[Tori]

Tori laughed, shaking her head and thumbing through the songs again. "I think it's you,"she said, in her confident, matter-of-fact way. She didn't look at him, but a flirtatious, sly smile spread across her face.

Dre almost fell off backwards when Redemption stopped, but was scooped up by Shy before he could make a fool of himself. He winced, his ribs giving him a sharp scolding. "Ow...what was that?"

[32,32]

[MythicDusk]

Shy shrugged lightly. "I let my, well, I guess she could be classed as an aunt. Do whatever they like." And then began walking again, attempting to keep her steps steady as she nestled Dre against her chest softly, as if she was holding a child, or a kitten.

Blaidd smirked slightly stretching his arms above his head, pushing the palms of his hands to the sky. Giving her a full view of his well muscled torso. His eyes spoke the words his lips were too polite to say. 'I know you want me.' He gave off a small wink and a chuckle, grinning slyly.

[Tori]

Tori glanced sideways at him, still messing with her iPod, except now she wasn't paying any attention to it. She laughed softly, rolling her eyes. The sly smirk was still there. "I hope you don't expect me to take my shirt off," she teased, "You don't need to expect it," she flirted, smiling broadly and putting her thumb in her belt loop.

Dre stopped struggling, letting her carry him. He normally didn't like people touching him, but he decided it would be too painful to walk.

[33,33]

[MythicDusk]

Blaidd smirked slightly, lowering his arms and beginning to walk into the darkness once again, this clothing tied around his waist and his sunglasses halfway down his nose once again.

Shy listened to the music that blared from her earphones, her steps careful and wary, hoping that they wouldn't meet anything large, and that could eat them in one bite. She was now, officially, scared.

(Crudpost, sorry)

[Tori]

Tori giggled quietly, fiddling with the wires leading from her iPod. She cranked the volume loud enough for someone in China to hear, the dark lyrics and hardcore guitar filtering through the sounds of the caverns.

Dre could sense how scared Shy was. He rolled out of her arms, flapping his wings a few times to keep from slamming into the ground. He hung back for a few seconds and morphed into his human form.

[34,34] (Shortpost. DX Surreh.)

[MythicDusk]

Blaidd hummed along lightly with the music. "Hey, stupid question, but do you have any Bullet on that?" He was reffering to the welsh band, Bullet For My Valentine. Shy was often listening to it. You had to get used to it, or love it.

Shy looked over to Dre and smiled nervously. She absent-mindedly held out a hand for him, seeking comfort, her heart hammering as fast as the beat blaring from her headphones, gazing into the darkness, attempting to find her head.

[Tori]

Tori smiled. "I have Hit The Floor, but that's pretty much it." She tapped on the black plastic a few times to change the song.
I see you walking home alone, your face is alive and bright
But you can't see how weak you are 'cause I could end it tonight
It's the feeling you get when you think that someone behind is watching you
Well I can tell you now, that someone is me and I'm about to make it right
She walked over to Blaidd, holding out the left earbud for him. "Wanna listen?"

He was at first a little unsure about the gesture. Normally, he didn't like physical contact, but he took her hand anyway. He gave a worried glance as he felt her pulse pounding. "Hey, Shy, you okay? You look a little pale."

[35,35]

[MythicDusk]

Blaidd had almost forgotten about the backpack on his shoulder.  He politley declined Tori's offer and swung the backpack off, stuffing in his tie, shirt and jhacket, then swinging it back onto his shoulder and walking silently beside her, eventually turning into a lucain, his silent footfalls were masked by the music that came from Tori's earbuds.

Shy swallowed lightly, trying to get her tounge stop sticking to the roof of her mouth, she squeezed Dre's hand comfortingly, as if he needed the comfort, but obviously finding comfort in it herself as colour began to return to her face, her steps were less wary and her eyes began to become less wide, sighing lightly and feeling a fair amount better.

[Tori]

She shrugged and slipped her hand back into her pocket.

---Begin Flashback---

"Mark!" Tori struggled against the men's grip, writhing against their hands tightly grasping her by the arms and screaming his name. He pushed the man off of him, jumping to his feet and dodging the knife. The man came at him again, a demonic grin plastered across his face and the knife at ready.

No...

Blood. Everywhere.

Mark fell to his knees, a slash across his throat, and he began to choke.

"NO!"

---End Flashback---

Tori gasped a little as she returned to reality, hoping Blaidd didn't notice. She wiped away a tear inconspicuously, changing the song on her iPod to something less somber.

Dre watched Shy until he was satisfied that she was okay, then turned back to the cave.

