Shrade followed Marcey around town, trying hard not lose him in the way the human world worked. It was so strange being in a town. Humans weren't any different then a pack of werewolves, although the pack of Weres would most likely be growling, and offering silent grins instead of high pitched shrieks. "Do you still have my journal? It's okay if you do, I was just wondering." He didn't reply.

"I am hungry, do you wanna stop at a cafe before we head back?" Shrade's stomach growled, obviously agreeing with Marcey's question. "Yes, we should get something to eat."

"You know what? Keep it- the journal. I trust you.. I guess I could say..you're my wall." Startled, Shrade looked down at Marcey. "That's a very trusting thing for you to do. Especially when we just met today," He looked straight through Marcey. "Or was it yesterday?"

He smiled then, "Okay, fine, since you think I am worthy to be your wall, let's play a game. I ask a question, and you answer as truthfully as possible. You go first?"

"Alright, I'm game. Completely honest answers right?" Shrade followed Marcey into the cafe and nodded, his expression completely serious. He sat opposite Marcey in the booth and asked the waitress for a Coke. "So uh.. hmm. What was your first impression of me?"

Okay, maybe completely honest wasn't such a good idea. He stared at her, and looked around nervously. "Okay, completely honest." He said as if to remind himself. "I-" He thought of how she had stepped on his tail. "I thought you were a klutz. I thought you would just be someone I knew in class or the academy but never talked to. I thought you'd be a bystander in my life. So, far, my first impression of seems to be totally the opposite."

***

Kyra was really working hard to keep up with Diego. Except, her body was beginning to feel the strain of moving, blocking, ducking, and taking hits. Diego swept her feet out from beneath her and she lost her breath. She tried to whip onto her feet, but her body.... it was like it was rebelling against her thoughts. She groaned, "I'm gonna pay for this tomorrow."

Diego appeared above her, "I suggest you go before I change my mind and go for round 2." He didn't even offer her a hand up, but hey, he is a Demon after all. "Alrighty," she got to her feet slowly, "Don't mind my slow granny movements." Once up, she left to go back to her dorm room.

Johns' writing had failed to ease his mind, so he headed into town, hoping alcohol might. The bar he had attended looking for Kyra and Marcey. He doubted anyone would really be willing to step up. However, he felt it would be in bad taste. The local clubhouse would have to do. It was a small place, south of the bureau. He walked into his dorm, and changed into regular clothes. He threw on a pair of jeans, and a black tee-shirt. He searched for a hat, but failed to find one. He decided a hooded sweater would have to do. It was against customs to show his head, but that wasn't the reason. Tattoed on his head was something he came to know as the Sigillum Dei Aemaeth. It was Latin, but it held no real meaning to him.

It was a fair walk to the bar. He was searched outside, and had brought nothing but some cash with him. He left his dorm unlocked, which, looking back on it now, was irresponsible of him, leaving everything open in his room like that. It was not of import at the moment. He ordered a scotch, unsure of how it would taste. It was, harsh.

"I thought you were a klutz. I thought you would just be someone I knew in class or the academy but never talked to. I thought you'd be a bystander in my life. So, far, my first impression of seems to be totally the opposite."
Marcey blushed, his answer freezing in the air- bringing along a slow painful frost-bite of a silence along with it. She looked down, trying to hide her smile, but a smirk bent across her face.

"You had the klutz part right though. And if you just want me to be a bystander, thats alright. But, I kinda like that I am more than that I guess.." The waitress came back to the table, drinks in hand.

"Ah, thank you." Marcey smiled up at the bright eyed blonde. The waitress asked for their order, and Marcey read her choice from the menu. When the woman had walked away, Marcey put her straw in her drink- taking a sip.

"So, I guess it would be your turn then."

"You had the klutz part right though. And if you just want me to be a bystander, thats alright. But, I kinda like that I am more than that I guess.." Shrade shrugged as way of replying. He thanked the waitress for his drink and waved her away when she asked for his order. He was hungry, but at the moment, human food wouldn't be as satisfactory as taking down a full grown elk or deer.

"So, I guess it would be your turn then."

Shrade paused before answering. And because there had been a point to this game, he asked "What's my favorite color?" And as to not appear to be self-involved or anything like that, he added, "What's your favorite color?"

***

Kyra finished sparring with Diego, and found herself... not entirely calm but more calm than she had been after having talked with Marcey.

