demons in my head

“You just want to call it an it?” She murmured questionably. A part of her wondered what kind of parents would’ve been so heartless to abandon a child in a department store like this but another part of her wondered if this was their method of protecting the child. Perhaps they were dead. Well, that itself sucked and for moment Astrid did look pitifully upon the kid. They were such a small thing but they undoubtedly had a fighting spirit to conquer life. 

“I’ll hold, the kid’s asleep now,” Astrid had long thought herself to be the most incapable maternal thing there was. But when a child had been unwillingly shoved into her arms, the actual experience itself was a little different. She wondered if her own mother had held her like this at any point of her life. Who knew, she couldn’t remember. “God I need a fucking shower after this,” she mumbled, though roughly doing her best to ignore the mess that she felt both within herself and outside herself. 

He could pick locks, well she should’ve expected it. Hell, they looked like they did a lot of weird shit on the side. “It takes two to tango so you better also get on with the program,” she quipped back. She walked forward, praying that they would’ve been spared any attention. Yet of course, life liked to come with its own basket full of troubles. A security guard could be seen with a flashlight, walking in both of their directions. As if on cue, Astrid hurriedly walked forward, as quickly as she could without jostling the child awake. “Oh thank god, you have no idea how difficult it’s been to get out of this wreckage,” she spoke with as much forced conviction as she could muster. Her eyes were beginning to tear, just as she had practiced a thousand times for all her triumph speeches and victory. She could nail this. 

“Can you please show us the exit?” Her voice ringing with desperation as she laid it on thick, rubbing the child’s back as her eyes flitted from the kid to the guard to Ren. Every word that came out of her own mouth made her want to die on the spot but this was the only way to get through without bloodshed. God, this was more exhausting than speed racing itself. 

Once Ren stepped forward, they invented enough of a story in their head to play off of it.  Either they would get through this with this stranger’s help or they’d run as soon as he was turned to stone.  In an effort to not out themselves and their ability, though, Ren hoped for the former even if they had to resort to the latter.  They draped an arm around Astrid’s waist, their voice filled with softness as they spoke to Astrid in a language  that Ren didn’t even think that they had still known but, as soon as they looked enough like a familial unit, they redirected their attention to the security guard.  “I’m sorry for the intrusion, my wife and I were hoping to cut through to any exit that leads to the back streets.  With everything going on, we’re worried about leaving out the front.”  They gestured in a hurried fashion.  Anything to move this along.

Their lacking explanation offered no concern and Astrid’s question only seemed to solidify that they were just a couple in the wrong place at the wrong time with a child in tow.  A sob story for the making if their knight in shining armor hadn’t saved them.  A few short sentences shared and they followed the security guard away from the bath section of the store and over to where, now, a door seemed to blend nearly into the wall a quarter of the store away from them.  The security guard still spoke back to them and due to the occasional glances back, Ren kept a polite but firm hold on Astrid.  If nothing else, it hid the fact that Ren wasn’t wearing a ring.

They mainly kept quiet, falling into the role of a solemn significant other in what would otherwise likely be seen as a traditional household.  Nothing to question if they remained as boring as possible at the surface level despite the circumstances.  Once through the breakroom and led outside, Ren broke away from Astrid to thank him.  They spoke for a few short seconds before Ren walked back over to her.  “We’re lucky it was a non-salaried worker.  Honestly, we probably could have robbed him and he wouldn’t have given a fuck as long as he lived.”  Now, Ren was a little upset they hadn’t went that route.  Still, better safe than sorry.  They didn’t exactly want to face the emperor tonight moreover than he did any other night.  Even so, Astrid wasn’t too bad of a liar.  

“Not a parent,” she pointed out. 

Astrid knew little to nothing about parenting but at the very least, she had experienced pets. Weren’t children similar? Tiny, helpless and needy … or at least that’s how she saw it. She placed all the ingredients on the ground, watching to see if they were right about the child. It was quick to grab for the banana but to Astrid’s amusement, it attempted to stuff the unpeeled thing straight into its mouth. “Well would you look at that, it does need help.” She attempted to pry the banana from its grasps but the child looked like it was about to blubber again. Thankfully, she was speedy about it, shoving it into its mouth as if to plug its mouth hole from launching another avalanche of crying and screams. 

Reluctantly, Astrid found herself holding up the banana as the child chewed on it, drool and mush coating the mouth like a slob. The kid looked like the epitome of a baby monkey. She eyed Ren, “you think they have a name?” The child didn’t respond as it continued to chomp away. “I was thinking like Audi, Volvo, Buick, Lotus or something better than it, y’know,” she said with a sigh. Astrid was truly awful at naming things, and even the suggestions she made sounded absolutely ridiculous. 

“I found the food, you lead the rest of the way,” she said matter of factly. It wasn’t long before the child started to look sleepy, as if their entire energy had been exhausted from the previous fits and the eating. Even their grip on Ren’s hair had loosened. Instead, one of their other small hands had grabbed onto Astrid’s finger. Against her general policy of yeeting children away, she grabbed them into her arms, allowing their head to rest against her shoulder. She felt their drool run down over her shoulder as she visibly squirmed and frowned. God this was gross and again, how the hell did she land herself in the situation? “How the fuck did you carry this thing, they’re heavy,” she remarked. Despite the kid’s size, they sure had some thick bones. 

“If we’re really screwed, at the very least maybe we can con some of the security cards, use the kid as a pity card,” she suggested with a tilt of her head, doing her best to ignore the dampening feeling of her spit stained shoulder. 

“I’m trying to insinuate that you have potential parental issues.”  Mommy issues, daddy issues, whatever she might call them.  However, as soon as a burning remark had to be explained, it lost some of it’s painfulness.  They watched the kid as it tried to devour a banana, peel and all, and then grimaced at everything else that played out once Astrid stepped in to help.  “Sorry.  I had faith that it was smarter than that,” they quipped as their eyes started to scan the room.  If they had to figure out the exit, they might as well do it now.  The sooner they were out of there, the sooner that none of this was their problem anymore.

