Saving The World In Spite of Ourselves

The news of Shola's death was completely unexpected, to say the least, and any joy in Lilith's heart that had been residing from the past few days had been completely destroyed. Not only had this group, this family, lost their leader, they had lost a very dear friend. The person keeping the group together as a whole had ceased to exist. The fellow Guardian who had helped Lilith uncover her powers was gone. Not only did she not know where they would go from here, being the only remaining Guardian was a terrifying and sobering thought.

Lilith attended the funeral with Dante and the others, showing little emotion than the tears falling silently down her face. When Dante disappeared from her side she correctly assumed that the assassin was going to take care of Trevean in his own way. For the time being, Lilith chose not to join him and instead made a home for herself next to the bedroom window. Pin-ko joined her, sitting silently at her heels to stare out of the window alongside her. Only once she was sure that the servants had cleared the kitchen for the evening did she emerge from her spot, and on the way to the kitchen Lilith found Dante sitting aimlessly in a hallway chair, eyes glazed over as he faced an unadorned wall.

"I don't understand," he'd mumbled. "I thought you all were basically invincible. I thought you were like..."

He never finished the sentence, instead laying his head forward against her stomach.
"What the fuck are we going to do now?"

Lilith winced at his words. Placing her hands on the side of his head as he placed it on her stomach. "No, we're not invincible." She replied quietly, unsuccessfully trying to fight back her feelings of sorrow and defeat. She allowed her head to hang, letting her tears drop on to Dante's mop of hair.

"Maybe we had started thinking that. Maybe that was our biggest mistake. I don't know what we're going to do, Dante."
 
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The news of Shola's death had a sobering effect over the entire city it seemed. Over the next thee day everyone seemed to be doing what they could to honor her memory. Stories were shared, the funeral arrangements were made, but it seemed those that knew her best, those that had been closest locked themselves into seclusion. At least that's how it seemed to Kaden.

The funeral was managed for the evening of the first day after the news broke. Everyone was there, Dante made sure Trevean showed. But afterwards . . .

Afterwards Trevean was drawn aside for the reading of the will, though he was seen stomping away afterwards as though he wanted nothing to do with it. The nack locked himself in his room and refused to answer up until the point where Dante let himself in forcibly by picking the lock. The two stayed closeted in there for some time before Dante left, threatening something about force-feeding the other breakfast if necessary.

Nadia vanished into her own quarters along with the wine from dinner and nothing Kaden could do allowed him to check on her well being, So he turned instead to his sister. Lilith too had hidden in her own bedchamber, but she at least allowed him in. They sat in silence for a while, they talked some, but Kaden could feel the strain and while he knew the others needed alone time to process, Kaden himself needed to keep busy. At first it was a small task, something to keep himself from fidgeting, and So he stayed up that first night knitting a poncho for his sister. She had seemed cold and some part of him remembered once thinking she needed some sort of clothing that wouldn't tear when she changed into a wolf. He set it outside her door with the breakfast tray the next morning along with a note on where to find him if she wanted or needed company.

It was an exhausted looking and sleepless Kaden who made his was out to the barracks a little after dawn to seek out the highest ranking officer he could find and request some help. Kaden didn't know what yet, but he had to keep going. He felt he had to keep the group moving forward and that somehow at the moment he was the only one able to focus enough to do it.

He road out with a small group of them that morning to find the sight of Shola's death and burial. Edolan, aqua-brother as Kaden thought of him, had been as clear as he could be on what had happened and the path they had traveled. Had even been clear that he saw the whole disaster as his fault. Even Trevean had managed to confirm some details, though it was quite clear he had changed drastically with the snapping of the bond. Even to Kaden it was apparent the now sharp mind was bound in fog. But they had enough to find the place.

Llir's body was still on the group where it had fallen. The medic that had ridden with them confirmed the cause of death to be drowning. No one seemed to wish the man had lived to face trial. They left it where it was to rot.

Not far away on the edge of the swamp pool was a clear patch of blood, and a little ways beyond that on the driest patch of land for miles around was a burial mound. Not the traditional Corocoan method, but the best anyone could manage in a swamp for sure. Each man knelt to pay his respects to the fallen and two moved to some dead wood pulling out hunting knives, and began to fashion a sort of burial marker for the tome's head. The others fanned out and started with the search that would confirm Ed's story and hopefully lead them to information regarding the still missing children. It seemed Edolan Auster had been captured while trying to find his girlfriend's lost little sister.

"Here what's this?" a voice called out. Kaden turned as the soldier in question knelt by the blood splatter and from the grass drew a ring, a ring Kaden had seen on Shola's hand countless times before.

"It's the Boss Lady's," he answered without hesitation. "Aquaman gave it to her."

It took them a moment to figure out what and who he meant. "Then it shall be returned to her Other," the man promised solemnly. "About time to head back anyway, if we want to make breakfast, even a late one."



Trevean's dreams were nothing but nightmares. Again and again he saw Shola well and whole. Again and again he reached to hug her finding his guardian cold as ice and then he's pass through her fading form. When he turned to look back Shola was holding her own head. More that that the Dire Queens words echoed in his head.

“You’ll destroy her . . . Without you to hold her back, that's what she's truly capable of. . . . "

And when he woke he knew why. There on the dresser directly across from the foot of his bed sat a crate of whiskey. Someone had been in his room.

Trevean half fell out of bed on his way to investigate. but as he got closer he paused. Next to the crate was an open box containing a small pistol Trevean could only assume was loaded. On top of the gun was a note. With a shaking hand he reached for it.

"Cheers! You destroy everyone who cares for you."

Trevean didn't even have to read the signature to know who had sent it. Only one person had that voice even when writing. Without hesitation he gabbed a bottle out of the crate, uncorked it, and took a long swig before attempting to get dressed. Dante's instructions had been clear and Trevean was not in the mood for another fight about it. Nor was he in a place emotionally or mentally where he'd stand a chance of winning if he was.

It was as if everything had been grayed out. Nothing mattered, all hope was gone, like the last time. But at least as time stretched out, he found he could manage some things. Ed had carried him back. Dante had put him to bed and then forced him through the funeral when the time came. Today . . . today he had a very clear set of instructions and that helped. Dante had said to get dressed and eat something and so Trevean tried.

He put on clean pants and a shirt that he sort of buttoned. He ate a piece of fruit-bread that had been left on a tray for him, and he washed it down with whiskey. That had to count. But before he could crawl back under the covers and attempt to sleep the day away, which was what he really wanted, to sleep and maybe pass on so he could find Shola on the other side, Perhaps the Dire Queen had been right, a knock sounded at his door.

When he opened it he found a single guardsman, one of Shola's red guard if Trevean remembered correctly, looking a little disheveled and about as depressed as Trevean felt. But for this man at least it would pass.

"We found this - The Daalai Soldier said you might want it."

In his hand was Shola's ring.

Trevean could feel himself breaking at the sight of it. It was bad enough Edolan had insisted Trevean take back the necklace, but now the ring? he couldn't - couldn't take anymore reminders.
"I don't."

"But, Sir--"

In seconds Trevean had the other one off and had pressed them into the guard's hand. "You take them,"

"But they're yours sir. yours and the captain's. I don't understand why--"

"Fine," Trevean snapped snatching them back again and chucking them down the hall, "We'll throw them away. And tell anyone who asks I want no more mementos. NO MORE!"

The door slammed behind him leaving a stunned guard staring at the wood as the rings, miraculously unharmed, rolled to rest at the feet of an approaching Dante.

((collab with Mids))

Dante scooped the rings up without hesitation and strode right to Trevean's door. He gave the guard what he thought might pass for an understanding look before he pushed in without knocking. Whether or not the look was correct, the message was clear. Dante would handle it. The guard left.
What Dante found on the other side of the door was Trevean sitting on the dresser beside the crate halfway through that first bottle of whiskey. His feet were bare, his shirt tucked and half buttoned, Trevean's hair clearly had never been combed, and his beard hadn't been touched in days. The man was also well on his way towards getting drunk.

Dante's look of concern was real this time.

Trevean only too another swig of his drink. "The hell do you want? I ate, I put cloths on--" those were the things he was expecting Dante to demand.

"Well, you get an E for effort on the clothes." the assassin snorted. "Where'd you get the liquor?"

Trevean only waved a hand at the dresser where the crate was, "Was there when I got up. someone sent it," punctuating his remark with another drink.

"And that's not concerning?" the assassin stated pointedly.

Trevean only shrugged, "It worry you?"

"You know, presents of liquor from strangers usually don't have good intentions." Dante moved closer to Trev and watching the bottle closely. "Besides, I thought you wanted me to stop you from drinking?"
Trevean gave a wry smile" Then stop me. I'm sure I knew what I was asking then, even if I don't particularly care now. Probably better off going back to being a drunk -- functioning drunk." He took another sip.

"In a week, will you have wanted me to stop you?" Dante asked.

Trevean only mumbled something incoherent that sounded suspiciously like, "won't matter in a week."
Dante arched an eyebrow and touched the bottle to stop Trevean from lifting it, but did not actively take it out of his hand.

"You'll be here in a week, unless you're making other plans?"

Trevean loosened his hand on the bottle so Dante could take it as the nack moved to lean against the window. "Read the note." Which note he meant was obvious as there was only one present and it was sitting in plain view. Dante took the bottle and corked it before picking up the note and reading it quickly.

"You don't know who left this?"

"Only one person who hates me that much, search me as to why. She's said as much before. -- Look in the box beside the liquor crate too."

Dante bent and dug through the box before promptly taking all of the bullets out of the pistol and discreetly pocketing them before obviously putting the pistol in his waistband.
"Why do you think she'd tell you anything that was remotely true?"

"Because it's her honest opinion. Doesn't matter if it's true or not, I'm an inconvenience to her . . . so she gives me the tools and leaves me to figure out whether I'm courageous or a coward and which option means which choice."

"I don't think it's honest. But were you seriously considering using the pistol?"

Trevean flinched at the question. "There are various factors at play in a decision like that."

"Don't give me the runaround. Be blunt."

Trevean looked at the other man a moment and the sighed gazing back out the window. "I'm not sure I can recover from this, Dante. We're lucky I can function enough to even recognize that fact. The void a broken bond leaves . . . I can't -- I can't vouch for my stability right now, for what I might do or say, if I can even manage to return to some semblance of being a productive member of society . . . when you weigh it all out, it might be better for me to -- disappear.
"It took everything I had just to get out of bed this morning."

Dante was quiet for a long time, lost in thought, swirling the bottle around and then taking a drink from it himself.

"It's only been two days. Things... things might get better. You've pulled yourself out of dark holes before, if what you've showed us is any indication. Do you... Do you really think she'd want you to kill yourself?"

Trevean shook his head.
"Before there wasn't the breaking to deal with. As for what she'd want . . . what matters is what's best for the rest of you. I'm a liability like this. -- Shola would put the mission before all." It was the first time Trev has said Shola's name since her death. Dante knew it.

"She would, but I don't think she'd have thought you needed to be dead for us to go on... Nads still needs you, we all still need you. And, well... I imagine we all want you with us too."

It was the nack's turn to be silent for a long time.
"If I'm still like this at the end of the week, if you see need to nag me to eat and dress and such like a child, you will need to leave me behind." He swallowed. "And I'll promise to be here when you return if not how functioning I'll be."

Dante took another long drink from the bottle and moved closer, hesitant at first, but then he reached out and put his hand on Trevean's shoulder tentatively.

"I think if we could manage to drag the mess I am along, we can take you too. We'll make sure you're okay, somehow.
"
"And if I have a day like yesterday? I won't be a burden to you, Dante. And I can't ask Nadia or the others. Kaden . . . maybe Kaden but he's trying to shoulder everything for everyone. I'm not sure he's even let himself grieve yet."

"We've been making it work, and we'll keep doing that. Nadia wants to be there for you too, and... Well... We all do."

"You really think I'm worth the trouble of keeping alive when there's a very good chance I'll never be better than I am right now?" but was was clear Dante's words were working on him.

Dante didn't say anything, Just nodded, letting the words sink into the other man.

"You're really willing to drag me around knowing you might have to care for me like an invalided for an undetermined amount of time?"

"Yes."

Trevean stared for a moment. the simplicity of the answer stunned him.

"We've made it this long because we take care of each other," Dante continued, "Now, probably more than ever, we need to do that."

"If I slow you down or become a liability to the safety of anyone, you will return me to the palace and leave me there for the duration of any off world missions. I won't be responsible for losing any of the rest of you." and for the first time in days ther was a hint of passion to Trevean's voice.

"Deal, but leave it to me to make that call, okay?"

Trevean took a deep breath and nodded. "Get rid of that shit for me please? I don't have the willpower right now." he gestured at the whiskey crate. " And make sure none of it ends up with Nadia." even as unstable as he was Trevean knew the danger there.

"You want the rest of the bottle you started? There's only a little left."

"I thought we didn't want me to drink?"

"I thought you might want it as a consolation prize since I'm taking the rest."

Trevean held out a hand and Dante gave it to him, but to Trevean's disappointment the bottle was mostly finished. He stared at it a minute in silence. "leave another bottle?"

"No, but Nadia wants to see you. You don't have to be okay, you just have to be here."

Trevean wilted a little, "Tell her she can come for lunch? that'll give me a chance to sober up a little."

"I think you need to see her while she's sober."

"Meaning?"

"She needs you right now."

Trevean cursed, "How bad?" he knew he wasn't the only one grieving and he knew where Nadia had been emotionally a few bare weeks ago.

"Just see her, okay?"

"Give me ten or fifteen minutes to straighten up?" he could not see Nadia as he currently was. that Trevean knew.

