Taken From the Dark

“We’re doing it tonight.” The man addressed his underlings bluntly as he lit his cigarette, trying hard to hide how badly his hands were shaking. He did not want this job, but he wasn’t exactly given an option.

“Says who?” One of his runners, a skinny individual with sunken eyes that darted constantly, asked suspiciously. He let the question hang in the air for a moment, gauging how the other three reacted to it. Their eyes stayed fixed on him- good. They were hesitant, but he was still leader. They’d follow.

“Says my dollar coin and the boss.” He held out the coin he’d just flipped, letting it shine dimly in the light of one of the few street lamps that weren’t broken. “We’re already behind schedule, let’s just get this over with.”

He took a deep drag of his cigarette and flung it onto the ground, half-spent. His hands no longer shook. “How hard can it be, anyway? They’re just kids.”

_-_-_-_-_-_

They struck during midday. It was the only time they knew the heavy hitters would be asleep or busy elsewhere; creatures like these came back to their home territory to prowl when it got dark, so going in then would just be suicide.

The team split into two- three went to the cabin with the ‘unaffiliated’ monsters, the other two went to the cabin surrounded by shadows, wearing the shabby masks they’d pinched on a different hit. They’d been told this creature worked for the Slenderman, that by default Proxies should have an easier time passing in and out of the area.

When they got there, however, they found themselves constantly getting lost. The forest seemed to move and shift, leaving the two dizzy and not quite sure whether to be relieved or terrified. After a few hours trudging through the thicket without progress, they simply gave up. The boss could try for himself if he didn’t believe they’d made an effort.

The other cabin, however, was almost strangely easy to find. The creek that ran by it also passed through the town, so it was a piece of cake to simply follow it into the forest. The banks had seen plenty of use as paths, leading the three of them practically to the doorstep of their target.

One monster was out hunting- that had been confirmed for them. The other had been badly injured recently, and was recovering slower than usual. Now was the time to strike, before either could really act.

The boss took out his trusty coin, flipped it, and paused. “Fisher, you scout the perimeter.” Flip, pause. “Dex, hit the back door when Fisher gives the all clear. I’ll hit the front.”

It was over in minutes. The man on the couch, being asleep and missing an arm and a leg, didn’t exactly interfere much as the kidnappers stormed the place. One child was also napping, having curled up on the couch next to the man and fallen asleep with his head in his lap (or what was left of it). A cloth soaked in ether kept him quiet, a collar kept him from phasing through their hands.

The other child proved slightly more difficult. This one was older, and awake. Cedar colored eyes locked onto the two men as they entered the kitchen. “This is not a good idea. You’re gonna get hurt.”

“Says you.” Fisher, the skinny one, grinned. “We got friends in high places. And your mama ain’t here, kiddo. You’re ours.”

The child’s eyes glanced over to where the living room would be, if there wasn’t a wall between them. “If I come quietly, you won’t hurt him?”

“No need.” Said the boss. “We ain’t the ones being paid to die. Come on!”

And with that, Raza was taken too. They left with only an hour to spare before Red and Dementia came home, finding Jack alone and utterly horrified.

“They… they were just here… I took a nap, I had VIncent with me…“ He wasn’t able to move very much, but he was stumbling through the hallway searching frantically for his wards.

“You know, I could simply just-“ the Proxy had begun to take off her gloves as she was approaching the house, not wishing to transfer the blood onto any surfaces she wound up touching, “not make you any tea,” she told the other redhead during their conversation.

They seemed to have finished their respective tasks around the same time and happened to meet up around the same time as well. Red couldn’t tell if Dementia had gotten hurt in the process at all what with her healing factors, but it was evident that Red had a few minor scratches that needed to be patched up slightly. Her gloves, however, were heavily stained and it wouldn’t be noticed if it were not for the fact that they held the distinct shine of being soaked on the outside. Luckily there were little shadows moving about her body, cleaning up anything that wasn’t part of her; getting rid of any shred of evidence that she may have partaken in. Flesh. Blood. Hair. And then some. Still, she wasn’t going to be rude and risk marking her acquaintances’ house in crimson; even though she did have the help to clean it up.

“Or dinner for that matter,” she said playfully at the other woman, hand turning the doorknob before pushing open the door. 

Immediately there was a shift in the air as she did so. The playful demeanor gone and now in search for a problem. The Proxy taking on a stance that could turn to either an attack or a defensive manner. Something was wrong. And it wasn’t until she stepped into the living room and heard Jack speak that she received her answer as to what was going on. 

The children were missing. 

She was doing her best to maintain her composure, to not lose control, and especially to not lash out. Had it not been for the fact that she was wearing a mask, she would appear as still as a doll. Then again, the shadows in the room were darkening, practically solidifying and looking ready to strike at the next thing that moved. 

Do not blame Jack. Do not. Do not. Do not. Do not- The words continued to repeat in her mind. Rationally speaking, she knew he wasn’t to blame. He was missing a couple of limbs for heaven’s sake and was recovering. He wasn’t exactly in the best condition to protect anyone. Emotionally speaking, she wanted to tear him apart, let him reconstruct and repeat the actions of killing him until she was satisfied due to him losing their children. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t fix the problem and would only temporarily alleviate some rage that he didn’t deserve. 

Jack’s words didn’t register in Dementia’s brain at first. She was still running off the high of the chase, of meeting Red on her way back, on all of the things that had gone right that day-

Then his expression, Red’s complete shift in mood, all brought reality tilting back into place. After all, something had to go wrong that day. That was just her luck.

But still. This was worse than normal. Far, far worse.

The kids were gone.

“Jack.” Her tone was deadpan as she registered the situation, shifting ever so slightly away from Red as she spoke. Being that they were in a narrow doorway, that meant shifting backwards. “Jack, what do you mean? Are they out playi…”

She trailed off, knowing full well that wasn’t what he meant. If the kids were there, he would have said where they were. He was good about that.

Usually.

“No, no they’re not out playing! Raza was washing dishes, Vincent was with me- the backdoor was unlocked. There’s a scent trail. Strangers. Intruders.” Jack babbled frantically, also shrinking away from Red. Both of them had been on the nasty end of Red’s wrath before, and while they’d come to be fond of her and trust her… this situation called for rage.

Yet somehow, Dem simply felt numb. This isn’t happening. This can’t be happening. Who? Why?

A detail stuck out, though. “Scent trail? I can track them, then. Maybe. In my… other form.” Dem looked to Red, scooting back slightly more. “We can find them. We can find them.”

She needed a moment. Just a moment to think. Jack was making too much noise stumbling around in his current state which made it hard to focus, so without much thought Red waved a hand around to control a mass of shadows in the hallway to wrap around and maneuver the man back to the living room couch. “Sit,” she said sternly. “They are already gone. You moving around will not aid anyone.” It certainly wouldn’t aid her thought process either. But- “Thank you for, ah, for trying.”

The Proxy raised her mask and set it atop her head before letting out a deep breath in an attempt to settle her nerves, and by extent, calm the darkness in the vicinity. Once the shadows had gone back to looking relatively normal, save for the few wisps that were still a reflection of Red’s negative state of mind, she started to speak again.

“We- Right. We can.” Dementia was right. The two of them were the best trackers that she knew of. Dementia in her monstrous form had a keen sense of smell and could always find her target from it; the little ones never stood a chance at winning a game of hide and seek if she was near by as a monster. Red had her shadows that could tell her things if she played her cards right. “Dementia, if you could get a head start and see if you are able to get on their trail please. I need a moment to commune with the shadows, see if I am able to follow the kidnappers or at least get any sort of information.”

At first, the redhead merely huddled over to a darker corner of the house, listening in on the shadows. She followed them around the house, hearing them parrot the conversations between the trespassers and the children.

-“If I come quietly, you won’t hurt him?”-

“Oh, Raza, you sweetheart,” she murmured as she heard his voice echo. He was like an older brother to her son at this point. The two of them were so attached and-

Focus. She reminded herself. And as she went back to focusing, the warmth in her heart morphed into a flaming rage. The men mentioned something about being paid to die. Were they planning on killing the children? Raza may not be her son, but she sure as hell made sure he knew he was family. And Vincent was her son, the one that held her heart and filled her with love. There was no way she was going to let either of them get hurt. If so much as a hair was out of place, lives would be on the line.

Well. That would be the case regardless. Her babies were taken and blood would be spilt because of it.

