Ethereal
Banned Member
Iemochi Apartment
New Elysia
The winter sun was dipping under the sparkling skyline of Empyreon, casting strange reflexions through the crystal windows and curvaceous buildings that populated the city. It was just before rush hour on the commute home, the everyday Elysians coming back from a hard day's work. The Iemochi family apartment was situated in a luxury block, towards the eastern edge of the metropolis, the 6th floor of many. From the outside, it didn't look much more special than a nice hotel but the inside was thoroughly renovated. The apartment had three bedrooms, a bathroom and a half, and even a study to its name. The open main room served as both a family/living room as well as having a small kitchenette against one wall in the corner.
Arbitrated Iemochi, the expectant mother of twins, sighed with fatigue as she overlooked the messy third bedroom, which had been turned into a warehouse of sorts for the couple when they moved into this apartment. It's been about a month since they finally started sleeping in it, and several boxes still managed to stay stacked taller than she was! She took a look at her watch briefly, the digital display reading late into the afternoon, but not quite evening yet - Mochi should be home any minute now, unless he decided to stay late again...
Down, down the stairs. Across the hallway, through the door and across the street. The shadow of the nearby buildings cast a gloom over the well-kept idyllic street outside. The smoldering tip of a cigarette flared every few seconds, its glow barely lighting up the smoker's grizzled face. He leaned heavily against a stylised lamp post, the silhouette of his jet back crow's wings. His plumage seemed to be sparse and unhealthy, the man's sizeable muscles that were occasionally lit up obviously his way of compensating.
Slicking back his greasy hair with a dirty hand, the Plebian let the burning tobacco fall, tumbling from his fingers to the floor. Pushing off and reaching to the back of his belt, the man strode to the Iemochi's door. Pulling loose an antique revolver that in no way matched his appearance, the leather jacket clad man pushed open the latch.
The little Arble smiled as she heard the front door open, the little whine of its hinges calling to her through the house. The excited patter of her tiny feet on the carpet crescendoed as she walked into the living room happily, already calling out, "Hiii Sein-"
Her expression plummeted faster than a stone in water when she saw the trespasser, the warm lighting of the living room showing the man as a scumbag - crooked teeth, tattoos badly done, he looked like he hadn't washed in days.
"'ello beautiful.." He smiled wide, cracked lips splitting to reveal his cig-stained grin. The revolver hung loosely by his side, the man stopping as he regarded the young woman. "Is it just you and me..?"
The tiny one was held mid-step, a foot in place behind her as she saw this hooligan in her home's doorway. Her asymmetrical eyes looked up then down, the training and experience in the Star Army helping her size up the arrival - armed, looks strong. He's had fights to get those scars, and he probably has a knife...
She wouldn't be able to outrun him, not while she carried the weight of two children inside of her! The little speedy walk she did to get here was the extent of her mobility. Her hands instinctively raised into the air halfway, and the Arbs's large wings pressed against her back tightly.
"For now, yes... who are you?" She kept herself in the same position in the kitchen, only straightening her legs beneath her to stop herself from wobbling while this... "visitor" was around.
He didn't reply directly, simply looking past her gloriously pregnant form to check she wasn't trying to hide anyone. "Let's get you sat down, eh? I'm not here for you but we can have some fun while we wait.."
His food-stained tongue ran across his lips in a disturbing way, the intruder kicking the door so it was just about ajar behind him so no passers by would interfere.
Fumbling in a pocket, he gestured with the tip of his loaded revolver to a living room chair. "Take a seat darlin'."
"A-alright..." The ex-Shan waddled over cautiously, keeping her palms suspended into the air about level with her bust until she set herself down ungracefully onto the cushion of the chair. Folding her delicate hands onto her lap again, the heterochromatic smol pouted at the filthy intruder, her rosy lips bulging a bit.
The sea-blue iris flashed as Arbles stole glances towards the pocket - and what the guy was pulling out of it. Back to the gun. Now to his face... By the light, do you have to be so DIRTY? We have enough problems without... she shook the irrelevant thought away. She replaced it with words, "What are you here for...?"
"Eh, you'll see soon enough.. You're just a bonus to what I've been told to do." His figure practically exuded the stench of BO and smoke as he stepped closer to the Arb where she sat. He loomed over her, a cruel twinkle in his gaze as it ran across her. "He sure is a lucky bastard, getting you."
The hand that had been rummaging for something appeared once more, tobacco-stained nails clutching at a pair of handcuffs. "Be a darling and put these on, so I don't have to spoil that pretty face of yours." His jet-black wings twitching with adrenaline, the man dropped the chilled metal into her lap, reaching forwards to run a finger along her jaw.
Arbitrated's neck twisted, contorted and wrenched her face away from the plebian's sickening touch. A sort of unpleasant mood seemed to emanate from her, growing in intensity as he motioned to the cuffs in her warm lap. She delicately picked at the cuffs, their metallic chain tinkling softly but oh so distinctly. Her voice firmed up more, gaining a hidden edge, a little more substance - she wasn't just some wimpy girl. "My husband is not a bastard, no matter what people say! Do not call him that!"
That seemed to annoy the home invader more than anything, appearing to watch her more carefully now. He wiggled the revolver, which had previously been pointing slightly away from her was now firmly trained on mark.
"He's a mongrel who murdered his mother and calls himself 'Elysian'." The man spat a glob of spittle onto the Iemochi's carpet and bared his teeth. "Filth that thinks he is as pure as the true Elysians." The figure growled, greasy hair shimmering under the living room light.
"You and I both know that only the Patricians think that of themselves, let alone anyone else." Her eyes stilled, keeping even and looking into the asshole's. She sniffled, instinctively scrunching her tiny nose up as a gag reflex. "So you were sent by IIS, then? Or perhaps somebody with too much money and the desire to impress them. I should have figured they'd have been stalking us, given, well..." She trailed off. At this point, it almost felt like the whole building, to even the people outside, was radiating feelings of just... badness. It felt uncomfortable to just walk through the door to some people.
The dark-clad figure chuckled callously, "You have no idea how long we've been waiting for him to leave the safe little hideaway on that far-travelling ship. Funny he was stupid enough to leave the SA and expose himself."
"You must have done a number on him to leave behind that life of running." His eyes slithered to her rounded belly, "Though I guess sometimes optimism gets the most of people." A hand wormed forwards to stroke her cheek, apparently more interested in tormenting the little mommabirb than the door behind him.
Arbles trembled like the most delicate of flowers when the man dragged his hand across her, and her eyes squeezed shut. Her fair skin was again smeared by his filth and grime, and she let out a quiet, quiet whimper. Her mouth stuttered open, then shut again, the little baby-carrying woman failing to find anything to say against the invader, this hired gun who was at this moment threatening her whole family...
"Mrmm.. Silky." He growled a little, seeing her shudder under his rough touch. "You're practically glowing. Maybe when I'm done we can have some fun." He jostled his oversized revolver a few times, straightening up. "How long does it take your sack of shit husband to get here, I'm getting bored."
