Elek said nothing, just nodded lightly, and headed back to the central field. Many people were grouping around tables, some had already gotten their food, and settled down somewhere. It was quite the commotion and Elek always felt a little overwhelmed during meal time, but it was good chance to talk with many people in a shorter time period. He went over to the the tables and despite the fact he was willing to wait in line, the chef gave the man two big portions right away. Elek thanked politely, but immediately gave one of them to Eve.

"I'll be walking around, telling about your hand to hand combat classes. Oh, one last thing, when you're willing to start? Around 9am, earlier? And have a nice meal."

The food was not bad, certainly not restaurant level, but made with care and thought, from ingredients they have. The soup had taste, at least, which could be a surprise, considering for how many they had to cook.

Leila tried to concentrate on the book, but his voice was nagging her, a little like a loud mosquito or fly, and she took note of them only partially. The girl silently appreciated that Amante had changed the position, though. She was about to plug the other earphone in, when he commented on Jane Eyre and her hand dropped back on the page.

Her eyes seemed to inwardly light up, as she looked at him. Leila began with a sudden passion in her voice, as if proving her point in this case was quite important to her: "the vast descriptions give a special insight into character's mind and emotions, it gives a feel the reader is living trough the experiences together with character, as well as..." Then the spark in her eyes subsided she looked back at the book. "Nevermind," the girl murmured and plugged earphone in, pan pipe soothing her from all sides now. She had let her self get too carried away.

"It's only because it's been so long since I've had a chance to have a solid discussion about books," Leila thought, "but not like his opinion is important anyway." She turned music's volume up a little, to drown him out in case he said something. Leila hoped this episode would be soon forgotten, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be so simple.

She slowed as she saw the horrendous line, irritation etching itself all over her features. But when Elek handed her a tray, probably as some sort of gesture, she took it without complaining, medium blue eyes surrounding by pale skin looked up at him. Dark lashes fanned and she nodded, her cut throat yet low tone shaking anyone away from admiring her looks, "9am is perfect." Eve swiped a spoon out of one of the holders and walked back to her little house, kicking the door open and closing herself off inside...

So, he was able to get something out of her. She went on to describe why the book was written that way and he waited for her to finish and continued to wait even after she'd plugged her ear bud into the canal inside her head. Amante leaned closer but did not raise his voice, "The constant describing gets boring and stale. The real reason it is written so in depth is because of the time period it was made. They were all about fancy words and details back then. No one writes any more." He leaned back up and crossed his arm, grinning like an achieved child as he continued, "Maybe you should write a book about your escapades. Everyone would buy it." Without another word, he walked off, having said his piece, and left her alone.

The field in front of the 'stone city' had been cleared up some, many of the tents, tables and things moved to the side. However, it felt as if it was even more full of people than usually. Apparently, Elek had done a pretty good job at informing rebels and many had come, Either to take part or just observe.

Said man was standing on side, too. Maybe later Elek would not keep an 'eye' on the training sessions, but this first one he surely had to observe. Aiolia stood next to him, arms crossed across her chest. She didn't quite like the whole commotion about Eve and these lessons. It was becoming hard to sometime restrain the people and she saw how constant work left mark in their leader's face. Sometimes she pointed out it harshly, but Elek just waved it off.

Leila had to resist the urge to punch him right in his smug face, when Amante leaned closer, and especially when he spoke. She felt uneasy in his presence in general, but it was tripled while the man broke into her personal space. It seemed it did give him quite the joy, though. But she was dedicated to simply ignoring Amante, so Leila stared at the lines before, in fruitless attempt to read.

She caught his grin only with corner of her eye, but the moment Amante turned his back on her, she made a face and aimed with a book at his broad back. If the book wasn't so precious to her, she would've thrown it, for sure. But as it was, few seconds later, she gather her self restraint and let out a soft sigh of relief that the guy was gone... For a while, at least. If only she could figure why he seemed to interested in figuring her out... Because, surely, this was what it all was about.

She started those participating off with basics and warned them that they would, at some point, walk away with a broken bone or n injury. Eve started by showing them how to clench their hands, punch and then block basic parts of their body. She had them repeat the movements over and over and then had them practice on each other.

The process lasted for hours until she began training them, randomly, one on one on how to move and keep themselves in place. It wasn't until the end of the day that she had them brawl each other. There was yelling, mostly from her, as she got onto them for being worthless and completely incapable of defending themselves. When brawls were becoming one sided or not two-sided enough, she'd throw another person in their to mix it up. It looked more like street fighting without rules.

She took in a breath and rolled her eyes open. It took a few seconds for her vision to adjust and she squinted. The light from the sun had been on her for some time and it was hurting her vibrant but pale eyes. The girl turned away from it and let the pain ease away... and she noticed she was in the car alone. Her wheelchair was behind the other seat, laying on the floor beside her.

Her eyes slowly sifted through the scenery of the surprisingly clear alleyway until she saw that man, Ryan, pacing around near the entrance of the alleyway where it met with a sidewalk. She eased up a bit, though it was not very noticeable. The skin on her shoulder was starting to burn... how long had she been asleep? Or in this place, for that matter?

Elek was pleased with what he 'saw'. Although there were many mental groans, especially during first hours, he sensed a strong feeling of motivation and determination. Only some were put down by the way Eve treated them. The rest wanted to prove her wrong, learn from her (and kick her ass). He chuckled a little at the idea, remembering what he had witnessed last night. It seemed the only way to defeat her was really from inside.

The train of his thoughts were stopped as someone tapped on his shoulder. Elek turned around, surprised to find one of the outer post guards here. "What happened?" he immediately asked, knowing that this man wouldn't be here unless something had gone wrong.
"There is this man - it seems he has been looking all over the place for you. He found an entrance guard and now refuses to leave until he has spoken with you. We couldn't attack him, nor let him go away..." the man trailed off, sending off guilty waves. Elek gave him a pat on shoulder.
"It's fine, I will be going back with you."

Ryan was here for two hours already. While finding and picking up a loose end on a thread that would lead him to the 'rebellion' was not so hard, it seemed they were more strict than he had predicted. He had asked, demanded, even threatened the guards, but they wouldn't budge. So, the man settled for their offered solution of waiting for the leader here. And since then, he had been pacing around, except for few short pauses.

Finally, he stopped again, and went to check in Alice. It seemed like she was awake now, and right under the hot sun. He had unbuckled the belt before, so now Ryan could pull her to side and out of the sun. He gave her some juice and talked with Alice for a bit. Even though he tried to appear calm, his slightly shaky movements, fast speech, gave away how he really felt.

Ryan got out of car right in time to see a strange pair walk out of the sewer entrance. The man was tall, in his mid thirties, but the girl seemed rather young and petite, simply a teen compared to the older man. The second thing he noticed about the man were still, teal eyes. He had never seen anyone with such eye color. But these days, Ryan had seen a lot of unusual things. The girl had a rather menacing aura about her, though, as she shot him a glare. She had to be his body guard or something...

