Loa Blood

[RoyalPurpleVelv]

Kryna Ennairy

Kryna sees a head peek out of one of the boxcars ahead of them.

“Since there’s been trouble Andante will attack first and ask questions later if he hears someone approach him. He knows if it’s me approaching he won’t hear a thing I don’t want him to hear," she grins at Dex, “and you can’t move silently on this gravel, so stay here."

She approaches the person climbing out of the boxcar moving as silently as she claimed and keeping in the shadows she’s nearly invisible to anyone but Dex. When she’s close she lets the gravel crunch under her feet in a particular pattern, then she stops, still hidden in the shadows.

“Kryna?” Andante says just loud enough for her to recognize his voice.

“Yes Dante it’s me, there’s railway workers around we need to get out of here.” Moving closer she sees Andante’s condition and the gun.

“Do you need help? Careful with the gun there’s a friend around her too.” Wrapping her arm around his waist she helps support him while moving back towards Dex.

After meeting back up with Dex, the trio moves to one of the many warehouses in the train yard. Kryna hesitates only a second, knowing Dex is watching, before picking the lock and letting them inside.

The second they’re safe inside she wraps her arms around Andante hugging him as tight as she dares, not knowing all of his injuries.

“So good to see you again big bro.” Finding a place to sit she asks him. “Now what kind of mess have you managed to get into?”

 

[KisstheSky]

Sugar

As Ghost stood before her, dressed in white she couldn't help but stare in awe....

“Well Aya, what do you think, how do I look? I look that ugly huh.”

She couldn't find the words to describe what she was feeling, but she knew it certainly wasn't revulsion that made her heart pound...
She reached up to touch his face,
"You're beautiful..." she murmmered.
She leaned in to kiss him, gazing back at her own reflection in the dark reflective lenses of his sunglasses when she heard the alarms sound...

As the store alarms wailed Sugar's hands flew up to cover her ears, she watched as Ghost prepared to protect her but she could sense a weariness about him and that troubled her.
But it had been a long night, for both of them...

She reached out and tugged on the sleeve of his new jacket, trying desperately to lure him back towards the darkness of the alley, into the shadows where they were safe...

But already she could feel the prickling of her skin and the heat that came with her fear.
It reached out like tentacles at the clerks and they began to scream, but they didn't have the same looks of terror that the guards had had...this was a lesser sort of fear.
The clerks gazed at each other in a daze, uncertain why they were screaming...not knowing why their knees were buckling as their legs threatened to go out from under them.

A soft voice momentarily broke the spell...

"Hey, get in here!" the voice comes from an alley beside the ransacked clothing store. A small group of teenagers, pale skin dark clothes, beckons to the strange pair. "Hurry," says a girl with spiky red hair, "we can hide you."

At this point she simply grabbed Ghost by the arm and tugged him towards the group, trusting the group of spikey haired kids over the angry clerks any day of the week....

"Who are you?" She asked anxiously, feeling the heat subsiding she knew it would only be moments before the clerks regained their wits and pursued them further....

 

[Lady_Siren]

OOC: sorry I haven't been on I was in the process of moving and just got my internet back.

IC: Nikki's heart plummeted at the announcment she was under arrest. She would never survive a trip back to Aralia. Then Damien spoke up freeing her from a fate so bad he could never begin to imagine. Memories resurfaced of that fateful night in her fathers lab. Her family had been highly influencel and respected. She had been betrothed to the prince of Aralia even. Then one night in the lab the prince had followed her there while she was recording some new studies of Loa Blood for her father. When the prince found her he attempted to gain his husbandly rights. She resisted, she despised the prince. A struggle had ensued, in defense Nikki threw a barrel of Loa Blood at the prince. She didn't realize that the barrel wasn't closed properly and it burst open when it impacted the prince slamming him into the wall and dousing Nikki in the liquid. Immediatly her skin had begun to burn and images had flashed before her minds eye. She had covered her head screaming with pain, as she did this things began to explode. The last thing she heard before everything went black was the princes bloodcurdling scream abruptly cut off. When she came to she was being dragged to her feet and handcuffed for murdering the prince of Aralia. She knew what her punishment would be, she had struggled to escape growing angrier and more scared by the second. By the time her anger was gone all the gaurds and people within the lab were dead, including her father. She had fled and despair and fear sneaking aboard one of the cargo ships. Now she sat here staring at a man who could very easily steal her heart and soul. A man who already owned her body. He was putting his reputation on the line protecting her when he truly knew nothing of her. She bit her lip lowering her eyes. When everyone's attention was elsewear she moved closer to Damien "Thank you" was all she could manage to say.

