Completed [Bronze Woods] Undead Company [Fubuki Kouri]

[Isolde Seibold]

The Nuit had to hold herself from flinching when the ghost suddenly materialized and approached to touch her cheek. Things seemed to be going... alright. Well, as good as they could be, considering the original situation. And Isolde didn't want to mess that up. So she held very, very still.

She had heard that a ghost's touch was a chilling, unpleasant experience. The testimony had come first-hand from a man who had claimed to be a ghost-hunter while passing through Mithryn, where Isolde had grown up. He had been a melodramatic fellow with big bags under his eyes, a grin that could stretch for miles, and hands that waved and flapped about as he talked as if he was a baby bird not yet ready to fly. What Isolde felt when first Rena had touched her, and then Kouri, was just a slightly cool sensation, and it was neither pleasant or unpleasant. She wondered if having no body warmth altered her perception of the contact. Regardless, the cloak of coldness that seemed to radiate out from the girls still was enough to chill the warmth of Syna from the air, numbing the tips of Isolde's fingers and nose.

"You want me to be comfortable with you? I know just the thing... you let me go 'inside' you, Madame Isolde. That way... I can understand a lot more about your... body. Ehehehe~ So... what do you say?"

The Nuit just stared at Kouri --well, at the tip of her nose-- and let out a long, slow exhale. Okay, okay. She was suddenly very nervous. Let Kouri, the ghost girl who had just tried to kill her, possess her body? Isolde would have to be completely and utterly insane, raving mad to even consider it. It was a terrible idea. The risks... even besides the fact that the ghost had proven herself homicidal, Isolde did not know how this possession might mess with her body. Would it work like a normal possession --a topic Isolde already didn't know much about-- or would something else happen? From experience, she knew that a Nuit's connection to their body was... strained, for lack of a better word. The control was off a bit, the reflexes were off a bit, and Isolde had just gotten done thinking that even the way she experienced things, her senses themselves, were not the same as a regular, living person's. If a Nuit couldn't synch with their body, a lot of things could go wrong very quickly. And if Kouri --whether from malicious intent or by accident-- severed that vital, frail connection... what would happen? Isolde didn't know. At best, Isolde was willing to believe that the ghost wouldn't purposefully damage her, not after promising to Rena. No, no, certainly not. But accidentally was an entirely different matter.

The Nuit opened her mouth to say no --leaning back a bit because Kouri was very, very close, close enough that the Nuit could smell a faint odor of metallic blood-- but she found that she couldn't do it. What was wrong with her? She was not going to let Kouri do this!

But... but she had offered to do anything within her power. And this was in her power. If she broke this oath, then perhaps the ghosts would start wondering what other oaths --such as the promise not to hurt them-- she might break. That could make things very dangerous, very fast. Or perhaps if she angered the ghosts, both of them, simply by refusing? The Nuit flicked a glance at Rena; the girl looked so hopeful. And all of these threats and complications in Isolde's mind... they were all speculation. Just purely speculation. She didn't know how far-fetched her fears were, or how realistic. At best, nothing unusual would happen --well, other than her being possessed. At worst... her connection with her body would be damaged, or severed completely. She didn't know if she would be able to 'reconnect' or if she would be-- be broken. Unable to move. Crippled. And surely death would come after. If she didn't get into a new body, if she was unable to perform the soul transfer, then she would eventually rot away. Until she was gone.

But, once again, that was all guesswork. Probably everything would be fine. Probably.

Still, even if she did say no, what if Kouri decided to force her way in? Isolde didn't know if that was possible, but surely an unwilling possession would be a lot more damaging to her body, and possibly her mind. So either way, though she didn't really like the idea...

