Fandom The Ties That Bind Us || Private

[Cyanide Latte]

A warm, low chuckle escaped Taranau, the sort of laugh that came from someplace kind and compassionate.

"Then that eases some of my worry," she said, "knowing that you would have been willing to extend your care and protection to them, even had I not asked it of you. It sounds as though, in your own way, you've also come to realize what it feels like to be a parent, the pride and the fear that comes with it." She craned her head back, watching the four, her ears flicking towards them as her face went unreadable for a moment. "I am glad they have found one another. Your young man is a beacon, and I think there are wounds that that light has healed in my smallest that would have remained festering otherwise."

Somewhere further off, there was a low rumble as the thunder retreated, and the sky started clearing. The dragoness hardly paid notice to the dissipation of her storm wall as she focused on the children, flicking an ear again towards Teighenth.

"They all have the valor they'll need to face whatever lies ahead," she said with a sense of certainty, knowing she could see it reflected in each of their eyes. "If not individually, they'll bolster one another." Another smile transformed her face, that pride that she had so alluded to. "My 'Dair and his family would have boasted as much. I think they would have been very fond of all of them, including your boy."

 

[Drekasal]

The dragon cast Taranau a grateful look, taking comfort in her words—he knew well the bravery the four possessed held no bounds, yet it reassured him to no end to know that other souls saw the same as he did.

Of course, they reminded him of another matter he felt the need to address, and his expression turned apologetic. "I am truly sorry for your loss," he said, his voice grave and sympathetic. "I know only what little your daughter has told Kevin and I of what happened, but I feel her sorrow, and yours as well, and it alone speaks volumes of what words themselves cannot convey." His talons grated against the concrete. "It is beyond clear that they...your family...they meant the world to you both. It is a sentiment that my boy knows all too well—if anyone could understand, it would be him." His eyes misted slightly, a sign of his own deeper feelings on the matter, yet he chose to keep them to himself, instead looking back toward the group. "I imagine it is why Catriona trusts him on that account as well," he continued. "She is, as you said, a great judge of character."

 

[Cyanide Latte]

"I don't know where she gets it from, but I'm proud of her for it," Taranau remarked on a slight chuckle, before turning back to Teighenth and looking straight at him. She gave him a long stare before finally dipping her head and saying "Thank you." It wasn't enough to convey the gratitude she felt, but she wasn't sure anything could accurately do so. "And I believe I owe the children some thanks as well. This is the first I've seen Catriona happy again, and I wholly believe all of you are to thank for that." She dipped her head, ears flicking back in quiet shame. "I...impressed upon her the need to seek vengeance in the aftermath of what happened, in no small part due to my own grief, and I've always feared she's taken that to heart. I hope it hasn't taken root or that, if it has, having friends like your young charge will help eliminate the desire for it." She lifted her head again and regarded Teighenth seriously, adding "She is still just a child, and I would rather see her happy than hollow."

 

[Drekasal]

The look Teighenth returned mirrored Taranau’s own, the determined fire in his eye emphasizing his solemnity. “I wish the same for Kevin,” he said, nodding in understanding. “So we are of one mind in that as well.” His face then lifted, and it was now his turn to offer her reassurance. “She is good of heart—take solace in that truth, if nothing else. Perhaps your tales of caution will have also pushed her away from the path of vengeance—they will have done some good, then, and in that knowledge, I will be content.”

“Teighenth!” The call came from Sigrid, loud and assertive. “You got a moment?”

“It appears I am needed,” the dragon observed, flicking his head to acknowledge the girl’s summons, before turning back to Taranau. “But I am honored to have spoken with you,” he said, bowing toward her respectfully. “Perhaps we will meet again one day, under less dire straits.” With a rumble, he rose to his feet, stretching his wings and tail out behind him as he did so, before starting toward the group. He faltered, however, before he took his first step, a frown suddenly falling upon his features. “There is one thing I wonder about, though,” he said quietly, catching Taranau’s eye. “You mentioned the chance that Jesse was working for someone...when he spoke to you, did you catch a scent from him? A sign he was meeting elsewhere?”

 

[Cyanide Latte]

Taranau's eyes narrowed slightly in a frown as got to her feet behind him, and she let out a low rumble of worry.

"Unfortunately, I did notice something," she answered, keeping her voice soft in hopes of none of the teenagers overhearing. "I cannot say for certain what it was, but I did notice things that were...off." She gave an agitated brush of her tail as she turned to follow him, and sparks crackled and fizzled out around her horns.

"Jesse's always had a rather distinct scent, and it's very entwined with that of his magic. But this time I caught..." she paused, seeking the right words. "Smoke. Embers. Gangrenous rot. None of it part of him, but lingering around him, in a way. There was a human scent too, a female, that I kept picking up on. Not on him, but nearby, like we were being followed. No, I'm almost certain we were, and I have reason to believe the way my son kept looking over his shoulder, towards the east... I think he was expecting someone, if not outright waiting. He didn't follow me to the mausoleum when I went to retrieve Valemon's treasures from Firtha's tomb, but someone did, that female scent." She let out a low, rumbling growl. "I can only hope the wight held her at bay. Even in death, no Macallister gives up the commission to defend what they're sworn to protect." Sorrow flashed in her eyes before she nodded towards Sigrid. "Come, we should see what they need of you."

 

[Drekasal]

"Right," said Teighenth, remembering the children—it would not do to keep them waiting. Behind his still countenance, however, troubled thoughts raced; what Taranau had admitted to him more or less confirmed his suspicions, and if his guess about the "human female" was right, he suspected they would add weight to Sigrid's unspoken fear as well.

The scent of smoke and rot, on the other hand...a feeling akin to ice pierced through him, and his talons clenched. Perhaps, for any other dragon, that could have meant anything...but Teighenth had come to associate it with one thing only...

Enough, a voice inside him quipped, snarling with warning. You assume too much, too soon. There is too little for you to tell if it is him.

