The blonde haired girl noticed the pain on Eleanor's face. She was not sure what was causing her pain, but Kage addressed that. Gneiss then remembered when she had first started speaking with Kage she had been caused pain. As his red eyes were on her again she felt slightly embarrassed. She blushed a soft pink color. Nessie nodded understanding that it must not be fun sitting in a tube all day. She would really not enjoy it. "Not too bad. I think we should be okay for a little while," she answered with a smile.
---
Schist then realized that his sister had been caught several times with the experiment. He wondered perhaps she was the one causing problems. The white haired boy decided it would be best to find out for himself. Standing up from where he had been sitting he began walking to where the boy was contained.

Eleanor shook her head slowly, as to not throw herself off balance before saying, "I can handle things like that, it just was not expected is all." Her green eyes then trailed up the tube as she took in the sight of the male within it. It was odd; she hadn't expected anyone to be kept like this, heck, she wasn't even aware of this location in the asylum at all. Her breathing had calmed down once again, though she was still peering over her shoulders once in a while to make sure that they were in the clear, at least for a little while.

"How long do we have until the guards check this section of the asylum?" She then asked, almost as if she were no longer concerned about the male that they were visiting. Eleanor had been punished before, but never for anything this serious, and the turnout then was bad enough. She didn't know why they were here for sure, all she knew was that if it took so much work to get here then they were definitely in big trouble if they were to get caught.

Kage thought about it for a moment. Guards weren't particularly frequent visitors inside the actual room, but patrols were still something that occurred. Glancing towards the strange clock like object on the wall he was able to make an estimate for the next one. "Assuming that they're staying on the same schedule today there's still about twenty or so minutes until the next actual patrol. Of course at times they can be a bit unpredictable and come in at different times. Lately thought they've been sticking to the typical schedule" the male softly replied mentally. His mind couldn't really stretch beyond the room while he was in the tube, as he had tried a few times before and found that he could only reach the door, which was only handy for the last second warning.

Her constant poking was driving the male up a wall. He was usually one not to complain, but today, Rukiya was doing an exquisite job pissing off the male.

“Knock it off, Ruki!” Tormund’s eyes narrowed, but immediately returned to their usual soft state. “Ugh, forget it. One of these days I’ll grow immune to your nonsense.” Hands crossing his chest and tucking near his pits, Tormund exhaled.

It was just another quiet day at the asylum in the cell of Tormund Ace Veicht. He found it routine to sit in his cell all morning nagging his partner Rukiya of her irregular, yet completely systematic irritation performance.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaacey-poo!” Rukiya’s nose wrinkled as she pressed it into her master’s cheek. “I sooooooo bored! Can go walk? P-l-z!”

“P? L? Z?”

“Ya, please!”

“Oi. Your broken gibberish needs serious improvements,” massaging his brows, Tormund looked over at his looming, slender friend. She stood taller than he did and yet she weighed less. It was odd to see a woman standing close to six foot five.

“Fluffinufficus!” Plopping a purple lemur into Tormund’s lap, Rukiya applauded herself for her summoning skills. “I win! I win! You lose! You lose!”

Just as she was able to slip between the bars, she saw an all too family guard sneak past. Brow cocking, grin immerging, and devious clock ticking, Rukiya wolf whistled at the brunette guard.

“Hey sex! You look yummy, yummy! Come play?” Batting her lashes, she giggled like a child when his eyes shifted toward her. “My, my! You pervy!”

“Excuse me?” Nieko said while rolling his eyes.

“Just ignore her. She’s… retarded. Also, what are you doing back here? Didn’t we just see you exit?”

“Re-re! That’s me!”

Silence overcame the guard. “Just stay out of trouble, okay?” Ignoring the question, Nieko took a step back toward the exit.

“Yes, sir!” Saluting Nieko, Tormund through a quick punch at Rukiya. “Apologize,” he muttered to her.

“Apologize,” she mimicked.

“Well, at least you’re trying,” Nieko chuckled. With a final hand salute, he vanished down a corridor. Peeking over his shoulder, Nieko scowled. Tormund and Rukiya witnessed his return. Granted, they hadn’t the slightest clue why he returned, but, Nieko knew it would only be a matter of time before they pieced it together. Nieko was more than aware of Kage’s little human interactions. Although, the green-eyed male was more than disappointed to find out that Eleanor was in on it.

When the sunlight hit him, Nieko frowned. “I can’t believe you’d be so stupid Eleanor. You leave me no choice. I will have to punish you… tonight.”

Out in the light, Nieko felt the urge to do something now. Hell, he was the only one aware of the opposition and escape plots.

Kicking the door in, Nieko's exhausted eyes landed on the boss. "I'm taking a full 24 shift, sir. I've noticed that some guards are slacking. We cannot tolerate this. Should the inmates see our forces are weak and tiring, they will surely rebel. And I'm not in the mood for a full-on massacre. Not now, at least."

Without waiting for approval, Nieko blew past the asylum boss and down the corridor that lead to Kage.

"Caught you," he said with a taunting voice. "Did you morons honestly think I wasn't only your pathetic attempt?"

Seizing Eleanor's cuffed wrists, Nieko jerked the girl toward him. "And you! I was working on getting you out of this hellhole, but you just fucked that up. Now I have no choice but to... punish you."

