* AGONY'S EMBRACE.

          PERHAPS IRONICALLY,     Terumi doesn’t want to deal with anyone high-maintenance. Too much effort? Yes. Hypocritical? Yes. So his eyebrow quirks as she mentions her little checklist of the unpalatable, though he remains guarded with his opinion… for now.

His eyes don’t linger away from her for too long. The unblinking stare finds its way back quite soon, and with it, a forked tongue peaks from his lips to swipe at the top one. That grin of his, recognizable even in pitch darkness, returns.

     “ Feelings. ”

He lets the word sit, lets it linger like a weight, a car dropped on a scale. A drop of lead in the drinking water. But, he doesn’t leave it alone for too long. He has his reasons, which he gladly expounds on.

     “Think about it,” he begins, “You join up with a bunch of nasties aiming to do bad. You wanna start some shit, short or long term, but then someone ends up catching feelings. Not necessarily the mushy kind either, but the positive kind, you know? The kind that makes you think ‘hey maybe this guy won’t betray me’! And then sike! 

     “Going into the deal completely selfish is the only way to go in my opinion. You have a goal in mind, but the second it looks like the other guy is better off gone? Done-zo. And it doesn’t ruin shit if you don’t trust whoever you’re working with, if you ask me. You just go about shit with a healthy dose of pragmatism.

He nods, agreeing with himself.

     “What say you? You don’t strike me as the type who’d ‘networking’ for the sake of finding her future spouse.”

“ but of course,” she purrs. “ it’s only natural to do things for yourself, and no other. ”

she is a creature of pure impulse and violent want, of total liberation from any boundaries, and yet -- and yet, this city is a shared hunting ground, no matter how much she dislikes it. she is not strong enough to secure a territory, not strong enough to defend it as she would like to, with teeth and claws and mutilated examples of those of her kind that would step on her toes.

she runs the tip of her tongue over her fangs, genuine displeasure perfectly hidden under a saccharine smile. 

“ i’m so happy to have found a kindred soul, ” she says, audible but lower, tone from deep in the back of her throat, rumbling in her chest, “ it’s such a shame -- our captors won’t let me get to know you for real. ”

her expression doesn’t change, but magenta flares in her shifting eyes, overpowering the gold for a moment as she blinks, once, twice, and then it’s gone in a split-second as she rests back against the seat, letting out another sigh.

“ but you’d do the same to me, wouldn’t you? stab me in the back without a second thought. rip me to pieces, if you wanted to. ”

all fixations must end, eventually, discarded when boredom sinks in and the last usefulness of the obsession is a final, glorious high. claws carve ragged streaks into her perch as her grip tightens, like a knife through butter -- razors through flesh. 

hey everyone! a bit of an update on my situation: life has really taken the wind out of me recently (as i’m sure you’ve heard before, but, things have been fluctuating a ton) but im gonna try and get to some replies and such today & put out a starter call of some sort, or a mini.

     The simple weight of Evelynn upon her shoulder was enough to incite more of those bubbling, uneasy feelings of attachment. She shouldn’t feel at all, much less for someone who represented all the darkness Ahri had attempted to purge from herself, and yet she did. Perhaps that darkness was part of the attraction, but Ahri was not clean of it herself. No matter how much white you added to black, you still got more grey. It was better she accept as much, and simply allow herself to experience the colors she so loved as well. And oh how Evelynn brought colors to her life, rich and tempting.

     Ahri’s gaze met Evelynn’s and she shuddered with excitement, and a lust for the life she’d been leading at her side. The tug of her tresses a likewise engagement of her senses.

     “When have I even been boring, my dear?” Her voice was smooth, sultry, as she indulged the thrill of this moment. Angling her head so her lips could rest at the corner of Evelynn’s lips, Ahri whispered her next words in the same tone. “I can offer even more than the war waging out there.” 

evelynn’s lips split into a sneer, and she nips lightly at ahri’s lower lip without the force to break skin. 

( even as she wants to. to lay claim to her, indisputable, unquestionable. her pet, her plaything, bearing her mark in a way that was impossible to miss. if she bites, will ahri bite back? )

the idea sends a frisson of anticipation through her as she chews on it, thoughtfully, and lets her eyes drift down all the while. would it hurt, she wonders, even with her barely-physical everything? 

