Black Winged Solace [Delilah]

[Kyrie Blaze]

. o O ( There's room for a couple short posts before its just Delilah (and NPCs) and Kyrie. )


Kyrie's eyes snapped open, thrashing though her body was caught and trapped. A name, wordless, was screamed though it was curiously muffled, every muscle tight and straining until she recognized she was in her own bed. Realized that it was only the blanket she was completely tangled in. Realized that the scream had been muffled by her pillow. Realized that she was drenched in cold sweat. Panicked, she slumped and panted after twisting almost violently onto her back.

Blue eyes that were still too wide flicked rapidly around the room. Rai was hardly ever here, something about a blood mansion and Mathew had his own things to attend to, and seemed to have made a more permanent home in Mount Olympus. A soft creak from the house shifting and settling urged a noise of breathless alarm from between her lips and shadow spiraled from the hand closest to the edge of the bed.

Kyrie disappeared from the patch of light upon the bed. Yet again she hadn't slept very long, or very deeply. An ache throbbed at her temples as she flipped into a crouch in the shadow plane, the blanket being left on her bed. The blonde was at the point that she no longer knew - nor wanted to know - how much sleep she'd gotten. Normally, she tried to remain within the shadows while she slept--it just felt like she was safer and less exposed.

Already, she could tell this day was not going to go well.




It turned out she was right.

Reliving the memories, as intrusive as they already were, were practically unbearable. Kyrie couldn't focus, and a large part of her that had once cried that she was strong enough to make it through this alone now cried for understanding and even comfort, though the latter would come with the former preceding it. This latest episode had Kiyr collapsing once again, eyes glazed as what was real and what had happened blurred together.

Thankfully, however, she stopped herself from screaming.

She was tired. Enough was enough. All of the paranoia, the extreme vigilance, anxiety, and stress she was enduring, she couldn't any more--she just couldn't take it. She was so close to collapse, it seemed, that she couldn't remember why she had come this way in the first place. The skyscrapers - what was left of most of them - loomed. Perhaps subconsciously, she knew today would be the day she reached her breaking point. The only person that Kyrie trusted enough that would understand, precisely, what was going on from the abuse she'd received would be Delilah. And there was only one more way of travel that would afford her safety like she felt within shadow, but would expedite her trip.

She wouldn't have to wait for dark, though being so tired would undoubtedly draw upon her reserves. The climb towards the top moreso.

But it was face exhaustion or continue to face the sensation of pain and hands that wandered and touched where they had no business touching. And the latter was certainly tormenting her more than exhaustion.




There was no joy in this flight. It didn't light her normal spark and fire and enthusiasm. Not with her blue eyes scanning, searching, and rescanning. Though undoubtedly she felt much safer than walking so exposed. A shiver rolled down her spine; she was safer unless someone with an ability the same as David's or--

Choking back a sound of distress, Kyrie angled her flight path with her wingsuit of shadow for the Crow Territory, which was coming in hot and fast just before her. Her breath hitched and spiked as she dove down, overshooting the wall but instead arrowing in to the shadow of a building after the booming CRACK echoed through the air as the petite woman manipulated her qi into a quick parachute to apply the brakes to her breakneck passage through the air. The distance she overshot? A block or two. Just before she hit, shadow cocooned her body, allowing her a buffer zone so she wouldn't hurt herself with the first connection to the shadow against the building.

The feeling of a hand sliding down her abdomen had her flinging herself from the shadows, wide-eyed, looking around rapidly.

She had meant to hit the gate wall. That had been her target.

But rather than wait, unless guards immediately descended upon her, Kyrie turned to make her way towards the 'Nest, and presumably Delilah herself. Her gaze anxiously twitched to and fro. Despite the fact that this was the Crow's Territory, the blonde certainly felt less at ease here. She seemed alert enough, calm enough, but her strides were quick and with purpose. It took effort to not run and call out. Briefly, her breaths were shaky, duress weighing heavily on her shoulders, but she soon smoothed both inhales and exhales out.

Kyrie refused to broadcast her anguish to the public and cause a stir.

No, she certainly didn't want to make more of a scene than her misguided entrance would already bring; bad enough she was so undone that she hadn't even managed to enter the territory properly.

