The Cure

[Pine]

A one on one between Pine and Pepper.​

War.

Countries crumble before the might of their own creations. The force of the latest conflict toppled the greatest structures and laid waste to cities. Buildings have been reduced to brickwork and fields are littered with an overwhelming stench of death. In spite of such mass destruction, life continues on, stubbornly continuing the fight for survival.

However, this world is no utopia.

The balance of power has toppled over. Corruption runs rampant through the streets. With people abusing their high places in society, the common folk are left to participate in petty crimes just to get through the day. To fight off the boundless disease that comes with these times of desperation, the remains of civilization is investing heavily in medicine. Kids as young as eight are being forced into programs to turn them into experts in the field.

When a young girl builds a reputation as a child prodigy, they want her. In contrast to what the promise she provided and what society had in store for her, the girl fled at the age of twenty-five. Now a high value is being placed over her head. In particular, one of the most nefarious figures wants her dead, and has turned to certain darker powers to ensure that this happens. However, things may not quite turn out as planned, as things are wont to do when dabbling with such forces.

 

[Pine]

Name: Arasis, but is known as Sarael
Sex: None
Gender identity: Male
Age: 3,255 years old
Species: Demon

True and gargoyle form

Casual form

Alternate casual form

Flight form

Travel form

Getting the hell out of Dodge form

**This list is simply a compilation of the most typical forms he adopts. He is more than capable of taking on the appearance of other things.**​

 

[Pepper]

Name: Lilianne "Lili"
Sex: Female
Age: 25
Species: Human

Liliane

 

[Pine]

The sound of tin clattering against cracked concrete filled the empty alleyway - or, better said, mostly empty alleyway - as the sleek form of a greyhound knocked over a trash can. The lid popped off upon connecting with the ground below, leaving the container's contents to pour out messily. A paw stepped delicately over a wad of crumbled wrappers and a moist nose dipped down over the refuse, nostrils flaring to inhale its scents. This continued on for a few moments, the tip brushing over the various plastics before they exhaled deeply and it lifted back up.

The corner of the canine's lip pulled back in the most dissatisfied grimace it could manage. Nothing... again. Much to his chagrin, this is what he had been reduced to - he, the great Arasis, pillaging through garbage. After all, the entirety of the human species had switched over to survival mode now that the war had destroyed all the technology that had been their crutch for the past several centuries. Not only were they all herded up and hiding out, but that also meant that all grudges were forgotten if it meant living another day. No risky assassination jobs, no information of value to collect, nothing. He was essentially put out of business. His last supplier had even tried to hide from him. Like that would have ever worked. Needless to say, considering the portly stature of that man, he was good on food for the next few months.

The greyhound spun around, tail lashing out violently at where a wall had once been, but there was only a pile of bricks sloppily layered over each other. His gums curled back from his teeth, snarling aimlessly in his frustration. It wasn't as thought the apocalypse had erased crime altogether. If anything, civilization had become archaic. However, no matter where he looked, who he turned to, no one had a steady supply of pain killers, and it has only gotten worse over the past decade. Drugs were held in such high esteem by human, so why weren't there any?

Arasis stood there, head held high to give himself time to calm. He still had time, after all. It wasn't the end of the world. Well, not for me, anyways. That little crack was sufficient to lift his mood again, his attention turned to admiring how witty he was. He was done digging around now; his ego could only take so much in one day.

Tilting his head up to the sky, his best guess was that it was nearing noon, if not already that. It was difficult to tell these days, as the sun's rays were smothered by the smog that had seemingly settled over the world, making each passing hour look nearly identical to the last. The world had the constant stench of dust hanging around, accumulated largely from the debris of buildings that still had yet to settle. Earth was in quite the depressing state overall.

Not bothering to check his surroundings first, Arasis curled into himself, tucking his legs beneath his torso. A sort of liquid began to secrete from between the short hairs of his body, solidifying into a thin, pale layer of flesh until a cocoon had formed all around himself. His form sat inside for a moment, relishing the relief that came with his transformation as he finished reconstructing himself. Finally, the outside bulged, the pads of fingers pressing against the shell until it split, allowing the hand come through and tear apart the rest of the skin. Arasis peeled the rest of it away, wadding it in his fist as he did so, shifting to land on his feet. When the youthful man was able to stand, he picked off a stray piece of flesh from his arm before discarding it to the side with a flick of his wrist.

