Posts by MiladyRadium

Raphael

Raphael sighed, watching the mage with both amusement and worry. Amusement because it was something watching Aki blast out registers, worried because he knew this wouldn't be an easy trip for the mage in the slightest. "Make sure you're picking up the money that comes out!" he called, though he knew Aki probably knew that already. He just had to make sure things were being at least taken care of. "Here, Theo, help me bag all this stuff up" he said, hoping to divert the boy's attention to something a little more productive. He grabbed a few of the soup cans, placing them at the bottom of one of the cloth bags hanging by the register. Cloth would be easier to keep together, and useful beyond just holding food.

"The heaviest stuff goes on the bottom, and the lighter stuff on top, so it doesn't get crushed" he explained, pulling down another bag for the boy to use. "Here, Sukab, help out too. Do you know what Jasper ran out for?" he frowned, handing the winged male a bag. The last part was said quietly, so that Theodore couldn't hear. He doubted that Sukab knew either, but any idea was much preferred to being in the dark. Anything that made Jasper upset was cause for the primary to be concerned. He did see the future after all, and that meant any panic had to be taken seriously.

Kreszentia

Kreszentia yelped when Jasper ran up, clutching at her chest for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I don't know, he went back inside the building" she replied, glancing at the old syndicate building. She had no clue what he was doing in there, of course, she hardly ever knew the doctor's motives. He was a very quiet, proud man, and rarely shared his thoughts with anyone. "I told him not to" she huffed, though her anger wasn't directed at the oracle but more a vent of frustration. Caimus peered up from the back seat with a worried frown, probably sensing his mother's agitation.

She hated that the doctor hadn't listened, and was worried about what he was doing. She knew the primary wouldn't be pleased if, by the time they loaded the cargo, Tony had not returned. She felt deep concern for the doctor, he was injured and hadn't been feeling or thinking straight recently. Worry and guilt invaded her senses like ants but she was powerless to do anything, she had to stay with the van and Caimus. "Can you go look for him?" she asked, though she had a feeling that was what Jasper was planning to do anyways.

At least then she could say that she had sent him away, and so Raphael couldn't be all that mad at him.

Raphael

Raphael looked over when Aki spoke up, feeling a deep churning feeling like someone had lodged a rock in his stomach. "I hope everything's okay" he muttered, though something in his gut told him that things were not as they seemed. "Let's finish up quickly here so we can see what's going on" he added quietly, redoubling his efforts to get everything bagged up neatly. As an almost afterthought, he grabbed another bag and threw it to Aki. "Put all the money in there, we don't want to lose any" he said, making sure it was loud enough for the mage to hear.

His mind turned. If it was something major, surely Jasper would have told him, like if the horrible beings were coming back for them. But he wasn't entirely certain, and with the oracle gone off to who-knows-where, it was impossible to ask. He glanced out the window, seeing Zenzi waiting in the van with Caimus with her. Where's Tony? he wondered silently, looking around for the doctor, but he was nowhere to be found. He tried not to worry, Tony was a capable doctor and fighter, but it still weighed on him that he couldn't spot the head healer anywhere.

Tony

Tony rounded the corner, facing where Jasper was. He seemed like he was just coming back from sleep even though he had been awake the entire time. A tiny fleet of suitcases seemed to drag themselves a few paces behind him. "Jasper?" he wondered, as though he couldn't quite make out the oracle's features or voice. His form wavered a moment, as though he was a ghost. "I apologize, given the opportunity, I decided to pack everyone's most basic things... clothes and such, yes, to take with us" he said, stumbling half-way through his sentence. He looked confused, but quickly shook it off and seemed to come back to his senses and solidify.

"I'm sorry if I worried you" he said, looking down. "But since you're here, if you could help me I would be appreciative. I can't carry them all" he added, folding his hands neatly together as though trying very hard to look put together. It was also plain he was clutching something very tightly in his palm, but whatever it was, he was not willing to let it be seen. With that, he grabbed two of the larger suitcases, likely his own and Kreszentia's, and began marching out of the building. A few of the other suitcases began to pull themselves along in the wake of his shadow, though a few stood silently behind.

Raphael and Kreszentia

"Alright, let's go" Raphael said, grabbing the cart and pushing it outside. "Come on, Theo" He said over his shoulder, though he had little doubt both the boy and the mage would follow shortly. Kreszentia sighed, putting her head on her hands. "Yes, and I don't know" she replied, figuring there was little point in lying. She felt terrible, but it wasn't like she could have really done anything. When Raphael came out, she hastily popped the trunk doors, hoping the angel and the others would be too busy putting away bags to hear her.

"Caimus dear, go help with the bags" the nurse ordered gently. Caimus nodded numbly and clambered outside, waiting for the primary. "He was acting strange and then ran back inside the building. Not ten minutes later Jasper comes running out like a gang buster, and then goes after him" she said in a hushed hiss now that the others were busy. "Get in the van, quickly. Hopefully they'll be back soon" she added, looking more nervous by the passing second.

Tony

"I... apologize. I'd almost forgotten something important, that's all. I'm very fortunate we were able to return briefly. Let's get back to the others before we're missed" Tony said in his usual matter-of-fact attitude. He didn't want the primary to know anything and most assuredly not any of the others. The sooner they were out of the city and far away from the choking energy that still engulfed the town, the better he would feel. Whatever he had in his palm he only stopped to slip into his labcoat pocket before grabbing the suitcases again.

He didn't say anything more, leaving out very purposefully what would have happened otherwise and what exactly the object was. The doctor looked tired, more than anything, and even his shadow seemed thin and wavering. "I will feel much better once we are away from this cursed city" he added, finally, hoping to set the oracle at ease enough that he would move and they could be off.