His grip on her narrow wrists was probably doing more damage than he realized. But, if Eleanor were wise, she'd watch out for his bite. His scolding eyes seemed to scare right through her as if she were nothing but a hollow spirit.

"Let's go. Now." Tugging her, he practically dragged the woman toward the door. "And you, I'll deal with you and your little foolish scheming later. Hell shall be unleashed on your unruly ways."

Eleanor nodded slowly, but the answer did not do much to quell her paranoia. The girl worried her lower lip some as she shifted her weight from one side to the other, her eyes still darting over her shoulder. Though she was uncomfortable, she wasn't emotional off enough to the point her body would shift, though it was getting pretty close. If that were to happen then the handcuffs would break and the other guards would panic and attack her. That thought didn't do anything to calm her; rather, it set the girl on ease further.

She ran her dry tongue over her cracking lips as she tried to focus on other things to keep herself distracted, after all, it had worked before. Starting from the bottom up she thought about how pained her feet were that though they were numb, every movement sent a stinging sensation up her legs. How weak and wobbly her legs had been and how sore her bottom was from constantly sitting on the cold hard floor. Granted, the girl had a bed in her room, but even the bugs of the asylum never touched the thing; she took that as a bad sign.

The thought of that bed distracted her further luckily. The mattress was damp and lumpy, the blankets, well, blanket, was thin and scratchy. What would have once been called a pillow was nothing more than a flat piece of cloth with a square of cardboard stitched to it, so it seemed. Eleanor often wondered if others were in the same room style as she, but she never thought of asking; she never wanted to talk out of turn and face the consequences.

Though the brunette was the one least likely to misbehave, at least on purpose, she still had the same amount of punishment as all the others, or at least that was what she believed. Her legs, bottom, back and legs were decorated with welts, cuts, pinpricks, scars, just a variety of wounds, fresh and healed over. Her back ached from shivering all the time which gave her goose bumps which in turn irritated her wounds, causing her more pain.

Her arms were still trembling, the chains linking the handcuffs clinking together like a poorly strung bell piece. Looking out the window one more time, she no longer wanted to think about what was wrong with her because that reminded her far too much of this place and how badly she wanted out. At this point, her eyes no longer appeared dead and emotionless, but rather scared, lost, hopeful, and desperation. As those pleading green eyes gazed upon the male in front of her, Eleanor knew that whatever punishment they were going to get for this was already being authorized so there wasn't much she could do to prevent it anyhow.

The sudden crashing sound of the door opening caused the green eyed girl to spin around suddenly. Though when her eyes landed on the angry being at the door, she really wished she hadn't looked. She could feel whatever heat was left in her drain out, along with her remaining color. Her body started trembling like she was suffering from her own personal earthquake as she felt the sudden need to just disappear.

The male's yelling caused her to flinch as her throat painfully stung at the hard gulps she was trying to swallow in keeping back the tears. When the brunette grabbed her wrists and lurched her forward, a small cry of pain broke free of her vocal chords before she could stop it. Eleanor didn't fight back, not only was it because it just wasn't her, but she knew fighting would make it worse. Rather, the tears she had been fighting began sliding down her cheeks, though it wracked her small form with pain as it searched her liquid-deprived body for a source to create them with.

Pain was spreading across her body, as well as fear seeping into her mind. She was not sure how Nieko would go about punishing her, though she could imagine him being far more brutal than the other guards. He may have been a kind soul to her, but she always believed he could be the typical 'wolf in sheep clothing' kind of guy. At this point Eleanor was scared, terrified even, or maybe there wasn't even a word for the fear that was coursing through her veins at that point. With her body shaking as it was, all sounds were blocked out, and the girl wasn't even aware of the air around her right arm distorting, at least until it was too late.

Just as they were reaching the door, Eleanor's right arm was no longer what it was but rather a shield had taken its place. It was white in color, connecting even along the side of her body. The shield's appearance was soon followed by the ticking sound of the right handcuff hitting the floor. That sound did break through Eleanor's mind. Her green eyes widened as they instantly darted to Nieko, wide in fear. That accidental act was what usually got her in trouble during transportation, so like in those cases, she awaited, and feared, the punishment that was sure to follow.

Gneiss was shocked when the one guard stepped in. She whirled around and saw it was Nieko and not even her brother. The blonde looked towards Eleanor and noticed she was not seeming so well. Softly the blonde looked to her feet then looked back at Kage. Then she raised her head and looked at the guard. "Please don't punish E-eleanor... it's all my fault. I'm the one who b-brought her-r here, when I came and g-got her she didn't even know where she was going. She shouldn't have to be punished because I dragged her along with m-me," she stated boldly. Nessie did have a bold side and when it came out she would say what she wanted. Honestly, she did not feel that Eleanor should be punished. The girl was so weak and fragile, it just wouldn't be fair. But before she could actually have him hear her out she was being pulled away. Her blue eyes appeared empty as she watched the poor woman dragged away violently.

Schist saw Nieko enter the area where the experiment was kept. This confirmed it for him, it was his sister causing problems. The white haired male followed shortly behind him and heard what his sister had to say. Softly he shook his head as he looked towards the other guard. "Guess I should have known my sister would be up to trouble," he muttered. His red eyes then looked to his sister. "Sometimes Gneiss you are utterly ridiculous," he stated coldly. His red eyes watched as Nieko pulled the woman away. He somewhat felt bad for her. Of course he would have preferred to not be in this situation with his sister, but he knew it was his job.