Now onto the next portion of his day. The boy's gray eyes were fixed forward across from him in a pensive stare, attempting to formulate a coherent plan of action through his somewhat muddled mind. Transforming was a temporary relief from the aching that he had developed from all of his years, but there was always that moment after where the pain slowly attacked his nerves and made his muscles throbbing and sore. Arasis lifted his hand from his side and before his narrowed eyes, noticing his fingers vibrating of their own accord. Forcefully, he arrested control of the limbs, making them stop for only a single moment. Arasis gave a disgruntled sigh, blowing the air out from between clenched teeth. It's been too long. He needed some... now. He dropped his hand and shook his head. No need to make himself miserable with day dreaming. Without another moment to spare, the demon grabbed the end of his scarf to twist the knot of it to the side before he turned to make his way down the desolate alleyway.

 

[Pepper]

Three weeks ago

With his finger tips was tapping the table. "Great." He whispered between his lips as he made his hand into a fist. "How ?! How could die ? " He yelled as the man throw the papers from the table. Passed his hand throw his white hair. He was a tall man, passing 1,80 cm with a parental figure. For his age, Adam, as he was called by most people, was quite a charming man. Had a white hair as the first snow and a pair of big golden eyes, with perfect defined cheekbones. Had an athletic body, with long limbs. "Master, she ... " before his eyes was a small man, the words barely left his mouth. "Noah, Noah, Noah." Adam stood before the man, with his both hand took his head between them. "Bring the little angel to me." He said with a sweet tone as he put pressure on his hands to smash his head. "Yes Master." His voice trumble as in a lucky escape he didn't waisted another minute here. Adam dusted his white tux as he looked at his own refletion from the window. Despise the fact that the world was falling to pieces he had a plan, a plan were he would rule the world. "Is here Master." He entered in the room with a young lady, ayoung lady with a red hair like fire. "My little angel, how were the tests? I heard that ..." He stopped as he was playing with a coin between his fingers. " Were a great succes." Grabbed her chin as he stared into her dark eyes. "You will be such a perfect woman, you will obey me like a useless slave you will turn into. " She spit on his face as she draw a smile on her face . "Take her out of here. Thinking that in 20 years she might change. What a lie." Adam smiled, soon, soon enough he will have the perfect person in his hands. Suddently the alarms were on, he went toward the door and open it. "What happens !" He yelled as he grabbed a soldier by his shirt. "She escaped sir." He said in a rushed tone as he was holding his gun to his chest. "This ..." He slapped his forehead as he let his body fall slowly down.

◆ Present ◆

"Harold, did you track her?" Adam asked his man as he walked nervous around the room. "Negative." He said as his eyes went toward his boss. "Let's meet him Harold." Adam spoke as he took his jacket and a small box with him. "You took care of everything, right ?" He almost wanted to laugh with joy at the thought that she will finally come home. He stared at her photo, Lilianne or just his 'little angel' as Adam loved to call her, since she was young was a fiery person, a vulcanic character with a brilliant mind. "We track him down. This alleyway Master." Harold went out of the car and opened the door for his boss as he took a small bow. "Sarael?" No't sure where to look Adam rubbed his forehead. "I have a job for you, a lot of money, food and everything you want." Looked around puzzled, wasn't sure where to look, from his subordinates heard that he was here and another spicy information which made him laugh maniacally. As he tried to ignore the disgusting flavors and throw on the ground a photo of a girl. "Find her for me, alive." He said as he made a sign with his hand toward Harold, he took out of the car a small box. "Deal?" Crossed his arms as Harold came beside him.
​

 

[Pine]

Arasis stopped in his tracks, ear shifting slightly at the sound of a new voice - addressing him, nevertheless. He had certainly hear the familiar crunching of a tire rolling over the road, but he had assumed it had simply been another vehicle passing by, but this was no mere coincidence. Just in time, too. I was almost out of here. He was pleased, as this saved him the trouble of finding a new client, after all. I knew they would be throwing themselves back at my feet soon enough.

