Two days had passed since Asha's idiot had left her home for the second time. Since then, Asha had tried her best to fortify the outside of the cave as best as she could. She told Pooka to keep an eye out for anyone or anything that would come close to them. She had also set up a ring of salt and pebbles around the cave, to drive away evil spirits and demons. It might not keep a demon as powerful as Xemnas out, but it would certainly slow him down. Asha knew that her first priority was to keep Aqua safe. She hated to admit it, but if anything were to happen to that girl's soul… there would be no hope left. Not for the next hundred years, anyway… The voodoo priestess, continued her spells outside the cave as Aqua remained inside. The young girl was certainly feeling better than she had felt before, but her back was sore and itchy. She was hoping that she didn't catch some odd rash, or even worse, she was bitten by some sort of venomous animal. Who knew what creatures lived out in this desert? The past few days had been eerily silent, and silently wished that she could leave for her apartment again. She missed her bed, but more importantly, she desperately wanted to be clean again. Aqua shook her head and turned to Larxene, who was sitting next to her on the floor. Furniture was another thing she missed… the list went on and on. "You know what I really could use… A nice hot shower. But I don't think Asha quite knows what that is." Aqua kept her voice down, but laughed at her own joke. Although, she wasn't kidding in the least.
Larxene couldn't shake the feeling in her chest. She refused to wear her trinket, but she couldn't bring herself to destroy it yet either. She made a promise, though, and she did intend to keep it. She'd noticed that Aqua had been acting differently, and she wasn't sure if she should bring it up or not. Asha had been acting strange too, but Larxene wouldn't dare. What'd Xigbar leave for, anyway? Appearances? Had anyone noticed her disappearance? She shook the thought and turned to the girl as she spoke. A shower? Shit. "Y-Yeah, I could use one too." She shrugged. Did Asha know what a shower was? Logically she should, right? …It's a fair question though… "I mean, I could always ask her." Larxene joked. "But really though, don't you have your own place? And er…" Her stomach turned. "Your lovely…man-friend?" The performer squinted a little after the words left her mouth. That had to have been bad wording. Hopefully she wouldn't be offended. "I mean…Surely she'd let you leave right? A-at least to go to a….doctor maybe?"
Aqua smiled at Larxene's joke, but quickly shook her head. "I think it would be best not to bother Asha much right now." She tried her best to keep a happy expression when she was asked about her own home… and Terra. She did want to go back and collect some of her things, true, but she would rather take her chances with this demon than go and face her boyfriend. Terra hadn't seen her for many many days… and the last time she only left for two days… it didn't end well. Shuddering at the thought, Aqua replied to Larxene's questions. "Yes… I do have an apartment, but Asha said I can't leave here alone, and certainly not for long. She is worried that I might be kidnapped. This whole thing is so strange… I really just want to collect some of my things and take a shower." Larxene did have a point about the doctor, however. Aqua stretched stiffly and hissed in pain at her back. She really should see someone about this pain, but Terra had the insurance for any kind of doctors visit. Aqua simply didn't have the money to go alone. Reaching around to touch her back delicately, she scratched it gently, biting her lip from the uncomfortableness of the touch. It was bittersweet. It soothed the itchiness, but made it sore. "I should be fine though, I won't need a doctor. I'm sure its just some kind of virus. I'll pull through…" She smiled halfheartedly at the performer next to her, trying hard not to cause any concern.
Larxene tried her best to remain silent. "I'm sorry," She murmured. The word felt strange coming out of her mouth, but it's not like anything had to be spelled out for her. This guy friend of hers needed to be dealt with, though she was in no place to speak on the subject. "N-Not that I'm going to go bother Ms. Paint-face, but You can't stay locked up here forever." She glanced behind her as she spoke, silently praying that Asha was out of earshot. "Do you think she'd let you go if someone went with you?" Shit. That probably sounded weird. The performer squinted a little at the thought. "A virus?" Larxene repeated, thankful for the subject change. What sort of virus could do something like that? This…this wasn't something that Larxene could have done, right…? She was sort of a …wild sleeper…
"It must be a rash or something… I'm not sure. I'll be fine, I promise." Aqua smiled again, folding her hands in her lap, though she really didn't want to. It felt like poison ivy. Perhaps if she focused on something else it would be fine. Asha stepped through the front curtain with a huff, dusting herself off and wiping her brow. "Asha's home should be safe now. No demons shall set foot here." Aqua looked at the woman before her, desperately wanting to ask her if she could leave for a few hours to fetch her things, but she didn't dare. Something about Asha made Aqua nervous, even though she knew that the woman would do nothing to hurt her.
Larxene nodded cautiously. She didn't buy it, but she didn't want to worry the girl, either. It made her stomach turn, seeing her in such discomfort, and that fact alone made her feel even more out of place. "I-If you're sure, then..." her voice trailed off as Asha spoke. If this had been a problem for so long, why wait until now to do something like this? Part of her wanted to ask, but there wasn't exactly a 'nice' way of putting it. The performer glanced back at Aqua. She looks so nervous... Larxene drew a breath. it wouldn't hurt anything if Larxene were to ask Asha, would it? What's the worst that she could do? The way she saw it, Larxene was already in deep enough as it is, might as well right? If it's outta line, well...she'd cross that bridge when she came to it. "Er..." She steadied her voice and struck up the courage to speak again. She didn't want to seem afraid, or nervous in front of Aqua. "Asha..?" Larxene straightened her posture a little, trying hard not to let her voice waver. "How long is...Aqua staying here?" She finally asked, glancing quickly at the other girl before locking eyes with the older woman. "Or, the better question would be, Can she at least get her things? s-surely you can't expect her to stay here without, ya know...clean clothes?" She bit her tongue to hold in further snarky comments. It was so strange to be this...polite. Larxene gave another sideways glance to Aqua. it was out of line for her to ask something like that, she'd hoped that the other girl wouldn't be offended in some way.