[[Oospie, I guess I didn't make myself clear. Nieko went to Eleanor's cell. He's not actually with Kage, Gneiss, and Eleanor. He's no where near them... since he left the building officially. XD]]

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[[If it's easier, I can just make Nieko sign up for a morning shift. And make him catch the two.]]

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[[Okay, I just added onto my post. You might have to tweak yours some, but it's better than dumping the whole thing. :)]]

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As the shield appeared, Nieko felt his hands warm up. Finger tips snapping, a spark jolted into the air. Its green feathery texture looked magical, yet dark. Eyes narrowing and the line running across his nose wrinkling, the brunette dug his nails into the woman's arm.

With his hands reaching a high temperature, it would only be a matter of seconds before Eleanor's body was spotted with third degree burns. But, Nieko collected himself. There was no point, at least in his mind, to torture the woman before another officer.

"You deal with your sister. Eleanor is mine."

The look in her eyes was the complete opposite of his. His emerald eyes widened with delight for it was not often that Nieko was allowed to punish an inmate. In fact, Eleanor would be his first.

Her hair was wadded between his fingers and as he practically pulled her down the isle, he could see the other inmates stop and stare. "Let this be a warning to you all. If you dare cross me, you'll feel my wrath. And trust me, there is only one other whose wrath surpasses mine."

His pink lips curled up in a delightful manner. He was grinning! Grinning as he was yanking the poor woman about. To him, this form of torture was fun. Being of a sadomasochist nature, he couldn't help but feel some arousal playing around with Eleanor's frail body.

When he arrived at the location of his desire, he shoved Eleanor into the room. White padding lined and every aspect of the room, but the white was dotted with bloody patterns. Some patches were at the ceiling, indicating a stabbing. There were a few that had high velocity spatter, indicating a bullet. However, the only area not covered with blood was the sole mattress in the corner.

Eyes wild with pleasure, Nieko moved his hand around Eleanor's throat. "Allow me to crush your windpipe." A vicious laugh followed. "Unless you can offer a better suggestion."

Even though his tone didn't hint at it, his eyes seemed to trace the woman's figure. Jumping from her to the "bed," Nieko bit his lip.

"Let me be honest with you," he said pulling at something from his waist. "I wasn't actually planning on doing this, but you leave me no choice." Flipping it out, he rammed it into her face.

Eyes looking into hers, he drew the woman closer to him. "You look better when you have a smile on your face." Looking from her face to the one in the photograph he just presented her with, Nieko leaned in closer. His lips were just beside hers as he whispered to her. "So, he said pushing her hair back behind her ear, "Why are you here? You have no record, no nothing." As he said the latter half of his question, his voice raised, above a whisper. With how close he was standing to her, it probably sounded louder than that.

Dropping his cruel act, Nieko sat down on the mattress and patted beside himself. His mind raced with thoughts of rape, but he figured he would let Eleanor off with a warning. Besides, because of her, he was able to spend the rest of his shift sitting in an isolated pen with her. It couldn't be that bad. Especially since he would have to perform a full body inspection.

At first, the warmth that came with Nieko's reaction felt good to the touch, but then it began to heat up more and more. Eleanor winced and actually tried to pull away as she fought back the pained sounds that were threatening to escape. She was terrified of the tone of voice he used with the other guard that had since entered and for the first time was getting ready to plead to be away from him.

The searing pain had stopped, but now there were two new pains; one being his fingers digging into her already sore arm, granted he had been like that, but the burning pain had distracted her from it, the other pain being that of her hair being wadded in his hand and being used as a makeshift leash as he pulled her down the hall.

She could feel eyes on her; Eleanor hated the feeling of being watched and Nieko's words solidified the feeling as she could not see beyond the tears. She pulled her shield up to almost hug her rag doll-like body and in hopes from putting her out of view of the other inmates.

The tension was suddenly released from her hair, though pain still wracked her small form, as she was thrown into a room. The force of it was almost enough to throw her off balance, especially in this state, but Eleanor knew from experience that if you fell then your fate would be worsened. Her composure was horrible, her legs shaking and fighting to keep the poor girl standing. The arm that Nieko had held was now hidden behind her shield as she fought to keep herself in her own protective bubble.

The girl was blinking frantically to try and clear the tears enough to see, but they just kept falling. A hand was suddenly around her throat and she stopped breathing; not from the force behind it for there really was none, but out of the fear as to what could happen. The tears stopped suddenly as the emotion grew too strong for that need. Her vision came to her suddenly, but was blackened out by the male that had moved in closer to her.

The blackness she was seeing was not that of her eyes lids or of blindness, but of Nieko's clothing for she could smell him and feel his warmth radiating from her body; which, like the initial warmth that had laid wounds to her arm, was a welcoming feeling for her cold body. She could feel him looking at her, intently, but she kept her eyes on his chest, too scared to look anywhere else.

When he finally pulled away, his tone of voice was different, which was the only reason why she had turned to follow his movement. Green eyes lifted slightly to look at the male, but only to be intercepted by a worn page being shoved her in her face. The paper began to fall, and out of instinct the girl put her hand out to catch it. She looked at the image for just a moment before her eyes widened and looked up to be met with his.