"I-If th-this is what it t-t-takes to make it up t-to you, then I-- I agree. Just, pl-please b-be careful. M-My body is... more frail th-than a regular p-person's." The Nuit gritted her teeth, not really knowing what was going to happen, or how it would work. Would she remain conscious of what was happening? Would it hurt? Would she be able to see into Kouri's memories? Worse yet, would Kouri be able to see into hers? Some emotion akin to panic danced in the Nuit's eyes. Her hands shook. But she simply sat where she was and waited for whatever was going to happen.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri "Excellent..." Kouri rubbed her hands together and inched closer to the Nuit. She got closer and closer... until she were practically pressing her materialized body into Isolde. "Just... relax..." She hauntingly whispered in the Nuit's ear. She's not kidding though, Kouri's level at possession was lagging far behind her other powers; she didn't get much chance to practice this ability and it was the most consuming power of hers. "W-woah..." Rena could only watch in awe as her sister moved in a strange manner. The black mist around her sister was now slowly wrapping the Nuit's body. Her gut feelings told her that Kouri was going to do something big. Kouri then unmaterialized herself and extended both of her hands to Isolde's chest. Her hands went 'inside' her chest and she concentrated herself. Her bodily form then slowly started to become even more transparent and she vanished, leaving traces of black mist surrounding the Nuit. Kouri then opened her eyes and found herself in a... black world. She found herself inside a dark, damp room with scorching marks on the ceilings and walls. Empty of people and filled with few objects, most notable is the table at the corner with strange straps on it. W-what is this... a-awful place? She didn't want to ponder further, her time was short. The table was glowing deep purple as if inviting Kouri in. By instinct, Kouri suspected this table was her entrance to take hold of Isolde's Astral Body. She approached the table, rubbed its surface with her hand and... lay on top of it. She then closed her eyes and could feel the resistance coming from Isolde's natural mind resistance. She could only hope Isolde relaxed herself more and completely dropped this resistance as Kouri was not skilled enough to provide any decent mind fight. OOCAs Kouri's skill at possession is still novice so it's completely up to you whether she succeeds or not. If she succeeds, Isolde would feel an alien presence within her soul and you can have the option of knowing some of Kouri's memories. Kouri could involuntarily read some of Isolde's memories as well. And Isolde can't move her body on her own if Kouri succeeds. If she fails then well... she fails and got kicked out of your body. LOL!

[Isolde Seibold]

"Excellent... Just... relax..."

The Nuit wasn't liking this. The ghost was getting close, close, close, pressing in, invading the Nuit's rarely-violated personal space, causing her breath to catch and hold. There was a black mist, contrasting darkly with the bright surroundings, casting vague, liquid shadows on the ground and Isolde's face. The mist was enveloping her, it was getting hard to see. Everything was the ghost. The sun was blocked out. The world went cold. The Nuit's fingers twitched and spasmed as she fought back the fear, the natural urge to expel this creature out and away, far away. And then her fingers slammed themselves into tight fists as the ghost-- as she-- as Kouri pushed her hands into Isolde's chest. She thought she heard Rena make a noise of soft, puzzled wonder, and then the dark mist all around her seemed slowly, gently, to spin.