“ ooh, you’re bold, tonight. you know I like that. ”

and, oh, ahri is so confident in her own abilities, and evelynn hates it. loves it. feels something about it, stronger than most things, a pull at her soul that draws her closer and makes her want to protect ahri, or sink her claws into her and tear her into so many bloody pieces so that no one could ever have her again, the final claim that she’s laid down time and time again. so frequently, so easily, so habitual.

( if she did that, would ahri claw back? -- yes. oh, yes, she would. )

but imagination is a poor substitute for reality, and gnawing hunger is forever at her side, a hole that is never filled. it yanks her back from idle thought, now and always. she can dream all she wants, but the reality is that she is still unsatisfied, and it begins to ever so slightly dampen her mood.

fingertips on the surface of ahri’s cheek, claws pricking skin, drawing her in close. evelynn accepts her offer, or, if not that, calls her bluff -- the silent threat is there in her smile, in her eyes, in the unspoken ‘and if you don’t, then’ that hangs between them as plain as anything.

“ little fox, ” she softly scolds, still smiling, “ if you understand what I am, you know not to make offers you can’t fulfill. ”

( or maybe ahri is only promising what she knows to be possible. -- and wouldn’t that be wonderful? )

   Ichigo took her posture as enough of a sign she was safe to approach the other. Her ears flicked, “I don’t know if I’d call it a habit. But isn’t it natural to try to help others in need?” She said it as if that was the most obvious answer in the world. It made perfect sense in her mind after all.

   She moved as she spoke, settling down on her knees beside the other. A chime echoed from the bell decorating the large bow tied to her tail, a soft pink light soon began to glow from her hands. If nothing else, Ichigo had been able to put some practice into her healing magic over the last few days. Enough, at least, that she felt confident in being able to deal with a wound like this. She quickly got to work.

   “Hm.. I don’t think this’ll take that long to heal. That’s good!” Especially with how awful the sky was starting to look. The last thing they needed was to get suddenly jumped by something a lot worse than just mist walkers.

evelynn wants to laugh at her -- so clear is her purpose, so bright her intent, only slightly marred by that familiar crisscross of fractures beneath the surface, those weakpoints in spiritual armor that call for her to dig into them, opening them from slits to gashes until there is nothing.

but she doesn’t. 

-- not now, anyways.

instead, she lays back, reveling in the familiar feeling that is her shadow-flesh knitting itself back together, dark calling to dark, outer layer reforming so that she stops spilling out of herself.

“ natural? -- maybe not. but it’s normal for you. ” she says it simply, without malice, even as she marvels at ( and is disgusted by ) her savior. 

child -- do you not have anything you want? -- badly enough to betray yourself?

( but children are simple, and if there is nothing there yet, she is as she seems. how terrible. fortunate then, that the world is not comprised of simple children infested with such juvenile altruism. )

then, her usual demeanor slips back, easy as putting on a glove. 

          NETWORKING.

Well, that gave them something in common. In fact, much of what this woman espoused struct Terumi as rather familiar. Feeling limited by this plain, perhaps even frustrated. Though, for him, being here was less frustrating and more infuriating. He could test the waters on how much she felt the same.

After she takes her drink, he nabs the glass back, immediately taking a large swig from it himself. The burn of potent alcohol is a welcome shock he’s been inviting more and more lately.

     “Couldn’t agree with you more, seriously! You really sound like someone who’d know what she’s about.” His gaze fixates on her claws for a moment, analytical. “They’ve limited all of us here, the bastards. How’s a guy supposed to make the masses suffer if we’ve been gimped, you know? So even if you’ve got a lot of pride, teaming up’s just the smart way to do shit.

     “That being said though…” His look turns serious. He isn’t watching her anymore, instead fixated on something in his mind. “There’s always one thing that ruins these little get-togethers. Know what it could be?”

she lets him retake the drink without argument, the light of mischief in her eyes and a serpentine smile crawling across her face.

she loathes sharing what should be rightfully hers -- her territory, her victims. it sets her jaw stiff and provokes an animal impulse to dig her talons into anything that’ll give -- but she hides it all under that mask of practiced casual manner, relaxing into leaning her weight on one arm as she searches his face ( he’s strangely guarded, not like mortal men -- she wonders how his terror shows, if at all. )

“ i can imagine a number of things that would spoil my appetite -- in fact, ” she says, with an over-dramatized yawn, “ the list is too long for me to say. ”

he looks away -- not often does that happen, and she’s almost annoyed, but he’s focused on something else now, something that makes his stare go almost vacant.  

