Mind, body, and soul. She didn't know what the celtic triangles woven together into the metal represented, but they were quite interesting. Her pale eyes danced over the pattern, trying to find an end to the now seemingly endless winding loop. The tiniest of smiles tugged at her lips. She had glanced the bracelet on the fortune teller's wrist. It hadn't been the prettiest or most attention grabbing piece the woman had wore, but holding it now, Migisi admired it for the gift it was. Even if it had been given to her by a raven.
“Looks like someone likes you, my dear.”
She glanced up, her attention immediately focusing on the awkward smile Cypher managed to force. Truly sincere or not, she smiled back a bit sheepishly herself, quickly glancing down again as she slipped the ring over her hand and squeezed it tight against her wrist. It wasn't her first bracelet; she knew how they worked.
"Pretty," she commented quietly, stretching out her arm and lifting the jewelry to the lights. The metal had already grown cold and her skin tingled beneath the new, unfamiliar weight. Migisi spent a few more seconds admiring the gift before letting her arm drop and her gaze lift back to the brunette standing at her side. Now what?

He was touching her again. That familiar way, his fingertips finding bare skin and whispering across it. Part of her didn't like the way it felt; making her shiver and want to move away. Another part wanted it to last – maybe even intensify and spread. Strange.

Her brows flexed above her eyes as she watched, but all too soon the touching ended. Stepping away, the man removed his blazer again and in a fluid movement shifted behind her to hold the clothing up. It was a familiar gesture. He always offered her her coat this way, allowing her to slip into it without her usual struggle. Well, it was sort of chilly, though to be honest the woman had hardly noticed, so flush from the experience inside the tent and the blush slowly fading from her cheeks. Still... Migisi glanced up into those softened blue eyes, and with a sigh, gave to them. Lifting her arms, she backed into the coat, allowing the long sleeved to push up over her own and envelope her with new warmth. A strong whiff of his familiar bottled scent drifted to her nostrils as she adjusted herself within the stiffer fabric. It felt snug on her, and probably looked a tad silly, but she didn't think of it.

The corner of her mouth lifted in a silent and not entirely sincere thank-you before she glanced around again. The crowd had thinned considerably since they'd arrived. The night was stretching on, and even Migisi was beginning to feel its pull. It had been quite a day, full of stress and discovery. As much as she wanted to continue the adventure, a yawn forced its way out of her and her eyes blinked back her exhaustion as she watched the activities around her with much less enthusiasm than before.

Java's eyes closed and she sighed as the couple moved away. If anybody had been able to see her, they might have thought that she looked like she was in pain. Her brow furrowed for a moment as she opened her eyes once more. How could she possibly steal from them?

Her eyes scanned the carnival and she cursed. Now the stalls were shutting down. There went her chance to get food. Squeezing the tent's fabric as if for luck, she began to move silently after them. Maybe they'd understand that she had to.

A flash of light. Java's head turned at the same time as the young man's, looking towards it. A...photobooth? Her grin was weak. Slowly, she shuffled forward, eyes on the young woman. Now or never. The man was distracted.

Readying herself, the red-haired woman launched herself forwards, bowling into the woman. With any luck, Java's momentum would push her far enough away from the man that it would take him a few seconds to react. Java's fingers wrapped around her wrists and began trying to tug off the intricate silver bracelet. With her wild eyes, she probably looked like a madwoman.

Why wasn't it coming off?!

"C'mon...C'mon..." she muttered, trying to pry it off. She could feel the silver bracelet pulling off the woman's wrist and began to tug harder, cursing. It would only be a few more seconds. If she could just get it off, she'd be able to eat for weeks!

He hadn't been expecting it but then again, who ever did? Things like this were unpredictable. The type of thing that the news would cover or would appear in the paper but you never suspect it would happen to you. One second he and Migisis were standing in silence and investigating a last minute activity before going home for the night; the next, chaos erupted.

His eyes were still focused on the booth in thought. Distracted mind clogging his rookie ears from hearing the scuffling footsteps hurrying behind them. Suddenly, the peaceful silence was disturbed with gasps and muffled sounds of struggle. Swift moments blurred in the corner of his eye as he turned to face the rising commotion. Blinking violently while waiting for his eyes to adjust in the growing darkness and waited for his mind to catch up with his quick moment.

A young woman - around their age - was standing not far to his side. Her short, dark red hair covered her face as she bent down fumbling and cursing. Below her, Migisi laid on her back on the ground. Arm extended outward as the red head tugged in the silver bracelet around her wrist. Suddenly, with a threatening huff, the feather haired woman snatched the others wrist. Rising slightly she jammed herself into the thief's stomach and rolled, taking the newcomer with her as they rolled about the ground in the dust.

It took a second for the brunette to make the mental connections from the time the incident happened to the moment he saw them wrestling. A burst of energy ran through him as he leaped towards the cat-fighting women. "Bloody hell!?" He blurted while rushing to Migisi's aid. The two now laid horizontally side by side on the ground. Migisi had not taken advantage of the roll; instead of pinning the thief to the ground, she just remained sitting partly up while she tried to pull away her arm. Flailing madly with her free arm waving towards the red head as she tried to scratch her, refusing to give up her precious gift. The thief seemed fairly inexperienced as well. Fighting with a tad more skill but too scattered brain to focus her energy and fully overpower the woman.

The brunette, however, had been trained in basic offense and defense. A standard AoM requirement for all field agents.

Spreading his long legs, Cypher towered over them both as they childishly slapped at one another. His first course of action was to split the two up as quickly as he could. He had never seen the crimson haired woman before. Despite her indirect strikes, he had no way of knowing what she was truly capable of and the fact that she was gusty enough to attack Migisi made him uneasy. Distrusting her almost immediately as he stretched his arms outward. Left hand grabbed his blazer's fabric and tugged on Migisi trying to pull her away; his right reached around the back of the red head's neck. He wiggled his fingers down the material of her collar. Thin fingers worked their way to the front part of her neck as he spread them over her skin. Index and long fingers on one side and his thumb on the other, right above her sternal notch. Feeling her rushing blood throb through her veins as he applied pressure. Not enough to harm her - yet - but enough to send a message.

