A Meeting with the Ruler of the South [ p r i v a t e ]

Crispy Bacon Posts : 18 Join date : 2010-08-19 Age : 26

Brushing back her raven black bangs, Misty peered at an older, aged looking map of the Abandoned City, the Southern district to be exact. She didn't know what she was looking for, she knew that all of the buildings seemed to look the same though. Only when you stepped up to one and examined it would you notice that it was different. But Misty did not have that sort of patience. At least, not now she didn't.

Perhaps she wasn't looking for a certain something, but in fact, a certain someone. She had heard that her brother lived here. Fang. Figures that he would choose somewhere far away from her, the North district. He had lived there once, she had followed, hoping that he might start talking to his family again. She had been wrong.

Furrowing her brows, she folded up the map and sat down on a stone bench outside a crumbling business building. Maybe she should consider moving to the South district? Her infuriating brother might move somewhere else again though. No, it was better to stay where she was. Misty was still kind of close to her brother, and she could either run to him or ask for assistance, though she wasn't entirely sure if Fang would respond to such a request.

Well, he might. He could be kind of dependable sometimes. That was only with people he knew though. That was a trait he didn't share with Misty.

Misty made promises and needed to keep them so badly, when she didn't it hurt. Because when she let people down they got disappointed, and she was sick of disappointment and sadness in people's lives. She was sick of people in general actually.

Leaning back on the bench, she draped her arm over her eyes and stretched her legs, not caring if someone tripped over them or not. Their fault for not watching where they were going.

Nature had made it's work during the absence of civilization in the South District. Trees grew at random locations along the cracked roads where once many people and cars had been on. There was no breeze today, and the sun hidden among the dark grey clouds. Rain. He thought. It always seemed to find its way at the worse times. He sighed, knowing that if it starts raining heavily, he'd have to go back into the empty office buildings. He didn't like that thought.

The offices weren't as bad as he made them think. But the emptiness, the crumbling, the misplaced furniture, it made it seem eerie. Like every building, terrorists had left their mark. Though of course that's not the case. He liked being alone, it made him think clearly. Being around others just gives him the thought that any moment, they would lunge at him and kill him. A weird thought, I know, but in a world where shape shifters aren't welcome, it's natural to feel that way.

Riley could hear footsteps among the pavements. Having an animal form of a tiger, he has heightened senses compared to a normal human. He could hear a lot better, define smells, and see with near perfect vision in the dark. But right now, he was picking up human footsteps. "Another one..." He muttered. Just earlier he had met two people, a lion and a wolf. At least that's what his memories are telling him.

Riley turned his eyes toward the direction of where the noise had been coming from. He could make out a human figure, he was right for that part, though he couldn't exactly see if the person was male or female. Too much of a distance, he thought. Leaping off his tree, he landed with a small thump. His converse shoes ruined by his constant walking on rough ground.

Being cautious, he slowly approached the figure. He could see the person's appearance clearly now. She was a girl, she seemed young, roughly around his age, but that's only his judgement. He could be wrong for all he knows. She was holding a worn map, probably of the city, though you can't exactly tell by looking on the map you're looking for a certain building. They're all ruined now, worn by weather and slowly crumbling away.

He examined the girl closely, before speaking. "What brings you here." It wasn't a question, his tone was dark, more like demanding an answer, though in a less rough tone.

Crispy Bacon Posts : 18 Join date : 2010-08-19 Age : 26

Lowering her arm and cracking one crystal blue eye open, Misty examined the man who had approached her as thoroughly as she could in three seconds and stifled a groan. This guy seemed to demand respect, and although that was pretty great and all, she really didn't want to deal with a pompous type of person right then.

"I'm not sure actually." She admitted, her tone a bit dry and uninterested, closing her eyes again. Hopefully he would also lose interest and go away. Maybe notice that Misty didn't want to introduce herself and become best buddies with him. Most people never got the message though.

People who wanted to be friends with everybody annoyed her. How could they just go around and befriend everyone they met? Nobody deserved to be trusted, or depended on. They couldn't be depended on. The only person Misty could depend on was herself, because she could only be sure of herself. She would always know the things that she did and didn't do, what she could and couldn't do, the extent of her capabilities, how far she would go to keep promises, what she would do if she broke the promise, how long she would be down in the dumps, how far she would fall, how much progress she would lose, the amount of time it would take to return to her usual routine, and when she would finally get back up again.

Yes, Misty could only trust Misty, because that was the only person she fully knew. Weaknesses and strengths. Minimums and maximums.

Opening both of her eyes this time, she sat up properly and crossed her legs. She should probably figure out what she would do at this part of the city, even though she didn't really know what she could do. Most of the city was falling apart, broken, in pieces. You get the point. Misty stood up and stretched, turning to one of the buildings and glanced at the sky when a drop of water fell on her nose. Rain. Misty had no problem with rain. In fact, she preferred it. Rain, snow, wind, storms. Most people feared the cold, and storms, but Misty welcomed it.

It was raining a bit harder now. She realized that she would probably have to get some cover. Glancing over her shoulder, she sprinted over to the shelter of a slightly sturdier looking business building and shook out her hair. It had managed to get wet because she didn't trust the building that she had been standing in front of - it looked as if it might fall down at the slightest touch - so she had went over to a more safe looking building.

Brushing back her now damp hair, she pushed open the glass door and wandered into the building before sitting down in one of the couches in the lobby. It was strangely comfy. The building was kind of dark though, and it wasn't home material. Nobody else was in the building. That was fine with her. She enjoyed being alone. Maybe she would move to the South district and stake this place out as hers. The furniture was all in strange places, but she could fix that. Maybe get some help. Some men would do anything for a woman.

Stifling a quiet yawn with her hand, she laid down on the couch and draped her arm over her eyes again.

Riley had gotten most of the message. He felt the same way, but being the leader of the southern district, he had to be careful. It wasn't his fault, he didn't want to bother anybody. He preferred his time alone. And he was sure the girl in front did too. He shrugged at her half-hearted answer.

"I see." He replied, his eyes studying her more closely. She didn't seem hostile, but her tone wasn't exactly the brightest nor was it welcoming. It was more of a 'get out of my face right now'. At least it was what it seemed like. He could tell she was thinking, as she wasn't speaking, her eyes had closed again, a normal action when roaming through the mind.