And yet, my scales still crawl...

Growling, he pushed these thoughts away with a shake of his head—he would not let his hatred overtake him. He sternly composed himself, until his face was once again stone, before continuing on toward the group, with Taranau following close behind.

"There you are," Sigrid huffed as the dragons finally approached. "Sorry that we pulled you away, but this was kind of important and we needed word from you." She looked between the two, noting their still expressions, and her eyes narrowed slightly. "Did something...?"

"Our talk went well, if that is what you were about to ask," Teighenth said coolly, glancing to the storm dragon with a dip of his head. "We've made our peace, and bear no ill will." He then looked back toward Sigrid. "You all are still conferring on plans?"

"Nearly done, to be honest," the shield maiden answered. "Kevin's bringing his bird, Cat and I are going to pack some essentials, and we're all talking to Star and the others to let 'em know we're heading out. The only thing we're stuck on now is..."

"Travel arrangements." The statement came out as pure conjecture, but the awkward looks Sigrid and Kevin exchanged told him he'd hit home, and he had a feeling he knew why they were asking for his judgement. "You wish to know if I can carry all of you?"

"I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it," Kevin mumbled, rubbing his arm nervously. "Since you've stated your opinion on being team transport before, and only recently made—" his gaze flickered toward Catriona and Sigrid. "—exceptions...but even then, you've never carried more than two people, so I was worried—"

"Your concern is appreciated," Teighenth broke in, not unkindly. "But I am certain weight will not be an issue for me, if that is what you are afraid of." He paused, weighing his next words carefully as he considered the teenagers. What Kevin said held truth—the dragon had only ever permitted the boy to fly upon his back unconditionally, due to the closeness of their bond. Sigrid he had eventually allowed after fully welcoming her as Kevin's partner, and Catriona due to his own personal effort to reconnect her to that part of her dragon heritage.

The rest of the team, however, he'd made clear to them that he would not be their "beast of burden". Besides, if they could get to where they needed to go via flight of their own, teleportation, boom tubes, or transforming into an animal—that last one was all Garfield—then they had no need of him, and for the most part, they respected that opinion.

But then, this was hardly a simple matter of team transport—as he told Taranau, these were dire straits, with the Shears now under their guard. And while Haru was a dragon himself—thus giving him aforementioned ability of flight—he had not assumed Seiryuu's form again since the day he'd fled Japan, nor had he received an opportunity to fully reconnect to his power. With how uncertain the future looked now, Teighenth doubted he would have ample time to train the Leviathan properly.

But then, this was hardly a simple matter of team transport—as he told Taranau, these were dire straits, with the Shears now under their guard. And while Haru was a dragon himself—thus giving him aforementioned ability of flight—he had not assumed Seiryuu's form again since the day he'd fled Japan, nor had he received an opportunity to fully reconnect to his power. With how uncertain the future looked now, Teighenth doubted he would have ample time to train the Leviathan properly.

"With how things presently stand," he said finally, catching everyone's attention, "it is best that you all ride with me; I am sure that there is more than enough room, so long as you stay between my wings. Besides," and his expression turned serious, "if we end up having to cross the Realm Between Realms to evade detection, the magic that protects me will also ensure that you are not lost to the void."

 

[Cyanide Latte]

Catriona looked between the dragons, briefly tracking her mother's idle glancing and pacing about, before looking at Teighenth and offering, "If it helps, I c'n try that jet-fire thing, see if I can fly myself like that part of the way when we're not Between. Might help, and it'll be practice on that if I do. Plus if we try finding a park in the city first to look for a fairy ring, no reason why I can't at least pull my own weight that far." She looked around at the others, gave a brief shrug and added, "I could carry some of the stuff we'll be takin', too, at least for a while. Shouldna be a problem." After a beat, she glanced to the Shears in Kevin's hands, then to Haru and then to Teighenth. "I could carry those, if you want. Probably don't want them around you every waking second, y'ken? I can do that, at least for a while."

It wasn't an easy offer to make. She hated the damn things, and could still feel their cold and their wrongness, but if she felt bad, she had a feeling it would be worse for her friends. It would probably affect Kevin too, given his bond with T., though perhaps nowhere near how bad it was for her.

"Or maybe we could trade off," she said quickly, having the gut feeling that the idea of mutual responsibility might make it easier on everyone. "That way, nobody has 'em too long, and we can try to minimize any..." she cast about, gesticulating wildly before making a helpless shrug and finishing lamely with "bad crap."

In spite of herself, in spite of the dread, in spite of the worried last exchange with Teighenth, Taranau let out a chuckle at this, a sudden sound that was surprised out of her. She hastened to get herself composed and remarked "It may not be a terrible solution, but I would recommend allowing either Sigrid or Kevin to handle them the most." She lowered her head and peered at Kevin in particular. "Assuming you are willing to do so, naturally."

 

[Drekasal]

The boy's face reddened as Taranau's eyes fell upon him, and his grip tightened around the Shears almost reflexively. Once again, however, the inner strength that Teighenth had alluded to before made itself clear now. He met her gaze steadily, and without hesitation gave a firm nod of assent. "More than willing," he said solemnly, his eyes glowing with a determined flame, akin in many respects to his guardian.

Sigrid likewise nodded her agreement, bearing the same fire as the boy did. "Better that we be the ones to carry them so you don't have to," she rationalized, echoing Kevin's own thoughts on the matter. "Haru might not be as quite as affected since he's a Leviathan, but it's not something that I'm willing to risk. And you, Cat—" she looked toward the dragonborn, a gentle but serious frown upon her lips "—the Shears have already left their bite upon you, and that's harm enough. You don't need any more, which means I'd rather not have you touch them at all if we can help it.”