"How about no, thank you very much," her voice wavered nervously. "And you might need to wait a while. He likes to work late, as I'm sure you've been told. Or maybe you forgot because all you have the capacity to think about is your wallet and the face you need to take down." The Arble was trying to keep herself strong, feeding off of what little momentum she could muster to stick around. "And, by the way, you won't. He didn't go on leave with me just to forget his training in a couple months."
"Training? Psh, yeah right. Fucking nerd trained moving around little strands of impure genetic crap. Besides.." His eyes flashed down Arbles' diminutive form, "I don't think you'll have much of a choice." The dark-winged assassin stepped towards one of the tables dotted abouts the room, picking a photo frame of the couple at their wedding from where it stood. "You think I haven't done this before?"
Arbs sniffed again. Yeah, you go ahead and think he always spent time in his lab. A lab didn't help him when he gunned down a dozen NMX. He doesn't need a lab for you, either. Arbs considered the threat, but figured that it would only get ignored anyways. No, she'll have to try something else...
"Oh I'm sure you have. Sneaking into a house, using some old gun that barely works to sometimes shoot somebody that somebody else doesn't like. I imagine you think you make a nice living off of it, huh? Isn't there some sort of Nepleslian saying about blood being expensive or... Something? You should know, you're half of one anyways. Probably more."
The man spun around to face the smol ex-Shan at that, glaring at her with slitted eyes. A gloomy silence hung in the air for a mere moment until the Plebian hurled the picture at the ground with all his might, the crack of wood and shattering of glass punctuating the flying debris.
"You talk too much, bitch. Talk shit again and maybe I'll pluck you before I show you how real Elysians fuck." His lengthy, grease-laden hair waved where it fell across his twistedly grimacing face, somewhat muscular biceps shining with grease and unwashed sweat.
That had an effect. Arbitrated screamed for but a second as the terrifying sound of shattered glass tore through the apartment, instinctively curling up a bit on the couch, little tremors rocking around her body. She went fully pink, wrapping her gigantic flight limbs around herself as tightly as they could be. And yet, she listened - not a single word came out of the smol, self-burritoed woman.
His expression suddenly morphed from one of apocalyptic emotion to pure amusement, though one could tell it was a flip of a switch away. "Awww.. did I scare little miss 'faced Mishhu'?" He paced a few steps closer to the door to check nobody was coming to check out the noise. "You remind me of the first girl I killed."
The little bundle of feathers Arbitrated was didn't respond right away. She buried her face downwards, into the folds of her shirt to hide it. More than a few tears were begging, demanding a release. And she would not cry in front of anything if she could help it. So she hid, trembling and blind in her pink, downy world. "You're..." She heaved a breath, trying to not sob as she did. "You're a monster..."
"Maybe. I don't really bother with all that." The coast seemed clear, no silhouettes he could see. "Least I know what I am and don't pretend to be something I'm not or purer than I am."
"Are... Are you sure? You seemed pretty... Mad, earlier." Just keep breathing. In and out, in and out. Keep yourself calm, it'll be alright...
He chuckled deeply, slowly as if he was holding back his rage, his breath brushing a few slick strands of hair forwards and backwards gently. "In and out, eh? I might do that mhm... I wonder how smooth your throat is."
The Arble frowned, her slightly plumped lips forming a small pout in exaggerated detail. Being choked to death was not the way she wanted to go no matter what circumstances came about. Seemingly at random, her left leg started to bounce slowly - a bit of a nervous tick she had, and the longer this guy was here... "Well, you're in, why aren't you out? Get out!"
Brows furrowed, the dark-blooded man smiled a little at her malcontent display. "You like to yip and yap but you're still sat there waiting for your husband to walk through that door and get killed, huh?" He lifted the rusted revolver to his shoulder at let it rest there, taking a few steps to lean against the wall opposite to the door. With a sly grin, he mimicked taking the firearm off his shoulder, pointing it at the door and firing it with a "bang" sound. His tobacco-stained teeth glinted manically as he finished the act and gazed at Arb-Arb, a grim contrast to her fairly clean but grimacing face.
"What, do you want me to run off to the bedroom or something?"
"I wasn't born yesterday, darling. You can sit right there and powder your nose until there's blood on the floor and I've got time to take you to that bedroom." His badly-kempt black wings rustled against the wall, the metallic tip of the gun rapping on the hard surface.
Arbls looked down at the handcuffs again. There they were, metal and cold and mechanical. She picked them up slowly, almost like they were toxic to touch, their metal chain clinking as it was disturbed.
He snickered deeply a few times, booming in his amusement at her lack of words. "It's like you're a doll, sitting there without words. C'mon, talk to me honey... Surely a warrior of the grand Star Army can do better than this." His wet eyes swept over her dismissively to the door, breaking line of sight for a moment.
Arbles took a chance she saw - probably stupid, but possibly helpful, and as the scum turned his face downwards the handcuffs went soaring through the air, tinkling aggressively as she threw them as hard as her little arms could let her.
The hunks of metal smacked against his jacketed side with a cloth "thwump", the man spinning around incredulously as they clattered to the floor. "Wh- The..?" Glancing down, he took in the sight, seeming to have gained what could almost be interpreted as a modicum of respect to the petite woman. "Wow, maybe there is some fight in you, eh?"
"Maybe you should learn to not just take something at face value!" The suddenly somewhat sassy and confident woman straightened up on the couch, getting as much height as she could from, well... Her height.
"Lady, I think you're forgetting who has the uh.. lethal weapon here." The abusive stranger waggled it back and forth as if he was reminding a child. "Sit your tight ass down if you know what's good for ya.." The sweaty guy grumbled as he spoke, obviously taken aback by the sudden unexpected fire from the diminutive smol.
Arbles didn't budge, instead calling out, "I'm still sitting. If you can't even see that then how do you aim?"
This caused him to shake his head slowly, grinning with those disgusting gnashers as he rubbed his black eyes. "By the heavens... You're quite something aren't you, eh?" This hit just kept getting more and more ridiculous. How much longer until this 'Elysian' scientist came home?!
"I guess I'd be considered a thing. Actually, if I recall, I'm classified as a citizen of Yamatai... and Elysia. Considering the outrage from the murder outside of the borders a few months ago of that other Caelisolan woman, I have a feeling they'd be... More inclined to find you if you decided to go messing around inside of the borders. do, uh... Do you really want two countries calling out for your head?"
"Eh, I've already got enough heat to worry about all that. Know the right people and they can get ya out of anything. Plenty of big criminal organisations to ask, especially if you've got the big bucks from huge companies, eh?" He chuckled a few times harshly, barking, spinning the gun around his dirt-matted finger.
The little one's eyes tracked the firearm as it twirled mesmerizingly. "And you think they'll save you from Yamatai after this? I wouldn't put so much faith against them when a soldier is murdered in friendly territory like you plan."
"Bah, like a thing that big would bother with one little man dropping dead. He isn't even an officer, less than nothing to the rankers. As long as I got money I can lay low on some backwater world until my next task."
"I got this shit worked out while you and everyone else works 9 to 5 for peanuts my dear, you just need to say fuck right and wrong then you win."
"Well someone seems to think highly of themselves. You're not exactly right though - for one, he is an officer! He damn well deserves it, too." She stared directly into the man's eyes piercingly.
