Getting into Trouble

[Demeter]

Dream blinked at how...normal Rhystic looked with his shirt unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up. Normally, whenever she saw him, Rhystic looked every inch a Custos lord but this just made him look so much more approachable. When he coughed, Dream jumped and grinned. "Sorry, just distracted about how normal you look at the moment. I don't have a question."

Dream sat down in one of the chairs on the opposite side of Rhystic's desk. "I don't know how much you know about Reapers but our shifts, if you will, last for days. I'm back on shift tomorrow, so I'll be gone for a couple of days. Then I get a week off and then I go back on shift. I naturally get a few days off during the shifts but you won't be seeing much of me for a while. We're kinda low on staff at the moment."

While she waited for a response from Rhystic, Dream looked around the office, never really having had the chance to get a close look at the room before.

***

Syn grinned. She was asked the question of how she was a long distance member of a northwest kindle. "Well, I'm based out of the Boston area but about a hundred years or so ago I was out here, working on a case that required me to be a saloon. Got into a fight with a cat and I didn't think that it was anything more then a normal cougar. Got the shock of my life the next morning when the then kindle leaders showed up at my tent. I didn't want to change my life around so the leaders agreed that I could be a long distance member if I pledged my loyalty to them in any sort of casework. My deity agreed and I said sign me up."

Syn glanced over at Cas. "What about you, how did you end up a general to that guy. Just give me the basics, casual talk. If anything, your boasting about your accomplishments to the pretty girl," Syn grinned. "Just as a cover to any of those evesdropper."

[Shinigami]

Rhystic raised a brow as the woman simply stared at him, looking him over. It seemed to him that she was taken by surprise over the fact that he wasn't currently dressed to the nines as usual. He coughed a bit to get her attention, and once she snapped out of it she revealed that it was, in fact, because he was more casual looking than normal. He simple shook his head, muttering to himself that she should see him when he wasn't eye-deep in work.

When she sat in one of chairs across from his desk he gave her his full attention, wondering what on earth she could want if she didn't have another question. Then she mentioned her job as a Reaper. He was a bit intrigued, as he never knew much about how they did their jobs - other than escorting the dead to their proper place, that is. He thought on her words a moment. While he was glad they would have times where they would have a rather good excuse not to see eachother for a few days, he was wondering how bothersome his father would be on the days she was at the house.

He tucked a hand up under his chin, propping his head up. "Well, it seems we won't be forced to spend too much time with eachother than. My father may be a bit more pushy with the two of us when you are here, though, so I would prepare yourself for that. When do you leave tomorrow?" The question took him by surprise. Did he really care when the woman he was being forced to marry left his home? Maybe it was asked so he would know when he would have true peace and quiet? Yes, that was it. And he would have the opportunity to try and speak with Kura again.

*** ((ooc:... I almost forgot about Cas when I posted this, lol))

Caspian nodded politely as Syn explained her kindle situation, though why he was being polite was beyond him. Though, it may have had something to do with the fact that she would be finding the information he had been longing for since he was a boy. He was known for being polite when he was getting what he wanted, after all.

He smirked at the woman's suggestion, and it didn't seem like a bad idea at all. At least that way she could get some information without it seeming too odd a conversation topic. "I was orphaned as a boy, and found myself in the charge of Iki-Ryo, who began to train me. I was getting restless, so he sent me off to the Lord that seemed to fit me best, which was Marrus, though Rhystic runs his army. I was only 17 then, and I became a general soon after, as Rhystic seemed to like my rather vicious nature."

It was true, he had always been quite vicious, especially to their newest recruits. And when he was out of Hell and about on the streets he was always worse, though then he goes looking for trouble.

[Demeter]

Dream grinned. "I'm pretty much antisocial the day after I get off a shift. I'll come back snarling at every living and, if my time goes absolutely horrid, and smelling to high heaven from being shoved into yet another resturant dumpster. You'd be amazed at how many angels fall a day. Over stupid things."

Dream stopped, rewound that conversation in her head and whinced. "Sorry, I'll be gone by six in the morning and won't return for two days, this time. I get two days off and then I'll be gone for four then another week off. That's how my shifts work. And I'm always on call. It's not really a glamorous job. That's all so I'll be off now."