"Okay." Dante agreed, "And here are the rings." He held them out to Trevean who turned away.

"Keep them."

"They're your family's."

"Then give them to my brother."

"You might-- "but Dante shut his mouth before finishing that one. "I'll hold onto them, okay? For a week or so."

Trevean just nodded as Dante took the other bottles and left quietly.

About fifteen minutes later Nadia knocked on the door. By that time Trevean had managed put stuff away and button his shirt before attempting to comb his hair. he sat back down on the bed and made an attempt to read but ended with the book upside down.

"Trevean...?"

"It's open," he called in answer.

Nadia came in and stopped awkwardly at the foot of the bed, twisting her skirt in her hands. She looked exhausted and her eyes were red, and there was a bruise right up at her hairline and on one of her forearms.

Trevean sat up a little, allarmed. "What's happened?"

"Huh?"

He pointed at his own forehead.

"Oh, I just... I fell."

The nack raised an eyebrow, "The truth please," he prodded quietly.

"I was drunk and fell and hit my head... And my arm, apparently."

He didn't say much in answer to that just patted the covers. "Sit down or grab a chair or something. I might be a touch drunk myself."

Nadia moved to sit by him and then just hugged him tightly. It Took Trevean by surprise and he hesitated a moment before moving to hug her back. "It's not the best way to deal I grant you --" he murmured.

"Are you... how are you?" she asked.

"Functioning at the moment -- if barely," came the answer, "and you?"

"Not good... But I'm here, so that counts as something, right?" She laughed shakily and bit her lip really hard to keep from crying.

"It's okay to cry, Nads. Really. I'd rather see that then you hooked on the bottle. It's not easy to get rid of once you are--"

Nadia nodded and laid her head back on his shoulder and started to cry as Trevean held her. She clung to him, face buried in his shirt as a child might cling to her father. It was almost comforting, being able to comfort someone else. He shed no few tears himself.

After awhile she sat back and fish a handkerchief out of her pocket to offer him though Trevean polity refused opting instead for the back of his hand. Next thing he knew Nadia had pushed his hand away and pressed the kerchief under his eyes anyway.

"I don't have many words right now, Nads"

"You don't gotta... I don't nei-- either."

He nodded, "it's okay. You need food? I need food."

"Yeah, we should eat... You want me to go get it?"

"If they didn't stash a tray by my door there'll be a servant hovering -- I think I have a palace full of baby sitters right now, and Dante is the most insistent of them."

"They try to watch me all the time too." She went look outside his door. "Yeah, there's food out here. Looks like fish an' soup, bread, cheese-- water."

"It'll be enough for two if it's something you feel like eating."

They ate for a while in silence, each trying to make sure the other had their fare share. Eventually though, someone had to speak.

"How's Kaden doing?" Trevean ventured cautiously. The young Daalai man had checked in on him but had not put up a fight when Trevean ordered him out again. He had, however, kept coming back.

"He's holdin' up, I think... He's tryin' to figure out how to lead. I see him with Dante a lot, and Lilith too."
"He check in on you too?"

"Yeah, a lot. What about you?"

"I wish I -- I'm not much help to anyone right now Nadia -- can't even help myself," the nack tried to explain.

"I mean, has he been to see you? No one expects you to after-- well, after the whole bond thing..."

"He pops in every couple hours and if it's longer than that he makes a point of telling me when he''ll be back. But he's also about the only person that leaves when I ask him to without arguing-- I think he might be sleeping outside my door though. Sometimes at least -- Caught Dante there once too."

"He got kinda frustrated when he couldn't find me... but he's not handlin' it well himself either. He just doesn't know I catch him."

"Outside your door?" Trevean asked, "or looking for you? and do you mean to say you're dodging him?"

"I've kinda been dodging him... I didn't want to see anybody. But he caught me a few times anyway."
"Might be better for both of you if -- but ignore my opinion."

" I know I should... I just didn't wanna see anyone. But I'm starting."

"He might be able to help you -- since I can't--"

Nadia nodded quietly. "We'll all help each other as we're able to."

"I - I wish I could -- help -- any of you --"

Nadia reached over and squeezed his hands, and they were so small compared to his."We all really care about you."

"Dante said the same thing -- " he needed another topic, anything. "Are you sleeping alright?"
"No... I haven't been sleeping much."

Trevean moved to get up and grab the box of Shola's stuff and fish the dream-ring out of the bottom and hand it to her.
"Huh?" was all Nadia could manage as she looked at it.

"It's the dream ring from the faeries," He started and then proceeded to explain how it worked. "When- I'm hoping it'll just make you sleep."

"You don't need it?"

"It means nothing to me without --" he was unable to finish.

She took it and hugged him. "Thank you"

"Maybe it will. Thank you, Trevean-- Thank you. I know what this means to you, and if you ever want it back--" he shook his head. After a while of sitting in quiet, Nadia decided it was best for her to go.



That evening Kaden found Nadia in her room, and this time she was willing to talk. Nadia showed him the ring, explained what she wanted and how she thought it would work and help both of them, and Kaden consented. On one condition.

The next morning, the third morning, Dante found them both sprawled out on a couch in the library. Kaden seated properly, his feet on a coffer-table, Nadia sideways her head on his shoulder. Between their entwined hands was the dream-stone.



Evening came again and with this two arrivals at the palace. One, a woman with her face hidden in her cloak was granted immediate audience with the queen. The servants whispered of Lady Sumaria cozen to the queen. Distant cozen.

The other was man of average height with a long brown, leather coat, crows feel at the corners of his sharp eyes, and iron gray streaking his long, flyaway, once ginger hair. His goal was Trevean.
It was fortunate the figure passed Nadia in the hallway because once she understood who he was and what he wanted she seemed more than happy to give him directions.

Trevean however had gotten a hold of a bottle of cutter and managed to drink most of it before Dante found and scolded him and sent the nack to bed. He was in a state somewhere between waking and sleeping when the man let himself into the room.

"Parker?" Trevean whispered, but he couldn't focus couldn't seem to listen. It was all garbled except for a few words including "Survive this."

In the morning Parker was gone, and Trevean was severely hung over.
 
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Lilith allowed Kaden into the bedroom anytime he came calling, sitting quietly and staring out the window between bouts of small talk. She smiled a few times, making a few jokes before ultimately growing somber again. When Kaden left Lilith hugged her brother goodbye for the time being and quickly shut the door behind him, retaking her spot at the window until later that evening when she and Pin-ko decided that it was time to try and sleep.

The next morning, Lilith woke to Kaden's scent wafting under the door. She waited until his footsteps faded away before creeping over to the door and cracking it, sliding the tray of food inside. She unfolded the poncho and smiled, slipping it over her head and crawling back into bed. For the first time in a few days, Lilith was able to get a few hours of undisturbed rest.
 
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(collab with Falcon)

It was like waking up from a long, dreamless sleep full of uneasy, half-formed and feverish fears. At first she came into her core, and then slowly her limbs until she felt the weight and press of stones and limbs; it was enough to jolt her into action, scrabbling like a mad woman at her makeshift grave until she could see trees and ground and water. Not too far from her she saw, too, the rotting corpse of a man, only his feet immediately visible from where she sat. Carefully she uncovered the rest of her body and stumbled out of the debris, at first falling when her legs shook and crumpled under her. However, after a few tries, she managed to stand and saw that it was Llir, although curiously to her, she saw no marks or signs of struggle. Still dazed, Shola stared at him for what seemed like an eternity before passing a hand through her wet, dirty hair and realizing she had no horse, no company, and was totally alone. Looking back at the pile, and then at Llir, Shola tried to piece together what had happened, tried to rack her memory for the moments leading up to whatever had happened--

When she saw the pool of blood on the ground she remembered the choking poison and the sound of a sword slicing through the air, and then nothingness. Her hands flew to her throat and she trembled and gagged as she felt the new scar. Shola staggered away from the scene, her body leaden, as she sought a way out and away from proof of her death. Halfway towards the edge of the swamp she suddenly realized she couldn’t feel the bond, couldn’t feel Trevean on the other end of it, and her mind rushed back to the pool of blood. Had Llir taken him too, or had he survived somehow? What had happened to Ed? Had they made her grave and left, or had some other traveler done that? There had been no bodies nearby, and Shola clung to the hope that Trevean and Ed had somehow gotten away.

Unsure of how much time passed in the swamp, Shola was relieved to see the barest glow of dawn on the horizon when the tree canopy broke and she was closer to the field. Gladder still was her heart when she saw torchlight and a company farther ahead, mounted on horseback and apparently scouring the area. She shouted, finding her voice hoarse, and then could only wave until one of them saw her approaching. To her surprise, she saw Kaden among them and waved frantically at him even as she stumbled, exhausted and weak.

It was a scouting party Kaden was with, out scouring the land for any hint of the growing darkness. It stood to reason that with the death of a guardian they might see some signs of its growing. Yet it wasn’t the darkness they found but a lone figure stumbling from the swamp. The person called and waved, and a jolt of familiarity shot through his spine.

Wheeling his horse around Kaden rushed towards her before any of the others could stop him, dismounting from the moving saddle to land within two strides of Shola as the horse slowed and stopped just beyond on its own.

“I’m not even gonna bother to ask how,” he stated as he moved to her side just in time to catch the slightly taller woman as she stumbled. She held onto him as she tried to steady herself, swallowing roughly and shaking her head.
“I couldn’t tell you if you asked,” she replied, her voice so hoarse it was almost difficult to understand.
“Do you have water? I need a drink-- something. And Kaden, where is my altera-- Where is Trevean? Is he, did he…?”

She seemed unable to ask if he was still alive.

”He’s alive,” Kaden answered as he fumbled for his water skin and held it to her lips, keeping one arm around her back for support should she need it. “If you can call it alive. He’s -- well you’ll see when we get you back to him. His brother, Edolan? Managed to drag him back to the city after whatever it was had happened. Must have been a chore too. He kept trying to get back the the woods the first few hours.”

“Light,” Shola murmured, gulping down the water and sighing as some strength returned to her. She passed the water skin back to him and gave him a brief hug before she stood on her own and looked towards the city.
“I know you’re all here on a mission, but Kaden, can you take me back? I need to go at once, to see everyone-- to see if I can’t repair the bond somehow. I… I know how bad he must be. And I know it must be hard on Amilah too. Will you take me back?”

“Quite possibly the best mission I’ve been assigned in some time,” he managed a shaky smile at her. “You want the horse? Or you want me to ride with you?”

“I’ll ride with you,” she replied. “I’m not sure I’m up to being in charge of one of those things yet, and you’re more than capable. I’m glad to see you out with the guard.”

She mounted the horse behind him and leaned against his back, closing her eyes as they began the familiar journey home. She dozed part of the way there, not far gone enough to fall off the horse, but enough to feel less tired by the time they reached the drawbridge and were let in. Shola found it difficult to keep moving as everyone who saw her stopped her and demanded a story, and eventually she borrowed a cloak and stole anonymously through the market, telling Kaden to go inform the others while she saw to Trevean. The journey was smooth until she had to identify herself at the gate, but Shola managed to ward off too many questions and slip into the castle, avoiding servants and guards until she found Trevean’s door. When knocking provided no answer, Shola flagged down a young scullery maid and soon had a key. Inside the room Shola moved quietly to the bed and sat on the edge, her heart breaking as she looked at his sleeping form. Gently she touched his cheek and his brow, calling his name to draw him out of sleep.

The first people went for were Lilith and Dante, figuring the two would be together.

Trevean’s brow furrowed as he heard his name, but his dreams were troubled, and of late he seemed to have as many nightmares waking as sleeping. He stirred slightly but not much, and when she called his name again he opened his eyes just enough to see her before closing them tight again and murmuring, “No, not this again -- enough of these dreams”

“Altera,” she said gently, but firmly, and traced her thumb over his cheek.
“This is no dream, irriam. Wake up.”

His eyes were bloodshot and gummy. He had to wipe the haze from them to see her properly. But though he knew he was awake he dared not hope, and the truth of that was written in his features.
“Not a dream?” he whispered cautiously, “then are you a ghost?”

“Hardly,” Shola replied, reaching out to take one of his hands and place it over her heart so that he could feel the beating of it through the scar. A moment later she kissed his palm and placed it there again, placing both of her hands over his.
“I am alive and returned, Altera. Truly, neither a ghost, a dream, or a trick.”

“But, how?” and there was no missing how hoarse his voice was. “I saw you die! I saw you fall, felt your blood on my face . . . how?” It took everything he had to hold in the sobs that threatened to wreck his body.

“ I don’t know,” she said softly, squeezing his hand.
“I only remember seeing you, being ill, and then waking up under the stones and limbs. It was like waking up from sleep; I don’t remember anything, I only know that I’ve returned. Kaden happened to be on patrol near the swamp and he brought me back here.”

“It’s real?” he whispered slowly, “you’re real? Then --” his faces clouded for a moment, “why can’t I feel you?” trevean closed his eyes, just for a second he thought, but it was more than enough for his tears to begin to leak out. And then it was too late. He couldn’t stop the sobs that came, or the anguish and grief with it.

“Trevean--”

Shola moved beside him, drawing him quickly into her arms and cradling his head to her breast as he sobbed, stroking his hair and murmuring soothingly to him, encouraging him to meet and release whatever he felt and to cry as much as he needed to without fear of judgment. For that time it seemed like they were the only people in their tiny world, her doing her best to comfort him and hoping that somehow it would be enough to dispel whatever had haunted him.

He cried himself out in her arms, and then tried to talk, to explain, in incomprehensible murmurs, but one word became clear as he continued to repeat it. “Stay - stay with me - don’t leave.”