Once she was done and had circled back around to the living room, she kneeled in front of the couch in front of Jack and let out a shaky breath. “The children are alive. Your boy is also a protector, you have my praise on raising him,” she said as she reached for her gloves and placed them into Jack’s hand. They were completely cleaned up by this point, soft and dry with the satin shine to them. “Hold onto these for me please,” she requested. Her face may have shown no hint of emotion, but her hands trembling in a mixture of fear and fury toward the situation.

Dem was relieved to see the shadows start to retreat a bit. Luckily for her, she was still wearing the large trench coat she used when she was planning to shift between forms, so transforming back was draining rather than annoying. Her humanoid frame stretched and warped as she turned towards the forest, leaving only the top buckle of the coat to hang onto her neck and act as a tiny cape.

With a low growl, she sniffed at the air. The world was a dizzying array of smells in this form- the wet earth, the fresh bird scat on the roof, Red’s rage oozing out of her pores in a way that was scary in a hard-to-describe scent that sent off all the alarm bells in Dem’s head.

Focus. She scouted around to the back door, trying to pick up anything out of place. Three trails seemed to come in from the woods, each with a unique mustiness. Yuck, do assholes just not wash their clothes? The mildew smell was bad, but luckily distinct. They smell like wet concrete… rotting wood… hmm. Warehouse?

Raza’s scent was also easy to pick up- he’d taken to using Jack’s aftershave, making them smell similar. Jack hadn’t been outside in a few days, so the scent was definitely from Raza. Vincent’s smell was harder to find, but the earthy lavender fragrance was there. Both kids were definitely together- and heading towards the creek.

The creek, which was hard to cross for normal humans but which led straight back into town. Dem let out a screech to alert Red, before darting down the scent path. She knew the Proxy would be right behind her- she was, after all, one of the few people who could keep up with her in this monstrous state.

Red left Jack as soon as she was given the signal, slipping the mask on over her face once more while rushing out the door. By the time she was outside, Dementia was nowhere to be seen, but at least the shadows could guide her. At first her bare feet ran across the forest floor, grass being crushed beneath them until the shade around from the trees pooled beneath her, pushing her, making her run and glide across the ground.

The moment the monster had been sighted in the distance, her tactics changed. Instead of allowing the darkness to push her along, she switched them to act as portals. A void was placed onto a tree before crashing into it, and then she was propelled forward, appearing out of the ground beside the other woman before vanishing again into another shadow. This kept going for some time. A shadow placed, Red going in and coming out another. Sometimes she’d run for a bit, other times she’d have to quickly place down another shadow lest she’d crash into something or lose track of her friend.

When they began to reach the end of the forest, she slowed her movements enough to keep herself from unintentionally heading beyond the trees. It took a few extra seconds for her to catch up to Dementia, but when she did, she took a moment to quietly catch her breath.

The area smelled so muddy and rusty, the creek and warehouse bringing about the odd combination. She’d never been around this area before, so to see all the debris and junk strewn about was not a pleasant sight. A mental note was made to come back and clean up the woods around here; hopefully some life could be brought back to it. The warehouse also appeared to be abandoned at first glance, though after eyeing it for a little, one could tell that some things on the outside had been moved around recently.

“Dementia,” she spoke through gritted teeth, holding down an arm with the other as she fought to keep herself from shifting into a demonic state. The aura around her was desperately trying to burst, however she was barely keeping it under control so as to not alert anybody that could be inside. “I want my baby back. And I wish to mutilate the ones that dared to take him from me.”

The scent trail got stronger and stronger the closer they got to town. Dem could almost taste the mildew on the back of her throat, tangled with Jack's aftershave and lavender. There was a current of fear too- a smell that would normally excite her, now simply fueled the growing rage.

As dirt turned to concrete and the forest gave way to the industrial part of town, the trail drifted towards one of the warehouses that clearly had long been in disuse. Dem shifted back into her human form, knowing Red could use the verbal assurance. "If you're saying you want first dibs, then it's all yours. I'll just point you in the right direction."

One of the doors by the loading dock facing the creek had recently been opened- one of the hinges at the top had broken off from years rusting away, and the now tilted door had left a very obvious scrape in the concrete below it. Dem didn't bother with stealth- they were expected, after all, so she simply tore the door off its remaining hinges and disregarded the creak and snap of rusted iron.

As far as crimes were concerned, property damage was near the bottom of her hypothetical rap sheet, anyway.

Dem debated going in first to check for traps, but decided Red's shadows would be better for recon. "Mind checking for funny business, Red?"

-_-_-_-

Raza had no idea where they were. As soon as they'd left the house, the kidnappers had placed a sack over his head, tied his hands together, and spun him a few times. It was a lazy attempt at disorientation, since he'd know the sound and smell of the creek anyway, but as soon as they moved away from the water he was lost.

He stayed calm, though, even as he and Vincent- now awake and crying from fear- were dumped in a dark room and left on their own. It wasn't too hard to undo the ropes around his wrists and get the sack off his head, thanks to Dementia's drilling for a very similar situation and the switchblade she'd given him for his birthday only months ago, which had been tucked away in his boot. The room they were in was too dark to make out much, but he knew help was on the way. Red and Dem would get them... eventually. Probably.

The bigger problem was the collar around Vincent's neck, which in his fumbling attempt to remove he'd discovered was actually sinking into Vincent's neck and fusing to his skin. Something about it was very, very wrong, and nothing Dem and Jack had taught him had prepared him for a situation like this.

Taken From the Dark

“We’re doing it tonight.” The man addressed his underlings bluntly as he lit his cigarette, trying hard to hide how badly his hands were shaking. He did not want this job, but he wasn’t exactly given an option.

“Says who?” One of his runners, a skinny individual with sunken eyes that darted constantly, asked suspiciously. He let the question hang in the air for a moment, gauging how the other three reacted to it. Their eyes stayed fixed on him- good. They were hesitant, but he was still leader. They’d follow.

“Says my dollar coin and the boss.” He held out the coin he’d just flipped, letting it shine dimly in the light of one of the few street lamps that weren’t broken. “We’re already behind schedule, let’s just get this over with.”

He took a deep drag of his cigarette and flung it onto the ground, half-spent. His hands no longer shook. “How hard can it be, anyway? They’re just kids.”

_-_-_-_-_-_

They struck during midday. It was the only time they knew the heavy hitters would be asleep or busy elsewhere; creatures like these came back to their home territory to prowl when it got dark, so going in then would just be suicide.

The team split into two- three went to the cabin with the ‘unaffiliated’ monsters, the other two went to the cabin surrounded by shadows, wearing the shabby masks they’d pinched on a different hit. They’d been told this creature worked for the Slenderman, that by default Proxies should have an easier time passing in and out of the area.

When they got there, however, they found themselves constantly getting lost. The forest seemed to move and shift, leaving the two dizzy and not quite sure whether to be relieved or terrified. After a few hours trudging through the thicket without progress, they simply gave up. The boss could try for himself if he didn’t believe they’d made an effort.

The other cabin, however, was almost strangely easy to find. The creek that ran by it also passed through the town, so it was a piece of cake to simply follow it into the forest. The banks had seen plenty of use as paths, leading the three of them practically to the doorstep of their target.

One monster was out hunting- that had been confirmed for them. The other had been badly injured recently, and was recovering slower than usual. Now was the time to strike, before either could really act.

The boss took out his trusty coin, flipped it, and paused. “Fisher, you scout the perimeter.” Flip, pause. “Dex, hit the back door when Fisher gives the all clear. I’ll hit the front.”

It was over in minutes. The man on the couch, being asleep and missing an arm and a leg, didn’t exactly interfere much as the kidnappers stormed the place. One child was also napping, having curled up on the couch next to the man and fallen asleep with his head in his lap (or what was left of it). A cloth soaked in ether kept him quiet, a collar kept him from phasing through their hands.

The other child proved slightly more difficult. This one was older, and awake. Cedar colored eyes locked onto the two men as they entered the kitchen. “This is not a good idea. You’re gonna get hurt.”

“Says you.” Fisher, the skinny one, grinned. “We got friends in high places. And your mama ain’t here, kiddo. You’re ours.”

The child’s eyes glanced over to where the living room would be, if there wasn’t a wall between them. “If I come quietly, you won’t hurt him?”

“No need.” Said the boss. “We ain’t the ones being paid to die. Come on!”

