will be less indecisive." He left it as a threat, but again, hoped Emory would get the underlying meaning that he had to go but would deal with him later if he came back. He gave him one last long look, still trying to make up his mind, but finally gave in to his heart's desperation and turned and walked quickly out of the alley, out of sight of anyone he could see, and ducked into a shadow, hurrying along to the signal of Fox's distress.
"Yeah, sure, human police, like you would go to them," Quinn muttered to himself. He had never met someone so arrogant or distracted. It would take one arrow to the back while he was walking away to end this bastard's miserable life, and Quinn was tempted. But he knew that this might be one of the men Rafe has spoken of. Turning and walking back to the front of the club, Quinn took a deep breath of the cool air and followed his senses towards where he picked up the underlying scent of more people of interest. Back into human territory. He would be back here eventually, maybe not tonight. But for now, he wanted to stay on the surface, where he wouldn't be forced into anything. And maybe that mage who had vanished into the shadows like that would find him again.
Strong arms immediately encircled Fox's body and hauled her out of the crowd, accompanied by a flash of apologetic honey eyes to Aaliyah for interrupting their dance. Only once they were near the wall where the music was slightly muffled and people didn't look their way did the man let go. Dash, worried eyes and uncertain posture, stared back at her, hoping he hadn't made her panic too much by the half-kidnap tactic. "Fox, what's wrong? Where's my brother?" Wait... was Benny missing the REASON she panicked? He became fractionally more worried. "Where's Benny?" True, Benny could probably take care of himself, but the never liked not knowing where their other sibling was.
A soft gasp escaped Fox's lips when strong arms wrapped around her. Part of her panicked and thought she was being kidnapped but when Dash's voice washed over her she cried out, turned around and threw her arms around him. "Dash...No no, Benny is fine... As far as I know." Sniffling she held up crumpled piece of paper that remained in her hands. "Some unseen person slipped this into my hand. How did they know who I was?!" stricken with panic once again her voice rose and cracked with fear. She needed Benny but was too stubborn to admit it. "I'm sorry I wasn't thinking. Did I take you away from something important?"
"Eh... nnno..." Dash replied uncertainly. Oh, no, leaving a shade to her own devices- No, nothing important at all. He sighed and pulled Fox into his arms to comfort her with a hug. "Fox, a lot of people know who you are, even if they approach you as... whoever it was did. You're very well known. I hear people in the underground talk about you all the time. Now," he let go of her and took a step back before reaching for her hand. "Let me see the note. And what do you mean my brother's fine 'as far as you know'?" He looked up from skimming the note to raise an eyebrow at her. He was fairly confident that whoever this was, Benny and himself could keep Fox safe, so not to take her fears lightly, he still wasn't too concerned. He was wondering why Fox was in a strange part of town without him though.
"We got into a fight. I slapped him. He called me easy..." As their conversation flooded Fox's mind like a wound heavily bleeding, she shook her head. "We've never yelled at each other before. But... I had a vision and I wasn't telling him about it... I guess it upset him and... And I pulled away instead of confiding in him." Sniffling back the tears that threatened to escape her she clutched onto her brother for dear life. What had she done? Running away from Benny and their problems? That wasn't how they solved them. But he'd said such very hurtful things to her and she wasn't yet ready to go back to him. Pressing her forehead into Dash's chest she sighed heavily and shook her head. "Thank you for coming for me..."
"Of course, always," Dash replied as if he thought she already knew that, his arms wrapping around her slighter frame to hold her close. "You know when you are in trouble all you have to do is call." Of course, most of the time Benny was already here to handle it. What had happened to his brother? Fox was his soul mate. If she had struck him, rejected him in any way- His own heart saddened just thinking of the state his brother was no doubt in. He leaned back, gently placing a hand on Fox's cheek. "But Fox... I'm sure if Benny said that, he did not mean that. He would never say a bad thing about you, I know. I bet right now he's going out of his mind, scouring the city to find you to apologize." He smiled at her, trying to be amused by his brother's panic, but too sad for it to reach his eyes. "Why wouldn't you tell him about your vision? You always do. He knows more of them than I do even."