 

[Cyanide Latte]

Taranau huffed with satisfaction, then turned and began pacing, eyes tracking the perimeter of the tower and the expanse of the Jump Sound beyond. She would have to leave soon, though she was loathe to do so. Leaving her daughter after not seeing her for so long felt awful, the actions of a poor mother, and the possibility of confronting her son and anyone he was foolish enough to ally with... Well, she didn't want to entertain the idea of what might happen there. She watched, she searched, for lack of anything better with which to fill her pacing as the company around her deliberated...and after a second, she had to stop, catching sight of something some distance away yet, a very tiny vessel that appeared to be heading toward the Tower base. For a moment, she dismissed it. After all, she had no idea how these young heroes worked. Perhaps it was common for civilians seeking aid to travel directly to the Tower by boat of some kind.

But something kept pulling at her attention, keeping her gaze on the boat. And that prickle of anxiety and the desire to be off grew stronger.

Elsewhere, barely keeping note of her mother's behavior, Catriona smiled at Sigrid and grasped her friend's arm tight in a show of camaraderie...and gratitude. "Oft! 'ppreciate it, Sig. But I promise, I'm willin' if it comes t' that. Like you all said, we're in this together. If you've got my back, I've got yours!" She glanced about then, and noticed her mother craning her long neck down to look at the sound below. "Oy, Mum! Y'said ya wouldna leave without sayin' goodbye!"

"I don't intend to," Taranau said slowly, blue eyes narrowing at something out on the water. After a beat, her gaze shifted back to the teenagers. "Is it...common, for someone seeking aid from you young heroes, to approach the Tower by boat?"

 

[Drekasal]

The question earned her a collective look of confusion from the group, bringing an abrupt end to their discussion. "Normally, no...?" Kevin said slowly, his tone uncertain. "I mean, we do sometimes have people come to us directly, if it's really urgent, but—"

"Never that specific," Sigrid finished with a frown. "Frankly, it'd be the first time I've ever heard of it." Her gaze turned toward where the dragoness had been staring just a few moments prior, eyes narrowing suspiciously when she too spied the vessel approaching. "That's some damn odd timing, don't you think?"

A growl rose from Teighenth's throat. "Very odd, indeed," he agreed, a dangerous undertone in his voice, and smoke rushed out from his nostrils as he walked toward the edge, craning his head in order to get a better view. At the moment, the wind was blowing in the direction of the boat, so he was unable to get a scent, yet that only seemed to make him even more wary. "If you have given us everything we need," he said, glancing toward Taranau with a stern look, "then it is best that you be on your way."

 

[Cyanide Latte]

Taranau returned his look and nodded gravely, a low rumble building in her throat as flashes of lightning lit up the sky again. "All but one thing," she answered, before turning once more. "Daughter?"

With a jolt, Cat trotted toward her mother as the dragoness lowered her head, the growl smoothing out into a low, unhappy keening. Not willing to take chances, the young dragonborn threw her arms around Taranau's muzzle and hugged her, tight and fierce. Seconds passed between them without a word, just the heartbroken, unsung wailing of a mother that knew loss, and then Cat's grip loosened as Taranau pulled back, standing up to her full height. Blue eyes, watery but unrelenting, swept over the lot of them, teenagers and dragon.

"Take care," she murmured to her daughter first, before adding, "all of you. May the winds show you mercy."

The words were barely out before she launched herself up into the sky, black and gray clouds boiling with sudden ferocity and obscuring her from view. Thunder rolled, the loudest it had yet, nets of lightning dancing in the underbelly of the clouds, before the storm wall launched itself away with tremendous speed, leaving curtains of rain in its wake that evaporated around them. Only the faintest glimpses of a wing or the trailing mane off the end of a tail could be glimpsed within the wall, and before long, nothing but storm, unyielding and uncontained.

Tears burned and trickled down Cat's cheeks, only to vanish in seconds. She wiped at her eyes, held back a sob with a sniff, and inhaled deeply several times.

There wasn't time to agonize over it. They had something to do, something suspicious to check out. All the same, she watched the stormwall go, and tried her best to keep a brave face, or the closest she could manage to one.

 

[Drekasal]

Up until now, the others had stood back respectfully, allowing mother and daughter to have this moment before they would need to part ways again. They could only imagine what the two were feeling—they had just been reunited after so long, and now they had to say goodbye far too soon—but even if they didn't fully know, Taranau's final gesture of farewell left its impact upon them all. They watched solemnly as the dragoness took her leave, rising into the dark clouds, amidst webs of lightning and pouring rain...

...and then, she was gone, as if she'd never existed.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Kevin's gaze fell toward Catriona—the dragonborn had been left standing alone—and without a word, he walked to her side. He barely caught the sound of the gulped sound she covered with a sniff, but that was all that was needed to tell him what exactly she was feeling, and it cut deep into his soul, for he knew it all too well. The only difference was that Catriona had the chance to say goodbye, while he...

With a shaky breath, he cleared his head. Not now, he thought gravely, glancing back up to the horizon. As much as he felt the need to say something to ease the dragonborn—and by extent, himself—they had more urgent matters to deal with. Taking another deep breath, he gripped Catriona's shoulder, squeezing gently to get her attention, while also putting as much understanding and sympathy into the touch as possible to at least provide her some comfort.

 

[Cyanide Latte]

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Cat nodded in response to Kevin's hand on her shoulder. There was a lot there that wasn't being said, she could feel it in the tension of his grip; perhaps one day they would talk through it. She had a feeling they'd both need it. Squaring her posture and lifting her head, she brushed her eyes dry with her fingers and then looked to him, working up the best smile she could manage under the circumstances.

"Right. We've got a job to do," she said, pounding one fist into her opposite palm. "And it sounds like we gotta start by findin' some faeries."

The shared concern of the dragons came back to her, and she looked over to Haru and Sigrid. "We wanna leave whatever's coming here for the rest of the team, slip out the back? Or are we gonna get this, head-on? Whatever we pick, I'll go with it."