"Oh sure a 'warrant officer'." He basically spat the words out like some rotten meat. "What a fucking joke, that's why we don't use shit like that in Elysia. You ain't an officer if you're not respected enough for a salute. Not that I give a shit about any of those government ass-kissers."
Arbles sighed... she didn't know when Mochi was going to get home but she was running out of ways to keep this guy from well... not being focused. "For not giving a shit you're pretty damn unhappy at them. What, did you piss off the recruiters or something?"He's running late, even for, well... Even for himself.
Somewhere down the now pitch-black road, a young man's hair stood on end abruptly, an electric shiver dancing across his spine. His brow furrowed a little, the grocery bags in his hands crinkling as the soldier's shoes paused in their tapping beat on the damp tiled street.
Iemochi Seinosuke's fiery plumage shifted around behind him in the harsh winter wind, as if the sun was rising behind him yet shedding no light. The scientist's emerald eyes darted around, the sudden pump of adrenaline he'd received warning him of something.
"Hrm." The Juni rumbled, reluctantly returning to walking towards his Arbl and warm hearth, the thought of her welcoming him back bringing a silly smile to his face. Today, Sein's uniform was covered hastily with a pristine labcoat which trailed behind him like a cape in the gale.
Rushing through the apartment reception, deserted, enveloped the father-to-be in a plume of warm air. Dashing up the stairs to the Arblenest was at this point he spotted the open door to their abode, wide open and spilling light into the hallway.
Now he was really concerned, stepping like a panther to the side of the doorframe. As he slipped his head a little further in to see, he began the thought 'Better safe than s-.'
Mochi's eyes beheld his beautiful, glowing wife being glowered at by a stranger, a homeless-looking Elysian he could even smell from this distance. 'What the fuck?'
Whatever was happening here, his smolbirb was radiating all sorts of discontent feelings, the way she was glaring at the man making things clear as day even as Seino spotted his revolver.
Arbles sniffled again, doing her best to keep staring the plebian man down. But for just a moment, barely a fraction of a second, her eyes dashed to the opened doorway. "Was that-" She thought she saw the firey red of Mochi's wings for a moment there. But as soon as she looked over, the woman's asymmetrical, beautiful oculars bounced back to the threat in front of her.
"Whatchu lookin' at?" The scumbag of a man grunted, glancing over his shoulder and scanning the door with his beady little eyes. "Fuckin'.." he grumbled, beginning to turn to step towards the doorway and check it out.
"Nothing! It was just a light flickering out there. It happens sometimes, and I'm not used to it yet... Sorry." She didn't know why she apologized there. This guy didn't have respect for anyone the deserved it, and he certainly didn't deserve respect either. Her voice rattled a little with nervousness. What if he's out there, what if that was him?
Pausing in his turn, the invader swung his head back to the smolbirb that was Arbitrated with a snicker. "Get used to saying sorry, I'm gonna be hearing you scream that later for all the shit you're talking."
She pouted. "No you won't." She was hoping that if she DID see her husband out there, that she could keep this guy distracted enough for him to sneak up on him. Hopefully.
Spine firmly pressed to the unyielding wood of the door frame, wisps of thought spun through Seinosuke's mind, panic at little Arbles' plight mixed and so many others. He knew whatever the case he had to get her out of there.
Something clicked, this wasn't anything short of a rescue mission now, his mind turned over to the more violent side of his training and knowledge. Taking a moment to steel himself, knuckles flexing, there was no longer an expectant father and scientist about to walk through the door. Now, there was a SOFT Itto Juni about to eliminate the enemy and rescue a hostage.
Inside, the smol mother-to-be's captor continued to snicker and gloat. "Aw, that's it darlin', purse your lips like that.. You're gettin' me all excited now.." A thin, crooked smile strained his cracked and stained lips, head swivelling from the door to take mock the ex-Shan, their eyes locking coldly across the room.
In that brief moment, Seino's eyes clamped shut as he listened for the tell-tell lowering of volume as this bastard turned his face from where he should be watching. A veritable coiled spring, the raven spun and stepped into the cosy room with haste. Flamelike wings billowing behind him in a display of aggression, the reds and oranges like a blanket of rage, Iemochi Seinosuke sprinted the short distance with burning hate in those emerald eyes.
The tiny woman yelped at the sudden flash and arrival of color as her husband dashed through the door, her eyes breaking that staring contest as Mochi charged forward. Thinking fast, Arbles effectively rolled off of the couch, lowering herself to the ground as quickly - and yes also as carefully - as she could, hiding herself behind the coffee table in front of it.
Whirling around in confusion, the disgusting home invader's face fell into one of total shock and awe as the crow was smashed into by the raven with such force that his feet left the ground, the two men flying backwards into the patterned wall behind.
The revolver, suddenly yanked by the impact, rang out in protest with an explosion, hammer slamming with the stink of cordite, wherever the bullet impacted unnoticed compared to the storm of colour that the two grappling men were fast becoming. Arbles screamed out in her little trench.
Crimson splatters dashed against the carpet, the two figures almost indistinguishable behind the flurry of feathers surrounding and obscuring them. Despite their similar sizes, it seemed neither could establish dominance immediately, wounds splitting open on each of them as nails and fists pummeled the other, even elbows, knees and heads slamming to throw each other off.
The golden-haired Sein snaked his hands around the more inexperienced man's thick neck, squeezing his unhealthy and oily skin between strong fingers, the previously maelstrom of colors separating into dawn over dusk as Mochi beared down with his upper body.
Somehow, the prone figure shoved his feet between the two even as the soldier closed the gap for good, a harsh hoof sending Sein up and off though he managed to roll into standing, hands slipping free from their hold.
Wheezing, the assassin glared up at the other man. "Motherfucker, I'll flay your heretic skin from your flesh!" His beady eyes were wild, scouring for where his firearm had flown to in the chaos.
Mochi, now balanced and standing, ran his palm across his chest where the man's boots had impacted. The burning hellfire within his gaze was fixated on the evil below him, unwavering. "Arbs! Get safe!" Her husband barked commandingly, out of character, using that short time just before the two were sure to collide in combat once again.
The smol whined quietly in her half-effective hiding spot, scrambling to get herself off of her back. It was at best a struggle, as she barely managed to sit up before the men resumed their struggle.
With the scientist pre-occupied, the hulk on the ground reached to the small of his back with a pained smile, a blur of motion as suddenly the pistol, both thought lost, sprung to his hand, a booted foot aiming to smash hard into Seino's shin.
No time to react, the phoenix dropped as fast as he could to try and escape the cone of fire as the antique sidearm boomed once, twice, thrice. Scarlet flecks splattered against the ceiling as Mochi grunted hard, one of the shells finding its mark just before the tall ex-Minkan sprawled to the thick, carpeted floor.
A shit-eating grin jumped upon the shooter's expression, thinking that all was over and done. With a deep sigh, the muzzle was lowered as Arbitrated cried out, pinned by her own weight against the sofa, her gemstone-like eyes tethered to Mochi's unmoving body. Like a serpent, the momentarily unmoving figure of Sein leaped up and drove a pointed elbow down into his chest as a living spear.
