RunsWithSquirlz

tora quietly listened to Luke talking to Nico. Yawning and turning into a cat, curling up in the seat of her chair. Rikku took a slice and bit into it happily. She'd work off the greasy slice in the morning with a jog. "It's very good. I like pizza." "Tell me about yourself. I don't know much."

"Hush." The girl whispered to Zaddion. In the darkness, Zaddion could hear a small clink and uncorking of a bottle. In a moment, she pressed it to his lips "Drink it. We need to get out of this daze." The men were hefted up to hooks against cold stone walls. Mostly naked save for thier undergarments. The groans of other men awakening 3choed in the dark chamber. *Gods you tell that lie so confidently! You think just because you deny you have those things it's true?" I walked over to myself jabbing him in the chest with my finger, "You just keep trying to bury them deeper and deeper because they scares you, because they hurt you! You're too weak to carry your own emotional weight so tried to toss it aside." I spoke for a moment in the voice of our father, calling up memory of him taking us hunting when we were young, "The world doesn't work like that Indy." I returned to my own voice, "You thought earlier I was a version of what you could have been, you're wrong. I am you. This dream it's about what you desire, Heart's Desire Inn, I'm smart enough to figure it out so you have to be. But you don't think you desire anything, you deny everything. You're wrong. I am you! I am your heart, I am your soul, I am your care, I am even your damn sex drive. YOU buried me for years. I am your hearts desire, the desire you lie to yourself about. Now you think for one gods damned minute why you see an older version of yourself as your greatest desire when you know after this mission is over you're going to die?!"* *"I'm here because you put me here. You...sold me...and then boight me again to use me. How could you not remember?" Her voice cracked. The engines churned in response and glowed brighter; feeding off the intensity of her emotions. "I helped you achieve...everything you wanted. I was it."*

*Clarke found himself stepping into the room he had attempted to leave. His children stared at him sadly; his words stinging the imaginary children. Whisper crouched and pressed her palms against the glass "He didn't mean it. He's grouchy when he works alot. It's okay, he's just stressed." She spoke to them softly and full of care. Jaqueline pressed a small drooly finger against the glass in response. "Why are you here?" Whisper asked Clarke quietly. * *Robert kept her pinned, withdrawing a knife. "Don't worry. This won't hurt too much."* *"Your parents. Our parents would take thier lives if they could see the man you turned out to be. A faceless puppet? What is the purpose even, of finishing this mission? " Indicus asked.*

The woman began quickly and quietly undoing Zaddions shackles. Using a strange tool she pulled from her brassiere. When she was done, she looked at him with a sorry expression before reeling back and smacking him with the back of her hand. *Whisper went to investigate. What she found were two little girls with fiery red hair, chasing each other in a circle. When one saw her, she screamed in delight and grabbed her "Hello mommy! We thought you weren't coming!"* *Tulla ruahed oit down the hallway. She threw open a pair of large double doors and found herself on a terrace overlooking the grounds below. Snow blasted its way in the wind, and all around, everything she could see was capped in white. It rarely snowed in Andalasia, never even this much. The crowd below her cheered at her appearance. They were cheering for thier monarch. Tulla paled.* *His wife said nothing and only seemed angrier by his choice. They took the small elevator down to the engine room. His daughter sucking her finger the whole while. His son ran out, balancing the plate as best as he could. A tart fell of the tray that was quickly picked up by Jaqueline. They stopped in front of a glass cage, sliding the tray into a slot. Thick cords and tubes stretched from the box to the generators; which glowed with intense magic. A sorry, thin and tired Whisper stepped forward. Hair dull and limp, a menagerie of cords and wires attached to her body. She stared at Clarke, surprised to see him.* *The images in Robert, Dresdens and Zaddions mind began to flicker and fade out.* *Indicus said "I have known more assassins with courage, bravery and valor then you will ever know. None of them are cold. Only you. This will kill you soon enough."* *Helena only managed a flicker before becoming apparent again. Robert had already struck out and grabbed her hair, he was a million times stronger than what he should have been.* The men were being hauled out of bed and dragged to the cellar. The woman finally decided to haul Zaddion off the bed and puah him through the window. She grabbed his things, throwing them out ontop of him before sneaking out and closing the window after her.

