Posts by london33

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"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

ριρєя

"Oh... yeah, I guess." She replied softly, bobbing her head once in agreement before her train of thought came to a screeching halt as a nearby nurse cried out in pain. Following Enma's gaze, the little Firebird twisted her lithe physique, looking over her shoulder at the nurse only to subconsciously distance herself from Enma in the process, leaning back into her chair just as the scene unfolded. Immediately, her moonlit irises went to the most unfamiliar being to stand within her sight, that being the boy who had broken the nurses arm. He possessed an aura quite interesting to her, new, and certainly foreign, but her attention didn't linger upon him long enough to make him uncomfortable. Namely due to the fact that a familiar voice had reached her ears, alerting her that Fran, Enmas guardian, had arrived on the scene. Of course, that only meant that things were going to go downhill from here, but she couldn't have minded less. Unlike the vast majority of those who had been introduced to Fran, he didn't really annoy her. In fact, in her eyes he was more entertaining, especially when he stayed by Aaron.

Speaking of which, that refreshing presence had also been re-introduced to her keen senses, which were still exceptionally sharp despite the mixture of exhaustion and misuse of her abilities as a young firebird. And as that presence grew stronger, she found that her attention had wavered from her mate to reside on the door as she waited for the being whom she knew would appear shortly. And then, moments later, to confirm her thoughts, a broad shouldered boy with disheveled ebony locks stepped over the body of the nurse, and into the hospital room without devoting much thought to his actions. Careless about the scene at the door, Aaron merely allowed his icy gaze to shut out the world around him, as he released an irritable sigh. Something that spoke the words he refused to say out loud. Today, was babysitting day. "Fran." He growled lowly, not bothering to look over his shoulder at the bumbling idiot. "I said that you could come with me if you behaved." Now, as he cast those cold eyes that seemed to shoot daggers over his shoulder at the boy, Aaron carried on. "Leave the poor guy alone and stop screwing around, or I swear to god I'll bring you right back to Calibur." He didn't bother to acknowledge how parental the last fraction of that sounded, as though it was just as dark and devoted of emotion as his usual threats on Fran. Which, mind you, were usually pursued. As he wasn't one to break his promises.

Muttering some inaudible curse beneath his breath, the agitated demon turned his attention back towards the room that lay out before him, now, his gaze narrowed as he studied his surroundings. But his gaze stopped at one person in particular, and that person, was Piper. But it wasn't like Aaron to just greet her, so for a moment, his eyes simply lingered before shifting towards Enma, rather glad to see that there was at least some distance between her and that nuisance Kazuto child she had spent the past three days watching over. "He's up." Aaron muttered, emotionless about the whole ordeal. Naturally, this was good, as it meant Piper could finally stop worrying herself and focus on more important things, but he couldn't exactly bring himself to care about Enmas well being, even if he tried. "Praise the lord." He added sarcastically, almost too softly to be heard as he began to move across the room, his gaze slowly shifting from the white haired monstrosity, to Promittos daughter. "Pip... you look like crap." He stated, taking the time to study her subtly disheveled hair and clothes. But overall, what he caught was this newly found light that shone brightly within her gaze in an manner most enchanting, a sort of happiness, she seldom showed. And he could only assume it had something to do with Enma.

"The least you could have done was taken better care of yourself." He stated, his voice cold as ice, but as he spoke to Piper there was this certain acknowledgment, and softness, that surpassed his serious demeanor. He cared for her, like a brother would a sister, and that was obvious in both his tone and actions, for as he approached Piper, who had already risen to her feet to look up at her guardian and see what it was he had to say, he rested the palm of his hand on the top of her head and smirked down at her. Only to follow this motion by planting a light kiss on the top of her head, ignoring Enma throughout the entirety of this. But there seemed to be a sort of devilish gleam in his eyes nonetheless, as the two always worked hard on setting each other off. But dismissing that, his main concern was indeed, Piper. Which was why hung with care over his left arm, was a plush cream colored hoodie, one the most comfortable she had ever worn during her first while at Calibur as a student. "Are you going to return to the school now? Idiot." He grumbled, rolling his eyes slightly as he inquired this. As it was obviously not his first time in these past three days that the question had arose. But this time, as he spoke it, he raised his arms, gripping the hoodie on either side only to drape it over Piper, who had crossed her arms and raised them to secure either side of the sweater as it simply rested over her shoulders, providing her with a comforting and lingering warmth.

"Later." She replied, a soft grin tugging at one corner of her mouth to signify a certain little smugness. She intended to stay with Enma until he was ready to depart and finally return to Calibur with her. Whenever that happened to be. Or, she would return when she had no other choice but to do so. But for now, she did not plan to leave with the Promitto guard, at least not yet.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

ριρєя

The tension in the room was not something to be acknowledged by the little Firebird, nor should anyone else have cared for it. If a day passed where the two boys didn't go head to head, then that alone would have been worth concern, as from they day they had clashed in the cafeteria, they despised one another. So naturally, Piper didn't bother to give a warning glance or even try to calm either boy down. They couldn't fight in here, not if they had any common sense. With that in mind, she simply clutched the plush sweater tighter around her lithe physique, which had matured greatly since she had last worn it. As after the first two weeks at school, it had been discarded somewhere in the back of her closet. I nearly forgot about this... she thought, shrugging her delicately slanted shoulders before a piercing rage, a blast of aura, caused her to raise her head just as Aaron spoke, his gaze, demented as any demons should have been.

"Why you sick little bas-" As he caught sight of those soft silver irises, he immediately bit his tongue so to not let such foul language escape him, and namely, so that Piper wouldn't be brought into this. And of course, this rage had only boiled from the ghouls obscene little gesture. But of course, Piper immediately took notice to his anger, glancing behind her just after Enma had went back to seemingly relaxing on the hospital bed. "Hmm, what's wrong?" She inquired, arching one brow as her harmonic voice took on a curious tone. But Aaron wasn't going to reveal the origin of his rage to her, so her merely shook his head. "Nothing." He grumbled lowly, straightening up and resting his ice blue irises upon her before carrying on. "It was nothing." He repeated more bluntly. Casting Enma one sharp glance to ensure he got his point across before suddenly lowering himself to Pipers level, leaning as he did so only to come rather close to her ear. Nonetheless, they stood close enough to the bedside that he could ensure his words reached the audience he intended. The Kazuto heir. "But if you're going to stay here... He murmured, his gaze sharpening as soft blue flames ignited around his pupils, giving him a mere devilish look that could send icy chills down the spine of anyone who dared to meet his gaze. "...be very, very, careful." At that final phrase, the flames diminished as though they had been but a mere figment from the start. And Aaron rose to his full height, looking down at Piper to ensure that she understood entirely.
Don't trust Enma.

Of course, naturally, she needn't be frightened. He was always able to reach her within a moments notice, and would not stray far now that the ghoul was awake. Not after that scene he had displayed on the roof, as news of it had spread like wildfire through the heart of the school. He had turned into the monster in which he truly was. A killer. A true nightmare satisfied only by the pain and despair of his enemy to the point where it was maniacal. And best of all, Piper, had seen it all with her own eyes. Watched him paint himself with that sins blood, watched him bash his head in time after time even long after he was gone. And she had seen that lust in his eyes. Hopefully, that was just enough to ignite the spark, that would later drive her away from him. Of course, it was a small chance, but Aaron couldn't help but acknowledge the existence of that little spark. Maybe she would finally see Enma, as the monstrous pig he was.