He stood there, looking back towards the alleyway as he listening to the man's proposition with interest. Arasis gave a breathy laugh. Everything I want? That's quite the offer. In truth, he was desperate to take on this job. His loaded promises surpassed all hopes he had been optimistic to fulfill today. That itself was enough to make him giddy, but there was a certain game to be played here, and he intended to come out on top, as he always did.

The demon gave himself a moment to regain his composure, as his frame had begun to tremble in his simultaneous pain and ecstasy. Finally, however, he reclaimed control of his body, standing rigid once more. Arasis rounded the corner that had concealed himself previously, a rather smug look settling on his features. The man standing in the alleyway was looking about aimlessly, almost desperately trying to find who he was dealing with. I could have intimidated this guy easily, but another transformation would have taken far too long. Next time, then.

Arasis approached the man, placing his foot carefully around all the trash he had scattered around the narrow path. He attempted to look impassive and disinterested, lifting his hand to examine his fingernails that were curling into his palm, though there was no need to, as they were perfect so soon after the shift into this new form. "Anything I want, you say?" He stopped before the photo that had been tossed carelessly on the ground, sparing it a passing glance around his hand, before tilting his head to fix his gaze on the white-haired man. "What I want is collateral. Painkillers, now. Just a few. I need to know you can do that for me." Arasis tilted his head, studying the taller man closely. "Can you do that for me?"

 

[Pepper]

Smiled like a maniac as in a sinister way licked his lower lip. "I make them. A few ? Hahaha." Adam laugh as he waved toward Harold, her throw a box. " My subordinates told me, well, ex clients of yourself. Find my the girl, I warn you, won't be easy." Harold opened the door for him as Adam took from his inner jacket pocket a letter, in the letter were money, enough money to assure him a decent living for a few days. "For the trouble." He said as Harold closed the door, the window went down, more as a warning he said: "As soon you bring her to me, the longer you will get painkillers." The window went up again as the Harold, a blond haired guy came closer to Sarael. "Here." The man made a disguating look as he gave him the money. " I will contact you." Went to the car and started the engine, the car soon vanished from the view.

↑Somewhere else↓

"The pain will go in a few days, try to avoid food with a lot of fat." She said with a motherly tone. The child smiled and his mother kissed her hand. The girl smiled, had a red hair as fire, cat-like shaped eyes with small shaped lips of a pink color. Lilianne wore a pair of militar boots with dark jeans, a dark blue shirt with a leather jacket. Afraid to not be seen by Adam's messagers, she hold her hair in a ponytail with a white hat to cover it. "I will try to come next weeks, depends." She spoke as she left the house in a rushed way. Began to hunt the small streets of the town as she tried to stay in the shadow.​

 

[Pine]

Arasis's eyebrows furrowed, far from amused by this man laughing in his face. If circumstances were a little bit different, I would eat you for that. He stamped on his temper, resisting the temptation assert himself over this man, as such an action had deterred clients in the past. His head bobbed a little to rhythmically to every enunciated syllable that fell from the man's mouth. Ah, ex-clients, you say? That would explain. I had figured they were all dead. That's what they've been acting like, anyway. His gaze drifted past the white-haired man as someone opened the door to his luxury car for him. Obviously someone who is always surrounded by lackeys for his own protection. He blinked. Well, I suppose I'm one of them now. A humorless smile spread over his features. I bet he's a squealer.

The demon pulled himself from his murderous thoughts at the presentation of the letter. If he had a tail at the moment, it would have been wagging like a rudder. Arasis tore the letter from the blonde-man's hair, ignoring what little either of them had to say after that. His thumb dug under the flap and ripped it open feverishly. He pulled the envelope open with a sharp crack, if only to find green bills in there rather than the translucent pills he had been anticipating. "Money," he stated flatly. His hand trembled a little, aching in his disappointment as the car pulled out of sight. Was this man not aware of how useless his human currency was, especially to him?