 

[amon_darknight]

Ghost

He did feel very tired, and his eyes were getting very heavy, he felt his legs grow weak and he put his hands to the wall to brace himself. But he did hide it from Aya, he didn’t want to show her weakness.

“Thank you Aya, no one has ever said that to me before, and it is like music to my ears to hear it from you. You truly are a Goddess…..”

He saw the kiss coming and he wanted to kiss her so bad, but he heard the alarms and than he felt her pulling him to safety, they were sitting in a dark ally and she was holding on to him, Ghost felt the weariness and he tried so hard to shake it off, he than heard the voices of people telling them to come over to them, he took Aya in and held her close and he drew his gun and cocked it and slipped it into his metal arm and pulled down the sleeve to hide it and he than put his hand into his button pocket with the gun concealed, and he looked back to them and he saw them fall to the ground and screaming in pain, he took his hand from his pocket and left the gun in his side pocket, he than heard another voice call to them, but he was staring at Aya, he had a confused look on his face, but she tugged on his jacket and they followed these spiky haired people.

“What is going on, who are you guys?”

He knew the gun was loaded and ready to fire if he so desired and he had his Katana strapped to his side in his belt and he was ready for a fight mentally, but physically his body would not be able to take it, he was to exhausted. He just had a serious look on his face and he knew Aya knew that he was ready to give his life for her if anything happened. He turned to Aya.

“Don’t worry, I will not let anything bad happen to you, I will be here always for you”

He than looked back to the spiky red haired pale skinned woman.

“Now what are you about and why do you want to help us?”

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary Monroe

“Kell?” Mary took a step forward, shaking her head slightly at the large Loa-man. “I’m Mary. I grew up too. That
was my cousin, she had my doll, she looks just like I did when I was that age. I remember...you remember...when
we...” She fought the rising pain and pulled a memory from the past. “Remember when there was that fancy party?
And we stole the...cream puffs from the cook? We ate about forty of them under the table and got sooooo sick.”

“You don’t look so good Kell, what happened?” She reached out and very gently laid the tips of her fingers on the
shoulder of his battered coat. “Maybe we could...” She looked up at the concerned but rocky face “The three of us,
go to get some breakfast together?”

She bent and picked up her doll. When she straightened a few blocks away an alarm sounded.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Dex was trying to teach himself not to let himself be surprised by anything about Kryna. He had to remind himself of this as he watched her pick the lock of the warehouse in the dark, seemingly effortlessly.

He held the door for the siblings and after checking the surrounding shadows with his vision, slipped inside after them. Dex took a wide step to the left of the door and leans against the wall with his back and one foot, arms crossed.

He keeps his ears and eyes peeled, not liking this place at all and longing to be somewhere else. He let the two converse without interruptions and silently waited for the chance to get out of Dodge.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell slumped slightly.

Oh... it makes sense now... she grew up too... but, cousin? What? I... uhh... I don't want to think about it right now...

Yes... I remember that... heh heh, that was a lot of fun... it was before mother and father.....

He flinched as she touched him, and looked back at her, first with an angry expression, then frightened, then confused. Finally, he looked back and sighed softly. It was then that Mary could tell how much he was shaking underneath his battered coat. Was he frightened? Of what?

"I... I'm kind of hungry..." he said, lying smoothly. Truthfully, he knew if he ate anything he would throw it up instantly, but it didn't matter. He didn't want to be alone anymore.

What...? Where did that come from? Of course I want to be alone. Nobody can really understand me. I wouldn't want them to anyway. So why do I need other people?

What is this human weakness that makes me a social animal...?

...and how do I destroy it once and for all...!