A rush of wind whistled through split lips as the breath was driven out of the mercenary's form, the force of impact thudding through the floor as Mochi forced his weight down on such a small point. The phoenix clawed his way further up the man's body, fingernails hooking and piercing through his shirt, until Sein was straddling his chest, arms pinned to his sides under the soldier's legs.
A bloody waterfall ran and splashed from Mochi's face against his opponent's pulsing neck, the wound obscured under ragged blonde hair slick with a red hue. The restrained brute squirmed and roared in indignation, lashing out with his feet and attempting to buck the more experienced fighter free.
Seino just sat there, chest heaving, letting the one below him realise through that dulled mind of his that he was no longer in control here. Partially slumped over from the exertion, the Juni turned his head to the little Arble, who was trembling in terror. While it was obvious that he was too pumped to speak if he wanted to, she could see where that blood stemmed from - one of the wild shots had punctured his upper cheek, scoring a ragged trench across the skin all the way down to his jaw.
"S-Sein... Seino, your face-" She strutted out the words, the shocked woman just stating, focusing, her entire world at this moment fixated and anchored to the blonde Iemochi male.
His red-stained brow furrowed, mustering the effort to straighten a fraction to an almost-upright position from where he clamped the man below, raising a tired hand to his cheek, following Arb-Arb's heterochromatic gaze until he found it. Wincing harshly from the touch, she could see that the bone of his knuckles was almost visible under the scarlet skin above from the fight.
"Ar-AAshhi-!" Sein began to speak, ripping the wound open further with the movement, hurt flaring in his jade orbs as he forced himself to stop. Fresh globs of hemoglobin spattered hot against his work pants and the ground, the crimson river that flowed down his shirt bulging from the wider wound.
"Shh-shhh- hold still, or like, ah - try not to move uh!" The smol wife's voice was in a bit of a panic before she tried to think for a moment - and then not half a second later her little, high-pitched voice clamored through the mind of every person in the building and even some outside - "Call for help! There's an emergency and my husband's been shot!" Her eyes started to dance, frantically across Sein's body as the lifeblood streamed out of his head dangerously.
His eyelids seemed to flicker a few times, as if he was growing sleepy all of a sudden, shaking his head to clear it, not casting mere drops around now, instead thick streaks of precious liquid. The grunts and shouts of the defeated criminal beneath him seemed to grow in confidence, redoubling his efforts to break free with this new weakness shown. Despite this, it seemed Mochi was drawing enough strength from the sight of his wife unharmed to just about hold him back.
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Nariel General Hospital
It seemed that as soon as he was loaded into the ambulance and direct contact with the woman was broken, Mochi's strength faltered enough to put him under. The last he remembered was a woman - a Caelisolan, with dark grey wings and almost black hair, but yet she looked oddly familiar - scribbling down notes as Arbitrated - once again set upon the couch, but less terrified than before.
Mochi woke to light - why were hospitals always so damn bright - and a warm touch on his hand, with a little bit of a force pushing on his belly. His cheek still felt a bit stiff.
"Mrrrmm.." The taller of the birbs moaned through his numb lips, eyelids flickering a little as the harsh artificial rays of strip lighting darted through into his unprepared retina.
Making to say something, the light crackling of blood-dried bandages crinkled worryingly by his ear, the spark of pain quickly deterring anything of that nature, Mochi wincing as he felt it grow warmer where he had accidentally opened up the cut slightly.
Gradually through the groggy haze of painkillers Seino spotted a comforting sight down the bed, curled over his midriff breathing in what looked like a much needed nap. Despite himself, the father-to-be allowed himself a tentative grin, praying his wound didn't act up for something as simple as that.
"Mmmmm....?" Perhaps woken up by a change in his breathing, or she was never asleep, or maybe it was just part of the connection the couple had, Arbles nuzzled her husband's stomach sleepily before turning to look him eye to eye. "H-hiiii Sein~!" Her adorable little voice floated through the room safely and warmly as she pushed on the bed to right herself - rat's nest of hair and all.
Taking his hand in both of hers, Arbitrated smiled again and softly traced her thumb across the back of his palm. "Thank you..." Scooting the wheeled chair closer to the head of the bed, she leaned back down and kissed him on the forehead. "For everything!"
Sein’s heart lit up like a firework, just knowing that the ordeal was over and the most precious thing in his world was safe. Her husband squeezed her little hand gently, his emerald eyes swimming with joy as Arbl nudged closer and gave him a soft peck. He knew he couldn’t really speak but she knew exactly what he wanted to say, her singsong voice lifting his spirit like nothing else in the universe.
Rolling on his side towards his beautiful partner probably a little recklessly, Mochi couldn’t resist the urge to snake his arms around the petite Elysian in a loving embrace. “You’re amazing.” He murmured, resting his head lightly against hers, “You were so brave..”
”So were you… You were so much braver, jumping in like that! I don’t know if I could have done that myself… I’d have waited, hesitated for help…” She sighed, her eyes quivering still, but steadying out. ”But it is alright!” He knew it, too; the way the smol Iemochi woman relaxed, even visibly at her husband’s touch was more than simply comfort; it was praise, encouragement, and a loving reward to a man who truly, faithfully risked his life for the protection of those close to him, even against incredible odds.
“I love you so much, Arbitrated.” Sein whispered as he squeezed reassuringly, feeling the injuries from his brawl strain and ache. The sensation of having her safe in his arms, it felt like the entire world could disappear and they’d go on, just having each other. “I’d jump in front of a Mishhu for you.” He grinned, despite the hot sensation of fresh blood seeping into his bandage, “Oh wait, I already have..” She chuckled at that.
He lowered a blood-splattered hand as lightly as a feather, settling it to rest on his petite wife’s beautiful bump. Sein’s jade eyes sparkled like the night’s sky with relief, she’d been so strong, resilient, even in the face of potential death. Or worse.. Once again, he was reminded of how lucky he was to have her in his life, how much they’d been through together.
“They said it’ll probably be a couple of days until you’re fully healed, but they still don’t know entirely what’s going on with, well,” Arbles chuckled a bit, implying to Sein’s Neo-Caelisolan… status? Species? Both? Probably both. “But you’ll probably be let out tomorrow. They were gonna wait a while before finishing up the surgery and stimulating your cells a bit.” One of the greatest things to help elysian medical science: their helpful regenerative properties.
“Well.. I need to be ready for the next time my girl needs me, hmm?” They chuckled, Sein’s sense of humour thankfully undamaged. Propping himself straighter up against the plushy pillows, he took Arbl’s hand once more between both of his own, “Which also means carrying you here when the time comes..”
She smiled in that precious, adorable way he knew she would, leaning in to kiss Sein again as he held her tiny, warm hand in his own. ”Well I’m sure that we’ve got a few months until then, but we better keep rested until that time comes!” Her lips graced the man’s forehead again, the kiss of one angel to another, then she met him at the lips softly, trying to not agitate his raw cheek.
He rumbled deeply at that, closing those bright green eyes as she leaned in with that cute, graceful way she moved. Her supple lips met his own and his hand cupped the back of her silken neck, playing a tenderly with the smol woman’s hair. Their kiss was electric and tingling with meaning, like the embrace of a relative not seen for an age. Their wedding bands glinted in the lights overhead, the jewels of an eternal bond.