Arasis groaned a little, taking the bills out pocketing them, throwing the envelope carelessly to the side. The figure of the young man crouched down, grabbing the photo by it's corner and held it before himself, studying the girl. She had a petite frame, saturated blue eyes and long auburn hair, bangs, though if she was a runaway with any wits to her name, she chop that off to a significantly shorter length. Arasis frowned. I've heard this sort of body by human standards is considered... 'attractive'. That would explain why he wants her alive. Lecherous little man. "It's a shame, too," he sighed. "Killing would be so much easier." He shook his head, slipping the photo into the pocket of his cotton slacks for reference later, though he had her face memorized solidly right down to the bone structure.

Arasis stood there for a moment, willing his feet to lead him in the right direction... when he realized that he had been given absolutely no information about this girl whatsoever. Could have at least given me a lead. Do you want this girl or not? He gave an irritated hiss through between his clenched teeth. Arasis would have dropped the assignment right then and there, if not for the fact that he was so desperate for a job. He took a moment to recover his calm visage. He was about to do a lot of lying, so he needed to maintain the awkward young adult that this body represented so well. Managing to adopt an impassive stare, he slipped his shaking palms into his pockets and began to head back down the alleyway. Time to do a little reconnaissance.

- - - - -

West Midland was a tavern constructed shortly after doomsday by the survivors. After all, humans had a tendency to indulge in such luxuries right after traumatic events. It was perhaps the only bar left in this town, if it could still be called a town, and was frequented for the board and drink it provided. As a side affect, which always occurred when such an establishment was built, it also became the center for gossip. He had only visited the tavern a few times, himself, but he knew it was the best place to start.

The young man turned so as to push the door open with his back as he adjusted the furry hat on his head, feigning a clumsy entrance. A small commotion had been made from the motion, and Arasis gave a sheepish smile to the heads turning in his direction. I'm just some sort of poor, lovestruck fool, don't mind me. Oh, but if you stare too long, I might just eat the skin off your face, so don't do that. Arasis pushed the more sardonic thoughts out of his mind and made his way to the bar.

The boy seated himself precariously on one of the bar stools near the end, rotating to face the back of the bar tender. Arasis maintained the small, inviting grin, placing his hands on the edge of the counter. "What's the special for today?" he inquired cheerily. Ah, bars do have specials, don't they? It's been too long.

 

[Pepper]

"Noah I will arrive in a few weeks. For your information I am no't lacking, I found this woman who have me a room for a night. I need more money, I can't leave the city on foot. He will find me. " She tore the paper as she throw, in a nonchalant manner her finger between her strands of hair. She had to write a letter toward Noah, but for five days it was impossible. She saw on the streets medics who ignore sick people, made her angry and disgusted, but Lilianne through that they weren't simple medics so tried to ignore everything she saw, as if this show of how good and kind he was might made her change her mind. With a madness that started to flow in front of her eyes, stood up in a aggressive manner as the chair fall on his back. "Dear, are you ok ?" The old woman stick her head on the door's crack as she had a worried expression. "No, everything is fine. I will have to go, take care of you, both. Uh and you never saw me, is much better this way, for both." Lilianne took the ripped pieces of the paper and throw them in her bag.
She rushed through the door as she covered her head with the hood and wore a medical mask. Changed her top with a dark green blouse with hood, kept the same military boots with dark jeans. The city was turning in a ruin, slowly, it's falling pieces where falling at the same time with humans character and mauntheir souls. Let a small sigh to escape her cracked lips as the finger tips were playing above them. Avoided the main street as the petit woman took the longer and perhaps safer routes to arrive at her destination. She had to buy, or rather steal the necessary things, ammo, water, bandages, pills ( various as many) and if she could, money. Behind the falling ruin Lilianne took off the bag as from it took a gun, wasn't a fan of guns, but God, she fell in love with this one, was silent, loved to do a job in silence, was more easy and no extra people to murder. Drew a breath of air as she put the gun at the back, the cold metal on her skin made Lilianne to shiver. In her view, this time was a small pharmacy, a small pharmcy which was quite guarded, she saw six, there might be more as she closed her eyes. In her mind she draw the pharmacy, the possible exists, the damages, the goods and other things.
"10 minutes." She looked at her clock, in 10 minutes she was done, if the plan in her mind was the right one.​

 

[Pine]

Upon his inquiry, the bartender turned around, a mildly amused look on his face. The portly man set the glass he had been cleaning and tucked the cloth loosely into his slacks before approaching the counter. "I'm afraid we don't have such things here."

