Street Kids

"I am sure we can find a place to eat at." The Witch did not want to stop right now but she had to deal with it. The girl would be of no use dead or starved. Well maybe starved as it might induce pity from the group Rhys was with but he wasn't sure if they'd just be angry at having another mouth to feed so soon.


"I'll pay for it. You hold onto that money, okay? Let us go find a place to eat now child."
 
Caroline smiles in relief, the expression cautious and tentative, but genuine, as she gets to her feet with effort and walks close to "Jenny," looking up at her. "Okay. And then I'll keep going, I'll walk the whole day and tomorrow too...and all I have to do is make him trust me? And give me his money back? Or do I just have to make him come out and talk to you?"


*


Just before Hood opens the door to the bedroom and comes inside, Sheena, realizing how close she and May are, that she is holding her hand, lets go of her hand quickly and inches away, her cheeks reddening. She is still pretty sure that May isn't thinking too much about every physical gesture she makes, or at least May is pretending not to care, but she still feels too self-conscious about her own feelings for Hood to see anything even hinting that there is even a remote possibility she feels towards her as more than a friend. Her ego is currently unable to handle even gentle teasing or implication about her feelings. Still she doesnt' draw too far away as she waits for his entry.
 
"You must bring him to me child," The Witch said. She had said so before but this was just a young human kid. They weren't too bright. "I'll give you a location to bring him to but you must make sure of one thing. No one else may come but you two."


She saw a place to stop by and, frowning, entered it. She got a place to eat and waited for the child to order.
 
Caroline has a little money, though not much to last her long, and as she sits down gratefully, ordering her food, she finds herself smiling at "Jenny" shyly, unable to believe her luck at having come across her. It must be fate...maybe all those prayers she had made with such little faith had finally worked in her favor. Maybe God did exist and love her and knew how much she needed her father, how much he needed her.


As she finishes her meal and pays, then stands up, she smiles at "Jenny" again. "Okay I'm ready. How much longer is it? I'm not sure what I'll tell him yet to get him out, it might take a while...is that okay?" she asked with some anxiety. "and where am I taking him again? Do you know yet or will you when we're almost there?"
 
Once he'd heard the voice telling him to come in, he did so without delay, softly closing the door behind him. Even in the darkness, cold beads of sweat stood out upon the creature's face, matting the corners of his drying hair against his neck. His eyes showed great discomfort and, on occasion, would shift with blackness.


Finally, after a moment of silence had passed, he spoke quietly and quickly. "I fear I must leave for the time being," he began, ears open to the sound of any that could have been approaching the door. "The Host's strength has improved drastically over the past few days and the Lycanthrope side of him is forcing me out. Healing the body, so to speak, by expelling the virus."


Giving a sigh, the male put a shaking hand against the wall. "I do not wish to risk harming any of you with my own issues, so I am going to be gone until I can find another Host body." Mind swimming on just how this would work out, he continued. "If I come back, I will look as a different person and may even act differently. However, I WILL know who I am and who you all are. Make certain none appear under the guise of being me. Think of something I would know, a question I'd be able to answer."


He stopped speaking, suddenly, gritting his teeth against a tearing pain in the back of his head. Once it had passed, he tilted his head toward them, giving them a chance to respond and wondering how they would do just that.
 
When Hood first came in, Sheena was alarmed, not for him, but for herself- he looked so different, so frightening, in his sweating and twitching grimaces that she wondered at first glance if he had lost it, if he was now going to try to hurt them both. She reached again for May's hand without thinking before she calmed down, her shock and concern not for herself and May, but for Hood now as she realized that he appeared to be in pain. What was wrong...was he sick, hurt? Infected from his wounds?


As Hood explained Sheena relaxed a little, but she was still frowning with her worry for him as she nodded, her eyes not leaving his whenever he looked towards her.


"Um...how about..." she thinks, then says slowly, "My...shit, you cannot tell ANYONE this, EITHER of you....my first name...is actually Margaret...so...you can answer what my birth name is....and it's Margaret Ann Sadovsky."


She pauses, then bursts out with, "Hood, is your host dying...what happens if you don't get a new body in time? You look like hell!"
 
The Witch thought about Caroline's questions as she sipped some black coffee.


"It does not matter if it takes you some time. I have been very patient with this one. I can wait a little while longer. I want him to trust you and I know that takes time for humans to trust one another."


As for where to lead him, the Witch gave Caroline a location nearby that would be good. "We should be close enough right now. Only a little while longer before we must part for some time."
 
