Aṅgulimāla

you hear a knock on your office window late into the night; far too late for anyone to reasonably be awake. you don’t have to turn to realize that it’s Arias - who else would be at the outside, three stories up, in the dead of night. in his arms is something clearly fragile wrapped tightly in a pink blanket

yeah.. it is. bit early, but of a surprise, but she’s here and she’s perfect

"An excellent idea," Victor said, picking the child up carefully from Arias's arms. He carried her over to the couch and I'm un-swaddled her to carefully roll her hips for signs of dysplasia, gently probe her soft skull, inspect her umbilical cord for proper healing (assuming that she had one,) and check her vitals.

uh yeah, he kinda gave birth outa shock when he found me dead in the living room after Saddler killed me

Victor smiled and shook his head, picking up the infant and walking downstairs with Arias to a proper exam room with equipment for weighing and measuring a baby.

Arias trailed behind the doctor, climbing railings and hopping supply carts in an attempt to keep eye level with his baby girl. and he may or may not have been glaring at every staff member that came across, but who could say for sure?

"How do teenagers know anything?" Victor said offhandedly. "She must have seen it on social media."

Arias didn’t know what “social media” was, but he didn’t like the idea of it. he had managed to pick enough glass from the front of his chest and arms to hold his daughter again. was everywhere else still covered in the stuff? yes, head to toe - literally

"Of course, but let me get a wire brush for all of the glass, first. I can't believe that everything happened so quickly..."

Happy Pride, younger followers! My conversion/egg/whatever gayass timeline goes as follows:

Victor wasn't convinced at all that he was looking at a true human being. Whatever it was, when he switched to his thermal lens, it did seem to be running a little warm. His forked tongue flicked out from between his dark, cracked lips, and yuck! The smell only confirmed it for him. Still, the thing had piqued his interest, so he payed for the large stuffed rabbit he'd been buying for Chloe and he began to follow it.

"Fascinating..." Victor muttered.

Helios moved before settling on a balcony on the second floor. He took off his shirt and discard it nearby. A smooth black material covered his back, starting from just below his shoulder blades, wrapping around to the sides of his waist, and tapering out at his hips.

Victor watched, his hulking figure silently crouched down in a nearby window (save, perhaps, for the creak of his leather clothing.) He took the time to switch to his digital lens, observing any visible joints, listening for the whirr of machine components, flicking his tongue out again to gather a more detailed scent profile of this artificial creature.

Helios flopped onto his stomach, spreading out across the cracked tile like a cat in the sun. There didn't appear to be any visible joints as he spread out. The synthetic skin spread across his body and the firmer shell on his back and around his waist stretched and shifted as skin should.

Victor's digital lens zoomed in on the frayed tips of its fingers, and he tilted his head to one side curiously.

Helios yelped, sitting up ramrod straight. He hastily gathered up his shirt and throwing it over his head. Its mask clattered to the floor, and it scrambled to grab that too, covering its face with an arm while it struggled to worm the other one through the other sleeve.

On instinct, Victor's eyes flicked to one side beneath his visor while the digital lens continued to record everything. Once the entity had made itself "decent," Victor looked back at it and smiled, revealing two rows of uneven gold teeth.

Helios stared for a moment, body heat going up a degree or two. He fidgeted with his mask again, just for something to do with his hands.

Victor sighed softly, his smile remaining. "No, it isn't, Helios. Under normal circumstances it would indicate that you're in danger. Luckily for you, I mean you no harm..."

Victor cocked his head to one side again as he watched it grow indignant, his grin widening. Ohhh, it was cute. And brave. He wanted to pick the little darling up and... And what? See if it was ticklish? Dismember it with surgical precision and put it back together? Squeeze it in his arms while nuzzling its cheek? There was no telling with Victor, really.

Helios huffed, backing off. For now. It felt overheated, overclocked. The scent of hot dust filled the air.

Victor listened to Helios until it trailed off, the uncertainty and outrage so powerfully radiating from it that Victor could almost taste its emotions. This was simply too much of a treat!

Helios blinked owlishly. He was quiet for a moment, guard slowly dropping. The smell of hot dust faded as its body cooled. It moved slowly, hand gripping the edge of its mask. It pushed it up to the top of its head.