However, it wasn't best to linger on this idea for long enough that it became noticeable, so, the demon quickly collected himself, just in time to feel a familiar stick prodding his cheek, followed by a terrible melody only one person could hum so badly. "Fran." He stated coldly, a look of un-amusement quickly falling over his face as the stick prodded at his cheek once more. "You should be quite happy that we're in a hospital." He stated blandly, tucking his hands into his pockets as he spoke, though there was an obvious annoyance to his look as he soon closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "Because if you don't stop right now, I'm going to break your damned arm." He growled lowly, the cold flames of hell quickly igniting in his gaze as he turned on the boy, his expression, wearing an expression that could give children nightmares for life as he aimed to swat the stick out of his hand, hoping to beat him over the head with it and finally knock some sense into the boy.

Now, whether he managed to do this or not, Aaron quickly dropped the act. The temperamental demon regaining his composure simply for the sake of addressing the Promitto once more. Releasing a long, and pained sigh before he even summoned the strength to speak up without the low, animalistic, growl that laced his words when he spoke to Fran. "Anyways, I remembered you liked the stupid thing, so I figured I'd bring it..." He replied, shrugging his shoulders slightly as though his sudden change in demeanor was all too natural. And hiding his kindness through a different combination of words only followed with that characteristic. "After all, you wore the thing long enough after August gave it to you. He added, suddenly reaching behind Piper, who didn't even have her arms in the sleeve of the sweater, to pull up the hood over her head. And immediately, he had to stifle a light chuckle, not because he had mentioned the name of Pipers original "betrothed" but because of the hoodie itself. It had fleetingly slipped his mind that that old sweater of hers was embellished by a less than subtle pair of cat ears on the top of the hood, the only oddity the comfortable little monstrosity of warmth bore. And on Piper, who had matured so much since she'd last worn it, he couldn't help the amusement he got from looking at her in it. "So that's why you stopped wearing it." He concluded, trying to keep the humor from his voice as the statement he made seemed to be teasing, but serious all the same. And in response, Piper simply glanced up, batting one hand at the left ear as though just re-learning they were there, before quickly pulling the hood off, while keeping the sweater around her body, only to quickly shake her head, and then dismiss the scene entirely as she quickly let her gaze drift across the room as Toma entered, leaving Aaron to deal with Fran, and Enma to speak up.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

ριρєя

Aaron suddenly grew hesitant as he caught what was being held so tenderly in Frans arms. Boppet... Now it seemed a little silly that such a sight would catch his attention, but it was more than obvious that the instant Fran had revealed the toy, he had begun to pull the strings in some sense. The frog was old a worn, obviously something that had been held onto for many many years, something that was once a childs beloved friend, and it was obvious that this little stuffed toy had shared many memories. The very first being, when Aaron had come across the stupid little thing oh so many years ago. Back before the Gladius massacre, when his mother, Lia, had stood in his place as the Promittos guardian, Aaron had had no duties to tend to, no responsibilities, nothing. But despite that, he had still ended up around the guards, being the son of the eldest of them. And coincidentally, at the time, they had been working side by side with the Vongola of all people, where among them, was none other than Frans father, Viper. As so, the two had been granted the misfortune of meeting at a young age. And of course, even at a young age, Fran had been devastatingly odd to even communicate with, as their first meeting hadn't even involved any words. Rather, it was just a simple memory, one in which Aaron remembered rather clearly.

As a child, he had been just as temperamental and stubborn as he was now, with a few twists in his personality here and there like any child would have. And so, he hadn't taken the opportunity to necessarily speak with the Vongola boy when he had first been brought around. Instead, he had simply stayed by the Gladius side, only to catch Fran watching him at various points throughout the day, while he played with that silly, little, stuffed frog. Now Aaron had been curious, but at the time hadn't cared enough to approach Fran. He just thought the boy was a freak, and frankly, that there was something wrong with his head. But that was just the everlasting impression Fran left on a person. With one exception, that being the very end of that day when the sun had been setting on the other side of the mountains, staining the sky with various shades of color to signify the end of a day. And just as the two groups parted ways, and Fran had approached Aaron, sneaking up behind him only to silently pass him the frog toy, before racing off to join his father once more and thus, leaving Aaron with the stupid little monstrosity. The monstrosity, that he had held onto for eleven years.

After that the two had spent frequent amounts of time together, that always ended with Fran being found with his feet frozen to the ground somewhere, or his head throbbing in pain from Aarons bursts of violence. And the frog toy had never been brought up again, as frankly, Aaron was hoping Fran would have forgotten about it, and if he recalled it, than he had only hoped he would have wanted it back so that he could be rid of the little burden. But it seemed as though it was something that he was stuck with, or perhaps, he just wasn't willing to release it. Like a dog taking hold of the other end of a rope in a game of tug of war. "I brought it to give to you in case you got on my damned nerves." He snapped, baring his sharp canines as he spoke to give off a look of menace, something that was stifled as Boppet slowly, and then suddenly, toppled from Frans hat.

His teeth still gritted together, Aaron watched as Boppet merely bounced softly before settling on the ground, sprawled out after the long drop from Frans head. And then, his next actions came on impulse, as he quickly knelt to snatch the thing up, almost as though he himself were concerned for it's well being. But upon noticing his mistake, his eyes widened slightly only to sharpen in a look of annoyance and dismissal as he grasped the toy loosely, but firmly in one hand, whilst turning his nose to the ceiling and closing his eyes in the ultimate display of stubbornness. "But I see that's not going to work, now is it?" He growled, returning his gaze to Fran only to hold out Boppet in one hand, shaking him in a rougher manner at the boy. "Honestly you can't even take care of a stuffed toy!" It didn't seem to occur to him that he was in a hospital right now, and that there were other people in the room. Frankly. he just seemed to be putting on a show to hide his little slip up, forgetting momentarily that this was hardly even close to important. "How did you even make it as a guard?" He inquired coldly, arching an eyebrow before narrowing his arctic gaze sharply once more. "And why are you still stuck on this thing?' He added, nodding abruptly to Boppet before dropping his arm back to his side, where the frog dangled lightly as he held on to it with secretive care. As to why a demented demon and respected guard would carry around a froggy toy for so many years, that, would never be known.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

ριρєя

"Shut it." Aaron replied in utter coldness as Fran announced that he had been caught being of all things, affectionate. It was disgraceful really, and instantaneously the demons face deepened to an unnatural shade of ruby red as though a fire burned bright below his flesh. "I don't care! Since you can't take care of him I'll get rid of the damned thing when we return to Calibur." He growled lowly, jerking his arm back with ease and thus dodging Frans reach for the toy as he continued to keep Boppet to himself in what seemed to be a more than childish fight between brothers rather than opposing, prestigious, and highly trained guards. Fran consistently pushing Aarons buttons as though he knew exactly how he functioned, and Aaron, stubbornly choosing to be evasive of every accusation thrown his way, namely involving Boppet. Whom, despite his harsh words, had been held onto and taken care of all these years, residing in the left side of his drawer just beneath his hoodie to ensure that no one would ever see it. And of course, the snooping, idiot, frog, had had to find it.