The window to Zaddions room was pushed up slowly. A dark form slink in quietly, save for the tinkling sound her dress made. She stepped silently over to the sleeping form of Zaddion, climbing onto his mattress. The others, so deeply entrenched in thier dreams; didn't notice themselves being shackled. The girls pinned tomthe beds whilst the men were being prepared for transport. *Robert smiled while one hand traced her shoulder, coming to a stop at her neck. Then the caress turned into a vice grip as he clenched her throat, pinning her down on the mattress. * *Your fathers favorite. I have a feeling he'll be angry again today." She smiled nervously to Dresden.* *Indicus sighed "You sound exactly like the rest of them. Cold. When did I stop being my own man?"* *His wife seemed surprised "Well, thank you." His son grabbed the plate, Jaqueline hopping down from her chair to follow. They headed to a small elevator and pulled the lever. His wife seemed contrite "I wish you wouldn't let them down there. They like her too much. Calls her thier 'friend'"*

"Begin shackling up the men. Be careful with the bard. That one is mine. Also, we might have possible buyers for the young boy. So no bruises...yet." Madame replied before flourishing back to the buyers. "Let's begin!" *Robert pushed Helena down to the bed, catching the string of her robe. "Let's take this off now."* * The door to Roberts home opened and Helena strode in, cloth bags slung around her arm. "Morning Robert, I see you've made breakfast!" She snatched some from his plate. "I'm finally back from the trip, got those shafts I needed."* *The acolyte led Zaddion up to the highest tower, where the Grand Maesters study was, and left him at the door, excusing himself. The Grand Maester smiled at him, weak in his older years and pointed to a tome on his desk. "You wanted it...The Tome of Life and Death. Sealed for centuries and then lost...but found yet again."* * Dresden s mother clucked her tongue "We need dinner to be ready before your dad comes home."* *The older man only stared at Indicus, sighing slightly. * *"Well we're lucky then, that you are the Head Tinker." The woman smiled. The boy began placing food on an empty plate "May I feed her today? I'd very much like too, she loves the sweets." He asked his mother. "Ask your father. " she replied curtly. *

"So uh, if I study martial arts or something, it'll help me with my shifting powers?" Tora asked. She picked at the remains in her plate, just the vegatables. "Blow my mind? What does this mean? Are you saying pizza can hurt you?" She sat up and ruffled her hair, looking at Victor curiously.

*A comely woman opened the door, in her thirties with curly brown hair "Dresden, dear, how many times have I told you to not use your head?" She wrapped an arm around him and brought him in "Put those in the kitchen."* *Clarke was led down the hallway and down a short set of stairs before reaching the private dining room. A woman sat across the table, helping a young girl to cut her food. She looked up briefly before turning back to the food "Good to see you're out of the room."* *Robert stepped forward, laying his hands on Helenas shoulders and pulling her in "You know what I mean."* *An acolyte knocked on the heavy wooden door of the library "Excuse me, Maester. The Grand Maester wishes to see you in his study. Concerning the books you were asking for. * *The twins came back, fully dressed before each placed a kiss on his cheeks. "We have to go to work. See you at the tavern, our delicious bard." They ran out, waving goodbye.* *"Remember this place?" The older Indicus askes, reclining back into his chair. "Or can you remember at all? Can you even remember what your mission is?"*

"Like, never. I didn't have pizza where I lived. Order some." She threw a pillow at him. "Remember, this is my first time in America." Tora dug in, setting down the finished rubix cube. "I prefer tiger guy. I can't come up with a nickname for Nico though. Speaking of which; are you still hearing the ringing?"

Tora took the rubix cube from his hand, deciding to try and focus on something other than the food "My name is Tora, which is Japanese for tiger...I think. Which is stupid cuz I'm Chinese." Rikku plopped on the other side of the couch, throwing her legs over the side "Pizza? I haven't had that before."