She rocked him a little, kissing the top of his head and reassuring him at every murmur that she would stay, that she was there to stay, and that everything was alright. As they laid there she felt a small spark within, the tentative way a sprout first comes through the earth. Although it was tiny and new, a mere seedling, the bond between them had begun to repair and fill up just a tiny bit of the hole it had left.
“The bond is returning, altera, can you feel it?” she whispered to him.
“Everything is going back to the way it was. Everything will be okay, my darling.”

Trevean had no words as he too felt the spark and his tears began to fade, but he slowly, carefully reached up a hand to touch her face, almost as if he still believed his fingers would pass through. “Real,” he whispered as he traced her features and the hope began to come back into his eyes. “You’re real . . .”
Suddenly his expression changed to one of embarrassment. “Light, but I’m sorry--”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Altera,” Shola murmured, bending to kiss his cheeks and eyelids and nose, kissing away the last of the tears as she ran her fingernails gently along his scalp.
“You are strong enough you survived two breaks in the bond, something many cannot do even once. No one rational would call you weak now.”

She gently laid him back on his pillow and smoothed his hair out of his face, again kissing his brow and cheeks before nuzzling him tenderly and tucking him in.
“I need to go see the others, and you need rest. I will be back soon, that I promise you. Rest, repair, and you will see me soon.”

She slipped away as he dozed and found the others, first entering Amilah’s chambers and spending a long time there before finding Dante and Lilith and Kaden, hugging Lilith tightly and pressing Dante’s hands. Hearing the commotion, Nadia found them, still looking groggy and barely awake. Upon seeing Shola she stumbled into the arms of the taller woman and cried into her shirt, clinging to her tightly. Once Shola had sat with them for some time, recounting her journey out of the swamp, she made her excuses and returned hurriedly to Trevean’s side, still worried that his state remained fragile. As quietly as last time she slipped in and once again sat on the bed by him.
“Altera?”

But by the time she re-entered trevean was already awake. He had come to some five minutes prior and in her absence determined once again that it was all a dream. The bond spark, still growing like a sprouting seed, he was convinced was some left over remnant, And though hope whispered that it was there, and that Shola had only left to say hello to the others before returning, he couldn’t quite believe it.

The face he turned on his pillow to look at her was almost haunted for his mind had come up with another solution as well. A plausible scenario hinted at by a previous attempt to break his remaining sanity.

“If this is another ploy by the Dire Queen to get me to end my life, tell her to go take that up with Dante--”

“Trevean?! What do you mean?” Shola asked, looking horrified.
“What do you mean-- what has she done? You have no reason to-- to take your own life. Did you forget seeing me earlier?”

Shola put a worried hand to his forehead, wondering if fever or other delirium had set in from the intensity of their earlier meeting.
“I’m right here, darling, I’m real. This isn’t a trick or a ploy. Are you feeling ill? I can take you to the healer’s wing if need be.”

Trevean blinked slowly when Shola demanded an explanation, But it was the feel of her hand was what broke him of it.
“I - I thought it might have been a dream after all,” he murmured quietly, “Goddesses know I’ve had enough of them lately.” His skin was a tad warm to the touch, but nothing that wouldn’t have been brought on by a good cry. “Can you stay?” he asked again. And though still reforming the bond carried with it his need to hold her and be held, to feel her near once more.

“I’ve already seen everyone, so I can stay,” she replied, reaching out and pulling him into a tight embrace. In the brighter morning light she had seen how disheveled and ragged he’d looked, and Shola knew then that the extent of his pain had run more deeply than she’d imagined.
“And this is no dream, that I promise. I will be here as long as you need me, altera. I think we could both use a bath and food if you’re feeling up to taking care of each other?” she asked tentatively, running her hands over his back and feeling his thinness.

Arms curled around her, pulling Shola closer as Trevean nuzzled into her shirt for a moment, breathing in her scent to once more reassure himself before speaking.
“They probably left a tray outside my door again. I can't say for sure what will be on it. They keep changing it to see what I’ll eat, but probably enough for two.”

His hair was a mess, Trevean knew he needed a shave, and the suit of pajamas seemed almost two sizes too small as he forced himself out of the bed and went to look. When he returned there was a tray in his slightly shaking hands, and when uncovered it revealed an assortment of cheeses, breads, and salamies along with a bunch of grapes and a chilled pitcher of what appeared to be fresh milk.

Trevean shook his head slightly at the milk. “It seems as though they’re trying to get something in me even if I only drink it.”

“Not a bad idea,” Shola said, helping steady the tray and then divvying out the portions, giving him slightly more than she gave herself.
“You look like you’ve missed some meals,” she continued, layering a piece of bread with cheese and salami. She also noted, with worry, how shaky his hands were.
“Is that why you’re shaking, or do we need go to the infirmary?” she asked gently, pouring him a glass of milk and touching it to his lips so he could drink without spilling. Whatever he needed help with she provided before he could ask, ensuring they both ate and drank their fill before sitting the tray outside again and returning to sit on the bed with him.
“It looks like your face rat has become a face cat, altera. Do you want the bathroom first?”

It was easier for Trevean to make himself eat with Shola helping him. Easier when he knew she was watching him. Dante would watch, but a glass of milk alone would satisfy the assassin and Trevean had really only been eating just enough to keep the other man off his back. It was with a bit of shame that he admitted as much to Shola now, and with a sense of embarrassment that he accepted her help so readily. Had Shola not returned he really would have become a burden to the others.

“I - no. You go first. I’ve been selfish and you have needs too,” he mumbled when she asked after the bathroom. “Only - will you still talk to me?”

“You have nothing to be ashamed of,” she said gently, kissing his cheek.
“And yes, I will still talk to you. I don’t know if it would be comfortable--or comforting, but if you wanted to stay in the bathroom and talk while I bathed--”

She looked at her hands, a little embarrassed herself to offer, but also finding herself far less bothered by the idea of him seeing her almost nude than she thought she’d be.
“And, perhaps, if your hands are steady enough later, you wouldn’t mind brushing and braiding my hair? You’re very good at it, and it feels so nice when you do it. I probably need to wash the swamp out of my hair, I seem to have gotten quite a lot of swamp water debris in it somehow.”

Shola made her way into the bathroom and gratefully chucked the clothes, rapidly filling the bath tub with piping hot water before sinking into it with an audible groan.

Trevean stayed near the door, looking back toward the sleeping space as she got herself ready and slid into the tub. Only when he heard the splash of water that told him she had submerged herself did trevean turn, and very carefully both averted his eyes and tried to stay behind her. Shola had given him permission to be in the room, and not to look and he was suddenly very aware of that.

It was fortunate the tub was a freestanding claw foot because that made finding a small stool and positioning himself at her back much easier than it otherwise would have been.
“Shola, I -- is this really okay, Chickadee? -- are you okay? Do you need -- help?”

“It is alright with me if it is you-- the water is doing much to make me feel stronger, better.”

She sank completely under the water for a few moments before popping up again and leaning her head back so that she could see him sitting behind her.
“If, and only if, you are up to it, I wouldn’t mind some help with my hair? My arms are still sore… Well, all of me is, but my arms are tired. You don’t have to, but it would be appreciated if you were.”

Shola smiled at him warmly and closed her eyes.
“I’m just glad to be back with you-- I feel as though I was gone for quite awhile, although really, too, it feels like no time at all. How long was I…?”

“Seven days,” Trevean answered tiredly, but he moved his stool behind her and found the shampoo. “I - well it’s not fancy or scented or anything. I really only keep basic stuff --” He wished more than anything he could find more eloquent words, be charming, but this was all he could manage. “I hope it’s all right.”

“I have no preference,” she replied, tilting her head back a little as he began working on her hair.
“That feels wonderful, darling,” she said after a long silence, reaching up to caress his hands briefly before dipping under the water again to clean the shampoo off her hair. Once she’d washed it off she turned in the tub so that she was looking at him, her chin on her arms, which were folded on the rim.
“I believe it’s your turn now. I’ll drain the water and get you fresh since this has swamp debris in it.”

For a moment more she simply looked at him, drinking him in as though he were a fine portrait. Finally, however, she let him go into the other room and climbed out, wrapping herself in a robe. As she did so, from the bathroom, he heard her exclaim wordlessly, and when she met him in the bedroom, she was alight.
“Trevean, the scars on my stomach-- they’re gone! They’re all gone!”

At her cry Trevean moved to the door unsure if she had fallen and he needed to go in, or if it were something else. Fortunately she immerged before he had a chance to choose the wrong thing.

“Your scars --” he repeated dumbly before it set in, “the half finished mark that . . .?”

“It’s gone! The other ones remain, but that one, that awful one-- It’s gone! I don’t know why, or how, but…”

She was smiling giddily and reached out to hold his hands.
“But it is finally gone, the last mark of that awful place. I feel like a free woman, Trevean, finally!” she exclaimed, embracing him before moving to let him in the bathroom.
“Let me know if you’d like company or help,” she said, tightening the knot on the robe.

“Both maybe, once I’m in,” he answered. But it was like he was sharing Shola’s high,perhaps because of the bond he was. Yet it had been so long since he had felt so good, or at least seemed so long after the binds breaking that the sensation was almost overwhelming.

Hands shook as they worked on pajama from buttons and eventually he simply gave up and pulled the shirt over his head. Cloths that were usually neatly folded were instead dropped next to Shola’s on the floor, and he nearly slipped getting into the tub. He barely remembered to let Shola know all was clear as he settled back into the fresh, hot water.

Shola took advantage of the stool he’d used earlier, settling in behind him herself and reaching in to stroke his wet hair before shampooing it. As she did so she massaged his scalp and hummed softly to him, hoping to help the man relax and quell a little of the shaking too.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asked softly, kissing the back of his head once she’d rinsed his hair for him.

Trevean found himself melting into her hands and trying to hum along, but at her question his hand jerked instinctively to his untouched week’s growth of beard.
“Would you?” he asked. But though the question was unfinished his hands placement left it’s meaning clear.

“I, um… I have never worked with a beard before, darling. If I mess up…”

But she had seen how badly his hands were shaking and began working at it, slowly and very carefully trimming his beard until it was some semblance of tidy. Once she’d finished she stroked it appreciatively and hugged him from behind as best as the tub would allow her.
“I’ll leave you to get dressed, alright?”

“If you mess it up we can fix it later,” had been his only answer, but the truth was that even if she had done some sort of irreparable damage, which was not the case, it would have been well worth the feel of letting her work on him.
Trevean dressed quickly as much as he was able to manage, but when he returned to the bedroom with his shirt in hand and an uncertain look on his face.

It was immediately apparent how thin he actually was. Rather than the usual swimmer’s body she usually saw on him, Trevean now looked like he hadn’t been eating well for months instead of a week. The outlines of his ribs were visible, his shoulders seemed thinner, his collarbone just a tad more prominent
“I - uh - can’t quite manage the buttons,” he tried to explain..

Shola moved to him instinctively, touching his upper arms as her eyes roamed his thin body with a clear expression of pain.
“Irriam, how-- this isn’t a week’s worth of loss,” she said softly, working the buttons into their holes slowly but deftly.
“Has this been going on longer? Are you ill?” she asked, lightly touching his collar bones and shoulders as if she could will good health back into him. Once she had finished buttoning the shirt she smoothed it out and adjusted the collar, looking up and tracing his thinner cheek.
“What can I do, l-- irriam?”

“Kiss me?” he queried softly. Shola didn’t hesitate to comply, taking his head gently in her hands and kissing him with every ounce of tenderness and concern she felt, pouring into him every bit of her worry and affection and desire to give him solace and hope. She was warm and solid against him, holding to him there and kissing him as if to breathe life itself back into him. And in a way she did. He responded slowly at first, before moving to wrap her in his arms, and when the kis finally broke he buried his nose in her hair breathing her scent in deeply.

“I am a shapeshifter,” he because to explain, speaking against the skin of her forehead, “and it is in our nature for our forms to reflect our being. For anyone in a shifting class or with an alternate form this is true. For most it is a reflection of the physical, scars, injuries and so on. For the Nack, for the yet untrained or those with little talent, our forms can also reflect the emotional.”

She held him tighter.
“Then if you heal emotionally, you’ll heal physically too?” she questioned.
“Would… would it help for you to go to the beach? It’s living water, and it could be just the two of us… I imagine we could use that time, we both have things to work through.”

“The beach sounds wonderful,” he answered tightening hold hold just a little, “And it’s my hope the answer to the other question is yes.”
 
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The first people Kaden went for were Lilith and Dante, figuring the two would be together. He tried to explain to them that Shola was alive, but Kaden got the distinct impression they might think he was playing some cruel joke - that is, until the moment Shola herself showed up.

It was an emotional greeting, even for those that didn't typically show emotions. and afterward Kaden simply sat with the others for a long time in silence.

It was a relief to have Shola back for certain, and he hoped that after she had rested and cared for Aquaman she might spare him some time. It wasn't so much that he needed her presence in the same way the others seemed to, or even that he wanted to show her the plans he'd worked out in her absence in hopes they'd helped, but rather it was a sense that with Shola back he could finally let go. He'd been holding too much inside since her death and while he didn't feel the need to cry into her shoulder or anything, he did need to reassure himself that she was back, and to perhaps prove to them both that this next go around he was not going to be a burden.

And so Kaden sat quietly in his corner and absorbed everything as he watched the others quietly discus the miracle of Shola's return. For a moment he gazed out at the sky, just catching the faint outline of the moon behind the sun.

"Hold on!" he suddenly exclaimed
"Sorry to interrupt, Sis, but isn't the full moon starting tonight? or am I a day off?" Kaden couldn't help the inquisitive tilt of his head. "Are there ways we can help?"



