Topic: Two-thirds.

Martyr

Date: 2016-08-09 00:03 EST
The five-legged little ant crawled across the immortal?s forearm, violet eyes peeking over the flesh and watching it like a hungry hawk. ?Y-you?re d-d-doing so m-much b-better, G-gregory?? whispered the immortal as her eyes shut warmly. ?Y-you sure y-you d-don?t w-want to g-go outside t-t-today?? she asked as if the insect would just start squeaking back to her. Turning her arm awkwardly as it crawled over her elbow, Martyr took on a weird stance in that armchair and crinkled her nose. ?I know the w-w-world is v-very scary.. b-but d-d-don?t you want t-to see if y-you c-can f-find your b-brother Ant-thony?? she asked, blinking widely at him. It circled up her shoulder and began crawling back down her arm. ?Ok-kay I w-w-won?t f-force you, y-you j-just let m-me know when y-you?re r-ready?? said the gentle reaper with the warmest of smiles.

A lithe limb outstretched and her finger touched the surface of the side table. Martyr watched the little insect crawl from her finger onto the wood. ?N-now you j-just r-remember?? she started, leaning in to face the tiny thing. ?Everyone kn-knows t-t-to watch out f-for you, b-but you should s-still watch out and s-stay off of the f-floor... The w-walls are your f-friend!? chimed Martyr. The ant seemed to be ignoring her and crawling around on the lamp. ?W-w-watch the b-bulb, y-you d-don?t w-want to lose another l-leg. Y-you?re name w-will b-be Four-Legory?? Then she kinda just giggled at that idea, then frowned like she just insulted his family. ?I?m s-s-sorry, that w-was v-very insensitive of m-me?? Lowering those pretty eyes, ashamed as she could be.

A strange little noise rang out from the far side of the room, and she turned to look at the baby deer trotting into the room like she owned the place. ?H-hi, L-little Step?? she said with a smile, rising up from the chair to move across the room and meet her half way. She scooped her up in her arms, and watched the fawn mouth at her hair as if it were grass. ?Y-you c-can?t already b-be hungry? Y-you j-just had a b-bottle,? she said, running her fingers over the top of the little creature?s head. It seemed to calm down until the thunderous knock at the door rang loudly out, starting both of them.

"W-well... Who c-could that b-be?"

Martyr

Date: 2016-08-09 00:38 EST
The knock was an empty courtesy, it seemed, because soon after it rang out, soon after the immortal mused, a mirror version of her was barging through the door. Boots stomped against the floor in a way that made Martyr glance at the end table to assure the little ant?s safety. ?Ph-phoenix?? she whispered softly, and then a kind smile found its way on her soft features as she moved to greet her sister. There was a halt after a moment, bare feet freezing save for the wiggling of her toes. She noted the look on her clone?s face, it wasn?t a happy one. It was amazing how quickly her smile could fall, and how swiftly the happy immortal could become submissive and sad. ?Is?s-something w-wrong?? Slowly, she lowered the little fawn to the floor and watched it slowly move away. Little Step didn't seem to like Phoenix very much. Martyr smoothed down the edges of her white nightgown and moved her arms to cup her elbows with her palms.

The silver-eyed copy narrowed her gaze on her, a hand on her hip, thumb hooked into the belt loop of her jeans. She chewed on the side of her cheek as she stared down Martyr as if she were a hungry beast, sharp teeth peeking out of slightly parted lips. ?Why don?t you tell me?? she asked expectantly. She gestured to the couch and raised an eyebrow.

Martyr followed the gesture and slowly sat down. She crossed her legs at the ankle, hands cupped into one another as she rested the pair on her lap and shook her head. A few wild curls hung in her eyes as her brows knitted together in some slight amount of confusion. ?I d-d-don?t know what y-y-you m-mean?? she asked, watching Phoenix collapse next to her on the couch a fury on her face, arms folded over her chest. She wasn?t very subtle, was she?

