Fighting Academy by Fire of Hearts (Closed)

*Z again jumps up and down holding his nose* WHY ARE YOU BEING SO MEAN? *Ty just stands there and snickers* That was funny lets do it again! *But he doesn't get the chance out of no where Z hits his brother with a frying pan and it's like a cartoon when Ty's head leaves an imprint in it, jumping up and down rubbing his head* I don't want to play that game anymore. Let's play with Liza now. We want cake Liza. *Ty sniffing the air* I don't smell any cake! Where iz the cake?


*Back at the adult party, Faith took off and left Mac standing there with Flower's parents, he stands there for about 2 minutes silently before speaking up.* So this is awkward huh? I think I'm gonna go check on...Ah hell I don't know I just really don't want to be here right now..No offense so if you don't mind please excuse me. *Not even waiting for a response he just vanishes, appearing back in his living room, he can hear Liza in the hallway talking to who he assumes Zeus and Tyrant, his two silly Guardian Hounds that seem to think that Mac has no clue that they've been taking human form to play with Liza but he doesn't mind this at all, true they are 10s of thousands of years old but they still have the mindset of a child maybe a year or two older than Liza and she could use some friends with no drama attached, no looming issues hanging over them, some silly childish fun would do Liza good.*
 
"Hey, you guys aren't being nice again!" Liza informed the twins, her eyes widening as she watches Ty get hit. "Frying pans are hard and they hurt. That's mean, Ty. You shoulda just flicked him back. Or maybe done the kung fu on him. That doesn't even hurt much. Pans are bad."


Thus having established the rules, she shakes her head dramatically at the twins. "No cake. 'Cause you have been bad. Maybe later some cake but right now...you gotta...um...you gotta stand on your heads! And wiggle your toes! And sing happy birthday dear Greeny Big Horns! And then...then you gotta sit down and be good and I'll get you some cake maybe. Plus also we can have ice cream with gummy worms. And my friend Mr. Skinny Long Wormy won't even mind 'cause they aren't his friends so it's okay."


She looks to her stuffed inchworm for confirmation. "Right Mr. Skinny Long Wormy?"
 
*Z has his back to Liza and from the looks of it his shoving something into his mouth as fast as he can, of course this gets his brother's attention* What do you got? Hey no fair he's got cake..Wait where did you get cake from? Liza said no cake! *Back in Flower's party there is a big chunk of cake missing. Z tries to keep his brother from seeing the cake he has continues to stuff his face, while keep turning his back so his brother can't get to it.* Liza he won't even share, that's mean!
 
(lol we should probably leave off and let everyone else catch up after this post)


Liza's eyes widen too as she sees Z eating actual cake, but not because it is real cake that can really be eaten. No, her concerns are a bit different.


"HEY! How did you make it chocolate?! It's supposed to be pink with speckles!!!"


Scowling, she mimes cutting imaginary cake and passes an imaginary piece to Ty. "See, this is the right cake. Z don't got the right cake. It's not even pretty, it's just brown. This cake is better."


She smiles, forgetting her cake ban and expecting him to agree, despite the fact that it doesn't actually exist. "Do you guys wanna play Friend Tag?"
 
(I somewhat realized that Flower and Mel are sort of opposites. Not everything but in some aspects. Even their hair colors are white and black respectively. In my opinion, Flower is more of a hero archetype while Mel fills more requirements for an anti-hero but then again my understanding of their definitions isn't much. Either way, Flower did not help her situation one bit. Also, I don't think Mel has ever referred to Flower by her name. Out loud I mean. By the way, is it daytime or nighttime?)


Mel continued running her hand in the fountain water, not even so much as looking in Flower's direction as the birthday girl spoke to her. And when Flower was finished, she still didn't move her head. Instead her body was trembling slightly as a soft giggle was heard. And soon the giggles turned into full blown laughter. So that's what the little princess thought this was about? Oh God, how priceless. And she really thought she was correct it seems. That condescending little b*tch. Mel clutched her side, it was so @#$%ing funny. And when she was done, she brought her hand up to her face to wipe away a nonexistent tear.


"Petty jealousy? You think I hate everyone out of @#$%ing jealousy?! Come on princess. Even with your little spies, you still came up with such a half a**ed answer? I suppose I should that you for getting them off my back . . . but I don't really want to. By the way, one of them breathes through their mouth. Kind of creepy." Mel stood up and did a little pirouette. Jealousy. It still cracked her up. As if such a petty emotion could control her entire personality. Although Mel didn't much feel like explaining anything to Flower. There was much more to it than what the little princess thought was right. "You're just adorable, aren't you? It's so hard to find such naive delusions in someone as old as you. Just act nice and people will be nice to you? Bullsh*t! The world isn't that black and white. Nineteen years old now and you still don't know that? Oh, how pitiful."


Mel saw Faith walk up to them but didn't bother registering her into account with the conversation, only saying, "Nah! I doubt the little princess is willing to muck up her perfect little record attacking a defenseless little doll. Although it's not like anyone can see us here so maybe not." It's not like it mattered if she heard her. It's not like the doll was going to cuss Flower to death. "Don't you think I already tried that?! For years, I did my best to be the good little girl that mommy and daddy might actually want, but the world doesn't work like that sugar coated model in your head. Being nice? Trying to disprove a title thrust onto me before I was even born did nothing! People are more prone to believe stupid rumors and stories than find out the truth themselves. You should know. You're the @#%ing same."


Mel still maintained a calm and controlled voice but every word came out coated in poison. "Protecting your friends, bullsh*t. I was there four days. And throughout that time, I only fought Lilith. I didn't attack any other students and I didn't even use my powers until you lot decided to ambush me in my own room. Hell, I was more behaved than half the @#$%ing school. And yet you found that sufficient evidence for labeling me a demon? I came to you for help! I came for understanding! You didn't even speak to me and yet found it alright to pass judgement. Only one girl treated me like an actual human being, but I guess she doesn't count since her mother took her away, telling her that I wasn't someone to associate with. Everyone else treated me like sh*t before they even knew my name. And you were one of them. Just like those sh*thead vampire bffs of yours. Telling me that I deserved to die because I don't get along with others."