Tony

Tony hesitated, seeming to double-guess himself before sighing. "I really am sorry I've been worrying everyone. I understand that to you, it must look like my head injury and stress are causing me to behave... erratically" he admitted, looking down. An invisible hand seemed to pass through his hair, leaving it even spikier than it already was. He finally pulled the hidden object out, a black iron pocket watch with a bright blue luminescent flower on the front. "I realize this may seem silly to you, but this watch is very important, I..." he internally debated on speaking more or simply keeping quiet.

Perhaps guilt motivated the head healer, but he took a deep breath and seemed to steel himself. "As you know, I am not of this dimension. Crossing dimensions is neither a forgiving nor easy magic, and even in this realm my old homeland still tugs on me. This watch is an anchor of sorts, tying me to this dimension as long as it's within my possession" he explained in all of two breaths. "After I had forgotten it, I began to... slip, I was starting to lose ground and I was at risk of falling back into my old land. Nonetheless, I should not have acted with irritability, so that was a fault on my part" he frowned, looking down at the old cracked floor tiles.

"So, now that I have my watch back, I think that I will be much happier just as soon as we leave" Tony declared with perfect poise as usual, returning to his old posture of the proud and firm good doctor as he had been. "Come then, we shouldn't keep the others waiting" he nodded assuredly, and quickly stepped outside with the rest of the suitcases trailing him like lost puppies.

Kreszentia and Raphael

"We had to leave behind a lot of stuff. It's entirely possible he went back for the rest of our medical equipment, a lot of it was very hard to obtain" Kreszentia sighed. Most of it had been heisted out of the ruins of the Asylum after the riots, and so would not be very easy to replace. But she had a deep gut feeling, something that twisted her insides uncomfortably until she was shifting in her seat. "I'm just afraid he forgot his pocket watch or something..." she frowned, looking back at the building with lines of deep concern etched into her expression.

Raphael quickly finished packing in the trunk, motioning for the others to go find seats in the bus/van Kreszentia seemed to have found. He had to admire Sukab's hunch to look at the church. Despite that, he still found himself worrying. Sharp hearing caught everything, and the thought that the doctor had run off or lost something important was worrying. The burden eased when he saw Tony walk outside, and Jasper standing just behind him. The primary couldn't even bring himself to be angry, simply pleased that everyone was together and that they could finally leave behind Whitney Creek.

Yes, it had been home, but blood had soaked into the ground from years of human and mythical violence and the ancient mana pockets had left. Their stay there had been finite far before the monsters had come, they simply brought it sooner. The angel desperately hoped this was a new beginning and not the start of the end. "Go on Theo, I'm sure Caimus wants to sit with you" he said smoothly, herding both boys with one wing towards the open doors. Caimus remained quiet, but smiled at the younger boy with an unusually bright look of nervous optimism.

(I love your novels, I like to think it's a sign your muse is on the mend :P. I'm just glad you don't mind mine XD)

The Syndicate

Raphael glanced at the mage reassuringly. "Of course, since it seems I've been kicked out of the passenger side" the angel noted, snickering under his breath. It was said with obvious jest, aimed mostly at the nurse in the driver's seat. It was actually fine by him, the passenger side would be too cramped for his wings in any capacity. Instead he crawled inside to the row just behind Caimus and Theodore, allowing him to keep an eye on the two boys. He settled on the middle seat where it wouldn't be too uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time and waited for the mage.

He glanced at the building again, feeling his heart sink. They had lost so many good members. He realized it would probably be a good idea to pick a new secondary sometime, though he couldn't imagine who it would be. His mind jumped to Aki, but the mage was simply too unstable and unpredictable. His thoughts switched to Tony. The doctor was certainly experienced enough, but they needed a head healer now more than ever. As much as he liked Kreszentia, she was also too unpredictable and had too many obligations. Better to leave her as a healer for the moment.

Jumping track again, Raphael landed on Jasper. He would certainly be doing a lot of work, he might as well have the title to go with it. Looking completely human other than his future-sight meant a lot of things involving interaction would fall on his shoulders. He already carried a lot of weight in the primary's decisions and had shown remarkable bravery in coming to the syndicate in the first place. If he learned to play nicely with others, he was certainly Raphael's first pick once they got... wherever they were going.

Tony sighed, walking towards the trunk. He carefully situated the suitcases so that they wouldn't be crushing the food and glanced at the oracle. "Give me a moment..." he said, standing where the light over the van fell in such a way that the doctor was standing completely in shadow. He frowned and pressed a palm to his forehead, feeling his headache come back with a vengeance. The monsters had made even the darkness agitated, and the cacophony of voices was almost deafening at first. It took a long moment for them to calm down enough to answer the silent question he had asked.

Now with an answer, he marched back over to the van back. "I can assure you the monsters were meant to only kill us. Your group was compelled away with the rest of the populace. I am not sure where they are, but they are safe" he assured, rubbing his temples slowly. Safe from the monsters, anyways, though the doctor couldn't speak to any other external or internal sources of conflicts. The shadows only spoke so much about things that did not interest them, and what they spoke was often gossip. Granted, they tended to be right in large part, but that was besides the point.

Feeling a little better at the prospect of leaving, he climbed into the van, settling in the back row behind Raphael and where Aki would undoubtedly sit. The chaotic energy of the mage combined with the even waves from the primary were quieting in a strange way, and from here it was well-lit enough that the constant noise from the darkness faded into background chatter that he could easily tune out.

Caimus glanced over, the word 'puzzle' immediately catching his limited interest. "T-thank y-you" he stammered out, managing a tentative smile. Kreszentia watched from over her shoulder, smiling warmly in a way only a mother could. "Theodore is good for him. I think he'll help Caimus get out of his head a little more" she murmured quietly, mostly to herself but glancing at Sukab as she did so. Seeing most everyone was in the car, she turned on the engine, waiting for Aki and Jasper to get in. "Remember to follow traffic laws like your life depends on it, Zenzi" Raphael reminded firmly from behind her.