Ryan stepped forwards and they exchanged their names. "I and my friend want to join your cause," he stated. "I am offering my service and good deal of money."
"Slow down, what is this friend of yours?" Elek asked. This man had such a aura of pain, stress and tiredness, it swarmed his mind and Elek couldn't make anything out of the chaotic thoughts, only something about safety, Alice, escaping. These thoughts kept looping

Ryan went to the car, pulled out the wheelchair and then, much more carefully, the girl. He put her in and moved the chair over to the pair. "This is my friend, Alice." "If you don't take me, at least take her..." Ryan suddenly sounded desperate.

"What's wrong with her?" Aiolia asked, looking the strange pair over. They both had white hair, and the man obviously cared for the girl. Were they siblings? The age difference was rather large, though. And he had introduced her as friend. Something definitely smelled fishy here...
"I... I don't know," Ryan admitted, defeated, shoulders slumping. Aiolia quirked an eyebrow. "How do you mean - you don't know?" Getting frustrated with the absurd situation, her tone grew harsh. "Well, you know, why don't you two just get lost till you figure it ou--"

"That's enough, Aiolia. Let me try something and then we can decide," Elek spoke up, in firm tone and Aiolia immediately backed off. The man knelt down and looked closely at her face. It would help him concentrate and reach to her mind. Although he had all the reasons to not trust the pair, and he didn't, this girl intrigued him. Something very familiar was coming from her, although tuned down. Like rich vein of gold, right under the surface.

"Don't be afraid, I mean you no harm."

The man came back to her and shifted her out of the sun. She gave him a quick smile as her thanks and blinked slowly, letting her lips wrap around the end of a little bendy straw so she could drink. The juice was warm but she didn't mind it. It tasted nice and clean. She liked it and finished every drop, her tongue almost doltishly lapping up the excess from her lower lip before shutting itself into her mouth.

More people were coming and Ryan was nervous. She felt the need to calm him but didn't know how, her forehead tensing as the strangers approached. Her body had been carefully removed from the vehicle and placed into the wheelchair. With one hand in her lap and the other on the armrest, she stared to the side at the ground as he wheeled her forehead.

She was silent and not very responsive, but she was listening to them as they spoke. Ryan was growing tense and desperate- she didn't understand why. The younger female who looked to be close to Alice's age was getting irate and obviously didn't want them there. She thought they were going to leave and go look at more trees when-

Her eyes widened and the hand laying on the arm rest clenched the padded metal and veins came up to the top of her skin. With her throat closing up, nostrils flaring open as she tried to breath with a tightening chest, her head started to lower forward but she tried to push it up and back so it would not hang. It looked like she might have been seizing but she didn't shake.

Elek had hit a wall and tore through it without even realizing it was there. Information flooded him but none of it was useable as there was too much and it seemed to be in a totally different language. This girl was partially a telepath and he had gone somewhere he shouldn't have. Granted, she wasn't even aware of her capabilities to begin with. This fact, that she was not aware and was not expecting him, ontop of her obvious capabilities and the mass of information inside of her, was a concoction for a problem any moment Elek decided to go in.

The toll this would take on Elek would be painful. His symptoms would look more like a heartattack but with an empathic choking sensation- his throat would close up so he could not speak and wit hthe flood of telepathic information, his powers would be rendered useless unless he could pass out and severe the connection from her by both parties no longer being conscious.

As he continued to be, literally, stuck inside of her mind, her body began to have subtle tremors and a line of drool came down the corner of her mouth. Her whole body began to still, eyes glazed over with a milky white sheen but the blue was still visible underneath. A breath had left her and her whole body stilled, her hand easing back and looking almost lifeless and her body followed. Anyone looking at her would think she was dead until checking for a faint pulse.

The next few minutes after Elek entered Alice's mind, would be chaos, although the two of them would not see or feel any of it.
As Elek's mind was overwhelmed with the information, his body arched for few seconds as if the mental blast had been real, and then slumped, first on his knees, then on right side. Aiolia caught him a moment before his head hit the ground, gaining a nasty scratch on her arm in the process.

Elek's face became paler, then slightly blueish, as he gasped for air, but then the man went still. Aiolia called out his name, complete panic evident in her voice, and hurriedly checked his heart rate. It was racing, sometimes doing crazy jumps in speed even further, or skipping few beats. Ryan in the mean time, was concerned only with Alice. He took her hands, saying her name over and over, shook her lightly by shoulders, hoping it would snap her out of whatever was going on. However, it didn't work.

"What the hell did he/she do?!" Aiolia and Ryan yelled at each other, practically at the same time. The girl looked like she could jump up and strangle Ryan right there, with her bare hands. By this time, the guards had run over and were pointing weapons at Ryan and Alice. "You came here to assault Elek, right? That was the reason, wasn't it?!" Aiolia accused them.

"Whatever the fuck happened, Alice did nothing bad!!" the man exclaimed. He had no idea what the girl could do, but with how weak and gentle she was, and how confused she seemed, there was no chance she would have attacked Elek on purpose. "Look at her, she needs medical help!" Ryan pointed at Alice, his heart clenching in fear, about her seemingly dead state.

One of the guards checked her heart rate, "she's alive." Aiolia grimaced, as if that wasn't to stay so for long. "Fine, we need to get moving, Elek's state is unstable."
"What do we do with 'em?" guard motioned to Ryan and Alice.
"They come with us. No way we can let them go now," Aiolia's tone was hard as steel. Two guards picked Elek up under arms and half carried, half dragged large man towards entrance. Aiolia followed on their heels.

"Get yer ass moving, albino," one guard poked Ryan in back with his gun. The man growled low in his throat and began to wheel Alice towards the black mouth of sewers. Wherever they were going, this certainly wasn't the way he had wanted to do it.

Elek knew nothing of the commotion that had been going around him. His mind felt like a bag, that had too much forced in it. It was bursting at seams already, but more information came, it was like an endless waterfall and he had ended up at the very bottom of it. It hurt, and now his whole body hurt, because it was so hard to breathe. In this state, he could not make sense of what was hurting him, though, and physical pain was far and distant, growing weaker as time passed, while the mental grew stronger, becoming more real with each minute. Later, he would be able to describe it as being trapped somewhere, with no way out. Yet, his will and telepathic powers were so strong that his mind didn't shut down, being further and further crushed by amount of information Alice threw at him. Finally, though, his system fully collapsed and Elek fell unconscious, severing the connection between him and Alice.

In this time, the group had moved hurried in the sewers, choosing the quickest although most narrow and uncomfortable route that led to outpost in sewer number seventeen. Breathing heavily, dirty, the guards carrying Elek were first to appear, starling Leila, who jumped up, ready to defend. Aiolia came next, furious as a serpent. "What you staring at?! Get local medic here, FAST!" she demanded of the confused mercenary. Leila nodded, and rushed off, knowing which sewer part the man was currently located at. She also noticed the white haired man, pushing wheelchair with girl that seemed dead, who came in a little after Aiolia, with a gun pointed at his back. They had to be the cause of this whole ordeal...

With Eleks conscious mind waning, the link slowly severed. It was not like the cut from the scissors of the fates but more like a jellyfish dropping the bones of it's prey and floating of toward the surface to bask in sunlight. It was slow, numb and unnoticeable until there was nothing but quiet darkness.

Her eyelids shut, no longer holding open. She was breathing again, though it was shallow and almost unnoticeable.

