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Marina sat down next to Harley. He had not said anything since Kallisti ushered them all out. She was his cousin and he clearly cared for her deeply. Harley was admirable, if not a little hot headed. He had completely lost his temper inside. Going off on a girl that pride herself on how cool and collected she was over everyone else only further proves her point. She sighed, shaking her head. He was rather rash, but she could understand why. Blue eyes roamed over the tops of the seats. There were not many of them left. The ones she was closest to were all gone, not that she was really close with anyone. Marina had called them her friends in front of Devyn, but she did not have friends. It was better that way.

She mashed her lips together. Comforting people was what she specialized in, and yet she was nervous to touch him. He was filled with so much raw emotion. There had to be something more going on aside from Kallisti offering herself up. Marina had no doubt in her mind that Kallisti would be all right. They promised each other, after all. Hestitantly, she inched closer to him in her seat and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Harley," she shook him lightly, "What did you see?" He had been so calm before he went off searching the building. Something had disturbed him. He had mentioned a torture chamber, did he not? Her voice was soft and soothing. He was injured both physically and mentally. His emotions seemed to be everywhere. She had kept him from doing something crazy once already, hopefully she could do it again.

He needed to relax, at least a little bit. She knew something that might help, but could not be done here unfortunately. How long had it been? She was beginning to lose count. Instead, she reached behind him and rested one hand on each of his shoulders. A massage would help loosen those tight muscles. It may not comfort the mind, but it could ease his physical tension.

[OOC: --- ≈ Wearing ≈ Client: Harley ≈ Location: Bus ≈ Day: 53 7/3 ≈ Monday January 21st, 2013]​

 

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« Updates → Interactions: N/A → Location: Bus → Day: 25 (53 & 7/3) → Wearing »​

Bernie wasn't really sure what to do at this point. Everyone seemed to be in rather low spirits, and she couldn't help but mirror their disappointment. She sat alone on the bus. Her braided blond hair was still damp and wisps of hair that broke free stuck out in every direction. Her clothes were now dry, but she felt gross and heavy. Her body ached. She peeked under her layers to take a proper estimate on the damage. There were plenty of bruises and cuts everywhere, but nothing she couldn't manage. The cut above her brow stung when she creased her forehead, but at least it no longer bled. Her blue eyes wandered the vehicle, wondering where exactly it was taking them.

 

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【WEARING • LATEST TUMBLR UPDATE • OOC • ♪】​

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At first, she didn't even bother looking up. Why would Temperance sit next to her, when there were so many other seats to take? If she was there to patronize her, M couldn't be bothered to care. Now was really not the time. The tears kept coming and her shoulder trembled. She wanted to curl up so tightly in a ball that she disappeared into nothing. ​

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Instead of calling her pathetic, Temperance spoke again. Madeline leaned her aching head against the window of the bus, stifling her sobs and sniffling. Her arms were wet with tears and her legs were starting to cramp from being bent against her for so long. Her head lifted when she felt something soft brush against her elbow. Hesitantly, she took the tissue and wiped her arms off, smearing the tears across her face and blowing her nose. ​

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"Quin will probably be fine. She's stupid, but smart. She can hold her own in a fight. If it does come to that, she'll probably be fine. Probably..."​

Probably. She wanted to start sobbing again, but some other feeling was taking the place of that. It wasn't apathy, she wasn't quite there yet. Somehow, despite being somewhat vague, Temperance's words gave her a glimmer of hope. Maybe she really would be alright...but she seemed to certain that something was going to happen to her when she left...The tip of her nose tingled and her cheeks flooded with warmth.​

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"Madeline,"​

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Slowly, Madeline turned her gaze to Temperance. Her voice had faltered. M's green eyes scanned the bus and then she realized. That vacant expression of before...It was Cherno. He wasn't here. Temperance cared about him, and he wasn't here. Cared about him...No, it was more than that and...Oh.​

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"At least Quin is still alive, for now."​

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Guilt. She sniffled again and held back a new stream of tears. Maybe Quin was but...Thomas...She didn't other asking what had happened to him. She didn't want to know, exactly. Temperance was sobbing now and Madeline was beginning to feel worse.​

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"It's... It's kind of ironic, we died and now..."​

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That was true, wasn't it? How funny. Unable to hold back her tears anymore she bit down on her bottom lip and buried her face into her knees, pushing away from the window and leaning instead against Temperance's shoulder, offering her own comfort. ​

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She didn't bother looking up when the bus stopped and the doors opened. A part of her hoped it was Thomas, but a deeper part of her knew that it wasn't, so it was best to keep her head down.​

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Jessie wasn't paying much attention to the environment so when a bus pulled up to her she found herself staring at it for half a minute or so. After what she had just gone through would jumping on a bus be the best idea? She had no clue but what other choice did she have at the moment.

Well I could always stay in front of the sketchy hospital...

