An Odd Way To End A Thursday

[Rain]

It is ten minutes past four in the afternoon when the clouds begin to darken. Heavily, fast.

Within thirty seconds, a thunder storm threatens too spoil what had been a beautiful day. A darkness is cast across the land. Lightning cracks across the sky. Thunder follows it shortly after. For a moment, everything is deathly still above the clearing. A a bolt of white, searing light races behind the clouds. It seems to have come from directly beyond the mountains, and two smaller, fainter ones follow it. They each strike the ground in the most prominent clearing land that borders the castle, and the thunder that follows is terribly loud. The ground is scorched from the impact of the lightning, and out of the white light, three figures step.

"Is this.. it?" A young man stands off to the side, moving away from his arrival point. He glances over the nearby area- Very quiet, very grey. Not the afternoon he had wanted to have, either. He's taller than the ones he travelled with, but is clearly quite a young man still, no older than eighteen. Turning to the other two, his eyes focus on the woman in the middle- Short in stature, clad in grey and blue hues. 

"Mother?" It takes the familiar term to shake the incredibly young woman from her thoughts. Rain turns to her son, regarding him. Immediately she scowls, slapping her own hip.

"I'm your mother, it isn't so terrible that you should have to spend a whole afternoon not playing video games to help me install myself as Queen of a foreign land. How often do I ask you for anything?" The twenty seven year old scolds her son, and he looks rather sulky for it now. The girl beside them ventures forward, red hair gleaming in the light as she takes up the sight of the castle. No older than sixteen, somewhat petite, casually dressed. A child through and through. 

"Shall we? Before Olivia begins tearing things up?" Rain grumbles, as she notes Olivia heading for the castle. Turning on a heel, the blonde follows her daughter, careless and not bothering to look all around her. From somewhere behind her, she can hear the heavy foot steps of her son as he follows. He's in a mood, now, she can bloody well tell. He'd hate her even more when she let him know that he was officially deployed here from this evening onwards.

With a pause, she stomps her foot into the ground, sending out a pulse- a shockwave of energy and magic. It was designed to rouse, shake or otherwise let any denizens or inhabitants of the land know that somewhere was here. If they wanted to follow it, it should be easy enough for even a mortal to follow the pulse of this power. Outside, it begins to lightly rain.

---

In an empty, darkened hall, Rain stands, awaiting. She eyes up the features of this place, turning slowly. It needs a clean up. The lore meant little to nothing with her, but she would have anything of historical note put away, as opposed to being destroyed. It looked like it needed some work, anyhow. A moment later, her daughter comes through the stone archway entrance, having searched- lazily- half the castle.

"Seems empty." Olivia says, striding towards her mother. It was ..interesting, she supposed, but nothing to write home about. It needed a good bloody clean, and she was sure she had heard Henry falling over something expensive and metal. A moment later, heavy foot steps tell her that he's on his way too. The read head finally bursts into the room, striding in confidently- and covered in cobwebs and dust. Rain has to stifle a laugh, turning away. Henry draws closer to the middle of the room, frowning.

"Empty. No one is here. Can we leave?" He turns to look around. Something felt ..off about it.

"No, in fact, you'll be staying for quite some time." Rain murmurs, as she stares intently at some windows in the castle walls. From the top of the arched windows, a strange, blue liquid begins to run down the panes.

"Excuse me, some time? You best only mean another hour." Henry waits for his mother to turn, but she doesn't. He then makes a point of pacing in front of her, turning on his heel. Olivia follows suit, not so much as frowning, but looking curious. Rain glances at them both, then shrugs.

"I'm taking over here. Declaring myself Queen, all that. And that means it is time for my children to fulfill their purpose. You'll stay here, with Olivia, and about fifty others. You'll watch over these lands, and yes- you may bring your Playstation." The pale blue ink continues to drip down, seeping into the glass and changing the tint of the room.

Olivia shrugs. Good enough reason for her. Henry, however, appears a little shocked.. and perhaps, taken aback.

"It's dead here, what is the point?"

"It's merely because I can."

 

[Izah]

-walks in, nods, participates.-

[Izah]

Some few hundred kilometers away, a disturbance was felt.


A tired female stirred from her nap under a great oak tree. Yawning, stretching her arms high above her head, she noticed the air had changed. It was a subtle change but she felt it none the less, pulling at her, drawing her in. She couldn't pick what it was but nevertheless, she rose from her perch under the tree, packed up her pillow and picnic gear into her drawstring bag and slung it over her shoulder. She hummed as she made her way to back to the little wooden shack she had set up so many years ago. The dusty old thing had seen better days but she called it home anyway. rummaging around in the tiny shack, she mumbled to herself, finding old bits of equipment and scrolls. When she had finally found what she was after, the shack was a mess, the cupboards empty, the floor unseen. She left it that way.