Amante was hot on the scene as everyone came in and watched one guard walk right past him with Elek. He turned his head to look at Aiolia and started, "What happened? Is he alright?" His eyes shifted to the two white haired people coming up behind her. He could tell from their scents that they were not related. The male had a faint, similar, smell that Leila was carrying but he didn't know what that exact smell was from.

As for the girl in the wheelchair, who looked dead ad nearly made him jump when her eyes shut, smelled very sweet and almost organic, but with thick layering of what smelled similar to a hospital. It was more like a lab. The hair on his arms and neck stood on end and he cleared his throat, "Are they alright?" He was talking to Aiolia but keeping his voice down so as not to out the two who already had a gun to their back.

Anxiety was welling up in him and he felt his skin may start to crawl. His throat hurt and his adam's apple felt swore as he tried not to let it bob around and hurt him, emotionally. He cleared his throat again and scratched at his neck and chest. Something was wrong and he was doing his damnedest to hide it and not recognize it himself.

Ryan stood next to the wheelchair for a moment, watching how people rushed from place to another. Then he knelt down (receiving a poke in back with the gun) and took Alice's hand in both of his, Ryan's eyes now set only on her. The man felt extremely guilty and worried for this whole ordeal. It felt like they had ran from wolf and ended up in bear's claws. It seemed that both Alice and Elek had suffered great damage from whatever had happened, and if either of them died or did not recover, the whole plan, the whole rescue would be for nothing. Ryan's hands tightened around Alice's frail one and his heart felt as heavy as stone.

"I don't know, Amante! And that's the problem," Aiolia replied, putting a blanket over Elek, now that he was put down on one of the mattresses. Then she motioned to the strange pair: "those two came, the guy wanted for them to join rebellion. Elek tried to communicate with the girl - she seems to be mute or something's wrong with her head. And then he simply fell, like he had a heart attack or something. She had seizures, then calmed down. But she's alive." Aiolia sniffed, but then looked up at Amante with stiff expression. "If they came to harm Elek, they will pay."

At this moment, Leila returned with the medic. He first examined Elek, then did quick check up on Alice.
"It wasn't a heart attack. His body doesn't seem to be suffering right now, it's like he is in slight coma or something, but I don't know why. Same about the girl." Aiolia groaned and stood up. "We must get them to base, maybe someone has some sense there," she glared at the medic, although she knew this man wasn't at fault. "I am going to fetch the Cat. I am leaving them under your watch," Aiolia told Amante.

"Thank god you're here, Amante, I feel like everything is crumbling," Aiolia whispered, squeezing his hand, before she left the outpost, to hurry to the base. Although the girl had always known there was chance Elek could die, and die before her, seeing him like that, feeling this possibility breath up their necks, felt like the most horrible thing possible.

Leila just stood silent, keeping her distance, but watching each person carefully. She noticed how anxious and stressed Amante looked, and wondered if the reason really was just Elek's state. She actually had no idea what had happened, and it irritated her very much. Putting aside her dislike for him, Leila walked up to the man. "What happened to our noble leader? And who are those albinos?" The girl bit back some remark about white haired people having a bad effect on him and glanced up to Amante's face.

He gave a slow nod, not completely reciprocating any words or thoughts until he felt Aiolia's hand squeezing his. He looked to her and gave her a squeeze back and a nod, "I'll watch them. Go." Amante knelt down beside Elek and checked his temperature and tucked the blanket around his body. The medic was not a doctor but more of a band aid, if anything.

He swallowed, again, feeling saliva filling his mouth but somehow it felt so dry. Leila had come up beside him and started asking questions. "I don't know." He sounded calm, even looked calm, save for the subtle trembles and the eerie stillness of his form. "I... don't know." It was his only answer to her words.

"We're going to wait for Aiolia to get back with the cat. I'm going to help her get them all to the base." He looked over at her, "You're going to stay here so get ready to enjoy not having me looking over your shoulder constantly." He sounded focused and didn't even look at her, just her feet, as he spoke. It was rare that he didn't look at someone's face and if someone didn't know him well or for long, that was something that everyone could depend on with him. Eye contact, or just recognizing you with a look in conversation. He wasn't doing it now.

Leila raised eyebrows at his answer. A cat? Why on earth would they need a cat in this situation? It sounded by far the most absurd thing she had heard about this Rebellion. But there were probably many more to come. It didn't seem any of these people were truly normal. Then again, who was she to judge them.

The girl looked him up and down, taking note of the tremors and the way he didn't bother to look at her. It seemed Amante was in a state of shock, or suffering from something. Maybe both. Without a word, she turned around and went to the table, filled a cup with water and walked back to the man. Leila pushed the glass in his hand, with words: "here. And sit down. Don't fall or get sick as well. They're all depending on you, or something. I bet he's gonna be fine anyway." Having said that, she went to her tent. Leila wasn't really sure why she had showed him any compassion, even if only in her own manner, but it felt wrong to pester him further.

With a sigh, she sat down on the sleeping bag and pulled out her diary. Her mind felt a little blank, and Leila realized why she felt a little sorry for Amante. He seemed so shaken, in that state before realizing something wasn't just a dream, it reminded the girl of various past experiences. Grumbling something under her breath, she put away the small book and laid down, listening to some music, trying to was memories away.

A little over hour passed, before some rather horrible noise broke trough Emilie Autumn's violin and voice. It was like pack of screeching, running animals, with some unnatural growling mixed in. Leila got out of her tent, right in time to see pair of huge golden eyes coming closer from the darkness. Surprised, she pulled out a knife, but had to put it away quickly, because the invader turned out to be just a car.

A strange car it was, though. Sleek and low, but unusually long and wider than most cars, pitch black in color, except for the big panther face painted on it, with bright eyes. Even the windows were dark and Leila could bet they were bulletproof. She had to admit that the name was surprisingly matching. The car stopped a little before the first tent and Aiolia got out of it in a hurry. "Get them all in, quickly!" she commanded. Ryan glared at anyone who tried to touch Alice and set her carefully in the middle seat (because the car had three rows), then got in next to her. Elek was placed on the backseat, one guard with him. Aiolia got in driver's place and Amante took the seat next to her. As soon as they were all in, Aiolia started driving backwards and disappeared into the darkness (so she would drive until a 'crossroad' would come, where she could back into one of the sewers, to get the proper position).

The Cat got to base in less than half the time it would take electrocycle. Aiolia was driving a little maniacally, though, and Ryan nervously twitched at each turn. But Aiolia knew this path like back of her hands and that's why she dared to drive like this - she would never endanger Elek further.

Elek and Alice were nearly immediately transported to the 'hospital' and Aiolia followed them, running. Ryan wanted to follow as well, but guard poked him in another direction and soon after, he ended up in a small cell. Cursing rather profoundly, man flopped down on the small bed. Now they were separated and Alice was all on her own... Not that he had sworn to be always on her side, but it still felt wrong. "I've gotten a little too attached," he commented in thoughts, half absentminded.

Amante thanked her for the water and sipped at it, still appearing much in a daze...


Aiolia had returned and everyone scrambled. Amante made sure Elek was put in with care and took care of Alice's wheelchair, putting it beside her in the car. As he did, his eyes lingered on her pale form and then he hurried to his own seat, shutting all of the doors along the way. Once inside, he kept quiet and glanced at the mirror along the inside of the windshield to peek at everyone behind him but mostly the girl.