Victor smiled, blinking slowly as his pupils dilated somewhat. He reached out cautiously, not wanting to startle the poor dear, and gently brushed the tips of his fingers against its split lip.

The smell of hot dust came back as Helios heated up again.

Victor stood up straight and nodded, placing his visor back onto his face. "Why yes, I am volunteering." He produced a business card with the address to the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center on it, along with his name and his title as director.

Helios seemed disappointed. He stood up straight too, clearing his throat - or at least making an approximation of the noise. It yanked its mask back down over its face.

Victor pressed the card into one of Helios's hands, holding it in both of his for a second. The warmth of this inorganic creature was so inviting against his lukewarm skin. He could have picked him up and squeezed him...

Victor wasn't convinced at all that he was looking at a true human being. Whatever it was, when he switched to his thermal lens, it did seem to be running a little warm. His forked tongue flicked out from between his dark, cracked lips, and yuck! The smell only confirmed it for him. Still, the thing had piqued his interest, so he payed for the large stuffed rabbit he'd been buying for Chloe and he began to follow it.

"Fascinating..." Victor muttered.

Helios moved before settling on a balcony on the second floor. He took off his shirt and discard it nearby. A smooth black material covered his back, starting from just below his shoulder blades, wrapping around to the sides of his waist, and tapering out at his hips.

Victor watched, his hulking figure silently crouched down in a nearby window (save, perhaps, for the creak of his leather clothing.) He took the time to switch to his digital lens, observing any visible joints, listening for the whirr of machine components, flicking his tongue out again to gather a more detailed scent profile of this artificial creature.

Helios flopped onto his stomach, spreading out across the cracked tile like a cat in the sun. There didn't appear to be any visible joints as he spread out. The synthetic skin spread across his body and the firmer shell on his back and around his waist stretched and shifted as skin should.

Victor's digital lens zoomed in on the frayed tips of its fingers, and he tilted his head to one side curiously.

Helios yelped, sitting up ramrod straight. He hastily gathered up his shirt and throwing it over his head. Its mask clattered to the floor, and it scrambled to grab that too, covering its face with an arm while it struggled to worm the other one through the other sleeve.

On instinct, Victor's eyes flicked to one side beneath his visor while the digital lens continued to record everything. Once the entity had made itself "decent," Victor looked back at it and smiled, revealing two rows of uneven gold teeth.

Helios stared for a moment, body heat going up a degree or two. He fidgeted with his mask again, just for something to do with his hands.

Victor sighed softly, his smile remaining. "No, it isn't, Helios. Under normal circumstances it would indicate that you're in danger. Luckily for you, I mean you no harm..."

Victor cocked his head to one side again as he watched it grow indignant, his grin widening. Ohhh, it was cute. And brave. He wanted to pick the little darling up and... And what? See if it was ticklish? Dismember it with surgical precision and put it back together? Squeeze it in his arms while nuzzling its cheek? There was no telling with Victor, really.

Helios huffed, backing off. For now. It felt overheated, overclocked. The scent of hot dust filled the air.

Victor listened to Helios until it trailed off, the uncertainty and outrage so powerfully radiating from it that Victor could almost taste its emotions. This was simply too much of a treat!

Helios blinked owlishly. He was quiet for a moment, guard slowly dropping. The smell of hot dust faded as its body cooled. It moved slowly, hand gripping the edge of its mask. It pushed it up to the top of its head.

Victor smiled, blinking slowly as his pupils dilated somewhat. He reached out cautiously, not wanting to startle the poor dear, and gently brushed the tips of his fingers against its split lip.

The smell of hot dust came back as Helios heated up again.

