A game of Chess [Open]

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi was more tired now then he was in falling into the sixth. He'd been through a lot just recently and he knew only one room in the entire universe soothing enough o calm his spirit's. Arashi now knew everything he wanted to know about what he was except just that, what was he. Arashi had found that in all his newfound knowledge he'd not been able to find the most important thing. He was yet to know what the difference between a fallen and an upright was. His fathers memories couldn't tell him because they were warped, nor could the vampire king. He was at a loss, and he hadn't much time left to find out. His augmented race and skills were leaning to Djinni and he knew it, he felt his wings as they had darkened. All the knowledge he'd gained was just starting to make sense, and he still didn't know anything.

Arashi stepped through what looked like a portrait of Amleia, the town he'd just left. He was fresh off of his trip to the tavern. The boy Zeshin had wanted to travel, but not very likely to this place. He had found the room was connected by a series of tears to Amleia and it made travel easy. As a matter of fact, in route to this place he noticed that Tomo's castle held a good few connections. It was curious indeed, it was almost as if it was created outside of the original design of things.



So your done soul searching? Hey.. do me a favor and let me out please? Make the puppy... I'll take that body for now... PLEASE???

"Stop yelling in my head you annoying bastard... Yes I'm done. I've gained all I can hope to gain from stealing souls. I have no reason to continue. All that's left now is to fall, or go to heaven. I have no idea what to do... my father is dead, that king had barely enough knowledge to help me, and the humans only fed magical knowledge and energy. There is only one thing I can do before I return to Ilreg. I'll need to talk with Tomo. I just hope she understood what I meant before for what it was, and not as me telling her I'd never ask for guidance"

As he spoke he took a blade and slit his wrist relatively deep. The blood flowed freely, the irony scent drifting through the room. The floor was covered in blood as it began to move. The blood wound together and formed a creature that stood in the midst of a puddle of spilled blood as he absentmindedly bled. He solidified the bottom of the puddle to avoid melting the lovely floor.



"How's it feel Ranmyaku?"

"I like it... it's better then nothing. How about you are you okay?"

"I'm fine as long as I don't do too much. I won't have to fight so I'm good. This is a weird feeling, connected to you this way..."

The two of them continued, the door had been open this whole time and anyone may have listened in on them. Arashi was waiting for Tomo in any case and had forced up his aura a bit to see if she would catch it. The blood was still flowing from his wrist and the blood dog form of Ranmyaku sat calmly, growing as the blood spilled.

[Sanada Tomo]

"There is a disturbance in the air, Master. I don't like it."

The flat, monotone voice was none other than Symphony. Tomoyo had already sensed the form of Arashi making his way up to his castle. While she was not happy at the turn of events that had happened with Arashi a few months ago, she was not above allowing him into her home or her presence--she would just make sure that she was on her guard. She wasn't sure what he was here to do. To kill her, perhaps--depending on whether or not he had decided to be a Fallen or an Upright--but she would have to hope that things wouldn't come to that. She didn't want to kill him.

"I do not like it, Master," Symphony said again, and Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "What is wrong, Symphony?"

"There is someone with him."

Symphony never said things of this nature unless there was something unnatural about the visitor. Had Arashi picked up a friend, a guardian? "What form does it feel like?"

"An animal. It is one of us."

"A creature of the Elemental Realm? I didn't know that they had those...that is very special. We shall see them both in, Symphony."

"Master...I do not like it."

Holding her stomach, which was showing outwardly a lot more than the last time that she had spoken to Arashi--had she told him that he was pregnant? She didn't think that she had--and she decided to tell him now since he was going to be here. That is if she didn't have to kill hiim or anything.

"Fine. Change into a form to match..." Tomoyo said, waving her hand. She didn't really care, but she knew that Symphony rather liked to be on the same level as her opponents, at least in the beginning, and as she had been bid Symphony changed into the form of a shadow wolf with red eyes, comprised purely of her element.