Aaliyah came up behind Fox, a smile on her face, "What's going on, guys?" Her tone was casual and easy, but her hand on Fox's shoulder was comforting, and her eyes were intensely curious.
Fox's darted over in Aaliyah's direction almost apologetically before darting back over to meet Dash's familiar and soothing gaze. "It...it was embarrassing...and I wasn't sure if it was a vision or a memory. You know how I can sometimes get the two confused." Casting her gaze downwards she sighed heavily and shook her head. "It was of Rafe and I...doing things. In bed." Tears trickled down her cheeks as she recalled the vision. "What if this vision was trying to tell me, my entire life of freedom wasn't meant to be, and that I'm meant to be with Rafe. Then our whole lives...have been for nothing. What if I ruined something in the balance of our lives?" The questions spilled out of her mouth as panic once again set it.
Aaliyah's arm wrapped consolingly around Fox's shoulders. She wasn't sure if she was meant to hear this conversation, but they knew she was here so she guessed it was okay. No wonder Fox was so broken up over whatever was going on. The nymph had never taken that step with a man, or woman for that matter. Things always got too messy after a certain point. It was too hard to move on to greener pastures when you needed to.
Dash sighed, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Fox, I'm not smart. You know this, because you know me. But what I do know? No one is meant to be with Rafe except in his grave. What you and Benny have? It's special beyond anything. Anything that makes good people like you and him happy is never a mistake. Now-" He reached out with his freehand and wiped tears from her cheeks. "Dry your eyes. Do you want me to take you home?" He wasn't sure if Fox was this upset that being in a club full of people was the place to be.
Chewing on her bottom lip, Fox frowned slightly as she listened to Dash talk. Sighing heavily she nodded her head. "I guess so." Sliding her hand down into Dash's she frowned softly and looked over at Aaliyah. "Sorry for ruining our night. I didn't mean too."
And that was why she would never let herself get truly attached again. Aaliyah smiled easily, "No sweat, love." she shrugged, "You want me to tag along for support?"
Fox chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head. "Thanks though. Be back at the club tomorrow, please." Running a hand over her face, Fox stepped over to Dash and sighed. She was clearly drained of all energy, but this needed to be dealt with. Wrapping her arm around Dash's waist she looked up into his eyes and nodded her head gently.
Dash nodded back, but looked at Aaliyah with a frown. "Be careful by yourself, ok? Don't be out on the streets too late, no matter how tough you are," he warned, more concerned than anything. He nodded his polite goodbye, wrapped his arms around Fox, then promptly stepped back with her, falling through an imperceptible hole in the shadowy floor of the club.
After an hour or so of Dash leaving, Talia slowly began to stir until finally she awoke, yawning and stretching her arms as she did. A loud growl of hunger sounded from her stomach and the sudden realisation that she hadn't ate recently dawned on her. She climbed out of her bed and padded slowly towards the kitchen, the idea of a night time snack making her excited. She frowned lightly when she searched the fridge and cupboards and found them to be very bare. "Damn.." she muttered in annoyance then turned back towards the bedroom. I'll go get some groceries..theres a 24hr supermarket in thee city. she thought as she pulled on a simple pair of skinny jeans and a tshirt before lacing up her boots and fixing her hair that was back to the long curly brown of her human appearance. It'll be a nice surprise for Dash, having some tasty food to come home to. she smiled at this thought and after a quick glance in the mirror, inspecting her now completely human appearance she grabbed her bag and made sure she had enough cash for what she wanted. Talia left her apartment and began the walk into the city until finally she was walking along the familiar busy streets, ignoring anyone she passed.
Quinn saw her before she ever noticed him. But she was in her own little world. The woman reeked of preternatural etheria, the glamor she used in her shapeshifting putting off a feeling all its own. He knew he wasn't looking for a shape changer, but anyone who knew the city or the people he was looking for would come in handy, especially after his last run in. He just hoped this one went better. Making sure to pull out his loose papers, he aimed his body so that in her distraction she would collide right into him. And when he felt her shoulder bump into him, Quinn lurched forward, dropping the papers in his hand. He automatically went scrambling for them, but some got caught up in the wind and were completely blown away. Not that they were important. These pages were just notes on fine art and city streets.