She was in a dark, empty, damp place. It was like a-- a cave. The air smelled vaguely of wet earth, and smoke, and something much more horrible; there were scorch marks on the ceiling. The Nuit's world --or was she a Nuit yet, she didn't know, things were blurring together-- turned into one great, overwhelming feeling of déjà vu. She knew what was coming, and at the same time she didn't know, and she was so scared. She felt like she was being taken by the shoulders and shoved towards the table in the corner of the room. There was a small warmth at her side, clutching to her. Isolde knew the warmth, knew that it belonged to someone who was hers, and she held hard to it, never letting it go. The hands continued pushing her. Everything was too dark, too confusing. Was she a Nuit, or was she alive, or was she looking for someone...? She found herself murmuring, "No, no, shush honey, Doe, don't cry, don't cry." She felt her hand smooth back someone's hair, and little, thin arms gripped tightly around her waist. There was a long shadow, standing tall in the corner. And another. And another. Five or six. Maybe more. Her heart was beating so hard in her chest, she thought it would break free-- but how was it doing that? Her heart was dead-- or-- or was it? "K-Kale?" she called out, voice trembling, squinting through the dark,"Who are th-those--?" The words died in her throat. A scream threatened to bubble out when she saw the horrid, pale, undead faces, the black grins, their hands reaching out, expectant, waiting for her. Beckoning her to the table in the corner, grasping at her, and no! She didn't want to go! No! The hands were gripping at Wynry, her Wynry, not Wynry, and the child was screaming and screaming and the sound filled up Isolde's mind. The scorched marks on the ceiling burned into her vision, the smell of smoke loud and choking in her nose, and then she was holding tight to her daughter, and fighting, fighting the hands, and saying, shrieking,"No, no, no, no! NO!" Kale's voice came through the dark, calm and collected. "You will love me again, 'Zo. We will be happy. Just get on the table. You will see." And he was beside her, pushing her, and she fought against him, "No! Kale, please, no!" She would not, no, not that ugly table in the corner, and there were-- gods, there were straps for hands and feet. She renewed her efforts to get away, pushing and shoving against him, she would not go over there, never! And then his voice again, and the simple, terrifying words. "You, or Wynry." The small warmth at her side was suddenly snatched away, wrenched out of her grip, and Isolde screamed. Kale had his arms around her, locking her in place, holding her back, she was trying to break free but he was too strong, and those things, those terrible, dead things had her daughter, her Wynry, and the girl was calling for her. "Momma! Momma! Momma!" She was kicking and screaming, and they dragged the girl towards the table and Isolde was screaming and crying, she couldn't bear it, "No, no, not Wynry! Take me, take me, take me instead! Not Wynry!" The creatures stilled, Kale stilled. "Yes," he breathed. He let her go. She was numb. She did not run. She couldn't see Wynry in the dark, just could hear her terrified sobs. She couldn't bring herself to call out to the girl, to tell her it would be okay. It would not be okay. And so she just walked to the table. Past the group of still figures, and the one small child, hanging in their arms, crying weakly, steadily. Their glinting eyes watched her as she stumbled by. She took a deep breath, and then climbed up onto the smooth, flat surface. She laid down. The straps were fitted into place. And the child was taken screaming from the room. And the things leaned over her in the dark. And her husband was there, grabbing at her hand, whispering kind words, telling her how happy they would be, and they would be together, and they would love each other, and it would be just them. Forever. And then the horror truly began.

The Nuit was standing in the same cavern-room, and the figures were gone. The room was plain, empty, and lit by a soft, undulating purple glow, the color so dark it was only a shade or two from black. There was a figure on the table. A young girl, and where she touched the table it pulsed and thrummed and glowed a lovely, hypnotizing shade of lighter purple, starkly bright compared to the rest of the room. The color was reminiscent of the lilac buds on those fragrant bushes that used to flower during the early summer. For one horrid, terrible tick the Nuit thought that it was Wynry lying there, and she thought she might scream. And then she recognized the crimson eyes, the long, pale, ethereal hair, and said, shocked, "Kouri." If the girl answered, the words did not reach the Nuit's ears. Her mind was buzzing, and it was hard to sort things out. That-- that place-- had that been a-- a memory? It had felt so real. And now Kouri-- Kouri-- oh gods, had she seen all that?

Whether or not she had, the Nuit could not stand to have her here for a tick more. Logically she knew that the girl was safe. This place was no longer a danger, just a-- a dream. The strange, comforting purple glow emitting from the table seemed to speak of that. But Isolde could not fight down the fear that somehow, somehow those terrible figures would come back and get Kouri and-- and they would--

No.

Isolde found herself at the table's edge. She must have walked over. Despite her fear, she was also very, very calm. She did not look at Kouri's face. She just leaned over and said, "Go. Leave this place. Go. Please go." And she gently placed a kiss on the girl's forehead to send her on her way.
---

The black mist was spinning, spinning. There was a feeling of coldness throughout Isolde's chest, and she felt she couldn't breathe, that her heart had stopped all over again. But that was okay, okay, because she was a Nuit. She was back in the sunny clearing. Her body had slumped down, and she was staring into space. She tried to sit up, tried to look around, in search of Rena and Kouri-- and nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. The body wouldn't move. The eyes didn't even blink.

It was only then that the Nuit realized that it wasn't just her chest that was cold but her whole body. And there was a feeling-- this presence in her mind. She felt as if she was seeing things from two different points of view. She felt as if her thoughts were echoing. The fear was there, but it had been dulled by the other presence. And there was no pain. So she could only assume that the possession had been successful. It was up to Kouri to move them now. The Nuit only hoped that the young girl had not seen what Isolde had seen. She wanted to ask if the girl was okay, but had no ability to do so.