Their brown eyes made their way back to Astrid though as she posed a question that Ren hadn’t even thought of.  Flatly, they looked to the child, “What’s your name?”  No answer.  They sighed loudly and then tilted their head as they looked back to the only other adult in the room.  “Gonna take that as a ‘too young to know what I’m talking about’,” that or too hungry and tired to care to answer Ren, “But, we can’t seriously consider naming it.  This isn’t our kid.  This is someone else’s problem.  We just got to get out of here and we can, I don’t know, surrender it somewhere.”  That would be a tough one.  They were a wanted person and if they even breathed near any authority figure, they’d be arrested on sight.

Ren stood then and gestured for her to follow.  They went silent for a while after that, walked the store with a mapped out image in their head as they tried to locate the employee lounge.  They paused for a moment, though, and grabbed a pristinely folded hand towel and turned, then tossed it over to Astrid in an attempt to at least alleviate some of the grossness that came with a child that slobbered everywhere.  “Give it back to me if you’re that weak.”  They quipped back with an eyeroll and then extended their hands as though to take the child back.

.

she finds that it’s a rhetorical question when he asks if she could climb. there’s not much of a choice they leave her as they head up the side of the building, leaving her on the ground. they even extend a hand out, how kind. xo sighs, resigned, and follows the similar pathing up the other takes, although a lot less graceful. 

the last pull up she tries once to reach the ledge they’re on on her own before just giving in and grabbing a hold of their hand to help her up onto the platform.  ‘ you know, ’  she grits out between breaths, ‘ i’m much more of a runner than a climber. upper body strength doesn’t seem to be my forte, apparently. ’  she watches in the distance as they trace out the path of roofs, listening as they explain that they’ll have to jump. 

‘ i’m sorry, what ? ’ her eyes widen as they explain,  ‘ getting onto a roof i understand, but you want me to jump ? across ? and you say you’re just going to catch me if i can’t make it ? ’  if xo doesn’t die by sentinels she’ll probably die by gravity. 

Where Ren could move akin to a cat, they realized that not everyone could do that.  It would be easier if they just left her to her own devices, maybe let her wait it out on the ledge and then make her own break for it.  But, they felt the pull in their brain to ‘do the right thing’ which in this case, they were pretty sure it would be to make her jump.  “You can’t outrun a group of Sentinels.”  They pointed out.  One maybe if the person knew how to get around the city well enough but even then, once the attention was on you, it was only a matter of time.

A smile crossed their features despite themselves.  They weren’t exactly going to be upset if she backed off from the plan or even if she fell.  A death would be...disappointing but, they’ve moved on from worse.  “It’s not that bad of a jump if you don’t think about it.”  Ren half-shrugged as though it was nothing.  They even demonstrated as they moved carefully to the edge of the second ledge to jump to the next rooftop.  Then they turned to look at Xo.

He never really encountered a ghost - never wanted to, either. The images of demons and ghosts from horror movies burned themselves straight into his mind, and that was already terrifying enough ( though, given his power… perhaps he could make ghosts. he doubted people would throw water at things that moved in the dark. he could make it despicable. utterly maddening. he could make it yell and scream as well. huh. perhaps he could send it to the emperor - induce a heart attack or two ). “Mn, yes. Yes, you’re right. It’s to lure the curious ones to their deaths. I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that, when something in my kitchen falls in three in the morning I do not go check it out.” Probably because it’s Umbra’s doing, rather than a ghost’s. Snorting lightly in amusement at Ren’s following comment, Xian shook his head. “A tad excessive, don’t you think? A boombox. What are you trying to do, propose?” He laughed.

Their words brought a distasteful frown to his face. He doubted the Emperor’s benevolence stretched as far as to actually reward people for capturing that thing. His reward would probably be a knife in the back, while feeding his more praise to distract him. Worked to perfection once before - but, while he may have fallen to his tricks once before, it won’t work the second time ( at least he hoped. though who knows what kind of tricks - other than threats to his parents’ lives - the asshole has up his sleeve ). “I don’t think either one of us wants to make him proud. If this is bad, then just think how much worse it would get if we teamed up and captured that thing - what follows after that is something I’m not keen on finding out.” He commented, more than certain that the Emperor would be anything but proud. Murderous was more like it - either that, or he might actually keep them as a team whenever there’s a monster to be caught. He didn’t know which option was worse. But, Ren spoke again and there was something akin to a soft grin blooming on Xian’s face. “That’s… nice to know.” And it was - he doubted he’d ever live to see someone being protective of him. Normally, people had a tendency to threaten him. “Same goes to you, you know. I can’t really pack a punch, but I can do other things.” He never really tested his paper-men against people. Though, they could probably work as a scare tactic - or a distraction. Or both, if his drawing skills are still up to the task.

“If the emperor could have half of this town’s heads on a platter, he’d throw a feast. We aren’t that special to him, Ren. Tonight is one monster, tomorrow will probably be something else. Maybe aliens appear, or a T-Rex runs loose.” He teased, but it probably wasn’t too far from the truth - well, maybe not the aliens or a T-Rex, but he didn’t doubt that in a few days time, there will be another monster to catch, another threat and another order. So long as no sentinels come his way, he should be safe - and so should Ren, especially with their hiding techniques. Perhaps he should take notes - for the future. Scrunching his nose, Xian frowned at his papers.·“I’ve been over this crap for hours now. It’s not going to get any better, so I might as well finish it now.” Another short pause, before he glanced at his friend.·“Did I ever fight you on anything you instructed? I think the only thing I might fight you on is murder.” Though if the emperor continues threatening me at every step… - the ebbed as suddenly as it had appeared.·

“It’s been shit, but I don’t think that’s any news.” Xian replied, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Piled up with work, I guess. Write this, edit that, chase this story, drop that one… the endless cycle of doing what I’m told, by people who think they know better how to do my job than me.” Not to mention that the people in question came with daggers and any protest from him meant another threat against his parents. So, he long since stopped protesting. “And how have you been?” He asked, smile softening.

Ren had always had trouble putting themselves in others' shoes in the way of understanding how they felt.  Now, for example, they could only think that they would absolutely check to see why something fell in an otherwise still home.  The city wasn't a safe one and when it came down to it, it was better to be cautious than dead.  But, they supposed others were brought up differently and they were more than happy to correct Xian.  "Ghosts aren't real, though.  Humans are ghosts, humans are monsters.  They're what you should be checking rooms for.  They're what's knocking things over."  They opted for a slightly less harsh route rather than snap at him.

