The Machine [Open/Accepting]

[Ayame-Yuura]

Kyrell broke into a gentle laugh, realizing that Saiyu didn't recognize him. "It's okay. You are home now", he said. He was sure she knew about what happened to Helmshire but in case she didn't, he didn't want to depress her. He then said calmly to her, "Don't worry. It's all alright now. You're safe. Just rest your head for a bit." He began walking indoors with Saiyu firmly and securely held in his arms. The servants cleared the way for the royal heir and opened doors for him and responded quickly when asked to prepare a room for the redhead. When a room was opened, he gently laid her down on a bed, letting the servants come in to observe and take care of her.
The shadow stumbled over when Shadow got on its back but it doubled back and tried to keep running but under Shadow's sheer weight, the peculiar feeling of Shadow's grip and the fact that it didn't want to throw her onto the cold, hard pavement underneath, it stopped, gripping one of her arms that was latched onto him. "What do you plan to achieve by doing this?", it said in a low and serious voice.

((OOC: That's okay, snuggykins~ ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"I know that voice... I've been looking for you since that day... Why have you been running away, and why have you been stalking me?" She demanded.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"I don't know what you're talking about", the shadow said, trying to free itself of Shadow's grip. It remained stoic and didn't turn around to face Shadow at all, knowing feelings from before would probably arise again and hinder it from achieving its purpose.

((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"You don't know what I'm talking about? How about the fact that you've been religiously perched in the same spot every night, and ever since you showed up, everyone who has been trying to keep tabs on me has been disappearing one by one." She replied, gripping onto him tighter.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"Coincidence. I am but a ghost", it said dryly. It was not just Shadow that it had been watching but it was Shadow who needed it the most. Everyone else had done a tremendous job at hiding themselves and staying away from trouble with the exception of Saiyu for whom it took a month to plan and execute breaking her out of concentration camp.

((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Bulls***!" She replied, trying to maintain her grip, she let go of him with her free hand, grabbing at his hood and letting loose his flaming red hair.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

Zil looked up at the sky, realizing Shadow had pulled off his hood. He sighed, knowing the game is over, for her at least. He took off his glasses, still having his back to her. When he turned to face her, his eyes were dead serious and there was not a trace of the old Zil on his face. He said not a word but the bitterness in his eyes said it all.





((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

Shadow narrowed her eyes, looking at him stubbornly. Despite what had happened, she hadn't seemed to changed at all. After all, she was a girl surrounded by sadness her entire life, and one more wasn't going to change anything.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

Zil brought out a lighter and started lighting a cigarette, clicking a few times before the spark caught on. He didn't smoke when he was leader of the rebels but something changed. The way he moved changed, his body language changed and the way he spoke was very different from before. It was like a completely different person was in front of Shadow. "You really need to watch your back, queenie", he said monotonously before taking in the nicotine and expelling the air once more.





((OOC: Picture references are fun! OwO ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Queenie?" She asked, snatching his cigarette from his mouth and throwing it onto the roof top and stepping on it. "Zil, what kind of farce are you trying to pull?"  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"Farce? I'm but a dead man walking", Zil replied simply. He didn't want to claim to be part of the shadows -- the part of the criminal underworld unknown to surface dwellers, the secret societies whose motives influenced everyone in the criminal underworld without them even knowing, the shady ones who could target but could not be targeted. He seemed quite ticked about Shadow snatching his cig but he looked her in the eyes, trying not to be consumed by any past emotions that shouldn't matter now.





((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Fine. I'll play your little game. Now answer me, where have you been and why have you been stalking me?" She demanded, folding her arms.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"Why do you want to know?", Zil asked nonchalantly. He had his reasons but sometimes, some things were better kept to one's self if this secret burden will keep others from suffering.





((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Why wouldn't I want to know?" She asked. "You went and attacked the Absolute Leader, disappeared for months, and then you start appearing by my doorstep. I can understand the 'wanting to disappear' part, but you keep running away from me. That I don't understand. I also don't understand why you haven't told Fanny or Dustin either. You haven't gotten yourself in something stupidly dangerous, have you?"  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"O yea of little faith", Zil muttered quietly, almost to himself. He then remembered the days that Fanny was with him, how she questioned him little and followed without hesitation. He then replied, "The shadows have deemed you unnecessary and are angry that a surface-dweller whose name and modus operandi are known is going around, calling herself queen of the underworld. Perhaps you don't know about them yet. I didn't either until recently when I witnessed them. Their names and faces are unknown yet their decision holds weight in the underworld. There were four assassination attempts on you already, if you didn't know. However, I only plan on watching you until the end of this week. Perhaps they'll give up by then"



((OOC: ))