Dream waved to Rhystic and scampered out of his office and went back to her room. She curled back up on her bed and sighed. Nap time before work. Hours later, some time between three and four in the morning, After a quick shower, Dream unzipped the garment back flopped over one of the chairs. Inside was her supply of her reaper robes, dark grey in color and edged in a bloody red color. After donning a pair of jeans and tank top, Dream put the robe on, pulled her long, white hair forward and flipped the hood up. Grabbing up the case that not only held her collection of staffs but a couple changes of clothes, Dream left her new room and went to work.

***

Syn smirked at the idea of Cas being a vicious man. She could see it in him. She wasn't a vicious woman but she knew how to wreck havoc. "Yeah, it seems that he would like that in a general. So, you are a vicious general. Very nice. Any past times, weird habits, odd memories, or strange birthmarks?"

Syn grinned at him. She liked being nosy. That habit of her's was the reason why she was so good at doing what she did. "Very impressive, by the way, becoming a general at a young age. You're definatly impressing the girl walking next to you but expect no simpering."

[Shinigami]

Rhystic was not very pleased to hear about what kind of a mood Dream would be in when she came back. He wasn't looking forward to dealing with her much on a normal day, let alone one where she was snarling at everything... or smelling horrible. Though, he figured if she smelled he would a valid, even if it was rude, excuse to avoid her for as long as possible when she came back.

He was suprised to hear she would be leaving so early in the morning. For whatever reason he didn't think anyone would do something bad enough to Fall that early in the morning, but there were other places in the world with different time zones to consider... He was actually going to ask her if she ever dealt with Fallens from other countries, but she promptly finished her explaination and moved to leave.

Rhy nodded as she quickly left. He figured the question wasn't important enough to ask, anyway. Rhystic sighed and returned his attention back to his computer to finish up what little work he had. Once that was finished he retreated to his own room. He planned out a few ways to approach Kuraku and how to get a response out of her instead of her simply ignoring him, but soon got frustrated with that and settled in to read a bit on the couch. He woke up around 7am, still on the couch with sore muscles and a stiff neck from the position he had been sleeping in. He wandered the halls a bit before heading towards the kitchen for some breakfast related food, realizing that Dream must have been gone already. He found the house eerily quiet...

***

Caspian gave a chuckle at Syn's line of questions after his finished his bit of story. He thought a moment. Did he have any weird habits or odd memories? Other than what he had been forced to do... no, there was nothing else there. If there was, he had blocked it out long ago. And as for birthmarks... "Well, if you count my family crest as a birthmark, then yes, I have a rather strange looking birthmark."

He smiled at Syn, finding her company rather amusing. He took on a bit of a hauty look for a moment when she mentioned that she was impressed with the fact that he made general so young. It was as if he was fanning his feathers like a peacock, and he did enjoy showing off. He laughed when she told him she wouldn't simper for him. "That's good then. Simpering women never really impressed me much."

The exit they would be using to get out of Hell was coming into view, to Caspian's relief. "There, up ahead, is the exit we're looking for. Soon you'll be able to meet up with your kindle." And then they'd get to talk about more important matters...

[Demeter]

Dream stalked down the halls of Rhystic's home, bag of lemons clutched in hand and her case in the other. She was tweleve hours overdue to return from her shift all because some uppity little fallen angel thought she could outwit a entire platoon of Reapers. And to top her shift off, when they finally cornered the fallen, she'd fought back and Dream had been dumped into a resturant dumpster. It had taken seven reapers alone to haul the fallen, shackled, bounded, and gagged, down to the sixth layer where they turned the fallen over to a smirking Lady Meris. Dream wasn't quite sure what had earned the fallen that layer but she was ure that Meris would drag it out of her eventually.

Grateful that she passed no one in the halls, Dream ducked into her own room. Considering that it was the middle of the day, she was suprised that no one crossed her path. Once she kicked her door shut, Dream walked towards the bathroom, stripping out of her clothing as she went. After showing, and using the lemons to remove the smell of rotting food from her hair and flesh, Dream dressed in a pair of ripped up and worn out jeans an a black tanktop. She left her hair loose.

Barefoot, she went down to Rhystic's office, considering it a polite thing to do to let him know she was finally back. She knocked on his door and then poked her head in through the door. "Hi," she waved to the people in the room. "I'm back. I'm gonna go eat something and then sleep." Dream shut the door behind her and went down to the kitchen where she slapped together a sandwich. She boosted herself up on the counter, crossed her legs at the knee and procedded to munch on her sandwhich.