"You think I don't know that!?" the nurse snapped back, but there was no anger in it, just nervousness and impatience. The absolute last thing they needed was to run in with the human police. "And if you see a road that goes where the trees are twisted, take it" he added quietly, staring at the nurse very seriously. Kreszentia narrowed her eyes, but nodded. The order was confusing, but he was still primary and that was enough to make her follow without questioning. Any direction was better than none, even though there was only one road in and out of town, the highway branched into many turns beyond that.

(Enjoy this small book)

(Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready? It's TIMESKIPPING TIME. If you liked the small book, have a bigger one)

The Syndicate

Raphael looked down, realizing he was forcing the mage into a rather awkward position. An idea struck his mind, not a very comfortable one, but an idea nonetheless. With a small huff of air, he slowly retracted his wings into his skin. Without the thick feathers he normally had, the normal searing burn was instead an annoying persistent itch. Nothing he couldn't handle, and it did make it more comfortable to sit.

Though Aki's position did make the nurse's eyebrow twitch just a little, she was satisfied that everyone was inside and buckled so she wasted no words trying to argue a worthless cause. Instead, she took a deep breath, pulled out of the store parking lot, and made straight for the highway.

Highway 11 was the only highway leading to and from Whitney Creek. For a long stretch, there was no other car in sight. Slowly, as the highway neared the next middle-of-nowhere city - Larmont - more cars began to appear ahead. Kreszentia did her best to keep cool (also to keep her wings out of sight) while just focusing on the road. She was content that Caimus was entertaining himself making minature solar systems with his puzzles, though some part of her worried either Theo or Caimus would get carsick after long. Tony always had medicine for it anyways.

Just after the twenty mile mark, a single exit led deeper into the forest, the trees around it twisted and gnarled like hands grasping at the sky. Remembering the primary's words, the nurse had followed orders and turned onto the lone exit. There were tiny pass-through towns, where there were tiny gas-stations attended to only by tired looking old people and disinterested teenagers who didn't look too hard at the strange travelers filling up a small bus or sneaking into bathrooms before rapidly taking off again.

Though they had departed just after one, it felt like only a heartbeat before the sky started growing dark. Raphael was acutely aware it was beginning to get late, eyeing the clock on the dashboard that read close to nine. And he was also very aware that while Kreszentia had inhuman night vision, she was eventually going to get tired. Everyone was. So as the van came up on the next small town, a tiny spot of light in the dense forest called Dulcet with a grand population of 10,000, he leaned up to look. The second he saw a motel come up, just off the right, he tapped the nurse on the shoulder.

"Zenzi, the children are probably getting tired. We should stop for the night" he said gently. Kreszentia would never admit to being tired, but she wouldn't force sleeping in the car all night on either Theodore or Caimus. With a reluctant sigh, she pulled into the motel parking lot. It wasn't very big nor very nice, but it didn't look like a place where people got shot, which was a major improvement.

"Jasper" Raphael said, turning to the oracle and tapping him very lightly on the shoulder, just to ensure he was awake. "Come inside and help me get rooms" he ordered quietly, swiftly unbuckling. After a day of incessant itching, some space to stretch out sounded glorious. "Stay here, we'll be right back" he said, though he was mostly looking at Theodore and Aki. Moving quietly but quickly, the angel slipped outside the van into chilly nighttime air. He very quickly had to do some mental mathematics. There were currently eight members, and around two large-ish beds a room in each room.

Caimus and Theodore could probably share a room, Caimus hated sleeping alone as it was. He highly doubted Kreszentia and Sukab would object to sharing, and he could share with Aki. Jasper and Tony could deal for a night, he figured. With those numbers in mind, he straightened out and grabbed what seemed like a reasonable amount of money, waiting for the oracle.

(Sorry about the major timeskip, but hours on the road probably would have been both slow and muse killing

Also, it's two in the morning and I've come up with theme songs for our pairings

Raphael and Aki: idfc - Blackbear

Kreszentia and Sukab: For the First Time - The Script)

The Syndicate

Raphael quickly counted off the appropriate bills and handed it to the cashier. Though she looked puzzled, she handed him the room keys without asking questions. They weren't the neat cards most hotels had, more like regular keys with plastic tags attached reading which rooms they belonged to. Thankfully, they were all in a row - 205 to 208. He had to admire Jasper's ability to talk to humans, another tally added in his head. He quickly tried to figure how to arrange them. He figured he and Aki could take 205 and stick Caimus and Theodore in 206 to keep them close. Tony and Jasper could be in 207 and Kreszentia and Sukab in 208.

Satisfied with the layout, he thanked the woman and went back outside, gesturing Jasper to follow. He opened the van doors, washing the dark interior with the flickering glow of the street light overhead. "We're going inside, come on" he said to everyone, gesturing them out. The parking spot was shaded and hidden behind some trees, so he was satisfied it was quiet enough for them to sneak in now and out again in the morning. "Aki, you're with me" he said, holding up the 205 key. "Tony, you'll be with Jasper" he continued, tossing the 207 key to the doctor.

Tony caught it deftly, shaking off his stupor. "Zenzi, you and Sukab are in 208" he said, handing the nurse the key over her shoulder. She looked at him strangely, but nodded and turned off the car. "Theodore, you and Caimus are sharing a room. You'll be right next to me and Aki" he informed gently, looking at Theo. He didn't trust Caimus's ability to function enough, especially since the red-head was obviously extremely tired and antsy from sitting almost all day. "Here's your key" he said, holding it out for him to take.

Kreszentia busied herself getting the trunk open, looking at the small suitcases Tony had brought. Small paper tags with names on them read out which one belonged to who in neat, exact handwriting. She pulled out the one with her name on it, hoping more than anything he had brought her spare clothes so she could pry off the ones she had on and take a shower. The creek water still clung to her clothes and it had been driving her steadily insane over the course of the drive. She also grabbed the small steel case of her vials, feeling the insistent hunger and knowing she would have to eat soon.