Leaning back against the building opposite, he could feel his back against the rough material used to build it. He felt a drop of rain on top of his hair, before more began raining on the broken pavement roads.

Deciding to follow the girl, to confront or at least find out more about why she was here in his district, he ran after her, his hair already wet from the rain, dripping from the lowest points, like the fringe. His eyes were stuck on her as he entered the building she went into, before she laid down onto the couch. It seemed different for him to follow someone, was he somehow interested in the girl? He didn't know. But he doubted that possibility.

Riley trusted no one, his trust for people was long gone after being abandoned, bullied and made fun of in his orphanage. That was the main reason why he left in the first place. No human would welcome shape shifters. It was just the painful truth. In society, shape shifters were frowned upon, and people were afraid. Afraid that one day they'd lose control of their powers and kill them. Or maybe it was jealousy that they weren't born with those sort of powers.

Riley let out a drawn out sigh, he blinked to refocus his eyesight inside the building. Looking closely in the interior, it was just like any other office building he had been in before-- and he had been in a lot. The state of the building wasn't as bad as the others he had been into. Some had already crumbled away, leaving mass amounts of blocks lying in the once prestigious offices. Now, they were nothing.

Taking his eyes off the girl, he examined the room more closely, he could see the furniture, some had toppled over due to the earthquakes, some survived in places, some broken into pieces never to be used again. Not a great sight, but Riley was used to it.

"You know, I wonder what this city was like before the earthquake came about." Weird, he had just attempted to start a normal conversation. It was rare, and surprised even himself. His face showed nothing, as if he was just waiting for an answer. Empty from emotion. That was his usual game face, he never laughed, and if he did, it was too long to remember.

He slowly ran his fingers into his hair, feeling the wetness that slowly dried up. It felt weird, and greasy. He hated that feeling, it annoyed him a lot. Some might call him feminine, homosexual, or whatever they think of. But in reality, everyone was different, and it was just his way of enjoying life, to look good, though why he never found out. Maybe he inherited it from his parents-- parents that abandoned him, and didn't want him.

Crispy Bacon Posts : 18 Join date : 2010-08-19 Age : 26

Realizing that he had followed her, Misty lowered her arm for the second time that day and sat up. Why was he trying to strike up conversation with her? She wasn't special or anything. It wouldn't be particularly entertaining to talk to her. What was this guy trying to pull here?

Fixing him with a stare unabashedly, she examined him more closely and noted that he was relatively pleasant to look at. Maybe a bit more than pleasant. Alright, so he was a total hunk, that wasn't new. It wasn't like she hadn't seen a good looking man before. It had been a while since she last saw one though. A long, long while. In fact, she had almost forgotten what good looking really was. That sounded mean, even though it was a thought. But thoughts could still seem mean.

The colour of his hair kind of reminded her of Fang, though Fang's hair had hints of blue in the black. Slender fingers combing through her own ebony hair, Misty looked out the window at the rain. It had began to pour now. Looked like she would be stuck there for a while.

Her relationship with her brother was.. complicated. She didn't hate him, but she didn't know him well enough to love him. From what she knew though, his personality was both interesting and infuriating. It was sad though, to not know someone who you were supposed to be close with. Misty longed to have a normal sibling nearness with her brother but sadly, their personalities didn't allow such things. She kind of hated how they much they were alike sometimes. It got boring.

Weren't families supposed to feel this irrational love for each other? Misty couldn't grasp just how they could. Maybe most families were closer to one another than hers.

That wasn't fair. Really unfair actually, since Misty didn't want to be this formal with her family. She wanted to be able to depend and rely on them. She shouldn't even have to think about such things, just trust in them completely. But that wasn't safe. And Misty also needed safety. Because even though safety wasn't sure or constant, it was reassuring and nice to have. Misty wished she had more nice things. Her family wasn't poor or anything, but she had left behind the money when she had left behind her parents.

Inspecting her navy blue sweater and dark jeans, she sighed in relief when she learned that they were still in pretty good shape. Going into the human city wasn't so bad for her, since she didn't have unnatural features like some other shifters had. Her hair wasn't completely the colour of her fur, though parts of it was lighter than the rest of the strands.

Just like this, but the inhabitants and city itself wouldn't be so broken, on the verge of falling apart. She thought but didn't say, tucking her hair behind her ear and ducking her head. Misty knew what he really wanted to know.

"I really don't know why I came here." She whispered, as if to herself but her words were directed to the other man. "I can think of so many reasons, but I can't choose which ones are true exactly. Maybe because I want to know more about my brother, so I can say finally say he's like my best friend instead of a stranger. Maybe because I was unconsciously considering moving here, but that's probably not going to happen. Or maybe, fate led me here to meet you." She said, laughing a little tonelessly and meeting his eyes.

"I'm Misty."

Riley's mind wandered elsewhere. Why is he starting a conversation. It was sudden, even for him. A sudden urge? No. He never had those sort of feelings, but he still knew what it was like, and would be determined to stop. Now? He just blurted it out without thinking. Well, he did, about what to say. But that lead to no where, he just spoke either way.

Riley's eyes were examining the girl again, she had a natural beauty. At least that was what he saw in his eyes. He could tell their eyes met for a second, and that was all he needed to see how... Beautiful? Was that the word? Or piercing. Like something cold just went through his whole body. Crystal blue. A natural yet beautiful color. And her figure, her features. They were like bait used to lure men in... Which unfortunately had worked on him.

Her hair had a nice and natural look, straight but wavy. He liked that, and the color, well... Suited her. It was like god gave her a gift-- if there was such as thing as god. Which of course Riley doubted. If there was, would they make a shifter's life so hard on them? Don't think so. He ceased to believe in gods once he found out how cruel reality was-- and the hard way too.

Riley absolutely loathed normal human beings. Normal, because they didn't have the power to shift into an animal form. Abnormal, like himself, were humans with... Well, strange powers such as himself. The power to transform the body, the mind, appearance into that of an animal's. Each and every shifter was unique, no two shifters had the same form. He wondered if a shifter died, would another take his place with the same form. A question yet to be answered.

Riley placed his hand in his hair, the moisture had mostly been evaporated. He could still hear rain, and see it too, as most of the windows were shattered, and raindrops were pouring in. The sun wasn't hidden though, the rays were weak, but passed through gaps of the surrounding clouds. Like a fight for territory, and in an hour or two, the sun will win and the clouds will leave. It was weird, describing the weather that way, but it was true in some factors.

