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[Thugren]

You will see.”

The doll master says with a smile as she strokes the smaller girls face and hair. Turning her head gracefully towards chalice

“ I do not believe that is the case..... my little perfect gir will not let herself be spoiled and risk my displeasure will you.”

She pats cars cheek and smiles.

“ my perfect girl.”

[Oce]

Vale nuzzled into Shango's neck practically purring in happiness as Chalice rolled her eyes with a soft chuckle and a smirk. "This looks an awful lot like spoiling her, Mistress. She's going to become dependent on .." She nearly said you, but then she realized that was likely Shango's intention. "Your affections," she finished after a slight pause, tilting her head. It didn't take someone bound to the girl to see how attached she already was to the woman. 

 

Considering mere days ago Vale had been avoiding Shango like the plague, it was almost comical how quickly she grew comfortable around the woman. She may not be ready to spill each and every last secret that was floating around in her mind, but she trusted Shango not to hurt her physically, which that alone was quite a feat. Being around anybody, be they in the same room or right beside her, made Vale uneasy. It made her paranoid and fidgety, feeling as if she was always being watched and judged, as if they knew she wasn't exactly like them.

[Thugren]

Shango smiles at chalices words and stands, easily hefting the girl along with her as she stands up.

“ now now...”

The doll maker says with a breathy smile as she walks back inside, motioning for both of them with a wiggle of her fingers.

“ how I choose to be nice is my business miss chalice ...”

Carefully she sets bar down in a chair beside her bed and sits in her sheets comfortably , covering her lower body.

“ now .... how did you both fare on this mission..., did you do well.”

[Oce]

Vale yelps as she's picked up, clinging tightly to Shango. She was definitely easy to carry considering years of near starvation contributed to severe malnutrition. That isn't to say that she weighed nothing; roughly 90 lbs in her 5'4" height, which was roughly twenty pounds underweight. It was still startling being carried, something that she was very unfamiliar with, so as she carefully wound her arms around Shango's neck, resting her head on the woman's shoulder, mindful not to squirm and make things difficult. She wasn't keen on falling on her ass. 

 

Chalice was slightly more observant to the fact that someone who was struggling to walk mere moments prior was now carrying a girl easily, though Vale had a niggling suspicion of her own in the back of her mind. Either their mistress was very quick in her recovery, or it was all an act to make her appear fragile to any threats and thus be underestimated. It had been made clear that Shango didn't need Aurora or Zero to take care of threats, so she supposed she could see the benefits of hiding that fact. 

 

The Doll raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. She nearly spoke but bit her tongue; sass wouldn't earn her any favors at the moment. So it's 'miss' Chalice now. Respect given is respect returned apparently. Chalice trails along after them obediently, definitely having calmed down from earlier. 

 

Surprisingly, it was Vale who answered, after she curled up on the chair she was placed on with her legs tucked neatly under her. "Everything was resolved; she agreed to resume paying her dues. She just had us.." She hesitated, but it wasn't over the thought that they had killed several people; instead she realized that she hadn't done anything to contribute. "She asked Chalice and Zero to take care of some problematic customers."

[Thugren]

That’s my girl...”

Shango says with a soft smile .

“ you are far too small to interfere in the dolls work .... maybe one day I’ll teach you how to modify your body like I have .”

She smiles as she picks up a orb of granite and crushes it to a fine powder in her hands before smiling.

“ you both will be coming with aurora and I to see my home... I have some business.....”

She opens her eye, revealing the demon marked symbol .

“ can you both be ready soon?”

[Oce]

This was one thing that Vale wasn't going to pout over; it was true, she was too small to be of any use in a fight. As it was, all she could do was stay out of the way and try her best not to be a liability. Her muscles were too sinewy and quite frankly non-existent to support any modifications, and like it or not, even the teenager realized that there was nothing she could do to fix herself as fast as she wished she could. Hell, she had made herself sick once she had been given a meal and felt capable of eating, her stomach being too small to handle more than a couple of bites. 

 

Vale was visibly impressed with the display of raw strength, but there was still that off feeling that Shango wasn't as well as she pretended. Though she realized that it was likely the curse that caused her to cough up blood, it was likely that the strain she put on her body with the modifications didn't help any, and she wasn't alone in this line of thinking. 

 

Chalice barely manages to keep herself from asking why they needed to go see the Singing Bitch, instead mumbling that she would only need a minute or two to change into some fresh clothes and wash the small smears of blood off of her face.

[Thugren]

Shango smiles as aurora comes into the room , the singer slightly disheveled and annoyed looking .

“ that one guy in the front is annoying me .... the next time I go on ...”

Shango tuts and the woman looks at her mistress.

