Disclaimers: All characters belong to rightful owners.
Story concieved by Lee.


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Lukas blinked, almost loosing his hold on Alexei as he glanced worriedly over at his friend. Sammy was getting... odd again... In the same way he had before when the Cactus Kid's attack had been turned onto himself. The tone of voice... the turn of countenance... hell, even the words he used... none of them were Sam's. It was like his friend had suddenly turned into someone else... but still somehow managed to remain outwardly the same...

"The... light?" he repeated, puzzled, glancing from Sam to Lucia and back again. What the hell was going on between those two, anyway? "What light? Sammy... what the fuck are you talking about?"

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"The Light?" Alexei had definitely caught _that_ tone. "So This One is more than just another one of You? But we think you used the wrong words. The Dark would be a better description." He twisted impatiently in Lukas' grasp, "Let us go. We will not kill The Light," he made that mocking, "here. But," he added to the girl, "we know your face. We will remember you and we will abide our time." It was imperative she be killed. At least the blind one had half a chance of being saved from his tormentor. She had none.

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This was growing more and more bothersome by the minute. Without any outer physical indication, Lucia hissed at the blind boy, her unspoken words pounding into his head.

::Hush, Sam. To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven, including the time when we'll be rid of this pest. Be patient. And for God's sakes, shut up!::

"Oh Lukas, just let him go! He's obviously completely wacko." She rolled her eyes at the kid, crossing her arms irritably. This just wasn't her day. Between passing out and being attacked by a rabid psychopath, the Morning Star wanted nothing more than a nice hot bath and a nap. Instead, she had to deal with her loud-mouthed associate and his best bud, the Cajun Nancy Drew. He was obviously suspicious of her, and this latest slip of tongue hadn't helped her case at all.

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Sam seemed about to reply to the Catcus Boy's words when he noted the words being pounded into his brain. Though most would think to question a stray, odd voice in their mind, the thought never even crossed him. It was natural, this voice, and familiar; he immediately recognized it as one which must be obeyed and, as such, he simply turned his head away from the little bug. He would get his, in time, much as his brother had. As the voice had said, to everything there is a season... and he knew well of waiting for his season to come.

"Yea, just... just another one for the asylum..." Sam chuckled a bit uncertainly as he went totally limp within Kisoku's hold. This... was the most fucked-up day EVER and it wasn't showing signs of ending soon. Maybe if he could just get away from the Pirahanna Boy. Everything seemed to really come out around him. It was his fault. Really. It was. It was the only answer.

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Kisoku blinked as Sam seemed to stop any and all struggle. He had no clue what was going on with that boy today, but he hoped that it wouldn't be happening again for a long, long time. He couldn't do much about it. Honestly, Sam looked just as shaken up about it as he was. He brought his lips close to his friend's ear, muttering softly. "It's okay, babe. Just relax.

"How're you holding up, Lucia?" The blonde looked up at the girl, inquisitively. "No bumps or bruises or anything serious, right?"

"I'm fine!" she snapped, a bit sharply. Kisoku couldn't help but shrink back a little, but she quickly turned to him with a weary smile. "I'll be better when this kid is out of my direct line of sight. This just hasn't been my day..."

"I know the feeling!" He laughed, grinning cheerfully at the girl, before turning his attentions back to Sam. He planted a couple of soft kisses and pettings atop the boy's head, anything that might further calm the raging temper that he had just witnessed.

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"Not your day, your month, your year..." Sam chuckled as he sighed a bit at the various attentions being paid him by his friend. Nice. That was... nice. Very calming. Just forget the present and get lost in the soft sensations, the soothings. It was so easy to do that, but some part of himself just wouldn't give into it. Sighing at this, he tipped his head to Lucia. "You're sure that you're okay, Luc? It sounds like you took a nasty fall. This town is so full of rude people..."

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"I'm perfectly fine, Sam. My gloves kept me from scraping up my hands. My knees might be a bit black and blue come tomorrow, but that's hardly anything life threatening." Lucia smiled at him, albeit a bit wearily. At the very least, he had listened.

"I think I'm gonna see if I can pick up some icy hot or something for my sore spots. I'll be seeing you around guys." She gave Sam a quick kiss on the cheek and waved cheerfully to Kisoku, before turning to Lukas.

