"Emma." Jack groaned, shakily as he still felt the tendencies to kill something. Emma turned, she'd cooked some bacon and flapjacks for herself and Jamie.
"Hmmm?"
"Nothing." His voice squeaked from last night, along with having roared and howled to the moon with the others along with screaming at his demonic side to... well... go fuck itself and it had replied.
Wish I could but Jamie's already done that. In which he'd screamed at it more and the others had became concerned, chasing him down and then he'd said nothing and had returned home; that's how the night went.
"Hungry? I'm working on making something." Jack looked at the flapjacks, but the glare his sister gave him made him nod as his stomach answered for itself; very hungry, Roxas cried in pain from being changed back by sun.
"Hmm." Jack went to the room he slept in, picking him up and hushing him with reassurances that he'd be ok and that it was almost over. Roxas wailed out, disturbing Jamie who would have been up anyway... Soon he stopped though as it finished and he just sniffled. Jack patted Roxas' back.
"There, there, hungry?" He smiled and held Roxas close as he went to the kitchen and started to make him some food.
"Solids only pal, we're weaning you off the bottle; you're a big boy now." Roxas pouted at that as Jamie yawned and went to the kitchen.
"Well, I'll get him some milk... just no more bottle okay bud?" Roxas nodded reluctantly as Jamie got him a small cup of milk in a spill proof sippy cup. Jack sighed when Jamie took Roxas, crashing on the couch as his demonic side kept telling him to kill more... eat more, but he didn't want to become full demon. He never would and wouldn't care if Roxas did, but that would be his choice. Jamie picked out a couple of half eaten jars of fruits and veggies; he then carefully cut up a piece of bacon Emma had just finished cooking and helped Roxas into his high chair before feeding the boy; though he insisted on feeding him the soft food himself he allowed Roxas to pick up the bacon with his fingers and eat it on his own. Emma fixed Jamie a plate before fixing another.
"Do you want some Jack?" She had noticed he looked tired and wondered if he hadn't just overdone it. He looked at the food, stomach growling; he sighed.
"Yes please." It was back, the voice.
"If you know what's good for you I insist you shut up." Jack said loud enough for Jamie to hear as well as Emma.
"Stupid demonic side." He hissed.
"Demonic side?" Emma asked, confusion flickering on her face. Jamie just gave Jack a small smile, he was use to this; he said nothing though as he figured it was best to allow Jack to handle this. Emma set to cooking more for Jack, waiting to see what her brother would say. There was so much she didn't know about her brother, and she was aware of this. Jack winced.
"Stupid, stupid..." He growled and took off before she finished anything; it was bad enough she knew he was half demon but knowing he wasn't full yet was worse.
"Jamie?" Jamie sighed.
"It's his to tell, not mine. Honestly, it wasn't long ago I was in your shoes." Emma just stared.
"Wait... you mean he just RECENTLY told you he was a demon?"
"Yeah."
"JACKSON!" Emma said, leaving the other plate on the table. Jamie took care of the left food before it started a fire or something before going back to feeding Roxas. Jack squealed and ran faster than a cheetah would, knowing his sister was angry, he disappeared by holding his breath. Emma stalked out of the cavern after her brother. The others came out of their cavern in time to see her take off into the air in search of him and went inside to talk to Jamie, to find out what in the world the racket was all about. Jack panted, having to breathe now; to hide, he hid in the foliage, becoming one with it since he could blend into snow. He wiped away sweat as she passed by.
"Phew, close."
"Nice try." She said from behind a few minutes later. Jack squeaked and took off instantly with Emma hot on his trail. He growled and disappeared, holding his breath again; this time as long as possible, but the need to breathe and being too used to it meant he couldn't even stop himself from letting go of the human tendency to breathe even if he no longer needed to. He took off into some clouds. She stopped nearby.
"Seriously, Jack... I'm a soul collector. You can't exactly hide like you think."
"Don't care, don't wanna talk.'' He said, giving up running for now. She scowled.
"Then don't, but you're a right dult. You waited until only RECENTLY to tell the one person who means the MOST to you that you're a demon?! What the bloody 'ell!" Jack covered his ears. He didn't want to be reminded of that mistake.
"Because I was scared of what you'd think of me is all..."