Asha looked at her two guests and smiled softly. She knew they would ask somethings of the sort eventually. Not many people enjoyed the life she lived. But... To each his own. "Asha knew you would ask for this eventually. And you shall be glad to know that Asha's answer is yes. Yes you may go gather your things, but you must return. Promptly. Else I will have to find you." Asha knew that this sounded harsh, but she knew of no other way to say it. "You shall not go alone either..." Aqua watched as the woman before her grinned mischievously, and was suddenly confused. Why was she smiling like that? "You two may go together. Asha shall stay here and cast protective hexes your way. After all, you two seem to be getting along nicely... And Asha is stronger in her home, of course." She chuckled to herself and pushed past them, stirring whatever ungodly mixture was in the cauldron today. "Go before Asha changes her mind."
Larxene's eyes widened a little, hearing Asha speak. She didn't think that she'd give in so easily. That smile though… what's she planning? What's the catch? Hell, now's not the time to question this lady…Who's to say they'll get another chance like this? Larxene turned her attention to Aqua. "Should…should you even be moving around right now though…?" The performer couldn't help herself. That was a dumb question, wasn't it? Good one… There's no way Aqua would refuse to go, and if it were her in this situation, Larxene wouldn't refuse, either. "S-sorry, that was stupid." She murmured as she rose to her feet. Larxene held a hand out in case the other girl needed assistance standing. Trying her hardest to ignore the dull ache in her chest, she offered a small smile. The sooner they left, the better. Hopefully they wouldn't run into trouble…
Aqua nodded to the both of them and took Larxenes hand, standing up carefully. "I should be perfectly fine. I think the worst of this cold is over. It's just my back that hurts, but it really isn't that bad. Shall we go? We shouldn't take too long..." She looked back at Asha who was still stirring something odd in that pot. Aqua hoped it wasn't dinner. Hesitantly, she let go of the performers hand and stepped outside, eager to return home for fresh clothes and a shower. That and a good chance to look at her back...
Larxene followed the girl silently to the narrow doorway. Her sudden back pain didn't make sense… She'd heard of developing allergies overnight, sure, but an injury that puts a person in that much pain? That quick? Something wasn't adding up. "Wait," Larxene turned on heel and made her way back inside to Asha. "How, uh…" being polite for this long felt like it was beginning to sap her health. "How're we supposed to get there?" If Larxene knew the way there from here, getting back wouldn't be too bad. "I mean, Props to you for makin' such a great hiding spot all the way out in the sticks like this, but I have zero sense of direction out here." She added extra emphasis at the end of her sentence. If Asha had a faster means of travelling, she hoped that it'd be shared. It would certainly be a lot easier on the two of them, too. Less time that Aqua had to spend on her feet, and less chances of the two of them being caught. She could put up a fight if needed, but The performer couldn't really rely on her powers in her current state.
Asha laughed and turned to face the two girls. She smiled before teasing, "But Asha thought the two of you would enjoy the long walk alone... Either way, yes Asha knows a faster way to town." She reaches in the pouch around her waist and pulls out a vial filled with dust. She hands it to Larxene and goes back to stirring the concoction. "Open the bottle and throw the dust at the ground. It shall bring you to the center of town. However. Only use half! The other half is for the way home. Otherwise Asha will have to send her dog to fetch you." She waved her hand and turned away from them once more. Aqua struggled with the shirt she had on. Something was catching on it on her back. Peeling skin? Perhaps... Suddenly she was nervous to look at it when she finally got to the shower.
Larxene nodded quietly, listening to the woman's explanation. She closed her hand around the vial before turning around. It made enough sense, half there, half back. Right though, her 'dog'… Larxene shuddered a little, picturing the big creature in her mind. Part of her wondered if Asha knew what a real dog was. Had she ever seen one? In person? Or even in pictures? Larxene wasn't going to stick around to find out right now. That was a conversation for another day. She stepped through the doorway in time to see the other girl fidgeting with the shirt she had on. what in the world? Larxene blinked a few times before removing the stopper in the bottle. "Are…Are you sure you're alright?" She hesitated for a moment. Geez. Sounding like a broken record over here. Larxene glanced around quickly, hoping there wouldn't be any signs of Asha's 'pet.' Thankfully, he was out of her sight. "So, er…" She stared at the small vial in her hands. Her fingers shook a little. Shit. Hopefully Aqua doesn't notice, that's going to be weird to explain… "A-anyway, I don't know if you heard any of that in there but I guess we just…put this stuff…on the ground?" Shit. When Larxene says it, it sounds odd. Whatever, hopefully this works… The girl poured half of the bottles contents out into her palm as careful as she could before letting it slide off and onto the ground between them. She closed her eyes a little tighter than she wanted. Please don't get caught…
Aqua nodded at Larxene, honestly grateful that she was so concerned. "Y-yes I'm fine... I just... Really don't know what's wrong with my back. I'm sure I'll find out when I get a shower..." She placed a hand on Larxenes shoulder as she listened to the explanation of what was in the vial. Odd. But she had seen so much magic in the past few days that Aqua had begun to accept it. A bit reluctantly, but still. As soon as the powder hit the ground, a deep blue mist crept up around their feet. It grew thicker until it enveloped their entire bodies. Aqua coughed from the thickness of it, but when it finally passed, they were in an alley at the center of town. Aqua couldn't believe it. She knew where they were. That was incredible.