She set everyone's suitcase out in alphabetical order, Aki first and Tony last, a sign of her nervous desire to have order. The red-head in question clambered out, trailing slowly after his adopted mother with tentative steps. Tony followed, stretching out once he was outside. Part of his spiky hair was plastered against his head from leaning against the window for so long, but he didn't seem to notice or care. "I don't care, as long as I don't have to spend another minute in this van" he huffed, pocketing the key swiftly and walking over to where the healer was. He grabbed his suitcase but hesitated, waiting for the oracle. As much as he hated sharing any personal space, he wasn't going to accidentally lock Jasper out.

(Yeah, I went through quite a few choices before settling on those two songs in particular XD)

Tony

Tony regarded the oracle strangely, eyebrows knitting together. "I won't melt, if that's what you're asking" he frowned, though it wasn't unhappiness, mostly just confusion. He did jump in the creek after all, it wasn't like water was dangerous. "And it's fine, I'm used to ignoring sleep-talk" he said. Whether he was talking about the nurse or the shadows was debatable, but nonetheless, he slipped inside the room without further elaboration. "I'll go after you" he added quickly, remembering Jasper had asked a question.

He flicked the lights on. The motel room was clean and very simple. To the left, there were beds with white sheets and turned down blue duvets. A simple wood door blocked the main room from the bathroom. A TV and desk consistent with motels of these types occupied the furthest right wall. Nicer than home, he realized with a small wry chuckle under his breath. He hadn't really thought about how poor the old syndicate building was until the comparison was staring him right in the face. Except for the clinic, the entire building had been in various stages of disrepair.

The mountains were visible from the windows, though at night they were merely massive shapes illuminated only by the moonlight. They were a largely wild land with small pockets of civilization. Popular in certain spots with humans, but in others almost completely untouched by normal people. He walked over and set his small suitcase on the bed nearest to the window.

Zenzi

Kreszentia kept a close watch as Caimus padded off after Theodore, the red-head looking more happy than anything just to be out of the van. "Make sure you both take a shower!" she called after the two, mostly directing at Caimus. He would never disobey a direct request from his mother, and she trusted him at least a little to remind Theodore. With that finished, she turned back to Sukab with a tired smile. Trotting after him until she caught up, she opened their room and pushed open the door. "Feel free. I'm going to take a shower" she said, taking long strides inside.

A very hot shower, if she had anything to say about it. Keeping her wings pressed downwards for hours had left her entire torso feeling like it wanted to fall to pieces. Her eyes landed on the mountains outside the window. How ironic, she lamented, that after all these years she would return to the very peaks Raphael had convinced her to come down from. It made her smile a little in a sad way, the bittersweet memories stirring up strange emotions she had no name for. Most people were happy to return home after a long absence, but she just felt a vague empty feeling that she couldn't have explained if she tried.

Trying to distract herself before she could silently think herself straight into depression, she opened the suitcase Tony had packed. It had all her clothes and a few other personal things. She pulled out a brown and navy blue dress, an older one she didn't wear often, but it was comfortable and clean and that was all that mattered at this point. Though she was worried about Caimus, he was capable of basic functioning on his own and that was enough for now.

Raphael

Raphael grabbed his suitcase, flashing a nod of thanks at the doctor as he passed. He took out the key and quickly opened the door, flicking on the lights and stepping inside. The first thing he did was let his wings fall free, separating from his skin in a clean arc. Being in so long had left the down flattened and what few feathers he had crooked, but it was so good just not having to hold them in that he honestly could not have cared less. "We're going to at least try to rest" he said in response to the mage's comment, though his tone was light as he knew the mage was simply expressing happiness in his own way.

A through scrubbing and a little preening would make him feel much better, especially because blood was now clotting against the back of his shirt. He waited for the mage to come in, wanting to make sure he didn't run off. Though he wasn't really concerned about such an occurrence, it was more for his peace of mind.

(It's okay, I know you have work and you must be tired since you get back so late)

Zenzi

Kreszentia pulled out something else from her suitcase, thick rubbery strips in odd shapes. She fitted them around her wing blades where they hugged the edges with remarkable precision. Mostly so she wouldn't accidentally cut anything to pieces in her sleep. With that done, she grabbed a single vial from her case as she walked into the bathroom, pulling off her dress and caplet. She hated looking at her back in the mirror, even after many years, it was still marred with deep scars that she feared would never truly heal, especially where her main wing servo attached to flesh. Taking out her clasp, she set in on the counter and turned on the water before her tired mind could dwell on it too long. Night was a dangerous time for the nurse, when her emotional control ran thin and her mental fortitude even more so, she had no desire to spend the night panicking over nothing.

She took a quick shower as hot as she could stand it, the mild burn of the water helping sore muscles and keeping her mind in the present. The hotel shampoo left her hair feeling chalky and dry that not even conditioner could fix, but she had little choice other than to leave it. Despite that, it still felt great, and she came out feeling much better even if her pale skin was now rather red in color. It would heal by morning, as most minor wounds usually did. She quickly ran a comb through her hair, drank down the fluid in the vial, pulled on her clothes very carefully as usual. and walked back outside. She turned her gaze back to Sukab, noticing he seemed a little unnerved. She couldn't blame him, something about the clean sterility of the place made her hair prickle. "Are you okay?" she wondered still, though she knew the answer was probably 'no' and it was a sort of stupid question.

Tony

Tony nodded, seeming lost in thought before getting up and more wandering rather than walking into the bathroom. He was very tired now, the draining energy of the town and the long drive had conspired into this perfect storm to leave the doctor utterly exhausted. His head wound still hurt and the scratches across his cheek had started burning again. Though he feared infection, he couldn't afford to say so and risk panic. There was no use in saying anything anyways, he could treat himself and hopefully be better before anyone knew something was wrong. Chancing a glance in the mirror, he winced. The cuts on his cheeks looked angry, the skin around them purple with irritation.