The corner of the young man's face dropped and he appeared to shrink down into the stool, effectively delivering the impression that he was rather flustered. Arasis tried to recover from his mistake, giving a somewhat uneasy chuckle. "You don't? Oh, I would have sworn..." He broke eye contact for a moment shyly, his gaze drifting off to the side, before he seemed to remember himself and looked back up to him. Drinks, drinks, drinks... what sort of plot am I going with, then? "May I have some red wine, then?"

The man nodded once, further illustrating his double chin, before turning to his drinks. He swiped a dark bottle of the crimson beverage and, grabbing a glass by it's thin stem just below the funnel-like opening, turned back to the bar and set the glass down. The bartender pipped off the cap and tipped the bottle, letting the liquid slosh down to fill the glass halfway, before raising the bottle in a rather grandiose manner to cut the supply off. He grabbed the cap off of the counter and screwed it back over the bottle, sliding the glass over to the young man seated before him before turning around and returning to his glasses.

"Thank you." Arasis grabbed it stem between two pinched fingers and tilted it towards his lips, sipping just barely at the drink as he looked over the glass and at the bartender. This one's not much of a talker, is he? He made an exaggerated sigh of satisfaction, setting the glass back down. Tastes way too sour. Absolutely garbage. "So," he began, well-mannered and conversational, "how long have you been here?"

It seemed to take the bartender a moment to register that he was being spoken to, but finally he turned around, somewhat satisfactory with the arrangement of the glasses. "About as long as this place has been here. Been in the business for thirty-two years."

Arasis settled his arms to be crossed over the counter. slumping his body forward. "Ah, how interesting." You must be as dull as you look. "I suppose you know your way around town pretty well, then."

In spite of the young man quizzically lifting his eyebrows, the bartender simply nodded and turned around to resume his swabbing of the glasses, seemingly already having lost interest in the conversation.

Arasis brewed over this in silence, fighting against the grimace that wanted to place itself on his expression. Okay, I guess there's no beating around the bush with this guy. He only then realized that his hands, clasped together over the counter, were shaking. The demon readjusted his position, slipping on arm into his lap and using his other to cup around his face. He allowed a short, quiet huff of exasperation, before tilting his head away so his chin rested in his palm as he tried again. "I'm new in town, y'see. It's been pretty lonely moving around all the times ever since my mother... ah..."

He smiled town at his glass and managed to a twinge of sadness to it, even though he felt an immense amount of satisfaction seeing the bartender turn in his peripheral vision, obviously having managed to grab his attention now. "I'm sorry to hear that," he consoled, genuine pity in his tone.

Arasis beamed forcefully at the bartender, sitting up and placing his other hand in his lap. "It's fine, that was years ago," he fibbed eloquently. As though trying to move away from a sore subject, he leaned in over the counter, placing his head in one hand again and making a pointing gesture with his other. "Y'know, I saw a gal the other day I just can't seem to take my mind off of."

"Oh?" He lifted his eyebrows at the younger man, seemingly genuinely interested in his wandering mind, at least to some extent.

The demon nodded a little, putting on a rather dreamy stare. "Oh, yes. I've never seen someone so beautiful. She had this red hair unlike anything I've ever seen, and..." His eyes widened, as though suddenly realizing something. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot..." Arasis scooted his stool out just a little to allow his hand to slip into his pocket, and from there withdrew the photo he had of the girl. He straightened it out by pulling from either end snappily before he flipped it to present to the barkeeper. "I found this picture. I don't know if it's the same girl, but they look very similar."

The bartender approached the counter and stared for a moment before his expression altered subtly in recognition. "Oh, I know her."