Exiting the shack, she knew exactly which way to go and trudged the path she always knew, back to the clearing where everything began. She reminisced of the old days, the sheer amount of people who had come and gone, lived and died here, it hurt her to remember that it was empty now. Possibly. The strange pull she felt was nothing like anything she had felt previously and perhaps it was merely nothing but she would check it out anyway.

The clouds had come over, the closer she got, the darker it became. Curious. She had finally arrived and it was as she had expected, empty, though the scorched earth in the middle was new. Let's take a closer look. She moved in, aware of her surrounds and only a little on edge. She knelt, running her fingers over the earth and made her way to the castle ruins, unless someone was here watching her in the trees, that's the only other place they could have gone.

Voices, there were voices coming from within the ruins. People? Were they friendly? A million thoughts ran through her head and she didn't even hesitate in making herself known, surveying these people. She stood in the doorway, staring at a woman and.. children? Tourists? No, surely not.

"Err... Hello, can I help you?"

[Rain]

Henry and Olivia have their backs to the wall, so they see her first. But Rain can hear her come in, and her face changes to an almost sour expression as she regards both of her children.

"You had.. one job." The blonde mutters, as she slowly turns to the woman who has entered. Barely. The last of the day's light falls in behind her, leaving the three shadowed in darker light with blue tint. Rain steps forward, her gown rustling as she brings herself into more bearable light. Behind her, the children don't move.

"Hello." Rain murmurs, her eyes wandering up and down her form. She didn't quite recognise her, but she wasn't surprised. She was not a fighter herself, and certainly hadn't been one to do so when the people from this land had come about. Or when they had previously been raided. She regards the female quietly, using a soft voice to speak.

"Oh, no help required. We're just settling in."

[Izah]

The female raised an eyebrow at the scene, eyes flicking between the children and the woman. This place had seen MUCH better days, the amount of shit this place had seen was phenomenal and it was still standing and in OKAY condition? Wow.

"You settle into ruins often?" Leaning on the door frame, arms crossed over her chest, she took her time looking over the woman. They didn't seem much of a threat but there was something off about them anyway. She shook off the thought and stepped forward, bag slipping from her shoulder, offering a hand to the woman. "Izah. Yourself?"

[Rain]

Henry watches Izah, arms folding across his chest. He draws a few steps closer, keeping himself purposefully relaxed. He briefly glances to his left, eyes on his younger sister. She, also a redhead, starts to step forward. They both draw a little closer to Rain, with Henry picking up the pace when the hand is extended.

Rain does not flinch as Izah draws closer, a soft smile still resting on her pale face. As she turns, the faded light gleams on a necklace of diamonds, and ones to match on her fingers catch the light as she raises a hand to grasp Izah's.

"Rain." Her voice is soft, and she holds onto her hand for at least a second too long. Henry tenses behind her, his eyes locked onto Izah.

"It is suitable. There are others on the way now.. Maybe, half an hour off. We'll get this place cleaned up and sorted. I must say, I'm surprised anyone is still here." Rain breaks the grip, gently releasing the hand and pacing to the left of the room. Inspecting it, quietly, for any major flaws. With a snap, a torch suddenly bursts into bright flames on the wall, shedding a little more illumination. Rain admires her own handiwork before turning to Izah.

"I don't suppose you know of there being any more of you? It's just that, I don't intend for this to be a hostile take over.."

[Cat]

"mmmrph"

Catelyn's eyes opened, head hung low, as she felt something begin to press itself against her body. A small gray and white cat was purring below, wordlessly making it's request to her. The woman raised her head, hands dropping from her lap to pet the creature who'd awoken her. A smile spread across her lips as she took in her familiar surroundings. A forest, one she roamed in her younger days when she had a lot more fight in her. Her home away from home. She wondered how she'd gotten here, why she was here again. Maybe it was the oath she made long ago, maybe it was because she didn't have much going for her otherwise.
Cat patted the smaller cat on the head before rising to her feet, dusting herself off of the twigs and leaves that had fallen on her. Patting her sides, she was surprised to find herself armed. Pulling the blade from it's sheath, she did not recall this sword. It wasn't one she had ever wielded in battle before. A double-edged blade with a black hilt. She put it away without studying it much more. Many questions streamed through her mind, but her soul guided her path as she stepped forward. The first place to check would have to be the castle. There was a giddiness in her step, anticipation filled her.

When it all finally came to hew view, for just a split moment the castle looked just as it had in its glory days. When she blinked, its ruined and old state was what lied before her. Not a surprise considering how long it had been. A thought came, maybe it was the old demon queen's spirit kept this place standing. At least that is what Cat liked to believe as she walked up the steps to the grand door. Her hands pushed the doors open, in the corner of her eye Cat watched her little gray and white friend run into the castle before her. She hadn't of even realized the feline was still with her. As the door shut behind her, Cat could feel she wasn't the only visitor today.