Jessie stepped onto the bus and looked at all the unfamiliar faces... or if she did know any of the faces there she was too mentally distressed to pay attention. Jessie looked away from everyone and sat down in a seat alone. Although she would have been open to conversation, she was having trust issues at that moment.
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{ OOC : . . . } • { LOCATION : CAR // UNKNOWN }​

{ YOU • ME • NAMES • LINKS • DISDAIN } • { MOOD : CURIOUS }​

The car revved away and Kallisti watched the scenery go by, wondering where Devyn was going to take her. As far as things were going, it didn't . . . look as if the girl was going to kill her, but she might be shipping her off to some secluded place to abandon her, or shoot her, or . . . something.

The car stopped at a broken bridge, and for a short moment, she thought the girl was going to push her off of it or make her jump, but no such command to leave the car came. She looked over at Devyn and watched her pull a small box from her pocket and take the key from her neck to open it. What was inside, she wondered?


"They control life. The blue ones represent the lives of us, the pawns. The black ones represent the dead." She listened intently to the explanation. She had pulled a fair few Black diamonds . . . Did that mean she had brought people back to life, or . . . ? If Crestatia made it all happen, let Devyn control things like that . . . She wondered what sort of deal, exchange it took. Did the demoness truly favor her over the rest of them? . . . It didn't really seem like a big surprise.

"Yes, the room was quite interesting . . . And your book. I am sorry to say for myself and personal knowledge of the game that I wasn't allowed time to read more of it. You have only been a player of this session, aren't you? It has only been . . . fifty-something days, and you have all of that information. I am impressed." She looked out the window again, "How did you go about collecting all of that information? Oh, and . . . Would you mind telling me where you are taking me? I cannot shake the feeling that you are going to kill me when we arrive to our destination - though perhaps you are not completely fault in that, but I don't wish to die for a few reasons."

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It took a special kind of person to put Harley in a state like this. In reality, he was in hysterics, but he couldn't bring himself to exert the action or the emotion of it. Now, he just felt like he was going through the motions of life. Well. This fake existence.

To say the least of his feelings; he was ashamed. In there, confronting Devyn - confronting that bi - . . . Devyn - he had lost his cool. But Harley had been to hell an back over the last day, and then he was losing Kallisti? Wasn't easy stuff to deal with. Not for him. Not right now. After what he saw in the - . . . Harley roughly shook his head, trying to pry the images from his mind. They weren't weak. None of those people had been weak.

Vanille hadn't been weak. She hadn't been. Fuck. She was just a goddamned kid.

He took a tired glance over at Madeline. Kallisti hadn't made it easy for her. Hadn't made it easy for him. He kind of hated her now, but not really. His mind was just a complete storm of raw emotion that couldn't be exerted in any way. At base, he was tired. What he really wanted to do was sleep. Cry a little. And then sleep. Or cry a lot, and then sleep. Harley wasn't much of a crier. He couldn't remember the last time he cried.

But losing Kallisti, even if she blood-related, even if at one time or now, he might have been in love with her, it was too much for him to handle. All of his anger, all of his sadness . . . It was dangerous.

In his dull surroundings, a presence appeared, and he went into lock-down mode. "Harley," came a distant female voice. It was blurry, the sound was fuzzy. Far away. He recognized it though. She'd gotten mad at him for some reason he didn't give a shit about, before he left exploring. "What did you see?"

Harley laughed - only there was no sound and there was no expression. What did he see? It hadn't really affected him until . . . Unconsciously, he placed his hand on his hip. It was probably bruised, wasn't it?

" . . . Marina . . . "

The name was so tiny from his mouth, so miniscule - it almost didn't exist. Like them. They didn't exist. Not really. Theo, Olivia, Elliot . . . Vanille. They didn't exist anymore.

Harley violently flinched when he felt contact of two small hands with his shoulders. His first impulse was to grab the wrist and round them over his shoulder, slamming them against one of the seat tops, snapping their spine. He clutched one of the wrists and nearly began to tug when he realized who it was. He didn't let go for a long moment and he was pretty sure that she was going to have a bruise in the shape of his hand, but when he let go he mumbled a 'sorry' and then let her try an ease him.

"I'm tired." he said. "I want to go to sleep." Marina wanted to know what he saw, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about it now. "Marina, can I borrow your lap?" he asked her.

The bus door opened, and Harley idly wondered if Kallisti had come back to them.

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Wait awaited him next was the group walking out of the building with a very distraught and distasteful aura. Quintus was not among them and as he stood with his arms crossed he merely closing his eyes calmly. It was not cowardliness that prevented him from entering and even so he never truly felt any real fear. He knew his life was in great danger and he knew what they were off to do would practically welcome that death. He felt it far to early for him to have done such a rash thing and to be honest he felt no obligation to do so. These people that killed off the one named Chester...it was their event and he would leave them be.

