Kuoh Town

[Apollymi]

Again this vampire spoke of the wrong of this situation. He apparently saw her fury and was content to meant her gaze with flat affect. This did nothing to deter the rage felt by Eira in this moment. Even as the blonde let it be known that he figured they were all the same. Even if her peerage was attached to her and wouldn't leave, it was probably some sense of obligation keeping them there, or they didn't want to hurt her feelings or some other such nonsense. If this man had truly looked into her mind during the time he'd tasted her blood, perhaps he'd eaten her doubts ones she'd nursed for years and cared for until very recently. Now as she stood her power receded as a smile returned to her face. Strangely she was silent, even as he floated down closer to her level, standing within arms reach and aiming to push at the last possible button she had left. "Kuzure?" she repeated softly. That horrid word that seemed to follow her everywhere she went, but recent events had led her to see the light of this statement and as such she looked up into the cutting gaze of this lad and replied the only way she knew how.

"These sound like all my doubts manifested and spoken to me from a mouth not my own. I worried about all of those things, and to be honest, I still do. But those wonderful people that came to me, showed me I was selling them short. Projecting my insecurities onto them because I lacked the strength to face their convictions and honor their choices. But they've shown me, I'm the one who puts the ruined ones back together so they can keep moving," she said. Thinking about it more she knew how she felt now, and was content regardless of how this conversation turned out because she understood more of the person she was over the last couple of months than she had in decades. And it was all thanks to them. Still his final words deserved addressing and strangely the girl no longer furious, but still overcome with emotion. She reached out to touch this lad the palm of her right hand making contact with that glowing gem in his chest, before she reached up to pull him into a hug squeezing him with the same affection she gave everyone who belonged to her. The same affection she gave everyone who'd touched her heart in a significant way, with the plight of their life. And if she succeeded in this action, she'd softly offer him what she'd offered most of them, in some form or fashion. "If you ever feel like you're going to disappear. You can call me, I won't let you," she said offering the lad a warm smile and being content not to hold against him, even the argument they'd just been having because she knew nothing good could come of that. She simply accepted him as he was, a man with a cursed existence, and if he wanted help she'd go out of her way to help him find his way out of it, much like she'd already done today.

[Bloodedge]

What he said most recently was something which Eira, strangely enough, took in stride with a smile. She seemed unfazed by the words he offered, but his opinion remained intact nonetheless. Apparently, these subordinates she had were uplifting to her in some way the vampire could neither fathom nor agree with in general. His stare persisted as she reached for the stone in his sternum, but what came afterwards was a shocking development. He was pulled in and embraced for reasons lost to him entirely, but a follow-up statement to this action rang in his ear. "Tch!" he muttered while jerking away from the devil. "Disgusting. I should thank you more for clearing my head of that Succubus magic than I should for you freeing me. I won't be dragged down with you and your band of self-destructive lackeys. Sayonara, Eira Gremory," he said immediately prior to triggering a transformation which gave him the form of a bat flock, which spread out and vacated the premises without further notice. Seeing the bats fly off, Mahad came to realize he likely wouldn't have to be exposed to another man's groin if he turned around, so he did just that to continue his discussion with Eira. "What an interesting individual. Now, the pact?"

[Apollymi]

Eira came to the conclusion that an individual like the one she'd freed from this place, likely wouldn't understand the meaning of her statements yet, but maybe some time in the future he would come to see what she meant. And beyond this she was well and truly serious about offering the man her aid if he had use of it, because she thought he deserved it, in spite of his rather ornery attitude. "Gomenasai, if I'd known my magic would affect you by giving you my blood, I would have taken more precautions in the first place. I'll be more careful next time, Ja ne~" she chimed, as if she fully expected to see this man again. He'd jerked away from her embrace and even seemed upset in someway, but Eira felt that it might not last. Perhaps being out in the world would give him a better outlook. Even so she watched him fly off in a swarm of bats and couldn't help but chuckle. "Ufufufufufu~" she chuckled, though this experience she'd made peace with several aspects of her life right now.

It would be soon after that it came to her attention that Mahad was still in this room. Though she'd spent most of her time in this place talking to the Mage who wanted to have a pact with her, she'd completely forgotten he was there while she chatted with the Vampire they'd found in the basement. Her eyes widened as she turned to face him, managing to look a tad abashed. "Hai, he was pretty interesting, I kinda wish I had gotten his name though, I got wrapped up in..." she paused for a second because she realized something very important. "Wait, you just like witnessed all of that, and you don't think I'm like crazy or too much trouble and you still want to form a pact with me?" she said. Though she'd done what she'd intended and gotten herself and Mahad out of the time locked house. She'd also been approached by a naked vampire, called out as a virgin Succubus and had literally all of her major weaknesses and insecurities laid bare for this man to know and understand. It was unfathomable to her that he'd still want her as his partner when she was obviously flawed as such.

