“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”

“Do I really have to go? I’d rather just stay here, relax, and be loved by my subjects.”


“As in your ‘subjects’, are you referring to my plants?”


“Maybe. Is that a problem?”


“Not particularly, but I would have at least expected you to want to be loved by… you know… me?”


“Awe, is my Soi jealous?”


“I’m not jealous, Eva. If anything I’m urging you to go. No one really cares for it when you choose to ignore your duties, but I believe this might be a situation which you cannot avoid. Mother might even get upset with you if you just choose to ignore your ancient at a time like this.”


“Oh please, as if anyone really cares for Jayhe that much. I’m sure they’d laugh it off.” She paused for a moment. A sigh flowing from her lips as she rested into his lap, her place of safety above safety. She could feel the disapproving look on the back of her head. “Fine. Fine! If you think I should go I will. Although I planned on going anyway. It’s not like this is something I can very well ignore.”


Eva flinched ever so slightly as the familiar feeling of her partner’s hand resting on her head became all that mattered in that moment. The movement of her fingers through the tangles of her hair, the warmth which resonated off of them, she took in every single moment as she always did. “Good, you always manage to surprise me with how attentive you are while also being so standoffish.” Eva on the other hand sat contently for a moment with a face shaded in red before finally lifting her own hands to remove his gentle touch.


“Enough. I have things to do. Anymore than that and I’m not going to go.” She spoke as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone. Soivan was busy wondering who she would choose to call at a time like this, but the answer was clear the moment she leaned back against his chest and raised the phone to her ear. It only took a few seconds before, “Yeah, Jayhe. There’s no need to whine to me about it, I already know what’s happening… don’t bother, I’ll be going myself… yeah… I’m an Aikekunai so I don’t need anyone else! Fuck! Besides, it’s not like anything’s going to really happen! I’ll be there within the hour!” Seeing the small woman hang up the phone and throw it at the wall was both adorable yet increasingly violent, the plants shuffling over to devour the now shattered device, the only things in the area which were no doubt pleased with her anger.


“It’s okay, you’ll be fine. Will you be leaving now?” Soivan spoke as he gave the woman a tight hug.


“Yeah. The sooner I get there the sooner I can get this settled, I suppose. Then again I guess this is quite important. I planned to go anyway, even if I was told not to. I have a few things to check up on.” She twirled her head around, moving her hair aside as she looked Soivan directly in the face. She seemed nervous and that was more than enough to reveal what she wanted, the two of them sharing a kiss before she finally chose to stand to her feet. “I love you. I’ll be back when this is all over. Hopefully it isn’t going to be too much of a hassle.”


“I love you too. Take a few of my plants with you and try to have a bit of fun while you’re out there..”


“Thank you Soi. I won’t be gone for too long.”


Her exit was standard, the plants which would be accompanying her being ones that she had come to know well. Not that it was common to have them follow her around, rather she spent so much time with Soivan that it was becoming easier to tell them all apart. She had meant to ask him if they had names at some point and yet she always forgot to do it. When she found herself with Soivan all other things tended to no longer matter, and she wasn’t against admitting it entirely. It was for that reason she only accepted to have three of them escort her and she simply named them by number. However the moment she walked down the stairs and to her own home a whisper reached all of their ears.


“Ignore me.”


With it the plants almost seemed to not even register his very existence and yet Eva sighed as she looked across the room at her brother who was sitting in the edge of the countertop with a sandwich of what looked to be lettuce, tomato and possibly turkey. “Did you really have to do that? It’s not like Soivan doesn’t already know about you.”


“I know, but my job becomes easier when no one is constantly peering at me. Besides, it’s a simple order. They will still have their senses about them, but registering me just won’t be possible. Are we really going to do this? You know once we begin there won’t be any turning back. The events which will begin falling into place—”


“You don’t have to explain it to me. My entire life revolves around this… you should remember that.”


“I asked you once before and you never answered me. Do you believe Soivan’s feelings for you will remain after you’ve accomplished your goal? Do you believe everything will remain the same?”


Eva didn’t much care to change her clothing, instead choosing to simply change her slippers she had been wearing with a pair of tight fitting tactical boots, the same footwear which held the holster for her knife. A pair of loose fitting blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt with a black cardigan. It wasn’t often she prioritized comfort over everything else, but perhaps today was just one of those days. “I believe nothing will ever change between the two of us. That’s what the meaning behind being someone’s soulmate it, even if things do manage to change around it. Now then, enough questions. You just need to focus on being my shadow as always. Things are finally starting to move in an impactful way and of course there will be certain eyes who can’t resist. The name of our game is manipulation.”


“As terrifying as always. I’ll meet you there—”


“No need, open the path yourself. There’s no time to waste.”


“Of course, sister.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat before uttering a single phrase. “Open the path to my destination.” Eva watched on as his order was made apparent, the very fabric between the realms twisting and tearing apart at the sound of his order. It wasn’t even capable of being classified as a proper path. It looked more like a forced entry, a breach straight through the Prism and directly to where they needed to go, although the location on the opposite end was not their direct objective. “We will be entering around the edge of the area to  avoid dropping into the midst of things. While this is important, your protection is my main priority. Stay safe, stay out of trouble, and I will continue watching over you at all times.”