New Elysia
The winter sun was dipping under the sparkling skyline of Empyreon, casting strange reflexions through the crystal windows and curvaceous buildings that populated the city. It was just before rush hour on the commute home, the everyday Elysians coming back from a hard day's work. The Iemochi family apartment was situated in a luxury block, towards the eastern edge of the metropolis, the 6th floor of many. From the outside, it didn't look much more special than a nice hotel but the inside was thoroughly renovated. The apartment had three bedrooms, a bathroom and a half, and even a study to its name. The open main room served as both a family/living room as well as having a small kitchenette against one wall in the corner.
Arbitrated Iemochi, the expectant mother of twins, sighed with fatigue as she overlooked the messy third bedroom, which had been turned into a warehouse of sorts for the couple when they moved into this apartment. It's been about a month since they finally started sleeping in it, and several boxes still managed to stay stacked taller than she was! She took a look at her watch briefly, the digital display reading late into the afternoon, but not quite evening yet - Mochi should be home any minute now, unless he decided to stay late again...
Down, down the stairs. Across the hallway, through the door and across the street. The shadow of the nearby buildings cast a gloom over the well-kept idyllic street outside. The smoldering tip of a cigarette flared every few seconds, its glow barely lighting up the smoker's grizzled face. He leaned heavily against a stylised lamp post, the silhouette of his jet back crow's wings. His plumage seemed to be sparse and unhealthy, the man's sizeable muscles that were occasionally lit up obviously his way of compensating.
Slicking back his greasy hair with a dirty hand, the Plebian let the burning tobacco fall, tumbling from his fingers to the floor. Pushing off and reaching to the back of his belt, the man strode to the Iemochi's door. Pulling loose an antique revolver that in no way matched his appearance, the leather jacket clad man pushed open the latch.
The little Arble smiled as she heard the front door open, the little whine of its hinges calling to her through the house. The excited patter of her tiny feet on the carpet crescendoed as she walked into the living room happily, already calling out, "Hiii Sein-"
Her expression plummeted faster than a stone in water when she saw the trespasser, the warm lighting of the living room showing the man as a scumbag - crooked teeth, tattoos badly done, he looked like he hadn't washed in days.
"'ello beautiful.." He smiled wide, cracked lips splitting to reveal his cig-stained grin. The revolver hung loosely by his side, the man stopping as he regarded the young woman. "Is it just you and me..?"
The tiny one was held mid-step, a foot in place behind her as she saw this hooligan in her home's doorway. Her asymmetrical eyes looked up then down, the training and experience in the Star Army helping her size up the arrival - armed, looks strong. He's had fights to get those scars, and he probably has a knife...
She wouldn't be able to outrun him, not while she carried the weight of two children inside of her! The little speedy walk she did to get here was the extent of her mobility. Her hands instinctively raised into the air halfway, and the Arbs's large wings pressed against her back tightly.
"For now, yes... who are you?" She kept herself in the same position in the kitchen, only straightening her legs beneath her to stop herself from wobbling while this... "visitor" was around.
He didn't reply directly, simply looking past her gloriously pregnant form to check she wasn't trying to hide anyone. "Let's get you sat down, eh? I'm not here for you but we can have some fun while we wait.."
His food-stained tongue ran across his lips in a disturbing way, the intruder kicking the door so it was just about ajar behind him so no passers by would interfere.
Fumbling in a pocket, he gestured with the tip of his loaded revolver to a living room chair. "Take a seat darlin'."
"A-alright..." The ex-Shan waddled over cautiously, keeping her palms suspended into the air about level with her bust until she set herself down ungracefully onto the cushion of the chair. Folding her delicate hands onto her lap again, the heterochromatic smol pouted at the filthy intruder, her rosy lips bulging a bit.
The sea-blue iris flashed as Arbles stole glances towards the pocket - and what the guy was pulling out of it. Back to the gun. Now to his face... By the light, do you have to be so DIRTY? We have enough problems without... she shook the irrelevant thought away. She replaced it with words, "What are you here for...?"
"Eh, you'll see soon enough.. You're just a bonus to what I've been told to do." His figure practically exuded the stench of BO and smoke as he stepped closer to the Arb where she sat. He loomed over her, a cruel twinkle in his gaze as it ran across her. "He sure is a lucky bastard, getting you."
The hand that had been rummaging for something appeared once more, tobacco-stained nails clutching at a pair of handcuffs. "Be a darling and put these on, so I don't have to spoil that pretty face of yours." His jet-black wings twitching with adrenaline, the man dropped the chilled metal into her lap, reaching forwards to run a finger along her jaw.
Arbitrated's neck twisted, contorted and wrenched her face away from the plebian's sickening touch. A sort of unpleasant mood seemed to emanate from her, growing in intensity as he motioned to the cuffs in her warm lap. She delicately picked at the cuffs, their metallic chain tinkling softly but oh so distinctly. Her voice firmed up more, gaining a hidden edge, a little more substance - she wasn't just some wimpy girl. "My husband is not a bastard, no matter what people say! Do not call him that!"
That seemed to annoy the home invader more than anything, appearing to watch her more carefully now. He wiggled the revolver, which had previously been pointing slightly away from her was now firmly trained on mark.
"He's a mongrel who murdered his mother and calls himself 'Elysian'." The man spat a glob of spittle onto the Iemochi's carpet and bared his teeth. "Filth that thinks he is as pure as the true Elysians." The figure growled, greasy hair shimmering under the living room light.
"You and I both know that only the Patricians think that of themselves, let alone anyone else." Her eyes stilled, keeping even and looking into the asshole's. She sniffled, instinctively scrunching her tiny nose up as a gag reflex. "So you were sent by IIS, then? Or perhaps somebody with too much money and the desire to impress them. I should have figured they'd have been stalking us, given, well..." She trailed off. At this point, it almost felt like the whole building, to even the people outside, was radiating feelings of just... badness. It felt uncomfortable to just walk through the door to some people.
The dark-clad figure chuckled callously, "You have no idea how long we've been waiting for him to leave the safe little hideaway on that far-travelling ship. Funny he was stupid enough to leave the SA and expose himself."
"You must have done a number on him to leave behind that life of running." His eyes slithered to her rounded belly, "Though I guess sometimes optimism gets the most of people." A hand wormed forwards to stroke her cheek, apparently more interested in tormenting the little mommabirb than the door behind him.
Arbles trembled like the most delicate of flowers when the man dragged his hand across her, and her eyes squeezed shut. Her fair skin was again smeared by his filth and grime, and she let out a quiet, quiet whimper. Her mouth stuttered open, then shut again, the little baby-carrying woman failing to find anything to say against the invader, this hired gun who was at this moment threatening her whole family...
"Mrmm.. Silky." He growled a little, seeing her shudder under his rough touch. "You're practically glowing. Maybe when I'm done we can have some fun." He jostled his oversized revolver a few times, straightening up. "How long does it take your sack of shit husband to get here, I'm getting bored."
"How about no, thank you very much," her voice wavered nervously. "And you might need to wait a while. He likes to work late, as I'm sure you've been told. Or maybe you forgot because all you have the capacity to think about is your wallet and the face you need to take down." The Arble was trying to keep herself strong, feeding off of what little momentum she could muster to stick around. "And, by the way, you won't. He didn't go on leave with me just to forget his training in a couple months."