He glanced up from behind his furrowed brow and mussed hair, his face still boyishly handsome beneath the grime. "Sorry to disturb you," he said emotionlessly to Monolith. Only then did he fully take stock of the man before him.

Ah... no wonder I smelled God on him... look at him! He's obviously a Loa mutant! What the hell is wrong with me...? Why couldn't I see that before? I'm practically phasing in and out of reality...

 

[SwampThing]

Bridges

The coast seems clear outside the warehouse, and Dex is guarding the only entrance. But Andante is still panicking, clutching madly to Kryna. The cool, confident professional thief she knew seems gone, replaced by this broken, terrified man. He winces at her hug, clearly wounded more beneath his clothes.

"Kryna, thank chaos you're here. We have to go, now. Have to keep moving. Whenever I stay in one place, she finds me."

"Who finds you?" Kryna asks, "Who are you running from?"

In the dark of the warehouse, a slight breeze picks up. It grows quickly into a small, strong whirlwind, picking up canvas sacks, and smashing a wooden crate. Before their eyes, the slats of the crate assemble into a rough skeleton. The canvas sacks wrap around the skeleton, and the wind stops. The figure's feet touch gently on the concrete floor.

"The Ragdoll!" Andante cries, firing wildly at the figure. three bullets tear through her chest, and she merely laughs and keeps walking towards him. She has the form of a slim woman, the ragged canvas forming a wide skirt and pigtails sticking out from her head. Her canvas face stares with riveted eys, and grins widely with a smile of nails. Her slender hands are tipped with bent and rusted railway spikes.

"Oh, darling, you know those bullets can't hurt me." Her voice is rustling canvas and rasping metal. And now I'm just going to have to kill your friends after I've finished with you. Now, where were we?"

 

[SwampThing]

Bay City

The red-haired girl shows Ghost and Sugar through the back door of a restaurant. Her friends stare at the stunned and screaming shp clerks in the street, and then follow inside. THe white kitchen smells of exotic Sejealan cooking, and the young cooks just nod to the group of kids as they move down the stairs into the basement of the restaurant.

The darkened basement is set up as an apartment/lounge, with a few sofas and a pool table. One of the kids puts some music on. The oldest, a boy with thorny vines tatooed on his neck, can't keep his eyes off Sugar.

"I'm Pol," says the girl. "That was incredible, what you two did out there. We couldn't just let you get caught, or shot up by cops or something lame like that. You're Gifted, right? That's so cool. We're all really into the Loa. I mean, we believe in them. They're like the future, or whatever. If you need a place to stay, you can stay here. And later we can show you around town, introduce you to some people."

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary Monroe

Mary looked at each of the two...beings and wondered what was she going to do now?

Why had she invited Kell, who was a ghostely boy-shape in her memory at best, and this...well, for lack of better
word, monster to breakfast?

She pasted a smile on her face for both of them, born of years and years of long practice, so they couldn’t see her
inner turmoil. Her child cover was blown in this town, and while she still had her social security checks coming to
“Mathia Bricki” it really wasn’t enough to live on, even in her cheap place.

But Kell looked so lost and alone, it tugged at some strings inside her. Friendship? Motherlyness? Lonelyness?
Who knew in someone like herself. And the big stone man was pretty, with his black skin and yellow eyes. And
very commanding and compassionate. Loa tainted, of course. But the studies had shown that unless....pain stabbed
behind her eyes. What studies? When had she ever seen any stuides? Who cared?

“Good, then let’s go eat and get to know each other.” She said brightly, grinning. She took Kell’s arm and linked it
with her own. “Or get to know each other all over again, as it were!”

 

[KisstheSky]

Sugar

She followed the teens wordlessly into the resturant, clinging to Ghosts tattered coat as they descended down the stairs and into the basement.

However, she quickly noticed that this was no ordinary resturant. The basement was set up like a massive lounge, occupied mostly by people her age or younger. Most tattooed, sprawled out on couches or chatting with others along the perimeters of the room.
They had a nice setup down here. They even had a pool table, and she watched as food and drinks made there way down here from the kitchen upstairs.
The food smelled delicious, she couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten anything.

She surveyed the room, and noticed a boy with tattoos of thorns noticing her, his gaze was deep...and she shuddered if felt as if he was gazing into her soul.