"Are you satisfied now? Let us go." And they took off toward the doors, Tomoyo signaling ahead for them to be opened.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi wasn't all to surprised to see Tomo as he made it to the doors, but he wasn't expecting the shadow beast beside her. His freely flowing wrists leaving a trail of blood behind him as he moved nearer. Ranmyaku followed as if the blood was her leash, absorbing the blood into her form as he moved. Arashi looked to the growing sprite and noticed her size had nearly doubled.
He was sure she was trying something but he had no idea what, and then he did. He was linked to the blood beast and knew all that it knew, even if it's controller was Ranmyaku, the body shared this full connection. He stopped and looked up to Tomoyo and saw a bulge in her stomach.

"Am I still allowed to call this place my home Tomoyo?"

Ranmyaku had now reached the height of Arashi's abdomen and she was still on all fours. He looked at her and knew what she wanted to do.

Do you have the energy to do that Ranmyaku? Can you still materialize?"

I'm a part of you no matter what I do obviously. The fact that we can talk like this without using mind is proof of that link.

At least wait until your introduced

Whatever, don't waste my time

Arashi felt the effect's of the sprites main energy leaving his body, the level of chaos in his blood decreased greatly as the sprite took a more complete form. It was like the feeling he got when suppressing his chaos. He was sure the effect were the same.

Yes the effect will be the same

He smiled hoping that she didn't hate him for his parting words.

[Sanada Tomo]

Tomoyo could clearly see what Symphony had been worried about. The beast beside Arashi is what Tomoyo would truly call a monster. However, she kept those thoughts to herself. She had no right to question the company that Arashi kept so long as he managed his company when in her presence. He could see the canine-like creatures walking behind him, and it was then that she noticed that there was blood dripping from Arashi's wrists. If this being was tied to his blood, it must have been the famed Ranmyaku, the spirit that had rested within him--according to Arashi's earlier tale.

She watched with a smile in her eyes as Arashi's eyes darted for a moment to her stomach, and back to her face, and he asked if he still had a home.

To answer that, Tomoyo said, "I think it would be more like a resting place for your journey, from what you told me you've been doing." She spread her arms. "However, no matter what the title, you are welcome here...and your friend..."

It wasn't until that moment that she noticed that the creature was growing with every ounce of blood that it absorbed from Arashi. She wasn't sure what she could do about that, but she didn't want such a threat in her home. There were other beings in the castle besides her, and it bothered her that a creature that was steadily growing larger would be pacing in it, even if it was one of Arashi's by association.

There was silence after her comment, and then she could feel the energy of the beast beginning to change. It was no matter to her, however, because she was going to ask Arashi to do something about it. "I will have to ask you to either put your spirit companion in its humanoid form, or to reduce the canine form to that of Symphony here. I don't mean to give the impression that I don't trust you, but there are other people here that could not fight such a beast, playful or otherwise, and as you can see, I am with child. I would prefer to not have to watch you as closely because of it."

While this was true, she would probably end up watching Arashi anyway; this was the way that things went when you weren't sure whether your companion was an enemy or a friend...

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Her welcoming him was quite a blessing to be sure. He had been worried that he would need to go elsewhere. The whole time he'd been away he had wondered what his actual home would be. He knew that he felt most comfortable here, and he understood that he was accepted. Even if his non-hellion alliance was keeping him from being fully family. His eyes glimmered at her words, even though he seemed only to be resting here. If he had to call it anything he would have used the same title at this point. Though, in truth it was more of a home then he had ever known. Her welcoming arms were an alluring thing indeed, but he would have to stop his bleeding before going any closer.

Ranmyaku grew and had grew strong enough to take a solid form. She nodded to arashi and he solidified the blood on his wound to heal it swiftly and the blood flow stopped. Ranmyaku stood on her back feet and changed to what looked like a savage man before her changing continued. Her liquid form swirling about and creating a veil as she made herself a solid form for the first time in seventeen years. Arashi was personally very much interested in what she would look like, as Ranmyaku had always been a heavy voice in the back of his head. Arashi actual thought that Ranmyaku was male in his mind. Then the blood was absorbed into itself and a body emerged, dressed and all. It seemed that Ranmyaku had truly taken the form of Arashi's lillum lineage.



