Why did this one take so long?

I wrote it twice, hated it, and finally got here.

Also, The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited came out.

Why does this matter?

Let me tell you about the first RPG character I ever really fleshed out: Zara.

Zara is a Khajiit in the Elder Scrolls series. If you're familiar with that, may your roads lead you to warm sands. If not, just know that they are cat-looking people.

The real name is "Zara." That's why I wasn't keen on being called "Raz." Khajiits have honorifics affixed to their names that mean different things. For example, Ra'Zara indicates that she's from a rather important background and lineage. More commonly, she's known as Zara-la (unmarried maiden), Ro'Zara (great warrior), and my favorite, Zara-daro (clever thief, quick-witted, lithe tongue; it's not an insult). Why? Because she wants nice things, so she steals other people's nice things, fences them, and gets nice things she actually wants.

I digress. Either way, that's what I've been spending some extra time on. But here it is!

Mia-Teresa-Davenport: "You almost killed my hus-"

"Boyfriend."

"Right. We're not married yet here. Boyfriend. Again."

ShyMusic: Of course. :3

AllAmericanSlurp: Xaranthi is used to being in charge of everything. Afrit and all that. And I might kill Chase off like that. Depends on my mood. As for Kevin, he's 100% gay. The thought of sleeping with a woman makes him wrinkle his nose in distaste. However, he and Sandra were in the same group. They didn't hate each other. Moreover, imagine holding a bunny. Now imagine snapping its neck with your bare hands.

Kevin did that to a human. That's what he's so disturbed by.

So, as you have been waiting, here we go. Eddy?

"Zara doesn't own Lab Rats or anything you recognize. If you don't recognize it, it's probably hers."

"The more people you have to ask for permission, the more dangerous a project gets."

Kristin Hannah, The Things We Do for Love

"Lauren: "Can I ask you a question?"

"Angie: "Generally, that's a question one should say no to. Often, hell no.""

Kristin Hannah, The Things We Do for Love

Leo

"He's here because...?"

"Some shit went down, Tasha, so we need to watch him."

Tasha scowled. "Language."

Douglas rolled his eyes. He probably would have crossed his arms, but the unexpected house guest – an obviously distraught Kevin – was holding one of Douglas' hands like it was a life line.

Leo looked Kevin over from across the room. The pale, shaky, panicking man at Douglas' side was a far cry from the Kevin that had come to dinner just the night before.

Leo quietly thanked God that Sam had wandered back home after Chase left. She would likely have recognized Kevin as a guard at the junk yard and hit him with something.

Ysthry hissed at Kevin from her hiding place behind Leo's legs. "I don't want him here. What if he attacks us?"

"He won't," was the answer. Surprisingly, it was Chase who said it with the utmost confidence. The tip of his tail twitched. "Although he might stab you if you attack him. You know: Self-defense."

Kevin winced, prompting Douglas to thump Chase's ear. "He's not going to stab anybody."

Chase rubbed his ear with annoyance while Mr. Davenport spoke up. "Why is he here, Douglas?"

Douglas sighed. "I already told you that some-"

"Got that part," Mr. Davenport interrupted, holding up a hand. "What exactly happened?"

"He saved my life," Chase answered. "He just had to do something very difficult to do it. I mean, look at him." Chase gestured towards Kevin, who seemed even more panicked now than he had been when he followed Douglas inside. "He's on our side. We can't just leave him alone."

"Bad things might happen," Douglas added ominously, letting several implications hang in the air.

"Did someone have a bad day? Poor little thing. Maybe shaving that rat's nest you call 'hair' off will help, blondie."

Kevin whipped around and blanched at the sight of Eddy, who had popped up on his screen. His voice was practically a squeak when he nudged Douglas. "What is that?"

Douglas sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes. "That's Eddy...He's a smart home system."

"Can it-"

"He can think for himself, yes."

Eddy was wearing his usual grin. "They wouldn't let me meet you yesterday. Something about being afraid of robots." His mouth bent into a menacing bracket, imitating a smirk. "Don't worry. Your death will be quick. Painful, but quick, human."

Obviously still affected by whatever had happened earlier, Kevin didn't say a word. Instead, without warning, he simply collapsed from the severe amount of anxiety Eddy had induced with that simple statement.

"Damn it, Eddy," Douglas huffed, crouching down beside Kevin and pressing his fingers against his neck, his training as a nurse practitioner obviously kicking in.

Chase grinned a bit. "At least it wasn't the exo-suit on a rampage again. Kevin would never come back."

"Is that such a bad thing?" Adam asked.

While Douglas started on a rant about being respectful, Ysthry nudged Leo's cheek with her nose, whispering, "That's their spy? He can't handle a stupid wall-imp!"

Leo resisted the urge to correct Ysthry. She never quite grasped the concept of artificial intelligence, instead referring to Eddy as if he was a demon trapped behind the glass rather than a program. "We can't do anything about it."

"Master, you're better at spying than he is," she argued quietly to avoid being heard. "You should infiltrate the Hunters."

"I'm not allowed," Leo muttered.

Ysthry tilted her head. "So what? Why do you need permission to help?"

Leo considered that. Ysthry had a point. People did first aid all the time without permission. And it was all to help somebody, so that made it okay, right? Besides, Kevin's obvious anxiety problem meant that he was at risk for exposing everybody. He might crack under the pressure. Leo, however, had proven to himself that he could perform under stress.

Finally, he nodded. Ysthry was right. He didn't need permission to go spy because he was helping their cause.

He just had to find a way into the fold. It shouldn't be too hard. Just advertise that he hated demons, and it would all just fall into place.

A quiet knock on the door broke Leo from his thoughts. Frowning, he opened the door only to gasp. Two bloody imps – barely recognizable as Oly and Yahn – stumbled in. Oly instantly sought Douglas out, climbing into his lap without even asking. Wide-eyed and obviously worried, Douglas patted her head very gently. "What happened?"

Yahn was the one to answer as Adam carefully picked him up. "Someone threw silver powder on us."

Poor imps.

Will they be okay?

And what will happen with the Hunters vs. Demons thing?!

We'll just have to wait.

So, until then, feel free to review. Or not. Meh.

And enjoy.

*Bows and exits*