Victor stood up straight and nodded, placing his visor back onto his face. "Why yes, I am volunteering." He produced a business card with the address to the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center on it, along with his name and his title as director.

you hear a knock on your office window late into the night; far too late for anyone to reasonably be awake. you don’t have to turn to realize that it’s Arias - who else would be at the outside, three stories up, in the dead of night. in his arms is something clearly fragile wrapped tightly in a pink blanket

yeah.. it is. bit early, but of a surprise, but she’s here and she’s perfect

"An excellent idea," Victor said, picking the child up carefully from Arias's arms. He carried her over to the couch and I'm un-swaddled her to carefully roll her hips for signs of dysplasia, gently probe her soft skull, inspect her umbilical cord for proper healing (assuming that she had one,) and check her vitals.

uh yeah, he kinda gave birth outa shock when he found me dead in the living room after Saddler killed me

Victor smiled and shook his head, picking up the infant and walking downstairs with Arias to a proper exam room with equipment for weighing and measuring a baby.

Arias trailed behind the doctor, climbing railings and hopping supply carts in an attempt to keep eye level with his baby girl. and he may or may not have been glaring at every staff member that came across, but who could say for sure?

"How do teenagers know anything?" Victor said offhandedly. "She must have seen it on social media."

Victor wasn't convinced at all that he was looking at a true human being. Whatever it was, when he switched to his thermal lens, it did seem to be running a little warm. His forked tongue flicked out from between his dark, cracked lips, and yuck! The smell only confirmed it for him. Still, the thing had piqued his interest, so he payed for the large stuffed rabbit he'd been buying for Chloe and he began to follow it.

"Fascinating..." Victor muttered.

Helios moved before settling on a balcony on the second floor. He took off his shirt and discard it nearby. A smooth black material covered his back, starting from just below his shoulder blades, wrapping around to the sides of his waist, and tapering out at his hips.

Victor watched, his hulking figure silently crouched down in a nearby window (save, perhaps, for the creak of his leather clothing.) He took the time to switch to his digital lens, observing any visible joints, listening for the whirr of machine components, flicking his tongue out again to gather a more detailed scent profile of this artificial creature.

Helios flopped onto his stomach, spreading out across the cracked tile like a cat in the sun. There didn't appear to be any visible joints as he spread out. The synthetic skin spread across his body and the firmer shell on his back and around his waist stretched and shifted as skin should.

Victor's digital lens zoomed in on the frayed tips of its fingers, and he tilted his head to one side curiously.

Helios yelped, sitting up ramrod straight. He hastily gathered up his shirt and throwing it over his head. Its mask clattered to the floor, and it scrambled to grab that too, covering its face with an arm while it struggled to worm the other one through the other sleeve.

On instinct, Victor's eyes flicked to one side beneath his visor while the digital lens continued to record everything. Once the entity had made itself "decent," Victor looked back at it and smiled, revealing two rows of uneven gold teeth.

Helios stared for a moment, body heat going up a degree or two. He fidgeted with his mask again, just for something to do with his hands.

Victor sighed softly, his smile remaining. "No, it isn't, Helios. Under normal circumstances it would indicate that you're in danger. Luckily for you, I mean you no harm..."

Victor cocked his head to one side again as he watched it grow indignant, his grin widening. Ohhh, it was cute. And brave. He wanted to pick the little darling up and... And what? See if it was ticklish? Dismember it with surgical precision and put it back together? Squeeze it in his arms while nuzzling its cheek? There was no telling with Victor, really.

Helios huffed, backing off. For now. It felt overheated, overclocked. The scent of hot dust filled the air.

Victor listened to Helios until it trailed off, the uncertainty and outrage so powerfully radiating from it that Victor could almost taste its emotions. This was simply too much of a treat!

Helios blinked owlishly. He was quiet for a moment, guard slowly dropping. The smell of hot dust faded as its body cooled. It moved slowly, hand gripping the edge of its mask. It pushed it up to the top of its head.

Victor smiled, blinking slowly as his pupils dilated somewhat. He reached out cautiously, not wanting to startle the poor dear, and gently brushed the tips of his fingers against its split lip.

Ashley Graham peered out the bars on the windows in the locked church Lord Saddler had thrown her into. She given up any dream of rescue, but hearing a commotion outside had given her a shred of hope. A chainsaw might be enough to free her, regardless of the hands that wielded it. 

The wooden chair wobbled under Ashley as she tried to get a better look through the stained glass window. Just when she caught sight of a flicker of movement, the chair's unsteady leg shattered. Slamming into the stone ground with a thud, Ashley bit out a curse as she forced herself to her feet.

