When: Tessera 11, 81379 Where: Watani: Winger's Swingin' Pad Who: http://shadowlack.com/persona.php?id=1Kakosenas Shriker</a>, http://shadowlack.com/persona.php?id=12Okkatteiru Stormwing</a>, & http://shadowlack.com/persona.php?id=3Scout Diabolus</a> Notes: Private for Stormwing. *** Slinking carefully by the side of the road was a certain shadow-less grey-black figure. Every step she took was accompanied by a faint jangling sound. With her current quick sweeping gait, the noise created by her movements was almost musical. Ever since Kakosenas had been "freed," she had been on the move. She couldn't stay in one spot for too long. Anxiety seemed to find her wherever she ventured off to. For the most part she ran around in a closed circuit. Some days in Bhim, running at full speed through the swamps, other days taking a trip to Aurius so that she could sit beside the immense barriers that kept the water out and thrummed peacefully with woven magic. She liked the feeling of smallness that the Samundra put into her heart and could sometimes even be consoled by it. Then the anxiety would find her, like some invisible force that refused to be quelled, and she'd be forced to leave once more. Travelling now had become even harder. Kakosenas' old lifestyle had suffered horribly due to all of the media's intervention and she had been finding it difficult to cope with the changes that were necessary. She was used to being an unknown figure. Sometimes whispered about in and around the swamps of Bhim, but nothing more than that. Her heart sank now whenever someone recognized her, or grabbed her by the arm as she passed with a, "Hey, aren't you..." So she had tried to retreat even further into seclusion. She started to skip her random trips into Bhim's markets. Instead only wandering around on the outskirts of town and in the swamps. Trying to keep everyone distanced from herself. Trying to keep the hounds at bay. If she had been paranoid before, she was even more so now. Kakosenas had had a taste of imprisonment, and quite frankly, that had been enough for her. Had she been forced to stay there, she knew without a doubt that she would have taken her own life. Luck had been on her side though, and Stormwing's as well. No. It had been fate. Some greater forces had to be at work here. Whatever the case, in addition to feeling anxious, Kakosenas was feeling extremely guilty. Not for the crimes that she really had committed though. No. She was feeling guilty for having left her friend, her only companion in this entire mess, high and dry and without exchanged words for weeks instead of keeping tabs and lavishing her with gratitude. Once free, Kakosenas had run, swept away by a manic episode. Constant movement had been required. Even now as she skulked down the side of the street basked in ever stretching shadows, she felt jittery and ill at ease. In addition to the mental change, Kakosenas had also altered physically as well. Instead of appearing canine, her face had taken on a more slimmer, draconic appearance. Two small slits for a nose now instead of that shiny black one. She wasn't quite sure when it had happened exactly, but had noticed the change about a week ago when she chanced a glance into a mirror. She'd been frightened of the stranger that had stared wide-eyed back at her. She seemed... cleaner now somehow. Her hair having tamed itself a little, and her clothes... well, her conscience had practically forced her into getting new clothes. Ones that actually fit. She wore a tight grey shirt now, a few shades darker than her pelt with some dark blue patterning on it. It was cut a little flatteringly and tapered well to her otherwise rather gaunt frame. Her pants were of a lighter grey, and unlike her rather clean shirt, they were thoroughly covered with dry mud and stains. Despite the moderate warmth of the night, Kakosenas was wearing a heavy dark green coat. It was from the deep pockets of this that the jangling sounds were issuing forth from. Kakos paused on the edge of a curb, looking quickly both ways before sprinting across the street. Stormwing had left Kakos the address and number to her new place near their Shadowlack lair. It'd been rather difficult to get near Janardan, specially now with security even tighter... and if she had of been caught? Kakos' stomach flipped at the thought. She'd managed though. She sort of got the distinct feeling that she wasn't all that welcome around Janardan anymore. Kakosenas had long since worn the small piece of paper out. It had become so creased and unintelligible that she had just tossed it out. She had of course, memorized what was written on the paper completely. According to it, and if she had done her looking up correctly, she should be there right about now... Kakosenas stopped and leaned with her right shoulder heavily against a street light pole. As soon as she touched it, it flicked on. The entire area was now basking in the glow of the various street lights. Underneath the bright yellow light she knew that she would be visible to anyone that happened to look in her direction. And if they were to look close enough, they would have noticed her missing shadow. That was alright though, because she was here. She stood there for a long moment, just gazing at the house. It certainly was big enough. For one reason or another, she couldn't bring herself to approach it any further. Instead she let her back slide down against the pole so that she was in a comfortable crouch. She'd wait a little bit she decided. Give herself some time to collect her bearings.