The whole car scrambled. Amante took it onto himself to carry Elek and had the stretcher brought out used for the girl. He thought it would be better as she seemed weak or even paralyzed and no one really had the right to touch her except, maybe, the man who'd brought her here. He hurried into the hospital and told one of the nurses to grab the girls wheelchair from the cat.

He'd put Elek into a more secure room and left so the doctors could take care of him. He didn't know what would happen to the other white haired person but he knew he would be investigating it- whether Aiolia liked it or not. For now, he went and found the room the girl had been taken to and watched from a window as nurses fixed her up and got her ready to be examined by a doctor.




Outside, Eve had thrown someone over herself as they ran at her and she watched the cat come in, brow quirking. Another person came at her from the side but she didn't seem to notice. The car had come to a swerved stop, her fist slamming into the persons face with the rest of her body moving, and she started to approach the scene...

Once closer, she called out to Aiolia, "What's going on?" Elek had come out looking pretty fucked up, though with no marks, as well as some girl. Feeling entitled, she was basically demanding an explanation without yelling at anyone.

Aiolia's voice was frustrated, but not at Eve. This whole situation was making her angry and stressed to the maximum. The girl felt completely useless, and that she had failed, because she hadn't managed to protect Elek. That was like a stab in her own heart.

"We don't know what happened. Elek tried contacting the girl telepathically, and they both fell unconscious or something like that. She seemed to be mute or mentally sick... But the guy wanted to join Rebellion with her. I think they're running from something, hoping we can hide them... Maybe this was well thought out assault. I don't know!"
She kicked a stone and it flew away a good deal. "But if it's the latter..." Aiolia trailed off threateningly. Saying nothing more, she turned around and left, towards the hospital.

When the girl arrived, doctor came out of Elek's room and went to Alice's. Aiolia questioned him about Elek's state, but he could not give any certain reply. "I need to hear full story first," the man told her. So, while doctor examined Alice, Aiolia told him what had happened. Finally, man sat down heavily and sat there in silence for a while. Aiolia paced nervously around the room, waiting for his reply.

"I need to have some tests done first, but I don't think anything's wrong with them physically. I can only suspect that something went wrong within the telepathic link. Maybe this girl has some telepathic powers and she blocked him out so forcefully, his mind 'shut down' for a while. They both should come to their senses after a while, hopefully just a bit disoriented and dazed, but with no further harm," the doctor finally told her. Aiolia looked relieved, but then it was wiped off her face. "Hopefully? But if it's not so?"
"I am sorry, but that is very hard to predict. His mind could be severely damaged, even if his brains are not. They could lose connection and then Elek would proceed to be a mindless "vegetable" for rest of his life. But, knowing how strong he is, there is very little chance of that." He smiled reassuringly at Aiolia, but she seemed shaken even further. For Elek, such fate would be worse than death. And what would they, she, do without him?

Doctor squeezed her shoulder in understanding manner, but Aiolia didn't respond. As much as she wanted to sit by Elek's bed right now, she had many duties to attend to, especially with the Leader 'out of order' for now.

In the mean time, two young boys, no older than 14, had arrived at the car and proceeded to inspect it, inside and out, commenting on every little scratch that surely 'the crazy lady' had gained in the last drive. They seemed genuinely concerned for the cat, and swore to give the lady a long talk, although they agreed to each other, that if 'mister Elek' is in danger, they can forgive such carelessness.

Amante stared in at the girl as she was looked over and he asked a nurse when she came out, "Hey, is the girl alright?" The nurse gave him a confused look and then gave a nod. "What did the doctor say?" The nurse gave a slight roll of the eye at him and smiled, "Elek and the girl had a psychic connection. They should wake up soon and both be fine." She shrugged, "Nothing physical happened but he's going to do more tests to double check and the girl needs a full examination."

She started to spin from side to side as she looked at him, "Amante~" Oh no, here it came, "You know, you never got back to me about a date." He held in a sigh and gave her a tired smile, "Please... now isn't the time." Her features drooped and she half, prancing off. He stayed behind and watched her, knowing Elek would be ok.


Eve watched the two twerps looking over the sleek tank of a vehicle and grinned. Despite the bad news, she had a feeling things would work out and found herself a bit more concerned about that piece of tank sitting just a dash away. However, she did not approach or question the boys. In time, she would find them and get what she wanted. She returned to the training session, kicking one male in the groin and yelling at him for not owning a cup to cover himself, then threw him down and demanded two others to fight each other. This continued until well past dinner and then everyone was sent off to lick their wounds for the night.

Amante was sitting in the girl's room, nodding off. He grunted when someone came in and they asked him to leave so they could work on some tests. He didn't want to and he voiced it, but they said it was mandatory and that if anything went wrong, he would be called back. Giving a nod, he stood up and checked on Elek, who was still out.

Deciding he wanted some answers, he headed for the cells and found Ryans. His knuckles knocked against the metals bars and he called out, "Hey." Once Ryan woke up or turned to him, Amante continued, "She's doing alright. The doctor's are doing some tests to make sure she's still healthy."


Eve had decided to let the class start a little bit later and focused on eating her food. She'd managed to get another tray by glaring at the server on the other side of the line and had already taken it back to her house. She was actually sitting outside and eating while listening to the subtle sounds from inside and watching a few people walk around aimlessly.

At least one good thing had come from this imprisoning: Ryan could finally sleep. The downside was that most of the time he spent rolling around the bed, sweating and suffering from nightmares and pain. The arm felt like on fire, and the feel spread further - across his chest and down the rib cage. The man could swear that he had gotten some sort of infection in it, or maybe it had been implanted with the bullet.

Ryan was tossing around in another nightmare when noise broke into it. It got incorporated in the dream, but after a bit, he realized it was a real sound and sat up with a start. It resulted in him falling back though, with a loud groan. With a bit struggling, Ryan managed to get up, but standing up seemed to be out of the question.

The man recognized Amante from day before, although his sight was a little foggy and Ryan narrowed eyes. As the other man spoke, Ryan's face brightened a little, relief settling in corner of his heart.
"She's really alright? They are taking good care of her, right? Not abandoning her due to some stupid suspicion? I swear, I don't know what happened, but she did nothing to hurt that guy. Maybe he hurt her." He bit back another painful groan and wiped sweat from his forehead, but without much success, because back of his hand was just as sticky.

Surprised that this strange man even cared, he commented, "She's being taken care of." He paused and thought about how to go further. "I have some questions. If you answer them, I'll get you a medic once I leave. Do we have a deal?" After Ryan agreed, he started to ask him question after question.

"Where did you meet her? Why is she in a wheel chair? How long have you known her? Has she spoken to you? Does she like flowers? What is her favorite color?" By the end, he realized his questions were getting a bit... off topic, and he grew quiet, waiting for answers.

Ryan nodded heavily, at Amante's reply. It was wonderful to know that Alice would be alright, that they would give her what he couldn't - medical care and attention. Even if he never got out of this rotten hole, maybe she would have some brighter perspectives ahead of her. Ryan had never expected much from his life, he simply went with the flow, wherever it took him. He realized that maybe this was the first big decision he had made, first big change he had triggered in his life. "And look where it has taken you," a sarcastic voice smirked in the back of his mind.