"Okay," Caroline nods, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders as she exits the cafe with "Jenny," taking her destination very seriously indeed as they set forth again. "And I'll meet you there, I promise. Soon as I can. I...I promise, soon as I can."


It isn't Rhys she is thinking about, or even not letting "Jenny" down, though both are of course important...it is Lewis. As soon as she brings this Rhys boy to "Jenny," she can see Lewis again...everything will be all right. She can't wait to hear him say her name, to feel his arms around her, the way he called her "Caroline of mine..." just thinking about it makes her smile.


But she can't smile, she can't seem happy at all if she's going to make this Rhys trust her. She has to be...well, exactly what she is. A young girl, alone in the world, with no idea of how to get along day to day...that is, until "Jenny."
 
May frowned, watching Hood as he came in, her immediate thought was to leap up and help him, make him sit down or something, she had no concern for her own safety. As odd as it may sound to many, she trusted Hood. As he explains, her worry increases. Once he is done, and once Sheena has spoken, she lets her own voice join the conversation, "Hood." She pauses, looking into his eyes with deep concern, "Will you be alright?" She grazes over his sweaty, pained features once more before speaking again, "I mean, will you be okay on your own? You...you won't die will you?" She is worried now, she had picked up on that 'If I come back' If. Meaning that he might not. She looks at him fearfully, not fearing of him, but fearing FOR him. Would he be okay if he left?
 
The male smiled a little at Sheena's reaction at his looks, then laughed softly and quietly, not wanting to draw attention with his usual loud laughter. Her earlier words, though, he'd not laughed at. In truth, though he would never admit this, the creature was touched that the girl that seemed to trust him the least of the lot would share something so... personal. Finally, he spoke, voice hardly a whisper, yet easy to make out in the silent room. "I will make sure to burn that into my memory, Sheena. Make VERY SURE you ask me of that when we meet again. I could look like anyone. Ask me that question and look at the eyes." As if to prove a point, he opened his eyes wide, showing the strings of black that looked almost like his eyes were bloodshot with some sort of plague. "They will not be as developed, but if it is me, they should show in some form."


The creature turned toward May then, giving a faint smile that shown bright with false reassurance. "I should be alright, even if I am unable to find a Host. I will 'live', in a way, but the longer I am without a host, the less likely I am to retain any scrap of humanity or all of my memories," he explained, a quick jolt of fear running over his face. "Memories..." he repeated, wiping sweat from his brow. For a long while, he was deathly silent, thinking something over before finally explaining what was on his mind.


"It has never come to this," he began, eyes going between the two of them, attitude strange as ever. He was being so serious, so straight-forward and final. It was not like him at all. "Every time I have been in need of a new Host, I have been able to find another. Never have a drained a Host to death, nor have I ever been expelled from one until now. I am not sure, really, what will happen and I am sorry to have burdened you with all of this strangeness."


Pausing to swallow with a dry click of his throat, he continued. "When I took this Host, he was dying, gunned down by other young fools. He knew what I needed and let me use this body for the cost of his salvation. However, as he has aged, the Lycanthrope side of him does not agree with the decision and is making that known. I hope that explains things a little better." Stopping finally, he looked between the two of them, noticed the worried expressions and gave a grin, face showing of his usual attitude for a moment. "Besides, I HAVE to return. I am not sure I know enough about all of you yet."


Giving another grin and a small sort of bow, he moved backwards toward the door and crept out of it, shutting it as quietly as it had opened and making his way toward the front door. It would be morning soon and, if he wanted to get any distance between him and the others, he'd have to move now.
 
As Hood exits, Sheena is still frowning, concerned with what he has shared and with his bedraggled appearance, despite his assurances. She cannot help but feel uneasy, even somewhat anxious, as if part of her suspects that he will not truly be able to get what he needs...and that he may not even return. But why should that bother her? Hadn't she been sure she mistrusted him...why did she now, upon his leaving, feel as though it were something that worried her? Surely she couldn't be worried about...what, missing him?


He HAD helped them a good deal...and he hadn't done anything to harm or threaten them...but still, he's a...well, a thing, for lack of better word, and a dangerous one...what is with her? How soft is she getting?


Lying back in bed with May, Sheena is silent, unable to sleep for some time. She can hear her heartbeat racing in her chest and lies very still, listening to May's breaths, wondering what the morning will bring.