The book that was read brought an interesting thought about this so called game that they considered life. For now he would merely keep this information to himself, until he felt the time was really needed. He would die if this kept up...the past months he had lived past had only been what he felt...no knew was pity. He will stick by these people and made use of whatever they had. They knew more and experienced more things in this game and he would be a fool to merely throw away all this.

A bus arrived and without a word Septimus entered the bus and silently took a seat alone with his arms crossed. The sadness and despair that the people felt was far too clear, but there was nothing he could do. Such an ignorant person such as himself saying anything would be worth nothing and in general he wasn't really the comforting type. True they felt sadness about the girl, but for him he only felt what he believed to be relief. She risked her life and sacrificed it in order for them to remain safe, it was a selfish thought, but no human could ever say they were plagued by selfishness. Survival was unknown, but he did wonder deeply about the fate of Quintus.

It...humoured him...

 

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❝Yes, the room was quite interesting . . . And your book. I am sorry to say for myself and personal knowledge of the game that I wasn't allowed time to read more of it. You have only been a player of this session, aren't you? It has only been . . . fifty-something days, and you have all of that information. I am impressed.❞

Devyn's fingers twitched against the steering wheel before curling tighter around it. Her foot pressed down a bit more heavily on the accelerator as she drove, peering out of her driver's seat window for a moment. The road was empty except for them, as it should have been, but she was still beginning to feel a bit...anxious. ❝How did you go about collecting all of that information? Oh, and . . . Would you mind telling me where you are taking me? I cannot shake the feeling that you are going to kill me when we arrive to our destination - though perhaps you are not completely fault in that, but I don't wish to die for a few reasons.❞

❝Chester. Chester shared quite a bit of information with me, when we were younger. As we grew older and he became very sick, he stopped sharing as much. Then, once I received my email, I turned to Crestatia herself. I would summon her, and ask her questions. She was very vague at first, but there is a certain way of getting her to talk... The only advantage I possessed over the rest of you was time with Chester. None of my information or resources have ever been impossible for any of you to claim or ask for.❞

Devyn hesitated, running her tongue over her bottom lip in thought. ❝...You lot are simply too afraid to attempt anything out of the ordinary.❞

She waited a moment to gauge Kallisti's reaction, wishing not to offend. To the left of the car, there was nothing but field, and to their right, a gentle river. In the distance now, a plethora of tall trees could be spotted. Without slowing, Devyn swerved off of the main road and straight onto a barely visible brick road; nearly completely hidden beneath the vines and roots that grew there. The fields disappeared behind them, but the river curved to accommodate, staying to the left of the car a bit away--past the thickening forestry.

The girl muttered something and flipped on the headlights, better illuminating the dark path before them.

❝You will see where we are going, Kallisti Lein. I do not want you to be afraid, but I also do not want to lie to you. I will kill you...just not yet.❞

The tone of her voice darkened unintentionally towards the end of her sentence. Her heartbeat quickened and she slowed the car a bit, taking a moment to breathe shakily through her mask.

A few moments later, the car stopped in front her darkened home. Before leaving the vehicle, Devyn unlocked the second compartment of her music box again, her eyes scanning the models for a few pieces of road. Mumbling to herself again in deep thought, she moved the pieces around and -- once satisfied -- closed the box.

Her fingers reached down to unfasten her seat belt and she turned to face Kallisti for a minute, observing her carefully. She wanted to offer her some words of encouragement, or comfort, but nothing was coming. Glad the girl could not see the dead expression on her face, she turned away and opened her car door, climbing out and stretching in the cool mountainous air.

❝Come on, now.❞

 

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". . . You lot are simply too afraid to attempt anything out of the ordinary."

Kallisti looked at Devyn. Well, it wasn't as if she was wrong, but she didn't make an effort to retort or reply. She was suddenly very tired. The area they were traveling through was very beautiful, and she wondered why she had never been around such an area before.

"You will see where we are going, Kallisti Lein. I do not want you to be afraid, but I also do not want to lie to you. I will kill you . . . just not yet." That seemed a little ironic, but again, she made no reply. It seemed she wouldn't be able to make a return from Devyn's presence. She missed Madeline, already. She could hear Temperance cursing her stupidity. She could hear Harley cursing her just in general . . .

She heard the shaky breath from the other girl. She was strange. Was she dangerous, or scared? Excited, a nut? Kallisti couldn't pin her. Before, it seemed as if she wanted them to try and kill her. Or maybe she was scared of them, in reality. She frowned.

A thought occurred to her, "Devyn . . . Have you heard of anyone named Cheshire? I . . . met him, before I met Chester. They are similar in appearance, but Cheshire is . . . different, in mental state. More childish, more of a loose cannon, I suppose . . . I didn't think him to be real when I met Chester, but . . ."

They pulled up to a rather beautiful house that reminded Kallisti of the one Vanille had brought them to. She wondered if Devyn lived her - and if, when she walked into the door, would she be walking out.

"Come on, now."