[Delilah A. Black]

The blue-tooth crackled on the nightstand and Delilah opened her eyes in response immediately. She glared at the blinking LED light hatefully. Not that she had been sleeping all that well (she rarely did these days), but what little time she did have to at least try was precious in its scarcity. After a few seconds of staring down at the blinking device, the mechanic sighed and shifted into a sitting position, pulling the gadget off the table and sticking it to her ear.

--ack, do you read?

"I read, Sergei. What's the situation?"

It is appearink zat ve are beink invaded. Guards on ze perimeter report seeing a shape fly over ze vall from a large buildink, and seeink an parachute deploy.

The mechanics eyes narrowed and she stood, hastily pulling on a pair of jeans. "How many are there?"

Ze guards only report one paratrooper. I checked with ze other stations, and zey have seen nothink.

...Another think. Ze guards could not locate ze intruder; it appeared as though zey smacked into ze side of ze buildink, but ven zey shone ze spotlight on ze area, zere vas nothink.

Delilah frowned, peeking into Oliver's room to make sure he was still asleep before (regretfully) leaving the boy for the umpteenth time in the dead of night. "Investigate. Have a look around the area with three or four other men. Wake the other Tengu and have them establish a perimeter around the Nest; no one but me gets in or out unless I say so. I'll be there momentarily. Over."

Copy zat, kommandeur. Over and out.

Locking the door to the apartment, Delilah quietly left her quarters as she replaced their knives in their usual holsters and left the base. She walked slow, keeping an eye on the perimeter and peering down side streets, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

[Kyrie Blaze]

. o O ( Megan you can let me know of Kiyr's progress considering you know your own territory more than I do. )

The wary blonde had eyes and ears peeled as she moved along - location in regards to the 'Nest still fairly far off as she was only a block or two in - and while she did take the straightest path...she didn't stick to a lot of the main streets. Instead she preferred smaller streets and overcame obstacles through use of parkour, vaulting and using walls to elevate her jumps. To most people, she was completely silent when she moved, her natural talent elevated by her shoes. Landing in a crouch from one such leap in particular she froze to sudden stillness.

Watchful, wary.

Unquestioning of her instincts - they had saved her too many times for her to ignore them - she simply disappeared into the nearest shadow and strained her ears. From within the shadows she could see into the night more clearly. Not perfectly, but certainly somewhat easier.

Steadying her breathing she moved with great care, to the very end of the shadow. Kyrie was certainly paranoid. Coupled with hyper vigilance and being nearly exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically, it was all taking its toll. She would not trust to hope or chance that whatever snapped her attention up was even remotely friendly. As she twisted to look more fully around, her braid fell over her shoulder. The weight was familiar, but...but she felt like she was caught in something much larger than the shadows.

Memories--or simply one in particular. And it never ended well for her. A fine tremour started to work through her body, a product of anxiety and adrenaline as she listened and looked.

[Delilah A. Black]

Along Kiyr's line of sight, she would see two people walking briskly side by side, close enough to hear the conversation as they rounded the corner.

"--see why WE had to go toooooo!" the comely blonde woman pouted with an aggravated sigh.

"We were the only ones in the area," A rough, spikey haired hoodlum looking man replied gruffly. "Del's orders. Not a good idea to ignore those."

"Well I know THAAAT but we were...doin' stufff~" the blonde giggled, sidling up to the taller man as they strode down the rode. He chuckled suggestively back at her. "That we were..."

If Kiyr remained hidden, she would remain undetected as the man and woman passed by. But, if she did not engage them, she would hear audible footsteps heading towards her location.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kiyr controlled herself enough to not make a face and ensure she listened well, just in case they let something slip. They were the only ones in the area? Delilah's orders? For what? Most likely for her, considering her entrance, but she certainly wasn't going to reveal herself with these two.

The blonde Barrial spun on her heel as the hairs along the back of her neck rose and she strafed to the side, searching for the person or people the approaching footsteps belonged to. She had no reason to draw a weapon even in the shadows, but her hands were up and at the ready regardless. The petite woman strafed for the wall and continued to wait. Her mind told her to move on, but if there was something else and if this was it--

--what if there were more?

Her skin crawled and she pressed her lips into a thin line, going eerily still. Her gaze, intent, stared.