They had trouble with that.  Usually, they were sharp-tongued able to cut through anyone if they felt like it.  But, with Xian, they reared away from it.  Damn near shied away from it.  "I am nothing if not an excessive person, Xian, get with the program.  Keep up."  The eye roll earned from Ren was one that came with a fleeting half-smile but, it was more than most people got.  They would also never be the type to knock on a window or announce their arrival in any way.  Much like how they'd never use a front door properly anymore.  They just didn't have the luxury.  Which, as Xian answered them, it brought them back to their last thought.  As long as the emperor was alive, they would never have a life.  Not even a shitty one.  “I wouldn’t let you be caught with me, Xian, that’s child’s play.  Your sentence would be a high price to pay if you were to go down with me,” they offered a more candid look into how things were going, “And so, if ever that were to happen, you should run.  We may not be special but I’ve certainly upset the emperor far worse than you have.  He likes retribution.”

At least, the emperor might like to seek out a little vengeance for the perceived betrayal of one Aizawa Ren.  “I like the idea of aliens, though.  It might be nice to be abducted from here.”  They remembered older sci-fi films from when they were younger, not the names but, the general plot lines.  It seemed like it would at least be less stressful than all of this.  “Take your time, we still have a little bit of time before I can clear us to leave.  -- Are they still having you write that shit?  By now, they could just change the dates and print the same thing over.”

“Well you took it, you aren’t exactly dropping it in a bin. So naturally, it’s now yours,” Astrid said, as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. At least she wouldn’t be burdened with the hassle of carrying it seeing as it already had made it clear who of the two were preferred. As someone who had long lived for the spotlight of attention, this was one that Astrid was willing to back down for. 

“Wouldn’t know,” she shrugged. It certainly wasn’t her problem and a part of her couldn’t help but be amused by the antics. It was an odd picture really. They looked like they were a dump and the jarring image of them carrying a weeping child only painted something almost unbelievably comedic. “If you drop it, you’re just going to make it worse. I don’t want to do any clean up in case the head cracks,” she said clicking her tongue. She wasn’t so much concerned with the act of what they were suggesting, but more so the aftermath. She could already picture herself sighing. She tilted her head, maybe they were right, the child did seem like it was looking for something or at the very least - wanting. 

If Astrid was capable of finding an exit on her own, she would’ve. But it seemed like the two of these people had become an unwanted package deal. Mentally, she was already groaning. She wanted to leap out of the window and wave goodbye but there were too many outlying risks. So she was stuck with them. Another groan. At the very least if things came to the worst, perhaps she could use the other two as props to fake an identity. “You hold on it while I look.” It wasn’t long before she banged through a door, her eyes quick to check the area in case they needed to evade imminent danger. Shortly they came up to an area that looked like a food court. There were still trays of food resting on counter tops untouched and abandoned since the chaos. Astrid attempted to yank the door open to one of the fridges but it seemed to heavy to pull. Before the stranger could cut in with anything, she used the force of her leg to kick up the handle, breaking whatever lock that had kept it in place. At least the alarms hadn’t gone off. She grabbed whatever she could find, from drinks to pie slices to fruit, her arms were filled with food. It was then that the child finally reached toward her, as if to beckon Astrid that they were indeed, hungry. “I have no idea how to do this,” she admitted. “You wanna do the feeding?”

“Haven’t dropped it into a bin so suddenly I’m parent of the year?  Your bar for parenting is horrendously low.  It’s very telling.”  Despite the situation, both with the carnage outside and the way that reflected onto Ren currently; blood had dried on their clothes and a few injuries now marred their overall appearance, Ren would have found this situation a lot more amusing if they did locate the child’s parents.  So far, though, Ren was left to wonder if the parents just so happened to be in the path of the hunters, the Sentinels and the Monster like others had been.  Or, if they were still in the store.  They hoped for the latter but, they’d made enough children orphans to truly hold onto that dim light.

Ren rolled their eyes at her comeback, “Why would you clean it up?”  They hadn’t really thought about it.  Never had to, there was someone else for that job.  Or at least, there was when they were still in that line of duty.  But, they didn’t know this person so, it wasn’t likely that she was thinking of murder when they very much were.  It was hard not to. 

In comparison to both, of course, the child and the woman that they were with, Ren was very tall.  Enough so that they found it somewhat difficult to find an area to hide in that both was out of the camera’s view and away from the windows.  When that was finally found, they chose to remain there.  They weren’t going to follow Astrid regardless.  Now they just had to deal with a child that, now, had no choice but to play with Ren’s hair and they allowed it.  At least this way, it wasn’t screaming.  When she returned, though, they took a moment to place the child on the ground and then sat next to it in an effort to keep it calm.  “Just hand it food, I think it can feed itself.  I don’t know.”  They looked to the child and then back at Astrid.

If the situation wasn’t so dire, Kaz would be sniggering at their words. Hero wouldn’t be the first word to come to mind when she thought about Ren. She didn’t mind that. There was a finite amount of room in her life for people who considered themselves to be heroes. It must be exhausting to live like that - it was certainly tiring enough to keep up with. “You’re in luck then, Hero. I’m definitely a damsel in distress right now.” 

Kaz had always been independent. It wasn’t a fault or a flaw, but a simple fact of who she was. she operated best alone, with very few exceptions. The Madhouse Renegades had changed that. They needed her to be part of a team, and she hated that. If there was one bright side, though, it was the reassurance that came with knowing there were others who could protect her. Ren wasn’t part of that, but she still found herself feeling safer in their presence, less on edge. A Night Monster alone was vulnerable. Two, though? That was a different matter. 

“At least there’s no sentinels nearby.” That was her biggest fear, really. The Night Monster was of little consequence. Kaz wasn’t afraid of her own kind. Something specifically created to destroy those like her was another thing entirely. If she came face to face with one, she knew she’d be as good as dead. Ren had a fighting chance, though. It was a good bet to stick by his side - for as long as he would allow it, at least. 

“What do you think?” Her face twisted into an expression of distaste almost unwillingly. “I’m hunting Monsters, too. I know it’s not my usual scene, but I figure it can’t be too hard, right?” It would be easier to admit that the Renegades had sent her, but she was already in their bad books. Blabbing about their directives would only serve to condemn herself further. “What about you, though? You should be tucked up in bed waiting out the lockdown. Couldn’t miss the drama?” 