It was then that his attention was driven to the little Jean, who was simply bubbling over in the cutest of ways as she beamed the brightest of smiles. Though his gaze didn't seem to linger on her for long, and as he heard what opinion she had to voice on Fran, he simply turned his head away rather sharply and directed his attention elsewhere, folding his arms over his broadened chest where Boppet still dangled loosely in one hand. "Whatever." He hissed at Fran, aggravatingly being evasive of any eye contact as he merely closed his eyes, that stubborn coldness embellishing his every feature as he pursed his lips outwards, though lingering just below the surface, was a faint yet subtle trace of sour jealousy towards the frog that he was refusing to allow to rise to the surface. Fortunately, this was shattered the instant that Fran began speaking to Aaron in the same babying tone he was using for Jean, earning a murderous glare from the demon which was stifled entirely as the phone rang, shattered to bits as curiosity rose from the ashes of his pit of emotions to display clearly within his crystal eyes. "Oh?" He murmured, lowering his hands to his sides only to cram Boppet into his back pocket dismissively, yet securely cast him away so that he could acknowledge precisely what was going on.

As an expression of seriousness fell upon the frog, Aaron watched intently before suddenly stiffening as Frans attention was brought to the outdoors, thus, guiding Enmas with it. Oh sh-" He began, finishing the curse beneath his breath as he caught sight of the black clouds of smoke rising up towards the bright blue sky in a startling display of of immense destruction, ruination, despair. As to how all this had been tossed aside for a brief amount of time so that the scene in the hospital room could be focused on was unbeknownst to him, as it was foolish to dismiss such a scene. This is bad... Just as the thought crossed his mind, followed by a whole train of others, Fran happened to mention that soon he would have to get to work. And that, was when Aaron happened to notice the sinking absence of a certain weight in his pocket. His cellphone.

"Dammit." He muttered, taking a moment to rapidly search his pants pockets, and then, his hoodie, only to conclude that the device was not on him. Either he had once again dropped it, or misplaced it, or even carelessly left it behind. But either way, the Promittos presently had to means of reaching him. Not that this was necessarily a major issue, as he had been signed under Piper alone as a guard, whereas her parents still had many to carry on the tasks they desired and offer protection. Regardless, if they wanted to inform him of anything, it wasn't going to happen. But obviously if such a scene was taking place just beyond the confinements of the hospital, the contract was immediately effective, as the first rule still stood strong. If a threat stood, it was to be eliminated. Especially if it was within range of Piper, who as of now, had slowly risen to her feet only to make her way towards the window, carrying herself lightly before coming to an abrupt halt as she plated her palms against the window sill, her silver irises widened in surprise as she studied the world outside. Though there was an easy conclusion as to why she hadn't acknowledged it sooner. She'd been using her powers a little too recklessly, consistently, and now that foolish movement was blinding her. Not necessarily to the point where she had trouble seeing but rather, feeling, tracking, her specialty. "Uh oh..." As the words carried in that soft little voice, it altered to the point of maturing a little just as vermilion sparks flashed boldly around her pupils once more as she studied the endless expanse of scenery beyond the pane of glass, the closest in which, had been enveloped in chaos.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

ριρєя

As his crystal irises reflected the devastating scene that played just beyond the confinements of this very building like a mirror, Aaron found himself momentarily lost in a void of thought. But eventually, a voice shattered that temporary wall he had put up while considering his actions to come, something soft and light and albeit, something that struck a memory. Something familiar. And as he dropped his gaze from the window to look down upon the small girl who had clumsily bumped into his leg, Aaron, for a fleeting moment, found himself thinking about Piper. After all, there had been a time where she had been no bigger than Jean, and that expression upon her face alongside her soft little voice was so strikingly similar in that moment, that it seemed to phase the demon. Perhaps it was just his memories getting the better of him, but something inside him was triggered, as a slight shift rippled through his emotions which usually left him secluded and grouchy, as was witnessed by all.

Slowly moving his hand back to his pocket, Aaron slowly, and cautiously, pulled out Boppet as though he had forgotten that the old stuffed frog was even there for the time being. And for a moment, he dropped his gaze, studying the limp thing as he clutched it tightly in one hand, looking down at its bland expression for a few moments, deep in thought about something, before suddenly lowering himself onto one knee to come close to the little girls height. "Well... I guess so. He replied, turning his palm to her to display the old toy, face and all, his gaze resting upon Jean as he did so. Whether it be because of her, or the fact that she was a child in general, in this moment Aaron seemed to have softened up if even only slightly. For as the fact that a rather un-amused and un-impressed expression lingered upon his features remained valid, his arctic gaze gave a little more away than that. Perhaps the roots of this lay within his guardian nature, or perhaps it was the big brother role he played with Piper. In the end, it also could have simply been that Aaron was a softie, deep down, but it was safest to not dare utter those words aloud. "Actually-" He cut himself off after a moment, raising the frog up slightly to look at it with that same bland expression, before suddenly lowering it before Jean, offering it to her. "I have a feeling I'm about to get myself in a pretty big mess, so do you mind holding onto him for a bit?" He inquired, though it was obvious he wasn't exactly doing this for the sake of an old stuffed animal. "Just be careful with him, Fran here might cry if anything happens to him." He added, abruptly jutting his thumb over one broadened shoulder towards the idiot, before finally rising to his feet after he had handed the toy down. And it was only then, that Piper finally spoke up, answering to the silent look Amaya had cast her just moments before. Having waited precisely until Aaron had completed his task to do so.

"We'll all be fine, Amaya." Even as she spoke, she did not look at the vixen, as meeting her gaze was something she daren't do when speaking such words. "But I have a feeling a lot is about to happen... get the children as far away from here as possible. They come first." Her words worked in unison with Aarons actions. As he hadn't passed the toy down as a mere offer. It was for comfort. On top of that, it was a silent promise, a promise, that he would return for it. And that, was something Piper saw. A sign, that this was a battle he intended to come back from. "Don't worry about us... I'll make sure Enma doesn't act too recklessly, alright?" She added, seeming to dismiss that fact that the ghoul was quite literally right there. And it was in the moments to follow after, when she had returned to whatever she found to be of such great importance outside, that she felt a familiar set of arms wrap securely around her waist, causing that lovely vermilion shading to flicker subtly in response to Enmas words. "You always insist on keeping me blinded." She responded, her gaze having shifted from setting beyond the window, to the lovely reflection in pane of glass as she met those cool blue irises, marbles that had been carved from the ocean blue. But in a flash, she was suddenly thrown from that flash of striking blue as the ground beneath her quivered intensely, causing the reflection before her to waver, and then, shatter to pieces. And had it not been for Enma pulling her close to him in a state of impulsive protectiveness, she might have just lost her balance, and fallen to the floor below. After all, a bird could hardly be as graceful on the ground as it was in the air, so it was simple luck she had fallen into Enma as opposed to stumbling to the ground below. "Enma!"Suddenly the sound of all the chaos erupted within her brain, the screams and shouts all all those she knew echoing persistently as her head pressed against Enmas chest, the cloth of his shirt trapped in on of her fists as she braced herself for whatever was to follow. She could only just make out Fran yelling Aarons name, followed by the demon shouting something in response. "Grab on, and you, hold on tight! And just then, she felt both her and Enmas falling forms come to an abrupt halt, just as the ghoul managed to grasp the shattered window, though Piper only opened her eyes as she felt a small droplet of liquid splash against her cheek. But it was only as she raised her gaze to acknowledge that she had been saved, that she realized it was blood.

