[ToxicShadow]

"No, no, no!" Nitidus shook her head back and forth with her hands up, emphasizing the mistake of the misunderstanding. "It wasn't my father or any guardians of mine. It was...my friend." Ah jeez. That made her sound crazy, or blindly unintelligent, like she thought someone abusing and using was a friend of her's. It was a little more complicated then that. But she was positive her mother would think her messed up in the head if she explained. "No one even knows about it." Just her, Strages, Incruente, his brother who also volunteered to be the victim, and their mother, and now, Grey too. That family, they lived in secretly. They weren't supposed to exist. They couldn't afford attention on them.

"And yes, you're a grandmother, thanks to me..." She confirmed, almost reluctantly. Oh yea, she was beginning to have her regrets and seconds thoughts about coming, but she wasn't about to leave. If she left, what kind of state would that leave her mother in and, how would she react? Certainly, it wouldn't be very good. She'd probably raise hell until she got to the bottom of everything. "Four girls and one boy."

[Mojave]

Grey went silent at the admission that Niti's scars came from a friend. But... she needed to calm down to think straight. "Your... friend?" She had erased her emotions from her face to reserve judgement. Afterall, she certainly wasn't there to see why the wounds were inflicted- there could be very well be a logical explanation... she just needed to calm downand listen.

She couldn't help but smile at the news of the grandkids- regardless of her surprise, she had no compunctions about the news. "So I take it they're healthy?" She would interrogate Niti after Niti too relaxed.

[ToxicShadow]

She nodded her head to confirm the answer to both of the questions. "Yes, all of them are well. They're just about grown, but still have a good bit to learn about life." Fortunately, none of them showed signs of their father's unhealthy addiction to blood, nor his mental instability when it came to it. She was more then thankful for that. But she did dread for her son's potential outcome in life, him acting as feminine as he did. The thought of him finding difficulties among society because of it was enough to break her heart. And she didn't need any more of that.

Knowing that her mother was calming down, Nitidus had an easier time doing so herself. All of Grey's sudden reactions were hard to take one after another, though blame couldn't exactly be placed on her in this situation.

The younger female pulled down the sleeves of her shirt once more to cover the scars back up. As for the choker, it was left in her lap. "The girl's names are Adrasteia, Reiley, Cryptic, and Aeron. The boy's name is Crozel." She explained, though started digging her hand in her pocket, with some great difficulty. "I have pictures of them, from when they were younger." Not in human form, but their animal forms.

[Mojave]

She nodded, glad to hear that her family was doing well. She was still curious about the male that had sired these pups with her daughter, but she wouldn't ask for such information, for fear of Niti being uncomfortalbe with sharing the information. After all, it wasn't like Grey had been there for Niti, so why should her daughter feel comfortable with telling her every minute detail?

She moved the chair closer to Niti as the pictures were brought out. Examining them closely, she couldn't help but smile. "They're quite beautiful. You can see their grandfather in them amazingly well." If she hadn't of known who the parents were, Grey wouldn't have been able to tell that these were her grandchildren. That they were Zelosis's line was obvious. She smiled at this and looked to Niti again.

"I am glad you came, and I'm sorry that I've been rather... what's the word..." she struggled for a moment before giving up, "I'm sorry I haven't taken this news so well- all the yelling, crying, and collapsing on you. But I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to say 'Hi mom! You're a grandmother now!' so what is it you need?"

[ToxicShadow]

"It's not just him, though." She glanced up at her mother, away from the pictures. "I see you in them just as well." Nitidus ran her hand through her mostly brown locks. She had both her pelt color and one of her fur markings inherited from her mother, which passed onto the children. Even if it wasn't exact, colorations altered. "Their father shows too." She said, without thinking. After she said it, she came to the realization. Oops. She'd end up having to explain, either way, wouldn't she? Well, eh, their other grandmother showed in them even? These children of hers were like crazy royal mages with other peculiar blood mixes, like that of her mother's and then that of some killer. It was fortunate that the worst hadn't shown in them. Just...some oddities.