"I suppose father was to blame for that..." She trailed off, apparently unhappy, but not so much with Jack anymore.
"Don't call him that" Jack snarled, remembering the horrific experiments he had done on him.
"Don't ever call him that! That man- no... that monster... did enough to me as it is." He growled; she knew very well the torture Jack went through from him and tried to stop him during one such session, but had failed and had received a flogging for it the next day when Jack had been away.
"Well I don't have another accurate name for him. I never found out his first name, but whether or not you like it. That is who he was. I'm just sorry I couldn't have done something myself... but he got his just reward. I made sure of it myself after I was freed." That made him smile.
"Thanks sis." She shrugged a little.
"I just got some satisfaction from it... he's still down there. A fate he earned himself." Jack sighed.
"Oh look, it's Santa!" She looked stupidly away. Same old sister... He thought and was gone.
"Jack!" She took off after him; Jack snickered quietly as she took off in the wrong direction; he'd masked his signature, pinning it to that of a tree and he then returned home.
"Escaped the beast for now." He said to himself, smiling, only to get an entire family of demons and an angry looking Jamie and Roxas staring at him.
"Welcome home indeed Jack." Marko spoke up. Jamie wasn't so much mad as concerned at this point.
"I was just having a little CHAT with them about last night. Care to put in your two cents or should I just believe what they have told me as the whole truth? " Jamie said, clearly unhappy about what he'd heard. He snickered.
"Would you believe I was talking to my invisible cousin Shamus?" He gulped at the narrowing eyes and took off out the window only for the youngest demon to toss him back in.
"EEP!" Jamie didn't verbally respond but then again he didn't have to... Jack growled, struggling under the other demons' grips as they pinned him to the floor; they waited for Jamie's words next as Jack had to stay for this lecture no matter what.
"Well? Nothing more to say?" Jack winced at his words, putting on a fake smile.
"Nope, so uh... you guys can let me go now." They snarled.
"Not happening bro, not until we figure out what's wrong with you; you're not to leave this house." Jack growled.
"Try and stop me." A bit of red tinge appeared in his eyes, the demonic side taking over a little at that.
"He doesn't have to say that much. I already know." Jamie said, glaring at Jack a moment. He ignored Jamie's glare and struggled under the others' weight.
"GET OFF ME YOU COW!" The other demons just growl in response. Jamie walked over to Jack and crouched down next to him.
"Exactly what were you hoping to accomplish by saying nothing?"
He's got you pegged... The other snickered.
"Shut up!" Jack hissed again to nothing, but to others it sounded like he was talking to Jamie; Jack growled. Jamie poked Jack, not exactly hard, but none-too-soft either; he bit Jamie's finger in anger.
"Don't touch me." He snapped, eyes red hazed now; the group not holding Jack down stared in surprise but Jamie didn't even flinch.
"Or what?" He asked mildly. Jack growled and kicked the demons off him before slamming one into the wall kung fu style. He lunged for Jamie and pinned him to the wall, causing Roxas to start whimpering.
"Dada stop! You're hurtsin' papa!" Jack growled, not going to budge; teeth strong and sharp ready to rip out Jamie's throat if need to be.
"No... no stop..." Jack whimpered, letting Jamie go; he held his head, fighting back the demonic side he had. Jamie had the wind knocked out of him and winced when he was slammed into the wall. He wasn't afraid... just dazed... hurt... yeah that had hurt. He didn't offer any resistance. He'd never hurt Jack on purpose. Ever.
Stop fighting damn you! It growled. Jack cried in pain, a wail tore from him and Roxas was scared.
"Dada..." He reached out but it was dangerous for a younger demon such as Roxas to see the full change; he wasn't ready for it and knowing this Marko took Jamie and Roxas into the other room while Jack made the change.
"NO! I WON'T! I'LL NEVER STOP FIGHTING NEVER!" Jamie was too dizzy to even notice. He'd no idea what was going on.
You don't have to like it but this is inevitable.
"I WON'T!" He cried, pulling at his hair, walking into walls, furniture... crying in pain as everyone stayed back; knowing this would get messy very fast.
You will. Came the confident reply. He groaned, back arched in pure pain.