The two of them left the car and Kallisti began to follow Devyn. She felt a little . . . bad? for asking so many questions, but she had so many. Why was Devyn staving off her death? Why were they here? Was she angry? What was she feeling?

" . . . You are a strange person." she blurted out in her flurry of thoughts. "Ah, sorry . . . Erm. What are we doing, exactly?"

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Devyn tossed the name around her memory banks for a moment as she dug through her skirt for her house key. Cheshire, Cheshire...Finally, after jamming and turning the key in rather odd directions through four different locks, she shook her head 'no'.

❝I do not know any Cheshire...You meeting him is a fascinating thing.❞

And it was. Perhaps she would ask Crestatia about the strange boy...or not. It was wise not to bother the demoness so often and she had consulted her quite a few times through this whole ordeal. Maybe a few days later...

The moment they stepped inside, a light switched on and warmth spread through her body. It felt so wonderful to be back. Had she been alone, her return might have been a bit more...theatrical, but she could contain herself. ...That was, until the scampering of paws could be heard. Nearly forgetting about Kallisti completely, Devyn slipped off her shoes and walked deeper inside. A young Shiba Inu Pomeranian mix bolted forward from somewhere unknown, barking both in alert and excitement at her arrival.

Devyn's heart ached. The sound of her mask would frighten him, but she could not risk turning it off quite yet. She knelt down and opened her arms for the dog, stifling back loving laughter as he licked at the bag on her face and nuzzled his wet nose against her stomach. A few moment later, the dog was running around to see what Kallisti was all about. Her shoulders slumped.

❝I hope you are not allergic. His name is...Chestnut...❞

Her cheeks went hot but the embarrassed feeling was interrupted. Devyn physically flinched when he began whimpering at the sound of her distorted voice. Instead of lingering in this area of the house any long, she began to leave. The happiness inside of her died again and her voice went flat.

❝Let me show you around.❞

 

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{ YOU • ME • NAMES • LINKS • DISDAIN } • { MOOD : CURIOUS // CONFUSED }​

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To be honest, Kallisti didn't know what to think. Devyn was a girl, just like her. Devyn was a teenager, just like them. Albeit a clever one, but still one and a player. The inside of the house was nice, and it felt warm. She felt more tired. Today had been tiresome.

It had been a surprise to hear that she didn't know of Cheshire. Kallisti honestly thought that she had that boy under her thumb, which was why they had run into him in the hospital. Maybe he really was a phantom manifestation of Chester's anger. Kallisti hoped he was happy, wherever he was . . .

The sound of small, scampering paws was heard and Kallisti immediately bagged it as a dog. Oh, it was cute. She was more of a cat person, but . . . In suit, she slipped off her shoes, then watching Devyn interact with the pup. Oh . . . That was . . . She cleared her throat and looked away, but the dog then came up to inspect her.

"I hope you are not allergic. His name is . . . Chestnut . . . " She was told as she bent down to pet the puppy. She gave a warm smile as he warmed up to her and licked her hand.

"It is a very adorable name, and a very cute pup." she replied idly, playing with him for a few more moments. She had come to realize how much she hated the word 'cute'. It was too coarse, too short. Too inelegant.

"Let me show you around."

Kallisti frowned at the change in voice, but stood and shrugged, following Devyn wherever she was to be leaded. "Do you live here alone? Chester told me you had parents, but . . . Well, both of mine are dead." Or her father might as well be, since she hadn't seen him since . . . Ah. No use thinking on that.

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It was nice to be back somewhere that was not ridiculously huge. Devyn led Kallisti further into the living room, showing her the television and the quaint dining area. Chestnut trotted behind him them a little ways, but stayed behind once discovering one of his toys in the kitchen. When she was finished showing her guest the first bathroom, she walked down a short hall passed a closed door on her right. Her breath caught in her throat. That was Chester's room, fully equipped as a hospital room would be. She would get rid of the room, tonight, with the music box.

❝Do you live here alone? Chester told me you had parents, but . . . Well, both of mine are dead.❞

❝My condolences. I killed my parents, when I received the letter. Most of my life after meeting Chester was spent detached from other people. They became strangers to me, quickly. ...It was a difficult thing, realizing nothing was real, at such a young age. Nothing was--is--real to me, excluding Chester. I had it in my mind to get rid of my parents as soon as possible when I had the chance, and I did. ...So yes, it is just Chestnut and myself here.❞

Her fingers brushed the doorknob of the second room and twisted it. Her bedroom.

❝This is where we will be sleeping. You must be tired. Would you like to bathe, or eat? I have a change of clothes for you.❞

 

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Kallisti followed Devyn quietly as she was shown the house, and listened to the other girl's reply to her question. Hmm, to have killed her parents . . . At first, just like everything else about Devyn, it seemed terrible, but what harm was it really? Kallisti's mother was already dead, she had seen to that herself, but her father . . . Oh, how she did love her father, even if he had been an awkward man trying to get along after the tragic death of his other half, his wife.