Niti left the pictures out, setting them aside so that Grey could have them, assuming that she wanted them. There were copies at home for her. And then she adjusted in her seat a little. "It's okay, mom." That was weird rolling off her tongue. This was her real mother, not just that messed up Leebra that dreamed of being her mother. None the less, she appeared to mean it. "I barged in, didn't know what to expect. I bet you faired better then a lot of others in your situation." No matter the outbursts, it was just something they'd have to deal with and she didn't expect any less.
"Erm..." Now was the time for feeling awkward. "You see....I really don't like to admit it," the words came out faster then anything else she'd spoken just then. "But...I've found...I've come across some difficulties in just...my life. As of late, I hadn't anyone to turn to and...I'm sick of it. It feels like being trapped." And finally, she was admitting to certain feelings. "I just...wanted someone to talk to... I'm not imposing, am I?" She hoped not.

[Mojave]

Grey didn't really see herself in her grandkids, but she smiled nontheless. Just because she couldn't see it, didn't mean the resemblences weren't there. "Their father?" She asked, Niti hadn't mentioned him, and she only noticed her apprehension once she looked up from the pictures. "Or is that a forbidden topic?" She smiled gently. She did want to know- every detail of who this man was and what he was like, but she wouldn't push for the details to be imparted to her. Niti was obviously struggling to go through with telling her these things, there was no need for Grey to make it harder for her daughter.

And then the conversation took a sudden change for the worse. Grey's belief that Niti was fine went out the window and she instantly started to worry again. However, she kept her anxiety under her hat to allow Niti to say as much as she wanted. "No. You're not intruding and I could never think you as doing such no matter when or how you come to see me." She reached to put a hand on Niti's shoulder, to hug her, but stopped halfway and retracted her hand nervously as if afraid she would overstep her boundaries and chase Niti away.

[ToxicShadow]

She looked up at her mother when her hand came to rest on her shoulder. In truth, she wasn't sure how she would have reacted to getting a hug. She hadn't had one for some time, and she'd come here to rely on the mother she never met. It was probably safe to give her a hug, if Grey really felt that she wanted to. She wouldn't have protested about it, anyway. Not much else could be expected, it was Nitidus' choice to come here, after all, seeking out her mother for some sort of support or just relief from everything. This could even be considered a much needed vacation.

In thought, Nitidus pulled both of her legs up in her chair, wrapping her arms around them loosely as she began to sort out all of her thoughts, concerns, pains. Anything that decided to enter her mind, she was putting it into place now and making a decision on where to start her explanation to her long lost mother.
"Before you jump the gun, far worse things could have happened to me. I have you know, everything happened that happened is my own fault, my own choice." But even then, it was rough.
And then she started into her tale. "Their father is the same man I mentioned before, my friend, who gave me these and the others." She pointed to her scarred neck when she said that, letting her hand rest back down as she went on. "He, his brother and I have been best friends since we were little. Even then, he showed some...peculiar signs. You see, he has a problem with...blood. Sort of...addicted to it. Something that ran in his family, oddly enough. Because of that, he became very openly violent. Anyone he met, he'd get a taste of their blood. If he liked it, he would often lose control and wind up killing them. Often, he regretted it, but was unable to control himself. At some point, both his brother and I volunteered ourselves to be his victims. We let him take our blood to his heart's content, so long as he didn't kill us. His brother was a natural healer, so it was all pretty safe. That would explain all these scars. But he was ever grateful to us, for saving him and so many others. When he wasn't after us, you should have seen it. Best friends that could never be separated." She smiled there, thinking back to old times.

"Funny or deranged as it seems, I fell in love with him. And his family was like my own, his brother and his mother. They welcomed me happily. See this scar here?" She asked, pointing to the bite and 'X' on her neck. "He inflicted on me and, likewise, he has one to match that I gave him. Though he's wearing more. Each out of the four of us have one, his family and I. Our lives our bound together, our life forces literally in tune with each other's." That's how very close they were.

So, first short dose in the story. Pink eyes stared back at other's as if waiting for her reaction, had she anything to say on the subject so far? It wasn't a common tale for one to take in.