By now, Mel was just trying to make Flower angry, trying to break that calm facade that made her sick to her stomach. She looked down at the scythe Flower presented to her, only to kick it aside into some random bush. "I don't need your help, Princess. I can solve my problems myself, like I always have. Besides, a scythe isn't a very practical weapon. It leaves too much of an opening between the blade and the user. And unless you have a trick up your sleeve for that, it pretty much sucks."


As Flower mentioned how Deathwish could've related to her situation, Mel wanted to roll her eyes more than anything. Stupid frozen face. "If Mr. Angstypants is all knowing about this sort of thing, then why not send him out to speak to me. You certainly have no qualms about having those pathetic friends of yours to do your dirty work. You won't hunt humans and yet you let them do it. Some savior you are. Besides, it's not the same. Even the fussy wittle prince had his brother there for him. And whatever 'hell' you say you endured, you still had a family to rely on. Not that they were very useful, just up and dying. And still, they even came back because you needed them. Trust me, if I didn't hold Riff and Vash's lives in my hand, there is no way they would stay. Even Riff made that clear."


"Honestly, I don't care what you think. You're not even an organism worth registering in my memory. Your pitiful opinion won't change the fact that the world wants me dead. But hey. As long as I'm destined for Hell no matter what I do, I might as well give them a show to remember."
 
*Ty tries to pretend to eat Liza's imaginary cake but he can smell his brothers cake and his is real and he can just imagine how good it is, finally he can't take it anymore and falls down on the floor and starts having a crying fit.* IT'S NOT FAIR I WANT REAL CAKE! *Z is mischievious is far from selfish, seeing his twin crying he kneels down in front of him holding the plate to offer him the cake on it.* Don't cry Ty, here you can have some and you too Liza, we can share it. *He looks up at Liza and smiles at her.*


View attachment 12149


(Ty and Z aka Tyrant and Zeus)
 
(lmao off to the pic of the twins)


Liza had been happily miming eating her own imaginary cake, and expecting Ty to do the same. So when he begins to cry, she looks up, startled that he would be upset. "What's wrong, Ty? You got the prettier cake," she informs him. "You shouldn't cry at parties. It's gonna make Greeny Big Horn feel bad."


Z offers to share his cake then, and Liza eyes it doubtfully, but nevertheless takes some. "My cake is still prettier," she assures him. "But this is good too." She reaches out to share it with her favorite bear and with Greeny Big Horn, smearing their faces and her own with chocolate, then jumps up, darting into her room and emerging with a sword in her hand, some string, and what looks like a huge sombrero. "Time to play knock candy out of the hanging thingy!"


For other people, this activity would be called "pinata."


**


Faith keeps a slight distance from the girls, but doesn't attempt to pretend she's not listening as she watches them, one hand on her slightly cocked hip. What Mel is saying is certainly informative; she's learning more information about her in these few minutes than she has in the entire time that Mel has been at the school. And as she listens, she has to admit to herself that she has definitely screwed up with this chick.


She /had/ taken Lil's word for it, that Mel was bad, rather than reserving her own judgments. She was entirely off her game on her judgment of Lil. She /had/ banned Liza, who was apparently a better judge of character than Faith, from seeing her. And she /had/ been prepared to attack Mel, off the basis of a lie.


No wonder the girl was bitter and angry, no wonder she would trust no one. And as Faith listened, noting that she said that this false labeling had occurred from birth, that she thought herself to be destined to hell, she made up her mind then.


It wasn't like Faith didn't have enough on her plate already. Between Sheena's difficulties and Liza's escapades, Izzy and HardTime, Faye and Raina and all the others too, it wasn't like Faith needed to take on one more pissed off girl who hated her anyway. But listening to Mel, she was realizing she wanted to. Because whether or not she wanted it to, yet again...that pissed off girl was reminding her of herself, ten years ago or so.


Damn it.


"I'm not one to wait for an invitation, so I'm just gonna walk in and act like I'm welcome even if everyone says something to the contrary," she announced almost pleasantly as she joined them, addressing only Mel as she turned towards her. "I can't say I know what you are, but if you don't think you're a demon, I don't see why anyone else should be allowed to decide that for you. You would know better than anyone else what exactly you are. There's such a thing as a hybrid anyway, and that gets into a whole new messy category. Second point. No one's destined for hell. You don't want to get there, you don't have to. People might drive you to the brink, drop you off and leave you there, but you still gotta walk through on your own feet. We can talk about things if you want Mel...gotta say, I'm probably just kidding about the "if you want" part and am gonna harass you anyway though."
 
*Just a quickly as Ty starts crying he stops and starts stuffing his face with cake, Z stands up straight grinning at the good he's done* It's good isn't it brother, Liza I bet your cake was good to but this cake is better cause it's chocolate and Ty like chocolate. (Yeah supernatural dogs in human form can eat chocolate. lol) We need something to make it harder Liza, we can all break that with no problem. *Ty nods and agrees with his brother* Yeah Liza that is to easy, how about we make it a moving target. *Ty doesn't wait he points and the thing and imbues it with energy and it takes off like a bolt of lighting through the halls.* Z catch it! First one to get it gets all the candy!
 
Flower looks at her. "The world wanted me dead. And the world will never be black and white. And I didn't have a family to rely on. For the years trapped in a castle with a vampire...I didn't have anyone. I was tormented and experimented on. The only thing I had was me at the time. My family was dead. And if you think bringing them back to life costed me nothing. Look." She grabbed her hair and moved it. Two fang marks were glowing. "That same vampire...the first one I ever killed is back as well. I'm suffering now because his grip is strong. WHen he bites someone they become his slave. Sometimes not even I can fight it." She hides it again. "I know suffering and loneyless. I know about pain and about everyone looking at you and wanting to kill you." She glared and then sighed rubbing her head. "I have never hunted a human and never will." She looks at Mel. She looked back at the party. "Ginger. She's human and she calls my mommy a lot. Some call me big sis...and others just call me flower. Many of the humans I protect are in that party." She looked at Mel. "If I wasn't worth your time....you wouldn't still be here arguing with me. Suffer if you wish then....but a good start might be making some friends. That can change a lot of minds."
 