Arashi looked a bit taken aback and shook his head in disbelief. The cute young girl before him was a direct contrast to what he thought he had inside him.

"Well... say something..."

Then she blushed, as if Arashi was her crush. Arashi was even more blindsided from the cute face she put on and he nearly fell over. His eyes wide on his companion who'd just spilled from his own body. That was when he realized the effect of his chaos level being so low, his wings couldn't maintain the form of haze. As if wrapping the black smoke from his back and out, the white feathers formed into his wings. He looked back and sighed. He never felt comfortable with these wings in hell. It made him feel outcast, and the sight of them shook his shock away. Ignoring Ranmyaku's bashful actions his addressed Tomo.

"Well then. This is Ranmyaku. She has taken form, but is still a part of me apparently. We share flesh even now as she is made from me. I see what she sees and know what she thinks. So I'll be keeping her in check for you."

He walked up to Tomo and smiled happy to be accepted. His eyes running down to her stomach after he was within reach.

"It seems things have changed a little since my last visit."

Ranmyaku walked up behind him and curtsied. Lifting the cloth of her skirt so sweetly that Arashi blushed.

You were a girl this whole time??!!

Not my fault you never asked.

And what's with this cutesy act?

I am a girl you know... Ass

[Sanada Tomo]

It seemed as though the spirit had taken the initiative of changing on her own, because as she began to shift to a Humanoid form, Arashi look utter surprised and even shook his head as though the spirit in his shifting wasn't something that he was used to. However, as she changed the haze that was Arashi's wings thinned until his wings were nothing more than white feathers. However, the color of the feathers had dimmed a little from when Arashi had last seen her, so she supposed that she couldn't complain.

Then the boy spoke, introducing the now Lillum looking creature as Ranmyaku, the name that he had spoken when visiting him before, the voice in his head that he constantly bickered with. He said that he would be keeping her in check, and with those words, Symphony slowly shifted from her shadow canine form to a puddle of frothing darkness that resembled boiling oil, and then to the formation of her Lillite appearance.

Arashi's eyes dipped down to Tomoyo's stomach, and she smiled at his comment. "Actually, I was pregnant the last time you visited. I just didn't tell you. I figure it would just be more amusing the next time I saw you...and I can see that my faith has paid off nicely.

Ranmyaku stepped forward then and curtsied, which Tomoyo thought was very cute. She even curtsied back a little, holding her stomach lightly with her right hand.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

"It's nice to meet you properly Tomoyo, I am Ranmyaku. Congratulations on your pregnancy as well, I hope it goes smoothly"

Arashi looked over his shoulder at the overly polite neko sprite that had not so long ago been cursing and carrying on in his mind. She was such a twisted character, mean to him and good to Tomo, unfair. He glared slightly before tuning back to Tomoyo after the cute little sprite ended her reintroduced herself. He was really surprised that she was... well a she.

"Well it's a surprise in any case. I never really saw you as the expecting mother... not to say it's because you don't fit the roll."

It wasn't that he didn't see her as a person capable of raising children, it was that Ren was the father.

heh, so Ren really is a man after all

Teh, it was probably done with a turkey baster after he popped one off looking at some hot homo action

Arashi chuckled lightly and quickly snuffed out his grin, know =ing that to anyone else it was strange to see him reacting to seemingly nothing.

You look like an ass you know that? Really. You just about useless, anybody can read you like a book.

Okay, we'll see how useless I am when you want out again.

Ranmyaku frowned and made a pouty face before sticking her tongue out at Arashi's back. Arashi didn't see it, and the whole thing was as if she was completely out of what Arashi thought was her character.

"I've come here to rest a bit, but more to ask you to teach me how to play chess. You mentioned it last time, I was wondering if the offer still stands."

He smiled at the silence of his partner and waited fir Tomoyo to respond.