Larxene's eyes widened a little, feeling Aqua's hand on her shoulder. She stepped back after a few seconds and cleared her throat while fanning the air in front of her. Why does it always have to be smoke? Her nose scrunched up upon breathing it in. shit. She should have just held her breath. Larxene looked around, her eyesight finally adjusted. How far away did it land them? "Do you know where this took us?" She asked, stuffing the vial into her pocket. Larxene made her way out of the alley, doing her best to remain neutral. Luckily for them, most of the town were soulless zombies. "Lead on." Larxene gestured for the other girl to walk ahead.
Terra ground his teeth and pressed redial. All of his calls were going straight to voicemail. It had been at least a week, what the hell did she do, join the circus freaks? The lock on her apartment door was busted. The doorframe itself had been splintered pretty badly. Pictureframes were broken and scattered all over, blankets were torn and more than half of the dresser drawers were taken out and overturned. He had finally gotten his hands on her strange collection of star charms, too. God, she talked forever about them. Some bullshit about 'being connected'. She clearly needed to relearn 'rules', Terra shook his head and hit redial again. She's lucky she even has the damned phone to begin with! Either way, she had to come home sometime. He was fine with waiting, she's only making it worse on herself. This'd just further her punishment.
Aqua did know where they were, and luckily, it wasn't that far from home. To be honest though, something seemed extremely off about the town. She followed Larxene out onto the Main Street and looked around. Everything and everyone seemed to be eerily... Quiet. She could guess what this meant, but she really didn't want to think about it. She paused and looked at Larxene for a moment before speaking. She knew why the town was like this, and she was looking at part of the problem. No. Don't think that way. She's not like the rest of them. Aqua shook her head and led Larxene down another street. "Luckily, it's not far now. It's the sixth building on the right." Moving past the quiet, melancholy people she finally found the apartment entrance. Though Aqua had been excited to return home she was suddenly cold. The reality of her life set in. All this talk of demons and souls took her away from her own life, and from her real relationships. Terra... Terra would be so angry. She should have called him. She should have remembered. Her hands began to shake as she stared at the entrance. It looked as if she was frozen in place. Her mind could not stop racing.
Larxene gasped and placed her hand on Aqua's shoulder. The door was clearly tampered with. Why would nobody report it? Well, a townfull of soulless people, who's really coherent enough to do something about it? A sudden wave of guilt overcame her. Part of this was her fault. If she didn't fall into this line of work, more people would have their souls… maybe this could've been prevented? Probably not. If she would have just…done her job, hell, that would have been the merciful thing to do.
Terra swore aloud and kicked the coffee table over in a fit. This was the last time he'd let her go anywhere.
Larxene's eyes narrowed, hearing the loud clatter coming from inside her apartment. The door was closed, but it seemed like it was barely even on the hinges. Maybe Asha was right. They shouldn't have left. She gave Aqua's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I think…" She took extra caution to keep her voice steady. Terra didn't strike fear into her in the slightest. But she didn't want to know what he might do to Aqua. There's no way she could just stand by and watch whatever was going to happen next. "I think I should go inside first." Larxene suggested. She knew that it wasn't her place to just, plant herself between Aqua and her ….friend, but she couldn't stand the thought of 'looking the other way.'
Aqua finally found the courage to speak, bough she kept her voice low. "N-no. I will go in first. I've dealt with him before, and he is the one with the insurance papers. I... I really should go to the doctor about this...whatever it is. It is my time to finally say something to Terra." She placed her hand on Larxene's shoulder and squeezed it as if to reassure her, but it was really meant to reassure herself. She nodded before pulling the door open and stepping inside.
Larxene nodded silently. She wanted to protest, but she knew it wasn't her place. Instead, she followed along after her, ready for a fight if needed, figuring she could just worry about the repercussions afterward. Terra turned to face the source of the noise, eyes narrow. He drew a breath to speak, but noticed the figure behind her. It's the same bitch from last time. What is this? In one swift movement, his anger seemed to vanish. "Aqua, honey, there you are!" His tone was almost…too sincere. It made Larxene's stomach turn. "God, I've been so…worried about you," He began, gesturing to the mess around them. "It looks like someone broke in. when I stopped by to check on you and found your apartment looking like this I just…" Terra offered a smile. "You really need to lock your door you know?" Larxene flexed her hands. Something wasn't right. He extended his arms for a hug, and motioned for Aqua to walk closer, despite closing the distance between the two of them himself.