And with that, Raza was taken too. They left with only an hour to spare before Red and Dementia came home, finding Jack alone and utterly horrified.

“They… they were just here… I took a nap, I had VIncent with me…“ He wasn’t able to move very much, but he was stumbling through the hallway searching frantically for his wards.

“You know, I could simply just-“ the Proxy had begun to take off her gloves as she was approaching the house, not wishing to transfer the blood onto any surfaces she wound up touching, “not make you any tea,” she told the other redhead during their conversation.

They seemed to have finished their respective tasks around the same time and happened to meet up around the same time as well. Red couldn’t tell if Dementia had gotten hurt in the process at all what with her healing factors, but it was evident that Red had a few minor scratches that needed to be patched up slightly. Her gloves, however, were heavily stained and it wouldn’t be noticed if it were not for the fact that they held the distinct shine of being soaked on the outside. Luckily there were little shadows moving about her body, cleaning up anything that wasn’t part of her; getting rid of any shred of evidence that she may have partaken in. Flesh. Blood. Hair. And then some. Still, she wasn’t going to be rude and risk marking her acquaintances’ house in crimson; even though she did have the help to clean it up.

“Or dinner for that matter,” she said playfully at the other woman, hand turning the doorknob before pushing open the door. 

Immediately there was a shift in the air as she did so. The playful demeanor gone and now in search for a problem. The Proxy taking on a stance that could turn to either an attack or a defensive manner. Something was wrong. And it wasn’t until she stepped into the living room and heard Jack speak that she received her answer as to what was going on. 

The children were missing. 

She was doing her best to maintain her composure, to not lose control, and especially to not lash out. Had it not been for the fact that she was wearing a mask, she would appear as still as a doll. Then again, the shadows in the room were darkening, practically solidifying and looking ready to strike at the next thing that moved. 

Do not blame Jack. Do not. Do not. Do not. Do not- The words continued to repeat in her mind. Rationally speaking, she knew he wasn’t to blame. He was missing a couple of limbs for heaven’s sake and was recovering. He wasn’t exactly in the best condition to protect anyone. Emotionally speaking, she wanted to tear him apart, let him reconstruct and repeat the actions of killing him until she was satisfied due to him losing their children. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t fix the problem and would only temporarily alleviate some rage that he didn’t deserve. 

Jack’s words didn’t register in Dementia’s brain at first. She was still running off the high of the chase, of meeting Red on her way back, on all of the things that had gone right that day-

Then his expression, Red’s complete shift in mood, all brought reality tilting back into place. After all, something had to go wrong that day. That was just her luck.

But still. This was worse than normal. Far, far worse.

The kids were gone.

“Jack.” Her tone was deadpan as she registered the situation, shifting ever so slightly away from Red as she spoke. Being that they were in a narrow doorway, that meant shifting backwards. “Jack, what do you mean? Are they out playi…”

She trailed off, knowing full well that wasn’t what he meant. If the kids were there, he would have said where they were. He was good about that.

Usually.

“No, no they’re not out playing! Raza was washing dishes, Vincent was with me- the backdoor was unlocked. There’s a scent trail. Strangers. Intruders.” Jack babbled frantically, also shrinking away from Red. Both of them had been on the nasty end of Red’s wrath before, and while they’d come to be fond of her and trust her… this situation called for rage.

Yet somehow, Dem simply felt numb. This isn’t happening. This can’t be happening. Who? Why?

A detail stuck out, though. “Scent trail? I can track them, then. Maybe. In my… other form.” Dem looked to Red, scooting back slightly more. “We can find them. We can find them.”

She needed a moment. Just a moment to think. Jack was making too much noise stumbling around in his current state which made it hard to focus, so without much thought Red waved a hand around to control a mass of shadows in the hallway to wrap around and maneuver the man back to the living room couch. “Sit,” she said sternly. “They are already gone. You moving around will not aid anyone.” It certainly wouldn’t aid her thought process either. But- “Thank you for, ah, for trying.”

The Proxy raised her mask and set it atop her head before letting out a deep breath in an attempt to settle her nerves, and by extent, calm the darkness in the vicinity. Once the shadows had gone back to looking relatively normal, save for the few wisps that were still a reflection of Red’s negative state of mind, she started to speak again.

“We- Right. We can.” Dementia was right. The two of them were the best trackers that she knew of. Dementia in her monstrous form had a keen sense of smell and could always find her target from it; the little ones never stood a chance at winning a game of hide and seek if she was near by as a monster. Red had her shadows that could tell her things if she played her cards right. “Dementia, if you could get a head start and see if you are able to get on their trail please. I need a moment to commune with the shadows, see if I am able to follow the kidnappers or at least get any sort of information.”

At first, the redhead merely huddled over to a darker corner of the house, listening in on the shadows. She followed them around the house, hearing them parrot the conversations between the trespassers and the children.

-“If I come quietly, you won’t hurt him?”-

“Oh, Raza, you sweetheart,” she murmured as she heard his voice echo. He was like an older brother to her son at this point. The two of them were so attached and-

Focus. She reminded herself. And as she went back to focusing, the warmth in her heart morphed into a flaming rage. The men mentioned something about being paid to die. Were they planning on killing the children? Raza may not be her son, but she sure as hell made sure he knew he was family. And Vincent was her son, the one that held her heart and filled her with love. There was no way she was going to let either of them get hurt. If so much as a hair was out of place, lives would be on the line.

Well. That would be the case regardless. Her babies were taken and blood would be spilt because of it.

Once she was done and had circled back around to the living room, she kneeled in front of the couch in front of Jack and let out a shaky breath. “The children are alive. Your boy is also a protector, you have my praise on raising him,” she said as she reached for her gloves and placed them into Jack’s hand. They were completely cleaned up by this point, soft and dry with the satin shine to them. “Hold onto these for me please,” she requested. Her face may have shown no hint of emotion, but her hands trembling in a mixture of fear and fury toward the situation.

Dem was relieved to see the shadows start to retreat a bit. Luckily for her, she was still wearing the large trench coat she used when she was planning to shift between forms, so transforming back was draining rather than annoying. Her humanoid frame stretched and warped as she turned towards the forest, leaving only the top buckle of the coat to hang onto her neck and act as a tiny cape.

With a low growl, she sniffed at the air. The world was a dizzying array of smells in this form- the wet earth, the fresh bird scat on the roof, Red's rage oozing out of her pores in a way that was scary in a hard-to-describe scent that sent off all the alarm bells in Dem's head.

Focus. She scouted around to the back door, trying to pick up anything out of place. Three trails seemed to come in from the woods, each with a unique mustiness. Yuck, do assholes just not wash their clothes? The mildew smell was bad, but luckily distinct. They smell like wet concrete... rotting wood... hmm. Warehouse?

Raza's scent was also easy to pick up- he'd taken to using Jack's aftershave, making them smell similar. Jack hadn't been outside in a few days, so the scent was definitely from Raza. Vincent's smell was harder to find, but the earthy lavender fragrance was there. Both kids were definitely together- and heading towards the creek.

The creek, which was hard to cross for normal humans but which led straight back into town. Dem let out a screech to alert Red, before darting down the scent path. She knew the Proxy would be right behind her- she was, after all, one of the few people who could keep up with her in this monstrous state.

Taken From the Dark

“We’re doing it tonight.” The man addressed his underlings bluntly as he lit his cigarette, trying hard to hide how badly his hands were shaking. He did not want this job, but he wasn’t exactly given an option.

“Says who?” One of his runners, a skinny individual with sunken eyes that darted constantly, asked suspiciously. He let the question hang in the air for a moment, gauging how the other three reacted to it. Their eyes stayed fixed on him- good. They were hesitant, but he was still leader. They’d follow.

“Says my dollar coin and the boss.” He held out the coin he’d just flipped, letting it shine dimly in the light of one of the few street lamps that weren’t broken. “We’re already behind schedule, let’s just get this over with.”

He took a deep drag of his cigarette and flung it onto the ground, half-spent. His hands no longer shook. “How hard can it be, anyway? They’re just kids.”

_-_-_-_-_-_

They struck during midday. It was the only time they knew the heavy hitters would be asleep or busy elsewhere; creatures like these came back to their home territory to prowl when it got dark, so going in then would just be suicide.

The team split into two- three went to the cabin with the ‘unaffiliated’ monsters, the other two went to the cabin surrounded by shadows, wearing the shabby masks they’d pinched on a different hit. They’d been told this creature worked for the Slenderman, that by default Proxies should have an easier time passing in and out of the area.