Ashley Graham... Victor was certain that he'd heard that name before, but where? It eluded him at the moment, but it was enough to keep him from simply walking away and inflicting more suffering and vengeance upon these cultists and their presumptuous leader.

"I don't know. One minute I was on my home from college for fall break. I don't know what happened, but I woke up here."

Victor scoffed. "Hardly," he said. His voice was genteel, almost sibilant, as he spoke to the girl through the door. "Their leader and his trifling endeavors are of no interest to me. No, my dear, I'm not with them."

Victor wasn't convinced at all that he was looking at a true human being. Whatever it was, when he switched to his thermal lens, it did seem to be running a little warm. His forked tongue flicked out from between his dark, cracked lips, and yuck! The smell only confirmed it for him. Still, the thing had piqued his interest, so he payed for the large stuffed rabbit he'd been buying for Chloe and he began to follow it.

"Fascinating..." Victor muttered.

Helios moved before settling on a balcony on the second floor. He took off his shirt and discard it nearby. A smooth black material covered his back, starting from just below his shoulder blades, wrapping around to the sides of his waist, and tapering out at his hips.

Victor watched, his hulking figure silently crouched down in a nearby window (save, perhaps, for the creak of his leather clothing.) He took the time to switch to his digital lens, observing any visible joints, listening for the whirr of machine components, flicking his tongue out again to gather a more detailed scent profile of this artificial creature.

Helios flopped onto his stomach, spreading out across the cracked tile like a cat in the sun. There didn't appear to be any visible joints as he spread out. The synthetic skin spread across his body and the firmer shell on his back and around his waist stretched and shifted as skin should.

Victor's digital lens zoomed in on the frayed tips of its fingers, and he tilted his head to one side curiously.

Helios yelped, sitting up ramrod straight. He hastily gathered up his shirt and throwing it over his head. Its mask clattered to the floor, and it scrambled to grab that too, covering its face with an arm while it struggled to worm the other one through the other sleeve.

On instinct, Victor's eyes flicked to one side beneath his visor while the digital lens continued to record everything. Once the entity had made itself "decent," Victor looked back at it and smiled, revealing two rows of uneven gold teeth.

Helios stared for a moment, body heat going up a degree or two. He fidgeted with his mask again, just for something to do with his hands.

Victor sighed softly, his smile remaining. "No, it isn't, Helios. Under normal circumstances it would indicate that you're in danger. Luckily for you, I mean you no harm..."

Victor cocked his head to one side again as he watched it grow indignant, his grin widening. Ohhh, it was cute. And brave. He wanted to pick the little darling up and... And what? See if it was ticklish? Dismember it with surgical precision and put it back together? Squeeze it in his arms while nuzzling its cheek? There was no telling with Victor, really.

Helios huffed, backing off. For now. It felt overheated, overclocked. The scent of hot dust filled the air.

Victor listened to Helios until it trailed off, the uncertainty and outrage so powerfully radiating from it that Victor could almost taste its emotions. This was simply too much of a treat!

Victor had to expand his network of informants in order to find the man—the magical teenage girl had, as usual, turned out to be unreliable and emotionally compromised—but at last, he'd found the man responsible for inflicting pain on his Arias. They were scarcely the same flesh and blood, but Victor's friends were few, and the boy did have a child on the way, after all.

Victor wasted no time, launching himself at one of the cultists and impaling him on the chainsaw and lifting him off the ground Vlad-style.

Saddler stopped walking long enough to glare at the man holding the chainsaw, his eyes flicking down to the remains of the first cultist on the ground.

Victor lopped off the head of the second cultist, too enraged even to savor the slight snag of the spinal cord meeting the whirring teeth of the chainsaw.

Saddler immediately kicked Victor in the chest, jumping off of him and out of his grip. He adjusted his robes and held his staff in a defensive position.

Victor seized the staff, attempting to wrench it from Saddler's grasp.

"Whatever do you mean? I've done nothing."

Saddler might as well have been punching and hitting an ancient oak tree for all the good that it seemed to do him. Victor's assault had only been half-planned, but he was, after all, a nemesis-y, and a very aggrieved one at that.