Those arms parted from their wrap around and slammed down on the couch cushions as she leaned forwards and scowled. ?Don?t you play dumb with me, Caia Slane,? she said, using Martyr?s full name so that she knew this was serious business. The kinder immortal opened her mouth to speak but was quickly cut off by Phoe?s rising finger. ?How about you start with what the hell happened the other night??

There was a drop of those giant violet eyes for a moment, and a stunted little breath left her lungs, deflating her chest like a sad balloon.

Busted...

Martyr

Date: 2016-08-09 01:20 EST
After a long moment, those wide eyes trailed up to meet those silver mirrors and she opened her mouth once more to speak. Then, it snapped shut and her nostrils flared out as she sucked in a deep breath to inflate her chest. She couldn?t lie? It almost felt physically impossible for her to tell a lie. That violet gaze broke away as she began to stand up, ?C-can I g-get you anything? S-some t-tea? Some c-cookies?? she offered, all the while, her mind was a sandstorm of coarse thoughts and worries.

What am I going to tell her? She?s going to think I?m an idiot? I feel so lost. She?s going to be so mad at me. Who am I kidding? I am an idiot?but Phoenix couldn?t understand. How could she?

?Oh, do you have chocolate chip?? she asked, almost excitedly. What? Food was her one weakness. Phoenix was nothing more than a violent, bottomless pit. She could fondly recall her boyfriend making her a bowl of marshmallow cereal, and removing everything but the marshmallows. It was?pretty amazing, actually. Oh man could she go for some lucky charms right about now. Then she paused as her mind became flooded with thoughts. ?Idiot? I can hear your thoughts, remember?? she asked. The two not-siblings had learned to tune each other out most times, it was the third not-sister that had trouble.

The skittish immortal visibly stiffened, her cheeks turning red as she hugged herself tighter and uttered a whimper. ?I?m s-sorry?? she whispered. ?L-let m-me g-get started on those c-cookies, and I?ll? I?ll t-tell you everything,? she broke and swallowed hard.

Phoenix waved her hand dismissively and rose to follow her to the kitchen. Normally, she?d have made her sit there and spill, but? C?mon! There were chocolate chip cookies on the table! She just couldn?t turn that down. She brought her hair off to one side and glared in her direction. She wanted the cookies, but damn it, she didn?t have to be happy about it. ?You better not leave a thing out, Martyr?? she practically hissed.

Martyr

Date: 2016-08-09 01:47 EST
It was strange, being bossed around by her younger counterpart. Technically, she was the eldest, she was the original. Phoenix was the queen, though, Clara had seen to that before she died. As long as she lived in the village, Martyr answered to her. It wasn?t that she minded that most times, Martyr didn?t believe herself to have the leadership skills to run the village. She couldn?t make the tough decisions that Phoenix could. She knew that. Phoenix didn?t have her compassion or her heart, though. In truth, with Martyr?s heart, Phoenix?s spine, and Speck?s raw power, the three of them would?ve made the greatest leader in the history of the village. That wasn?t the case, though. The two would never really understand one another. No amount of mind reading or pain sharing would compensate for that.

Martyr set to work mixing the dough, she poured a bit of vanilla into the brown sugar, butter, and flour mix. ?Ok-kay, so?? she began. ?A wh-while ago I m-met this g-guy,? admitted Martyr as she took in a deep breath. ?I f-found him k-killing p-people,? she whispered. ?He?s a v-vampire.? One hand cupped an egg, and she muttered an apology to it before cracking it open and emptying it out into the mixing bowl. ?I b-brought the p-people b-back, b-because he w-was k-killing them on p-purpose.? That nose wiggled lightly as if she were a little bunny, nervous as all hell. Another egg was regretfully cracked, and she raised her eyes to Phoenix. ?I used m-my b-blood, b-because he d-drained theirs?? Phoenix scowled at her, and she winced and confirmed her worries, ?He t-tasted it.?

The whole time, Phoenix?s eyes were dancing to the almost-dough, and then back up to her not-quite reflection. ?Damn it, Martyr!? she yelled. ?You know what our blood is. You know it?s addictive, you know what it can do? So why the hell would you be so god damn careless?!? Fists pounded on the countertop and she glowered over to her. ?So he attacked you that night??