***

"It's a good thing that refuse to be a simpering twit then." Syn grinned. "My name is actually Sybil and I'm sure you atleast heard my mother when she came to visit me. She lives up on the second level and her biggest goal was to turn me and my twin in simpering twits. My dad gave up when he caught me and Vhea plucking a chicken. Well, she was going the plucking while I was sharpening the butcher knife."

When the exit came into view, Syn gave a little bounce. "No offense but I can't wait to get out of here. So, wanna get something to eat while we wait?"

[Shinigami]

The servants had all been careful to clear the halls when they could and if they had work to be done out in the open they made sure to be quick about it. This left the halls quiet, except for the wing where the majority of the offices were located. From time to time yelling could be heard, mostly a female, but every so often the tone of the future Lord, Rhystic, could be heard from quite a distance.

The two were currently glaring at eachother after a rather loud yelling match. Kuraku was still pissed off about Rhystic being forced to marry Dream, and Rhy was utterly frustrated in explaining to Kura that he had no choice. He had told her time and time again that whether he was married to Dream or not, Kura was still his daughter, but she never listened. He opened his mouth in preparation to say something, but the door opened and he scowled when he saw who it was.

Kuraku had been avoiding her father for a while now, but that all ended when he cornered her the day Dream left. Since then they'd been arguing, yelling at eachother like they never have before. Kura blamed Dream for it all, so when the woman popped her head into the room curled her lip up in a snarl. She announced that she was home and her intentions, almost as if it were -her- home already. That only angered Kura more, and after Dream closed the door she shot Rhy a glare and left the room herself, slaming the door behind her.

Rhy growled, not knowing if he was more pissed of or more frustrated. Marrus had ordered him to take a few days off, but he had spent the past couple hiding in his office anyway. Once Kura stalked out of his office and slammed he door he gave a shout of frustration, throwing the door open on his own way out. He marched down the halls towards the kitchen, intent on having a word with Dream and startling a few of his officers on the way by, mainly because no one outside of his family ever saw him in a t-shirt, jeans, and a simple pair of sneakers.

When he finally pushed his way through the kitchen door he had to pace a moment before he could stop and look at the woman so casually perched on the counter. He took a breath. "You couldn't have possible thought of knocking? I just got Kura to actually respond instead of ignoring me, and now she'll be right back to avoiding me again!" He growled, throwing himself down in one of the chairs that belonged to a small breakfast table and dropped his head in his hands, trying to calm himself down.

***

Caspian had certainly remembered hearing Syn's mother, most did when she came to visit. He couldn't help but let out a roll of laughter when Syn, or Sybil, described her and sister plucking a chicken. He was quite impressed, and more so when he heard Syn was actually the one preparing the knife. He spoke with a bit of a wicked smile. "Now, you two sound like my kind of girls."

Cas smirked when Syn was so eager to leave. "No offense taken. I don't even live in Hell, and if it weren't for being a general of Rhystic's I'd probably never be here." He was most certainly up for food, and he figured they'd get at least some privacy at a sandwhich shop or restaurant. At least there he could intimidate people into pretending they aren't even there instead of -attracting- eavesdroppers. "Getting something to eat sounds great. Do you have anything in mind?"

[Demeter]

Dream stared at Rhystic, watching as he collaoposed on the table. She really had to remember that the Deluge boys grew up in a very different home then the Delorme girls. Fighting had been an almost constant soundtrack when she was growing up, weither it was between her parents, her parents and her siblings or just her siblings. They thought nothing of barging in after giving a polite knock. "Er, sorry about that. I did knock but you two must not have heard the knocking over the yelling. And I'm sorry about Kura. I never meant for her to hurt in all of this but I'm not going near her for a while. She'll probably bite my head off. It's not like we have any choice in the matter. I know that my father means well, but if he would just back off. What if I don't want to get married? Doesn't he know me by now? He should understand my choices." By the time she finished her little speech, Dream realized that she'd wandered off topic. "I could try to talk to her, if you wanted. Maybe hearing the story from someone else would help?"

Dream really didn't know Kura all that well so she figured she'd send out feelers through Rhystic. She didn't really know Rhystic all that well but she'd been around him more.