OOCOkay, so long post! Sorry about that! It's up to you whether or not Kouri saw Isolde's memory. If you want, when Kouri "unpossesses" Isolde you could do a similar memory thing, or not. It's up to you. Hopefully that wasn't too traumatic (or dramatic! ^^') or anything! Phew!
OOC2Oh, I just thought of this so I'll add it just so you know. In the memory, Isolde doesn't look like... how she does now. I mean, the woman that's her, that's her original body, before she was a Nuit. So, yeah. If you think you need a description of either Isolde, Wynry, or Kale, PM me. I dont want to write it all out here.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri OOCI love long posts! It makes me feel appreciated for my work in writing long replies as well. I'm not fickle and I enjoy anything in fiction, from bubbly happy scenes to pitch-black somber play filled with despair! What happened to you? Kouri grabbed her head as Isolde's memories invaded her own mind. She saw her dark history through her eyes, the horror of the undeads clamoring the room, the quivering little girl who seemed to be the daughter of the screaming woman... and that petching male. Kouri didn't know why, but hate filled her chest. The bastard that was called 'Kale'. For some reason, Kouri viewed this 'man' at the same degree of hate that she had for the tiger who killed her. I will kill you... kill you... kill... "KILL YOU!!!" Isolde's body jerked upwards and screamed a very out-of-character scream filled with rage and hatred. Her brows were also furrowed and her face looked like an angry cobra, inhaling and exhaling and bear a grin full of teeth. "!!?" Rena was utterly surprised when her sister disappeared 'into' the Nuit and a few moments later, The Nuit's body were completely still and then suddenly... she jerked and screamed, a scream that filled Rena with dread. She was used to seeing the gentle and timid demeanor of Isolde, she didn't expect the Nuit could let out such a hate-filled roar. "S-sis?" Rena timidly asked, did her sister succeed? If it was the case, then the Nuit she was facing now was... Kouri. "Huh?" Isolde's body looked to her left and right then she looked down and examined her own hands, no... more like Isolde's hands. "I... succeeded? Yeah... I did it..." Kouri commanded the body to lean her back down to the tree and sighed in relief. It felt strange... this undead body was quite different than the living. It felt more stiff... and decayed for some reason. Who was that man... when I find him... I will kill him! Kouri talked to Isolde. While being possessed, the ghost and the host could telepathically talk to each other. Kouri assumed this 'Kale' was an evil wizard who kidnapped the woman and her daughter. "Sis?" Isolde's dull blue eyes locked themselves to the confused little ghost girl in front of her. "Madame Isolde? Sis? are you alright?" Kouri could see the concern and fear in her sister violet eyes. A small smile formed on her lips as Kouri slowly stood up, fumbling with her movements a bit and walked to Rena. "Hello, Rena... ehehe~ It's your sister. Don't worry, we're both alright..." Kouri extended her hands to pat Rena's head but *Wooosh!* her hand went through Rena as if she was air. So... that's what it feels... Kouri, being, a ghost, had never tried to touch another ghost while possessing a body so this experience of 'touching-a-ghost-as-a-corporeal-being' was completely new to her. Rena got the message, she immediately materialized herself, and glomped Isolde/Kouri. "Waaaaaaaaaaah! Amazing! Amazing!" She snuggled Isolde's body, awed by the display of Kouri's power. "Alright, hmmm..." Kouri concentrated herself and felt Isolde's djed. "Ah... Madame Isolde, you're a mage I see..." Kouri then got an idea, she would do the same thing she did with Cyrus, her former master's body. Isolde/Kouri then knelt down to Rena's height and she cupped her hands together, then she closed her eyes and concentrated. Kouri then manipulated Isolde's djed and... blew a pale bluish-white vapor from her mouth to her hands. Then the created res slowly swirled itself, forming a mini twister on Isolde's cupped hands. "Ehehe~ Amazing, right, Rena? Madame Isolde can manipulate air." "W-woah..." Rena's eyes shined with excitement as she examined Isolde/Kouri's display of air reimancy. "It's so pretty~" "Ehehehe~" Kouri giggled and put the tiny twister on the ground, it ebbed and spun. Rena unmaterialized herself, crouched down, and observed it closely. "Now then... what else..." Kouri searched for more interesting abilities of the Nuit. She then found out that the Nuit could... alter her shape or something. It would not hurt to try... Kouri concentrated herself and looked manipulated the djed within Isolde's dead body. After fifteen seconds, Kouri returned her attention to her sister. "Rena~" "Yes, Madame Isold-... I mean Sis?" Rena looked up from the mini tornado she had been playing with. "What's my eye color right now?" Kouri asked. She wanted to know whether or not she succeeded. "Uhm... red" Rena anwered truthfully, she titlted her head in curiosity though. "Why, Sis?" "Ehehehe~ That means I have succeeded~" Then she broke off the transformation, Isolde's eye color then slowly turned back to its original color, dull blue. She felt like a Vantha again. "Ehehe~ I see! You can change eye color!" Rena smiled and continued playing with the reimancy-created twister. "I'll join you!" Kouri commanded Isolde's body to crouch down beside Rena, then the ghostly sister giggled and played with each other like the little girls they are. After five chimes, Kouri could feel her hold on Isolde's body weakening. "Ah... looks like my time is almost up, Rena. I'm coming out soon..." Kouri then lied down on the ground and closed her eyes. Meanwhile inside Isolde's mind, Kouri's invasion of her body was leaking memories into her... ===================================== "MAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" A little girl with flowing black hair and sapphire blue eyes screamed in panic and terror as a... monster, a giant orange-striped cat, suddenly launched from the bushes and tore apart her mother's neck in one terrible bite. She couldn't believe it, a moment ago she was just playing beside the river when this nightmare had to happen. Her eye color quickly morphed from blue to purple as fear filled her. "Kouri! Get out of here! RUN!!" A male voice screamed at her, this voice belonged to a dark haired adult man. The man was futilely trying to divert the tiger's attention to him, to allow his daughter to escape. "PETCHING BEAST!! OVER HERE!! HERE!! He cursed in Vani and threw a rock at the beast. "ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!" The tiger took the gesture as an invitation to another easy prey. It flexed its strong hind legs and.. launched to the man. Then it pinned the man down and launched a flurry of terrifying claw slashes, tearing apart the man from limb to limb. "Pa...papa... pa..." The little girl's fragile psyche was utterly crushed at the sight of her parent's slaughter. In just a manner of less than a chime, both of her parents were horribly murdered by this... black-striped monster of a cat. "Ah... ah..." Her eyes went empty and she fell down to her knees. She couldn't think of anything else and just stood there as the beast lunged to her neck. ===================================== Kouri's vision was filled with white and when she opened her eyes, she found out that she was floating in a prone position above Isolde's body. "........" Kouri was tired, dead tired. She shifted her position and looked at her sister, who was watching with concern in her violet eyes. "Sis! You're back! A-are you both alright?" Kouri nodded and took her position beside her little sister, then the sisters gazed at Isolde's laying body; waiting for her to wake up.