[Delilah A. Black]

A shadow looming against the light, Nigel would stride down the street towards Kiyr, eyes swiveling from side to side. The sun only seemed to enhance his impressive musculature; if not for his permanent scowl, it might almost be easy to perceive him as handsome, something that was very likely not on Kiyr's mind at the moment.

If she ducked out of the way, he would not notice the slender blonde woman...but he would stop exactly at her twelve o'clock position, lifting a hand to his ear.

"I read.

"...."

"No, I have not located the intruder yet. The others don't seem to be taking this quite as seriously--....I understand. What do you want me to do if I happen upon him?

"...you sure?" He sneered, indicating his disapproval.

"...Yes, you are the one in charge. Ma'am. I understand, over and out."

Dropping his hand with a gruff grunt of displeasure, Nigel would continue forward, stalking down the alley and away from Kiyr.

If by chance, she DID allow herself to be seen, the large man would quickly alter his path towards the silhouette hiding in the shadows, storming his way towards her with a scowl evident on his face.

[Kyrie Blaze]

There was no way, no how that Kyrie was letting herself be seen. She stayed within shadow, feeling her qi flow to keep her on the different plane. She quirked her head, scanning and then rescanning the features of the male - though her mind definitely was not upon his looks - before her gaze zipped around once again. There was a dim sense of curiosity but it was smothered by her need to get where she was going.

Still, the one member of the Tengu would expedite her journey from the side street. And if he veered off-course she would simply slip from his shadow to another through very discreet means. So as he stalked passed, Kyrie matched her pace to his and used his shadow as a solid pase, crouching to plant herself within it, her fingers just touching the shadow near her feet to tag along.

She didn't know what was said on the other side of the comms, but could only guess. And if it was Delilah, she was obviously nowhere near Nigel himself, which meant her journey inwards would have to continue.

[Delilah A. Black]

And the little shadow ghost was spotted.

From her perch on the roof, she observed all her Tengu and the other members of Crows scouting for the intruder on foot. Her birds-eye position (pun intended) made it easy to see if and when their paratrooper would chicken out and flush him or herself out at the sign of armed forces.

And while she did not expect to see the movement of a shadow moving from the side of a wall to combine with Nigel's foot falls, she was not surprised; the little Yuurei was as stealthy as they get.

But that also begged the question why? Why was she here? Why didn't she go through the main gate and request an audience with someone? The Dragons were as welcome as the Crows were in their own land...so why did she feel the need to hide?

Curious, she lifted a hand to her ear piece to contact Nigel.

. . .

The blue-tooth blipped again. Letting out another aggravated grunt, he lifted his hand to the ear piece again.

"Yes?

"...what? But ho-"

"....."

"I see. Reporting back to the 'Nest; ETA three minutes. Over and out."

The brawny black man would seem somewhat...disconcerted, but ran off in the direction of the 'Nest at his commander's behest.

Soon, he would be jogging up the steps to the bustling building, and diverting left and headed towards the garage, which was the mechanic's unofficial office. Once inside the brightly lit room, the raven haired woman would be seen past a few yards of dangling chains and works-in-progress, jotting down a report to 'Unfettered' at her desk.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Either they found the intruder, or they figured out where she was. The hairs along Kyrie's neck rose with an eerie sense of near-for boding. However, she would stick with him until he reached his destination, not alltogether comfortable. But because he'd been called back to the 'Nest, there didn't seem to be many other options for what was the cause of Nigel's sudden call to regroup at the base. The blonde's mind ticked away as he ran.

This shadow-surfing wasn't quite like the rush that David's quick movement gave her, but it gave her time to think and plan. She didn't know where he was going, exactly, and it put her even more on edge--if such a thing were possible. Once he stepped into the brightly lit area, her gaze slashed around the space quickly. Delilah was noted, and she pushed her fingers through Nigel's shadow and slid her qi outwards--just behind him, and to a wide area so that which shadow she bridged herself in to would be better concealed.

WIth a push of will she left Nigel's shadow and was yanked into another.

It was there she turned in her crouch and watched, eyes bright. Curious. Wary. Anxious.

Was it even Delilah? It had to be, but she wasn't about to just pop out and introduce herself. That would be a good way for Nigel to perceive a threat and attack, thus triggering her own flight or fight instincts.