[Bloodedge]

Mahad had no visible concern for the fact that Eira had gone without getting the vampire's name, not that he ever visually showed much of anything. His sole concern now that the curse of this building had been broken, was the pact he intended to make with this devil, and no other. Eira, on the other hand, seemed surprised by his remaining willingness to go through with said pact. When she questioned him, he stared her directly in the eye. "I do not concern myself with the trifles of devils, vampires or any other creatures. You completed the task you chose by the method you desired. Furthermore, you managed the best possible outcome for everyone involved here, excluding a single disagreement between that vampire and yourself," he asserted. If anything, Mahad had long since decided he had an even greater desire to complete this contract by linking with Eira the way devils and magicians did. So, he repeated himself. "Now, the pact?"

[Apollymi]

In response to her question, Eira received a rather succinct and forceful answer from Mahad. She watched him explain this information and met his gaze her eyes alight with emotion. "Ufufufu~" she chuckled as her own power began to vibrate around her once more. "You've got the kind of will I like Mahad," she mentioned and it was quite true. As a person Eira enjoyed the sort of assertive attitude that this mage had about his learning. She respected his passion for his craft, and though he'd been bested by this 'haunted house', his reputation and ability to think through the situation he'd been trapped in were more than enough to be celebrated. And given the kind of life that Eira would likely lead at some point, his brevity and ability to ignore the distractions of her life would be greatly appreciated. "Alright then, let's form a pact~" she mused. This day had quite the strange turn of events but she couldn't deny that it was more helpful than harmful, and she thought this as her magic circle formed beneath her person full of runes and complete with a rose like filigree in the middle.

[Bloodedge]

At long last, the time had come. Mahad had been waiting for such a moment as this. He had long since been ready to form a pact with a devil, but no available devil was one he considered worthwhile until the name Eira Gremory began properly circulating in the Magician's Council. Now, his ambitions were met. "Let's," he agreed. Eira's creation of a magic circle prompted Mahad stepping forward until he also stood within it. Their exchange would occur without a hitch, and they would part on terms that counted among the best, as a devil and magician who shared a pact with one another.

[Apollymi]

A while after the parting of Eira Gremory's youngest peerage members, something strange would occur outside of Yasukawa Takumi's apartment. A small persian kitten with a wide face and white fur would appear near his doorway. This kitten's paws and face were accented by little grey marks and small meows would be heard, as if it was looking for attention. On this slightly rainy night said kitten's clear eyes managed to look distinctly uncomfortable, and it would be easy to see why it wanted to come inside. And as such this tiny ball of fluff waited with uncommon intelligence behind its eyes for the owner of this apartment in particular for reasons unknown.

[Bloodedge]

In the middle of his preparations for dinner, Takumi eventually appeared at his front door, having heard some commotion outside for quite some time. As the door opened, he first saw everything at eye level and above, and his eyes wandered toward the rainy skies. In doing so, his mood seemed to travel south rather quickly. "Sou ka," he said before looking down at the all-white feline who'd been making so much noise this night. To get an even closer look, he crouched down and held a limp left hand toward its face. "You don't like it either, do you?" he asked even of a creature who couldn't respond in his tongue. "You must be hungry. Get out of the storm, and I'll make a plate for you too."

[Apollymi]

This little kitten continued to make noise, until ultimately a door was opened. Within it stood Yasukawa Takumi a face recognizable to this cat. Much as had been suspected, he lad opened the door to let this cat in, and even went on to express that he would feed it and give it a place to stay, making an assumption that it also didn't like the weather. What he couldn't know was, this little creature knew exactly what he was saying, and as the boy's left hand came down to its face the kitten touched it with his nose. After which it would go on to rub its small body around the hand extended like the innocent and friendly creature it so obviously was, aiming to take the boy's invitation and get inside out of the rain. Even as a creature of higher intelligence, standing out in the rain wasn't comfortable in this body.

[Bloodedge]

After the white cat finished rubbing itself on his outstretched hand, it entered the building. Takumi took this as a chance to look disgustedly at the rain once more before sealing himself and the feline within his abode. Once this was done, he stepped past the cat on his way toward the kitchen. "I don't have much left, so you'll have to share what I was making for me. Suman," he said. With that, Takumi went on to finish his meal preparations with an extra plate for the kitten. What he happened to have prepared was a roll of sushi, which he chopped into smaller pieces than normal for the kitten's ease of eating. When he was done, he sat on the floor right there with his legs crossed, placing one plate on the floor and taking the other into his left hand. "You're a little well-behaved for a wild cat; I haven't heard a noise since I let you in. Did someone abandon you?" he wondered aloud as he pushed the cat's plate forward. "Me too. I'll take care of you then."