“ not much further, then. may i lead? ”

without waiting for an answer, she vanishes into the trees, the only trail left to follow being the sound of her laughter in the mist.

it’s a dance, a hunt of sorts; evelynn doesn’t look over her shoulder to see if ahri pursues -- she can feel her there, just behind, and so the demon remains always a step ahead, delighting in their playful chase. life is not on the line, nor anything else of consequence, really; but the farce is entertaining enough for now, a prickle at the base of her neck rather than the all-consuming blaze that a true hunt ignites.

she stops, eventually, at a sizeable clearing. wildflowers strain to escape the fog that blankets the ground, and the sound of water over rocks is the undertone to the myriad sounds of small creatures around them -- other noises too, unidentifiable and strange, filtering in and out of perception.

ahri breaches the surrounding brush, and evelynn’s shade curls around her like a snake, speaking into her ear with a half-corporeal chin on her shoulder. her intonation remains low, sonorous, soft enough that only ahri can hear.

“ can you feel it, my little fox? this place breathes magic -- it’s perfect. and i -- we -- can make it our own, soon enough. ”

little by little, those shadows manifested into a more physical presence, one which saw the observer’s smile spread almost theatrically. truly a monster indeed had broken from her dark shroud of ambiguity to emerge as something whole, and that wholeness was terrifying to say the least. alas he did not feel inclined to fret, instead extending his arms in a gesture of welcome as though she had made her way through the entrance to his abode. 

“ ah, there you are. you will forgive my rudeness, one can never be too careful conversing with shadows after all. i imagine they hear and know a great deal more than their counterparts. “ 

a bow; grand and deep as one arm moved to tuck before his chest, the other fixed behind his back. “ allow me to spare you the trouble of your guessing games, evelynn. i am emet-selch. a pleasure to make your tantalising acquaintance, i am sure. “ true names and false names mattered not, for the world was a constructed sort thus he would weave whatever truth for himself which he saw fit. for now, the ascian returned to full height, a smile still present upon his face as he resumed that slouched manner with which he stood.

“ and what of those other people? a big bad shadow like you probably has a whole slew of great names, hm? “

twirling a lock of hair around one claw, she offers a nod of acknowledgement.

“ no no, darling -- the pleasure is mine. ”

for a moment, her smile seems almost genuine in its faux-innocence; it fades immediately when she loudly exhales a drawn-out sigh, lips downturned into a small pout.

“ great? i’m not so sure about that -- i never asked for any of them, really, but humans are always ready to give. i must admit -- i’m flattered by your interest in my reputation, emet-selch. ” 

that same claw slips from her hair, rises to her lips in mock thought, and her eyes flutter shut as she pretends to recall her many titles.

“ now, let’s see... i’m ‘munya’ to those who roam the deserts, or, if you favor less elegant things, ‘the shrieker’ to the undercity. ‘evelynn’ came first, as far as i know; so i’m ‘evelynn’ for now. ”

a pause, before she opens her eyes, and continues, “ well, most of the time, anyways. being tied down isn’t exactly my idea of a good time, especially to things as meaningless as names. ”

an easy shrug, and a wink.

( and underneath her comfortable casualness, she’s not sure if she likes him or not. he’s too at-ease -- too sure of himself, and that puts him on the knife’s edge between intriguing and infuriating. )

          WHEN HIS DRINK IS TAKEN, he gives her a look, squinted eyes and a scowl as he makes no attempt to hide his disdain. But, instead of making an effort to get it back, he cocks his head before taking on a more proper seated position. Slouched back, legs spread wide, looking not unlike a mob boss. Despite his annoyance, this woman seems to have a good idea of what really constitutes a good time. Might be worth an interview.

     “I don’t have to prove shit to you. But if you wanna WATCH… I’ll see if I can get some popcorn. Or shit, maybe some marshmallows to roast over the bodies.” He grins again, mostly at the image he’s conjured up. 

     “That said… I feel ya, I really do. Fake shit is so damn annoying. Grandstanding, dog and pony bullshit that can’t put its money where its mouth is? Gag me. If you’re gonna say you APPROVE of my idea of a fun time… I wanna know what you’re about.” 

she doesn’t bother to hide her laugh at the look he gives her; it comes throaty and low as she smiles around the rim of the glass, lips pulled back to show needle-point teeth framing the black void between them.