((mini collab with midian))

As soon as Shola's hair was dry enough the nack sat with his guardian on the bed and began to gently comb it as she had earlier asked. His hands still shook a little but he did his best not to pull or tangle her locks worse.
But as he began to pull strands into the beginnings of promised braid Trevean paused.
"Shola? . . . i - I need to tell you something before - before you hear it from anyone else."



Shola didn't move her head, although she wanted to turn to look at Trevean; however, there was no sense in messing up what he had already done. A small stone of dread settled in her stomach, unsure what could be so bad that he'd have to tell her before she found out.
"Altera? What is it?"

"I- Llir is dead," better to get it out now, and that was the quickest way to yank the bandage he could think of.

She jumped in surprise and turned so fast his fingers momentarily tangled in her hair, causing her to wince before she moved back to a more natural angle.
So you know how he died-- I saw his body, but no... No marks," she finished softly. "What happened to him?"

Trevean tried to move his hands with her hair and was as careful with the de-tangling as he could be as he finished quickly, tied the braid and set his hands in his lap before answering.
"Me." he stated simply unsure how else to put it.

Shola turned fully to face him, studying his face for a long moment before speaking. As soon as she'd begun to speak, it had all started to make sense, but hearing the admission was the cementing of the thing. Trevean had killed Llir in revenge for killing her. It was a strange feeling suddenly, looking at the man she knew to be so tender and gentle with her. While Shola had fought and killed many, she had always seen herself as a woman of the rule of law too; surely there had been no trial there in the swamp, and yet she found she felt immense gratitude and pride in her Other.
"Because he killed me? You knew that without doubt?" she questioned gently.

"I saw it," he answered without excuse. "It happened right in front of me, and suddenly I . . . I - I feel no remorse for this one, Shola, no remorse at all . . . and I confessed to your guard but they have yet to take me. Perhaps they thought the bond's breakage punishment enough."

"I don't see where punishment would be necessary-- he killed me and you were a direct witness. You punished him with what he would have gotten anyway, you just dispensed justice faster. You will not be tried for that."

"Was in justice, really? or was it vengeance," he whispered quietly.

Shola reached out to hold his hands and squeeze them gently.
"Justice is state-sanctioned vengeance," she said. "Vengeance on behalf of those who cannot right their own wrongs."

Trevean felt his fingers curl around Shola's own as he looked her in the eyes. he licked his lower lip as he took him her words, turning them over in his head.
"Then" he questioned, "you do not fault me for this? or for the fact that I cannot find it in me to be sorry for taking the man's life?" It marked him, his lack of guilt, and he knew it, just as he knew Shola was probably getting that uncertainty through the bond.

"I do not fault you," she said plainly, reaching out to touch his still-thin cheek.
"You avenged me, something any of the Red Guard would have done themselves. Something I would have done for you, without remorse."

He leaned into her hand and closed his eyes a minute, relishing her unflinching touch. "Is there - is there anything you would like to know about it? I admit there are a lot of things that are fogged over from that time, but that moment is not one of them."

"Whatever you can tell me," she replied gently, tracing her thumb along his cheek bone. "Whatever is important, whatever is not too painful to recount."

"I do not know what would be useful or important to you," he admitted lifting one hand to cover hers.

"What you did-- did he threaten you? How did you overpower him? And... and after, was it you that made that grave for me?"

"He killed you," Trevean stated as if that alone was enough. "He killed you and had tried to kill you before -- so i killed him. It seemed simpler with the bond snapped, I know the logic was flawed now and Ed was right we should have taken him for trial. But Ed couldn't have stopped me anyway. By the time he figured out what I was doing Llir's lungs were already filled with my water.-- and . . . yes. I - we made the grave . . . I wouldn't stop building it so Ed helped hoping when it was finished it'd be easier to take me away."
He was looking at his hands again, unable to quite meet her eyes.

Shola tilted his head up, forcing him to look her in the face.
"You are not the villain here, Trevean Auster. You avenged my death and likely not only saved your own life, but Ed's too. Thank you, Trevean."

"Light! you really mean it!?" Trevean's voice was filled with shock. He'd been imagining this conversation for some time since she returned and this was not quite what he had been expecting, or even hoping for at all.

"Yes, of course I mean it," she replied, looking a little surprised. "Do you think I would blame you for killing my murderer?"

"I thought you would worry I was backsliding," he admitted honestly.

"I don't see it that way, and I certainly can't hold you to a higher standard than myself," Shola admitted. "I would have done the same thing in your shoes. I have no qualms about killing those who threaten the people dearest to me. Does that bother you?"

"I was worried," he laughed a little nervously, "That my ability to do something like this, might bother you."

"We are both dangerous," she said thoughtfully. "But I do not fear you... I know you would not hurt me. And you know I would not hurt you or those you love?"

"I know," he whispered leaning in to let his forehead rest gently against her own. Trevean's hands found hers again, gently brushing his thumbs over their backs as he closed his eyes and just sat for a moment in silence.

"Good," she breathed, letting her hands rest in his. "I love-- that we talk so easily with each other."

"I love - that too," he answered wishing for a moment that he dared say something far more direct. But he knew that would take more time and certainty. Yet a certain wish was already beginning to form.
 
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"I think we can spare a day or two more," she said thoughtfully after a minute, touching her nose lightly to his own.
"Why don't we prepare to go to the beach? I can pack everything, you just rest, okay?"

It was quick work to pack light traveling clothing and needs, and Shola found it easy to secure a couple of days off in order for them to travel and help Trevean recuperate in the living waters of the ocean. Shola had procured several large, thick blankets for the coldness of the season, and as they reached the beach, they were greeted by a swath of tiny, white turtle hatchlings crawling towards the ocean. Shola looked at them in surprise with the blankets draped over her arm.
"Oh, the snow turtles have hatched... It must be my birthday," she said casually, giving Trevean a blanket and finding a spot out of their route to sit down.
"I suspect they're almost done if we want to wait to get in once they've gotten out of the way."


"Oh shit," Dante muttered. "I forgot that was a thing--"

As he shifted to stand, Dante's breath caught and he sat back down hurriedly, looking thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed.
"Um-- Decided to sit some more. Heh. So, Lil, what are we going to do about your poodle problem when the moon gets full? Didn't Pilar teach you to control it, do we need to take you on a camping trip-- I mean, does Kaden?"
 
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When Kaden came to them with the news that Shola was alive, Lilith really was unsure how to react. Surely Kaden wouldn't be so cruel as to joke in that way, nor did she think he was hallucinating. It wasn't until Shola herself show up that Lilith fully believed her brother and couldn't contain her happiness. She threw her arms around the soldier in a tight hug, asking all of the obligatory questions about how and when, and was a little reluctant to let her leave to go see the others.

After Shola departed the three sat in silence. Lilith personally was enjoying being with what had become the two most important men in her life. The silence continued until Kaden suddenly spoke, causing her to jump.

"Hold on!" he suddenly exclaimed
"Sorry to interrupt, Sis, but isn't the full moon starting tonight? or am I a day off?" Kaden couldn't help the inquisitive tilt of his head. "Are there ways we can help?"

"Well.."

"Oh shit," Dante muttered. "I forgot that was a thing--"

Lilith watched in surprise and concern as Dante fell into sitting position, hurrying to try and catch him as soon as she knew what was happening.

"Um-- Decided to sit some more. Heh. So, Lil, what are we going to do about your poodle problem when the moon gets full? Didn't Pilar teach you to control it, do we need to take you on a camping trip-- I mean, does Kaden?"

Once she was sure the Dante was safely seated, she turned back to her brother.

"Honestly with everything happening I lost track of time. Given what happened last time.. " She started, glancing in Dante's direction, "Given how we managed through it last time I'm thinking I may be able to handle it. That being said... I think I should probably stay away from people. I don't think the bar would be an appropriate place either.
I have a house, a tiny one, Dante has seen it. It's right outside the city gates and fairly well hidden. I think it would be a good place to spend the night. I think I'm almost able to control it, but I can't trust myself just yet. I wouldn't mind some company, Kaden, if you're willing. I won't say no." Lilith finished, smiling.


"For now, little brother, I'm going to help Dante back to bed. I'll come and get you before the sun goes down and we will head out of the city. Pack a few books, It's liable to be a long night."

Lilith wrapped Dante's arm around her shoulders to support him, slowly walking back to the bedroom. Once inside she turned the newly-made covers back and set Dante on the edge.

"How are you?" She said, kissing his forehead. "I need you to do me this favor and please rest while I'm gone. We're going to get you help soon, I promise."

Once sure that Dante was settled in, Lilith grabbed her bag and stopped into the kitchen to pack it with food before finding Kaden again.

"Alright little brother, you ready?"
 
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Kaden was more than ready when Lilith showed at his door. His bag was packed with some knitting and crafting supplies, several books, and a spare change of clothing just in case. A separate bag held enough food for two people to eat three meals.
"I took a nap," he admitted when Lilith came to get him. "A good one so I should be able to stay awake for the whole thing."

As he started to step out the door Kalya whined and nuzzled his hand. Kaden turned to look at his sister questioningly.
"Would it be okay to bring her too? or should she stay?"



((collab with Midian))
Trevean started in shock when Shola stated so casually that it must be her birthday. More so when that connection seemed to have been made due to the hatching of the turtles.

“Do - do you not know your set birthday then?” he asked casually as he settled in beside her to watch the tity creatures crawl across the sand. The air had a winter chill to it and the sea breeze was cold, but it was a sea breeze and he could feel it helping. Above all he trusted Shola to keep him warm enough not to freeze.

“Mm, in the village we mark birthdays by annual events in nature. Flowers blooming, mushrooms sprouting, leaves dying… Mine came about when the hatchlings were finding their way to the sea,” she replied, automatically rubbing his back as she felt the winter breeze.
“So there isn’t a set day for me, just a rough knowledge of the season, the timing… If nothing else, I can still count the years. How are you feeling, darling? We can go in the water, if you like? You won’t be cold, I promise.”

Trevean started to answer and then looked down the clothing that was most certainly not beach attire.
“I need the water. Chickadee, but I don’t particularly want to change. Maybe wading?”
He stood slowly and offered her a hand up. “In your village, did you celebrate?”
“We did, not very much, but we were always glad for the birth of those dear to us.”

She held his hand as they waded, thoughtfully quiet for a long time.
“Trevean? Is there a reason you don’t want to swim? The water will be warm-- that is easy for me to give you. It seems as though it would do you the most good?”

“It would do me considerable good,” he admitted slowly with a hint of embarrassment, “but --” he couldn't help the pause of uncertainty, “I’ve lost enough weight that things don’t exactly fit the way they used too --” His vanity was showing through and he knew it, but then Shola already knew this side of him. Gently she touched his cheek and then carefully embraced him, touching with absolute tenderness the new landscape of his thinner body.
“You never have to be ashamed of your body around me, my altera. Never. You are always handsome in my eyes because you are mine.”

She kissed his brow and stepped back to put her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them with care.
“Why don’t we go swim? I want to see you feeling better.”

He let her draw him slowly into the water, trying to ignore the way the wet caused his clothing to cling to his now frail body, and trusting Shola could dry him out later. His sigh of relief was obvious as he drew closer to her and they stepped out deeper and deeper until his could lay his head back into the waves without stooping.
“You’re right. I needed this,” he admitted softly. She smiled and combed her fingers through his wet hair.
“I’ll dry you off later, don’t worry. How is the water feeling?” she asked, smiling at the sigh of relief and giving one of her own as the water’s life seeped into her too, drawing away more still of the dead chill that seemed to stubbornly cling to her a little. Although she didn’t want to stare, she found herself watching him intently, looking for signs of healing.
“Do you want to go deeper?”

Trevean let the water wash over him a few times before lifting his head a little. “If you’re up to keeping me from freezing there’s something I’d like to show you.”

“Absolutely, as long as we don’t move too quickly, okay? It might take me a minute to heat things up, but I can do it.”

The smile he gave her was genuinely one of a mean slowly being healed as he took both her hands in his, “Down and to the right until you see a bit of pink coral then?” he asked gently.

Shola guided him down, carefully keeping the water temperature warm enough to be comfortable for them as she guided them past the pink coral.
“Here?” she asked uncertainly.

The underwater world was full of filtered light and the cool blues of a winter sea. Yet the coral stood out bright against it. Trevean stood with Shola a moment beside it holding her close as their eyes adjusted and he allowed his form to ripple into it’s natural liquid state.
“Look,” he murmured softly. “You see the path though that little trench there? It lasts all of five feet and beyond that is a little underwater bluff. That’s where we’re going.” It was clear with every word that health was seeping back into him. Glad to see it, Shola gripped his hand and drew him along with her, easily clearing the little trench and soon landing on the bluff, feeling lighter and more relieved with every passing moment. Seeing him shift again did her heart well and she grinned as she saw him do it, gesturing to the little bluff.
“This is the place, altera?”

“It is,” Trevean answered simply drawing her out to the edge. There was no danger of falling, not under water, and before them they could see the vast landscape of the ocean floor spread out below them. All the hills and valleys and coral forests. It became clear that where above land the valleys were fertile and warm and safe while the mountains were cold and icey, that here below water the opposite was true. Schools of fish swam from beap to peak avoiding the dark trenches their color scales glistening with movement. A pod of whale swam and sang in the distance.
“Before everything went south I would come here to think,” he confided in her. “It was a happy place for me.”

