Character lodge

[Lilacs]

(OOC: An southern accent is bad? j/k)

You ok, spot?

[Guest Whirlpool]

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why? ....You're not gonna try and eat me, are you?"

[Kal]

J:  *behind Katara*    [Who knew she cared?  Prolly just a ruse.  She's up to something.  Looks like Kal's thinking the same thing I am.  Great minds, eh?]

Hey, welcome back!  *shifts ice pack on head*  Cocoa?

[Guest Whirlpool]

"Sure. Thanks *takes mug*"

[Kal]

J:  *serves two mugs, tops off with whipped cream*  Enjoy!  One fer you, *slides mug down to Trep*, and fer you, *Katara*, and fer you-oh wait, that's right.  =P

*hiss*

K:  Sorry, Katara, it...was nothing.  :blush:

[Guest Whirlpool]

"*grabs marshmallow bag and tries to fit as many as possible into mug*"

"*takes a sip* Heh, Holbrook was right. This is really good Jasho. "

[Kal]

J:  Anybody here coulda toldja that!  I don't like to brag, but hot chocolate...that's a family specialty!  More?  *shoots a grin over his shoulder*

*eyes narrow*  Don't push it, fleshbag.

J:  *sing-song*  Someone's jealous!  *ducks Silver Demon slash*

[Guest Whirlpool]

"*holds out empty mug* "

*Has finished placeing mountain of marshmallows on whipped cream* "Alright, now let's hope that--" *wind from slash sends marshmallows all over the place* "...............Crap."

[Kal]

J:  Noooo~!  *catches the falling marshmallows dramatically*

All:  *clap clap clap*

J:  Thank you, thank you, thank-WHOA!  *trips*

All: 

J:  ...Can't say I didn't try, eh?  ;; *refills Brook's mug*

Katara, did I detect a hint of caring back there?  The hell'd that come from?

[Lilacs]

(Hello little people, Commander Lilacs is here!)

What? you think you know me?

[Kal]

Just saying, you've acted like a total bitch to everyone here, including Trep.  Now suddenly you're acting all nice.

K:  Raj-

I don't buy it.  What do you think you're trying to pull?

K:  Let it go, man, sometimes folks have a change of heart-

Not instantly, they don't.

K:  ...*stares coldly at Raj*

*telepathically*  [because what makes you think she'd tell you if you threaten her like this?]

...*backs off some*  Sorry for overreacting.  It seemed like you pulled a 180 in about three seconds.  *grabs full mug off the counter and offers gingerly*  What gives?

[Lilacs]

*Grins with her teeth showing*

[Lilacs]

Raj, you may want to check your mug, It maybe full of worms.

[Kal]

  I don't have a mug, Katara.  Can't drink, remember?  I was offering it to you.  My question stands.  [Everytime she smiles like that, it makes me want to tear that smile off her...]*clenches fist*

[That could be arranged...]

  Ah!  *steps back holding head*

[You know you want me to.  It would be easy.]

No...

[she's right there.  All it takes is one word-]

Stop it...

[Then she won't be smiling anymore.  She won't irritate you anymore.]

I won't let you-!

[Just like Soraya, hmm?  >=)]

Gaaaaaaaaaah!!! *shoves the table clear angrily*

...I'm...ah...pardon me.  *hurries upstairs*

J:  ...You think the Demon-

K:  I haven't felt anything yet.  It's way too soon after the last one.

J:  Haven't seen him like that, even when it's bad.  Somethin' ain't right.

I cannot judge him.  The mood swing is normal for a light Possession, but...he has never reacted this poorly to one.

[Lilacs]

retard.

[Guest Whirlpool]

"....*tilts ears up* Well he's certainly giving the furniture a good thrashing up there. *pins ears down against head* And it's giving me a killer head ache. I'll be outside. Call me back in when he's done. *walks outside*"

"........Is Raj gonna be okay?"

(Ooc: Question: Is this "Soraya" one of the two name only female characters you have Kal?)