"I GOT IT I GOT IT!!!! NO, I MEAN GREENY BIG HORN GETS IT!!!" Liza hollered, and she took off like a shot down the hallway swinging her stuffed dinosaur over her head like a lasso. "I GOT IT!!!"


She tackles Z to the ground and then jumps up again, dashing after the floating sombrero and stretches to snag it with a wild Indian holler. Once she has it in her hand, she announces, "Greeny Big Horn gets it because it's his birthday. I just got to help him is all. I think that's fair." She takes a handful of candy and offers it to Greeny Big Horn, then eats it herself.


**


Faith has been listening to Flower retaliate to Mel in relative quiet, but there are just a few bits of it she can't resist putting her thoughts towards. And being Faith, she doesn't bother censoring them.


"You're like, nineteen...what years exactly were you trapped with a vampire, and since you can make all those portals, why didn't you just make one and get out? Or use your poison thorn things against him? Couldn't someone in your family get you out? Also, about Mel making friends. No one's really lining up taking numbers for that, you know...except my kid, I guess. Who I'm thinking Mel kinda hates. And the part about you not hunting humans...didn't you kinda say Mel's not human, though? Hey, just saying."
 
Flower looks at Faith. "Since I was 6 till I was 14." She said and then turned staring right into her eyes. "You don't know the power of that vampire. He created a personality in me that kept me from escaping. Among other things." She shivered. "Let's just say I'm lucky to still be a virgin." She said and then looked at the ground. The bite marks that appeared on my neck....also helped prevent me from escaping. His power and will can over rule mine." She explained. "Also. My family was dead at the time. No key holder would dare get near Draco's castle. It is the legendary moving castle of monsters and creations that should never be alive." She said and then rubbed her head. "Draco himself...is the biggest monster you will ever see. If anyone can get close to being the devil, he would make that description. As for Mel finding friends. Hunter and Sky seems to have taken to her...well at least sky. She may be a bird but still a good friend. Ginger is a kind shy girl but I think she would be willing. If Mel doesn't call deathwish's name stupid again he might be of some help."
 
Like before, Mel felt no need to look at Flower as she spoke, finding her ramblings almost amusing. A soft chuckle escaped her lips. However when Flower stopped speaking, the laughter stopped. Mel gave a disappointed sigh that sounded a bit more annoyed than disappointed. She turned her face to the keyholder princess and even with her frozen face, it was obvious that she was glaring at the girl. "Disgusting . . ." The word came out nearly inaudible.


Mel was angry and that poison thorn comment from Faith didn't make it any better. In fact if she could, she would've been twitching at that comment. "Poison thorns?" She let out another sigh. Was everyone around her an idiot? The doll wanted desperately to give out a lecture about the impossibility for any naturally occurring plant to produce thorns and poisons. (A subject I am rather touchy about.) There were some poisonous plants that had prickly stems but no goddamn thorns. And even then, it isn't the prickles that are poisonous but the sap within the plant.


Still, she was angrier with Flower and her lack of reaction. "Is that all you have to say? You sure there isn't something else you should be adding to your little sob story?" She turned away, irritated. "I just insulted your family you know. And your supposed vampire friends. Even if it was intentional, I bet even an adult like Mrs. Cord would've stood up for them if the people she loved were insulted. I didn't need to hear your life story. I don't intend to pity you or find comradery from slight similarities in our pasts. Because everyone goes through sh*t and it shapes you into different people. In India, girls as young as three get sold by their own families into prostitution (actual fact). In Africa, children are being kidnapped and forced to wield guns to fight in a war they never wanted. There are those born without all five senses or all four limbs. There are victims of crime that society blames as the cause of their own misfortune. Because apparently, according to their twisted logic, only the stupid get scammed. Only bad people get attacked. Only wh*res get raped."


"So if you wanted me to just up and change my whole damn personality because you had a little suffering then you're barking up the wrong tree. Since the start, your past had nothing to do with how I felt about you. But how can you expect me to even trust much less respect someone who wouldn't even stand up for their loved ones when someone was berating them. Calling their family useless and their friends pathetic. Did you not catch any of that? Or were you so absorbed in trying to prove yourself a good calm person that you didn't think twice about it?"


Mel found herself looking back into the water. She didn't want to look around her anymore. So much about this place and its people reminded her of the type of people she hated the most. The very people she spent years hunting down and torturing to death. Making sure they could still feel the pain as they rotted int he depths of Hell. A bunch of them were keyholders as well. Which made sense. With the majority of the world being keyholders, it would make sense that most of her victims were keyholders as well. She had a chain of her kills' keys back in her room at the academy. It may be sick but she kept souvenirs from all her kills. Keys from keyholders, fangs from vampires, any sort of trinket or something that seemed special to the victim. She even had a few baby blankets from the church fire incident. They were trophies. Proof that she had won and that she was stronger.


"Out of all your own accusations against me, there's only one thing where I'd say you were right. Maybe I am fulfilling this title myself. I'm twisted, cruel and @#$%ed up in the head. But hey, I'm in the business of revenge so it kind of comes with the job. I'm nothing more than an executioner. But at least I would stand up for the people I care about even if it was just a joke. Even if they don't feel the same . . . And I'm certainly not going to pretend to be something I'm not. Your friend has a stupid name and he should deal with it. Yours sounds like it belongs to some hippy. Seriously, why didn't your parents at least name you 'Fleur'? It means the same thing and it's less tree huggy. Just because one person insults your name, doesn't mean you take such things to heart."