Talia stumbled backwards and quickly snapped back to reality to see what she had collided with. "I'm so sorry!" she gasped then began gathering up as much of the paper as she could before holding it out to Quinn. "Are you alright?" She asked in a concerned tone, feeling guilty after she spotted some paper flying away. "Where they important?"
"I'm sorry, I was distracted," Quinn said pathetically, taking the papers and shoving them into the pockets of his hoodie. "I was...I've been...I'm lost." The last words came out defeated, and Quinn looked up at the woman, standing slowly. "These are for my research project, but some were directions. Now..." He ran a hand through his hair, giving a small shrug. "I'm sorry, you probably have someplace important to be. Not talking to some lost newcomer."
"No, not at all. I was just going to pick up some groceries, nothing special. I'd like to help you if I can, its the least I can do for bumping into you." Talia replied with a friendly smile. "Now where is it exactly that you need to go? I know this city pretty well..." It was obvious Talia did not hold the same mistrust towards strangers that Dash and the others had. She believed everyone deserved a chance.
Giving her a nod, Quinn moved so he could walk with her. "I just need to find a safe place to stay. I was told by a reliable source that-" He leaned close and whispered. "I needed to find a fae and two brothers who keep her company. My kind is not liked by many others." He pulled back again. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that not everyone feels comfortable discussing these things. I hope I do not offend." As if a thought occurred to him, Quinn turned almost to fully face Talia. "My name is Emory."
Talia's eyes brightened and she smiled, grabbing his arm lightly and pulling him to the side so they could speak more privately. "I'm Talia, pleased to meet you. You're in luck, the three people you're looking for are good friends of mine but unfortunately i'm not sure where they are right now. One of the brothers is working and he won't be home until morning. The other brother and the fae are probably together but that could be anywhere..so it could be morning before any of them are traceable. I can help you find somewhere to stay for the night if you need."
"Thank you Talia," Quinn said, his gratefulness genuine. She had just given him more information than she probably ever intended. "I...I don't want to be a burden. I've never been on my own like this." He wanted to pull his arm free, not comfortable with the touch, but he really didn't want to offend her. "Are there safe houses here? Or people who will protect us? I have to be honest, most of the races would rather cut my head off than help me because of what my people are known to do, but I promise that not all of us are like that."
"Well..." Talia started but paused as she thought on what she was going to propose. If he's aware of Dash and the others he can't be dangerous so I can't see any harm.. she thought then took a breath to continue. "..I don't know of any safe houses but you're more than welcome to sleep on my couch until morning. That way I can take you straight to the ones you wish to see." She smiled at him and released her grip on his arm. "I have no grudges towards anyone races so you need not be frightened of me."
Quinn could have kissed this woman. She was handing him everything in a neat little package complete with a bow on top. "You are by far the kindest person I have ever met. If there is anything I can do to repay you, just let me know. I don't have much, but I'm good with my hands and I have a strong back." He could trade a little manual labor for this information. He had struck pure gold here, and even if he was a soldier and could be quite single minded, Quinn knew when a relationship needed to be cultivated. He would not just take from Talia. He would instead win her trust.
"Well you can help me carry the groceries home that I was about to pick up." Talia replied with a chuckle. "With an extra mouth to feed i'm definately going to need some food." She stepped out of the shadow of the building and motioned for Quinn to follow. "Come on..it won't take long and when we get home you can tell me all about yourself.." she finished then turned and wandered into the supermarket.
Keeping close to her, Quinn let his eyes rove over everything. Supermarkets were new to him, and he marvelled at the variety on display. Reaching his hand out, he picked up an apple on display near the door and held it for a moment, looking it over. "What are you here to get?" he asked curiously. This place was amazing and part of him wanted to explore, but a bigger part told him that being out in the open like this was a bad thing.
"A little of everything really." Talia replied as she grabbed a shopping basket and began filling it with things such as milk and whatever semi decent products she could find. "My cupboards are completely bare and after the embarassment of trying to cook a romantic meal earlier, I want to make sure i'm better prepared." She said then chuckled before moving on to gather a few more things she wanted and then head towards the check out.