For a long time she simply clung to his hand on the ledge with him there, watching the teeming ocean with her mouth slightly agape, a few bubbles every now and then leaking from her lips.
“Oh, Trevean,” she breathed, her voice a little distorted by the water.
“I can see why-- this is-- light, but it is beautiful. Thank you for showing me this,” she finished, squeezing his hand tightly and warming the water a little more.
“I am so glad we can see this together.”

“I’m glad it’s a place you could see,” he admitted with a little laugh. “We can sit here a while? And then go back? I’m not sure what your plans were?”

“I had been planning on staying the night here and going back tomorrow,” Shola said, easing down into a sitting position where she could lay his head in her lap.
“But we cannot delay too long, we really must go to Cyberia soon. We can spare one more day, though, in lieu of everything that’s happen, I think.”

He settled onto the sea bed with her reclining at her direction. “I will be better for this, I promise. Able to do what you need.” he swore whole heartedly. “And by spending the night I assume you mean somewhere above on land?”

She laughed and waved away the bubbles.
“Yes, I can’t keep us warm down here forever-- my powers aren’t quite that strong. I was thinking on land, in a nice bed, with some lovely thick, warm blankets. And breakfast in the morning. And getting to hold you all night. Does that sound agreeable, altera?”

“Very agreeable, Chickadee.” His smile was warm and caring, hopeful even. There was less sorrow in his eyes and some of the thinness had noticeably dropped from his face. “Just add a good meal to that and I’ll call it perfect.”

She caressed his fuller cheeks and gently tweaked his nose, smiling down at him with relief and joy.
“Shall we go see about rooms, then? I would like very much to eat and then hold you.”

After they made it to dry land she dutifully caused the water to evaporate from his clothing, stifling the lingering chill in the air as they were directed to a rental cabin near the water. It wasn’t long before they were brought food and Shola carefully laid everything out, encouraging him to eat his fill.

For the first time in days Trevean found he had an appetite, though he was gentleman enough to make Shola’s plat for her and offer her any refills throughout the meal. After dinner he made sure to do his share of cleaning up while Shola set out the sleep clothing she had brought for him and went to change herself. He had everything washed and put away by the time she reemerged and settled on the bed.

Taking the loose pants and cotton top Trevean disappeared into the bathroom but after a few moments a startled cry echoed from the cracked door, followed by the nack calling for his guardian. Shola was there in an instant, flinging the door open and looking intensely worried.
“Trevean?! What’s the matter?! What on earth-- What is it?”

She paused, peering at him more closely.
“What-- what is it?”

“I can’t see it,” Trevean grumbled wide eyes turning and twisting trying to catch a glimpse of his own back in the mirror. “I can tell something’s there, a dark shadow, it doesn’t feel like a bruise . . . but I can’t see it.” He was in nothing but his blue boxer-briefs at the moment, sleep pants forgotten folded on the counter, other cloths puddled in the floor, but his wide eyed look made it clear he didn’t care.
“Can you?” He turned his back fully to her and held still.

She moved slowly behind him, inspecting the star-shaped mark, much like the pendant he had given her earlier. It was a rich, dark blue, and looked almost indistinguishable from a tattoo in many ways. She described it to him as she traced the outline with her finger, hoping to give him an idea of what it looked like.
“This was to help me find you again,” she said after a long moment.
“It is so incredibly rare to have one-- it comes from the bond being re-established, to help me find you. It emits a subtle draw, I’ll admit, but if I were farther away… Who knows. I… I’m sorry, my darling… I know this is not something you asked for.”

“It represents you?” Trevean asked quietly the sound if his voice telling her he was thinking deeply. After a moment he nodded, “Not what or where I would choose but a mark tying me to you is far far better than what I feared.” He paused a long moment reaching for his sleep pants and climbing into them before speaking again.
“ Is - is it ugly?”
“Not at all,” Shola replied, watching him climb into his pants.
“It really seems fitting for you, and it is well-done regardless. I don’t find it ugly at all.”

As if to cement her words she bent forward and kissed it with a tender, lingering kiss.
“Like all of you, I love it.”

Trevean hesitated not quite able to give the answer that came first to his lips and just managing to hide if from the bond though it was clear to Shola that he was greatly comforted. “Bed?” he offered instead.
“Gladly,” she replied, squeezing his shoulder before pulling the covers back to make them a warm sleeping nest for the night. Once he was in bed with her she draw him close, idly rubbing his back.
“You’re looking better,” she murmured. “I’m so glad.”

He settled in and wrapped his arms around her resting his forehead in the crook of her neck.
“I’m feeling better,” he answered positively, “And you? How are you?” it didn’t escape him that she’d been through easily as much as any of them if not more. Trevean wanted to be there for her even if he wasn’t all there himself.
“I feel more well,” she answered quietly. “Warmer, less, well… Less like I died. The scar troubles me so, I didn’t want another for the world to see, and it’s plain something awful happened, something unnatural, not that everyone doesn’t already know.”

She’d sigh.
“It’s my turn to be a bit vain. But, I’ve learned to live with other scars. I suppose, too… It’s frightened me to know just how fragile my life can be, upset that my own mother poisoned me, why I will never know--”

Shola took a deep, steadying breath even as her hands shook a little.
“So much has happened… I don’t know where to begin telling you how I feel.”

“Take your time,” he whispered quietly, “however much you need. And I’ll be right here when you’re ready. Although -- I don’t think she was quite what you’ve always believed -- if that will ease your pain.”
“Quite as I’ve always believed? Trevean, she is a monster, she killed my brother, and almost-- me, what on earth could be she other than what I think she is,” Shola began hotly, beginning to tremble a little in anger.

Trevean’s arms tightened around her as he tried to make a soothing sound and nuzzle her hair.
“Not your mother for one. You share no blood with that thing, only a terrible terrible experience.”

Her trembling stopped almost instantly and he felt her go a little slack.
“Not… Not my mother? Trevean, how do you know this? She’s never said, no one has ever said--How do you know?”

“In the hut, while you were gone and Ed recovered . . .She said some things. The pieces were easy to piece together. I think she must have adopted you before everything went to hell.” His hands moved soothingly over her back as they lay together. “You have every right to be angry. I simply thought knowing you were unrelated might bring some small comfort.”

She relaxed into his touch a little, but sighed restlessly.
“Adopted? But from whom-- who could she have adopted from? Everyone in the village would have known, nothing is a secret there...But she isn’t blood, truly… That is some relief. Thank you.”

“I wish I knew those other answers, Chickadee, truly I do. But if you want to search for them I’m here to help.”

“I-- thank you, my darling. It means the world to me that you would. Maybe after all of this is over, I will try, if there is any way to find out. And I would like you by my side, as I always do.”

She stifled a yawn and shook her head a little.
“But I think now is the time for sleep, would you agree?”
“I think sleep will be further cure for us tonight, Chickadee. Wake me if you need me?”
“I will, and wake me if you need me too, okay irriam?”
“I promise,” Trevean answer with a yawn allowing himself to relax into the pillows.
 
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(Collab with Falcon)

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Would it be okay to bring her too? or should she stay?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Lilith looked down at Kalya, smiling warmly. “Of course she can. No reason for her to stay behind. Come on girl.”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The young werewolf led the way outside the city gates, turning on to a barely used path that eventually led to what was now a small broken down looking house. The windows now covered in ivy, Lilith scraped the leaves away from in front of the door before throwing it open in front of Kaden. Some of her belongings remained scattered around the floor from her and Dante’s last visit, and dust that had settled on most of the furniture made a small cloud as the door swung open.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Alright. This is it. After you little brother.” Lilith said, stepping aside and motioning towards the door, “Make yourself comfortable.”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kaden stepped in looking around at everything, Kalya trailing behind. Even with the dust it all looked well cared for, comfortable, and lived in.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Looks like you’ve done well for yourself, Sis,: he commented as he chose a chair and dusted off the pillows before plopping down. Kalya turned in a circle to lay at his feet. Lilith set her bag in the corner then reached up to draw back the curtains so that she could keep an eye on the sunset.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Yeah, I couldn’t continue living in the bar, I needed to be somewhere where I wouldn’t hurt people if I were to turn. Boca and Bi helped me have it built. For such a small place, it’s pretty comfortable.”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“So -- with the whole wolf transformation thing, what should I know? What should I do?”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Well, it’s not something that’s very easy for me to describe.” Lilith began, sitting in a large armchair adjacent to him. “It’s a lot like.. Like when Dante was coming down off of the K-Blue. Pilar taught me basics on how to control it, but it’s not something I’ve completely learned to just shut off when I want, despite being able to voluntarily transform whenever I want. When the urge strikes, it’s instinct. I can’t just tell it no.”[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]She shifted in her seat, turning to look out the window, “I suppose you just need to know that I will probably be spending most of my time after sunset curled into a ball. An angry, painful, sweaty ball of what feels like denial and rage. There’s unfortunately nothing you’ll be able to do to stop that feeling until the sun comes up again. And if for any reason I -can’t- control it.. Just let me go. Don’t put yourself or Kalya in danger.”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Lilith spent the next half hour or so showing Kaden through the house. She directed him to the bedroom to let him know where he and Kalya would be sleeping (if they got that far), and revealed several places to escape the cottage should their plan go awry. It wasn’t until the beads of sweat formed on her brow and she had begun to feel fidgety that she noticed the sun was finally hidden behind the horizon.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Here. Let’s sit. Maybe.. Maybe if we talk or something it will help. Take my mind off of it, y’know?” She said, making her way back over to her armchair and curling up in it. She wrapped her arms around her knees, looking over at Kaden with a face that was now slightly soaked in sweat.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“I need this night to go quickly. We’ve got to get Dante to Cyberia and get him fixed.”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“How bad is he?” Kaden asked with concern settling onto Lilith’s couch and resting his feet over the edge. “The big man seems paler and thinner that I remember from a few weeks ago, but that’s not exactly the sort of thing I can ask about. “ [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kalya, meanwhile, moved to sniff at Lilith and then looked back at Kaden with a very worried canine face. It was as if she could tell her occasionally four-legged playmate was feeling unwell. Kaden whistled softly with a hand pointed at the floor, and the german shepherd obeyed the cue to lay down.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Pale, thinner, and unless I’m blind his skin is beginning to turn slightly yellow,” Lilith replied. She wiped her forehead, smiling slightly at Kalya as she sniffed at her. “He’s beginning to get nauseous now, and doesn’t have the balance he used to, which is worrisome in and of itself. I’m no doctor, but obviously something is very wrong. He has a friend in Cyberia that I think could help him if we can just make it-”[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]
[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“We’ll get there,” Kaden stated with a certainty he wasn’t feeling. [/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent][/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]A sudden stabbing pain brought Lilith’s head to her knees. The young girl began to breathe heavily as she clenched at her legs.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Fuck…. Fuck..”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]When she curled up tighter and cursed Kaden was halfway out of his seat before he remembered that she might not want to be touched. It was painful watching her this way. He wanted to do something but knew that letting her ride it out might be the best option for them both. Kalya too was watching her fully alert.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“What do you need, Sis,” he asked cautiously still partially standing. “Water, to be held, distracting conversation?”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“I-I don’t know, I don’t- AH.” She grunted as the stabbing continued. The few times that she managed to lift her head Kaden could see that her eyes had slightly changed color. This continued on for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only a few minutes. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“I can’t,” Lilith panted, looking up at her brother, “I don’t think I can do it. I’m not strong enough.” She curled back into the tightest ball that she could, her muscles beginning to tremor. It seemed as though the girl’s body was fighting itself, and every so often she let out a small whimper.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]From the floor Kalya watched, whimpering along with Lilith as if the canine could feel her pain.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]It was instinct that drove him really. Hating to see his sister in such pain and not knowing how else to help, and not caring if it was unsafe to do so, Kaden moved to sit on the edge of her chair where he carefully wrapped his blacksmith’s arms around his sister. Though at the same time Kaden was very careful that his hold on Lilith could very easily be shrugged away and that she feel that while secure it was very weak. Not a hold, but a loving familial hug. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“I read a book about a wolf once,” he started in his best storytelling voice. “I remember most of it if you’d like to listen?” [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Y-yes, please. Tell me.” Lilith replied, clinging to him. Her entire body trembled, trying to fight every urge to change. She hoped that something to concentrate on would help.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Once upon a time there was a wolf cub,” Kaden started with a voice that spoke of a great deal of familiarity with the story he was telling. “His name was Snow Steel, for the color of his fur. He was the youngest of his litter, but he was also the one with the greatest spirit of adventure . . .”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]His voice rose and fell with the cadence of the story and changed pitch with each new character in the tale. Kaden told Lilith about how the cub explored places his siblings wouldn’t and ended up getting lost. How it found help from a variety of animals to get home, and how once the cub had reached home how Snow Steel managed to save his family from another pack by using the tricks the other animals had taught him.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Lilith concentrated solely on Kaden’s words, all the while still struggling with her inner self. For the entire length of the story the girl seemed a bit calmer. As Kaden finished, the werewolf fell asleep in his arms, staying that way until the darkness outside had barely begun to give way to the sun. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]After realizing that Kaden was no longer talking Lilith’s eyes snapped open and her head jerked upward. Immediately a hand flew to her chest to ensure that she was dressed, and she peered around the room to see if any furniture had been overturned.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Is.. is it morning? Did I turn? Are you okay? Kaden?” Lilith said, her voice still a bit shaky. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kaden smiled sleepily sort of slumped squished in the chair beside Lilith.[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent][/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]It’s morning,” he answered a little slowly with the voice of someone who had been awake all night. “You’ve been human the entire time, fell asleep right at the end of my story I think. And I’m tired but fine.” [/BCOLOR]


