Nightingale

[Lovely]

October 23, 2008
11:20pm

Aless was tired and maybe that was why it took her her a few minutes to realize someone was following her or maybe she was so tired her mind was playing tricks on her. She turned but there was nothing.. no one behind her, her eyes scanned the dark street and she sighed. The other girl who worked in the clinic was only able to bring her so far and then Aless had to walk the last few blocks to her building. She had a pass so if she was stopped by patrol, they might leave her alone.. of course if they were corrupt, they might not.

Aless picked up her pace, feeling suddenly much colder than she had, it was a mild night to tell the truth. She was getting creeped out and hearing noises and letting her imagination get the better of her. She was dedicated to her work, to helping people and the clinic provided her with a way to do that and enough money to survive, even if she didn't live in the rich sector. She was a nurse, not a doctor afterall.. she sighed a breath of relief as she climbed the front steps of her building. That relief was short lived when the hand clamped over her mouth as her key hit the lock of her apartment door.

Her scream was muffled as a large arm wrapped around her middle, pinning her arms, while another man came in front of her and pulled her keys from her fingers. She could barely breathe with how tightly the one holding her had his hand clamped over her mouth and part of her nose, yet she tried to scream. Her legs kicked out and she managed to get the one in front of her in the groin, he doubled over but then grabbed her ankle and wrenched her leg into a painful position. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes as he growled in her face, his breath hot around the other man's hand.

"Mmm miss nurse.. I have an ache you're going to take care of for me.."

She screamed again though not much sound made it past the hand over her mouth and it wasn't likely anyone would chance coming out of their apartments to help. She felt the hand of the one she'd kicked, gripping roughly at her chest as he smiled at her, while she struggled against his partner. She managed to squirm enough to bite at the hand over her mouth, it let go and she got out of his grasp for a moment, Aless let out another scream, which resulted in one of them hitting her so hard she saw spots even before she felt her back and head hit the wall behind her.

A scream at this hour was far from unusual and would normally go unnoticed like the other strong, stern sounds filtering out into each dark night in this world gone wrong. Most were from the sector posts and the victim of the guards' onslaughts, however, not within the living quarters. He humphed to himself, looking for scraps and perhaps a glimpse of that girl, the one who'd been kind to offer directions and a smile a few times in passing. Venge hadn't gleaned much more than that except finding that she worked at the clinic, not that she'd told him in so many words. The smell of the ether and bandages were keen to his sensitive senses. That he'd been curious enough to circle lazily along the paths she walked one morning and saw where she went meant little more than knowing people, but knowing people in clinics, and befriending them, was more valuable than nearly anything else these days except fortuitous timing. This time the scream turned a certain chill that would have ruffled his feathers but had to make do with tightening his fists as they formed and the feathers began to fade. Stairs! Back up, aloft with his rapidly changing form, he fought the gravity and stumbled up the steps to the scuffle at the door. Rave's injuries were still fresh in his mind and churned with a fresh anger as he reached out a black-taloned hand to the throat of the one closest. "Leave her be!"

Aless was disoriented enough at first not to realize someone was coming to her aid as she struggled up to her feet, she could feel blood and bruising on her cheek but she'd heal quickly if she got away that is. She heard a voice saying 'leave her be' and blinked, finding a somewhat familiar face tangling with one of the men. She didn't know his name but remembered him from the times they had passed and spoken briefly, exchanging good days and the like. He was helping her?

One of the men grabbed at Aless while the other was grabbed by the taloned hand. "Mind your own business and stay out of this." The man who grabbed her told her would be rescuer.

"I am and you're damaging it. I said... leave her be," he said more forcibly, clenching the razor talons into the man's skin as he latched on fully, not caring if blood spilled. Had the man's football head been less thick perhaps the neck supporting it he might have been quicker to realize the danger he was in. Venge kicked out at the other man to keep him from the girl.

The first man in the grip of Venge's hand choked a bit and gasped out. "Let her go.." He was at least smart enough to realize this guy might rip his head off and no piece was worth that.. not tonight anyway. They could come back another time, they knew where she lived after all. The second man, let go of Aless, though he shoved her roughly away from him, making her stumble. "She aint that pretty anyway.. and she bites.." He glared at the girl and stepped away with his hands out a bit, waiting for his friend to be released. "Sides, we didn't know she had a boooyyfriend."