Riley sometimes wished he had someone to trust. Someone to chat with normally. But in a world that's against shifters, it was hard to trust anybody, even his own kind. Who knows, they might just back stab him for power. Shifters were still humans. Humans were driven by greed of money, positions of power, etc. And with many humans had those sort of greeds, it was hard to trust anybody at all. But thinking about it again, he doubt he would let anyone get too close anyway. Maybe she would be the first.

Trust wasn't something to come across easily anyway... Many shifters were always on the defensive, being an outcast of human society, they might just turn aggressive, and that aggressiveness led to... Well, loneliness. A common trait, one that even he had. Thinking about it again, maybe he only trusted his own kind. Tigers. Made sense, lions didn't trust tigers, and vice versa. In a way it was natural, and possible.

Riley stopped his thinking as he heard the girl speak. Her words were unsure. Or it seemed that way, maybe she was faking it. Riley was overly cautious, he knew himself well enough. He listened with intent, letting her finish, before he spoke. "Well whatever reason, you're welcome in the Southern District-- that is, if you don't cause trouble. You might think I have no right to tell you, but I am the leader of this district. Rule-breakers will be dealt with." He paused, realizing his voice had been... Slightly aggressive as he finished. He cleared his throat, before finishing. "But if you're really here for what you say you are... I'm sure you'll be fine."

Riley was rather unprepared for her to introduce himself. She seemed quiet, only speaking when needed. He liked that part, he didn't enjoy conversations much, nor did he like people that spoke too much. Too annoying, too much useless information about their useless lives. That was what he thought anyway.

"I'm Riley." He finally said, his emotions still gave nothing away.

Crispy Bacon Posts : 18 Join date : 2010-08-19 Age : 26

Riley. Nice name, she didn't know anyone else with it so it wouldn't be confusing for her. He also didn't seem like he wanted to talk very much and although her stubbornness didn't allow her to admit it, Misty was rather relieved. She wasn't exactly a successful socialite, she preferred not to talk to people if she didn't need to, and most of the time, she deemed it unnecessary.

People could entertain themselves, they shouldn't rely on her to amuse them, that wasn't what she was there for. Half the time she didn't even know why she was there, but she knew for sure that she wasn't there for anybody else, Misty was there for Misty alone and no one other than Misty.

Staring at a wall unhappily, she realized that the building wasn't in as good shape as she thought. She still couldn't judge things properly. She would decide on one thing to focus on and take her mind off other things. Snapping her fingers, her eyes brightened and she stood up and looked around the lobby swiftly.

Misty currently had one mission, it was a tough one and she couldn't be sure that it would be possible to complete but she had to, if she didn't satisfy that yearning of hers she would go insane.

Misty wanted a nice, steamy cup of cocoa.

Scoping out the room she was in, she glanced at Riley before announcing something, something very important that she felt he needed to know. "I'm going to search for hot cocoa. Accompany me if you wish." And with that she swept out of the room dramatically, though she tripped on one odd chunk of rock that she hadn't seen. She handled it quite gracefully though, swearing at it like a sailor and shaking her fist at it as she walked away. Of course, she could have just brushed herself off and played it off but she would not allow the stone to escape her wrath. It needed to learn a lesson.

It was a business building for god's sake, it was bound to have a kitchen with a coffee maker or something. Then again, there were no guarantees because the earthquake could have destroyed anything and probably did destroy everything it wanted to.

Continuing to search anyways, she ducked into numerous rooms with no results before heading up the stairs - she couldn't take the elevator because the power was out in this place and she needed the exercise anyways. Grumbling about something or another, she pushed to door to the second floor open and scanned the hallway. No hints about what the rooms on this floor held. Cursing the person who had decided not to label the doors, she forged ahead on her hunt, barely looking back to see if Riley had followed.

Why was it so difficult to find a lovely cup of heated goodness? It was all she wanted at the moment, she didn't want much most of the time anyways. Why had god decided to make her quest so arduous and fatiguing? It made her hungrier.

Misty trekked through many rooms, dragging her worn shoes through rubble and puddles of things she didn't even want to look at twice, asking why oh why the keeper of the heavens had decided to not give her just one cup of cocoa. She was just about to give up hope and curl up on cold, hard floor, bemoaning and crying when she caught sight of something. Gasping, she stared at it and blinked, trying to figure out whether it was real or her mind was playing tricks on her.

A kitchen. She had stumbled across a kitchen. Tripping over her own feet, she hurried over and collapsed while groping the counter to make sure it really was there. Dropping on her knees, a tear of utter joy rolled down her cheek and she began bawling. Finally, finally she had found a kitchen. Thanking God fervently, she scrambled around the room in search of a mug, water, milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and cream. Misty had memorized the recipe for cocoa that her mother had taught her.

Her hand wavered for a moment as she remembered her always smiling mother, a constant ray of sunshine and figure radiant with happiness. A sudden wave of memories flooded back to her and dizzied her, she was quickly overcome with feelings that confused her. Misty wasn't an emotions person, they were complicated and so hard to figure out. Sitting down on the cool tile floor, she began sobbing and hugged her knees. She didn't even know why. Maybe the rain was the cause of this sudden onslaught of emotions and hormones. But it was comforting to know that the sky was crying with her.

Riley just stared at Misty, his body didn't even make a move. For a human, it may seem impossible to just stand still for minutes without moving. But for a tiger, patience was always the key for hunting. And this was just an example. Keep a body still, don't let the prey notice your presence. And then, strike. Striking was the easiest part compared to the others. People think, oh killing the prey isn't easy, you have to run after, sink your fangs into it, kill it before more come in defense. Try staying still for five minutes, see how hard striking is then.

Why that had popped into his mind, he wasn't even sure. He shook his head lightly, moving his thoughts to somewhere different. Now, he's thinking about why he had spoken to Misty in the first place, and introduced himself too. That was rare. He didn't even tell Grason what his name was. Grason. First House member, and being honest, he was a rival in a way. He was more powerful, more capable of defending the city more than Riley was. That's why he voted for Grason to become leader of the whole city. He wasn't jealous, just that thought made him feel strange.