Now used to having someone with her, Kyra found being alone so... much more lonelier. Aggravated by these new social needs, Kyra went out to find Shrade or Marcey. She found Shrade's and Marcey's trail heading into town. Why would he go into town? To shop? She scoffed at that thought. To flirt with human girls? Now that thought made much more sense to her. She walked hesitantly into town, fighting hard to ignore the urge telling her to run as far away from the place that smelled of cement, and the foul machinations of the modern age.

Kyra wasn't instantly lost, but was having trouble staying on Shrade's trail as it appeared to be fading much more quickly than it had been in a forest. At last, though, she did find her targets. She appeared on the scene just as Shrade asked his questions. She laughed at this and jumped into booth beside Shrade. "Your favorite color is the color of Marcey's hair, or, I'm betting, her eyes. And your favorite color," she looked pointedly at Marcey, "is blue? pink? White? Orange?" And as if playing a multiple choice game, she smiled, "Oh, Come on, is it A) Blue, B) Pink, C) White or D) Orange?"

The scotch had stung his throat at first, but after the third, they were going down much easier. By the seventh, his vision became blurred. He left after he had another, and made his way to a diner not too far from where he was. He sat at the front table, holding the cash register. He could see Shrade, Marcey, and Kyra, but he paid them no mind. It was best for him to be alone right now.

He looked at the menu, and noticed something called a milkshake. He inquired as to what it was, but it still didn't make much sense to him. Ice cream and milk, blended together. He decided to order one, along with chicken wings. The shake was almost too think to drink, but it was fantastic. The wings were covered in sauce, and had some sort of breading on them. It was, greasy, but in a good way. They were a nice size, and had a good amount of meat on them.

At this point, life seemed alright. He had managed to escape for the time being, but he would need to return soon. Today was the date of the burn on the Washington house of the Clericy. He felt like showing up, but he couldn't, as much as he wanted to, he would need to stay his blade. Although, the more he thought about it, the less he really wanted to follow orders. It was out of necessity, he couldn't disobey, they'd kill him when he was of age. "What the hell, I'm a dead man walking anyway." He slid a $20 bill under his plate, and left. He returned to the school, and decided to keep his things here, besides his bag. He took his ledger, the old journal he'd been given, and two of his favorite blades. He decided to leave a calling card, and ran over to Kyra's room, and put a large scratch in her door.

He ran to the road, and managed to waive down a cab. He headed to the bureau, and went upstairs.

"I'm coming." He was straight faced and ready to go.

"No you're not. I'd be breaking orders." He sounded serious.

"They tried to kill me, and my friends, the only one's I've got. They will pay for what they've done, and they will pay with their lives. I'm coming." John was fully prepared to fight this man if he refused.

"Fine, but you've got to stay quiet. The cover of war is a great way to stay hidden. We meet here, at dusk." He spoke with a slight smile.

John was satisfied, and headed back to his dorm.

marcey- Kyra's interruption caught Marcey off guard. She kept her head down, only thinking about how little she actually knew Shrade. She was a fool. "I guess it depends on what you are coloring." She looked up at Kyra, and took note of John in the back corner.

"There is your boyfriend." She felt the words burn as they slid across her tongue and into reality.

"I enjoyed the meal.." Her words broke as she tried not to show how ashamed by her foolishness she truly was. She slid 20 dollars under her plate and waited to be dismissed.

"I need to catch up to John and have him unlock my room." She excused herself, unable to look them in the eye. If she looked as stupid as she felt, she knew they wouldn't follow.

"I guess it depends on what you are coloring." Shrade was surprised by Kyra's interruption but not at all surprised the first words out of her mouth. He looked apologetically at Marcey.

Kyra was unused to the smells and sights of the place, and found them to be distracting but not so when Marcey said, "There is your boyfriend." Kyra felt like she'd been betrayed as she glanced at John and then back at Marcey. How very strange to be... feeling this way. Shrade shot his sister a look clearly saying What the hell? when he quickly focused back on Marcey again. "I enjoyed the meal.."

"I need to catch up to John and have him unlock my room." "Marcey..." Shrade, not noticing Marcey's embarrassment attempted to follow but stopped just after taking a few steps away from the booth. Frustrated, he turned around to glare at his sister who was staring at him with a dazed expression. "What the hell?" He looked around at the people moving around him, and began walking back to the dorms, the hidden wolf moving and writhing under his skin with anger.