[Mojave]

It was difficult to swallow this tale. First, the abuse her daughter recieved came from a friend. Second, this friend had her daughter had started a family. And then it turned out instead of those scars being an accident, they were put there on purpose. Nitidus had volunteered herself to be sliced and diced so. It was all so very much to happen to Nitidus, and it was worse for Grey because her daughter had volunteered to be a victim.

She sighed and shook her head. "I will never know how you could love someone under those circumstances." She began. This would be hard for Grey, accepting that the youn woman across from her was in love with a male with a psychotic addiction. Her tone was not unforgiving or angry, but rather saddened that her daughter had chosen such a life.

"But... there is nothing I can do, nor would do, to make it different. This is your life... and I am only your mother." She smiled sadly at Nitidus before leaving the room.

She didn't abandon her child, she simply retreated to the kitchen to think, make herself some tea, and to absorb it all. "Would you like any tea?" She peered around the corner of the kitchen to ask and to see how her daughter was doing. She knew admitting all of this to a stranger was difficult. And she just wanted Nitituds to feel comfortable while she spilled her heart out.

[ToxicShadow]

A slight bitter chuckle slipped from Nitidus' mouth at her mother's comment. It would have turned hysteric should she laugh any louder, so she watched it carefully. "Love is a funny thing- it's blind to everything." It was true, something like nothing else, dulled down all the senses and logic until they were nonsense compared to that overwhelming feeling felt for someone else. She experienced it first hand. She didn't exactly want to love him and yet, she did. There was nothing the female could do to stop herself from having feelings for the male she spoke of. Effort was being made to bury and destroy them, but it would never fully disappear. She was in too deep already as it was.

She watched as her mother stepped out of the room, not minding so much. There was no reason to blame her, taking in all that information. Her head just came to rest against her knees again as she waiting, breathing in through her slightly parted mouth and anticipating the next part of the story. If Grey didn't like the beginning, she certain;y wouldn't like the end either. Well, there was one good point to the end, but it was kind of smothered by everything else.

When called, Niti lifted her head up and nodded with a faint smile, thankful for her mother's efforts- with everything. "Yes...please." She rather liked tea, and it would be nice to sooth her knotted nerves down a bit before going on. Hopefully, the dreary subject wouldn't last forever. She hadn't come just to talk all about herself, exactly, either...

[Mojave]

Grey nodded and returned to the task of making the tea. It didn't take, long; just long enough for her to gather her wits and to absorb what had been revealed. Once done, she carried the two mugs- no saucer and tiny cups for Grey- back into the sitting area and handed one to Nitidus.

"You know, it's funny that you've experienced love before me." She smiled in a somewhat saddened manner as she sat across from her daughter again. "No offense to your father or anything intended." She added quickly, realizing that it could be taken as an attack on Zelos.

That was the last thing she wanted it to be interpreted as. But the truth remained that she had never loved Zelos. He had just been good company and an amiable partner.

"Would you like anything else? You don't have to tell me everything in one go, my dear." She smiled.

[ToxicShadow]

Nitidus accepted the mug gratefully, offering her thanks before taking a sip. When the topic came up, she lowered her glass and had a tiny smile. "I beat both of my parents there, don't worry. Father isn't the type to fall in love so easily." She sort of wished that she was like him, in that aspect, not being so easily snatched up by love. He retained his freedom and never got depressed because of a failed attempt at love. He just didn't love that way. There was a difference between his love for women and actual love. "Heard rumors about his fling with a Fenling though." She mused slightly, enjoying the moment of a lighter subject. How was it possible for her to have such a impish smile after spilling herself out just previously? "He seems most fond of bookwormy, intelligent women, though. I can see many reasons that he favored you out of any of his Lucain partners." But even then, he and Grey saw things mutually.

"Well, we could always talk a little about you. I don't really know much, after all. Or you could finish what you were doing before I should up." In all reality, Grey didn't look so well off either. If Niti had interrupted something, she was perfectly fine with waiting.

