[Remy]

One by one, lights within stores dimmed out as shopkeepers closed their stores for the night. It was a quarter past eleven, and even the busiest street Underground was devoid of pedestrians...mostly. A small being stood idly beside the door of a darkened building. She couldn't be older than eight, yet she was alone. Peering into the shop, she realized that it had closed hours ago and that no one was there to help her. And she needed help really badly.

The child had decided to finally return to Elysia---she left nearly two decades ago. Re-entering the dimension was easy enough, but she never bothered to do so as she had better things to do. So on one fine night last week, she boldly strode toward the area behind Saks Fifth Avenue, only to find that the portal no longer existed. Well, that was an inconvenience, as she'd left Florida to get to New York, was low on money, AND had no way to get where she was supposed to. Well, luck finally reached out to her and allowed her to find a fellow Elysian who kindly showed her the way. They parted at the portal, which was a bad idea. Stumbling into the marketplace late at night, she had discovered that nothing was the way it used to be. She couldn't navigate through the streets, and when she finally found someplace worth entering, it was already closed.

Ba-dum-ba-dum... she heard the thumps approaching her. The sound was beautiful---like timpanis in an orchestra. Someone was jogging by. She faltered. Should she ask him for directions? Or should she ask something else? Her stomach growled and her headache worsened. She could already feel her fangs throb as the source of the heartbeat drew closer. Whirling around, she ran after him and called out, "Excuse me, can you escort me home? Mama doesn't like it when I walk alone at night."

The stranger looked incredulously at her and said, "Why, of course! My god! Your mother should take better care of you! Doesn't she know of the beasts around here? They've been attacking civilians since days ago!" He walked toward her and held out a hand.

The minute he reassuringly grasped her hand, Remy strode ahead, leading him further down the street. Xanth. "Thank you so much, mister. Mother is so troublesome when she get annoyed." He didn't suspect a thing as she led him toward the darkest area between two street lamps. Who would? In one fluid motion, she yanked the human into the nearest alley. Ignoring his startled "wha?", she pulled him down to her height. He had already slipped into a trance as she tilted his head to the side. Just a small pint of blood would be enough for her.

[Remy]

The familar taste of iron slid down her throat as she drank the fresh blood. She was almost tempted to drink more than she was supposed to, but her conscience got the better of her. Reluctantly, the child pulled away and almost gently wiped blood away from the exposed neck with the sleeve of her long-sleeved dress. She didn't care if it was dirtied; she'd throw it away when she found her friend in Elysia...if he were still alive. Straightening the man's jacket for him, she stepped back and quickly left the alley.

The man would wake up the next day, feeling a tad bit faint. His neck would feel sore for the next few hours, and he might not even see the tiny bite marks on his neck. To him, the night before would be hazy and barely recalled. Besides, he'd forget about remembering when he realizes that he's ten minutes late for his next lecture.

[Alieh]

Emerging from the hospital, Alieh shifted back to human. She hid behind a bush for a while, hoping Niles wouldn't stop her when he exited. Sure enough, a few seconds later he emeraged. Watching him he trudged randomly down an alley. Once he was out of sights she emerged, brushing herself off.

She decided to visit her shop, maybe she could play one of the instruments there, and try to forget what had happened. Not that she was exactly sure anyway.

She heard a small bit of commotion nearby, she wouldn't have normally heard it without her cats ears, but the place was empty and quiet, so sound echoed.

Quickly running ahead she saw a small figure leaving an alley, it looked like a child, but what was a child doing here?

"Heya! Are you lost? Can't you find your parents?" She called out. She relised that the person might infact, just be a particularly small adult, in which case they'd probably find her sentence very offensive.

[Remy]

She didn't need to squint to get out of the alley. Her night vision made sure of that. Shaking the blood lust from her head, the girl looked around before turning to the right. There was a path that led to a portal to The Crypt. Now where could it be...?

"Heya! Are you lost? Can't you find your parents?" Remy heard the overly bright voice call out. It pierced the silence, much to the child's annoyance. Her headache was still there. Perhaps she could sneak another bite...no one would notice. Sighing, she turned to see the caller and faltered. Was that white skin? Bleh. She didn't like to drink strange blood, and by the looks of the girl in front of her, the blood wouldn't be healthy for Remy.

"Course I can," she began, "Six feet under and just a portal away...But I am lost." She smiled as she walked toward the girl, revealing fangs that still had a hint of red. "Know where I could stay for a night? I'm new here." It was just a white lie, so who cares?

[Alieh]

As alieh walked closer, she could see it was definitely a small girl, and she could also see the fangs. Her eyes opened a little wider, she didn't have anything against vampires, but she's never seen one this young before.

"Know where I could stay for a night? I'm new here." Alieh raised an eyebrow, where had this girl come from? and why was she on her own? She seemed strangely mature, not scared or freaking out or any thing. [i]Well, she can't stay at my flat, there's barely room for me as it is. I should really take her to her sanctuary, but I don't have a clue where that is, and even if I did I can't get in.

After a moment or two she relised she hadn't said anything. "Not really," she said, thinking, "maybe if I took you to the police station, they'd know what to do."

[Remy]

The smile remained plastered on her face, though in truth, she itched to frown. The police station!!! Who did the woman think she was? An waif? A stray? She'd gone to a police station to humor some human before...the experience wasn't pleasant at all. They'd asked her all sorts of questions and frowned when she replied in such a manner that did not befit her age. Thank goodness Sidney was there to pick her up; but now he was no longer available. No. The police station would not do.

This would be the time for her to drive that stranger away. But the stranger was perhaps the only person she'd meet this night. The only one with a sense of what to do and where to go...unfortunately. Remy would have to sleep on the streets if she made the girl leave. She cursed mentally. The smile disappeared, though she didn't frown. Raising her eyebrow, she asked, "Why would I go to the police station to ask for directions? Say...aren't you heading somewhere? Can't you take me with you?" For the first time in forever, she mustered up an innocent, childlike expression. She stared at the girl with wide eyes and chewed on her lip, as if she were nervous.

[Alieh]

Alieh bit her lip, she had been heading for the shop, she wasn't going to let her in there though, it would have to be a extreme life and death experience before she let anyone, of any age group, near her instruments without the light of day to keep an eye on these.

I could try and fit her in my flat I guess, it'll be tight, but I suppose it's not impossible. Besides, I can't very well leave her here. She mustered up a smile, "Sure." She smiled "where do you stay normally?"

[Remy]

She silently observed the other girl. Like Remy, the girl looked worried (for a different reason, obviously). Letting the girl think, she hastily looked around the area, wondering if there were other people around. She could hear heartbeats, but only if they were close or loud enough. Remy often counted those sounds to determine just how many people were near her. It was like a game. She'd aged, but parts of her mind---her humor---were still childish.

Returning a grin, Remy reached to take the girl's hand like a child would. "Thank you so much. I'll only stay for a day...I usually go to my sanctuary, but I can't seem to find the way." Unknown to Remy, The Crypt had been closed a while ago and portals leading to it had disappeared as well.

[Alieh]

Alieh smiled as the girl took her hand. She quickly closed her eyes to remember where her house was, she wasn't normally absent minded, but the experience in the market place had left her head still a little dizzy.

Destination in mind, she led the girl to her house, luckilyit was in the same direction as she had been heading before anyway.

I'm not sure what'll happen, maybe I can find another vampire to take her to her sanctuary, whereever that is, She though, she herself, not knowing of it's closure, I don't like leaving her on her own.

((Continued here))