"Let her go...and this can end now without any force," The rich accent grew hard as he commanded the thief. Cold and stern, but not overly threatening. Though it was obvious that he was in no mood to bicker with her. Icy blue eyes fixed on furious brown eyes of Migisi's attacker, silently conveying his . Narrowing to thin slits as he gave a second small squeeze to remind her. He did not want to harm her, but if it came to that...Then so be it.

Of course, she had no idea how to fight. As a bird, Migisi was a scrapper. Using her claws, beak, and the element of surprise, she would attack anyone and anything that threatened or Cypher. She was a small target then – fast, too. Confrontation had been easy and she had been confident in her abilities to overwhelm her victim. But now Migisi had no claws. Her feet were covered with shoes and her finger wielded blunt fingernails unskillfully. She had teeth...but how was she supposed to use those? She'd never seen a human bite another human before, though she supposed it was possible. Why not? Still, the girl was flailing around too much, she couldn't possible risk moving in that close to test the theory. Instead, she relied on her arms and her weight, shoving the stranger from her feet as she tried to wrench the fingers from around her wrist with one hand and defend herself with the other.

Then Cypher was there. The man loomed over them, and for just a moment the thief stopped struggling. Catching her breath, Migisi glanced up to see he had a hold of the girl's neck. What did he plan to do? Despite the pause, the red head soon began to struggle again. Outnumbered, her eyes took on a wilder gleam as she lashed out, knocking at him with her elbow while she attempted to kick Migisi off of her. Then, suddenly, a glint of metal – and it wasn't from her captive bracelet. Glancing down as she struggled to push away the thief's foot, she spied the knife clutched readily in the girl's hand. She was glaring at Cypher, muscles coiled and ready to strike out. 'Oh no.' As the red-head's hand rose to make a stab at him, Migisi let out a shriek. She jerked her hand free of the bracelet and lunged for the knife-wielding arm without thinking, hoping to throw off its aim.

Java snarled, knife knocked off course by the lunging woman. It completely missed the man behind her. "I'll--" kill you, the voice supplied, but the woman shook her head, dislodging the thought. She struggled violently, trying to wrench free of the attacking woman as well as the man holding her. Crap...She hadn't wanted a fight. She'd hoped that a quick one-two would be it and she'd be off with the bracelet.

The bracelet.

Java looked down, suddenly noticing its weight in her hands. Aha! She'd gotten it! At her slight hesitance, she'd let down her guard. The woman was coming at her again. Frantic eyes caught Migisi's for a moment; Java hadn't bothered to disguise the fear she felt at the situation.

"Stop--" she half-groaned, swinging out the knife at the lunging woman. Her eyes unfocused for a moment, hearing that strange voice speaking to her once more. Do it.

"No!" A fraction of a second later, she swung the knife away. She couldn't tell if she'd swung it away too late or not. Panic was clouding her vision. The woman focused her effort on struggling out of the man's grip now.

If anything, Java knew how to escape. her body twisted this way and that as she tried to wrench herself free. Finally, tugging all her weight to one side, she managed to slip out from his hands. Java's eyes widened as she fell forwards, clutching the bracelet and quickly scrambling to her feet. The backpack had come unhitched from her back and she quickly righted it. Her legs suddenly engaged as she took long strides, attempting to run off into the shadows once more. Java wasn't fast, but she was smart. The woman knew where to run.

If they didn't pursue her...If they didn't follow her, she wouldn't have to hurt them. No telling if she'd hurt the woman or not...Just get away, get away, get away before they kill you.

Without thinking...that was the key, wasn't it? Surrendering your mind to your most basic instincts and allowing adrenaline to dictate your actions. Moments like these revealed a lot about a person. Would they run? Explode into a rage? Freeze in terror? Sacrifice themselves?

Cypher was safe. The knife missed its mark as she slammed into the thief, throwing her off balance. Their bodies tumbled in the dirt, a tangle of thrashing limbs – and a thrashing blade. Again, light glinted off the metal as it whipped out toward her. Migisi's mind screamed a warning, but it was hopeless to dodge at such a close range. For a brief moment, as though time stood still, the woman's eyes lifted to the strangers. Both reflected a frantic fearfulness as they regarded eachother. Trapped. Threatened. Sorry...

Time sped up again. In a blink, the red-head had somehow scrambled free of Migisi's loosened grip, gotten to her feet and took off. The forgotten crowd finally came into focus. Strangers surrounded them, gasping and yelling. Some had run to avoid the scene while others closed in. Two men darted after the thief as she slipped between the booths. A woman crouched at her side, asking if she was okay. It was too much. She shrunk away from the eyes, shifting to her hands and knees. Where was Cypher? Where- A hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back down when she attempted to stand. Baring her teeth, she shrugged the woman off and jerked away...straight into the brunette's arms. They closed around her, pulling her tight. Again, she thought to fight it, her pulse racing at the idea of being 'trapped' again. No...this was a different embrace. Good. With a heavy exhale she relaxed, if only slightly, and did not fight it. Leaning into him, she was rewarded by a smart sting across her chest. She flinched. Ouch... Cypher pulled away, gripping her shoulders as his frantic eyes roved over her. Blinking back her confusion, she glanced down.

Her shirt was wet with blood. The fabric was torn down to the flesh across the top of her left breast. The young woman stared blankly at her injury. Even reached up and dabbed her fingers in the red liquid before holding them up to her face to examine. Yup. Blood. Her blood. The thought didn't sink in, and neither did the pain, but her muscles quivered at the idea. Pale eyes darted up to stare into Cypher's, looking for some kind of reassurance.

{ Muse: -evaporates-
Thanks for the rp guys, that was fun. xD
I might pop in again later if it comes back. >> }

{That is exactly how it is. >8D}

“Get away from her, the lot of you!”
“Cypher...” the woman breathed again, opening her eyes and lifting her head as the crowd parted and the brunette pushed his way through. He looked angry...at her? No, of course not. She didn't even like that the thought had come to mind. His hardened eyes darted through the crowd, warning everyone back as he knelt beside her. A larger hand caught her chin and lifted it, and he finally got to glimpse the delayed fear and confusion in her gaze. Reassuring words didn't mean nearly as much as his presence. He would stay now, right? She silently begged him not to leave again.