“Don’t talk to me like I don’t know what I’m doing. Come, let’s go”, she spoke to the plants which followed behind her through what seemed like a tear in reality. It always felt odd passing through this anomaly her brother was capable of creating. She could remember the first time it had happened, when he found himself incapable of traversing through realms as his very existence was being kept secret. It seemed more like a tantrum at first, but when the very realms began to heed his words things became clear. It was situation like that which made her believe her mother could see into the future. No doubt he was one of the most potent members of their family and a brother she could rely on. If only he could command the Void in the same way, he might have found himself holding onto too much power. “Alright. I’ll be counting on you.” She spoke as she turned to see her brother already gone, no doubt surveying the area before proceeding to shadow her. “Of course. Typical.”
He almost slipped and fell on his face, catching himself just before loosing his balance completely. He rubbed the frost from his arms before allowing his body the time to adjust, spending so much time with Shinzo taking its toll on his overall tolerance to the cold itself. However what was most important would be what had caused him to lose his balance in the first place. His eyes turning to Daenu who looked to be growing rather impatient with his lack of cooperation.


“There ain’t no chance in hell I’m gonna do what you’re askin of me this time. Just send your other ants out, let em stumble around in the dark trying to ‘look’ for somethin for ya. Maybe it’d be a bit of a lesson for you as to why it’s a terrible idea to fuck up the claimants who follow ye when someone else does you wrong.”


“Haden, this isn’t a matter up for debate. You either do it or you die.”


“Oh? That’s my ultimatum? Well why didn’t you say so. So how about this then, I’m gonna go to Rome and gun down every single thing I see move on sight! Let me tell ya, I ain’t gonna bother with playin nice with a bunch of people I don’t care about and you know it. So I’ll go, but it ain’t gonna be a different ordeal from my normal times out on the job.”


“How can you manage to be such a prick? I swear, I’ve given you far too much for you to act this way toward me every time we're together!”


“Well you give and you take now don’t ye?” he only managed to be getting angrier by the second which was a feat in its own right. As he tied his hair behind his head into a bun he reached into his pocket for his flask, but found nothing. “Well shite! I ain’t gonna bother with it mum, this crap is really gettin to me… I’ll go, but at this point it’s only because I’d feel sorry for whoever else would have to feel around the city of Rome in my place until they find whatever it is they’re lookin for… I’m an adaptable lad, Daenu. I don’t like questionin your choices too often, but this is surely one of those times where I’m gonna have to ask how long this is gonna go on? This is a prime situation in which I wouldn’t be a necessity if the majority of our house could see. I’d go as far as to say we’re all an adaptable lot just because of our situation, but I’m growin tired of seein everyone hobbling around here.”


Odd was the only proper way to describe this conversation. Imagine, he has no alcohol for the slightest moment and its enough to have him sober up the amount he needs to speak about something he cares about. He wasn’t lying however, while he was a disagreeable sort he rarely ever did seriously question the choices that Daenu made, just as rarely as he referred to her as his mother. It served twofold, accentuating his care for the rest of the house as well as his remaining disdain for the choice she had made long ago. It seemed he would never allow a moment to pass by without showing his lack of agreeance. Then again it was just the way he always was. Most importantly however it led this conversation to a close, as there was only one real way to end it without a transition into a massive argument… silence. The only thing worse than arguing Haden was arguing with sober Haden, after all.


“Is there anything else specific ya want out of this? I mean, other than me time?”


“If you could refrain from killing others that would make all of our lives easier. This honestly shouldn’t be any different from your normal type of work, aside from the amount of other houses which will be involved. Although none of them should be hostile. We don’t know who is sending who, so it is important that you don’t take any unnecessary actions. You could very well end up making an enemy that leads to your demise if you’re not careful.”


“I’ll keep that in mind, as if there are many people who could really give me that much trouble.” He spoke as he tucked in his shirt and moved his handgun from the back of his pants to the front. “Alright, I’m headin out. If ya find anyone else who can do this let me know. I still ain’t pleased about havin to go out here. I’d rather spend the fuckin time with someone else, but I suppose that’s too much to ask.”


“Be safe Haden. And try to behave, kiddo.”


“Aye, and you as well. I’m sure you’ve got some meetin to attend. Try not to get too heated, you know those assholes like to tease ya.”
The cold replaced with warmth, the biting wind now a slow breeze, a sigh escaped his lips as he reached into the pocket of his black slacks and retrieved a single fingerless brown leather glove. He placed the hem of the handwear between his lips as he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, taking his time to make certain that his glove was comfortably on his hand before reaching for his pistol and checking the firearms closely. Of course there was already one in the chamber, but sliding out the magazine would reveal it was already missing several bullets. “For fuck’s sake”, he muttered under his breath as he placed the item in his back pocket and retrieved another from his side pocket. Sliding the magazine into his favorite handgun was like a brief moment of pleasure and the moment he did he began walking down the road slowly with his eyes analyzing his surroundings attentively. Each step was careful and yet at the same time it was all for the wrong reasons, a gunshot echoing through the air as a nearby shop window shattered before he stepped inside of the dark building. The glass crunching beneath his feet, eyes sifting through the darkness before he found his mark. He only took the bottles with the highest alcohol content, emptying the contents of some into his flask while placing the others onto the bar for consumption.