Shit. He did it again. Every single time Aqua had a plan to speak out against Terra and his violent actions, he made things pleasant again. She couldn't bring herself to push him away, couldn't even bring herself to question him why her apartment was a complete mess. She knew why, but she wrapped a shaky arm around him and returned the hug. That was it... He won again. She closed her eyes tightly and said nervously, almost as if reading from a script. "I really should lock my door. But you know me... Forgetful as always. Thank you for checking up on me." She let go of him and stepped backwards crunching on broken glass.
Larxene heard something crunch, causing her to look down at their feet. Glass. Great. She made a mental note to be a bit more cautious than she intended, but that was the least of her concerns right now. What's with this guy? The performer fought to suppress the sudden urge to take Aqua's hand and run. Instead she stood quietly, and slowly shifted her weight from foot to foot. Her heart sank as she took in the scene before her. More than Half of the town are basically zombies, who was he trying to fool?
Terra stepped back from the hug and raised his eyebrows a little at the other was strange… he was sure he didn't leave any sort of markings on Aqua last time…but something was…off… "Ah, Hello. I didn't know you had a friend. Are you new in town?" He extended his hand in greeting. Larxene's first reaction was to recoil. No, dammit, why? Shaking some sketchy dude's hand… She reluctantly returned the gesture, and murmured her name. "No, I'm not, actually." Was all she responded with, though she did mirror his eerie smile back at him. Larxene knew better. Terra gave a half-hearted nod and looked back to Aqua. "Can I talk to you in your room for a minute?" something in his tone had changed, despite the warm smile plastered on his face.
Larxene took notice, and her stomach felt like it did a backflip. Please don't go in there. Oh no. Larxene chewed the side of her tongue in anticipation. "You don't mind, do you?" He asked, glancing back at the blonde. There was a glint in his eye. Larxene couldn't help but to narrow her eyes just barely. She waved her hand in dismissal, unable to bring herself to actually speak.
"Y-yes you may..." Aqua spoke, barely a whisper. She knew what was going to happen. But she couldn't bring herself to protest. Something was stopping her, it always has... "I'll be right back, Larxene. M-make yourself at home." Slowly but surely, she walked to her room. One foot in front of the other.
Lo and behold! She does listen! Terra grinned in silence and trailed after her. Of course, with that bitchy little blonde here, this'd be a little troublesome, but, punishment is punishment. Larxene's mind began to race. Dammit no… she needed to do something. Terra closed the door behind himself gently, and narrowed his eyes as the lock clicked into place. "Do you mind telling me where the hell you've been?" two minutes had barely even passed and his patience was already wearing thin. Larxene listened hard for any sort of raised voices, or loud noises. She glanced at the ground for a moment before slowly making her way closer to Aqua's bedroom door. But, Meddling could make things worse for her… this isn't good.
Aqua stared at Terra and took a shaky breath inward. "I... Was away... Lots of things have happened recently. Lots of things that I can't really explain." A sudden sharp pain erupted on her back making her whimper slightly. She needed to bring that up too... But how was she supposed to do that without sounding stupid? She sat on her disheveled bed and held her back once more. Except, she certainly felt something this time. It felt like a lump through her shirt. Her eyes went wide as she discovered this. "I... Meant to call... But my phone died and... And I got really sick so... So..." Her voice faded. Aqua didn't know how to continue.
'Can't explain'? That's bullshit. "Remember the talk we had about lying?" He moved closer. "Oh, you 'meant' to call? You don't look very sick." He didn't need to be told what she was doing with this new little 'friend' of hers. He wasn't stupid. Christ, again with her back. What is she hiding? Terra kept his voice low, careful not to alert the guest in the other room. He spoke quietly, but quickly. There was a sense of urgency in his words that seemed too threatening. He placed the palm of his hand over her mouth as he spoke. "you can save your excuses but you had better keep your mouth shut. We have company." His hand closed around her jaw, as if he were testing how easily it could be broken. "I know you're hiding something from me, and I'm going to find out what." The man finally released his grip on her jaw and spoke again. If she wouldn't willingly tell him what it was, he'd figure it out on his own. One way, or another. He folded his arms across his chest and spoke. "Take the shirt off."
Larxene had crouched down by the other side of the door and pressed her ear against it, listening hard. She couldn't exactly decipher anything being said, but it didn't sound good. She tried her best to ignore the persistent sting in her feet. The amount of glass on the floor was a little…amazing, actually. It doesn't seem like glass could splinter into such tiny-ass shards, but, people learn new things every day, don't they?
Aqua whimpered again at the sheer force of his grip on her jaw. She held onto his hand tightly struggling to keep herself from pulling it away. But she knew better. He released his grasp and she touched her cheek lightly, trying to shake the dull pain. "T-take off my...? Why... I think it's just a rash.. I'll be fine. I'll have a doctor look at it or something... I-I promise..." She shook her head, she really didn't want to take it off. It hurt to move her arms. Her back had become so sensitive. If there really was something there... She didn't want Terra to be the one to look at it. "It's fine honey... I promise... I'm so sorry.." Aqua froze on the bed legitimately afraid of what he would do next.