<blockquote>I'm assuming it's night, correct me if I'm wrong. <hr> The windows of Stormwing's house were all open, allowing the mild night air to freshen up and cool down the interior. It wasn't that it needed to be aired out — there was no bad smell that needed to be cleared away, nor was it a particularly warm night. It was just that Scout had told the home owner that she preferred cool air, and a breeze. She said she experienced enough stale, hot air in the Afterlife. Just now, the ghost was seemingly sitting on the edge of the long sofa in Storm's living area. Her transparent form wasn't actually touching the furniture, as Scout preferred to hover instead. The flame on the end of her tail burned with phantom fury, as she looked idly at her hands. She was bored, but there was more to it than that. She was also frustrated, and sad. She didn't come here, to Ramath, to the "Elsewhere," very often, and each time she did, it was more painful for her. Neither she nor Stormwing had been able to pick up any clues as to where her family had gone... and though she was post-mortem, she still felt the deep pangs of depression. Especially after days like this, when she'd fruitlessly scoured about for indications of their whereabouts. Giving up on her nails, and attempting to forget her deep longing for her family, she looked up, over towards where Storm was sitting. The thill was in an armchair, her legs drawn up and crossed in front of her. In her lap was a rather large book, and she was paging through it. Her concentration was deep, and though Scout really had no idea what she was doing and was rather curious, she didn't speak up. She wasn't the obnoxious, poltergeist type. Though this had been her family's house when she was alive, she realized she was just a guest now. A ghostly, floaty guest. A sudden breeze erupted from the three open windows here in the living room, and the small zephyr was made more powerful by the gusts coming in from adjoining rooms. It stirred everything in the room, from small houseplants to the pages in Stormwing's tome. The only thing unaffected was Scout. Her fur didn't tousle. Her flame didn't flicker. As the small wind blew itself back out of the house, she sighed lightly, unable to really escape all the hurts that came with being dead. Even as she rolled over in midair, Scout noticed that Storm had stopped reading her book. Once more momentarily distracted from her agony, she studied the banded female. Storm's attention seemed to be on something far away... her eyes were cold, hard stones in her face, and her ears were tilting slowly here, then slowly there, all around, listening. After a moment, she stood up from her plush chair, set her book on a nearby coffee table, and then began to head through her rather large abode, towards the front door. Curious, Scout hovered after her. She was anxious to find out what was drawing Winger's attention. The pair — living leader and dead follower — eventually reached the front foyer. It was dark here, and no lights were on. Storm didn't bother flipping a switch. She cupped her hands around her face and looked out the small windows besides the front door, peering out into the calm, now seemingly windless night. "What are you doing?" Scout finally ventured, trying not to sound as if she was prying. "I feel something. I think... I think Kakos is here. Our connection isn't as powerful as it used to be, but I can still tell when she's coming." "Do you mind if I ask... who's Kakos?" Storm turned her face from the window, and smiled lightly at the hovering phantasm. "Oh, you'll love her. She's quite a character. I'm not sure how she feels about ghosts, though..."
Kakosenas remained crouched underneath the street light for what seemed a lifetime. In reality, it was actually no more than ten minutes. She'd begun an internal debate with herself. A part of her, quite a large part, wanted to see Stormwing. The other part though, the one that demanded it was more reasonable, continued to argue. It told her to leave Stormwing alone with whatever new life she had carved out for herself. She'd caused the caramel female enough trouble and grief as it was. Kakosenas absently swatted at a bug that had come too close to her face. There had been a long period when Kakos felt that she would just get up and wander back the way whence she came. Write Storming down in her mind as a mere adventurous memory. Kakos abruptly stood up. Her coat jangled loudly with the motion. She owed Stormwing a thank you, an apology as well, and perhaps even an explanation. If she didn't do that at least, she knew that it would bother her for a long time to come. She'd do that then and only then would she further decide what to do with herself. Kakosenas took a single step toward the house before stopping again. She'd caught sight of her pants. Dirty and still encrusted with dry mud. On any other occasion she would have left them alone. Tonight, such a mess just wouldn't do. She bent slightly and wiped at her pants. The majority of the mud fell away. But the stains still remained. The dirt had bonded with the particles of her pants and there were no water molecules in there that she could manipulate in order to break the bond. She could fix that of course. Lightly settling her hands on her thighs, she drew in some water out of the plentiful night air. The result was immediate and in less than half a second, her pants were completely saturated. She moved her hands out to the sides and off of her thighs. The water, as if drawn by a strange force of magnetism, followed her hands (oh how she had missed being able to do that!). It drew out of her pants and into her palms until she was completely dry. Now she held two big globules of water in each hand. These she melded into one watery ball in her left hand. She looked at the sphere for a moment, her face expressing something like pure adoration. Then in one fluid motion, she pitched the ball out and into the night air. It stayed together until it reached the top of it's arc. Then it exploded and rained down as a chilly mist over the street. She smiled to herself as the miniature droplets drifted away in the small breeze. She took another look at her pants. They weren't perfectly clean, but they'd do. Satisfactory. The tar coloured Shriker strolled up Stormwing's walkway, as if it were the most normal thing for her in the world to be doing. Her eyes were doing a lot of roving. Looking at the well sculpted lawn, noting the open windows, and the near darkness that the house seemed to swim in. Stormwing was home though. This much she knew. She stopped at the door, hesitating for a second before she rapped her knuckles lightly on its hard surface.