Her breath was caught in her throat from what she held in her hand and her body began trembling, even as the warmth of the boy before her engulfed her quivering frame. "You look better when you have a smile on your face." He had said, he was getting closer to her. "So, his deep voice came, moving her hair, though all she could do was stand there frozen. "Why are you here? You have no record, no nothing." Though his voice was quiet, it was deafening all at the same time.

He pulled away after that, but those few words and the image that had found its way to the floor were enough to drain everything from the girl and leave her standing like the ghosts of her past had come to haunt her; which they had. When he patted the bed beside him, the girl stared at him blankly as her breathing rate was just short of hyperventilating. Her breathing was heavy, stopping a few times as the girl fought to speak.

Eleanor ran her tongue over her lips briefly before her voice cracked out, "Where did you find that?" Her eyes hardened slightly as the muscles in her body began tensing; though it hurt she ignored the pain, though the wincing did reach her eyes. Worrying her lower lip, she repeated, her tone dipping some, "Where did you find that picture?" Her tone of voice could be considered threatening, but that image was one she thought forever gone, its partner hidden amongst the trash in her own cell.

Her trembling was almost unbearable, but when her demanding nature kicked in, Nieko's heart sank. Rising, he cupped her face between his hands. His nose rested against the upper most part of her forehead and his hands weaved into her hair. Her scent was intoxicating, that is once the filth layer from the asylum was removed from his nostrils.

With her body pressed against his, Nieko could feel her heartbeat on his skin. The blood that drove her to fight, drove Nieko sick. It was he who has caused such an uproar with this broken flower. It was his fault. It was always his fault. It was tragic to see such a woman in such a position.

Her dirty face couldn't hide the trail of tears he caught a glimpse of before her outburst.

"Please don't be mad," he said kissing her ear with his lips. That sincere look filled his brilliant eyes as he continued to hold the female in his arms.

The feeling was odd, or at least it was to him. The warmth of another (if you could call Eleanor warm) was overwhelming, but missed. She was like him, only better. Her shape, her looks, her everything was toying at his very heart. For being of the same kind, she was more than he could ever dream. Perhaps, he thought for a second, she would be the cause of his death. Sliding his hands up her back more, Nieko let the moment wash over him. Praying for the embrace to last a few seconds longer, Nieko lingered onto a taunting past the brought back cursing memories. Like Eleanor, he too was trying to escape his past.

Tilting her head up so their eyes could finally meet, Nieko traced the bridge of her nose with his own. When his nose was between the crossroads of her eyes, he closed his eyes. Taking in the moment, the very feel of holding a woman so close, he forced away painful memories and replaced them with thoughts of a happier, perhaps even brighter, future. She, if it was to be true, would bring about his redemption. Cursed from birth, Nieko was born a sinner and a bad man. For once, he prayed, he hoped something brighter and lighter would come his way. A path of virtue and happiness would replace a trail of bloodshed and remorse.

His lips required wetting if he sought to speak. But his tongue was dry and cold, so he spoke without quenching his thirst. "I meant you no harm, Miss Eleanor. I was simply stating that I...."

Silence fell onto his lips. It had been a sound Nieko was all too accustom to. It was the silence like this that often caused him to shiver (which did happen). Forcing the thoughts from his mind, he looked at the woman with pleading eyes. If his eyes could speak, they would be screaming of a horror unlike any other. Horrific images of death, loss, and war fluttered between each second his mind couldn't fill with her presence.

"Please," he begged with a cowardly jester, "go away."

Covering his ears, Nieko tried his best to remove the sound her racing heart and stammering breathing. With each puff of breath she took, he felt the knife of guilt plunge further into his heart. Dishonor, shame, and torment ached at his heart. However could he suppress this feeling again?

Groping at Eleanor, a flood other warmth came. It was nice. It was calming, almost soothing. Whimpering slightly, he continued to hug Eleanor's right leg.

Another vision raped his mind. He couldn't bare the thought. Not again, he muttered to himself.

Quivering with fear, Nieko raised his head up to give Eleanor a pathetic stare. The life that once filled his eyes had vanished. His ghostly expression hinted that the male was in over his head in emotions.

"Help me," he breathed while his trembling arms continued to claw at her body. "Just make them stop. Make it go away...."

Nieko moved, and quickly towards her, an action that sent all courage that the small girl had mustered running for the hills. She went to take a step back, anything to get distance and possibly allow her to run. Before her muscles even had time to react the male was upon her, his hands on her face; that warm feeling from them seeming to calm her just a little bit, though there was still that egging fear in her mind.

His body was suddenly wrapped around hers in an embrace, his hands moving to her hair. The fear-held green eyes closed slightly as her body tried absorbing as much of the heat as it could while her nose took in the strong, sweet and clean scent of the guard. Wrong, a dark voice echoed in her mind as Nieko's words entered her ears. His movements cause Eleanor to panic slightly; she had heard horror stories about guards becoming 'friendly' with the other inmates; things never turned out well. She was next, she just knew it.

The warm touch to her ear solidified her fears, at least in her mind. Her eyes closed the rest of the way as she awaited for the rest to come, seeing as she was in no real condition to fight, and if caught she would be the one at fault, not the guard. His movements didn't progress though, he just held her for a moment.

