tampered | Log, complete

Nill dragged herself down the hallway. Her mind was blank...no...it wasn't blank. It was filled to the brim with memories.

The scent of blood...her blood made her a bit dizzy, but over all she was unfazed. Just so blank...When did the hallways seem so long? Were they always this way...Where was Heine...? Heine...

Her eyes remained blank, empty, silent. She opened the door with her unharmed hand, taking a slow look back, blankly tracing the trail of blood that she had left. Nill turned back and opened the door slowly, stepping in, and closing the door behind her. The bare minimum of action, the sound of the door closing frightened her a bit.

But she had closed that door by herself...there were no locks...She could still run. Away from Scrooge...away away...away from that house...that building...away from the labs. Heine... Her lips quivered a bit, but she walked forward, the bare motion giving her something to do.

Room...room...to my room I come...close the door...alone...alone...away...away...Heine...Heine...

Pantalaimon also possessed a keen nose, and the moment he identified the scent- blood, Nill's blood, and the the moment he knew it, Lyra did to.

"What-" She jumped to her feet, Pantalaimon racing towards the door. Panicked thoughts were racing through their minds, as Lyra cried out.

"NILL!"

Crowley looked over, the smell of blood increasing thickly as Nill entered.

"Nill?"

He turned toward her, and froze, his blood running cold.

"Nill!" Crowley rushed forward gathering the girl into his arms and picking her up gently, carrying her towards the couch with long strides, shoving away the smell of blood. "Aziraphale! Aziraphale, get in here right now!"

He yelled out for the angel as he reached the couch, gently easing the girl onto the couch, yellow eyes scanning over her for the wounds that had been inflicted.

If anything, the angel had sensed the poignant disruption within the apartment as fear rather than the initial scent of blood at first, turning just slightly from where he had been cleaning and putting away dishes before he was called out to help by a rather desperate sounding voice. Frowning deeply, he was at the door within a mere instant dishrag still in hand, taking long purposeful strides toward the two sitting upon the couch and only briefly reflecting upon the lovely fact that the demon seemed to cradle the young girl so very kindly. "Let me see, dear—"

Tone of voice rather grave for one who was not entirely all too familiar with the divine creature’s particular moods, Aziraphale proceeded to gently extend a pale hand to cup Nill’s smaller one within his exceedingly warm palm, the blood in question was revealed as it trickled down from where the angel had placed his hand and slid downward upon his arm. Soundless, cobalt eyes began to grow toward a rather clouded gray once he masked the wince that had tugged at his angelic instincts to surface once the overwhelming scent of blood finally began to reach him, though he continued with a soft sigh and very gently leaned his temple forward to rest upon the child’s forehead, breathing out a comforting wave of warmth as the angel healed her harmed hand, slowly.

No...not the couch...Nill made an effort to get up...away...back to her room...alone...

The mute flinched from the angel's touch, comfort seemed so far away, she felt it...but she couldn't...she couldn't grasp it...Where was Heine...? Save me...

The girl looked blankly at everyone, before Lyra's expression sparked some decency in her thought process. Oh no...She knew...she knew...A new emotion filled the emptiness, pleading. Nill pleaded Lyra not to tell, not to tell who it was...for it to be a secret...

It was all her fault wasn't it? She was the one that had gone there...She should have stayed away...Why had she gone? Nill had thought there was a chance that Kamui was back to normal...that there was some reason left in him. She was wrong...it was her fault she got hurt...Please...Lyra...don't tell...don't tell...

Lyra's expression was one of great sorrow. as she knelt down to eye level witch the other girl.

"Nill," she began softly, "I want him back to- oh, I miss him to, and it hurts I know it does, but that's not him any more, so please just stay away from him, try to keep Fuuma away from him, Nill, I'm so sorry."

"Nill," Lyra whispered, "We have to tell them." She scooped Pantalaimon into her arms, clutching his soft fur as tears began to gather in her eyes.

Crowley lifted a hand to gently stroke Nill's hair as Aziraphale worked his healing on her. He did frown, however, noting the soundless communication Nill directed at Lyra, and that frown only deepened at Lyra's reply. His next words came out between a growl and a hiss.

".....who did this."

It was more of a demand then a question.

Lyra and her dæmon gave Nill a sorrowful look of apology before Lyra straightened up and faced Crowley, forcing her tears away.

Her voice carried all the sadness and grim resolve that had taken root as a result of the change in that person. It was sorrowful, unwavering and final

"Kamui."

Nill's eyes widened, shock, startlement, no...Lyra...

Tears ran silently down her cheeks, no...She shook her head, no...i-it...it wasn't him...please...no...it wasn't Kamui...no...

It was a futile lie.

Crowley looked to Lyra as ~~his~~the girl faced him. He knelt as she prepared to speak. Something inside him unnaturally twisted at the look on her face. Lyra, you...