"NO! I WON'T!" Eyes reddening with anger towards the demonic force.
"NOW GET OUT!" The house shook with the sheer force of his anger and power.
Don't be an idiot. You know very well I'm not going anywhere... It struggled more to take control again. Jack cried out in pain, wings becoming more skeletal, features more demonic; eyes tinged red and amber instead of the deep blue they always were normally.
"NOOOOOO!" A horrific wail tore through the house.
"Um, Jamie how about we g-go somewhere else until he finishes his change. Roxas is too young and has not fully completely changed like Jack... he'll know when he's older."
"Take him if you like, but I'm not just leaving. I'm not breaking another promise." Marko nodded.
"Alright." Taking Roxas and giving Jamie a last worried look, he left with the others; the house shook with Jack's screams of pain.
"STOP! STOP!" Though he ached from head to foot, Jamie slowly got to his feet. He'd be feeling that in the morning... He didn't say anything as he went to Jack who groaned, holding his head in pure pain.
"I WON'T... I WON'T..." He kept repeating as bones cracked and arranged themselves to that of a full blooded demon.
Ahhh... much better. The inner demon purred. Jack panted, curled up on the floor; muscles a bit larger to go with his new body, horns now curled like a ram's, eyes red as the devil's.
"No..." He shook and cried.
"No NOOO!" He shrieked to the heavens. Jamie didn't say anything, but he did lay a gentle hand on Jack's. He bawled his eyes out, but it was now pure hell fire within; no longer that half, Jack had been, he was full demon and could no longer hide behind the "skin" he'd fought so hard to keep... his humanity form, that he thought as his other half, it was gone. Jamie didn't speak for a long while, but when he did his tone was soft.
"Do you want something to eat?" Jack sniffled and nodded, shaking as his muscles strained to the new appendage changes, along with the pain of changing. Jamie made Jack a plate and handed it to him. He it gobbled down; obviously really hungry, it came with the changes... a new appetite, sort of. He glared at his reflection in the plate and threw it. It shattered against a wall.
"Oh God I'm a monster!" He said into his arms as he began sobbing again.
"We've been over this. You're not a monster." He laughed darkly.
"Not a monster you say? So you're saying this isn't a monster?" His wings spread out, eyes flashing like a storm. Jamie stared straight into Jack's eyes, saying in perfect, sincere honesty.
"That's exactly what I'm saying. Have been saying." He winced just as Emma came in.
"NO! NO SHE CAN'T SEE ME LIKE THIS!" He covered himself with the skeleton like wings in fright.
"Jack?" Her temper had cooled now and she's just concerned as she approached them. He whimpered, hiding and running.
"No no!" He took off into the sky, not wanting to be seen the way he was now. Emma and Jamie take off after Jack in the same moment. He whimpered, screaming and crying in agony and fear. The two of them were persistent in their chase, though Emma was relying on sight and the bond that Jamie had to Jack to know where to go. Jack whimpered as he slammed into and hid inside a rotting tree; a great tree that many critters chose as a home to live in for many years. He hid inside it hoping both wouldn't follow; squirrels, sprites, chipmunks, birds and many creatures escaped the tree in fear of him.
"NO! Don't look at me... I'm a monster." Eventually the two arrived. Speaking as one.
"Jack come out of there." They looked at each other and, were it any other time, they might have laughed about it.
"NO!" He said childishly, of course he hid deeper in the hollow of the tree. With a sigh, Jamie gestured for her to go in first. With a slight smile, she did so while he wait outside as there wasn't enough room for all three of them. Jack cried and whimpered.
"NO! DON'T LOOK AT ME! I'M HIDEOUS!"
"To whose standards?" She asked gently.
"Please don't look at me." He whimpered more, curling into himself; his demonic side quite angry with Jack being so weak.
"Or what? You'll turn me to stone? Pretty sure that's Medusa."
"Please Emma, I mean it." He started to growl, wings flaring aggressively.
"Jack, stop." She said as she gently reached out for his arm, brushing one wing on accident as she did. He whimpered, shaking as if dying.
"It hurts, changing... the pain hurts..."
"Probably because you spend so much time fighting it."
"I don't wanna be a demon! I wanna be me!" His voice deepened to a demonic tone as his eyes glowed in anger; the desire to kill rising in the back of his mind.