Migisi was too disoriented to focus on the orders being barked. It was taking too long. Why were they still here? She wanted to leave. She wanted to home and shower and wash the blood away. Cypher would know what to do about the wound. Surely it...wasn't that bad... As his hand left her chin, she reached out and grasped for his elbow, unwilling to let him stray again, needing to touch him just to make sure. His body rocked and swayed as he tossed the keys and then the bag to different men, sending them in different directions before swiveling on his heels to cast his attention back on her. 'Finally.' He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, and she gave despite the pain. She had forgotten to apply pressure to the wound in her panic and the bumping of their bodies reminded her. Too late now. Suddenly she was being scooped up, and the loss of balance made her gasp and forget the task her hand was charges with as both snapped out in fear to wrap around his neck.

The world around her swam as a sense of vertigo took hold and the woman buried her head against him, blocking out the manic sights and sounds that only served to make the feeling worse. She focused instead on the deepness of his voice and the way it rumbled against her through his chest. Focused on the rocking motion as he carried her swiftly across the grass, hands locked securely beneath her. Then they stopped and a door clicked open. Bright lights assaulted her eyelids and she peeked out just in time to be lowered down onto a shadowed seat. Migisi was reluctant to let go as Cypher made to pull away, but eventually relented, settling back out of exhaustion if nothing else as he rounded the vehicle and climbed in on the opposite side. Where were they? This wasn't his car. The interior looked different. Smelled...different. A strange cage of wire mesh separated the back seat from the front. She stared at it with a blank gaze, shuddering again. Too much like a cage...

Had Cypher not swiftly moved to fill the space beside her, she was sure her panic would have taken over again. A cage, strangers, pain! The foreign vehicle rocked into motion and a high-pitched whirring filed the air somewhere above her. The feather-haired girl shrunk away from it all, once again seeking the brunette for comfort. His arms enveloped and his voice soothed between the crackling of the radio and the back-and-forth between him and the man in the driver's seat. Migisi didn't focus on that. Instead her thoughts drifted back to the fair. The lights, the sounds, and the smells. The taste of cotton candy as it melted on her tongue. Cypher's smile; his kiss. The fortune teller... Shrugging her shoulders, she pulled her hands in close to her belly, brushing the sore, empty place on her wrist with a frown. Guilt actually sunk in her belly. It had been a gift...

Had she dozed off? Suddenly the car door opened and Cypher shifted beneath her, gathering her up again. She roused against his chest in time to clutch him once again while she was lifted from the seat and out of the car. Cool night air kissed her exposed skin, but bright lights glared down from above. Above? Lifting her head against his blood-smeared chest, pale eyes drifted upward, but they were passing quickly beneath the overhang and through a pair of sliding glass doors before she could focus on anything. Heavy steps against the scrubbed tile echoed off white-washed walls as she was carried forward through-...where? The woman's breathing picked up and her eyes darted, fingers clutching tighter to the man who held her. He was all that was familiar, and she felt as though her last shred of composure depended on him and him alone remaining by her side.

After a brief pause for a rushed conversation with yet another stranger she didn't recognize, Migisi felt herself being whisked away deeper into the building. They hurried past people in strange uniforms, holding charts or pushing carts. Someone was rolled past them on a wheeled bed. The woman locked her eyes on the man beneath the sheets. His face was swollen and bloodied and a strange mask covered his mouth and nose. What...what the hell was this place?!

Once again, the woman resisted as Cypher knelt down and placed her upon the soft mattress, loosening his grip on her. God, if she was in her right mind she surely would have scoffed at her own clingy behavior, but gave no thought to her abnormal actions now. It was an abnormal situation, after all. The rules of her familiar universe did not apply here...wherever 'here' was. She shifted numbly as he gingerly pulled the blazer from around her. It wasn't cold inside, but it was not as warm without the extra layer and her body shivered in protest, though only briefly as she adjusted to the new climate. Pillows were stacked behind her back as the man hovered over her, fussing over her comfort, though it was all in vain. If anything, the attempts at making her 'more at home' only made it worse. Blinking past him, she allowed her eyes to finally take in the little room they'd entered.

More white walls and white cupboards and flecked tile. This wasn't her room. Definitely not her bed. And it smelled...awful. Sterilized and stale with drifting odors of chemicals and medicines she couldn't begin to identify. Beeps and buzzes could he heard through the thin walls; voices and quick footsteps passed back and forth outside the door. It wasn't Migisi's first time in a building like this. Since being with Cypher, she'd gotten to travel with him all sorts of strange, busy places. Office buildings, stores, flats, schools... But something was different about this place. Something was...very familiar. Very off. In the back of her mind, a little knowing voice warned her to be wary. Nothing good would come of this place. 'Escape.' The thought made her tense. Escape? Escape what? And where to? Her breath quickened, lips parting as though she would question the voice aloud.

Then suddenly, Cypher was there again. Having arranged the pillows just the way he wanted them, he settled beside the bed and his hand went to her cheek. That was familiar...and warm. 'Good', yes... Her wide icy eyes darted back to his. Her held her stare, but it was not the same confident look as before...as much as he tried to force it to be. There was stress there, pooling in the deep dips below his eyes and and creating wrinkles above his brow. She couldn't blame him for that. Her own features were tainted with wariness, both of the exhausted and fearful sort. Still, she could not help but relax if only a little as his fingers traced across blood-stained skin before dropping to take her hand. He finally spoke, and she was glad for it. Couldn't he try to explain what was going on? But after only a brief reassurance, he went quiet again. Looking over her blood-stained mess, his eyes grew darker. The lines in his face deepened. 'No', she couldn't help but think as he eventually glanced away, 'don't leave me, not now.' Her hand squeezed his a little tighter; a little urgently.
Then, the door swung open.

At the sight of the stranger, Migisi grew rigid. That knowing presence in her mind gasped and shrunk back as she allowed her frantic eyes to move over him. Glasses. White coat. Clip board. Her heart sped. Something was very wrong. Absentmindedly, she shifted closer to the brunette, causing the strange bed beneath her to creak. Sweat began to seep from the pores of her palms as she squeezed tighter to his adjusted fingers, simply unsure what else to do with her nerves.