Not fully understanding, Quinn just nodded and followed her. This place didn't have the variety of the great outdoors. "Why not just hunt for food?" he asked as she paid. "It can't be that hard." He still found it amazing that people had survived so long like this. But that was what people did. Once back on the street, Quinn turned and held out his hands to take the groceries.
"Hunt? Yeah no one does that anymore round here..you really are new." Talia said glancing at him with a raised eyebrow before giving the money for the food and handing over a bag of groceries to Quinn then lifting the other and heading out onto the street. "The food isn't the greatest anymore but its enough to survive on so I can't complain. But enough about the food..who was this reliable source who told you to seek out my friends? I mean they're usually pretty good at staying low so not many people know about them.."
"Oh," came Quinn's less than enthusiastic reply. "I see." When she asked who his reliable source was, Quinn actually paused, lifting the bag of groceries a bit higher before continuing on. "He lives outside the city. Said he knew them before he left the city. I didn't get a name, never thought to ask." His eyebrows puckered slightly and he gave Talia a concerned look. "Do you...he didn't lie to me, did he? I mean, a lot of people would like to see me murdered..." Stopping dead in his tracks, Quinn looked as if he was about to bolt, his eyes wide.
Talias shook her head quickly. "No..he didn't lie to you, I promise. My friends would never murder you and neither will anyone else. They'll have to go through me first." She said and gave a reassuring smile. "Now come on. We'll go home and i'll make you some supper and you can tell me all about yourself." Her tone was warm and motherly as she motioned for him to follow her. Once at her apartment she unlocked the door and held it open. "Here we are."
Following her to the apartment, Quinn kept track of everything that they were passing, making mental notes of where this place was. When she opened the door, he entered the apartment, head down, eyes scanning everything. "This is your...home?" He made his way through the room, to where he spotted a kitchen sort of set up, placing the bag on the counter.
"Thats right. I live here on my own most of the time." Talia replied as she closed and locked the door then wandered into the kitchen and began unpacking and placing the groceries in the fridge and cupboards. "Its not much..but I like it." She smiled over her shoulder at him then carried on working. "I'll make a bed up for you on the couch. Are you hungry?"
Quinn stepped aside to allow Talia to do her thing. "Not right this moment. I am...feeling kind of sick, actually. Aftermath of being so nervous." He watched as she placed things in cupboards and moved a bit so he could see better. "How do you know what goes where?" he suddenly asked as she opened the fridge and put things inside.
Talia paused to look at Quinn and give him a confused look. "Uh..well..things that need to be kept cool to stay fresh go in the fridge. So like meats and dairy products would go in the fridge. Anything else usually will do fine in the cupboard." She said then finished putting the things away before moving to sit on the couch and patting the space beside her for Quinn to join her. "Its pretty obvious you're not from round here..so can you tell me a little about who and what you are?"
Blinking, Quinn moved around the couch and sat down, looking at Talia. "Um. I guess I can address the 'who' part of that question rather easily. Explaining 'what' I am is a bit harder." He sighed and let his eyes fall to his hands, which were playing with the fabric of his pants. "I already said my name is Emory. I sort of grew up in the middle of nowhere with an elder of my people. See, I'm a Deiciden. Um...we're...well...we..." He stopped, eyebrows pulling together as he grew nervous again. His next sentence came out in one long breathless rush. "We aren't liked because we have the ability to kill any creature with a single blow."
"Thats very impressive. Theres a lot of creatures out there who would do anything for a power like that." Talia replied slowly before smiling at him. "You should never let your gifts define who you are Emory. Just because you can kill others so easily does not mean you have to. Do you want to kill others?" She asked still smiling softly as she raised an eyebrow.
"I've never wanted to kill people," Quinn admitted quietly. "But I'm a soldier. And others would either take advantage of what I am or kill me first." His voice broke and he leaned forward, covering his face with his hands. "From the moment I was created, my purpose was clear. I can't live like everyone else, so I can't...I have no...I just..." Words stopped coming from between his hands and he stayed with his face covered.
"Nonsense Emory." Talia said softly as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to be a soldier if you don't want to be. You make your own destiny. No one can make you do anything you don't want to, always remember that. And if you wish to live like everyone else then i'll gladly help you." She smiled lightly at him and gave his shoulder one last squeeze before releasing it. "You are not alone anymore."