“ shows over aurora .... please get ready to go back home .”

The singer sighs and tussles her hair annoyedly .

“ yea sure.... let’s get the child and her new friend with us.”

[Oce]

Chalice runs off, returning shortly later in a fresh solid black suit and a soft gray dress shirt, noticeably lacking the creases and small tears that her previous outfit had obtained. She had nothing to worthwhile to say to Aurora, so instead she half ignored the other doll, idly looking over her nails. 

 

Vale on the other hand, tilted her head from where she still remained perched upon the chair. In a moment of boldness, or sheer stupidity, she clambered to her feet and approached Aurora, holding out a hand to the doll. She was already used to the patronizing remarks, but she assumed that if the doll actually intended to hurt her, she would be much more blunt. 

[Thugren]

for a long moment, aurora considers her, as if making up something in her mind before she bows gracefully, taking vales hand and shaking it.

 

 

"well ther ewe go.."

 

she says with a smile as she cocks her head.

 

"You are finally able to speak to me little vale? It is a good thing to finally meet you."

 

she smiles and goes toa changing room, beginning to undress as shango watches zero who is idly picking his fingers.

 

"Do you like being around zero?"

 

shango asks the young girl w ith a smile.

 

'This is how he was.....WHen he died. Do you know what his favorite snack was?"

 

zero struggles with a toy and it makes shango grin.

 

"He loved honey dumplings......"

[Oce]

At first, Vale thinks that she has made a fool of herself by trying to shake hands. She reasoned that she could start off with small touches instead of diving headlong into embraces like Shango had done; after all Vale was still unused to gentle touches. She still felt that urge to flinch away from others when they came too close, though she was beginning to smother that feeling, it would still be a long process. She was relieved when Aurora finally seemed to come to a conclusion and accepted her hand. The bow however caught her off guard. 

 

Her brow furrowed as the teen considered the formal 'introduction' mannerism, refusing to let Aurora hold her grip like her hand was a limp fish. "Thank you for saving me back then, ma'am. And you're very pretty," she couldn't help but chime in, tilting her head as her hand fell back to her side. She then turned her attention back to the mistress, blinking owlishly at her. Did she like Zero? That much was clear, but why?

 

"Yes," she said slowly, drawing it out as she struggled to explain herself. "It's easy being around him. There no expectations or demands... Plus he always has snacks." 

 

Vale grimaced upon being reminded that he had suffered through death. Zero, Aurora, Chalice... They all were familiar with death's embrace. They knew the darkness that came with it. But Shango also knew of suffering; she had lost the two closest people she had, had to suffer without them beside her through life, through losing her eyes.. A shudder ran up her spine as indecision took hold. She stared at Shango with a watery stare, gnawing on her lip before launching herself at the woman, trying to capture her in a tight hug. She would spend a day with Zero when she was able to, and hopefully she would share honey dumplings or whatever he preferred these days with him. 

[Thugren]

Oh poor thing ...”

Shango breathes with a smile as she kisses the top of her head .

“ when we get to my home I will get you all the snacks and ..”

She looks at zero who is eating some cheese crackers and huffs .

“ he always has those cheese crackers! They are the bane to my diet!”

Zero shrugs at this as shango kisses the top of bales head .

“ even before al of this he was always quiet .... and somehow he would always have snacks ..... mother would not like him in the house because she would call him the little thief boy.”

A slight smile created her face at the thought of her adoptive mother .

“ she would chase him with a broom .”

[Oce]

Vale grumbles into Shango's chest quietly, clinging to her mentor tightly but carefully; she was overly conscious of Shango's every movement, waiting for the slightest sign of resistance in which case she'd release the woman. She wasn't one to care too much about having snacks, but she had to admit that they were nice to have. She was kind of in awe with how many Zero seemed to have with him at all times. 

 

"Did he actually steal snacks?"

[Thugren]

Zero would stea everything to feed us.”

Aurora says as she comes in, her hair done up carefully .

“ he once stole a whole chicken ..... freshly cooked ...... still popping with grease .”

Shango smiles as zero winces as if remembering the hot oil.

“ one thing about him is he always took care of us....... he does even to this day.”

Shango smiles and rubs her fingers through cakes hair.

“ you should see..... well I’ll let you meet him in time .”

[Oce]

Vale winced sympathetically, flexing her fingers as she imagined them burning with the oil. That.. She shuddered, clinging tighter to Shango for a moment before finally releasing her and pulling away. It was easy to imagine the skin sizzling with the heat. 

She nearly asked what Shango was hinting at, but decided she would have to wait regardless. 

[Thugren]

It takes a long time , but after a few days shango is well enough to stand for long periods and she gathers everyone up.