One of his hands moved free of her tangled locks before being rested on her chin to have her look up at him. Her green eyes opened to meet his, though her brow furrowed in confusion as to what was going on. The bridge of his nose, the smooth skin, traced along her own grimy flesh in a manner that seemed almost hypnotic. There was just something about this guard, that though he was cruel, he really wasn't at the same time, not to Eleanor. He seemed different than the other guards, special, almost safe.

Don't forget, the words darted through her mind, breaking her out of the peace the was befalling her. The voice that rang those words out was one that was all too familiar, one that no longer took form, one that had been special to her at one point. Nieko's lips were hovering right over hers at that point, and he too seemed frozen, and not from what some would call a 'special moment'.

He began to speak, but then stopped. The silence scared her, she knew what came in the silence of things; memories and visions of the past, at least that was what happened to her. The brunette had once thought that if she let them all play out that they would leave her alone, but they hadn't, many memories have gone on repeat and refuse to move on. One memory in particular.

"Go away," were the only words that Eleanor heard as she snapped back to reality. Nieko moved away from her, though he clung to her leg like a frightened child. This was bad, this was real bad. "N-Nieko, what's wrong?" Her voice stammered as her brow furrowed even tighter. If the other guards were to check on him now, this inmate could more than likely consider herself permanently checked out; either that or in a stricter ward where she would never leave her cell, guards and scientists would make their own, personal visits, and she would never get to see Nieko again.

That was the life she had heard at least; how would it look if a guard was clung to the leg of an inmate who's arm was currently a giant shield? Not good, not good at all and the brunette was more than aware of that. She tried to pull her leg free but the male seemed to be holding on for dear life. Leaning down slightly, she looked the male dead in the eyes, her own fear showing in them. "What's wrong?" She pleaded as she kept her ears pealed for possible cell checks.

Gneiss looked to her feet after her brother's harsh comment. What was she supposed to do this was all her fault... Lightly she bit on her lower lip as she continued to stare at her feet. Her blue eyes looked over towards Kage in his bubble. At this point in time she wished she could be there. She even wished she could be where Eleanor was... anywhere but here.

Schist approached his sister with a grim face. Then he looked up towards Kage with an empty gaze. "I don't know why you are so interested in him. He's just an experiment," he murmured coldly. The white haired male looked at his sister, and could feel his blood boiling. "You do realize she is going to be punished all because of you? That guard could seriously rape, her do whatever he wants... all because you have some stupid idea in your head that this bubble boy in your friend. I really wonder if you understand how selfish you are. I mean after our parents murder, you think you would be more concerned about other people. You watched as our parents were hacked to pieces and now you are letting this poor girl get beat... You are sick," he stated with an icy tongue. All his anger from the past few days or any frustrations he had were all directed at her.

The blonde haired cat girl continued to stare at her feet. As soon as her brother brought up her accident her body went numb. Her eyes looked over towards Kage again and all sort of emotion had faded.

Schist approached her and grabbed her by the neck. "Do you even hear a blessed word I am saying? I thought maybe you could get out of here, but you'll be here forever. Honestly, unless you realize you're fucking no one," he hissed at her. Again his eyes looked to Kage and he shook his head. Holding her forcefully by the neck she started to escort his sister out of the room away from Kage.

[[Oh snap! Gneiss just got told. XD This sibling drama is wayyyyy better than inmate/guard drama.]]

{haha at first I was very afraid for Eleanor... but yes Schist is a giant jerk}

[[I like 'm! Schist is actually doing his job. Nieko's being a poophead with a mental breakdown. Lame, lame, lame on Nieko's part. He needs to man up. When more people join, Nieko and Schist should go out for drinks. XD]]

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'What's wrong?' Her voice was so soothing. The tone of concern, and what he hoped to be attraction, helped him draw up some strength. Looking weak in her eyes fell short on his list of things to do. Actually, it the opposite of what he wanted.

Nieko hated to admit it, but he found Eleanor attractive. Not just physically attractive, but also mentally and emotionally attractive. Granted, her delicate frame and messy hair were a definite bonus. Her dull green eyes that haven't seen the day of light in a great many ages were mesmerizing, in a odd way. Her soiled skin patterned with welts, cuts, and healed over wounds was more than wondrous, it was amazing. How could a woman who had endured the harshness of this asylum have such soft skin? Soft and welcoming.

Even though her bones trembled as the wind rattled through her, she was still a fine specimen. Had he been seeking a purely non-platonic mate for offspring, she would be an ideal pick. However, he was unsure of her reproductive capabilities, but, from her looks, she seemed like she could bare the burden of childbirth.

Shaking his head and pushing himself back onto his heels, Nieko tilted his head to glance over Eleanor yet again.

"How are you so strong when you've been raped of all you have. You're a prisoner in this hellhole, and yet, you still seem to cling to a dream and a hope that you might escape. You're braver than I. If I were in your shoes, I'm sure I'd have taken my life by now. I can only tolerate loneliness and containment for so long."

His green eyes hid behind his mess of brunette hair. The black tattoo on his face was the only visible mark, aside from his pink cheeks. His woman-like lips were pulled tightly into a strict lack of emotion. A hint of a frown could also be assumed, but Nieko wasn't typically one to frown.