 

[Drekasal]

At the note of resolve in her voice, the others snapped out of the somber spell that had fallen upon them. Drawing themselves up, they met the dragonborn's gaze with determined looks of their own. "If whoever's out there is after us," Sigrid said, speaking directly to Catriona, "I want to know who it is, and then I want to make them sorry for ever coming." The ferocity in her eyes affirmed her desire to make good on that promise, though it dimmed when she suddenly frowned. "But your mother also said to keep the Shears safe...and the farther away it is from who wants them, the better."

"It would be wise for us to leave at once," Haru murmured softly, yet there was conflict in his tone as well. "But it does not feel right to leave our friends alone. If the outsider is hostile, then we could be putting the team in danger."

Kevin nodded slowly, sharing Haru's sentiment—leaving the team alone to deal with this didn't sit right with him, either, but staying to confront the stranger was also just as much a risk, both to themselves and the Shears potentially being taken. Neither were good outcomes to him...but then, what other choice did they have? "What should we do, Teighenth?" he asked finally, glancing to his guardian.

The dragon did not answer immediately—his focus had returned to the approaching craft—yet a swish of his tail indicated he acknowledged the question. After a moment, he drew a breath, a low sounding rush of air, and he turned toward the teenagers. "We stay to the plan," he said firmly, fixing them with a stern look. "You four will inform Starfire of our headings, and gather everything you possibly need. We will regroup here, then depart immediately afterward."

Twisting his head back toward the Sound, he huffed. "Until then, I will be on watch for our guest's arrival. If they mean to do harm—" he bared his teeth in a snarl "—I will personally greet them myself."

 

[Cyanide Latte]

"Right," Cat agreed, giving a sharp nod. "If you're on watch, this is the best chance we've got, so let's find Star and get this rollin'!" As though unable to contain her wild energy, she took off at a brisk trot for the elevators, shouting back over her shoulder, "'Ey, but no startin' any wild parties without us, got it? I don't wanna miss the fun if there's gonna be some ass that needs kickin'!"


//


With every cresting bounce and every lapping wave against the sides of the boat, Faith Ford regretted her impatient choice to approach the island in the middle of Jump Sound by boat. Even though the Sound was fed by some freshwater rivers that cut down on the stench of salty sea brine in the air, she was really starting to feel queasy. Some of it was her own inexperience with nautical travel, but a great deal more was due to the presence of her constant companion. The ghost of Sarah Redfern had been resistant to the idea of approaching Titans Tower by speedboat, but they really had no other option, especially since Sarah insisted time was of the essence. And so, here they were, suffering temporary misery in hopes that they would receive aid quicker for the trade-off.

"Alright, Miss!" The driver spoke loudly before cutting the engine and letting the boat carefully slow and stop. There was a brief splash—dropping an anchor, maybe?—and the left side bumped gently against something solid. "We're here! Steady getting up, there's no dock, so we're not moored to anything. Here, grab my hands, I'll help you out."

Hesitantly, Faith got to her feet, which wobbled and shook gracelessly, and stretched out grasping arms that were caught by the driver. With a few well-timed cues—plus the fact Faith barely weighed anything and he lifted her with ease—she was finally deposited on what felt like a wet, flat rock shelf. She kept to a low crouch, not trusting the rock or the water or the wind as much as she did her own center of gravity and balance.

"Um, my staff—" she began, only to have him place it in one of her hands. "Thank you."

"There's a slightly lower patch of sand-cover to walk on, just a couple of feet behind us," the man said. "Curves on an up-slope, it'll take you right to their door."

"Th-thank you," Faith started, but the engine roared back to life, there was a damp thud, and the boat sped off as he yelled "Don't mention it! Just remember ol' Bibbo once in a while when you gotta give somebody a good spell!"

"Hmph! Good riddance!" Sarah's voice snapped. Faith winced, but avoided chastising the ghost. They were both out of sorts, and they'd just have to power through the discomfort. Easing her way backward, Faith found the sand behind the rocky outcropping and carefully planted her feet on the ground before reaching out to feel her way around with the staff. Once she was confident she had the general width of the path and its direction figured out, she started a careful march uphill, steady as she could manage.

"There's a solid metal platform just ahead, and the door," Sarah finally reported, and indeed, the gray outline of the appeared among the vague shapes of the rockface. Reaching just a little further out, Faith tapped the end of the staff against a solid sheet of metal, and approached it carefully to avoid tripping. Once it was steady beneath her feet, she raised a trembling hand, and gave one tiny little knock against what sounded like a very big, very thick, very imposing door.

"Pathetic." Sarah commented.

Faith bristled. It wasn't like this was easy for her. But before she could lay into the ghost, Sarah's chilly presence suddenly flooded her, like the witch had spotted something she wasn't about to cross.

"Sarah?" Faith whispered.

"Above," the ghost responded. "Something watches. If it is what I suspect, we could be facing great peril."

Faith tilted her head back. She got the faint impression of something far, far above, something that shimmered with red-orange and silvery magic. There was something vaguely familiar about the shape, but it was hard to tell.

"Maybe it's friendly...?" the girl suggested and, against Sarah's protests, she timidly lifted a hand, and risked a wave.

 

[Drekasal]

“I make no promises on that,” the dragon replied, “but I’ll leave you the good pieces, if you insist.” He spoke coolly, yet Kevin thought he heard a faint hint of amusement, and he gave his guardian a shrewd look. As he couldn’t see the Teighenth’s face, however, he couldn’t confirm anything, and after a long moment he gave up, though it didn’t stop the boy from giving an order of his own. “Just try and stay out of trouble until we get back,” he said sternly, before turning to join the others. “Hey, Cat! Wait up!”

—•—​

Hearing the teenagers leave, the dragon glanced over his shoulder, huffed quietly, then returned his attention to the Sound. Stay out of trouble, he echoed silently. A task easier said than done. His eyes narrowed as they fell upon the approaching boat—they’re almost to the rocks—and his talons tensed upon the edge of the rooftop. Already he was calculating the distance between him and the vessel: he could glide down now if he chose, seize the boat in his claws and drag them to the shore. And then...