“ you are quite the gentleman, and i do so appreciate the offer. being a spectator wouldn’t be so bad. ”

she takes note of his change in posture ( while sipping the drink that she stole ) with a silent air of interest -- and a sigh when he asks for her credentials ( really, is this a job evaluation? though she supposes here, her reputation doesn’t precede her. )

“ well, ” she says, dragging clawtips against the glass, “ i happen to be a woman who values a bit of chaos in her life -- torment, specifically, really. ” a frown flickers onto her lips as she continues, more flatly, “ though as of late, i’ve found myself distinctly... limited. so, what is someone to do but find like-minded individuals to bring some color back to their day-to-day? -- of course, it’s been a while since i’ve done, hm -- ” 

         “A fucking cease fire, really? I mean they almost turned this place into a morgue that makes shit so boring!”

Terumi’s in a lounge, the kind of lounge that one would expect the patrons to be mannerly in. But, these were no normal customers. The Chillin’ Villain hosted its fair share of vile folks, some of whom almost matched him in bastardly deeds. So as he sits, no, squats on the black leather seat, drink pinched between two fingers, and loudly gripes about the rules here, his normally obnoxious presence doesn’t feel too out of place.

    “I don’t want a morgue, that means the fun’s over, you know? Morgues are what I want to fill, then torch as the occupants slowly realize they can’t escape!” He pauses to sigh. “Drinks here aren’t bad though.”  And with that, he takes another sip of his.

@preyallure is a real villain !

“ now, now. who would mix the drinks if you burned this all to the ground? i, for one, find socializing quite fun. ”

it’s her element, really; loud music, dim lighting, warm bodies -- and even without shifting her shape, evelynn wears shadows well as she perches on the edge of the seat and makes to pluck the glass from terumi’s hands ( wearing, of course, only the sweetest of smiles. )

“ indulge yourself when and where you can -- and maybe, some other day, you can show us all your talent for arson. ” 

she rakes bright eyes over his crouched form before continuing.

she blinks at him, owlishly, from the dark, then pulls back hidden lips to reveal dazzlingly white fangs, crooning, “ you’d ask a lady’s name before telling her your own? tsk, tsk -- and you’re going to instruct me on manners? ”

shadows crawl across her skin, liquid droplets of inky black that retreat from a cloak to mere swatches -- revealing a form that is less vapor and more flesh, though the crooked grin remains.

      “Yes, less pointy indeed.” Young was perhaps not the best way to put it. New. Yes that was a lot better. Newer, less experienced. Yet even now, years later, the demon had only really grown in regards to better hunting methods, what gave her more pleasure. She hardly changed at all. Though, in the time they had known of her, perhaps from her perspective they never had as well. What a funny concept time was.

      Still, it had always amused Lamb how similar the demon acted in some ways to her dear Wolf. An existence lived moment to moment, hunt to hunt, no cares about the past, only running forward. It was so very much unlike herself. She remembered everything. Every face, every moment, every life brought to an end, she recalled all of it.

      As such, as far as Lamb was concerned, she really would not refer to it as worry. Let alone poor priorities. Mortal wars would always come and go, it was such the nature of life that conflict would arise. the Kindred had no doubt of that.

      Still, there was a laugh from Lamb at the others words, even though it was one which held no true emotion. She shot forth more arrows across the battlefield with practiced aim. “The saying is ‘nothing lasts forever’, no? We are simply having our fun.” She glances at the body laying in shreds at her feet. “Just as you are having yours.”

she’s known death for as long as she’s known consciousness; not as an eventuality that dogs her every step, but a familiar companion, one that comes to collect what she creates ( annoyingly, consistently often. ) the world around them has shifted, but the demon and the kindred remain the same; death can only touch what is not already set in stone, and they were whole from the moment they came to be. 

“ some things last forever, ” she says, with a crooked grin, “ though never anything quite as enjoyable as war. ”

unfortunately. -- maybe it will, someday.

but here is a unique opportunity; too often, death is a bothersome finality, one that cuts short her every endeavor -- but now, with their adversaries endless, every creature that is torn to shreds by wolf’s teeth or silently dispatched by lamb’s arrow will be replaced ( and they come in so many varied shapes, a shifting mass of forms that ends up being delightfully unpredictable. )

in this moment, now -- they are aligned. for some greater purpose chosen for them, maybe, but the act of defending their continued existence need not be dull.

evelynn stands, and, with mock-formality, extends lamb a blood-smeared hand, smiling sweetly.