"Training? Psh, yeah right. Fucking nerd trained moving around little strands of impure genetic crap. Besides.." His eyes flashed down Arbles' diminutive form, "I don't think you'll have much of a choice." The dark-winged assassin stepped towards one of the tables dotted abouts the room, picking a photo frame of the couple at their wedding from where it stood. "You think I haven't done this before?"
Arbs sniffed again. Yeah, you go ahead and think he always spent time in his lab. A lab didn't help him when he gunned down a dozen NMX. He doesn't need a lab for you, either. Arbs considered the threat, but figured that it would only get ignored anyways. No, she'll have to try something else...
"Oh I'm sure you have. Sneaking into a house, using some old gun that barely works to sometimes shoot somebody that somebody else doesn't like. I imagine you think you make a nice living off of it, huh? Isn't there some sort of Nepleslian saying about blood being expensive or... Something? You should know, you're half of one anyways. Probably more."
The man spun around to face the smol ex-Shan at that, glaring at her with slitted eyes. A gloomy silence hung in the air for a mere moment until the Plebian hurled the picture at the ground with all his might, the crack of wood and shattering of glass punctuating the flying debris.
"You talk too much, bitch. Talk shit again and maybe I'll pluck you before I show you how real Elysians fuck." His lengthy, grease-laden hair waved where it fell across his twistedly grimacing face, somewhat muscular biceps shining with grease and unwashed sweat.
That had an effect. Arbitrated screamed for but a second as the terrifying sound of shattered glass tore through the apartment, instinctively curling up a bit on the couch, little tremors rocking around her body. She went fully pink, wrapping her gigantic flight limbs around herself as tightly as they could be. And yet, she listened - not a single word came out of the smol, self-burritoed woman.
His expression suddenly morphed from one of apocalyptic emotion to pure amusement, though one could tell it was a flip of a switch away. "Awww.. did I scare little miss 'faced Mishhu'?" He paced a few steps closer to the door to check nobody was coming to check out the noise. "You remind me of the first girl I killed."
The little bundle of feathers Arbitrated was didn't respond right away. She buried her face downwards, into the folds of her shirt to hide it. More than a few tears were begging, demanding a release. And she would not cry in front of anything if she could help it. So she hid, trembling and blind in her pink, downy world. "You're..." She heaved a breath, trying to not sob as she did. "You're a monster..."
"Maybe. I don't really bother with all that." The coast seemed clear, no silhouettes he could see. "Least I know what I am and don't pretend to be something I'm not or purer than I am."
"Are... Are you sure? You seemed pretty... Mad, earlier." Just keep breathing. In and out, in and out. Keep yourself calm, it'll be alright...
He chuckled deeply, slowly as if he was holding back his rage, his breath brushing a few slick strands of hair forwards and backwards gently. "In and out, eh? I might do that mhm... I wonder how smooth your throat is."
The Arble frowned, her slightly plumped lips forming a small pout in exaggerated detail. Being choked to death was not the way she wanted to go no matter what circumstances came about. Seemingly at random, her left leg started to bounce slowly - a bit of a nervous tick she had, and the longer this guy was here... "Well, you're in, why aren't you out? Get out!"
Brows furrowed, the dark-blooded man smiled a little at her malcontent display. "You like to yip and yap but you're still sat there waiting for your husband to walk through that door and get killed, huh?" He lifted the rusted revolver to his shoulder at let it rest there, taking a few steps to lean against the wall opposite to the door. With a sly grin, he mimicked taking the firearm off his shoulder, pointing it at the door and firing it with a "bang" sound. His tobacco-stained teeth glinted manically as he finished the act and gazed at Arb-Arb, a grim contrast to her fairly clean but grimacing face.
"What, do you want me to run off to the bedroom or something?"
"I wasn't born yesterday, darling. You can sit right there and powder your nose until there's blood on the floor and I've got time to take you to that bedroom." His badly-kempt black wings rustled against the wall, the metallic tip of the gun rapping on the hard surface.
Arbls looked down at the handcuffs again. There they were, metal and cold and mechanical. She picked them up slowly, almost like they were toxic to touch, their metal chain clinking as it was disturbed.
He snickered deeply a few times, booming in his amusement at her lack of words. "It's like you're a doll, sitting there without words. C'mon, talk to me honey... Surely a warrior of the grand Star Army can do better than this." His wet eyes swept over her dismissively to the door, breaking line of sight for a moment.
Arbles took a chance she saw - probably stupid, but possibly helpful, and as the scum turned his face downwards the handcuffs went soaring through the air, tinkling aggressively as she threw them as hard as her little arms could let her.
The hunks of metal smacked against his jacketed side with a cloth "thwump", the man spinning around incredulously as they clattered to the floor. "Wh- The..?" Glancing down, he took in the sight, seeming to have gained what could almost be interpreted as a modicum of respect to the petite woman. "Wow, maybe there is some fight in you, eh?"
"Maybe you should learn to not just take something at face value!" The suddenly somewhat sassy and confident woman straightened up on the couch, getting as much height as she could from, well... Her height.
"Lady, I think you're forgetting who has the uh.. lethal weapon here." The abusive stranger waggled it back and forth as if he was reminding a child. "Sit your tight ass down if you know what's good for ya.." The sweaty guy grumbled as he spoke, obviously taken aback by the sudden unexpected fire from the diminutive smol.
Arbles didn't budge, instead calling out, "I'm still sitting. If you can't even see that then how do you aim?"
This caused him to shake his head slowly, grinning with those disgusting gnashers as he rubbed his black eyes. "By the heavens... You're quite something aren't you, eh?" This hit just kept getting more and more ridiculous. How much longer until this 'Elysian' scientist came home?!
"I guess I'd be considered a thing. Actually, if I recall, I'm classified as a citizen of Yamatai... and Elysia. Considering the outrage from the murder outside of the borders a few months ago of that other Caelisolan woman, I have a feeling they'd be... More inclined to find you if you decided to go messing around inside of the borders. do, uh... Do you really want two countries calling out for your head?"
"Eh, I've already got enough heat to worry about all that. Know the right people and they can get ya out of anything. Plenty of big criminal organisations to ask, especially if you've got the big bucks from huge companies, eh?" He chuckled a few times harshly, barking, spinning the gun around his dirt-matted finger.
The little one's eyes tracked the firearm as it twirled mesmerizingly. "And you think they'll save you from Yamatai after this? I wouldn't put so much faith against them when a soldier is murdered in friendly territory like you plan."
"Bah, like a thing that big would bother with one little man dropping dead. He isn't even an officer, less than nothing to the rankers. As long as I got money I can lay low on some backwater world until my next task."
"I got this shit worked out while you and everyone else works 9 to 5 for peanuts my dear, you just need to say fuck right and wrong then you win."
"Well someone seems to think highly of themselves. You're not exactly right though - for one, he is an officer! He damn well deserves it, too." She stared directly into the man's eyes piercingly.