“Damsel in distress,” they mused as they tested out how the words sounded and then offered a disinterested half-shrug, “I don’t know.  That phrase and you in the same sentence?  Doesn’t sound right.”  The last thing that Ren wanted to do was accidentally fall for one of Kaz’ schemes so, they chose to remain indifferent until they were either given a specific order that they were happy to carry out or at least, a slightly more clear direction.  They offered a half truth soon after, “But, I’ll bite.  What’s your problem, exactly?”  

Ren instinctively cast their eyes away to where Sentinels might have been if there were any.  She was right, though, there weren’t.  Not right now, at least.  Their muscles had been tensed ever since they had left Vivya’s flat.  This wouldn’t be their last stop but, they did hope that this night didn’t end with their capture either.  If they could help it, the emperor and his lackeys would have no wins tonight.  “For now.  If we get closer to the Monster, then we’ll no doubt be outnumbered quickly.”  They made no sign that they too were a Night Monster, instead, acted as they always had, apathetic as hell to the situation of others.

xo nods on instinct, ready to just leave it at that. her mind was elsewhere, rightly so, trying to focus even with all of the commotion out there. the wail of an aged woman here, the cry of a man in pain there as people try to trample and not be trampled by the masses. a bitter part of herself questions why the night monster decided on such a busy night to escape.

their words bring her attention back, the wiring in her brain processing what they had just said to her. she stares dumbly at them for a second, lips parted as she considered their offer. she knew better than to accept the help of a complete stranger, not when hunters and loyalists — read, traitors — were infamous for blending in with the common folk. but wasn’t it better to have an extra set of eyes and ears to look out for sentinels and hunters than to die cold and alone with no witnesses ? 

‘ uh, sort of, ’  she finally answers. xiomara was just planning on hopping from dark alleyway to dark alleyway until she made it back. preferably without issue.  ‘ okay not really, ’  she corrects. she moves to the side in time to dodge another person and makes a decision.  ‘ i’ll bite, let’s go. ’

Their eyes scanned the area around them before they took a few steps forward.  “Any good at climbing?” They eyed what looked to once have been a temporary ledge meant for painting.  Looked like someone hadn’t finished the job just yet, though.  They climbed first and once they were sure that it was steady enough, they extended their hands down to Xo in an effort to be there in case she didn’t have the stamina.  It was a second thought, they considered left and right to just leave her but, something always held them back.

“Thing about this place is that no one ever really looks up,” they scanned the ledges that surrounded them to see where they could potentially wind up until they found a place, “There’s one jump that you might hate but, once we get to the rooftop, we can get into the building, go down the stairs and we’ll be out of the crowds, I think.”  They were mostly talking to themselves at this point as they tried to decide what their best bet was.  Ren traced out the path with their finger and then turned abruptly before they finally looked to Xo again.

PLAYLIST. HEADCANONS. AESTHETIC. BIO.

NAME : Aizawa ‘Grim Reaper / Ghoul’ Ren.

AGE : 35.

GENDER &. PRONOUNS : Genderfluid & they/them.

SEXUALITY : Panromantic &. demisexual.

LOYALTY : Rogue.

FC: Tony Thornburg.

ROLE & MARK : Night Eagle.

INSPIRATION: Akechi Goro (Persona 5 Royal), Korosensei/Grim Reaper (Assassination Classroom), Aizawa Shouta/Eraser Head (Boku No Hero Academia), Badou Nails (DOGS), Villanelle (Killing Eve).

Everything happened so quickly that Astrid was short circuiting in her responses. She threw them a dirty look, taking offense that they would think she would spawn such an annoying looking creature. “Not my kid, you sure it isn’t yours?” Even though she said spat out her rebuttal with finesse and ease, the crying little shit still wasn’t shutting up. At this rate the two would be caught by the patrol force. Against all that she stood for, Astrid attempted to pluck the child up. 

“Wish this came with an instruction manual,” she held the child by the armpits as its snot began to drip down from its nose. Her apparent disgust was shown immediately. But to her surprise, the child pulled away from her, instead showing preference for their hair instead. A part of her couldn’t help but gloat, “looks like they like your hair.” She gladly shoved the thing into their arms. They child was still sniffling and sobbing. She needed to find something to shut it up and she looked around the department store to see if there was something she could use. 

And that’s when she found a toy car. She remembered her own childhood when she loved it. She gave it to the kid but to her dismay, the brat threw it onto the ground throwing her the stankiest eye she had ever seen. “If it wasn’t a child,” she seethed, imagining the numerous ways she would have dealt with it. The lights were starting to dim and it was a sign that the building would eventually be locked down soon. Shit, if they were locked in, there would be no time to escape the next day and at that point, she’d be caught and thrown into jail. Their time was limited. Just as she was accessing the situation, the child proceeded to shriek louder. “Do something!” she hissed at them. 

-

The screams made Ren wonder how anyone could go through with having a child.  Even regular crying was too much for them but, this was hell.  “Why the fuck would this be mine?”  They inquired, as though this person would suddenly know the ins and outs of Aizawa Ren, the ex-assassin that currently hid in places as strange as the Black Sun church.  Of course she didn’t.  The kid looked like it could be anyone’s when it’s face was red and tear-stained, eyes squeezed shut as they tried to simultaneously gain her attention as well as theirs.

“Why is it so gross?”  They had trouble imagining themselves like this as a child.  Instinctively, though, they moved away as the child tried to grab at their hair that seemed to have found it’s way out of the hair tie that they had borrowed.  They assumed it had snapped somewhere between the running, the scaling walls and now, entertaining a toddler in a fucking furniture store.  “If this thing shits it’s pants, I’m dropping it,” they warned as though somehow that would effect the very person who had shoved the child into their arms, “Maybe it’s hungry?”

“Well you move like one. Climbing windows and being so quiet while you’re at it.” Xian mumbled - though he could hardly blame them. The once-assassin had a rather spectacular falling out and now there was a price put on their head as well ( he wondered was there anyone in this blasted empire who didn’t have a price upon their head. maybe every single citizen has some sort of bounty upon them. that would certainly explain the blind loyalty - no one is blindly loyal unless their necks are on the chopping block. ). “Just give me a shout next time. Yodel. Throw rocks or something, because I’m one more fright away from keeling over.” His voice softened, taking on a lightly teasing tone to relax both of them - himself from the adrenaline slowly ebbing away, and them from being so tense all the time.· Not that he was surprised by it - he himself was awfully tense these days; well, these years seemed more like it.