"I'm Pol," says the girl. "That was incredible, what you two did out there. We couldn't just let you get caught, or shot up by cops or something lame like that. You're Gifted, right? That's so cool. We're all really into the Loa. I mean, we believe in them. They're like the future, or whatever. If you need a place to stay, you can stay here. And later we can show you around town, introduce you to some people."

Now Sugar realized who these people were...she'd heard some of the guards at the asylum talk about groups like this before...Loa Worshipers they called them.

She gazed up at Ghost, uncertain how to reply.
"I'm Sugar..." she replied slowly, as her tummy began to rumble....

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Dex was a little skeptical at this guy's fear over someone finding him {i]everywhere[/i]. He looks around suspiciously as the wind picks up in the closed warehouse, needing to rub his eyes and blink as he saw a body taking shape.

"Things just keep getting weirder and weirder," he thinks as he straightens against the wall of the warehouse.

"Hey... whats the deal anyway, what'd this guy do to you? Or is it something he has that you want? There must be a peaceful solution to the problem."

 

[SwampThing]

Bridges

"He has to die, that's all. And now, so do you."

Ragdoll swings at Andante with her claws, only barely leaving Dex and Kryna time to react.

 

[SwampThing]

Bridges

"He has to die, that's all. And now, so do you."

Ragdoll swings at Andante with her claws, only barely leaving Dex and Kryna time to react.

 

[amon_darknight]

Ghost Elva

He looks to the basement set up and thinks back to his home, he had a set up like this underground; a chill pad is what he called it. He than looked to all the people here and he didn’t really feel on edge here, but he did stay on guard, just in case this was a set up. He saw the kid with thorns on his neck and the way he stared at Aya, he shook his head and looked back to him through his sunglasses. He made a mental note to watch that one, he smelled the food and boy oh boy did that smell good to him. He looked around to where the smell of was coming from and than he saw the red headed girl approach them. He put his hand to his pocket again.

“Thanks Pol, so where can Sugar and I get some grub? I am starving.”

He looks around and his stare was brought back to that kid with thorns on his nice, if he wanted to show off his tattoos, all Ghost did was lift his sleeve up to reveal his full sleeve and to show that kid what he was made of. Ghost smiled and chuckled as the kid felt the back of his neck and Pol showed the two where the food was.

“Who is that kid over there with the thorns on his neck, he is giving me some weird vibes.”

He than leaned and whispered something in Aya’s ear.

“You let me know if you want to leave, I will stay by your side Goddess, I wont leave it.”

He than kissed her neck once and he just stood beside her as he waited to dig into the food, but he wanted Aya to dig in first.

“So Pol, what is this place down here, why does it seem like you are all in hiding? Are you guys in some kind of trouble, and the cops don’t really phase me, but thanks for trying to hide us, but I wont hide like a coward, if they want me, than they will have to take me with a fight. But I wont let anything happen to Sugar here, she is too important to me. So are you guys like a gang or something?”

He still stared at the kid with thorns on his neck through his dark sunglasses and smiled. If the kid wanted a fight, than he would get one, but if not, than that kid better step down and respect. Ghost than pushed those maddening voices out of his head, and looked away from the kid, he was not about to go and pick a fight with a kid. The voices were starting to get overwhelming, Ghost could feel a burning coming from his eyes, and if Aya and Pol were to look, they would see his eyes were emmiting a blueish white color, but he pushed the voices out of his head with all the concentration he had and the color disappeared. He kept a good look on his face, if any one noticed, he did not want to show any weakness down here, but his mind was wearing out and he needed rest.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Dex groans with frustration and wrenches the door open, it slams against the wall of the warehouse. With his vision he snaps images of this thing in his mind and tries to see if there are any actual warm spots to this being or if it is only made up of regular objects.

"Get him outta here Kryna, I'll see what I can do here."

Dex throws his arms out and stretches his milky fingertips out toward the ghostly foe, calling on his power to give it a good blast.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, food.
Now if only I could eat, but that, like all other bodily pleasures had been deined to me for many years.
" How about we find a outdoor cafe, & I'll talk while you two eat. I don't think I will fit in any resturaunts around here, and I don't gain sustenence from food anymore either."