When they got there, however, they found themselves constantly getting lost. The forest seemed to move and shift, leaving the two dizzy and not quite sure whether to be relieved or terrified. After a few hours trudging through the thicket without progress, they simply gave up. The boss could try for himself if he didn’t believe they’d made an effort.

The other cabin, however, was almost strangely easy to find. The creek that ran by it also passed through the town, so it was a piece of cake to simply follow it into the forest. The banks had seen plenty of use as paths, leading the three of them practically to the doorstep of their target.

One monster was out hunting- that had been confirmed for them. The other had been badly injured recently, and was recovering slower than usual. Now was the time to strike, before either could really act.

The boss took out his trusty coin, flipped it, and paused. “Fisher, you scout the perimeter.” Flip, pause. “Dex, hit the back door when Fisher gives the all clear. I’ll hit the front.”

It was over in minutes. The man on the couch, being asleep and missing an arm and a leg, didn’t exactly interfere much as the kidnappers stormed the place. One child was also napping, having curled up on the couch next to the man and fallen asleep with his head in his lap (or what was left of it). A cloth soaked in ether kept him quiet, a collar kept him from phasing through their hands.

The other child proved slightly more difficult. This one was older, and awake. Cedar colored eyes locked onto the two men as they entered the kitchen. “This is not a good idea. You’re gonna get hurt.”

“Says you.” Fisher, the skinny one, grinned. “We got friends in high places. And your mama ain’t here, kiddo. You’re ours.”

The child’s eyes glanced over to where the living room would be, if there wasn’t a wall between them. “If I come quietly, you won’t hurt him?”

“No need.” Said the boss. “We ain’t the ones being paid to die. Come on!”

And with that, Raza was taken too. They left with only an hour to spare before Red and Dementia came home, finding Jack alone and utterly horrified.

“They… they were just here… I took a nap, I had VIncent with me…“ He wasn’t able to move very much, but he was stumbling through the hallway searching frantically for his wards.

“You know, I could simply just-“ the Proxy had begun to take off her gloves as she was approaching the house, not wishing to transfer the blood onto any surfaces she wound up touching, “not make you any tea,” she told the other redhead during their conversation.

They seemed to have finished their respective tasks around the same time and happened to meet up around the same time as well. Red couldn’t tell if Dementia had gotten hurt in the process at all what with her healing factors, but it was evident that Red had a few minor scratches that needed to be patched up slightly. Her gloves, however, were heavily stained and it wouldn’t be noticed if it were not for the fact that they held the distinct shine of being soaked on the outside. Luckily there were little shadows moving about her body, cleaning up anything that wasn’t part of her; getting rid of any shred of evidence that she may have partaken in. Flesh. Blood. Hair. And then some. Still, she wasn’t going to be rude and risk marking her acquaintances’ house in crimson; even though she did have the help to clean it up.

“Or dinner for that matter,” she said playfully at the other woman, hand turning the doorknob before pushing open the door. 

Immediately there was a shift in the air as she did so. The playful demeanor gone and now in search for a problem. The Proxy taking on a stance that could turn to either an attack or a defensive manner. Something was wrong. And it wasn’t until she stepped into the living room and heard Jack speak that she received her answer as to what was going on. 

The children were missing. 

She was doing her best to maintain her composure, to not lose control, and especially to not lash out. Had it not been for the fact that she was wearing a mask, she would appear as still as a doll. Then again, the shadows in the room were darkening, practically solidifying and looking ready to strike at the next thing that moved. 

Do not blame Jack. Do not. Do not. Do not. Do not- The words continued to repeat in her mind. Rationally speaking, she knew he wasn’t to blame. He was missing a couple of limbs for heaven’s sake and was recovering. He wasn’t exactly in the best condition to protect anyone. Emotionally speaking, she wanted to tear him apart, let him reconstruct and repeat the actions of killing him until she was satisfied due to him losing their children. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t fix the problem and would only temporarily alleviate some rage that he didn’t deserve. 

Jack's words didn't register in Dementia's brain at first. She was still running off the high of the chase, of meeting Red on her way back, on all of the things that had gone right that day-

Then his expression, Red's complete shift in mood, all brought reality tilting back into place. After all, something had to go wrong that day. That was just her luck.

But still. This was worse than normal. Far, far worse.

The kids were gone.

"Jack." Her tone was deadpan as she registered the situation, shifting ever so slightly away from Red as she spoke. Being that they were in a narrow doorway, that meant shifting backwards. "Jack, what do you mean? Are they out playi..."

She trailed off, knowing full well that wasn't what he meant. If the kids were there, he would have said where they were. He was good about that.

Usually.

"No, no they're not out playing! Raza was washing dishes, Vincent was with me- the backdoor was unlocked. There's a scent trail. Strangers. Intruders." Jack babbled frantically, also shrinking away from Red. Both of them had been on the nasty end of Red's wrath before, and while they'd come to be fond of her and trust her... this situation called for rage.

Yet somehow, Dem simply felt numb. This isn't happening. This can't be happening. Who? Why?

A detail stuck out, though. "Scent trail? I can track them, then. Maybe. In my... other form." Dem looked to Red, scooting back slightly more. "We can find them. We can find them."

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

Vincent stopped rubbing his little hands all over Jack’s face and head overall, now completely enamored by what was being shown to him. He knew about monsters, but nothing like this. His mother spoke about cryptids and ghosts and shapeshifters and fears and all sorts of things. But whatever this man was, he couldn’t remember being told about. 

Mr. Carter’s hand looked so different. Boy, he really was good at pretending to be human if this was just part of what he looked like. He wondered what he really looked like now. The claws made him think of a bird but the hands didn’t have a bird-foot look to it…

Monsters were confusing. 

When the man’s hand went back to normal and touched his face, the child took Jack’s hand and started looking it over, an expression of curiosity on his face over what just happened. It felt human. Looked it too. He even started touching Jack’s fingernails and rubbed his tiny palm against his large one for comparisons. Sure he wasn’t human either but he looked it for the most part, right? And then he raised Jack’s hand and sniffed it. There was a perfume-y smell, but not flowery… Call-ohne? Something he smelled a lot of boy Proxies put on so they wouldn’t stink. But then, all of a sudden-

He bit Jack’s hand. 

Just at the palm by his thumb, his teeth and two little fangs gently biting for a second and then letting go, Vincent sticking his tongue out in both disgust and disappointment. He wasn’t sure what he was hoping to get out of that, but not a taste of a hint of soap and human. “Ehck.” He ended up licking his sleeve after to rid his tongue of the flavor. “You do good at looking not monstery,” he said after furrowing his brows together, tongue sticking out of his mouth ever so slightly. 

Jack did not expect the child to chomp down on his hand; his first instinct was to yelp and pull away, but he managed to suppress it long enough to realize that Vincent was not, in fact, being malicious. The two tiny fangs barely dented his skin before the child pulled away with a soured expression.

He couldn’t help it- the laugh escaped his throat, a soft relieved chuckle that made his body relax from a tension he didn’t know had built up. “I’ve had a lot of practice as a grown-up. Maybe I could teach you? If you’re anything like me, it should be simple enough.”

He made a mental note to ask Ruby about it later. Perhaps this babysitting gig could turn into something even more productive- the last thing Jack wanted was for this child to grow up not knowing how to manage their more destructive instincts.

Dementia woke up groggy and disoriented. She couldn’t remember how she’d gotten back to the cabin, or even when she’d returned, but she knew the ceiling when she saw it, and Raza’s mildly concerned face hovering over her.

“... Hey buddy. Long time, no see?” She groaned, letting her legs slide down from their vertical position on the back of the couch so that her feet were on the floor instead of in the air. The blanket slid around with her, getting entangled in the threadbare pillows as it went. As she sat up, she noticed that Raza was holding a bundle in his hands, on top of which sat a plate of food.

“... You lost your clothes. And you’re hungry.” He said simply, setting the bundle and plate in her lap. Dementia groaned again, wiping the grime from her eyes.

“Thanks, Raza. Where’s Jack?”

“He’s in town getting more medicine. He’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.”

“So long? Usually he’s back in the morning.”

Raza shrugged, his eyes growing distant. Dementia pursed her lips, knowing she’d probably brought back an old memory for him. Not wanting to make things worse, she stayed silent as she dressed.