"Oh sure a 'warrant officer'." He basically spat the words out like some rotten meat. "What a fucking joke, that's why we don't use shit like that in Elysia. You ain't an officer if you're not respected enough for a salute. Not that I give a shit about any of those government ass-kissers."
Arbles sighed... she didn't know when Mochi was going to get home but she was running out of ways to keep this guy from well... not being focused. "For not giving a shit you're pretty damn unhappy at them. What, did you piss off the recruiters or something?"He's running late, even for, well... Even for himself.
Somewhere down the now pitch-black road, a young man's hair stood on end abruptly, an electric shiver dancing across his spine. His brow furrowed a little, the grocery bags in his hands crinkling as the soldier's shoes paused in their tapping beat on the damp tiled street.
Iemochi Seinosuke's fiery plumage shifted around behind him in the harsh winter wind, as if the sun was rising behind him yet shedding no light. The scientist's emerald eyes darted around, the sudden pump of adrenaline he'd received warning him of something.
"Hrm." The Juni rumbled, reluctantly returning to walking towards his Arbl and warm hearth, the thought of her welcoming him back bringing a silly smile to his face. Today, Sein's uniform was covered hastily with a pristine labcoat which trailed behind him like a cape in the gale.
Rushing through the apartment reception, deserted, enveloped the father-to-be in a plume of warm air. Dashing up the stairs to the Arblenest was at this point he spotted the open door to their abode, wide open and spilling light into the hallway.
Now he was really concerned, stepping like a panther to the side of the doorframe. As he slipped his head a little further in to see, he began the thought 'Better safe than s-.'
Mochi's eyes beheld his beautiful, glowing wife being glowered at by a stranger, a homeless-looking Elysian he could even smell from this distance. 'What the fuck?'
Whatever was happening here, his smolbirb was radiating all sorts of discontent feelings, the way she was glaring at the man making things clear as day even as Seino spotted his revolver.
Arbles sniffled again, doing her best to keep staring the plebian man down. But for just a moment, barely a fraction of a second, her eyes dashed to the opened doorway. "Was that-" She thought she saw the firey red of Mochi's wings for a moment there. But as soon as she looked over, the woman's asymmetrical, beautiful oculars bounced back to the threat in front of her.
"Whatchu lookin' at?" The scumbag of a man grunted, glancing over his shoulder and scanning the door with his beady little eyes. "Fuckin'.." he grumbled, beginning to turn to step towards the doorway and check it out.
"Nothing! It was just a light flickering out there. It happens sometimes, and I'm not used to it yet... Sorry." She didn't know why she apologized there. This guy didn't have respect for anyone the deserved it, and he certainly didn't deserve respect either. Her voice rattled a little with nervousness. What if he's out there, what if that was him?
Pausing in his turn, the invader swung his head back to the smolbirb that was Arbitrated with a snicker. "Get used to saying sorry, I'm gonna be hearing you scream that later for all the shit you're talking."
She pouted. "No you won't." She was hoping that if she DID see her husband out there, that she could keep this guy distracted enough for him to sneak up on him. Hopefully.
Spine firmly pressed to the unyielding wood of the door frame, wisps of thought spun through Seinosuke's mind, panic at little Arbles' plight mixed and so many others. He knew whatever the case he had to get her out of there.
Something clicked, this wasn't anything short of a rescue mission now, his mind turned over to the more violent side of his training and knowledge. Taking a moment to steel himself, knuckles flexing, there was no longer an expectant father and scientist about to walk through the door. Now, there was a SOFT Itto Juni about to eliminate the enemy and rescue a hostage.
Inside, the smol mother-to-be's captor continued to snicker and gloat. "Aw, that's it darlin', purse your lips like that.. You're gettin' me all excited now.." A thin, crooked smile strained his cracked and stained lips, head swivelling from the door to take mock the ex-Shan, their eyes locking coldly across the room.
In that brief moment, Seino's eyes clamped shut as he listened for the tell-tell lowering of volume as this bastard turned his face from where he should be watching. A veritable coiled spring, the raven spun and stepped into the cosy room with haste. Flamelike wings billowing behind him in a display of aggression, the reds and oranges like a blanket of rage, Iemochi Seinosuke sprinted the short distance with burning hate in those emerald eyes.
The tiny woman yelped at the sudden flash and arrival of color as her husband dashed through the door, her eyes breaking that staring contest as Mochi charged forward. Thinking fast, Arbles effectively rolled off of the couch, lowering herself to the ground as quickly - and yes also as carefully - as she could, hiding herself behind the coffee table in front of it.
Whirling around in confusion, the disgusting home invader's face fell into one of total shock and awe as the crow was smashed into by the raven with such force that his feet left the ground, the two men flying backwards into the patterned wall behind.
The revolver, suddenly yanked by the impact, rang out in protest with an explosion, hammer slamming with the stink of cordite, wherever the bullet impacted unnoticed compared to the storm of colour that the two grappling men were fast becoming. Arbles screamed out in her little trench.
Crimson splatters dashed against the carpet, the two figures almost indistinguishable behind the flurry of feathers surrounding and obscuring them. Despite their similar sizes, it seemed neither could establish dominance immediately, wounds splitting open on each of them as nails and fists pummeled the other, even elbows, knees and heads slamming to throw each other off.
The golden-haired Sein snaked his hands around the more inexperienced man's thick neck, squeezing his unhealthy and oily skin between strong fingers, the previously maelstrom of colors separating into dawn over dusk as Mochi beared down with his upper body.
Somehow, the prone figure shoved his feet between the two even as the soldier closed the gap for good, a harsh hoof sending Sein up and off though he managed to roll into standing, hands slipping free from their hold.
Wheezing, the assassin glared up at the other man. "Motherfucker, I'll flay your heretic skin from your flesh!" His beady eyes were wild, scouring for where his firearm had flown to in the chaos.
Mochi, now balanced and standing, ran his palm across his chest where the man's boots had impacted. The burning hellfire within his gaze was fixated on the evil below him, unwavering. "Arbs! Get safe!" Her husband barked commandingly, out of character, using that short time just before the two were sure to collide in combat once again.
The smol whined quietly in her half-effective hiding spot, scrambling to get herself off of her back. It was at best a struggle, as she barely managed to sit up before the men resumed their struggle.
With the scientist pre-occupied, the hulk on the ground reached to the small of his back with a pained smile, a blur of motion as suddenly the pistol, both thought lost, sprung to his hand, a booted foot aiming to smash hard into Seino's shin.
No time to react, the phoenix dropped as fast as he could to try and escape the cone of fire as the antique sidearm boomed once, twice, thrice. Scarlet flecks splattered against the ceiling as Mochi grunted hard, one of the shells finding its mark just before the tall ex-Minkan sprawled to the thick, carpeted floor.
A shit-eating grin jumped upon the shooter's expression, thinking that all was over and done. With a deep sigh, the muzzle was lowered as Arbitrated cried out, pinned by her own weight against the sofa, her gemstone-like eyes tethered to Mochi's unmoving body. Like a serpent, the momentarily unmoving figure of Sein leaped up and drove a pointed elbow down into his chest as a living spear.
