Colin's posts

Just as she said the last part, and realized that she was alone... for the most part... she saw a burst of black flames appear before her, which died down to reveal a man she'd not seen before.

"......" he was silent, before looking down.

"Oh son of a fucking whore." he snarled, before looking around some.

"Hey." he said to Ally, before noticing Kiah, and rushing over towards her.

"KIAH!" he exclaimed as he did so.

"Damn it all!" he yelled, concern in his tone.

Ash raised an eyebrow, before shrugging.

"Well, that's something you guys need to deal with." he said.

"It's out of MY jurisdiction." he chuckled.

"Anyway, Kiah, if you wanna talk or anything, lemme know." he then told his cousin.

"Don't keep beating yourself up, hey?"

Aly entered the room, and smiled softly at him.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"Ryker looked a bit sad when he passed me." she went on.

"...you spoke to him about what I said, didn't you?" she asked after a pause.

"How did he take it?"

Ash looked around, and raised an eyebrow.

"...I saw a few orderlies and nurses... but it didn't seem like there was anyone here that was supposed to be in charge." he commented.

He then took his hand away, and sighed.

"Well, seems the kid is clear." he commented.

"He should make a full recovery, mana-wise and physically, that is." he added, before he paused as well, and looked at himself.

".....hm." he mumbled, scratching at his chin slightly.

Ryker made his way downstairs, and started rooting through the fridge and freezer.

"Hm." he mumbled.

"Yeah, should have enough." he said.

He then paused again, and thought for a moment.

"Yeah." he said to himself, as he got to work.

Meanwhile, Aly had made her way back to the door to Eke's room, and knocked on it.

"Eke?" she called in.

"Mmhm." Ash muttered.

"....something up, Kiah?" he then asked.

"I mean, aside from what happened." he clarified.

"There anything else on your mind? Or you feeling off?" he asked further.

"I'll do what I can to try and help."

Ash just sighed as he heard the guilt in Kiah's voice.

"Still feelin' it, eh?" he asked.

"I told you it's not your fault." he told her.

"Anyway, move for a second." he then said, stepping up to Levi and placing a hand on the boy's head.

"....hmmm." he mumbled.

"I'm scanning for abnormalities." he told Roxie and Kiah. "Just making 100% sure that their influence is gone."

Meanwhile, Ash just sighed in relief when Roxie said she wouldn't ask.

"Heh, holy." he then said.

"Yeah, I guess that IS accurate." he muttered.

"Kinda funny, given my lineage." he chuckled.

"Regardless, everything SEEMS to be back to normal here." he then commented. "Or whatever passes for that here." he laughed further.

Ash looked at Hal, and gave an informal half-salute.

"Later, Chief." he said.

"I'll be sure to thank Dani for sending you." Hal replied.

"Ah... other boss." Ash responded.

"....indeed. Well, that makes sense." Hal then said.

"Anyway, get moving." he told him.

Ash nodded, and he and Roxie left the room, shutting the door behind them.

"....don't ask." Ash muttered to the succubus.

Hal just sighed.

"Truth be told, I would... but after what just happened to me, I need to take a moment to recuperate and get my mind back where it should be." he admitted.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Ash apologized.

"Nothing to do with you." Hal responded.

"...uhhh... right then." Ash muttered.

"Well, I'm going to go see Kiah one more time before I scram." Ash then said.

"I'm not entirely sure I remember where the medical wing here is, mind if I come with?" he then asked Roxie.

".......worried?" Ryker asked.

"That's... a bit of a strong word." he said.

"Concerned? Eh... maybe a smidgen..." he then admitted.

"More just... confused, actually." he said. "I've never seen you ask for something so... light." he reasoned.

"But hey, if that's what you want, then that's what I can make." he told him with a shrug.

"Fruit salad with nuts it is."

"...." Ash was silent, before sighing.

"Right." he said.

"Well... Kiah's rune was as strong as it was, because it was bolstered immensely by the brief injection of mana she got from 'them'." he explained.

"And the rune -I- used to overpower it was as strong as it was because... well... I've had practice with my mana. And for other reasons that I can't say." he then muttered.

"Your own?" Sharp asked.

"Yeah, the quickest way to shut down a Fyrane rune is to overpower it with a stronger one. So I did. And then immediately dismissed it." Ash explained in response.

"I... I see." Sharp replied, sighing heavily. "And things have all worked out?" he asked.

"Kiah seems to be fine, and the kid she was with seems to be all right as well." Ash said. "They're just both VERY exhausted, and they're on their way to medical wing you guys have." he then explained.

"....I see. That's a relief." Sharp replied.

"And yes... that might be a good idea." he then said, in reference to Alyssa being placed in the medical wing.

But before they could say anything, there was a knock on the door, and it opened.

"Hey-o." Ash said, poking his head in.

"A.J?" Sharp asked upon seeing him.

"That's me." Ash replied.

"I'm here to answer the inevitable litany of questions you or anyone else here may have." he commented, referring mostly to Roxie.

"........." Sharp was silent, his eyes filled with terror, before he shook his head vigorously.

"That was... well... hellish." he told her.

"But at least I'm still here." he said.

"What happened?" he then asked, looking around.

"I know you said the rune's gone, but did something happen to cause it to disappear? Or did it just vanish?" he asked further.

"SO much could have happened to make it dissipate..." he then said quietly.

"And how's Alyssa?" he asked her.