shylarah

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

I dunno how late I'll be up, but I kinda plan on going as long as I can. I'll be sure to say something before I go to bed, and if you would be so kind, I'd appreciate you doing the same. <3

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

The young man was shocked that Lya seemed...embarrassed? Maybe she felt like she was intruding? "Uh, not right now, sorry." His heart gave an unpleasant lurch at her disappointment. "It sounds interesting though, so...um, maybe later?" Jareth found himself hoping that he sounded awkward, instead of ambivalent.

---

The instant Nunque's probe made contact, the jagged barrier reacted. His lure was attacked, even as he shoved it deeper. But that wasn't all. Instead of trying to force it away, vines shot out to grab it, yanking it close and trying to ensnare the man's mind as well. The best defense was a proper offense, and the probe's outer layer was shredded in an instant. The cloak was skillfully done, and it protected the cargo inside, but the way Amuné's barriers snapped the probe into pieces and hacked at even those, it was hard to tell just how much had reached her. And for the moment, there was no time to worry about it, because the writhing vines studded with long and vicious thorns were wrapping around the thought he'd used to send it, trying to pin it down and follow it back to him so the younger Seer could launch an attack of her own. His sense of the future could show what would happen, if she caught him well enough to mount a proper offensive. There would be no request to leave, there would be no warning shot. She would abandon all but the most basic of defenses in a moment and devote herself to destroying him, letting herself get hurt in the process. A reckless and foolish tactic when it was one's mind at stake, pointing at underlying fear and desperation. Nor would she stop, not until she found herself unable to continue, be it due to impregnable defenses, loss of her target, or injury to herself so severe that she could no longer attack. Only a miracle would convince the girl that he meant no harm.

---

"Well alright. You be careful, cutie." Cera's tone as she watched Orion get to his feet was concerned instead of flirty. "And next time you go, take someone with you. Several someones." She watched him leave with a faint frown.

Dr. Thomas was not in sight when he left the room, but the one he'd called Illia was, sitting in a chair in the hallway with her head tilted back to lean against the wall, the faint wings she'd exhibited before nowhere to be seen. Now that he could get a proper look at her, it seemed like she was in considerable pain herself. She opened her eyes and gave the ghoul a gentle smile at his thanks. "I shall tell Evintarin and the doctor of your words, but you owe me nothing, and Evin would agree, were he not currently sleeping. Fare you well." She tilted her head back again as he headed off.

@TheMinorFall

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

@TheMinorFall Fighting back was never a question. =P So it works to some extent, but not as well as he'd like, and might not be clear. <3 *scurries to write*

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

@TheMinorfall I figured he went with, and then back down later, but given when Cain showed...yeah, fair enough. Alrighty then, Orion was never there. <3

Tempted to have Amune shred the whole prod, but seems like you'd like it to work. *waffles* She's absolutely paranoid about anyone getting into her head, though. So you pick. Let Nunque have his fun, or go with your initial plan?

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

"You can come in," the young man called from beyond the door. When the door opened, Jareth looked surprised, but he grinned. He was sitting on the bed, Amuné curled beside him with her head in his lap. The girl didn't react to the new arrival. "Oh hey, Lya. What's up? Don't mind her, she's just...troubled, I think." He frowned down at his friend and squeezed the hand she was holding. She'd not said anything since appearing in his doorway mere moments after he'd set his bag down, just walking up to him and silently demanding a hug. Whatever Amuné was thinking, she wasn't ready to share. "The people here seem okay. Little odd, maybe, but not bad at all."

Amuné stared blankly ahead. Her eyes were open, but she wasn't paying particular attention to what she could see. She was scared and upset, far more than she felt she should be under the circumstances. Like something awful had happened, and she just didn't know it yet. Was she overreacting? Had she made the right choice? The strange feeling in the hallway, what had caused it? And why was her power suddenly giving her trouble? Was it perhaps the other Seer? The interaction of one person's Sight with another was never certain, but she'd met a few others with the skill, and this...it felt different. Maybe it was because the man was unstable. Amuné didn't know, and for now she could do nothing but wait.

