Tsukasa's Story

Tsuakasa held her heavy bag close. There wasn't much in it, but it was heavily laden with the burden of a good night's worth of thievery. The silver necklaces and fancy cutlery jingled inside the bag as she walked with determination. A stubborn young one, Tsukasa did not give a crap about anyone or anything who may try to stop her from what she had to do to survive, which was stealing things from people. But of course, she could have a soft side when she chose to, which was not often.

It wasn't uncommon for people at different marinas to mention a young girl whom they referred to as "Crab." When captured, Tsukasa could be a very nasty opponent, and many people have lost fingers and eyes as a consequence to having grabbed hold of her before. People had come to learn that, if Tsukasa stole your things, let her keep them.

She had gotten a notice from a local baker that Barlo Mansion had opened. Tsukasa loved stealing things and living a life of freedom but... was an empty stomach and freezing cold nights out on the street really worth it? She hardly thought so. Her homeless companions begged her not to leave and when she refused to change her mind they started harassing her. Yeah, what friends they had sure turned out to be...

As Tsukasa neared the mansion she noticed that the front doors were open. She entered but no one was there to greet her, so, she decided to escort herself around the large building. She went up the stairs and down one of the long hallways before stopping and opening one of the bedrooms doors.

As soon as she did so she froze. Something, was a bit off... did she smell something? or was it just her imagination. The thief stood silent and used her ears to figure out whether someone else was in the room or not. She heard nothing, and she saw nothing. Tsukasa took a step inside and gazed around. That is when she spotted Damakos.

She froze.

What? She had never seen anything like him before. What was he? Where was he from?

Damakos does not hesitate. He went to work immediately with a thorough scanning of his surroundings by lurking towards the door directly to his right. He grasps the doorknob with gloved hands and gives a slow twist with a careful push to avoid the door squeaking. With the door barely half way opened, he stalls, glancing at the ceiling and upper part of the door for any traps. There are none.

He enters the bathroom and glances to the mirror on his right. Damakos grimaced at his portrait and imagined the glass shattering. For the sake of being stealthy, this remains a perception. The sink contains hygienic products, but he grazes them; he reaches to the handle of the mirror and gently opens it. Nothing there but ailment related medicine. He squats down and opens the sink's cabinet to find cleaning products.

He glances over to the tub behind him and toilet on his left. There are towels well folded up with washcloths over them, shower curtains recently replaced. So far the bathroom looks and smells clean "No window?" he whispers. Damakos abandons the bathroom and heads to the dresser drawer next to the bed, near the balcony he entered. The first and second drawers contain conveniently placed sheets, comforters and pillow cases should the ones on the well decorated bed become dirty.

The 3rd and 4th are empty. Right now Damakos can deduce a couple things about this place: The owner takes good care of this place. The owner wants his/her/their guests to feel right at home.

Damakos cringes at the thought of being accustomed to hostility only to be invited to a place masquerading as a friendly atmosphere. It is one of the oldest tricks in the book. His thoughts are interrupted by the squeaking of his bed room door!

His eyes widen, tail swishing side to side, glancing over his shoulder to Tsukasa... a human! He shifts his entire body to face her, remaining stoic with caution. "I knew this was too good to be true..." he grumbled.

"Er....." She didn't quite know what to say. if she had intended on stealing from Damakos this wouldn't be awkward. But she wasn't, so it was. Tsukasa had never surprised someone by walking into their room before. This was a first, and well, she didn't really know what to do. Maybe she should give him one of her items as a sorry gift? No. She couldn't, not her precious silver items.

But maybe...

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a thin braided leather string that had a tiny green stone on the end. She stared at it for a moment before holding out her hand and offering it to him. She bit her lip under mask as she waited.

Was he friendly? Would he attack her? Tsukasa could always take her mask off and bite him.

Damakos honestly does not enjoy the company of other humanoids. He dislikes humans as much as even his own race at times. The presence of one in this place earned his disdain even more so than how well kept everything was. There isn’t anywhere else to go because she is in the way right now. She is under his scrutiny.

She presents to him a tiny green stone. He unsheathes a throwing knife from a scabbard in response. Damakos is diligent in approaching her. He doesn’t know what else is in that bag of hers. There can be anything in there. The Tiefling engages in his more threatened regiment.

His voice raises to a firm tone “Open your palms. Raise both hands where I can see them” he demands, “Slowly step outside of the room while you are still facing me. Do not make any sudden movements. Do not try anything I have not instructed you to do”.