<blockquote>Scout didn't have a reply to Stormwing's comments, and she simply hovered in the center of the foyer, transparent arms crossed. She was very curious to meet this Kakos individual, but at the same time, she had a somewhat cryptic premonition that this thill — whoever she was and whatever she may be like — had rather negative feelings about ghosts. "If she hates me, at least she can't hurt me," she heard herself say in a light tone. Yet, even as she spoke, a soft rapping sounded on the door. Stormwing, whom had by now turned away from the side windows and stationed herself in front of the door, immediately responded. A white hand reached out to clutch the doorknob, and she drew it open. A cool gust of night air greeted her, but she barely noticed. Her attention was upon the Evil One, Kakos, the slightly bedraggled but none too shabby looking pendragon standing on her front stoop. She looked a little different, sort of serpentine in her complexion, but Storm neverthless greeted her with a smile. "I knew it. Come in," she spoke, ushering Kakos through the doorway. She knew Shriker was probably nervous, especially since they'd spent so much time apart recently, but she trusted her to move into the house and down the hall, at least, where they could sit in the living area and talk. Even as her friend slowly stepped into the interior, Storm turned around to search for Scout's transparent form. The ghost, however, was nowhere to be seen. The banded thill had a tickling feeling that when she went to get a drink for herself and her guest later, she'd find a certain fridge phantom haunting her icebox. Scout had always liked this place best of any others in the house, simply because it was dark and cool until the door was opened. Then it was icy bright. It didn't bother Stormwing, nor did it bother her that the deceased had departed, at least for the moment. It would probably be easiest to introduce her to Kakos slowly, anyway. "Come on, let's go down this hall and to the den area. Want anything to eat, or drink?" Winger said, turning her attention back to her friend.
Kakosenas smiled faintly back as Stormwing opened the door and greeted her with a smile. They had both sensed each other's presences it had seemed. That reassured Kakos a little. Perhaps they hadn't drifted as far apart as the ash thill had been dreading. Perhaps she had made the right decision in deciding to come after all. Maybe they could even rekindle some old works... grease the wheels of Shadowlack and get it rolling. All at once Kakosenas was filled with a strong feeling of hope. She momentarily forgot everything else as Stormwing ushered her into the house. However, that didn't stop her from casting a quick glance over her shoulder before entering. That type of thing had become a forced habit. It was even more impressive on the inside than it was on the outside. Kakosenas soon found herself looking at everything that there was to look at. From the floor, to the walls, to the things that decorated them. Why, it certainly put Stormwing's old spotless white dorm to shame. Kakos recalled the uneasy feeling that she had when she had first entered that dormitory. How out of place she had felt. She nearly giggled out loud as she remembered that "dorm warming" gift that she had bestowed upon Winger. How strange and awkward it had all been. Now however, she didn't feel so foreign. She wasn't quite sure why that was. Maybe just because this wasn't Janardan. Maybe because she had matured somehow? There was a reason, but Kakos didn't feel much like sniffing it out right at the moment. Instead she quietly trailed Winger through the corridor, still looking at things. "It's very nice," she murmured softly, continuing to walk slowly. Kakos stopped and hovered near the entrance to the sitting area, letting her eyes carefully rove over it. "Something to drink would be good, I think." Although she really couldn't recall when she had last eaten. She wasn't hungry though, but that didn't mean a thing. She had never had much in terms of an appetite.