Nothing about the man himself was familiar. She had never seen his face before, and he didn't look very threatening in the features. Yet he called himself 'doctor'. She was familiar with 'doctor'. Instantly she conjured can image of the kindly Asian gentlemen with the sad eyes Cypher sometimes took her to see. 'Dr. Heung.' No, this was not the same man. His brown eyes were neither kind nor sad as they rounded on her, his voice flat as they questioned her condition. Taking a strange device from around his neck he settled two buds in his ears before grasping the metal end and leaning toward her with it unexpectedly. 'Don't let him touch you!' her conscience warned and she promptly sucked in a breath and flinched back. There was nowhere to go. Cypher held her tight. The metal disk slipped beneath her torn shirt and her muscles jerked and shivered at the cool metal on her burning skin. Without thinking, her lips pulled up over her teeth, a hiss building in her throat. Before she could lash out at him though, the 'doctor' pulled away, removing the device from his ears. Grudgingly, Migisi settled back against the pillows, but was far from relaxed. Pale eyes remained slitted on the man who her head told her not to trust. Something familiar about him. Something not to trust.

“Listen, Migs darling...”
Cypher's voice drew her reluctant attention as the overweight man turned his back on them. Well, less his voice and more the fact that he was wiggling free of her stiff grip on his hand. Her large eyes rounded in alarm, her free hand swinging around to clutch at his arm. No! Where was he- Seconds after slipping free, he touched her face, silencing her frantic thoughts. A breath left her lips in a tremor, eyes closing tightly as she leaned into his touch and concentrated on his words. 'Help,' he said. Peeking out again, she watched him gesture toward the stranger, then to her wound. What...he would help? No. They didn't need his help. She had seen Cypher take care of his wounds plenty of times. Why were they here!?

Her molars grit in building irritation, the brunette’s explanation doing little to calm her fears. Her hand remained fastened around his arm as he slowly pulled away, shifting closer to direct his attention to his own hands as they went to his blood-stained shirt and began to undo the buttons. 'You...undressed...shirt...'like this' The woman replayed the key words in her head, swallowing the lump in her throat. He wanted her to...undress? No. That couldn't be right. He hated when she took her clothes off anywhere outside of the house. Then again...she 'was' all bloody. It would be a relief to get out of these clothes. He held the blazer up, offering it to her. Maybe she was meant to wear that instead? This at least made a little more sense. With a wary sigh, the woman released his arm and let her shaky hands fall to the buttons of her cardigan. One, two, three, four, all five were popped loose of their holes and the blue fabric was slipped from her shoulders. Next, her white undershirt. It had taken the worst of the damage, torn and so soaked with blood only the back and shoulder straps remained untouched. It clung heavily to her skin, sticky and cold. The sight and feel of it gave her pause, and without warning, she began to shiver violently and moisture pricked at the corner of her eyes. She...couldn't...

She tried to breathe. Her eyes shut tightly to keep anymore moisture form falling. She hated crying. Didn't understand the use in it and felt silly doing so. Where were these emotions coming from? This irrational fear? True, the wound hurt...more and more by the second, and she wasn't used to such pain. Instinct demanded she be warier now then ever before. Weakened, she had to protect herself from attack...but why did she feel like an attack was eminent? The woman winced at the frantic, confusing thoughts that pounded away at the inside of her head. Cypher's close presence helped, but not even he could provide answers to all these questions.

The bed creaked and the mattress shifted as the brunette suddenly pulled away again. Hunching her shoulders, Migisi drew in her arms, wrapping them around her gut as she watched him step away. His eyes never left hers – touching her in a way that wasn't physical, but still enough to keep her from growing more frantic. Slender fingers lifted to work along the crease in his shirt, popping more buttons from their holes. Little by little more of his flesh became exposed before the fabric finally fell slack at his sides. He shrugged out of the shirt, throwing it haphazardly to the floor – his hat soon to follow. Brows dipped low and heavy over her eyes as she studied him, wondering what on earth he was doing. It wasn't anything she hadn't seen before, but the occasion for it didn't make a lick of sense.

“Mr. Smith!”

The deep voice made her jump. The jump tugged at her torn flesh, sending a sharp pain stinging through her. The woman hissed, hugging her arms tighter around herself. Both of the men's voices raised as they spun toward eachother. The heated energy crackled between them, narrowed eyes dueling between the short space. Migisi bristled. She didn't like the man looking at Cypher like that...Luckily for all of them, the doctor finally relented and turned his back again before she could get too upset. A breath was forced through her nostrils in a satisfied snort before she let her icy gaze drift back to the bare-chested brunette. He shifted closer and leaned down, and her plump lips frowned in uncertainty as their foreheads touched. She didn't look into his eyes when he spoke, instead watching his lips as his breath brushed her skin. At this point, she had forgotten what they'd been doing...what she was being asked to do. Undressing still didn't make any sense, even if Cypher himself didn't seem to mind the idea.

{Muse came back. This was definitely meant to be shorter. 8D}

The androgyne's fingers traced lightly over the engravings on the silver bracelet. When she twisted it between her fingers, it glinted dully in the light. Maybe she should have been happy. She had won, hadn't she? The bracelet was hers. If she sold it, she would eat.

Instead, it only made her terribly sad. One hand moved to her red-dyed hair, going brown at the roots, tracing through it. Small wounds flowed with blood, poisoned by tiny pieces of gravel, tracing patterns through her skin. White skin dyed red like her hair. Cool night air ruffled her loose clothes, sweeping past her without a care.

Her opponent was probably worse. Java's head turned at the sound of a crack nearby and she instantly regretted it. The back of her neck was sore from where the man had held it. Hadn't he almost killed her? Didn't that make pulling a knife on his girlfriend justified?

As much as she told herself that, she couldn't make herself believe it. Eyes closed, she felt for the wallet she kept with her, a pretty little red thing that held nothing lately. It was a relic, a reminder that she hadn't always been this desperate.

Fingers sliding over her pocket, Java was slow to realize she wasn't touching a lump where it should be. Instead, her pocket was empty. For a moment, her hand hovered over the space, eyes slowly widening.

They had a way to identify her now.

They would find her and they would kill her.

Fingers touched the long scar across her face lightly as she stood up in shock, shaking lightly. Java had to get out of the country and she had to get out now. Hoisting the backpack further up on her shoulder, she winced as she touched a small spot, hidden beneath her shirt. Her hand withdrew as if there were a snake hidden under there.

The woman ran a few feet before realizing that running wouldn't do any good without having a plan. Looking around to be sure she was safe, she sat down hard against the edge of a tent. That's right. She was at a funfair in England, after she'd stolen away on a ship and a few trucks. Biting her uneven nails, her thoughts whirred quietly.

You want to get away.