***


It is mid afternoon before Caroline and "Jenny" reach the stopping point of where they are to part ways, and Jenny instructs Caroline to continue on her own. Caroline impulsively clasps her hands before she leaves, whispering her thank yous again before she walks on slowly, her stomach nervously twisting inside her. She works on her introductory words in her mind, knowing that it will not be long before she speaks them, and she cannot fail. She HAS to get Rhys on her side...
 
Kira looked at hood and then blinked. She stood up straight. Her side was bleeding however she ignored the pain. She watched Hood silently from another room hiding her injured body behind the wall. Her gaze turned to the floor. She looked at the open door that led to the back. She sighed sliding down the wall. She had fought of her demon stalker but it costed her an injured side. She held her side looking up. She could barely move and her voice had left her. She could yell out, she could speak. She didn't know what was wrong. She closed her eyes almost in tears.
 
Rhys yawned and decided to go to sleep. Besides his conversation with Devon was a bit awkward. He needed the rest as well. He feel asleep, closing his eyes without saying goodnight. A odd feeling of home passed over him but he was too tired to focus on it.


Meanwhile the Witch was ecstatic. Her plan was being set into motion. She would be closer to eliminating the threat from her life and maybe even causing a little trouble for the human world.
 
Jason, rubbing his head, stared down at the lamp for a little while, with nothing else to do. He wasn't really tired, having exerted the least of the group during the day. And he wasn't traumatized or anything. Was he? He didn't feel like it.


After a little while, he decided to go get a drink. He padded over and slowly eased the door open, swinging it firmly so it wouldn't squeak. It squeaked anyways. Jason stepped into the corridor without looking around, and- in the dark- almost completely missed Hood walking by.


After a second, the shape registered. "Oh," said Jason, a bit sleepily. "Hello." He couldn't see very clearly in the dim lighting, but he thought Hood looked a little different for some reason....
 
May frowned at Hood as he left, laying back down, staring at the ceiling as she sighed lightly, she noticed that reassurance was slightly off, maybe even fake. Would he be alright? His answer had her convinced that he honestly didn't know himself, but that he would do everything he could to get back to them. She frowned, he had been there for her. He had helped her confront her 'dad', his presence even stopped her 'dad' from backhanding her across the face.


She sighs again, unable to help it before letting her low, quiet voice drift out across the room, "This doesn't feel right Sheena...." She pauses, asking nervously, "Should we go with him?" She leaves another pause then speaks, "I mean, it just doesn't seem right to abandon him after he helped us.." She frowns harder at the ceiling, "Unless he wants to be alone...I do not know." She faces Sheena, her eyes questioning.
 
Rolling toward her, facing her, Sheena frowns. She too is uneasy with Hood's talk, unsure of the wisdom of letting him go. But she nods slowly, exhaling, as she answers May.


"I think...he does want to be alone. And that he hasn't told us everything...maybe he's even trying to protect us. And he said he would be back...we saw he can take care of himself. So I think...we should let him go."


She rolls back away from May again, closing her eyes, but it is some time before she manages to finally drift to sleep.
 
As Hood made his way through the house, he heard a creaking of floorboards before he noticed Jason and, upon doing so, the creature tilted his head and gave a half-smile, cold sweat running down his face again. "Ah, hello there Jason," he said simply, doing his best to hide himself in the darkness. Pulling up his hood to hide his face, the male gave a nod and smiled. "I am going out. I will be back in some time." Drifting away from the other after his words were through, the creature continued. He hated being so brief with the boy, but he simply did not have time to waste.


Before he could make his exit, however, he stopped and sniffed the air. Blood. Going rigid, he followed the scent, happening upon another room where Kira sat, hunched along the wall. She was injured, but Hood couldn't tell exactly where. "Kira... what has happened?!" he questioned in a quickly spoken whisper. His voice catching a little in his dry throat, he stifled the urge to cough and continued. "Who did this?"
 
Kira didn't hear hood coming till he spoke to her. She jerked her head up and looked at Hood. "Who do you think? He did. It was just a warning he was around and watching." she whispered. She looked at he wound on her side. It was a slash but it looked like an animal more then from a knife. She looked at Hood looking to be very tired, but it was dark. She stopped talking because it pained her to even breath right now. She couldn't shift to heal herself right now, she was much to tired to attempt it not even a creature about her size. (I would think something around the sake size of he person would be easy to shift into then anything else)
 
Frowning, Jason followed after Hood anyways. The kitchen was in that direction.