Aless used the wall to catch herself as she was shoved and to sort of lean against as she watched the three men, trying to keep herself out of reach of either of her attackers, lest they decide to try again.

He didn't let go, a fire growing brighter and deeper in his eyes as they continued to hurt and insult her. His grip was combined with pushing against gravity again, this time the other man's weight being tugged and wrestled to the steps. "I think you should be going now," he suggested, willing to let the man fall down the steps or walk down them on his own if he'd be sensible.

[Lovely]

"Yeah.. going.. right." The man in Venge's grip, wasn't sure if he was going to be pushed down the stairs or not, but motioned for his friend to go on ahead. At least his fall might be broken that way.. the other guy went ahead, giving a last look to Venge and then Aless.

Venge's crooked smile and manic stare peered widely, piercing as sharply as his claws. The wild blue with a flash to gold and black - it wasn't clear what sort of demon child he might be or if he was only crazy. Reason wasn't his strong point on a good day, anyway. "Far from right, but still a good choice." He shoved and let go, leaving the bloodied man to find his balance on the steps going down.

He stumbled back, nearly not finding his footing and crashing into his more sturdy friend. "f*cking freak!" He yelled back at the crazed hero as he shoved his friend out ahead of him, he was chuckling though as if he was aware of some inside joke.

Aless watched the scene unfold before her, shocked by the attack and by the rescue as well, it wasn't often in this world that someone went out of their way for someone else. She slowly pushed herself away from the wall, wincing a bit and sore from being squeezed, hit, held, and groped. She stared at Venge for a moment, trying not to break down in front of him but struggling to hide the shimmer of tears in her eyes. "Thank you."

The liquid looking covering over his skin was still fading from oily feathers to human skin and he felt the chill bumps cover him instead. He finally took a breath, relieved they hadn't swung at him in the meantime, turning from the scene and their words to face her with a kind smile. "Don't. They're not gone yet. Where's your key? Let me help you. Then I might need to ask a favor," he added, reaching to help her steady herself on her feet though it was clear he couldn't say in the open long like this without clothing.

"They know right where I live now.. so they could always stop by again." She replied with a humorless chuckle, her hands gently grasping his arms as he steadied her a little. "I.. um.." She turned her head to look around for her keys, she'd just been getting them into the lock when she was grabbed. "Oh, there... on the floor." As her gaze came back up from locating her keys, it washed over him, allowing her a glimpse of his bare form and causing her to snap out of the shock a bit to realize he was naked. "It's cold.. I.. I mean.. you must be cold.. I.. does that favor involve pants?" She shook her head, realizing she probably wasn't making alot of sense.

He chuckled a little, though he really wasn't embarrassed. "It does, but I'm not the one hurt," he said, taking the keys to help with the door, although he didn't know which one and guessed. His hands were steady, calm and strong with black nails catching the bit of light that bathed the landing. They no longer resembled claws at all.

"Hurt?" She blinked, confused a moment, and then realized he meant her. "Oh!.. Oh.. I.. I'll be fine. It could have been alot worse." Of course thinking about it made things hurt more, and she kind of rubbed the side of her arm against her chest where the man had pawed her. Venge got the right key and the lock clicked as it let go so the door would open. She reached to brush a bit of hair out of her face, which had loosened from the clips which held the rest, still up from how she normally wore it for work. Her fingers brushed the dampness on her cheek and she frowned as she pulled her hand away and saw the red on her finger tips.

"Lucky," he mumbled, amazed he'd found the right key quickly. He turned with the manic stare, though wasn't meaning to frighten her. "Who were they? C'mon. Do you have a bag? We're not staying long.'

[Lovely]

"What?" She asked, a little stunned as she blinked again and looked up at Venge, stepping toward the door to the apartment. "I don't know them... The one you grabbed.. I've seen him before but.. I've never even talked to him.." She shook her head again, frowning and trying to put a logical and rational reason to an irrational situation. "I didn't bring a bag to work with me today."

"No, I mean a bag you can pack. You're not staying here. I've seen them before, too." He turned to push the door open and went in first, looking for the switch, hoping she had lights. "Look, I'm not trying to scare you. I'm trying to keep them from scaring you again.. or worse." He came back, at a loss to know the layout, though he did look around in the dark corners for anything his avian vision would allow him to see that might be waiting.