The doll sighed again before turning to Flower. "Look. We are just too different. You'll never fully understand me and I will never fully understand you. So just give it up already. Besides, you're not even human*. So any last words to squeeze in. I believe you have a show to put on and I want to go back. This whole thing is just too tiring."


(*What Mel means here is that in her eyes, Flower doesn't count as a person, not that her race isn't human. Because Flower didn't get riled up or show any sort of emotional response when Mel verbally assaulted her family and friends. So Mel sees her as the same level of the predominate people in her own past, a past I'm not going to reveal now because much of it is going to be said during Mel's fight with Lilith.)
 
None of what Flower was saying made a whole lot of sense to Faith. She had dealt with vampires all her life, and she'd never heard of any vampire that could ...create a personality in someone? A vampire that would kidnap someone for six years, without ever turning them into a vampire, having ransom for them, or even raping them? Bite marks that could somehow control a person? It sounded like the dream of someone who'd been smoking harder substances than Faith herself had ever gone for, but other than continuing to regard Flower with slightly creased brow, she didn't comment. Instead, she turned to Mel, listening to her rather heated reaction.


She had a few more areas she had to admit she agreed with Mel on. Flower definitely wasn't doing much to defend her friends; Faith was rather surprised, actually, by just how calm she was, given some of their earlier confrontations. And Faith had always thought that Flower was a weird name...but then, with her name also being a word, she didn't have much room there. Especially given her lack of interest in religion.


"Wait up a second, Mel," she called to the other girl as she appears to be wrapping up. "I know you're gonna put on the song and dance about how much you hate me and don't care and yadda yadda, but I still want to talk to you alone. And I think we all have got a good idea of how stubborn I am by this point."
 
Flower looked at Mel. "My friends and my family may be insulted....but I know they did what they could. They love me and I do them." She said and then sighed. "I would get furious with you Mel but I know I will never when with someone so closed minded." She said and then pushed her white hair back. She looked at Faith and nodded her head. "I will leave you two then." She said and then looks at the party. She crossed her arms. Flower started walking away. "But you are right Mel. I will leave you be...and I assure you....any attempt to kill you....I will leave it to you since you wouldn't want my help. If they are still alive then....they will be punished like other human hunters....by me."
 
"Trust me, there will be no survivors. I don't leave loose ends. And even if I did, I would rather drink a vat of hydrochloric acid than to ever accept your help." Mel began chuckling herself as Flower left. "Close minded? Look at the cauldron calling the kettle black . . . Idiot. Insults only come from close-minded people. So who the hell are you getting angry at?Lying b*tch." To be honest, the entire conversation only made Mel hate Flower even more and only proved more to Mel that Flower would never be someone she could come to like. "Just like Lilith and all the rest," she said sounding as if it came from gritted teeth. Mel's mood did not improve with the thought of Lilith. She swore that if that wh*re didn't break a rule soon, Mel was going to kill that winged sl*t whether the teachers approved or not. Filled with anger, the doll slammed her fist onto the base of the fountain, shattering the whole hand a bit past the wrist. "Goddamn it. Now I need to get this fixed. First party I've actually been invited to and it's one big cr*pfest. God, I swear someone's going to pa-Oh look, it's hollow."


After listening to Faith and all she had to say, Mel sighed and sat back down on the fountain. "Lucky for you, that whole thing left me too tired to perform for you. And it'll probably going to be quite a while before Vash comes in the hearse. So fire away. What do you want to talk about?"
 
Faith had watched Mel break her own hand with some amusement, not trying to conceal it. She openly stared at the hollow place where shards of the hand remained, her lips twitching, and gave Flower a wave that might have been interpreted as somewhat sarcastic or over the top before she looked down at Mel again.


"Well, you had a lot to say," she snickered. "Been bottling that long? Careful or you're gonna end up cracking...literally. Wouldn't want to break your head too."


She sat down in a careless fashion beside her, though keeping some distance between, and crossed her legs, rolling her shoulders as though to work out some kinks before turning back to her. "So. You hate me or at the least, think I'm a waste of your time and energy and you don't care and I'm like all the other people you hate, yadda yadda, whatever whatever, that about right? Can we get all that out of the way and just cut to the chase? Which is basically that I don't hate you. I can't say I particularly like you either, though at this point I would say you're slight cut above Flower. Not sure what it is about that girl and me never really seeing eye to eye...well, actually yeah I am but I'm not bad enough form to insult a student to another student...sometimes," she allowed, shrugging.


"Anyway, it's like this. I don't hate you, I helped you screw you over, you've got potential, that whole big speech thing I've already given Raina a million times. I'm sure you'll throw it in my face and say no way in hell and I don't understand you and all the rest, but if you do need help, I'll hear you out and see what I can do."


**


Back at the manor, Sheena emerges from her living quarters, where she has been supposed to be watching Liza, but has in fact been napping. Seeing that Liza is absent when she awakens, tousled and still groggy, she is unsurprised; the girl can't stand to stay in one place for long if someone has taken her eyes off her. After searching the rest of their rooms, she opens the door to the hallway, and is promptly ran into by Liza, who is holding a sombrero in one hand, a dinosaur in the other, and who immediately scatters candy all over her and bursts into laughter when Sheena stumbles back.


"TAG YOU'RE IT!" she squeals before running in the opposite direction. Sheena stares after her, blinking a few times, then shakes her head, leaving her to it. Maybe it was a bad babysitter move, but it looked like Liza was decently occupied. As she eyed the stuffed animals all over the hall and the writing on the wall, she shook her head again.


"Yep, I'm the one who's gonna be in trouble," she announced to herself. Seeming not too bothered by it, she stepped over the animals and turned the corners towards Alex's room, going to knock on the door.


"We're missing a party. Wanna make one of our own?"
 
(Yeah . . . I really have to apologize in advance for this. Nothing personal, just Mel.)


"Yeah. Yeah. So funny. You made a pun," Mel said sarcastically, waving her rather sharp stump of a hand around carelessly. "Though no one really likes puns, do they? But yeah, it's been a while since I've been able to blow up like that to the person I was actually pissed at. It's typically hard to speak over gunfire or with a knife to your throat. And then I just end up taking it out on Vash or Riff."