"Tell me, what drives you. What makes you press on? What is your guiding light?" Longing for an answer he feared his mind would not be able to grasp, Nieko flopped onto the mattress and laid staring up at the white padded ceiling.

"I am so envious of you," he whispered aloud.

A soft gasp passed by the girl's lips when the male finally pulled away. He seemed to at least be composing himself a little, which was better than how he was just acting. When he started moving away, his words, his questions caused the girl to start thinking. It was the first time that she had ever been asked anything like that.

She let the words mull over in her mind as the male moved once again so that he was seated on the bed. Though she was busy in thought, his words still registered. Taking a seat on the ground her mind pieced everything together. She ignored his last statement, not really sure why he would be envious of her when her life had led her to her current position.

Her eyes traced over the defeated figure of the male before falling to the ground as she spoke. "I really don't have anything that could be taken away from me, and what I've gone through here is hardly what I went through in my past." Her voice was quiet as she looked at the fading white shield; she was calming down. "I wasn't supposed to be like this, I was a normal human girl. What I went through when I got these powers is far worse than anything they could ever do to me here." Her voice and eyes were dead, though there was a bitterness to her tone.

She fought to clear her throat, though it just caused a sharp pain to run along her spine and throat. "What keeps me going though? The thought of getting out and seeing the sun again. The chance at finding what I've lost and to live the life I was meant to." A sigh came from her lips as she shrugged. "It may be a silly thought, but if I keep thinking about the sunlight and being beyond these walls, to live being able to feel what I haven't in so long; it keeps me going, just the hopes and fantasies keep me fighting."

Eleanor knew she would never find her family, her Arrow was gone and that there really wasn't anything left for her beyond those walls. Yet, at the same time she never let herself realize it. That was what she heard when everything went quiet and she didn't want to believe it. She played fantasies of being out in the dew covered grass as the sun was just coming over the horizon with someone who cared for her. It didn't matter that everyone else was asleep, on the contrary, that was why they were there; it was like that at that point in time, the world was theirs and theirs alone.

She dreamed of what it would be like to wear something more than the thin asylum dress she wore, what it was like to be clean, to no longer have to worry about fresh wounds disturbing those that had finally healed. The thought of being warm and full, not cold, sickly and hungry. All she wanted was to live like anyone else, regardless to the fact that she was no longer 'just human'.

{Yess! I totally agree that they should go for drinks =D... I think at this point in time Schist could use one haha. }

Gneiss towards Kage as he brother pulled her away. Softly she reached out a hand, but Schist slapped her hand down. "Do I have to tell you again to forget it!" he bellowed. The white haired cat male continued to tug his sister by the neck until they reached her cell. Roughly he tossed her in there and shook his head. "Honestly, to think mother and father died for you... what a waste," he replied bitterly. The blonde cat girl sat crumpled in her corner again all emotion devoid. She still had a hard time coping with her accident. Walking up towards her Schist shook her roughly. "Just try to get that in your head. You can't see him anymore. Not only do you make me look bad, but I have to do shit like this," he grimaced. Her eyes remained empty as he shook her. Raising his hand he slapped her across the face. At that moment the boy realized he had just gone too far. Standing up he backed away from her as though she were a monster. "I hope you learned your lesson," he said clearing his throat with a cough. Locking her door behind him he hurried down the hallway and into the guard's break room. The white haired felt sad for what he did just then to his own flesh and blood and sat down. Burying his face in his hands he was able to convince himself he was only doing his job, though she was his sibling she misbehaved and needed to be punished. Softly Schist sighed and sat in the guard room.

Kage could only watch helplessly in the tank as first one female, then the other was dragged out of the room. As Gneiss reached a hand out towards him, he couldn't help but place one of his own in her direction on the glass. He couldn't help but feel a sense of rage at the treatment towards those that had come to see him and try to come up with an escape plan. As the door closed his red eyes closed, looking as if he was either falling back into his sleep or concentrating. 'We cannot...wait...any longer it seems...' he thought to himself as his hand remained upon the glass, and soon joined by his other.

He wasn't sure of the extent of his powers, as he hadn't really had much of a chance to test them since his awakening. Looking within himself he could see the flicker of a flame and a swirl of darkness around it, giving him a clear view of what elements he currently held in his possession. He had been able to deduce that with the darkness he could use the shadows within the room to form various things, however he knew this was not all that he should have been able to do. How? He couldn't explain the reasoning behind that thought, but something inside of him told him that he could do much more. With the limited darkness within the room though it was hard to prove the thought correct.

Now however was not the time for him to focus on the darkness, but rather the second burning element within him. Locking on to the internal flame that his mind's eye saw he began to concentrate, trying to call it forth. Before long he could feel the temperature of the water begin to rise and the glass beneath his hands begin to warp. As the temperature of the tank began to steadily rise, steam began to emit from the glass itself as the screech of an alarm somewhere within the room began to sound, causing the alarm of the white coats that had previously been lounging and researching within their 'special' faculty room.

Before long many of these white coats began to run and make their way to the room. By the time the door opened however the glass had already begun to melt and weaken, as steam continued to emit from the tank. Quickly the coats began to run here and there towards the tank, trying to find a way to lower the temperature. However Kage was going to have none of this and what shadows he could gather, used them to lash out and fling away the white coated people away from the tank. He could hear the shouts of the people in the room as well as the fear that emitted from their voices.