His conscience rumbled threateningly, and the dragon shook his head with a snarl. No, he thought fiercely. I will NOT act brashly. Not now, when I don’t even know who it is, and certainly not ever again. Sternly, he forced coiled muscles to relax, and then, with a deep exhale, sat down on his haunches. Patience, he reminded himself. Trust my instincts, but not when they would have me rush forward blindly.

Looking back down at the boat, he could see it finally pulling up to one of the more level rocks sticking out into the water, and a splash indicated the anchor was being dropped. He craned his head over the rooftop edge, attempting to get a better view, and from what he could immediately tell, there were two people on board.

The first one was unmistakably male, and appeared to be the driver. He looked about middle age to Teighenth's eye, with a prominent chin and stocky build—excluding the bit of weight that he carried around his belly, anyway—suggesting that he was fairly strong, for a human at least. Could probably take a hit, and deal a few good ones himself, the dragon rationalized. Yet he doesn't seem dangerous. If he were being honest, the man was rather average looking—"run of the mill" as Kevin would put it. Not the kind to pose a threat.

Of course, there was still the passenger to consider, but they were shadowed by the driver's large frame, and it was only when they were set down on the rocks was Teighenth able to finally see them properly. Even then, he found it difficult to make out details; the only obvious traits were the long, thick braid of blonde hair behind them—they must be female, then—but also how small she was. Small and frail, and looking far too thin, something he noted with an sudden pang of worry. Is she not eating enough?

His concern only grew when he noticed the staff handed to her, and how she felt around with it as she slowly walked up the sand-path. Almost as if she couldn't trust her surroundings. Even when she seemed to look up at him, when she finally made it to the door of the Tower, it didn't feel like she could see him. A sad suspicion was forming in his mind, but he couldn't dwell on it for long; she was lifting her hand now, waving timidly in his direction.

For a moment, the dragon faltered, debating with himself on how to respond, before finally heaving a deep sigh. If she can't see me, he reasoned, then I suppose there is no harm in going to greet her. At the very least, I won't frighten her by sight. Spreading his wings, he let out a bugling roar to let her know he was coming down, before dropping off the edge of the roof into open air. The wind rushed past, tugging at him until he stooped into a glide, at which point it abruptly became a whisper. For a time, he circled above the girl, his gaze never leaving her until at last, with a final beat of his wings to slow his descent, landed with a heavy thud.

 

[Cyanide Latte]

The sound of the roar sent Faith's heart hammering and she faintly heard Sarah's hiss of tension somewhere in the back of her mind. The sound had caught her by surprise and she stood rooted to the spot, tracking the progress of the vast shape above her. Canvas-like protrusions stretched from it as it appeared to circle above her in consideration, and just as she realized what the aura she was seeing belonged to, Sarah provided the word for her.

"Dragon", the ghost declared, with no small measure of anxious energy.

Faith gave a little gasp at that, unable to hide the tiny smile of excitement she felt. A full dragon, she could finally meet a full dragon! It certainly explained the unusual magic aura, the shape and the size of the creature. When it landed moments later, the impact sent tremors through the ground beneath her and she lost her balance, falling somewhat unceremoniously onto her back. Even with the wind knocked out of her though, she sat upright immediately and pulled her braid free, turning her head in the direction where the creature's landing had been hardest.

"O-oh! Excuse me, I'm sorry, I-I-I don't know the protocol for this kind of thing," she stammered out, both trying to catch her breath and unable to contain her growing excitement all at once. "I just wanted to ask for some help, I hope I didn't offend anyone—are you a dragon?"

The last bit spilled out before she could stop herself, and immediately she clapped her hands over her mouth. "So-sorry, that was rude," she said quickly, ignoring Sarah's addition of "and foolish," as she lowered her hands and said, "I've just never met a full dragon before." Groping around to find where she'd dropped her staff and not really considering that she hadn't let her company get a word in edgewise, she asked, "Is it alright if I come closer?"

//

They'd been lucky enough to catch the older Titan on their way down, and Catriona was midway through explaining why the four of them and Teighenth needed to leave to start this mission—it was so tempting to call it a quest properly, but she had a feeling 'mission' was the better term to apply in this case—when something in her peripherals caught her attention.

T. had dropped from the roof into a slow, circular glide, his head angled and gaze trained on something unseen below.

"Bollocks," she hissed, breaking away to trot to the nearest window in hopes of keeping an eye on the old scorch. "Looks like our company got here a little sooner'n we thought."

She couldn't quite tell what was happening as Teighenth circled a little below the window. She thought she caught sight of a single figure far on the ground, but it was difficult to honestly tell, between the dragon's glide and the immense distance. Still...

"Hey, Kev?" she called back over her shoulder. "T. wouldn't be flying like that if we were in any immediate danger, right?"

 

[Drekasal]

The sorcerer had been looking confused at Catriona when she had abruptly broken away from the group, until he too caught sight of Teighenth just outside. For a moment, he felt a surge of panic—I told him to stay out of trouble!—but then he noticed how slow the dragon’s glide was. He didn’t appear to be in a rush, and seemed to be only observing whoever was down below. “If there was an obvious threat, he would have dived straight for it,” he replied, a bemused frown drawing itself upon his features. “But then, if he thought them harmless, he would’ve stayed on the roof—he doesn’t normally make himself known to visitors unless necessary.”

“Well, he’s not on the roof now,” Sigrid pointed out, joining them at the window along with Haru and Starfire. Glancing to the small figure below, her expression was questioning as well. “Definitely not hard to spot a dragon coming toward you like that,” she muttered. “Honestly, I expected them to start running by now, whoever that is down there. Either they’re really brave, or they’re too scared to move.”