---

When Nunque reached out to her, the other Seer's mind hid behind the strongest shields she had. Something had threatened her, or might have threatened, or was going to, even if she didn't know what or why. Badly shaken without discernable reason and feeling like she needed to fend off an unknown threat, she'd poured additional power into her mental defences, the ones that had been so easily breached when he caught her by surprise in his vision. The walls were deceptively smooth, but abruptly bristled into a sharp and thorny mass, as if she sensed him looking. Not that she could keep him out -- Amuné wasn't that strong, not if he wanted in. But the chances of doing it without her noticing were not nearly so good. She'd devoted a great deal of attention over the years to learning how to defend herself, particularly her mind, and though she still studied methods and techniques, she had learned enough that the girl could no longer be considered easy pickings.

---

"I told you that you shouldn't go in without backup," the vampire grumbled. "Look at you. You look /awful/. I hear you're lucky you got to help." She poked his forehead with a finger. "Next time, wait. The least you could do is give yourself better odds." Cera toyed with her bracelet, looking intrigued. "Compulsion, huh? That's a pureblood trait, if it's vampiric. I can't do it, not more than a faint suggestion. But there's other perks to being half and half." She frowned. "There's other kinds that do similar things, but I've never heard of a ghoul with that kind of power. Not unless they were also using magic." She tapped painted nails against the side of the bed. "Oh, me? A duplex -- not far from here, actually. Why, you thinking of visiting, cutie~?"

@TheMinorFall

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

@TheMinorFall <3 you doooo~ But she's already acted like it enough that he's at least somewhat aware! Or rather, Amune is. =P

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

@TheMinorFall The poor, poor boy. But it's not fair to the other girls if he's crushing on Lya and she lets him know she likes him. =P

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

@TheMinorFall Oh no, Lya has a crush? ...Does this mean Ziva/Shiva (can't remember which, sorry) isn't going to? Or both? AHAHA poor boy. <3 Actually it was kinda fun with her not realizing/not reciprocating, but this'll be fun too. *wriggles*

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

@TheMinorFall Sounds good. Though he's n the space station right now...he must head back down at some point after Amune and Jareth are taken there. Or maybe he never went through the portal.

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

@TheMinorFall

The doctor frowned, and an invisible presence next to Orion shifted. "If you would, Malie," he said, speaking in that direction. "Cera is nearby, and she may speak with you as soon as I can tell your regeneration has kicked in properly."
"If I lose a finger, I'm going to be very annoyed." It was the first woman's voice again, and the flesh was taken from his uncooperative fingers and -- carefully -- put where he might eat it without having to move around. The taste burned, and it kicked like a horse, but it did what it was supposed to. The doctor moved closer when it was gone, taking a quick look at his back, where his kagune would emerge. Satisfied that the immediate problem was dealt with, he looked at Orion. "Try not to go jumping up before you're sufficiently healed. You'd think a ghoul would be able to wait a few extra minutes, given how fast you all heal, but I tend to find you're among my most problematic patients." He nodded at the invisible woman, and the privacy curtain that divided the room in two fluttered, followed by the sound of a door opening. Cera entered and went to Orion's side, even as the doctor -- his nametag identified him as Maxwell Thomas -- looked at the quiet lady in the corner. "The painkillers should have kicked in by now, Illia. Go ahead and take Evin to a different room."

She opened her eyes and nodded confirmation, then walked past the privacy curtain that divided the room in two. Beyond her voice could be heard speaking to someone else, a man, and then there was the sound of a gurney being wheeled away. Cera looked at Dr. Thomas, then Orion. "So what the heck happened?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes. "I could have sworn we said tomorrow, and yet you show up first thing in the morning, looking like you got yourself worked over real good."