She is dressed in her best as is aurora , both sporting red and white chonogasns respectively . Zero on the other hand wears his hood and pants, his hands stuffed into the pockets as shango breathes out a breathy laugh.

“ chalice? Vale? It’s time to go my dears.”

Zero leans up against the wall as aurora smiles and clicks her tongue .

“It’s going to be nice to be left home.”

[Oce]

While Chalice always dressed formally when given the opportunity, and she cleaned up rather well for her rough personality. Vale on the other hand.. The girl was uncomfortable enough in her own skin. Flashy clothes would not give her any pseudo confidence, though dressing casually meant that she stood there beside Shango and Aurora feeling vastly under dressed. Half of her wished to just stay beside Zero and play it safe. 

But it was obvious that Shango wanted them there for a reason, and Vale wouldn't make the woman exert herself to drag Vale along kicking and screaming away from Zero. Not that Vale was really able to scream, or possess a desire to fight against the mistress that took her in. Chalice, sensing Vale's mental dispute, rolled her eyes before settling a hand on the girl's shoulder. Eyebrow raised, her look clear in intent; Relax already, you're fine. 

[Thugren]

Shangos eye opens and a odd ripping can be heard . A purple portal opens before her and with a smile she walks through.

“ come now....”

She says with a breathy sigh as she takes cakes hand and walks her through.

The feeing was odd, one moment you are in the cold, the next you are standing in a humid jungle , where the beating of birds can be heard.

“ now now....... shango says with a smile, turning toward a large cabin and fanning herself .

“ our friend is late.”

Zero guides you to the cabin and opens the door, giving the all clear as he sits down on the deck in a chair, looking uneasy as shango smiles.

“ he’ll be coming soon.”

[Oce]

Vale doesn't flinch at the tearing noise, something that she was mildly proud of. While she was wary of things outside of her control, Shango's abilities were something to be in awe of, not feared, though the circumstance was less than thrilling. She was more curious rather than fixating on 'if she wanted to harm me, she would have already', which was an improvement. Chalice drops her hand from the girl's shoulder before Vale steps closer to Shango, decidedly less bitter as she examines the portal. 

 

Vale just barely resists clinging to Shango's side as the strange sensation pressed against them. Teleportation was.. Odd. It wasn't altogether unpleasant, but the sudden humidity left her breathless. She hadn't known what to expect but it certainly wasn't this. She recovered quick enough; by the time Chalice stood behind her, she had recovered. She squeezed Shango's hand before releasing her and standing on her own. She had to learn to stand on her own two feet so the guilt would stop eating at her. 

 

Chalice hadn't expected something like a cabin for the mistress. Something that was usually cozy and homey was not usually something that brothel owners were known for. Though she supposed Vale would find it accurate. It was obvious the girl adored Shango. And Zero. Chalice didn't so much as raise an eyebrow as Vale hovered uneasily over the other doll, mirroring his discomfort. Who was headed their way?

[Thugren]

Shango smiles as she heard a lonely howl in the distance and sits o. The rocking chair overlooking the area .

“ my avenger ...”

Zero winces and stands up and walks into the other as a figure comes into view .

He is y’all and lithe , his skin pale and perfect like porcelain . As zero steps into his path the tall man smiles and speaks very calmly in a very familiar voice.

“ wel met zero....”

He says as he holds out his hand for a shake.

“ queue the show....”

Aurora says as she sits beside shango and smirks as zeros arm splits open in a second, his jagged blade flying in a whistling arc at the mans face with startling aggression .

“ still mad at me huh...”

The figure says as he tilts back out of range of the attack and foxes his black vest .

“ so scary..... vale shouldn’t see you like this it’s going to scare her...”

Zero visibly bristles and his other hand splits open, hurling a wicked whip at the figure and ensuring him by the throat as he spins him over head, slamming him through trees like a rag doll as shango sets some tea in a cup for vale.

“ always like this...”

She says like an annoyed mother , but she puts a small cake beside cake for her to enjoy

[Oce]

Vale is still as Zero stands and stalks towards the stranger approaching them. She raised an eyebrow at the male's almost enthusiastic greeting before merely blinking as Zero's arm pulls back to strike him with a blade. There clearly was some unresolved tension between the two, which everyone seemed to know about except her and Chalice. While Chalice looked amused at the prospect of getting to witness a fight, Vale looked concerned. 

 

She nearly asked why she would be afraid of an angry Zero until she saw his reaction to the taunt. Tilting her head as she remained a safe distance awafy from the fight, she calmly called out "You better finish what you started, Zero."

 

Vale briefly glances away from the fight as Shango sets tea in front of her, so she claimed Zero's former seat for herself before returning her attention. What did he do to Zero to make him so upset? Who is he?"