The very tips of his hair had begun to turn an orange-blonde, a stark reminder that he had almost lost his hold on this dimension and slipped back into his own. With a heavy sigh, he took a quick shower in cold water, finding the chill soothing after a long day in a hot van. Getting dressed quickly, he spread a little antibiotic ointment on the cuts, took a deep breath, and wandered back outside. Despite the fact he did not usually enjoy having to sleep, the doctor found himself gravitating towards his bed without really thinking on it.

Raphael

"Let me wash off all this blood, and then you can fix my feathers" Raphael said, feeling like maybe letting Aki help would soothe the mage's manic energy somewhat. The angel could practically feel the electric buzzing in his head and it was suddenly understandable why the mage was agitated. He very quickly ducked into the bathroom, hoping against hope the wounds weren't too severe. On the plus side, it didn't appear so. His usual angel healing meant the cuts were practically gone. The small puncture wounds by his neck and shoulder where Tashi had tossed him were still there, but they were also healing very well and would probably be gone by morning or afternoon tomorrow. The wounds where his arms had been torn open by the abassy were all but vanished, as if they had never been there in the first place.

The primary wished above all he could give a little of his healing ability to the others. If he hadn't fallen, he probably would have. But it was no use lamenting spilled milk, he reminded himself, and quickly got in the shower. Getting the blood and dirt off his back and wings was almost paradise. Though now his wings looked even more sad, with his feathers and the down drooping with water, they would dry quickly. Angel feathers could shed water very easily, mostly to make it easier to fly in rain. He dried off and pulled on a clean shirt, having to bend in ways that defied common anatomy to get his wings through the holes where they were supposed to be, but was able to make it quickly enough and walk back outside.

Zenzi

Kreszentia walked over, sitting next to him on the bed. She gave a cursory glance at his wing, checking over the stitches with an intent gaze. "Yes, you can. Just make sure to pat the wound dry afterwords and don't stretch it too much" she replied. When he asked how she was feeling, she took a deep breath, looking down slightly before managing a tired smile. "I've been better, I've been worse" she shrugged, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was a light touch, but the physical contact helped her keep her thoughts straight. "I'm just glad we're finally away from the city. I have to wonder where we're headed though" she frowned slightly, but shook it off and smiled again.

She just had to trust in Raphael's judgement, as much as she had been doubting that recently. "I just hope we get there soon" she sighed, looking downwards. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired of that van already" she said, forcing a little more cherriness into her voice as she stretched upwards slightly. The movement pulled on her back and made her wince slightly, but she tried her best not to show it on her face.

Raphael

Raphael was surprised by the sudden manhandling but didn't bother to object. "They'll grow back soon" he assured, then fell quiet. The silence felt almost deafening, but he didn't dare break it. He wasn't sure why, but it felt like to speak would somehow ruin the moment. It had been a long time since someone had cleaned his feathers with this much reverence and it was deeply soothing. He kept as still as possible, even when the slight tugging made his spine tingle involuntarily. He only really moved when he felt the mage's hand drift over the puncture wounds on his shoulder. They were, to the primary at least, a reminder of a surprising selfless sacrifice made by the last person he expected. The touch did sting just a little, as one might expect touching a wound would be, but the angel still didn't move.

"Aki?" he wondered very quietly, just loud enough to hear over the faint rumble of the air conditioning. He wasn't sure what exactly he was asking, perhaps just wanting to get a better idea of the mage's state of mind. He didn't want the mage upset over his near death experience again. He still vividly remembered the mage practically football-tackling him after he'd emerged from the river, unharmed after Tashi had thrown him clear of the monsters.

(I really wish I could stop shipping our pairings so hard)

Zenzi

Kreszentia frowned, glancing out the window. She settled down next to Sukab, extending one wing out as though to keep him close. "I know these parts, yeah. I used to live up there, a long time ago" she said, pointing to the mountains. "This road was here too, though the trees didn't look like this. There wasn't much up there, campgrounds and small towns, but not too many humans otherwise. Maybe he remembers something up there that I don't" she shrugged. She tried to think back to that time. There had been small cabins, mostly belonging to recluses or draft dodgers once upon a time. And where she had lived, of course. She tried to remember if there was anything larger. She felt like there had been, but the memory was too vague to recall.

"I'm not sure our primary knows where his better sense is half the time, but he seems pretty certain about this" she commented, putting to words what they were both thinking. Raphael hadn't been himself lately, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that Aki and Theodore somehow factored into that. Though he had been more open, he had also been a little more willing to let rules and protocol loosen when it came to those two. The idea of favoritism made her wing plates bristle, but she couldn't exactly play innocent on that front either. She laced her fingers with his, just trying to enjoy the moment of peace. She sincerely hoped this time, it was calm instead of just the eye of the storm.

Raphael

Raphael all but froze, trying to process everything that had just happened. The fledgling bond made that 'I'm sorry' cut like a white hot knife straight through all his carefully built defenses. Funny, he thought to himself, how two words could do something like that. Normally it took at least three, but things had been strange lately so it wasn't all that surprising. "Why?" he wondered, waiting until the last feather to fall into place before turning around to face the mage head-on. He wasn't sure what Aki was sorry for, honestly, it could be a lot of things. Anything he could think of though was not entirely the mage's fault, from Anael's death to killing his father.

The almost dying thing was entirely the primary's fault, having known too little and known too late. It was only Tashi's swift thinking that saved him. She still had to be given a proper funeral, once they got where they were going and his flight feathers came back. They were already beginning to grow back, those were the longer feathers Aki had just straightened out. Having them neat was wonderful after a long day of holding them in, but now he was far more concerned about the mage himself than anything else. The last thing anyone needed was another breakdown, yet not only that, but the angel couldn't bear to see the other male hurting again, though he did not voice those thoughts.