[Sanada Tomo]

Ranmyaku congratulated her on her pregnancy. She smiled and said, "Thank you."

Arashi seemed surprised that she was in her current state, but she took his left-handed compliment with grace. "I have other children, surprisingly, Arashi, so I don't think that I'll be doing that bad a job..."

Then Arashi chuckled and grinned, and Tomoyo asked, "What's so funny? Don't tell me you really think that I would do a bad job..."

Then he asked her about the offer, and told her that he wanted her to teach him how to play chess. "You've never played chess?" she said in a tutting tone. "You never learned at all? Poor dear. It's a game of intelligence and insight, to be sure. The pieces are relatively easy to comprehend, and I don't think you'll have a problem..."

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi was sure she hadn't misunderstood in any case and didn't want to spend to much time deepening confusion. He simply nodded and went into the chess topic. Or rather, Ranmyaku spoke for him.

"He never had a friend to play with. He never learned to play much of anything. The only form of 'play' he ever learned was Muay Thai, and even the man who taught him never fought him. Such a sad story really."

Ranmyaku's speech was tied in with emotional tag-alongs all over her face. She was a very interesting female to say the least. Arashi couldn't help but enjoy the display of feelings from the cold voice in his head. Her every words was so sweet and it took a moment before he realized that Ranmyaku was freely telling Tomoyo about his past. Not that he was hiding it, just that it was not something he wanted to remember. With a slight worry he hoped she would stop soon as she spoke and was sure to take the conversation from her words.

"Well in any case I would like to learn. I'm a quick study, so we should enjoy a game by the end of the session I hope."

He smiled hoping she wouldn't inquire further into the day's before his beginning. Before he lost his memory and was flung into china.

[Sanada Tomo]

Ranmyaku's words reminded him of the sadness she had felt when she first met him, before all of the confusion and strife that had made her uncertain about his future as it related to her.

However, she allowed all of that to wash away for the moment, focusing only on teaching the child how to play chess. She would need practice explaining it to someone else, anyway--she could hone the style that she would teach her child to play...

"Come, come--" she said, then froze. She felt that familiar hiccup in her stomach, but somewhere deeper on the inside, and she smiled the most radiant smile that Arashi had ever seen and said, "The baby's moving..."

She hoped the look on her face would signal to them that they--even Ranmyaku--could feel free to experience the feeling that she was having.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Her beckoning them was all Arashi needed to sweep the past talk away. Then she stopped and her smile seemed to glow brighter then the sun. She actually looked very stunning with such a face and Arashi froze at the sight.
Does everybody have to shock the shit outta me today?

Geez Arashi you act like you've never seen a happy woman before

Arashi frowned as Ranmyaku ran over to Tomoyo and placed a hand on her stomach. Her smile too cute for Arashi to stand. He wasn't used to people smiling around him, he always brought people death when they smiled. It was awkward to think about, but the only people that had smiled at him were dead, or without a soul. He almost wanted to tell them to stop, the scene was entirely to happy. Ranmyaku talking about his past put him in a negative mood a bit too easily. He was really touchy about certain things.

"Oooo. So, is it a boy or a girl? Do you know what you're going to name the baby? When's your baby shower"

Arashi gaped at the female that he'd bled out. She was such a little school girl.

Are you serious?

Quit being such a Bitch kid. Touch her stomach... it's moving.. heheh

Ranmyaku giggled and rubbed on the Hellion Kings stomach, Arashi just stood there a moment, He seemed unsure of what to do...

[Sanada Tomo]

Ranmyaku seemed very eager to feel the child, and rushed over more quickly than Arashi. It was even a bit surprising to Tomoyo that the being that had made Arashi act so irrationally when they had first met could be just as kind as she was deadly. However, people had said the same thing about her at times, so she supposed that this was a moment where she would stick the proverbial foot in her mouth.

But Ranmyaku was smiling, and asking if the baby was a boy or girl, and for the name, and baby shower. All of those things were items on the list that she hadn't thought about yet...