*The boy gave him a small smile "With mother, Jaqueline and I. You wanted to have lunch with us before we land, remember?"* *When the person stepped closer, Helena could see it was a familiar face. It was Robert. He came forward, hands open apologetically and with a grin "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts, are you?"* *The bedroom door creaked open and a man strode out quietly. He stopped to gaze at Indicus from afar, obscured by the darkness of the house. He came around and sat across feom Indicus, he leaned forward and Indicus foumd himself staring into his own reflection; albeit a few years older.* *One girl sighed "You told us you didn't want to learn our names. To save the trouble." Her sister served the food and pulled the other aside "If you'll excuse us, we need to get dressed!" They scurried up the stairs and into the bedroom.* *Dresden now saw a small cottage; it called to him. On his way home, people greeted him warmly and wished him good day.* * Tulla could hardly believe her reflection in the mirror. She wore a thick leather corset laced with white fur ontop of riding pants. Upon her shoulder flowed a thick cloak of direwolf skin clasped by a iron link. Tulla raised her hand to her head in awe; a thick crown made of wrought iron and embossed with crossed swords graced her head.* The Inn had quieted down considerably. Madame held a small council in the parlor, strung around her were mirrors of every size. In each mirror, the sleeping form of a woman could be seen. She looked out over the select men in the room, the buyers "You've had the chance to look at play with them all evening. Now it's time to buy. You know the rules and please remember, virgins are more expensive. No refunds." The men began to whisper amongst themselves and moving about to get better views of the sleeping girls. Madame moved to the side and snapped her fingers, calling for Lance "Come!"

*Robert was welcomed by the sight of twins, both of which were wearing his shirts to cover themselves. One of them was cooking while the other set the table, both looked up on his entrance. "Good morning, Robert...hope we didn't wake you."* *The bedroom that Helena peered into was empty. But as she stepped out, someone else was coming in.* *The door swung open lazily as Indicus' knock went unheard. The house was practically empty save for empty bottles and all sorts of small blades thrown about.* * "I'm sorry, I know I'm not supposed to bother you..." a very young boy looked up at him from the crack in the door. The face mirrored his own. "B-but...we wanted to know if y-you wanted to have lunch. W-with us, I mean..."*

The sleep came fast and it rolled over their minds like a fog. It was a dense, curtaining feeling that numbed their bodies and all sense of reality. *Dresden found himself walking on a clear, sunny day. He was in the marketplace of his birth village. In his hands, he held bags of groceries. Instead of the rags he was accustomed to growing up in; he wore fresh linen and leather. He had a sense to go home. Someone was waiting for him.* *Robert woke up in a bed of his own. The sun streaming in through the windows. A lute laid against the pane; made of glossed Cherryoak and Mu strings. Expensive stuff. The smell of bacon wafted from downstairs.* *Tulla found herself walking briskly down a long stone hallway. She thought she might be back in the castle, but there was something different, she couldn't see the house colors or banners anywhere. The familiar green and silver had been replaced by blue and gray; a house she couldn't recall. Her shoulders were heavy and looking down at herself she saw she was not wearing her normal clothes. Tulla threw open a door, marching into the nearest room to find a mirror.* *Zaddion found himself studying in the libraries of the Mages Tower. He wore the robes of a Maester, a teacher to the younger conscripted to learn. It was one of the highest positions and hardest to earn besides the Grand Maester Mage. The tables were filled with young boys and some girls, heads buried in books and quills scribbling away.* *Clarke held the largest room in what as The Order of the Gear. He was scribbling away at the desk, blueprints for various designs strewn about. It must have been foggy outside; the windows were obscured by what looked like fog. He felt an unfamiliar thrumming underneath his feet. There was a small knock on his door.* *Helena was taking a warm bath. The place was unfamiliar but better than anywhere else she had been. A short soft robe hung on the door. The only piece of clothing in the room.* *Whisper sat on a bench in her garden. A marble mermaid fountain quietly trinkled in front of her. It was a hot day and in the distance; amongst the hedges, she could hear the screaming laughter of children. The princess stood slowly; feeling much heavier than usual. She had the need to go check on these children; investigate who they were.* (I'm assuming Indicus is going to sleep.) *He was walking down a familiar path. His old home before he had been accepted into the Assassins. Nothing changed, everything was the same. But smoke rose from his chimney, and he could see from the distance that the fireplace was lit inside. Someone else lived in his house.*