[Kal]

(OoC:  Soraya is...Kal's dead wife and Jash's cousin-in-law.  And the only female I have, remember?)

K:  He's...not going to die, that's for sure.  Else we'd have an even bigger problem on our hands.  It...can't be another Indwelling; they've never happened so quickly, ever.  But that reaction...don't look so cocky, Katara, no way that was reacting to you.  That had Silver Demon written all over it.

...*sigh*  The Demon's supposed to be sedated the first few weeks after an Indwelling.  I...he shouldn't be acting like this...

J:  Let 'im be.  He's had this thing longer than you've known him-

K:  But the Indwellings only began after Vukkan Peerj.

J:  Touche.  So whaddya wanna do?

K:  I...I don't know.  I only barely understand how the damn thing works, and only by observing how it works.  If the period for Indwelling's shortened incredibly, we can't risk just letting it out.  But...*collapses onto barstool*  I don't know.

J:  ...Psst, Holly, you're like the official comforter of the group here.  Maybe you could...talk to him?  Just be careful; first sign of trouble, I want ya to get out of there, right?

[Lilacs]

Should I call in a battalion?

Well as long as he stays up there I good.

[Guest Whirlpool]

(Ooc: Oooh, that one. 'Kay. )

"*downs last of hot chocolate* He didn't seem upset when he left, which is what I'm normally good with, but I'll see what I can do. *scrambles up stairs*"

----------

"*knocks lightly on door* ......Raj? Everything alright in there?"

[Lilacs]

Raj being Emo, that gives me an idea!

*Grins and disappears*

[Kal]

The door creaked open as she knocked, the room dark.

Ah!  It's-it's you! the huddled silhouette gasped in surprise.  Don't come any closer!

Raj should've known better than that; Holbrook's curiosity knew no bounds.  "Everything all right?"  Her foot brushed something metal, like a bowl.

Clearly it's not! the voice shrieked, not of anger but of fear.  Get out of here, now!

She stooped to examine the bowl, elongated, an indention on one side, two long slits running lengthwise.  Raj's helmet?

I...don't want you to see me like this, he pleaded, on the verge of tears if they could fall.  Heart and body of a monster, a demon, a murderer!  Just...leave me.  Please...for your sake...don't come any closer.  This...this is my struggle, and...if I lose this, I don't want you anywhere near me.  Don't you understand?

I- don't want anything to happen to you.  That's why you should leave.  Now.

He sniffed the air and clenched his teeth.  That goes for you too, Katara.  As much as you enjoy pissing me off, now is NOT the time.  Get out.

[Lilacs]

Damn it!

Freak *Walks out of the room, but stays close to the door so she could Raj and Holbrook talk*

[Guest Whirlpool]

"...Oh...um...Okay Raj......."Holbrook took a few steps back towards the door. "....I hope you feel better....." With that, he pulled the door shut behind her with a soft click.

"I wonder what that's about....I've never seen him that scared before..." A small cracking noise caught her attention

"Gah! Trep! How'd you get up here so fast? I thought you were still outside."

"I jumped. It got too quiet. And I don't like it when it gets this quite. Something always happens...." Another crack. Holbrook stood up on her toes and saw that Trep was chewing on another twig.

"You reeeeaaaally don't like this then, do you.."

"No." She replied simply. "What about you Katara? Your abnormally loud breathing suggests that you're at least curious, if not worried, about what's going on."

[Lilacs]

Yes I am curious of what happening with Raj.

So you can poke and make fun of it?

Something like that.

[Kal]

If you're going to gossip about me, at least have the sense to do so out of earshot.

The door cracked slightly, Raj's clawtips found their way around the edge, still shaking.  Katara, fur- he hesitated before correcting himself, Holly, go.

The trio headed for the stairs.  Trep felt something smooth press her shoulder.  Not you, he whispered.  Someone needs to tell them what's going on, to understand, to calm them down...but I can't let them near me.  C'mon, I'll explain it.