"You still are you."
"No, I'm n-not." Unsure now as he looked at his claws, talons and somewhat normal humanoid appearance.
"Yes you are. You're still the brother I remember, regardless of what you look like." He whimpered, uncurling slightly bit by bit; his red eyes glowed from the darkness and his wings seemed to spread a bit more than usual.
"Jack, it's not what you look like that makes you who you are. It's your heart. You have always been my big brother, even when I was alive you were the protector of fun itself... no one could ever out do you in a prank... and you were always uplifting everyone's spirits. Always goofing off and making jokes... this doesn't change that. I've seen that just by watching you the last few hours with Jamie and Roxas."
"But I-" He winced, his demonic side had a heart too, sometimes.
Shut up, your sister's right. Did you go on a rampage after the change? No. Did you hurt Jamie...? Yeah, but you had control. It's right... I didn't go on a rampage as I thought I would... I hurt Jamie... and felt bad. I do have control... He slowly came out, holding his sister's hand.
"Guys... I'm... I'm sorry; I know you love me with all your hearts, guess I got scared."
"We know that and we understand why you would be. I know how much you've hated this, but you have to realize that there's no reason you need to hate who you are." Jamie replied as Jack came out with Emma.
"I see that now and... I'm gonna try harder to love how I am, and love my family more too." He hugged Emma and Jamie close.
"Let's go find the rest and tell them to come back." Jamie nodded as he and Emma both hugged Jack fiercely for a moment.
"It's going to be a little odd at first, I think... I mean, I'm not use to our family being so... big." Emma commented.
"I'm sure you'll fit right in." He said, snickering as he hugged her a little longer. She chuckled.
"Not what I'm concerned about. Just need to get used to having all the mouths to feed." She joked back.
"So true, I can probably help them find a place to live together.".
"Speaking of them... where do you think they went?" Jack heard howls of blood lust and terror.
"I think... um, town; for a bite to eat."
"I'll get them. Why don't you go back with Jack?" Jamie suggested before Emma could think about getting them. He glanced towards Jack with a look that said 'you might want to tell her...' before he flew off. He sighed, wondering should he explain this all to her now or later. Emma looked at her brother in confusion. What was that look about?
"Emma, there's something I have to tell you." He sighed again, having her sit down in a nearby clearing; he slowly explained what the hunt was. Emma listened patiently, but she began to feel uneasy the more she heard. Once Jack was done she was silent. Jack and his friends hunted... humans... She wasn't sure she could wrap her head around that, but it all started to make sense now...
"So you see, that's why I was so scared to tell you." She's silent a long time.
"Why? Why would that make you scared to tell me? I KNOW you Jack... known you since we were kids."
"I didn't want you to be afraid of me is all." He replied, worried how she felt now.
"Maybe if I were a little kid it would have scared me, but I'm not a little kid anymore. I haven't been for centuries. It doesn't bother me." She smiled a little.
"It DOES explain that look that Jamie gave you, I guess he was worried too."
"Yeah, he's been trying to get me to tell you for weeks now." She chuckles and shakes her head.
"You really HAVEN'T changed... still the worry wort you always were."
"HEY! I DON'T ALWAYS WORRY!" She chuckled.
"I meant about me."
"Oh, sorry." He sighed.
"I suppose we should really get back before the house is destroyed." She giggled a little.
"I can't imagine they'd do THAT before we got there, but you're right. We should head back."
"Trust me, don't wanna leave them alone too long." He said before picking her up and taking off; he was much stronger and faster now since the full change.
"I guess I shouldn't underestimate them." She commented as he flew off. Jack smiled as he landed at the window; he was wary of coming in the house but one push by his sister and it was too late to go back.
"Ahem!" Emma said as the group was gathered around, still messy from the latest hunt. Jack winced, trying to hide, but Emma kept pushing him forward. Everyone cowered before his form.
"Oh God you look..." Jack whimpered and everyone eased up.
"AWESOME!" They cried as one, making him jump; they all went over to him then.
"Man, I wish my wings were bigger!"
"Wow strong horns..."
"Woah... sharp ass nails!" Jack smiled as they all praised one part of his change or another.