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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jul 13, 2010 1:37:34 GMT -8
Melora came from the washroom, dressed in pajamas and drying her long hair in a towel. The smell from the demon was gone for now, but Melora had the sinking feeling that it would soon be hanging around her again. She frowned as she made her way from the washroom, pouting honestly. Not only had the shower hurt to manuver, but she spent her entire experience getting teased by Vetis, who made it known that she thought that her host was too tiny to be attractive and had ridiculously small tits. All in one sitting the demon had found the only physical thing Melora was self conscious about.
"What's this about sleeping arrangements?" Her eyes narrowed on the two of them. Immediately her thoughts came to Azura, who couldn't stand the smell of the less than gracious guest keeping her alive. He was taking this whole polite thing quite a bit seriously if he was willing to be in a bed next to her.
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Post by Rima Elaine Donavon on Jul 13, 2010 1:47:37 GMT -8
Rima stepped down the first set of stairs, thankful that none were loose. Shrill, squeaky stairs were obnoxious and reminded her of the past life which she couldn’t return to. The stairs in the flat, her original home way back when, had been squeaky. She could remember still her Mother’s banter of them. Carmen had been like their Mother…
Lost in thought, she stumbled, sending a scuffling noise through the halls as she caught herself. Another couple flights of stairs, and wherever Azura had been that had scared him so would be in view. Fear scents still mingling in the air from their retreat. Had it really been that bad?
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jul 13, 2010 1:47:53 GMT -8
Azura sighed, feeling irritatingly chained by his nervousness. "If you would like to go find some, then you're more than welcome, but I-" he growled, unwilling to voice the fact that he was afraid.
Melora provided the perfect scape goat when she arrived, smell completely gone, to his very welcome surprise.
"I was telling Anshel that it might be good if we all slept on my bed together. That way, we keep an eye on you and-' he bit his tongue at his last remark, almost biting the damn thing off. He was not a little kid anymore!
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jul 13, 2010 1:54:05 GMT -8
She surveyed his expression and the tone of his voice carefully. He seemed bothered by something fairly intense. Melora was confident that she could sneak out without waking either of them anyway, and she was tired of fighting with Vetis all damn night. She inspected the size of the bed and agreed that it would be big enough, they'd even be able to have room between each of them.
"Fine." She stated decidedly. "Anshel..." Melora walked to him, taking him by the shoulder. It was her turn to whisper. "Just drop it. Whatever is going on he seems pretty upset with, and I'm certainly not volunteering to roam the halls to look for anything to sleep with. It'll be fine. There's plenty of space and..." Melora looked the man up and down, "...and if you keep your hands to yourself I promise not to cripple you when we wake up."
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Post by Doctor on Jul 13, 2010 2:01:23 GMT -8
Anshel finished listening to Melora's line of reasoning and concluded that he didn't believe her. Not the part about Azura being unsettled, that was obvious, but the not crippling him part. He was not willing to take that chance with her if he could help it. Yes, he did resolve to trust her more, but that did not include putting himself up as a lamb for slaughter.
"Yeah... So," Anshel jerked his thumb at the door, "I'm going to find me a cot and some sheets." He said before moving to exit into the hallway.
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jul 13, 2010 2:12:18 GMT -8
"Don't!" Azura yelled, rushing forward to grab the Judge around the middle. "You can't go out there by yourself!" His words had taken on an almost pleading tone as he pulled him back toward the center of the room, his proximity to the door causing his breathing to catch.
He let the Hunter go, looking at him with questioning eyes.
"Look," he said, crossing his arms over his chest to give the imaginary effect that he was somehow cutting them out of what he was about to say, though he knew perfectly well they were going to hear every word, and probably tease him for it. "There are two things out there that followed up from the hallway, and they're staring at me. I'd just feel a lot more comfortable if you'd refrain from opening that door until they give up and go away."
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Post by Rima Elaine Donavon on Jul 13, 2010 2:15:30 GMT -8
She could feel it in the ice of the air. Something was walking these darkened halls. And it felt like a claw of chill was groping for her unbeating heart. If she were alive, Rima was absolutely certain that it would be pounding in her chest.
Being raised when she had been raised, you could say that she was superstitious of sorts. Fumbling for a moment, she caught the golden glimmer of her topaz pendant, and murmured a prayer in Italian.
Keen eyes turned reflective by the low light skimmed the hall, as she began to approach the door. The floorboards around here creaked, and immediately a shiver skittered up her spine. The earlier question was answered: it was that bad.