The doll listened to everything the teacher had to say while clawing at the fountain base with the shards of her broken, hand hoping to dull the ends a bit so she wouldn't poke some cat's eye out or something. The whole thing was pretty much the same thing she had talked to Mel about months ago. A few more sentences added on but it was sort of the same. When Faith finished, Mel sighed and looked up at the sky.


"Actually, compared to all the rest, you're tolerable. You actually seem . . . human. And I don't mean species because there are also plenty of humans I can't stand. Hm . . . how do I say this? You just seem . . . you have a heart."


"Because you have a heart, you get angry, scorn others and get emotional. You seem to face your mistakes head on. The fact that you're here talking to me and have been since the Lilith thing is proof of that. Everyone else who was involved said their apologies and have avoided me like the plague since. One person didn't even apologize. And two of them even blamed it all on me."


"There are only two types of people who target me. There are those who feel genuine hate for me. Whether or not I've actually done anything to earn it is irrelevant. What matters is that these people charge at me head on with no tricks or gimmicks. These are the ones I regret killing and they are few and far between."


"The second type of person is the type I hate most in the world. These are the people who believe that it is their duty to kill me or worse, that somehow God has personally knocked on their door and begged for my head on a platter. These people use dirty tricks and hide behind others. But the worst part is that when you confront them about it, they are so convinced that they are saints and have done nothing wrong. And it's not that they just don't know that murder is wrong but they are so sure that it is a sin that will be forgiven because the target is evil. They'd do anything to try to prove that they are good people. Their views so black and white that they can't even see it themselves. And they just keep piling excuses and 'explanations' for the things that they do wrong or deny it entirely."


"And from what I can see, the school is full of them. Lilith is one of them. And Flower is too. She's heartless. Not getting emotional because I'm 'so close minded' as if I'm beneath her. So full of herself. I didn't come to this party for her. It . . . it was just the first one I've actually been invited to. I wanted to see what I was missing which apparently isn't much. A simple 'sorry' when I got screwed over would've sufficed. Everyone else was forgiven with just that one word. I didn't need her life story. I didn't need those pathetic excuses. Excuses just mean that your apology isn't sincere, Miss Oh-my-life-sucks-so-much-because-a-bad-man-hurt-me-so-that-must-mean-everyone-wants-me-dead-even-though-everyone's-in-love-with-me-and-my-family-even-came-back-from-the-dead-but-now-I-have-to-relive-my-greatest-fears-because-I-broke-God's-biggest-@#$%ing-rule-because-I-felt-a-little-lonely."


After that entire rant, Mel found herself even more relaxed to have let out everything she had to say. To be honest, she appreciated how Faith was just sitting through all this. She could never complain like this to Riff or Vash since she's already kind of ruined their lives. And no one else ever bothered to ask or listen.


"But you'll have to forgive me, or not, if I don't exactly trust your offer of help. I've been stabbed in the back more than once before, both figuratively and . . . literally. Although if your offer is sincere, then I do appreciate it but I still can't accept. This has nothing to do with how I feel about you. It's a pride thing. It may be a bit silly but I've always prided myself on how I've never had to outnumber an opponent to beat them. I'm fine with all sorts of cheating but that is the one rule I will never break. If Lilith happens to gather an army to back her up then I'd gladly accept but for now that isn't the case. At first I was worried about how she has all my powers and skills though but I thought up a little trick I can put up my sleeve as well. That is if I can get my hands on about ten pounds of explosives, but it doesn't look good if a teacher helps a student make a bomb, is it?"
 
This was actually a considerably better reaction than Faith had expected. Mel calling her "tolerable" was almost like anyone else calling her "awesome," given the level of hate Mel showed towards everyone else. And for her to say that Faith had a heart, that she faced her mistakes, was to Faith at least complimentary. Her tone was calm, and even her posture seemed almost relaxed...granted, she was refusing her offer of help. But that didn't mean that Faith had to abide by it, if she didn't feel like it. And it seemed to her too that if Mel could sit there and calmly say all those things and not scream and storm away from her, if she could take down all refusals to be because of her own pride rather than any fault in Faith, that was very encouraging.


Yeah, she definitely had some potential. Maybe even more than Raina.


She shrugs, answering with equal honesty. "Hey, I hear you on the stabbing, and I'm unable to have kids as a result. Not that I want any more in the first place, I've got way more than enough already to look after and one and a half of my own. Gotta ask though...aren't Riff and Vash along with you outnumbering Lil anyway? So what's it matter?"


She ran a hand through her hair absently as she continued to think through what Mel has told her. "The thing here with Lil. I'm standing by what I said before, there's nothing I can do about it if it's off campus, I can feign ignorance or whatever else. But if you're killing here there, especially with explosives where other people could get hurt, well, it ain't gonna look good if I let that go after all the fuss I made about everyone else doing all their killings, right? Not to mention apparently we can't die on campus anymore...not that I believe that for a second. So yeah. Off campus. I haven't seen Lil around much lately anyway."


She looks over to Mel again, studying her briefly before commenting, "You know, from what you're saying, Mel, it seems to me that no one's really given you a chance. That's what this school is supposed to be for you. For everyone. It doesn't matter if the other kids know it or not, they've got their own shit to work through. It doesn't even matter if the headmaster or other teachers do. How often do they actually deal with you to even know you? This place is for you to use it as you need to help yourself grow or change. So maybe you don't want help with your...bomb thing...but if you want it, I can give you help with that part of it."
 
(What time period does this rp take place anyway? I sort of picture this world as a sort of post apocalyptic one. Something like centuries ago (present day), humans ruled the earth but then something happened to disturb the order. And whatever that thing is, to impact the world in such a way that humans are all but extinct but keyholders, who apparently descended from humans, to be the most common species would take at least centuries if not millennia. Especially since keyholders have trouble reproducing like they do.)