Well, all the way up until a wisp of bloodlust curled its way around her thoughts. Staring at the teenager, she wanted nothing more in that moment to rip his head from his shoulders, just to watch the sinew tear and feel the vertebrae part ways under her hands.

And then it was gone. Dizzy, scared, disgusted, she looked down at her hands. “Raza... I shouldn’t be here. I gotta go. I’m not...”

“I know.” Raza sighed. “You’ll be out a while... don’t worry. Nothing will happen before Jack gets back.”

“I’m just gonna go visit a friend. She can... help.” Dem thought of the boundaries of Red Rhymer’s territory, and the woman herself. Even if Red was busy, dancing around her border would keep Dem well away from anyone she could hurt.

“I gotta go.” She repeated, before dashing out of the room.

Red. Red could help. Dem had seen her in action, she knew she didn’t stand a chance even if she was rampaging. Red would shred her, and she’d be grateful for it.

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

Red tucked away the thermos into her basket backpack to be used for when it got a bit too cold for her. Right after, she excused herself briefly only to return with a laptop and a charging cable, placing them on table. “Here, you may use this if need be. Vincent and I have our own accounts, and there is also a guest account that you are free to use; Vincent’s account is already made to be child-friendly as well so if he is left unsupervised with the laptop, there is nothing to worry about it. Oh, if need be-” she walked over to the fridge and scrawled a few things on the notepad there before handing it over to Jack. “Here is my electronic mail address, cellular device number, and a couple of emergency contacts. Trick-” she pointed at the first number, “is experienced with children. Contact Nobody if neither Trick or I are unable to come. But contact me first.” 

It was reassuring to hear that he had a child of his own, but she had no idea if his kid was human or not. He was human once, so there was a chance that his son could be human from that time. Though there was also the chance that the child could be from after he was turned as well. Or, human or not, perhaps the boy was adopted like her son was? However Jack didn’t know Vincent was adopted, not yet at least. Regardless, she wanted to make sure she had her bases covered before leaving them alone. 

Plus, she was sure he wouldn’t try anything after the little stunt she pulled earlier. 

“Alright, my love, Mummy has to work now,” the Proxy leaned down to her son, giving him and receiving a kiss from him, “behave yourself. You know what to do if the sitter misbehaves. And I love you plenty-” she said, giving him another smooch before took her mask and waved goodbye to both of them, heading out the front door afterward.

After Red was gone out the door, Vincent drank the rest of his tea and let out a very satisfied sigh. “You’re not like the other people Mama brings around,” he stated, completely ignoring Jack’s question. He jumped off his seat and walked over to his babysitter, climbing into his lap and placing his small hands on the man’s face. “Are you like me? ‘Cause you look like normal people but you don’t feel like normal people. Well you do feel like normal people-” he said as he proceeded to squish Jack’s cheeks and smush his lips together and even play with his hair, “but you don’t feel like it?” 

Jack nodded along as she guided him through his available resources, making a mental note to copy the information down somewhere else in case the slip she gave him disappeared. He couldn’t hide his smile at the farewell affection, noting the similarity between Ruby’s goodbye and his to Raza.

“I’m heading out to town to get some medicine. You’re in charge of the house.”

They had both looked over at Dementia in that moment, passed out upside down on the ratty old couch and covered in mud. Jack had draped a blanket over her exposed form, but had otherwise let her be. “You know what to do if someone comes knocking. Hide. Don’t worry about Dem. I’ll be back soon.”

He’d left Raza with a hug, too. No ‘I love you’- Raza had only been with them a few months, and was still quietly grieving his father. Jack figured the boy still needed time and space to work out his emotional place in their home.

He was snapped out of the reverie by Vincent’s questioning. “Well, I’m not a Proxy. I’m... not human. I’m good at pretending, though.” He lifted his hand up to Vincent’s face, allowing the Glamour to fade away. Grey, pallid flesh and hooked talons replaced the warm tones and short nails, stopping at the wrist. He’d spent far more time practicing with his Glamour than Dementia had- his control over it was fine-tuned at this point. As his hand made contact with Vincent’s cheek, it returned to its previous human look, leaving the boy completely unharmed.

“There’s no need to be afraid.” Jack soothed, knowing the gesture might have been startling. “I’m a very well-behaved monster.”

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

“Oh, thank you, Mr. Cotter-Carter-” the child said, doing their best to pronounce the new man’s name properly. He took the mask away from his face and placed it on the table, the mask making a hard clack as it hit the wood. 

“My name’s Vincent,” he said with a bright smile after sitting down comfortably only to lean over to Jack with an extended hand in an attempt to shake for a greeting. Vincent didn’t seemed fazed in the slightest, smiling widely with two sharp canines on display and his large eyes scrunched up in a mix of happiness and curiosity over the new guest. 

Red smiled softly over the interaction, rounding the table to grab the teapot and pour both Jack and Vincent cups of tea. After Vincent’s was poured, she gave gentle encouragements for him to attempt to pour cream and add sugar to his own cup, telling him not to worry about spilling. While he ever so carefully went along with it, concentrating hard on not over pouring cream with his small hands, Red went to a cabinet and pulled out a thermos, pouring the rest of the tea into it before returning to stand by the table. 

“Vincent is not human as I am sure you gathered,” the halfbreed spoke up while putting in a couple sugar cubes into her thermos and stirring them in while she waited for the cream to be done with. “Since you offered your services with you also not being human, it seemed appropriate to hire an inhuman babysitter. However if you find the job to be out of your range of skills, we may end the meeting now and I may escort you out of the range of my premises.

“Otherwise-” she paused, grabbing a napkin to wipe off some spilled cream before taking the carton for herself. Vincent was left proud yet disappointed, he was successful in pouring himself cream into his tea, but still didn’t keep things neat. “Excuse me. Otherwise, I would greatly appreciate it if you could watch him until late in the evening. We may exchange numbers for our cellular devices if you have one. You would also have to make sure my son is entertained, fed dinner, washed up, and in bed by the time I arrive; he is to be to sleep no later than nine o’clock. If this is all doable, we may discuss payment and any other questions you have.”

Jack took Vincent’s hand, engulfing it in his palm as he gently shook it. “It’s nice to meet you, Vincent.” The child’s features didn’t disturb him in the least- if anything, his round face and genuine smile were downright adorable. Jack had to fight the urge to scoop him up into his lap- he’d always had a weakness for kids, after all.

Instead, he focused on stirring his tainted sugar into the tea, watching it dissipate into the steaming liquid. The first sip was too hot, but it got the job done- what little tendrils of hunger had started to creep up in the back of his mind quickly retreated. He tried not to scowl at himself for not noticing them, thinking of the harm he could have done if he hadn’t paid attention until it was too late. He’d gotten so caught up in his new... companion? Employer? Ally? Whatever she was, she was distracting him from what mattered- keeping his urges in check.

Jack listened as Ruby talked, noting her behavior towards her ward. The woman was meticulous about keeping things clean, but she didn’t chastise Vincent for making a mess. The boy was polite, calm, well behaved- probably not too much of a handful. Jack mostly worried about whatever latent abilities he might be starting to display- the rare few monstrous children out there were unstable and frightened by their own powers, and hid away from the world and from themselves, letting their own darkness consume them. Whatever Vincent was, he seemed very well adjusted.

“I would be happy to watch over him while you’re out.” He said, finally, as he sipped his tea. “I don’t have a cell phone at the moment-” Dementia had accidentally crushed it earlier in the week after losing a game he’d installed on it- “but I am more than capable of handling an emergency if need be. I have my own boy at home, though he’s older. Needless to say, I have some experience in this. As for payment, we can discuss that when you get back, depending on how satisfied you are with my performance.”

He turned to Vincent then, flashing him a warm smile. “You seem like a very polite young man. Do you have any tricks up your sleeve I should know about? Or do you plan on surprising me with them?”

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

The redhead had already turned around and began walking down the hall when she heard him speak up, completely missing the fact that he was coming onto her. “I will join you in a moment,” she called back out to him. “Discussing things first is important as I do not plan to stay behind for long, so please wait at the table for me.” 

Odd. He asked to offer his services and wanted her to direct him as he went along. That didn’t sound like a very effect work method. Regardless, they’d be able to talk things out soon enough. 

After a few minutes of changing and getting things ready for herself, she made her way back into the kitchen. Her attire was different from what she was wearing earlier; rather than casual winter clothes to be worn out and about, they were now a grey cloak with a black turtleneck, pants, gloves, and winter boots to match. Her hair was down and completely out of her face now, the scarring upon her right side now in full view. She carried a pack basket on her back, presumably filled with a variety of things. However she was also carrying something in her arms. 