Hearin' voices isn' a good sign.

Hearing mine is.

What'dyou want? Yew told me to kill that girl! And that man...

I was helping you escape. You did escape, you see, with the bracelet as well. Would you like me to do it again or should I...leave you to your own devices?

Help me.

That man knows a lot of others. They will be searching for you. You need to get on the next freight train to the coast. There is a train station nearby. Go catch the train, hide in the cargo bay. I will tell you when to get off.

Okay...Mother.

Why Java had called her that, she wasn't sure. Vague, shadowy memories were stirring in her mind. A forest...A stag...That man's voice...Had it been...familiar? Java pushed the thoughts out of her mind as she stood, dark eyes scanning the fair ground.

She would do whatever it took to get out of here alive. With that, she took off, keeping to the shadows. Maybe they wouldn't find her. Maybe she'd--

The woman didn't have time to right herself. She slammed into the formidable body of a security guard. With a gasp, she tried to wheel around, only to find herself trapped by another. Both men grasped her wrists and held tightly. As much as she struggled, she wouldn't be escaping any time soon. Instead, she tried to look innocent.

"She match the description?" One said, in an Irish-sounding drawl. The other looked at her, finger tapping his chin.

"That's definitely her."

"Who're yew lookin' fer, officers?" she asked, scanning their faces. Java even managed a small smile. The officers glared at her, frowning.

"Don't play innocent." Java's eyes widened as the first officer, whom she noted had blond hair, roughly cuffed her hands together. The other one, a brunette, felt her down. His hand landed on the knife in her pocket. Withdrawing it, he smirked.

"Even got the weapon right here. See, Sammy? 'S covered in blood." The red-haired woman winced and closed her eyes. Stupid. She hadn't dropped it? She should have known they'd catch up with her sooner or later. The blond-haired officer, Sammy, roughly pulled her towards the waiting police car she had failed to notice. Again, stupid. How had she missed that?

The brown-haired officer helped her into the car, as Sammy began to read off her rights. Java, for her part, remained silent. The two men shuffled into the front seat of the car as the brown haired one picked up the radio.

"Radio this one in, huh? Our friend might want to know we're doin' our job, Bran." The blond one grinned and Java sank lower into the seat.

Yew got me caught.

No answer. Not a surprise.

The woman's dark eyes closed. This night was going terribly. Java hadn't meant to hurt anyone, but the blood on the knife confirmed that she had. She could only hope that the woman she'd cut wasn't hurt too badly. Her head inclined towards the window, her cheek resting on the cool surface of the glass. The city was beautiful at night, but she didn't care enough to look. Java felt frozen, stuck in place like a stone statue in the shape of her body. Now what? If she had killed that woman...she was dead too. She should be panicking, but somehow, she couldn't find enough energy to worry. Instead, she felt drained, empty, cold. The cuffs around her wrists clinked as she moved to a more comfortable position. Dark eyes opened for a second, tracing the police car's progress along the darkened streets. People walked past, happy, laughing, carrying bags, going somewhere. The only place she was going was jail. Something struck her as funny and she smirked, closing her eyes again.

Thoughts drifted far away, to the forest she had thought of. Something was strange. Why was she thinking of her dreams, those strange, realistic, vivid dreams? Something...

A car door slammed. They had stopped. Java scrambled back from the door just before it opened, Bran reaching in and pulling her out.

"Oi! Careful! Yer hurtin' me!" They only smirked and Bran, the brunet, tugged her again.

The building they led her into was small, enclosed and overly clean. Sammy tossed a two-finger salute at the cop at the front desk, dragging his captive along behind him.

"Here ya go. Aggravated assault and theft. So on. Go ahead and set..." The officer paused and Java looked away. "...'im up. Gonna go give our friend a call." She smirked. Since the officers didn't know her, of course they couldn't tell which gender she preferred to be known as. The other officer led her away.

The next few hours were a blur. Somebody asked her name, which she didn't give. They knew it anyway, having all of her things. Naturally, they had the wallet. Somebody took her fingerprints, then her picture. At the end of it all, she wound up in a small, empty holding cell with one bed. Java was lucky. No roomates for now, but she'd probably be transferred to another prison later.

Burying her head in her arms, she waited. The officers had said something about giving their friend a call, which gave her a bad feeling. If they were going to call that man...She winced, hands tracing lightly over the tattoo above her heart.

He was the last one Java wanted to see right now.

{You can choose whether or not to respond, in that way or whatever. ^^ I don't mind either way. xD}

Swaying on his feet, his exhaustion was beginning to catch up to him. Stress lined his spinal cord as tension winded in his shoulders. Muscles pulling tightly together. Knots tied in his neck as his head hung. Tiredness chasing away his confidence as he started to give into it. Crystal blue irises dulled to a darker color, begging to blend with the blackness of his pupils. Blinking slowly a few times, it took the brown-haired man a moment to make any sort of connections. Migisi was staring up at him; her fingers running along the natural rolls of her breast as she traced the embroidered pattern on the bra's cup. Tips rounding her breast, almost in a teasing fashion.

His pale cheeks lit up a faintly. The flesh dashed with a hint of red as his eyes followed her hand. It would not be the first time he had seen her both undress or present herself nude. After the transformation, it had been an encumbering battle to convince the new woman that clothing was a necessity in the human world. A lesson that grew harder to learn due to the complexity of woman's clothing. He had lost count of him many times she had dashed out of the bedroom holding up a bra by its wiring and staring at him to help her, like he know what to do with one of those...

He did what he could to avoid staring. wanting to give the woman her privacy and remain respective but as he watched her direct his attention towards her bust; male incentives struggled to break loose. Now - why now of all times - was he thinking such things? "Yes...?" hesitation lingered in his voice, unsure of what exactly she was trying to ask. Yet, even as he stood confused, some life sprung back in his face. Color flushing to his eyes above the pink hue of his cheeks. Hand grasping blindly around the top of the bed as he tried to feel for the blazer; gaze too centered on other things to look away.

Hushed sobs rose from somewhere beneath him, causing his eyes to wander from their corners to search for the source. Falling upon the ebony waves of the woman's hair, they followed the natural curls layered around her face. Her eyelids pulling together tightly as the lashes began to glisten. Tears seeped through the slights, moistening the fine hairs. Lips trembled while she winced. Face scrunched together in agony; arms wrapped around her waist and hunched forward. Trying her hardest to fight against the pain.