Terra rolled his eyes. god. It's like talking to a brick wall. Were his instructions not clear enough? "That wasn't a suggestion. It was a command. Take the damn thing off, or I will." He warned. A rash? Who was she trying to fool? "No. No, you're not going to show a doctor. You're going to show me." He took her around her elbows and forced her to stand with him. "Don't you dare sit there and talk to me like I don't know what's going on, Aqua." Aggression rose in his voice now, Larxene was certain of that. She fidgeted with a bobby pin in her hair for a few moments, wriggling the accessory free. She bit off part of the end, and bent it backwards, using her thumbs to stifle the snapping noise it made when it finally broke. This'd have to suffice for a feeler pick for now, she didn't exactly have time to find something better.
"What... I- I don't understand. What could possibly be going on? She's... She's just my... F-friend... I... No... It's not... I couldn't possibly..." He was getting irrational. His anger was building and Aqua knew whatever was to come next would not be good. But if he wanted to look, so be it. Shakily, she struggled to peel off her tank top. Lifting the top above her head, she seethed in pain as her bra caught on something. With a swift motion she tossed the top to the side and cried out a little. Reflex made her reach behind and touch the pain, but her fingers brushed something... Soft... But brittle... Feathers? It felt as if feathers were poking out of her skin. Aqua suddenly felt dizzy. What on earth?!
"Couldn't possibly What? I'm so tired of your excuses…" God, finally! Making some progress here… but she's hesitating… why? What's she hiding? He stared her in the eyes for a moment before roughly turning her by his shoulders to look at her back, since she was favoring it so much. his breathing deepened as he registered what exactly he was seeing. One of Terra's hands made it's way into her hair now, pulling her head back roughly. What the hell is this? "I give you my money, and this is what you spend it on? are you fucking kidding me?" His grew louder, despite talking into the girl's ear.
Larxene had been working on the lock for a few minutes now, somewhat thankful that she hadn't been discovered but she needed to hurry. Whatever was going on in there, it wasn't good. Fear washed over her suddenly. The performer didn't even to think of what sort of harm could come to her. Shit, it's not working. Concentrate. She released the tension to restart. She needed to apply more pressure to it, but it needed to be done quietly. And quickly.
He laughed and shook his head. "I hope it was fun while it lasted." Terra guided her forward somewhat harshly, and pinned her down on her stomach. He kept a firm hand in her hair, applying pressure to the back of her head, incase she decided to cry out. It'd be muffled by the blankets. Feathers? Seriously? Honestly, he hadn't heard of any accessory shops offering this extreme of body modifications, but he'd handle it. Taking one of the feathers between his index finger and his thumb, he pulled back hard, as if he were starting a lawn mower.
Tears stung Aqua's eyes. Spend it on what?! She hadn't done this! "I-I didn't do this Terra! I swear!" Her voice became a little loud at that point. She didn't dare move as he pushed her forward by her hair. Aqua bit her tongue to keep from screaming. Her face hit the bed and her eyes went wide. What is he doing?! Her hands gripped the bedsheets as she struggled to get up. Terra had always been stronger, though. Aqua whimpered again as he grabbed one of the feathers poking out of her back. Aquas legs gave way after her savagely pulled a feather from her back. Blood streamed from where the feather was removed, and she felt the warmth of it trickle down her back. Aqua couldn't hold it any longer, and let out a scream. It was a painful scream, though muffled.
Terra applied more pressure to the back of her head in warning. "You'd better dry it up if you want to keep that friend of yours. You think she's gonna want to come back around after hearing you make all of this noise?" He took hold of another feather. It bled quite profusely. The sight of it always intrigued him in the strangest way. He couldn't put it into words, but it fascinated him. He was so immersed in the sight in front of him that he didn't even hear the movement behind the two of them.
The lock finally clicked, causing Larxene to swear aloud. What she heard from the other side of the door made her heart sink. Within seconds, the door flung open and bounced off of the wall with such force it rattled. Blood. Her stomach turned at the sight before her. A familiar rage rose in her chest. The hollow ache seemed long gone at the moment. Before realizing, Larxene had thrown herself at him. His back had been turned from her, thankfully. Her hands closed around his throat until her knuckles turned white.
Terra thrashed his free arm backward in an attempt to shake off his sudden attacker. He fired off a string of curse words when the girl's hands closed around his throat. Did she think that this was actually doing him any harm? Females never know their place. Typical.
Larxene ground her teeth and kept her grip as firm as she could. He was too strong compared to Larxene, despite how fit she was. Pulling the two of them apart wasn't an option. She needed to act quickly. She narrowed her eyes and focused as much as she could, despite the bigger man thrashing around. She forced as much electricity as she could through her fingertips. She dug her nails into his windpipe as his muscles began to seize. The performer was finally able to force him backward and off of the other girl. He landed on the ground after falling into the half-empty dresser, seizing harder with each breath he took. She turned back to the bed. "Aqua?" Larxene spoke with urgency, despite the waver in her voice. Please say something. Please.
Aqua regained the strength in her legs through sheer adrenaline. She felt him grip another feather and she tried to push him away once more. If her back hurt before... It hurt twice as much now. Though her eyes were shut tight, she could still hear Larxene make an entrance and Terra lash out in anger. Next was the sound of electricity. A circle of light enveloped Aquas body for a moment, shielding her from the force of Larxene's power. As Terra fell back, the light faded, and Aqua sunk to her knees, kneeling before the bed. Covering her face in her arms, Aqua began to cry. She didn't want to... But she felt she had to. She had no idea what was going on... And she wanted to go home. More than anything. But where was home...? After a few moments she lifted her head and looked at Larxene, carefully avoiding Terra's seizing frame. Just the thought of it unnerved her. "Larxene..." Was all Aqua could manage.