The confession of the name fell like a heavy weight. It was...the boy they had called friend. Crowley had met him when Lyra had first visited. How could he forget?

Rage flared, hot, inside him, but he pushed it aside for a split second to tug Lyra into his arms, holding her tight for a moment. He didn't want her to carry such a heavy weight but...there was no going back now.

Lyra almost flinched at the embrace. She wasn't used to being hugged by strangers, but she relaxed and spoke in a low, serious voice.

"The Kamui that I knew, that said I was like a little sister to him- he's gone. I know why he did it, I know he wanted to bring his friend back and Fuuma- I think he got what he wanted except now Kamui's the way Fuuma was when he first showed up in the city. He's- he's cruel and he's vicious and he's not the Kamui at all. The Kamui we knew... might as well be dead. The Kamui we knew wouldn't do this to Nill."

For once, the angel was unnaturally silent and did not speak a word as they exchanged confessions of the one who had committed such a horrible act. At times like these, a mildly calm sort of expression passed over his face, though he certainly felt as much boiling anguish as Crowley did in that moment, Aziraphale was able to bottle it carefully and set it aside, taking upon himself the duty to remain somewhat rational as the matter was presented. Sighing softly, the angel had already drawn back from the child when she had reacted so negatively to his healing at first, dulling the process down to a simple throb of warmth that flowed into her injured hand as he raised his sorrowful blue eyes toward her face, speaking gently. " . . any better, dear?" Once her tears had begun to fall, the angel had to swallow a moan in despair, not only feeling considerably wounded by the fact that dear Nill had been wrongfully harmed, but also slightly from the way he proceeded to take a bit of her own fear onto himself through her hands with a slight wince, masking this by cupping his hand to her cheek and gently wiping away the glistening tear, with what could have been the smallest of smiles if it were any other time.

Nill's expression drained again...she had told...there was nothing left to do...now...just wait...wait...

The girl's vision faded a bit but she remained, unmoving, her thoughts breaking up once more, replaying various memories. The screams, the damp walls...the gray...Heine...

Lyra turned to give Nill a soft look, before turning to the others with a hardened expression.

"Look, you can't tell people who did this, because that would just hurt Nill more," she said harshly, her knuckles white against Pantalaimons fur, "Promise you won't tell anyone. If this gets out, all it will do is make things worse. Maybe we can tell people what happened in a few days, if she wants us to, but right now, for her sake, don't tell anyone."

Crowley let go of Lyra slowly, and pushed to his feet. NOW he let rage flare, his demon aura pushing to the surface, causing his black wings to unfurl and appear, as well as horns and a tail. His claws legnthened, as did his fangs, though those filled with a deadly poison.

He looked to Aziraphale. The angel would take care of the kids. Crowley knew he would. But for now....

Rage bubbled to the surface, making his eyes practically glow, completing his eerie look in his demon form. He looked down at Nill and Lyra.

"....I promissssssssse. I won't tell who it issssssss."

But that was all he could promise.

Nill held back, she felt so empty...but she knew that she didn't want Kamui hurt...even if he was changed...why did she still cling to him so...?

Overall, she just sat there, unmoving, vaguely allowing the angel to heal her...Nill wanted to lock herself up...away...away...

Opening his mouth, the angel debated for a rather lengthy minute or so between attempting to stop the completely irrational demon from leaping off to do battle with a particularly young child so to speak, or to take a step forward in order to protect what they had seemingly been given without anyone else getting harmed for unnecessary reasons. "Dear," voice rather soft as his cobalt gaze still rested upon the girl warmly, doing his best to calm that of the child’s nerves as well as his own at the abrupt chill that ran up his spine once the demon proceeded to reveal himself from behind where the angel now sat, he lovingly placed a kiss upon her forehead and stood with a dark navy shade crossing over his gaze.

Turning to face his counterpart in quite the calm manner though his heart raced agitatedly at having to do this, two feathery white wings eased themselves outward from his shoulder blades as a golden light circled over just above his curly head, hands resting chastely at his hips as he gazed upon the other without moving. "Do allow them time to rest after all this, hm?" It was most certainly not a question in any form of the word, for the cold tone to which Aziraphale now adorned was everything that centered around commanding to leave no spare room for debate. And the angel would not allow the demon to leave that apartment with the rash intentions of seeking out their named foe.

They need us now, the angel’s dark gaze seemingly spoke without words, never faltering upon their scrutiny of the other.

Lyra sat down slowly, still clutching Pantalaimon to her heart.

"I'm not tired. I'm not tired, an if Crowley's going after him, then I want to go after him to, because Nill's my friend and Kamui... It's my fault he's like this. I told him about how people make deals with the city gods to get things, because he wanted a way to get Fuuma back, and now he's gone, and whatever took his place is horrible and cruel and even if it was his choice I'm responsible, a little bit," she managed to get out, her voice calm, but shaking with emotion towards the end.