"Oh." She paused in the doorway and then stepped into the apartment, walking to turn on the lamp and let the small light illuminate the area, of course it was her apartment so she knew where the lamp was even in the dark. There didn't appear to be anything waiting inside. "Um.. where do you suppose I'm going?" She asked as she turned again, to face him, tilting her head to the side a little.

"What? Oh. Um... That sounded demanding, didn't it?" He stammered, realizing he was of course not dealing with Raven and she wasn't exactly asking his help. "Someplace safe? Um. I can explain better if... do you have a towel or a... something?"

"Someplace safe? Sounds nice.. does such a place exist?" Aless asked him with a bit of a softer expression, not quite a smile but almost. She blushed a little and turned to the basked of laundry that was in a nearby chair, she hadn't had time to finish taking care of it before work. "Umm.. I have my scrub pants.. and.. oh.. yes a towel." She held out both, giving him the option of how he wanted to cover up.

He took the towel from her to anchor around his lean waist, then began pacing. "Safe is a matter of opinion. There... there was an incident recently," he started, wondering how to tell her more about what he was and where he intended to take her. "My sister, her friends... they've met silimar trouble. It's not just a casual interest in the clinic... or in you."

"Your sister.." She echoed it softly, watching him pace and biting her lower lip. "Ahh.. is she alright? Did they hurt her?" She asked, forgetting about herself as she sensed his concern, she assumed was toward his sister.

"She'll be fine," he said absently, grasping the back of the chair he stood behind. "It's what it means, though. Why she was attacked. I wondered about the connection, but now I'm not so sure. I ... don't strike you as odd?"

"Odd? You mean other than swooping in to my rescue in the middle of the night and walking around my apartment in a towel because you ended up naked? No.. not odd at all.. What.. are you trying to ask me.. exactly?" She smiled a little, her eyebrow arched. He might notice that the cut on her face had sealed over already and looked like a day old wound, not one that happened a few minutes ago.

"You don't even know my name. I only know yours starts with A. Your name tag... though I've only ever cought the glimpse. A is a good letter... alert, alive... attractive..," he scoffed at himself and how he must be confusing her by now. He turned from the chair to face her and noticed the mark on her face had changed. He only wished Raven could be that fortunate for her scars. "Exactly? I think I have my answer already," he grinned back with the flash of black again in his eyes. "Systematic targeting or random acts of violence, it doesn't matter. It's all against those with a difference."

[Lovely]

Her smile disappeared and it was her turn to pace a little, she stopped next to photo of her and a young man of the same age and similar features. "Those with a difference.." She sort of hmmphed and brushed her finger over the glass of the frame which held the picture. "Nothing different about me.. I'm just a girl who works in a clinic. I live quietly and don't bother anyone.. I hardly even talk to anyone.. outside of work.." She reached to brush that bit of hair out of her face again. "You think they attacked me.. because I'm different? That somehow.. they knew?"

"My sister speaks to no one at all, or very rarely. Perhaps it's because of the times and that you're all pretty girls. Status quo in the world of bad men, I suppose," he suggested, looking at the picture from where he stood. "Your... husband?"

Her head lifted and turned to him as he said she was pretty. "My brother." She told him quietly, picking the picture up from where it rested. "Never been married.." Her hand traced over the picture and she frowned a little. "Allen.. he died eight months ago."

"Rest in peace," he muttered, loud enough to hear the sincerity as he stepped slowly up behind her shoulder. "I'm very sorry. I think there's more than just the looks and the idea that they can get whatever they want from you because you're girls. It's where it's been happening. Was he... Allen... hurt like that?"

She trembled and fought a sudden rush of sadness, tears glistening on her lashes, they slipped down her cheeks as she nodded her head. "The patrol said he shouldn't have been out after curfew.. that it was his own fault.. that he asked for it. But the examiner place his time of death in the middle of the afternoon.. he was on his way home from work." The picture fell from her fingers to thump softly into the basket of clothes as her hands came up to cover her face.

"It's Venge. Victor, really, but call me Venge. Please," he said, picking the frame out to set back up as it had been, then started to pull other items out she might need to help her pack. "That's what I mean by where it's been happening. And when, I suppose. More than just this sector, too."

She took a few minutes to compose herself again before lifting her gaze to watch him as he pulled clothes from the basket as if setting them out for her. She smiled just a little, even though she didn't know why he was being so nice and trying to help her, she was hardly more than a stranger to him. "Aless.. Alessandra." She motioned to the things he'd pulled out. "Where am I supposed to go?"