There was no good reply to what Devyn told her, so she just hummed an 'Mmm.' and went on with the tour. Every now and then, something would stick out to her, but there was nothing left to comment on that was idle and wasn't serious.

The two came to a stop and Devyn opened a door to show a spacious room that had a full view of the ocean river. "This is where we will be sleeping. You must be tired. Would you like to bathe, or eat? I have a change of clothes for you."

Kallisti mulled over her question. Come to think of it, she was rather hungry - who knew when it had been the last time she had eaten, but she looked at the bed and it . . . "Ah . . ." she said, leaning forward on her feet. "Might I be able to bathe, first? I feel . . . uncomfortable." There was more to say on that, but it was better not to.

A little while later, Kallisti was left to shower. She looked around for a few moments, and then out the window. This place was peaceful, nice . . . A nice contrast to her previous chaos . . . It made her miss home. Or. Well. Yes. Home. She walked to the bathroom and stripped off all of her clothing, looking herself in the mirror. Her eyes were dull, her skin was filled with less color than usual. Her hair felt heavy. She felt heavy.

Everything felt heavy. This game had only brought her to cry once, that she could remember, and that was after escaping the auditorium. After killing Abigail Rider. She took a step into the shower and turned the hot water on. It felt good. Nice. Better than anything she had felt in a long time . . . Madeline could have done with a shower. Harley, too. The others, as well.

After a long shower filled with emotion and hot water, Kallisti stepped out and dried herself off, along with her hair. When she went back to the room, she found a set of plain white clothing laid out. Cotton fabric; it was soft.

Oh. Shorts.

Kallisti looked down at her legs and grimaced. Still a disgusting sight as always. She never did get the chance to kill Peter - now she wondered if he was even alive. What a shame, if he wasn't.

"Thank you for the clothing, the room, and the shower." she told Devyn, after finding her again. She didn't know how to go about it, but she was hungry. Best to be straightforward. "I am hungry." she said bluntly, and then cleared her throat, looking away with slight embarrassment.

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While Kallisti showered, Devyn traveled to the second bathroom, trusting that she would be finished before her guest was. It felt nice to unfasten the mask to take that bag off of her head. It needed to be washed, but that could wait. Gazing at herself in the mirror again, she frowned and leaned forward to further inspect herself. Above everything, she needed to remember what she looked like. She hated herself, but she could not forget. If she forgot, than she would forget why she had began to hide in the first place. Her mind flashed back to the photographs, and a terrible rage she had unleashed in the past--before the death of her parents. Pictures ripped apart and burned, but that didn't hurt badly enough. Instead, pictures of her specifically...Faces had been scratched, torn and cut out, until none remained. If only she could do such a thing to her real face.

Instead of dwelling further, she peeled off her clothing and stepped into a warm shower. She would have much preferred a bath of some sort, but there was no time. She washed her hair, and then her body; stepping out of the tub daintily once finished and wrapping herself up in a towel. When she arrived back to her room, feet snug in slippers and towel wrapped around her tight, the water to Kallisti's shower was shutting off, allowing her time to get dressed. It occurred to her just moments before the knob to the bathroom began to turn that she had completely forgotten to hide her face. Habits, and all. As Kallisti exited, she simply turned around. Her hair tumbled messily down her back, slightly wet and curling, but that was all the girl should have been able to see.

❝Thank you for the clothing, the room, and the shower. I am hungry.❞

Carefully, she nodded and left the room swiftly. Once completely out of sight, her covered feet began to patter against the wooden floorboards as she ran quickly to retrieve her mask and bag. She had nearly broken out in a sweat, right after her shower. As she fastened the mask and threw the bag over her face, her breaths came in shallow gasps for a moment as her brain processed what could have been. Filing it away for later punishment, she made her way back to the kitchen, where she found Kallisti standing about.

❝I will prepare you something light. You have been through a lot, eating too much is ... not a good idea. We will have nice breakfast in the morning, if you would like.❞

Not usually one to wait for confirmation, Devyn nodded towards the dining area and went to the kitchen to start up a meal. Years of cooking for herself and Chester had taught her a few things. She was not the best cook, but she she could cook. The kitchen heated up with the making of a warm, light, permanenti pasta salad. Before bringing the large, steaming bowl to the table, she sliced up some french bread and gathered a butter plate.

One by one, she carried two glasses of water, two bowls and forks, the plate of better, the basket of bread slices, the large bowl of pasta and a spoon to the table, setting it up rather nicely if she did say so herself. Chestnut curled up on the floor, between the dining area and the living room.

Devyn sat across from Kallisti and fixed herself a plate, keeping herself focused on the meal at first. It had been a while.

❝I am sure you are wondering why you are here...Why I did not just kill you.❞ Without waiting, considering Kallisti did not seem the type to comment on such a thing, she continued. ❝Honestly, it is very simple.❞

Her eyes lifted, digging into Kallisti's--though she could not see it. Her fingers gripped the fork inbetween them tighter, and her nerves spun up inside of her stomach and chest.