Yet again, Riley's mind moved on. Why did he follow Misty? He did feel strange. Like a voice spoke to his head which simply said. "Just follow her." And that's what he did. He followed her. But that lead to nothing. At least it didn't seem like it did, she was just staring at a wall blankly. Misty reminded Riley of himself, she was quiet, cold... And quiet. I mentioned that didn't I? Anyway, the main point is, she didn't speak much, making Riley think he's just wasting his time on her. Wait, on her? He shook his head again, clearing his mind. It didn't seem to be working correctly-- if that made any sense.

When she heard her voice, he listened with intent. Sure, the way she spoke was very cold, lonely, and other things. But her voice was just like a melody in his head. He smiled again, another strange action that happened rarely. He nodded, he wasn't sure if Misty noticed, but followed her as she looked for hot cocoa. He let no emotions escape from his body language or lips as she tripped over and swore a few times too, though his thoughts told him to lighten up and just even grin a bit. But that didn't stop him from being emotionless.

Riley followed loosely behind Misty, his eyes wandering around the corridors and the rooms he passed. Simply put, they were bad. But not as bad. He supposed the earthquake would have most effect on the main office, the lowest floor. The reception as some may call it. The walls were crumbling, the paint was scratched and left piles of dust laying on the cold concrete floor and some clinging onto the walls, and the small holes where the lighting used to be.

The offices were just as bad. He didn't have time to examine it all, but from the outside, they were all broken down. The furniture had been toppled over, and maybe some had fallen out of the shattered windows. The windows basically replaced the walls that lead to the outside. They were just as tall, maybe just as thick to make sure they wouldn't break. A nasty accident would happen if that did. On the bright side, it worked. Except the earthquake dealt away with it.

Taking his thoughts away from the building, he sped up his pace to catch up to Misty, took the same turns, the stairs, and finally they arrived-- the kitchen. Jeez, walking up those stairs wasn't fun. The elevators were broken down of course, no electricity worked their way into these abandoned buildings. And even if they did, the elevators were broken down. The steel casing rope that used to hold it up were snapped, and he could guess that the remains of the elevator would be at the bottom. He wondered if any survivors got out of here alive, he felt bad for the people that were at the top, they probably had most trouble getting away.

His body was empty as his thoughts lingered, but he was brought back to reality by sobbing. Blinking several times before realizing where noise had been coming from. It was Misty, she was crouched down, her arms around her knees, and he could see and smell the tears dripping from Misty. He could hear the thundering rain from outside too, lashing onto the cold concrete at the grounds below. Without even thinking, he took a step and crouched beside Misty. His arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her against his chest. Maybe this would warm her up, it was what his feelings were telling him to do. Her soft hair against his chest had a odd feeling, but yet a sweet sensation at the same time. His other arm was around her waist, holding her close by himself.

"It'll be alright..." He wasn't sure why he said it, he didn't even know what was wrong. "I'll be here..." Oh my god, what did he just say? I'll be here? Wait, what? This isn't going too well. His mind raced, and his heartbeat was stepping up a notch. Riley didn't know what was going on, everything slipped out from his lips before he even thought about the consequences. Misty might just hit him now. It might not hurt, but he didn't like that thought.

Crispy Bacon Posts : 18 Join date : 2010-08-19 Age : 26

Feeling sudden warmth, Misty froze and thoughts rushed in her head at a rapid pace. He said that he would be there, she wanted to believe him but she couldn't, she just couldn't. How could she be sure? She could never be absolutely sure, he could get up and leave her at any moment, leave her by herself when she had gotten just a bit used to his presence and make her feel more alone then ever.

Trying to understand why her thoughts were so jumbled, she closed her eyes and pressed her cheek to his chest, not really thinking then. It just felt.. right. Really right. And he was so warm too. The warmth was comforting and calmed her down a bit. She wondered if he would mind this, since they both probably weren't thinking right at the moment, just acting on instincts. Impulse. What they felt they needed to do. Er, what Misty felt she needed to do.

She waited for a while before pulling back a little bit, she looked down in embarrassment and folded her hands in her lap. "I cry really easily." She said shakily, sucking in a breath and wiping away the stream of tears running down her face hastily, avoiding his eyes. Yes, feelings were confusing. She couldn't handle such things.

Did she actually.. like this male? Not only like, but also, possibly, have feelings for him? But she had just met him! If Misty were in her right mind she wouldn't approve at all, but she couldn't be sure if she was in her right mind right now, she was so flustered and baffled right now she couldn't honestly judge the state of her head right then.

Riley was really.. nice though. Not like other men she had encountered. Sleazy men who couldn't be trusted. Men who had made her form an idea of the entire male population. It wasn't the most positive idea, but it was based on experience. And what could beat experience? She thought bitterly, smoothing her jeans to keep her hands busy.

Misty's past wasn't joyful, that's for sure, but the good things that did happen were trumped by bad things, and that didn't make her such a cheerful person. Sure, she wanted to be happy and hopeful and all, but it just wasn't possible for her.

Sad blue eyes brimming with tears again, she turned the Riley for comfort again and didn't want to let go this time. He would anchor her to reality, present time, the now. The past and future were irrelevant. All she should think about then was well, then. Wishing she had worn more layers since there wasn't really working heat in this building, she shivered and wept without even questioning the fact that she was weeping. Everyone needed to let loose sometimes, and Misty actually cried so easily, she was sick of being tough, not needing anything.

What she needed right now, was to cry, freely and without any bounds. She also needed someone to be there for her. Solid, rooted, sure. Like a brick wall. Anybody at all, and the anybody she had chosen at this time was Riley. Because although she was perplexed and confused by her feelings for him, she for sure, had feelings for him.

And she really, really needed a cup of hot cocoa.

But she couldn't think about something so.. absurd at a time like this. Cocoa wasn't important right now, no matter how much she wanted and needed it. She also needed to cry. A good and long cry session, let out all the tears she had bottled up over the years. Misty didn't even remember the last time she cried. That wasn't good. She needed this more than a mug of sweetness for sure.

......

Maybe she would have some cocoa after this was all through though.

"I'm sorry I'm so broken." She whispered into his shirt, sighing softly and shutting her eyes.

Riley had only realized how frail and cold Misty's body had been the longer he embraced her body. At first, it didn't occur to him that she could be cold. He was used to his tiger's warmth, and was somehow sure that others with fur would feel the same. Clearly, he was wrong, because her bare skin were cold-- like metal that had been left alone for quite a while. But the weirdest part was, the way she held her... Was well, comfortable. And strange too, never forget that part.