[Isolde Seibold]

Who was that man... when I find him... I will kill him!

Isolde was so startled by the rage that was coursing through her, so startled by the way her body was moving, screaming and stumbling around, that she automatically answered, though afterwards she immediately regretted it. H-He was m-my-- my husband. The thought flickered timidly back to Kouri, and Isolde almost, almost continued, wanting to tell the girl that, no, he was no wizard or kidnapper, just a very, very sick man driven by betrayal --her own betrayal-- to desperate measures... but then stopped. Her mind was whirring. Wizard... she thought vaguely, Kale... had been... a-- a wizard...? And yes, now that the girl had pointed it out --even by mistake-- didn't that make sense? But-- but how? And-- and why?

Before Isolde could go down that path, her own djed was being accessed. Surprised, her attention wandered back to the present. Wha--? The thought poked through to Kouri, the Nuit watching in utter astonishment as her hands shaped her djed without her willing them to. This must be the ghost, but-- but how? A miniature twister was whipped up, spinning and turning like a top, and like Rena said, it really was beautiful. And then --apparently-- Kouri used Morphing to transform her eye color. Something Isolde had never even tried to do. The Burned Man had taught her to start out with hair color, but he had-- had left before she had begun attempting, and she hadn't wanted to mess anything up. Morphing was delicate magic. If you did something wrong, you could really screw up your body. Isolde had never dared mess with something so vitally important as her eyes. What if she accidentally blinded herself? How would she perform the soul transfer then? How would she paint the necessary runes? It was all very risky business, and the Nuit was not one to take risks lightly.