Terra's eyes seemed to be frozen, leaving him to stare at the ceiling. The pain spiked in intensity with each breath he took. It didn't seem to let up in the slightest. Larxene made sure to keep her breathing as even as she could, despite the burning in her chest and stomach. The adrenaline she was coasting on had dwindled down awfully fast. Vomit threatened to inch up her throat but she made an effort to keep it down. Larxene dropped to the floor next to the other girl and wrapped her arms around her. She spoke quietly, hoping to reassure the other in some way. "He won't hurt you anymore," She murmured, not bothering to look back at Terra. She apologized briefly, for not making it into the room sooner. Larxene was silent for a moment after she spoke. It felt…surreal. She swore under her breath. "Y-you're bleeding…"
"I-I know… I'll be fine… I've had worse…" Aqua whispered back to the girl, her voice hoarse from the screaming. Scooting closer to Larxene, she hid her face in her neck, tears still streaming down her face. Her breathing was deep and shaky. "Thank you…. so much…" Aqua didn't care that her back hurt so much. Just to be held for the moment was enough.
Larxene's heart sank as the girl moved closer the way she did. She continued to hold her, murmuring quiet words of comfort. Larxene blinked a few times to register what Aqua had just said. People rarely thanked her for anything… how was she supposed to respond? Larxene shook her head. "I'm sorry I didn't…get here sooner," She began, speaking in nearly a whisper. "But I promise, this will never happen again." The performer glanced around the room, trying her hardest to keep her mind off of the burning feeling in her chest. It seemed like forever since she had last gathered souls…no. She promised Aqua that she wouldn't. "Let me take a look at that injury of yours…" Silently hoping that she'd comply, she continued. "What did he do to you…? N-nevermind, don't answer that." Larxene closed her eyes for a moment. Why the HELL would anyone ask that? Christ.
Aqua turned her back to Larxene so she could take a look. "I'm...not sure what he did..." Her bra was really bothering her. Part of her wanted to see with her own eyes what was on her back, but the other part wanted nothing to do with it. The pain in her back was too much for modesty. Reaching backward and muttering words of apology, she unhooked her bra and sighed in relief. At least it wouldn't constrict her any longer. "He thought I got this done to myself..."
Larxene's eyes widened a little at the sight of Aqua's back. Is…is this real? "O-oh…my…" Her hand covered her mouth for a moment. Feathers? Why? ….how? "I-I'm sorry he what, now?" what kind of moron would think that something like this could just be…done? Larxene shook her head at the thought. How on earth did this happen? "And here I thought I've seen everything…"
"I'm personally tired of seeing new things... Perhaps a small break in between these fairy tail tricks would be nice..." She reached a hand back to touch the feathers and squeaked a little at how real they were. "I don't know if I want to look..."
Larxene cleared her throat. "Well… we need to stop the bleeding…" she reminded gently. She didn't know if she could correctly explain exactly what she was seeing in the first place. This was certainly something for Asha to look at... She rose to her feet, hoping that Aqua would stay put. No sense in making any injuries worse. "After I take care of that, why don't you take that shower you were lookin' forward to?" It didn't seem like Terra was going anywhere anytime soon. Good. She needed to find a first aid kit…or something. The performer took a step toward the doorway and swore aloud. She had forgotten about the glass in her feet.
"The… Frist Aid Kit should be under the sink.. in the bathroom." Aqua did get up, standing only to sit back down on the bed. The floor was too cluttered with things to sit comfortably anyway. "There might not be much left in there, though."
The performer winced a little at the pain coursing through her feet. She gave a short nod, and made her way to the bathroom. It'd be faster to just ask Asha to heal her…hell, Asha would probably do a much better job than Larxene, anyway. She chewed her tongue as she searched through the cabinet under the sink for any sort of first aid supplies. Her eyes narrowed a little. …well, she did say there wouldn't be much left… this will have to do. Returning to Aqua after a few moments, she drew a breath to speak. "I'm not sure I can do much as far as cleaning the wound but I can at least get it to stop bleeding." Hopefully that'd be enough until they made it back to Asha. Larxene promised to protect her… This didn't really seem like protecting… what would Asha think? She shook the thought and instead took a seat next to the other on the bed. Larxene winced a little as she adjusted herself behind Aqua to get a closer look. After tearing the Gauze pad open with her teeth, she exhaled steadily in an attempt to calm her nerves. "I'm really sorry if this hurts." Larxene gently placed one hand on Aqua's shoulder as if to steady her as the other applied pressure to the girl's shoulder blade after dabbing at it slightly. There was quite a bit of blood for such a small hole... It had nearly begun to soak through the center of the gauze already.
Aqua hissed at the sudden pressure to her back. She really didn't know what to do about this whole thing. "Does… Does it look bad? A-Are there really wings on my back… With real feathers?" She laughed nervously in spite of everything. "What will Asha say about this? This should be interesting…" Aqua closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to think about why this had happened to her. This whole experience was more like a bad dream than anything… A bad dream that she really didn't want to wake from.