Saddlers expression dropped in disappointment when Victor broke the staff, stepping back and examining his own bloody knuckles.

"He is under my protection," Victor corrected him, cracking his neck bones with a sneer. "For that reason, you will undo whatever you've done to him or you will die!"

Saddler got punched once- twice- his jaw bones crunching against each other.

Victor seized the mutated limb, testing its strength before attempting to snap it off of Saddler's body.

"He got himself involved."

"If he killed one of your deadbeats, then they probably deserved it—" he snarled in pain as Saddler took a bite out of him, stepping back to retrieve his chainsaw.

Saddler spat out the flesh in his mouth, surprised Victor was almost as vile as him. He saw the chainsaw and readied himself to dodge it if Victor were to swing it at him.

"What I possess is far superior to your oversized mountain tick!" Victor growled.

Victor closed in on Saddler with a roar, going for one of his limbs. He would have aimed for the neck, but this robed charlatan needed to suffer first.

He tried to step aside, but it was too late.

Victor killed the motor on the chainsaw momentarily, wondering just how badly he'd need it. His ears were ringing, thanks to that terrible whistle.

After about 10 incredibly tense seconds, loud buzzing could be heard in the distance. Dozens of giant bugs were approaching, almost as large as Victor.

Victor batted away the first few of the pests, looming closer to Saddler. His parasite had its target marked, had its prey identified, and it was still standing.

One of the Novistadors(the bugs) landed in front of Saddler, letting him climb on its back.

Victor was furious to see his prey, his enemy, make a getaway.

Victor wasn't convinced at all that he was looking at a true human being. Whatever it was, when he switched to his thermal lens, it did seem to be running a little warm. His forked tongue flicked out from between his dark, cracked lips, and yuck! The smell only confirmed it for him. Still, the thing had piqued his interest, so he payed for the large stuffed rabbit he'd been buying for Chloe and he began to follow it.

"Fascinating..." Victor muttered.

Helios moved before settling on a balcony on the second floor. He took off his shirt and discard it nearby. A smooth black material covered his back, starting from just below his shoulder blades, wrapping around to the sides of his waist, and tapering out at his hips.

Victor watched, his hulking figure silently crouched down in a nearby window (save, perhaps, for the creak of his leather clothing.) He took the time to switch to his digital lens, observing any visible joints, listening for the whirr of machine components, flicking his tongue out again to gather a more detailed scent profile of this artificial creature.

Helios flopped onto his stomach, spreading out across the cracked tile like a cat in the sun. There didn't appear to be any visible joints as he spread out. The synthetic skin spread across his body and the firmer shell on his back and around his waist stretched and shifted as skin should.

Victor's digital lens zoomed in on the frayed tips of its fingers, and he tilted his head to one side curiously.

Helios yelped, sitting up ramrod straight. He hastily gathered up his shirt and throwing it over his head. Its mask clattered to the floor, and it scrambled to grab that too, covering its face with an arm while it struggled to worm the other one through the other sleeve.

On instinct, Victor's eyes flicked to one side beneath his visor while the digital lens continued to record everything. Once the entity had made itself "decent," Victor looked back at it and smiled, revealing two rows of uneven gold teeth.

Helios stared for a moment, body heat going up a degree or two. He fidgeted with his mask again, just for something to do with his hands.

Victor sighed softly, his smile remaining. "No, it isn't, Helios. Under normal circumstances it would indicate that you're in danger. Luckily for you, I mean you no harm..."

Victor cocked his head to one side again as he watched it grow indignant, his grin widening. Ohhh, it was cute. And brave. He wanted to pick the little darling up and... And what? See if it was ticklish? Dismember it with surgical precision and put it back together? Squeeze it in his arms while nuzzling its cheek? There was no telling with Victor, really.

Victor had to expand his network of informants in order to find the man—the magical teenage girl had, as usual, turned out to be unreliable and emotionally compromised—but at last, he'd found the man responsible for inflicting pain on his Arias. They were scarcely the same flesh and blood, but Victor's friends were few, and the boy did have a child on the way, after all.