(We legit need to make RaphaelxAki official one of these posts IMO)

Zenzi

"The only reason people didn't live on that mountain was me. And the fact it's kinda far from major towns, but it's not a place run by mafia, which is an improvement" Kreszentia shrugged, though it was obvious the first half of her sentence brought up some kind of painful memory. It passed over her face quickly, but enough to be visible. "It was actually a really pretty place, though I couldn't appreciate it at the time. There's a lovely river with beautiful waterfalls. Lots of it was untouched when I lived there" she sighed. She didn't mention that was mostly because hikers who wandered into that half of the woods ended up dead, it didn't seem all that important and the last thing she wanted was for him to think lesser of her.

Humans always encroached on things eventually, though there had been strong magic on those mountains, which might have been preventing the worst of it. Now that she thought about it, the trail they were following seemed charged with some very light sort of magic, almost imperceptible but there nonetheless. She didn't think on it too much, it was obvious whatever twisted the trees wasn't human so some magic traces weren't all that surprising. She ran her idle hand through his hair, a mindless but kind gesture, picking out a couple pieces of hay. She just liked being close in peace, where there wasn't anything really pressing to worry about.

"I don't know. What do you think about all this?" she wondered, trying to figure out his opinion on the entire situation.

Raphael

Raphael took a deep breath, resting a hand on Aki's shoulder as a sort of soothing gesture. "I beg to differ" he said simply, then paused, wondering what else to say. He had never been good with words in any respect, angels preferred actions to words and so that was what he had always been - an eternal man of action. He had been a warrior, and then a leader, all roles that fit his endless desire to move. Even as a primary, he had always preferred to lead by example and appointed others beneath him who could handle all the talking. Words weren't his forte, but he could try.

"Nobody makes anybody do anything. You didn't make me do anything" he said, remembering something his mother had told him a long time ago. "Nobody deserves anything, don't worry about it. I've made my choice" Raphael said, though even he had to wonder exactly what he meant by that. Yes, he'd made a lot of choices concerning the mage, from keeping him after he blew the first base to powder to letting this bond take hold, though it was more of a cumulative effect, he decided.

Zenzi

Kreszentia winced when he brought up the invisible divide. Not that invisible, she thought, licking her teeth nervously. She was sad that there was now this deep divide. Raphael was the one to convince her down from the mountains. He had helped Tony when he was lost and alone. He was the one who found Caimus. It was sad to think that the primary now felt so far removed it was almost like there was two distinct groups: the healers plus Sukab, and Aki and Raphael, with the innocent ones like Theodore and Caimus caught in the middle.

She hoped they could mend fences and that nobody would end up dead for it. "There's small towns up there with shops for that sort of stuff. Big mountaineering communities who make it all by hand. It's cool actually, if you're into that kind of stuff" she replied, hoping her long heartbeat of silence wouldn't be noticed. "And maybe up there we could have some goddamn peace and quiet for once" she laughed shortly. "Maybe we could finally dedicate some time to us" she added, saying the words before her brain had any time to process them. Her tone turned a little more somber, perhaps a little sad, but hopeful too despite the more cynical part of her brain wanting to crush it.

Raphael

Raphael took in the words, trying to figure out what to say. Too little and he'd hurt the mage's feelings, too much and everything would fall to pieces. Watching Aki, he tried to focus in staying still and thinking of a reply. It was moments like this where he silently kicked himself for not listening to his mother's lectures about learning to listen and talk to people. As a boy, those lessons had seemed insignificant. Now he was desperately wishing he had taken her seriously.

Falling back on actions where words failed, the angel laid a hand on the mage's shoulder, letting his fingers trail down the other male's arm, absorbing some of the agitated energy in hopes of giving Aki a little rest from the overactive magic. He was a fallen angel, taking on the extra energy was nothing. Maybe, he thought wryly, it would help his feathers grow back a little faster. That would be rather funny in some strange way and it made Raphael smile a little. "I know" he said, proud he was able to keep his voice perfectly steady.

He knew he was in too deep, letting the mage touch his wings was already proof of that. Save for very minor help, he'd never let anybody get touch them. They were all that remained of his time as a warrior, and very sensitive to touch and especially to pain. Yet even with Aki's strange and very dark proclivities, he'd never handled the delicate feathers with anything other than the lightest touch. "You know I care" he said. That was about as much as he felt he could say while trying to keep himself put together.

(I know that feel. Overthinking is practically my superpower. Yay for mood disorders)

(I'm not sure if he said that outloud or not but I'm going in anyways so yayyyy)

Zenzi

Kreszentia's eyelids fluttered when his fingers skimmed her face, blushing slightly but smiling nonetheless. At his question, she chuckled and shrugged. "What do you mean? Caimus loves nature, that's why he liked Tony's garden, he won't have any problems. And he has Theodore, they'll keep each other entertained" she said. "Theodore will need training, of course, but I'm sure Raphael or Aki will handle that" she said, sounding rather at ease. She wasn't worried about Caimus too much, nature seemed to be his element, perhaps it soothed his mental energy somehow. Looking out the window again, clouds had obscured the moon and little raindrops were beginning to patter the glass. To her at least, the rain added to the serenity of the moment, she'd always loved storms though, at least when she wasn't in them.

Theodore was a mystery, he hadn't been around enough for her to see how he thought or what made him feel better or worse. A little tiny part of her worried he might cause a forest fire one of these days, but she was certain that was just her irrational side acting up again. "I know I'm just about the last person who should ever say this, but try not to worry so much. It's not good for your health" she said, though even saying so felt hypocritical. She pressed her forehead to his, a sweet touch meant mostly to help set some of his stress at ease, her hand playing with the strands of hair at the base of his neck. Though her plum-colored eyes tended to absorb light unnervingly well, they seemed to be bright with the little bit of happiness she had for the moment.