Cypher faced forward; long face coated with sympathy and helpless. A burning desire to take away her torment scourged him from within. The coals of his anger still glowed in the darkness of his mind; cooling slowly but still capable of igniting a furious fire. If he ever saw that red head again...

Shaking his head, he draped the blazer over her shoulders again. Her frontal half needing to remain exposed for examination, but he wanted to comfort her. Needed to care for her. As the jacket slipped over her, he helped guide its sides over her. Covering her right half over her bare breast and just allowing the left flap of the blazer to dangle from her shoulder. The think material warming her chilled skin.

A tender finger rose to her face, brushing up against an eyelash as he cleared a way a tear from it. "Hey hey hey....No need to cry, darling." Laced with exhaustion, his rich voice desperately tried to recapture its soothing charm. Pulling the chair up behind him, he sat back down to be face to face with her. Once again leaning over the edge of the bed as he reached over to stroke her arm, rubbing warmth back into her before glancing up towards the back of Dr. Somerset, "I think we are ready, doctor."

The metal rods of the bed squeaked as the woman shifted below him. Moving herself farther from the doctor and closer to the familiar brunette. A desire for warmth? A need for comfort? Fear of the stranger? He was not sure but he could only imagine the thoughts racing through her head. As intelligent as she was, there was still much regarding the world she did not understand. Together they had worked on preparing her for daily life; teaching her standard etiquette and helping her grasp standard understandings, but something like this was a situation he could not help her be ready for. They could not mimic injuries or treatments at home.

Sighing, another wave of helpless fell over him as continued to stand guard at her side. Offering reinsurance through sweet talk and contact while attempting to keep her chills at bay. Tiny goosebumps covered his skin. Dark hair of his chest stood on its ends before a shiver trembled through him, as if a cold finger traced down his spine. Cypher shifted a bit before letting her go long enough to retrieve his shirt. Long arms slide gracefully through the sleeves. The tight shirt hung loosely over him, fitting snuggly around his slender sides. Leaving the buttons untouched and chest still exposed slightly in its 'V' shaped gap, he returned to his spot beside Migisi.

Meanwhile, Dr. Somerset was preparing for his examination. Washing his hands thoroughly, he dried them quickly before sliding the latex gloves up over them. Eying the couple from over his shoulder. Such a strange pair they were, but he had to admit, he had seen stranger. [I]"Alrigh5, Mrs. Smith, let me see...[/
i]"

"Gah...!" Cypher gave a muffled yelp as a sharp pain inched its way into his skin. Nails embedding themselves through the shirt's sleeve and nipped into his arm. Not pointed enough to break the skin but enough to cause discomfort. The woman's death grip on him became overpowering. Pulling him down a bit and tossing him off balance as she squirmed about the mattress. Petrified eyes were locked on the doctor's movements. Leaning forward, her legs rose a bit off the surface with her knees bent. She was ready to dash off.

Standing with a blank look on his face, Dr. Somerset froze in place. Wrinkles in his forehead deepened around the creases of his brows. Bewildered by her behavior, he turned to the more sensible brunette she clang to. Questioning gaze drifted from Migisi to Cypher, only growing more unsure of his reliability as he looked the young man over. Confusion growing thicker while remembering that only moments ago, he had removed his shirt as well.

The brunette shrugged, meeting the doctor's gaze with a similar level of uncertainty. It was understandable for her to be wary of the stranger in the lab coat...Even Cypher did not fully trust him despite having a solid understanding of the situation. "Migs, darling...There is no need to be afraid," his own sentence left a distasteful flavor in his mouth. It felt like a lie; doctors were such manipulative creatures, it was hard for him to truly believe Dr. Somerset had any other intentions other than tending to the woman's wound. However, the injury needed care that he could not provide properly from their home. He had no choice but to allow the older man to treat her. His free hand fell upon her clenched grip on him. Instinctively, he stepped up before her. Positioning himself between her and the doctor, his cold stare followed the elder's movements in defense, just trying to help keep Migisi's trust within him.

Dr. Somerset slowly approached the opposite side of the bed, trying his bed to speak calming and trustingly to the woman, "It's fine, Mrs. Smith. We just need to look at you." Inching closer, he began to look at her wound. Subconsciously falling into his routine patterns. Hands reaching out to touch near the wound. Fingers idly floating in the air, hovering about it. Ready to drop down and spread the skin back so he could gaze into it to determine its depth and damage.

Abnormal noises gargled within the woman's throat. Dr. Somerset blinked in confusion as he lifted a finger to his nose. Pushing the frame of his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose, he studied her. Her hard stare glared at him. Aggressive and unsure beneath their narrow slits. Constantly pushing herself away from him and closer to the brunette who seemed uneasy as well. At first, he assumed the woman was just in a state of shock from the mugging but her unusual behavoir was beginning to lead him to question her mental capabilities.

"Relax, ma'am. This won't take more than a few minutes and the sooner we look at you, the sooner you can go home," weary voice tried to calm his patient. Tired from the long shift and growing aggravated with her resistance. Though more so annoyed by her "husband" who remained silent by her side. If the woman truly did have a mental disability, why had he not explained it? And why was he being so distant? And why had it not been listed on her medical records?

Pushing his suspicion aside, Dr. Somerset let out an annoyed sigh. Leaning in once again for a closer observation, skilled hands returned to their position above her lesion. Monotone voice spoke to no one directly, almost like he was reading from a textbook, "The wound needs to be cleaned...Seems like all five layers of the epidermis - straight down to the hypodermis - have been sliced through...Clearly from a knife..." Growing silently, he gently touched the tender skin near the wound. Using his index and second finger to spread the wound open to gaze into it.

A blurring motion came out of his left. Not in his peripheral vision, the doctor instantly flinched and stepped back to avoid the woman's aggressive swat. Hands collided with a great force. The latex dug into the older man's flesh leaving a red mark beneath the baby blue glove. Frowning, Dr. Somerset began to rub the soreness away. A disheartening stare fell onto Migisi as he fixed with her from behind his askew glasses. Nostrils flaring.

"Ma'am, please don't make this complicated," the lines of his face deepened. Frustrating taking him over while he turned away from her. Heading towards the red button located near the door labeled nurse.