Ren’s words brought a dry chuckle to his lips. “In theory, yes. But, the sirens also instruct everyone caught outside to hunt the thing themselves while they’re at it. I figured it’d be safer for me, less entertaining for the beast and highly disappointing for the Emperor if I just stayed here and avoided the streets altogether. Lived to see another day, you know. I’m certain his illustrious majesty would be thrilled if I failed, or gotten myself killed, or disobeyed his rules, and I still have enough spite left in me to not make his job easier for him.” His words were a quiet bite, aimed at the demon who always hovered over his head, like a stench of rot you can’t wash out no matter how hard you scrub, or how much you try to veil it with perfume.

Xian frowned, pausing for a moment before arching his eyebrow in question. “Are you saying you knew I would be here? Am I becoming that predictable?” He asked, curious to know if they’ve been at the bar to look for him there, first. His frown deepened, however, and he tilted his head to observe his friend. “True, but it’s less safe to be out now. I don’t have to tell you how many Sentinels will be dispatched to hunt for whatever it is they’re looking for. It’ll be difficult to move quickly while avoiding them.” Well, maybe not for Ren, but he’s not as skilled. If he had the will to draw, maybe he’d dispatch sentinels of his own. A bunch of paper eyes here are there, strategically placed on the walls on the buildings down the street from his office to his flat, spying for enemies - his enemies.

But, he hadn’t had the will to draw in a very long time, his power turning so dormant he wondered if it was still there - wondered if he could still feel it; but, now’s not the time to find out. “Maybe we should stay here, Ren. Until the street clears and then we can go to my place. If you need somewhere to stay low, that’s the last place they’re look.” Though he wondered how Umbra would react on them - for the same reason of keeping her safe, he never brought any of his friends to his flat. He doubted anyone but himself knew of her existence.

-

They had perfected that when they were younger.  A child on the streets of the Gutters had to do what they could to survive.  Eventually, that just graduated young Ren burglary as was natural for someone of their caliber.  “Don’t people usually hear ghosts?  Their footsteps down stairs and all that.”  Still, they had earned the nickname ‘Ghoul’ so they supposed the description was still an apt depiction of them.  Made sense that the emperor was quick to put Ren on blast, too, since it would be easier to flush them out rather than try to find them quietly.  They were trained to go undetected; to never be found.  “Next time I’ll be sure to throw some rocks, hold one of those really old boomboxes over my head and scream you a song, would that suffice?”  They were being facetious, but the point still stood.  It was better that they not draw attention to either of them even if it meant a temporary moment of panic on Xian’s part.

“If you’re going to listen to the emperor then, yes.  Technically, one of us could take the thing down and we’d truly make him proud, wouldn’t we?”  Not really, Ren had a distinct feeling in their gut that there would be no peace if they made themselves known.  And Xian was better off keeping his head down.  They were quiet then and even for a few seconds after which was quite uncharacteristic for someone who otherwise typically worked among shadows and silence.  But, not around Xian, they spoke their mind loudly and often around him.  “Don’t be ridiculous.  If it came down to that, I’d have to be dead to allow for that.  You’ll be fine.”  And eventually, they hoped that Xian would find an exit.

Ren hadn’t realized just how much others didn’t think of their own moments.  They supposed they’d noted it in amusement in the past but, Xian truly didn’t seem to think that others could easily take notice.  How those with less than kind intents might realize the paths he took to and from the office; the times he arrived and the times he left.  It was as easy as a few nights scoped out.  “It’s not that bad, actually.  I’ve moved around most of the night and trust you me, if the emperor could have my head, he’d arrange a feast.”  He could only imagine how he’d react to the night monster that was also on the loose.  At least Ren stood a chance being held captive and tortured for a while before their demise.  What was currently on the loose likely didn’t.

🜂

Vivya smirks slightly, thinking either they were messing with her or Sukja had found a new recruit, and she made a mental note to tease her about her ever expanding army. Still, she plays along. “Yeah? Gonna try to spread the true god?” She rolled her eyes at the thought, narrowing them as she looked over at them. It wasn’t like they actively kept in touch when they were around, but she had been surprised by the radio silence that seemingly had occurred. Clearly, something else happened. She wasn’t nosy or sympathetic enough, but curiosity won out. “Seriously, what happened? We’ve never gone dark for that long.” She frowned slightly, taking a look at their appearance. What happened?

“And you’re right. But,” she shook her head, sighing loudly. “You can stay over. Just don’t make a mess.” She gave them a pointed look, glancing at the stuff they were putting back but her tone was lighter, showing she was kidding about the last part at least. “I don’t think anyone else will show up.” Hopefully at least, but her dearest fucking husband liked to play host it seemed. So the remainder of her peace resides in the whoever went through that door next. 

Vivya’s jaw set, rolling her eyes as they called her out. “Okay, fine. Where did you hear it from? It’s a long story.” She knew no one was about to know, but she had her exceptions. If Bibek was still alive, even he wouldn’t know. “Yeah, I noticed.” She raised a brow wondering what exactly happened. She figured it was similar to her, only she wasn’t running. She should, but at least her gloves were advanced enough to look and feel like her own hands when she wore them. So, she could pretend everything was normal, even if everything was falling apart. “Yeah maybe if you used conditioner.” She snorted, grinning as she gestured towards the stairs. “Which you’ll use here at least. And then you can eat.” Part of her was being genuine, the other part knew she’s earned a favor in the future and if Ren was mostly the same still, she would be able to use one from them. Taking a sip, she rolled her eyes. “I know, it’s annoyed. The sirens could stop. Next tie you could call or something. Obviously some shit’s happened so you’re in some sort of trouble, aren’t you? Wouldn’t want to get dragged down with you.” Her way of showing concern, at least.

-

Ren had never been a believer in anything, much less be the type to join any church.  Granted, though, they were certain that a fair few of Sukja’s followers believed that they too were a part of the church.  It was the way they often trailed behind her, the Holy One, which typically was only to chastise her for whatever risky thing she had attempted or had fully done.  They kept their feeling to themselves, never one to allow others a peek inside their life.  At least, not usually but, lately, things seemed to slip through the cracks.  “Yes, Vivya.  I’ve been saved.”  They replied with a firm expression.  It was hard not to laugh though, the corners of their lips threatened to pull up but they remained as serious as ever.  Their expression did fall though with a loud sigh when she chose to continue her line of questioning.  “Nothing happened.  I mean, expect for whatever the fuck is going on outside.  Shit’s crazy, huh?”