Bingo. Arasis resisted the urge to look smug at that moment. Instead, he perked, eyes alight with excitement. "You do? Do you know anything about her?"

"Yeah, she..." The bartender rubbed the scraggly hairs on his chin with the back of his hand, taking a moment to think. "I remember, she was the one who helped me a few weeks ago. My wife got really sick." He folded his arms over the counter. "I don't know how it is where you're from, but a lot of the doctors here won't do anything if you don't have any money, but her? She's some kind of medical genius. Made my wife all better. What was her name? Le... Li..."

Arasis withdrew from the conversation as the man tried to remember her name. A medical genius? Then we're probably thinking of the same person. Sounds important enough for my employer to have such desperation to find her. His fingers drummed the counter as he began to plot his next course of action. So either she took some pity or she's some kind of vigilante. If the latter is true, then I know just where to look. Now, the important question here is...

"Lilliane. That's her name. How could I forget? I'm almost certain that's her." He shook his head, grinning a little. "I can see why you'd be so starstruck, young man. Didn't charge a dime."

Arasis adopted his beaming, ecstatic face once again as he pocketed the photo. "Well, that was awfully kind of her! She just did that out of the blue?"

The bartender bobbed his head, supposedly as enthusiastically as he could manage. "Yeah, I think she's just out there looking for people to help, bless her."

The demon put his face in his hand, effectively concealing the crooked twist his smile had taken. That's all I need to know. 'Finding my girl won't be easy,' you say? You underestimate me. Arasis glanced down at his wrist as though to check the time, though there was no watch on his arm, and he went back to hiding his arms beneath the counter. "Well, I'm afraid I must be going." He pulled a couple of bills from out of his other pocket and slid it over the counter, wittingly tipping the bartender too much. It doesn't matter, what with how worthless your currency is. What I'll be getting is worth so much more. "For the trouble," he politely concluded the conversation, ignoring the largely untouched wine and slipping off of his stool to exit the tavern.

 

[Pepper]

Wasn't something she could be proud with, slowly Lilianne began to be anxious, her back was against that wall as she tried to calm herself down. Wasn't the first time when she tries to steal from a pharmacy nor the last time. Rubbed her eyes as she wiped tears from her sapphire eyes and drew with lust a breath of air. Lili hold the gun in her hand as, as she tried to stay in the shadow, covered her elbow with a cloth and breaks the window of the pharmacy. Subtlety and with the grace of a feline, the young lady does not stand much on thoughts. With a fixed objective goes directly to to take the drugs, with the necessary tact, adds to 'shopping list' some bandages and eventually some blue methylene. Everything unfolded easy, way to easy for her, lifted the gun as two soldies were walking beside the pharmacy, they stopped. Her heart began to race with madness as they came closer and closer to the pharmacy, licked her lips and with two shorts the bodies of the soldiers fell down on the ground. "In the name of God..." She thought as she wiped her forehead, without a more minute to lose she left the pharmacy. Between the cold and wet alleyways Lilianne stopped, she opened a wooden door, in front you could saw a narrow alleyway, surprising it was clean, but the smell, well it smelled like wet dogs and cats. Lilianne holded her nose as she spoke to herself in a murmur. "Melek....Melek...." Said the name a few times, like it was a magic word that opened you doors to an enchanted wonderland. Somehow, the Fairyland was just a wealthy house. Lilianne said once again the name, this time she lifted her tone as a window opened. "Lili ! Here !" A sweet tone kidnaped her eyes, her eyes met a child around 15 years old. Melek was the daughter of Ahmed, well Ahmed had a pretty big community of muslims who fallowed him. "How is your father sweetheart ?" Lilianne came closer and put her right hand on the window's frame, with the last strenght she had made a jump inside. "Woo .....Lili you get good with every day that passes ! Here ! Sit down !" Melek, a brunette girl whirl around our petit woman. "I need to use the bathroom." She stood up and from her bag took out the blue methylene. She dyed her hair with blue methylene, was an old trick that she learned from a woman who loved to do favors to men. In 30 minutes, the red haired woman lost her charm, but she got a new allure, a more dangerous one, the onyx color it revealed her perfect face, her beautiful lips and her eyes, her eyes that can charm even a cold heart. "Here ! Take this !" Melek gave Lilianne a white hijab, the hijab is a headscarf, not a veil, hides the hair, ears and neck. Lilianne took over her clothes a black robe, something similar, just to cover her body."Thank you Melek, here, 10 painkiller. Give it to your father when it comes home. You will leave tonight, right ? Take care of you child." Lilianne kissed the girls forehead as she left the room on the same way she entered. Started to fell a little weird as her whole body to be covered, but for a few hours she will have to pretend she is a muslim woman in order to not get caught by Adam's servants.