Dream chewed on her turkey sandwich, glancing over Rhystic. This was the second time she'd seen him so relaxed, dressed very causally. "In good news, this will be last time you have to see him for the next twelve hours. I'm going to sleep and I'll sleep like the dead. I just spent the last twelve hours chasing a fallen around 20 blocks of backallies." Dream stared at her sandwich again and then randomly added. "I got shoved into another resturant dumpster. I don't smell like rotten meat to you, do I?"

***

Syn glanced around the immediate area and then pointed at a little diner. "Over there is fine. I feel like something utterly unheathly." After entering the diner, sliding into a corner both and ordering, Syn pulled out a pad of paper and pen. "Alright, now to get down to business. What do your remember?"

She scribbled down the facts he'd already given her, his family crest as his odd birthmark and so on. As he talked, she scribbled down in a style of shorthand that only she could read. Once he was done, Syn looked up. "So, should I come back next week and tell what I know at that point or how should we work this?"

[Shinigami]

Rhy looked up when Dream began to speak, tilting his head to side when she mentioned she had knocked and trying to remember if he had heard a noise during their last fight or staring match. He had been rather involved in it, so he figured he could have missed it. When she mentioned talking to Kuraku he snorted. While it may not be such a bad idea for her to hear about the situation from somewhere else, putting the two women together was just asking for trouble. However, he decided to add his own two cents about the marriage issue. "Well, you're father may not know you well enough, but mine knows me all too well. He knew I wanted to get married, eventually. Though he should have known better than to choose for me."

He propped his elbow up on the table, holding his head up with his hand. "And if you're thinking about talking to Kura, I would wait until at least tomorrow. And even then you should keep a weapon on you, she carries poison dipped daggers, and the lord only knows what poisons she chose this week. And she's quick, and good with close range.." He was quite proud of the girl's fighting skills, as he's taught her himself. Though, he preferred to use a longer range weapon.

Dream spoke about how lucky he was that she'd be off to sleep, but he suddenly realized that he was relaxed. Far too relaxed just speaking with this woman than he had been around anyone in ages, and he was almost sad to hear she'd be dead to the world for so long. Almost. He'd never admit it aloud, but he liked having someone that wasn't part of his family to speak to so casually. When she asked if she smelled like rotten meat he couldn't help but crack a smile. "I have a half a mind to tell you that you do, but no. No stench of rotten meat. Infact... is that lemons I smell?"

***

Caspian was in full agreement on her choice of food. The unhealthier it was the better it always tasted, and he was active enough to not have to worry about what he ate effecting him much anyway. He smirked when she got right into after the waiter and wandered away. That was replaced by a serious expression as he thought back on what he remembered. There were four men, a father and his three sons. I remember them calling him father, anyway. They were asian, though I don't know what specific nationality. They kept saying the word "imouto" a lot. The sons, that is. The father didn't say much of anything."

He and brought the drawing he had made of their family crest and fished it out of his back pocket. He straightened it out, looking it over one more time to make sure it was truely drawn as he remembered it before sliding it across the table. "That's their family crest. I'll never forget it. They carved it into my father's shoulder before they killed him."

((ooc - poor Cas *pets*. And for reference, imouto means little sister in japanese.))

[Demeter]

Dream perked up at the mention of poison. While she wasn't as knowledgeable about poisons as her sister Dream enjoyed their many uses. Belladonna was content to hide out in the basements of her father's houses, growing hybrid plants and breeding poisonous snakes and other animals. She did, though, brew special poisons for the family. "Hey, Rhystic," she cooed as she hopped off the counter. The idea of Kura liking poison tipped weapons had just given her an idea. "Would Kura like it if she got her own speical brand of poison? Not from me, of course, but from you, to ease the tension between you two. I don't know if you know my sister, Belladonna, but she specializes in poisons. She's taken over my father's basements with her experiements and animals."

Dream grinned and leaned against the counter. "Thank you for being honest. I hate resturant dumpsters. Well, think on the poison idea. Bella would probably jump at the chance to create something new. Just the other day she was dancing around because her Black Mamba was breeding."

Dream headed for the doorway. She paused and looked over her shoulder. "Hey, thanks for the warning about Kura. Think on the poison idea. I don't want this to be hard on her and well, you're her father. I don't want to break that up. I'll see you later, Rhystic."