"Is everyone okay?" As Frans voice happened to reach her, Pipers gaze flickered to the right, releasing a soft sigh of relief at the sight she witnessed there. During the havoc, Aaron had impulsively lunged for Jean, scooping the smaller girl up in his arms and holding her close to his chest before propelling himself upwards, and using his left hand to grasp onto a ceiling beam just outside the room to ensure their safety, holding Jean securely in his right arm, all the while, having called out to Fran to grab on as well. Of course, now the boy was screaming and swaying, dangling from his feet and making things just a little more difficult for himself, but as of now it was only a nuisance, seeing his strength allowed him to hold this position with ease. "We're fine." Aaron replied as well, glancing towards Jean and bobbing his head once, asking for confirmation. "Are you okay?" But upon studying Amaya's child for a moment, he concluded that she should have been without injury. With that worry aside, his gaze finally scanned the room for Piper, quickly spotting the girl safe within Enmas arms, held close and saved from the chaos of the room from the Kazuto of all people. But he was grateful nonetheless to see her without harm done. It was only then that he addressed the last issue to come to him, adjusting Jean in his arms and raising his head so that his ebony locks shifted away from his eyes. "Amaya?" He called, fleeting scanning the area for the Vixen as he continued to hold on to her child.

"I'm fine, but Enma, your arm-" That soft little voice didn't fail to reach the demons ears, but he continued his search for the woman nonetheless, as Piper continued to study Enmas arm. Of course, she had cut herself off as the boy cast her a more reassuring glance, and then, inquired something of her that quite literally made her eyes light up. Without questioning, a vermilion ring had begun to circle the girls pupils, before that intense coloring began to flow through her iris, washing away her silver pupils to replace them with something a little more inhumane. "There are three closest to us, one down the hall, one just outside, and the other is moving in the next room. The one outside is the biggest threat." She explained, glancing over her shoulder rapidly, following the motions of something no one else could necessarily see. Whatever had moved outside the window was darker than she had anticipated, and it's presence gave off rolling waves of intimidation and dread that made following it more than simple. "There are another two at the base of the building. One is directly below us." At this, she pointed down from where her and Enma dangled, before moving her hand to the left. "The other is on the other side of the building." She concluded, bringing her arm back up around Enmas neck once she was done directing their attention to the direction of the corrupted beings, though her gaze still occasionally darted with their quick movements, her gaze narrowing sharply she she examined their surroundings, and then, for a moment she looked back up towards the window Enma had grasped onto, the area where his hand resided stained with his own blood, but it was not this she examined. Instead, Piper was looking far beyond that, beyond the hospital grounds even, to what went on around them. This is really bad. She daren't say this out loud, but as she hung there she could feel those lives being lost, their presences leaving this world and fading into non-existent, and the destruction seemed to follow a near endless path.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

ριρєя

"Got it, be careful." Piper responded, quickly taking action and lifting her arm from around Enmas neck to grasp onto a clear spot on the window sill, before his arm vanished from around her waist, and Enma dropped to the ground below. Naturally the little Firebird kept her eyes locked on him, crimson irises shifting slowly as she kept up with the ghouls movements just as he darted towards one of the five known corrupted beings in the area. It was inevitable that she didn't want him fighting presently, at least, not so soon after he had woken up after being in such a drastic state. But her trust in him had allowed her to just let him go ahead despite all that. Now, dangling from that window ledge, Piper raised her gaze up towards her outstretched hand, only to slowly twist her body and plant the other hand on the platform as well. It took her no time to begin to pull herself up onto the ledge, ensuring that she had just enough room to crouch up there without incidentally driving her knees into the shattered glass scattered there, protruding dangerously towards her from the breaks in the window, which welcomed through a rough wind that cast her ebony locks to the left rather abruptly.

Still her vermilion irises shone vibrantly, slanted in a manner far more serious, mischievous, than they were when she kept up her human skin. Something about the girls presence had shifted as well, her aura seeming to burst in violent brilliance before rapidly diminishing as she concealed herself, an ability that came naturally to her in the light of these situations. Of course, it was a trait worthy of possession, but she didn't intend to simply sit up there and hide the entirety of this time. Each moment she was brimming with energy that pulsed through her veins, the adrenaline causing her senses to intensify as her head snapped from left to right, taking in every little motion to come to her all at once. And had it not been for her blood, it all would have been quite overwhelming for the average mind. But Piper could quickly decipher all the separate motions of the corruptions, and her friends, at once without so much as missing a beat. To her, it was of importance to know her surrounding, to know where everyone was placed on the board before making a move. Besides, perhaps up here the female could make good use of herself, so long as she kept track of where the corruptions stood at all times.

It was then that her head snapped to the right, just a moment before the corrupted being darted for Aaron and Fran, it's plans for easy prey foiled as Fran kicked outwards, causing it to smash against the wall opposite of them. Of course, that didn't stunt it's desires to claim the two. As it lunged again, the Promittos gaze flared up fiercely, only to watch as intently, her fiery gaze reflecting the scene before her, as Aaron took action.

Tensing up so that his muscles rippled beneath the fabric of his jacket, the demons transformation took place almost instantaneously. His face contorting into a devilish sneer which wrinkled his nose in slight disgust as he bared his teeth, showing off a set of long pointed canines, his body sending off a threatening vibe that could put but one message into the enemies mind. I will rip your throat out. Suddenly a burst of power seemed to erupt from Aaron, his aura sending a chilling breeze to all those within range, his own power seeming to invite a powerful and violent wind to stir within the hospitals confinements. And just as that burst of power erupted, Aaron had closed his eyes, only to open them instantly after to reveal that the whites of his eyes, and his pupils, were no more. All in which had been replaced by striking blue flames that pooled within his sockets as though his very eyes had been burned out. Naturally, the whole experience would have been harshest on both the corruption, and Fran, but after years of endless bullying, he was certain Fran could handle it all just fine. Only now, would he put his trust in the boy. Only ever in battle would he dare pull such a stunt.

Dangling from that beam, the veins in the demons arms pulsed roughly as his grip tightened, and without so much as a warning, Aaron dropped his left hand from the beam, jutting it out before him in the instant the creature lunged for them, as his transformation had happened within the blink of an eye. And it was then, that a powerful blast erupted from the center of his palm, a stream of flames darting forwards to envelop the being who would likely freeze, and shatter to mere crystals if caught in the blast. Of course, Aaron needn't have removed his hand from the bar to launch the attack, seeing as he could control the flames both mentally and physically as he desired. Meaning they could have erupted from anywhere, but the motion seemed far more natural and therefor was pursued without any thought in order to protect both himself, and the idiot that clung persistently to his feet.