There was a wince displaying itself on Martyr?s face as she gave a slow shake of her head. Yeah, Phoe? It was only going to get worse. ?N-no??

Martyr

Date: 2016-08-09 02:14 EST
Dumping in an entire bag of chocolate chip cookies into the mix?if only to suck up to the angry fellow immortal. She was giving her a look that said, if you don?t start talking, you?re going into the oven. She bit into her lip and began to roughly stir the mixture, eyes trailing up to her as she nodded her pretty head. She?ll talk, dammit! She?ll talk! ?So?umm?? swallowing hard. ?I c-caught him h-hunting again, and I? I st-stopped him? I m-made him a d-deal??

Was Phoe?s eye twitching? Martyr could bet her fat ass that it was. ?What kind of deal?? she asked, watching the timid one gasp in a stunted little breath. She slammed her hands on the table and leaned in. As much as those mercury eyes wanted to stare at the progress of that delicious cookie dough, her eyes were locked with Martyr?s. ?What kind of deal?!? she snapped.

Martyr winced almost violently and averted her gaze down to the dough. It was done, so the wooden spoon was held out to Phoenix. ?I t-t-told him that if he st-stopped k-killing p-people? He c-could have m-my b-blood whenever he w-wanted it.?

There were about fifteen seconds of bliss as she dragged her finger across the dip in the utensil and licked off the sweet mixture. With one finger in her mouth, she narrowed those eyes until they were nothing more than silver slits peering out at Martyr. Her teeth scraped her finger and she swallowed hard and chuckled. ?I?m sorry? You WHAT?! Are you CRAZY!? Martyr why in the world?! How could y?Are you KIDDING ME?!? Martyr?s house was usually alive with animals. Foxes, fawns, dogs, cats? All running around. It wasn?t strange that they were all hiding right about now. She looked over to Martyr?s trembling hands as they balled up the dough and put them on a cookie sheet. Occasionally, she?d hand out to feed the beast.

?Phoenix? He w-was k-killing p-people? Lots of p-people?? she whispered softly. ?I h-had t-to stop it? I c-couldn?t j-just d-d-do nothing??

Martyr

Date: 2016-08-09 02:36 EST
It was hard for her to keep yelling at Martyr with the cookie dough in her mouth. So, at least one of Martyr?s plans worked. ?So kill him?? she hissed. ?You want him to stop killing people? You rip out his soul and eat it in front of him, Martyr. I?m sick of this? I?m sick of all of this! You can?t keep trying to save everyone? You can?t keep giving our blood out like that? Especially not to someone who could very much be our enemy? Martyr we?re at war.? There was a soft sigh that escaped her lips as she ran her fingers through her hair, watching Caia shrink off to put the cookies in the oven. ?We?ve already got Speck to worry about? Can you imagine if Solaris gets his hands on her? I need you at your strongest right now.. I need me at my strongest, and I can?t do that if I?m feeling weak and dizzy because you?re letting some vampire drain and murder you whenever he wants?? she hissed.

Shutting the oven, she turned around to face Phoenix. ?I?m n-not a m-murderer,? she whispered. ?I c-can?t just k-kill him b-because he?s d-doing something I d-don?t like?? A hard swallow, and she rubbed her forearms with her hands. ?B-besides, I d-d-don?t believe he?s as b-bad as he seems. He c-can?t b-be,? she muttered.

?Martyr he?s a monster. I felt what he did to you,? she hissed. ?I felt every bit of it, and?? A soft sigh escaped her. ?People like that, they don?t change. I?m sorry, but they don?t? They?re not capable of love, and it?s better to just put them down? because they?re not going to change.?

Visions of violet bathed her in the hardest stare she could muster on her expression. Martyr could recall a certain immortal running out on killing sprees. That same one that claimed she?d never be able to love, and pushed everyone away. Now, she still pushed people away, but there were certain ones that she let in. There were certain ones that she loved. She could remember Phoenix crying over Katan. You can?t break a heart if you don?t have one. Now she wasn?t exactly a saint, but change was certainly something she?d achieved. So with that, she uttered a soft, ?You did??