"I...I don't know what gender it is. I'm waiting for it to be a surprise...and I don't know what we're going to name it...I have other children but this is my first time carrying one, so...I'm unfamiliar with all those other things....I haven't had a baby shower, but I plan on it and I'll invite you if Arashi says its okay..."

It was really nice to have someone actually "into" her child for once, and she liked Ranmyaku's enthusiasm.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

It made no sense to him whatsoever that Ranmyaku was such a caring person. She was a destructive and malicious collection of malignant energy. Arashi felt that he would never understand women already, this only made him positive he would forever be at a loss, no matter how many souls he stole. He was sure the thing to leave his body would be some hulking beast, just as it had appeared to him in his dreams. He was sure she would be a vicious killer, but this was utterly unexpected.

oooo Can I go Arashi-kun? Please~?

"Of course you can go Ranmyaku, it's not like I can leave you at home."

He forced a smile, even as the sprites obnoxiously cute behavior was both annoying and stranglely attractive.

Drop the fucking act Ranmyaku

Make me Rat-boy. I'm being nice because I'm in a good mood. I've been stuck in your body for nearly eighteen years okay, give me a break. What... don't tell me you've fallen for me.

"Damn-it Ranmyaku"

Arashi blushed brightly before walking up to Tomo and attempting to avoid eye contact with his sprite.

"Well... think we can go in now?"

Ranmyaku stuck her tongue out again and Arashi saw it this time. He turned and sneered at her then folded his arms and turned away.

[Sanada Tomo]

Tomoyo was very happy that Arashi was going to let the spirit attend. She hoped that he would attend as well, but baby showers were typically only open to the father to attend--not that any males that she knew of, including her husband would want to go anyway.

"And yes, you can both come in," Tomoyo said, flashing another smile.

Turning around, she saw that Symphony had gone, hidden in the shadows again, waiting until she was needed. Briefly nodding in the direction of the door, it opened, Avalon standing there with his usual scowl. she wasn't even sure why she let him entertain her guests...he was entirely opposed to anyone who came into the castle...he didn't even like Ren, and she was married to him...Oh, what was he going to do with that boy...?

"Come along, before the baby starts moving again..."

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Ranmyaku kipped along in a lively way and Arashi strolled in after her. Avalon glooming and scowling had become a great source of entertainment to Arashi. He had decided he'd try to trick the guy into a wish every time he came. It'd be a harmless wish in any case, but it would be enough to toy with the servant. Arashi paused next to the stiff man that stood in obvious disapproval and grinned at him.

"You know, if you want me to vanish I can always grant that wish..."

Ranmyaku heard the taunt and watched with a slight look of curiosity. For no real reason it was fun to play with Avalon. Ranmyaku herself wondered if Avalon would say it, or anything. It was more likely that they would get scolded by Tomoyo but he meant no ill will. Arashi would just make it so that Avalon couldn't see him, it would make things interesting.

Ranmyaku skipped along and twirled in the center of the room and whistled.

"You have a nice place Tomoyo-san."

[Avalon Carrister]

Avalon scowled in the direction of Arashi and his companion, who seemed all too cute. It was not a good thing in his opinion to be too cute, and this creature who looked like a Lillum sent a red light off in his mind. He didn't like it--the both of them being here, outnumbering Tomoyo by herself while she was with child. He didn't like it at all.

However, he was not going to do anything. "I know what your kind do to people with wishes. I'm much older than you, and it's your kind and the Shedim that give Hell such a bad reputation in the first place. Stay as far away from me as possible. And just so that you know, I don't mind watching the filth that surrounds my Lady--I'll just be making sure she doesn't sully her hands with it."

No, he didn't like this Arashi kid at all. He didn't like him when the Lady had first decided to bring him home and he didn't like him now.

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi listened to the words spewed from the mouth of Avalon. He didn't much feel like gracing it with a response. He had only meant it as a joke in any case, it would be an insult to Tomoyo if Avalon fell for it. Arashi snickered and Ranmyaku spun about around him. She came to a halt beside Avalon and her tone dropped to that of the demonic voice close to what Arashi was used to. Even though it maintained the feminine grace the barely audible tease directed to the servant was obviously dubious.