After hearing Faith's comment about having children, Mel's gaze fell to her stomach. In a way, it must've been hard for her even if she said that she was okay with it. There were women who've always wanted children and those who preferred not to be mothers. But both parties would be devastated to lose their ability to reproduce because in the end, what they wanted was the ability to choose. Still, Mel didn't feel like bringing this up for fear of some sort of philosophy talk. When the woman brought up the existence of her "children", Mel thought back to Liza . . . "Yeah . . . She seems like she's been eating too much sugar."


Then Faith spoke about Mel's followers. "Riff's and Vash's primary job is to serve me, such as brush my hair, carry my things, and cook. Except Vash isn't allowed to cook ever. We had to learn that the hard way . . . Anyway, they are not needed to fight and are not allowed to interfere in my battles. If they do intend on joining in when I'm fighting only one person, then they become my opponent as well. That is the number one rule."


"Yeah, I know. I know. Outside the walls unless Lil does something bad. That's probably why she's been staying under the radar to make sure she's never caught but I can't exactly prove it. But the wait's been killing me.If she doesn't act soon, I may attack her anyway. I feel that if I wait too long, she's going to do something irreversible. What does she have to do for me to have justification to kill her?"


Mel cocked her head when Faith said that she may be able to help the doll with her doll plan. "Well, if I were to accept your help, what did you have in mind? I can't accept help with the battle but there are no rules about preparation."


(Okay, so I've been relooking the front page where there's info about the school and all and there was something that struck me as . . . odd. Apparently, there are climate areas within the school: cliffs, desert, cave and such. And although everything looks impossible by the laws of basic nature, one really struck me as just plain wrong. The swamp area. Now I get it. This is a magical school or whatever but this swamp is on the third floor . . . Now all of these places aren't on the ground floor which is just improbable since they have no connection with dirt and stuff, like in the rainforest area, where do the roots go? But with a swamp, much of the "land" itself is water, deep enough to support all sorts of marsh life, . . . and the rest is nearly all extremely wet mud. So it's just . . . how?! It's just . . . impossible. And why would a school need a desert or a swamp anyway. If it's for training purposes, it would be better to go to the real deal, right? Less expensive too.)
 
"Oh, she is," Faith said easily, rolling her eyes, in reference to Mel's remark about Liza. "Eating too much sugar, I mean. Her dad spoils the hell out of her, every time I turn around he's giving her ice cream or cookies or making popsicle igloos with her...don't ask. But even if she wasn't eating that stuff, that's just kinda how she is. Everything in life is exciting to her for some reason. It's sorta like she's tripping all day long....which she's not, I'm not that bad of a parent. Well, there was that one time she drew all over herself with Sharpies, but other than that..."


She let that trail off, smirking slightly as she changed the subject. "Gotta say, your battle strategy here? Makes no sense to me. So Riff and Vash are your servants, which means they protect you or whatever too, right? But if they fight for you...they're suddenly your enemy? That's totally screwy, you know that?"


"Justification...hm. Seriously wound you or another student or try to kill you, probably," Faith shrugged, considering Mel's question. "Maybe if you trapped her into trying to kill you somehow, that would be a loophole? I don't know, that one's on you to figure out....and it's not like I can tell you how I could help if I don't know what you're doing or planning, so how am I supposed to answer about how to help you prepare?"


She smiled, leaning back on one hand slightly as she turned more fully towards the doll girl, shrugging with one shoulder. "Show me yours and I show you mine, how about we go for that?"
 
(I'm still in the scene with Mel but this came to me and I had to write it, if Macal wants to join in it I'm fine with it)


Faith has learned, living with a child like Liza, to expect the unexpected when she walks into any room that Liza is inhabiting alone. So as she returns from Flower’s party and her conversation with Lil, walking down the hallway towards their living quarters, she barely blinks at the sight that greets her down the length of the hall. Seemingly every stuffed animal that Liza owns, as well as several dump trucks, plastic dinosaurs, My Little Ponies, and strangely enough, a toy wheelbarrow and rocking horse are strewn all over the floor, making it a nearly impossible task to maneuver down the hall without stepping on several of them. But Faith did her best to try. Lurking vividly in her mind was the memory of Liza once going absolutely ballistic when she had accidentally happened to blow up just ONE of her teddy bears. The incident had been exhausting enough for Faith to since then practically handle Liza’s toys with kid gloves, since the kid had pretty much sworn up and down that the stupid thing had PTSD afterward.


Her eyebrows rose, and her lips began to twitch with her amusement as she saw the huge, uneven scrawled words written up and down the length of one wall. They were hard for Faith to read, but it was obvious from the ice cream cones haphazardly placed on several animal’s heads that Liza thought this was some kind of party. There was a sombrero lying on the floor, empty wrappers of all the candy they had had in the kitchen strewn out of it, and as Faith took this in, she knew one thing was for sure. If Liza had had anything to do with eating all that candy, she was going to be hyper enough to be practically walking on springs around the place. And just as obviously, Sheena had either lost control of this situation and given up on trying to keep her contained, or else had abandoned her babysitting task entirely and gone off to do whatever she wanted.


“Liza?” she called as she unlocked the door and stepped inside, looking around. Surprisingly enough, the kitchen and living room looked fairly neat to her, in comparison to the hallway. “Liza, you here?”


A few moments later Liza’s bedroom door eased open, just enough for Liza to stick her head outside of it, though not the rest of her body. Her eyes were open wide and shining brightly enough that Faith narrowed hers, suspicious. Liza was trying not to smile, but her dimples were showing plainly in her cheeks, her efforts not working out for her too well as she blinked in “innocence” several times. Her pigtails were mussed and coming loose from their ponytail holders as she stuck out one hand and waved just from the wrist up. Faith noted brown streaks of what looked like chocolate on her fingers and across her lips and chin.


“Hi Mama!”


“Hi,” Faith’s eyebrows remained raised as she shifted her weight to one side, her hand resting on her stuck-out hip as she regarded her, shaking her hair back over her shoulder. “Soooo where’s Sheena?”