<blockquote>As the pair of thills padded through the house, Storm tried to guess why Kakosenas had come here. Perhaps it was just a friend come to visit a friend — and by god, she hoped it was as simple as that, and nothing more troublesome. However, she felt a flutter in her stomach. Kakos had always been sort of nervous, and the ease with which she had entered the house disconcerted the home owner. Sure, she'd cast a wary glance over her shoulder, but she didn't seem as uneasy as she would have in the past. That either meant that there was something urgent she needed to say or do, or that the slight, draconic shift in her countenance was not the only change the Evil One had undergone. "So, why the visit?" Storm asked as they reached the sitting area, cutting right to the chase. She looked at her friend, her mismatched eyes glowing, a small smile on her face. "I hope you just want to visit, and don't have anything terribly dramatic to tell me... I've been enjoying the peace since we left — or were discharged, rather — from Krokino." Her white hands reached out to grasp the back of an armchair, and she looked down at them, so white against the elegant maroon print. "On that note, though, I'm glad you've come calling, no matter what the reason. It's been too long. I hope, whether you have an urgent reason for being here or not, you'll tell me how you've been, and what you've been doing." Her eyes roved up from her hands once more, and her eyes pinned again on Kakos. "I hope you'll tell me where the extra ounce of confidence you now have has come from," she finished, her small smile growing a little at the edges. If Kakos wanted to reply to Stormwing's long soliloquy, she'd have to wait a moment. For even as she bestowed the wider smile on her friend, the brown thill turned away, and headed into the kitchen area. She flicked on light switches as she went here, exposing the gleaming white tiles underfoot and the magnificent cabinetry. Kakos had said "It's very nice," in reference to Winger's home — and it was. With only the slightest hesitation, Storm headed towards the large refrigerator. It was a very nice model, one of those that had two vertical doors, an automatic icemaker, and a purified water spout. But she didn't think Shriker wanted water — and a beer sounded good to her. Reaching out, she wrapped her hand around the handle towards the refrigerator partition, and tugged the door open. Not to her surprise, there was Scout, wedged into the top shelf. She'd stolen a carton of ice cream from the freezer half of the icebox, and was staring longingly at it. Perhaps ghosts were able to master the ability to truly interact with the living environment, but Scout had yet to learn how. All she was able to do so far was lift small objects and cram herself into spaces, as she'd done here. "I need two cans of beer, and they're behind you," Storm said, patiently. "I came in here, because I had this really strong sense that Kankus doesn't really like supernatural entities," Scout said, as she floated downwards to the next shelf in the fridge, exposing the beer so that the banded female could reach it. "Should I just stay in here until she's gone, or did you want to introduce us?" Storm reached for the six-pack, and loosed two cans from the plastic rungs. When she'd put the remaining four back on the shelf, she looked at Scout, and mulled for a moment, before saying, "Just hang tight for a bit. She's a naturally nervous individual, even with some extra confidence, and this beer should loosen her up a little. I'll probably come back for another beer, or maybe for some snacks, and I'll tell you if you can come out. Sorry you have to be trapped in here until then... but you're probably right. She probably doesn't like ghosts, for whatever reason, and it'd be best all around if you just hung in here. By the way, it's Kakos." With that, and a teasing grin for Scout's sake, Stormwing shut the refrigerator door. She then strolled out of the kitchen, flicking off lights as she went, and made her way towards the sitting room. Kakos was still standing there, although she looked a lot less shifty than she would have a few Seasons ago. "C'mon, sit down. I got us something to drink. Ice cold beer. We can drink while you tell me what you've been up to."