Cypher stood wild eyed near the bed. His arm pulling away when she let go in an subconscious reflex, wanting to avoid future pain from her fearful clenches. Astounded and slightly embarrassed, he remained silently unsure of what to say to explain her impertinent behavoir. After catching sight of the displeasure that hung in in the doctor's trained eyes, Cypher's heart sank. He knew that look...That look of disgusting empowerment and burning temper; patience laced with sadistic desire for control. He gazed before the doctor, attempting to mentally trace the elder's path before noticing the call button located on the wall. Unexplained fear erupted in his dull blue eyes. Yet another familiarity to the asylum. Anxiously, he chewed on his bottom lip before pacing. His hand scratching the back of his head before eyes fell on Migisi. Freezing in place, connections began to be made in his mind. Migisi lashed out at the doctor who was now...Calling a nurse?!

''Cy-y-ypher!" a haunting feminine voice screamed in his head. Its petrified stuttering reopened old wounds that festered with years of repressed guilt and disclosure. "D-d-don't want to g-g-go!"

"No!" with his hand reaching out, Cypher grasped the air. The word was strong and bold, yet had been dipped in worry. Dr. Somerset stopped just inches away from the button and turned to look at the man in stunning confusion. Gulping away his anxiety, he let his hand lower while he hurried near him.

The doctor submissively plastered his back to the wall. Eyes flooded with fearful bewilderment as the younger, more fit brunette rushed up on him. His arms spread out across the plaster panel while he dipped a bit. Weight pulling him down as his knees unbuckled, expecting the "husband" to get aggressive as well. However, Cypher remained rather calm, at least in appearance. Though his blue eyes shivered like ripples over crystal clear water but still hung onto some sense of strength in defense of Migisi.

"What do you think you are bloody doing, sir?" assertive baritone whispers fished for explanations.

"She...she needs to be restrained...So I can treat her"

Lips thinned into a frown as he towered above the shorted, stout man. Manic stress seeped into the cracks of his breaking accent, "No...No nurses."

"But..."

"I said no nurses."

Tension between the two men rose. Something was clearly off with the younger one. Face blank yet dabbed with emotions. His stare almost criminalistic in a sense making the doctor feel threatened despite Cypher's lack of words. "Then what do you want to do, 'Mr. Smith'." The alas was spatted in suspicion.

Looking over his shoulder, he swayed on his heels while thinking, "Allow me, sir. Allow me to care for her while you guild me. I can't...I can't let them take her. No, can't let them near her. Not again."

A gray brow rose while he looked the brunette over. His eyes were glazed and unfocused as if the world around him was a blurred dimension between a fictitious world and reality. Body shaking from anxiety as he became more alert and less proper. Becoming more disoriented. "You don't really expect me to just let you, do you?"

"Why not?" He seemed to have snapped back into focus. The look in his face still distant but at least there.

Dr. Somerset gave a nervous chuckle, "It's against protocol."

"Screw your protocol!" he scoffed. Voice spiking and causing the doctor to withdraw farther. Eying the button as he sank. Cypher took a deep breath before closing his eyes. Breathing through his nose as he shook, he tried to calm himself. "Please, sir, it is the only way we can treat her. Though the brunette's charming nature was lost within his witless manners.

With a sigh, the doctor gave in. It was against all rules and judgements, but he was growing afraid of what the pair might do if he crossed them. Plus, he just wanted them gone. If allowing the man to treat the wound with supervision would do that, then so be it. "Alright fine."

Cypher gave a nod before turning back to Migisi. Stepping before the doctor as they returned, he positioned himself near the counter that supplied the medical supplies while Dr. Somerset lingered back a few meters behind him. "I am going to help you, darling. Me. Help. You." With each word, he pointed to himself and then to her, trying his best to help her understand.

Sore fingers fell to his shift. Tracing along the 'V' cut, he began to snap the bottom buttons back in place. The loose fabric was interfering with his movement and getting in the way. A few seconds passed as he skillfully forced the small plastic buttons back through their slits. The fitted shirt clang snugly to his slender frame. Its sides wrapped around his abdomen added his former sense of sophistication. At least, it would have had the white cotton not turned to a dark pinkish shade as the blood stains dried. Raw hands began to roll the sleeves up to just below his elbow. Rich brown, almost black, arm hair laid matted against his pale skin, matching the same color tone the chest hair that was still exposes near the upper, open part of his shirt.

Turning away for a moment, Cypher hesitated while staring at the sink. Shaking hands reached for the handle, swiftly turning it on as he jammed his hands beneath the warm water. Scrubbing furiously with the near by soap, his skin slowly began to return to its normal flesh color. Tainted water swirled down the drain as the blood flaked off of him. Another swift flick of his wrist silenced the gushing beast, easing him again. Drying his hands, he began to study the materials laid out before him. Amateur eyes looked over the array of medical supplies scattered over the fake marble counter. Bottles filled with sickly liquid sat beside pill bottles labeled with complex medical terms. A stressed sigh blew through his nose before he settled his vision on the only familiar thing. A medium sized clear-gray bottle setting in the far back; the rubbing alcohol. Grabbing it, he started to dig through the cupboards above him for gauze.

Dr. Somerset remained behind him, swaying uneasily on his stubby legs as he studied the younger man. A long, blank stare followed each of his movements, already expecting the worst. He would be accountable for the man's mistakes and would risk accusation of malpractice if caught, but the strange look in those storming eyes terrified him. They were a defensive look of determination and pure fear. Hardened and trained like a solider's but soft and innocent like a child's. Glancing down at the clipboard, he locked his jaw while his eyes wandered over the wording. This "John Smith" was no ordinary, "John Smith". Nor was this woman just an average woman. There was something off putting about the couple, but even with years of service to drug addicts, the mentally ill, and hysterical the veteran doctor had never been placed in such a risky, yet intriguing, situation such as this. Interested eyes returned to the distant man.

Cypher sat the bottle beside him while he rang out a wash cloth. Soaked with warm soapy water, his attention fell to the feather haired woman again. "This may sting, darling. Just a little," folding the wash cloth up, he held it firmly in his fingers in the same fashion he always had at home. His hand fell over her chest; the rag hovered about her wound. Narrowing eyes dropped to the wound. Still filled with incompetence compared to the doctor's previous eyes as he looked at the wound, but a sense of knowledge blossomed within them. Heh ad treated his wounds before, he could at least clean it properly without much trouble. "Trust me, my dear. Trust me." Carefully, he lowered it. Allowing the corner tip to gently press against her skin in a dabbing fashion; slipping his free hand over her's and giving her an assuring squeeze.