He stood, tightening the towel again and looking over the choices then to her. "Will those do to start? A few days. I have a place and the girls have their place. I'd like you to stay with them. My sister is there and ... I confess... I would like your help. Looking after her."

"What happens after a few days? Do those men just go away?" She asked softly, looking again at what he'd taken out for her. She nodded a little and moved to take out a few other things, comfort clothes that she wore when she needed to curl up into a ball. "..and how will these girls feel about me coming there?"

He seemed to look through her a moment. "I'll introduce you. If it goes bust, you can stay with me and Iain. If he disagrees... he can hide under his pillow. Look, I'm not unsympathetic that it might not be comfortable or perfect. I said safe. Here... is not. Worse, they know what I look like and I need to be more careful until they're taken care of."

[Lovely]

"How are we going to get there? I mean.. you know it's after curfew and.. " Her voice held a tremor to it that showed she wasn't feeling safe yet. She swallowed it back and went to grab a bag to put the clothes in, taking her picture to tuck in there as well as a set of her scrubs for work. "I know what I'd say if my brother brought some strange girl to stay with me.."

"She won't say anything. Granted she might try to claw my eyes out... if she's hungry. Which she hasn't been. She's frightened and I promised I'd help her. The clinic only takes paying customers, so... I'm offering a trade. Your help for a safe place away from here. Getting there, though... you have a point. Are you afraid of heights?"

"Umm staying with your sister who eats eyes.. is safe?" She asked with a bit of a tilt to her head and an expression that said she was partly kidding. "I'm not generally afraid of heights.. but I do eat more.. than other people.. and sometimes alot of sugary stuff." She went into the kitchen and grabbed a few things, like honey and some pixie stix, nothing that would weigh much to add to her bag. "I figure I should bring my own.. I don't like to impose on others." She explained softly and her eyes ran over him again. "Why did you ask if I'm afraid of heights?"

"Leave the scavenging to me. Mm honey. I should have come by sooner. What? Oh, heights. Flying. Or creative hopping, actually. I can carry a fair amount, but it's not that close by."

She stared at him for a moment, her mouth open a little in shock as she tried to absorb the idea that he wanted to fly and.. carry her? "Uh huh.. okay I think maybe I need a shot of this first." She grabbed the honey and tilted her head back, her tongue out a little to catch the thick sweet golden nectar that slowly poured out. Her tongue curled to allow a small pool of the honey to form before she pulled it into her mouth and offered him the bottle if he wanted some, since he'd mentioned the honey when she brought it out.

"That's cheating. I'm supposed to have the chance to resussitate you if you faint," he grinned, fixed on watching the honey pour. He sighed quiet frustration and turned to check what she'd gathered. "Black. Something as dark as you have would be best to wear to get there tonight. We've got means to go by the checkpoints but not with our friends out there. Up and out is best."

"I'm not sure you won't still have that chance." She chuckled and tucked the honey into her bag, she shrugged out of her coat looked at it for a moment, wondering if they'd have to leave it behind. "Okay.. I have black.. just have to dig a little. The maid is off this week." She winked at him as she unceremoniously dumped the basket out in the chair, grabbing a pair of black pants and a long sleeve shirt. She got the seriousness of the situation and heck, she'd seen him naked.. the top she was wearing was yanked off over her head and replaced with the black one, the same followed with her pants. The bruises from being held and the ones from the digging fingers that had groped her were dark and visible. Like the cut one her face they seemed to be healing faster than normal and Venge may not realize they were from tonight if he saw them. Aless wasn't really thinking about that, just trying to hurry up. A moment later she half sprawled over the back of the couch to grab her boots from the floor behind it. "Okay, I think I might sort of be ready.. should I bring anything else?" She asked as she pulled her boots on. She didn't want him to be overloaded and wasn't sure what all she needed.

His head tilted to catch every curve and angle of her movement. His own bare feet stretched and his toes curled with the curl of his lip and raise of curious eyebrow, considering whether he wanted to take her to his own place first, but considering the safety in numbers... he was talking himself out of reconsidering. She was ready, that was certain, but all that would need to wait. He rocked on his bare heels and fidgeted with the edge of the towel. "We can come back by daylight another way, but it might be a few days. Bring your sector pass. We'll need the image and the chip."