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell grimaced when Mary took his arm, but his expression of distaste didn't stop his face from reddening slightly under the dirt.

Rrr... human weakness... I must overcome...

He glanced sidelong at Mary, his eyebrows narrowed, before looking back at Monolith.

"I see..." he said quietly. "No need for sustenence? Heh, well, I haven't eaten in a while myself..." He glanced away for a few moments before looking back. "There's an... outdoor place nearby. The food is cheap and mediocre, but the people are generally friendly... I've met them a few times."

Reaching up, he absently brushed his hair away from his eyes, giving himself a rakish look thanks to all the dirt and sweat holding his hair in place. "Yeah," he said softly, "I guess I don't mind talking for a little bit..."

I don't need you people! I don't need to spread my pain around! I can take care of myself! I hate you all!

"Thanks," he managed, his teeth gritting after speaking, trying to hold in his anger at himself.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Faith Honai

Detective Price laughed. "I work a couple of strange domestic disputes in the Draconian
refugee enclave and now I've got a reputation for these cases?” His face opened up when
he smiled like that, but she could tell that he wasn’t being totally open. He was one of those
really good liar’s who mixed in enough truth with the fib so that most people couldn’t tell.
She smiled prettily and let him ramble on.

“Well, the truth is, Faith, the Gifted population of Bay City seems to have suddenly exploded. You've heard of Monolith? The wandering do-gooder? Well he's here, and he's a lot
bigger than the stories say.” He sat on the edge of the desk near her. “ What I'm worried about is people panicking or antagonizing these Gifted. We have to let the public know that
these people are friendly, but are to be approached with extreme caution."


“To be honest, that’s the sort of angle I was hoping to get.” Faith nodded, looking up at him. “I mean, they did start out as people first...but were changed. Some of them were good people, and some of them were bad people. And you can’t really tell by looking at them
which is which anymore than you can anyone else walking down the street.”


She flipped open her notebook. “Some background stuff I could use from you is the stats on the crime rate...do you see more Gifted using their powers to help others, turning to crime,
or remaining neutral? Where are they getting exposed to Loa blood since it’s a controlled substance? Are you expecting a crime lord to rise from the ranks of the Gifted, or has one
already? Are you married? Where is a good place to eat in this town? Do you have any leads on a good cheap apartment where a single girl reporter might feel safe while catching a
few zzz’s? Do you think the laws should be changed to include the Gifted, like the big rocky guy in the hall was hinting they should be, so that they can help out and not be penalized by
the law?”


She tilted her head and sipped her coffee while waiting for his answers and carefully watched the play of emotions run across his face under her barrage of questions.

 

[SwampThing]

Bay City

"Whoah, whoah!" Price laughs. He lights a cigarette, and offers one to Faith. "Seriously, the crime rate has been steadily on the rise ever since those first videos of the Antarctic site. It's not the Gifted themselves, you understand, it's just that people are scared and confused. Their world, their lives, are suddenly rendered meaningless and alien. So people are angry. We've got a lot of juvenile delinquents forming into ethnic gangs, and a couple of those gangs have the organization and funding to be really dangerous. I'm talking about the Aralian Killer Bees, of course. And of course, the high demand by religious fanatics for those stupid pendants means that someone's always willing to break the law to steal, transpor, and sell them.

"There've been a lot of industrial accidents involving Loa Blood in the last few years, which result in a lot of deaths and only a few mutations. Dracon Island was by far the largest. No one was prepared for anything like that, and now we've got all these refugees, many of whom are Gifted. Understand that most of these Gifts aren't really what you'd call "powers". I met a guy whose got seawater for blood, for instance. It's strange alright, but it's not really useful. Most of these people just want to lead normal lives, and some of them are finding ways to use their Gifts as productive members of society. There's a garage downtown, they've got this Draconian woman who talks to cars. It's amazing, and the fastest mechanical diagnosis you'll ever get.