"Sully her hands huh? I take it that means she's never touched you? Or at least... not sense so many... better things are around for her to play with. Poor puppet, unattended by his master"[/i]

Arashi heard her and again glanced at Avalon in curiosity. Toying with the lapdog was an enjoyable pastime and he was loath to leave the fun. But he decided Ranmyaku could play by herself and he'd still be able to see and hear the reaction. Arashi moved nearer to Tomoyo and smiled.

"So where are we going to teach me to play? There wasn't a board in my room..."

Ranmyaku danced lightly around the servant, she wouldn't mind attempting to get a rise out of him for the remainder of the evening unless Tomoyo asked otherwise. It was a curious sport that neither Ranmyaku nor Arashi understood the point of. Though, it was just as easy to say that reason was unnecessary.

[Sanada Tomo]

Tomoyo spun around on her heel. "How dare you say that about your own kind? You're dismissed from my presence, Avalon. Arashi has done nothing to you since he visited here under the guise of a Human, and him being a Djinni now makes no difference. And Kyrum and Djinn are some of the most helpful creatures I've ever known. I can't believe that you said that. You need to cool off before I punish you instead."

Knowing that Avalon had no choice but to walk away from her she turned, completely ignoring him and continued forward without looking back and without giving him the chance to say anything.

"Did the two of you want anything? Food? Water? Wine? Vodka? Beer? I can't drink any, but I'm allowed to give my guests some. We'll be playing in my room, dear, if you don't mind."

[Mishiranu Arashi]

Arashi smiled and wondered what he would ask to drink. Ranmyaku leaped gracefully into place beside Arashi and bowed.

"I'd like Vodka please. You have no idea how stressing it can be to live inside the blood of a hormonal teenage male."

The sarcasm and sweetness in Ranmyaku's words, as well as the dancing nature of her movement was a curious combination to Arashi. He had been already shocked by the appearance, but her mannerisms were more shocking. The fact that she would just as quickly turn nasty was another thing that seemed to convince Arashi that his partner was a peculiar and useful one. Then it hit him that if Ranmyaku returned to Arashi drunk then he'd be equally intoxicated. It wasn't even a fact that he wouldn't be effected by her drinking as they were now.

"Hey now... You can't drink Ranmyaku... If you get drunk I might end up being drunk. We don't know the extent of our connection yet. Not to mention if the alcohol is in your body when you return to mine that fluid well be all through my bloodstream. And I'm still underage!"

Arashi declared his objection to Ranmyaku who in turn pouted and made a whimpering noise. She leaped onto Arashi's arm and hugged it tight grinning as her chest squished against him. Arashi blushed lightly and tried no to be swayed.

"Anyway... I would love to see the room you stay in Tomoyo"

He smiled and Ranmyaku turned to Tomoyo hoping for support. She really did need a good drink and she just knew Tomoyo would understand.

"Tell him to lighten up pleeeease Tomoyo-chama?"

[Cielle Blanche]

[sorry, I know that I keep adding characters to this...you should just go ahead and change the damn label to open...]

Cielle knew even before her mother had gone through the door that she was going to be very, very surprised. She had used her magic to set up the room with lots and lots of flowers, and she had already invited her immediate friends and family...

She was standing at the window on the far side, right in front of the bed, which she had turned into an upward-sloping grass hill, just like Tomoyo used to do when she was a child. The rest of the room, which was large was covered with wild flowers of every kind, down to the last drawer handle, and the grass from the hill sloped down to the carpet, it turning to grass just beneath their feet when they walked in.



"Hi momma! How are you doing? Surprise! It's a baby shower! How dare you not tell me that you're six months pregnant!" she faked being upset, smiling while she crossed her arms.

In various places in the room, there were also pictures of Tomoyo's other children. Kakashi, Yamiko and Minako all littered the walls and Cielle knew that it would make her mother so happy.