"Just make sure I'm out of sight before you let him go, okay?" And with that she trotted off in the direction of the nearest conveinence store. The first thing she caught sight of was a small Spanish/Portugese bodega. There was a small group of people in front of the store that she brushed by a bit to quickly, her shoulder bumping against the arm of an older man. She spun around. "Sorry about that!"

...and her face broke into blush. She had just bumped into the most gorgeous human in all of New Eden. It was strange and bizzare. She had never felt so strongly about anyone at first sight, let alone a puny bug of a human, but he was so... perfect. She grinned like an idiot as she fumbled her way backwards into the store, only half- heartedly searching for the icy hot as she kept peeking out the windows at this wonderful mystery man.

Still, there was something familiar about him...

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Considering Darran had been helplessly laughing and in the midst of a tickle war only a half-second before, one could easily forgive him for not being completely on his guard and ready to snap into action. The problem was that in that strange, dark subconsciousness of his... he was entirely ready.

Impressions flashed in on him far too quickly to be consciously confirmed, but trusted enough to act on immediately. The guy was taller-- a good deal taller-- and had him practically on his toes. The guy was also launching a punch towards him, too quick to dodge, so all Darran could do was clench his jaw and turn his head sharply, to ease the impact a little. He absorbed the blow and straightaway snapped his fist up, with the intention of plowing it into his unknown assailant's stomach. No reply. Talking only wasted time, and wasting time got you killed.

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Dante grinned rather triumphantly as his punch landed--maybe not as well as he'd hoped, but he still managed it and that was something. Still, any gloating which might have been done was quickly lost in a quick exhale of breath as he suddenly found a sharp, searing pain in his stomach. Doubling over, he squinched his eyes closed and, trying to recatch his breath, he also attempted to throw a fist into whatever bit of the old pervert was most convenient.

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Para, meanwhile, watched all this in stunned silence. Not that it was unfamiliar--her brother tended to do this to _anyone_ who got close to her--but she never did really know how to react to any of it. So, almost in a state of shock, she crossed to where Cordy sat crying and, murmuring absently to the younger, she tried to gather him into her lap.

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Nathan winced in pain as he made contact with the young girl. His heart felt as if it was going to explode from his chest as the surge of pain, suffering, and anger rushed towars him with full force. He had been so distracted trying to block out the tension that existed with the group that he left himself vulnerable to this newcomer. It did not take him long to recover though, as he turned back to see whom these intense history belonged to. He stared intently at the young girl. She seemed too young too experience all that he had felt, but the depth of those eyes seemed to contradict that. She had an old soul, a very old soul. There was something oddly familar about her, about the way that she blushed and struggled for words around him. He quickly caught himself and smiled at the younger girl. "That's no problem," he said as watched her enter the shop.

"What's wrong with Uncle Nat, mama" Charlene whispered to Thalia. Thalia smirked at the sight of the young girl stumbling into the store before turning to her young daughter. "Robbing the cradle," she joked as she adjusted the young girl. "Hey, Nathan," Thalia yelled out. "I'm taking Charlene to the tree-lighting, catch up with us later, okay?" She winked at her best friend of over ten years before walking away.

"Huh?" Nathan said looking back. But by the time he had processed what she said, Thalia had already left.

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Lucia blinked as the gorgeous man's lady friend left. This was her chance to talk to him! She grabbed the icy hot, rushed to the cashier, slammed adequate money down on the cashier while waving the icy hot in the air, and dashed out the door, skidding to a halt behind the man.

"Hi!" She squeaked, grinning goofily from ear to ear.

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Nathan jumped at the sudden greeting. He quickly spun around to see the young girl had returned from the store. "Hi!" Nathan said in response, running the face through his mind in attempts to figure out where he had met this girl before if he had at all. He looked in her hands to see she was holding a tube of icy hot. "I didn't hurt you did I?" he said with a look of concern on his face.

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"Oh no! No no no no!" Lucia grinned, drinking in the man's features with her eyes. Despite how new and strong these feelings were, she couldn't help but feel as though she had met him before. "No, I just got sorta attacked in the park. Nothing too serious. Just a bit bruised...