Something the ghost had idly thought flashed through Isolde's mind, something about her being a Vantha, and the Nuit's own thoughts were brought back to what was currently going on. The girls were... playing. Simply playing together, big sister, little sister, nudging and giggling at the tiny twister as it ravaged its little section of ground, ripping out grass and flinging it as if in a tantrum. And despite all the crazy that had happened today... the Nuit would have smiled, truly smiled, if she had been able, to see the girls playing so happily together.

And then Kouri had to go, and the girl's memory flashed like lightning through Isolde's mind, and the Nuit awoke, chest heaving --though it wasn't like she needed to breathe-- to find two little girls nearby, staring at her.

The first thing she did was scramble up from her lying position on the ground. Her body felt a bit weary from both the possession and the small use of djed, and she wanted to sleep, but Nuits didn't sleep. Perhaps, instead, when she went home she would try meditating again-- she had been pleasantly surprised earlier by the total oblivion of thought that had swept through her, annihilating all distractions, causing such lovely tranquility. She hadn't bothered to remember that little detail from her long-ago lessons with the Burned Man.

The second thing she did was look at Kouri and start rambling out words. Apologies. "I'm sorry," she said, "I'm so sorry you had to see all that. I really mean it." She seemed frustrated and flustered, crossing her arms around her knees, looking down almost angrily at the little patch of dirt the twister had created. This was the strongest emotion she had displayed all day, this frustration. She picked at the ground, brow furrowed. "If I could have chosen another memory, another time, I would have found something... something better, happier for you, but I didn't have a choice. It just-- just happened. I'm so sorry. I hope-- you're not-- afraid." The Nuit shook her head, putting a hand on her face, rubbing tiredly at one eye. The tiger's bloody teeth, its long, shining claws suddenly ripped through her mind, and she winced, shuddering. Almost guiltily she continued, "A-And when you were... leaving... I-- I saw something of y-you. And I'm very sorry about that, t-too." She didn't know if she was saying that she was sorry that that had happened to the girl --which she was-- or if she was sorry that Isolde had... stolen the memory from her --which she also was-- but perhaps it didn't matter. The Nuit, who had been unable to do anything to protect Kouri's mind from her own memories, only knew that she had to apologize. Because what else could she do? She couldn't change what had happened. She couldn't take her memory back from Kouri, just as she hadn't been able to save Wynry from... from Kale.

A moment later, drawing herself from those dark thoughts, the Nuit noticed two strange things. One, she was no longer stuttering and stammering out her words; her voice was a lot more sure-footed, steady. And two... It was no longer hard to look at the girls, either of them. She was really no longer afraid of Kouri. And she felt, perhaps, like that was okay. Like it wasn't a mistake.

But, gods. The poor girl. The tiger's snarl came to mind, followed shortly by Kouri's parents' ripped-out, gaping throats. She closed her eyes. Gods, the wounds had just poured out blood, enough blood to turn red the dark, black dirt of the jungle. The Nuit --though she had known a lot of horrors-- had never seen anything like that before. All that blood, and the poor child, so helpless, so hopeless. Her mind rebelled against it, trying to lock up the memory. She was something of a pacifist by nature. Such violence, even though that could really only be expected from such a wild animal, was terrible to her. She felt vaguely ill.

The Nuit opened her eyes and turned them to Kouri, hoping that the girl would reassure her that she was alright.

OOCI hope you don't mind that Isolde accessed thoughts that Kouri didn't specifically direct towards her. I figured that since they were in the same headspace any thoughts would come through. And of course, Kouri would have seen any thoughts Isolde had had.