Raphael

The primary was stunned for a long moment, holding his breath when the mage came close, close enough to practically... Whatever he thought was cut off when Aki pushed away, leaving him feeling both strangely cold and slightly lightheaded. The spaces where fingers had brushed against his cheekbones still tingled, the energy left behind making his skin prickle. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling, but the sudden push away made it feel strangely strained, like the conflicted emotions made the magic itself pull in different directions.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, the primary realized his freezing must have scared Aki off. Clenching his hands in anger mostly at his own dumb reaction, he stood up slowly. His wings beat restlessly without his real knowledge, betraying the restless energy now twisting his insides in all sorts of uncomfortable positions. He walked over with purpose and sat next to the other male, extending one wing around him. "Why did you leave?" he wondered, though he knew immediately that was a stupid question and his other wing bunched uncomfortably in agitation at himself.

"You didn't have to" he said quickly, before anything more could be said. He took a harsh breath, trying to work up the courage to say literally anything more. It felt like he had feathers in his throat. He had felt this before, twice, and both times had ended poorly. But it was a bit too late for that now, wasn't it? Third time's the charm, right? Or was that just his desire for blind hope? Falling back to actions, he turned and pulled the mage into a tight embrace, wings fluffing out against some enemy nameless and shapeless to anyone except the fallen angel.

(If you can't tell, romance and drama are my natural habitats XD)

(Thirty five but who's counting?)

Zenzi

Kreszentia chuckled, taking a soft breath. "I slept last night, I'm not going to be able to even if I wanted to" she shrugged. She didn't feel very tired after taking a shower and finding a little stab of happiness. She would at least lay down later and at least fall into the half-sleep trance she usually did instead of sleeping, but for now she was alright. "But if you're tired, I'll let you sleep" she added with another light shrug. She knew he needed sleep, especially with a major wound that required as much healing as possible.

Running a last hand through his hair, combing out the last of the hay, she sighed heavily. Night was a dangerous time, her emotional control wore too thin. But thankfully it had swung towards contentment tonight, letting the soft sound of rain and the distant rumble of thunder soothe her. Using that serenity as courage, she carefully leaned forward. With the gentlest, sweetest touch she could manage, she pressed a very quick kiss to his lips, feeling her heart beat wildly against her ribs.

"Good night" she said softly as she pulled away, making a move to get up before her pulse could kick it's way out of her ribs. She didn't know what she would do, probably watch the rain become snow or something and gather her strength for the rest of the drive tomorrow. Sleep might come, but something about the vast clean emptiness of the beds was unsettling.

Raphael

Raphael breathed out softly, the contact too fleeting to kiss back but just enough to make his heart flutter like a caged bird trying desperately to escape. The background noise of rain and faint thunder fading to nothing in his head. This all felt familiar, too familiar, but he refused to let go of the mage both literally and emotionally. At this point he couldn't. He highly doubted his soul could survive another bond snap anyways. His emotions and thoughts were so helplessly tangled it was almost useless to try and sort them out.

He focused on the sound of February rain as it slowly turned to snow. At this elevation, it wasn't all that surprising, though it would probably melt by morning. If not, well he was certain the children would have fun playing with it in the morning. Zenzi knew how to drive in snow anyways. Feeling the tension in his mind relax somewhat, he relaxed his grip on the mage, not letting go but keeping his hold loose enough that Aki could pull away if he wanted.

He let his fingers trace the mage's neck, running his hands through the loose hair near the back. His entire mental state felt stretched too thin and too tight, but he couldn't care less. "You never have to leave" he said, adding onto what he said earlier in a hushed tone that hinted at his emotional turmoil.

Zenzi

Kreszentia smiled back, drifting back towards the window, watching the snowflakes flutter down. She wished this moment could last forever, that they could just talk and do whatever it was normal couples did. She had no idea how human mating rituals worked, her only knowledge was purely medical, and what little she had observed on the streets. She wondered if she should take something for sleep. It was probably a good idea, she figured. Taking another vial from her case, she studied the slightly cloudy liquid inside.

It was spinal fluid from Caimus after the latter had taken some very hefty sleeping medications, the closest she could get to taking the medicine without getting sick. She drank it down quickly, feeling a little better almost instantly. She could probably sleep now, though as she peeled back the sheets and the duvet, she felt horribly alone. As uncomfortable and spine-breaking as it was, she missed her old cot by the clinic. She hoped wherever they ended up had better beds, with nicer mattresses at least. She was tired of people coming to her with backaches from sleeping poorly.

Settling down off to the side so her wings faced the edge, she carefully clicked off the lamp. The darkness washed over the room, though her eyes could see just as well at night as in the day. Feeling homesick but good, she tried to settle into sleep.

Raphael

Raphael let his eyelids fall closed, finally able to kiss back with slow intensity. He savored the feeling, more addicting in it's heart-pounding rush and depth as any human drug could ever hope to be. He pulled back after a long moment, feeling like his breath was caught in his chest. The primary took a deep breath, trying to find his internal balance again. He knew he had to be careful, pushing a very new bond could easily end up with things snowballing way out of control, leaving better judgement and higher thought behind in the process.

So as much as it pained him, he pulled away. He stroked the mage's hair, a silent sign he hadn't pulled back out of anything other than pure motivations, and smiled. He knew neither of them were people who slept most days, especially not the angel himself. How he would pass the night was a mystery, and with Aki to figure, he didn't know what to even begin to consider. Perhaps it wasn't the best to shove them in a room together, but the primary couldn't bring himself to regret the decision.