Surprised, he stared at Amante for a moment, when the man offered him a medic. So, he had noticed Ryan was unwell. But, of course, he asked for something in return. Ryan mulled over his options. Keeping silent wouldn't do anything for him, maybe only get him signed up for physical and mental torment session. But telling... Maybe it would get him some way to get free (or at least live). Not to mention, there was a way to 'slip' out of unwanted questions.

"Ask away," Ryan grunted. He listened to the questions, and at first, they sounded reasonable, but not so much at end. Man frowned deeply and his good fist clenched. Why was this guy asking so much unrelated questions? Did he know Alice? Did he like her? Mixed emotions rose in Ryan and he took few deep breaths in attempt to calm down, before answering.

"I met her in facility, far from here. 5 days ago. She is too weak to walk, move or even speak. That's why there is no chance she attacked Elek. We talked a bit telepathically, but she didn't give me any important information. I have no reason to tell you about Alice's personal life, it's completely unrelated." His voice was raspy and he nearly barked the answers out, coughing few times. He mentioned her name, as a subconscious attempt to show that 'they weren't just strangers', although he had no idea if that was her real name...

He watched Ryan and listened to him, his hands tensing around the bars of his door. A facility? He wanted to know which one but bit it back and listened to Ryan, their captor, continue. She couldn't do anything, from what he was saying, but that didn't mean she was incapable of mental powers. But when he said the girls name, his heart popped up into his throat and he choked, almost silently.

Staring off, past Ryan, his grip on the bars loosened and he became visibly pale and almost sick. The transformation of emotions happened almost instantly. He looked like he'd seen a ghost, and that was exactly how he'd felt.

Without a word, he gave a slow nod and stepped away from the bars. Dazed, and in shock, he stood there and stared off, a ringing sound calling in his ears as everything seemed to fade in his vision. His sense had shut down from the panic inside of him and only came back when a constant throbbing beat at his ear and he finally felt something hit his arm. Growling low and in a way that was not in the least bit human, he looked to his side to see the pale, dark haired battlemaster beside him. He eased.

"Hey, asshole, can you hear me now?" Eve was glaring up at him, arms crossed against her impressive but not lewd chest. She'd tried speaking to get his attention and finally smacked his arm, which seemed to have worked. "Who is the kid?" She motioned to Ryan with her head before looking in at him through the cell door. "And why has he been put in this?" She motioned the to cell, her tone mocking.

She shook her head, "Pathetic." She didn't really want and answer. Eve looked back at Amante and continued, "You need to get back up to the hospital. Apparently, Elek can hold a bed down on his own." More sardonic tones.

"Right." Amante hurried past her and out of the prison area, heading back to the hospital to check on Elek and, soon, the girl.

Eve leaned on the horizontal bar of the cell and quirked a brow at the young male inside. "So, what can you do?"

Ryan stared at Amante, trying to figure out what he had said that shocked the other man so much. It just seemed like he had received a blow in the gut, or mind. That just had to mean Amante knew something about the whole deal. Heavy feeling settled in the base of Ryan's stomach. What if he had led Alice right in the arms of people who would use her? In sudden anger, he shot up and bolted to the bars. "What do you know about her?! Tell me! I need to know! Is she in danger?!" he demanded, gripping bars with all his might, to even stand up.

But Amante didn't hear him, instead someone new came, and punched the guy in arm, without any ceremonies or respect. She spoke something about Elek, the leader guy, and Ryan staggered over back to the bed and slumped down, hanging head down. He was tired, so fucking tired, mentally and physically, it felt he would never feel good again. Sharp pain stabbed him in arm again and he grunted a little.

Then, the woman turned her attention to Ryan, as Amante left. He glared at her, as she asked him question. She seemed to not know what was going on, Amante hadn't bothered to explain either. Her question seemed a little absurd, tho'. "You mean, when I am not sick as a dog? Do whatever you pay me to do, make force fields with different abilities, kick asses, use gun... Usual crap you gotta do to survive on street," he coughed and then slumped backwards in bed, not bothering to sit anymore. "What you got to do with it, though? If the macho guy doesn't get me medic soon, I will be able to only stink and rot soon." Ryan's voice was tired and sarcastic. He had most likely failed, and he didn't give a damn for politeness anymore.

In the meantime, Elek had come back to his senses fully. However, much to Aiolia's distress, he couldn't put word to most people for now. It could be because he had hard time speaking in general. Elek felt as if his head was buzzing and nearly every time he tried to talk, something else than the planned came out of his mouth instead. Meanings of words and names had messed up in his mind, and many more had come in, 'borrowing' meanings, because he had no idea what they truly meant. The doctor seemed to think it was just temporary thing, though.

Amante moved into Elek's room and, not seeing Aiolia, he shifted to the leaders side and sat down in the chair next to the bed. "How are you feeling?" The words came out with difficulty and he couldn't bring himself to lift his gaze from the floor. He still looked dazed, like a target had been placed over his pupils or eyes and he couldn't shake them. Even looking at a person, it looked like he saw right through them and at the wall instead.



She quirked a brow as he went on, sounding upset and beaten down. "You're a mercenary." She wasn't stupid, afterall, she was a merc as well. Eve gave a slight shake of her head. "Come on. If you've really been on the streets, you shouldn't be this beaten down." The seasoned ones were pretty low-key but detached. A fingertip tapped on the bar, "Unless you're new to the field. How long have you been active?"

Mercenaries and Assassins differed- greatly. Assassins normally just killed or waited out a target for as long as they needed, sometimes up to years, but they came from organizations and years of schooling. Mercenaries usually had nothing. They took the shit jobs and got everything from the "underground"; alleyways, the backs of stores, bars, ect. You got to one by referral or by stumbling upon one. There were never strings, unlike politically correct assassins organizations. Merc's worked alone, unless they were willing to make a cut with a friend. Assassins, if put with a partner, had no choice.

"Fluffy... brains." Elek said in quiet voice. Then groaned. "Sounds less flowery." "That not fall out right, yea?" The man shook his head lightly, feeling that the more he spoke, the more wrong it became. It was slightly amusing, but far more annoying - to not be able to control his language and words felt awfully wrong. Yet, despite that, he noticed Amante's state. "Frind, what weight you?"

In that moment, Aiolia barged in the room and launched hug attack on Elek, a little too fierce and he coughed. "Too warm!" Aiolia blinked in surprise, before remembered what the doctor had said. "Oh, I am sorry! But I am just so happy you're awake!" The girl squeezed his hand and smiled at him, then glanced at Amante and also noticed how dazed the man seemed. "What's wrong Amante? Did you hear some bad news?" her face grew worried again.

Ryan rolled on his side, so it would be a bit easier to see the chick at the bars. It didn't help much, though, because now he was sleeping on his bad arm. He grunted low in his throat, nearly missing her question.
"Too damn long. Been doing this for over 10 years, started as teen." His chest wheezed strangely, the sound annoying Ryan rather much. "I got shot five or so days ago. The shit exploded when in or something. Feels like couldn't get all of it out." he paused to roll on back again. "And it got some poison or other shit in. Never stopped bleeding."

Ryan didn't bother mentioning he had barely slept or eaten for past few days, before that tired him self out with many force fields. Or that he was giving up hope because Alice was in danger., This chick probably didn't care anyways. Who was she to deem him too weak, or strong enough? He had his life to live, and his death to experience, and only he could evaluate what he had done wrong, and what right.

