<blockquote> Mia - almost there - meant new beginnings, and beginnings never stood alone – they were attached to somethings, brand new or old with a different lick of paint. Either way, they were unpredictable, and though Dylan took a lot of personality traits from a severe earthquake, he found it difficult to cope with the unknown. The combined smell of autumn and low, thrumming jazz music in his head – the same 10-minute track on loop – soothed his raw nerves. "He's been rather sweet, from what I've known of him - he was always a little on the sensitive side, though, even when he was younger..." At the thought of Cay dating Stormwing just to hurt 'Ani, his brow furrowed. "I don't think he'd do that just to hurt 'Ani'sla... maybe he really loved her. I never had the pleasure of meeting Stormwing, however. What was she like?" </blockquote>
“Sweet... sure, and with a scream that can rupture ear drums." Vythe had never really been fully acquainted with Cayson when he was younger. He'd known of the nioti... Zamfir was really proud of his family after all, and at the time of Cay's birth, Vythe's mother had been working for the Graders. She liked to tell Vythe stories. “I didn't know him when he was really little. It wasn't until Ms. Grader'ba's eldest was killed that I started getting involved. Of course, we didn't get really acquainted until later on when Cayson was living with the Arch Magos and Magosai. He was sulky then... but not without reason." Both Cayson and his sister Mystique had been forced to live at the Grader manor after Koani's sudden disappearance and the death of their father. “Stormwing... ahh. Schizophrenic maybe? When I first met her, she was a nice enough young thill albeit a little daft and not up to date with current events. Even Koani liked her... until a few things she said made her stomach churn. The second time I saw her? Complete raging maniac with a book of mixed up facts, a twisted agenda, and guns." Vythe was still angry about that night. There'd been bloodshed. Koani's blood. “I guess you heard all about that fiasco though... Ms. Grader'ba was alright, but rather set on some sort of vengeance. Stormwing got lucky in the end. We could have had her locked up permanently. Even killed. Still... probably not the best way to end things. Specially with the press. So we got Ms. Grader'ba to purposely lose the case... Sometimes you just have to let the little guys win." Vythe licked his lips. “After that though, and her with Cayson? There was nothing but tension. I'm not sure how Ms. Grader'ba managed it. She should be an actress... with all the fronts she puts on daily."
<blockquote> ooc. OH DRAMA. ic. Their breathing was out of sync as they walked, like a tangled chemistry set running two separate experiments. Something pushed him away from the building, like the force between the north ends of two magnets – perhaps the growing uncomfortableness around Vythe worked along the same lines; like repels like for fear of losing its individuality. His identity crisis was short-lived. "I remember all the kids. 'Ani and Saber loved them - gosh, you could just see it glowing in their eyes. Stormwing... ah, just the thought of her gives me chills. You let her win, though? On purpose? Heh." And then his eyes narrowed at Vythe's next words. "Koani... how can you say that? Her putting up fronts - she does it to survive. She's been hurt, Vythe."</blockquote>
Vythe's right eyebrow rose as he looked over at Arsenic. He hadn't been meaning to affront the other arden, nor insult Koani. If anything, Vythe found Koani to be rather admirable. He didn't know of any other pendragons as accomplished as she. Even Zamfir, despite all of his knowledge and magic prowess, seemed to pale in comparison. “Look, I wasn't hired because I was particularly eloquent. Nor because I'm empathetic. I get that she's been hurt. My point is though – she hasn't cracked. It takes a lot of mettle to be her. It takes a lot to simply be a Grader. She's not some fragile, broken winged bird. Koani, Ms. Grader'ba, is a force. A powerful force. I wouldn't work for anyone else."
<blockquote> He was surrounded. Indigents, addicts, the deluded and mad, crawling with blood, ridden with disease, their hearts breaking with fear. Horror had caused this. But what horror? Where horror? Why horror? Horror of what? And if questions could stop any of it, halt the angriest intrusion of all, ripping, raping, leaving him, leaving all of them gutted, hollow, dying to die. Any fool could pray. He stared Vythe down, his blue eyes glittering feverishly. "I understand that, Vythe, but I don't think that you know the extent to which she was hurt. Fuck it, I love her - I'd die for her - but sometimes I'm not sure if she's capable of love anymore. Not after Candrice and Saber." </blockquote>
A fire was brewing. Not simply on the end of Vythe's tail, but in his belly and heart as well. Maybe he didn't understand the full extent of what Koani had been through. She still kept secrets from him. She'd never gone into detail about her dealings with the rapine either. There was something big there. It came into her eyes whenever someone mentioned the word rapine. Those alien words in her sleep betrayed her as well. He'd tried to pry things out of her countless times now, but to no avail. Arsenic though? What business did he have in Koani's affairs? Talking Vythe down. Blatantly saying that he loved Koani. If Vythe were to have a dollar for every hopeless fool who proclaimed their love for Koani... well, he'd still be working his job, but his bank account would be significantly larger. Still, what Arsenic had said about Koani being unable to love was new to him. Such a thought had never really crossed his mind before. Vythe's eyes narrowed and the thick white fur upon the nape of his neck bristled. “So, she rejected you too?" his words came out hot and acidic, much in contrast to the cool demeanour he was sporting seconds earlier. “She's changed. If she can't love, it would really come as no surprise to me. She's part rapine now. Has she shared that little tidbit with you yet?"