Crowley's demon aura flared as Aziraphale opened up his own form as well. Glowing yellow eyes met navy with a shocking clash. The cold tone ran down his spine, raising the hairs on the back of his neck, and he bairly repressed a snarl. His eyes flared in response, and the irrational part of his mind screamed for him to ignore what the angel was saying; to go out oh a hunt until he found the one that had done the damage.

But....

He opened his mouth to retort, but snapped it shut as Lyra spoke and he watched her sit down heavily on the couch, watched her shaking form and her spoken words and whatever it was twisted inside him again, and the need to protect flared within him once again. He didn't question the feeling; no doubt he would later but...for now, Lyra's emotional statment combined with Aziraphale's unspoken order was enough for the rational part of his mind to surface, pulling him back to reality, pushing down the rage that threatened to boil over and turning it into a simmer.

He turned his gaze back to his angel, and merely nodded. You're right. It would be the only time he would ever admit such a thing. He allowed his demon aura to fade away, returning back to his human-shaped form before he turned, kneeling infront of Lyra.

"Lyra, thissssss is not your fault. He made a choice. There was no way you could've known he would react as he did."

Nill relaxed a little...Thank you Lyra...Thank you...

The girl was tired...she had lost a lot of blood...Her eyes had focused on a spot on the wall...Her mind had crashed with memories again.

It's your turn. Take her to the table.

Her eyes emptied of emotion once more. No...no...not the lab...screams...no...Scrooge's wife...no...Heine...Heine...Heine...

This was something he had originally been entirely created to be proficient in along with nothing else, a battle between two opposite sides of the ineffable coin that would forever ripple beneath the undertones of their present relationship, however intimate it would possibly become in the future even more so than now. Gulping thickly at the obvious challenge, the angel could barely handle concealing a small tremble as it ran throughout his limbs and brought a pale coloring to his cheeks, the golden halo crowned above his forehead adding an odd glint to his eyes that certainly hadn’t been there before. Though at the sound of Lyra’s voice from off in the distance somewhere, Aziraphale was able to come back to himself with a rather horrible shock at what could have occurred had she not spoken to them, and felt a distinct nausea wash over him as his feathery wings tucked back out of sight and the halo faded, merely leaving a considerably exhausted southern pansy in it’s wake.

As they conversed with each other, the angel sank into a grateful sitting position upon the couch nearest to Nill despite the fact that he most likely wouldn’t have been able to remain in a standing position after what had nearly happened, and gently slipped two arms about her small form to cradle the child in his lap, almost radiating warm healing like never before. "Sleep, dearest." The angel’s voice was merely a breathless exhale now, sweet like the far off sound of calming bells as he lent his own forehead against hers and made a wordless prayer to have her sleep with delightful dreams that night, as he would stay awake to watch over her, regardless.

"I knew he'd do whatever it took to get his friend back. And it's funny... I could probably have gotten Fuuma to reverse the switch because now he want his friend Kamui back, but I didn't tell him, because even though I knew he was gone, the Kamui that was my friend... wouldn't want Fuuma to sacrifice himself for him. And because of that, Nill got hurt," Lyra kept her eyes on Pantalaimon as she spoke, then lifted her head to face Crowley.

"He made a choice because of me. I should have just kept my mouth shut, when he asked about ways to bring Fuuma back, instead of telling him about making deals with those- every time someone makes a bargain with them, they get what they want but it turns out all wrong. I should have known better than to tell him. I knew he'd give whatever they asked of him," she said bitterly.

Crowley's brow furrled. He opened his mouth to respond to that, but instead shut it quickly and pushed to his feet.

"Let'sssssss...go for a walk." he stated.

He looked over to Aziraphale and moved close, leaning down and kissing the angel quickly. He wouldn't go hunting tonight. Tomorrow morning it would start, and he would not rest until he caught. But tonight...he wouldn't. It wasn't something he wouldn't say openly, but he got the feeling Az would understand.

He pulled back, turning back to Lyra and holding out his hand.

"....c'mon, kiddo."

Lyra didn't move for a moment. Then, clutching Pan close to her heart with her left arm, she took Crowley's hand in her right as she found her way to her feet.

"Yeah... A walk would be good. Is Nill... Is Nill going to be alright?"

Crowley held Lyra's hand gently. "Yes. Ssssssshe'll be alright. Az healed her. He'll look after her while we're out."

He urged her gently towards the door.

Lyra was actually fairly stable on her feet, though emotions were still churning tumultuously inside her.

She let out a little sigh as they headed out the door, not meeting Crowley's face.

Crowley opened the door, holding it open for Lyra to exit. However, as he opened the door, the scent of blood hit his senses, and his eyes caught the trail of blood in the hall.