[BCOLOR=transparent]The larger of the siblings didn’t even try to move, just relaxed further into the chair as he spoke. “What are the chances this little house of yours has breakfast?”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Relieved, Lilith let out a large sigh and stood up, rubbing the back of her neck and stretching. Her body felt sore from neck to feet, and she felt completely drained. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“I’ve got some bread and whatever meat they had in the kitchen last night, “ Lilith said, digging through her bag and pulling out the food she had with her, “Smells like salted pork. I’ll make us some breakfast. You rest. Afterward we should head back. I don’t want to miss Shola when they get back to the castle.”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Lilith divided up the food and brought Kaden his share, sitting on the floor next to him. She offered Kalya a piece of pork before beginning to eat herself. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“Thank you, Kaden. I think that soon I might not need to hide myself away every month. You don’t know how much you’ve helped me.”[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Once the two had eaten, Lilith snuffed out the fire and allowed her brother and his dog out of the house before locking up behind them and beginning to head back to the castle. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“I’ve gotta say, living in the castle may have made me a bit spoiled. I’m really looking forward to getting back and having a nice bath.” She said, chuckling.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kaden and Kalya ate the food they were offered with pleasure, yet while Kalya pranced ahead, sniffed at every pebble, ran circles around them and then ran off only to return with the biggest sticks she could find, it was a very sluggish Kaden that trailed behind. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]“I will never get use to the bath thing,” he admitted, sleepily, “but I could go for an hour or two nap. Might actually sleep on the bed . . .” but it was clear from his grin that he was very happy for Lilith and how well she had done. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The two made it the castle gates pretty quickly, and Lilith walked Kaden and Kalya to their room before making her way back herself. She opened the door to the bedroom as quietly as she could, slipping into the bathroom silently in hopes that she wouldn’t wake Dante. She let the bath water run while she shrugged off her dirty clothes and tossed them to the side. Settling into the hot water was an orgasmic experience. The feel of the water on her muscles caused Lilith to instantly relax. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kaden, meanwhile, crashed almost as soon as he had gotten his shoes off and laid crosswise on the bed. Someone would have to wake him later if they needed anything. [/BCOLOR]
 
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Just kidding I forgot a lot of shit. Back up soon!
 
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Around two in the morning Trevean was woken by Shola rolling out of bed and knocking the lamp off the night stand, coughing and shaking on the floor.
“I—I remembered—Light, I remembered coming back. I couldn’t at first, but now-- I remember... In the darkness, after I saw everything go by, a light followed, like the light of a portal-- It was strange, though-- I can't quite describe it, I was moving through water, but deep water, and there was... There was someone, I couldn't see them well, and as I got to the surface I saw my body and then I woke up under the stones and limbs.”

Groggily Trevean looked over at her.
“Want to share or want to write?”
“To tell you—I couldn’t write it at the moment. Who do you think… Who could do that?”
“Someone on our side? or a goddess?” he asked as she climbed back into bed and drew close to him again.
“I'm inclined to say both, although how a goddess could still do that—And the portal, as strange as it was, was most definitely a portal. Only Guardians can create those.”
“So a guardian and a goddess . . . Krimbal? She's found ways to help us before – repeatedly… Parker.”
“Hm? Parker?”
“The night before you came back to us . . . I don't know if I was dreaming, or awake or somewhere in between, But I could have sworn Parker dropped in to check on me. . . . I was really bad that night . . . really, really bad. I had um . . . confiscated a bottle of cutter from Nadia and uh . . . well Dante didn't catch me in time. He was pretty mad if Dante gets mad . . . went to bed drunk -- Anyway I vaguely remember something with Parker. he said "something, something, survive this" I thought at the time he was saying I needed to survive or could survive . . . but what if-- If he wasn't part of it. He's an Earth Guardian, Shola, One of the oldest and strongest I've ever heard of . . . If anyone had the ability –“
“And coupled with the power of a goddess… I think, if you’re up for it, we need to talk to Parker. I need to know what happened.”

A portal brought them back quickly to Coroco and it took only a little asking around to find Parker at the Wolfs Head Tavern. While reticent to give answers, eventually Parker admitted what he knew, he could not say.
“Parker, be truthful,” Shola said gently, although firmly.
“Truth? Very well. Classified.”
“According to whom, Parker?”
“The highest authority. Let’s just say that someone out there with the ability and power to do so is working their hardest from within the restrictions placed on them in their current form while also doing their absolute best not to draw the darkness down on us all. And that is all the answer I can give you.”
“That is enough, thank you, Parker.”

Shrugging, he replied,
“Hope you’re okay with that body.”
“I—It’s—It is my body, right?” Shola asked, sickness and fear creeping into her face.
“Well it's a long process to explain, but reattaching your head was one part of it. They wanted me to do one from scratch but unfortunately I don't have the power for that, so - well I had to use the old. Did managed to get rid of that detestable mark though, she was very insistent n that - actually not sure if that was my doing or hers, all blends together sometimes, but definitely something she wanted done ..”
“I—I owe you a great debt, Parker,” Shola managed, enough though by now the color was gone from her lips as she held Trevean’s hand tightly under the table.
“I must go, but, again—thank you. I need to go attend to matters—but thank you.”

Much later, Shola turned up in Trevean’s room, smelling of mouthwash and fairly blotchy. Knowing she’d lost most of her food, Trevean left and returned shortly with a tray with a good meal and saltwater taffy on it.
“You didn’t have to, altera—“
“You needed it and I wanted too. Besides, sometimes cooking helps me relax.”
“Thank you, darling. I don’t know what I’d do without you… I suppose I’ve basically moved in, haven’t I?” she said after a moment, looking around and seeing a mix of her things as he trimmed his beard in the bathroom mirror.
“More like you were moved in here. If you don't want to share I understand. But I like having you around.”
She hesitated a moment, looking serious.
“How do you feel about sharing?”
“Don’t we more or less anyway?”
“But we hadn't really talked it over-- it just sort of happened. If you're okay with the idea, I like sharing a space with you.”

He came to sit beside her.
“So, if you're agreeable-- I'd like to make it official, us sharing rooms,” she continued, looking a little nervous.
“So If I'm asking you to stay so much or your showing up, doesn't it make sense just to make that the arrangement. I know it's not strictly appropriate or how things are done here. But we are not courtiers and we are bonded so I don't think it'll cause a scandal or trouble of any sort if that's what you're worried over. If that were the case it've happened long since—“
“My darling, you don't have to convince me. I've already said yes. Will you?”

Trevean laughed.
“I thought I was the one asking. If I recall correctly I asked you to stay just as much as you turned up at my door. Granted we never ended up in your room but I'm not convinced there was room for me there anyway

“If you are not opposed, we might want to move into slightly larger rooms so I can have a workspace without usurping yours all the time.”

He laid his head in her lap and she began sifting through his hair, smiling down at him.
“There is a curiously L-shaped room farther into the palace that may work very well for us to share office and sleeping space. And I promise to keep work away from the bed. I may have people coming to look for me frequently, especially during normal times I would be "in the office" so to speak. My work is constant, but there are times they will only disturb me if it is an emergency. And, well… You know what my room usually looks like. I promise I’ll try to at least isolate the mess.”
“I don't mind picking up after you or letting you have a workspace in the bed room, if you promise to keep the work away from the bed.”
“Let’s go see it and we can make some plans?”

In the room they worked over the location of furniture, screens, and decorations for what felt like blissful hours, eventually agreeing on a vanity half for Trevean’s sake and delighted to find a tub, large enough to fit both of them, would fit well to give them a good view of the little courtyard attached to the room.
“I’ll send word that I’d like repairs started on it, the vines creeping in aren’t a problem on their own, but it’s been sorely neglected—“




In the morning, Lilith found Dante hard to rouse, and when he finally did, there was a sort of quiet desperation in the almost-bruises under his eyes that she had not seen before. It was the desperation of an animal facing its mortality and, hobbling on, peering frightenedly over its shoulder.
"Lil, we need to go," he said, his voice soft and limping. "I can't wait anymore. I need to see Clara."

He stared up at her imploringly and then, with great weariness, laid his forehead on her shoulder.
"Can you go get Shola? You can make portals, right? Can you go get them?"

His fingers seized her shirt.
"Please."



Shola to find Lilith hurrying inside from the garde, the older woman cursing as she received the news.
"I had no idea how bad his sickness was. We have to go to Cyberia, at once. I—goddesses, but I shouldn’t have waited so long, what a fool I am.”

Shola sent Trevean to round the others up and followed Lilith back to Dante. When they returned he had mostly dressed himself and looked embarrassed for Shola to see him struggling with the buttons on his pants, and even moreso for Lilith to have to help him.
"I didn't know, I'm sorry," Shola said, carefully touching his arm.
"I didn't want you to know... or anyone. I shoulda said something, I know."
"You know we're all here for each other, Dante. That means you as well. What do we need to know about Cyberia?"

Dante sat on the edge of the bed stiffly and ran a nervous hand through his hair, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Your clothes from Piper's world are a good start, we'll get better ones there. And you've gotta be invisible. You can get killed there for anything, everything, or nothing, so you've absolutely gotta blend into the background."

He looked up as Nadia, Trevean, and Kaden entered the room, followed a moment later by Piper.
"And Kalya can't go, period. There aren't animals there. She'd disappear in a second. Just do whatever I tell you, okay? I swear I can keep everyone safe if you just listen."

He looked exhausted and laid his cheek on Lilith's shoulders as the rest of them changed, only sitting up long enough for her to change too before leaning on her to follow the group outside. Strapping her back on tightly, Shola summoned a portal and followed everyone in. The descent seemed rougher and shakier than usual and they were unceremoniously dumped out on cold, loose dirt and sharp, poking sticks of exposed, dead roots. They could see the city glowing in the near distance, and found themselves at a crumbling stretch of wall that had once been part of a building. On it were hundreds of pictures, some hand-drawn, of people with names and last known locations. Along with the pictures were pleas begging passers by to care for their loved ones and help them reunite, and in bright blue across the top of the wall someone had spraypainted "God is with all lost children".

"Is this Cyberia?" Nadia asked, reaching over to hold Piper's sleeve. They could see no sun or moon the cloud cover was so dense, and it was difficult to tell if it was day or evening.
"The city's probably about three miles ahead from here," Dante said, hardly looking at the wall.
"Are there checkpoints?" Shola asked, and he shook his head.
"No, not ones that anyone uses. I mean, there's stuff for them, but nobody uses them anymore. Nobody really leaves or comes."

The trek to the city was along a crumbled interstate road, the signs and mile markers razed to the ground and unreadable. The obnoxious smell that wafted through the air grew more and more noxious as they approached, leaving many of their eyes watering and throats tightening as they passed the city limits. The city towered over them and the streetlamps seemed only to point them out aggressively with wan, watery yellow light, the only things seeming to look at them as they were steadfastly ignored by the people around them. Not far into the city Dante pointed at a small diner with tin walls and a red roof.
"The owner's a good guy. Let's go eat, and sit, I really need to just sit," Dante gasped, having had to lean on most of the others throughout the trek and looking ready to crawl out of his skin.
"I'm going to test my card at that gas station, but he'll put stuff on a tab for you all. Just tell him you're friends of mine, okay? His name is Chris. Nina's the waitress."

He slowly diverged from them as they entered the mostly-empty diner and were ushered into a large, round booth by a woman in her late forties with stringy brown hair in a bun and light brown eyes. With a perfunctionary "welcome" she passed the menus around and went back to where she'd been sitting at the bar. The menu consisted of rather standard hamburgers, chili, chicken fingers, and general diner food not too unlike what they could get in Piper's world. After a minute Dante seated himself with them, having apparently gotten painkillers, cigarettes, and a bus pass.
"Lil, let me switch places with you and sit by the window, okay?" he asked, already smelling of cigarette smoke before he lit another one, careful to hold his arm out the window and blow the smoke out that way too. The waitress took their orders, not writing anything down, and shortly returned with their drink orders.
 
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Late that morning Kaden slipped down to the market. True he had spent the night taking care of his sister but it seemed a couple hours of sleep were all he had needed and there was still something he felt like he should do. He'd had some idea for a while now but not until He had seen Nadia asleep in the library had he any idea it might be an appropriate action. he'd seen her lonely and asleep, and he'd seen the home she came from, and he couldn't shake the memory of her sitting in that chair in Ireland and trying to ask how he coped with all the death. It wouldn't be much, but Kaden hoped the idea panned out into something that let the girl know that she did have friends who wanted to look out for her even if they did screw it up time and again. By the time he returned to the palace Kaden had several little bags of supplied secured in an inner robe pocket.


((mini collab))
After a while of dreaming and making lists the Other and his guardian had returned to Trevean's rooms for an early lunch and some planning.
"Can we afford another day of rest?" Trevean had asked, "or do we need to move as quickly as possible?" It was then that Shola remembered the scrying pool at the temple and a matter of a few minutes found them on the front steps seeking entrance. Neither had quite accounted for the presence of the head priestess, however.

"The scrying pool is open to you, Trevean," Imal said, a steely edge to her voice. Trevean saw Shola tense and stop at the foot of the steps, glaring at Imal, but deferring and motioning for him to go into the temple without her.
Trevean paused and looked back. "I have no experience with it and Shola leads the mission we seek answers for."
"I can explain all you will need, or Semal can," Imal replied curtly. "Captain Rehau looks glad to wait for you out in the lovely weather."
Shola said nothing, but Trevean saw her jaw tighten as she glanced away.
"I will wait," Shola said simply, her voice grinding like her teeth.
"I don't understand," Trevean started, "If only one of us is to allowed in it should be her, not--" But he was cut off by the sound of odd footsteps, a very familiar patterned odd footstep. The sound of claws clinking on pavements with a sort of hopping pattern to it.