Or more like someone. 

In her arms was a child, no older than five years of age wearing their own winter clothes. His skin was a caramel brown, yet his hair was… purple? And seemed to be moving on its own with little ghostly wisps; curly and cloudy, never still. Though his face couldn’t be seen at the moment, it currently being covered with a black and white mask much too large for him to wear that he was using one hand to press up against his face while the other clung to the woman. 

“Okay, love, go sit at the table please,” she told the boy. He responded with a nod, going to the table afterward and using both hands to press up the mask to his face while attempting to stifle some giggles and act as well behaved as a child possibly could. “I will serve you some tea with Mr. Carter here and we may go over things with your babysitter.”

Jack watched her retreat down the hall in confusion, before shrugging and buttoning his shirt back up. Whatever was happening, it seemed she was distracted... or maybe shy? That had happened before, and normally he was able to soothe and comfort his client appropriately.

However, when he looked at her with his mental sonar, she didn’t seem at all distressed; her mind was a flurry of thoughts, creating a chaotic form that shifted around as he observed it.

And it was then that he noticed the other mind in the home- calm, then mildly confused, then bursting with happiness when Ruby reached it. A child?

He took a moment to sit at the table while trying to process what was going on. Why was a child here? What was going on? Had there been a miscommunication? A mistake? He thought he’d been rather clear with his intentions- that much innuendo was hard to miss, and most people would walk away if one asked them point blank if they wanted to exchange sex for something else. Even these days it was somewhat taboo...

He rummaged in his pant pocket for his blood-soaked sugar cubes, trying to focus on figuring out the knowns and unknowns of his situation. He knew where he was, roughly; if need be, he could leave, and make it to town or back to the cabin, though heading straight home would be more dicey. He knew the woman didn’t mean him harm- okay, he was fairly certain she didn’t mean him harm. The child seemed perfectly content, with no hint of aggression pinging on his radar... and nothing had been exchanged yet, no terms set. He could leave without being accused of theft or swindling.

And then she came back, and he saw the child. The very, very clearly inhuman child, holding a mask that was very clearly a Proxy’s.

Fuck. A half-demon was uncharted territory- no baggage, no problems. But the Slender Man was one of the less predictable Fears, one that could help and harm in the same encounter and leave one spinning in confusion and terror. Seeing a Proxy mask here was not a comforting sign.

And then...

Babysitter????

Jack had to fight the shock and confusion on his face as he smiled at the young boy, pulling out a chair for him. “Hello, little one. I’m Mr. Carter. What’s your name?”

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

“Tea it is then,” she noted, taking the crate from him before they went inside. “Go ahead and leave your shoes by the door. The firewood and matches are already by the fireplace,” she informed him. 

The inside of the house was drastically different from the outside. There was life in just about every corner. Plants hanging from the ceiling, some on the walls, corners, and even coffee table and hall table. It was so lively from the plants alone that one couldn’t tell it was winter outside had it not been for the cold that had been seeping indoors. 

Red went into the kitchen after closing the door and making sure the two were situated for the most part, first getting the kettle going to prep up some tea. In a teapot, she put in some peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black tea, honey, and vanilla extract and set the pot aside until the kettle let her know it was done boiling the water. 

She didn’t take long putting away the bottles and tinctures she’d gotten, taking yet another mental note of where they were so that she could work with them later. And just like clockwork, the kettle began to whistle just as she finished her task, so she went over to it and poured the water into the teapot and then put the pot onto the table along with a couple of tea cups, spoons, a jar of sugar cubes, and a carton of cream. 

“Ok, the tea is steeping at the moment,” she said as she made her way to the living room. “Everything is at the table right now, so when you are done with that, feel free to sit down and meet me in the kitchen. I am going to change my attire some and come back to discuss with you what will be done for the day.”

Jack slipped off his snow-dusted shoes and placed them where his companion had gestured, followed by his neatly folded coat. The button-down shirt he’d worn underneath it was faded and worn, but still in relatively good condition- he hardly ever wore it, except for going into town or around his own home. After neatly rolling up his sleeves, he got to work arranging the firewood and lighting it. Warmth bloomed from the growing flames, pleasantly chasing away the numbness from his face and hands as he crouched there for a moment.

For her part, his host was definitely not one to be idle. As he started unbuttoning the top of his shirt he could smell the spices from the kitchen, and hear Ruby flitting between cabinets to put away and take out supplies as the kettle started to shake and whistle.

Even so, the sound was muffled by the numerous plants that Ruby seemed to be hoarding. Vibrant, luxuriously green, with nary a hint of rot or decay- it was enough to make him jealous. The only thing that seemed to grow at his cabin was the creeping Kudzu vines that had started infiltrating his roof. Dementia had offered to rip them off, but he was afraid it would lead to more damage, so the vines still remained.

He was just finished fully unbuttoning his shirt when Ruby came to update him. He turned to face her, trying to draw forth his coy smile. “MIss Millens... Ruby. Won’t you join me for tea? There’s no need to change... we can discuss as we go. I assure you, I’m very good at following directions.”

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

“Hmm… I suppose that makes sense,” she said. It was understandable that some people who turned would just give way to instinct before going mad and possibly dying. And now that she thought about it, maybe if he stuck around, she’d be able to get more information on the Turned. Maybe even learn some more hands on medical procedures considering she had to learn everything from the books. 

-”I’ve… already paid the price of that once before.”-

Oh? Red was admittedly curious about the set of events, but didn’t bring it up. His tone came off as rather disheartened, remorseful even. It must have been someone he was close to, that was for sure. Perhaps it would come up in conversation some time if they kept in touch. 

“Demons exist. There are many a kind and I am merely one of them. There are also things such as Fae and Fears and ghosts and cryptids and then some, so there are more creatures out there than just your kind,” she informed him. 

“Oh, and before we head on in, would you prefer it if I made tea or coffee or even some hot chocolate to warm up before we go to things? I still have to get the fireplace going, but I thought offering something before we go inside since I do not know what your dietary restrictions are.” She started to see several landmarks that were familiar, telling her they were getting closer to her home. “Alright, we should be arriving shortly, and as a note for the future if we end up meeting up some more, you will be needing a guide to get to my house. I have what one would consider a security system to prevent unwanted guests from arriving or getting too close, so you would simply end up lost. Whether that guide is me or part of my security will vary based upon what is happening at the time of,” she told him as they started to get into an open space.

In the clearing was an old, yet well tended to home. Everything was covered with a fresh layer of powdered snow. There were plenty of bushes in the front yard, however what with the season, the greens were gone and they simply appeared to be covered in their own layers of snow from the season. From the edge of the forest where they stood, her home looked almost like something one would see painted in a calendar. “Shall we head inside?” 

“I know about the Fears... I, ah, work for a few.” Jack shrugged. “Some think they’re the reason my kind exist. I guess the Fae and Demons are just better at hiding than we are.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her at the sudden offering. “You’re too kind, miss Millens. I’ll take tea, if you have it. I make a habit of carrying dietary aids with me when I leave home, so don’t worry about that.”

The way she described her ‘security system’ sounded vaguely familiar, but Jack couldn’t place the memory. Maybe someone had mentioned visiting there before...?

Before he could truly rattle his brain for the information, they had reached a break in the trees, which opened up into what may have once been a meadow until it was built upon. Jack could clearly see the house, which seemed weathered but in good repair. “I’ll keep your advice in mind. I hope you’ll want me back, in any case.”

A sudden gust of wind sank its icy tendrils through his coat, prompting a shiver. “That fireplace sounds wonderful right now... I think I can handle that while you put up the plants and medicine. If that’s alright with you.”

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

“Your kind are not disgusting per say but rather…” she paused, “difficult to understand to say the least. I like to know what I am up against and dealing with whenever given the chance. And even with my limited knowledge, I know that your kind are tedious to deal with especially whence it comes to killing you what with the process to ensure your deaths. But otherwise, the aftermath of your turning is what bothers me. 

“You know not what you become. The pain and suffering you endure. Your humanity slipping away as time goes on. Your kind hide as a human but each and every one of you vary. You are not like an animal with slight variations but something else entirely. Things to be feared and wary of. You may be a cannibal, but the next could be something far worse and much more harsh to deal with if it ever came to.” 

