Take Me Under (Archetype)

[Rabnak / Ayame]

Now, it seems I’m fading. All my dreams are not worth saving.
I’ve done my share of waiting, and I’ve still got nowhere else to go.
So I wait for you to take me all the way... Take me all the way.
Seems you’re wanting me to stay, but my dreams would surely waste away.
And I still have nowhere else to go... So I wait for you to...
Take me all the way... Take me all the way...

Push me under! Pull me further!
Take me all the way! Take me all the way!

If anyone had asked, she would have said she had no idea why she'd agreed to this.

Rabnak was immortal. She could die, but Ayame, who was "superglued" to her very soul, would always revive her from the dead. She couldn't age, she couldn't get diseases... and her longevity was a problem for relationships of any type, obviously. She wasn't a vampire. She couldn't "gift" anyone else with her immortality. As such, she greatly outlasted any friends she made who weren't of her kind or something like it.

On top of that, Fiend scared her. Not because she found him a threat; no, far from it. She was sure, if she put her mind and magic and hellfire to it, Fiend would be absolutely no problem for her. No, what scared her was how easily he seemed to slide in and out of control of Archetype's body. How easy it was for him to control the man, almost to the point where it brought on painful memories of her own body being taken over by her own Symbiote-of-sorts. Yes, the two seemed to have a friendly relationship, but what would happen if Archetype ever did something Fiend didn't approve of?

Urg. Goosebumps.

But on the other hand, Rabnak was genuinely intrigued by the young (okay, young to her) man, and she wanted to know more about him. He seemed... nice, and interesting at the very least. She'd be kidding herself if she said she didn't want to know more about him, to form at the very least a friendship with him. Her own curiosity was what got the better of her, and that was why she'd agreed to do this. Why she'd agreed to meet him in Central Park.

The half-demon was leaned against a tree next to a bench, acid-green eyes staring off into space. God, what she wouldn't have done for the ability to go partially into her Demoness form, if only for the ears so she could hear better. She always felt deaf as a human, and she didn't like it in the least bit.

Ayame was chattering to her again. Well, more like scolding. Well... more like screaming. It was a sound she'd long learned to tune out, either way. "S'no use," she muttered to her companion (a term she used so loosely she was surprised it didn't fall right off). "I'm not listening to you this time. If I wanna be happy for once, God," she very nearly choked on that name, but managed to stop herself, "God help me, I'm going to be. Whether you like it or not."

[Archfiend]

Archetype made his way to Central Park. His hair was combed; an attempt he'd made to get it to look decent. And it worked. He had on a black tee shirt, faded, torn blue jeans--not the kind you buy, he made those himself, on accident. His leather jacket was open, and topped off the outfit. In his pocket, was the little bag of assorted objects he'd used for his powers.

Fiend was...annoyed. He wasn't pissed, but he didn't quite approve of him seeing anyone--especially a girl--especially an immortal at that. Sure, fiend was more...friendly with his host than most of his kind. He was a hell of a lot more tolerant, and even gave Archetype time free, like now, which was even more time. But he didn't like this in the least bit. It was just friendly now; that he could handle. But if it went farther....well, maybe he wasn't so different from the rest of his species after all...

Drew saw Rabby, leaned against a tree, staring off into another direction. He walked up so that he was beside her, leaning back against the tree next to her. "You look like you're waiting for someone," he teased.

Oh, give me a break...

[Rabnak / Ayame]

Rabnak had heard him coming (her senses were still heightened, even if not to the point she would have liked them at), but she gave no indication that this was the case but for a small smile that curved on her lips. She liked to surprise people with her powers, even if they already knew about them; she supposed she was a bit of a show-off.

"Hmm, I am," she replied without looking over, smile only widening. "I dunno, though, I'm starting to think he might show. Might just leave. That'd show him."

The woman turned to look at him, then, smile widening into a grin as she took in his appearance. Well, that wasn't quite what she had seen in the graveyard, was it? The boy cleaned up nice, that much was for sure, and blondes always had been her type-- a fact that, as soon as she registered it, made Ayame snarl inside her head.

~It is foolish to let your guard down, child.~

Good thing I'm not, then, ain't it?[/i][/color]

Her attention turned back to Drew, and she winked playfully. "Hey there," she said, brushing a strand of red-brown hair behind her ear. Normally, it was black, but she'd been following a trend a lot of Asian women had been lately and dyed it. She wasn't quite sure if she was gonna keep the look or not. After a minute of thinking, she chuckled and said, "Y'know, Archy, I don't think you ever gave me your real name. Unless your parents really named you Archetype. But it's a bulky name, and unless you want me to continue calling you Archy..."