Anything to not answer her.  Sometimes, though, she made it almost too easy to change the subject.  “I can always leave, especially if you’d rather be alone in your marital bliss.  Speaking of, where is the husband?”  They probably should take up her offer, though, as they thought of the amount of Sentinels that would be out.  The church was far away, too.

“If I told you my source then I would no longer have a source.  It’s going to spread like wildfire, though.  I mean you, Vivya, are married.  That’s huge news in a city like this.”  They wondered briefly how things might change once the news was officially out.  It wouldn’t be long before people recalled the closeness of Ren, the emperor’s assistant, and Vivya, either.  They made a mental note not to stop by so much, to make sure that she wasn’t caught in the eye of the storm if something were to finally happen because of them.  Eventually, they knew they would likely be caught.  Vivya wasn’t one that they wanted to take down with them.  “Why are you being so weird?  I’m a little bloody and bruised but I don’t need to eat or a shower, I’m good.  I was just making sure that you weren’t torn apart in the streets.”  They had thought that they’d layered enough to make up for any weight loss but, perhaps they hadn’t done enough.  Nevermind the eyepatch, couldn’t really explain that away. Another sigh left their lips.

Hot Potato

Location: Ikea ? (An establishment thats basically Ikea)  Ft: @niighteagle​

Astrid had quickly decided to stake out at the furniture store, choosing to huddle behind the large items as everyone else was trying to run out. Logically it was a dumb choice but she doubted the sentinels would be trying to scan through the interior of a store at a time like this when the monster outside was tearing up the streets. The only thing she had to be concerned (for all she knew) were the cameras that were tracking movements. Luckily she was able to dodge the machines with the use of her power, evading stealthily as she searched for a potential closet of some sort to stick herself in. 

Just as she was on her way through the children’s section of the gigantic department store, a familiar figure appeared. She knew their silhouette, one that had often been in the company of the imperial palace. An ally of sorts to the Emperor. But damn did they look like absolute shit. She felt like her stomach was plummeting, but not the fun sort of thrill like the times she’d willingly throw herself off a building, instead - it felt like she was going to puke. They were going to kill her now weren’t they? This was the end. 

Until a babbling cry came from what looked like a ball pit. A child no older than two years old was crying and it came running to them, their hands grabbing the night eagle’s leg. So there really was a God, Astrid thought. 

“Well, don’t mind me,” she side stepped, glancing around for alternative routes. And that’s when the child started screaming. Oh they were both so very fucked. 

-

Ren had thought they were thinking logically when they entered the store.  Their thought process had been to stay where the store was more crowded, where they could get lost within the aisles and not be noticed.  They would have a short window, though, especially given their current budget which was nothing.  They couldn’t make any purchases even if they wanted to.  Which, by the look of what the store had to offer, they would probably pass even if they had the amount of money that they had tragically left behind.

They had also miscalculated how many people would be in the store.  So far, they saw one vaguely familiar person and as Ren stepped forward to ask her for the time, they felt something grip their leg.  They didn’t exactly look themselves, they weren’t even a little bit put together, not to mention the injury their leg had sustained.  But, when they glanced down at what pulled gently at their leg, Ren stared at the child.  Puzzled, they looked up to see her move away.

Why he had decided to stay in the office when the sirens blared was, frankly, beyond him. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been strange if he actually liked the place - but, he resented every nook, every cranny, every pristine fucking white wall that always felt like they’re just one inch closer to his desk, every time he’d come back to it. He wondered if this was how caged animals felt - how poor butterflies felt caught in a jar, or pinned to the wall, for children to admire one day, and completely forget them the next.

He felt like he was caught in a jar - a pretty, financially stable jar. It was perfect, simply delightful - had it not have been for the price on his parents’ heads, should he ever step out of line - or actually attempt to write in his own words. Painting and drawing was had been out of question for four years now - part of him wondered if he was still good at it. If he still had the gift - but, fumbling with his wristwatch, tugging at it to glance at the tattoo, he sighed. Still there. He wasn’t sure if he was glad or mortified about it - so, instead, he forced himself to stop thinking about it altogether, his dark gaze returning to the stack of papers in front of him; endless notes, and equally endless corrections.

Xian was barely ever satisfied with his work anymore. Maybe he was a perfectionist, or maybe it was his own discontent which poured out of his carefully composed appearance. He longed for the time when his articles meant something, when he was free to write and draw and dream. Now, the only dreams he had were nightmares. Frowning over a particularly eloquent paragraph, the journalist squinted wondering if the crap he wrote even made any sense at this point. Why make any sense, when they will dictate what he can and cannot write anyway?

He wasn’t as aware of his surroundings as he should’ve been ( you’d think he’d have learned by now ) and when a voice spoke behind him, he jumped in his seat, yelping as he rotated the chair to see if there’s a knife - or a gun - pointed at his head. A familiar face greeted him with a lazy smirk and he let out a soft exhale. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Xian hissed, but there was no bite to it - in fact, once the initial surprise and terror went away, he was quite happy to see them. “Normally I would be, but the blasted sirens trapped me here. What are you doing out? It’s not safe to be out there.” He frowned, giving his friend a quick one-up, checking for any sign of distress or wounds.

-

Well, they certainly made an unlikely pair, the journalist and the assassin. A dark frustration quickly corrected their own mind with ex-assassin as a secondary measure because lest they forget their own fall from grace.  Almost two months had gone by since their hasty decision to leave their post and there still rumbles within them of defiant reluctance to really accept that they were no longer who they once were.  Who they had spent years cultivating and becoming.  What they once possessed in jewels and gold was now replaced with shadows and emptiness.  So many other lives were also torn apart from not only the mark but, the emperor.  Eyes looked toward the familiar set of features before them now to think of yet another marred by the misfortune of the emperor’s existence. 