Red tugged on his arm, leading him around a fallen tree before moving along. “Your companionship is also something that would be nice to come by if you are good, and if you continue to do a good job with reasonable prices, then we may end up seeing one another regularly,” she answered him. “As for what I am, well-” she had to think a moment, not because she didn’t know what she was – that she knew, but because he seemed to be more aware of other creatures that weren’t of her kind. “I am a demon. Or half demon at least; a halfbreed.” 

“... You’re not entirely wrong.” Jack sighed. “I’m one of the lucky few that still have their head on straight, but some of us... unpredictable is putting it mildly.”

She was more educated than most, that was for sure. Jack was mildly impressed. “I would like to count myself among the ‘good’ ones- I make an effort to help more than harm. I might be a cannibal, but I take what I need from those who are already dead, and I try to make it last. If I didn’t... partake... then I’d starve, and then I’d go mad with hunger, and then I’d be a true danger to anyone and everyone. I’ve... already paid the price of that once before.”

The old hollow ache flared up in his chest as he thought of Cassie, limp in his arms, covered in blood. Just as quickly as the image bubbled forth, he shook it away. “Not all of us are beyond reason, but... for some, it’s far easier for them to slip away into the haze. So easy that they don’t bother fighting it. And not even the Entities can leash them up.”

He followed quietly for a few hundred yards, listening to her talk. The static in his head had faded completely now, allowing him to scan outward for any sign of intrusion. Outside of a few rabbits and a very tired squirrel, nothing was nearby. Jack allowed himself to relax a bit- after all, if she had wanted to kill him, she would have done so earlier. He was used to such displays of dominance, and was perfectly happy to play along with it.

“A... half demon?” He blinked at her, confused. “Demons... exist? I thought they were just old stories, from... before all of this.”

He tried not to think of his own son. Would he have been a halfbreed too?

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

“That is fair,” she agreed. It made sense too. Some babysitters would charge based on what the tasks would be rather than go on a set price per night or hour. And if he knew she wasn’t human, then it was only fair to assume that her child wouldn’t be either. “I suppose you will find out how much to charge whence we get home then.” 

Red took his arm at the offer, gently yet firmly holding on to keep herself from slipping before they reached steadier grounds. “I find spring to be much more appealing than the winter. The way the plant life sprouts from the white snow, overtaking it all with green and more color as the warmth settles in is rather lovely.” Not only that, but it made her feel freer since she didn’t have to bundle up in so many layers.

Medicine. 

There it was. That was what he was really after. It made sense why he kept eyeing her aloe vera plant so much as well. He was a doctor too but as to why he wasn’t buying medical equipment himself was-

Oh.

The Proxy’s demeanor changed in an instant, instinct kicking in to protect herself. She didn’t have to put on her little facade either, her face going back to its usual blank emotionless slate. 

“Upon first contact, I knew you were not human, however I did not take you to be one of those things,” she said, her voice just as empty as her face. She moved around to stand in front of him, a hand on the crate for a moment before she shoved him with his back against a tree with with it. And in that same moment, she had the air grow heavy with a pure darkness seeping from her being toward Jack. It was the same darkness as earlier, a feeling a fear that she let out as an attempt to ward him off, but much… much stronger this time around to the point of rather allowing fight or flight kick in, it only allowed one to stay still. 

“Glamour is what it is known as yes? To hide what you are and appear as human or otherwise?” She asked even though she knew he wouldn’t be able to answer or have trouble doing so. One of her gloved hands went over to his face, gently cupping his cheek and turning his head side to side and then tilting his chin upward in examination. “It does explain your familiar figure however, though never have I thought to become this close. We were warned to stay away, yet now look at where I stand. In front of a cannibalistic doctor of a monster that harvests the dead.”

Her hand pulled away and she went back to his side, going on her tip toes to whisper in his ear, “By the way, this is but a taste of what I am capable of. With this in mind, are you sure you still wish to serve me tonight? Because now would be the time to leave before you decide to follow further.” After the question was asked, she dropped down to her feet, the air becoming lighter in an instant as she took hold of his arm again, the faintest of smiles on her lips.

“Ah, I almost forgot to introduce myself as well. I am called Ruby Millens. A pleasure to make your acquaintance Doctor Jack Carter.” 

Jack let himself fall limply against the tree, stunned and terrified by her response. Instinctively, he curled slightly around the crate to protect it, refusing to meet her eyes. “Y-y-you... you’re not...?”

His lungs felt full of cotton, as though no amount of breath could truly sustain him; everything seemed so much larger, or perhaps he was shrinking...? It didn’t matter, nothing mattered, he was simply an insignificant speck of dust falling helplessly towards a yawning void...

He could hear her speaking, distantly, but couldn’t quite make out the meaning of the words. Her tone was cold, nothing at all like the calm and coy woman he’d been talking to just moments before. He glanced at her eyes, and found only disdain there, so he shut his own to try in vain to escape her gaze. 

And then, all at once, the darkness receded. Air returned to his lungs in a desperate gasp, making him dizzy for a brief moment. Finally, he opened his eyes to look his... companion... in the face, trying desperately to remain calm even while reeling from the onslaught on his mind.

“I...” He swallowed hard, trying to soothe his dry throat. “I hope you feel better about this, knowing we’re... equals. I’m fine with this arrangement, if you are, miss Millens.”

He shifted his grip on the crate slightly, before taking an unsteady step forward. His internal radar was a mess of static, probably from the sudden stress. He tried not to focus on it too hard as he let Ruby lead him further into the forest, preoccupied more with the risk of pissing off his new companion than scanning for others around them.

“If I might ask, miss Millens... if you are so disgusted with my... kind... then why do you still have an interest in my companionship?” He asked after a moment, trying very hard not to let his voice croak. “And... if you’re not one of... us... then what, exactly, are you?”

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

He didn’t waver. It wasn’t unexpected per say but still not exactly something she welcomed… So perhaps he knew she wasn’t human after all. 

Wait. What was it with that voice? Was he… was he trying to flirt with her? Did he not see the massive unattractive scar on her face- oh wait no it was covered by hair. Regardless, her point stood about her being unattractive. Then again he was saying how he enjoyed being of assistance to others so maybe he was just trying to make some money for his services? 

Oh. 

This gave her an idea. 

She was in need of a babysitter. And if they both had an understanding that they were both not quite human, then he may end up being suitable depending on his set of skills. 

“Alright then, Sir,” she said, her dark aura slipping away. “I may take you up on that offer of yours after all. If you wish to carry these, you may, but I would like to know how much you charge for your employment. Also, you should know that I have no vehicle, so if you are willing to walk quite a ways through the snow, then I may guide us to my home.” 

Bingo.

It had worked, to a certain degree. Nothing was set in stone yet, but the progress he’d made was enough to set a smile on his face, which he flashed at her as he reached out for the crate. “My cost depends on your demands, but a simple barter will suffice for now...”

The snow was starting to drift down in lazy flurries as they approached the edge of town. Jack surveyed the road separating them from the forest, noting the patches of ice and frosted weeds sprouting up from the neglected asphalt. “I walked here myself, though from another direction. And don’t worry- winter has always been my favorite season.”

He held out an arm to steady his companion as they crossed the ice, taking the moment to study her frame. Short, slight, with long crimson hair and a splash of freckles. Not unlike Dementia superficially, though the half of her face he could see was rounder and... cute. Surprisingly cute.

“I’ll admit, I’m mostly looking for medicines right now. My supply is low, and demand might spike at any time. Peace is so fragile these days...”

Jack paused at the treeline, trying to cover his intrigue and giddiness with an embarrassed chuckle. “Forgive me, but I don’t think I caught your name. I’m Doctor Jack Carter, though my friends call me Jack. Others call me doctor, or... in some circles... Eyeless Jack.”

He had made a point not to bring his mask- an item Raza had made for him during the first weeks he’d been with them, and thus both precious and a dead giveaway of his identity. Numerous Proxies had seen him wearing it while collecting the wounded and dead, and word had spread to avoid harassing him accordingly. Here and now, harassment was what he wanted.

Still, his frame was hard to miss. He may not have had proof of his identity, but perhaps it wouldn’t matter. For all he knew, this person was a monster, just like him. The few that still had their heads on straight weren’t picky about their company.