Entering the living room, he gave a start, hearing Hood's strained voice and Kira's apparent pain. After a moment of indecision- maybe he should just go back to his room- he took an unsure step and said, "Uh... Kira? You're hurt?- well, I mean, are you okay?" Then, "someone's watching us?" It better not be Joe. Joe had seemed so coherent when he talked, but now the magician freaked him out a little.


And Hood- Hood obviously wasn't alright. Jason hung back, unsure.
 
(already talked to Fire, but I'll post here too...I'm trying to get Caroline/Witch timeline on the same as that of the others. So if Kira needs treatment of some kind that needs to be done immediately, then perhaps when they come back from the hospital, or getting her medical supplies, for example, then that can be when they see Caroline arriving outside the house. But basically, we need to come up with a way to make the two timelines merge. As of now I can't move Caroline any further, and I just said Sheena is asleep, so if Kira needs to be treated, then the only way I can think of to do this is to have someone wake her and May (if May is asleep), then when they come back to the house later, Caroline is there.)


(Sorry for the ooc post without an ic one accompanying, but I thought we needed to think this through. Please respond with an ic post along with an ooc post if you have anything ooc to add, though.)
 
May nods in reply to Sheena, she is still unsure, but what she knows of Hood tells her that he was one who preffered to be alone in times like this, he often went off on his own to heal himself didn't he..? Maybe May should think of it like that, he is just finding a good place to heal and once he is done, he will come back....in a different body....looking like a different person. She sighs, noticing that Sheena has rolled over and gone back to sleep, although she can tell by her unsteady breathing that she is not quite asleep just yet.


May finds herself laying with her eyes wide open, way past the point when Sheena's breathing becomes steady, just thinking. About where she is, what she has done, who she is. She smiles lightly as she thinks to herself, she is so close to getting rid of Siran. Only one more step to get rid of Siran permanently. The only person left who could remind her of Siran badly was Calius. She needed to get rid of Calius. He would be the hardest though - unlike her Father - he was stinking rich and had a lot of protection to make up for it. She felt her fists clench as she thought of Calius - he had used her already stolen innocence aswell. Would the others want to help her kill Calius though? She rolled over and faced the wall. No, she couldn't drag them into all her battles, but what could she tell them in order for them to let her go? Her eyes drifted shut and she felt herself falling asleep before she could come up with a good excuse.


(Sounds good, I don't mind either way :) Oh, sorry 'bout the lack of post-age. Got some stuff going on right now '^.^)
 
When Kira responded, Hood blinked at the quickness of the response and how she'd jerked her head toward him in surprise. "He? The demon?" he questioned with a scowl, then knelt down beside her. "Hold very still and grab onto something. If I am going to do this, I must do so quickly." With little warning, thin tendrils of dark spun forth, diving into the girl's wound and beginning to twist it back together as best they could. Hood's face was awash with both concentration, and a very worn out look, sweat still dripping down his brow. With a hand, he wiped it from his eyes and pulled the tendrils back.


Looking over the wound closely, the creature frowned a little. There was no sense of the usual jovial tone in his voice as he spoke. "I have done all I can for now. Someone... find something to bandage that up with. A scrap of clothing, perhaps. It should heal quickly. For now... I have to get away from here."


As he stood, yellow eyes that threatened to go fully black fell upon Jason. "Please... bandage that or wrap something around it. I cannot stay... things are going to happen soon," the creature breathed, words a ragged and guttural gasp. Saying nothing else, Hood made a quick exit through the front door and began to run, getting as much distance from the home as he could.


Only a half an hour had passed, but the one called Hood had made his way to an abandoned building outside of the town. It was filthy, but it was a good enough distance away to make sure he did not hurt anyone. Truthfully, the creature felt afraid... unknowing what would happen when the two separated. Only seconds after the thought passed, he fell to the ground, landing roughly on his hands and knees. With a horrid yell, he wretched onto the floor, a black and ropy mess spewing forth from his body as his Host worked to expel the intruder.


When he was finished, the Host body slumped to the floor and the black puddle on the floor writhed and screeched, a pained and terrified sound, before going still as well. For many hours, the two beings lay in silence as time passed around them. Early afternoon of the next day, the creature's former Host awoke, babbling and looking around in confusion. Was it over? Was his life his own again?


