> just chasing S H A D O W S at {m.i.d}night **, Sal x Skyeh

[fallenskye]

Onexone between myself and Sal.

There is no set plot, however the setting is a modern/medieval mix of a world much like a Final Fantasy world.

The city where the action starts, Kyren, is segregated. Most of the population are normal humans; however, the existence of supernaturals is well known, and many supernaturals live in a small division of the city. Some supernatural beings live among the commonfolk, trying to live normal lives.

The two peoples live in a state of uneasy peace; neither side trusts the other but both know the devastating consequences of a war.

THE CHARACTERS ::

Solan Fallenskye{Skyeh}, a mysterious, seemingly emotionless young man with unusual white hair and vivid blue eyes. He is a supernatural; though just what he is remains unknown.

Saegra {Sal} is an assassin with a taste for chaos. Tall and confident, she easily stands out from the crowd. She is an assassin, though what exactly she is remains unknown.

THUS FAR ::

The mysterious supernatural Solan meets the assassin Saegra in the tavern The House of the Rising Sun. At first, he ignores her; a conversation slowly begins after she takes notice of his distinctive Eastern dragon tattoo. A few details about the current situation in the city are revealed; Solan warns Saegra that the Spellcorps, the human armed force that wields technologically-engineered albeit unreliable magic, is on the hunt for supernaturals again...

[Saleyne]

Saegra smirked. "Only when it suits me," she answered sincerely with a touch of her mischief still remaining. It lessened considerably at his change of subject. Darkness falling over her features, the shifter sighed and looked out at the rest of the room. The humans were so comfortable here. Dancing together, not a one seemed to feel out of place, though they all occassionaly eyed hers and Solan's place. Humans didn't need much to detect a supernatural's presence. It was as if they had an instinctual radar built in and it never bode well for one who was amongst them. History had proven it time and time again.

"Saegra." The name left her lips before she had even registered his question and she turned her silver and blue flecked eyes back to him. "Saegra Aleksei. It's a pleasure to meet you, Solan." A smirk. "Even if you are morally correct."

[fallenskye]

He didn`t smile back; but then again, it didn`t seem as if he ever showed much emotion at all. "You know, they`ve done a raid on this place before, last week," he said grimly. "Do you want to take this conversation elsewhere?"

Besides, the stares were getting rather annoying, though as a matter of principle he attracted a lot of attention anyways. He was fairly certain that, even if his hair wasn`t a white that gleamed pale violet under the blacklights, he`d still get more than his fair share of odd looks. It was simply something about him--whether from his dress style or his true nature--that was resigned fact.

Saegra was right--humans did seem to notice when a supernatural was around, as if the mice could sense the watching cat.

[Saleyne]

Saegra considered Solan's words for a moment. She didn't frequent this place. In reality, she didn't spend much time in America at all. The raids were new to her and while she was always a rebellious spirit, she didn't exactly want to find out what happened if one was caught.

"Sure. Probably for the best. You're attracting even more attention than I was." She seemed almost pleasantly amused at that idea as she rose to her feet, grabbed another swig from her glass, and pushed her chair in. "Might as well."

[fallenskye]

"Happens everywhere; It`s the Solan effect," he shrugged, but his tone was so level it was hard to tell if he was joking or not. He left his half-finished drink where it was, leaving a few coins on the table before getting up and following her, up the stairs and through the door to the frosty world outside.

It was cold for the season, but that didn`t much bother him; Solan`s circulation was different from most people`s, and he kept warm well enough without needing a jacket. He held the door open for her as he looked about the street; people hurried here and there on their various errands, some clutching packages and others towing children in their wake. It was beginning to snow now, the small flakes gradually gaining in size and number. Above their heads, a small dragon passed, wings beating in time as it wove skillfully through the air.

All would`ve been well had Solan not seen what was becoming more of a common sight these days; five soldiers on patrol, their highly-polished emblems and mana drives equipped to their arms, as well as the weapons at their belts, distinguishing them as anti-supernatural police. Best to get moving, and soon.

[Saleyne]

Saegra followed Solan up the stairs and out into the forsty world above them, shrugging into her jacket as she went. By the time she reached the door, the long , leather duster was buttoned and gathered close. Silver and blue eyes watched the dragon pass, squinting against the snow, but were soon drawn to the police passing on the street. As inconspicuously as she could manage, she caught hold of Solan's sleeve and ducked towards a nearby alley.

"If you're right and there is a 'Solan effect,' it's going to get us both killed." Irked now instead of amused, the woman turned back towards the street, nostrils flaring as the wind blew. She resisted the urge to bare her teeth, turning back to look around for the quickest escape route.

[fallenskye]

Solan flipped his hood up to cover his distinctive white hair, pressing his back against the wall of the alley. "We`ll only look more suspicious if we stay in here like this and they see us," he muttered. "Here..."

Without so much as asking her permission he backed her against a wall, then leaned in close so that his face was barely and inch from hers. He placed a hand behind her head, wrapping the other around her waist, and was motionless, watching the street. He heard the clack of jackboots against the concrete as the officers passed without so much as a second glance in their direction...and then nothing. "We should be safe now," he told her, withdrawing from her and watching the unit progress down the street. "You see why it`s dangerous now?"

[Saleyne]

Saegra had been about to grumble something in response when Solan pushed her against the brick wall of one of the buildings. Eyebrows furrowing in distaste at finding herself close enough that she could smell his mix of juniper and cinnamon, her nose wrinkled. Neither one of those scents was particularly appealing to her -- no more than she figured her dark, feral one was to him. She was relieved when he moved away, for more reasons than one.

"I thought there was a back way out," the shifter replied as she straightened and rolled her shoulders, almost as if she was shaking off an unpleasant sensation. Casting him a dark look, Saegra sighed heavily. "And I already knew why it was dangerous. I just didn't care."

Reaching into the pocket of her jacket, she drew out a package of cigarettes and a lighter. It took her only seconds to get it lit and to shove everything but the one back into her pocket, then to take a drag from it. A moment later, her hands had quit shaking and the irritability seemed considerably less. "But I guess we're in the clear now."

[fallenskye]

He curled a lip momentarily, the greatest display of emotion he`d shown thus far; but he didn`t comment on the nicotine intake. "I happen to care," he retorted. "A brawl on the street is the last thing I want...and you seemed plenty worried yourself about five minutes ago." He glanced towards the end of the alley; there was indeed a back way out, but it was cluttered with a scrap heap of twisted metal and rubbish, therefore effectively blocked.

After a moment, he asked, "What are you, anyways? Your scent, what I could make of it past tobacco, is mixed, almost like a werewolf`s. But that`s not it, is it," he said thoughtfully, the last statement without the inflection of a question. "Since it`s only fair...I`m a demon myself, a War-line." A shadow crossed his cerulean eyes as he spoke this, but it passed so quickly it might have not existed at all.

[Saleyne]

Saegra watched Solan intently with the cigarette still pressed between her lips and one arm folded across her chest, the other's elbow resting upon it. The sight of his... Whatever that expression was supposed to be made her left eyebrow arch and she soon dropped the white stick to the cold pavement and ground it in with the toe of one boot. Smoke appeared in a pale mist when she sighed and she shrugged.

"Just because I don't care about the danger doesn't mean I want to get killed or experimented on, for one. And for another, I'm not a werewolf -- I'm a shifter." Trailing off, she pressed her lips together and hesitated. "Kind of." Was there even a word for what she was? Within her mind, another answered no. There wasn't. Not in human speech -- not even in Azirah's own. She couldn't paint it with pictures, only emotion, and that had never been good enough for Saegra. She wouldn't bother trying now.