[Archfiend]

He smirked. "Nah, give him a few minutes. He's probably a nice guy and all. Worth the wait. He probably just got held up in traffic, or stalled by a voice in his head."

This made Fiend give a snarl; he wasn't really taking to this really well. Drew turned to look at her and smiled back, just now really taking in her appearance. He had to admit; stunning. "Well hey to you too," he said gently.

"Oh, right." He chuckled, making a face at the name 'Archy.' "Andrew Levy. You can call me Drew. I don't usually use my real name. But I'll make an exception. Not too fond of the name Archy," he teased.

[Rabnak / Ayame]

"Drew." Rabnak grinned. "I like it. Better then Archy.

"Well, Drew... Rabnak is my real name, unfortunately. Rabnak Wolfsbane. Remember that if you never need someone dead and don't wanna do the dirty work on your own." She winked, to let him know she was playing (though she could use a job; her current funds, as staggeringly large as they were, could only last so long-- most were for savings, either was), then moved so she was standing more beside him.

Her acid-green eyes looked him over one more time, as if just to show that she could. "Hmm, I'm thinkin'... I've seen your second form... maybe I'll show you mine later, if you're lucky.

"But, anyway... what'd you have in mind for us to do, Drew?"

The woman was sincerely curious about this. She'd never really hanged with anyone like this before; the closest was her living with Michael for a large chunk of her life, and that--

No, no, she wasn't going to think about her brother. It brought back bad memories; bad feelings. It brought back the beast inside her, and she... she didn't want that. Not right now; not in front of Drew.

[Archfiend]

"I like it. Has sort of....I dunno, an exotic feel to it. You care if I call ya Rabby?" He smiled, looking her over in return, though not for the sole reason of spiting the jealous symbiote screaming in his head. As fun as spiting Fiend was...

"We'll just have to see how lucky I get, then," he teased. He looked at her. "Uh....I don't know, honestly. Don't do this much." He thought a moment. "Maybe just talk a while, grab a bite to eat, watch a movie or something...whatever you wanna do." He smiled at her. "Should be nice though. Just you, me, and the voices in our heads," he joked, to Fiend's disapproval.

[Rabnak / Ayame]

"Hmm, Rabby..." Rabnak mulled it over. The only people who'd ever used that nickname before had been family, and... well, she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to be reminded of that, not with her superstitious nature. Still, she felt obligated to oblige him, for some reason. He just wasn't the kind of person she'd deny, even if she denied so many other people.

Hell, almost every other person.

"Sure, if you want. I don't see any problem with it."

She chuckled, then, at his indecisiveness on what they should do. "Hey, you're the one who asked me," she said. "You should decide. When I ask you, I'll pick. But, if you want a bit of help, the dinner and a movie thing sounds good. I'm so hungry I could chase down a deer..."

Okay, humor he wasn't going to get at all. But if he remembered the joke, it would seem much funnier to him by the end of the evening. If she decided to show him her Demoness form, that was.

[Archfiend]

"I don't exactly know what you like. Don't wanna end up boring you to death," he half-teased; he really didn't want to end up making her think he was dull or something. She wasn't hanging out with Archfiend the symbiote, hell, she wasn't even hanging with Archetype, the trouble-making mutant. She was with Drew Levy, so he figured he'd just be himself. If he could remember how.

"Besides, I've got very little experience here. But dinner and a movie it is." He chuckled at her joke, even though he didn't quite get it. He didn't know why, he just felt like as long as she was happy and enjoying herself, he was doing good.

[Rabnak / Ayame]

All in all, Rabnak had a nice evening.

Okay, well, the movie had been mediocre at best (as were most movies, nowadays) and when you had one human dinner, you'd had them all (at least the way she saw it), but spending time with someone else was actually enjoyable for once, and she didn't feel like she had to push him away because he could obviously hold his own; he wasn't a normal person. It was something she'd needed a long, long time, and she was glad to finally have it.

They'd ended up going back to Central Park, now lit only by stars (at least in the area there were in), Rabnak once again leaned against a tree. They had lapsed into silence, and she was thinking. She was thinking very hard.