Amante frowned as Elek spoke. He wasn't making a whole lot of sense, until he obviously asked what was bothering the man sitting in the chair. Before he could even answer, Aiolia came bursting in and nearly crushed the leader, soon asking him the something. "It's nothing." He waved it off, obviously lying, but he didn't want to take any attention away from himself.


She watched him and listened, not blinking at all as he complained and rattled on, though it was brief, about his life. When he was done, she sat upright and motioned at him, speaking a bit more quietly, "Have you ever tried using your powers to isolate the infection? Protect your organs from the bullet, if it's in there?"

Not really wanting an answer, she wandered away from the cell and out of the building to give him time to think on what she had suggested... or just to get some fresh air.

Ryan snorted at what the woman had said. "Maybe get me some food finally and I will try, again." He wasn't an idiot, and had thought about it, but in all honesty, between taking care of Alice, then escaping and driving like a madman, he had never had time to seriously work on it, or eat to regain strength for something like that.

He had no idea if the chick had heard him and Ryan sighed softly. However, her words did nag him a little. From one side, there wasn't much use in doing so and putting all what was left from his energy, from the other - at least he wouldn't die like some coward. Baring teeth, the man squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated his mind on the injured shoulder. For a while nothing happened, but then he felt as energy spread trough it. Ryan hissed in pain, because the energy field felt too fucking real, but didn't give up, until fell unconscious for a while.

"Hey, lie not. To me," Elek said, frowning, but then sighed. He didn't want to bother his friend, but he disliked that he was the center of attention while someone else was having a hard time. "Yeah, Amante, if there is something, spit it out. Full moon just ended, didn't it? So, what is it?" Aiolia was never really subtle about things, even when it came to people that she cared about. Only thing she couldn't express in straightforward manner was her affection, so, it was most likely covered up my ordering around ("take care of your self!" "go to sleep/eat/drink now!"). Then a thought occurred to her. "Is it about that girl? I heard you sat at her bedside a lot." Both Elek and Aiolia looked questioningly at Amante.

Almost immediately upon referring to the girl, and then his odd need to be close to her, he jumped up from his seat and stared off at something toward the ground and hurried out of the room. The sheer awkwardness of her question had driven him away, but mostly because she was dead on.

Not wanting to be around them and questioned, and certainly not wanting to be the center of attention when he didn't deserve it, he headed away from Elek's room, in a hurry, and came to a slow stop once he realized he was outside of Alice's room. The same nurse from earlier came out and he started to go in, and then paused. "Hey... that man that brought her here- he needs immediate medical attention."

She blinked at him and frowned, hands on her hips, "You keep on avoiding me, unless you need something, what the hell?" Amante sighed and rubbed his forehead, "It's your job. Get to it." He was curt, which was rare, and he shifted into the room with the door shutting close behind him.

The nurse blinked again, this time looking as though she was having a hot flash and maybe a headache all at once. Aggravated, she hustled off and informed a doctor to check on the holding cells...

Over the past few days, Ryan had recieved treatment and food. Although, he was not allowed out of his cell. Eve kept to herself, taking more food to her house more frequently and hounding everyone in her "class" to get better and better at combat. She sparred with them, every day. No one was able to best her, though she let a few mishaps slide as they were supposed to be learning.

As for Alice, she'd woken up hours after Elek and found herself in a room with a nervous looking man. He looked exhausted, with something weighing him down and his head in his hands. She'd watched him and when their eyes met, he said hello. She said nothing and simply stared back. That was how their days had gone, for the most part. He'd try to bring up conversation with her and she would say nothing, not even respond with any kind of telepathy, though he did not know if that was her choice.

He never left the room and considered himself friendly company, which she accepted. He did leave, once or twice, to peek in on Elek and then go back to his business. While Alice slept, he made sure things were taken care of though he never told anyone to do anything or asked a favor of anyone. He was discrete, changing the flavors of jellos by throwing out all of the others at a certain time or other strange things like replacing the light bulbs so they were dimmer in her room.

Feeling at a loss, and totally unconnected with her, he sat in her room and waited. She was sweet and kind; she always smiled at his jokes. But she was at risk of being sick, or was sick. The doctor had informed him that her heart was enlarged which could be dangerous, or fatal, if she was not careful. He had started to scratch a long hole into his face from all of the scratching he'd been doing due to his nerves, but it slowly filled back in.

Finally, as she slept, he stood up. Today was the day that Ryan would be released and brought to the hospital for questioning. He shouldn't be here for it as he knew he would become heated again but much worse than before. Amante sighed and looked at her back, white hair waving over her back and on the bed like water. He bit down on his lower lip and withdrew from the room, quietly, going to Elek's room to see if he was ready for Ryan's arrival and the questioning.

Elek was sitting at the table, leaned over some papers, hand supporting his head. He had recovered from the word trouble within another day, and there were no other apparent effect on him. How he felt on inside, was a little different story. It was most likely the first time when he avoided someone, as he did with Alice right now. Even if Elek knew he will have to talk with her eventually, he wished it would happen later than sooner, and when she, hopefully, would feel better and stronger. The man made sure she was under the best care, though, and was also rather curious about her. Just not ready to face her yet.

He noticed Amante a little later than he normally would, and then, slightly startled turned around. "Oh, hey, come in, have a seat. I am glad you came. I wanted to have a word with you, but didn't want to disturb you." In reality, Elek just didn't want to go into Alice's room, but there was no way he would let Amante or anyone else know that.

"I appreciate all you did for me, all of us, and that girl. She will be taken care of as good as possible, that I promise to you. And if you want to stay here longer, it's fine with me, just let me know so I can arrange someone else to watch over Leila," Elek assured his friend, half wondering what was his relationship with this "Alice". Did they know each other? It seemed like Amante certainly recognized her... But even though he could find out the truth, without Amante ever noticing, Elek respected his privacy and wish to stay silent about it.

"How was it going with Leila, by the way? Is she still so rude to you? And how is she acting, nothing too suspicious?" He asked, a little nervously, remembering how haughty Leila had treated Amante the first day.

He was about to ask Elek if he was ready for Ryan, but Elek had already asked him to sit and started asking questions. He plopped down, slowly, with his elbows on his knees and his head hanging forward just a bit. He listened and soon began to answer.

"She's doing... alright. She's not very open to outsiders but she hasn't caused any problems. When Aiolia came down with you unconscious, she immediately went for the medic to make sure you were ok." Amante glanced over at Elek, "Either she was following an order or she felt some kind of concern." He leaned back in his seat, hands now on his knees, "I think she was more curious and wanted to watch everything, know everything."

The man shrugged, "She didn't really react to the other two that came down behind you. The girl was unconscious," He paused, "and Ryan had a gun to his back." He grit his teeth before speaking, "He seemed very concerned for her." He didn't like admitting it, didn't want it to be true, but he knew it was.

As Amante spoke, Elek felt deeper and deeper concern for him. He couldn't fully understand what pestered his friend, but it had to be connected with the girl. And, his attitude towards Ryan seemed to suggest that there was some sort of rivalry of attention of care going on. Elek wasn't sure if it was crush - his aura seemed to suggest otherwise - but certainly some warm, confusing feelings that somehow upset Amante.

