Welcome to Gaia! ::

Bix hadn't used any of his leave yet but he was eager to get off the island. There was something twisted and comfortable about the Haunted House. The same sort of strange wistfulness he held for the Island's fog which was gone, seemingly forever. It was always dark here, ever changing and forcing those inside to always be on guard.

It was a relief to be out of the tropical heat and sun. It was nice to be focused on a patrol. It was also a pleasure to feel like he was actually doing something.

The room he'd found himself in was actually a room of doors. He'd come in a giant archway, and there was another across from him (the exit he supposed) but the rest of the room was just doors. All different sizes and colors. Some had push plates and others had knobs. Some even had tech-like key pads. But as far as he could tell they were all closed and the albino hunter was unsure if he should try and open one, or if he should continue on through the opposite arch.

Bix heard a voice and instinctively took on a defensive stance. Mina was held at the ready and his casual walk changed to a cautious one. He didn't answer immediately, instead he followed the voice as quietly as he could.... only to find Needle coming out of what looked like a broom closet (by the broom half falling out behind her).

s**t.

"Needle." Bix said in a friendly voice, as much as he could muster. "What are you doing in here again?"

Crap crap crap

Bix darted forward, Mina disappearing in a flash so both of his arms were free to catch the falling ghost.

She couldn't jussssst hover? Mina mocked. Having been converted as a selfish teen, she seemed to still retain her species bias.

"You okay?" Bix helped Needle up but internally was panicking. He'd decided a while ago not to continue this ruse with her, especially since tensions between Hunters and Halloween had died down a bit and students from Amity seemed to be allowed free travel (with restrictions) between their school and the island. "I can help you find your way back if you'd like."

"Oh no it's fine." Bix hadn't even felt the needles. Mina kept him a comfortable protective FEAR bubble at all times. The jabs weren't even felt. Not that she knew that. The more time in her company, the more Bix felt like he was being disingenuous. It was, technically, no different than any other time he'd met her but since then he'd come to decide that stealth, lying and bribery were not exactly his bag. Even if he was good at getting the students to relate to him.

"Ahh heh well I can hardly do my work if I'm worried about you wandering around in here. There could be worse things than me." And worse people. White coated people.

"So.." he made a bit of a face (thankfully one she couldn't see) as she dislodged the needles from her own body. "How's things?" Bix aimed his body for the archway opposite the one he'd come in. Common sense told him that was a good guideline to getting her out of here.

He was also delaying the inevitable truth, but the closer she was to an exit, the easier that would be.

"Boilfriend?" Bix nodded, "Oh it's the same one from before? That's.. good. Great." How long since he'd seen her? They'd been together a while at this point. It was good for her. Especially if she was having home trouble. It also seemed like something she didn't want to talk about in the way she stiffened and quickly steered the conversation.

"Congratulations!" Had he been promoted since the last time? "I got promoted too actually. It's been a while." He sounded almost sheepish. As they got through the archway, it turned into a dark hall. The darkness, with a lit exit at the end (that just seemed to be another random room), gave him slight ease. As if it being dark could protect him from the admission he would make.

"I'm alright and actually I wanted to tell you something and it's a bit difficult to digest." The new room was bursting with light and was an almost perfect representation of a spring meadow. Despite the fact that the 'sky' was a painted ceiling and there was no fresh air, it looked like something off of an Easter card. Except instead of butterflies, small skulls with moth wings flew all over.

Weird.

Bix pulled away slightly once they were in the new room.

"Well you are a nice ghoul and... well, I like our friendship." Bix sort of dawdled, putting a few feet between the two of them. She could probably tell he was shifting, almost pacing, from the way his tattoo bobbed around. "I hope you do too and I hope you know that I'm not a bad guy. I was happy to meet you here and not judge me or hate me immediately."

His shuffling continued. "But it feels wrong to lie to you. I know we only met a few times but I was so happy you'd treat me normally that I just took your kindness and... well, I was lying to you. I'm not actually a bogeyman."

Bix wasn't sure if that was clear enough and in his head Mina, sympathetic to being a teenage ghoul, urged him to be clear. "I'm a hunter. One of those ones in the white coats. But I'm not a bad guy and usually people in here just attack me on sight! We aren't... bad and I hoped by getting to know me, and me knowing you, maybe you'd realize that too." He was flaming red in the face, not that she could see it.

As per usual with Bix he continued to ramble. "I'm just a guy and this is my job and our leaders over there aren't exactly the nicest and we get ordered to do things that maybe we don't agree with but... all we have is this job. We don't get families anymore. We just have to follow orders and be what they tell us to be." He took a deeeeeeeeep breath. "And my monster girlfriend is actually my weapon. Her name is Mina and she was a quetzlcoatl but I wasn't lying. I care about her a lot and she cares about me!!" He almost yelled the last part as if yelling it would make it more understand. "I do have a human girlfriend too.." he muttered finally, almost ashamed to have not told her before now.

"Yes." Bix hung his head. There was no use denying it when he'd just rambled a full admission. Why had he done it? Bix would not tell her that he'd been trying his hand at recruiting students. Since he'd given up that ambition long ago, he found it hardly worth mentioning.

"You needed help at the time." He shrugged. "Would you have spoken to me, if you saw what I looked like? Would you have let me talk to you? It's not exactly like the timing was fantastic... for students and hunters to be friends." He frowned. "I'm not the only one who has a student for a friend. Did you know some of them visit our island now?" He was sounding hopeful, hopeful she'd see that the truth now was easier than it would have been then. "They visit and then come home. Safe and sound."

Bix shuffled. "If you'd seen me.. wouldn't you have just run? Who's to say you wouldn't have bumped into something nastier than me. After the first lie... it was just easier to have you like me as a bogeyman." The Sun hunter shuffled uneasily once more. He wanted to try and approach her, still help her leave, but she most likely felt unsafe with him and his lies.

Bix laughed a bit, in an almost relieved way. Not that she was hurt but it was such a human thing. "Everyday of my life. Internal conflict, jealousy, betrayal, confusion.." He stepped forward again and hoped it would not be construed as an offensive in some way. "It's very human."

Bix held out his hand a little. "I'm sorry I lied. I've regretted it since because you are the kind of ghoul who maybe would have talked to me anyway but.." he scratched his head, "I didn't know that at the time and after it happened it was too late."

Extending his hand a bit further. "I don't mind if you hate me or never want to see me anymore. If I've put just another false face onto hunters for you but will you still at least let me try to help you back?"