❝I did not want to be alone, here, tonight. I know that Chester wanted you to kill him, I do not doubt you. There was no ... blood ... As you can see, my home is rather secluded. I am usually with Chester, here, or elsewhere. Coming back alone was unappealing. ...I will kill you, for strategic reasons...but not tonight. I also was rather curious as to how it feels to have a sleepover with another female, if I am honest. ...Though I doubt this is how things usually go.❞

 

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"I will prepare you something light. You have been through a lot, eating too much is ... not a good idea. We will have nice breakfast in the morning, if you would like."

That did sound pleasant. Kallisti nodded and watched the other go to work. How surreal this was. She didn't even . . . know what to make of Devyn - then again, she hadn't been knowing what to expect in the first place. It was clear that Devyn wasn't a psychopath or a sociopath; she was just another girl, another player. This was . . . strange.

The kitchen filled with the aroma of cooking and Kallisti wanted to offer to help, as she wasn't a bad cook herself, but she was still becoming used to the surroundings and . . . well, Devyn. Maybe tomorrow, for the breakfast. She smiled to herself.

When the food was set and the other sat down, they began to eat in silence. Kallisti didn't like eating in silence. Her silly father had always carried on about something or other at the table, leaving her to listed and be intrigued by his quirky behavior. She sniffed, but quickly cleared herself.

"I am sure you are wondering why you are here . . . Why I did not just kill you. Honestly, it is very simple." Kallisti had come up with a few theories, but she was prepared to listen to the truth. Or what she was going to be told. She looked up with curiosity, only to be taken aback by the bag. She forgot a bout it, for a little while. It was odd seeing it.

"I did not want to be alone, here, tonight. I know that Chester wanted you to kill him, I do not doubt you. There was no . . . blood . . . As you can see, my home is rather secluded. I am usually with Chester, here, or elsewhere. Coming back alone was unappealing. . . . I will kill you, for strategic reasons . . . but not tonight. I also was rather curious as to how it feels to have a sleepover with another female, if I am honest. . . . Though I doubt this is how things usually go."

Kallisti laughed, a real, genuine laugh. Perhaps, if she would have continued laughing, she might have cried. "You are so . . . strange." She said, gripping at her stomach, "My original impression of you is far off from the one now. You are still resourceful, smart, but this is . . . not what I was expecting. Despite everything you have done to us, even if it is for the game, I rather like you Devyn." It was hard to believe she was saying that, now, after everything . . . "To be honest, I have never had a sleepover, either."

She thought of the time Madeline slept at her house, after the Lacey's explosion. "Well, I'm not sure that counts . . ." she said out loud, though it was to herself. "I'm never too inclined to let people . . . in. To be around them, I suppose. I could never really understand others that could." She finished eating, and then yawned, looking away. "Now that I have the chance, I would like to apologize for Harley. He is . . . an idiot. And for . . . " She sighed. "Chester as well. I didn't suppose that you had such a . . . connection to him, that he meant so much to you, but he did seem rather miserable and I . . . did not feel good about declining him. Looking back on it, it has led me into a situation of good harm."

Good harm. Irony.

Kallisti prodded at her lower lip with the fork, "This may be trekking on too personal territory, and feel free not to reply, but . . . Why do you wear the bag over your head?"
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Temperance inhaled sharply when Madeline leaned against her. She held her breath for what seemed to be an eternity, before eventually letting it out in another sob. She didn't look down at the other girl, just buried her face in her arms again and rested her temple against the top of Madeline's soft blond hair. They definitely looked like a giant mess in the back of the bus. All the pain that she had been holding in since they rushed down into the cellar was pouring out. She didn't even bother to try and hide it any longer. She couldn't help but wishing that he would have just let her die like she was supposed to that day at the hot springs. No words would come. Temperance felt the obligation to say something else, but instead she just took comfort in the closeness of another body.


" . . . Marina . . . " Harley's voice came out weak. Her wrist throbbed from his firm grasp, but she made no noise. He was jumpy, scared, and hurt. When he finally let go, she sighed softly and stroked his hair. "I'm tired." he said. "I want to go to sleep." She smiled sweetly at him and ran her thumb down his cheek. "Marina, can I borrow your lap?"

She nodded and pulled him down so that his head was resting on her lap. Marina stroked his head and shoulder. She paid special attention to avoid hurting anything that appeared to damaged. Whatever happened to them earlier seriously injured him. The urge to vomit was there in tenfold, but she suppressed it. Her voice was soft and airy as she whispered comforting words down to him. Harley was so very broken. She understood the pain they were all experiencing. She had felt like something was ripped from her when Theo disappeared. He helped her after his death. Crestatia allowed for her to live. It would have been even easier for the demoness to just let her struggle and have the flames engulf her, but instead she have her time. That had to mean something. Devyn was not the only one their creator was watching. She did not like Crestatia, but she did give her the opportunity to continue playing the game longer for a second time.