"Fran." He addressed abruptly, his voice carrying in a hoarse and animalistic manner that could send cold shivers down the spine of a listener had they not known him personally. "I'm going to hoist you up to this beam, alright? He inquired, narrowing his gaze in focus, now that the threat had been eliminated, he had instantly shifted to his next task of sturdying the frog so he needn't dangle insecurely by his feet. It was then, that Aaron began to sway his body forwards, and then backwards, not bothering to explain his plan to Fran. Sure, he was an idiot, but he wasn't slow. He'd been selected as a vongola guard for a reason, after all. That aside, Aaron intended to swing his body enough so that Fran could use his legs to reach the beam. Whether he chose to swing and grip the beams, or use his legs for support after that so he could make use of his legs, was his choice entirely. "Ready? Go!" Aaron insisted, using his enhanced strength to sway his legs up high to offer Fran the chance to grab hold of the beam, which would be far easier to hold onto, and would free Aaron of the weight that dragged him down.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

ριρєя

Now relieved of the weight that had been dragging him down, Aaron was entitled the right to move more fluidly than when Fran had dangled wildly from his feet, which was a burden off the Gladius guard. However, he didn't have much time to admire the freedom of his legs before the building dropped abruptly once more, causing Aaron to grit his teeth together as his free arm shot back up to sturdy himself just as the whole thing came to a halt. "You're good." Now it sounded like this was a question in which Aaron should have asked the frog headed idiot, but rather, he simply seemed to be assuring Fran that he was, and would indeed, be fine. But his attention soon wavered from Fran, who now dangled from the beam right in front of him, to the wall where a corruption was certainly making his way from. And immediately, Aarons fiery sockets snapped to the Summers boy. As even he had been prepared to propel himself from the wall, and past Fran towards the being if necessary, going so far as to tense up his muscles and prepare to attack, before the unexpected took place.

In a motion so tranquil, it appeared to have been practiced, Aaron watched as the boy simply dropped from the wall, and slayed the corruption in a way that bore an impeccable resemblance to a certain Kazuto he despised. And the boy did it with so little hesitation, that it was simply shocking to know just how young this child was, and just how prepared he seemed for the killing field. Regardless, this was not the time to ponder these thoughts, as the once quaint hospital ward was crumbling like a pastry around them, and soon, this place would cease to be anything other than a pile of rubble that buried their still forms if they refused to make their move.

It was in that moment that the Kazuto child happened to point out an exit, one in which seemed to offer sanctuary from this damned place as it stood to be the sturdiest thing around. At least, for now. "Let's hurry it up." The demon stated sharply, swinging fourth to lightly nudge Fran in the back with his foot to ensure he got the point across. This beam certainly wasn't going to hold them both much longer anyhow, and even if it did, they'd soon be buried beneath enough rubble that to praise such a thing would be pointless. At that, Aaron peered at the gap in the floor below him through eyes that seemed to be unseeing, before his sharp gaze shot back to the wall on his right, an idea quickly sparking within his mind. In one swift motion, Aaron swung himself to the side, in the process revealing that a long, devilish tail had snaked out the upper part of his jeans, lashing dangerously in aggravation as he pursued to twist his broad frame around. And just as he did, that fiery aura had burst around his body, causing flame-like horns to erupt on the top of his head as what appeared to be a visible aura of flames surrounded his body, namely brightening at his feet.

Suddenly, the arctic flames that surrounded his body concentrated below his feet, extending to the wall where they hardened to form a platform, that as Aaron moved, followed him to form a slope in which he could easily slide down, straight to the safer opening where he landed safely by the hole in the wall, that led outwards towards the safer hallway. "Fran!" Aaron snapped suddenly, shooting his gaze over is shoulder towards the boy who dangled from the beams, only to jut one finger towards what could only be described as an icy slide by this point. "Come on!" naturally Fran shouldn't need an explanation as to what was being demanded of him. Aaron was simply suggesting he take the quickest route, one that avoided both the crumbling floor, and the immense pile of hospital supplies that had been scattered wildly about, to arrive here.

That aside, his main concern was not the boy. Rather, it was the small female who sat perched up in the window sill, her carmine colored eyes being her most clearly defines feature as they darted from left to right in an easy, swift motion as though she were reading through the lines of a book. "Piper, we're getting out of here!" As a being of wing, Piper could have easily turned and left the others behind. Leaped from the broken window, and taken flight to safety, but she didn't seem too keen on doing so. In fact, she seemed persistent on staying with the others, not to mention that Aaron intended to keep an eye on her rather than allowing her to travel out into the chaos on her own. Now certainly the little Firebird wouldn't take kindly to his watchful eye, but at least he needn't tell her to stay. As the instant he spoke her name, her crimson gaze flashed towards him so that Aarons reflection shone clearly within their depths.

Blinking slowly, Piper focused her attention back on the now quickly departing group, having steadied herself on the window sill after the whole room had fallen even further. The entirety of this building groaning in despair as it was torn apart piece by piece, it's very foundation beginning to crumble due to the attack. Dammit. She hissed silently within the confinements of her own mind, before glaring down towards the pile of destroyed hospital supplies she had nearly been buried beneath, had it not been for Enmas quick reflexes. Now, she could use that mound below her for to land upon, and with this in mind, Piper easily allowed herself to drop from the ledge, immediately landing with a soft thump upon what had once been the heart monitor, now battered and dented only to be left on its side to leave the room with an eerie, repetitive, flat line beep. Though she didn't pay it much mind, in fact, she hardly spared her surroundings a second glance, as she was so focused on that entrance to allow her gaze to stray. Besides, she could feel her surroundings in more detail than sight ever allowed.

Crouched low, with her left leg extended sharply to the side whilst her palm pressed down against the heart monitor, Piper brought her leg back abruptly, the motion pursued with such speed that it could have easily been looked over. And in the instant to follow, she lunged forwards to evade her quickly fragmenting surroundings, only to just close the gap between herself, and the hole in the wall, landing among the others with a soft little grunt.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

The demons ice-bound gaze snapped swiftly over his shoulder as Piper made the jump, landing safely among the others. It was then, he watched as she straightened her posture, her hands curling to fists by her side as those vermilion opals carried on past the group, narrowed in an alluringly serious manner that suggested she was cautiously lending this situation her utmost attention, something that he himself, should have been doing. However, he couldn't help by allow a fraction of his attention to stay upon the girl at all times, not simply because he was contracted to her, but because she had a bad habit of becoming careless towards her own well being in times like this. And he couldn't stand the thought of any harm coming her way. So, as per usual, he watched out for, occasionally glancing her way as the group moved forwards, seemingly following the ghoul. Something that for once, Aaron didn't care for. Instead, he took up the back of the group without question, falling into step with Fran and Jean as the two discussed the matter of Boppet. The toy in which Aaron had given her the task of protecting only to help ease her mind off of the havoc surrounding them. And while his long, elf-like ear twitched to signal he was acknowledging the conversation, he chose not to partake in it himself.

Instead, the boy continued onwards in silence, his long tail lashing from side to side in what might have seemed like aggravation, but the rhythmic motion simply matched with his steps and the way he carried himself. Having obtained his full transformation, he hardly looked to be the human he had resembled just minuted before. Instead, a cooling flame surrounded his entire body like an aura, whereas each subtle time he opened his mouth, a set of dangerously long canines could easily be examined for but a fleeting second. It was only as he carried on, that he realized this full form might have been a bit unsettling, which is when he decided to dim it down. Slowly, that flame surrounded him flickered, then went out like a candle flame caught in the wind. Only soon followed by his flaming horns vanishing from trace as well, followed by the devilish sneer that dressed his features. Leaving him with only the longer ears, pointed canines, soot tail, and of course a trace of menace that came naturally as an ice demon.