"What is problem?" a very familiar old voice rang out as electric blue eyes flashed beneath whitened hair, "is good thing to offer praise to goddesses, yes? why the waiting on front steps? Come on, girl, let the young ones in."

"Really, Ya-ya--" Shola started, a mild look of panic clouding her face.
"Captain Rehau does not come into the temple," Imal said simply, the evenness in her voice growing as thin as her lips.

But where Trevean may have dropped the whole thing then and there and asked Shola privately what the problem was later, Ya-ya was having none of it. The old bird bristled visibly and hopped her way over to the priestess, drawing up to as much of her full height as he bend spine would allow. She was so impressive that Trevean almost missed the panicked look on his youngest brothers face as Edolan tried to grab her arm.
"And," ya-ya's old voice almost boomed, "Why is bad thing to seek the council of the gods?"
"It is not," Imal replied carefully, her own blue eyes narrowing.
"But the captain does not come into the temple. And it is no one's business but hers and mine. She may worship them anywhere but my temple."
"Your temple?" Ya-ya squeaked but it was clear she was holding back her temper, "And what is grand design that make temple yours? Did you pay for the stone, you built with hands?"
"Ya-ya!" an alarmed Ed tried to pluck at her sleeve, but the wizened woman ignored him.
"By what design is given right to refuse worshipers?"
"She is unclean, marked by a profane and blasphemous ritual," Imal returned, a sourness in her voice.
"And her lineage is as filthy as her hands bloodied. She is unclean and may not enter this temple as long as I stand in it."

"Now that is not precisely--" Trevean started Sharing a look with Shola and breaking off when he realized how public a spectacle this was getting to be. "Perhaps in private we could--"
But Ya-ya was having none of it
“Is not right!” Ya-ya shouted at Imal, “Is reasoned like one who has no school! Is big, steamy, cow plop!”
“Bullshit, Ya-ya,” Ed tried to correct, his face miraculously straight as he finally managed to take the old siren’s arm and lead her away. “The word you’re looking for is bullshit.”
“You watch tongue,” she rounded on him. “I know what I say.”

Shola had turned a brilliant scarlet and seemed to be trying to sink into the ground, but couldn't help quirking her mouth as Ya-ya swore, or tried to. Imal, however, red as well, was much less entertained.
"She is Irecoan," Imal spat, as though the word were gritty with poisoned dirt.
"And their people are profane and cursed. As is she, and I will not allow that to sully the temple."

"I know she was born there," Trevean admitted softly, "But by your own words you have decided that the sum of a man is decided by his connections and not his faith, Therefore I must assume I am unwelcome as well. I truly hope your temple thrives if only those born of perfection are allowed to enter. Surly that methodology must please the goddesses."
He wasted no more time to wrap and arm around his guardian's shoulders and draw him back down the stairs with a soft apology.

"Trevean, you don't have to," Shola said softly, trembling a little with embarrassment and anger. "And we need to see that pool anyway, you don't have to do this for me. It's-- I'll be fine. I probably deserve this anyway."
"You don't deserve this at all," Trevean whispered back. "Parker made that clear if you remember? the mark was to be removed. We can and will find another way. I will have nothing to do with one who wants nothing to do with you."
"Trevean, do you remember the priestess from my dreamspace? I broke off her arm? That was Geovache, Imal's sister. Imal knows what I did and hates me."
"Then it is personal and not logical," he answered. "Her actions are born of the fear you might give that connection away. We can find another temple. And Kirimbal's shown us things in other ways before"
Shola nodded slowly and wrapped her arm around his waist, moving closer to him.
"I-- Thank you for standing by me, even knowing this."
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you." he answered simply.

It was then that Lilith found them with the news about Dante.


"Trevean!" a voice called as the group left Dante's room to go pack and prep for their journey to Cyberia. Trevean turned to find his brother approaching with a rolled tool kit under one arm. "I had these made for you while you were gone. Figure you might need them . . . .
Maevric awkwardly held out the roll and unfurled it to display a set of masterfully crafted silver throwing knives.
"I can't take--" Trevean started but the other Nack interrupted him.
"Consider it an apology for all the trouble I've caused. Even the trouble you don't know yet."
Trevean nodded and turned to find Kaden's eyes watching them. Seeing he'd been caught the young Daalai man flushed.
"I - uh - well I need someone to watch Kalya since Dante says she can't come, and it's too short notice to take her to the inn or refugee camp so . . . If it's not an imposition--"
The Soldier nodded in understanding. "I can take her until I get off shift," Maev offered, "and if she like me keep her until your return. If not who should I--"
"Addae," Kaden answered quickly, "In the refugee camp. She's as attached to him as she is to me."


It was not the perfect solution, but it was an efficient one, As Kaden returned to his room without his dog Trevean turned to give his brother a hearty embrace before going to pack himself and a quick stop to bid the rest of his family good bye.


The city was like nothing Kaden had ever seen. And neither were the clothes. Granted they had all put on their pandemonium clothing before entering the portal, but it was clear that even those weren't quite right. Worse than that was the absence of Kalya by his side, but one look told Kaden that Dante had been right to ask that she be left behind. This environment was like nothing he'd seen before and Kaden could only imagine the trouble his dog could get into here.

Everything felt grey and dingy and cold, and isolated, and the walk to the diner alone put Kaden on edge. There was an uncomfortable prickling at the back of his neck like his danger sense was certain something was about to go wrong but couldn't tell enough to warn him properly. Aquaman was looking uncertainly at the sky and mumbling something about how the whole place felt like it was in the center of a storm.

They shuffled into the booth and took their places, though as soon as Dante returned and lit up Trevean was switching seats to be as far from the smoke as possible and looking extremely uncomfortable. Not saying anything, but not looking at the cigarette either.

The lady who brought their food seemed exhausted, the food itself was - well edible was the best word Kaden could think of at the moment, though that might just be because it was greasy and over salted.
"I feel like this patty is made from bean paste," the youth grumbled as he looked it over and chewed slowly, "and the cheese is funny" He kept his comments low though, not wanting to cause trouble.
"this bubbly drink is good though. What is it?"
 
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"Lil, we need to go," he said, his voice soft and limping. "I can't wait anymore. I need to see Clara."

A moment of panic ensued as a chill ran down Lilith's spine. "Okay. We will go."

He stared up at her imploringly and then, with great weariness, laid his forehead on her shoulder.
"Can you go get Shola? You can make portals, right? Can you go get them?"

His fingers seized her shirt.
"Please."

As reluctant as the Daalai girl was to leave her Other, the feeling that he would soon be gone if she did nothing was much stronger. Lilith darted out of the bedroom to find Shola, and when she finally came across the older woman it was all Lilith could do not to break down into tears.

"Shola, we've got to go to Cyberia. There's no time to wait any longer. If something doesn't happen soon Dante won't be with us much longer. We have got to go. Please."

Her last word was one of desperation, her voice cracking as it left her lips. Quickly she guided them back to the bedroom, finding that Dante had mostly gotten himself dressed and hurrying across the room to help him with his pants buttons. Once the group had been rounded up, Lilith helped in any way she could to hurry them along. She hoped that no one would take her hurried tone as insulting but only that of someone who wanted help for her Other as soon as she could get it.
_____

Their arrival in Cyberia was less than pleasant, and walking through the portal was a very rude awakening for Lilith. She has listened to Dante talk about where he came from several times, but it seemed like his words didn't do it justice. The entire world was dark, immediately causing Lilith to feel uneasy. As they passed the spray painted wall, she pulled her jacket tightly around her, turning her eyes away quickly.

Lilith stuck close to Dante for the majority of their trip to the diner, allowing him to lean on her as he needed to. When she noticed he had separated from the group the young werewolf took on the appearance of a lost puppy, eyes wide as she watched their surroundings until the arrived at the diner. Dante returned after a short time, and Lilith felt the slightest bit of relief, though still anxious to get him to Clara and soon as possible.

When their food arrived, Lilith stared down at her plate with harsh skepticism. One sniff told her that the sandwich in front of her most definitely did not contain meat, and Kaden seemed to concur. When he mentioned his bubbly drink, she turned to her previously ignored glass and sniffed it as well, sneezing after. She took one sip, then down the entire glass in one gulp.

"I agree, the drink is delicious, but is there absolutely nothing in here that has meat? I'm starving.." She said, whispering the last part of the sentence to Dante.
 
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''Uh... No, there aren't animals here," he replied quietly, glancing reflexively at the cook and the waitress. The diner had a few scattered people in it, all of them looking down at their phones and ignoring everything around them. For that, Dante looked relieved.

"From here we've got to get to the clinic, which is across town. I've got a bus pass here that should pay for all of us, but there's a consignment store across the street. We can get good clothes and phones there-- you all have to have phones. And learn to use them," he finished, looking pointedly at Shola.

Dante looked up as the cook brought over a huge tray filled with their food, raising an eyebrow as the man, in his late thirties with greying hair and a thin beard, began doling out the plates.

"You don't usually serve, Chris. You hate people," Dante said in mild disbelief.
"I serve when you're in here with other people. Where the hell did you pick up these-- eccentric people," Chris finished, looking them over.
"This is my girlfriend, her brother, and friends of mine," Dante replied, gesturing to each in turn. Chris, for his part, looked bewildered and skeptical.
"Uh, riiight. So instead of killin' you, did they just shock you again, or-- Well, ain't my business anyway. Glad to get some good business for a change," Chris hurriedly finished at Dante's frown.
"Seen Little Red lately?" Dante asked as Nina brought around refills, and Chris shook his head.
"Nah, kid hasn't been in. Sorta figured this might happen one day--"

Chris rearranged his expression to look less morose.
"Anyway, enjoy the food," he finished neutrally, returning to the grill. dante watched him go for a second before swiping anyone's crackers he could reach and eating them with great deliberance as the rest of them ate their food, looking apologetic as they found that, by and large, most things tasted the same. Once they had finished he waved goodbye to Chris and Nina and hurriedly directed them to the consignment store. Inside he hurriedly found them clothes that fit, careful to select hats for Trevean and Shola that hid their ears and seemed inclined to stay on. While they changed he gathered up phones for them and paid for everything without speaking to the clerk. Just as tersely he ushered them out and instructed them to stick close to each other as he led them to the bus stop, holding Lilith's hand tightly along the way.

Once at the long row of dark green benches flanked by trash cans, Dante sat down slowly and rested his elbows on his knees, staring down the empty road.
"Don't make eye contact with anyone on the bus," he said after a moment. "Don't talk to them."

After about ten minutes they were joined by a woman with short, wavy black hair streaked with grey. Her suit was a crisp, cool grey pinstriped with black, and her overcoat seemed to double as a raincoat as the material looked plastic and slick. Dante sat up straighter at seeing her, careful not to look at her too often. She, in turn, kept checking her watch and eventually stood as the bus arrived. Dante grabbed Nadia back from waking towards the bus, pulling her so quickly and roughly that she flinched and stifled a yelp.
"Dante, what--" Shola began sharply, but her attention was drawn a moment later when the woman smoothly removed a pistol from her jacket and shot a man exiting the bus four times in the chest. The crowd quickly parted around them and people began leaving through the other bus door, hurrying away from the scene.
"Don't get involved," Dante growled at them as the woman removed some sort of silver spike from her coat too, driving it into the man's brain through his eye. It beeped after a minute and she withdraw, wiping it and her coat off before re-hiding it and the pistol and boarding the bus herself. Looking wary, Dante motioned them on and clustered them in ht e back, sitting in front of them with Lilith against the window at his side.
"What just--" Nadia asked, her voice shaking, and Dante hushed her.
"It happens. Don't get involved," he repeated firmly.
 
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Kaden winced internally when Dante referred to him as "the brother" and not a friend, though he supposed that all things considered it made sense. He was still learning to trust Dante himself after all. There was a brief second when the sting showed in his eyes, but only Nadia was looking at just the right time to notice, and Kaden comforted himself with the idea that she probably hadn't and mostly likely didn't care if she did.

Trevean meanwhile had mouthed the words "little red" and Kaden could see the gears in the other man's brain turning as he tried to piece all the bits of information together. Before Aquaman could ask any questions though, Dante was herding them out to go shopping.

Shopping was nothing like the market in Daal. There was no haggling, no one arguing over who got to own that unique piece, no multiple stalls to choose from. Rather there were racks of items that were identical other than the size or color, and shelves full of picked over goods implying that the owner didn't have any particular pride in their work. Only a whispered conversation with Trevean on the concept of mass production explained it.

With a sigh Kaden looked at the Items Aquaman held in his arms; light washed, grey jeans; brown sneakers that matched a light-weight turtleneck sweater; and a beige, corduroy, double-breasted jacket. The nack had been extremely picky about the cut of that jacket. Almost as picky as Nadia was being about her cloths.

It was at that moment Dante brought Trevean a brown striped beanie, with a glare at Kaden for his lack of shopping. With a few grumbles Kaden walked over to a shelf and grabbed a pair of faded green pants covered in pockets that a lot of people seemed to be wearing, and a charcoal colored sweater with a wide neck cowl that seemed like what Aquaman had except looser. Another Look from Dante had him picking out a pair of black combat boots since his own boots apparently weren't good enough.

The clothing everyone had been wearing previously was stuffed into a large pack which Trevean slung across one shoulder before Kaden took it from him. The Daalai man had been people watching and with the coat Aquaman had been so picky about the pairing with the pack was drawing eyes. On the other hand the people seemed to be avoiding looking at Kaden. He hated this place. It made him feel like he was on the battle field again. Even his walk had changed to accommodate for that feeling.