At the same time, he carefully follows her, maintaining enough distance to throw the knife at her head should the human try anything. "If you don't want to see any blood. You will do as I say".

Tsukasa scowled and held the leather rope around her fingers as she opened her hands and held them in the air. She very much disliked being told what to do. But, it seemed as though she did not have a choice in the matter this time. She slowly backed away, looking behind herself a couple of times to make sure that she was not about to run into anything.

It was then, that Tsu realized she had left her bag in his room. Wonderful. There was no way that she could get it now. But maybe... she could sneak in sometime tonight? Na, it was too risky. This fellow was very serious about people NOT entering his room. Maybe he could be persuaded to get it for her?

"Sir?" She nodded towards her bag.

Tsukasa nods towards her bag, “Forget it” sneers Damakos in response. “You can get your bag in due time. I need to ask you a series of questions. I want a direct answer. Do not lie”. So begins the Tiefling’s interrogation regiment. The first thing that manages to catch his eyes, apart from the mask is the piece of leather rope wrapped around the fingers of her open palm.

He points to it, "What is that supposed to be? Show me what exactly that leather rope is attached to and place it on the ground. Detach the rope from your finger and kick it away from me. Keep your hands where I can see them and move slowly".

His interrogation continues. Escalated to the point in which he bombards her with questions.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? Why are you here? What is your business? What do you want? What are you looking for? Where have you come from? What is your relationship to the owner here? Do you know the owner? Did you receive an invite as well?"

It is dangerously unreasonable, but he must see if his suspicions are correct.

Tsukasa was surprised by this man's mannerisms. He seemed to be very on edge, and that worried her a bit. Maybe he had been badly abused or something along those lines? From past experiences, Tsukasa knew that those kinds of people were quick to move and could be very dangerous, so, she came to the conclusion that she would do whatever he told her to... within reason...

Tsukasa very slowly untangled the leather string from her fingers and set it on then ground. She then kicked it softly to him. "It's just a very interesting stone.... I found... I figured giving it to you would prevent you from killing me... you know... a kind of peace offering..."

Before Tsukasa had a chance to even think she was smothered with questions.

"Well... im Tsukasa... I don't have a last name, im an orphan. I came here off of the streets to live. I do not want anything from you... I was looking for a room to settle into... I did not know that anyone was in here. I am sorry to have disturbed your peace... I will leave as soon as you let me. No I do not know the owner and no, I did not receive an invite. A friend told me about this place, and now, I am here."

Damakos listens intently while Tsukasa answers each of his questions. She sounded considerably worried for her life. This is a good thing only because he has not managed to spot any visible weapons on her. With both hands in the air, she is unable to reach for any concealed ones. The concealed ones made him keep his distance.

His eyes scan up and down for anything odd or suspicious. When she rolls the stone over to him, he ignores his own curiosity to address her. “Well Tsukasa, your willingness to cooperate is a peace offering” he enunciates. “The longer you cooperate. The longer you live”.

Ironically, he takes her origin as an orphan roaming the streets at face value. Most Tieflings tend to live like that due to being called hell spawns or half-fiends and such. Her body language, though restricted helps to confirm it. It evokes some sympathy for her.

Damakos steps backwards significantly. “Step into the room and keep your hands where I can see them. Walk towards the bed, face it and do not touch the bag on your way in” he demands.

“Apology accepted. I will leave so that you may settle into this room peacefully. Additionally, I apologize for the hostility. This is just business, nothing personal”.

Tsukasa let out a light sigh of relief. Things were going to be okay. She did as she was told and kept her hands in the air as she walked over to the bed. She faced the bed and did not look back over her shoulder. She was pretty sure that he would do what he said and go away, but if he tried anything else, she was ready to bite.

Tsukasa felt a sneeze coming. her nose tickled and she tried to hold back, but she couldn't... her nose scrunched under the mask and she let out violent sneeze.

"Ewww..." She hadn't had a chance to remove her mask. Now she would have to wash it because of the saliva. Great. She had no back-ups either. Most of all, she hoped she hadn't just jumped the crap out of Damakos.

Damakos carefully circled his way towards the door, keeping the knife pointed in Tsukasa’s direction. He squats down, picks up the tiny green stone and discards it into one of his pouches. She did offer it to him, and it sparked his curiosity. Though he places the stone away, she sneezes; it startled him but not enough to provoke an attack.

True to his word, the Tiefling slowly backs out of what is now Tsukasa’s room. He confirms his exit by uttering “Goodbye” before closing the door, leaving the human to get herself together. He makes his way down the hall, watching frantically for anyone else.