“Taking a nap, I think,” was Liza’s indifferent suggestion, provoking Faith’s snort. She highly doubted that anyone would be able to nap through the sort of chaos that Liza had undoubtedly been causing all afternoon.


Going to Sheena’s door and knocking, then opening it just to be sure, Faith was unsurprised to see that her room was empty. Returning to Liza, who was still only sticking her head out the door, she informed her, “Nope. So, you wanna explain what’s going on out in the hall? Your…uh, friends… look like they’re having a wild time of it out there.”


With sudden suspicious dread, she asked, “Liza, tell me you haven’t been getting into the brown bottles with the labels you thought were pretty in the fridge….”


“Nooooo, Mama, I did not, even though I don’t even understand how come you’re so mean about letting me have some,” Liza grumbled, huffing and rolling her eyes before going on with her matter-of-fact explanation. “It’s Greeny Big Horn’s birthday, is all. So we gotta have a party for him and all our friends are invited. And we got chocolate cake and we got pink cake with speckles only the pink cake is prettier. And Zeus and Tyrant and me played and I winned. I winned a lot ‘cause it was Greeny Big Horn’s party so he had to win, is why.”


It took Faith several moments to decipher this information. She had no idea who “Greeny Big Horn” was among Liza’s stuffed animals, but then, all of them had interchangeable and equally ridiculous names, other than “my bear,” Liza’s favorite, who oddly had no name at all. What tripped her up about this was the mention of Zeus and Tyrant, since those were Macal’s guardian dogs.


“Uh…you gave Zeus and Tyrant candy and cake?” she attempted to clarify. “Zeus and Tyrant, Macal’s dogs?”


“Uh huh,” Liza nodded, seeming to see nothing wrong with this declaration as she tapped her fingers against the door, still not opening it wide enough for Faith to see inside. “Only they’re little boys now and we play. They’re fun but they hit each other a lot and cry a lot. I didn’t even know boys cried like that.”


Faith blinked, this scenario forming in her mind a little too bizarre to quite understand, and so she decided just to not question further. She was fairly sure that the last time she’d checked, the dogs had been dogs and not little boys, which probably meant that Liza was just imagining this rather than actually experiencing it as reality. But then again, she wouldn’t be surprised if she’d managed somehow to find a way to turn them into children.


“Okayyyy, well, can you come out of your room and talk to me a second?” she asked, but Liza vigorously shook her head, her eyes widening.


“No no no Mama, wait, wait, let me do something first! I gotta show you something, okay?”


Before Faith could answer, she slammed the door shut. From the inside of her room as Faith stared at her shut door, increasingly leery of what she was about to see when she opened it once more, she could hear Liza scuffling about and several banging noises. At last Liza announced herself from the other side of the door with as much grandeur as she could conjure.


“NANANANANANANANA BATWOMANMAN!!!”


With a loud hollering whoop that sounded absolutely nothing like anything Faith had ever heard emerging from the lips of any character ever conceived in the Batman universe, Liza’s door swung open, and Liza herself made her exit out of it. She was dressed in a pair of white panties that looked like she had hastily scribbled black marker over them in an attempt to make them black, a white t-shirt that she had done the same with, Mini Batman’s mask, and a black towel for a cape. As Faith stared, she saw that Liza had somehow tied together every hair ribbon she owned and taped them above her doorway. Taking a running leap, Liza seized the ribbon rope and attempted to swing out of the room.


“LOOK AT ME I GOTTA ROPE THING LIKE BATMAN!!!”


This didn’t work out so well. Her mask turned around backwards, her hair slipped entirely out of its pigtails, and the towel fell off her shoulders to the floor. Moreover, the ribbons promptly pulled out of the tape holding the moment she put her weight against them, sending Liza falling to the floor on her butt. As Faith blinked a few more times, then began to snicker at the ridiculousness of the situation, Liza got up with a scowl, rubbing her bottom.


“Oww! That didn’t’ never happen to Batman!”


“Liza…what are you doing, Pip?” Faith chuckled, shaking her head as she came forward to look her over more closely. Liza was unhurt, but still glowering in the ribbons’ direction as she replied.


“I’m deciding what I wanna be when I grow up, I think.”


“Pip, you’re not gonna grow up, remember?” Faith pointed out, but this hardly seemed to deter her as she shrugged, replying easily.


“I know it. Only I’m gonna decide anyway ‘cause you never know.”


Throwing the ribbons down, she announced, “I think this one didn’t work, maybe, plus also I’m cold. I don’t know how come Batman runs around in his underwear all day. I think he might be kinda a nut.”


Faith couldn’t help herself then. She burst out laughing, attempting to hide it behind her hand, since usually if Liza thought she was being laughed at, she got rather huffy and indignant about it. This time, though, Liza seemed oblivious, or perhaps simply found her own quest considerably more interesting than anything her mother was doing.


“Mini Batman wouldn’t even let me take his stuff, Mama, ‘cause he said he’d be naked then and that was bad. I guess he was right ‘cause boys aren’t even supposed to be naked around me I think. Still he oughtta share. He coulda wored my clothes I think. Oh well. I got some more ideas of what I oughtta be I think. I’ll be right back!”


But instead of disappearing again into her own room, Liza ran across the living area to Faith and Macal’s bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Alarm bells raised, Faith hurriedly crossed the room to stand outside her door.


“Liza, you know you’re not allowed in our room without me being in there with you,” she said as she opened the door. “Come out, right now.”


Liza, she saw, was standing inside her closet, struggling to get a black fur coat, one that Macal had given her but that Faith had worn only once or twice, out of the closet. As it fell in a heap at her feet, she attempted to struggle into it, despite the fact that it dragged majorly on the floor and she could barely move in it. Facing Faith, she growled and “pawed” at the ground as she announced, “Look Mama! I’m Sheena Legs!”