"Thank you for report and keeping an eye on her. I hope she behaves in future, too," Elek said, standing up. He put hand on Amante's shoulder for a moment. "Ryan won't have much time or energy to watch over Alice. He is going to have the operations soon. That arm is done for." "I will keep you up to date with everything going on here, maybe you can come back after few days, if you want. You know you're always welcome here." Elek smiled at his friend. "Good luck, stay safe." With that, the man left, to one of the hardest duties he had done in a long time.

Alice's room in hospital had been turned into a small court room between Amante's departure and Elek's arrival. There were one row of seats now, in which various people sat, and at desk sat Aiolia who would write everything down. Ryan was already sitting in the chair next to Alice's bed, with handcuffs. Someone from the 'court' had insisted on it, much for Elek's distaste, and it had been voted for.

Elek sat down in chair across of them and sighed softly. "Interrogation number one, begins. The subjects: Ryan Orth and "Alice". Aiolia said in a monotone voice, only her eyes shot a glare at said subjects.

"First of all, please tell us, how you met "Alice"."
Ryan slowly, somewhat unwillingly began to tell everything from the very beginning, which was the phone call. He left out some details, like how he had taken care of Alice, but tried to stay honest to the reality. The "court" often asked him a lot of absurd questions, making him repeat what he had said before, or trying to confuse him, in testing if he wouldn't mess up, so revealing lies.

"... So, you were asked to kidnap a girl, which you agreed to, without any remorse, broke into uncharted facility, got "Alice" out of there, getting shot in the process, used medicine on her to get drugs out of her system, took care of her, then handed her to your employer, but in last moment changed your mind? And then decided to come to Chicago, to join Rebellion so you both would be safe, for a while, until brought danger to a large organisation that could help many people, if not revealed for certain time? Is that what you're saying, Mr. Orth?" The woman's voice was as cold as steel, but with mocking note. It was even worse than Aiolia.

Ryan hung his head down, the words weighting him down. It sounded so absurd, like out of story, that he wasn't surprised they didn't believe him. But then he looked sideways to Alice and suddenly lifted his head in defiance.
"Yes, that is what I am saying, Ms. Blath. I am sure you are doubting my common sense, if I have any heart and every word I say, but let me remind you that not everyone here comes from fancy home, can wear fancy clothes and act like they are heroes saving earth, as if they have not done anything wrong!"
"Mr. Orth!" Aiolia attempted to interrupt him, but to no avail. Ryan sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing.
"Some of us are born on streets and treated like rats - that you should know, since you swore to protect and help people like us. Yes, I agreed to kidnap a girl, but I was threatened to be killed otherwise, or if I fail. I want to live, and I want to eat. Half of people here have done same as me and worse. I think not what we INTEND to do, but what we fucking do, makes the person we are! And I saved her, from facility and from my employers, and I took her here, hoping people would understand and actually care, not fake compassion like everywhere else!"

There was a stunned silence in the room after Ryan was finished. He was breathing heavily and slumped back in the chair, thinking that now it was surely done for. But, honestly, he had wanted to say that for so long... If he had to go down, then he would do so with pride.

"Release him. This interrogation is finished and my conclusion is that they are not guilty. For now, Mr. Orth and Ms. Alice are probationary members of Rebellion." Elek's voice was calm, but firm. Aiolia and other stared at him, Ryan included. For few seconds no one got up, but then Aiolia went over to Ryan and opened his hand cuffs. Elek got up, ordered to find a room for Ryan, and then left them. While Ryan had spoken, he had went into his mind and seen all those conflicts, pain, anger that he had and still lived trough. There was no thought of assault, just wish to protect the frail girl, and he knew Alice had wished him no harm either, so the solution was simple.

Today Leila was sent to patrol one of the furthest sewer parts, all day long. She had packed a small bag with meal and few other necessities and went on the duty, rather happy that she got to be really alone, with just darkness and music around her, as far as she could sense. However, the idyllic time was quickly crushed, when she felt her legs grow weak and pain crawl in her stomach.

Knowing what was about to come, Leila pulled out small leather bag and shook three pills in her hand and then gulped down with some water. Continuing the patrol, the girl hoped they would work soon enough. But they didn't. As shadows closed in around her, forming something alike a ball and dimming all the lights in eyesight, Leila felt spams all trough her stomach. They gripped her kidneys, her lower stomach and back, crawled up to her ribcage and squeezed her heart. Her breath became irregular, wheezing she gasped for air, The girl fell forwards, on her knees, unable to support her self up anymore. The fingers clawed at the hard cement and dirt. The shadows wrapped tighter around her, whispering soothingly, but she wasn't able to really understand them.

Elek was so calm with him and did not ask questions, did not invade to tear the answers from him. He let out a calmed sigh, a hand moving over his face. Amante nodded and looked over A surgery? His arm... shit. That probably wasn't going to go over well and he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty even though the arm may have been useless even before that.

Not dwelling on it, he stood up and thanked elek before walking out of the room and down the hall. He made sure to make a stop at Alice's window and watched as the room was adjusted, quickly moving along as more people shoed up and, soon, he'd left the base altogether...

__

Ryan had been sitting beside her for some time. The back of her bed had been angled and pillows put at her back so she could sit up while the event took place. She kept looking to Ryan, eyebrows curving with concern as he looked sat and beaten. She hoped he was ok...

The questions came pouring out and the people asking them sounded rather mean. An energy began to ebb i nthe room, though it was subtle and it's source unknown. Her concern turned to an almost childish anger or a naive defense. But each time Ryan looked to her, she showed him the concern again and her hand inched closer to his. Finally, it lay over his elbow, fingertips grasping at the fabric of his shirt; an attempt to support and almost empower him.

Whether it had any influence or not, he became heated and nearly yelled his opinion at the others. No one else existed as she listened, focusing on him, smiling just slightly. He didn't just defend her or himself, but his views and his position. He was innocent of any harm to these people in the rebellion and she was proud of him.

Her arm grew tired and she pulled away, laying her hand in her lap and easing her back against the pillows. With her head turned to the side, she watched his hands and listened to the others. Their verdict was in, the verdict of their leader, and they said the two were innocent. They weren't completed trusted or accepted, but this did not bother her. As long as Ryan, the only familiar person she knew, was nearby then she would be ok. The ebbing in the air subsided and disappeared while Alice lay quietly.

He was only out of the base for a few hours, kicking a little chunk of stone along the cement tunnels, when he felt a shift, a familiar shift. His nose wrinkled and he grumbled, the sound echoing in his throat. Amante continued forward until he saw a pitch black ball and sniffed again. Shadows. But these were different from the ones he normally came into contact with.

With a quirked brow, he began to approach and put his hand up, much like you would to a dog to smell you, and he waited to be accepted by them. He just wanted to figure out what was going on. The had a familiar scent and, though he knew these were not the ones that existed... everywhere, they did smell a bit like Leila. However, whether Leila was inside or not, he could not tell, as they cloaked everything within themselves.

Ryan was exhausted, the interrogation and speech having taken last out of him. But he asked to let him stay with Alice, while they were preparing a hospital room for him - the doctor had decided it would be best for the man to stay here, until they could perform the operation. Ryan took her hand into his gently, and squeezed.