Tsukasa was finally able to relax once the door was closed. Damakos was certainly a strange fellow, but Tsukasa admired his ability to fend for himself... he certainly had her scared! She took off her mask and threw it on the bed. Her scars were hurting and they itched too. She grumbled as she picked at the bits of stitching and scabs that lined part of her face. Of course, they would never completely heal so long as she fiddled with them... but they just itched sooo much.

After a few minutes of bothering her face she laid down on the bed and dozed off into a light sleep.

///Entering from The Dining Hall///
As he sped through the endless corridors, he managed to evade his pursuer, Alice, and the rumbling continued to grow louder and louder until he eventually came upon the block of the mansion dedicated to bedrooms. To him, it was as if fate was driving him toward something. Jordyn considered turning back - he thought long and hard about it, but nothing. There was a build-up of a fine, granulated powder-like substance growing from under his rings and it began to leak out onto the ground. Upon closer inspection, the truth was there. Sand.

Screeching. Loud and obnoxious. Like a bird. Jordyn heard it but he didn't believe it to be of the reality but something of his own warped imaginations. This seemed to be a gateway for something worse though. The screeching came louder and faster while the entire mansion began rumbling and shaking about him. Potted plants were toppling to the ground and dust fell from the ceiling as the strength of its support beams and such were put to the test. "An earthquake ?"

In the distance loomed the shadow of..something. From what he could tell, the shadow was as tall as a man but had a beak and some sort of weapon in hand. "No. Not an earthquake. Not today." He pressed himself to the wall and moved along it till he felt a door handle; he turned it then, and slipped inside.

There was a girl sleeping. A bag nearby. /Great./ Exactly what he wanted.

(For simplicity, the scenes/sounds/etc in Italics comprises what Jordyn hallucinates. I may miss out on highlighting them at some point - there, you would have to use your discretion and actually, actually, read my post. *Gasp*)

~Inside Tsukasa's Room~

Tsukasa's sharp ears picked up the sound of her door being opened, and then closed. Her eyes shot open. She laid still in her bed for a moment before jumping up and grabbing a lamp off of the night stand. She held it like a bat, in a defensive position. She tried to hold it at an angle that would also cover the scars on her mouth, though she want sure how successful that was.

"Who are you!? What do you want!?" She barked.

Damakos begins approaching the ghost and the bird before another noise behind him pierces his ears, evoking another irritated expression on his face. He slips around the corner he came from, pressing his back against the wall while gazing at the window now ahead of him. He squints in curiosity upon finding another bird, nearly beckoning him or someone to let it within the building. The birds are more of a coincidence than Tsukasa.

He considers birds to be a part of nature, and as an extension, believes them to be independent of a more sapient being’s habits. Even then, their activities are strange. Damakos considers this as another clue in his personal mystery. That little bird’s ruckus isn't even the tip of the iceberg.

He hears the rumbling of footsteps along the creaking wooden floor grow louder, indicating an increase in intensity and proximity to his own. The sounds are getting closer to him. Another person is getting closer to him. Everything from before pales in comparison to the unprecedented arrival of a hysterical Jordyn .

Damakos stands against the wall with widened eyes and his throwing knife held defensively at the unintelligible actions of this human clinging to Tsukasa’s door for dear life. “An Earthquake?” he parrots, cocking a single brow while yet refusing to lower his guard in the presence of a maniac. His fear obstructs his attention from the leaking sand trail.

Within the next moment, he mysteriously slips inside of Tsukasa’s room. Damakos remains outside, dumbfounded.

Just a girl sleeping - nothing to be too concerned about; so he thought until a large pair of wings ripped through the flesh of her back which flapped and brought the creature, no longer human, to its feet wielding a wicked-looking Morning Star. Jordyn was rooted to the spot but then logic started to set in. It was just an image though, wasn't it? Just part of his silly little imagination, some might even call it a dream or a nightmare. So, if he were to strike, no harm would be done, right ? For all intents and purposes, he should be able to utterly destroy this creature and no one would care. It was.. just... all in his head..

The creature opened its mouth to speak but lips and face contorted and twisted outwards, forming a beak. "SQUA-YOU-AK?!" It was the only intelligible part he was able to make out. He stood there, his heart pounding in his chest and pupils becoming dilated - if he didn't act quickly then the beast might've found reason to use its weapon.