The fashion show, or what Liza had declared was her career try-outs, only got better from there. With Faith standing in the doorway, laughing into her wrist every time Liza’s back turned, Liza then tried on her “daddy” career, complete with Macal’s armor, which was heavy enough to almost knock her to the ground when she attempted to wear it, and dragging around one of his swords, nearly cutting their bed in half when she swung it around. Faith’s “career” was next, with Liza trying on her mother’s boots and staggering around in them, then falling down when it was impossible for her to take steps. Scowling again, she had then taken one of Faith’s stakes and ran around the living room with it, pantomiming staking imaginary vampires and tossing her hair around in such a dramatic imitation of Faith that Faith had almost lost her breath laughing.


“FIVE BY FIVE, I DUSTED YOU I THINK!!! WICKED!!! YOU ARE DUST NOW I THINK!”


But Liza’s next career choice wasn’t quite so amusing to Faith. She emerged from her room in her towel cape, this time sticking her teeth out over her lip in an attempt to imitate fangs as she spoke in a garbled fashion.


“I’m Raina now. I’m a vampire now. I’m gonna bite you!”


“Whoooa, time out. You go from killing vamps to BEING one?” Faith’s amusement died abruptly at this mention of Raina. She was far from thrilled that her daughter would even briefly entertain being a vampire, let alone RAINA the vampire, who was not exactly the ultimate role model.


“Uh huh,” Liza nodded, not yet releasing her lower lip from her teeth. Apparently she didn’t see the irony of it. “Which one you like best?”


“Not Raina, that’s for damn sure,” Faith muttered, even as Liza pointed, gasping.


“Mama, that’s a bad word!”


Liza should be more than used to that from her by now, but she seemed to still delight in being able to point out every time Faith slipped in front of her. Ironic from the kid who seemed to, despite all efforts to convince her otherwise from people outside the family, see “ass” as a totally acceptable word for every day public use.


“Yep, sorry,” Faith exhaled, as Liza circled around her, tugging on her arm.


“I forgive you. Which one do you like best, Mama? Which one should I be?”


With her mouth now held normally, the towel again slipped off her shoulders, Liza was standing in front of her with regular panties and a little t-shirt on, her hair loose down her back, chocolate still smeared over her cheeks. As Faith regarded her, smiling, she pointed at her, nodding.


“That one. That one’s good.”


Looking down at herself in her underwear, Liza frowned. “One of those ladies named Victoria who’s got a secret?”


When Faith burst out laughing again, Liza pouted. “Mama, I don’t wanna be a panties lady. You’re not being nice to me.”


“No…no, not that…god, no, not that,” Faith snickered, before reaching out to tuck her hair back behind her ear, smiling down at her. “Just you. Just be you, Liza. I like you best.”


She hugged her, continuing to smooth her hand over Liza’s head. As Liza snuggled her face into Faith’s hip, wrapping her arms around her stomach, she felt her nod into her side, agreeing.


“I’m pretty wicked too, huh Mama?”


“That’s right,” Faith told her, smiling again. “Lighting and teleporting and all the rest. Most wicked kid ever.”


“I think I got one more idea though,” Liza pulled away abruptly. “ I didn’t try it out yet, Mama.”


“What’s that?” Faith asked as Liza retreated back to her room, calling out her answer over her shoulder.


“Clown!”


On second thought, Faith thought with some horror as she stared at her retreating back, maybe Raina wasn’t such a bad choice after all.


View attachment 12837
 
*Alex gets up, shirtless and opens the door for Sheena* What's this about a party? Who's party is it? You know what nevermind I could use a change of venue, I've been so busy trying to do all the makeup work from when I was away on missions, plus my own research, I'm going a little batty in here. *Suddenly catches a whiff of himself and realizes he hasn't showed in a day or two.* Man, I stink can you wait till I take a shower or I could just meet you there. *He's moving around his place picking up shirts and smelling them, one really reeks he tosses to the corner of the room.* I really need to do some laundry too. *As he's moving around he catches a glance of Sheena and realizes he's running around like a nut.* So how are you doing lately? *Meaning how is she handling the death of her sister.*
 
"Not a real party....I mean, Flower's having one, but I wasn't really in the mood to go," Sheena shrugs as she walks through his door, following behind him. With her heightened sense of smell, she had smelled him through the closed door and wrinkles her nose at him, waving her hand in front of her face. "Damn, Alex, a little ripe there, aren't you? I mean, I'm not one to care much about looking neat but a shower is just minimal hygiene. You think I wanna get close enough to kiss you when I can see the stink lines rising off your back?"


She stands back, crossing her arms as she lets her eyes rove the room, taking in the mess all around her. "I'm getting by, I guess. Not that you would know, holed up in here being smelly....you know what, Alex, there's stuff outside this room and your computer. It's kinda called life."
 
*Alex moves towards her with his arms wide open* Oh come on it's not that bad, come on and give me a big old hug, remember we're a couple so my stink is your stink. *He laughs then moves towards the bathroom.* Ok, I'll go take a shower and you feel free to straighten the place up ok Hazel? *Closing his door behind him, emerging about 15 minutes later clean, he managed to find a cleanish black tee-shirt and jeans in the bathroom.* You ready to go to the where now? Wait did you say imaginary party?
 
"You keep your stink, and I'll keep my...normal person smell," Sheena backed away from him, smiling a little as she shook her head. "Go shower and then we'll see about other stuff....uh, why are you calling me Hazel, though? I don't even have hazel eyes, you dork."


When he returns, she has not bothered to straighten the place up, and wastes no time in explaining why. "This is YOUR crap, why should I clean it up? If you like a messy smelly room, that's your business, fine. I'm not gonna be spending much time here then, is all. And I didn't say we had to go anywhere...I said wanna make a party of our own? That's different. That was open to suggestions and innuendo. Jeez, Alex, for a guy who's supposed to be so smart you're sounding kinda slow today...you really do need to get out more."


She slipped an arm around him from behind, giving an experimental sniff. "Better. I can almost smell a person beneath the BO."
 
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