   This was not their home. They had no attachment to it, no reason to fight. Yet, as soon as they felt their power return, a familiar joy ran through the hunters. The way they moved across the battlefield now it was as if they had always belonged here among the furious heat of battle. The countless emotions of the mortals around them pulsing through the air like a beautiful sympathy. Desperation, anger, fear, joy, the names of countless who would be and would never be, they could feel it from all of them now, ringing as clear and as loud as a bell. 

   They found her as they frolicked across the battlefield with bow and teeth. Yet for once they did not stop to approach her directly, the Kindred dancing around the area where Evelynn hunted until Wolf leaped forward to end the life of one of the creatures that had been standing before the demon, crimson ribbons torn easily from it’s exposed throat. 

   “How nostalgic.” Chimed Lamb, another arrow fired at a monster which came running towards Wolf, perfectly finding its mark. “We met in a place such as this oh so long ago. You were so young then. Look at you now.” 

   “LOTS MORE POINTY BITS!!”

@preyallure / s.c

to be in contact with life -- sensation -- at its most desperate, fleeting -- that is the only way for her to be alive. 

evelynn finds her home in the frenetic violence, waves after wave of the hordes in all shapes streaming into the space -- rent and impaled by her lashers and her claws, alight with otherworldly energy, her face split in a wolfish grin.

it is a dance. one fluid motion executes one, stretching into a lunge that sends her slamming into the chest of a bipedal creature with reptilian features. its jaws snap shut with a snarl in her face, and evelynn returns the gesture with a guttural sound of her own -- from deep in her being, drawn-out and satisfied as she finds purchase on its chest and curls her claws to tear into its organs.

only the clarity of lamb’s voice brings her back from that instinctual brink, knowing nothing but her immediate surroundings and the conflict rising to a fever pitch around her -- she sits back on her haunches to see the ethereal hunters trailing through their own dance as one.

how odd that she cannot remember when they met. 

-- the past doesn’t stick well with her, her mind composed of the moment-to-moment highs that she rides on, cresting and falling, always looking for more. back then, she was easily overstimulated -- nearly blinded by the brilliance and intensity of mortal wars, but now, even this neverending stream is only temporary, just like the rest.

she wants to get lost in it, because she knows that.

evelynn puts enough strength onto the beast under her claws that she hears its ribs crack with a satisfying shock, and replies, without even tearing her eyes away from the way the unnatural light in its eyes fades,

   The sky was burning. Things were about to get really bad, really soon, but even if Ichigo’s powers were dampened here, it wasn’t in her nature to sit back and do nothing. People were gonna fight, they were gonna get hurt, and Mew Strawberry was going to do everything in her power to help out in any way she could.

   The sight of the creepy shadowy lady did startle her for a moment though.

   Mist Walkers? Sure. Evil dark lords hell bent on taking over the world? Standard fair. Ghosts though…

   A visible sigh of relief escaped her as soon as the lady said she wasn’t a ghost. A bright smile and a bubbly attitude once more reclaiming her features.

   “I guess it is pretty rude to yell like like that, sorry!” It was only then her gaze wandered down to the woman’s wounds. (Those were wounds right? After calming down from the initial scare, Ichigo was able to notice pretty quickly the other certainly didn’t look all that happy.) Okay, so sure, this lady still looked pretty spooky. But her whole ‘help in anyway she could’ thing still applied even here. Besides, never judge a book by its cover!

   “–Are you hurt?” She took a step forward, tail swaying behind her, “Um…I can help you if you’d like. I know some healing magic.”

there’s no lie in those words -- not one she can immediately taste, anyways, even with all of the girl’s spirit laid out before her. she’s open, unguarded in a way children often are; the simplicity is almost refreshing, really, because she doesn’t have to waste time digging deep. 

-- evelynn blinks owlishly, and, after a moment, slowly offers the girl her wounded arm, wordless, studying her face all the while.

if she can help, she should help -- no reason to refuse assistance freely given.

she shifts, fluidly, to be sitting upright against a tree -- settles into her new position comfortably with her elbow balanced on one knee. a sort of half-smile reveals the white crescent of teeth against the rest of her shade as she murmurs,

“ are you always this eager to befriend things you find in the shadows? that’s a dangerous habit, child. ”

( but she doesn’t withdraw. evelynn remains there, vulnerable, expectant, lashers curling and uncurling on the ground beside her, restless just like the burning sky. )