***

Syn pulled the drawning towards her, studied it for a moment and then tucked it under her pad of paper. "And that is all your remember? When did this-" Syn broke off when the waitress returned with their food. She waited until the woman with teased hair wandered down a few booths. "Sorry, when did this happen?" She asked while smearing mayo on her sandwich as she was convinced that no one ever put enough on sandwichs.

Holding the sandwich up with one hand, Syn continuted to scribble. "Lastly, what's your phone number? I'm going to assume that you'll want updates on this."

[Shinigami]

When Dream addressed him he looked at her with a bit of suspicion. He'd heard that tone from others before, and that usually meant they were up to something. So long as it didn't end up annoying him, or backfiring on him, however, he was in mood to listen. When she mentioned gifting Kura poisons he perked up. "Really? She dabbles with making her own as well, but I've heard rumors about Belladonna, and Kura has as well. She would be quite excited to get her hands on a creation of hers..."

Rhy blinked a bit when Dream thanked him for being honest. It wasn't every day he heard that, especially from someone who was part Angel. Though, usually the kind of honesty he shared with Angels was such that no one would have appreciated it. He smirked as he talked on about Bella, and then was surprised again when Dream thanked him for the second time, then proceeded to show a level of caring he hadn't expected from her.

Rhystic couldn't say anything, only nodding as Dream took her leave of the kitchen. He was a little shocked at how amicable they had managed to be together. He was also a bit surprised at how much the woman seemed to care. Especially about his relationship with Kuraku. She was practically a stranger after all, and one that was being forced into a marriage with him. He had a hard time admitting to himself just how much that care meant to him. After all, he had always said he would only marry a woman who thought about Kura as well...

***

Cas eyed the waitress, partly because he was annoyed she was interrupting and partly a silent warning that his burger better be right. He liked his as rare as the restaurant would allow, and as he checked it, it seemed this little diner made it just right. Caspian waited to take a bite until the woman wandered away and Syn was able to finish her question. "I was 8 so... 14 years ago."

He took a rather large bite out of his burger just as Syn asked what his phone number was. Cas put the burger down and finished chewing what he had before giving Syn his number. "That's my home phone, so I'll be the only one to to pick up."

[Demeter]

Dream, after talking with Bella about the idea of brewing Kura her own poison, flopped onto her bed. Her weapons case was open and leaning against the wall and her favored dagger hidden under her pillow. Logically, she knew she was safe in Rhystic's house but that didn't erase any of her illogical fears. Dream curled up on her bed, one hand wrapped around the dagger.

Dion stalked towards Rhystic's house. She'd already ripped her father a new one, she intended to do the same with Marrus because he damn well knew. And neither had thought to tell Rhystic; something about Dream trusting him enough to spill. The girl didn't even give all the details to her family, what made them think she'd give all the details to Rhystic?

Dion pounded on the front door, growling. There was no way she was letting this go any further without telling Rhystic because the gods knew that Dream wasn't going to tell him and someone needed to. "I'm not here for me, or you or Tobin," she said to Rhystic when he opened the door. "I'm here to tell you a very important piece of information regarding Dream, one that you should know. She was kidnapped, raped, and held for a week when she was nine." Dream stood on the front porch, tapping her foot and waiting for her brother-in-law to respond.
***
Syn scribbled the number down. "Nice to know. So, I'll get started on this within the next two days. It will be easier to get information if I stayed here so I'm going to have to find a cheap apartment and hunker down there while I track this information down. It should take long to start gathering the information. Something like this would have been written down."

Syn nibbled on one of the fries that came with her lunch. "I have one last question for you, it will help to localize my search. Did the "incident" take place here or down in Hell?"

[Shinigami]

Rhy hadn't stayed in the kitchen long after Dream left. Instead, he decided to ditch his shoes and take his little vacation from work a bit more serious. After kicking off his shoes in his room he set out to wander the halls and find something to amuse himself with. He had always remembered it being that easy when he was a child, but as an adult, there just weren't that many interesting things to do anymore. He was thrown off his course of aimless wandering when he heard pounding on the front door. He glanced back towards his own quaters, quite certain that Dream (who was the only person he had ever had bang on the door like that) was already comatose.