Ships Passing {Closed RP with facelessandmasked}

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

Things weren’t quite as busy as they normally had been, but now with winter halfway through and a new season steadily creeping up, the Proxy knew better than to laze around completely. She had to put her skills to use and get things ready for spring, most of which consisted of making and stockpiling on a variety of medicines and the like. And while she did that, it also gave her a chance to do some teaching to her young one back at home. 

So after spending some time in the small plant shop, she obtained a decent haul of goodies that would help her get started on things. She was especially giddy over the Aloe, it being the last one in the shop and the ones she had at home were about to be harvested to the fullest and stored away, so to grow up a new one from a babe such as this was exciting. 

Now all she had to do was tough it out, walk a block with heavy products into an alley and teleport herself and then-

Or not. Instead she had to deal with a- 

Red pried her eyes away from her possessions to focus on the source of the voice. A man? Well, he looked like one, normal… handsome as well, however… he wasn’t human. He reeked of something else, an inhuman aura engulfing him. Did he know she wasn’t one either and was attempting to become friends because of it? Or-

No. His demeanor didn’t seem to be toward the goal of friendship. He wanted something. 

Instinctively, Red held onto her belongings tighter and let off a bit of her own aura, just enough that would make others be wary as to whether or not to approach so that she could see how he’d react. Nothing inhuman would be smart enough to get this close to her without thinking twice, so why would he? 

“Are you so bold as to imply that I am not able to carry my purchased goods myself?” she asked coyly. “Or is there an underlying question to the one you had already proposed?” 

Something about her seemed to shift as he approached; Jack couldn’t put his finger on it, but it was definitely not a welcoming change. He hesitated, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly as he gazed at her with innocent eyes. There was definitely something more to this woman... something unfamiliar. Something dangerous.

A part of him wanted to apologize and turn around; he had enough thrills as it was with Dementia around the house, and was definitely not in the market for more hazardous companions. Especially with Raza to look after, and their situation growing more unsteady by the week.

And yet... that Aloe was the last in town, and he’d been trying to save up enough for it for weeks. It was in high demand, especially now that folks were looking to ease and soothe smaller aches and rashes, but Jack had never managed to keep one alive for very long before it blackened and died. Now this woman was walking off with it, along with a multitude of other young plants...

“I don’t mean to offend.” He laid on the charm hard, easing his voice into that pleasant middle ground between a growl and a purr. “I’m someone who enjoys assisting others. It brings me a great deal of pleasure to be of service.”

A small voice wafted up from the back of his mind, whispering warnings he had no intention of heeding. Danger or no, if he could befriend this person, he might have a chance of having a more stable supply of medicine that didn’t involve so much trouble. With that in mind, he pressed his charisma as far as it could take him. “The underlying question, my dear, is whether or not you think your energy should be spent carrying luggage, when you could apply it more productively. Allow me to shoulder the burden for you... Maybe you’ll come to enjoy my company in the meantime.”

Those Who Wander (CLOSED RP)

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

“A celebration?” Her hand slowly fell back to her side, her head tilting some at the recommendation. 

“How cute,” she mused, walking up to and passed Dementia, raising a hand to have her fingers ever so delicately brush against her cheek as she slowly went on by. Was her comment in regards to the offer or about how she was handling the knife? It was hard to tell. “Generally I celebrate by treating myself to a few pastries and a latte from Burnt Sienna. Have you ever been there? It is quite nice. You may meet others that are, well, like us during the evening.” 

Burnt Sienna. It was a twenty-four hour little hidden gem of a cafe that Red would frequent and has known about for years now. Typically, she’d visit once it was seven in the evening or later, what with the staff switching out and leaving a blind girl in charge. This made it a safe haven for criminals and creatures, a place where no fighting were to take place no matter if an enemy were present. It was hard for such places to exist, and no one wanted to risk destroying it. 

“But considering the time, perhaps we should go there another day. Hunting would have to suffice.” She stopped by a tree and tucked away her knife, making sure that Dementia saw what she was doing. It wasn’t that Red needed it to be out, but maybe putting it away would make the other feel a little less threatened by her. 

A brief look up at the sky was made before she looked down at the ground, taking note of the shadows. It was about early afternoon. She wanted to be home as soon as possible but at the same time, she had to deal with this other being here. At least she thought ahead before leaving, making sure to prepare and leave out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and fruit along with a juice pack for her son for lunch. Now here’s to hoping he didn’t go into the fridge and decide to spoil their fox with some meat she was intending to cook for dinner… 

“Well then,” the Proxy looked back up at Dementia and began to casually braid her own hair, not wanting her crimson locks to get in the way of hunting, “how about you lead the way?” 

Others like us.

Dementia barked out a nervous laugh. “I’d rather stick to my own territory, thanks. No need to make more enemies than I already have.”

Or risk running into him, she thought with a shudder. After all, I know he is looking for me... and Jack, too.

No. If the offer was made again, she’d have to decline it. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be. Hopefully, they’d have a good hunt, split the spoils, and Dementia could head home knowing they wouldn’t be attacked by their powerful neighbor.

Upon watching her put away her weapon, Dementia mirrored the move. They wouldn’t need steel to take down the average buck, anyway. Not when Red Rhymer had those shadows, and Dementia herself...

“I know it’s sudden, but... it would be faster if I carried you, I think.” She started unbuttoning her coat, bottom buttons first. “And not in this form. I promise not to hurt you, if that helps.”

Her other form was not something Dementia was proud of, but for this purpose it was far more practical than continuing to pretend she was human.

The winter chill swept through her like a blade of its own as she let her only layer hang open slightly. She’d gotten tired of shredding her clothes while shifting; the coat had large pockets, and buckled loosely at the throat so she wouldn’t lose it even while monstrous. It had been Jack’s idea, now that she was thinking about it. A good idea, to be sure, but not something she would have come up with on her own.

“You can use my coat to protect you from the chill. I won’t need it while I’m... not human.”

Those Who Wander (CLOSED RP)

silver-eyes-and-bloody-hands‌:

At the lack of a handshake, the redhead slowly furled her fingers and returned her hand back to her side, a single thought of ‘Rude’ in her mind from the improper greeting. 

-”My enemies call me… the Servant’s Terror.”-

The Servant’s Terror. 

The name went on repeat in her mind again and again. This being her was the one that would go about killing other Proxies. They never knew why but there was an impact made so great that it was advised to flee from the creature if they were ever in sight. Only the foolish would attempt to defeat and kill them, the only remains left being strewn about the area where the humans had died. Most were left unidentified save for the broken masks. 

But… Red had incapacitated this Terror in the span of a few seconds. Could have done who knows what with their body. Was this Terror truly something to be feared, or was it simply an advantage this particular Proxy had? Either way, this was knowledge she would keep from the other Servants for now.

“If I have a name among my enemies, I know not of it. However the other Servants would refer to me as The Living Doll or something along the lines of it at times if that is of any use to you,” she replied. 

“As for this, as for you-” she brought up a hand to her face, raising a finger over the lips of her mask to signify ‘silence,’ “will be kept a secret. I feel as if an allegiance of sorts may be an advantage to the both of us, do you not agree, Miss. Dementia?” 

Dementia could not hide the relief that washed across her face. No retribution, no retaliation, no further harm was coming her way.

Still, though. Caution would continue to do her some good here. “Yes. I agree. So... how do you think we should celebrate?”

A cocky smile danced across her lips as she thought back to the many things she’d learned during her daily scouting trips. “There’s a herd of deer taking residence on my territory at the moment. They like the fact that the river that flows near where I live still isn’t frozen. Perhaps we should go hunting?”

She pulled a knife from her pocket, making a deliberate attempt to look casual as she leaned against a nearby tree and examined the blade. “It’s the best way for us to show off without either of us dying. And if we attract trouble... well, two is better than one in any fight, wouldn’t you agree?”

And it’ll get me closer to the cabin, she thought, and closer to Jack. Maybe I can send him and Raza a message?

The idea was quickly dismissed, though, as she remembered what Jack had said about his abilities. “It’s not specific, not words or images or anything like that. I can read emotions, feel them even, and pick up other consciousnesses around me like sonar. It’s limited. And I can’t distinguish one from another. I can’t tell if it’s you on the other side of the door or my mother.”

Sending her allies a message without alerting Red Rhymer would be difficult. Maybe she’d think of something on the way?

One thing was for sure: she couldn’t expose them to this... Proxy. Whoever, whatever she was, if she turned on Dementia, the last thing she wanted was for her family to get hurt too.