[Mojave]

Grey chuckled and ran a hand through her hair. It needed a good washing as did the rest of her. And some clean, ironed clothes and maybe some makeup. She felt like a drowned rat.

"No, you're only interrupting my lack of keeping myself healthy. Which needs to be interrupted." She sighed. "And it's not completely deliberate either." She added hurriedly. "I just get too caught up in my reading and I... forget about my physical needs."

She sipped her tea, and as if to illustrate her poor personal upkeeping, her stomach growled and she blushed. "Excuse me. I don't remember when my last meal was either. And I mean real meal. Not just a snack of some kind of fruit or veggies."

[ToxicShadow]

The younger female's expression showed a noticeable hint of concern in regards to her mother's physical self. Grey was ignoring all of that, and that clearly had taken effect on her. She'd only gone hysterical to the extent Nitidus feared for a heart attack or something. Yea, that was a pretty good sign of poor health if there ever was one.
Her brow furrowed when her mother's stomach growled. "That's really not very good for you." Stating the obvious, she just felt that she needed to say it.

Suddenly, she slipped her legs fully off the seat and down to the floor, getting to her feet. She sat the mug of tea aside before addressing the other woman. "Alright then. I'm not as good at cooking as some I know, but I know a thing or two. How about I cook while you go clean up? It's the least I can do for your hospitality and listening to everything." And, you know, the other stuff she was going to bring up later. She held out her hand to help her up. While she may have been the extremely depressed one, she hadn't lost of her physical up keeping. "I won't take no for an answer."

[Mojave]

She laughed nervously as she stood up. "Well, with a warning like that, I guess I better get out of your way." She smiled at Niti, "I'll hug you when I'm clean." She laughed and left for the bathroom in another room of her home. She trusted that Niti would find the food she kept in here and the dishes as well. It wasn't set up in a complicated way, after all.

While in the shower, she had time to think about what it must have been like for Niti. She felt horrible for her part in it all. But, Niti didn't seem to blame her, so she shouldn't blame herself. No, instead of judging, being upset, and resentful, she would repent by being there for Niti as much as she could. She just hoped there was more she could do for her family other than just listening.

[ToxicShadow]

And all while her mother left to freshen up, Nitidus located the cellphone on her person, dialing the one phone she knew would get picked up by own of her own children: Crozel's phone. She relayed a request and directions, leaving things up to her usually capable son.

Crozel
Adrasteia, Aeron

After a not so long wait, the door swung open, a small group of Lucain barging in. All of them were seemingly in their later teen years, not too much younger then Nitidus herself, and led right on in by a male who definitely took good care of himself. Hair, clothing, skin. He apparently took a good chunk of time to look so prim and proper. Following just behind was a girl similar to him, who looked like she took a lot of time to get herself ready for the day. She was the most girlie of all the girls, touched up make up here and there, her hair done half up with a few curls here and there, mostly in the front and one the sides. Last, but not least, was another girl, who looked slightly out of place among them, not walking with quite the same confidence or done up looks. Sure, the brother of the group had given her a touch of make up and tended to her hair, ridding it of split ends and all, but she was always the one caught between her whole family.

"Ooooh dear mother~" The male, Crozel, called, glancing around at the surroundings and tsk-tsking. Right after stepping in, he just got the feeling that there was work to be done.
When Nitidus poked her head from around the corner of the kitchen, she smiled at the sight of her children's arrival, with her son coming up to quickly greet her and kiss her on the cheek pleasantly.
"You...say our grandmother lives here, mom?" Aeron, the last girl, happened to ask, gaining the affirmative from her mother along with a "I'd like you all to help me a little here."

It wasn't long before they split up accordingly, Aeron going with her mother to the kitchen to assist in cooking. Adrasteia, the flattering female, nosed her way around to first prepare plates for when the meal was finished, and then went about dusting. So she was a pretty lady, well, Crozel often made her clean with him in exchange for his salon worthy skills. Just never ask her to do the dishes, and it went over fairly well.

As for that little engine that organized things so well, Crozel took to waiting outside the bathroom doorway, ready to turn his grandmother around right when she walked out the door in order to give her a make over.