Kyra sighed, And so, I ruin my brother's love life. Oh, well. She got to her feet and began her way back to the dorms, taking a different route from Shrade and Marcey.

The hunter watched the male shifter leave the table, and waited patiently for his target to make a move. The female shifter began walking and the hunter followed, his breathing nice and even, and his footsteps barely noticeable.

Marcey-

She sang softly under her breath as to comfort herself. She felt the pain of tears wiggling their way to the surface. As she turned the corner, she noticed a small community center. There was a cling at the door that caught her off guard. Marcey hurried quickly across the intersection and ducked into the shelter. That was when she noticed the clutter.

There were women, children, and men huddled in the dark room, going through a line to get food. Marcey quickly stepped forward and asked a young with a newborn baby what was going on.

"It's a food drive, we don't got any place to be and they offered us food. Three times a week every week." Marcey nodded and thanked her, and walked around, noticing the poverty.

"How can I help?" She asked a man with his back turned to her, his eyes set on spooning hot beans onto an elderly man's plate.

"You can put them out of their misery." She envisioned him turning around and staring at her, with a face that was not his own- but Declan's.

"What dear?" The man turned around.

Marcey coughed and asked gain, "how can I help." He smiled and laughed, Marcey returning a small giggle.

"Why don't you just go say hello, ask them about their day." She nodded, thanked him, and retreated back to the table where the woman and her new born son were.

"My name is Marcey, your baby is beautiful." She smiled and looked up at her.

"My name is Claire, this is my son Malechi." Marcey sat down and made silly faces at the baby.

"Would you like to hold him?" Marcey lost all color. What if he cries, what if I kill him, what do I- Her thoughts were interrupted by Claire placing him in her arms. He cuddled up against her, nestling gently into the crook of her arm. "See, you're a natural. Hopefully one day he will escape it out of a place like this."

Marcey looked up, tears in her eyes. She rocked Malechi as Claire got up and walked over to get food. He gurgled in his sleep and Marcey thought Oh no, did I break it??. But sang softly to him until he was sound asleep once again.

Shrade was at a loss as to where Marcey went off to but he found himself retracing their steps back to school grounds. What is wrong with her!? He growled to himself, restraining himself from shifting and attacking anything within sight. Why can't she just leave?

****

Kyra was busy trying hard not to let her current situation frighten as she seemed to have gotten lost... The smell is gone... I can't track it back to the school... She was thinking of heading back to the café when it began to rain... "What the hell!" She screeched and began to rush forward, her eyes searching desperately for something to hide under. That is until she felt herself slam into someone. "Omf!"

Kyra began to apologize, but her the words never left her lips as the man stepped forward and spayed some dust in her face... Magical dust. It clogged her lungs, made it difficult to breathe at first, but it quickly caused to go into some sort of trance-like state. She felt herself begin to fall before hands grabbed her and picked her up... Her head began to sway with that of someone carrying her... She blacked out...

"You don't look the scene, why are you here." A man stepped forward, he had a clean black leather jacket on that hung awkwardly at his neck. Marcey stared up at him and noticed a deep scar under his right eye.

"What do you mean?" She didn't know how to respond to him, as he had come off as very hostile. She felt a chill run up her spine, wanting nothing more than to be away from him.

"You are clean, obviously not starving." He reached out and grabbed her shoulder tightly, "You just don't belong here Marcey"

At first Marcey was startled, but with his hand on her she felt her eyes turn a bright blue. She stared the man in the eyes, as his airway began to close. She could practically feel him begging his body to breathe- begging her to release him.

Claire came strolling back over with a plate of fried beans and cole slaw. "Is there a problem here?"

Marcey flashed out of it, the man fell to the floor and watched her in horror. That's when Marcey realized the baby was crying.

"He started crying, I uh-" Claire sat down and took the child after putting her plate down.

"Shhhh, he's probably just hungry. Don't take it personally." Marcey laughed and stood up, not taking her eyes off the man. She stepped over him and walked out of the shelter, into the rain.

She felt all her anger diminish, oh, how I love water she thought, as she made her way back to the school. She ducked into the woods and thought she'd take a short cut. It wasn't long though, until the woods surrounded her, and she couldn't find her way.