Larxene winced and immediately apologized for having to press on the wound so much. after getting a fresh gauze pad, she heard the other girl speak. After a few moments of silence, she shook her head. "N-No…" She began. Bad? not a chance. Larxene had to admit, she hadn't ever seen wings on a human before, but with the world she lives in, who knows. There's a first for everything isn't there? She didn't think it'd look like…this, either. "Aqua, It's…incredible, really…" The performer was truly at a loss for words. Even the colors were unique. She cleared her throat to rid herself of this sudden train of thought. "I-I mean, well…I'm sure Asha could do something?" Terra began to stir behind them. Larxene glanced back at him for a moment. He certainly wasn't going to be up and moving around any time soon, but he looked like he was beginning to be more 'aware' of his surroundings. "Here, why don't…" Finally stopping the bleeding, she moved backward a little as if to make some sort of barrier between Aqua and her attacker. "Why don't you go get your shower you were lookin' forward to, hm?" Larxene offered a smile and a small nod. "I'm not goin' anywhere, and trust me, neither is he." Her eyes flicked to terra for a moment before turning her attention back to Aqua, waiting for a response. Shit, wait. She's topless. Heat rose in Larxene's cheeks before she turned around entirely, facing only terra now. "Better?" Part of her wasn't sure if that was a question for Aqua, or herself.
Aqua smiled at Larxene's comments. She couldnt place why she was happy… she just suddenly was. Standing up and stepping past her with a nod, and over all the broken things in her apartment, she realized she didn't have much to be happy about. But knowing Larxene was going to be there, made things better. Closing the bathroom door, she took off the rest of her clothes in silence, the pains in her back subsiding completely. Aqua took no notice to it as she turned the shower on, leaving it just warm enough. She didn't like her showers too hot, they made her sleepy. Stepping into the falling water felt so good she could cry. After all the days that passed, washing it all away, for the moment at least, felt freeing. This could be her fresh start. As far as showering goes, Aqua didn't take long. She usually would… but she didn't want to keep Larxene waiting. Aqua did her best to clean herself as quickly as she could. Turning off the shower, she felt an unfamiliar weight on her back. Perhaps feathers got heavy when wet? Wringing her hair out, she took a towel off the rack and dried herself off before wrapping it around her body. Turning to the mirror on the wall, she wiped away the fog and stared in awe. Those… those wings. They weren't that big before, were they? Turning away sharply, she jerked the bathroom door open gripping tightly to the towel. Her mouth went dry before she spoke. Looking directly at the performer before her, she muttered softly, "Larxene… something happened." And with that the true length of her wings unfurled each wing spread to be a little longer than her height, and a magnificent pale blue. When light hit them, they looked almost iridescent. Though Aqua didn't want to admit it, she thought they were beautiful, but she would much rather them not be hers….
Larxene eyed Terra carefully. He had regained control of his fingers and toes, but not much else. She narrowed her eyes. Not that she'd be able to use her powers again, but god, she enjoyed every second of that, despite how much it physically hurt her. She nudged him with her foot. "Can…can you hear me?" Her eyebrow arched. His eyes stared back. "You can, can't you?" She kept her voice low, hearing the steady hum of the shower. "I'd do it again, you know." Larxene leaned closer, and continued. "I wouldn't fucking hesitate." He wouldn't respond, she knew that. Something about him made her skin crawl in the worst way. And the sounds that that girl was making…. A chill went down her spine. That was certainly something she never wanted to hear again. She sat in silence, glaring angrily at the man in front of her. What would they do with him now? What? Just let him go? She certainly wouldn't mind taking his soul, it's not like he needed it… hell, it's not like he *deserved* it… But, she had made a promise. Her train of thought was broken by the sounds of shuffling behind her. "Something happened." The words rang in her ears. Aqua. Larxene turned to the door slowly. Her breath hitched. Was…was she seeing this correctly? She blinked slowly, eyes wide. Silence hung in the air as she rose to her feet, entirely ignoring the pain coursing up her legs, due to the glass in her feet. "Aqua," Larxene took a step toward the other girl. She hadn't witnessed anything like this before, she had to admit. "You're beautiful…"
Aqua's face turned red as she covered her mouth. Beautiful…? N-no… "Th-Thank you…" She flexed her wings, trying to get used to the sensation. It was odd, it felt as if she had had wings all her life. It was much like moving her arms, it was just, a tad awkward. Aqua slipped her shoes back on before stepping towards Larxene. "What has happened to me….? It is so strange…" No matter how much she tried, she couldn't will her face to lose the blush. She hoped that Larxene would ignore it.
Larxene's mouth initially went dry after the words left her mouth. What came over her? She blinked a few times, fighting to suppress the heat threatening to rise in her cheeks. Her breath hitched as her wings moved. This was…real, wasn't it? Larxene shook her head after a few seconds. "I…" shit. What was she supposed to say? "I'm sorry…" She couldn't stop herself. No, she didn't know what something like this could…mean, but she…felt like she was at fault, in some way. "You are, though…" She took another step. Part of her didn't want to move any closer but, well… "this is incredible…" Larxene breathed. In all of her days in the soul-stealing business, she never once thought she'd see something as amazing as this. Hell, she didn't think this could be possible, either. What were they going to do now? Or with Terra? Or her apartment for that matter? After a few minutes of silence she shook the thoughts and spoke, a little more seriously. "Asha….might know something…?" She suggested, wincing a little. Asha could have something to do with this, too, right? Larxene chewed her tongue for a moment, weighing the options. "W-Well, why don't we get some of your things together and head back?" she gestured behind herself vaguely. "What were you wanting other than…." A particular realization was slowly settling in for the performer. "….clothes…?"