[Delilah A. Black]

Nigel stood across from his commanding officer with a scowl and a questioning look. For a while, Delilah just let him stand there, waiting to see if the little shadow hopper would come out of her hiding spot. When it became apparent she wouldn't, the raven haired woman would finally look up with a brusque nod to Nigel.

"Thank you, Nigel. You are dismissed."

Looking puzzled and perhaps a touch annoyed, Nigel snapped off a salute and stormed back out of the garage...having no idea what just occurred in the confines of the First's mind.

Finishing off her sentence, Delilah looked up and gazed solemnly around her office, looking for any sign of the young blonde woman. Finally, the mechanic smiled welcomingly, though not really focusing on anything in particular.

"You can come out, Kiyr," she called out softly, rising to her feet and pushing the chair back with a scrape. "Could I interest you in some coffee?"

[Kyrie Blaze]

All was still and silent for several long moments after Delilah spoke. It was an internal struggle that Kyrie dealt with, now, though she flinched and shrank back from the scrape of the chair upon the floor. With a thick swallow, the blonde's eyes darted back and forth a while longer.

Now that she was here, with trust hanging in the balance, it seemed to be a monumental effort to step from the shadow plane and into plain sight. To reach out to the only woman - that Kyrie knew of - that had suffered through any kind of molestation.

'Women can rape, too, you know.' Her mind began to twist the only form of shelter she could think to ask to have some kind of respite from the tempest that was devouring her. She shook her head, denying herself. They persisted. 'The tortured canbecome the torturer!'

With a quick exhale she appeared in a crouch, and slowly stood. Though it had been longer since she had last seen Delilah, there were stark changes to her appearance within the past week. Despite feeling terribly, terrifyingly exposed, she stood still. Very still. Gauging Delilah's reaction to her presence. Not her appearance, just her presence.

"...I would normally accept the offer for coffee..." She trailed off, her blue eyes flicking away. Around the room, once again. She strained her ears, listening intently as her eyes drifted back to Delilah. For several moments, she seemed to stare bough through and past the raven-haired woman before snapping back into focus. "I apologize--for my intrusion. At this hour."

[Delilah A. Black]

Delilah waited, patiently, for the young blonde woman to emerge from her hiding place somewhere in the shadows. A foreboding tickle stoked the back of her neck in the moments before Kiyr appeared; a churning in the air that made her think something wasn't quite right.

Seeing her rise out of the shadows as she did solidified the notion for her; it wasn't how she looked (though the word 'bedraggled' came to mind), but it was the air about her: It was congested with...thought, was the best way she could put it. She could almost feel the harried pace of the blonde woman's thoughts clashing together in her mind like choppy waves, could see them swirling behind her haunted blue eyes. It was how still she stood; like prey trying to avoid the notice of a predator.

Christ, Kiyr, what happened to you?

"...I would normally accept the offer for coffee...

I apologize--for my intrusion. At this hour."

Even the way she spoke made Delilah think she was under attack and made her want to get her knives and put Oliver some place safe. The furitive air about the otherwise expressionless girl was...unnerving.

Delilah smiled reassuringly at the young woman. "No need to apologise...though I do wonder what brings you here in such a way," she added promptingly.

"Mrooow."

Jauntily and as smooth as only a feline could be, a seal and cream tortoiseshell cat waltzed out from between a couple of engines and padded her way silently towards Kiyr. The aloof creature sat at the feet of the young blonde woman and wrapped her tail primly around her feet, staring expectantly up at Kiyr with an air of superiority that could only be conjured by a cat.

"...Aneko. I haven't seen you for a while."

The cat turned her head slightly to blink once at Delilah before facing back to Kiyr. Expectant.

Delilah chuckled and came around to the other side of the desk to lean against it. "I think she wants you to pick her up."

[Kyrie Blaze]

The surprise was expected. And though, considering Delilah's very nature, the concern was expected, it still sent a sharp jolt of surprise zinging through the blonde's body and mind. Though she didn't quite know what else she was expecting - but again she should have known nothing less - but Delilah's smile had the tension starting to leak from her body...