[Lovely]

"Alright." She was hesitant only in worrying if she'd forgotten anything and well, if he'd drop her. She sort of chuckled and nodded her head, making sure she put the pass into the front pocket of her bag along with her work ID and wallet. She grabbed her jacket and kind of held it up in question of whether or not they were bringing it. "So.. I can't say as I've ever done this before.. how does this work?"

"I take the towel off," he grinned. He held out his hand as the dark oily sheen surfaced again, showing her this time it wasn't a trick of the light.

"It's alright.. I'm a professional. I am a nurse after all.. doesn't effect me in the least." She was lying.. what she'd glimpsed and what she thought of him in that damn towel.. nothing clinical or professional about that. She tried not to smile and to keep a serious face but couldn't hide the way her eyes moved over him as he showed her a bit more of himself. "Wow.." She whispered as her hand rose to take his.

It was clear he was concentrating to go slowly in his transformation which he did to ensure that if she was in any way freaked or their friends came bursting in, he could change back quickly as well. "First the skin, then the fibres change, the hairs... feathers... then soon, I squawk and you can feed me peanuts."

"Peanuts? Oh.. I'll have to make sure I always have some in case you stop by." Her voice was soft with the awe as she watched him slowly transform before her eyes. It was incredible, something she'd never even dreamed that she'd see. "Does.. it hurt?"

"Thank you," he chuckled though he didn't want to lose his focus. "No. Not anymore. When I was in school, it hurt every day, especially to walk after I changed back. So, I spent more time as a bird, up on perches, watching people... pretty girls," he smiled. His eyes widened as he focused on her a moment, then they flashed black and the air around him seemed to swallow him and his form as it molded into a bird shape, a large raven waddling about on her floor to free itself from the towel at its feet and lift up with long wings to sit on the back of the chair. His head tilted again and he did squawk, though not as rustily and grating as one would expect of a bird. It was his voice though a bit strained. "Ready?"

"Woah!" That was all she uttered and then for a moment she didn't, no couldn't answer him, she stared, her eyes wide and her mouth parted. The moment passed and she blinked, slowly nodding and wondering if she was crazy for doing this. "Yeah.. I'm ready." Aless smiled softly and picked up her bag, crossing the strap over her so it was diagnol across her torso.

[Lovely]

"I'll check outside. Wait here. I'll... whistle... like this.. .if it's clear," he said, giving eerily bird-like chirp like the other birds that braved the streets and alleyways after dark. "Then go downstairs as if nothing's happened."

"Okay.." She sighed softly and gave him another smile, her head nodded again and she reminded herself to breathe and not be too afraid. "Where do I go once I'm downstairs?"

The tilt of his head went toward the other wing then he hopped down from the chair, working his way to the door. "Like you're waiting for a ride. Just stay there a moment and I'll get you."

"Right, piece of cake.." She sighed and moved to the door, listening closely and then carefully opening it so he could go out ahead of her.

He waddled out ahead and fluttered up to the railing, looking back once at her then sailing down then out and up into the street while she locked up. So far there was no one.

Aless listened, feeling a little jumpy from the earlier events as she locked the door of her apartment. Her hand was shaking a little as she held tightly to her keys, listening for the sound of the chirp from Venge so she would know it was clear for her to go downstairs and outside. Her eyes darted to the shadows as she waited, straining for sounds and almost expecting someone to appear out of the shadows to snatch her up.

The sound she expected came from the roof where he waited for her to come into view, watching down and expecting nearly anything to jump. He didn't smell the stale beer and cigarettes or the rancid salami he thought he'd smelled in the men's breath earlier, or the blood from the scuffle, so perhaps they had gone. He waited only a moment then fluttered down closer.

She heard the chirp and let out the breath she'd started to hold as the seconds ticked by and felt like an eternity. Aless had to catch herself and remind herself to walk normally as she nearly ran down the stairs when she heard Venge's call. Shaking her head and scolding herself silently, she decended at a normal pace, though slightly hurried and emerged out of the building, onto the sidewalk. Of course she glanced around as if expecting someone, which she was but she played if off as if it was just a normal ride, someone coming to pick her up.

"Grab anything but my tail," he rasped in an attempted whisper, fluttering to her within reach. "At least wait til I change for that. Let's go."