It was never-ending and if they were anyone else, they would be crushed under the weight of everything that has transpired.  Of all the contracts they had carried out willingly and more so over, happily; of the people who they knew personally whose lives had been turned impossibly around by such a horrendous system.  Instead, they barely reacted beyond an attempt to survive within the Gutters once more, a fight they had long forgotten and had hoped that they would never have to face again.  Until someone else rose up, they would continue to do what they were already doing: protecting those that they cared to protect.

Cared wasn’t even the right word, they felt it was mostly tied to their honor and at this rate, they had precious little else to hold onto.  “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.” They commented as they crossed their arms, still leisurely leaned against the wall.  Half of them was prepared to rush out the window if someone dropped by unannounced and the rest was ready to drop if anything came through the window.  To be on alert every second of every day had become taxing on them but, they had no other choices.  Ren’s eyes cast downward as they thought about what was said and then chuckled.  A half-shrug later and they looked back at Xian.

Despite her attempt to toss away her followers, there was still a sense of pride every time she spoke the church’s name and those recgonized it. She had built this, on lies and deceit, yes but built from rumble and forged high nonetheless. There was a spark inside her belly each time their eyes lit up at the offer of safety. Her mind so aloof, it knew no humility, only success. Eyes gleamed as she recongnized theirs; a savior wrapped in an executioner. 

“You know you need to believe in order to climb.” Her voice far too lighthearted in the moment of chaos that surrounded Million’s Square. The idea painted a funny picture in her mind, them preforming the ritualistic chants and dances she had orchestrated. She could never see a soul such as theirs participating in something so fivilirously tied to the concept of social bonding and passage through life. Oh, but it was fun to imagine. Sukja found a strange comfort, if not amusement, in her associate’s opinions of her cult. There was little doubt that she shared those notions. It was after all a mere facade grown from a tiny sapling to a monstrous invasive forest. And yet, no one stopped her? Her friends, or whatever relationship she may have held with these people, they just continued to let her play. An interesting interpertation of the individual’s selfish behavior and humanity’s disillusioned detachment from the past of small hunting gather groups due to thousands of years of population booms. Too often did she get caught up in the thoughts of why.  

“I can’t do that.” Not yet, she couldn’t miss this opportunity to see whatever it was the sentinels were chasing. It could be the next step, the missing puzzle piece to make her church interesting again. Or perhaps, even pawn the Black Sun off to them. Not that, that notion would be easy in any means but it was a fanciful idea that swayed through her mind the few times a new night monster walked through the doors. Instead, her followers stuck to her like glue. She’d become the mouse in the trap. 

Either way, whatever monster was stalking the streets tonight was an asset. But more importantly, she knew the rebels would want it too. She could play that into her favor. At the very least, if she didn’t get her hands on it first, hopefully someone on their side would. “What if it’s hurt already, and weak?“  Her voiced was hushed against the darkness, the streets had emptied but Sukja could never be too careful in the streets. Her worries and care carefully created to aid in the mask she wore. The crowd gone, all that could be heard was the whoosing of flying sentinels, red scans illuminating back alleys and the night sky. She felt a rush of excitement, and with Night Eagle there, a wave of safety. “We should look. At the very least, I’ll look on my own.” 

-

Religion and Ren didn’t exactly mesh well.  Their upbringing consisted of one that left that out completely and unless money counted, there wasn’t much else that Ren really believed in.  The world worked the way it did because of the wealthy.  There were no gods nor any holy testimonies that would make them think differently.  Money did the talking in their world and if people had to escape to Sukja’s church in order to survive, they supposed that they couldn’t blame them.  But, they would never be able to fully go down that route.  Perhaps if it wasn’t Sukja, they could masquerade and manipulate their way in.  But, she knew them.  

And, in turn, they knew her.  “The next time I’m asked to help out with chores about the Church, I’ll make sure to inform everyone that non-believers don’t have to participate.”  They retorted.  Ren came and went from the church often, but, they rarely spoke to anyone involved fully with the going-ons there.  They didn’t want to.  They didn’t want to hear people rejoice about the teachings that came from Mags; from Sukja herself.  The holy divine.  The very idea caused them to physically force themselves not to roll their eyes in a moment that didn’t situationally call for it.  Especially since they weren’t exactly a fabric of kindness for Sukja to soak in warmth from.  They existed to keep her safe, not to inform her of their impolite feelings as they pertained to what she liked to call a church.  They found it harmful to give people hope the way she did.

But, no one ever asked them.  “Yes.  You can.”  Their voice took on a grimly serious tone as they stepped forward.  “In fact, you have to.  You aren’t safe out here.”  Even if she wasn’t supposed to be dead, even if she wasn’t one of the emperor’s targets, technically no one should be out here at a time like this.  Her next question caused a puzzled expression to etch into their features though as it dawned on them.  She meant to help whatever currently plagued the streets.  A kind consideration but a daft one, they thought.  They scoffed, “And what, you’re going to take it down yourself?  Or are you just hoping I’ll follow you just as I always do?”

Closed starter for @niighteagle​

Time stamp: 13th November 2180, post-sirens

Location: The rogue Night Monster’s Trail

Kaz pads lightly through the deserted streets. Any sentinels had long since gone from here, congregating around the center of Millions Square. That was where the Monster seemed to be heading, after all, and that was exactly where Kaz had decided she did not want to be. She wasn’t about to throw herself in the path of danger unless she had no other choice. 

Her first thought had been to run. To go home, lock herself behind guilded doors and wait for it to pass. The Madhouse Renegades had preempted that, though. We’re watching you, Kazemi. Get the fuck out there. It was an order she couldn’t disobey, not without getting creative. 

Instead of heading to where the Monster was likely to be, Kaz had doubled back, following its trail from a safe distance. The sentinels had long since moved on, but nobody could say she was doing nothing. Her fingers ghosted over a street light, twisted and burned and still smoking. The metal was hot, and she drew her fingers back quickly, a hiss escaping her. 

It was then she realised she wasn’t alone. Somebody else was stalking the path of The Monster. Perhaps they, too sought safety, or perhaps they had a more pressing matter in mind. “Hot on the trail?” She asked, a low chuckle escaping her as she turned to face Ren. “We’re a bit late, I think. Far too late to save the street light, anyway.” 

There was nothing beyond damning curiosity and a few vague concerns that had Ren out and about.  They had no wish to be in the middle of things, they didn’t plan to help nor hurt the Monster that just about everyone seemed to be on the trail of.  They, on the other hand, kept as far as possible from the action.  If they moved too close, it was likely that even a sliver of the focus might pass onto them.  Of which they had no intentions to allow that to occur.