(I apologize in advance if I fall asleep, I promise I'll respond tomorrow if I do)

Raphael

Raphael breathed out slowly, holding the mage close but loose enough he could move if he wanted. Shifting slightly so his back was against the mattress which helped take the weight off his wings. The primary felt relaxed for the first time in a long time, though it took a moment for his fluffed out feathers to relax and lay back down neatly. At Aki's words he smiled a little. "Thanks" he said, though there was a note of dry sarcasm, there was no bite to his voice. As he thought silently, he swore the faintest trace of a different smell passed, like burnt sage and the smell of packed ice. Even after centuries he could remember the scent of his mother.

He liked to think it was a sign of her approval, though he knew almost anyone else in his family short of his sister would ever approve of the mage in any respect. The thought of his sister made him a little sad again, she had always been close to him even above his twin brother, despite her rather explosive temper and very strong sense of justice. The mage's sudden stillness snapped him from his thoughts. "What's wrong?" he wondered, tilting his head slightly to study the other male's expression. He could see and feel that something was bothering the mage, though he couldn't think what it was.

Raphael

Raphael bit his lip just slightly, taking a deep breath. It wasn't an easy question to answer. Kreszentia, for starters, could take her opinion and throw it against the wall like one of her slides for all he cared. She was the last person to accuse anybody of playing favorites, especially where Caimus was involved. Tony couldn't care less, his species being by and large genderless, as long as the primary's decisions weren't swayed too much. Caimus didn't have the mental capacity to worry, as long as he had his mother and his puzzles he was content. Theodore did flick to mind. He wasn't sure what his father had taught him about anything, and the angel wasn't about to ask Aki and risk dredging up bad memories.

He couldn't see Jasper caring much, though he hadn't known the oracle long enough to draw any definite conclusions. How he reacted might dictate his chances at becoming secondary. Tony would know the minute he woke up, he could guarantee it, the doctor's shadow people loved any bit of dramatic gossip they could find. The head healer was good at keeping quiet about sensitive matters, though Caimus or Jasper catching onto it was a risk (the former by taking it from the doctor's mind, the latter by seeing it in his visions or hearing it from the doctor). Caimus getting hold of it would be especially dangerous, given Aki and Zenzi weren't on the best terms as is.

Sukab was an interesting swing vote of sorts. He tended to be neutral, but often sided with the nurse on most issues for rather obvious reasons, and vise versa. How Sukab reacted would dictate in large part how Kreszentia saw the issue. The news would not stay secret for long at all, it was very likely they would all know by the time they had packed in the morning. Thus, it wasn't even telling them, it was dealing with the inevitable fallout. "They'll know by morning, it's not like we have a choice" he spoke finally. "I don't see anyone having any major problems, but I can't make any promises. I'm not sure about Theodore though" he admitted with a heavy sigh. He didn't want to bring it up, but he had to know what they would be walking into tomorrow morning.

(Welcome back!)

Raphael frowned, the difference in the mage's voice as loud as the thunder outside to him. He sighed, lacing his fingers around the hand hanging on his collar. "It might be better if I tell him" he said, though he knew that probably wasn't the answer the mage wanted to hear. It was mostly likely true, Theodore liked and trusted him more than his older brother for the time being. He found human objections to sexuality rather amusing in a sad way, in the same way one laughed at stupid teenagers doing stupid stunts.

Angels were entirely pansexual, and the fact there was same-sex couples in the human book of god made it all the more bemusing. He only hoped Theodore didn't take it poorly. That ran too much of a risk of permanently driving a wall between the two brothers. He sent a silent prayer that Caimus would not tell Theodore anything. Even if he told Kreszentia and Sukab and Jasper, just not Theodore. It would be better for the boy to hear it from the angel personally, as hard as that would be. Even in his vast experience as a warrior, a leader, and a father, this wasn't a situation he'd ever had to handle before.

On that thought, he remembered the amulet still around his neck. Hoping to make the mage feel a little better, he used his free hand to slip it off and held it out to Aki. "I promised I'd give this back to you" he said gently, hoping to make up for not giving it back earlier.

Raphael

"Well, we have all night" Raphael shrugged lightly, trying to hold on to the moment of peace. His gaze flicked back out the window. Night was settled in, little flakes fluttered to the ground. Just a moment, yes, but it would have to be enough.

(TIMESKIPPING TIME EVERYBODY : D)

Tony

Tony woke up early, he didn't really mean to, but the voices had risen to fever pitch overnight until ignoring them was too much a task for his sleeping mind. Listen, listen they said, repeating until the doctor slowly sat up in bed, glancing around to make sure he hadn't woken the oracle. Willing them to shut up, he finally found the energy to ask what they had heard. He wasn't exactly thrilled about what he heard. The fallen angel and the mage... He took a deep breath, it wasn't like this was a surprise, the doctor had seen it coming from the start.

Still, he had to loathe the primary's poor sense of timing, though these things tended to happen whether it was a good time or not. Deciding it best to keep quiet, he silently urged the shadows to stay quiet. Though only he could hear them directly, they could speak in a way to those sensitive to mental energy. It would be too easy to let it through, especially with them this agitated. Getting up quickly, he decided to pack. He knew immediately that staying in this hotel too long was to invite bad things to happen. Besides, he had good feelings about today. Perhaps their luck was finally turning around.

Zenzi

Kreszentia woke slowly, the sleeping medication having worked almost a little too well. Though she was groggy a little, she felt better rested than she had in years. Stretching out very slowly, joints and wingplates softly clicking into place, she felt a little more hopeful now. Getting up, she realized she should probably wake Sukab so that he could take a shower before they left. Gently padding over to his bed on silent footsteps, she gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Good morning" she said, softly but loud enough to be heard. She strained her sensitive hearing, trying to pick up any movement from the other rooms. She thought she could hear slight stirring from next door, so either Tony or Jasper was awake. Any further than that was frustratingly cut off from her senses. She let it roll of her shoulders, determined not to get stressed out so early in the morning. She made a mental list of things to do: make sure her suitcase was in order, get Caimus and Theodore, and get out of this hotel whatever it was about it drove her mad.