Now here was one of the times he wished for Az's magical cleaning powers.

Lyra glanced up at the trail of blood.

"Well, if we want to find him..." Lyra trailed off, before heading down the hallway in the direction that wasn't blood-spattered.

Crowley only nodded. It wouldn't be too hard, especially tonight, but...he had promised. Being a demon, promises were things he often broke but...he wouldn't. Not this time.

"....tomorrow." he stated. He steared her in the other direction, towards the exit. The gardens might be a nice place to go right now...

Lyra followed him. Right now, she wasn't in the mood to suggest any place to go, so she just trailed behind him as they walked out the exit.

"Right, tomorrow."

"yeah...." he trailed off, letting them walk in silence, giving thought time while they walked. It would be time to talk once they got to the garden.

Lyra knew the way to Xanadu well enough, so she let her feet guide her while her mind whirled, and it seemed like only a few minutes before they arrived at the garden.

Crowley found a nice section near a blooming sakura, the moonlight glinting off the petals and he dropped down, his back against the trunk of the tree. He patted the ground next to him.

Lyra sat down, grateful it wasn't that tree, the one Kamui had warned her about, although Pan hadn't needed his warning to smell the blood and darkness in that tree.

So Lyra sat down next to Crowley, also reclining against the trunk, Pantalaimon in her lap as she waited.

"kid....Lyra..." he sighed, heavily. "It'ssssssss...not your fault. In any way."

He shook his head.

"it'sssssss mine."

Lyra blinked, then scowled.

"That's- that's stupid. You two barely knew each other, how could it possibly be your fault?" she muttered, staring pensively at the gardens.

Crowley looked down at her a bit, raising an eyebrow.

"I made a promisssssse to protect her. I didn't do that. I didn't----"

He cut himself off, looking away for a moment before returning his gaze back to her.

".....it's not your fault. You...you were only trying to help your friend at the time. It'sssssss...not your fault he went and became the way he did. It was his choice, not yourssssssss."

"You didn't know what happened to him, and you didn't know where she was going," Lyra pointed out pensively.

"I mean... all of us, could have stopped it if we'd made a different choice at some point... But how were we supposed to know this was going to happen? I guess... We're all kind of responsible, but it's nobody in particulars fault really, even though we all feel guilty- well except for Kamui," she finished bitterly.

The corner of Crowley's mouth quirked up slightly, and though his sunglasses hid his eyes, were they to be removed, there would be a hint of sadness.

He lifted and arm and sliped it around Lyra's shoulders in a parental jesture. It was something he couldn't explain; he had never felt the overwhelming need to protect others unless it benefited himself, but...he just didn't want Lyra to continue to look like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. What had she been through so far to make her this way?

Sure, Crowley new all the bad things that the world could do. He had seen all of them and helped to execute more than three quarters but...it had never effected him on this sort of level. it wasn't...something he was used to. But he'd sit down and think about that later.

"....you're right." he admited. "But...there isn't much we can do now but help Nill get better and get rid of the threat."

Crowley rubbed her arm in a comforting jesture that was more for his sake than hers, most likely, though his brain denyed it as such.

"....sssssssshe'll get better."

Lyra wasn't used to being embraced, so she flinched for a split second before relaxing.

"Yeah... I just wish there was some way to get Kamui back to the way he was before... but if it means changing his friend back, then I won't do it. But... when people die here, they just come back. Though maybe if he realizes that he can't hurt people here without consequences..." she trailed off, but she smiled slightly.

"And I'll help Nill get better to then. And of course she'll get better. Everyone's really upset she got hurt... She must be happy knowing so many people care about her," Lyra's smile broadened as she leaned back.

"Everything will work out alright in the end."

Crowley noted the flinch, and almost removed his arm, before she relaxed again. Apparently it wasn't something she was used to...

He listend to her next words with a mixture of shock and awe. How could Lyra constantly throw him for a loop like she always did? She seemed to know better than a lot of people how the world works; knew her own limits and her own darker side but...she still managed to keep upbeat. Still managed to not let it drag her down. How did...?

He shook his head with a rueful chuckle.

"I hope you're right." was all he said, pulling off his sunglasses and tucking them away, looking up at the moon through the branches of the sakura.

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Lyra stood, still as Pantalaimon climbed up on the couch to sniff delicately- but not touch, he'd never touch anyone besides Lyra and Will- at the wound, seeking a scent beyond that of the blood.

Kamui. And not the Kamui that threatened her, attacked her, and acted like an emu, but the Kamui that had protected her, that she'd considered a big brother, the person who had died in order to bring Fuuma back, and been replaced by a violent, dangerous stranger with the same face and scent, but a somewhat different aura.

Lyra shuddered, not at the blood, which had never really fazed her, even as a young child, but with a sense of great sadness and betrayal.

Log, complete

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