The rooms were lavish like the rwst, each with thier own private washroom. The beds were large and covered in pillows of every size. The girls led them to thier rooms "You're so sweet" the one guiding Clarke began "She was lucky to have you". The girl left him at the door, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek before walking away. The walk to her room was dizzying, the girl gwntly guiding her down the hallway. The princess could only focus on the brooch in her palms, running a thumb carefully along its surface. It was strangely beautiful and wonderful since he had taken his time to make this for her. Whisper held it to her chest as she entered her room thinking about how Clarke wanted her safe. They all did, that was for sure wen but with him...well he showed it differently. "I wanted to say thank you..." she said to no one. In her daze, she had forgotten Finn.

Tulla scoffed, throwing her free arm around another girl "Your hands are full. Besides, Im much better on my own." She gave him a small smile before being led off to her room. "The room won't stop spinning Clarke. I think...I think...I drank too much." Whisper mewled. Now, the Madame watched Clarke closely. She seemed nervous about him approaching "I can take her to her room. Its very close to mine." If she wasn't careful, she would lose alot of money on this.

The Madame had been away for most of the party, leaving some of her girls behind. She came in right on time to catch Clarkes request "Oh of course! I cna have the girls escort you to your rooms." Madame looked at Helena and Robert "You may share a room, if you wish. No trouble for us!" She gave him a devilish smile. Tulla was getting helped up by a maids arm around her waist. "Want to share a room with me?" she mumbled drunkenly to the girl. She giggled in response and led her out of the room. Whisper had her face planted firmly on the table, she had quit the game a bit early due to a fit of giggling. It also became increasingly difficult not to talk about her royal lifestyle without giving anything away. She also found herself staring at Clarke way too much; fawning over his features and strange little stories. It was so rude of her to do so. It made her stomach knot-up, which was weird. But she took it as a sign she was drinking far too much and was getting sick.

Tulla fell back, giddy with drink and laughter. She never thought the Thieves Guild would do such a thing but then again, they weren't as serious as the Assassins Guild. Both she and the princess were surprised by the dragons input. The Madame, who had been silently watching, clapped her hands happily at the display, calling Finn a naughty little dragon. Whisper covered her eyes, blushing furiously.

"Dresden you better spit it out!" Tulla pointed to the young mage "And the rest of you too!" "Pick either then, I realize now some of us have had more sheltered loves than others." Whisper thought of embarrassing things "Once, on a trip with Finn, we ran into some trouble. My gown got all torn up and then eventually burned right off. I was...12 I believe. Finn got grounded by his mother and I had to return home stark naked while my parents had guests." "Oh yeah, I remember that. Never had I seen your mother so white." Tulla chuckled.

"They had servants that worked for them, cozy little house was more of an estate but thats what they liked to call it. My tutor had one." Tulla cringed. Whisper couldn't lie; she couldn't conjure up anything dirty she had done. "I haven't...done anything...yet. I suppose my parents are very over-protective."

Tulla laughed so hard, she nearly choaked on her drink. "That's how the whole thing started? Ancients, the...Whisps parents had me cleaning out all of them from the cas- casey little home they lived in. She was never supposed to learn of thier existence. " Whisper was beet-red. Never in her life had she been exposed to these kinds of ideas or talk. But there was a first time for everything. She also took the moment to try and think of anything she had done dirty. Was it possible she was truly that innocent?

"Oh...oh yeah. Sorry I spaced. There's so many new smells here..." she had been sniffing the air, lost in her little world. "Tiger-guy! Sorry...I didn't remember what you looked like. My vision was blurry before since I was choking and all that. Ugh, let's go eat." Toras stomach growled.

Tulla drummed her fingers against the tabletop "Dresden, you just made it. Roberts hand was crap." She thought about it long and hard while looking at Robert "Alright, I want a dirty one right off the bat. Dirty and very embarrassing." Whisper giggled behind her hand.