[Fubuki Kouri]

Fubuki Kouri OOCOf course I don't mind. They are deeply connected after all. "Your husband... I see... your husband must die, Madame..." Kouri spoke to the Nuit, her whisper full of hatred and rage for that humanoid monster. "No, it's okay. You don't have to be sorry, with that in mind. I know that I still have much to do in this world... so many evils to vanquish" Kouri noticed her hand was being held tighter, she looked down to see Rena looking up to her like she was a hero of justice or something. "Sis... do you have to really kill evil people? Can't you uhm... make them go 'good' or... some...thing?" Rena stammered with her words, she was glad that her sister was a good person; but she wasn't really fond of violently ending the lives of another people, even if they are utter scumbags. "Rena..." Kouri was taken aback by her sister's pureness and innocence, she crouched down to her height and hold her shoulders. "Some people... just can't be changed. They better die than continue to mess up this already messed up world... kill one live to save millions, don't you agree?" Kouri's mindset had been hardened by all the things that had happened to her, things that a 12 years old little girl shouldn't have seen... yet. "I understand... Big Sis" Rena hugged her sister and closed her eyes, she couldn't really disagree with Kouri. She was right, some people were just utterly evil and dangerous that you couldn't let them live for the sake of peace. Kouri's views were not perfect, no views were perfect actually; but at least, Rena could agree with Kouri's principle. "I misjudged you, Madame Isolde..." While still hugging Rena, Kouri turned her head to face the Nuit. "I'm sorry, it was arrogant of me to misjudge you. If there's anything I can do to help you, you just have to ask" Kouri beamed her an apologetic smile. She learned a lot today, she learned that someone being a Nuit didn't mean they were monsters. When Isolde told her that she had seen her memories, Kouri just nodded in understanding. "You're apologizing... then that means my memories you saw was when... I died. That's okay, it's all behind me now. Mama and Papa are gone now and I bet even Queen Morwen couldn't bring them back." A season ago, the mention of her parents' demise would send Kouri into a spiraling bouts of frustration and depression; but she had learned to accept it, especially since Rena was with her. "Sis..." Rena snuggled against her sister's chest, but she felt like something was not quite right. Her sister's body was getting more and more transparent and the black mist surrounding her was fading. "S-sis?! W-what's happening?!" "Oh..." Kouri strangely looked calm and composed as if this had happened before. "Don't worry, Rena... I'm just tired and want to sleep that's all... possession costs a lot you know... now then, I don't have much time. Ask Madame Isolde... to take you home. Remember, Traveler's Row, Apartment 112..." Kouri spoke rather quickly, it would be in a matter of seconds until her 'body' vanished completely and be reduced to swirling black mist. "S-sis! O...okay! A-and! When will you come back?" Rena stared into her ever-growing-transparent older sister. "Hmmm... later this night, perhaps. I need to rest for a couple of hours... now then, good day... Rena, Madame Isolde..." And with that statement, Kouri's bodily form faded away and swirls of black mist replaced her former location. "Sis..." Rena looked at the black mist for a couple of seconds before turning to face Isolde. "U-uhm.. Madame, can you take me home?" Rena floated to Isolde, materialized herself, and took her left hand with both of hers. "Like Sis said, our room is at the Traveler's Row, apartment number 112". For a second, Rena wondered on what to do with Kouri's chakrams, but she decided her sister would most likely take care of it once she 'woke' up. For now, she just wanted to go home. What about the key to the apartment? Kouri left it inside, they didn't need to actually open the door to get in after all; they just phased through it. OOCThis should be my last post for the thread, Isolde. Your reply will end it, I think. Feel free to change the tag to 'Completed' and post it for grading! We will sure meet again in the future!

[Isolde Seibold]

The Nuit had at first been alarmed when the ghost had started... dissolving. Her form had gone transparent, wavering, rapidly turning to black mist. But Kouri had not seemed hurt, or afraid of what was happening to her. So probably she really was just tired, and the Nuit didn't have to worry about her.

Except Isolde already was worried. As she walked Rena home --a long walk for a weary Nuit and a small girl, hand in hand-- she contemplated Kouri's... psyche, for lack of a better word. The girl was dangerous. She attacked strangers without being provoked, intending to use deadly force for the smallest slight-- a malicious side Isolde had almost fallen victim to herself. Even now, knowing that she was safe, knowing that Kouri was no longer a threat-- the memory of those spinning daggers, the memory of their angry buzzing and whirring as they whipped and whirled through the air, they caused her to shiver. Somehow, she was reminded of the tiger, of its claws as it ripped and tore into flesh, blood spurting, and the animal rage of the creature. Again she shivered, and a moment later had to reassure Rena that she really was alright.