The bus stopped and let someone one. It was someone from their school, which meant that it must have been another pawn. She wondered where the bus might be taking them. The idea of not knowing twisted knots in her stomach. She remembered the phone in her pocket and mindful not to jostle Harley too much, she slid her hand in the pocket to pull it out. Things seemed to be restored. The phones were functioning again. The air seemed clean. The weather appeared to be normal. Everything was all right. That meant it had to be safe to make one phone call. It could secure them a place to stay for the night. She dialed the number on the phone and pressed the call button, holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder.

 

Duncan breathed in and out calmly, just trying to keep cool while his mind churned about all that he'd learned today. What the hell was happening to his life? Was it all fake? Or were they all crazy? He frowned and huffed in fustration, he just wanted to go home, but the fact that all the other guys and girls seemed to believe it all, would it be a bad idea to at least be informed? He didn't know. He began to serperate and divide his split thoughts into two categories and realised that he believed most of it, if not all of it. He looked up as the bus came to a stop, the motion of being pulled forward slightly was enough to have him look up and see what caused them to stop. A blond haired traveler, was this some kind of bus hired to pick up anyone along this road?

Duncan looked out the window as the bus started up again, seeing trees, trees and more trees, he couldn't tell where the hell they were. He hoped he'd be home soon, he just wanted to sleep and eat and sleep some more. Part of him still peered into the whizzing by trees in search for a head of white hair.

 

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❝You are so . . . strange.❞

The laughter made Devyn lift her gaze again. In genuine curiosity her head tilted and her fork full of pasta lowered. Sure, she may have been a bit different, but...Before she became too self-conscious, Kallisti continued.

❝My original impression of you is far off from the one now. You are still resourceful, smart, but this is . . . not what I was expecting. Despite everything you have done to us, even if it is for the game, I rather like you Devyn.❞

Nervously, she went back to eating, flipping the mask up against her nose to free her mouth and take in food under the mask. It was a tad unexpected, if she were honest. Kallisti liking her. Then again, both Harley Jackson and Madeline Moore still lived. They had not died at her hand. Perhaps, if they had, things would be different.

She must have expected her to be a complete nutjob. Her eyes lowered again.

❝To be honest, I have never had a sleepover, either. . . . Well, I'm not sure that counts . . .❞

Unsure of what she was referring to, Devyn glided her fork over the tops of the spiraling pasta and remained quiet. Honestly, she was no longer hungry. Tiredness was quickly filling the rest of the space in her stomach, and all she wished to do was rest. Her eyelids drooped and she allowed herself to close them once returning the mask to her lips and chin.

❝I'm never too inclined to let people . . . in. To be around them, I suppose. I could never really understand others that could . . . Now that I have the chance, I would like to apologize for Harley. He is . . . an idiot. And for . . . Chester as well. I didn't suppose that you had such a . . . connection to him, that he meant so much to you, but he did seem rather miserable and I . . . did not feel good about declining him. Looking back on it, it has led me into a situation of good harm.❞

A nearly familiar pain fluttered up inside of her, and escaped her heart through a distorted sigh. Ches had been miserable, hmm? It did not make her feel any better...Though, his death had managed to add fuel to the already intense fire of determination churning within her. If she were to see him again, she would have to win. Otherwise, he was gone to her for all of eternity...

❝This may be trekking on too personal territory, and feel free not to reply, but . . . Why do you wear the bag over your head?❞

Devyn smiled. She had held back from asking for quite a bit. Lifting the knife from the plate of butter and grabbing for a slice of bread, more to busy herself than to eat, she pondered on what to tell Kallisti. The truth? Part of the truth? A lie? ...Aah, what did it matter? Kallisti would be dead before she could tell any of her secrets. Maybe it would prove beneficial to tell someone else.

Doing so did not come easy, and she found herself spreading nearly an inch of butter onto the hardening slice of bread, digging the tip of the butter knife into the crust.

❝A few reasons...❞ She began, biting her bottom lip with thought before continuing, in a low voice. She dropped the bread and the knife, watching Chestnut pop up at the sound the clank. Her fingers trembled so she pulled them down under the table and muttered an apology before going on. ❝The first, is so that none of you will know what I look like. You will not be able to recognize me, if you see me in a public place, without the bag. I knew that once I met you all, I had to be sure my identity was a secret. It is better that way, for me. Easier to ... observe. The second, is because I loathe my appearance. I...That is all.❞

Liar! Her fingers trembled and her face and ears burned. Anger and shame pulsed through he and she stood shakily, gathering all of the dishes and removing herself from the dining area to begin clean up. Chestnut made his way to the kitchen and sat near the stove while she cleaned.