"My name's Lucia. It's nice to meet you." Finally gaining some composure, she held her hand out to him in offering. She managed to push the blush out of her face and put the icy hot safely away in the pocket of her pink bubble jacket.

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Nathan smiled at her offer, as he turned to see if Thalia had returned to drag him away. Unfortunately neither Charlene or Thalia were to be found. He hesistated briefly to take her hand, but started to build up his mental defenses. "Nathan," he said cheerfully as he took her hand with his gloved on. He pulled his hand back and stared a bit at her more. Well, might as well be direct, he though as he gave up his mental search for where he had seen her. "Sorry to ask, but have we met before?" he said as he pulled his hand back. "You seem familar. Maybe I've substituted for one of your classes."

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"I was thinking the same thing..." Lucia bit her lip in concentration. She didn't exactly buy the answer he had given her. Wouldn't she remember a teacher this absolutely perfect? Looking at him was like staring at the face of someone she hadn't seen in a few millenia. Maybe another angel who had died, like Samael? No... that wasn't it either.

"Y'know, that's probably it. If fact I vaguely remember... a math class, was it?" She smiled sweetly at him, batting her lashes. Sure, she was lying, and yes, she was laying the girlish charm on thick. But she was slow to care, so long as she got what she wanted.

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He laughed a little and nodded before looking at the ground. "Yah," Nathan replied. "That must be it. Say, I hope I'm not holding you up or anything." He held out his hand and looked once more at her. "But it was nice to meet you, Lucia but I must catch up with my friend, I promised my niece I'd be at the tree-lighting." Something about those eyes... It couldn't be...

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"Oh, alright. I'll let you go then." She smiled, grasping his hand once more, and as she let her hand slip away, she felt as though her heart was breaking into pieces. Her fingers were tingling excitedly, as she quickly shoved her hand into her pocket, trying to dispel the sadness, the longing that that touch left.

Why did she feel like she was going to cry?

"It was really great to meet you. Really..." Her voice trailed off as she turned her face away from him. She wasn't going to lose control. She wasn't going to completely lose it for a pathetic human... she wouldn't-- couldn't-- lose control to anyone except _Him_. "But anyway, I've really got to go to! Bye!"

As quickly as she could, she about faced and broke into a brisk walk away from the man. Maybe she would double back around and head to the park... meet up with Sam. He would help her clear her confused mind.

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Sophia barely noticed the group fragment, because suddenly she was awash in a wave of vague but inexplicably strong... fright. As a teenage girl crashed into the red-haired man, Sophia was already on edge and nearly incapacitated with confusion and distress. Something- - she couldn't tell what-- was wrong. Something was wrong...

//"Sorry I'm late, Curls. I was hanging out with a friend and lost track of the time... she's really cute, too. Maybe next time I pick you up I'll bring her along and you can meet her..."

"..."

"She's really nice, I bet she'd like you... hey. Are you... jeeeeeeealous?"

"Wh-what? Erasto!!"

"Hey, hey, just asking!" Laughter. Teasing. An offer forgotten, and therefore lost.//

What? Why... why the _hell_ should she think of that now? Sophia swallowed hard against nausea, against tears threatening her, and nearly screamed aloud as a hand came down on her shoulder.

"Say, Sabiana," Olhado remarked, unaware of how distressed she was, "we should be getting to the park, you know, if we're to meet your father."

"Wh-what?" She brought her thoughts back with effort, determined not to look him in the face until she was under control again. "Oh. Of course. I'm sorry. My mind... was wandering. Let's go."

She turned her back on the meeting of strangers and all but tugged him up the street, desperate to be away from whatever could have triggered such memories in her.

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Nathan watched as Lucia hurried off. That tortured soul could have only belonged to one of his angels. All the souls he had created were distinct in some way; each carried some telltale sign of whom they were and had been. Part of him wanted to run after the young girl, talk to her more to see if she was his former beloved, or if not, someone who needed help. The other part of him, the more dominant part of him cried out for him not to. If it was the one he thought it was, did he really want to talk to her? After all Lucifer and the angels had done, why would he take pity of them now. 'Strategy' he thought to himself. Nathan let out a sigh and started after her.

"Ummm... Excuse me, Lucia," he yelled out as he neared her. Silently kicking himself he approached her.

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