Muscles within her hand tightened. Reflexes reacting to her flinches while she winced. The scrubbing aggravated the scabbing flesh; warm water and stringing soap aggravated the festering sore. Being as gentle as he could, Cypher began to wash away the thick layer of grime that clang around it. "It hurts, my dear, I know. Believe me I know...But it will be over soon." Calm and collected, he continued to work while Dr. Somerset lingered behind him. He stood on raised on his tiptoes as he gazed over the taller man's shoulders. Slowly, the skin beneath the stains began to show signs of its previous, natural color. The wound's severity looking slightly less worse after being throughout cleaned.

With a nod, the man in the lab coat seemed somewhat impressed by the knowledge he had regarding treating a wound. He had clearly done this before. The doctor's eyes narrowed slightly while they settled on Cypher again. Distrustfully studying him as if he suspected the brunette to be guilty of something, only to have his eyes widen instantly as he was startled to see the young man turning to face him.

"Tell me, doctor...How does she look?" his blue irises guided the older man's vision to the clean wound. Doleful pleading mixed with ignorance etched on him."Is it fatal?"

Placing his hands behind his back, Dr. Somerset stepped up behind him. One hand extended around himself to his face; a pudgy finger held his glasses in place while he leaned forward over the brunette. "No, not fatal. Her major organs were not threatened. The wound appears to be deep and will need stitches to heal properly...Probably will scar as well. The lobules of her breast should be fine but I have concerns that the pectoralis muscles might have been torn." He retreated. Taking his glasses from his face, he pulled out a fine cloth from his pocket. He held them by their frame while he wiped off their lens. His attention split between his glasses and the worrisome stare he was receiving from Cypher. " A MRI will need to be done to determine that though and if the cut is is deep enough, she might need surgery but I doubt its that bad. The tissue is the thickest near the upper part of the breast and with her bra pushing it up, the knife mainly hit fat and cartilage. Though she should still be examined thoroughly."

A blank look hung on within his eyes as he stared up at the doctor. He had been use to having medical terms tossed at him but he never quite understood them. All he knew is that while the wound was not deadly, it still was concerning. A long, drawn out sigh seeped through Cypher's nostrils. Relived yet stressed. It had been a chaotic battle to just clean the wound; stitches and examination would be even more of a challenge. Shaking his hand free of Migisi's, he tossed the rag in the sink and quickly cleaned his hands. Washing away the dirt and blood that had transferred from her to them, he thought. Stitches were something he had never done before, even on himself. This would be a situation where he would need to let the doctor take over. However, the woman was surely going to refuse to let him knew her...He had to find a way to keep her distracted enough to allow the doctor to work.

"Very good, my dear," the brunette turned back to her with his back to the doctor. Stroking her bangs out of her face as he gave her a small smile of gratitude. His thinner fingers continuing to explore the rolls of her cheeks and softness of her hair."Thank you for letting me help you." A tired glance was shot to the doctor, hovering near his side. "I do not think she can handle going through a MRI, sir. Poor girl is exhausted as is..."

"Could always sedate her," the doctor coldly replied. His back was to the couple, searching through the bottles for an anesthetic.

However, his searching was cut short as a force grabbed him by the shoulder. Causing him to spin around and come face to face with the brunette. Eyes burning with an unspeakable sense of fearful rage while he held the doctor by his lab coat. Standing again on the front of his feet, he tried to keep himself balanced as the taller man pulled him upward. Snarling with curled lips. "Don't. You. Dare." Each word was pronounced with bold strength. A growling warning following each one.

Perspiration gathered in small pools at the edges of the doctor's aging wrinkles. Thinning hair line soaked with a nervous sweat while he stared into the maddening abyss of the gentleman's blue eyes. The softness of his accented voice had hardened greatly, turning to rough stone as his warnings were tossed beneath his snarl. Despite his slender stature, an unseen strength rushed throughout him. Muscles - while small - were tense and fueled by the adrenaline, making the brunette as unpredictable as the strange woman he had been tending to. Dr. Somerset could not help but feel a sudden sense of urgency when scooped up with a single lift. Pinned in place by his lab coat that hung clenched in the fists of rage, the tip of his toes lifted slightly from the dingy title floor. Fatty substance dangled. A single whimper of distress followed his frantic flailing as he tried to wiggle his arms free of the long sleeves.

"Si-i-ir!" Desperation shook his shout. "This is in appropriate behavoir!"

Even with the polite title of 'sir' being added to his sentence, the man's scolding only seemed to aggravate the other. Cypher lowered him slowly but pushed him away with a great force as if disgusted by even touching the filthy doctor. The sentence stung, bringing back old memories of what the asylum guards and nurses use to yell before taking a patient away for punishment. He said nothing as he stepped away. Partly out of old habits of needing to 'escape' and partly from being finished with the doctor.

The moment his feet hit the floor, the physician stumbled against the wall. Heart racing from panic while he distanced himself from the pair, "Just...Just who are you!?" He finally cried out. The burning questioning had captivated his mind for quite sometime now. After witnessing the strangeness that lingered between the two, and after being swept away like he had, he could no longer accept the assumption that this man was just an ordinary man.

Having heard the pleading question, Cypher stopped and glanced over his shoulder, "I am exactly what my papers say I am. John Smith. Officer."

A knot gathered in the doctor's stomach. His face twisted like he had bitten into a sour lemon, "Your file says you're a banker..."

"Oh? Does it now?" His bang cast a shadow of his face. A sinister smirk pulled on his lips. He continued forward; the cynical look fading while his gaze fell upon the feathered hair woman. All sense of his antagonized confidence melted into sympathy and care. She had that effect on him. "No no, my dear..." Gently, he placed his hands upon her shoulders and directed her back towards the bed. "We are not done. Your wound still needs to be thoroughly treated. Needs to be stitched and bandaged, darling." The last sentence was dragged on by a sigh. The energy he had when scaring away the threatening doctor was now being drained from him. Exhaustion falling over him as the boost from adrenaline seeped away into his bloodstream. Nodding to the bed, he waited for her to lay down once again. Casting a piercing, demanding glance towards the doctor, trembling near the door.