She wasn't a fool, Lili has been in this city more than 2 weeks, people began to ask questions and slowly she will have nowhere to hide. She knew that the blue methylene will start to lose from it's color. She put the hand behind her neck as the color slowly began to pour down her neck. In two hours she had to put her hands on some ammo, food and a car. The passport was over immediately, but had to leave at the same time with the small muslim community or else she will miss her chance. "Oh Noah ...if only you were here." She whispered as she bites her lower lip. For the few minutes she began to hunt the small streets,somehow lost in her thoughts.​

 

[Pine]

It really had not been too hard to find. Illness was running rampant through the human race because they hoarded themselves up next to each other. The smell of disease clung to each of them, further emphasized by the stench of antiseptic for those who could get their hands on it. Arasis had found them, the sick, holed up in a building with the roof half blown off. At least there's a nice draft in here. Sort of. The inside of the building was a rather disorganized mess, with people bundled up in thin blankets on the floor. Most likely some of the few preservations from their homes.

After giving the door a decisive shove with his palm, as the hinges were rather resistant to moving, he turned to look at the group, some of which had looked over at him with passive interest. Ah, so this is a normal thing. Good. Arasis' eyebrows turned up then, for all the world looking like the the concerned character he was trying to portray. It only took him a moment to find someone who seemed to hold some authority amidst the chaos of people moving about, or at least she would be in the loop of things.

He approached the wiry tangle of white hair, the leaning frame of an old woman shaking from the lack of control over her nerves. "Excuse me," he interjected, some timidity in his tone. The woman noticed him then, straightening from the child she had been looming over and looked at him then, distress in her eyes. And I'm just here to make it worse. Sorry not sorry. "I heard there's some people here getting help, right?" A pleading edge entered his voice. "Please, if you have anything. My father's all that I have left."

The creases of the woman's face shifted, the skin hanging from her chin swaying a little as she shook her head and give the young man a pitying look. "I'm afraid we're no medical experts. Everything we have we owe to this little angel and it was just for who we have now."

The corner of Arasis' mouth twitched, forcing himself to keep the smug look off his face. I knew it. This has been so easy.

The woman continued, "She isn't here anymo-"

"Could you tell me where she is?" he urged, feigning desperation. "Or how to find her? Anything."

"It was... about a week ago that she was here." The woman's speech was frustratingly slow, and it only seemed to slow even more now that he was so close to being done here. "No... was it two weeks ago?" She turned her head, looking for someone to affirm or refute her statement, but everyone had lost interest in them at that point and had gone back to tending to their own affairs.

Come on lady. You humans get so slow toward the end of their life. He forced himself to remain silent, however, as she turned her seemingly ancient head towards him. Except I'm so much older than you. You have no excuse.

"She should still be in town. I don't know where, but she said she was leaving soon. It was a young girl, genius, with red hair... and - oh! - such a beautiful-"

"Thank you," he replied somewhat curtly, not bothering with wasting any more time on formalities before he turned to run out the hovel. The instant he was farther down the street and out of sight, he slowed to a walk. She's leaving because she knows she can't stay here, not because there are no more people to take care of. It's been long enough since she was at the place, so she's probably done something about her appearance, since she's so 'genius' as everyone keeps saying. Too bad for her I'm better than that. Arasis turned down the main stretch of the city heading towards the pharmacy, looking carefully over every individual he passed along the way. Shouldn't be too long now.