Scrambling for the exit, the Lycanthrope stopped as the black puddle of thick liquid began to churn. Turning on shaking legs, Isaac Abrams watched as a form rose from the gunk, stretching into a human shape of oily blackness. A head formed, arms, and finally legs ending in bare feet. There were no features across the entire body, with the exception of two bright white eyes that opened and blinked in a confused gesture. For a moment, the thing simply looked over itself in disbelief before words cut the silence.


"This is... an impossibility!" the thing proclaimed, speaking aloud though there was no movement of a mouth that could be seen. "I have no Host and yet..." The words trailed off, sentence unfinished. Taking this as an opening, the half-wolf turned and fled through the door and into the night; no questions asked nor answers given.


Watching his old Host flee with nearly-glowing white orbs, the reborn Hood stepped forward gingerly, legs quivering. After a stumble or two, the liquid seemed to solidify a bit more and he began to walk. Exiting into the sun, the creature moved quickly from shadow to shadow, finally breaking into a stumbling run. The others... what had happened to them? "How long... was I away?!" Hood questioned aloud, voice deep and solid; unstrained by a Host that fought him. "And what have I become?"


(Sorry for the very lengthy post, but I had to get out the last part of Hood's 'tale' before the next day. I had originally planned to find another host for him (and still might), but this way, he can rejoin the group without a lull in any roleplaying. I also thought that this time skip of mine could work to move things on, as long as the others follow suit. If there are any issues with my post, let me know and I'll edit accordingly.)
 
Jason watched, surprised, mouth half-open in some sort of unspoken protest, as Hood raced out, his countenance darkened. He stood there for a moment, wondering what could possibly be wrong with Hood, before shaking himself out of it and walked to Kira.


"Uh... Kira." He winced slightly at the half-healed wound. "Ow," he said, in sympathy. "I'll... go find a bandage or something like Hood said. Uh, take it easy for now, okay?" he said, stumbling slightly over his words, before running off in the direction of the bathroom. Hood was usually so collected and steady- well, he guessed he wasn't calm when he was all tar-dripping and battling. But still, even though he didn't think quite like a human, he was always sure of what was happening and sure of what had to happen.


Jason threw open some cabinets, looking for any medicinal supplies. The place was pretty dingy, though, and understocked in... well, a lot of things. Certainly no customary bandages here.


Hood's strange behavior had shaken the boy, if only a little bit. After being alone for months, he felt relieved to be back with others. Sure, he certainly felt less useful, less in control and even maybe younger, but being with people- not just any people, but people who were physically formidable (werewolves and all)- was great.


Perhaps, though, they weren't so indestructible after all.


He ran back the other way, entering the kitchen and flipping on the light switch. Squinting slightly in the light, he reached around cupboards until he found a rag that wasn't too dirty or rough. Giving it a shake and turning off the light as he left, he made his way back to the couch with Kira on it. Wondering if they had woken anybody else, he offered the rag to the older girl. "Here," he said. "Cleanest one I could find. Just, uh, ask me if you need anything else. Like... water? Do you want water?"


He straightened, and added, "And do you know what's wrong with Hood? It wasn't the battle yesterday, was it?"


Yesterday. Man, Hood had had bullets in him from every direction. If that was why, then Jason supposed it wasn't that surprising.
 
Kira looked at Hood and then gasps, she grabbed onto Jason's leg. (She's by a wall somewhere in a room) She let go once he was finished, she was half out by the time Hood left. She looked up as Jason left and then came back. She grabbed it. "Thank you Jason." She said quietly She wrapped it around the wound and then tightened it groaning in pain from the wound. At least hood dd something for her. She looked at Jason and then smiled. "Water....would be nice...I'm afraid....I do not know what is wrong with Hood." She said her voice weak. She tried to stay awake.
 
"Right," said Jason, at her words. "You're, uh, welcome." He hung back as she administered to her leg, worrying silently as he leaned against a table, but jumped up at her weak voice afterwards. "Yes- water!" he said, hurrying off to the kitchen.


A few minutes and a large spill later, Jason came back out of the room with a glass of ice water. "Here," he said, placing it down, then said, "excuse me, I... Uh, spilled something." He turned and hurried back to the kitchen, trying to remember if he had rushed about this much back when he lived with his parents.


He got a towel and began sopping up the water on the floor, on his hands and knees. Jason didn't really know Kira as well as any of the other supernaturals- really, his most important memory of her was when he had gotten freaked out by her in cat form. Hadn't that been silly? Freaked out by a talking cat. Perfectly understandable, though....


Kira, however, was still part of their group. If she was wounded, then Jason was certainly worried for her.
 
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