“Maybe they have seen dragons before?” Haru ventured—a thought-provoking question, one which the teenagers were unsure they wanted to know the answer to, given the implications. Only Starfire was still looking understandably lost on what was going on. “You have a visitor?” She asked quizzically, speaking to Catriona directly. “Why have they come here?”

“That’s what we’re afraid to find out,” Kevin said gravely, eyes still tracking his guardian as he drew closer to the ground. Abruptly, he then turned heel, making a beeline for the elevator. “But I’m not letting Teighenth go down there by himself. Come on!”

—•—​

The dragon regarded the girl with a tilt of his head, curiosity dominating his otherwise stoic features. This was not at all what he had been expecting to deal with, and it only drove home how lost he was on what he should do. He’d been preparing to face a threat—this human was anything but threatening, aside from a peculiar aura that he sensed coming from her person. That gave him some cause for suspicion, and with a huff he leaned his head close to the girl, nostrils flaring as he took in her scent.

Nothing in particular stood out to him, however, and anything that might have been vital was too muddled by the lingering smell of sea spray and salt, but she didn’t smell bad...not in the manner of intent, anyway. Yet the aura still persisted, though when he reassessed it, it didn’t seem to come from the girl specifically, but rather something else tied to her.

In that regard, he couldn’t help but muse, we may be kindred. His inspection finished, he glanced over to where the girl’s staff had fallen. Seeing her grope around for it, he nudged it toward her with his snout, then, when she had it in hand, braced her against his muzzle and gently lifted her to her feet, before drawing back slowly. “Yes, I am a dragon,” he answered finally, a low rumble in his voice. “At least, what is left of one.” He lifted a claw to gesture toward her, only to pause, belatedly realizing she wouldn’t be able to see, at which point he set it back down again. “May I ask who you are, and why you have come?”

 

[Cyanide Latte]

Startled by the contact, Faith hesitated a moment, gently running a hand over the scales she could immediately feel. They were large, full, and much, much warmer than she expected. The scent that lingered around him was one of smoke and low-burning embers, of fires that had been banked, and when coupled with the manifestation of his aura, she had the impression he was holding in a great deal of pain and sadness. It hurt, to think of someone so magnificent worn down to this, and his remark—"what is left of one"—only made her all the more sad for him. It took a second for his question to actually register, and when it did she pulled away very slowly, reluctant to break the contact.

"Well, I usually go by Hex, witch-for-hire," she said hesitantly, "but I'm not really much of one. Not yet, anyway. But I'm learning!"

It always sounded a little immature and ridiculous, and now it especially did, considering she was talking to a being such as this one. She felt her face blaze as a flush crept into her cheeks, and she twisted her hands anxiously on the grip of her staff.

"A-actually, my name is Faith," she added, scuffing the toe of one of her boots idly in the sand. "And I'm here because, um... I need help, and the only person I know of who might be able to help is here? At least, that's what I've been told. Her name is Cat, Catriona Macallister. Do you know her?"

//

Seeing Kevin take off for the elevator, Cat jumped a fraction, then darted after him, calling back over her shoulder to their Tamaranean senior.

"Not sure who they are or why they came here, but cross your fingers it ain't a problem, neh?"

She charged to catch up to Kevin, keeping her head angled just enough to listen for their friends. Unless she very much missed her guess, he was on-edge after seeing that display. Not that she could blame him. This whole thing just seemed to get more and more worrisome as the day unfolded. Still, she had no clue what to say. She'd seen Kevin tense before, but not like this, and this was definitely not the time to try talking to him about whatever was weighing those shoulders down so heavy. So she did the only thing she could.

"Right here with you," she said under her breath. "All of us."

 

[Drekasal]

The boy was silent at first when he punched in the button to call for the lift, but when he looked over his shoulder at the dragonborn, a faint smile of gratitude wound itself upon his lips. Her words had not gone unheard by him, and that thankfulness extended itself to their friends, who had likewise rushed after them. Even if he wasn't quite ready to confide in them on his burden, he knew that he could count on them, always.

The chime rang as the lift arrived, and the wizard stood back to allow the others inside once the doors slid open, before entering himself shortly after. "We better get ready, then," he said seriously, calling up the first floor. "There's no telling who we're going to meet, or what they want, but last thing I want is for any of us hurt."

—•—​

At that, Teighenth gave a huff of surprise, rising to his full height. The question had triggered early warning signs in his mind—given the conversation that had occurred scarcely several minutes ago, it was far too specific for his liking—and her admission to being a witch did answer one suspicion. At the very least, it somewhat explained the aura that he felt coming from her...but then what would a witch need the Titan's help with? Specifically, Catriona's help?

It took him some time to reach a decision, but ultimately decided that Faith had been amenable and polite up to this point; perhaps she could be given the benefit of the doubt, even if he wasn't entirely sure of her intentions. "I do know her," he said warily, the swishing of his tail betraying his inner discomfort. "And she is here, though I must confess that your timing is...unusual, to put it kindly." He gave her a questioning look. "What is it exactly that you need her help with?"

A sudden whoosh interrupted him, and he whipped his head around just in time to see the doors to the Tower slide open. Bewilderment flashed across his countenance when Kevin and the others rushed out shortly after, only for him to then become stern. "I thought I told you to meet me back on the roof,” he rumbled as they approached.

"I thought I told you to stay out of trouble,” Kevin retorted, his expression accusing as he skidded to a stop before his guardian. "Guess we both didn't listen.”

“But I didn’t get into trouble,” the dragon said indignantly, but Sigrid was already glancing toward Faith with a narrowed look. “Really?” she asked suspiciously. “Then who’s she?”

 

[Cyanide Latte]

Nothing could have prepared Faith for the wash of colors, the auras that approached as she heard the doors hiss open. With a gentle, muted gasp, she took in what she could see, taking a few hesitant steps forward.