Rima in took a breath, and sent out a mental wave. Something was alive behind that door. Proceeding a bit more, she recoiled and swayed from her walking approach. The thoughts were jumbled… There was a distinct absence of normalcy in this mind.
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jul 13, 2010 2:21:30 GMT -8
"Azura..." She started towards him with her hand up, ready to comfort him, but immediately stepped back and put her hand down, thinking better of it after remembering the conversation she'd overheard earlier. Still, not being able to open the door would hinder her in trying to explore by herself, but she was sure she could handle it. "I believe you. Anshel, please just get ready for bed. I'll sleep on the floor if I need to, let's just not have anymore terrible things happen. At least for the next few hours." Melora nearly cringed when she considered sleeping on the floor. With her shoulders stitched up and medication wearing off she wouldn't be able to sleep at all on the floor, but if it kept Anshel from further upsetting Azura she'd do it. After all, he had to put up with her scent, and was going to great lengths to keep his annoyance with it secret. Of course they were lousy at keeping secrets, seeing as they spoke so damn loudly that half the house could hear them. But each of them meant well. Kind of.
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Post by Doctor on Jul 13, 2010 2:33:29 GMT -8
Azura's handling him caught Anshel off guard and the alarm was evident on his face even after he was set down. Now he knew what had the King so freaked out. Anshel wasn't sure how ghosts usually behaved, but those two were apparently a cause for worry, and so he did. He looked to the door, then back to Azura, his a face a question. He repeated the motion a few more times before finally settling down and accepting the vampire's terms. No cot for him then.
Begrudgingly accepting that reality, Anshel turned to snap at Melora, a little bitter about the constraints placed on him and a lot angry at her suggestion that she sleep on the floor. Why did this girl insist on not listening to him? He wanted her to heal, not wake up for their investigation with neck cricks and a fucked up back. "You are sleeping on the bed and there will be absolutely no discussion about it! And if I catch you out of that bed for anything other than a piss, I am going to chain you to it." It was clear he didn't mean it in the fun way.
Anshel grabbed his own bedclothes and stomped to the washroom, ready to get this day over with.
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Post by Rima Elaine Donavon on Jul 13, 2010 2:38:19 GMT -8
Tongue running along her lower lip, Rima kept herself on course, though the task was difficult. Everything felt weighted, her tongue and mouth like sand paper, and the slightest noise like a sonic boom.
No heart beat behind the door. It itself was large and oaken, with brass hinges and knob. The inky dark feelings and chill worse then even the most bitter winter storm were radiating from this point.
Her had had paled to white, and it hovered over the knob. On reflex, she steeled her nerves, taking in a slow, controlled breath, before she turned the knob, and the door slowly swung open with an aged creeeeek.
In that instant, if she had a beating heart, Rima knew it would’ve stopped then.
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jul 13, 2010 2:41:07 GMT -8
Azura followed Anshel with his eyes, feeling a little guilty and a lot selfish over this entire ordeal. He was a lot more comfortable when they were nearest him, and right now he didn't think he could stand being alone. Not after the vibes that thing gave him downstairs. That was enough to creep him out for the next hundred years of his life.
"He's right. You are sleeping on the bed," he said, attention now going to Melora with Anshel out of sight. "I'll take the middle, to separate you two. I think it might make it easier."
His gaze drifted toward the door again, their eyes like sharp little needles gouging into his skin from behind the solid barrier.
To get farther away from them, and to get thing moving along, he discarded his coat on the couch and jerked his shirt from over his head, choosing to stay in his clothing for the night. he kicked off his shoes as well on the way to the bed, collapsing on it, right in the middle as he'd said.
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Post by MeloraBelikov on Jul 13, 2010 2:48:29 GMT -8
Melora released a heavy sigh and sat on the bed next to him. "Are you sure you're okay with that?" Uncomfortably she shifted to lay down on her back. The process of the shift made her wince. "Vetis would like to apologize for her smell."
No I wouldn't. She argued to Melora.
Yes, yes you would. So shut it. Melora had already said it and wasn't intending to take it back because her demon happened to get pissy over it.
"I'm sure that taking a shower has helped, but the smell will likely be more or less lingering until all of this shit is figured out.. Sorry." Carefully she began to pull a blanket over herself, but stopped half way and dropped it, the stretch proving to painful for her. Pulling at the blankets simply wouldn't work, so she gave up and let the blanket sit at her knees before laying back down, releasing another heavy sigh as she head hit the pillow. Worst week of her life? Most likely.