As they left the store and headed to a bus stop with whispered instructions on how to behave, shots were fired.
Well actually murder was being committed in broad daylight.
Right in front of them.

Kaden's initial instinct was to move to place himself between Nadia , Piper, and the body. With Nadia's reaction and Date's insistence that no one get involved Kaden felt it was best to use his own body to block as much of her view of the dead as possible. Kaden may have not known much about guns other than what they looked like and the sound they made, but he did know death when he saw it.
If only one shot had been fired they still would have been too late.
 
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Lilith's face dropped as Dante answered that there was no meat. Had she known she probably would have had Pin-ko bring some in Dante's bag. Her Other's glance around the room hinted that she had said something she maybe should not, so the Daal girl quietly played with a straw wrapper and nodded at Dante's instructions about what they would do next as she watched the consignment shop in question out the window. It wasn't until she picked up a new smell approaching that she lifted her head to look at the server, huffing a little at being called eccentric.

Dante explained the people he was with, including calling Lilith his girlfriend. With the term being so rarely used between them it still gave her a small chill along the spine when the word was used, and each time made her a little more confident in what Dante's feelings appeared to be towards her. As a result Lilith lifted her head a bit higher and broadened her shoulders, but also catching a glimpse of Kaden's disappointment and hurt from what she could only imagine was from Dante's lack of familiarity when mentioning him. Lilith wanted more than anything for a bond with her brother the same as she had with Dante so that she could have a better chance of comforting him, but for the moment a look of apology and a small smile had to do.

Lilith listened as Dante mentioned little red and lifted an eyebrow, then tried her best not to look disappointed as her food was placed in front of her. The food itself didn't disappoint, mainly because she had not expected much to begin with, but the young werewolf managed to finish it all without great effort.

Once finished they bid goodbye to the waitress and cook and Dante guided them across the street to find them new clothes. Lilith chose a simple navy colored hoodie with an unknown logo across the front accompanied by black leggings and sneakers. The phone he had talked about was something completely new to Lilith, and also something she couldn't find herself able to stop playing with. She stored the phone in the hoodie's (very convenient) front pocket as they made their way to the bus stop, holding Dante's hand equally as tightly as he was hers. She didn't want to be separated from him any more than he wanted to lose her.

The events as they got on to the bus left the young werewolf quite shaken and very aware of her surroundings. She watched mainly out the window as they rode on but her ears twice had at every sound she heard, never letting go of Dante's hand the entire time.
 
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The ride was, if possible, just as tense as the clothing store and bus stop. Dante was trying to reassure Lilith by rubbing his thumb slowly over her knuckles, seeming to count them over and over one by one. However, he was also hawkishly watching the assassin who had boarded the bus and ended up sitting near them. She was on her phone with someone, apparently negotiating where lunch was going to be, but every now and again she'd glance at them as if noting something important. Once the phone conversation was over she started to stand, but a warning look from Dante and the straightening of his posture caused her to reconsider. She shot him a brief, questioning glance and he firmly turned away from looking at her, looking out the window instead.

Shola missed the exchange entirely, liking busses no better than she liked cars and ssteadfastly staring at the divider in front of her as she linked her elbow against Trevean's, seeming to use him as an anchor. After awhile of tenseless that wasn't sustainable for anyone, she slumped against his shoulder and tiredly rested her cheek on his shoulder.
"It's worse than I remember it," she said to Trevean quietly enough the others couldn't hear.
"The last time I came I went directly to his apartment, I didn't get to look around much. What I saw was bad enough, but... If this beginning is any indication, we'll all have to look out for each other here even better than we do now. This place-- it eats people."

After what seemed like an enternity the bus lurched to a halt and Dante stood, drawing Lilith with him and motioning for them to exit the bus ahead of him. A slight touch on the forearm drew Kaden to the back of the line with him, Dante holding him back and only nodding for Kaden to go on once most of the group had left and the assassin was departing herself. Dante followed them both and swore under his breath as a man suddenly took Piper by the chin, jerking her head to face him as his other hand reached for her shoulder. Nadia reached out to push his hands away, but quickly he snatched her by the wrist as well until Shola and Dante approached from either side, both drawn up to their full heights and looking ready to kill. The man quickly withdrew and took off at a decent limp, but they'd already drawn attention and Dante hurried them into a nearby alley.

"Are we in trouble?" Piper asked and Dante shook his head.
"No, that wasn't anyone's fault-- shit like that happens. But we're here, so it could be a lot worse."

He led them to a metal door and punched a code in the keypad, causing the door to click and crack open into what appeared to be a break room. The room was largely an off-pea green with white flooring and home to a couple of round tables, a kitchenette, and a small TV. In front of it was a short woman with curly brown hair in light pink scrubs and blood-stained tennis shoes following along with a yoga program. She seemed to be doing the moutnain pose, but the smoke rising from her indicated a cigarette in her mouth. The TV was turned up loud enough that the music had drowned out the door, but Dante cleared his throat and she spun around so fast the cigarette hit the floor and rolled away. Her light brown eyes widened behing clear plastic safety glasses and she swore, stepping on the cigarette to put it out as she rushed over to him.

"Dante?! Where the fuck have you been?! I thought you got out, no one could find you-- Who are these people?" She asked, seeing them for the first time.

"Can we sit, Clara? It's a hell of a story, and I'm dying," he said, gesturing to one of the tables. Clara hurriedly gestured for them to bring over more chairs and sat down next to him, obviously looking him over as they sat. Dante was careful to make sure Lilith sat next to him, curling his hand over hers on the table. Clara made no move to hide staring and giving him a questioning look.

"Are you really Dante? You're damn right it's a hell of a fucking story if you're-- Well, whatever she is to you."
"My girlfriend-- Well, sort of-- it's more, different. I dunno how to even fucking explain or where to start, only that-- Well, she-- Shola, she came the day before they were going to send me to the trench and took me away-- I mean, I went willingly, but she-- all of them-- they're from other worlds."

"Other cities?" Clara asked, wrinkling her nose a little in confusion.
"No, other-- like other planets, but even farther. We came back because I need surgery-- all that cheap Oratrex implant shit they put in me is breaking-- the liver's shot, my joints and everything are breaking apart-- I came back because I need help, and they came to get me help and to complete their mission of saving their world, adn ours in the process. I know it sounds insane."

"Honey, I think you joined a cult," Clara said, looking at all of them with distate and distrust.
"It's all real," Dante said stubbornly. "One of them can show you-- even here, one of you has to be able to do something, right?"

Very gently Nadia prodded Lilith's knee and murmured,
"You see the shine on her too, don't you? We gotta convince her, she's a purifier too."
 
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The phones were probably the most interesting piece of technology Trevean had ever come across. True he had seen their like before. A more primitive version used in Waterworld, but these were smaller lighter, and didn't have an operator at the other end. And they did much more than phone calls too. Something called the internet, calendar, alarm clock, games . . . in fact as they settled onto the bus he had just figured out how to play a mildly amusing game where a red bird had to fly past all sorts of obstacles when he felt Shola lean against him.

The phone went immediately into his pocket where it was forgotten about for the time being. He tried to whisper words of comfort to her and send soothing feelings through the bond but he knew there was only so much he could do. As she slumped against him Trevean slid an arm around Shola's waist for added support.

When Dante announced they were at their stop Trevean made a point of making sure Shola was one of the first to leave the bus, choosing a place some five feet away to wait for the others. He did not, however, miss the way Dante made sure Kaden was the last to leave, keeping place with the female assassin as she used the other exit. It disturbed him how casually dangerous things were here.

Yet a moment later it became clear that the woman was not the person he should have been watching. Piper and then Nadia were nearly snatched and before Trevean could do a thing Dante and Shola were flanking the men responsible. It probably helped that Kaden had moved to place himself between the girls and the men in question. Some people might be stupid enough to attempt to take on Shola or an obviously sick Dante, but since arriving in the world Kaden had seemed to develop an edge.
Trevean himself reached for Nadia and Piper's shoulder's to draw them closer to himself, with a meaningful look a Lilith, as the matter was resolved.

From that moment on he didn't stop looking out for possible trouble until they reached the clinic.

The Nack's nose wrinkled in disgust as they stepped inside the break-room though. It was full of smoke and he could feel the irritation almost immediately. It was temporary, he told himself, he could last a little while if he had too. And it was safer than staying outside. Not that outside was much better.



He stayed back away from the smokiest part of the room as Dante explained everything to the woman who was who they had obviously come to find. Good luck that she had actually been there. Trevean had a feeling that a search might have caused more trouble and waiting would have been a problem for him. But as Dante finished, Trevean knew he wasn't going to be able to last being inside that room much longer.

"It's all real," Dante said stubbornly. "One of them can show you-- even here, one of you has to be able to do something, right?"

"Here," Treven answered simply drawing her eyes to him.
He knew he shouldn't but he wanted to finish things as quickly as possible. So when Clara looked at him Trevean shifted to his natural form.
A being of pure water.
 
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Once settled on the bus and comfortable next to Dante, Lilith pulled the phone from her front hoodie pocket and began to press random buttons in an attempt to figure out what each one did. At one point she managed to mistakenly pull up the phone's camera then almost dropped it in alarm when it made the clicking sound of a picture being taken. Once she managed to get the hang of it, she slyly pointed the camera towards Dante and snapped a picture. It wasn't long after that the group reached their destination and Lilith shoved the phone back into her pocket, mentally promising it that she would play with it again later.

Once they reached the clinic, Lilith sneezed as soon as the smoke touched her nose. After a brief look around the room, Lilith rested her gaze on Clara and couldn't seem to look away. She sat with Dante, turning her hand to interlace their fingers and he clutched hers, and stared back at Clara with just a skeptical of a look as the woman was giving her. She listened to Dante as he tried to describe everything, and doing a better job at it than Lilith figured she would if she were in the same situation.

"Honey, I think you joined a cult," Clara said, looking at all of them with distaste and distrust.
"It's all real," Dante said stubbornly. "One of them can show you-- even here, one of you has to be able to do something, right?"

She watched Trevean as he turned into his natural form, glancing back with a bit of a smug smile as if they had something to prove and had just done it ten fold. Lilith wasn't even entirely sure why she she was taking so much of Clara's doubt to heart, but damn it felt good to prove her otherwise.

It was then that Nadia prodded her knee and pointed out Clara's purifier status that Lilith had missed while being so busy hoping that they could prove the woman wrong about them.

"Goddesses, you're right!" She whispered back to the girl. "Though it might be a good idea to save that conversation until after we get Dante fixed. We don't want to scare her too badly right off the bat. Once he's taken care of, though, we should talk to her. We should probably mention it to Shola as well."

Not bothering to take her own advice, Lilith thought hard for a minute or two about turning into a werewolf as well to really push the point home that everything Dante was saying was true, but eventually considered it being a little too supportive and decided otherwise.
 
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Seeing Trevean turn to water, the color drained entirely from Clara's face for a moment, her lips turning ash white as she stared wordlessly. Dante seemed to be watch her closely, poised to move at a moment's notice. Clara, for her part, gaped like a fish for several moments before yelling and jumping backwards out of her chair ,sending it crashing to the floor and two nurses in maroon scrubs rushing in.
"What the FUCK whatthefuckwhatthedfuck-- W-what did you just do, what ARE you holy shit-- Dante, what the fuck is all this?! He turned-- he's water-- Shit--"

The nurses that had run in quickly ran back out at seeing Lilith and Dante grabbed Clara before she stumbled back, Nadia righting the chair as he helped her back into it.
"I'm telling you the truth, Claire. There's so much out there we don't know about-- I'd love to fill you in and all, but there's the whole problem of me dying-- a lot faster than usual."
'R-right, right," she replied, clutching her shaking hands together in her lap.
"The implants are all bad, and I need you to give me new ones. Ones that'll last awhile. After I leave this time, I'm not coming back here again, and I need them to hold out."
"And this new place you're going-- have been, you can't get help there?"

He shook his head slowly.
"No, they're pretty-- pretty stone age. No offense."
"A little taken," Shola said without much malice.
"Well, alright... It's going to be a week's recovery, on the house, but I don't have the funds to float you. It's hard times all around lately since the Palomo section got fenced off."
"We'll figure something out," Dante replied. "But... fenced off? What's that mean?"
" Some people took it over-- you'll have to ask that-- Katya for the details, she's involved in that part of the trade. I just clean up the mess," Clara said bitterly.
"Anyway, you'll need to quit whatever Kblue dose you're taking immediately, give yourself a day or so to detox--"
"I'm off," Dante said quietly. "Been clean for awhile."

Clara looked around at all them, a slow spark of realization showing in her face.
"They helped?"
"They've done a lot more than you know. So... I know it's a huge favor, and I'll pay that up too, but... While I'm on bed, they need somewhere to stay, somewhere safe. They don't know shit about living here, and you're their best hope without me, you and Al."

Clara raised an eyebrow.
"I do live in a one bed, you know."
"We will make do gladly with whatever hospitality you can offer us," Shola interjected, and Clara looked at her curiously.
"Yeah, they need somewhere to stay. Alright, the lot of you are going to stay at my apartment when I'm home and here when I'm here. No arguing. You do what I say, when I say it, and trust me. I've gotta go back, but stay back here until I finish this one, okay?"

Dante nodded as she walked off and turned back to them.
"She'll look after you all. I know she's a little... well, like me, but I swear, she's a good person. We might have to stay with her awhile, my bank account can only handle the surgery, so after the week's up I'll have to snag a few jobs to get some money back. But we'll make it work."

Nadia frowned at the discomfort on Dante's face, for the first time seeing him not relishing killing someone. Lilith saw it too, and felt the unfamiliar twinge of guilt and confusion through the bond.
 
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