Riley could feel her soft cheeks pressing up against his chest, he didn't wear many layers. He never did to be honest. Always wearing a dirty t-shirt with some print, and then a checkered shirt over it. Skinny jeans were always worn, it matched his body, his looks. Her cheeks were cold too, he cold feel drops of tears streaming down her beautiful cheeks and onto his shirt. He could feel his warm skin against the spot where the tears had decided to wander.

Riley was surprised when she pulled back. It wasn't right, like it was meant to last for longer, but he didn't say anything more. It would be awkward, weird, and would probably make the factor of being right fade away. She was still in his arms, just she wasn't pressed up against his chest anymore, her skin was warmer now. He shrugged at what Misty said. "It's not your fault, and hey, if you cry again, I'll always be here for you..."

It wasn't a lie, he really meant it, but he wasn't sure if Misty would believe him or not. His eyes were focused on her face. The tears made her look even more beautiful. Sure, it wasn't a sight, but it just made her look cute. It was odd he supposed. His thoughts of course, were on Misty. And the most important question that wandered throughout his mind was if she had feelings for this girl.

And not just friendly feelings. More than that. A lot more, a feeling like Riley would need her to be here to be himself. And if she wasn't, he'd just be empty again. Maybe that's what humans call 'love'. He never experienced it, no female had made him feel this way before. He never got too close with one either. Girls were seductive, a perfect example would be Blaise. She got what she wanted by using her beauty. But he didn't find her in any way beautiful, she seemed more like someone being flirty to be given a gift, but that wasn't important right now. Maybe his feelings were because of the rain, he disliked the wet, and maybe, just maybe, it affected his mind.

Riley sighed. All the girls from the orphanage had always been distant from him. He liked one of them at one point, but being bullied and excluded, no one dared to be too close. They didn't want to end up like Riley. It wasn't a joyful experience, he grew up having no friends, and not until he discovered his shifter powers, had he been able to fight back. Being bullied for so long, he sought revenge. It seemed right at the time, he regretted it now. He beat everyone that had done the same to him, they feared him after. They brought friends, but they ended up the same. Some even had fang marks on them, that was most likely how the news spread at the fact that he was a shifter-- secrets don't hold out very well.

Riley could feel Misty pressing up against him again, the tears falling from her beautiful blue eyes. He brought her closer, and his lips were against her forehead. It was an odd position, but it felt right, comfortable, and just seemed what she needed the most. He didn't kiss her forehead, just it was touching it. Not much either, just like a soft brush against it. Her body was cold again, very cold. Maybe it was because she was upset, her body isn't working correctly. He never really learned much in the orphanage, so he wasn't sure if this was even possible.

"Just let your feelings out," he whispered. He didn't need to speak up, even with her sobbing, he was sure that he would be able to hear his clear, soft voice. He thought about his feelings more now. Maybe he did have feelings for this girl, and that thought made his heart beat faster. Bad news of course, but he didn't care. He didn't want to tell Misty directly about his feelings, but yet he wanted her to know. Maybe the sound of his heart beat would tell her exactly how he felt.

Riley smiled, loosening his hold on Mira, letting her see his bright smile. It was a way to tell Misty that he would be there for her. He didn't want to leave her side. Ever. The feelings told him not to let go of her, and he would listen to those feelings. Why? Because simply, they were right. There wasn't a better word to give the feeling. It was confusing, but it was still right to stay by her side.

Pulling her closer once more, he whispered again. "It's alright to be broken sometimes. Everyone needs to let go of their act of being strong and just let their feelings flow. It's nothing you can control, and it's definitely the right thing to do. Better than keeping all those feelings to yourself, right?" His voice was soft, it had been along time since it was like this-- not including today.

OOC: I stole your way of only using the colors for speech. Looks better... xP

Crispy Bacon Posts : 18 Join date : 2010-08-19 Age : 26

It was when the tears finally stopped - for good she hoped - that Misty realized how utterly humiliating this situation was. He wasn't even a little bit less than a complete stranger, he was just a stranger. She knew nothing about this man! Sure, his name and a few other things but that was hardly anything. No information at all. That was unnerving.

Stiffening visibly, she clenched her hands into fists delicately before relaxing them and pushing his chest away gently but firmly. It was inappropriate anyways. Coughing awkwardly and straightening her clothes, she stood up and nearly fell down because her legs felt like jelly, but she managed to remain standing. Ignoring the pins and needles now, she resumed doing what she had been doing before she had a fit and broke down crying. Well, she worked as well as she could in the dark. Truth be told, Misty was a tiny bit afraid of the dark, but only a minuscule amount. And besides, she was only afraid of the pitch dark.

Whirling around the kitchen as a woman with a set task at hand, she made herself a quick cup of not-so-steamy cocoa and sat on the ground away from Riley. This sucked. The cocoa wasn't even hot and her mind was a mental whirlwind, she couldn't concentrate on anything. Sipping the cocoa and frowning at it, she set down the cup and sighed. It didn't taste good if it wasn't hot and almost anything was supposed to taste good when it rained, it was just a fact.

Glancing at Riley for a brief moment before looking out the window, her glacial blue eyes hardened and the shimmer of tears that had been held back disappeared. Maybe it would have been nice to have someone there, stable, a shoulder to cry on, but it wouldn't be fair. Not to her - Misty was used to the unfairness of the world, she had learned to deal with it, just move on - but to him. Like she had said earlier, she was so broken and nobody really deserved that. Reminded her of when a child noticed something sparkle on the pavement. Approaching it in that curious but slightly shy way kids did, they realized that it was broken shards of glass. So beautiful, but so sharp and so willing to hurt. It was a lesson, some of the nicest things were broken and they would hurt you. Hurt you really bad. Even though Misty thought she was definitely less than beautiful.

Most people didn't think that glass was quite as pretty as Misty thought it was though, so most children didn't touch those pretty shattered pieces. Pieces that resembled so many people in this world, all crushed and cracked. Battered and bruised. Split and torn. Slivers of people remained, slivers and fragments that could never be mended. Too damaged for repair.

And those people were better left alone. If anybody tried to help them, they would break down even more. That so called help would demolish whatever was left. Obliterate. Annihilate. Destroy. That was just what "help" did sometimes. Break things into even smaller parts, lose even more hope of ever being fixed. There wasn't much hope in the beginning, but the aid didn't help. Didn't help at all. People shouldn't even try.