❝Mm, we should head to sleep, now.❞

 

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{ TUMBLR • ACQUAINTANCES • MOST RECENT • WEARING }​

{ OOC : ICE CREAM ♥ } • { LOCATION : DEVYN'S HOME }​

{ YOU • ME • NAMES • LINKS • DISDAIN } • { MOOD : SLEEPY }​

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xxxx❝. . .
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xxxxxx . . .❞

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To her surprise, Devyn did speak of the reason she wore the bag, but Kallisti suspected lies formulated, and that she wasn't really getting the truth. She seemed against ( if that was a strong enough word for it ) telling the reason, but Kallisti was glad she shared.

"The second, is because I loathe my appearance. I . . . That is all."

When there was the stall, she looked up from her empty plate. Apparently, 'that' was not all, but there wasn't use in prodding anymore on the subject.

" . . . I see."

The table was cleared and Kallisti wondered what was to be next. She yawned again, looking away. When she was left to her own devices, all of the day's expended energy caught up with her. She blinked the tears away from her blue eyes.

"Mm, we should head to sleep, now."

That sounded like a good idea. Kallisti got up from the table and went to the room she was shown earlier. It didn't fully register, before, that they would be sharing a bed. How . . . awkward? Kallisti had never shared a bed w - Ah. No. Those times did not count. Her mind briefly trampled on the thoughts of what Madeline might say if she knew what was happening. No use thinking on that . . .

She stared a the bed for a long time. Sleeping with other people, sharing a bed with another person . . . It wasn't something she liked, but at this point, she felt too tired to care. She would be pathetic about it in the morning. She sat down on the plush surface and a giddy feeling surged through her, making her suddenly want to snuggle under the covers - very undignified, she thought.

As she tugged back the covers, "I have . . . never shared a bed with anyone, before." The need to make conversation with Devyn was strange, but Kallisti couldn't help herself as she hid her legs first. She yawned again.

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Kallisti did not seem to believe her completely, but that was alright. It was not necessary for her to.

Devyn led the girl to the bedroom and crossed to the tall glass door leading out to the river, and a quaint patio she often used to read and drink tea on. Many of her summonings happened out there. Maybe in the morning she would take a walk by the water and think some things through. Her fingers glided over the curtains, pulling them delicately over the windows and shutting out any traces of moonlight. The darkness calmed her spirit and she used her memory and the sound of Kallisti climbing into bed to make her way to her side. Sitting on the corner of the bed for a moment, she took off her slippers and pulled the bag off of her face. Sleeping with it on would be dangerous, so she would have to wake before daylight. The mask would cover enough of her face, but she wasn't entirely comfortable with only that.

❝I have . . . never shared a bed with anyone, before.❞

Was it really that odd of a thing? She would be lying if she said she did not feel a bit ... anxious, but it had to be this way. She could not trust Kallisti on her own, somewhere. She did not trust her to stay put, at all.

For a moment she said nothing...Then, she peeled her sheets back and laid her head down on the cool pillow, her bag to her chest and resting with her back turned to Kallisti. She was tired...

❝There is a first time for everything. I will be keeping an eye on you. Please try and sleep now.❞ It had been quite a while since she slept with someone else. When Chester became very sick, she ... Devyn curled up tighter, grief washing over her. The warmth of another was nice. If she closed her eyes, maybe she could pretend. ❝...Good night, Kallisti.❞

Somehow it seemed like there was more to say. ...Maybe not. She closed her eyes.

 

[OOC: --- ↯ Wearing ↯ Location: Bus ↯ Mood: Broken ↯ Day: 53 8/3]​

Temperance pulled away from Madeline and inhaled deeply. She felt tired--drained of all emotion. Tears stopped flowing, even though the sobs kept coming. She rubbed her tired puffy eyes. She was supposed to seem strong and impenetrable, and yet here she was--weak and wounded. "Madeline," she choked out. Her throat was dry and her voice was hollow. Her hand slipped into the bag and pulled out two bottles of water. She handed one to the strawberry blond and kept the other for herself. "Here." Talking hurt. It required so much energy. She had not energy to exert. Her voice had been barely above a whisper. It was all just too much. Temperance wiped her face on her damp sleeve. She no doubt looked like hell. All she wanted now was to find some place to curl up and sleep and maybe never wake up again.

[OOC: --- ≈ Wearing ≈ Client: Harley ≈ Location: Bus ≈ Day: 53 8/3 ≈ Monday January 21st, 2013]​

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Marina tapped her foot impatiently. The phone rang and rang until the voice mail picked up. She groaned in frustration and clicked the 'end call' button before slipping it back into her pocket. Leaving a message could potentially be dangerous for all of them. She sighed, ran her lanky fingers through her matted brown hair, and rested her back against the seat. Her fingers played at Harley's blond hair. They were all gathered together. Now would be an ideal time to go over everything they learned today, but judging by their spirits, it might be a bad idea. They were all just so sad. She could relate, but not as terribly as the others. Marina closed her eyes and just tried to rest. "She will be fine Harley," she managed to whisper to him eventually.​