Piper, on the other hand, had placed herself in the center of the group by subconscious nature, falling in to step a short ways behind Enma and Hibari, but before Aaron, Fran, and Jean. Her focus namely on what was going on down the extent of this corridor, and even beyond that. To the city itself, to Calibur, all the meanwhile topping it off by ensuring that a fraction of her attention also stayed devoted to keeping her place, and not incidentally misplacing a step and ramming into a wall or something. However, as her senses were oh so open to the world around her, it was nearly impossible to miss Enma. The Kazuto boy who guided them all forwards despite the fact that in actuality, he should have currently been guided. Just a short while ago he had been legally declared dead. And now, here he was, rather than resting up, pushing himself. But despite that, she could not bring herself to underestimate him, not after standing by his side for so long. Then, as she watched on, Piper carefully witnessed a scene that caused a slight shift in her. There stood Hibari, watching Enma in vague awe as he acknowledged the ghouls silent movements, only for Enma to decide to further entertain the child with that same old smile on his face. And subconsciously, Pipers gaze has slowly shifted from carmine, to the palest of silvers as a soft and thoughtful smile passed over her lips, regardless of the situation.

It was in the act of catching herself, that Piper uttered a soft "Oh" shaking her head abruptly to clear her mind. Even going so far as to press her palm up against her head as she regained her focus, raising her now moonlit irises to the extent of hallway before her. If she were to be of any use later, it was best to salvage all her energy now. For if she continued to push herself by keeping track of every little thing, she would tire, especially after these past few days of recklessly subjecting herself to a lack of sleep in order to watch over Enma, and ensure that nothing happened to him. As F'yuki had stated, risking her health for his own. That aside, she had reduced the radius of her abilities to no more than a five hundred square meters around them. That way, if anything happened they needed to devote their attention to, she would know. And as a result of reducing her power, only faint traces of a soft ember flickered through her gaze, like dim and distant lights, no more than stars scattered in the night sky.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

{I can write up that recap and send it to you real soon, I'll send it to you soon if you haven't gotten one just yet~ }

It wasn't long after their journey had begun that Aaron was granted the feeling of being watched. Something that, at first, the demon ignored. Of course, there could only be but one set of eyes on him, and who would it be other than the one and only, Fran? It was only for the reason that it happened to be that dunce that Aaron chose to keep to himself, but eventually, the glances and glares became all to obvious, causing the demon to slow in his step before begrudgingly shifting his gaze to the boy. "What is it!? He snapped silently, his sharp fangs displaying themselves with every spoken word, making each word appear to be a near death threat. It seemed as though, much like his brother, Aaron simply could not control this. Violence and aggravation were a part of his nature, though not something he so heavily pursued as others chose to.

It was as Fran guided his gaze to the ghoul, that something else flickered upon Aarons face for a moment, something so fleeting that it was but as quick as a strike of lightning before it deteriorated into nothingness. Certainly he couldn't care less about the ghoul. The kid was a murderer, cursed to bare more blood on his hands than any living being should even be allowed to see in one lifetime. But in that short moment, something has sparked his interest, and perhaps it merely brief surprise in recalling that so soon after a plausible death, the male was moving fourth with what strength he had. But there was a chance, a slim one at that, no more than a sliver, that for a moment Aaron had acknowledged his injuries. And more than that, concerned himself over his current condition. Now it couldn't have been that he was growing fond of the Kazuto, no, he simply sickened him. But there stood a chance that his importance to those around him had been what guided him to feel such a sour thing before shutting it out once more. "What do you want me to do?" He hissed under his breath, cautious to not have but a single word overheard by anyone other than its intended audience; Fran. "It's not like the guy will listen to me. He's your problem." He replied, abruptly scrunching up his nose in slight distaste as he brought his attention back on their surroundings vigilantly.

Before him, the faint reflection of Pipers lithe frame travelling along with the rest of them reflected deep within his irises, though his gaze did not reside upon her. Rather, those arctic irises merely worked as a mirror to reflect what lay beyond him, and what actions she partook. As, without having hear a word uttered between the two boys, Piper turned slowly, a look of resting innocence being the only notable feature. Her lips remaining pursed in a subtle manner, while her metallic gaze concealed the faintest traces of mischief that a creature of her kind might have, that little glimmer, being the only trace of that exotic bird that truly showed presently. And then, in one motion that played out perfectly with the unheard conversation, Piper slowly lifted a single hand, tilting her head subtly only to press her index finger lightly to her lips, and then, drop it only to turn around without having displayed but a fragment of this action to anyone else. She truly hadn't heard the boys conversation, but anyone could make out that they were whispering. And what they just so happened to speak of, was a thought that ran rampant throughout her own mind as well.

"Enma." She cooed softly, that light tune coming to her naturally as she picked up her pace, closing the distance between herself and him only to bring one hand to lightly tug on his sleeve. Ensuring that while he was not bothered, his attention did stray back to her as she set her silver irises upon him, sparing Hibari an acknowledging glance before her full attention was devoted to the boy. She even went so far as to ignore Aaron aggravated shouts that had erupted at the back of the group, the grumbling and occasional lashing out meant only for Fran anyhow. "You just woke up, maybe you should slow down a little... conserve your energy however you can." She suggested, and whilst it didn't dare show in her voice, her light gaze showed the faintest traces of worry that she daren't make obvious to him. It wouldn't do her any good, besides, the last thing she needed to show was worry as of now, for she was quite seriously set on the task at hand. Which was why, instead of coaxing him, she deiced to instead lean towards a deal, a fair trade. "If you do... I'll stop doing this." She added, and in that moment, her pale gaze erupted with a cloud of vermilion smoke which all to quickly chased away that fine shade of pale silver. She figured it was the best thing to offer him right now, as she would be giving up a fair deal. Of course, she still had a natural radius that would only give them but a few seconds warning before anything entered it, but she could manage off of that if he could promise to be a little less careless in terms of his own health.

....

"The brave may not live forever,
But the cautious do not live at all."

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

It was only a mere shift, but for no more than a moment Piper found her gaze to trail from Enma as one hand gently traced up his back, to rest coaxingly upon his shoulder as those moonlight opals settled upon Jean, having felt the girls gaze upon her. What came next, was a natural smile that warmed her features as she cast the girl what appeared to be a reassuring yet cheerful look meant to bring some light to this otherwise dark situation. However, her attention was soon brought upfront as there was a sudden change in Amayas presence. Something prominent and powerful that led her to meet gazes with none other than the vixen in her truest form. "Ah." The littler Firebird murmured, a look of thought crossing onto her eyes before her gaze shifted to Enma once more. "Well I already have a reliable view of what's ahead." She confirmed, though it was rather obvious that if Enma did intend for her to shut off her sixth sense and place her trust in him, she would be blinded to all that she could take in right now. Depending on the most basic senses that frankly, everyone here had. Placing her right there on the playing field. However, it was not for this reason that she looked towards the ghoul, but rather, to witness his answer to the Vixens inquiry. Now, she couldn't imagine he would want to show dependence in anyone, let alone in such a situation. However, perhaps he would have a change at heart or would see the benefits to ceasing his movements. Even so, if he did not, the least he could do was fall back in the group and take it easier than presently.