As he approached the final stage of his madness, the self-proclaimed "Phase Three", more sand began to spill from his rings and onto the floor, an entirely disproportionate amount. Jordyn slowly lifted his hand then, palm facing upward and fingers curled inward, allowing the substance to gather in the palm of his hand.
This was him,
This was who he was..
and this was the reason he was at Barlo Mansion.

Tsukasa stared at him wide-eyed. "What the hell man!?" She dropped the lamp and put her back against the wall, and began moving towards the door... slowly... "This must be one of the really sick patients..." she thought to herself as she watched him closely. "Now... I really need to get out of here... but how?"

There was a window between her and the door. She could go out that. Perfect....

She made her way over to the window and unlocked it, while still facing Jordyn. After, she pushed it open. With a quick movement she turned around and leaped out the window in one smooth movement. Tsukasa ran. She ran outback and into the garden where she climbed up and apple tree and hid amoungst the branches.

(Exit to Garden)

Tsukasa sat in one of the apple trees, her heart pounding in her chest. never before had she come across someone to frightening... she had been in scarier situations, but with pretty normal looking people. She stared at the window she had just jumped out of and absentmindedly touched the scars on her face. Was he out to get her? or was he just hallucinating...

Normally, Tsukasa would have attacked such a person, but, well, since she had come to the mansion she had started to feel pretty powerless and vulnerable compared to some of the other guests that were living there. She watched through the branches as several sparrows flew through the dark sky, catching night bugs to eat.

The creature threw its weapon against the ground and let out an ear-piercing, blood-curdling screech that made Jordyn wince with just how loud he heard it. He grinned broadly yet didn't stop the sand from continually pouring into his hand - so much so that it was running over, "Giving up?"
Jordyn's eyes followed the creature as it moved, was it planning something? He would have none of it. "Then submit." Yes, an act of mercy by painlessly killing the beast was better than what he'd originally thought. The delusional young man pointed with his right hand just in front of him (not the hand that was faced upward). "On your knees." The, currently, weak logical side of him figured it was a one-sided conversation but he knew the creature would understand him - it was his fantasy after all.

Just then, the unexpected happened; the wall opened up and swallowed the bird creature! Jordyn growled under his breath and flung the sand where it had been standing, simultaneously throwing some of it outside (and possibly on Tsukasa) despite not actually seeing the window or the girl. He cast his glare downwards and his breathing turned heavy. The sand pouring from his rings and fingers suddenly stopped and he yelled loudly, pounding his fist against the wall.

"When I find you, I'll put you into a deep slumber." His body grew tired then as it often did after such episodes and he slumped against the wall - too tired to move to the bed (although, he probably would've refused such an offer).

Now, of course, anyone happening upon this room would find the strange sight of the young man curled up with several piles of golden sand strewn about the room. Without being used though, it would dissipate in a few hours.

There is a huge ruckus going on right now. The ruckus starts with the bird, which begins pecking frantically at the glass in rapid session with equal desperation in her movements. Then the bird is gone.

In between that he glances back to the bedroom ahead of him. Tsukasa had sprung up, immediately reaching for the lamp in self defense. However… the angle is quite interesting. Her mask is off; she’s hiding something about her face. He doesn’t know what it is.

That madman is steadily approaching her. His body is shaking. Sand is oozing out of his ring and onto the floor in an unusual amount, now this comes as no surprise to Damakos, perhaps it is the work of some magic. It may have to be removed. He’ll get to it much later.

Meanwhile, he can spot something peculiar about Tsukasa’s mouth. It’s somewhat brief with Jordyn in the way and all; more of it is then obscured when she exits out of the window that he originally entered. Her bags are still there, she’ll be back.

That same bird from before has came full circle, landing on the Tiefling’s arm. This is odd behavior. He stares down at the cut on her belly, which is bleeding heavily. It looks quite deep from examination. The bird would be disemboweled if the cut were any deeper. Why she gravitated towards a Tiefling remains a mystery.

Damakos keeps the bird on his arm, she is not bothering him. He walks over to the window in which she originally rammed against. He unlocks it, opens it and then peers outside; looking around for Tsukasa or somewhere the bird has came from. Both have piqued his interest to an extent. He’ll make an effort to follow the sand trail later.

Tsukasa heard rustling close by. She looked over towards the entrance to the garden and noticed a young woman. With a scowl Tsukasa turned towards the tree trunk and hid her face, not wanting to be seen. She did not want that strange man to find her, nor did she want to run into anyone else until she had her mask back. The last thing she needed was for people to be nosy and ask her too many questions about her appearance.