Orphanage~ Seth smiled and straightened his suit coat. "My name is Seth Balmore. I own everything in Luin, including a few of it's residents. I am one of the last Purebloods of the Vampire race. I am the Originator of the Balmore blood-line. And you...must never tell a soul what I am. There are dangerous people here that pose as humans now. They threaten my existence, Rin. Keep me safe by keeping my secret safe." He smoothed the line on her neck and shifted her clothes around so it covered itself and took her hand. "Now come. We mustn't keep the Lady waiting. I'll inform her of my intentions and I'll be back tomorrow night." Leading Rin upstairs, Seth caught the Orphanage's Mother figure's eyes and nodded the barest of nods. Sweeping the door open for him, the Mother reached for his arm as the sunlight touched her fingers. "Mr. Balmore...if you would please...a moment of your time before you go?" Sighing, Seth obliged her and was swept away with her in her skirts toward a back room. Outside of Luin~~~~~ It was noontime in everywhere else by now and the letters of invitation had arrived at every Vampire ridden home. Yuka did a splendid job of mailing them in time via bats...even though it was the most cliched way. Lady Haruka and her large family grinned feral smiles as they flipped through the letters and found interesting menu choices. "We feed on a Banker's secretary tonight.... How lovely...hopefully she's at least got prompt blood." she chuckled at her joke and continued hiding from the sun. Luin High School... Lucille skidded across the mat and panted a breath in relief as the umpire proclaimed her safe. "nice job Lucy!" her friends shouted and Lucille picked herself up. Moving her gaze to the window, she noticed that one single man that always walked alone in the middle of the day, strolling across the front yard of the school. "Hey...Sammy...you know that guy? I've seen him a hundred times but I still have no idea who he is." Her friend, Sammy, swept her brown hair into a ponytail and set her hands on her thin hips. "nope...never seen him. my dad says he's the one guy that goes to the church on the hill..the one with the single road leading to and from it. dunno what he does there, but he doesn't much come to town. where's he heading? the bank....? odd...he looks like he's got tons of money.." Lucille nudged her, "Maybe it's not for a loan. Maybe he's making a deposit."
Raina folded her arms across her chest and frowned, "Is it really that important to you?! More important than your Goddess' life?" Mithos chuckled, "Let her have it man....she doesn't know when enough is enough."
Orphanage~ Seth smiled as the girl hugged him. He held her away from him, maintaining eye contact as he rumbled, "I can make your wish come true Rin. Come to the old Church of Luin at midnight. No sooner, no later. Then..you can be with people your entire life." He pulled her face upwards and gently captured her mouth in a searing kiss. He held her that way for a moment before breaking away from her, "A Pureblood Vampire promise, sealed with a kiss. After the party, I will come the next day and pick you up from this place."
Orphanage~ Seth released her and licked his bottom lip. Chuckling, Seth stood, "I have no interest in children. But...if you truely want me to adopt you, you'll come to my party tonight. It'll be fun. Oh...and be sure to bring a high school student with you. Can't have young girls wandering about alone...can we?" Seth rubbed his head, "You'll be a problem if you tell...but if you follow my orders, you'll have a fitting new home for a girl of your age." His eyes returned to the dark brown they once were and he tipped the girl's chin up, "I am truely sorry you experienced pain this morning. Usually I am not so hungry that it hurts...perhaps next time it'll be more...pleasant." He smiled ferally as he spoke and remembered the other women's blissful expressions from the past. Pulling out a pocket watch, Seth frowned, "I'm late... Give me your name, girl, before I must leave and tell me what it is you most desire."
All Anthony would recieve was the dial tone... Orphanage~ Seth grabbed Rin around the waist and pulled her back against him and buried his face in the curve of her neck. Mumbling, "A Pureblood must not bite a human...I will not make her what I am...I won't give you this curse." Muffling a cry of longing, Seth pulled a small pocket knife from his jacket pocket and whispered in her ear, "This will only hurt for a moment....I promise it will never happen again." He covered her eyes with one hand and gently cut into her neck a small cut and placed his mouth over it, lapping up the blood welling up on the skin with his tongue. Seth groaned and gripped the little girl tighter.
Balmore Mano~ Yuka nodded and quickly responded, "Yes. Master Seth likes to drop in without an announcement but I wanted to warn you. He hasn't fed since the last party..." She sighed, "Thank you for your time, Mr. Anthony. Goodbye." She promptly hung up and rubbed her shoulder, "I wonder how much he'll gorge himself on in tonight's party..." Orphanage... Seth harshly twisted the wrench to the right and the water stopped leaking. He gripped the wrench's handle until it formed to his hand. "Then please...won't you let me feed on you for a moment. Just to ease my pain?" He knelt to her height and gazed into her eyes. His own a dark crimson already with his increasing hunger. The painful burning sensation in his throat...he wanted it gone. The party wouldn't be fun if he couldn't sit still and not devour a guest, robbing them of their blood and memories. But alas...the girl before him was but a child. He felt guilty even though he hadn't moved an inch towards taking her blood.