"Hello?"

[Jaziline]

A small frail figure on horseback rides forward. Her brown hair tied in a knot below her right ear a fake flower pinned beside her left ear. Truly it made her face look lopsided but she thought it was nice. She wore black riding coat and a pale grey dress hitched up to her hip. She rode up to the ancient building and hopped off. She wondered if Master has holed up here since he had abandoned his poor Mercy.

The young woman frowned at the few who seemed to have gathered here as she steered her pony toward the window with her and pulled at the knot in her dress to make herself proper as she peered into a window. Inside seemed like a slightly well off family and a stranger were making small talk. She could sense another presence was making herself known near the front door. 'Surely, Master wouldn't be boarded up with this strange lot' The young woman thought. The pony Neighed loudly as Mercy went to clamp his mouth shut. "Xan For Your sake keep it down" She groaned closing the horses mouth shut and peering in to see if her presence was made known.

[Izah]

An eyebrow was raised at the woman as Izah retracted her hand.

"Excuse me, hostile take over? There's nothing here. There's no one here, it's been this way for years." What was this woman thinking?

The torches sprang to life, the place was even more miserable lit up. Cob webs adorned the chandeliers, the corners of the hall, the paintings on the wall were faded and tattered, some had even fallen off the wall entirely. Tables and chairs littered the place like some great scuffle had happened, scratches embedded into the fine wooden architecture like they were nothing. Izah remembered this place. Remembered the gatherings, the nights they fought. The emptiness was a hole in her heart where this place was laid at rest. The ruins and the surrounding areas. Hearing the faint sound of another entering their presence, she spun on her heel to see a woman she didn't recognize and her greeting.

"Sorry, this room is taken."

[Cat]

The gray and white cat had dashed ahead, turning a corner and leaving Cat's view. She stepped down the familiar halls, following nothing but intuition and oh the faint voices she heard deeper in the castle. Cat was unaware of Mercy and Xan outside, her mind hyper-focused.
She didn't recognize the any of the voices. New people? It wasn't the first time that strangers had made themselves at home here. It was a nice castle, well despite the ruin. Cat recalled when she first came to the castle, as an immature girl who played with fire.…not much different then now except less fire.
Cat came to a halt in the doorway. She blankly stared at the people's in the room. Well...one of them looked somewhat familiar but she couldn't put her finger on it.
"Oh okay." Cat replied to Izah. She wasn't really sure what to think about the scene before her. Cat stood there quietly for a moment before saying, "my room is upstairs.…"
Cat fell awkwardly quiet, unsure.

[Rain]

Rain glances from Izah to Cat.

Outside, there is another noise.

The woman turns, glancing at her two teenagers. Both fiery haired children look.. more than a little surprised, the boy shrugging in response to his mother. Rain whips around again, with a bemused smile.

"You've got to be kidding." She finally announces, not bothering to introduce herself to the young woman who had made her presence known. Still glimmering in the dull light, she turns around and paces back towards her son and daughter. They share a moment of quiet conversation, before the teenage girl confidently leaves their group- striding past Izah and Cat, eyeing each up warily on her way, and ducking outside to investigate the noise that she was told had come from out there. Rain, in the mean time, turns back to Izah and Cat.

"I don't suppose either of you would like to be paid to serve as guides, ambassadors, anything like that, as it were?"

[Cat]

Cat stared at Izah up and down as the others quickly conversed amongst themselves. Where she had known him from had just escaped her memories. Whatever it was about him, she felt him to be a natural ally.
"I'm Cat, I used live here" she said to Izah. "You?"
As the teenage girl passed her, Cat returned the gaze with less wariness and more cuirosity. These people didn't exactly look like warriors. Though there was that saying about assumptions. Cat looked back to Rain when she spoke. She appeared to be the matriarch of the party.
"Pay with what? I have no use of gold or money" Cat asked. She felt as though there were more to the request. "I've roamed these lands quite a few times over. I wouldnt mind acting as a guide for free as it has been some time for me. My name is Cat."

[Rain]

For a matriarch, the woman is painfully young. Mid twenties, looks a little tired, she's definitely seen more than she ever needed too in her life time. Rain finds herself drawing closer to Cat, her movements being kept purposefully gentle and slow. On the off chance they are matched three for three, the last thing she wants to do is incite a fight and end up with more people turning up. They would need back up quicker than she had realised. When she's within distance, she holds a jewelled hand up, held out in the hand shake gesture.

"Lady Rain." A soft, formal introduction.