The door clicked behind her.  Sorry if I'm scaring everybody, Raj muttered, keeping his back to her.  His armor had turned jet black, with some highlights of brown near the joints.  Quite frankly, I'm more scared for their sake, cause I know that nothing terrible will happen to me.

He hissed suddenly, and his hand shot up to grab his forehead.  The wave passed and he relaxed again.  Noticing Trep staring at his exposed head, he quickly turned to hide it.

Sometimes the mask just gets in the way, he said quietly after a short pause.  I can tell where something is touching me, but I can't...feel anything.  Except for where the rotting flesh remains.  I...find it helps in times like this to- feel, for once, to remind me...

Ah, sorry, I'm probably boring you, so I'll make this brief.  You know of the Silver Demon's influence over me, I suspect.  What I haven't told you, Kal or Revin probably have.  But...neither knows the whole story.

One thing that Kal has always wondered is just how the Silver Demon picks its targets.  Seemingly random, usually someone I know or have met is one of the first to die.  But that's vague; we have met many people, and every one of them could be a target.

He paused a moment and sat down on the bed before continuing.  But there's a method to the madness.  There's always a pattern, one I can't see until moments before it takes over.  You see, getting Indwelt is a lot like going under anesthesia, so I've heard.  The last thing you remember before you go down is the first thing you remember when you come out.  Now, whenever the Demon takes over, no matter what, there's always one thing on my mind right before it happens.  And then when I come back, it's the first thing I worry about...and usually one of the first things Kal tells me I killed.  The Demon reads my thoughts, and the last thing I remember becomes its first target.  I've dubbed it the Focus.

He grabbed his shaking arm, and for the first time turned his exposed, scarred face towards Trep.  He bled lightly from when his claws dug in too deep, but he didn't seem to notice.  Don't you get it?  The Focus of the last Indwelling?  Who do you think it was?

...Yes, exactly.  It was Holly.  That's why I ran from the lodge; I knew she couldn't do anything to fight against it.  I didn't want any harm to come to her...Fortunately, Jash managed to shackle me before I could kill her, but not before the Demon had a taste.  In all the Indwellings of the past, the Focus was either killed or by sheer luck the Demon was diverted.  This is the first time it almost eliminated the focus but failed.

His hands went to his head again, and his eyes slammed shut to hide the blue tinge they gained.  And it's not happy.  Not at all.  It wants her dead.  Ever since I got over it, it's been whispering in the back of my mind.  Kill her, kill her...kill her...  Suddenly it grew louder, like someone standing next to me.  Even now, it's screaming into my face, "Kill her, kill her now!"

Suddenly realizing he'd been clutching Trep's arm with his free hand the whole time, he released her as she pulled back, the tip of his claws dipped in red.  He sat there, panting, staring at his fingers.  The blood seemed to spread, down his arm, onto his body, the voice in his head grew louder, KILL HER.  THAT WASN'T A ****ING QUESTION.

"Raj?"

Something grabbed his arm and he snapped out.  It was Trep, looking rather concerned.  Raj's eyes drifted towards her arms, no red to be seen.  How long was I...like that?

"About a minute," she reported.  "What's all-"

Trep, I'm going to be very clear.  Holly has...grown on me, like I never thought she would.  Like...a sister.  Hah, where have I said that before, he thought to himself before continuing.  That's why I don't want her around me.  I don't want to hurt her.  You understand, right?

...That's why...I'm leaving.

As long as I'm around, I'm putting everyone in this lodge in danger.  The Demon's still hungry for blood; if it can't get her, the focus may shift to Katara.  As much as I hate her, she's frighteningly similar to me.  And if not her...it may be you.  It may be Jash.  It may be everybody.  But... he winced a little before going on, I can't go, not like this.  A journey may be too much, send it over the edge.  I have to keep this monster down...to quell it...then I'll leave, and never harm her again.

He reached over and took his helm back, toying with it, staring at it.  So now you know.  Tell the others.  And...leave me, he said calmly, sadly, praying for tears that wouldn't come.  Just...please.