Her thoughts had strayed elsewhere, as they often did. The concentration part was true at least, Misty couldn't think of just one thing, she would just end up thinking of another. Sighing, she laid down on her stomach and cradled her face with slender, ivory fingers. This position was comfortable to her, though not quite as comfortable as the other position. Being enveloped in warmth. Feeling so very safe and nice and at rest. Her expression had softened and relaxed into a goofy content smile unconsciously, and she straightened out her expression as soon as she discovered this.

The rain was still pouring, though it had seemed like it might have stopped a few minutes ago, it looked like they would be stuck there for a while. Of course, she could just leave, Misty didn't mind a bit of water and a little cold, but she didn't really want to. She was selfish. Even though she knew that it wouldn't be good to form a relationship with this male, she couldn't help but want to know him a little bit better. And that was bad. But she would stay. Not bond with him, no, that would be back. She couldn't let these confusing feelings of hers develop even more. Pursing her lips, she sneaked another look at him before turning back around and shutting her eyes.

It was better this way. It really was.

(( Misty is a really negative thinker .-. ))

Riley closed his eyes, letting his warmth envelope around Misty. His thoughts still lingering on why he had done this in the first place. Misty was a complete stranger to him, he knew nothing about her. Her past, personality, why she had called herself 'broken' remained a complete mystery to Riley. But he liked the feeling of having her in his arms. Like he was there to protect. It was a strange feeling, and he had not expected it-- especially not with a stranger.

Riley could feel Misty pushing away, he made no attempt to keep his hold on her, it was time to let go. Maybe his previous thoughts were right. He shouldn't be too friendly with anyone, even if he had feelings for this girl now, soon they would all go away when she left. He presumed so anyway, and hoped she really would. If she were to stay any longer, he might just not be able to let go of those feelings.

Sighing, he watched Misty as she went to work for her cocoa, he could smell the chocolate from where he was standing, it was weak, and he could tell it wasn't hot as no steam was coming out from the mug. And another thing? Misty had sat quite far away from himself, too. Maybe she felt strange about the whole embrace too. It must be awkward, but she didn't seem to dislike it. If she had, why didn't she just push him away earlier? Maybe then the feelings mightn't of came at all, but it was too late for that now.

Riley's eyes never left Misty, and when she glanced over toward Riley, he was quite hopeful she wouldn't look away. But luck wasn't on his side, she turned away quickly, staring toward the windows. He could hear the rain as it dropped against the concrete buildings, the glass too. It wasn't light rain either, it was pouring outside. He could see the clouds faintly from outside the window, though they weren't that high up. They were dark grey, the vision outside was unclear as the rain continued to dropped onto the abandoned streets.

And he only realized how different his heart felt now. It was painful. Like he was about to become attached to somebody, just for them to pull away as the final cord bonded them. Which was partly true. Maybe if Misty didn't push him away, they would be close. And he could tell that his heart would of liked that. He didn't know how, but he could simply feel something for Misty, it was unusual in the beginning, but Misty was a stranger. They had met no longer than an hour. Maybe longer, he couldn't tell the time anymore.

Riley had lost track of the days months ago, and it didn't really matter. To Riley, everyday was the same. Wandering around endlessly, meet a new shifter if you were lucky, and then they'd leave never to be seen again. It was simply strange to be around a group, or even with just one person-- at least for Riley it was. Still, he didn't want Misty to leave. She was the one that might just open up his heart, but it was too late for that now.

Maybe Riley should just leave now, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Misty. Why? He didn't know, and he couldn't understand the stream of emotions he was having all at the same time. Confusion, sadness, and loneliness. Confused, because of why Misty had pushed Riley away. He hadn't expected it, not when she felt comfortable with it, or that was what it seemed at first. Sadness? She would leave soon. Very soon, and maybe the rain was the only thing stopping her. Loneliness. Once Misty left, he would be lonely again. He didn't mind, he was used to that part of a Shifter's life, but having company wasn't so bad.

Riley sighed, glancing toward Misty. He still couldn't understand his feelings as they rushed throughout his thoughts. He wanted to be with Misty, yet at the same time he felt he shouldn't. No. It was more his heart felt right, comfortable and hard to leave Misty, yet his mind told her she would leave him eventually. Both of them would be painful toward his heart, but if he never got to know Misty, maybe then he wouldn't be as hurt. But if he bonded with Misty, just for her to leave... Then it would be completely different. Worse.

He sighed, his eyes wandering aimlessly around the kitchen. It was destroyed of course, though some electronics inside still worked. The electricity was running, too. Water seemed to get into the pipes fine without leaks, but he wasn't sure. He would regret leaving Misty, because he knew the fact...

That life would be better with Misty by his side.

Crispy Bacon Posts : 18 Join date : 2010-08-19 Age : 26

Misty took her time making a decision, weighing the choices evenly and listing the pros and cons of each option evenly and trying to find all of the faults and advantages. The choices weren't the greatest but what could she do? She turned and looked at Riley, hoping that their eyes would meet for even just a second, so she could be sure, absolutely sure that this was right, meant to be. Taking in a deep breath, she looked him square in the eyes and braced herself mentally for what she was about to say. Because it would take a lot out of her. Describing her feelings often did.

"I promise that I'll never lie to you, though I often lie to myself. You can see I'm not used to this type of stuff, so I'll just come out with it, because that's all I think I can really do right now." A sheepish smile. "I don't really know anything about you, Riley, what your favourite colour is, which song's lyrics you remember perfectly, or even your favourite flavour of ice cream - something very necessary if I wish to bribe you, but I do know this, even though I just met you, I have these feelings, this set of irritating, confusing feelings, and I'm not quite sure what they are. I'm not really a feelings person." Lowering her head here and gazing nervously at him through her lashes, she glanced away for a little bit before returning her eyes to him and continuing.

"My heart thuds quicker when I'm with you, I feel at rest and safe when I'm in your arms - actually, I feel safe in general when I'm with you, like you'll always be there for me. When you say my name, I just know that it's safe with you. It's fine if you don't feel the same way, I don't expect you to feel the same way, just tell me and I'm gone. I'll bury these feelings and eventually they'll disappear.

"And you'll never see me again, I won't bother you."

Feeling as if a load had been lifted off her chest, she waited for his reply, listening to the rain patter and fill the silence. The silence wasn't exactly awkward, it was something else, Misty just didn't know what. She was fine with silence anyways, though she rarely found others who were as okay with it as she was.