Aqua smiled at Larxene, still feeling the heat of a blush on her face. "First... Let me try to put some pants on... Because I doubt I will be able to manage a top right now." Her wings folded behind her as she moved past the performer, over to her disheveled dresser. Pulling out underwear and shorts, she covered herself with her wings in order to dress herself. She laughed aloud as she did so, "I guess I found the first use for these." After putting on pants, she held the towel to her chest with one arm as she searched for a bag to put her clothes in. Taking a duffle bag out from under her bed, she filled it with as many clothes as she could, along with a hair brush she kept in her top dresser drawer. Though Terra had destroyed her charms, she still had her beading kit in tact so she took that along with her. Zipping the bag with a little difficulty, given that she only had one free hand, she had finished. Turning back to Larxene, she gave her a tired smile. "I hope... Asha has some answers..."
Larxene returned the smile, but made a point to focus on other things. What sort of child makes a mess like this? If anyone should clean it, it should be Terra, but he's too busy drooling into the carpet. She wanted to offer help, but before she could even open her mouth, Aqua seemed to have it taken care of. "Here," She suggested, gesturing to the bag. "Let me carry it." Larxene took a step forward and extended her hand. "Wh…uh." She stared down at Terra, who seemed to glare back. After nudging his side with her toes, she spoke. "What should….what do you want to do with..." Larxene bit her tongue to stop herself. Who knows how Aqua would react if she said something rude? Just talking about him before was kinda….strange… "If you want to take him to Asha," She gave aqua a small nod, making sure to keep her tone even. "I can come back, and bring him myself if you'd rather." It was a little difficult for Larxene to forget what she saw here today, she couldn't imagine what it must be like for her…
Aqua politely nodded at Larxene's offer to hold here bag, and she gently handed the bag to her. Holding the towel across her bare chest with two arms now, she turned away from them, wings still folded neatly behind her. Take Terra to Asha…? N-No… That would certainly mean a fate worse than death. Who knows what that woman would do to him. Aqua shuddered at the thought. "N-No… Leave him… I can't decide what will happen to him. It's not my place to punish him… I-I have no right…" Her voice shook from just speaking of it. Truly, Aqua wanted Terra to suffer. To suffer for every moment she was forced to follow his orders. But she didn't have the strength of mind to act on it. Was it cowardice? Who knew… Aqua just didn't want to think about it anymore. "You can decide. I won't. I -… I can't think about this. I want to move on. That's it. My home is destroyed… I've gone and changed into this… this thing and- and a demon is searching for me at this very moment." Aqua chuckled, but it revealed only sadness as she began to cry again. "Let's go before I change my mind… Plus, Asha is waiting for us, right?" She turned and smiled at Larxene, trying to reign her tears in for the moment.
Larxene froze, seeing Aqua's reaction. Shit. No. no no no… she's crying. "I-I'm sorry, I…" good job, genius. The performer paused for a moment before speaking again. "You know what, you're right," She answered quickly. "Asha is….waiting for us." She nodded, making a point to steer the conversation away from the topic of 'Terra.' Larxene had quite a bit that she could say on the subject but it wasn't her place, she knew that. Aqua may not see it her way now, but that…could change. She hoped for her sake… Larxene returned the smile to aqua, though her heart sink. She had hoped that the expression on her face didn't give it away. "Are….are you sure you have everything?" the pain in her feet had begun to tug at her attention a little more, but it could wait. Terra could wait too… Larxene knew the extent of her abilities, he'd be out of it for a little while longer, and besides, it's not like he'd follow. Aqua would be safe, either way. She dug around in her pockets for the vial from Asha. "If." She cleared her throat. "If you're ready, then…" Larxene hoped that she'd somehow be able to persuade Asha into agreeing to talk with her in private. Something had to be done…
"Wait." Aqua stepped quickly back over to the bathroom to retrieve her phone that she left on the side of the sink. She came back out each step filled with a bitter confidence. Her fist closed tightly around the phone that Terra had given her. The phone that he used to control where she would go, who she would talk to… Aqua stood over Terra and dropped the phone on his chest. She seethed quietly, "That's it. Don't bother looking for me… It is finally over." Turning sharply, she took Larxene's arm and nodded to her, letting her know that she was ready to leave. "Let's go."
Larxene's eyes widened. She couldn't stop the smile that crept across her face. She held her breath for a moment, unsure of where this exchange would go, regardless of how happy she was for the other girl. Terra's chest heaved, he glared and ground his teeth. Larxene watched closely, waiting in the silence before Aqua had made her way over. Really? He should have regained his ability to speak by now, right? Terra drew a breath, and spit, aiming to hit one of them, though he failed to do so. Larxene's eyebrow arched at his display. Petty. But he's smart to keep quiet. She had a handful of things she wanted to say to him, but for Aqua's sake, she held her tongue. The performer smiled at the other girl and handed over the vial. She'd come back for him. Even if it meant keeping it from Aqua…