With that said, she didn't necessarily desire to clamber onto the vixens back herself, as when it came to transportation, she simply wasn't a fan of using anything other than her own frame. Frankly, anything moving on land made her a little more unsteady, just as she happened to be slower paced here than in the sky where she could meet her full potential. Of course, she wasn't going to be stubborn on the matter, but as of now it just simply was not her preference. However, what remained her preference was to stay by Enmas side, and if he so accepted this offer, well, then she could be a little more lenient towards the idea. But for now, her answer was quite simple. "I appreciate the offer, Amaya, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass on this one." She replied, casting her gaze to what lay before them, and thus, leaving Enma to make his decision.

It was only then that something else struck her attention, a presence that had made itself more notable now that the situation around them had 'calmed' so to say. And she could now further analyze the familiarity of that singular person, distant, from the rest of them. And so, casting Enma a little apologetic grin grin, she turned to glance over her shoulder at the crumbling structure, forcing herself to deny flinching as the screams of some who were too late to save erupted through the air. But among them, was one person closer to them than the others. "It looks like one of us is still in there..." She murmured, her attention quickly flickering to one individual, that of which was not Enma, nor Amaya or the others, but instead, Toma. "It's Syrah." She stated, of course,t he reasoning behind proclaiming this to him in particular should have been quite obvious.

....

"The brave may not live forever,
But the cautious do not live at all."

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

At his response, a soft smile whirled onto her features, followed by the motion of her hand as it slowly cascaded from his shoulder and down his arm fleetingly, only to fall back to her side. "Now that's more like it." She stated, though there was still the matter of now having to drop her own guard as well. As regardless of how discomforting it was to blind herself, she had made a deal, and intended to hold up her end. After all, it would be ironic for a girl whose last name translated to promise, to break her end of the deal. Not that she would necessarily consider it to start. And with that in mind, she released a long breath of air as any traces of even the most subtle vermilion faded away, leaving nothing more than that translucent silver shading to reflect the light of day as the group carried on. Leaving Toma, and the crumbling structure behind, all to greet the next obstacle in their path. One that chose to appear before them all to quickly.

Impulsion led the smaller girl to immediately drive one leg behind the first. Her figure slouching in a subtle crouch as though she were ready to lunge in any given direction, whether that be towards the threat, or away. But just as she had promised her gaze did not shift to a more intensely threatening shade, upholding its usual coloring to only be defined by being narrowed in a state of serious focus as her lithe body tensed up to brace herself for what was soon to come. And this was all followed by a chill that ran from the very top of her spine, slithering down to the base in a discomforting manner. But this was not caused by what she saw before her. No, even despite the sweater that dressed her frame, this chill was from the sudden coolness that seemed to envelop her like a blanket. But it certainly didn't belong to Aaron, as no sharp winds followed to accompany it.

Instead, the demon stood tall at the back of the group, his ears twitching slightly in acknowledgment towards Frans words. And that, was the only sign of agreement voiced between the two before any action was taken. Slowing his pace, Aaron lowered his gaze to the ground resulting in a shadow passing over his eyes, caused by the shift in his disheveled, dark locks of hair. It was then that no more than a subtle ripple of a muted shade of blue passed from beneath the boys feet. Flowing off him in a circular motion that appeared as though each beat of his hear set off a new wave. And yet, the color of the flame was so pale that the faint detailing was hard to view unless one purposefully dropped their gaze with him to search for it. Soon, in the passage of but an instant the ripples had reached the front of the group, then, like a wave hitting the shore they erupted upwards. Thus causing the air before them to ripple with varying shades of soft blue flames that scattered about before deteriorating as though they had hit a glass wall, and then, vanished. Simple as that.

Using his abilities Aaron had created the wall Fran demanded by a new method, freezing the air over with these flames until the strength of his fire ice had created a barrier between themselves, and the monster that was hurtling towards them, lumbering quickly and clumsily in a mad dash that surely intended to bring the members harm. As they were no more than his next meal in this beasts eyes. Luckily, Aaron held great faith that the wall he had built would no doubt keep them on varying sides, as the magic in which he possessed was not the control over an element from this world. Rather, a world that resided entirely under their own. And what better to counter something other worldly, then with something underworldly? Besides, as of now Piper stood at the very front of the group alongside Enma, who wasn't in the greatest condition to be fighting. So taking the measure to throw up this great wall of protection was something he would have done regardless of Frans suggestion. But he knew the boy had mentioned it for a simple reason. As the illusionist trickery was best pursued with a dash of realism thrown in to the mix.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

As the corruption ran smack into the barrier, a sly grin happened to dance across the demons lips, looking all too malicious upon his rougher features. Having watched the beast make a fool of itself no more than a few feet before them was obviously amusing, even to someone as seemingly humorless as Aaron. Who in fact, kept his gaze upon the being with its face smushed up against the ice wall, all while high-fiving Fran just after catching the motion the illusionist had made to suggest they do so out of the corner of his eye. It was only then that he acknowledged the fact that the Kazuto was speaking, which took him a moment as no one should have expected him to speak to Aaron, of all people. Not after that scene in the cafeteria where the two had quite literally tried to kill one another. But of course, both had grown a great deal since that day. And the opposing guard seemed to show that as he merely cross his arms over his broad chest, raising one hand to wave it dismissively before speaking. "Yeah... it was nothing." He grumbled, having closed his eyes as he spoke only to open them when Frans hand was planted firmly before him, followed by the ghoul. And, to his surprise, it was Enma whose gaze invited him to join in. Which was why Aaron was so hesitant, eyeing the hand with narrowed eyes before he finally made his move.

"Ah, what the hell." He growled, dropping his hands back to his side only to raise his right, and plant it firmly with the others. Thus, marking the first time the three boys had ever been joined. Let alone, the first time the Gladius and the Kazuto had touched without bloodshed. But this little action that sent ripples through their timeline was soon cast aside, as Aaron dropped his hand back to his side, and the group sought to move onwards yet again. But this time, he would not stand by his side. For as they trailed around the wall, it was obvious that Aaron was granted the inevitable task of defeating the wretched beast. Something, that he intended to do, gladly. "I'll catch up." He stated abruptly, dragging on foot behind the other as he spun swiftly on his heels, his gaze having landed on Piper last to cast the girl a sharp, warning glance, before leaving behind no more than a kicked up cloud of dust where he had once stood.

The instant he lunged forwards Aaron had wasted no time in obtaining his full demonic form which came in a violent burst of powerful blue flames that engulfed his form just moments after he had moved his face. Now, hurdling forwards, Aaron crouched subtly only to tense up, the muscles in his legs bunching just moments before he launched himself upwards, his devilish tail swaying and flicking wildly behind him as he lunged for the ice wall rather than the being. Only to cling to it sideways due to his mastery over the element, causing him to move along the wall with great ease, similar to a spider. By now his eyes were no longer a relevant feature, as they had seemingly been burned out by the intense flames that erupted from the empty sockets where they had once been. Not that this inhumane expression would phase the being. In fact, the corruption only sought to feed and it was quite probable he didn't even notice the change in his enemies features. But that didn't mean Aaron would cease to appear as anything other than an entity of the under realm.

Now lashing his nail angrily, the demon huffed in a strange manner that caused clouds of steam to burst from his nostrils as though the temperature around him had deteriorated to great lengths. It was safe to say that by now even has mind had extended into a state of maliciousness, and he fully intended to take the severity of this emotion out on the lumbering beast whilst he was still phased from striking the powerful wall at such a force. With that, Aaron lunged forwards along the wall, running with such ease that it would appear as though the boys body did not recognize the difference between a flat surface, and the wall. Then in one swift motion Aaron kicked off the wall with his right leg, propelling himself off with such great force that the shattering of glass could be heard as the wall cracked beneath his foot in a web like pattern that left faint yet shimmering bits of ice to fall through the air, to the ground far below. And nothing other than a flash of fiery blue could be seen for but a brief moment, as Aaron launched not towards the beast, but into the air above him.