Rhystic opened the door and his eyes widened when he saw Dion, his brother's wife and the one usually responsible for threatening his safety on a regular basis. Before he could demand to know what she was doing there, she began to speak, effectively cutting him off. As she continued his eyes widened even further before narrowing in fury. He wasn't sure who he was more angry with, Lord Darius or his own father. He pulled Dion inside by her arm, and kicked the door closed behind her. "Follow me." Was all he managed to growl out before he stalked towards his personal study and library.

He stormed into the room and immediately started to pace, bitching aloud about his father. "I can't believe that old bastard! He had to have known! That arrogant.." His voiced trailed off again, but picked back up as he was mocking his father "'She could probably help you AND Kuraku'. Didn't he think that was important for me to know?!" He stopped his pacing and sat back against the arm of a small couch set up in the room, looking up at Dion.

He was going to kick himself for this later, he was sure, because he knew Dion wouldn't hesitate to tell at least her immediate family, but he was going to tell her anyway. At least it would rid her of the confused expression on her face. He wanted her good and angry again so he could set her loose on his father. "No one in the family but my father, and now Dream, know about this, but I have a daughter. She's not mine by blood, but she was orphaned after a year of being held, tortured, and raped. She was 8 when they let her go, and I took her in as my own."

***

Caspian nodded, glad to hear she would be sticking around. That way he could meet with her instead of talking over the phone if they found it neccessary to do so. He knew some of the incident was on record, and suddenly remembered to warn her to be careful. "I would use caution with this, though. I know for a fact that at least part of it is on record. Lord Marrus and Rhystic went after the family that murdered mine personally. It was more as a show of power to keep their hold, but still. Rhystic always told me it was handled and to mind my business, and I was never able to find the records myself."

When Syn mentioned that she had one more question he was a bit curious as to what it was. They had gone over everything that he could think of. "Ah.. well, I don't know if it'll be of much help, but it happened in Hell."

[Demeter]

Dion sat in one of the chairs, watching as Rhystic paced and ranted about his father. When he explained about Kuraku, she knew her eyes at widened but then she thought about it and grinned. "So, you'll be able to understand her. And as to the not telling you about Dream, they assumed that you two would learn to trust each other and she'd tell you all about it. I fail to see how that plan would work if she doesn't tell her whole family all of the details."

Dion went on to tell Rhystic what she knew about Dream's rape and kidnapping. Before she left, Dion looked at Rhystic. "Promise me that you'll be gentle with her, Rhystic. I doubt that she ever been kissed, much less anything else, other then by anyone in the family. Just...be gentle with her, Rhystic."

***

After she'd found a cheap apartment, and installed her own brand of security, Syn got to work. First, she learned all she could about Cas' family and she started tracking down that crest. That wasn't an easy task. It took the majority of two weeks to finally track it down. In the dusty basement in a hall of records in hell. By nowing just where the attack on Cas' family had occured, she'd been able to localize her search for information and it had paid off.

She'd been covered in a shower of dust and parchment when she'd shouted "yes!" to no one in particular. And then she set about finding all about that family and from there it all unraveled. And she called Cas. And got his answering machine. Scowling, Syn quickly rattled off her phone number and that she'd found out some important information.

[Shinigami]

Rhystic shook his head, now knowing that if they had expected Dream to trust him enough to tell him, they would have been sorely mistaken. Kuraku even acted as though Rhy didn't know about anything before he took her in, just thinking about it was enough to send her into histerics sometimes, and they thought Dream would eventually tell him? A man she didn't even want to marry?

When Dion stood to leave, Rhy did as well. It was an old gentlemanly habit that had been practically beaten into him since he was a young boy, so it was an unconcious action. Dion shocked him with her request, however, freezing him in place. He managed to speak before she slipped out. "I wouldn't dare touch her. At least not unless I was sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it was what she wanted. I'm not the monster I've appeared to be over the years, Dion."

***

Caspian had finally escaped the clutches of Rhy's first general, Kuraku, who had been in a horrible mood since her argument with "daddy." While Cas was considered a general, she technically had rank over him, and therefore for could order him to do her bidding (to a certain extent). He collpsed on his couch, so happy to be home, to have the opportunity to sleep, that he didn't noticed the little flashing light on his answering machine.