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Post by Doctor on Jul 13, 2010 16:09:46 GMT -8
Anshel exited the lavatory freshly scrubbed and smelling like almond soap. His blue pajama top stuck to him in places that were still a touch damp.
While he enjoyed being himself without his accouterments and makeup and cologne and product, he preferred that this type of nakedness be only present in his own company. Without the glamor, Anshel look and felt quite unremarkable and that was a terrible impression to give in his opinion.
The judge scolded himself for even bothering with those mild insecurities during a time of such tenuous safety. He was supposed to be a leader and a figurehead and not concern himself with self-centered issues. That thought brought a grimace to his face. Being self-centered was something he luxuriated in and maybe Nybras was right that he needed to find a new situation. Unfortunately, that prospect would have to wait until after this God forsaken crisis.
Shaking his head in an attempt to rid himself of all those thoughts, Anshel came upon the sight of his two companions splayed out on the bed and quickly began looking around for an alternative resting place. Maybe the morning wood wouldn't be a problem as he'd taken preventative measures in the shower earlier, but the concept of spending the night in the same bed as Azura and the Russian femme fatale still didn't sit right with him.
After scanning the room, he swiftly walked up to the side of the bed Melora had claimed and took two fistfuls of the sheet. He pulled them up to her neck and with quick, precise hands, tucked the linen around her. He didn't actually have chains, but one couldn't blame him for hoping that swaddling her would somehow dissuade or prevent the Huntress from escaping in the night and finding more trouble. How she reached twenty-three years of age with so few survival instincts baffled him.
"Stay. Sleep." The judge ordered, punctuating the words with his hands as if to say "Here. In this bed."
There were few other options in the room besides the bed Anshel was so keen to avoid and the chaise seemed the most logical option. That is, until he tried to lay down on it and found it too narrow and too short to support the breadth of his shoulders and the length of his legs. He curled up as much as he could to make himself smaller, but had to settle on repeatedly shifting into place while his knees stayed bent over the edge of it, feet flat on the floor. Why the hell was this piece of furniture even here? He mentally griped. It served no purpose and was completely unfit for a man to relax on.
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Post by Rima Elaine Donavon on Jul 13, 2010 16:17:16 GMT -8
The girl was crouched, balled up, sitting on the floor. The walls here had not been textured, painted, or decorated in anyway, unless one was to count the dust and debris. Her clothing had matching grunge and dirt ground into the fabric, corresponding with the room. The black tendrils of shadow reached around her like a thorn bush.
Her hair color was undistinguishable in the darkness, but was clearly matted and unkempt. The pallor of her flesh, clearly Vampire, was crusted with dirt, and what appeared to be… aged, dried blood. What the- Rima thought to herself in alarm.
That was when the scent hit her: rotting flesh. Rima nearly lost it then, but instinctually, her head swiveled, to be greeted by the bodies of the Gallian girl and the young man whose Spirits Azura had seen.
The girl was rambling on in unintelligible murmurs, face hidden by her hair. True to her thoughts, she appeared insane. Her entire body appeared plagued with bouts of trembling and shivers, though not quite convulsions.
Rima let out a ragged breath, eyes looking at the girl, trying to take in what was wrong, though something clearly was, and trying to guess why. Her own body had turned into a statuette.
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Post by AzuraGallu on Jul 13, 2010 16:27:06 GMT -8
Azura was barely upon the cusp of sleep during the time when one was awake, but the concept of such a thought was better left to dreaming with one's eyes wide open. Exhaustion was partly to blame for it, his paranoia inciting the rest.
Tossing and turning above the covers, he let out a small stream of unintelligible murmurs, one right after the other, tone seeming retracted and afraid. Even in sleep he wasn't impervious to the hallow stares of the specters around him, and something wasn't right. He could sense the wrongness in the air, as if someone had just opened a Pharaoh's tomb and a cloud of plague spit out of the sarcophagus to ensnare all in the vicinity.
With curled fingers, Azura's eyes opened, still hooded by the bank of his long lashes as he sought out the other wall of his defense. It wasn't there. He could make out Melora in his waking dream, but Anshel was nowhere to be found.
He lifted his head, scanning from side to side using his adept sense of smell rather than his currently compromised sight. With heavy, sleep-laden steps he slid off the bed and padded over to the lounge, kneeling down beside it. Shifting his weight to one side, he now sat on his hip, legs tucked haphazardly beneath him as he butted his head wearily against Anshel's chest wriggling himself half onto the couch, arms crossed beneath his cheek as he fell back into a more comfortable sleep than before.
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