<blockquote>Koani had left him feeling dumb and sad that night, a bit like a busted thermos – fine on the outside, but on the inside nothing but broken glass. Vythe was infuriating him, and his teeth gritted and his eyes narrowed to shards of aquamarine. "I loved her for twenty years, and she knew the whole time. But she just wants us to be friends." He suppressed a growl that threatened to thunder out from his jaws – and before another synapse could fire within his labyrinthine brain, he was already imagining him lying on the floor. Or his mangled body, at least. His head remained in Dylan’s hands, twisted off like a cap. The first turn definitely the toughest, necessitating the breaking of the cervical vertebrae and the snapping of the spinal cord, but after that, another six or so turns, and voila – the head was off. Nothing could be easier. Time to go bowling. Vythe hissed out words. Spoke to him. "You don’t know what it was like. The clocks stopped at 5:17. Bodies everywhere – intestines coiling out, blood soaking the earth, feet and hands and fur and hair matting the ground. I’m supposed to be dead – my old name was Dylan Laizere. But I lost my old self on that day. I think she did, too. I wouldn’t be surprised, if she’s part rapine, Vythe." He sneered bitterly. "You loved her, too," he said darkly. </blockquote>
It wouldn't take a clairvoyant to sense the bubbling enmity between the two ardens as they walked along. Vythe's fur had prickled, yet he still hadn't lost the purposeful step in his stride. “You know, I never claimed to know what it, what Candrice, was like. I honestly cannot even begin to fathom. I'm not an innocent though. I know what death is. I've had dealings with carnage. I've done horrible things myself." Vythe slid his tongue over his smooth teeth. He wasn't at liberty to talk about the various missions he had been a part of. Most only knew of him from how he cleanly executed those who had attempted to assassinate his superiors. The public knew him as a protector. Vythe knew who he really was, as did Koani, which ultimately explained her avoidance when it came to him. “Funny how she left you high and dry though. You've got qualities that I know she likes. Sure I love her. It hasn't gotten me past the whole “friends" with benefits stage though. I can tell you this – she eats arden's hearts." Vythe laughed, it was a harsh sounding thing. “We should found a club, you and I," his tone sarcastic now. “I can think of at least 18 other arden in pretty much exactly the same boat when it comes to her."
<blockquote>Dylan's eyes gleamed dangerously. All those scars across his body - torn, ripped, bleeding and stuttering, for they were, above all, scars... the kind only the bars of an EKG could remember - they seemed to hiss antipathetically."I've killed, too," he said. "And I can do it again." He hissed at Vythe between his teeth. "A club?" he sneered. "She's at least giving me a chance - she said that she loves me, but we can't be together. Not here, not now." With that, he turned on his heel and started walking away. "I've had enough of talking with you," he called over his shoulder. </blockquote>
Vythe raised an eyebrow as Arsenic mention that he had killed and could kill again. There was no doubt in his mind that the other arden was more than capable. Catching a glimpse of his gunmanship earlier had decided that. He had the skill, and he had the guts. Still Vythe couldn't help but gain some amusement out of what appeared to be a threat. “Just play your cards right," Vythe called after Arsenic. “I wasn't joking about those qualities. Histories that overlap. Lukuo. A decent amount of fame. A good sense of creative design... and you don't seem like a pushover. Hm, and love." “G'luck, mate. I get the feeling we'll be seeing more of each other." A wry smile danced upon his lips. Arsenic didn't seem like an entirely bad guy. He could hold his own. For a moment Vythe's smile lingered before an urgent call on his tele-link from 'Bel made it vanish. Listening to his second-in-command now, Vythe left the sidewalk and crossed to the other side of the road. There was never a dull moment it seemed.