A rush of wind whistled through split lips as the breath was driven out of the mercenary's form, the force of impact thudding through the floor as Mochi forced his weight down on such a small point. The phoenix clawed his way further up the man's body, fingernails hooking and piercing through his shirt, until Sein was straddling his chest, arms pinned to his sides under the soldier's legs.
A bloody waterfall ran and splashed from Mochi's face against his opponent's pulsing neck, the wound obscured under ragged blonde hair slick with a red hue. The restrained brute squirmed and roared in indignation, lashing out with his feet and attempting to buck the more experienced fighter free.
Seino just sat there, chest heaving, letting the one below him realise through that dulled mind of his that he was no longer in control here. Partially slumped over from the exertion, the Juni turned his head to the little Arble, who was trembling in terror. While it was obvious that he was too pumped to speak if he wanted to, she could see where that blood stemmed from - one of the wild shots had punctured his upper cheek, scoring a ragged trench across the skin all the way down to his jaw.
"S-Sein... Seino, your face-" She strutted out the words, the shocked woman just stating, focusing, her entire world at this moment fixated and anchored to the blonde Iemochi male.
His red-stained brow furrowed, mustering the effort to straighten a fraction to an almost-upright position from where he clamped the man below, raising a tired hand to his cheek, following Arb-Arb's heterochromatic gaze until he found it. Wincing harshly from the touch, she could see that the bone of his knuckles was almost visible under the scarlet skin above from the fight.
"Ar-AAshhi-!" Sein began to speak, ripping the wound open further with the movement, hurt flaring in his jade orbs as he forced himself to stop. Fresh globs of hemoglobin spattered hot against his work pants and the ground, the crimson river that flowed down his shirt bulging from the wider wound.
"Shh-shhh- hold still, or like, ah - try not to move uh!" The smol wife's voice was in a bit of a panic before she tried to think for a moment - and then not half a second later her little, high-pitched voice clamored through the mind of every person in the building and even some outside - "Call for help! There's an emergency and my husband's been shot!" Her eyes started to dance, frantically across Sein's body as the lifeblood streamed out of his head dangerously.
His eyelids seemed to flicker a few times, as if he was growing sleepy all of a sudden, shaking his head to clear it, not casting mere drops around now, instead thick streaks of precious liquid. The grunts and shouts of the defeated criminal beneath him seemed to grow in confidence, redoubling his efforts to break free with this new weakness shown. Despite this, it seemed Mochi was drawing enough strength from the sight of his wife unharmed to just about hold him back.
--------------------------------------
Nariel General Hospital
It seemed that as soon as he was loaded into the ambulance and direct contact with the woman was broken, Mochi's strength faltered enough to put him under. The last he remembered was a woman - a Caelisolan, with dark grey wings and almost black hair, but yet she looked oddly familiar - scribbling down notes as Arbitrated - once again set upon the couch, but less terrified than before.
Mochi woke to light - why were hospitals always so damn bright - and a warm touch on his hand, with a little bit of a force pushing on his belly. His cheek still felt a bit stiff.
"Mrrrmm.." The taller of the birbs moaned through his numb lips, eyelids flickering a little as the harsh artificial rays of strip lighting darted through into his unprepared retina.
Making to say something, the light crackling of blood-dried bandages crinkled worryingly by his ear, the spark of pain quickly deterring anything of that nature, Mochi wincing as he felt it grow warmer where he had accidentally opened up the cut slightly.
Gradually through the groggy haze of painkillers Seino spotted a comforting sight down the bed, curled over his midriff breathing in what looked like a much needed nap. Despite himself, the father-to-be allowed himself a tentative grin, praying his wound didn't act up for something as simple as that.
"Mmmmm....?" Perhaps woken up by a change in his breathing, or she was never asleep, or maybe it was just part of the connection the couple had, Arbles nuzzled her husband's stomach sleepily before turning to look him eye to eye. "H-hiiii Sein~!" Her adorable little voice floated through the room safely and warmly as she pushed on the bed to right herself - rat's nest of hair and all.
Taking his hand in both of hers, Arbitrated smiled again and softly traced her thumb across the back of his palm. "Thank you..." Scooting the wheeled chair closer to the head of the bed, she leaned back down and kissed him on the forehead. "For everything!"
Sein’s heart lit up like a firework, just knowing that the ordeal was over and the most precious thing in his world was safe. Her husband squeezed her little hand gently, his emerald eyes swimming with joy as Arbl nudged closer and gave him a soft peck. He knew he couldn’t really speak but she knew exactly what he wanted to say, her singsong voice lifting his spirit like nothing else in the universe.
Rolling on his side towards his beautiful partner probably a little recklessly, Mochi couldn’t resist the urge to snake his arms around the petite Elysian in a loving embrace. “You’re amazing.” He murmured, resting his head lightly against hers, “You were so brave..”
”So were you… You were so much braver, jumping in like that! I don’t know if I could have done that myself… I’d have waited, hesitated for help…” She sighed, her eyes quivering still, but steadying out. ”But it is alright!” He knew it, too; the way the smol Iemochi woman relaxed, even visibly at her husband’s touch was more than simply comfort; it was praise, encouragement, and a loving reward to a man who truly, faithfully risked his life for the protection of those close to him, even against incredible odds.
“I love you so much, Arbitrated.” Sein whispered as he squeezed reassuringly, feeling the injuries from his brawl strain and ache. The sensation of having her safe in his arms, it felt like the entire world could disappear and they’d go on, just having each other. “I’d jump in front of a Mishhu for you.” He grinned, despite the hot sensation of fresh blood seeping into his bandage, “Oh wait, I already have..” She chuckled at that.
He lowered a blood-splattered hand as lightly as a feather, settling it to rest on his petite wife’s beautiful bump. Sein’s jade eyes sparkled like the night’s sky with relief, she’d been so strong, resilient, even in the face of potential death. Or worse.. Once again, he was reminded of how lucky he was to have her in his life, how much they’d been through together.
“They said it’ll probably be a couple of days until you’re fully healed, but they still don’t know entirely what’s going on with, well,” Arbles chuckled a bit, implying to Sein’s Neo-Caelisolan… status? Species? Both? Probably both. “But you’ll probably be let out tomorrow. They were gonna wait a while before finishing up the surgery and stimulating your cells a bit.” One of the greatest things to help elysian medical science: their helpful regenerative properties.
“Well.. I need to be ready for the next time my girl needs me, hmm?” They chuckled, Sein’s sense of humour thankfully undamaged. Propping himself straighter up against the plushy pillows, he took Arbl’s hand once more between both of his own, “Which also means carrying you here when the time comes..”
She smiled in that precious, adorable way he knew she would, leaning in to kiss Sein again as he held her tiny, warm hand in his own. ”Well I’m sure that we’ve got a few months until then, but we better keep rested until that time comes!” Her lips graced the man’s forehead again, the kiss of one angel to another, then she met him at the lips softly, trying to not agitate his raw cheek.
He rumbled deeply at that, closing those bright green eyes as she leaned in with that cute, graceful way she moved. Her supple lips met his own and his hand cupped the back of her silken neck, playing a tenderly with the smol woman’s hair. Their kiss was electric and tingling with meaning, like the embrace of a relative not seen for an age. Their wedding bands glinted in the lights overhead, the jewels of an eternal bond.