...until she nearly jumped out of her skin from the sudden, silent appearance of the cat, who only let out a warning meow as she shimmered into visibility. In fact, the blonde hopped back a pace, eyes shooting wide open until she realized it was just. a. cat. Calming her racing heart and immediately controlling her breathing from her first startled inhale, Kyrie stared down at the cat for a moment. Aneko. Had Kyrie been thinking a little more she could have connected the name to irony. She wasn't versed - even particularly well - in Japanese. But a word, here and there, she recognized from her brother and sister's love of anime. Aneko. A Neko.

'...breathe, Kyrie...'

Kyrie's eyes flicked up and away from the cat with the additional movement; an instinctive move of self-preservation. Upon noting it was Delilah moving, her gaze flickered around a moment until the black-haired woman spoke once again. Pick the cat up..? Kyrie's gaze slid down again.

Hands full--it meant her hands would be full and she would be more vulnerable and--

Even leaning down slowly, letting the cat sniff at her fingers before gently scritching under her chin, the blonde completely forgot the prompt Delilah had edged out after her apology. Gently, she curved her hands and arms underneath the cat and straightened back up, fingers burying into soft fur. It was an unexpected comfort. Not a dog, and never her dog...never again, anyway. But cats were magic in their ability to soothe, regardless. Even despite that, the extra vulnerability had thoughts chasing thoughts once again. Blue eyes flickered around once again before staring at Delilah after moving back to her..

[Delilah A. Black]

Delilah moved slowly and with great deliberation as she settled herself against the desk; each move was telegraphed long in advance, making it easy to see that she was about to move. The movements were graceful and flowing; no threat emanated from her in anyway. In fact, if there was an aura about Delilah at all right now, it would be a soothing calmness that stemmed from her relaxed state.

She had seen fear like this before, in her son and in herself. Escaping their burning home a few miles North of Anaheim to the ocean front had been an ordeal for him. He pretended for three days that he was sleeping because the nightmares from the first night were that terrifying for him. She could relate; how long was it before she had a decent nights sleep after she had escaped from the asylum?

It's funny how primal fear makes a person, reduces us to our base instincts...makes children of us all.

Aneko immediately went limp in Kiyr's arms --as ragdoll cats are wont to do-- and began a low, deep vibration in her chest. She lifted her head up to peer at Kiyr and stare at her balefully for a moment, as if to say 'adequate' before nuzzling her head against the blonde's chest and swishing her tail from side to side.

Delilah grinned, shaking her head lightly at her adopted cat. She had taken to wandering the base as she pleased, hunting mice and the like to suit her whims.

Her blue eyes moved back to focus on Kiyr's...and then moved to elsewhere on her face. Her fragility made Delilah think that staring too hard might break her. She kept the easy smile on her face.

"Would you be more comfortable sitting down? Do you take sugar with your coffee? I'm afraid we're out of cream."

[Kyrie Blaze]

With Delilah's exuded calm acting as a buffer within the room, and the cat going limp and purring in her arms, a small amount of the tension in Kyrie's body escaped with a shaky little sigh. Not enough to reverse the nature she'd developed over the course of the last week...but it was a success nevertheless. She blinked slowly at the cat's condescending look before Aneko's antics had the blonde cradling the cat close to her chest with a slight sway that was as much an unguarded movement as it was from weariness.

Two sets of blue eyes met and Delilah was the first to break eye contact. It was both a relief and cause for concern. Had she intruded too far? The blonde's heart gave a lurch of alarm and her fingers buried themselves deeper into the cat's fur, stroking gently, her grip upon the feline akin to a child seeking comfort from something she wasn't sure she could really have. Light and gentle, yet holding on as though the animal could dissolve at any moment.

Her fear was probably wrong, judging by the slight curve of Delilah's lips.

'...perhaps she is judging me.' Dismayed at her thoughts and their continued path of destruction, Kyrie blinked frantically a few times and strove to catch up with what Delilah asked. She managed a wane smile that fell soon after.

"...I look like I 'need' coffee..?" She questioned. While she was a tiny pinch more calm, she was still strung out, though the purring cat in her arms did wonders to slow her heart rate down without the blonde noticing. She was getting tired, between Aneko and Delilah's oddly calming effect on her. Her legs threatened to start trembling. The calm closed in. Slowly, yes, but inexorably, and the Shadow of the Earth Dragon was terrified to reach out and grasp it, though the monster in her memories was equally as terrifying. "...I suppose--I could sit..?"