She wanted to show him her true form, she really did. She just wondered if... if that would make her vulnerable. She definitely trusted her friend not to hurt her, at least the way she saw him now, but Fiend... Fiend was a completely different story. She could sense his never-leaving presence in Drew, taste his displeasure in the air, and it was all the half-demon could do not to snarl a warning to him. He saw whatever his host saw, and if his host saw Rabnak's true form...

Ugh, her head.

Rabnak's acid green eyes glanced up, giving her new friend a once-over. She bit her lip. "If I show you this... you have to promise you won't ask any questions. Just... trust me on this. It's for my own good, and maybe yours, too."

[Archfiend]

Drew didn't care what Fiend thought; he'd had a really great time tonight. The movie wasn't great, but just....spending time with someone else, especially someone like her, made it all worth it. Fiend wasn't happy, but Drew didn't care. For once, this wasn't about Fiend.

Back in Central Park, and she was leaning against a tree again. Only this time, he was facing her, not leaning next to her. His eyes locked with hers and listened as she spoke.

He nodded sincerely. "I won't; promise. I do trust you." Honestly, he did. He'd never trusted anyone else in his entire life, but he trusted her.

[Rabnak / Ayame]

Rabnak nodded.

For once, instead of going with the quick change that was her custom, she decided on a slower one, one that showed her form off more. She didn't know why she felt like being a show-off; it wasn't like her. But...

Her face began to elongate into a muzzle, as a tail sprouted from her backside, and her elbows moved up her arms. Her fingers shortened, thickened, her thumb moving up to the top of her wrist, and she fell to the ground. The woman's feet elongated as her knees shortened.

And then the fur began to spread across her body, her clothes melting into her skin. Coarse, jet black fur, only growing silver just underneath her eyes. Her ears pointed, moving up her head, growing to be bigger.

And when she was done changing, she stood there, a large wolf who came up to Drew's chest. She took a step back, letting out a wary snort, lowering her head.

[Archfiend]

He watched, both curious and in awe as she transformed. He didn't care that she was showing off. In fact, he kinda liked it. Most of the time, he was the one showing off.

Fiend on the other hand, was only more disgusted. He hid this from Drew, but he was starting to realize that all humans were the same, no matter how cool they seemed at first. Once the right person comes along, they forget all about the symbiote. So maybe his kind was right in being forceful and manipulative. Maybe, not now but later, Fiend would have to remind Drew just who was in charge...

Drew looked at the wolf, utterly impressed. "Whoa," he murmured. "Not that is cool..."

[Rabnak / Ayame]

Rabnak's ears perked, and she gave a sharp, toothy grin. Her head perked a bit, as well.

"Thanks," she said, her voice not coming from her mouth but being projected straight into his mind. It was the only way she could talk, in this form. "That's not the response I usually get. The usual response is 'AHHHHHHHH!', and then they tend to run screaming shit about werewolves.

"But I'm not a werewolf." Here, one ear pinned back; she was warning him against calling her one. Honestly, she hated being called one; she'd met werewolves before, and though some were decent, the rest were a bit... Well, being mistaken for one of those bufoons was definately an insult.

"But... y'know, I'm glad it doesn't freak you out. Oddly enough. It's generally a good thing if I scare people off, if you'd believe that."[/b][/i]

[Archfiend]

He grinned back; sure this was...odd, but he'd seen far worse. Besides, this was also rather interesting.

"Well, I'm not all that easy to scare," he commented. "And besides, I said I trust ya, and I mean it. And, looking at that form of yours, I'd think if you didn't want someone to get away, they wouldn't get away."

Fiend was screaming in his head by now; he didn't like this one bit. He felt betrayed. Drew just ignored him.

"I'm glad too. And these days, yeah, that doesn't surprise me. But hey, maybe I'm just worth keeping," he teased.

[Rabnak / Ayame]

"Maybe."

Rabnak padded forwards, trotting in a circle around him before settling at his side. She sat, leaning on his thigh.

But even with the warm feelings he gave her, the doubts were beginning to surface again. Her family, as much as she didn't want to remember it, was weighing on her mind like a two-ton paperweight, and she couldn't get the image of Drew, slaughtered, out of her head.

If she hurt someone like that again... she didn't think she could handle it. Maybe... maybe she should drive him away. Maybe she shouldn't set herself up for more hurt like this. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

She hated when she thought like this.

~Child...~

Shut up. I don't need you. I never needed you. And it's your fault I'm like this, so don't give me your bullshit.

~Without me, you would be dead by now.~

And maybe I'm better off that way.[/i][/color]