"Thank you," he said, when all the people had finally left the room. Even if most people present hadn't noticed the small moves that Alice did, they had given him energy and power. They let Ryan know she supported him and didn't think he is a bad person. "Thank you so much."
With those words, still holding her hand, the man fell asleep and for first time, had a peaceful rest, even after they had carefully transported him to the room that would now be his for a while.

The shadow ball shivered and pulsated, as if it was something alive, when Amante came closer. It stilled then, but a shadowy tendril reached out and touched his hand, then wrapped around it. It felt like something physical, cold yet warm at the same time, in an impossible manner. A moment later, something human like separated from the mass, its hand being the tendril now, which it moved and threw Amante at the wall, with full force.

"Depart now, thou hath no dealings here," the being spoke, it's voice quiet, but certainly audible.

Within the ball, Leila knew someone had approached, but she had no idea who it was... She just wanted it to leave, whatever it took. The girl whimpered quietly, but the sound set off a coughing fit, which left bloody marks on her hand.

Alice watched as he was taken away to another room. She was concerned but she knew he would be ok. Staying back against the pillows, she closed her eyes and listened to a soft scuttling and a low growl, all of which she thought were a delusion... and she drifted off to sleep.

__


Outside, Eve was munching on an apple while sitting on the bad of a younger male, whom was on his hands and knees. She watched the others brawl each other and picked up a rock, throwing it at one of them, "Come on!" She yelled, "Keep your hands UP!" Aggravated, she shook her head and took another bite out of her apple.

A low growl rang in her ears and she looked over her shoulder and spotted a figure crawling along the walls of the buildings far behind herself. Dismissing it, she turned back to the group infront of her and paused. The male under her had complained, well, he'd asked when his sentence was over. Without blinking or a twitch of expression, she told him, "Now."

Eve stood up and heeled him in the gut, then hooked her foot over his side further from herself and hopped up while kicking him forward and into the fray, "Horde him!" Everyone she could see who was practicing rushed him and pummeled at him until she told him to stop. They backed off after a good 3 minutes and he looked pretty horrible.

She walked over and grabbed him by the shirt, jerking him from the ground and tossing him into another brawler, "Take him out." She nodded and helped him keep standing and quickly led him up to the hospital. Unsatisfied, she tore another piece out of her apple and continued to oversee the group.

He was forced back against a wall and quickly rebounded, a growl broiling inside of his torso and throat. Dusting himself off, he approached, "I know Leila is in there and I can smell her blood." They'd made the mistake of opening up, leaving her open to the senses of others. "She's not going to get any help here because she's completely isolated and no where is around for miles."

He pointed at the shadows, knowing how childish and blindly subservient they could be, "If you want her to live, you need to ignore her wishes and let me take her to safety." Amante withdrew his ponting finger and crossed his arms against his chest, "Or would you rather lose your master forever?"

The ball quivered, as if it had received a direct hit, at his words. Only thing that remained still was the shadow that had separated it self from the rest. The tentacle had retreated from Amante's body, but it was swaying dangerously close.

"Our mighty mistresss... she doth not perisssh so lightly. Take thou deceit elsssewhere." This Shadou, much older than the rest, had seen many masters come and go, and was not as gullible as the others, his mind having come back close to the state of a regular human. It was worried greatly, though, and wished that the mistress would let this being help her.

"Enough," Leila gasped. "Thank you, but enough." The shadows immediately retreated, to a form of shadowy tentacles, snaking around her, and that one Shadou, who knelt down next to the girl. She crawled back a little with its help, to rest her back against the wall and looked at the tall man from under her bangs. There were bags under her eyes and blood on her chin, and with her face paler than normally, it stood out very much.

Casually, she took out handkerchief and wiped blood, then drank a bit water. As Amante hadn't left, she sighed. "The 'enough' was directed at you, too. Just leave. You can't do anything about it. It's an old injury." The girl smoothly lied, looking in his eyes, not even a muscle on her face betraying her. "I am already better in any case."

Leila had let the shadow ball go only because she needed to move and inject medicine, but within it, it was rather hard. While the shadows gave her strength, they sometime limited the humanly actions.

"I see you're doing well," Elek commented, stopping nearby. "Maybe I should take some lessons from you, too. I don't think my tutor was as good as you," he chuckled. "But he could match you in strictness, that's for sure." The man recalled all the bruises, injuries and curses he had received, as well as the broken bones his inability had earned him. Only the fact he had treated others just as harshly brought some peace to Elek's mind. That man had taught him many great lessons, the rest he had to figure out on his own.
"Thank you for doing this.

Elek leaned against the table slightly. Seeing had become harder after his trip to Alice's mind, but otherwise, he perceived information more clearly. It was strange to start relying more on human emotion location than actual vision and Elek hoped it would change back to normal. He never complained to anyone about his problems, but the man still got tired of being the cripple that he knew he was. Seeing all the emotions in the 'court room' had taken a deal out of him, too, and all that had been said would occupy his mind for quite a while more.

He frowned at her as she denied his help and put his hands up at his sides, "What? You think just because busybody up top that you can't accept help from people like us? No." Amante approached her and scooped her up into his arms. He could smell the drugs on her and in her things and knew this was not only caused by a sickness, but he said nothing. "Do you have any more medicine?"

The plan was for her to inject herself or take a pill, again, if she needed to. Then, he would take her back to the outpost and have her looked at, maybe sweat out the drugs or get some answers from her. Either way, leaving her here was not an option and it was obvious.

One of her brows quirked and she scoffed, talking to him over her shoulder without glancing over as she was too busy watching all of the pricks scramble. "Just keep paying me and I'll make sure they can defend themselves for once." She bit out another piece of the apple and tossed away the core as she chewed, both hands on her hips.

She knew he was blind, as did everyone else, but it was never a forethought. If anything, she'd always forgotten about it and, even when she looked at his face, she didn't see the glaze. She knew it was there, she wasn't blind like him or ignorant like some newbie who just came in through the tunnels, she just didn't recognize it. To her, he was not a cripple.

"Wha-" Leila began, but then Amante picked her up as if she weighted nothing and it was the most casual thing in the world. Her eyes widened and she gasped, shocked. This girl didn't like to be touched by anyone and this was by far too close contact. The feeling of being exposed and weak in front of him became overwhelming.

"HEY! Let me go! You're the busybody here who thinks he can do whatever the fuck he pleases!" She shouted and struggled, but it turned into another coughing fit which left her gasping for air. Leila felt that tears were about to come in her eyes, and in spiteful anger, she aimed an attack at point she knew would make him fall and release her, but, something held her hand back.
"I beg thee, mistress, if it hath come to this moment, let the man help thee."

"People like you... are the reason I have to keep going on no matter what." Leila didn't explain what she meant with it, but bit her lip and turned face away from him. There was always someone stronger, someone who would simply overpower her. This time, Amante meant no harm, but if it was someone else, she could already by dead by now. Indeed, woman was no match for man sometimes and nothing aggravated her more than that.

"Yes, I have medicine, that's why I said you can leave me alone. But you don't listen to anything." She swallowed hard. "Put me down and let me take my things and medicine." Her tone was cold, and the girl was still not looking at Amante.