"We can always negotiate pay at a later date, should you find it becomes necessary. I'm scouting for some landmarks, hence the need for guides. I hear there were laboratories here, clones and the such were made. I need to find these laboratories." Her tone would imply it was urgent.

[Celine]

A pair of feet would past rapidly against the water soaked earth beneath her, a hand held just above her eyes as the young girl kept' the water out of her eyes enough to see where she was going. As she came upon the sight of a some sort of castle like structure, her pace would increase indefinitely making her way quickly up to the very front courtyard. She didn't necessarily call out or anything, remaining remotely quiet with a slight frown on her lips folding her hands neatly against her mid-section.

[Izah]

Unintentionally ignoring Cats' words, she furrowed a brow in response to the woman's words. Clones? What was she talking about?

"No, no. Cat is right, we have no use of gold or payment, but facilities? What such facilities have you heard of? I could have sworn there were none here at all." Confused entirely by the woman, Izah drew in a breath. This is not what she had expected when she felt the pull here. She was hoping for some kind of epic reuniting and instead it was just another stranger looking for things to steal.

[Rain]

A red headed teenager exits the castle through the front, where she immediately spots not one, but two women drawing up. This clearly catches her by surprise, and her eyes briefly linger on the pony and the woman in her riding dress. Her eyes then flicker to the other newcomer. She might be sixteen, pale, but visibly unarmed. She pauses in front of the door, just in line of her mother and brother.

"Who are you?" The teenager queries, looking past them, half expecting others to rock up. A sinking feeling is washing over her, as she glances backwards to her mother, mouthing 'two'.

Rain takes note of that, before snapping out of her daze to turn to Izah. What did she mean- a flash of pure, vitriolic anger mars her face. With a deep inhale, it cleans away, the blonde turning to stare at a wall. Behind her, Henry shuffles uncomfortably, rotating his gaze between his mother and sister. His hand slips into his pocket and returns to the light with a phone. He begins tapping out a message, pausing now and then to glance up at the female members of his family. Olivia seems fine, but Rain is tense.

"Laboratories. Places of science. I heard there was some... man, who did experiments. His facilities should have what I want."

[Celine]

The girl looked up at her with pale blue eyes. "My name is Celine.. I got lost and saw this castle. I've been out here on my own for a while now.." she explained, looking around cautiously at the structure. "I know it may sound cliche.. Running up to mysterious castles all by yourself, but what's a girl like my self to do?" she grimaced slightly. "..Where am I anyway? And who're you?"

[Cat]

"hm"
As some of her questions were answered, Cat was also left with more. Her left hand would raise, to rest on the hilt of her sword. She knew possibly of what Rain sought. There were a few people that Rain described that she could think of. Some sticking out more then others.
"The places you seek, they should not be disturbed."
Cat knew she was not like Nathan. While she felt confident her abilities, in her magic... but Nathan was magic and more. If this Rain were like Weiss or Father G… Cat did not want to entertain the thought.
"I do not know where these places are but I can confirm they exist," Cat continued, "I wish you luck in finding these places but I must warn you as well. You'll never know who you find in places like that."

[Izah]

Izah furrowed her brow, shoot a scowl at Cat. "This woman shouldn't have even know they existed, Cat." She let out a heavy sigh, scanning the room they stood in. "I cannot believe this place is such a mess. Did no one hire a janitor?" She scoffed at her own joke, spinning on her heel and heading for the door. Let the woman find these places on her own, Izah certainly was not going to help her.

[Rain]

Not to know about them? Typical. This land may have been the same rough size as All Out War, but Rain- being quite a snob and elitist at the best of times, can't help but feel like they're all underestimating her. How did she know? Word spread. As travellers tended to have to pass through both lands to get to others, it wasn't so odd that the word might travel, of strange scientists and more. It seemed like War had suffered on a smaller scale what All Out War suffered on a cataclysmic one. Rain watches as Izah turns away, glancing to Cat. She has fear, she can tell that. But why? Underlying trauma, perhaps?

"You'd be surprised at what I do know." She murmurs, regarding the female. Cocking her head, a warmer expression breaks over her face.

"Have no fear, I'm ..quite the force of nature, as it were. I have reason to believe these facilities. have long since been abandoned." Rain briefly turns to Henry, nodding to him. He turns away and begins looking for another exit- preferably to the side of the castle.

"Sounds like I'm on the right track. Look, you can leave, but just remember- When I do find those places.." And Rain steps forward, just to ensure Izah can hear her. Briefly, she glances to Cat, a dangerous smile forming on her face. Behind her, her son is solemn as he finishes his message and hits send.

"If I open those doors and something.. untoward, or unexpected comes out, if I'm not prepared or perhaps, alone.. Whatever you fear can and will spread. I'm sure you'd hate for your homeland to be overrun of anything, right?"