Raina shuffled her feet and pouted, "Is she that important to you? Well...Ryuu usually jumps from world to world in your universe. I've no idea where he is. Only Etraine would know. And she resides in her dark crystal palace...not in this world..." Mithos floated around in Auran's subconscious. "Yeah...yeah...it looked kinda like a keychain...with her stupid sun emblem on it. It's off of her Keyblade, Sunburst. Now I remember... Hey, this wouldn't have happened if you were a little more cautious when fighting somebody new."
Balmore Manor~ Yuka bowed with the phone in her hand and heard a slight chuckle behind her. Turning, Yuka's face turned a slight shade of pink at the sight of her robust red-headed friend. "Mirabelle... Oh, yes, Mr. Anthony, Master Seth will be coming to visit you today. He said he wanted to check up on your latest investor and plan with you for the appropriate measures to take in using your secretary for the dessert tray tonight at the party." Orphanage... Seth dropped more Cheerios as he walked until he could safely shuffle the pot away and reach up to the leaking pipe. "Need something, little one?" he purred in a soothing tone. He didn't want to frighten his treat off, but conversation was nice while he tended to the needs of his orphanage. He caught his reflection in the dripping water and noticed his normally dark brown eyes had shifted to gold. It wouldn't be long before they turned crimson. "Well little one, you see...I'm in need of your assistance. Would you like to help me?" His smile became restricted and strained.
Seth tapped his forehead as he thumped down the stairs into the basement. "Now...where did I put it last time I came here?" He slid his eyes slightly to the left and listened to the rapid heartbeat of the little girl following him. Well...he was hungry...just a little taste wouldn't hurt...surely not. He slipped a Cheerio from his pocket and dropped it on the ground. Expecting the little girl to grab it up and follow him for more. Grabbing up a monkey-wrench, he continued until he saw the dripping of water into a pot.
Raina gave him her best innocent look and tapped her lower lip with a slender, white finger. "My warriors are usually more prone to fight with their words than a sword. And they've never had real power of their own before. Goddess Warriors are usually those that value their Goddess over their lives and we give them power to fight for us. My sister...Etraine...started this war a long time ago when she ripped a hole in the universes and allowed them to contact one another and connect. She let darkness swallow the hearts of innocent human beings. She must pay the price! You'll help me, won't you? After all...I think Ryuu stole something from you." Ryuu held up a glittering keychain with a sun on the end to the sky. "It's beautiful... So why would a brute like that guy have something this pretty?" Mithos chuckled and snapped his fingers, "Oh, that's right. Uh...Auran...Alice slipped you a gift...I'm pretty sure she didn't want you to forget her...but that Ryuu guy jacked it when you two were fighting."
Road to Luin/// Seth avoided the Dhamphir scent, trailing through the forest happily. Suzaku rested a hand on the hilt of his knife tucked into his back. "Why hello! I didn't expect to find anyone else on this road. You do know the legend about this road, don't you? Surely you must be from out of town." Licking his lips briefly, Suzaku shifted his attention to the forest for a moment before centering back on the man. Luin~ Seth brushed the leaves off his clothes and brushed back his black hair. Straightening the tie on his suit, he knocked lightly on the Orphanage door. "Morning, ladies. I came to check up on the Orphanage. After all...Balmore Incorperated is funding this place. One of my maids got a call earlier that there was a leaky pipe? Mind if I take a look?" The caretaker blushed and waved him inside. "By all means, Mr. Balmore. We're so honored you decided to come down yourself. I hope the journey wasn't very long. Would you like some tea?" Seth chuckled, "No...not long at all. Oh, no, please. I don't want to be a burden. Actually...ah never mind. Is the pipe in the basement?" She nodded and waved the children back inside from outdoors and patted Rin's head, "Everyone, meet Mr. Balmore. He's the nice man who's kept us warm in the winter and cool in the summer and our bellies full every night. If you want to ask him anything, feel free." Balmore Manor.... Yuka smiled to herself and dialed the old fashioned telephone. "Hmm hmm..." Smoothing her hair, she pulled out the hair tie holding up her hair in a ponytail. "Oh, yes, I'd like to have Mr. Anthony's office? Thank you very much." She waited while the receptionist connected her to Anthony's office.