The glass couldn't hold out any longer against the intense heat and soon he could hear the shouts instructing for people to get away just moments before the tank itself seemed to crack then shatter in melted pieces, causing the fluid to pour out and the male himself collapsing onto the base of his once prison. Coughing and sputtering out what bits of the liquid had managed to enter through the mask as a result, the previously closed red eyes of the male opened. For him now the area around him looked...strange and almost as if he was looking with new eyes. The glass of the tube had a more distorted look then he had originally thought and the liquid made most things look green. Now different colors assaulted his sight.

Glancing around at the people that were now letting out surprised gasps, the red and black haired male attempted to stand on wobbly legs. It was rather difficult to accomplish even such a simple feat as standing, as his legs hadn't really been used in so many years, but after a few attempts he managed although clearly still unstable. This of course soon caused more fearful shouting of "The creature! Quick do something!". The male frowned at being called a creature, after all it wasn't like he was some sort of monster...

One of the white coats immediately stood and ran to what looked like a sort of intercom to try and call upon back up, however as soon as Kage's gaze came to rest on the contraption it exploded in a rush of flames, allowing the white coat to only manage out the words 'Help in containment unit number-'. The male frowned, as he heard the words echo around down the halls from the open door, knowing that it reached around the entire asylum. He also knew that this would probably put guards on alert and looking around for just where the disruption was now occurring, since the number of the 'containment unit' had been cut off rather quickly. He had often heard them call not only his room, but the rooms of other inmates similar names, with each having a different number. This of course meant he would only have a bit of time before his room would be checked. Although still rather unstable on his legs, the male attempted to walk to make his escape from the room and try to locate the two women from before, stumbling and wobbling as he did so.

"I take it you like warmth." Nieko's green eyes looked into hers. A little smile appeared on his pale face as he reached out his hands. Touching her wrists, he exerted just enough heat to warm the woman up. Being certain not to burn her, Nieko watched her eyes for any signs of pain.

Rising to stand beside her, Nieko unwound the scarf he had let her borrow earlier on. Placing it back around his neck (its proper place), Nieko smirked.

"I could make you hot, but I'm doing my best to behave myself. I have never been a fan of cruel punishment. I believe all people should be tried according to their crimes. For you, I'd say you would be a free woma for if powers were truly that bad, then I too should be behind bars. But alas, I'm free of the iron pen because I appear to be more civilized? Heh, please. Your record is cleaner than mine."

His voice dipped to a darker tone. "You see, I get pleasure out of seeing people... die. I love watching a body engulf in flames. I love teh smell of burning flesh. The cries of fear coo me to sleep at night. And yet, those very obsessions have driven me to be less than perfect. I never wanted to be like this. I wanted to be... better."

His head turned away as he fumbled with the ends of his scarf. "My lord is a dark man. He walks a dark path. But, according to him, what I do is justifiable. You see, I kill to protect the many. I'm not hero, I'm definitely a bad guy, but I fight for good. Heh, I guess that makes me a bad good guy... if that's possible."

When the alert came across the intercom, Nieko chuckled. "Whatever should I do?" Raising a finger to his lips, he leaned forward. The sound of guards rushing to this area caused Nieko to roll his eyes.

"I don't want to do this, but if I don't, they'll kill you."

Thud!

Click.

The sound of held breath and the scent of sweat filled the air. Silence fell over the room as three guards gawked at the sight that played before him.

Head thrusting to the side to glare, Nieko's brows closed down toward the jade center of his eyes. With a little glare, the men left (with unspeakable thoughts).

Reaching backwards, the male picked up his shirt and held it in his hand for a second. Looking at Eleanor and her now exposed upper half, Nieko turned his head and handed the woman his shirt.

"Sorry, but I had to make this look like rape. You can keep my shirt. I'll grab another one later." His eyes trialed over to his scarf, which he threw against the wall.

Looking down at Eleanor's sprawled out legs, Nieko kissed his tooth with his tongue. "The things I would love to do to you."

Pulling his belt back on, Nieko looked at Eleanor. "I do believe they think you were naked, my dear." He grinned. "Can't say that thought won't be running through my mind today, but eh, at least I have a close enough view."

Tucking his nose down to where he behind rested, he laughed. "To think, I was going to blow your brains out earlier today. Glad I decided giving you another shot was better than death."

Sticking out a hand, he offered to help Eleanor off the mattress he just shoved her onto. Before the door had opened, Nieko removed her shirt and his own, thrust her against the mattress, and dug his own nails into his back (to make it look like she was struggling).

A smile followed. "Come on, Eleanor. You can trust me. I won't hurt you. Well, unless you want it rough." Winking, looked away and waited for her to take his hand.

Eleanor clung to the warm black shirt, her eyes wide, cheeks flushed from what had just happened. She didn't put it on though, knowing that the guards, doctors, and inmates would notice and she could get in a lot of trouble for that. Most guards, after punishing patients wouldn't do such a thing, it was too kind.