The boy who had spoken radiated a gentle, earthy sort of magic, something that resonated in a curious parallel to the sort of energy that Sarah had. Feminine magic, that's what it felt like, with curling wisps of emotions she couldn't catch long enough to read before they slipped away. Too much all at once, it seemed like. Still, she got the sense he was as gentle as his magic suggested. That would suffice.

The girl who had spoken next didn't really have a magical field around her, just a normal human aura, but it sparkled and shimmered in a way most different from normal. Touched by magic, perhaps? Her colors were a prismatic mix, with orange courage, blue loyalty and sensitivity, and gray skepticism the dominant among the colors. Faith tried not to bristle too much at her tone; after all, she still felt a little like she was trespassing.

There were two more with them, and they were the most unusual auras. One was pure azure, filled with clouds and tiny flashes like a lightning storm, but it was contained in a perfect shape, and controlled, resting in a space of calmness, like the storm was simply dancing to prove it was alive and nothing more. And the other...

The other was a living pillar of fire, with tiny prisms of a human aura blinking in the flames, coloring them more than just the red-orange of a normal blaze. The flames were less contained than the stormy figure's lightning, rippling out with an actual, real heat and the wariness of a hunting dog on edge. This then, was who she'd been looking for.

Stammering a little, she managed the approximation of a haphazard curtsy and said "I-I go by Hex, at least around most people in Gotham, but, um, my name is Faith Ford..." and as she tilted her head in Catriona's direction she added, "A-actually, I came here to ask you for help. You-you're kind of my last hope."

"Me?" Cat echoed, a little surprised, but as she stared at the stranger, something clicked. The girl may have been looking at her, but she couldn't actually see her. "Hang on," she said slowly. "My brother mentioned some time back he met a blind witch-girl 'mong a buncha hostages in that raid against a vampire nest he helped with—"

A wretched, painful gasp pulled free of the girl called Faith, tears welling in her blind eyes as she nodded. "Do you know what's happened to Jesse?!" she cried, risking a few steps closer. "Please! He left over a week ago, n-none of us know where he is! We all know he goes off on his own sometimes, that's normal, but this time isn't." Her tears finally spilled free and she reached up with the cuff of her sleeve to brush at her eyes, her voice getting thick with suppressed sobs. "I thought— I thought at first that, that it was my fault. Before he left, we had a fight. We've never fought before, ever." She let out a tiny hiccup. "The first day or two, I-I figured he didn't ch-check in because of our fight. Buh...buh..."

"Hey, hey, breathe," Cat said, lifting her hands to gesture and then dropping them when she realized it was pointless.

"He's been radio silent," Faith continued to take shuddering breaths, struggling with the need to cry, "for so long. We all tried to reach him—me, Kunchen and Zuki, that is—but he's turned his phone off. A-and he's not answering any magical communication, so either he's out of range or..." She sniffled, unable to finish that though. "Please, do you know anything?"

"Uhh..." Cat stalled, glancing around to her friends. What in all the pits of Hell was she supposed to answer that with? She'd been revved and ready to fight seconds ago, but this had thrown her. And truthfully, if she was being honest, it still hit her with a load of shock to find out anybody in the world outside of her and her mother had any sort of positive attachment to her brother. "I, uh..."

She had no clue what to make of this girl. The visit from her mother, the Shears, everything, had put her so on edge, she wasn't sure it was wise to just blurt anything out to a practical stranger. But at the same time, Faith looked so helpless and sincere, it seemed cruel to keep anything from her.

So instead to stall for time, she asked "What, um...what did yah fight about?"

And was thrown for another loop when Faith turned bright scarlet and lowered her gaze, scooping up the end of her braid in her hands and fidgeting with it. "It's...it mostly isn't anything... That is, I mean... It's kind of personal, for the most part." After a second she lifted her head. "But I wasn't happy with him. I knew he was talking about leaving again soon. He's done it a lot lately, and I... I said some things. And I felt like he was just kind of trying to placate me. He let a name slip though, I think? Something like... 'grimmer', I think...?" And at Cat's sharp inhale of sudden terror, she asked "Is...is that a bad thing...?"

 

[Drekasal]

Catriona's gasp of terror was barely registered by Kevin, in the wake of the cold spike of dread he felt lance through him. For a moment, he prayed that he had misheard, that Faith was referring to someone else. Surely she didn't mean—

"Grimmur." Teighenth's snarl was filled with venom, and Kevin's fears were confirmed. Risking a glance toward his guardia, the dragon's face was expressionless, a still mask hiding his feelings, but not entirely; the fire in his eyes had blazed into an inferno, suppressed at the moment, but ready to *explode*. A deep, burning *hatred* that, despite all his care for him, *frightened* the boy, yet he did not dare voice that thought aloud. He'd only seen that look once before, but it was seared into his memory...as was evertyhing else that followed.

"I'm afraid," the boy answered finally, his voice coming out in a slow, shuddering breath, "that may just be the understatement of the year."

"Grimmur?" The question came from Sigrid, who glanced at Kevin, then at Cat in query. "As in, Teighenth's bro—" An angry hiss cut her off, and all heads turned toward Teighenth, just as he abruptly whirled away from the group, a low growl building in his throat as he faced Jump City Sound.

"...got it," Sigrid breathed out, voice subdued. "That Grimmur."

 

[Cyanide Latte]

"Yeah," Cat muttered, flexing her fists. "That Grimmur." She took two deep breaths in, held, and blew it back out in a ragged, angry exhale that heated the air around them alarmingly for a few seconds. "Not gonna forget that name any time soon. Bein' snatched 'n' used as fuckin' bait like a damn ragdoll isn't something I won't forget any time soon either. I owe that fuckin' prick."

Faith trembled slightly the whole time as she listened, feeling cold fingers of dread wrap around her insides and squeeze them tight. This was already far, far worse than she had initially assumed, and suddenly she wasn't so sure she wanted to hear answers to her questions.