A burden had been relieved from her shoulders, a white elephant she had finally managed to dispose of. But still, she felt tension and anxiety. She knew that if he didn't return her feelings she couldn't get rid of them as easily as that. They would be persistent and they would come back to haunt her, a lot. Misty would just deal with it. Alone. And that would be the last time she ever allowed herself to feel anything for anyone. No compassion, no pity, nothing.

That was another lie she was telling herself. She knew she couldn't rid herself of emotions, as much as she wanted to. They would always be there. In her heart. Mind. Soul.

Funny, a song was playing in her mind right now. Like one of those sappy movies you watch where the hero has an epiphany or something, where they realize they're totally in love with the girl who's hopping on a plane and is going off to the other side of the world any moment. Very in love with her, like, willing to confess everlasting love to. He drops what he's doing, glances at the clock and wonders for a moment if he'll make it. But he doesn't care what the odds are, he would try damn it, and he would get to her, because they had ended on a sour note and he wanted her to know that he loved her. Cue music as he runs through the rain because the traffic was jammed and his cab hadn't been moving at all.

Misty didn't want to finish that thought, because she knew that the story had a happy ending, and she also knew that people rarely got a happy ending in real life. The good people got happy endings, they earned them, and she knew that she hadn't earned anything, so why should she get a nice ending.

She wanted one anyways. Because as she admitted earlier, she was selfish and she wanted a happy ending with that guy right there. The one she was staring at. She wanted to secure a nice, stable home and sit on a couch and watch movies with him, all kinds of movies, be comfortable around him, because she had a feeling that he would be able to make her smile even when she was tired.

Because that was what love was.

Yep, she admitted that as well. She was pretty dang sure that was what it was called, that puzzling feeling that she was feeling. Love. And she was still watching the very center of her affection. The man named Riley.

Something happens and I'm head over heels
Misty loved the song. It was one of her favourites, and she never got sick of it. Besides, she thought that is fit the situation right now.

I never find out 'till I'm head over heels
It was pretty catchy as well, and she needed that right now. For a catchy song to get stuck in her head so she would think about something. It would be great, especially since she couldn't cogitate at the moment, and that worried her.

Something happens and I'm head over heels
Without even realizing it, she had gotten feelings for this male. They had crept up on her, even though she wasn't too late yet. The feelings hadn't gotten too intense or deep. Just in the shallows at the moment. If she was rejected it wouldn't be too bad.

Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart
She was lying again. It would hurt. Hurt really bad, but she would deal with it. She always did. Always figured out something. Though she was sick of it sometimes. She wished that things would go her way once, just once, was that too much to ask? Of course it was. She shouldn't ask for anything. If you didn't talk about it, you didn't get your hopes up, and those heightened hopes wouldn't get crushed in the end.

Don't, don't, don't throw it away

(( The inspiration for some parts in this. That article is so cute I just couldn't resist including some parts of it.

Song name is Head Over Heels by Tears for Fears, it's a seriously awesome song, you should check it out. ))

Riley simply laid his eyes on Misty, he could tell she was full of thoughts again, she wasn't speaking, just looking around with sharp, empty eyes. He felt her eyes met his for a second, he wasn't hopeful anymore. He knew she would look away again, as she did the previous time. But he was wrong. But he was never right anyway, whenever he wanted something, it never came. When he didn't want it, or when he just simply doesn't expect it, it just comes. This was one of those times.

Riley could feel her eyes fixed on his, they were beautiful, as were her features. He had described them before, but looking at Misty again, he wasn't sure if he said enough. He shook his head lightly, but stopped to listen as Misty spoke. Her voice was soft, and it was also soothing to listen to for Riley. It was a weird feeling of course, but one could say it simply felt right. What she said made sense, too.

He was hurt when it seemed to Misty that he didn't feel the same way. Riley was sure he did. The way he felt for Misty, they were confusing. Just as she felt for him. But he didn't speak, he let her finish everything. He remained silent after, though. Running through his thoughts to see what he could say without Misty feeling she wasn't meant to be here. He took a deep breath, inhaling the dusty oxygen around him, before he began to speak.

"I feel exactly the same way. You don't have to believe me-- I don't expect you to. My feelings are just as confusing as yours." He gazed into Misty's eyes, he smiled automatically without even thinking. It was strange, but it was right. "You don't know me, you're right about that part, and I don't know you either, but I felt something. Like a bond between the two of us. A bond that didn't require us to know each other, just we needed each other-- at least, I needed you. I could walk away right now, forget about it all, but my heart tells me differently." He paused, he could feel his heart beating against his chest, faster than usual.

He was nervous, he knew that much. He couldn't blame himself for that, it was natural. Riley didn't want Misty to leave, one misplaced word might just cause her to leave, he had to pick the right words, tell her what he felt. He gave Misty a smile, before continuing. "I feel the same for you, Misty. I feel like it's my job to protect you. To keep you safe. Warm. Happy. Like I'm your protector. Without you, I might feel empty. I can't let go of you know. You can go if you wish, but I don't want you to. I want you to stay. By my side."

Riley took a deep breath again, he had just told her exactly how he felt about Misty. He wasn't sure if that would change her mind and stay. It was too sudden. The feelings came too soon. He knew what the feeling was, even a kid would know what to call it. Everyone in the world knew of what the feeling was, but everyone felt different about what it really is.

Love. It was a strange feeling to Riley. He had never had any feelings of love. His family? Maybe if they hadn't abandoned him. The adults at the orphanage were the same to everyone else. It was their job to help the orphans, but it was nothing more than that. They loved them, sure. But everyone was treated the same. It wasn't a special family love, just love for what they do, the feeling that they got for being able to make a difference.

The feeling Riley felt now was completely different. Love is something that was strange, a mixture of feelings. But the end result was the same. Love is when you want the person you care for to be happy. With or without you. You wouldn't want to see them broken, and if they were, you would be the one to cheer her up, fix her broken heart. Love is when you see one person, and you just automatically smiled. Nothing is said, just a smile tells everything.

And he was smiling now, just looking into Misty's beautiful eyes. He had felt different for her since they had met. Love at first sight. He had always thought that would never occur in real life, just in those dramas with happy endings. They were always the same. But life is way too different. Everything is held by Fate. You can't control your future, you can only hope that whatever comes ahead is good. And he supposed meeting Misty was the best of his life yet.