Kakosenas was a little put off by Stormwing's forthright approach. She couldn't blame her for thinking that she had once again gotten herself into trouble. Trouble of all shapes and sizes seemed to be drawn to the shady thill. She didn't even have to go looking for it anymore. She'd been on the move though, and sure, she had run into a few mishaps along the way, but nothing obscenely horrible. Stormwing had parted on the note about Kakosenas' newfound confidence with a smile and Kakos found herself alone in her friend's expansive living area. Stormwing hadn't left her any room to squeeze in a reply, but that was okay. It gave her some time to think. Although she had been welcomed openly enough and Stormwing genuinely seemed glad to see her, Kakos was slowly beginning to regret having come. She had been right in assuming that Stormwing had been doing just fine for herself without her. Now here she had come into the picture again. She wasn't quite sure what she had been expecting. Not quite this though. She should have just left her alone... maybe left a letter on her doorstop. She sighed quietly, holding her right elbow cradled in the palm of her left hand as she looked about the living room. The aforementioned confidence had been a mystery to her as well. Shriker knew that she was still scared, still exceptionally paranoid (she only had to give her coat a faint shake to hear those jangles to remind herself of that), but she also supposed that somehow along the way that she had changed. Was it for the better? That was another thing she was unsure of. Eventually Stormwing returned with something to drink and mentioned sitting down. Kakos looked about herself for a moment. There certainly were plenty enough places to choose from. She slipped out of her coat. It made a few soft musical sounds as she folded it up into a neat square. Finally choosing a chair, Kakos settled into it, curling her tufted tail around to her front and setting her folded coat smartly on her lap. With her drink close at hand, Kakosenas figured that it'd be best to start talking. "I, well, I haven't been doing anything really bad," she began a little defensively. "I've been traveling for the most part. I..." Kakos frowned and stopped. Maybe she'd tell Winger about some of her travels later on. At the moment they seemed rather unimportant and a trifle foolish. She took a sip of her drink, not quite liking the slight burning sensation it caused in her mouth, but it tasted alright. She held the can idly in her hands, still frowning. "I wanted to say I was sorry." The words came out in a bit of a rush. "I mean, after... I just took off. You know. I just left. Left you, and well, ran. I didn't even write. Then after a while I started to think..." She trailed off, faintly touching her brow much like someone would if they had the beginnings of a headache. Her head wasn't hurting though. She was just having a bit of trouble trying to get her words into at least semi-coherent sentences. "I needed to tell you that though. That's why I came I guess. That and, I never thanked you properly in the first place either. I feel pretty bad about it all."
<blockquote>After Kakosenas had taken her drink, removed her coat, and found a seat, Storm followed suit. She flopped down on the sofa that Scout had been hovering over just moments before, and drew her feet up onto the cushions, folding them before her. She held her chilled can of beer with both white hands, in the nook of her lap, taking intermittent sips as she waited patiently for her friend to speak. Whatever she'd expected Shriker to say, it wasn't this. Winger blinked in surprise, her mismatched eyes gleaming with an odd sort of light. An apology? And a thank-you? For what, really? The banded thill didn't quite understand, and she leaned forward in her seat to stare at Kakos for a moment, before responding in turn. "You don't have to apologize. I know you needed to get away, and you did so in your own way. I also 'got away,' in a way. I quit most of my classes at Janardan, and bought this residence tucked here on a private street in the Watani mountains. Remember how aggressive I used to be? Well, I still have that, of course, but I've started to self-study the art of peace and... well, becoming a sort of Zen master. I know that, by going away and taking your time and not keeping in touch, you were just doing your own version of that. Taking a breather. After what we went through, you have nothing to be sorry for. We both needed a break." Stormwing paused in her long spiel, bringing the can of beer to her lips and taking a rather long, refreshing gulp. Her mind worked as she drank, thinking of what else to add. She had to address Kakos' thank-you, not only because it was polite, but she also didn't know what it had been for. Setting the nearly empty can down, she said, "Thank me for what? I got us in and out of a huge mess, and there's no reason for you to be thanking me. Let's just call the table, even, okay?" After her short speech-of-sorts, Storm turned her bi-colored eyes down, to stare at the can in her hands. She twirled it round and round, wishing she could magically refill it. However, she knew that one was enough. She barely drank alcohol anymore, after what had happened at The Watering Hole with Koani Grader. The event that had started the entire 'mess' she had referred to. If she wanted to get a refill, she'd get water, or juice. Something tame. On that note, though, Winger remembered Scout, and wondered if the phantom female was still haunting the fridge. The brown thill leaned forward in her seat, trying to squint into the dark kitchen. She couldn't see anything, and assumed Scout was still in the icebox, longingly wishing she could eat the ice cream in there with her.