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"Lightning. It flashes bright, then fades away. It can't protect. It only destroys." Lightning shut her eyes for a moment. She was going to summon Odin to take her to her apprentices at a quicker pace, but memories were nagging her. "Lightning. I - me too. I mean, at least I'll try. I'll try to watch out for you, too." Lightning squeezed her hands together as she remembered the past. But that time was lost. "Hope..." Lightning shifted her footing, placing her feet shoulder length apart and drew out her crystal. She gave it a mournful look before slicing it to pieces with her gunblade and summoning Odin. The large Eidolon stood before her before shifting into his gestalt form of a white horse. "Odin....we must hurry. Ride fast!" she commanded as she jumped onto his back and took off across Gran Pulse's plains. "Fear is somthing that consumes you. I must try to overcome my own fears." Akira took a step backwards, practically flinching out of Jaden's touch and recoiling away from Alice. "A Crystal l'Cie?!"
Mithos grumbled and retreated further into the recesses of Auran's mind. "Shut up..." Raina lifted a delicate white hand to the sky, "I've been watching you. For a little while at least. I lost my last Goddess Warrior to Ryuu a few years ago. Thus to continue along my life here, I needed a new warrior. You...were the complete opposite of my dearest Warriors."
Senri opened his eyes at the sound of the howl. "Hmm?" he looked up and sat up in one fluid movement that had Kurou stepping back and reaching for his sword. Senri watched his friend carefully before cracking his neck and jumping up. Expectantly, he looked to Kurou for the signal and lurched forward with the crow demon on his heels. Senri sniffed, seeking out the source of the howl. Kurou drew his black sword, hurrying after his quick moving friend. Even with the bracelet on, Senri moved fast. With the bracelet on, Kurou couldn't fly very long anymore. He'd have to save his strength for whatever had howled like that.
Mithos' face ws bland, "Errr...what?" Raina frowned, her golden eyes darkening in sorrow. Non mihi miles stare sancti Luce. She smiled, "There's no reason to say such things, you see? I like you just the way you are. You're perfect as you are. My perfect Goddess Warrior."
Xigbar warped further away, goading Sora, "Whoa, whoa...I ain't here to fight you. I'm just here to collect our little friend. Our Queen ordered us to do it, see? You wanna meet her in person? Like the last time? Come on to that big rock over there," he gestured to Pride Rock with his hand in a broad movement, "And see her for yourself. Ask a question or two. Not like she has any secrets." Xigbar opened a dark corridor behind him and bolted into it. Riku and Lucien were left glaring at each other. "So he's a friend of yours. And you're with that Xenree woman that's been destroying the worlds." Lucien didn't respond. Verius pawed into the ballroom with Kairi, sniffed the air and glanced upwards. Bristling immediately, he jumped backwards, further towards the center of the room. "Princess, look out! Above you!" Above her, Marluxia grinned silently and jumped from the balcony with scythe in hand. "Good evening and good night!" His intent to completely slice Kairi in half. Inside Pride Rock, Simba lifted his head as he smelt another lion entering his den. "And you are?"
"Lightning. It flashes bright, then fades away. It can't protect. It only destroys." Lightning folded her arms. Her emotions rioted inside her. Simply put...she was pissed. And it showed on her face and tense posture. Return to my apprentices...without answers... She didn't like it, but maybe a crash course for them would assure her that they'd be alright. She needed them to be alright now. With a Focus as dangerous as hers had once been, she felt nervous leaving them alone. Touching her brand over her clothes, Lightning swallowed her sense of loss at Serah and the others and now Snow. She glanced at the camera watching her and gave it her coldest glare. Argent was watching her leave...as cautious as the rest of the people that lived on Cocoon. Still believing she was a danger...a threat to Cocoon and Pulse's safety. She'd saved Cocoon before...still being under suspicion was painfully annoying. Lightning opened her eyes as soon as the elevator came to a jerking halt and the doors slid open. Leaving behind Cocoon, Lightning set out towards Oerba and her apprentices. Leo will need at least a course in being the leader. Akira needs courage...and the rest need to stop relying on their powers and Leo to protect them. Least of all me... I wish I could protect all of you from your Focus and Jenny...but I can't. "You shouldn't play with girls." Akira shuffled aside, away from Jenny. "Why...why is this happening to us? Leo...Leo calm down! She's not really here! Please, Leo..." Akira gripped her brand and shoved herself in front of Leo, "Leave Jenny. We're not going to follow the Focus you gave us. We will decide our own fates and choose the path we want to travel. Just like Lightning did and Snow did. I'm not going to let my friends fall...and I won't disappoint Lightning and Snow!"
Raina touched the center of his forehead and twirled around him, "You are distracted by thoughts of that woman that left. If you are distracted too often, Ryuu will come back. You must be focused and careful." Mithos growled, "Stupid woman sure is full of herself. That Ryuu guy wouldn't stand a chance. He was just lucky the first time we met. Seriously...stop thinking about that dumb Lladrannan woman. She doesn't matter anymore."