He eventually picked himself up to lock the apartment up and shut the lights off when he noticed the message left on his machine. Cas' eyes widened when he heard Syn's voice. It had been about two weeks or so since he'd last seen her, and he really hadn't expected her to come up with much if anything, but it seemed she had gotten a good bit of information by her tone. It was late, but he couldn't help snatching the phone up and dialing the number as she rattled it off on the message. He'd leave his own message if he had to.

[Demeter]

"I know you're not a monster, Rhystic, I just find harrassing you to be a great stress reliever." Dion grinned at her brother in law from over her shoulder. "And thank you for understanding, Rhystic, we may not like each other but this isn't about either of us. It's about Dream. Just, be gentle with her. She's like a rabbit, ready to run at any moment."

Dion grinned one more time before she left Rhystic to go in search of her father-in-law and rip him up one side and then down the other.

Dream yawned and reached for the blaring alarm clock set on the bedside table. Twelve hours was seriously not enough sleep after chasing a stubborn fallen around for who knows how long. She dragged herself out of bed, pull on the pair of jeans she'd been wearing earlier and a old, bagging sweatshirt and went in search of food and something to read. After munching on a handful of pretzels,her family often complained that she didn't eat enough to fill up a bird, Dream found herself in a library.

She ran her fingers over the spines of the books, looking to see if there was anything interesting when some noise, the creak of leather, startled her. She turned around, whirling more like it, and pressed her back against the bookshelf. Her right hand was behind her back, the fingers wrapped around the hilt to the dagger she'd sheated and stuffed into the back pocket of her jeans.

When she saw Rhystic lying on a sofa. "Oh, it's you. Scared the daylights out of me."

[Shinigami]

Rhystic scowled at the woman, a little annoyed at being her stress relief, but he figured that was better than actually being considered and enemy of hers. He had seen some of what Dion was capable of, and he didn't particularly want to mess with her. Let alone that her daughter, Saiyuri, had almost castrated him the last time he had shown his face in his brother and sister-in-law's home.

His expression returned to a neutral, if not a bit softer, one when she thanked him again. Nodding in agreedment before she left. Even though the coversation hadn't been that long, it was an exhausting subject, mentally. Not only did it bring up memories from when Kura was a young girl, but it also forced him to realize that he was starting to grow fond of Dream. At least as someone to speak candidly with, if nothing more, and he didn't wish to chase her off so much anymore.

Rhystic groaned and let himself flop back on the rather comfortable sofa. Not long after he had laid himself down, he dozed off. He was possitive he hadn't fallen too deeply asleep or for too long, but the next thing he knew he could hear unfamiliar noises and sense the pressence of someone else in the room. He bolted upright, causing the sofa to creak as he got up, and almost snatched a letter opener off the near-by table until he realized it was only Dream. He relaxed, letting out a breath.

"Quite frankly, you scared the daylights out of me, as well. I didn't realize just how sound a sleep I had fallen into, and I'm not used to anyone else using this room." Just then he realized that if Dream was awake than her twelve hour sleep was over, which would make it well into dinner time. "Have you eaten yet?"

[Demeter]

Dream relaxed and forced her fingers to unwrap themselves from the dagger. It was only Rhystic and he wasn't going to hurt her, probably. She shook her head. "I had a handful of preztles, if that counts." Dream leaned back against the shelving. "I'm just looking for something good to read. Got any suggestions?"

Dream turned and stared at the titles. "What about you, have you eaten anything?" Dream started to edge away, her eyes soaking in the titles of the books. "Um, how have you been? Other then the Kura thing, that is? Cause thats obviously giving you some problems and I'm really sorry for ruining the progess you'd been making between the two of you. I never meant to do that."

Dream sat down in a wing back chair tucked into a corner and drew her barefeet up to the cushion, curling into the rich blue fabric. She looked over at Rhystic and smiled.

***

Syn decided that tracking down Cas' address would be easier then calling him back. He'd had to leave a message and then she'd left another message. Knocking on his door was either hit or miss, much like a phone, but, in light of recent developments, she figured it would be better to face him straight on. And finding the address was easy enough, she enjoyed her work just a little too much at times.

Syn walked up to Cas' door and knocked. "Come on, Buddy, be home or be on your way home. You don't need to hear this over the phone."