They also had nothing else to do, though.  They didn’t have a home to stay hidden in and they had no orders to follow which effectively left them with nothing.  Having served someone so obediently for so long, it was only in times of crises that Ren realized that they had truly forgotten how to think for themselves.  Instead, they had to think on the fly, not really sure what they wanted to do nor even wanted they wanted.

“You know me,” their eyes didn’t meet Kaz’s, instead they focused their vision to where they thought they had heard something, “I’m just out here to play hero.”  Their voice was flat which only further supported how sarcastic they were.  They did want to see if the Monster was laying waste to the area, though; if there was any carnage or chaos that would lay in it’s wake.  After all: what was the point of labeling it a Monster if it didn’t behave like one?

“Yeah.  I can barely hear anything.”  Right now, this Monster seemed more like an escaped animal that was finally free of its cage.  Which bored Ren deeply, especially since they had thought that given the sirens, that this might be the end of everything.  Now, that sounded exciting.  “What the fuck are you even doing out here?”

🜂

“For fucks sake…” Vivya murmured, hearing Ren’s voice. How long had it been, and now they were here showing up in the middle of this… bullshit? She couldn’t care less there was some monster out there, so long no one suspected her of being one as well. The Sentinels had her on edge, but she was hoping that she was safe in the penthouse. Turns out, she had more company. Great.

Exiting the study, she stepped through the place before finally finding Ren, with her arms crossed. “Where the fuck have you been?” She ignores their wedding comments yet she makes note to chew out Darius for spreading it somehow, because of course it had to be his fault. Never mind the fact people talked, or that Kaz was there, or that there were legal records. Fuck, she needed a divorce. “How convenient of you to show up now of all times.” She wasn’t really angry though, despite her usual demeanor. In fact, she was glad they were okay, but what the hell? 

Waking up, had began to feel like she was stuck in a bad time loop, but much worse. More people were clearly finding out, and while it was no one of much importance, the fact Ren heard was making her nervous. If this got out, what was next? She could deal with her parents not approving of her choices, she knew Izna and Kiran would have plenty to say but this was more than that. Bibek would’ve never been in her position, he would’ve never even been around someone like that, and it felt like every time she put out one fire, another would ignite.

Speaking of which… “Who told you that? It’s a lie but I could destroy them for spreading slander.” Her eyes narrow at them slightly before her nose scrunched up. “You look like shit.” She stepped towards them, but kept moving to the liquor cabinet where she poured them both out a glass of whiskey, handing them the other glass. “How did you even get in? The world is ending out there.” She scoffs, though she’s amused as she nods her head at them. “You didn’t get caught did you?” Obviously not, but that was her being concerned. A rarity so few were rewarded with.

Vivya wasn’t the first person that Ren had on their mind when the sirens went off.  They were more concerned with others, people who they weren’t certain could make it completely on their own if something went awry either with Sentinels or with what lurked out there still.  Which wasn’t to say that Ren had complete and utter faith in Vivya, in fact, they were certain that if she had to live off nothing for a month the way Ren had, she wouldn’t make the cut.  But, still, they had a feeling she could kick some ass and that had to count for something in all of this.  “You won’t believe this but I’m actually been at church.  Found religion, I’m a new person.”  That was both a lie and, tragically, the truth since they’ve been staying with Sukja when they needed somewhere to go that wasn’t the Gutters.  There were only so many places where they weren’t actively being hunted down one way or another.  People didn’t exactly welcome them with open arms usually.

“I would actually categorize this as an extremely inconvenient time,” they mindlessly began to mess around with some of her things, picking up a few knick-knacks before placing them back, more or less, where they belonged, “But, don’t worry.  Anyone shows up here and I’m out.”  They weren’t about to take anyone down with them.  Unless it was Charles, then they’d probably consider it for kicks.  It was only that they smiled a little at the joke in their head that they realized that they hadn’t actually told Vivya anything.  Not about leaving their post, what was underneath their eye patch, not even nearly dying in the Gutters before being unceremoniously rescued.

location/time: million’s square, minutes after the announcement status: open

sirens never sounded louder than in the night. the warning echoes in the streets, bouncing off the walls and vibrating within the trails of people spending the evening out. as the patrons in the bar fall silent with the announcement, xiomara among them, she thinks deeply about what it really means. the sentinels are on the hunt and a monster — a person — is in danger. 

once the recording fades, the bar keep motions to lock the doors but not before xo springs up and shoves out into the street. the bar keep yells after her but doesn’t pull her back to safety. she doesn’t offer much of an explanation, only focused on making it across the district and back into the tunnels so she could go monitor the security cameras. the renegades need to get the the night monster first. 

luckily she’s not the only one scrambling in the square, many trying to rush into various buildings for shelter and bumping into one another. she stops at an intersection as a sentinel passes overhead and tries to map out a way to get home without getting caught. a force pushes her forward to get past and causes her to slam against someone else in the process.  ‘ fuck, ’  she gasps,  ‘ sorry, are you alright ? ’ 

Whatever passed as fleeting hope for Ren had been ripped from them as they surveyed their surroundings.  It wouldn’t be long before Sentinels closed in on this area, especially with the promise that the Monster might find it’s way through the city sooner rather than later.  If there was any logic within the ‘creature’ at all, it might think to stay where there are civilians rather than the outskirts or anywhere less populated.  Less likely to be out right now. -- their line of thinking was interrupted by an inner thought, however.

‘Not an it and lest we think of the mark under your eye,’ their limbic system sounded like whirring machinery caught on a rusted piece of work which caused a frown to pull the corners of their lips down as they moved toward the shelter that another area of the square might provide.  They couldn’t stomach it, though, Ren already saw themselves as a different type of monster anyhow.

They looked ahead a little too late, though which caused them to walk directly into someone who seemed to be equally as aware of their surroundings.  Ren’s elbow smashed into the wall behind them as a result but, they worked through the pain silently.  “Physically, yeah, I’m swell so don’t sweat it,” they looked around and then considered for a moment leaving her behind before they felt a pull back at that thought -- there was no way their newly formed sorry-excuse-for-a-conscience would allow it -- “You got a way out of here? If not, follow me.”