[36,36]

[MythicDusk]

Shy took in a deep breath and let her peat-bog-brown eyes slip shut, opening them again and looking up at the smiling, browned eyes of her grandmother...
Shy grinned and held her grandmother's hand tightly, walking with her head high as her grandmother walked beside her, without the aid of a zimmer or a walking stick, her bleached blonde hair glinting in the sunlight as shy stared up at her. The grandmother that always loved her. She felt her hand beginning to slip from her grandmothers as rain began to patter. "Nana.." Shy whimpered, watching as her grandmother simply kept walking, the sentinent of saftey she had loved and known for all her life.
A snarl echoed behind her. She climbed up the nearest tree, just in time to dodge a rabid creAature, the rain kept on falling, until she saw a young woman and a large, black dragon walking past. The big dragon scared away the monster and the woman smiled. "Don't worry kiddo, you're safe now, just jump down to aunty Paranoia."......

"Aunty Paranoia..." Shy breathed when she opened her eyes again, whisking herself back to reality and she looked around slightly, and then clutched Dre's hand again, she wasn't going to let him go.

Blaidd looked over to Tori, slightly confused then shrugged slightly, and continued to delve deeper into the darkness.

[Tori]

She breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't seen.

---Begin Flashback---

She dropped to her knees by his side. It was too late. By the time the men had let her go and followed their leader, there was nothing she could do. Thunder roared in the distance, and rain began to pour from the sky in  driving sheets of black. "Mark..." Her voice cracked. For the first time in her life, tears spilled down her cheeks and mingled with the rain.

She put her hand behind his head, gently pressing her hand to his chest. "Baby, I'm here...don't die...please..." His breathing was shallow. Blood trickled from his throat and the corner of his mouth; his lungs were quickly filling with blood. Tori could feel his heart beating rapidly against her hand. His eyes locked to hers, glinting with gold, then closed in exhaustion. I'm sorry...

Bm-bmp. Bm-bmp.

...

...She lost him. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears rolling down her cheeks.

It was over.

---End Flashback---

Tori sniffed, wiping away the tears that trailed down her cheeks. She glanced at Blaidd. Dang it! Why am I so emotional all of a sudden?! She was only angry at herself. Absurd...

Dre glanced sideways at Shy. Aunty Paranoia?... He shrugged it off. It's not my business. But he couldn't help feel a bit curious. He refrained from asking questions.

[37,37]

[MythicDusk]

Blaidd stopped, looking at Tori and slowly wrapped his arms around her shoulder, his chin resting at the top of her head, wating for her to fight, his steel eyes slipping shut as he awated silently, only the sound of his gentle heartbeat filling his eardrums.

Shy halted suddenly, her heartbeat filling her ears as she began to tremble lightly, her eyes wide as she stared at the darkness, her face and hands flushed of colour as a flashback penetrated her vision.

Soft, emerald eyes gazed down at her as she sodden girl curled up in 'aunty Paranoia's' arms. Listening to her soft hearbeat, the heavy, raspy breathing of the dragon, watching them both with inquisitive eyes. Watching the woman's purple-ish blue hair, streaked with black and red, flittered in the light wind as the woman began to climb onto the paragon's back, settling Shy in the hollow between the black paragon's shoulderblades and climbed down, Shy watched her with fear, but couldn't find her, she began to panic, trembling. "Calm down, Kiddo, I'm right here." Paranoia smiled, seating herself behind shy, she had to do something...Shy didn't mind, aunty Paranoia was with her now, everything was going to be alright.

Shy skittered back to reality, leaning against a cave wall, her breathing harsh as her tremblings became more and more fierce.

[Tori]

Surprisingly, she didn't fight. More tears slid down her face as she wrapped her arms gently around his waist, crying silently. She rested her cheek against his chest. For the first time in a long, long time, she felt...safe.

Dre rushed to her side, cautiously placing his hand on her shoulder, his gaze locked to her closed eyes, his voice drenched in concern. "Shy?"

[38,38]

[MythicDusk]

Shy said snothing, but simply continued to tremble. Her breathing harsh as she began to slide down the walls, her heartbeat rapid as she fell to her knees, her shoulders trembling as she sobbed silently.

Blaidd began to mumble comforting words, his breathing gentle as his eyes slipped shut. All thoughts of a Akail banished from his mind, only wanting to make sure Tori was alright.

[Tori]

Dre sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her comfortingly. "It's alright..."

She trembled slightly, taking a deep, shaky breath. All the tears she had been hiding and holding back for two and a half years took advantage of the situation, taking initiative to stream down her pale, cold cheeks. She normally didn't cry, because she had seen it as a sign of weakness. But she didn't feel that way with Blaidd. How could she?

[39,39]