[Apollymi]

'Really, you're going to feed a stray cat?' she thought as she peeked around the room. While he prepared his dinner, she found herself staring. It wasn't just a simple stare either, it was as if she was staring off into space, but at this point what she was looking at was a picture on the mantle... 'That person, looks familiar,' this cat was in deep thought even as Takumi spoke to it. But its attention was drawn away when it was mentioned how well behaved she was, Takumi himself felt abandoned and as such offered to take care of this kitten. This was simultaneously the sweetest and saddest moment ever witnessed by this kitten. Soon enough the lad was taking a seat in the floor to eat, lowering himself to the same level that the kitten was at. And the kitten walked over looking at the plate. Not only did he split his dinner with her, but he'd even cut it up more so that she could eat it. The big clear eyes of this kitten looked up at him and the smallest noise of appreciation came from it. It was almost a chirp as she sat beside him to eat.

[Bloodedge]

As Takumi gave his offering to the cat, he saw it staring at him strangely. Something about this particular animal was strange to him, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. He subconsciously reached up to touch the mark on his shoulder as he met the feline's gaze, but thought nothing of the matter. Even so, he began rubbing the mark. "I guess I should name you then, huh? Eto..." For several moments, Takumi thought about this. He desperately attempted to find a name, but the one thing he could not escape was the one name which wouldn't leave his mind... the name that had been attached to an image, which had been stuck in his mind for far longer than he could have realized. "Reia. It sounds like..." He hesitated to finish his sentence for reasons he didn't even know. In doing so, he felt a splitting headache which brought his free hand from the mark on his neck, directly to his forehead. "Ugh. I guess you'll need a pillow or something until I can get the money for cat stuff."

[Apollymi]

As she ate the kitten was soon engaged in conversation, specifically about what she would be named. It was quite strange, when deciding to do this, she hadn't considered she would end up with another name, but she supposed she was fine with whatever this lad decided to call her. Much to her surprise, the name he came up with, was surprisingly close to her legitimate name. Almost as if it was done on purpose. 'Why would you...' she mentally questioned staring up at him as he touched his marks. It was almost as if he realized exactly what she was, but it was also obvious he didn't. 'I really don't understand you...' the kitten mused even so having finished its meal, it looked at the lad's discomfort and after a couple of tentative paw movements climbed into his lap rubbing herself against him. Strangely this was behavior she would have had even in a different form, the human version of this girl would have definitely held this lad so that his troubles eased, if he wasn't so confusing a topic for her. Since entering his house in this form she was only more confused not less so.

[Bloodedge]

Takumi forced his focus through the headache he was experiencing. In the meantime, the cat finished its meal and crawled into his lap, giving pause to his movements. "Urusai," he said aloud to nothing in particular. Looking toward the cat again, he lowered his hand at last. "Maybe I should have always had a cat. As long as I feed you, you won't go anywhere. Nothing else is that simple," he commented. It seemed Takumi didn't care much for finishing, or even starting his meal. As such, he placed it on the floor and moved 'Reia' to the space next to it. He rose to make his way toward his bedroom, where he chose to lie on his back until he eventually lost consciousness.

[Apollymi]

Takumi was telling himself to shut up. This was something witnessed now twice, and it made the kitten wonder exactly what was going on in the young man's head. Having already climbed into his lap the kitten couldn't help but continuing to stare at him with those higher than normal intelligent eyes. 'How can you feel so alone,' she thought not really understanding the state of abandonment this lad found himself in. While also feeling like she'd heard it before. But she didn't really have time to consider it properly. Soon enough he was putting her own beside the rest of his meal which he didn't eat. He walked off to his bedroom and would eventually be found passed out there. This kitten currently named 'Reia' padded across the floor moving silently into this lad's bedroom and since he'd fallen asleep on his back she found it very easy to hop up on top of him. The little ball of fur cuddled with this man, her own abilities allowing her to passively absorb energy from him and at the very least allow him to sleep peacefully. The irony of this situation was not lost upon her though. 'How are you the only person to turn me into a proper succubus, Takumi...' she mused as she too drifted off to sleep, in a tight little ball atop him. 'And who is that person?' she asked herself but she couldn't remember. Something would happen in this moment though, the marks binding these two would allow something very strange to happen. Eira would find herself in a dream of the past, and strangely it would include another.