Lifting his eyes, Quinn let the glisten show a bit before he wiped at his cheeks. This was almost too easy. All he had to do was let his own insecurities out and this woman was comforting him and welcoming him into her life. "I can never live like everyone else, but I can try." He blinked, looking away, off to the side. "Something a lot of people don't know about my race is that we do not reproduce sexually. We can't. So my life will be unfulfilled by many others' standards."
"Oh..well..uh.." Talia stuttered bashfully unsure of how to respond to this. "Well you shouldn't worry about that. I-if its physically impossible then you shouldn't dwell on it. You can still get a place of your own, make friends and maybe even get a job.." She said with an embarassed smile as she clasped her hands on her lap, watching him closely.
Quinn refused to look at her after his little confession. Instead he pulled his legs up so his knees were at his chin, looking very much like an insecure child. "A job?" His confusion was evident, and he continued trying to stare a hole in her floor.
"Yeah, something to earn yourself some money. You need the money to buy things for yourself." Talia replied moving closer to him. "You could work in a bar or if you have any specific talents that you could harness, for instance I dance. Some people sing or play instruments.."
"I..." Quinn paused, his eyes becoming thoughtful. "I don't really do anything. I'm good at fighting, killing, I was trained to do that." Now that he thought about it, he really didn't have any interests in anything else. Which was all well and good as he had no plans to settle down in the way Talia was talking about. His life was a little more complex.
"Okay..well we'll take it one step at a time so you don't need to figure out right now what you would like to do for work." Talia replied in a reassuring tone as she relaxed back into the couch. "So is there anything you want to ask me?" she asked aware that it seemed Quinn didn't know much about anything.
Quinn looked up at the girl. This was the opening he had been waiting for, a chance to gather some real information. "Why are you so nice? I mean, not everyone in the city would welcome a stranger, especially not my kind. Early tonight, even, I met a guy who threatened to call the police on me just for asking about the people I wanted to find." He gave her an innocent, perplexed look, hoping she would open up a little. "Even if your etheria confuses me, you are very kind to take me in."
Talia shrugged lightly. "I just believe everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves to show that they are good. I do not like being judged for what I am so I refuse to judge others because of what they are." She smiled as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "A lot of people would think me naive and stupid for being so trusting but I could never stand back and watch someone in trouble. I'm just too nice.." she finished with a chuckle.
"And what exactly are you?" Quinn asked, his face finally showing curiosity. He tilted his head and looked at Talia, eyes focused. "I'm sorry, I'm just curious."
"Well uh.." Talia paused for a moment, biting her lip. She never openly spoke of what she was to people she didn't know. But this guy has told me everything about himself.. she thought before looking at Quinn and smiling. "I'm a shapeshifter.." she said finally then to demonstrate her point she shifted into an exact copy of Quinn before changing back to herself.
That made Quinn pause as he narrowed his eyes slightly in confusion. "Shapeshifter. That...makes sense. I guess. Your etheria, essence, whatever you call it, seemed a bit strange, off, almost as if it wanted to be a different shape." He blinked a few times before looking away again. "Sorry again. I shouldn't say such things..."
"Oh no its quite alright. This isn't actually my natural form.." Talia replied as she motioned to herself with a smile. "This is just my disguise so everyone thinks i'm a regular human. Lifes easier that way." she shrugged lightly. "I look very different than this..if you promise not to scream i'll show you." she said jokingly watching Quinn.
"I do not scream," Quinn assured her, somewhat defensively, but still completely rational. He let his eyes travel back to her. "You do not have to if it is unpleasant." Quinn knew how uncomfortable he was with his own body, maybe it was the same with her. But it would be easier if he knew her natural form. He would have real information to give Rafe after this, and maybe win a bit of his trust as well.
"It is not unpleasant for me, its actually so much more comfortable being in my natural form." Talia replied and as she spoke she allowed herself to change. Her skin transformed from white to blood red with the white markings that snaked up her arms and around the rest of her body. Her hair shortened and turned as white as snow whilst her eyes became solid black. Once she was completely transformed she smiled at Quinn. "Thats so much better.."