Kakosenas continued to frown. Stormwing had seemed confused by her words. Had she been expecting instant understanding though? Not really. Though she had perhaps been hoping a little that Stormwing would understand completely and that there would be no need for explanations. Yet that wasn't the case. "I'm glad that you've been doing well," she said a little shortly. Stormwing seemed to be brushing aside her apology and thanks. That bothered her a little. It may just be modesty though, she reminded herself. Nothing to get angry or shout about. Besides, she had meant every word that she had said to Stormwing while they were doing time in the cell. "I guess what I've been doing could be counted as a bit of a breather," Kakos shrugged. Although her travels had been far from relaxing and Zen-like. It still didn't seem like a good excuse for having vanished on Stormwing like she had. Shriker decided to just leave it alone and move onto the issue of her gratitude. "I wanted to thank you for sticking up for me," she began. "I mean, I can't think of anyone else who would have done the same in that situation. Regardless of whose fault you think the entire mess belongs to. I was actually really impressed by all of it... by you." She quietly thumbed at the rim of the can she held, her talon lightly trailing across the surface. "Despite what you say, what you think, I'm in debt to you." Kakosenas pushed aside the subject and spoke up again quickly so that Stormwing couldn't immediately protest. "Want to show me around or something? Unless maybe a tour is out of the question. It is getting late, and I could leave. I'd understand if you don't want me around."
<blockquote>"I'm not in debt to you," Storm said after Kakosenas had finished speaking. Her voice came out rather forcefully, but she toned down her next words quite a bit. "And you don't need to be so thankful. What are friends for, except to help each other out? I just did what any good friend did. I lived up to my words, the ones I said ages ago, outside of the Viper's Nest. You asked me if I'd stand behind you to the end. I will, and I did. But it's nothing to make a huge fuss over. Like I said, it's just what friends do, that's all." She'd never felt uncomfortable in the presence of her friend, but now Winger felt like nothing could possibly ease the awkward tension in the room. Neither of them was like they had been before — Kakos was more confident, but with a grateful side, offering thanks, and Storm was trying to be modest. It was an odd, new situation, and it would take some getting used to. And the banded thill couldn't think of anything better than a house tour in order to break the ice. At Kakos' suggestion, her eyes glowed, and she offered a small smile. "Of course. And of course I don't want you to leave. If I had a pillow, a book, or else a giant booger, I'd throw it at you. But I've nothing." She held up her white hands, twinkled the fingers playfully, then gracefully hoisted herself from the sofa. "Come on, let's go."
Kakosenas' frown seemed to vanish with an unseen wind. Somehow things just seemed right again. She had somewhat already known that Stormwing would try to abolish the debt that Kakos claimed she owed. Was that really what friends did? Maybe, maybe. They helped each other out without having to keep score. It wasn't a game. No one was the loser, no one the lesser of two. Simply equals. Partners in this deadly dance of life. When Stormwing took her up on her request to see the house, Shriker could have sworn that she felt her insides warm and glow. She'd given Storm a chance to get rid of her quietly and without a fuss. Had Stormwing sent her away, Kakos supposed that she would have left her alone. Perhaps even tried to stay out of her life completely. As far as she was concerned, Stormwing was doing extremely well without her. Yet with her proposed invitation accepted, Kakos felt as if she'd been extended a hand and hauled back on board. Stormwing was a rather no nonsense being. So she most likely wasn't acting just out of politeness, so that left just one thing, she really did want her around. "Great!" With a grin, Kakosenas popped up to her feet. Her coat tumbled off of her legs to land noisily on the floor. "Oh... haha," she mumbled to herself, quickly picking the coat up with one hand and setting it back onto the chair. She crinkled the can she still held in her other hand slightly. There was only about a swallow left. She drained the remainder deftly. "So, where does this thing start?"
Storming could almost tangibly feel her friend's mood lift, and the edges of her mouth curved upwards. The tension was dissipating, and Kakos seemed to be feeling more at home. Speaking of home, Storm pointed towards the dark kitchen, and answered her friend's question with one simple word. "Here." It was almost time for Kakos to meet Scout. As Storm moved forth into the large kitchen, flicking light switches to illuminate the many wares of the room, she felt a small flutter in her belly. Scout had spoken of some odd premonition, had insisted that Shriker disliked ghosts, and would therefore dislike her. The homeowner had no idea if these things were true. She'd never experienced a ghost before Scout, and had no idea if Kakos had; for sure, she was completely clueless when it came to her friend's opinions of phantoms and apparitions. "Do you want another drink?" Storm asked as she moved nearer to the fridge. She'd noticed Kakosenas had finished her beer. "More beer? Water? Juice? I have a bunch of differ—" Just then, the banded thill noticed something... sticking out of her refrigerator door. It looked like a finger. But then it withdrew again. Jolted, Storm stared for a moment, wondering what Scout was doing. Had she slipped? Was she trying to signal? Or was she just fooling around, tempting fate? Winger doubted the latter — Scout had seemed earnest and sincere earlier, and her ideas about Kakos had seemed serious. She wouldn't be joking around now. "Er, so... drinks?" Storm repeated, now turning to peer at Kakos, whom was behind her. She didn't think the charcoal chimera had noticed the finger.