Twisting his broad frame skillfully in midair, Aaron forced his head down towards the corruption whilst his legs pointed up towards the heavens. His body stiff, but his motions fluid as in his eyes, everything seemed to slow down below him for an instant. The beast, just recovering from his encounter only to begin to sturdy himself, while the others carried on their way in the near distance. And that was all he allowed himself to see before puffing out his chest as he drew in a deep breath, causing his cheeks to puff out in a manner that distorted his devilish features temporarily. But in the next instant, all that air was released in one, intense, burst.Releasing all of his breath in one shot, that burst of air that should have been no more than a strong outer breath was accompanied by a large burst of flame that seemed to travel from the demons core, straight out towards the beast below in what seemed to be an explosion that would engulf him as a hole. Now it wasn't frequent that the male made it a point to breathe fire, but he chose now as the exception for a move that usually went underused by him.

As the fire came into contact with the beast, the effects were instantaneously. Just as rapidly as they came into contact with him, each feature of him that was touched froze solid, turning him a translucent white as a thick coat of ice traveled over him. Only stopping when it hit the ground below. And when all was done, there was nothing more than a large and rather distasteful ice sculpture trapped within a pose of rage, never to move again. However, the creature wasn't dead, not just yet. But as Aaron finished his flip only to land upright on his feet on the other side of the corruption, his back turned to the scene he had created, the force he had placed upon hitting the ground caused no more than a subtle crack to arise on the leg of the statue. But this crack soon traveled, intensifying as it quickly traveled up the beast and multiplied into many more until the entire thing was coated. And then, with no more than a simple crack the whole thing shattered into oblivion, causing fragments of shimmering ice to rain down onto the ground, nothing left of the creature but snow and ice.

....

"Different demotes neither bad nor good,
but it certainly means not the same."

[img width=510 height=49]http://i1103.photobucket.com/a…Animalluver256/1p7xn9.png[/img]

Upholding her place in the group, Piper fell into step just behind Enma as they journeyed through the forest. Occasionally allowing her gaze to drift from him, to the academy that protruded from the treetops and reached up towards the smoke filled sky for all the students to see. Hopefully, things were safer there for the group than the hospital could have ever been. But even if that wasn't the case, it just seemed more natural to carry out the rest of this battle on school grounds, where destruction had wreaked from the very start of the year. Not that this compared to anything they had ever faced before. For even as they carried on, Piper could sense a heavy weight pressing down on her shoulders, this whole situation causing an astounding dread to loom over the group as it seemed to promise a foul, near future.

In tune with her thoughts, Enma had begun to stumble before her as he fought off a wave of pain that appeared to center around that damned mark on his neck. Promptly, worry struck her faded silver eyes in the same instant he showed this pain, causing her to part her lips in order to call out to him. Her reaction coming quite naturally at this point, as she saw no need to conceal her concern in that instant. It wasn't long until Fran, as well, displayed some urgency in the manner as he placed himself before the ghoul. Of course, he didn't actually show anything, but the actions partaken suggested that he would be keeping a watchful eye from here on out. As would she. Hopefully, they could reach the academy in the shortest amount of time possible, and without much trouble. After all, the sooner they got there, the better. And hopefully-no-certainly, Enma could hold out until then. If anyone could manage, it was him.

As the group happened to push forwards once more, their pace as a whole had notably quickened. Even Aaron, who had rejoined the group to bring up the back seemed to push them forwards. As though, the sudden urgency had even struck him. And for a long moment, he seemed to keep his eyes on the Kazuto child before warily studying the territory around them for any plausible signs of danger. But in between glances, there seemed to be a vague bit of consideration, as the demon was heavily pondering something. And while his thought both shocked and disgusted him, he simply couldn't stop himself. He couldn't cease to wonder, whether it would be best to assist the ghoul right now, or leave him be. Like he'd take it from me! He snapped inwardly, shaking his head roughly before speeding up his already quickened place to come up beside Piper, just behind Fran and Enma so that the group now walked as one through the forest. And due to the energy that buzzed through the air around them, it didn't take terribly long for that image of the academy to grow taller, wider, the details of the structure becoming increasingly pristine, clear, as they grew near the edge of the forest. It couldn't have been more than a few yards, and then they would be there. Unfortunately, they weren't intended to reach the academy, at least, not without trouble.

Before they could emerge from the treeline, or frankly, even reach it, the little Firebird came to an abrupt halt. "Everyone stop!" She hissed under her breath, her tone displaying immediate urgency that seemed odd being used in her soft little voice. Even Aaron thought so, and perhaps it was the fact that the urgency was so unsuited for Piper, that he stopped without hesitation on her command. Immediately his fiery gaze darted from left to right as he searched for whatever threat had caused them to stop only to part his lips in time to utter the only question on his mind. "What is it?" The tensity in his body was undeniable, as the flames around him seemed to intensify to suggest he had gone on the defensive. Though his stance remained more casual, whereas Piper looked as though she were ready to lunge at any given moment, her gaze darting from side to side, and then, up, so quickly that it was unmistakable she was following the movements of something that couldn't be seen. As whatever she had sensed, seeing as she had nearly blinded herself, had to be exceptionally close.

Suddenly an unmistakable rustling erupted from the groups left, causing Aarons gaze to soon follow after as he braced for whatever would show itself. But the same scene was soon taking place on their right, that same nuisance of a rustling noise having transitioned as though something had moved there with incredible speed. "Dammit!" He growled lowly, trying to follow the noise until it finally led upwards. The rustling of tree branches causing a few loose leaves to cascade to the ground below to alert the group to a threat from above. And so, it was with caution that Aarons gaze darted upwards, those narrowed blue pools of arctic flames reflecting a rather foul image. Perched up upon two overhanging branches were two creatures, both in which mirrored each other with great precision as though they were one in the same. Their bodies coated in a thick deal of slime that left their immaculate "skin" to glisten underneath the faintest of light. Their bodies unnaturally sleek and slender to the point in which their ribs could be seen along with a thin waist, but the muscles on these twin corruptions were something to not go so easily unnoticed.

Painted black, their soulless, pitch black, alien eyes glared down at the group, unmoving as they stared down at what seemed to be easy prey for only a fleeting moment. Both bodies accompanied by a cheshire smile that displayed, long, jagged teeth that failed to allow their mouths to close properly. And to top it off, both were marked with silver, faint, diamonds on opposite hands. That being the only distant between the left, and right, corruption. That, and the way in which they attacked. It only took a moment, a moment of silence and dread that entitled the teens enough time to feel that rush of adrenaline and possible fear before both beings launched themselves off the branch, the right striking before the left even thought to move. Not that the delay was noticeable, for both beings moved fast. No more than a blur of movement that rushed through the air like a bolt of lightning, and the first, intended to barrel straight into the white haired boy. An easy target, or so it seemed. Regardless, it had already stretched its jaws wide to contort its monstrosity of a face as it cocked its right arm back, ready to knock the Kazuto out cold.

....