Quinn seemed to let out a sigh of relief as Talia changed. Now her etheria matched her physical form and he could get a better read on her. Not that she would know or understand. She wasn't a mind reader and even mind readers had trouble properly reading the analytical mind of a Deiciden. "That is not so bad," he said with a nod. "Less shocking than you would have me believe."
Talia nodded in agreement. "Yeah well unfortunately most people don't agree with you..I don't really know why. Maybe its more the fact i'm a shapeshifter than anything. People don't find us to trustworthy. I don't care though, I have someone who loves me like this and thats all that matters. Just me and him." She smiled brightly then chuckled. "Sorry you probably don't want to hear about my relationships. Thank you for not finding me shocking."
"On the contrary, I neither find you shocking nor do you need to apologize." Quinn leaned back on the couch, finally seeming to relax. "I do not find it uncomfortable to speak of relationships, simply educational, as I will never truly experience one unless some sort of miracle takes place." He picked absently at his fingernails, which were surprisingly clean for someone in his situation.
Talia watched him with a sad expression, then smiled softly at him and nodded. "Well alright then. Theres not really much to tell about my relationship. Its new but I know its going to last forever because theres absolutely no one else i'd want to be. He's such a good guy." She laughed slightly as she blushed from embarassment. "You'll meet him tomorrow, he's actually one of the brothers you seek. He'll most likely come back here after he's finished with is work.."
Nervous energy played out on Quinn's face, but Talia might think that was at the prospect of meeting someone new, not at the idea of returning to Rafe and making his report. "Sh-should I leave? Will he m-mind me being here?" If he left, he would go straight to Rafe and tell him the news. If he stayed, he would of course get to meet one of those that Rafe had sent him for.
"Well..where would you go? I'm not really sure how he would react to you being here honestly but its not really fair of me to throw you out.." Talia bit her lip as she thought of the problem she was in. Tell Quinn to leave and have time to tell Dash about him and prepare him for meeting him or let Quinn stay and potentially upset Dash and cause some kind of fight. What do I do?
"I do need to go get the rest of my things," Quinn mentioned, as if that task was one he did not look forward to. "I...left them outside the city. It'll be quite the walk." He shifted slightly in his seat, ready to stand if that was her decision.
"Well alright. If you want to go fetch the rest of your belongings and then bring them back here then that should be sufficient enough time for me to speak with him and prepare him for your visit." Talia replied giving a large smile of relief before standing. This is a perfect plan. "Does that sound alright to you?"
"I will return as quickly as I can, but it may be some time," Quinn said calmly, pushing himself to his feet. "Um...thank you again, Talia." He moved to the door and was through it and gone before Talia could really respond.
Talia waved goodbye to Quinn then shut and locked the door. She turned and moved back into her bedroom and after changing back into her pyjama's she slipped into bed and settled down for the night. Hopefully Dash will wake me when he returns.. she thought as she closed her eyes and slowly slipped back off to sleep.
When Dash and Fox finally arrived back at the apartment, he rubbed her arms soothingly, both as a comfort as well as to warm her after the chilly Stepping. He looked around the dim apartment with a frown. "I've never seen it empty," he admitted, his voice sad. He had never seen Fox on her own either, not since they had escaped Rafe. Seemed times were changing and he wasn't sure he liked it. He looked down at her, his eyes still sad and worried. "Would you like me to stay?" he asked. Yes, he had work, but he couldn't leave Fox in such a state. Benny would tear him a new one.
Chewing on her bottom lip, Fox shook her head gently. "No, that's okay. I'll be fine on my own. Thank you, Dash. For everything..." Standing up on her tiptoes she pressed her lips against his cheek's and hugged him carefully. "Stay out of trouble..."
Dash hugged her back and chuckled. "Do I ever?" he half joked, the slightest hint of sadness in it. He let go of her after a comforting moment and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. "If you need me again, don't be afraid to call, ok? Until you and Benny are out of this rough patch, I'll come running. I promise." He gave her a brotherly smile, then tilted his chin up and kissed her forehead. "Try to get some rest Fox," he said softly, then let go of her and stepped back to a shadowy corner, waving just before disappearing, intent on heading to the sewers again.
Stumble!