Bottle after bottle he chugged down the contents of each as if they were incapable of really doing anything for him, but ever so slowly were they finally starting to give him the buzz he was looking for. From one bottle to the next, he would lift the beverages and cool them to a proper temperature before consuming them entirely. At this point it wasn’t as much a means to regain his normal drunken state, but rather for his own enjoyment before no doubt having to deal with others. However the sound of approaching footsteps gave way to the realization that he might have to deal with an annoyance earlier than anticipated.


He hadn’t expected someone to come to the location of a gunshot, but then again everyone present was no doubt looking for clues as to where they should begin or what they should be looking for outside of the location Echowix herself had chosen to appear. Was this person planning to attack? It was clear that he wasn’t going to be the only hostile person present, but he certainly was not expecting to come across another so soon. Only someone who was looking for a fight would approach combat or the sound of gunshots in a city supposedly occupied by no conscious entities other than claimants. Well, that or someone who was out of their mind. It was for that reason he chose to disregard putting his hand on his gun and instead prepared to outright freeze whoever chose to come into view. His greatest fear would be Le’eroy, his hope being that he was left back home because of his wild nature, but the moment he spotted the figure rounding the corner he remembered the other two categories he had left out of who might be bold enough to just go around approaching anyone and everyone they found.


Confidence and friendliness.


“I thought I would have found you if I followed the sound of a gunshot. You’re terrible, stealing the moment you get the opportunity from these poor people.” Just hearing the woman speak was a terrible omen and a warning to watch his step. Cyva of all people. It wasn’t until that very moment that he had really taken Daenu’s warning seriously. He was close to making an enemy of unparalleled consequence and he had barely arrived!


“As if you have the right to talk to me like that, rabbit. I wasn’t expectin to see ya here. Aren’t you one of the children of chaos and all that? I know you’re not just here to give me an earful, are ye?”


“How kind of you to offer, now pour me a drink if you don’t mind.”


“Just as bossy as ever. I don’t know how Gahbreal puts up with ye. Now that I think of it, ain’t the wolf stalkin around here somewhere? Seein you here I’d almost guess he’s right around the feckin corner.”


“He’s dealing with business of his own, as usual.” She spoke as she watched him pour a freshly chilled beverage into a glass before handing it over to her. “ Verin and… someone else are here in his stead. I’m here on my own bit of business as well.” She took a sip of the drink as Haden chuckled to himself.


“Always the secretive type, aren’t we? Alright, I ain’t gonna pry. Let sleepin wolves lie was it? At least you ain’t after me head.”


“Indeed… actually, we should travel together. It would benefit us both in the long run, would it not? Besides, I think it will be fun. We can catch up on lost time. I’m sure you have lots to tell me about Shinzo.”


This was odd. Cyva was certainly the friendly sort, but this was a little too friendly. It was almost as if she were attempting to have him trust her more than normal. As if he didn’t already trust her. Then again she was never the sort to go behind people’s backs unless it were completely necessary. If anything she were possibly planning to just order him around while they were out here. However she was right about one thing, it would certainly be easier for them to work together for the time being. Luckily she had happened to be the first person he ran into and no doubt one of the few people who was actually present. There were only going to be few in his opinion who were bold enough to come directly to the area without taking caution on their approach, but for him he couldn’t be bothered to care for conflict when he could just end it with violence. Cyva on the other hand was most likely brought there by Gahbreal, and if that were the case it would be stupid to try attacking her. However the Aikekunai was getting ahead of himself. From what Daenu had said everyone was at least planning to stay neutral.


Cyva finished her drink, an attempt at warding off the edge that followed this assignment. It was her plan to deal with this as easily as possible and for the most part that would have been fine. However, now that Gabi was present, she had a completely different objective as well as the current one. She knew her daughter well, knew all of her tendencies, but most importantly she knew her temperament. She had to be prepared to help Gabi as soon as the need arose. Her daughter was always prone to conflict and if she were here it would be wise to assume she might very well start some form of conflict. This didn’t however mean she could follow her around, Gabi’s sense of smell would just give her away. Because of this it would be best to keep her distance yet be prepared to move at any time.


“Alright, fuck it, let’s get movin. I’ll follow your lead since I know you ain’t gonna let it be any other way, lass. So where are we off to?”


“Well first we should survey the area, make sure nothing strange is going on before going directly to where Echowix showed herself. While I’d rather go straight to the destination I also would rather keep from being blindsided by some unknown variable…”


“Le’eroy?”


“Indeed. If Lunia does send him out here then he’s bound to fight someone. I'd rather it not be us.”