And Kouri's devotion to... well, vigilantism. The Nuit didn't think the girl ever really would track down Kale... he had probably died long ago, slain by his own insanity. But it made the Nuit wonder-- how many people Kouri had vowed to kill? How many had Kouri already killed? And how-- how could the Nuit... help her? Help her, and Rena? Isolde's hand tightened on the little girl's beside her, who seemed content to look around at the scenery and every once and a while babble out a happy sentence or two. Rena was innocent now. But she depended on Kouri. Kouri was all she had. How long would it be before she started thinking that Kouri was right about it all? She had resisted Kouri before and saved Isolde's life. But Isolde had just seen the girl begin to agree with what Kouri had been saying:

"Some people... just can't be changed. They better die than continue to mess up this already messed up world... kill one live to save millions, don't you agree?"
"I understand... Big Sis"

When would it end? Soon enough Rena would be strong, like Kouri. When would she start feeling the same way about it all? Turn to violence to solve their problems? It must be easier for two little girls --two little ghosts-- to disregard life. After all, their lives hadn't made them strong, hadn't made them happy. How long before they killed simply because they could, or because they wanted something? They needed to be taught control, or they could become a serious danger. And not only to others. To themselves.

The Nuit knew this for a fact. People didn't like what they didn't understand. People especially didn't like what they saw as a threat. The ghosts could easily become a threat. And in turn there were things that could threaten ghosts. Ghost-hunters, for one. Kouri had seemed so very strong and terrifying and invincible today. But she was a child. And she had also shown that she could grow tired, could become vulnerable. Could grow weak. Isolde didn't want to think what would happen if someone came for her when she had already spent all her energy.

For that matter, Isolde didn't want to think about what would happen if someone came for her and she was at full energy. Either way, someone would be hurt.

Kouri had said that she would help Isolde. But how could the Nuit help her? Would the ghosts --either of them-- listen to her? Why would they? She was not responsible for them, and she certainly wasn't their mother. And even if they did listen... how, then, could she teach them what was right and what was wrong when she herself was so weak, so... different from everyone else? Some sort of-- unnatural-- thing? The memory of the other Nuits, the shadows in the room, came back to Isolde, and she pressed her lips together into a thin line, eyebrows creasing her forehead.

This morning had seemed so promising. And now --though Syna was still burning cheerfully above-- everything seemed a little darker. More serious.

But what could she do? She would have to figure out something. She would have to be stronger. And she would have to keep an eye on Kouri and Rena. Perhaps she would see them again, soon.

---

It was a while later that Isolde finally dropped Rena --who had started seeming quite tuckered out herself-- at the room. With a short, tired goodbye, the girl phased through the door and was gone. Isolde had been worried about getting homely safely, walking through the streets of Syliras, a Nuit and a ghost hand in hand. But no one had bothered them, even to make a rude comment, and that she was thankful for.

Yawning, the Nuit trudged home. She was so tired, but she would not sleep. Instead, back at her place --rundown and dirty as it was-- the Nuit settled into her usual spot by the fire, nudging the embers with a poker until they flared back to life. The warmth of the fire, along with the warmth of the Summer, soothed her. The Nuit --trying to get her own version of "rest"-- leaned her back against the edge of the hearth and closed her eyes. Slowly, slowly, she managed to ease her worried mind back into a state of peaceful meditation.

OOCThank you, Kouri, for threading with me! Yes, we should do this again soon! And awww, Isolde's worried about the girls. Afraid they'll turn into blood-thirsty little monsters, how cute! XD

[Accolade]

Isolde Seibold

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Meditation	+ 1 XP
Socializing	+ 3 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Memories of the past: Happy
•	Facing a deadly ghost girl
•	The wait of a new life
•	Saved by Rena!
•	Kouri - evil ghost girl
•	Exchange - Kouri's memories of the tigar
•	Let me in - Kouri's challange
•	Traveler's Row, apartment number 112 - ghost room

Fubuki Kouri

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Soulmist projection	+ 1 XP
Materialization	+ 1 XP
Possession	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	The black tongue returns!!
•	Possession: Learn a bit of Isolde's story
•	Never in Rena's eyes
•	Isolde - Nuit
•	Rena's innocence, Kouri's downfall?
•	Possessing a Nuit

Notes :

Good thread ladies! Very exciting!

The Sylir has spoken

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.