Victor wasted no time, launching himself at one of the cultists and impaling him on the chainsaw and lifting him off the ground Vlad-style.

Saddler stopped walking long enough to glare at the man holding the chainsaw, his eyes flicking down to the remains of the first cultist on the ground.

Victor lopped off the head of the second cultist, too enraged even to savor the slight snag of the spinal cord meeting the whirring teeth of the chainsaw.

Saddler immediately kicked Victor in the chest, jumping off of him and out of his grip. He adjusted his robes and held his staff in a defensive position.

Victor seized the staff, attempting to wrench it from Saddler's grasp.

"Whatever do you mean? I've done nothing."

Saddler might as well have been punching and hitting an ancient oak tree for all the good that it seemed to do him. Victor's assault had only been half-planned, but he was, after all, a nemesis-y, and a very aggrieved one at that.

Saddlers expression dropped in disappointment when Victor broke the staff, stepping back and examining his own bloody knuckles.

"He is under my protection," Victor corrected him, cracking his neck bones with a sneer. "For that reason, you will undo whatever you've done to him or you will die!"

Saddler got punched once- twice- his jaw bones crunching against each other.

Victor seized the mutated limb, testing its strength before attempting to snap it off of Saddler's body.

"He got himself involved."

"If he killed one of your deadbeats, then they probably deserved it—" he snarled in pain as Saddler took a bite out of him, stepping back to retrieve his chainsaw.

Saddler spat out the flesh in his mouth, surprised Victor was almost as vile as him. He saw the chainsaw and readied himself to dodge it if Victor were to swing it at him.

"What I possess is far superior to your oversized mountain tick!" Victor growled.

Victor closed in on Saddler with a roar, going for one of his limbs. He would have aimed for the neck, but this robed charlatan needed to suffer first.

He tried to step aside, but it was too late.

Victor killed the motor on the chainsaw momentarily, wondering just how badly he'd need it. His ears were ringing, thanks to that terrible whistle.

After about 10 incredibly tense seconds, loud buzzing could be heard in the distance. Dozens of giant bugs were approaching, almost as large as Victor.

Victor batted away the first few of the pests, looming closer to Saddler. His parasite had its target marked, had its prey identified, and it was still standing.

Victor wasn't convinced at all that he was looking at a true human being. Whatever it was, when he switched to his thermal lens, it did seem to be running a little warm. His forked tongue flicked out from between his dark, cracked lips, and yuck! The smell only confirmed it for him. Still, the thing had piqued his interest, so he payed for the large stuffed rabbit he'd been buying for Chloe and he began to follow it.

"Fascinating..." Victor muttered.

Helios moved before settling on a balcony on the second floor. He took off his shirt and discard it nearby. A smooth black material covered his back, starting from just below his shoulder blades, wrapping around to the sides of his waist, and tapering out at his hips.

Victor watched, his hulking figure silently crouched down in a nearby window (save, perhaps, for the creak of his leather clothing.) He took the time to switch to his digital lens, observing any visible joints, listening for the whirr of machine components, flicking his tongue out again to gather a more detailed scent profile of this artificial creature.

Helios flopped onto his stomach, spreading out across the cracked tile like a cat in the sun. There didn't appear to be any visible joints as he spread out. The synthetic skin spread across his body and the firmer shell on his back and around his waist stretched and shifted as skin should.

Victor's digital lens zoomed in on the frayed tips of its fingers, and he tilted his head to one side curiously.

Helios yelped, sitting up ramrod straight. He hastily gathered up his shirt and throwing it over his head. Its mask clattered to the floor, and it scrambled to grab that too, covering its face with an arm while it struggled to worm the other one through the other sleeve.

On instinct, Victor's eyes flicked to one side beneath his visor while the digital lens continued to record everything. Once the entity had made itself "decent," Victor looked back at it and smiled, revealing two rows of uneven gold teeth.

Helios stared for a moment, body heat going up a degree or two. He fidgeted with his mask again, just for something to do with his hands.

Victor sighed softly, his smile remaining. "No, it isn't, Helios. Under normal circumstances it would indicate that you're in danger. Luckily for you, I mean you no harm..."