Still, she wasn't about to abandon Jesse either, and what was worse, she felt the same rush of ill curiosity that she knew was already building in Sarah. Taking a deep breath, she nodded.

"Sounds like bad, bad news and a bit of a story," she said, reaching for the nearest flat shelf of rock and gently easing herself down to sit. "I'm willing to listen, if you need to tell me about this Grimmur. And anything, I swear, anything I can do to help, I'll do it."

Cat chewed the inside of her cheek, still feeling rage over her last encounter with the hateful dragon in question. True, she was a little suspicious about what she was hearing, but she flicked her gaze to Kevin, and then to Teighenth, hesitating. They were all upset, and they had a hell of a right to be, as far as she was concerned. Grimmur owed them big time for the hell he'd put them all through, especially her.

What was worse...

Jesse would knowingly ally himself with Grimmur, of all dragons?

To say it boded quite ill would also have been one of the understatements of the year, and she felt like the ground was threatening to yawn open and swallow her. She had no clue for once what the hell her brother was doing, speaking with some rotting waste of space like that or hunting down the Shears of Valemon, but she was feeling slapped in the face with the shock of it all.

 

[Drekasal]

"The gesture is appreciated," Kevin said to Faith sincerely, "but for now, listening would be more than enough." He found himself faltering again, glancing at the faces around him for any sign of objection. At the moment, Teighenth had vacated himself from the conversation—probably for the best—and Catriona, obviously, was absolutely livid. Only Haru and Sigrid had not been present for the events that had transpired before, though they'd been filled on the details when asked, so when Kevin glanced toward them, Haru simply gave a nod of assent, Sigrid more reluctantly.

I suppose that's the best I'm going to get, the boy thought sullenly, and with sigh of resignation turned back toward the witch. "I should warn you, the entirety of it is complicated—" his gaze flickered briefly to Teighenth "—and, admittedly, sensitive to some of us, so I'll try to give you the long short of it." Having stalled long enough, he wearily began his explanation. "Grimmur is a dragon like Teighenth, the latter of whom you met just a few moments ago. Unfortunately, as you probably just heard, Teighenth cares nothing for Grimmur, and not without reason. They're—" he paused again, choosing his next words carefully "—well, they have a bit of an unpleasant history between them."

A scoff rose from Teighenth's direction, but he otherwise did not participate further, and Kevin tentatively continued. "We...Cat and I specifically...have been unlucky enough to more recently be the target of Grimmur's hatred, the story behind it being...complicated. Us being Teighenth's friends is one fragment of it, but more than that, he's made clear the spite he's had towards humans and..."

Again, he hesitated on his words, biting his lower lip as he glanced between Teighenth and Catriona once more, before reluctantly pressing on. "...and...crossbreeds...for centuries. He's firmly of the belief that dragons are the world's rightful rulers." He then frowned, confused as something occurred to him. "But then...that doesn't explain at all why Jesse would be meeting with him. Doesn't he know—"

"No," Teighenth cut in, catching the group's attention. "He wouldn't know. How could he, when he has never been told?" His words came across more as statement then actual query, but it was still painful truth. A frown crossed Kevin's countenance as he processed that—indeed, Jesse had never been around long enough, in the few times he'd met him, to do anything other than check up on his sister, and, as Sigrid put it once, "to make a nuisance of himself in every way".

Coupled with the fact he made no secret of his dislike of Catriona's friends, the general consensus had been to keep him at an arm's reach, despite Kevin's guilt on the matter. Now, however, Kevin was regretting that decision, with Jesse now seemingly putting himself in extreme danger.

 

[Cyanide Latte]

Cat folded her arms as she listened to Kevin's attempt at a debrief, letting out a pensive hum at his speculation. Since the thought had occurred to Kevin and Teighenth picked it up, her mind was racing to find some sort of an answer. She'd heard plenty of sentiments against dragonborn to know firsthand that Grimmur was among the worst of those carrying a prejudice. Taranau had taken every opportunity to warn her children against putting themselves directly in the path of danger, and while it had sown some distrust in Cat toward many dragons and humans who knew of dragons alike, she still felt the warning held merit. And she always remembered her older brother being the more cautious of the both of them for...ever.

"It doesna add up," she mumbled, resting her chin on her fist. "Jesse's done some dumb shit before, and he'll take a gamble on somethin' if he feels like there's no other choice, but seeking out anybody that prejudiced is crossin' his own line."

Faith listened uncomfortably as they spoke, fidgeting and alternately chewing at the skin around her nails on one of her hands or fussing with her braid. This was way worse than she could have anticipated, and the increasing amount of things she didn't know was starting to get to her. Stomach churning, she gave a small whimper and gripped her staff tightly, hoping for some sense of stability and comfort. She only found herself wishing more and more for answers, and for Jesse's presence and calm reassurance.

"M-maybe..." she spoke up quietly, face burning, "there's a reasonable explanation?" She felt several pairs of eyes turn to her and immediately felt all the more stupid and naïve for even suggesting the idea. All the same, she'd ventured this far and put her foot in the fire, she might as well jump the whole way in. "S-sometimes any of us—erm, me, Jesse, Zuki or Kunchen, that is—we'll get hired on for a task for someone. That's...kind of what we do. Normally Zuki and I don't get single-person tasks, it's just Kunchen or Jesse who handle those. And Jesse was acting like he had some kind of task he got hired on for when we fou— er, when he left..." She ducked her head, hoping and wishing they weren't scrutinizing her too closely. "So...maybe he's working for someone?" She finally suggested, feeling more and more lame.

Cat grimaced as she listened. "It's not that I don't believe ya," she said to Faith. "I know what kind of magic problems Jesse and that Spellbinder ghast get asked t' fix. But it's...complicated."

Feeling more than a little annoyed, Faith stopped her fidgeting and let out a tense sigh. "I can handle complicated," she mumbled. "Just 'cause I'm sixteen doesn't mean I'm thick."