He had never expected to find anyone. Being a shifter, trust never came by. Both males and females felt the same. Everyone probably had trust problems. Humans weren't friendly to them, and that's what changed them all. Riley was merely just one of its many victims.

But Riley didn't care anymore. He had found Misty. And Misty had found him. What he felt about Misty was the only important thing now. He stood up, taking big steps toward Misty. Smiling, he extended his arm, his hand open for Misty to take. He wasn't going to let go of Misty ever. No matter what happens, he would make sure Misty would be by his side

Crispy Bacon Posts : 18 Join date : 2010-08-19 Age : 26

Accepting the invitation, Misty stood up, closed the distance between Riley and herself and took his hand. They fit nicely, and from there on, Misty knew that she was where she belonged. With Riley. The feelings she felt then would gain more depth, and she would form an attachment to this man. Not that she minded at all, just needed to remind herself of what she was getting into. The possible fate she now had. A fate that had been decided by herself and Riley, nobody else. By their decisions.

The song had stopped playing now. It had been replaced by something else, something much nicer and much more reassuring in her opinion. A classical song. No words. No distractions. She could be in 'the now.' The time she was spending with Riley.

Misty knew that she would go crazy if she stayed with someone 24/7, even if it was someone who she loved an insane amount. It was just a fact. Of course, he couldn't want to be with her all the time either so it worked out. She mulled over the decision of moving to the southern district but decided not to in the end, she would just visit a lot - if he wanted.

There were quite a few things she would have to mull over now. Would she even dare tell her brother? Yeah, he could be a little protective but surely he wouldn't try to poison Riley or anything. Misty wasn't sure at all. Fang had always been sort of unpredictable, and she wasn't sure whether or not he would go to such ends to protect his sister from the rest of his gender. He had always been really lazy too though, so he might be too unwilling to get up from wherever we was just 'chilling' to go off and kill his innocent, baby sister's boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

The term seemed unfitting. A boyfriend was someone who you had a girlish crush on and had friends tease you about. Misty had little to no friends that she remembered, so the latter was highly unlikely, and she was pretty sure she didn't have just a "girlish crush" on him so the former wasn't true either. It seemed like more than a crush, like she.. well, needed him.

Dear lord, that sounded corny. Even in her mind. Then again, love was corny in general. Heck, even the word love sounded corny. Now everything sounded corny!

Glancing upwards to get her thoughts back on track, Misty realized that having a.. relationship with a stranger wouldn't be good. Not good at all. Fang was more likely to kill his sister rather than her partner. She was acting odd. Even more odd than usual.

"Pink." She murmured into his shirt before smiling confidently and looking up at him again. "Pink, that's my favourite colour. There are no songs I know completely, but I know parts of some. I like mint-chocolate chip and cookie dough ice cream." She said, beaming at him before letting go and sitting down again. Standing hurt her feet after a while, and she didn't want to wait for her feet to start aching. Humming a soft song, she arched a brow and looked at Riley.

He didn't have to share the same information with her, but it would be nice, to find out more about him, because he seemed kind of mysterious. She wondered if he even liked ice cream. Some odd people (even more odd than her) she had met before didn't like ice cream. Before, she had thought that she wouldn't be able to be in a relationship with someone who didn't like one of her favourite things ever, but she guessed it would be okay if it was Riley.

It just wasn't cool if it was someone else though.

I'm biased I guess. She thought with amusement, running her eyes over the room again before smiling at Riley once more. Was she smiling too much? She just felt like smiling at the moment.

Riley smiled as Misty took his hand, they were soft, warm and the feeling he had just felt like they were meant to be together, never to separate. The feeling he had now, it would continue to grow toward Misty, the future that lied ahead would bond them closer than ever. He always thought being attached to someone would lead to betrayal, but he brushed the thought away. He could trust Misty with his life.

Sure, Riley had just met Misty, but the feeling he had toward Misty told him whatever happens, she would be by his side. And that's a hard feeling to come by, in a society of Shifters where trust was rare. He smiled, he didn't know why. It just came, and it felt right to do it. He was happy with Misty, and he always will be.

But there was a sad part to the relationship, too. Riley couldn't spend all his time with Misty, as much as he'd like to. First of all, she didn't even reside in the South District. She said she might move from where ever she lived from before, but he doubted that. It was just a feeling he had. Plus, Riley had other responsibilities to look after, being district leader and all that, he had to make sure that his part of the city is safe, free from violence and trouble.

Love was such a confusing thing, though. Even though he couldn't spend hours with Misty, he'd be content with just minutes. And those minutes, his smile will be bright, his heart will beat happily, and he would be by Misty's side. After? He'd have happy memories to remember. Maybe that's what love was, just being happy with who you're with, and the happy memories they both share.

Love is what he felt for Misty. He guessed they're in a relationship now. It's how it works wasn't it? He wasn't too sure, he never really gotten into one before. He was too cold to others and he never felt those emotions he had for Misty with anybody else. The quick heartbeat, the warm touch, her soft body as he kept her safe.

What was the term again? Girlfriend. Yeah, that was it. He watched some drama on TV before, the two main characters were happy with each other, hugged, kissed, married. You could call it the routine or the steps of love and relationship. But he never experienced any of those, he was new to those feelings. The most confusing part was... Misty is a stranger. He couldn't deny it, they had just met. The feelings just struck him like lightning, quick and sudden. He grinned at the thoughts.

Riley heard Misty speak, her soft soothing voice flew into his ears, he could listen to her talk all day, about anything. Her voice just made him smile-- which he did. "Sky Blue." His voice was soft, steady and loving. Damn that sounded corny. He shrugged at the thought and continued with a smile. "I like chocolate ice-cream, a bit plain I know. As for songs I remember..." He shrugged, before continuing. "There are none. But that doesn't mean I don't listen to them, I just don't remember the lyrics." He felt her hand slide away from his, it felt weird. He liked the feeling of being able to hold her hand, but it didn't matter. Spending time with Misty was all he wanted.

It was weird information to share, maybe this was how a friendship started to develop. The simplest things would lead to great trust. He frowned, trust. He never really gotten the hang of trusting anybody. Misty would be the first after many years, he was content with that. If he didn't trust his girlfriend, who else would there be?

He grinned as he saw Misty smile, it relaxed him somehow, he wasn't sure how that came by. He took a step beside Misty and sat down beside her, gazing into her beautiful eyes.

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