Kakosenas followed Storm's finger as it pointed into the kitchen. It was dark, but even in the darkness, she could make out the sparkling gleam of the clean white floor. "As good a place to start as any," she said, following behind the white banded thill as they entered the kitchen. She stood a little off to the side as Stormwing flicked on the lighting. Bathed now in light, Shriker's yellow hued eyes blinked furiously a few times as they rapidly adjusted. This kitchen was beautiful. Expansive, open, and clean... Kakos found herself smiling at the reflections on the tile flooring as her companion began to talk. If she moved slightly - like so - Kakos shifted a little to the left - she could see the reflections in the tiling shift along with her. It was like a simplistic, distorted mirror. She looked up a little sharply at Stormwing when her voice seemed to falter. Kakos hadn't noticed the finger. It had been mostly blocked by her friend's form. She tilted her head quizzically, certain that she had missed something, or had perhaps even done something strange herself that had warranted that sentence being cut short. "Just water, I think..." Shriker said slowly.
It seemed Kakos hadn't noticed the peculiar occurence, so Storm, too, tried to forget it. Upon Kakos' request for water, the thill moved towards the refrigerator, prepared to fetch the pitcher of filtered water she always kept in there. Stupidly, in light of what had happened — and despite what had happened — she almost forgot what, who was in the fridge. It was only when she wrapped her fingers around the handle and began to tug it open that she suddenly recalled, and she let out a small, surprised cry, and wrenched her hand away from the door. Storm cast a furtive look at Shriker after the noise she'd made faded. She figured Kakos knew something was up by now, because of her stammering and her crying out. It was probably time to get it over with, anyway. It would be better to introduce the two, rather than have Kakos discover Scout via some mishap. "Kakos? What do you think of... ghosts?" All right, it was a rather lame question, but to the point. Stormwing just wanted to get this over with quickly. Not only did she want to make sure Scout and Kakos knew of each other, and were at least tolerant of each other, her mouth was also really dry. She really wanted that filtered water that was stuck in the fridge.
Kakosenas' eyes shifted suspiciously from Stormwing to the refrigerator then back again. She skirted around her friend's question though and asked the rather obvious thing that was on her mind now. "Storm, you have a ghost... in your fridge?" Although her words were phrased like a question, they were more of a statement. Was it really a ghost? And if so, what kind? How far along? Kakos rubbed at her chin thoughtfully while gazing quietly at the fridge. Unbeknownst to Kakos, Scout's premonition had been quite accurate. She most definately did not like the spiritual type. They were very interesting of course, but also somewhat vermin. Depending on the type, possibly dangerous as well. Things that just were not supposed to be. A little bit, she supposed, like herself. They were, also like herself, quite interesting to experiment with. "Why is it in your fridge?" A bit of an amused smile was etched on her features now.
Even as Storm opened her mouth to reply, the finger appeared in the fridge door again, wiggling this time. It was soon followed by another, and another... then a hand... an elbow... an entire arm. Then, a head. It didn't take long for Scout's whole body to float out of the fridge, and then hover nearby, a little bit behind the caramel female. She tried to position herself vertically, so that she appeared to be an average, upright pendragon; the transparent nature of her body gave her way, though. As did the entire 'phasing out of the refrigerator' bit. "Hi, I'm Scout," she said when she'd finally gotten her feet about even with the floor. Her flamed tail, just as opaque as the rest of her, nevertheless flickered with a phantasmic liveliness. She didn't offer her surname — she hadn't even told Stormwing what it was — but she did off a smile. No ghostly hand was outstretched, however. Next to Scout, Storm fidgeted nervously, her eyes casting between Kakos and Scout. She didn't think they could inflinct harm upon one another, at least physically, but they were both her friends. She felt a little stuck in the middle, and really didn't want to play the mediary between the two; she had no desire to come between a phantom and a chimera. "...and the reason I enjoy the fridge, is because it's nice, comfortable, and secure in there. And as soon as I learn how to interact with the physical environment again, I'll always be surrounded by sweets and treats," Scout finished, her serpentine tail swill writhing as she looked directly, but somewhat bashfully, at Shriker.