[Shinigami]

Rhy sighed and shook his head. A hand full of pretzels was not enough to count as a meal, and he didn't want to face Dion's retribution if Dream started to wither away while she lived with him. "A hand full of pretzels doesn't count. That's hardly a snack, let alone a meal. And I guess any one of these books would be a suggestion. At least out of the one's I've finished. This is my personal collection of books, so I like them all."

He watched as she looked over the books, and answered her question. "No, I haven't. That's why I asked. I was wondering if you'd like to join me." He blinked at himself, glad Dream was turned away and couldn't see the shocked look on his face from his own words. He hadn't realized he wanted to spend that much time with her, but especial after he'd heard of her past, he found he did.

Rhystic began to worry a bit when she, quite obviously, began to edge towards the far corner of the room, asking him how he was and awkwardly mentioning Kura. What was wrong? Had he really frightened her that badly? She didn't seem the type to frighten like that. He hestitating to answer until she had curled herself up in a chair. "I seem to be doing a bit better than you at the moment. And don't worry about Kuraku and I. I drew her out of her shell once before, I can do it again. Though, I think that poison idea would help, if you would be willing to talk to Bella..." He also hesitated with his last question, but in the end he couldn't help asking it. "How are you? You seem edgy...."

***

Caspian had been out late, trolling the streets for entertainment. He had dealt with insolent soldiers all day, and he had needed to draw some blood and relieve his stress. He had a red welt on his jaw from his play, which was basically starting bar fights in the seediest bar he could find, and it would eventually turn into a bruise. He stomped up the stairs to the floor his apartment was on, and trudged down the hallway. His head was down as he searched his pockets for his key, and as he found it he looked up towards his door.

He stopped when he saw someone standing there and his eyes widened when he saw who it was. "Syn, what are you doing here? I figured you would just call me back." He was a little leery of her news if she felt the need to personally come to his house, which she would have had to look up as he never gaver her his address. He stepped up and unlocked the door, opening it and ushering her in before closing, and locking, the door behind them. "What did you find out?"

[Demeter]

Dream uncurled herself from the chair. "Sorry, just bad dreams I guess." She liked to pretend that she'd put her kidnapping behind her but fast movements made by other people freaked her out. Most of her family moved slowly when around her. "I probably didn't sleep well or something. Nothing to worry about."

Dream smiled up at him and stood. "I guess some actual food would be nice. I sometimes forget to feed myself." Dream followed him out of the library, arms tucked behind her back and walking next to him. "I'll call Bella later tonight. She has her own schedule of when she's awake or asleep so it's a bit difficult to actually catch her. But I'll leave the message. What type of poisons does Kura normally use?"

***

Syn allowed herself to be ushered in. She leaned against the wall and pulled out a handful of papers from the large, inner pocket of her coat. "Something that may or may not completely shock you."

"Your family was killed on the orders of an Angel family. They were killed by the now dead, except for one other person who works with you, members of the Himura family." Syn kept it simple for now, sure that Cas would ask for an explantion. She was sure that he would take in all the implications...

[Shinigami]

Rhystic had a very good idea about what bad dreams could probably haunt the woman across from him, and he didn't like it one bit. Even though she was acting as though it were nothing, and even telling him not to worry, he couldn't help but do just that. He would do it silently, however, he didn't want to further upset her by telling her he knew, let alone that Dion had come to tell him personally.

When he stood, he was glad to see that Dream had done the same and agreed to eat with him. Rhy nodded as she changed the subject to Bella, and he was greatful for the idea as well as the thought behind it. "Well, she uses her own poisons, at least at the moment, and those are all made from plants. She likes to play with her opponents a bit, so probably nothing that would incapacitate someone too quickly."

***

Caspian eyed the papers Syn pulled out, a bit apprehensive about the news he was about to hear. He was shocked ot hear that and Angel family had ordered the killing of his family, especially knowing that it was a Custos family that had done the killing. The second she mentioned that the only surviving member worked with him, as well as that persons family name, he went through the entire roster of soldiers enlisted into Lord Marrus' army.

There were no name connections, but then his mind started in another direction. Kuraku. He had always assumed that Rhystic was her father and that her mother had been asian, therefore the source of her asian features, but now he had serious doubts. Was she even related to Rhystic at all? "This last surviving Himura... they wouldn't happen to be female would they? And why would a Custos family follow any Angel's orders?"