"Monolith was always another story, and now it looks like there might be a bunch more like him. Gifted with real power who think that sets them apart from other people. Above the law. So far, they seem to want to help people, but we have no guarantee that they'll continue to do so, and no way of controlling them. I appreciate their help. We need their help, these are crazy times. I'd personally like to see laws put into place that allowed them, encouraged them, to help. But I don't think anyone should be above the law, and especially not just because they're stronger than everyone else. If we let that happen, our society is going to completely collapse.

"I am worried that more Gifted are going to begin turning to crime, especially if the public react to them with fear, hatred, resentment, or treat them as lab rats. I'm worried about those things on Dracon Island, too warped to be rescued, making it to the mainland. You asked about a crime lord rising, I'm affraid that may already be happening. That may be what this "Cuckoo" thing is. And as the Gifted around the world are disappearing, being gathered up by who knows what, the rest of them are going to feel threatened, and go underground.

"Sorry, you got me onto a bit of a pet topic. What was your other question? Oh, right. No, I'm not married. If you wanted to go for a drive later, I'd be happy to show you some cheap apartments."

 

[RoyalPurpleVelv]

Kryna Ennairy

"Get him outta here Kryna, I'll see what I can do here."

She hesitated just a fraction of a second, not wanting to leave Dex along with anything that scared the wits out of her unflappable brother, then putting an arm around him she starts to help him toward the door.

The Ragdoll, intent on killing Andante followed them. Dodging the rail tie spike hands Kryna spins and lands a solid kick to the Ragdoll's middle that sends the thing back a few feet.

Having bought some space, she helps Andante to the door.

“What on earth did you do that pissed her off?” She asks her brother.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Faith Honai

Faith made a face at the offered cigarette. “That’s a habit I never picked up, thanks.” She grinned at him
apologetically. “Since I can’t call for backup I have to keep myself in top shape, and smoking just cuts into my wind
to much.”

She made a few notes in her shorthand scrawl. “ “That may be what this "Cuckoo" thing is.” Now, what are
you referring to here? What is this “Cuckoo thing”? “

 

[SwampThing]

Bridges

Kryna kicks the Ragdoll back into the room, setting her up for Dex's light blast. The flash of energy sends the girl-construct flying, but she climbs shakily to her feet.

"So, my darling boy has found himself some Gifted protection. Now I really can't let you live."

She rolls across the floor towards Dex, nimbly avoiding his next blast, and slashes at his side with her rusted iron claws. Dex is knocked aside, bleeding, and Ragdoll quickly follows him, arm raised for another swipe.
_____________

Kryna carries Andante from the warehouse. The trainyard's guards will be coming soon, to investigate those gunshots.

"I was on a job, in this mansion. I saw her killing the old guy. She looked different, then. She always looks different, but she keeps coming back!"

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary Monroe

Breakfast was an odd affair. She ate two breakfasts while they watched. Her metabolism always ran fast. Kell sat
and looked at moments pensive, angry, anti-social and filled with longing, but not for them or their company while he
pushed his food around his plate. Monolith just sorta squatted and of the three of them looked the least ‘normal’ but
made the largest attempt at ‘normal’ conversation.

OCC: It seemed it was agreed to skip ahead a bit, so I did, if that’s ok.

 

[SwampThing]

Bay City

Pol's friends bring food and drinks to Ghost and Sugar. The young guy with the thorny tatoo is introduced as Tag. He backs off when Ghost displays his arm, but is still obviously watching Sugar.

"Yeah, we're in a gang," Pol says proudly. "Well, we work for one, anyway. We do some jobs for the Cold Bloods. It's a Sejealan martial arts clan that distribute holy Loa Blood to the faithful." She pulls the shiny silver capsule from under her shirt. It hangs on a chain around her neck. "We want to feel close to the beings who created us, created the world. We want everybody to. But you guys, wow, you actually have their Gift! You're like, touched by them. This fake reality, this construct that the rest of us live in, you guys are beyond that. You can bbend reality to your will and stuff!

"You can stay with us for as long as you want. We've got other places like this, too, so you could even have your own space. I'm sure Hass, she's our contact in the Cold Bloods, I'm sure she could find some work for you. Something a lot more important than the stuff we do. If you wanted. What do you guys want, anyway. I mean, you're totally free. You can do anything! What are you going to do with that?"