Kakosenas watched in silence as Scout slowly phased out of the fridge and appeared into plain view. Her lips pursed slightly as she surveyed the opaque figure. Definately a ghost. Actually, a rather impressive one at that. Seemingly full bodied... and that tail. Kakos found herself looking at it thoughtfully even as the spectre spoke. Despite her interest, the muscles in Shriker's left hand twitched involuntarily. What she really wanted to do was hit this 'Scout' apparition with the right amount of dark magic that would make her disappear completely. Somehow, by the look on Stormwing's face, doing so looked as if it might just upset her. Not only that, but Kakosenas really didn't want to go shooting things off inside of her friend's house. Dark magic sometimes had very, very bad repercussions. Shriker smiled faintly back at Scout, although the action was rather distracted, she was really only doing it for Storm's benefit. "I... see. I'm Kakosenas Shriker," she said, her eyes drifting back down to Scout's rather lively flamed tail before looking back up at her. "You're still learning... so, does that mean you're newly deceased?"
Perhaps death made her more perceptive, or maybe Kakos was easy to read — in either case, Scout felt a strong ripple of dislike coming from the chimera's direction. Her ghostly hackles prickled, and the fur on the nape of her neck stood up. It was hard to hurt a ghost, but it wasn't impossible. Scout had the feeling that if anybody knew how to get to her, it was the female standing right in front of her. At least she seemed to be trying to attempt friendliness. Or perhaps it was morbid, prying curiosity. In any case, Kakosenas wanted to know if Scout was newly dead... a very good question. Shrugging, Scout replied, "Fairly new. A few months ago, I was abducted by a serial killer. He raped me and beat the shit out of me, before killing me. He dismembered my body, and dumped it where he knew no one would ever find it." The way she talked, it seemed like it had been just another, casual day in her life, and not the last one. "After I died, I went to a place I like to call the Afterlife. I spent some time there, but then gained the ability to return. So, I did. I hoped to come back here, to this house, where my family lived, to give them closure. But they weren't here. Stormwing was... and she doesn't know where they went." It was only now that Scout's voice faltered. Her entire form seemed to flicker with the pain that came with mentioning her family. Slightly embarrassed by this, the phantasm floated over towards a counter, and "perched" upon it. She wrapped her tail about herself and began to idly play with the flame... a nervous habit she'd picked up not that long ago, though she couldn't remember if it had happened before or after she'd been killed.
It seemed as if Kakosenas had selective hearing, or had been too conditioned regarding the more gruesome side of life (perhaps having performed too many dastardly deeds herself). She seemed unaffected by Scout's sad story. There were however some key words that she picked up on and chose to respond to. Instead of responding to Scout's mention of her lost family or horrible death with condolences, as one might expect, her attention hung back on the words that Scout had first uttered in response to her question. "Only a few months... that's not too long at all," she said as Scout moved over to a counter and appeared to sit upon it. Kakos crept a little bit closer to the ghostly being, closing the distance between them a little. Once again her eyes were drawn to Scout's tail flame as she played with it. She watched the transparent ghost flame flickering about Scout's fingers as she spoke again. "Shame about the dismemberment though. Specially after a few months, hm. You look pretty young. What was this Afterlife like? And just, how were you able to return? Are you sure that you really did leave and didn't just stay here?" Shriker asked, her last question littered with scepticism as she looked up again. Scout appeared to have caused a flare of genuine interest in the shady thill.
Storm watched the interactions between the chimera and the ghost rather uneasily, shifting her weight froom foot to white foot. She edged around Kakos and stood along the counter, nearby to Scout, but still a few feet away. This way, she'd be able to try and intervene, should Kakosenas try anything... or Scout, for that matter. "I am pretty young. Or, I was when I was killed," Scout replied nonchalantly, unaware that Stormwing had moved closer. Her hands still played with her tail flame, but her silvery eyes were trained upon Shriker now. "It was a hot and dark place, where I went. There was a sort of hierarchy there, and I got to the top of it. I was granted the ability to come back here. And I'm absolutely certain that I left, and came back. The place where I was... was nothing like any place on the surface of Ramath-lehi." Perhaps disconcerted by Kakos' proximity, or just because she felt like doing so, Scout floated off the counter, hovered in the middle of the kitchen area, and then perched atop the refrigerator. From there, she had a good vantage point... though she knew that she wasn't any safer. If this Kakosenas has some sort of magic that would harm her, no place within miles of her would be safe.