Nieko's hand just stayed suspended, offered out to her and for a while she just stared at it. They were just talking one minute, then he was warming her, then everything happened so fast. She didn't know what was going on. The talking was normal, she understood that seeing as it was what they usually did, but what she didn't get was the amount of interest he had taken in her. That isn't too say she wasn't interested in him, but he was a guard, he wasn't supposed to be like that.

He didn't really punish her though, and rather, his actions, though humiliating, saved both of them. Her head had been spinning from what had happened, not only by how fast it all occurred, but just the reaction her body had to the male. Just the smell of him was enough to cause her eyes to dilate, and the fact that thoughts of seeing him at night helped keep her sane. It was bad though, she could not like a guard, he could not like an inmate; such actions and feelings were against the rules and grounds for, well, she didn't want to know.

The images of what happened though, they were almost too intense for her to manage. When Nieko got up, his back to her for a moment, the sight of the nail marks made her wonder for a moment if those were really hers. She knew they weren't though, she had never touched the male.

Her eyes focused back on the hand that was extended out to her, then the shirt she held close to her body. Worrying her lower lip slightly, she sat up slowly and pulled the shirt on over her head. Her body was still shaking, but it was a feeling that Eleanor was used to. Running a dry tongue over cracking lips, she placed her hand in his and then asked, "Where are we going?"

At the sound of the commotion empty blue eyes looked up to see white coats running by furiously. Gneiss moved towards the bars and hoped to see what was going on. She wondered if Kage was alright. The blonde really hoped so. If something happened to her friend she wasn't sure what she would do. Perhaps make new friends or just stay empty as she was. The girl was tempted to slip out of her cell, but remained.
---
Schist saw the white coats running and heard the announcement. Grabbing his gun he ran past his sister's cell and was relieved to see that she was safe and sound in there. Hurrying along with guards he headed towards the scene of the crime.

"No idea. I suppose we should get you back in your cell before someone decides you're missing. Come on," yanking on her wrists, he pulled the woman from their private room.

His boots made shallow clicking noises with the floor. Glaring at his feet, he listened as his echo rang down the corridor. I can't get her there without someone hearing me. Frowning, he looked at Eleanor. "Sorry, but you'll have to follow my exact steps."

Slowly unlacing his black leather boots, Nieko wriggled his sock-covered toes as they meet their new-found freedom. Placing the knee-high boots against the dirty wall, Nieko raised his index finger to his mouth. While he was making the "shhhh" motion, his other hand coaxed the girl to move with him.

Walking backwards while on balls of his feet, Nieko could feel the darkness close around them. If they took a wrong step, the guards in the area would jump them. Knowing his fate would change to mimic Eleanor's, Nieko prayed that she would be as silent as he.

Each step he took was made without a sound. Not even the puddles of water rippled when he walked into them. Everything was still, especially the air around him. Mastering the art of silent breathing, Nieko stared intently at Eleanor as she moved slowly across the floor.

Making sure he was always taking the dry path, Nieko finally raised as hand to halt their movement. His ears twisted back some as his eyes opened wider.

Click. Click. Click, click, click.

Someone was coming. Rushing forward, making not a sound, Nieko's hands wrapped around Eleanor's mouth and nose. Bodies pinned against the wall, Nieko's feet were digging into the shallow grooves, which allowed them to stay as they were.

When a pair of guards crossed below them, Nieko could feel his scarf sliding. Holding his breath, he watched as the scarf dangled just above the head of the shorter guard. Pulling his chin closer to the ceiling that he was now latched onto, Nieko used his left arm to grab the scarf.

Keeping Eleanor immobile was harder than he first thought. His feet were tucked into removed bricks that were just at the upper base of the horizontal wall. His right hand had a death grip on the skylight bars and his left hand was balanced perfectly across his back. Nieko's teeth were biting on the same bars his hand held, and his body was flexed as it pinned Eleanor to the curved ceiling.

As the guards moved out of sight, Nieko released his feet. Eleanor's body slipped, but was quickly caught between his crossed legs. His feet were digging into her arm pits as his body trembled to support the new found weight.

Releasing the skylight bars, Nieko did a back-flip in mid air as his body fell due to gravity. However, being smarter than gravity, Nieko tucked his legs, which forced Eleanor's body to curl into a ball. Still in free fall, Nieko pushed Eleanor's body back into the air with his legs. As her body shot like a projectile back up at the ceiling, Nieko's arms flipped out in front of his head. Just gracing the ground, Nieko's fingertips soon received the male's full weight. Elbows bending and feet twisting behind him, Nieko flipped onto his toes.

A light patter was the only noise that came about this action.

Body still acting in slow motion, Nieko's eyes shifted up to Eleanor's body. Pushing back into a squat, Nieko's arms accepted Eleanor's body. His thighs absorbed the shock and the male's heels lightly pressed against the blood stained floor.

A smile appeared on his face as he looked at the woman who was now in his arms. "That was too close."

His eyes went dull for a second as he stared at the object before him. With a quiet sigh, he nodded her toward that direction. "Get in. I'll lock you up for the day and go back about my business."

Placing a kiss just above her right brow, Nieko stepped Eleanor backwards into her cage. "Sorry," he cooed to her as he closed the iron pen's door. Key moving into its slot, he latched it shut. "I'll be back later," he whispered.

Taking a step back, he finished his sentence by mouthing something. If Eleanor were able to read lips she'd have seen the word "love" play on his face.